Pagan Portals - Irish Paganism: Reconstructing Irish Polytheism
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Pagan Portals - Irish Paganism: Reconstructing Irish Polytheism
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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781785351464 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Collective Ink |
| Publication date: | 10/30/2015 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 98 |
| Sales rank: | 192,624 |
| File size: | 2 MB |
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Pagan Portals Irish Paganism
Reconstructing Irish Polytheism
By Morgan Daimler
John Hunt Publishing Ltd.
Copyright © 2014 Morgan DaimlerAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-78535-146-4
CHAPTER 1
Basics of Irish Reconstructionist Polytheism
Bennacht dé ocus ainde fort
Táin Bó Cúailgne
(Blessing of the Gods and not-Gods on you)
What is Reconstructionism?
Reconstruction is a methodology that uses a variety of sources including archaeology, anthropology, mythology, folklore, and historical texts to reconstruct what an ancient belief or practice most likely would have been like. Using this reconstruction of the old, the belief or practice can then be adapted for modern use. Or, as I like to say, reconstruction is understanding the old pagan religion so that we can envision what it would have been like if it had never been interrupted by foreign influences and had continued to exist until today.
Reconstructionism is most often applied to spirituality, but it can be used for a variety of related practices including traditional non- religious witchcraft. It can also be used for mystic practices used in conjunction with spiritual practices, such as the reconstruction of seership methods within Irish Reconstructionism, or of seidhr within Heathenry. Reconstruction is a method that is applied to a wide array of different ancient pagan faiths including Norse, Anglo-Saxon, Minoan, Egyptian, Irish, Gaulish, and Indo-European to name just a few. It is a method that is both sound and flexible, but which also requires personal engagement and imagination. Because of this, the end results of different people's reconstruction of the same culture's religion will not be identical, although they should be similar.
In this particular case, the methodology of reconstruction is being applied to Irish Polytheism, hence the name of this approach to Irish paganism. What this means in practical terms is that it is a spiritual structure based on studying archaeology, anthropology, mythology and so on, specifically of Ireland, focusing on the pagan period and any traces of pagan beliefs during the Christian period. Obviously there are certain challenges with this, including the fact that we have nothing written by the pagan Irish themselves, so we must not only reconstruct the old beliefs, but also seek to filter out any foreign influences. Academic material has two main approaches to the subject of pagan Irish beliefs, which are diametrically opposed and tend to be held strongly. The first is the nativist view, which says that Irish mythology and culture were influenced by pre-Christian pagan paradigms and reflect genuine ancient beliefs that were preserved as such by later scholars. The second view is the antinativist, which says that the preserved material we have in the mythology was preserved through Christian mediators who themselves were influenced by both Christian and Classical views and therefore it must be assumed that all preserved material reflects some degree of foreign influence and does not show us genuine pre-Christian beliefs. As an Irish Reconstructionist studying the source material you will encounter both approaches.
Aspects of Irish Reconstructionism:
1. Study: Any form of reconstruction requires some level of study. It's important to familiarize yourself with the ancient pagan culture in order to understand it well enough to create viable modern practices from it. There is a wide variety of books available on Iron Age Irish culture, pagan Irish culture, Irish folk beliefs, and archaeology in Ireland that can all be used as source material.
2. Discernment: Speaking of source material, another important aspect of reconstruction is critical thinking. It's important to be able to tell a good source from a bad one and judge the value of any material you are reading or hearing about. Commonsense is one aspect of discernment, but another is healthy skepticism; nothing should be accepted automatically as true just because it is in a book. Rather a reader should assess the value of the material based on how sound it is – how provably true the material is – how persuasive the evidence is, and whether the author backs up their idea with solid evidence.
3. Language: There's a saying in Irish: 'Tir gan teanga, tir gan anam' (A nation without a language, a nation without a soul). I think this reflects a core truth, that our language is not only a basic means of communication, but also an expression of how we relate to and perceive reality. In psychology we call this linguistic relativity, the idea that language affects how we think about the world. What this means in practical terms is that to truly understand a culture you must understand the language of that culture. As an Irish polytheist it is important to at least try to understand the language, for a variety of reasons. There is much insight and truth to be gained from reading the old myths, but there is a catch, because the translations that are available are written through a very specific lens that distorts and changes what it reflects in ways that we are often not aware of. Reading the original language4 gives us a more direct understanding of the story as it would have been understood originally. The Irish language is also part of the living Irish culture, and its preservation is a cultural issue, which we as polytheists following Irish Gods should care about. Finally, there is something visceral and primal about connecting to our Gods in the language of their own native culture.
4. Practice: Research is the tool to build the structure of the religion being reconstructed, but the purpose of doing that is to then move forward into actual practice. This includes an array of things from celebrating holy days to offering rites. The ultimate point is to create something that is a completely viable in the modern world, but is based on the ancient beliefs and practices. Each Reconstructionist will create a slightly different vision of what this modern practice looks like and is, but they should all have similarities.
5. The living culture: One final aspect of Irish Reconstructionism is interaction with the modern living culture, which in this case would be Irish culture. This can include appreciation of Irish music, art, literature, food, and current events.
Common Myths About Reconstructionism
I've said it before, but it bears repeating: Reconstructionism is a very misunderstood thing. There are many reasons for why that is and why some of those misunderstandings keep being perpetuated, but mostly it comes down to assumptions and stereotypes. So to start let's take a look at some common misconceptions and realities of Reconstructionism in general.
1. Reconstructionists are not mean
Well, they aren't any meaner, generally speaking, than any other community can seem to outsiders. I see this one all the time, and it is usually rooted in two things: a difference in communication style and a difference in paradigm. People within Reconstructionist communities tend to have a communication style – in my experience – that is rather blunt and straightforward. In contrast, people within non-Reconstructionist communities tend, again in my experience, to have communication styles that favor friendly language and more passive-aggressive approaches. Reconstructionists tend to operate from a paradigm of earned respect, skepticism, and an expectation of support for statements, while non-Reconstructionists have a paradigm of immediate intimacy, trust, and acceptance of people's assertions on face value. Neither of these is inherently better or worse than the other, but they create very different cultures and expectations of behavior for the people within them. It should be obvious that these communication styles and paradigms are in many ways antithetical and it is almost inevitable that people interacting between the two groups will have issues with each other.
2. Reconstructionists are not re-enactors
This is another very common one, usually expressed through the criticism that Reconstructionism is flawed because 'there are things that should be left in the past'. Well, yes, clearly. No one is advocating the return of human sacrifice or slavery – although we are honest about the fact that these were historic practices and that understanding them is important to understanding the culture. Reconstruction is not about recreating ancient religion exactly as it was and practicing it that way, but about understanding how it was in order to make it viable today.
I, for one, love indoor plumbing and refrigeration, and I'm not about to give up all modern amenities to build a roundhouse and pretend I'm living in the Iron Age. I might not mind a roundhouse with wifi and solar panels though. Obviously, just like the rest of the population, there are some Reconstructionists who do favor sustainable living, off-the-grid living, and even a rejection of many aspects of modern technology, but that isn't an aspect of reconstruction itself, any more than belonging to the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) or going to Renn Faires is.
3. Reconstructionists are not armchair pagans
It is true that there is a bit of a hesitance in Reconstructionist groups – or at least the ones I have experience with – to discuss actual practice and experience. I think there are several reasons for this, including the fact that we tend to get very tangential about minutia in discussions and we get sidetracked when someone else starts disagreeing and saying their research supports a different approach. However, just because we don't talk all the time about what we actually do in our daily lives doesn't mean we aren't doing anything. In the same way a non-Reconstructionist may talk a lot about what they do and not much about what they read, but that doesn't mean that they don't read anything (I like to assume anyway). Reconstructionists do like their source material, but the entire point of the source material is using it to create a viable practice.
4. Reconstructionists don't hate unverified personal gnosis (UPG)
This one is also often expressed as 'Reconstructionists are obsessed with lore' or 'Reconstructionists are pagan fundamentalists'. However you say it, it simply isn't true. And that's not just my opinion, I'll quote the CR FAQs here, under What is Celtic Reconstruction (CR):
By studying the old manuscript sources and the regional folklore, combining this information with mystical and ecstatic practice, and working together to weed out the non-Celtic elements that can arise, we are nurturing what still lives and helping the polytheistic Celtic traditions grow strong and whole again. (Emphasis mine.)
Incorporating personal experience and mystical practice is part of Reconstructionism, so Reconstructionists obviously do not hate personal gnosis. However, we do apply the same critical thinking and discernment to mystical experiences as we do to any source of information and I suspect this is where the problem comes in. Reconstructionists question everything to ascertain its veracity including spiritual experiences and that is often unpopular especially in communities that do not share the same approach.
But seriously people, Reconstructionists don't hate mystical experiences, nor do we reject anything that isn't straight out of a book. We just place a lot of value on the vast amount of combined experience and belief that is the culture we are reconstructing and we use that as a measure for the credibility of new information.
Reconstruction is not a methodology for everyone, just like any other path it is simply one option among many. It appeals to certain people for a variety of reasons, and leaves other people uninterested, and that's okay. Many people who don't practice Reconstructionism, and even some who do, misunderstand what it is and sometimes perpetuate stereotypes about it. I hope this helped at least a little bit to shed some light on a few of them. Reconstructionists aren't out to make people cry, aren't trying to recreate the Iron Age, aren't only about reading books, and aren't against personal ecstatic experiences or gnosis. What we are about is using solid academic evidence and personal inspiration to envision what that Polytheism would have looked like today if it had existed without interruption. We are about honoring our ancestors, spirits of diverse types, and Gods. We are about respecting and helping to preserve the living culture today.
Reconstruction isn't about living looking backwards. It's about walking forward with the past a firm path beneath our feet, guiding our steps.
CHAPTER 2What Are the Beliefs?
Bíaidh doberad ar ndee ocus ar dtoicthe dúinn.
Fragmentary Annals
(We'll have what our Gods and fate bring us.)
There are no hard and fast beliefs within Irish Reconstructionist Polytheism, but there are some that are commonly held, and that is what we will look at here. As with most aspects of Reconstructionism though, different people can look at the same evidence and draw different conclusions so sometimes these beliefs will vary from group to group or person to person. It can be said though that Irish Reconstructionist Polytheists do have these basic beliefs: Polytheism, animism, belief in honoring spirits and ancestors, immortality of the soul, and shared cosmology.
Irish Reconstructionist Polytheism is a polytheist and animist belief system. What this means in practical terms is that people who use this methodology to shape a pagan religion from older Irish pagan beliefs believe in many Gods who are all unique individuals and also that all things have a spirit. This plays out in practice in the acknowledgement and honoring of different Irish Gods, often members of the Tuatha Dé Danann, and of Otherworldly spirits, spirits of the land, and ancestral spirits.
The Tuatha Dé Danann are generally considered to be the Gods of Ireland. While we do not have any primary sources for the pagan Irish we have an abundance of secondary sources. We have mythology preserved by early scribes during and immediately after the conversion period and we have later folklore that preserved the memory of deities in certain areas. Archaeology is a significant tool as well, as studying archaeological sites can tell us where ritual centers were and whether areas from myth and folklore did have ritual significance. We know from these sites that the Gods honored there were worshiped with offerings, and stories such as De Gabáil in t-Sída imply that such offerings were necessary for the people to receive blessing and abundance. We can also study place names and the way that folklore around specific deities focuses at a location. The different Tuatha Dé Danann had their own sacred places and real world sites that belonged to them. Like putting together pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, no single piece gives us an answer, but when we put them all together we see the bigger picture.
The following is an annotated list of some of the more popular or well-known Irish Gods and highlights of their mythology and beliefs associated with them. This list is by no means complete and is meant only to offer a sample of some of the deities worshiped; people interested in Irish Polytheism are strongly encouraged to read the mythology as well as books such as O hOgain's The Lore of Ireland to gain a better idea of the full range of the pantheon.
Áine
They came out of the fairy mound with Éogabu1 son of Durgabul king of the fairy mound after them and Aine daughter of Éogabu1 with a bronze timpán in her hand playing before him ... That girl's name is on the hill, that is, Áine Chlíach. Cath Maige Mucrama
Called Áine Chliar, often translated as Áine of the wisps, but possibly means Áine of Clui. Her name means 'bright' or 'shining' and many people relate her to the sun, crops, and love because of the different stories in which she has a mortal lover. Áine had a hill in Limerick called Cnoc Áine, which is her home. She was said to be the divine ancestor of the Eoghanacht family and the FitzGeralds, and likely a land and sovereignty Goddess who granted legitimacy to rulers in that area (O hOgain, 2006). She has strong ties to the holiday of Lúnasa, when it is said she becomes the consort of Crom Cruach for three days, during which time she may be associated with the excessive heat of late July and early August (MacNeill, 1962).
While her role at Lúnasa is antagonistic towards people, she is generally seen as positive, and there is a longstanding tradition at Midsummer of honoring her on her hill with a torch-lit procession. Clumps of straw would be lit and carried to the top of the hill before being scattered in the cultivated fields, with the belief that they would bring blessing and abundance (O hOgain, 2006). Modern practitioners who honor Áine often relate to her as a Goddess of the summer sun or representing the sun's power and may look to her for abundance. Her sister Grian, a more obscure Goddess whose name means 'sun', has a sí near Áine's and some scholars see her balancing her sister and representing the winter sun (Ellis, 1987).
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Pagan Portals Irish Paganism by Morgan Daimler. Copyright © 2014 Morgan Daimler. Excerpted by permission of John Hunt Publishing Ltd..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Table of Contents
Contents
Author's Note,Chapter 1 – Basics of Irish Reconstructionist Polytheism,
Chapter 2 – What Are the Beliefs?,
Chapter 3 – How Do We Do It?,
Chapter 4 – What Are the Holy Days?,
Chapter 5 – Magic, Mysticism, and the Numinous,
Chapter 6 – Hot Topics: Race, Cultural Appropriation, and Sexuality,
Chapter 7 – Conclusion,
Appendix A – Pronunciation Guide,
Appendix B – Recommended Reading for Irish Polytheists,
Appendix C – Myth Titles in Both Languages,
Bibliography,
Endnotes,