Product Description
Two stories of the legendary Celtic hero Finn MacCool. ... Read more

Product Description
The Celts controlled much of Europe for many centuries and the myths of their world have inspired generations of painters and poets. This book contains all the Celtic heroes, creatures and magic central to this great culture. ... Read more

Product Description
The mythology of the Irish Celts, as rich and rare as that of the Greeks and Romans, has long excited the imagination not only of the mere Irish but that of the world at large. This account, in alphabetical order, lists the personalities, immortal and semi-divine, that illuminate the Irish psyche. ... Read more

Product Description
Stories from Celtic mythology illustrating man's awe before the unknown and the supernatural are presented in this book. Each story is written in contemporary style and, like the originals, they are intended for an adult audience, though children may enjoy them too. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

One of the best books on Irish Mythology
Recently I was at my Dad's home in Ireland surveying his bookshelf when my eyes were drawn to this particular book, which is not my Dad's usual reading at all.

So, I opened and randomly started reading the various stories, and was more than pleasantly surprised to discover some Irish stories, from the Ulster cycle.

Rather unexpecteldy, I got drawn into the various stories, Deirdre and the sons of Usna, the Sons of Tuireann, some stories of Cuchulainn, probably Ireland's best known hero. Cuchulainn is mentioned several times by Joseph Campbell in The Hero with a thousand faces.I had not heard of the Deirdre story before (aka Deirdre of the Sorrows).

Neeson includes The Children of Lir, one of the most famous of all Irish stories. I particularly liked the Deirdre story, The Sons of Tuireann, and the Cuchulainn stories. Some of these stories are interrelated with the same characters.

What I found particularly engaging was the particular twists and turns that Mr Neeson employed to hook you in, like often happens when a good storyteller goes off at a tangent, and that story becomes a story in itself.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I hope it becomes more widely available so I can pick up my own copy at a reasonable price. In the meantime I just ordered his other book of Irish stories available on Amazon.

I hope you find this review helpful. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
Dig into ancient Celtic lore as your magic and divinations bask in the fiery breath of The Celtic Dragon Tarot by D. J. Conway and Lisa Hunt.

Using her knowledge of ancient dragon energies (she wrote the popular book, Dancing with Dragons), D. J. Conway has designed one of the most vivid and powerful Tarot decks ever. The art for this deck was created by the well-known fantasy illustrator Lisa Hunt, and will bring chills to your spine.

The Celtic Dragon Tarot is a set that combines a full-color, 78-card deck and a 240-page book, A Guide to the Celtic Dragon Tarot. Together, they can empower your readings, your magic, and your heart.

No words can express the beauty of this deck. The amazing attention to detail on each card, from delicate scrollwork on clothes to the intensity of the expressions on the people and many different images of dragons, will astound you. The book gives you everything you need to know to make The Celtic Dragon Tarot a part of your daily spiritual and magical work.

·Complete explanations of the symbolism on each card
·Divinatory meanings for each card
·Four Tarot spreads that you can use to do readings for yourself and others
·Spells using candles and this deck for healing, luck, protection, love, and more
·How to meditate with this deck, including three guided meditations
·Understand past-life influences on the present
·Develop psychic abilities

The Celtic Dragon Tarot is an exciting new addition to your magical life. Whether you are interested in the Tarot, the Celts, magic, or self-improvement, this book and deck are a must.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (63)

Review by Chris Roubis
Love this tarot deck..
Lovely illustrations as well as an easy guide to all card meanings.

Beautiful Cards
Readings, especially intuitive readings, are so easy with these cards. Beautiful artwork, and to be honest so much so that it's been a few months and I have not yet looked at the book. It's so easy for these cards to evoke a response, so if you're using them for readings you will not be dissatisfied. if you're buying them for a love of art or dragons you will be equally happy.

:)

Superb Present
I bought this card deck for my son who loves dragons.He loved it!!He said the deck is easy to use as well!

The Celtic Dragon Tarot Kit
I bought the The Celtic Dragon Tarot Kit for my daught. When she received it she was very happy that is was a brand new deck. She thought I would by her a used kit, because I am unemployed. I wish I could have been their to watch her open it. She called me thanking me for the Kit and is very happy. That made me very happy. I am very happy with my purchase through Amazon.com.

Thank You Very Much

Robert Henry Pineiro

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1567181821/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_title

So Far, Wonderful!
After this deck & book being out since 1999, I finally got it as a birthday gift just a few days ago, and though I am still quite new to it, I feel a wonderful vibe off it. I believe Lisa Hunt was correct; in her introduction she speaks of how the synchronicity and flow of the whole project was amazing.For me, the magic still holds, and there is something liberating to the spirit and enlivening somehow in using this deck, and studying it. It certainly portrays a world I would like to live in, and I love both author and artist for bringing into the world the "possible dragon!"

I also like the sections at the end about candle magic and oh, the meditations!Some have complained about both the presence of these and their quality, but having done a pathworking meditation just last night, I have to say that to me there is an authenticity to what she puts forth.Also, these sections are not very long, and don't detract at all from the straight Tarot parts of the book.But yes, tome they augment that.

The deck is going to be easy to read with, and I like the physical size too. Can't say why I thought for years I wouldn't like this deck, being a born Celtophile and lover of dragons to boot, but I guess I wasn't ready.Now I am, and I'm glad to have it in my life. ... Read more

Product Description
  Perhaps the most mystical, magical people ever known were the Druids. They were wizards, storytellers, teachers and spiritual leaders. They were attuned to the Earth and the Sun. And they were very powerful.
ouldn''t it be amazing if you could be a Druid? Now you can with the secrets revealed in Druid Magick.
  This book presents everything you need to know to become a Druid and even start your own Druid "Grove" (the name of a Druid group). You''ll learn about the Druid''s tools - the sickle, wand, cord and more - and how to make and use them. You''ll discover all of the beliefs the Druids hold, including the emphasis on honor and ethics. You''ll learn how a Druid sees the Divine in everything and how even sex can be sacred.
 And of course you''ll learn the secrets of the magic of the Druids. You''ll learn how to do protection spells and how to use magic to find missing items. You''ll learn how you can visit other "worlds" or levels of reality. You''ll even learn how to do shapeshifting and experience the world as an animal!
  Are you having a mental block? With this book you''ll learn how to tap into the creativity that was a hallmark of the Druids. You''ll be able to write, draw, write or perform music with much greater ease and depth than ever before. Become a Druid can bring you all this and more!
  Druidry is far more than historic Celtic leadership. It is a living, growing, spiritual tradition that can bring you more self-assurance and self-development than you''ve ever had before. Jump out of the ordinary! Try something new to bring that spark back into your life. Discover the secrets of Druid Magic.

Winner of the 2001 Coalition of Visionary Resources (COVR) Award for best Magic Book
... Read more

Customer Reviews (36)

Fantastic
I was very pleased with this purchase. It was received in excellent condition as well as in a very timely manner. THANKS

Anti-christian, anti-male, neopagan laugh
It has become my observation that the vast majority of New Age/Neopagan books written by women are nothing more than soapboxes from which to sneer at Christianity (in all it's forms) and anything male. Here in the book Druid Magic we have Maya Suttons feminist doctrine disguised as Druidry. The Celtic legends are about goddesses, the Otherworld is rarely called anything but "The Isle of Women" and so on. In her chapter on journeying to the Otherworld she warns of the dangers and traps therein "If you want this image to become clearer and stronger, be very cautious. This is the magic of glamoury and what you create here is likely to run your life."
This warning seems to apply only to men since she later writes;" Woman,in particular, may be interested in the magic of glamour...it may be an exciting power." Those poor stupid men just can't understand Druidry.
Her depiction of the meeting of Druidry and Christianity as battles against foreign invaders is pure historical comedy. In fact, during the 5th century A.C.E. The fledgling Christianity and Druidry began to cooperate and even eventualy to meld together. For example, a quick check through Vatican records would have told her that the famous Irish christian leader Saint Patrick was a druid.

Great Resource!
There's lots of information in this book, including what is and isn't a Celt, what is and isn't a Druid, info on shapeshifting and other magic, spirituality, symbols, the Tree Alphabet, sources for further reading, and much more. I'm not a Druid, but I have an interest in Celtic history and culture. This is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in Celts, Druids, or magic in general.

The book is written in a way that's easy to understand, even if you're not familiar with Celtic lore or magic. Even if you don't intend to practice, it's great reading, and will help you understand the difference between magic in fairy tales and real magic.

DRUID MAGIC dispels the myths that surround magic cultures and opens the path to Druid wisdom for those seeking it.

Not for the advanced or intermediate
This book may be good for the beginner just starting out their quest or maybe even a beginner/intermediate but if you know all your basic facts and have done research dont bother. I read this book and learned nothing I didnt all ready know. Power comes from the mind not tools or outfits, but often enough this concept is hard to grasp so as I said for the "beginner".

Complete fraud and lies
There are three types of books about Druidry, the scientific/factual ones, the spiritual ones and then there are those that exist out of pure lies and deception by the author. This book falls into that last type of book.

The author knows the word Druidry and might have read 1 or 2 paragraphs about it, but the rest of the "knowledge" comes from fantasy novels and the imagination. The claims of the author are completely ridiculous and lacking any logic, reason or even spirituality at all.

NOT a SINGLE text written by Druids themselves has survived, our knowledge is second-hand. What we do know is that Druids spent many many years studying, they did NOT "magick" themselves into powerful demi-gods or whatever nonsonse the writer of this book claims.

The writer obviously has no respect at all for both the ancient Druids and the modern Druids. He has no real knowledge about the subject. He clearly is one of those people trying to fraud others in buying his book so he can make money. ... Read more

Product Description

In a masterful blend of history, geography, and literature, Jean Markale re-creates the true King Arthur, the real-life Celtic warrior-hero who organized the resistance to the Saxon onslaught in fifth-century England. Markale's unsurpassed knowledge of Celtic history has enabled him to reconstruct for us the actual world in which King Arthur lived--its heros, its values, and its vicissitudes--and to define the position that Arthur occupied within it. 

• Explains how the Arthurian ideals of knightly virtue and chivalry are at the heart of Western literature and thought

• Shows how the Celtic heritage continues to exert a unique formative power on our personal and moral concepts

Customer Reviews (4)

Myth upon myth, with historical background
King Arthur lives in legend and in memory, for good reason.

Mr. Markale opens (and closes) with a paean to Marxist Dialectical Materialism as an analysis tool, but in the middle proceeds to write a refreshingly thorough history of the Legend of King Arthur.

Drawing upon all written stories (legends?) of Arthur and then placing them in a context of Celtic cultural practices makes the legend both understandable and, if possible, more captivating. He is perhaps too desirous of perceiving Celtic culture to be more deserving of praise over the stratified (clss-based) Roman culture, to the extent that he seeks to minimize the Roman element in the fusion of Celtic and Roman as personified in Arthur.

He does note the British Celts who fled to Brittany (itself Celtic before the Romans conquered Gaul), carrying with them the legends of Arthur, but more as a resource for the Normans who used that tradition as a bulwark against the overweening pressure of Frankish Paris. Perhaps learning from the Romans enabled the Bretons to maintain their identity even into the 20th century, after all.

All in all, a good history, well documented, with extensive incorporation of source documents in lieu of paraphrasing. In a sense, he rewrites the Legend as real, expecting the Once and Future King to once more manifest himself.

Arthurian lore
I have three books by Markale (The Celts, Women of the Celts, and this one), and this is the only one that impressed me in the least.Despite its stupid title, this book is full of valuable information, historical, political, and mythical.Arthurian lore and speculations about the historical Arthur are not one of my favorite things of this sort, but for someone looking for a professional study of it, this is your book.

Extensive and fulfilling! A Great Arthurian Classic!
No other book covers the legend of King Arthur better than this!!From the political aspects to the mythical, this book is great for any who find King Arthur of interest.It undermines the myth and trys to dig at the truth, and on the way you will find that many of the stories about Arthur were for political gain during the time they were written.This books goes VERY DEEP, and if you get discouraged by heavy books do not get this!But if you are inpired to search the endless wonders of King Arthur, then get this book and enjoy!

Interesting discussion of history and myth
A refreshing take on Arthurian legend, literature, history, mythology and their intersection.Markale offers theories on how different societies constructed their history and mythology (for any historiographers in thecrowd) as well as a synthesis of different versions of Arthurian legend. The French courtly romances of the 12th and 13th century are not excluded,but Markale places more emphasis on the earlier sources (both extant andinterpolated) for the Celtic tales.A compelling portrait of Arthur andthe Celts emerges. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an essential exploration of Celtic magic, history, and myth for Pagans and Christians alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Great book, unique perspective
I ordered this book, expecting a book on Celtic reconstructionist paganism.It is actually something a little different and yet quite inspiring in its own right.Where I expected to find a treasure-trove of lore, instead I found a handbook for Celtic tribalism.

There are three areas that some people are likely to find controversial but in both these areas, Kondratiev clearly lays out his case.

The first issue that some people may have is the language issue.Here I applaud Kondratiev.Celtic languages are structurally very different from either Romance or Germanic languages and the semantics are similarly very different.These two components create a fundamentally different way of relating to oneself and the world.Hence it is entirely impossible to adopt an authentic Celtic mode of consciousness without being fluent in the language.At the same time, I am well aware (through experience) that learning a Celtic language is FAR more difficult than learning languages closer to home.All I can say is that the time is well spent.

The second is the celebration of holidays.To the main four fire festivals, he adds the solar events (equinoxes and holidays).His defence is that these ceremonies are largely naturalized in Celtic countries.Furthermore, this is generally in keeping with his idea that this is not so much paganism as an embrace of the Celtic spirit (and hence he embraces both pre-Christian and Celtic Christian elements as separate golden ages).While I will say that this approach may not be for everyone, he is quite consistent in his methodology and it is unfair to characterize it as "wiccan" on this basis.

The third involves how sacred space is set up.Here he uses what looks to me to be an adaptation of Hermetic techniques to do so but he re-engineers these to be based entirely on Celtic lore. While I believe that his techniques are grounded both in lore and comparative studies, one must admit that they are probably not the same techniques which were used in either of the two golden ages he mentions.(For the record, it is not only Wiccans who cast circles-- they got this from the Hermeticists and the ritual seems to be based largely on Greek antecedents.)I suspect the issue here is that there may not be any viable alternatives at the moment other than creating the sorts of permanent structures which were found in both earlier periods......

On the whole I thought that this was a good book and I hope that Kondratiev publishes more.

Social Paradigm
The author's main thesis in this work is that despite the rigorous machinations of time and decline, combined with the constraints and demands of modern technological life and historical events which radically and sometimes violently altered and affected Celtic communities, that a pro-active spiritual framework can be created, instituted and evolved based on traditional beliefs and cosmology. This book emerges with others in a like vein as a proposal toward the reinstitution of a natural spiritual foundation for individual and communal life, and thus seems a valid modern trend for serious speculation and social experimentation. Such movements stand in opposition to the materialistic objectivist worldview which holds sufficient and sometimes excessive appropriation as the necessary objective and instead offer and promote a social tribal dynamic which holds human experience and perception as the most valued commodity.

The author fulfills a desire amongst many who until recently have been content with the genealogical research of their ancestors but are now pursuing a greater and intrinsically more viable understanding of their cultural and ethnic identity. Amongst those there are some who are exploring a radical reorientation of their spiritual life, and intent on adopting and absorbing distinctly identifiable traits and traditions that existed in pre-Christian Celtic lands. This was one of the first books written in that mold; and now part of a movement which has grown into what is now termed `CR' or Celtic reconstructionism. This movement is not only concerned with the preservation of key aspects of the culture such as language, myths, dress and religion but also with their specific detail orientated performance within a modern context. The Apple Branch was written before the emergence of the CR movement, is now somewhat rejected by certain individuals but without a doubt certainly inspired many in their search for establishing a new cultural and spiritual dynamic in their lives.

By his own testimony the author begins with a romantic and partisan account of Celtic history and people. For me, this story is perhaps one of the most enchanting, passionate and thought provoking articles on this subject I have ever read. From the earliest Greek observations through Roman dominance of Gaul, the conversion to and effects of Christianity up to the present remnants of the culture exemplified by the `six nations' of Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Brittany, Cornwall and the Isle of Man. Kondratiev sees two historical `golden ages,' and anticipates a third which he terms Keltia in which Celtic civilization has not only survived but is blossoming with a renewed vigor.

In the four remaining chapters the author recreates a framework of sacred ritual, activity and observance through a process of careful extrapolation; analyzing and exploring historical Gaelic texts for illuminating fragments of information. In chapter two, `Drawing the Circle' he offers a foundation for future development. The importance of space, time and ritual in conjunction with language, and present a fully reconstructed Celtic ceremony based around the four sacred directions, their meaning and benefits. He establishes the Celtic worldview and cosmology in terms of cyclical events.

In chapter three `Cycles of Earth and Sun' the solar and earth festivals are explored within the context of human life as a microcosmic representation of ever-revolving periods of time, the alternation of seasons, summer and winter and the `garland' of eight feasts composed of Samhain, the Winter Solstice, Imbolc, the Mid-Spring equinox, Bealtaine, the Summer Solstice or Mid-Summer, Lughnasadh, and the Autumn Equinox. Kondratiev fully explores the physical and spiritual meanings and dimensions of each festival with reference to original texts such as the Carmina Gadelica, mythic tales, epics and traditional lore.

In chapter four `Cycle of the Moon' he adopts the song of Amairgen Gluingel Mac Mil found in a medieval 12th century Irish text called the Lebor Gabala Erin or History of Invasions as the basis for monthly observances and reflections. This is reinforced from the archeological evidence provided by the Calendar of Coligny (a Roman era bronze artifact detailing solar and lunar changes) to create a 13 month lunar year.

Chapter five, `Cycle of the Tribe' incorporates the celebration of conventional days of Christian Saints within the Celtic tradition, but adopting them within a greater spiritual purpose and as a reminder of the concrete historical reality of Celtic communities. Invocations and remembrances that resonate as living embodiments of the past, much like an anchor which holds the sway of the soul.

The question remains; is this book of any value outside of a marginal section of society interested in Celtic spirituality and ritual reformation? Even from an academic standpoint the author provides a valuable insight into the traditional faith and beliefs of the Celts in Western Europe, the author being a graduate of Columbia University majoring in anthropology and linguistics and a respected authority of Celtic culture. For me on a personal level the text enabled me to understand and integrate a natural sense of rhythm in my day to day life, to completely comprehend the fundamental ebb and flow on both macro and microcosmic levels. This was especially enriching within my working life; the constant repetition of tasks takes a radical shift away from a perceived boredom to a mantra-like reasoning. This is not a book of fantastic fiction or regurgitation of dreamy myths, more of a glowing cultural paradigm which challenges the reader to make a shift in consciousness. The Apple Branch is offered, dare you accept it?

General Celtic? - Sort of. Celtic Rituals? - No.
The information on language and culture is useful for beginners.But the author presents Wiccan ritual and theology as Celtic. (Wicca is not Celtic.)Due to this, some sections of this are worthwhile, but others are very misleading.While I'm sure the author means well I can't recommend this.

Wonderful interweaving of mythology and practice
Through exploration of the myths assocuated with the different Celtic holidays, Alexei outlines a ritual structure and activiies for each of the Sabbats, each moon as well as a ceremony to honour each of the Celtic countries.

This book, to me, was the pefect combination of the scholarly, spiritual and practical. One that really came through for me was Alexei's passion for all things Celtic Reconstruction and for restoring and honouring the beliefs of the ancient Celts. I really agreed with his suggestion that learning a Celtic language is important because so much of the langauge can't be translated into English and also because the dedication it requires to learn shows real commitment to the path. I fully intend to one day learn at least some Gaelic.

I also found his chapter on the different moons incredibly useful and enlightening. It was actually the first time I was able to translate a cycle of named moons into Southern Hemisphere time/seasons. The chapter on the sabbats contained an absoute plethora of stories related to each holiday that in the end dragged out all the major themes assocaitated with each. Also very very useful.

As useful as it was though, I found the sabbats chapter did get longwinded (it was over 100 pages!) and might have been better broken up into sevral smaller chapters.

I really liked the ritual structure used. His explanation of the quarters helped me to understand the actual Celtic understanding of the quarters (it's not elemental!) but also made my brain hurt trying to figure out where each quarter would be in the Southern Hemisphere. Other than that one small complaint, the structure left plenty of room for sticking in your own meaningful symbols and your own personal flavour.

In the end I found this book the perfect combination of scholarly, practical and spiritual, like I said in the beginning. If you can bare a little long windedness I really recommend this book - great overview of Cetic mythology and wonderful application of it to the modern world.

the real deal
I first met this author when at an annual gathering for a Celtic Reconstructionist organization, so I can tell you first off, he is the real deal.In his book is a "Practical Coligny" that I still use at Full Moon rituals.This book is powerful and wise, full of mythology, history and ritual.If you were to only five books on Celtic ritual, this must be one of them. ... Read more

Product Description
The medieval legend of the Grail, a tale about the search for supreme mystical experience, has never ceased to intrigue writers and scholars by its wildly variegated forms: the settings have ranged from Britain to the Punjab to the Temple of Zeus at Dodona; the Grail itself has been described as the chalice used by Christ at the Last Supper, a stone with miraculous youth-preserving virtues, a vessel containing a man's head swimming in blood; the Grail has been kept in a castle by a beautiful damsel, seen floating through the air in Arthur's palace, and used as a talisman in the East to distinguish the chaste from the unchaste. In his classic exploration of the obscurities and contradictions in the major versions of this legend, Roger Sherman Loomis shows how the Grail, once a Celtic vessel of plenty, evolved into the Christian Grail with miraculous powers. Loomis bases his argument on historical examples involving the major motifs and characters in the legends, beginning with the Arthurian legend recounted in the 1180 French poem by Chrtien de Troyes. The principal texts fall into two classes: those that relate the adventures of the knights in King Arthur's time and those that account for the Grail's removal from the Holy Land to Britain. Written with verve and wit, Loomis's book builds suspense as he proceeds from one puzzle to the next in revealing the meaning behind the Grail and its legends. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Fascinating theory of the Grail
After "From Ritual To Romance" caused a sensation (positive and otherwise) among grail scholars in the early part of the 20th century, much scholarship relating to Arthurian myth relates to the discourse over its origins. In "The Grail: From Celtic Myth to Christian Symbol," Roger Loomis convincingly argues (as the title might suggest) that the idea of the Holy Grail has its roots not in apocryphal Christian eschatology but in the Celtic myths of the British Isles. From the knights of the round table to Indiana Jones to Heinrich Himmler and everyone in between, the Grail has been a much sought-after artifact. The only question is "what is it?"

According to Loomis, the Holy Grail is not the cup from which Jesus drank at the Last Supper, but rather a mistranslation of the archaic compound word "sankgreal," meaning "royal blood" rather than "holy grail." This will sound familiar to anyone familiar with the novel "the Da Vinci Code," but this is more or less where the similarities end. Loomis does not view the Grail as an essentially literal object and says that it refers to a mythical bloodline. He further objects to the characterization of the grail as a cup, showing that before it was identified as a chalice, it had previously been portrayed as a flat dish and even a rock (!). He says that myth of the Fisher King lay in Celtic mythology and that Christian symbolism was later attached to it when the Grail myth hit continental Europe from a French monk and scholar living in Wales. The concept of the grail as an ever-replenishing source of sustenance is based on another linguistic misinterpretation that has an archaic Welsh word for "cup" being mistranslated into French as "body," as in the body of Christ (i.e. a communion wafer). Loomis illuminates a consistent series of parallels between the circumstances of Arthurian legend and Celtic myth and shows how overlapping stories in the former are based on archetypal forms from the latter.

Why 4/5? While Loomis presents a compelling theory, it is complex and at times difficult to follow despite Loomis' effort to make his book as accessible as possible to the average reader. Likewise, there is a fair amount of redundancy in this book that might turn some people off. Finally, the theory is so complex and each part is so dependent on the assumption before it that if one aspect is successfully refuted, the whole theory would be in jeopardy. Still, it's a fine book that advances an intriguing hypothesis about one of Western Civilization's most enduring symbols and deserves a thorough examination. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

The standard by which others are judged?
This work is typical of H.R. Ellis Davidson.Well researched and written.The comparative nature of this work can, at times, make it seem a little disjointed but it was an enjoyable read.The only thing that would have made it better was if she had included Continental Germanic tribes as well.Overall an excellent resource.

Interesting comparative work
This work compares Celtic and Scandinavian mythic and iconographic themes.Professor Davidson does an excellent job of covering a limited set of themes and provides a great deal of food for thought.

The main areas which are covered are the core elements of religion-- themes relating to the otherworld, festivities, holy places and the like,This work does not attempt a full-scale comparison of myths and religious structures.

All and all, I think this book is an important one for students of related topics to have.I gave it 4 stars only because I thought readability could have been slightly improved.

Heathan Lore
Here the lore of Northern Heathanism is paired and compaired with thelore of the Ancient Celts. I would recomend this book to all Asatruar looking to examine more closely, the Lore of our Folk.

The Mysterious Spirit of my Hearth Inheritance
This book is mainly concerned with the format and content of pre-Christian Scandinavian religion, using Celtic and Germanic equivalents as a means of reference, support and comparison. I first became aware of Scandinavian culture during my schooldays in North-East British Northumberland, and the lessons were mainly concerned with depicting the savagery of the Viking raiders, the terrible `dragon-headed' long-ships, and their rape, pillage and plunder of civilized Anglo-Saxon Christian settlements. This image of barbaric ice-warriors filled my imagination until the mid-eighties when excavations and archeological discoveries at Coppergate in York revealed many interesting and highly cultured facets of Viking life in the early medieval period. Much of these discoveries and subsequent research was installed as a permanent museum now called `Jorvik Viking Centre.' A decade later I was fortunate enough to visit Bergen in Norway and experience Scandinavian culture and history first hand, the Bryggens Museum is a showcase of finds from the earliest settlements and includes ceramics, rune inscriptions, artifacts and the remnants of a principally shipping and commercial society up to the Middle Ages. `Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe' provided me with a carefully researched and detailed account of the spirituality of the Scandinavian peoples, and which brought to maturity all my previous thoughts and experiences, to an understanding which gives considerable credit to those communities for their important cultural legacy in Western Europe.

Davidson has used the medieval literature, myths and legends of Iceland and Ireland as the primary reference source for this book, in combination with archeological research papers and sources, and iconography of pre-Christian Western European culture. Her main inspiration appears to come from many scholars of Celtic history including Nora Chadwick, Kenneth Jackson and Anne O'Sullivan, although the principle thesis of the this research is prompted by Georges Dumezil (1898-1986) the religious historian who specialized in the analysis of Indo European civilization, who asks; "Is it possible to fit these Norse and Irish legends into a general pattern of Indo-European religious beliefs, extending back far into prehistory?" This question it seems, is the answer that Davison was seeking to explore within her work, and she does so with imagination, clear perception and a satisfying conclusion. With a broad yet defining sweep she manages to assess and investigate seven principle areas of interest; sacred places and sanctuaries, feasting and sacrifices, warriors, codes and rites and battle, land spirits, deities and ancestors, prophetic knowledge, divination and the priestly caste, cosmology and the other worlds, and finally the ruling gods, goddesses and divine pantheons.

Davidson begins with the earliest sources of a broad Indo-European culture, the archeological sources of Halstatt and La Tene circa 800 BCE to 200 CE, and follows through her study to approximately 1000 CE when the Scandinavian Vikings began to convert to Christianity. She employs free use and comparison of geographical sites, archeology, linguistics, cultural, social, artistic and spiritual characteristics, and the dynamics of the anarchical tribal-feudalism of early European society to successfully accomplish the study.

I grew up within a traditional working class British community. There, the cultural inheritance was composed of remnants of ancient and medieval thought whose pattern and dynamic has evolved little beyond the concept of `indentured servitude.' Tribalism still exists albeit in the form of soccer, and beyond the boundaries of the town there still exists a fear, a dreaded chaos, of foreigners and disorganization. Even when I was a lad in the seventies there was a strong sense of home, a hearth and odd yet valid seasonal customs whose origins may be traced back a thousand years. From a curious perspective, even a psychological one, this volume (and others like it) helped me to understand my background, language, beliefs and culture from a traditional point, and subsequently how those traits still influence my perception and actions today. It is not a book that changed my life, but illuminated facets of it and helped me in understanding myself more.

A broad overview with some problems and gaps, but overall scholarly, useful, and intelligent. Recommended
A useful introduction to the structure, key concepts, and beliefs of ancient Scandinavian and Celtic religions. Davidson covers a number of topics, including holy places, feasting and sacrifice, battle rites, land spirits and ancestors, divination, the Otherworld, and what she calls "the ruling powers." Her text is an overview and an introduction: not very deep, but a good place to begin one's study. Because she discusses both Germanic and Celtic religions, there is too much ground to cover to do so in depth. Sometimes the religions feel confused or one of the other is ignored in order to move on to the text subject. Nonetheless, the text is scholarly, well-footnoted and clearly based in research; for the most part her analysis manages to identify key themes and symbols in an analytic, readable fashion. I believe that her attempt to categorize the gods at the very end of the book fails, but with that one exception the book is on the whole a useful, intelligent introduction to these ancient religions, and the writing style is approachable while still scholarly.

The student of either Scandinavian or Celtic religion may find this text unusual: rather than focusing on one of these religions, it discusses both concurrently. Germanic and Celtic religions appear to have a shared origin and a number of similarities, and so the analysis of both together should be interesting and provide a wider background for students of either religion. However, the broader subject matter makes for more cursory analysis and less detail: some subjects are only mentioned briefly; some subjects are discussed only in terms of one of the two religions. Furthermore, Davidson spends a lot of time talking about the similarities between the religions and often fails to discuss the differences beyond the rare mention that they exist. In comparative religious studies, sometimes it's the differences that matter more than the similarities. As such, the comparison between the two religions can at times be frustrating and degrade both.

Near the end of the book, Davidson attempts to group the gods of both Celtic and Norse religions into major groups and types, such as warrior gods and provider gods. She makes this attempt despite a preface which warns that it may be impossible and may even limit or corrupt our understanding of the gods. In her attempt, she categorizes only male gods: female goddess are ignored for the most part of the book. There is some interesting discussion about valkyries and battle goddess earlier on, but other goddess (Such as Brigid and Danu) are not even mentioned. I don't know why she omits them (perhaps they have no Nordic equivalent?); regardless, both the attempt to group the gods and the omission of the goddess do a great disservice to both religions and are the weakest parts of the book.

Despite these complaints, Myths and Symbols of Pagan Europe is still an interesting and scholarly introduction to both Nordic and Celtic religions. Davidson discusses the relationship between history, culture, and location in the formation of a religion. She looks at the root of Celtic and Nordic myths, including the relationship between the two; she looks at how natural and man-made locations and symbols impacted religious practice and the concept of sacred spaces; she looks the nature of religious practice and its role in the life cycle of the ancient Germans and Celts. She searches for symbols, correlations, and derivatives, and her analysis is clear and easy to follow. The book introduces some useful and easily applicable ways to approach a study of the Celtic and Scandinavian faiths, one that depends more on the underlying structure and purpose of the religion rather than its small, contradictory, poorly-understood or unreliable details. I do recommend this book, although I encourage further reading on the specific religions in order to gain a better grasp of their depths, individuality, and roles and identities of the gods (and goddesses in particular). ... Read more

Product Description
Now you can forget any preconceptions you might have about what it means to be a woman, and unleash your inner warrior as you embrace a timeless vision of the divine: strong, courageous, feminine. Then learn to craft your own spiritual practice centered firmly in the Celtic mystical tradition that honors the feminine when you read Celtic Women's Spirituality by Edain McCoy.

In this book you'll discover how any woman can awaken that burning Goddess spirit and release the wisdom and magick that is her birthright. You'll be able to:

- Access the energies of the Warrior, Mother, Crone and Virgin
- Perform the ritual of bonding with a friend in the Celtic soulfriend ritual
- Learn the Celtic Wheel of the Year and how it is specifically related to women's spirituality
- Discover the wisdom of the Celtic myths through ritual drama
- Awaken your creativity with guided mediations
- Use Celtic magick for healing and divination

Included in this book are the keys to visiting the Otherworld on a shamanic journey. There you will uncover ways to overcome unhealthy and inhibiting fears, connect more intimately with the divine, improve your divination skills, and help manifest your warrior self. Finally, you will learn what you must do to become a modern Pagan priestess and self-initiate yourself into the Celtic tradition.

Here is your chance to find your personal strength and inner power in a way that will allow you to manifest all of your strengths. Celtic Women's Spirituality is a journey of growth and self-discovery. Come! Start this journey today.

Amazon.com Review
The popularity of the Celtic revival is evident by the number of books on the subject, yet an assessment of women's spirituality within this cultural tradition has remained elusive. Edain McCoy addresses this very topic and thus opens new doors for women, allowing them access to a tradition that can be easily blended into most current beliefs, including Christianity and paganism. McCoy skillfully examines the history of women in ancient Celtic society and reveals its significance to the women of today. Celtic Women's Spirituality details commonly practiced rituals such as the Celtic festivals of the year, and includes more uncommon traditions such as the soul-friend bonding known as Anamchara, and aspects of Celtic shamanism such as shape shifting. Women who have felt distanced from their spirituality should explore these traditional pathways for incorporating the power of their warrior archetypes into their 20th-century lives. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Celtic Women's Spirituality
I have experienced the death of a child and numerous other deaths of dear friends recently. I was also diagnosed with Breast cancer soon after my son's death. I have always done rituals and find my connection with the divine through the earth. I have welch ancestory and need to have help in finding my trust again in this world. This book leads the way to finding strength , wisdom and hope again. Anyone that wants to reconnect to this heart pull should read this book and when ready follow it's path.....

A broad but readable introduction to Celtic Wicca, but historically and mythologically inaccurate. Only recommended to Wiccans.
Celtic Women's Spirituality is at best an introduction to Celtic Wicca. Without delving much into history or myth and legend, McCoy pulls out some aspects that she sees in ancient Celtic religion and connects them to aspects of mainstream Wicca. She envisions the three-faced Goddesses in Celtic mythology as the triple-goddess (virgin, mother, and crone) in Wicca, overemphasizes the female warrior in Celtic history in order to create a strong archetype for women to follow, has a number of sections about "Celtic shamanism," and provides a lengthy, somewhat arbitrary wheel of the year. The book is a broad introduction to Celtic Wicca, with a general overview of the factors that she sees as important and a sprinkling of guided meditations and rituals. What Celtic Women's Spirituality is not is an introduction to historic pre-Christian Celtic religion. Many of the factors that McCoy focuses on don't arise from Celtic myth or Celtic history, and they are heavily adapted to fit Wicca. If you are interested in "actual" Celtic religion and culture, or Celtic Reconstruction, this is not the book for you.

McCoy does her audience a disservice by not clearly separating Celtic myth and history from Wiccan aspects or showing where fact ends and her extrapolations begin. She writes as if everything she says comes directly from and applies well to Wicca, implying that aspects such as the three-fold Goddess and Celtic shamanism are authentic aspects of pre-Christian Celtic religions. However, the version of Celtic religion that McCoy presents in this book is actually highly adapted and modified to fit Wicca, sometimes picking up on similar strains, sometimes extrapolating from what was into what could be. As such, this book should be considered Celtic Wicca, not Celtic Paganism.

As a book on Celtic Wicca, McCoy writes a broad but clear introduction to the faith as she sees it. She doesn't delve into great depth but she gives an overview of a number of aspects (conceptions of self, conceptions of Goddess figures, a few rituals, a number of guided mediations, and a number of correlations between symbol/deity/meaning). The few Celtic aspects that she focuses on she translates well into a Wiccan context. The entire book is geared towards women, and encourages strength, independence, and self-association to the female deities. It is actually a rather enjoyable, self-affirming read.

That said, this book shouldn't be confused with Celtic myth, history, or pre-Christian religion. McCoy's basis in Celtic myth and history is limited at best, and all of the aspects she focuses on are highly adapted and interpolated. While she sums up the myths on a broad scale, the detail that she draws from them, as well as from Celtic society and ancient religious practice, are more opinion that fact. If your interest lies in actual Celtic Pagan religious beliefs and practices, for either academic or religious reasons, then you will have better luck reading textbooks and history books. I'd direct you towards the "Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism" religion and encourage you to skip this text--no matter how easy it is to read, it has a limited basis in history, comes highly adapted, and is misleading. Doing research on actual Celtic history and religion will take longer, but it will unearth facts rather than opinions and will provide much more depth than McCoy's text.

New Age "Celtic" Fluff
She's a good author for those who want to take a teeny side step from the Wiccan tradition, without fully departing from Wicca. All of her works have a firm foundation in Wicca and this book is no exception.

Great book!
I think that this book is a great book for any woman who feels connected with Celtic spirituality. This book gives insight on the different celtic goddesses, the triple goddess, and several other aspects. The rituals and guided meditation is great. She poses questions that will truly have you thinking about yourself as a woman. I give it five stars because I have read one of McCoy's books before and I think that this is definitely one of the best celtic books I have read.

pretty decent
I'd ordered this back on one of my deployments for something to read. Its pretty good - I enjoyed the historical aspects, but didn't have much used for the rituals as they were mainly geared towards 2 or more people. I think I'm probably still looking for more solid history, less ritual practice. But, all in all, it was a good book and will probably cover what most folk are looking for. ... Read more

Product Description
Drawn from a wide range of biblical, ancient, and contemporary sources, A Celtic Primer is the most complete Celtic worship resource available. With its unique blend of materials, this collection offers something both authentically traditional and radically new. The celebration of the work of God in creation and redemption is the theme woven throughout the writing, and it resonates deeply with the contemporary search for a sense of transcendence in daily life.

Based on the historical concept of the primer, which teaches a pattern of daily prayer in the monastic style, A Celtic Primer contains everything necessary for creating liturgies for a wide range of formal and informal worship occasions, as well as for personal prayer. Outlines and a broad selection of texts are included for morning prayer, midday prayer, evening prayer, compline, and a Celtic Eucharist. Seasonal prayers, prayers of penitence, intercessions, hymns, Bible readings, body prayers, a Psalter, and daily meditation texts round out this collection.

This complete manual-along with a disk in Word format-makes the perfect tool for clergy, chaplains, worship leaders, and small-group leaders, as well as individuals seeking to establish a pattern of daily prayer.

... Read more

Product Description
Now back in print for the first time in many years is oneof the most comprehensive studies of Celtic mythology legend andpoetry ever written, presenting the entire enthralling panorama of themythical and legendary traditions of the ancient Gaelic and BritishCelts.

Here, in clear, compact, readable form are stories of all the chiefcharacters of Celtic myth: the Gaelic gods and the giants theybattled; the "Champions of the Red Branch" of Ulster, heroes of thegreat "Irish Iliad;" Finn and the Fenians; and the gods and heroes ofthe ancient Britons, down through the great deeds of King Arthur andhis Knights of the Round Table.

Here is a book that covers the entire spectrum of this fascinatingarea of folklore, with numerous illustrations. It is not a book forscholars only, but for anyone who is interested in the roots of manyof the world's finest plays, poems, short stories and novels. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

stale and boring, albeit authoritative
I wonder why it is that Dover insists on resurrecting these centenarian "classics" that reek from the profoundest nadirs of Victorian/Edwardian writing. The material, while bursting at the seams from its completeness and thoroughness of research, is presented in a most unappetizing manner. The author must circumlocute almost forever until he gets down to brass tacks, and--when he finally embarks on the meat of some myth or other--you have to read hard between the lines to torture the actual story line out of the narrative. There's got to be a better way to bone up on the rudiments of Celtic myth, and I think I've found it: "Druids, Gods and Heroes" by Anne Ross, likewise e-available at Amazon.

Man oh man, how did we ever find our way from 1870 to 1919? What happened to these people? Perhaps they read Victor Hugo. I remember when I first tried to read it: I was an excitable, sadistic little devil, who wanted to make a beeline straight for the torture chamber scene, where they crush poor Esmeralda's foot in an iron screw press lined with spikes. But I never found it: I fell asleep during the first few pages, and I'm not sure whether it was the endless Latin quotations or the endless French quotations that did me in, but--rest assured--neither had *diddly* to do with lovely French peasants being coveted by deformed bellringers and their adventures afoul of corrupt church officials!

Where was I? Oh, yeah, avoid Squire and books of that ilk. Dover tries so very hard to deliver quality stuff, and they very often do, but Squire is *not* a shining example of their success in that direction.

wonderful collection despite its age
We Druids do not have a "Bible" as such but good mythology collections are a good source of similar reference detailing the various gods and semi-god/heroes of our pantheon.Squire's book is possible the oldest of these collections currently in print, dating to 1905.

It's a wonderful collection covering the gamut of the Celtic experience from Irish to British and is well organized and planned.It's only faults lie in some of the suppositions of the author, but these are understandle considering he is working from scholarly sources which would now be over 100 years old.As such, skipping the first four chapters covering history and scholarly opinion of the time is advisable to the "novice" reader, so as not to get confused with the now dated opinions.But the rest of the book is a treasure and a worthy addition to anyone's mythology collection.

Classic Book Teaches Classic Lesson
CHARLES SQUIRES' CELTIC MYTH AND LEGEND reminds usof a classic truth: the more we think we're dfferentfrom each other, the more we are the same.The book also reminds us that certain things about human nature don't change.Using a mix of scholarly research and the retelling of ancient Celtic myths, SQUIRE examines how ancient Celtic gods and magical beings expanded, contraced, grew, disappeared, and reappeared in popular culture from the time people arrived in the British Isles and France to the present. He suggests that with each wave of immigrents, Celts, Vikings, Germans, Romans, Christians,new beliefs mingled with old. New gods replaced old, but ancient ideas lingered.Looking at story themes, plots, characters, and icons, Squire shows how these thoughts have come down to us today.I liked this book for that reason.When I finished reading it, I felt connected to ancient people.I also felt connected to modern people because the stories embodied in myth are universal.CELTIC MYTH AND LEGEND is also a book I can read on several levels.If I want to read some neat stories, I can pul it off the shelf.If I want a good of example of how scholars compare and contrast legends and draw conclusions about their origins, I can grab this volume.If I would like to simply be reminded of my humanity, I can thumb CHARLES SQUIRES' pages.My only complaint about CELTIC MYTH AND LEGEND is that SQUIRE'S language can get heavy.He often goes on for pages describing comparisons and characters in minute detail.This is not an easy read. Still, CELTIC MYTH AND LEGEND is a good reference book for the scholar, storyteller, or person who has more than idle curiosity about old tales.

Great as a text
If you're looking for an 'accounting' of Celtic Myths and Legends this is a great book with with a table of pronunciation, a great index for quick reference and an appendix of other recommended books. It is,however, very dry reading.

If you judge the book by the description on the back of the book:

"The romance of Celtic legend is unsurpassed, but many people have only a vague knowledge of the myths and legends of Britain's inhabitants. In this fascinating book, Charles Squire gives an astonishing account of the colourful Celtic characters who are part of the heritage of Great Britain."

The words fascinating, astonishing and colourful all make promises that the book can't keep.

I think that Myths and Legends would be much more accesible to the common man if told by a master storyteller that can grab and hold your attention, this book comes across as an academic study.

If you want entertainment... buy a different book
Celtic Myth and Legend
Revised Edition
by Charles Squire

I'm not sure why, but as of late I've begun to feel "culture envy".Since Canada is such a young country it has very little history and even less in the way of traditions, that it hasn't borrowed from other cultures and countries.

It's kind of sad, too, that the best definitions of Canada actually come from beer commercials! My family, third or fourth generation Canadian, didn't talk about our roots - our ancestors at all, but I'm pretty sure that we came from the British Isles at one point.So I decided that a study of Celtic culture would be a good place to start in my "culture quest".

Unfortunately, I picked this book...This book was written almost a hundred years ago but that was not the problem.I found I had to struggle to finish it.The writing was very disjointed and cumbersome.It wasn't at all entertaining, as I think myths and legends should be.In fact, if myths weren't entertaining why would they be re-told and re-counted over the centuries?

The book boasts that it is "revised" with a forward by Sirona Knight.Unfortunately, the forward turned out to be the best part of the book!She claims here that Celts weren't actually blood thirsty people who made human sacrifices as is indicated in the body of the book. My personal opinion, however,is that we don't actually have a lot of hard facts about the Celts and it could have been either way.

I would not recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume contains the myths and legends of pre-Christian Ireland, overflowing with giants and heroes, enchanted maidens, battles and brave deeds. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Complete Celtic Goodness!
This is a lively, emminently readable, comprehensive tome of Celtic mythology.This is actually two great books in one tome -- Gods and Fighting Men and Cuchulain of Muirthemne.

Gods and Fighting Men comprise the tales of the early invasions of Ireland, the legends of the Tuatha de Danaan, and the Coming of the Gael (the Mythological Cycle); and also the stories of Finn MacCumhail and his warband/policing force (the Fenian Cycle).

These are the great early myths of Ireland -- become acquainted with The Dagda, Brigit, Ogma, Lugh and the other Gods and Heroes of the early mythology.Even in the time of the Fenians, the Gods and Goddesses still walked the earth and travelled among mortal men.Although these legends are the foundational mythology of Ireland, this body of lore is generally under-represented in books of Irish Myth.

Cuchulain of Muirthemne covers the Ulster Cycle, the great legends of northern Ireland, in the time of Cuchulain.War chariots, urban settings and cattle raids with special guest cameos by the now aloof and removed Goddesses and Gods.

This is a phenomenal collection of mythology; highly recommended.Lady Gregory is definitely one of the top Bards of modern times.

Good volume of Irish mythology in appropriate style
Translated and edited by Lady Gregory, founder of the Abbey Theatre, this collection appears, as it claims, to be "complete".If you want a more or less exhaustive volume of Irish mythology, this book is a good choice.However, it reads like a translation: the style has traits of the original Gaelic which make it somewhat difficult to read.Even so, this style is in keeping with the subject and helps one get into an antiquated, Celtic frame of mind.It also includes pronunciation aids for the Gaelic and English translations for proper names (both very helpful), such as Slieve Mis = Co. Kerry, Teamhair = Tara, Co. Meath.The book itself is 550 pp. including notes with a lovely greenwood scene on cover and slipcover. ... Read more

Product Description
This book reintroduces an ancient system of astrology developed by the ancient Druids through a mystical runic alphabet known as the Ogham. They used a Celtic tree calendar, in which each tree has a dryad or tree spirit, which represents the spiritual nature in human beings.Because the tree signs function somewhat like the moon signs in traditional astrology, these signs bring to light many of the details of your inner world: emotions, feelings, spirituality, and the subconscious mind.No prior knowledge of astrology is necessary to use this system; all you need to know is the day and month of birth to greatly enhance the interpretation of your natal chart by adding your tree sign and the new information it conveys. The book includes a comprehensive analysis of each tree sign and each sun sign of the traditional zodiac, with an analysis of each of the tree sign/sun sign combinations, plus an exercise, spell, ritual, or meditation specifically created for each combination. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Not Remotely about Astrology
This book actually describes a system of seasonal meditations that will make your life better somehow. She has taken Mr. Graves' "White Goddess" and Mrs. Paterson's "Celtic Lunar Zodiac" and turned it into a spiritual system. The problem with this is that she strictly adheres to Mr.Graves' 365 day year, so her seasons will migrate backwards a day every three years or so until they are completely reversed. Her history is also off as well: the Celts practised aspects of Buddhism, Taoism and yoga before the Indians and Chinese did (pp. 17 and 213), and could teleport to Atlantis (page 199).

Very Disappointing
Based on previous reviews, I thought this book would have more substance or perhaps a new and unique view on astrology from the Celtic view. But it was poorly written and did not give any information that cannot be found free on the internet.

Pros of the book:
* Good to get quick information about what dates correspond to each Celtic tree sign
* Within the tree sign analysis, the info includes the Ogham alphabet letter, ruling deity, and general information about the tree (where it grows, what it looks like, etc)
* The combination of Celtic tree sign and sun sign are interesting.

Cons of the book:
* The descriptions of character and personality traits of each Celtic tree sign are very superficial. More time is given to showcasing the characterics by profiling a famous person or, in my tree sign, profiling a personal friend of the author. I found these examples to be useless and thought it would have been better to go indepth about the specific traits and characteristics of each sign.
* The sun sign analysis is also very weak. There is no new information nor is any of it presented in a novel way. Again - information that can be found on the internet.
* The exercises at the end of the book are dreadful! There is only one exercise per Celtic tree/sun sign combination. Of the ones I read through, none of them sounded interesting or enlightening.

I was very disappointed by this book as I have a great interest in Celtic history and beliefs and thought this book would provide a new level of understanding. Maybe I found it to be too elementary because I have knowledge of astrology.

Yet of the parts I did not know - the information regarding Celtic tree signs - I also found those parts to be underwhelming. The details were superficial and the examples unnecessary and uninformative. A quick search on the internet gave me almost all of the information provided in the book. For an author who has written a number of books, the overall content and style was poor.

In short, I found this book read like a lame undergraduate report on Celtic tree signs as they relate to astrology. There was no evidence that the author really put much indepth thought or research into the topic.

I would say this book may be useful to those with absolutely no knowledge of astrology or for those who want a very barebones reference to Celtic tree signs.But for others, they would be better off thumbing through and reading relevant pages of the book in their local bookstore, instead of spending money to make it part of their personal library.

Take a Tour of the Celtic Tree Signs (and much more!)
"According to Druid teaching, which is thought to reach back to 500 B.C.E., each tree contains a dryad or magical tree spirit. Celtic Astrology, based on the mystical tree calendar in which the tree dryads represent the nature in human beings, will help you gain new understanding of yourself and others." -From the book

Celtic Astrology is a 13-sign Zodiac where each month is represented by a tree sign. People born during the days ruled by a specific tree tend to exhibit characteristics associated with that tree. In her book, Celtic Astrology - How the Mystical Power of the Druid Tree Signs Can Transform Your Life, astrologer Phyllis Vega provides a comprehensive analysis of each tree sign and the Nameless Day of the Celtic calendar, as well as each sun sing of the traditional Zodiac.

The Celtic tree signs are as follows:

Birch: December 24 - January 20
Rowan: January 21 - February 17
Ash: February 18 - March 17
Alder: March 18 - April 14
Willow: April 15 - May 12
Hawthorn: May 13 - June 9
Oak: June 10 - July 7
Holly: July 8 - August 4
Hazel: August 5 - September 1
Vine: September 2 - September 29
Ivy: September 30 - October 27, 2004
Reed: October 26 - November 24
Elder: November 25 - December 22
Nameless Day: December 23

In this book, the tree sign analysis includes:

*Ogham alphabet letter
*ruling deity
*keywords
*indepth analysis of the tree itself
*character and personality traits of those born under its influence

The sun sign analysis includes:

*key phrases
*symbol
*element
*quality
*ruler
*brief outline of personality and character traits

As if that weren't enough, Celtic Astrology also features tree sign/sun sign combinations including an exercise, project, spell, game, visualization, or meditation specifically created for each tree sign/sun sign combination. Black and white photographs and illustrations are peppered throughout the book, and there is an extensive bibliography and internet resource section for further reading.

Both my husband and I are Scorpios, but his House placements are different from mine, as well as his Ascendant. I've often wondered "How in the world can he be a Scorpio?" He lacks the intensity, curiosity, and interest in transformation that seems so prominent in my psyche. When I read Celtic Astrology, I began to understand some of the differences between us. I am Reed/Scorpio, but he is an Ivy/Scorpio. His temperament is conciliatory, artistic, and creative-and indeed, he's a very talented acrylic painter. I, on the other hand, am forceful, independent, uncompromising, and complex. Bearing an indomitable spirit, I am a survivor.

Vega's deft interpretation of Celtic myths and heroes-as well as the traits of the individual trees themselves-provides additional insight into the differences of individuals born under the same sun sign (as is the case with my husband and myself). This delightful book requires no previous knowledge of astrology, but the additional information of the Druidic tree signs enhances traditional sun sign interpretation. Celtic Astrology is a great book for those wanting to expand their astrological knowledge, as well as those interested in Celtic mythology, Druidism, and the tree signs.

A Marvelous Book for Beginners and Experts both
Celtic Astrology, by Phyllis Vega is enjoyable to explore. After I had read about myself in the Druid Tree Signs, I found myself looking up my friends and relations. The author thoughtfully includes the traditional sun signs as well as the Tree Signs. Best of all, she includes spells and rituals for each Tree Sign, making the book practical as well as interesting.

Subtitled How the Mystical Power of the Druid Tree Signs Can Transform Your Life, the book begins with a brief introduction to the Druids and their culture along with an explanation of the difference between Sun Sign and Druid, or Celtic astrology. The author's lucid style continues to illuminate the tree signs themselves, including associated deities and animals. As a perpetual student of ancient lore, I appreciated the myths and legends associated with the signs.

The author weaves information about nature, the Celts, ecology, and much more into every chapter. I was impressed by her knowledge and understanding of how things work. For instance, when she discusses The Reed, she details their uses by Native Americans as well as their place in nature, and their relevance as a Tree Sign. Because I am an herbalist as well as a student of nature, I am happy to read a book that not only adds to my knowledge but shines enough light to educate the average reader.

Phyllis Vega's rituals and spells are simple and beautifully explained. My only criticism of this book is that I would have enjoyed it if there were more than one exercise per sign. This carefully written work is a good read as well as a fine source of what may be new information to many. I would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in learning more about the world of the Druids, their sun own Sun and Tree sign, and those of their friends and relations.

Terrific!
This beautifully packaged book is a must for anyone interested in astrology or Celtic astrology. Phyllis Vega takes us on a magical mystery tour of the Celtic signs, from the Birch through the Elder and Nameless Day. She gives us the mythological backgrounds of each Celtic "tree" sign, vivid descriptions of people born under these signs, and shows how the energy has worked in their lives. There's also a separate section about Western astrology & on tree sign and Sun sign combinations. Highly recommended. ... Read more