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28AJournalofContemporaryShamanismVOLUME7ISSUE1SPRING2014SHAMANICPRACTICEImmramaJourneysinIndigenousCelticShamanicPracticeBySharonPaiceMacLeodMemoryoftheAncestorsTheCeltsoriginallyinhabitedmostofancientEuropefromIrelandandBritainintheWesteastwardintoFranceSpainPortugalAustriaSwitzerlandCentralEuropenorthernItalyandpartsofTurkey.OvertimeCelticcultureslanguagesandspiritualtraditionsweremarginalizedanddismembereduntilonlyremnantsofthisonce-flourishingtraditionremained.FormanyoftheirdescendantsCelticbeliefsandtraditionsrunlikewildfireinthebloodwithtraditionalsongsandstoriesopeningadeeppoolofremembering.LikeotherindigenousculturesmanyCelticpeopleslosttheirtraditionslanguageandancientconnectiontotheDivine.Fosteringspiritualconnectionandculturalsoulretrievalisanenormoustaskaroundtheglobe.Byhealingourownancestralwayswemaybemoreabletohelpourbrothersandsistersinshamaniccultureswherevertheyarefound.Therearethreeprimarywaysinwhichadismemberedcul-turecanbegintorememberitswisdomtraditions.Thefirstisthroughphysicalsourcesthearchaeologyofdomesticsettingsandritualsitessacredobjectsandartworkandthetestimonyoflivingtraditionbearers.Thesecondisthroughwrittensourcespreferablybymembersofthatculturebutalsoincludingre-portsofthoseoutside.Thethirdofcourseisgoingdirectlytothespiritsforinformationguidanceandcounsel.SeveralyearsagoIwasteachingCelticreligionandshaman-ismatalargeholisticlearningcenter.ManyofthestudentswereofCelticancestryorfeltaconnectiontothetraditionthroughpastlivesreincarnationisanelementofthenativeCelticbeliefsystem.OnewomanofAfricanandScottishdescentknewnothingaboutherScottishheritage.AnotherwomanfromIndiabecamefascinatedwiththesoundofinvocationsinCelticlanguagesonceshelearnedSanskritandOldIrishwererelated.AnindigenousTainowomanfromPuertoRicotoldmeherpeo-pleweretryingtorevivetheirtraditionsthroughthesamethreemethodsarchaeologywrittenaccountsandinformationfromeldersallofwhichwerescarce.Shehadcometotheworkshoptolearnshamanicjourneyingtohelpherinthatquest.KeepersofKnowledgeOriginallytherewerethreeclassesofholypeopleinCelticculturedruidsbardsandseerswiththedruidsapparentlyfulfillingmanyofthetraditionalrolesoftheshaman.InGauldruidstrainedforuptotwentyyearsintheologymythol-ogydivinationhealingceremonytribalandculturalhistorymedicineandlaw.Druidsservedasteachersjudgesandhealerspresidingoverceremoniesandpreservingandrecitingtradi-tionalwisdom.TheywereexpertsinthenatureoftheDivineandspecialistsincommunicatingwiththesacredrealmsabletoseewhatotherscouldnot.InfacttheworddruidOldIrishdruMiddleWelshderwyddcomesfromtwoIndo-Eu-ropeanrootwordsmeaningStrongorSteadfastandToSee.ThereforetheworddruidmeantStrongSeerorOneStronginVision.TragicallythedruidsinGaulandsouthernBritainweredrivenoutorexterminatedbytheRomaninvasions.HoweverdruidsstillexistedinScotlandaswellasinIrelanduntilatleasttheninthcentury.Eventuallyasaresultoftheincreasingpowerofthechurchandotherchangesinmedievalculturetheirpowerandinfluencewaned.Anewclassofpoet-seersemergedknownasthefilidsing.filiinIrelandandScotlandwhoserolesmaybeparalleledinWalesbynativeseersknownasawenyddion.Thefilidtrainedinspecialschoolsforseventotwelveyearsandalmostcertainlypreservedsomeaspectsoftheoriginaldruidicshamanicwisdom.Theyservedaspoetshistoriansandstorytellersandwerealsohighlytrainedseers.Infactafilicouldnotbecomeanollamormasterpoetuntilheorshehadmasteredthreetypesofnativedivinatorypracticeimbasforosnaigreatwisdomofilluminationteinmlaedacrackingopenofsongspoemsanddichetaldichennaibspontaneousincantation.Thesetrainingschoolsexisteduntilabout1600inIrelandandinScotlanduntilalmost1750.TrainingmanualsandwisdomtextsassociatedwiththefilidpreserveinformationabouthowindigenousCelticpracticessurvivedchangedandpersevered.1Oneofthemostperplexingquestionsisexactlyhowthedruidsorfilidconnectedwiththeirgodsorspirits.What