Celtic Symbols

Celtic history goes back thousands and thousands of years.  Early Celtic people were well known for their skills in artwork of jewelry, metal, and even weapons. They were warriors as well, regarded as fierce fighters by the Romans.  Throughout Ireland, there are many examples and evidence of Celtic artwork and Celtic crosses.

Over the years, modern Celtics evolved and established symbols for themselves along the way. Throughout North America, Celtic people often wear these symbols to let others know that they are a Celtic descent.  The symbols and knowledge have been passed down through the years, as there is little no written history.  Tattooing however, keeps the Celtic tradition alive with the infamous Celtic cross and other popular Celtic designs.

Most Celtic tattoo designs come from Ireland, where the evidence of Celtic history is very strong indeed.  The Trinity College found in Dublin, Ireland, contains many manuscripts that document the Celtic heritage and symbols.  The height of Celtic tattooing however, occurred during the era when stone and metal work was really popular.

Celtic knot tattoos are some of the most popular and most common designs, featuring loops with no end that symbolize a never ending cycle of dying and rebirth.  There are also Celtic animal tattoo designs as well, which are similar in design to the knot tattoos, although the cords in the design normally terminate in heads, tails, and feet.  The pure knot tattoo designs are normally never ending, unless an individual adds an end to symbolize a spiral.

The meaning behind the knots in Celtic tattoos defies any type of literal translation and is found at a much deeper level.  The interlacing of the knots expresses the repeated crossing of both physical and spiritual elements.  The strands and their never ending path is a popular design for Celtic tattoos, representing life, faith, and love.  For many years, Celtics have used these designs for emotional as well as heritage purposes.

Those who are from a Celtic descent, Irish, Scots, or Welsh, normally find a Celtic tattoo to be a great way to express their heritage pride.  These tattoos help to reestablish pride, and give tribute to one’s ancestors.  The tattoos aren’t easy to do, most taking several hours.  Unlike other tattoo designs, Celtic tattoos are among the hardest designs in the world.

If you are from a Celtic descent and have decided to get a Celtic tattoo, the first thing to do is find an artist capable of doing the tattoo.  The designs are very difficult and not all tattoo artists can do them.  It’s always best to find a tattoo artist who has a background in Celtic designs, as this will ensure the tattoo is done correctly.  The artist who does the tattoo needs to have an eye for detail and exact line placement – which is a skill that not all tattoo artists possess.

This is a list of some of the world’s music genre and their definitions

• African Folk – Music held to be typical of a nation or ethnic group, known to all segments of its society, and preserved usually by oral tradition.
• Afro jazz – refers to jazz music which has been heavily influenced by African music. The music took elements of marabi, swing and American jazz and synthesized this into a unique fusion. The first band to really achieve this synthesis was the South African band Jazz Maniacs.
• Afro-beat – is a combination of Yoruba music, jazz, Highlife, and funk rhythms, fused with African percussion and vocal styles, popularized in Africa in the 1970s.
• Afro-Pop – Afropop or Afro Pop is a term sometimes used to refer to contemporary African pop music. The term does not refer to a specific style or sound, but is used as a general term to describe African popular music.
• Apala – Originally derived from the Yoruba people of Nigeria. It is a percussion-based style that developed in the late 1930s, when it was used to wake worshippers after fasting during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
• Assiko – is a popular dance from the South of Cameroon. The band is usually based on a singer accompanied with a guitar, and a percussionnist playing the pulsating rhythm of Assiko with metal knives and forks on an empty bottle.
• Batuque - is a music and dance genre from Cape Verde.
• Bend Skin – is a kind of urban Cameroonian popular music. Kouchoum Mbada is the most well-known group associated with the genre.
• Benga – Is a musical genre of Kenyan popular music. It evolved between the late 1940s and late 1960s, in Kenya’s capital city of Nairobi.
• Biguine – is a style of music that originated in Martinique in the 19th century. By combining the traditional bele music with the polka, the black musicians of Martinique created the biguine, which comprises three distinct styles, the biguine de salon, the biguine de bal and the biguines de rue.
• Bikutsi – is a musical genre from Cameroon. It developed from the traditional styles of the Beti, or Ewondo, people, who live around the city of Yaounde.
• Bongo Flava – it has a mix of rap, hip hop, and R&B for starters but these labels don’t do it justice. It’s rap, hip hop and R&B Tanzanian style: a big melting pot of tastes, history, culture and identity.
• Cadence - is a particular series of intervals or chords that ends a phrase, section, or piece of music.
• Calypso – is a style of Afro-Caribbean music which originated in Trinidad at about the start of the 20th century. The roots of the genre lay in the arrival of African slaves, who, not being allowed to speak with each other, communicated through song.
• Chaabi – is a popular music of Morocco, very similar to the Algerian Rai.
• Chimurenga – is a Zimbabwean popular music genre coined by and popularised by Thomas Mapfumo. Chimurenga is a Shona language word for struggle.
• Chouval Bwa - features percussion, bamboo flute, accordion, and wax-paper/comb-type kazoo. The music originated among rural Martinicans.
• Christian Rap - is a form of rap which uses Christian themes to express the songwriter’s faith.
• Coladeira – is a form of music in Cape Verde. Its element ascends to funacola which is a mixture of funanáa and coladera. Famous coladera musicians includes Antoninho Travadinha.
• Contemporary Christian - is a genre of popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith.
• Country – is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. It has roots in traditional folk music, Celtic music, blues, gospel music, hokum, and old-time music and evolved rapidly in the 1920s.
• Dance Hall - is a type of Jamaican popular music which developed in the late 1970s, with exponents such as Yellowman and Shabba Ranks. It is also known as bashment. The style is characterized by a deejay singing and toasting (or rapping) over raw and danceable music riddims.
• Disco – is a genre of dance-oriented pop music that was popularized in dance clubs in the mid-1970s.
• Folk – in the most basic sense of the term, is music by and for the common people.
• Freestyle – is a form of electronic music that is heavily influenced by Latin American culture.
• Fuji – is a popular Nigerian musical genre. It arose from the improvisation Ajisari/were music tradition, which is a kind of Muslim music performed to wake believers before dawn during the Ramadan fasting season.
• Funana – is a mixed Portuguese and African music and dance from Santiago, Cape Verde. It is said that the lower part of the body movement is African, and the upper part Portuguese.
• Funk – is an American musical style that originated in the mid- to late-1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, soul jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music.
• Gangsta rap - is a subgenre of hip-hop music which developed during the late 1980s. ‘Gangsta’ is a variation on the spelling of ‘gangster’. After the popularity of Dr. Dre’s The Chronic in 1992, gangsta rap became the most commercially lucrative subgenre of hip-hop.
• Genge – is a genre of hip hop music that had its beginnings in Nairobi, Kenya. The name was coined and popularized by Kenyan rapper Nonini who started off at Calif Records. It is a style that incorporates hip hop, dancehall and traditional African music styles. It is commonly sung in Sheng(slung),Swahili or local dialects.
• Gnawa – is a mixture of African, Berber, and Arabic religious songs and rhythms. It combines music and acrobatic dancing. The music is both a prayer and a celebration of life.
• Gospel – is a musical genre characterized by dominant vocals (often with strong use of harmony) referencing lyrics of a religious nature, particularly Christian.
• Highlife – is a musical genre that originated in Ghana and spread to Sierra Leone and Nigeria in the 1920s and other West African countries.
• Hip-Hop – is a style of popular music, typically consisting of a rhythmic, rhyming vocal style called rapping (also known as emceeing) over backing beats and scratching performed on a turntable by a DJ.
• House – is a style of electronic dance music that was developed by dance club DJs in Chicago in the early to mid-1980s. House music is strongly influenced by elements of the late 1970s soul- and funk-infused dance music style of disco.
• Indie – is a term used to describe genres, scenes, subcultures, styles and other cultural attributes in music, characterized by their independence from major commercial record labels and their autonomous, do-it-yourself approach to recording and publishing.
• Instrumental – An instrumental is, in contrast to a song, a musical composition or recording without lyrics or any other sort of vocal music; all of the music is produced by musical instruments.
• Isicathamiya – is an a cappella singing style that originated from the South African Zulus.
• Jazz – is an original American musical art form which originated around the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States out of a confluence of African and European music traditions.
• Jit - is a style of popular Zimbabwean dance music. It features a swift rhythm played on drums and accompanied by a guitar.
• Juju – is a style of Nigerian popular music, derived from traditional Yoruba percussion. It evolved in the 1920s in urban clubs across the countries. The first jùjú recordings were by Tunde King and Ojoge Daniel from the 1920s.
• Kizomba – is one of the most popular genres of dance and music from Angola. Sung generally in Portuguese, it is a genre of music with a romantic flow mixed with African rhythm.
• Kwaito – is a music genre that emerged in Johannesburg, South Africa in the early 1990s. It is based on house music beats, but typically at a slower tempo and containing melodic and percussive African samples which are looped, deep basslines and often vocals, generally male, shouted or chanted rather than sung or rapped.
• Kwela – is a happy, often pennywhistle based, street music from southern Africa with jazzy underpinnings. It evolved from the marabi sound and brought South African music to international prominence in the 1950s.
• Lingala – Soukous (also known as Soukous or Congo, and previously as African rumba) is a musical genre that originated in the two neighbouring countries of Belgian Congo and French Congo during the 1930s and early 1940s
• Makossa – is a type of music which is most popular in urban areas in Cameroon. It is similar to soukous, except it includes strong bass rhythm and a prominent horn section. It originated from a type of Duala dance called kossa, with significant influences from jazz, ambasse bey, Latin music, highlife and rumba.
• Malouf - a kind of music imported to Tunisia from Andalusia after the Spanish conquest in the 15th century.
• Mapouka – also known under the name of Macouka, is a traditional dance from the south-east of the Ivory Coast in the area of Dabou, sometimes carried out during religious ceremonies.
• Maringa – is a West African musical genre. It evolved among the Kru people of Sierra Leone and Liberia, who used Portuguese guitars brought by sailors, combining local melodies and rhythms with Trinidadian calypso.
• Marrabenta - is a form of Mozambican dance music. It was developed in Maputo, the capital city of Mozambique, formerly Laurenco Marques.
• Mazurka – is a Polish folk dance in triple meter with a lively tempo, containing a heavy accent on the third or second beat. It is always found to have either a triplet, trill, dotted eighth note pair, or ordinary eighth note pair before two quarter notes.
• Mbalax – is the national popular dance music of Senegal. It is a fusion of popular dance musics from the West such as jazz, soul, Latin, and rock blended with sabar, the traditional drumming and dance music of Senegal.
• Mbaqanga – is a style of South African music with rural Zulu roots that continues to influence musicians worldwide today. The style was originated in the early 1960s.
• Mbube – is a form of South African vocal music, made famous by the South African group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The word mbube means “lion” in Zulu
• Merengue – is a type of lively, joyful music and dance that comes from the Dominican Republic
• Morna – is a genre of Cape Verdean music, related to Portuguese fado, Brazilian modinha, Argentinian tango, and Angolan lament.
• Museve – is a popular Zimbabwe music genre. Artists include Simon Chimbetu and Alick Macheso
• Oldies – term commonly used to describe a radio format that usually concentrates on Top 40 music from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. Oldies are typically from R&B, pop and rock music genres.
• Pop – is an ample and imprecise category of modern music not defined by artistic considerations but by its potential audience or prospective market.
• Quadrille – is a historic dance performed by four couples in a square formation, a precursor to traditional square dancing. It is also a style of music.
• R&B - is a popular music genre combining jazz, gospel, and blues influences, first performed by African American artists.
• Rai - is a form of folk music, originated in Oran, Algeria from Bedouin shepherds, mixed with Spanish, French, African and Arabic musical forms, which dates back to the 1930s and has been primarily evolved by women in the culture.
• Ragga – is a sub-genre of dancehall music or reggae, in which the instrumentation primarily consists of electronic music; sampling often serves a prominent role in raggamuffin music as well.
• Rap – is the rhythmic singing delivery of rhymes and wordplay, one of the elements of hip hop music and culture.
• Rara – is a form of festival music used for street processions, typically during Easter Week.
• Reggae – is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. A particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady. Reggae is based on a rhythm style characterized by regular chops on the off-beat, known as the skank.
• Reggaeton – is a form of urban music which became popular with Latin American youth during the early 1990s. Originating in Panama, Reggaeton blends Jamaican music influences of reggae and dancehall with those of Latin America, such as bomba, plena, merengue, and bachata as well as that of hip hop and Electronica.
• Rock – is a form of popular music with a prominent vocal melody accompanied by guitar, drums, and bass. Many styles of rock music also use keyboard instruments such as organ, piano, synthesizers.
• Rumba – is a family of music rhythms and dance styles that originated in Africa and were introduced to Cuba and the New World by African slaves.
• Salegy – is a popular type of Afropop styles exported from Madagascar. This Sub-Saharan African folk music dance originated with the Malagasy language of Madagascar, Southern Africa.
• Salsa – is a diverse and predominantly Spanish Caribbean genre that is popular across Latin America and among Latinos abroad.
• Samba – is one of the most popular forms of music in Brazil. It is widely viewed as Brazil’s national musical style.
• Sega – is an evolved combination of traditional Music of Seychelles,Mauritian and Réunionnais music with European dance music like polka and quadrilles.
• Seggae – is a music genre invented in the mid 1980s by the Mauritian Rasta singer, Joseph Reginald Topize who was sometimes known as Kaya, after a song title by Bob Marley. Seggae is a fusion of sega from the island country, Mauritius, and reggae.
• Semba – is a traditional type of music from the Southern-African country of Angola. Semba is the predecessor to a variety of music styles originated from Africa, of which three of the most famous are Samba (from Brazil), Kizomba (Angolan style of music derived directly from Zouk music) and Kuduro (or Kuduru, energetic, fast-paced Angolan Techno music, so to speak).
• Shona Music – is the music of the Shona people of Zimbabwe. There are several different types of traditional Shona music including mbira, singing, hosho and drumming. Very often, this music will be accompanied by dancing, and participation by the audience.
• Ska – is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was a precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues.
• Slow Jam – is typically a song with an R&B-influenced melody. Slow jams are commonly R&B ballads or just downtempo songs. The term is most commonly reserved for soft-sounding songs with heavily emotional or romantic lyrical content.
• Soca – is a form of dance music that originated in Trinidad from calypso. It combines the melodic lilting sound of calypso with insistent (usually electronic in recent music) percussion.
• Soukous – is a musical genre that originated in the two neighbouring countries of Belgian Congo and French Congo during the 1930s and early 1940s, and which has gained popularity throughout Africa.
• Soul – is a music genre that combines rhythm and blues and gospel music, originating in the United States.
• Taarab – is a music genre popular in Tanzania. It is influenced by music from the cultures with a historical presence in East Africa, including music from East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Taarab rose to prominence in 1928 with the rise of the genre’s first star, Siti binti Saad.
• Tango – is a style of music that originated among European immigrant populations of Argentina and Uruguay. It is traditionally played by a sextet, known as the orquesta típica, which includes two violins, piano, doublebass, and two bandoneons.
• Waka – is a popular Islamic-oriented Yoruba musical genre. It was pioneered and made popular by Alhaja Batile Alake from Ijebu, who took the genre into the mainstream Nigerian music by playing it at concerts and parties; also, she was the first waka singer to record an album.
• Wassoulou – is a genre of West African popular music, named after the region of Wassoulou. It is performed mostly by women, using lyrics that address women’s issues regarding childbearing, fertility and polygamy.
• Ziglibithy – is a style of Ivorian popular music that developed in the 1970s. It was the first major genre of music from the Ivory Coast. The first major pioneer of the style was Ernesto Djedje.
• Zouglou – is a dance oriented style of music from the Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) that first evolved in the 1990s. It started with students (les parents du Campus) from the University of Abidjan.
• Zouk – is a style of rhythmic music originating from the French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. It has its roots in kompa music from Haiti, cadence music from Dominica, as popularised by Grammacks and Exile One.

There is an undeniable aura that surrounds Celtic designs and Druid traditions. Although I have strong family ties to both Ireland and Scotland, you don’t need a Celtic heritage to be enticed by the culture. It’s been said that as long as you respect Mother Earth and feel an affinity with the Celtic people you too have a Celtic soul.

The meanings behind all of the spirals, knots, labyrinths, and crosses have intrigued many people for many centuries. Since you will find all of these symbols in this book, a brief explanation of some of the more popular interpretations are listed on below:

Celtic Knots:

Quite possibly the most recognized of all the Celtic symbols is the knot. The elaborately interwoven design with no end and no beginning is thought to be an expression of the Celts’ belief in eternity. The Druids and the ancient Celts believed in a life without end, with death only being a transition into a new phase. While all knot patterns contain this element of life-everlasting, certain designs are believed to carry more specific meanings.

For example, the triquestra or trefoil knot points to the importance the Druid’s placed on the number 3, the number of fate. This design was such a hallmark of the Celtic people that Irish Christians found a way to bring it into their new faith by adopting the symbol as a representation of the Blessed Trinity.

Spirals:

There seems to be a lot of debate as to the true meaning of spirals in Celtic art. The direction of the spiral and the number of rotations appears to affect the meaning behind the image, therefore we will discuss some specific configurations.

Triple Spiral- is also known as the triple Goddess or triskele, symbolizing the maiden/mother/crone phases of life or the three phases of the Moon.

Double Spiral- signifies balance. Also believed to portray the equinox, a time when day and night are equal in length.

Clockwise Spiral- While the Druids tended to favor the Moon in their symbolism, this design is actually a representation of the Sun. A loosely wound spiral would embody an expansive summer sun while a tightly wound spiral expressed the shortened days and long nights of winter.

Labyrinth or Step Patterns:

Symbolic of the journey we take in life, the labyrinth was often used during prayer or meditation. Focusing on the design reminds us that life is full of options, and open doors, as well as obstacles to overcome.

Circles:

Finally, we come to the simple circle, the building block for mandalas as well as Celtic imagery. Much like Gods’ love, the circle is never ending. It is a universal symbol of the cycle of life; birth-death-rebirth. The intertwining of circles is the basis for many Celtic knots with the number of circles often symbolizing something more.

Note that by combining 3 circles the aforementioned triquestra knot is formed in the center. On the other hand, five circles linked together form the circle of being; a Druid illustration of the four earthly elements being forever united by a fifth element, balance.

Celtic ancient jewellery is composed of various symbols and designs like trinity knots, spiral, Celtic crosses, and knot work which had religiously significant meanings for the Celts. Celtic sterling silver jewellery and Celtic & Irish charms and earrings are quite popular all over the world. Cross pendants and trinity knot bracelets are also liked by a lot of people. Many kinds of stones and metals were used in this type of jewellery to decorate and create swirls and interlocking designs. Celtic crosses are worn as an identity of Irish and Scottish roots. These crosses are still available in sterling silver and often complemented with gemstones and diamonds.

Irish Claddagh jewellery and tattoos are also quite popular. The Claddagh symbol is around 300 years old. This type of jewellery is named after a village in Ireland called the Claddagh. The symbol consists of two hands supporting a heart with a crown. This is a unique concept which can be applied to a number of examples from everyday life. Some people say it represents the love between a mother and her child, while others claim that it symbolizes the eternal love between husband and wife. You can find Irish Claddagh rings in 18k gold decorated with a beautiful heart-shaped gemstone. This type of a ring can also be given as a lovely present to your loved one.

Three-legged emblem in Celtic ancient jewellery represents three aspects of life or three spheres; land, sea and sky. It is also known as the triskele or triskelion. This symbol has its roots in the ancient Sicilian culture and has been seen on various Greek coins. The three-legged spiral symbolized the trinity in many cultures after the pagan and medieval times ended. It is now seen on contemporary jewellery articles from various countries. Other popular symbols in Celtic art include the clockwise spiral, the anti-clockwise spiral, two spirals with clockwise rotation, a double spiral and some variations of these basic patterns.

While looking for ancient jewellery some people are also interested in finding lucky and astrological jewellery. One can find lovely pendants for each sign of the Zodiac in Celtic jewellery. These pendants are made of metal alloys and pewter. Celtic astrology is quite interesting. You will find symbols engraved on these pendants based on some ancient scripts. According to Celtic astrology, people who are born in the month of January are trustworthy and ambitious. Those born in October love to travel. December represents evil and bluntness. Similarly, all months represent some characteristics.

In Celtic ancient jewellery you can find beautiful rings, bracelets, brooches, necklaces and earrings. Bangles with engraved sign language can also be found in this category. If you like antique items, you will love this type of jewellery. Celtic necklaces are composed of shields and heart-shaped pendants made of sterling silver with beads and gemstones. Celtic engagement rings are quite popular in Ireland and Scotland. Many people also love to wear Celtic charms in bracelets and chains. In addition to these, one can find lovely coin jewellery and Celtic warrior jewellery in this category which is unique and simply exquisite.

Tibetan Bon shamans believe that we are already one year old when we are born. Our first year of life is spent in our conception and gestation in the womb, a time when we are conscious, aware, and learning about the world through the experiences of our parents (especially the mother, in whose energy field we reside). Their feelings and sensations are carried in the egg and sperm and then in the life force of the mother’s blood. As a consequence, we are all born with certain predispositions, leanings, assumptions about the world, psychosomatic behaviours, and inclinations. There is a ‘mood’ to our lives and, already, a life script in place that we will increasingly come to live by.

The same notion can be found in other traditions too. In one of Castaneda’s books, for example, the shaman don Juan reveals a Toltec formula for calculating the amount of personal power or energy available to us, which is very similar to Tibetan beliefs. “The Level of energy of all beings depends on three fundamental factors”, he says: “The amount of energy with which they were conceived, the manner in which the energy has been utilised since birth, and the way in which it is being used at the present time”.

And nor is this just a spiritual or esoteric idea. Modern day paediatricians have also found that emotional disturbances in newborns, as well as their sleeping and eating patterns, exactly reflect those of the mother, as if they have learned from her in the womb how they should ‘be’ in the world as soon as they are born. Even the nutrients carried in the mother’s blood which feed the growing child are packed with information. Whether the mother chooses to eat well during pregnancy or not, is stressed or relaxed, avoids alcohol or continues to drink, all say something wordlessly to the child about the emotional nature of the world he is coming in to and the worldview of his parents.

From such subtleties as these our lives become at least partly predetermined for us because we are already channelled in certain directions and the vastness of potential that we were becomes narrower as a consequence.

Real and physical outcomes can result from such a narrowing of focus. The French medical doctor, Patrick Obissier, found, for example, that it is possible to trace the root cause of any patient’s illnesses back to his parents and their unresolved psychic distress, which becomes part of the cellular memory that patients inherits from them. Diabetes, which creates excess sugar in the bloodstream, was triggered in his patients by feelings of powerlessness inherited from their parents. To compensate for this lack of power, the body would manufacture more sugar to fuel the muscles. For a cure to be effective, the psychic distress beneath the physical symptoms had first to be resolved or the propensity for diabetes would continue to be passed to the next generation, like a story told by a mother to her child.

In order to be healthy, whole, and well, therefore, our challenge is to free ourselves from the life scripts we have received.

LIFE STORIES AND MYTHS

The challenge is a real and difficult one. In Celtic mythology, it was known as geis (pronounced ‘gesh’) and is variously depicted as a curse, taboo, or a sacred quest. Often in these mythological stories, geasa (the plural of geis) are made against a warrior by a parent, wife, or other significant person, and compel him to do certain things or avoid others he might have sought out. The hero’s quest arises from his struggle to find a way around these circumstances. Sometimes he is successful – though not always in the most obvious or immediate ways – and these Celtic stories therefore offer us cautions and counsel in how to make the epic journey for ourselves.

In the legend of the warrior Oisin, for example, he is placed under geis by a lover when he is carried to Tir na N-Og, the Land of Eternal Youth by Niamh, the daughter of the faery king.

Under the spell of his abductor, Oisin marries her, but after three years he begins to wake from his enchantment and miss his father and homeland. Fearful that Oisin may leave her, Niamh allows him to visit his father but only on condition that he does not leave his horse to step upon the ground. Oisin promises he will not, thus accepting his geis. Almost inevitably, however, disaster strikes when he falls from his horse by accident. Three hundred years pass by in an instant and Oisin, now ancient and dressed in rags, is left blind and wretched, never to see his true family again.

Looking at this story as a metaphor for the human condition, and tracing its outcome to first causes, we see that the problem for Oisin was not falling to the ground, but his acceptance of Niamh’s conditions in the first place. Because once we buy into limitations and restrictions, we act in accordance with them, sometimes accepting them wholly and living our lives as others wish us to; sometimes, as in the case of Oisin, rebelling against them in the form of ‘accidental’ behaviours that manifest our desire to be free. Thus, any geis or thoughtless promise becomes, not just words, but the energy of others that infects us as we live their fears and dramas instead of pursuing our own truths.

How, then, can we overcome our limitations and free ourselves from this unhelpful chain of energy that we have become a part of?

THE STEP OF AWARENESS

“To escape from prison, one first has to know one is in a prison”, wrote Gurdjieff. Self-awareness, then, is the first step to freedom. We have to make conscious the myths of ourselves that we have bought into so these attachments can be released.

The shamanic traditions call this recapitulation: the revisiting of key life events and the dramas surrounding them so we can see the stories we have become part of and begin to let them go. A contemporary example of the process might look like this:

The Pure Essence of Self

Imagine in your mind’s eye the moment before your birth, a time when you were pure spirit, uncluttered by social definitions and no stories about you yet existed. Who were you then? What was your face before you were born, as the Zen masters ask?

This spirit made a decision to be born. It had a purpose, a mission to fulfil, in making this choice. What was it for you?

Knowing who you were and what your soul purpose was (and still is) and then comparing this with the way your life is now reveals where you are giving away power and the attachments you have made to your story.

The Conception Journey

As Castaneda explains it, a third of our energy comes from conception and gestation in the womb. The pure energy that we were becomes coloured by that of our parents and theirs before them. This is emotional or spiritual DNA, and it starts to shape us at a cellular level, perhaps leading to the issues identified by Obissier, which are of a physical as well as a psychological nature.

The next step in the recapitulation process, then, is to imagine yourself back in the womb, asking questions such as ‘Why did I choose this father/mother?’, ‘What do they have to teach me in line with my soul’s purpose?’, ‘What were my pre-birth and birth experiences like and how do these still affect me?’, ‘What have I forgotten about myself now that I knew then?’

People who make such explorations find that this seemingly simple process can produce profound realisations about who they (think they) are. One of my workshop participants, a 43-year-old woman called Lucy, had a difficult childhood and felt fearful, disempowered and uncomfortable around others as a result of her early experiences. She recounts her journey back to conception as “Amazing. I gained a sense of love I have never felt or witnessed between my parents. There was a loving passion which has only ever in my lifetime shown itself as anger and disagreement between them”.

This is new information which means, at its most basic level, that the habitual story is changing.

“Now I feel a greater understanding of my parents, my creation, and why I chose them”, she continued. “I understand more fully what fears, feelings and dreams my parents had for me prior to my birth and can appreciate the stress my birth and babyhood placed on them. For the first time I was able to experience the feeling of being created out of pure love and perfection”.

As Don Snyder puts it in his book, Of Time and Memory, no matter what our lives, we can all “hope that we are all preceded in this world by a love story”. If we can see that in our parents – and in ourselves – then something of our lives can change and we can find “the path back through stars and memory”.

The Story Unfolding

As soon as we are born our life stories begin to weave themselves more tightly around us. The process typically starts with throwaway comments (“He’s so like your father”, “He’ll be a doctor/teacher/play for England when he grows up”), all of which are instructions to a young mind that knows no different and regards the parent as an all-knowing God.

When our parents tell us we will become doctors, or “little devils”, or play for England, whether they are serious or not, it sets up a tension in our minds which, to find resolution, must result in a loss: either we reject the parent’s wishes or they reject part of us. Either way, the story remains central because some part of us is still defining who we are in terms of their words. If we do become doctors, then, is it really our choice? And if we don’t, have we failed our Gods? That is why, as parents we must be careful with our words, and as consumers of the word we must be cautious about what we give our attention to.

All of us have a story like this and it can be illuminating to write it down. If your life were a book, for example, what would it be – a comedy, tragedy, adventure? Who are the main characters? And where does it go from here?

Every author is, of course, free to change his story at any time and, as Ram Dass points out: “What, after all, is personal history if not a dream?”.

How would you rewrite your story to make for a more empowered future?

Cutting Ties

From your explorations so far, you may be aware of energetic links to others or to events that are more aligned to your ‘story’ than your true soul purpose and which are therefore not serving you. Through breathwork you can begin to remove the energetic attachments that hold you to this dream.

This part of the process consists of imagining yourself back in each of these events and then breathing in to reabsorb the energy you have been expending on them while breathing out the ties you have formed to the drama of that moment. Learn from the experience, too, that these are all situations in which you have a tendency to give away power because, knowing this, you can make sure you don’t do the same in future.

Forgiveness

The final step is to forgive; to understand that all of these events are also just stories and that, more positively, they reveal the things we need to work through to be true to our souls. Forgiveness, then, is another way of releasing our myth so we can return to spiritual wholeness.

Thus, in the Celtic tale related earlier, Oisin did not blame Niamh for the geis that he carried for, in his aging he became, symbolically, a man, standing on his own two feet, on his home turf, and free of the Land of Eternal Youth where power is wielded irresponsibly and promises are extracted with threats.

ALL IN THE MIND?

A question arises in all work that has to do with life scripts and the process used to unearth them: ‘Is it all just my imagination?’

This question is a chimera because it doesn’t actually matter if the events you saw ‘really’ happened exactly as you experienced them in your visualisations or not, because whatever you believe to be true you will make real anyway. Our entire lives are, in this sense, an act of faith, and wherever we place our belief those are the results we get.

If I believe I was an unwanted child, for example, as Lucy did, everything in my life conspires with me to create that story and I will grow up fearful of others and expecting to be rejected, and so I will create that very outcome. If I remember – or choose to believe – however, that there was love in my family, I can become more loving and loveable in my life and change my destiny now because I remember how love works, and not just the pains of my youth.

Having said that, there do tend to be remarkable correspondences between what we sense instinctively to be true and what did happen. Howard, working through this process, saw his mother’s attempt to abort him. Unbeknownst to his mother or to the doctor at the time, the attempt failed, and in his mind’s eye Howard saw himself being born and heard the surprised reaction of the surgeon who expected to be delivering a dead child: “It’s alive!” These were the first words he ever heard.

A little while after his recapitulation, Howard decided to speak with his mother about it. After her initial surprise it was clear that she needed to get something off her chest and she was frank and open about the circumstances of his birth. She confirmed that she did try for an abortion and that the words “it’s alive!” were spoken by the surgeon.

“This startling revelation led to a beautiful reconciliation with my mother”, Howard continued. “She told me what happened, about her motives, and about my father. This explained a lot for me because at a gut level I never trusted my mother, and now I knew why: unconsciously, I had known all along that she had tried to kill me.

“From this I also got a profound insight into what makes me the way I am, and I understood how that remark ‘it’s alive’ had influenced my life, as my response to living has always been ‘I’ll show them I’m alive!’ I sometimes wonder at the surgeon’s words though, and at how different my life might have been if the first words I had heard were not ‘it’, along with surprise at my existence, but ‘he’s a beautiful baby boy’ or something similar. I had bought into the story of ‘it’ and the disappointment I must have been”.

We know far more than we think and we carry the fears, hopes, and life experiences of our parents within our emotional DNA. These become our stories until we choose to take back our lives. Recapitulation is the first step to freedom.

This article is partly based on the books, The Spiritual Practices of the Ninja: Mastering the Four Gates to Freedom, published by Destiny Books in April 2006, and Darkness Visible: Awakening Spiritual Light through Darkness Meditation, also published by Destiny Books. Ross also runs workshops on the themes of this and his other books, including Darkness VisibleTM and The Four Gates To Freedom, which focus on the exercises in this article. The names of participants used in this article have been changed but their words are accurate.

Celtic history goes back thousands and thousands of years.  Early Celtic people were well known for their skills in artwork of jewelry, metal, and even weapons. They were warriors as well, regarded as fierce fighters by the Romans.  Throughout Ireland, there are many examples and evidence of Celtic artwork and Celtic crosses.

Over the years, modern Celtics evolved and established symbols for themselves along the way. Throughout North America, Celtic people often wear these symbols to let others know that they are a Celtic descent.  The symbols and knowledge have been passed down through the years, as there is little no written history.  Tattooing however, keeps the Celtic tradition alive with the infamous Celtic cross and other popular Celtic designs.

Most Celtic tattoo designs come from Ireland, where the evidence of Celtic history is very strong indeed.  The Trinity College found in Dublin, Ireland, contains many manuscripts that document the Celtic heritage and symbols.  The height of Celtic tattooing however, occurred during the era when stone and metal work was really popular.

Celtic knot tattoos are some of the most popular and most common designs, featuring loops with no end that symbolize a never ending cycle of dying and rebirth.  There are also Celtic animal tattoo designs as well, which are similar in design to the knot tattoos, although the cords in the design normally terminate in heads, tails, and feet.  The pure knot tattoo designs are normally never ending, unless an individual adds an end to symbolize a spiral.

The meaning behind the knots in Celtic tattoos defies any type of literal translation and is found at a much deeper level.  The interlacing of the knots expresses the repeated crossing of both physical and spiritual elements.  The strands and their never ending path is a popular design for Celtic tattoos, representing life, faith, and love.  For many years, Celtics have used these designs for emotional as well as heritage purposes.

Those who are from a Celtic descent, Irish, Scots, or Welsh, normally find a Celtic tattoo to be a great way to express their heritage pride.  These tattoos help to reestablish pride, and give tribute to one’s ancestors.  The tattoos aren’t easy to do, most taking several hours.  Unlike other tattoo designs, Celtic tattoos are among the hardest designs in the world.

If you are from a Celtic descent and have decided to get a Celtic tattoo, the first thing to do is find an artist capable of doing the tattoo.  The designs are very difficult and not all tattoo artists can do them.  It’s always best to find a tattoo artist who has a background in Celtic designs, as this will ensure the tattoo is done correctly.  The artist who does the tattoo needs to have an eye for detail and exact line placement – which is a skill that not all tattoo artists possess.

In the County of Hereford was an old Custom at Funerals, to hire poor people, who were to take upon them all the Sins of the party deceased… The manner was that when a Corpse was brought out of the house and laid on the Bier; a Loaf of bread was brought out and delivered to the Sin-eater over the corps, as also a Mazer-bowl full of beer, which he was to drink up, and sixpence in money, in consideration whereof he took upon him all the Sins of the Defunct, and freed him (or her) from Walking after they were dead.

John Aubrey, Remains of Gentilism

When I was a child my family moved to the Herefordshire countryside, in the shadow of the Welsh Black Mountains and deep in the heart of Celtic mythology. At the edge of the village, alone and isolated from the rest of the scant community there was a small cottage, long fallen to disrepair; a place I was always warned to stay clear of. For in this cottage there lived a madman, who was somehow unclean and undesirable to the village… so they said. Inevitably I found my way to this place.

His cottage stood at a crossroads, just back from the road itself and surrounded by tall bushes and trees. It was a walk of about a mile from the village and there were no other houses anywhere near it. It felt somewhat like the fairytale cottage of a witch, a place you stumble upon in error, after which your life is never the same. As I stood looking at this mysterious cottage, whose lopsided architecture had begun to take on the form of the surrounding land, the door opened and its single inhabitant emerged.

He was old, thin, and dressed oddly for the times (the 1970s) in white collarless shirt, black trousers and waistcoat, like a 1940s off-duty doctor or the cinema version of a period railway signalman. A gold chain and fob watch hung from the pocket of his waistcoat. So this was the madman I had been warned away from. He began to talk to me about flowers and herbs and his life story. He had been a Sin Eater.

THE SIN EATER

There is little written or known of Sin Eaters. It is an ancient tradition, practiced in many countries of the world, and integrated into the Catholic ritual of the last rites. It is supposedly derived from the ‘scapegoat’ described in Leviticus xvi. 21, 22, where the wrongdoings of another are ascribed to an innocent. In the Hebrew ritual of the ‘scapegoat’, Aaron confessed all the sins of the children of Israel on the Day of Atonement, above the head of a live goat that was then sent out into the wilderness to die, symbolically bearing their sins.

As a shamanic tradition, a Sin Eater would be employed by the family of a deceased person, or sometimes by the church, to eat a last meal of bread and salt from the belly of the corpse as it lay in state. By so doing it was believed that the sins of the dead person would be absorbed and the deceased would have clear passage to the hereafter. The Sin Eater was given a few coins for his trouble but other than that was avoided (literally ‘like the plague’) by the community who regarded him as sin-filled and unclean as a result of his work. That is why Sin Eaters usually lived at the edge of the village and children were warned away from them.

The role of the Sin Eater was, in essence, that of a shamanic healer. It was his job to remove negativity and the spirit of disease from the dead (and, often, the living) and make the gods available to them. Their teachers in this work were the spirits themselves and, in the case of the Sin Eater I knew, the Old Testament which, read shamanically, reveals many rituals for cleansing and healing that have been mysteriously lost in the New Testament, which has also rewritten the nature of the god(s) from many to one (e.g. Genesis 1 26: ‘Let us make man to our image and likeness’. Genesis 2 22: ‘Behold Adam is become as one of us, knowing good and evil’).

THE NATURE OF SIN

In Sin Eating tradition, a sin is a blemish or a weight on the soul which will hold it trapped in the Middle World in a sort of purgatory or limbo while that sin remains. The Sin Eater’s job is to free the soul by devouring this ‘blemish’.

The seemingly simple ritual of eating from the body of the deceased therefore masks a number of more complicated shamanic manoeuvres.

Firstly, the action of eating from the belly of the deceased is, of course, a form of extraction medicine. It is assumed that the ‘food’ will absorb the sins from the corpse since spirit craves matter and the spirit of the disease (sin) will therefore be attracted to the stronger life force of the ‘living’ food than the dead corpse. When the food is eaten, the weight on the soul is therefore removed.

The food itself varied according to the Sin Eater’s lineage. Sometimes it was bread and ale, sometime merely salt and water. The latter was more useful to the Sin Eater as salt water is an aid to purging, the unseen part of the sin eating ritual being for the healer to go out into nature following his corpse-side duties in order to vomit away the sins he was now carrying and allow the Earth itself to defuse them. In another variant the Sin Eater would free himself of the sins he had taken on by casting them into a body of water and reciting an incantation.

Secondly, as the Sin Eater went about his duties with the corpse he would also be praying for the soul to be free of its attachments to the Earth so it might enter the Kingdom of Heaven. This is, in effect, psychopomp work, the ‘escorting of the dead’. The belief of the Sin Eater is that the deceased carries guilt and shame within the soul as a result of his or her misdemeanours and inappropriate actions towards others – or, indeed, because of their actions towards the deceased. The soul, in fact, can be damaged in two ways: either because the person who carried it has acted in a way that has caused pain to another (a parallel here with the Buddhist notion of ‘right-living’ – that no matter what our interactions with others or what they do to us, there is a correct way for us to behave in order to preserve our spiritual integrity) or because they were the victims of shameful acts and now carry guilt which is actually not their weight to bear. The victim of sexual abuse, for example, may sometimes come to believe, at an unconscious or deep soul level, that they were somehow to blame or ‘invited’ such abuse. This may be incorrect but it is the belief itself and the shame of the event rather than the reality of what happened that causes the wound to the soul.

Thirdly, the ritual of sin eating is a community healing for the people present at the wake. When a relative or close friend dies, there is often a feeling of guilt on the part of those who live on – ‘why couldn’t I have done more to help?’, ‘why didn’t I pay more attention to him when he was alive?’ etc. This guilt arises as a result of the perceived sin of neglect on the part of the relative or friend. The ritual of sin eating helps to assuage this guilt as well since the relative can at least see that the deceased has been helped and healed through his employment of the Sin Eater.

HEALING THE LIVING

Sin Eaters rarely work just with the dead. Many of them, because of their closeness to nature and rural location, were also skilled exponents of folk medicine.

Folk medicine can be described as ‘root doctoring’ or herbalism, which works with both the medicinal properties and spirit of the plants. Thus, a tonic made from vervain was known to be helpful for easing depression, paranoia and insomnia (all symptoms of guilt or shame as a consequence of being in the presence of sin), but the plant could also be used as a talisman to drive away ‘evil spirits’.

By the same token, marigolds could be used to treat skin rashes, inflammation and ulcers (perhaps stress-induced as a result of the sinful situation), and at the same time, to soothe and calm the soul. The 13th century herbalist Aemilius Macer, for example, wrote that marigold flowers have the power to draw “wicked humours out”. (Interestingly, marigolds are used, even today, in Amazonian Peru in the shamanic practice of soul retrieval).

The client visiting the Sin Eater would find, first of all, a confessor to whom they would announce their sins. In this respect, the healer plays the role of anam cara – the ‘soul friend’ whose task it was to listen without judgement or prejudice to what was spoken, the intention being only to understand the nature of the problem and its impact on the soul. Even this simple action can have a profound healing effect since it unburdens the soul of its guilt, hence its enduring practice in Catholic confessionals, as well as its modern incarnation in counselling and psychotherapy (“the talking cure”).

Having heard his client, the Sin Eater might then offer advice from ‘the land of the dead’ (the spiritual world) for how these sins could be recompensed. The advice itself was often of a practical nature, the belief being that sins need to be reversed in this lifetime and with action in the world, rather than simple prayer, for example.

The penitent might therefore be advised to make an offering, not to the spirits, but to the person he had harmed. This is a quite different dynamic from the notion of ‘karma’, for example, where our good and bad deeds are weighed in the balance at judgement day and, perhaps, we must return in a new life to atone for our sins. In sin eating practice it is understood that ‘karma’ must be dealt with immediately in the here-and-now since any sin has the power to erode the soul, leading to ill-health and further corruption.

A potion of flowers or plants, as per above, might then be administered to the client in order to balance and soothe the soul. In this way, sin eating – a practice perhaps more than 1000 years old – recognises a mind-body-spirit connection that modern science is only now starting to acknowledge, for the plant medicine itself would work on the troubled body and mind as well as healing the wounds of the soul.

THE ALONENESS OF THE SIN EATER

The most paradoxical aspect of the Sin Eater’s life was his role of being central to the well-being of the community but also ostracized from it. The Sin Eater was typically a man who spent much of his life alone, disparaged by the community he served – and yet, in one way at least, the most important member of that community for without him no-one who had sinned could enter the Kingdom of Heaven. At the same time, he was regarded as unclean, as strange and mad – and yet, if he was unclean, it was because of the sins he was eating. The sins of the community, not his own.

We often find this solitariness among people of spiritual power. A time of aloneness is a requisite in many shamanic initiations and in some traditions the shaman will also live on the outskirts of the community, representing in a physical and symbolic way his dwelling on the threshold or boundary, the ‘betwixt and between’ place of human and spiritual connection. In our fairytales and myths, as well, crones, witches, and other unusual people tend to live alone in woods and shadowlands.

The emotional hardship of the Sin Eater’s life, along with the decline of spiritual belief in our modern cities are perhaps two of the reasons why sin eating is no longer a central practice in funerary rites, although it survives symbolically. In Ireland, for example, it is still common for the corpse to lie in state in the family home and at one such funeral I attended in the mid-1980s, a service was held over the coffin and our host then offered a glass of wine and a funeral biscuit to each guest, handing it to us across the coffin itself. The burial-cakes still made in parts of rural England (Shropshire and Cumberland, for example) are also symbolic relics of the sin eating tradition.

In other countries sin eating still continues in a more original form. In Bavaria, for example, a corpse cake is placed on the breast of the deceased before being eaten by the closest relative. In the Balkans a small bread image of the deceased is made and eaten by members of the family. In Holland, doed-koecks (dead-cakes) are eaten, each marked with the initials of the deceased.

As the modern world enters what we might call a sin-filled age of terrorism, warfare, and territorial invasion, perhaps it is time for a revival of this powerful healing tradition, for the sake of all our souls.

There’s been a growing interest in tattoos lately,and Celtic tattoo designs are no exception. Celtic tattoos have become a favorite design choice. It is no secret why these are so popular. They are oftentimes done in blackened color with lots of shading and the symbols used are intricate and beautiful. It’s thought that Celtic tattoo designs trace their origins back to a clan that inhabited the British Isles called the Picts. Just about all historians think that the Picts tattooed themselves by puncturing their skin with red-hot tools to produce complex and permanent artwork on their body. Later on, they began to using a blue pigment derived from the leaves of a native plant.

The designs created by the Picts began to have a mysterious religious and symbolic significance. Celtic artwork and symbolism embodied a mix of Druid and Christian religions. The Celts didn’t have a printed language and alternatively communicated their customs and beliefs by word of mouth. Once the first Christian missionaries arrived to the British Isles they established written communication within the Celtic culture. At the same time the monks adopted many of the active Celtic beliefs, and symbols into the Christian religion. This was done in order to bridge the gap between the Druid beliefs and those of the Christians. A great deal of this work was saved by the Christian monks in the “Books Of Kells” which is today housed at Trinity College in Ireland. Therefore the early tattoo designs of the Picts evolved over time and blended with Christian beliefs to form what we know of as Celtic artwork today. The Celtic Cross and Shamrock are two such designs that have survived the test of time.

The Meaning Behind Celtic Symbols

The Celtic Knot

Most Celtic artwork starts with a common knot design. These are attractive knots of interlaced lines that cross over one another repeatedly to produce an exquisite design. These knots don’t have a start or an end they are simply a perpetual knot that goes on eternally. These interwoven lines are thought to symbolize the spiritual and the physical realms of life, which become entangled with each other.

Celtic Tree Of Life Tattoo

Among the favorite themes of Celtic tattoo designs is the Tree Of Life. This in all likelihood goes back as a symbol to the Druidic religion, which was a nature, based religion. Trees frequently symbolize life, growing from a seed into a tree much like a person grows from a child into an adult. Trees are often seen as a life giving plant and are venerated in many naturalistic faiths. There is also an association with Christianity in the Adam and Eve story in which Eve eats the fruit from a tree.

The Celtic Cross Tattoo

Among the most popular and most lasting Celtic designs is the Celtic Cross. The symbolism here is obviously Christian and comes from Jesus on the cross. These are beautiful crosses done with interlacing lines of Celtic knots.

Celtic Heart Tattoos

Another favorite Celtic design theme is a heart. Celtic heart tattoos are once again intertwined knot work in the shape of a heart. Generally done in black color only but can also be done in color. These are exquisite designs and make great tattoos. These are particularly popular among women.

More Symbols Include:

Anchor: Steadfastness
Bell: Weddings, Anniversaries.
Chain Links: Linking of Lives, # of children, Years together.
Cross: Faith, Marriage.
Diamond: Wealth, Good Fortune.
Dragon: Symbol of Wales, Protection.
Flowers: Affection or Courtship, Friendship.
Heart: Love.
Horseshoe: Good Luck and Happiness.
Key: Home
Knot: Everlasting, together forever.
Leaves: Love Grows.
Ship: Smooth passage through life.
Vine: Love Grows.
Wheel: Willingness to work for a loved one.
Double Spoons: The Couple Together Forever.
Triple Spoons: Family.

The history and evolution of Celtic tribal tattoo designs has been highly influenced by different cultures. When Ireland was conquered by Romans, the Christian priests in Rome converted the Celtic people to their religion. At this time, Celtic people did not have any written language, instead they used interlacing designs to express their love for nature and God. The Christian priests were greatly inspired by these designs and started using them in their Bible manuscripts.

If you have deep interest in the history and heritage of the Celtic people, then celtic tribal tattoo designs are the best way to convey your passion. In fact, not only celtic descendants are proud to ink these tattoos, but people from all over the world are getting them inked. The Celtic tribal tattoo designs with their interlacing knots and attractive depiction of natural objects are mainly concerned with representing some emotional feeling rather than realistic symbolization.

Celtic knots are more popular in Celtic tribal tattoo designs because of the artistic flare that can be shown. The knots have complete loops and they have no end or beginning. Celtic tribal tattoo designs with unending knots symbolize the permanence of life, love and faith. Spirals are another popular type of celtic tribal tattoo design, which includes double, triple or quadruple swirls and truly are awe-inspiring.

The main reason for the popularity of Celtic tribal tattoo designs is that it is not gender or race specific. In a way Celtic designs tend to treat humans as equal because the meaning of these tattoo designs is much deeper in meaning than gender or race. This is what I love about these tattoos, they have carry strong meaning – isn’t this what a tattoo is all about? Express who you are and what you believe, and why not make it look great!

Celtic tribal tattoo designs can be tattooed as armbands or on the lower back, ankles, shoulders, upper back and almost anywhere on the body. There are endless varieties of tribal Celtic tattoo designs available on the internet. It is possible to design your very own with the help of a professional at a surprisingly low cost.

Due to the intricate nature, the Celtic tribal tattoo designs are not easy to design. It is highly recommended for anyone considering Celtic tattoo designs to make sure the tattoo artist knows exactly what he is doing and has a passion for this particular style of tattoo. You need to look for several things before selecting an artist to design Celtic tribal tattoo designs. Be sure to see the artist’s portfolio of Celtic designs. It is important to ensure the quality of hisher art. Apart from this, it is essential to look for a professional atmosphere in the shop.

It is wise to view online galleries for a variety of Celtic tribal tattoo designs. This is possible by paying a small onetime fee. Meeting and discussing through the forums with the tattoo artists in various forums can help clear doubts before proceeding, therefore avoiding unpleasant experiences and ensuring you are the envy of all who get a glimpse of your new symbol.

Celtic tattoos have survived the millenniums as a symbol of pride and tradition. Since the first Romans saw that tattoos adorned on the body of dead Celtic warriors, there has been a fascination about the tattoos and how the body art both inspired the warriors into battle and how they made the connection between tribe and clan. Today Celtic tattoos have regained their popularity and have hit the tattoo world like a hurricane. People are clamoring to have the Celtic tattoo to be apart of their body are collection and seemingly want to know the connection to the honor and loyalty of a civilization past.

When picking out a Celtic tattoo there are many designs in which to choose from. You have to consider the area of body you want to place the tattoo in order to make it more appealing to the eye of the beholder. The length and width of the tattoo should show some symmetry to the body area where you wish to apply the art. For example a woman with skinny ankles would not want the person looking at her to be attracted to her flaw. Instead she might decide to put the tattoo around her calve in order to draw attention to a body part more pleasant. Other reasons to choose the tattoo to fit your body part are the intricacy of the design. A very intricate design takes a steady hand for the tattoo artist and a proper canvas, your body, to get the job done right.

A popular tattoo that is drawn from European beginnings is the Celtic cross tattoo. Appearing around the 8th to 11th centuries, the Celtic tattoo represented a cross. The cross is decorated with an intricate knot pattern that flows within the cross with no evidence of a beginning and end. The Celtic cross is presumed to have Christian religion backgrounds, but it is presumed by some acadamians that the Celtic tattoo had more pagan backgrounds. Pagan means that it is not Christian and should not be confused with Satanism or other dark arts. Whether Christian or pagan, the Celtic tattoo that is shaped like a cross is one of the most popular Celtic tattoos today.

There are other Celtic tattoos that have different shapes and meanings to their form and most can be found at a tattoo artist that specializes in Celtic tattoo art. The artwork and intricacy of the knot pattern can make this an expensive tattoo and you would want to make sure that the artist was credible when negotiating a price. Selecting and wearing a Celtic tattoo is a life choice and you must be able to make sure the design you choose will last and that you will be happy with your choice in years to come. Whether it is for religious or historical reasons or you want to show the pride of your heritage, a Celtic tattoo is a symbol of honor. Don’t just rush to your local tattoo shop and pick out a Celtic tattoo that looks good. Research the history and when that ink meets the skin you know you will be following the tradition of a true warrior nation.

The unique music of Scotland is easily recognized around the world and has remained a vibrant force to this day while many forms of traditional music worldwide have experienced a loss of popularity to pop music. Even with emigration and the influx of music imported from the rest of Europe and the United States, the music of Scotland has been able to keep the majority of its traditional structure and has even influenced many other forms of music.

Traditional Scottish music even while influential to and being influenced by both Irish and English traditional music is still an art form unto itself and in spite of the increasing popularity of varied international pop music styles it remains a vital and everlasting Scottish tradition. There are numerous Scottish record labels and music festivals as well as Scottish music magazines.

Although many people in the world think immediately of bagpipes when thinking about Scottish music, bagpipes are not unique or indigenous to Scotland. Don’t get me wrong, bagpipes are a very important part of Scottish music tradition but they were actually imported into Scotland around the 15th century from other areas in Europe where they are still played.

The pìob mór, or Great Highland Bagpipe, is the most distinctively Scottish form of the instrument; it was created for clan pipers to be used for various, often military or marching, purposes. Piping clans included the MacArthurs, MacDonalds, McKays and, especially, the MacCrimmons, who were hereditary pipers to the Clan MacLeod.

In modern times bagpipes have even found there way into many songs in pop music with rockers like Rod Stewart who was extremely popular in the late 1970’s and 80’s. He used bagpipes in many of his popular songs. Another more recent artist whose Celtic music has been well received is Enya.

If you haven’t explored this beautiful music form I urge you to do so. Scottish music and in particular the Celtic Music of Enya can be very soothing and stress relieving.

Samhain, pronounced sow-wen, is a Celtic word meaning “summer’s end.” It is also the Irish Gaelic word for the month of November. Samhain is the last of three harvest festivals in the Celtic year, and it is the Celtic New Year. The Celts only recognized two seasons: summer, and winter. So, with the last harvest, the summer ends, and the cold, dark, dangerous days of winter begin. Any food that was not brought in from the fields by the end of the day on October 31, Samhain, was left in the fields and not eaten. It was considered to belong to the fairy folk at that point, and would make anyone sick who tried to eat it.

The food in the storerooms by this time was all the food you were going to get between this first day of winter and the coming spring. It had to last through the cold, dark winter months. Starvation was always a possibility. Livestock was slaughtered at this time, both to preserve meat for the winter months, and to cull the herd. With fewer animals to feed, the ones that were left would have a better chance of survival until spring. This is one reason why death and the dead are associated with this day.

Facing the long, deadly winter, unsure of your food supply, with no central heating, you would have to brave the elements and the dangers of the forest to gather all the wood you would need to keep yourself warm. With the days getting shorter and shorter, you would start wondering if the sun was ever going to come back. The wild animals would get hungrier and more aggressive as the winter got harder for everyone. All made this day, marking the beginning of the winter season, one of fear and danger. But it was also a day of celebration, akin to the American Thanksgiving — thanking the gods for the blessings of a bountiful harvest.

To the Celts, “between” times and places were very important. At these points, the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest, and communication between the fairy realm, the land of the dead, and the human world is much easier. “Between” places include doorways between one room and another, or between inside and outside; or the seashore, marking the meeting of earth and sea. “Between” times include dusk and dawn, marking the transitions from night to day, and day to night; and in more recent centuries, midnight, representing the transition between one calendar day and the next.

The transitions between seasons are even more important “between” times. The transition from winter to summer at Beltaine (May 1), and the transition from summer to winter at Samhain, were the two most important days of the Celtic year; but Samhain was the most important, because it also marked the transition from one year to the next. Ergo, it is at this time that the veil between the worlds is thinnest, and communication between the world of the living and the world of our deceased ancestors, the fairy folk, and other spirits is easiest. This is also a good night for divination for that reason.

At this harvest celebration, when the veil between the world of the living and the dead is at its thinnest, one’s ancestors are therefore honored and venerated. Hospitality was very important to the ancient Celts. They would leave food out on their hearth, or out on their front step, as an offering to the spirits of their ancestors, whom they believed would visit them on this night. Offerings of food or milk were also left out for the fairies, and some Wiccans today invite fairy beings into their homes to share their hospitality with them for the winter. The Celts also extended this hospitality to wandering travelers and beggars, because Celts considered it very bad luck to withhold hospitality from anyone in need.

But the thinness of the veil between the worlds also allowed more dangerous spirits to wander into the human realm, so Samhain was also a time of fear and foreboding. These two ideas influenced our modern custom of “trick or treating” at Halloween (our modern name for Samhain). Today, wandering beggars in the form of children, dress up as horrible spirits that go from door to door begging for food, and threatening pranks if they are not appeased. That is a very recent tradition, however, invented in America.[1]

The carved pumpkins we call jack-o’-lanterns also have their root in ancient hospitality. The Celts did not have pumpkins in the Old World, as we have here in America; pumpkin is a New World fruit. So rather than carving pumpkins, the Celts used turnips and gourds. They hollowed out the inside, and put candles in them to create a lantern. Then they would set a light out each evening to let any wandering strangers know that hospitality was available at that particular home. However, to frighten away the evil spirits that might also be out wandering, these home owners would take the precaution to carve ugly faces into the lanterns, to scare anything nasty away.

Many ancient pagan holidays, including those of the Celts, were adapted by the Christian church in an attempt to convert pagans to Christianity. Many of the traditions of Yule, such as the decorated evergreen tree, became the traditions of Christmas. Many of the traditions of the spring equinox, such as decorating eggs, became customs of Easter. And many practices of Samhain became the traditions of Halloween.[2]

“Hallow” means “sacred.” For example, “hallowed ground” means a place that has been blessed and is appropriate for burial. The suffix “-een” is short for “evening,” the night before a holiday. Halloween, like our New Year’s Eve, is therefore the celebration before the actual holiday, in this case November 1, dubbed “All Saints Day” by the Catholic Church. Halloween is also known as “All Souls Day,” following the tradition that this is a time to celebrate the dead and commemorate them.

There are several misconceptions and outright lies that are spread by religious fundamentalists about Samhain every year, in an attempt to get Halloween banned. The first is that the holiday is of Druidic origin; the Druids were a priestly class of the Celts, but they were a very late manifestation of the Celtic religion. The Celts were practicing their religion for thousands of years before the priestly class of the Druids developed.

Another misconception is that the ancient Romans adopted Samhain and added their traditions to it; however, the traditions of Halloween, as we know them, have come down to us from Ireland. Ireland was never conquered by the Romans. Samhain was also celebrated by the Picts in Scotland, but the Picts were never conquered by the Romans, either. The only territory in the British Isles that the Romans successfully conquered was England.

Another error is that Samhain is pronounced Sam Hane and is the name of a Celtic god of the dead. The Celts had no god of the dead.[3] Samhain is also not pronounced that way, it is pronounced “Sow-ween,” due to the odd way Irish Gaelic ended up being spelled when written in English letters. There is a very minor character in Celtic mythology that has a name with a similar spelling, but he has nothing to do with death or with that particular holiday.

Some people also claim that at this holiday the souls of the dead were supposed to move into the bodies of animals if they had been “sinful,” and that human sacrifice was practiced. The Celts did not believe in sin, nor in reincarnation or the transmigration of souls. The Celts also did not practice human sacrifice, with the exception of the execution of criminals, which we still practice in America today.

Halloween in America is now a completely secular holiday. Though it still maintains some of its harvest festival roots, there is no longer any religious or spiritual significance to the practices of bobbing for apples, trick or treating, and dressing up in costume.

Samhain, however, is still observed by Wiccans and other Pagans for its spiritual significance in the Wheel of the Year, the cycle of holidays that mark transition points in the natural solar cycle.

[1] Because Samhain represented the transition between years, it could not belong to one year or the next. Since time did not technically exist during this period, other societal rules were suspended as well, creating the necessary atmosphere to allow people to vent frustrations, often by playing practical jokes on each other. This may be the precursor to the pranks practiced at Halloween today.

[2] A lot of the associations of Halloween, from black cats to dressing up in costumes, to witches, are more associated with Germanic tradition and Walpurgisnacht, which is associated with May Day, rather than the Celtic tradition or Samhain.

[3] A couple of sources list Gwynn ap Nudd as a British god of the dead, and Arawn as a Welsh god of the dead, but there is no Irish equivalent.

***

For Part II of this article, “A Subtle Samhain Celebration -or-What to Do If You Don’t Live Alone” visit www.careandfeedingofspirits.com. Part II provides instructions for how to take advantage of this season to contact deceased loved ones on the other side of the veil of death, as well as other subtle ways to mark the holiday. But hurry! It will only be available through October 31, 2008. After that it will go back into the vaults.

Have a blessed Samhain, and a happy Halloween!

BB,

Vivienne

Bibliography

Isaac Bonewitz, “The Real Origins of Halloween,” version 4.5, © 1997 and 2002, http://www.neopagan.net/halloween-origins-text.html, downloaded 9/19/03.

“Halloween Errors and Lies, or What Fundamentalist Christians Don’t Want You to Know,” version 4.4, © 1997, 2002; http://www.neopagan.net/halloween-lies.html, 9/19/03.

B.A. Robinson, “the Myth of Samhain, Celtic God of the Dead,” © 1998-2001 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance, last updated 10/19/01, http://www.religioustolerance.org/hallow_sa.htm, 9/19/03.

W.J. Bethancourt, III, “Halloween: Myths, Monsters and Devils,” © 1994, updated 10/7/01; http://www.illusions.com/halloween/hallows.htm, 9/19/03.

Rowan Moonstone, “the Origins of Halloween.” http://www.geocities.com/athens/forum/5452/hallorig.html, 9/19/03.

Celtic tattoo designs are among the top favorite tattoo design choices among people who want to get inked.  Celtic tattoos, with its beautiful knots and symbolisms, are very intricate and interesting pieces that are sure to capture any person’s attention.  It not only is pleasing to the eyes, but it actually packs a lot of history, culture and heritage into the design.

The history of the Celts goes back thousands of years ago.  At some point, the whole of Europe was actually Celtic, and England was governed completely by the Celts.  They had their own language, culture, and religion.  The symbols that they used during those ages served as the basis for today’s modern Celtic tattoos.

Originally, the Celtic people worshipped several gods and goddesses but as time passed, they were eventually exposed to Christianity.  This change is evident in the symbols and shapes that they use, which incorporated many Christian elements such as crosses and stars.  Most of the Celtic tattoo designs used today were also based on symbols form illuminated manuscripts and ancient art from England, Scotland and Ireland.

The Celtic warriors covered their bodies with tattoos as a sign of their courage and strength.  During wars, they went to battles bare-chested so their tattoos can easily be seen by their enemies.  It was thought that their tattoos could instill fear and intimidation in their rivals and enemies, and they wore it proudly.  During those times, having numerous tattoos was a sign of fearlessness and bravery.

Today, Celtic tattoo designs have evolved, incorporating several traditional Celtic symbols into the tattoo.  Most of these designs were customized to portray the different representations in Celtic art.

A prominent feature that makes Celtic tattoo designs a favorite is its intricate and elaborate knot work.  These knots look like interwoven ropes or vines and are usually designed to form a certain shape or pattern for the tattoo.  The possibilities are virtually endless, as these knots can be made to form any shape from the simplest crosses and circles, to the more complicated stars and other combinations.  And what’s especially interesting about this knot is that it forms a complete cycle, and there’s basically neither beginning nor end to a Celtic knot.  It just goes on an on to form your desired tattoo design.

If you’re one of those individuals fascinated with Celtic tattoo designs or if you have a Celtic heritage and you want to express your pride in being a Celt, getting this tattoo is definitely for you.  However, you must keep in mind that because of its intricacies, not many tattoo artists can give you the precise line placement and details needed to ink an impressive Celtic tattoo.  It is usually one of the tougher tattoo designs and if you want to get inked, it helps to choose the right tattoo artist who has a lot of experience in inking Celtic designs.

Celtic tattoo designs are beautiful tattoos for those who have an eye for detail and intricate art work, and for those who appreciate the rich history and culture that comes along with it.