Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism facts for kids
- The article about the original faith of the Celts is at Celtic polytheism
Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism, often called "CR", is a religion. People who follow this religion are called "Celtic Reconstructionists" or "Celtic Reconstructionist Pagans".
The Celts were people who lived a long time ago. They lived in many parts of Europe, especially in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Gaul (which is now France). Today, Modern Celts are people who live in these places or whose families came from there.
Like the ancient Celts, CRs believe in many gods and goddesses. This belief is called "polytheism". They also believe in spirits and ancestors. CRs often honor them with special rituals and gifts called offerings. These offerings might be food, songs, or poetry. Many CRs also learn the old Celtic languages, like Irish, Scottish Gaelic, or Welsh.
Celtic Reconstructionists are a type of Pagan Reconstructionist. This means they try to practice a religion that comes from one specific culture. They are different from "eclectic" Pagans, who mix ideas from many different cultures.
Contents
How Celtic Reconstructionism Started
Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism (CR) began in the 1980s. People interested in the Celts and in Paganism wanted to find a true and old way of practicing their religion. By the 1990s, more and more people became CRs. Some met at Pagan gatherings. Later, many more connected with each other using the Internet.
The first person to write about being a "Celtic Reconstructionist Pagan" was Kym Lambert ní Dhoireann. She wrote about it in a magazine in 1992. She said she got the idea for the name from Kathryn Price NicDhàna.
What Celtic Reconstructionists Believe and Do
Celtic Reconstructionists base their religion on what we know about the ancient Celtic people's beliefs. They also use Celtic folklore (old stories and traditions). They often focus on one specific Celtic culture, like the Gaelic people, the Welsh, or the Gaulish people.
Many CRs are scholars (people who study a lot) or mystics (people who seek spiritual understanding). They believe it's important to be both. CRs read many books and do things like meditation, prayer, and rituals. They believe that being honest and acting in an honorable way is very important.
Many CRs see everyday actions as a type of ritual. They might say traditional prayers, chants, or sing songs while doing daily tasks. These often come from old collections like the Scottish Gaelic Carmina Gadelica.
Community rituals are usually based on old community celebrations. These celebrations often include bonfires, dances, songs, divination (trying to find out about the future), and games. More formal CR rituals often involve ways of connecting with the Otherworld. This might include giving offerings of food, drink, or art to spirits of the land, ancestral spirits, and the Celtic deities.
CR rituals are often based on the ancient Celtic idea of the "Three Realms": Land, Sea, and Sky. The fire of inspiration is seen as a central force that connects them all. Many CRs have altars and shrines for the spirits and deities they believe in. They might place these altars outdoors in natural places like wells, streams, and special trees. Some CRs also practice divination. For example, they might look for omens (signs) in the shapes of clouds or in how birds and animals behave.
Other Names for Celtic Reconstructionists
While "Celtic Reconstructionism" is the most common name, other names are sometimes used.
Some groups use names from Celtic languages. For example, Pàganachd (meaning "Paganism" in Scottish Gaelic) or Págánacht (the Irish version) are sometimes used.
Another name, Senistrognata, was promoted by a group in Seattle. They say it means "the ancestral customs of the Celtic peoples" in an old Celtic language.
Related pages
- Celt
- Celtic mythology
- Celtic polytheism
- Modern Celts
- Polytheistic Reconstructionism
- Imbolc
- Beltane
- Lughnasadh
- Samhain
