tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42941711871886940392012-01-03T19:10:10.248-08:00A discussion of worldwide lycanthropic spirituality, Irish, other Gaelic, other Celtic, and the other northern European religions, and really whatever takes my fancy.faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.comBlogger291100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-85433815465552324032011-12-10T07:39:00.000-08:002011-12-10T07:39:58.215-08:00

First, I'm going to say that learning the language of another culture is really the only way toward understanding that culture. Without the language, it is possible to learn what that culture thinks about various issues, but not why they think it. It's not elitism to say that learning the language of the culture for any culturally-based religious expression is important, even critical. With

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-56411722416344787012011-11-19T21:52:00.000-08:002011-11-19T21:52:51.153-08:00

In lieu of actually providing content myself, it might be worthwhile to point out some interesting articles and items that other people have published. Over on the Tairis site, Seren has given us an excellent four-part article detailing the virtues of Gaelic tradition and culture. Of course, the rest of her site is also well worth reading. Here's a site which gives a short overview of

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-11379370916992329932011-11-10T21:37:00.000-08:002011-11-10T21:56:38.393-08:00

I don't normally deal with current events here, but I'm going to make an exception for two reasons. The first, and more important, is that I haven't put anything in this blog for far too long. I do hope to change that soon. The second, though, is because of the nature of the incident, as it is being reported by some reporters. It seems that up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, there were a couple of

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-34869848115723396572011-09-07T21:47:00.000-07:002011-09-07T21:49:11.155-07:00

I don't often remark on temporal matters here in this blog, but this one seemed to be appropriate to mention. It seems that the Glen Lyon hydro scheme has been withdrawn. This is very good news, as Glen Lyon contains what may be one of the last native polytheist shrines in the British Isles continually in use from antiquity, Tigh nam Bodach.

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-29265091829278855532011-09-03T01:13:00.001-07:002011-09-06T07:39:54.030-07:00

This discussion will mostly concern early Gaelic matters. However, the concepts are related to concepts from other societies in northern and western Europe, especially the Saxons and Norse, and even to other Indo-European societies such as the Greeks or Hindi. That said, there are differences between those societies and the Irish, but I would direct the reader to other sources and the reader's

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-82512759282388821422011-07-28T08:06:00.000-07:002011-07-28T19:32:22.463-07:00

I'm still "recharging the batteries", as it were, but here's a link to an excerpt from Paul Devereux's Lucid Dreaming: Accessing Your Inner Virtual Realities discussing some methods of astral projection.

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-65672262375920593262011-06-30T22:09:00.000-07:002011-06-30T22:09:03.787-07:00

One of the biggest problems facing those who are learning to explore the world using "inner vision", "astral projection", or the like is the possibility of falling into a trap laid either by oneself or by mischievous or malevolent spirits. Some traditions respond to this possibility by advising a "no contact" policy with the spirit world, unless the contact corresponds exactly with particular

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-40842013155617929832011-06-30T20:40:00.000-07:002011-06-30T20:40:57.370-07:00

I haven't been posting here as regularly as I'd like. In part, this is because of temporary health issues (about which I'd previously summarized) that broke my stride, and I haven't been able to get back into it. However, more importantly, I think that I have entered one of the pendulum swings that I see in my process of doing things. I'll work hard, develop a strong body of work for a while,

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-22133194927852502522011-06-21T01:50:00.001-07:002011-06-21T01:50:35.279-07:00

People have a tendency to talk about their “beliefs”. When analyzed, what this means is that they are describing what they assume to be the inherent essence of things. Unfortunately, this is not the best way to describe the world. Essences are not, as near as we can tell, inherent to anything. As the philosophers say, existence precedes essence. When an event happens, we experience it as a set

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-90534436843469787442011-06-13T15:08:00.000-07:002011-06-13T15:08:40.673-07:00

Despite having previously written that I was feeling better and getting more sleep, it turns out that I was just feeling better. My sleep patterns are completely disrupted right now, and have been for the last week or more, which means that I am suffering from severe bouts of insomnia (right now, I've been awake for 19 hours - I work at night - and am very tired, but am also unable to sleep). As

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-91324567370073234782011-06-07T23:55:00.000-07:002011-06-07T23:56:03.957-07:00

I am feeling better, getting more sleep, and may have something substantive to post this week. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to get something together in time to have it go live earlier today.

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-5178733327166426792011-06-01T21:30:00.000-07:002011-06-01T21:30:10.436-07:00

Due to health issues, if things don't get considerably better this week it is likely that I will not have an article available and ready to post next week. It's not anything serious, just some minor and passing respiratory problems (possibly due to pollen, though that would be a new thing for me - it's more likely that it has to do with a person who I am frequently around having just had flu-like

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-48879202948157422432011-05-31T12:48:00.001-07:002011-05-31T12:50:09.867-07:00

There is a tendency for those who get involved in the sorts of mystical practices of the sorts I am discussing to become disdainful of the body. This is a mistake, in my opinion, as the body is as much a part of who one is as is the mind or any other part with which one identifies. Indeed, it is in part through contemplation of the body moving through space that we can come to a more full

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-46583449823029941082011-05-24T01:19:00.001-07:002011-05-24T01:25:23.883-07:00

One thing that werewolves do that is separate from the more social rituals I've discussed previously is sometimes called “projecting the Double”. Claude Lecouteux, in his excellent Witches, Werewolves, and Fairies (originally titled Fées, Sorcières, et Loups-Garous au Moyen Age ), discusses this subject at length, giving many examples from northern European sagas. One of the most interesting

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-88695537987933603552011-05-17T00:23:00.001-07:002011-05-29T20:11:36.642-07:00

In his testimony to the Inquisition of Livonia in 1691 (or 1692), a man called Thiess described in some detail what it was that werewolves of his acquaintance did. He was able to do this as he was accounted among their number himself. This may be the reason that Thiess was so emphatic that the werewolves were not the Devil's dogs, but were the hounds of God. In the following, the translation I

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-23855291995719986812011-05-14T23:55:00.000-07:002011-05-14T23:55:19.717-07:00

Apparently, while I was out, Blogger had a little technical problem which resulted in various posts being lost, then later recovered. I don't seem to have lost any posts, but the comments on my last one were deleted. I've restored them from my archive (I pretty much obsessively archive this blog), but people who are subscribed to that post may no longer be. You might have to go back and click the

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-45838266802560392532011-05-10T00:40:00.001-07:002011-05-10T00:42:40.950-07:00

Another short article. I have about six articles in process, but none of them are finished. I hope that I'll have at least one ready for next week. There are a number of gods who fall into the general category we can call “Wind-Wolf”. I will deal with each of them individually later, but for now I am going to discuss the type. Most of this can be referenced in the excellent Apollo the Wolf-God

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-60394070259483662102011-05-03T01:56:00.001-07:002011-05-03T01:59:55.080-07:00

Transformation is, among other things, taking on the form of something other than one's current form. Some people say that it is possible to do so in a physical way, though I have seen little evidence of that. I do know one woman who is able to so thoroughly take on the kinesics (body-language) of canines that she appears at a quick glance to be canine in form. However, another method of

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-54291453319389818502011-04-26T01:26:00.001-07:002011-04-26T05:53:25.481-07:00

A short article this week. In the story of Cath Maige Tuireadh, there are two (or three) incidents that, when compared, give some insight into the interrelation of community power and individual prowess. The first is the arrival of Lugh (and also his later preparations for battle), and the other is the assumption of the abilities of others by the Dagda. In the latter case, the Dagda asks 1 the

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-6799009676597547202011-04-19T00:31:00.001-07:002011-04-21T17:53:01.627-07:00

(This is another article I had written previously, for a Geocities website I once maintained. Though I have written an article for this blog that covers some, though not all, of the same ground, I am bringing it here so that it can be preserved, since it was cited in at least one Doctoral thesis. I understand that the site I once wrote will eventually be archived at the “Reocities” domain, but

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-42788226186105083772011-04-14T21:55:00.003-07:002011-04-21T17:54:23.415-07:00

All you bloggers out there should take a look at this tool. Probably not for every blog, but a good portion of readers will have a use for this.

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-27607513626976579802011-04-13T19:38:00.000-07:002011-04-21T17:53:46.593-07:00

Due to a couple of complaints about difficulty of commenting, I've opened the blog to anonymous comments. This doesn't make me extremely happy, as I will soon have to deal with spam commenters, but never let it be said that I don't look out for the people reading this. Of course, you still have to select a profile in the comment form, but you now can select "anonymous" or select a name/URL at

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-65264693691985414992011-04-12T00:31:00.000-07:002011-04-12T07:15:12.441-07:00

This is an article I originally wrote for The CR FAQ – An Introduction to Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism, but it was too long, so we edited it down and then published the full article separately. Since it was written, there have been some changes to the links, and I've made a few minor edits. Since the werewolf groups of Europe were associated with violence and fighting, it is of value to

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-89612186557263038352011-04-05T06:36:00.000-07:002011-04-12T07:52:04.573-07:00

In developing the meditation exercise I presented last week, I used a number of sources, mostly Gaelic in origin. The first we'll look at is the physical construction of the centering portion. In that, we started with breathing. I noted that one pattern of breathing is more “advanced”, as it were, than the other. By this, I meant to point out that the long period after exhalation is something

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-31875438952584228782011-03-29T00:33:00.001-07:002011-04-05T06:38:22.030-07:00

It is important to present what I, specifically, do to enact these principles of werewolfism that I am describing. To that end, I am going to present a visualization exercise that will help in developing an understanding of how the cosmos is structured, in an esoteric sense, as I understand it. The subconscious insights from this will help in understanding my method of approaching lycanthropy. I

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-89457809294477207532011-03-22T00:42:00.000-07:002011-03-22T00:43:08.627-07:00

There are a number of activities which were associated with werewolves. In Togail Bruidne Dá Derga we find that there is a group of young men whose activities are described as fáelad “werewolfing”. This is related to their activities as díberga, a term that is also associated with the fianna warrior-bands. These practices of werewolfing were enough to scare a swineherd, who was said never to have

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-34385425976505887902011-03-19T20:11:00.001-07:002011-07-17T01:30:36.621-07:00

Of course, there are many assumptions that people bring to subjects like this one, especially when one considers how much the original concepts have been corrupted and literalized in popular culture, going back hundreds of years. Therefore, here are some general descriptions of what I am talking about. Lycanthropy: this is the central issue here, so I need to talk a bit about what it is and what

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-42008745959689805712011-03-15T17:32:00.000-07:002011-03-15T17:32:41.858-07:00

I'll go ahead and post this one today, since it is not really a full bit of content on its own. Every Reconstructionist, or nearly so, has a list of books to recommend. I am no different, and have a number which I believe are of special value to those pursuing a lycanthropic spirituality. I do have a bias toward doing so in a Gaelic context, and that is reflected in my choices here. You'll also

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171187188694039.post-3034483986832428312011-03-15T15:18:00.001-07:002011-03-15T16:12:10.410-07:00

There's a lot that has been written regarding werewolves and spirituality, but most of it seems to be from the modern perspective of werewolves as Otherkin or similar wolf-in-man's-clothing concepts. While such ideas are perfectly fine, and a wonderful way to experience the spiritual aspects of the world, they are also not taken from the pagan, polytheist traditions of the ancient peoples from

faoladhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03691952430041394614noreply@blogger.com2