The Celtic Spirit: Daily Meditations for the Turning Year

by Caitlín Matthews

Book Overview

Discover the Living Wisdom of the Ancient Celts The ancient Celts and their spiritual mediators, the Druids believed in the communion of all living things and sought harmony between nature and the human soul. Now, with this inspiring book of day-by-day mediations, renowned Celtic scholar Caitl n Matthews shows you how to reawaken the power of this age-old spiritual inheritance. Using poetry, myths, reflections, rituals, and visualizations, Matthews...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0062515381
• ISBN13: 9780062515384
• Release Date: December 1998
• Publisher: HarperOne
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.5" x 7.4"

Customer Reviews

Gentle

Ms. Matthews writes beautifully. This is a gentle, daily read that inspires wonder and awareness. This is not "new age" or old age. It just is. If you are ready for quiet time and reflection this book will provide a soothing, thought-provoking beginning to each day. Take 15 extra minutes for yourself in the morning with a cup of coffee or tea and let Celit Spirit works its "magic" on your soul.

Well-Sculpted Daily Meditations

Celtic spirituality is a vast domain, one that cannot truly be pinned down to one expression. Aspects of the Celtic spirit are, no doubt, Pagan in form and essence--involving elements of Druidism, folk "shamanism" and faery lore, while other expressions draw upon the rich tradition of Celtic-Christian mysticism. Woven in and throughout, almost as a kind of binding glue to the traditions, are the bardic traditions of verse, word, and story. Caitlin has done a marvelous job in The Celtic Spirit of expressing a footing in all forms of Celtic spirituality. This little book is an invitation, through the mode of a bardic-contemplative tool, to slow down each day, to meditate on some feature of the vast Celtic spiritual traditions, giving the reader the unmistakable sense that the Celtic spirit is not quarantined to some ancient, inaccessible past, but rather a living stream of inspiration that survives today.

Very Well Done!

This book is an awesome resource for all looking for away to get in touch with the Druidic Path. Both Caitiln and John (her husband) are very well respected authors and historians about the druid path, and this book does carry very many druidic undertones, which is okay by me.Where I found this helpful is the daily meditations and goal settings illustrated in the book. I found it an excellent resource for learning and exploring, prompting searches into myself and other written works for more answers. Taken seriously as a guide, this book can become invaluable to anyone who puts more then a passing effort into it, for this is more then just your typical "Daily Devotional" and to get the full effect, effort, if not dedication, IS required.Very well written and structured, I would definitely recommend this to Anyone. Great Job!

I use it each day for inspiration and guidance

I find there are so many books which explore the Celtic tradition but which don't help you relate the spiritual insights of the tradition to your daily life. Here at last is a book that does this! I love it, and recommend it whole-heartedly to anyone who wants to actually use Celtic spirituality to help them change their lives.

Author comment

This book is written for all who would like a daily touchstone for their own spiritual musings. I originally entitled it 'Meditations on the Druid Path' but that was rejected as not being sufficiently marketable!!! However, most of it stems from my own walking of the Druid path. Drawing upon all aspects of the druidic tradition - from ancient to modern - each day has its own meditation and reader's interaction point where you make the material your own. One of the most important aspects of spiritual life is its habitual, daily patterns which create pathways for the soul's progress. This progress is not 'progressive' in the modern sense, but more eliptical, like Celtic tracery and knotwork which itself is a reflection of the soul's spiralling trajectory. The seasons which accompany our spiritual practice are our allies and companions. Even the most ordinary occurences are material for our meditations. The full sum of our personal experiences open up our soul's path and lead us to form our own philosophy of life. Where Celtic names and titles are mentioned, I have provided pronounciation guides.