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32AJournalofContemporaryShamanismVOLUME7ISSUE1SPRING2014TheImmramaProjectdescribedbelowisworkingtocollectandrecordauthenticCelticsongsprayerschantandmusicforuseinmodernsettings.Wewillbeworkingwithexperiencedshamanicpractitionerstorecoverandrestorenativetypesofpracticelikeimbasforosnaiandotherritualsmentionedabove.Oneevocativenativetermweareexploringisesnadwhichcanrefertoamusicalsoundincludingaroaringmoaningordron-ingsoundlikethatofthewindaswellasthesingingofcertainbirdsoraparticularkindofhumansingingorhumming.Othertermssuggestthatovertonesingingwasinvolved.AsthereareotherinterestingsimilaritiesbetweenaspectsofCelticspiritualsymbolismandelementsofSiberianandMon-golianshamanismthiscouldbeadistinctpossibility.IoncehadthehonourofhostingthemembersoftheTuvanthroatsinginggroupHuunHuurTuatmyhome.TheyenjoyedlookingattheCelticsymbolsandartworkandexperimentedwiththemusicalinstrumentsonhand.Someofthesetheycouldplayalthoughtheharpandthebodhrntheyfoundconfusing.GazingatareplicaofthefamousGundestrupcauldrononeofthemenaskedmeaboutafigurerepresentedinoneofthepanels.ThiswastheGaulishandBritishdeityknownasCer-nunnostheHornedorAntleredGodwhowasassociatedwiththeLowerWorldanimalsregenerationandanumberofotherattributes.AfterIhaddescribedthisspiritualbeingtohimhetranslatedfortheotherswhonoddedtheirheads.ThesingerwhosegrandfatherwasashamanturnedtomeandsaidYeswehaveoneofthose.TheBreathofLifeInmanyculturessoundandbreatharerelatedandoftenassociatedwithspiritualpractice.Inanumberofearlytextsdruidsaresaidtoutilizetheanldruidechtdruidicbreathtoperformmagicalorspiritualfeats.Thelegendaryarch-druidMugRoithanextremelyshamanicfigureusedthehideofahornlessbrownbullandaspeckledbirdmaskwithbillowingwings.HewassaidtohavebeentrainedintheOtherworldandwasassistedbythesonofhisdivineteacherayoungmanwhoworeagrey-brownmantlehungwithtalonsbonesandhorns.MugRoithutilizedthedruidicbreathtotransformpeopleandobjectscreatemagiccloudsmistfireorwindrepeldarkmagicandempowertherecitationofsacredwords.16Thereisalsoapossiblereferencetotheuseofbreathinadescriptionofthetrainingschoolsofthefilid.InIrelandpoet-seercandidateswenttoschoolduringthedarkhalfoftheyearandtaughttocomposepoemsinthedarkness.Theyweregivenatraditionalsubjectandmeterandleftlyingontheirbedsthroughoutthedayincompletedarkness.Atnighttheyemergedandrecitedtheircreationsfortheirteachers.Manypoetsweresaidtoonlycomposeinthedarknessatraditionalpractice.InScotlandthestudentswrappedtheirplaidsaroundtheirheadtoblockoutthelight.Theyalsoputastoneontheirbel-lypresumablytohelpregulatethebreathapracticeknowninotherculturestohelpfacilitateanalteredstateofconscious-ness.17Thepotentiallyshamanicnatureofthesepracticesissupportedbythefactthatamasterpoetearnedtherighttowearthetuigenafeatheredcloakmadefromthefeathersofmallardsfromthewaistupandwhiteandmulti-colouredfeathersfromthewaistdown.InatrainingmanualassociatedwiththeschoolsofthefilidthestudentsaregiveninstructioninthetraditionofsisanativeIrishwordthatsignifiesmusicandmelodyaswellasorderingandarrangementpoeticcompositionandmanyotherlayersofmeaning.ThistexthasneverbeforebeentranslatedintoEnglishandIwouldliketoshareasenseofshamanicwisdomintheindigenousCeltictradition.Thisnativevisionarytextcouldbeusedinyourpersonalpracticeorinserviceofrestoringthetarbfeisortaghairmrituals.ThebreathwhichisafemininewordisdescribedassupportingstreamsofknowledgewindsofsongsamagicmistandthewellofwisdomandaboveallilluminatingandrestoringancientknowledgeBreathoftheSoulBreathofFireTranslatedfromOldIrishbySharonPaiceMacLeodCopyright2014IgatherbreaththefoundationofsongsAdeclarationofthesoulanemblemoflifeItpoursinitdepartsitentersandexitsastreamAskilledartificerseeksoutrefinedwindsAfoster-motherwhonursesthebodiesofhumanbeingsProclamationspourforthfrombodiesofskillWhichisbitterwhichispleasantwhichiscoldwhichisferventWhichisthick.WhichisthinwhichisheavywhichispowerfulItisseenitisnotseenduringmyexistenceItisnottoucheditevadesformitdisappearsItsustainsavoicemaintainingconfidenceSetinmotionthroughapowerfulfocusItisthemotherofvowelswhichisfreshwhichisclearWhichisbrightwhichisthebreathoffireAgloriouscurrentwhichrunsrestoringknowledgeFrombodiesonaccountofitsilluminationAwaveofoutpouringfromawellaplaceoforiginAprotectionasteadfastabodeVeryslownogreateremptyingnodistinctmantleAshrineoflifewhichissecureineveryfoundationandheightThroughmagicmistsitdisappearsAnenduringfurnaceoflifeThebreathofthesoulinbodiesOnaccountofitsbrightness.18