Celtic Meditation

The Celts were a group of diverse and often-warring tribes loosely connected through similar language, religion, and cultural identity who inhabited much of Europe from the thirteenth to first century BCE. The term “Celtic meditation” encompasses many practices that reflect the evolution of the lineage.

The ancient Celts experienced God through nature. This element of Celtic spirituality, a core tenet of the polytheistic Iron Age tribes, persevered through Christianization and shapes modern Celtic meditation practices. “Nature is a doorway into the other-than-human world, a place inhabited by more than plants and animals,” author Bruce Stanley, who began the Forest Church movement, observes. “The natural world reveals secrets about its creator, and God speaks to us through the wild and untamed world. Nature is sacred space.”

Forms of Celtic meditation range from Christian prayers stemming from the teachings of Celtic saints such as St. Patrick, to Neopagan contemplations that focus on the path of self-knowledge through alignment with the Earth. Celtic meditation connects us, through our senses and awareness, to all of creation, showing us that spirit is not an abstract concept—it’s right here with us, underneath a mossy tree root, in the flick of a fox’s tail, and mixed in the rain drops after a summer storm.

The ancient Celts did not write down their myths and histories, so everything we know about them comes from the biased perspective of their enemies, the Greeks and the Romans, who described their religious practices as barbaric. However, the Celts believed words gained power when spoken, so many stories passed through generations intact. Christian monks in Ireland later committed much of the oral literature to paper, illuminating Celtic beliefs that both influenced Christianity and continued in spite of it. Modern Druidry evolved as a spiritual path about three hundred years ago as a backlash to the Industrial Revolution. While Druids share some ritual observances—the celebration of Imbolc, which marks the beginning of spring, for example—the complex and ambiguous history of the Celts means there is no doctrine and no uniformity. Personal experience is valued above all else in meditation.

Celtic meditation is a mystical, magical celebration of life. Instead of transcending the senses to seek spirit in another realm, it roots us to Mother Earth to reveal what is hidden in plain sight.

Celtic meditation in any form, be it Christian or Pagan, is a great antidote to the disconnection of modern life. It requires respect for the natural world, for human nature, for our history and heritage, and for the forces of nature that rule our existence. Celtic meditation also motivates us to care for others, to be active in our communities, and to fully engage with the world. Its vivid imagery encourages creativity and helps us to develop our own.

Tree-huggers are onto something—it is scientifically proven that the forest makes us happy. A vast collection of studies corroborate the fact that spending time in nature is one of the best things we can do for our mental and physical health. Researchers at the University of Michigan sent students on either a walk around the city or an arboretum and found the latter group performed 20 percent better on a memory test. Another study found similar results in a group of depressed individuals. A four-day nature immersion boosted performance on a creative problem-solving test by 50 percent. Taking a walk in the forest is also a cortisol-lowering stress-buster, and even just looking at a photograph of a natural scene reduces mental fatigue. Nature significantly boost concentration, to the extent that some researchers are calling it a “safe, inexpensive, widely accessible new tool _… for managing ADHD symptoms.” It might even be a cancer treatment one day: preliminary studies suggest spending time in the woods may stimulate the production of anti-cancer proteins and lead to lower mortality rates.

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No one group is the true representation of ancient Celtic practices, because there’s no reliable evidence to tell us what they were. As a result, misinformation fuels many spiritual paths that claim to be Celtic, and the dividing lines between forms of Neopaganism such as Wicca, Faerie Faith and the religion of modern-day Celts are often blurred.

There are few “how to” books on Celtic Druidry, because the essence of the path is that it must be experienced, not taught. “Anyone who wants to be a Druid, must, in the end, find their own way,” writes Celtic author Nimue Brown. If you are looking for guidance and community, groups like The Order of Bards Ovates & Druids is a good place to start. Christian Celts can find a variety of prayer-centered meditation books.

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Connecting with nature is the most common form of Celtic meditation. The natural rhythms of the earth influence these practices—Winter Solstice, for instance, is a celebration of the coming of light, while Spring Equinox is a reflection on balance.

To practice this meditation, find a place in nature where you can surround yourself with trees or slip off your shoes to feel the ground beneath your feet. Engage all of your senses as you picture yourself to be an oak tree, grounded and strong. Notice how you are connected to your community and how you can be more open. Tap into the rhythm of nature, imagining that you are in harmony with everything that is. Our step-by-step guided meditation is available on this page.

Adherents of any faith can also be a Druid, or interpret Celtic meditations from their own perspective. The complete absence of fixed beliefs or practices is one of the defining characteristics of this spiritual path, avoiding the problems of intolerance and sectarianism that established religions have encountered.

The best-known teachers and authors in this field include:

Philip Carr-Gomm
(www.philipcarr-gomm.com)
John Michael Greer
(www.ecosophia.net)
Nimue Brown
(www.moon-books.net/authors/nimue-brown)
Ár nDraíocht Féin
(www.adf.org)

Many meditations are best done outdoors. Incense, candles, music, or sacred objects are also welcome if it helps your experience.