An Slí Gaeleach Céad 's a hAon (Phase one done, please pos

[TatteredAngel]

Thank you for all the detailed clarification! Naming is one of those things I've always had a big interest in, so I'm always curious on the subject.  

[Chibikerichan]

Question (possibly a stupid one).

What is the significance of choosing four (and only four) letters/symbols?  

[CuAnnan]

Chibikerichan

Question (possibly a stupid one).

What is the significance of choosing four (and only four) letters/symbols?

That was an excersize. It was not a rule to be set down in stone. The reasoning behind the four is because, while the Celts were primarily interested in triune existance, the number four occurs massively in nature and is a huge part of how we learn.
Four seasons.
Four periods of day
Four phases of the moon
Four points of the compass
Four phases of life

It was merely an excersize in balancing the symbols in a recurring natural system.  

[CuAnnan]

Chibikerichan

Question (possibly a stupid one).

Incidentally, I don't believe that in a place of learning there can be stupid questions.


Ur... I do in fact. But a question who's purpose is to further one's understanding is never stupid.  

[CuAnnan]

Death, the Otherworld and Travelling.

So, what happens when you die is simple enough. You are reborn. That is your soul is reborn. You may or may not remember past lives but that is largely down to your current incarnation and their mental abilities. I have, through my own journeying and my relationship with Annan (who looks after these things) come to understand that there is a period of rest in between incarnations. Annan can be seen as the reaperin Celtic culture. She is the Goddess who looks after the dead and helps them to come to terms with any overdue issues they may have before re-weaving their thread into the pattern of live.

I'm going to take this analogy and run with it. Certain thread colours look really good together. They compliment each other. And so, souls often turn up together. This is not to be confused with the hindi concept, the name of which escapes me, we are not bound together inexorably. It is more a loose connection of convenience.

Eventually, threads run out..... no, the analogy fails here. Eventually our time in the pattern comes to an end. Whether or not the thread runs out or not is not something I can comment on. It is not something I feel the need to as Annan nor is it covered in any of the literature. All but the period of rest is, the period of rest is merely hinted at.

The Otherworld

The Otherworld in Celcit context refers to many things. It refers to the dreamworld, the lands of the ancestors, the Shadow realms (where the Tuatha de Dannan, Fír Bolg and Fomorí) were moved when the Milesians defeated them. This duality of rebirth and land of the dead is what leads me to the conclusion of the time of rest, by the way.

Journying all these realms is possible, though not neccessarily advisable. Let's remember, the Gaels are the descendants of the dispossesors. Classically, this is done through either standard travelling, wherein the person merely leaves their body and walks the Realms, or shapeshifting (fith-fath). Shapeshifting was generally, though not exclusively an indication of otherling heritage. Before anyone goes thinking Otherkin, stop. Otherling heritage does not make you an Otherling. You are a human being with some unique genetic heritage. Nothing more. And, for that matter, it's not that unique. Journeying, as I hinted, is not without its dangers. The soul is not immortal and can be damaged or destroyed. Soul retrieval is a dangerous process and not one to be undertaken lightly. You should be aware of this when journeying the realms.  

[Deoridhe]

Cuchullain

Journeying, as I hinted, is not without its dangers. The soul is not immortal and can be damaged or destroyed. Soul retrieval is a dangerous process and not one to be undertaken lightly. You should be aware of this when journeying the realms.

One of the standards for Seidhr that used to exist was that the women who did it had a living child; th emodern interpretation of that is that they had something tying the sufficiently to Midgard that they would want to/be able to return. Is there an equivelant?

Also, in your experience/knowledge, how does defense and offense work when walking the worlds, in terms of keeping oneself safe?  

[CuAnnan]

Deoridhe

One of the standards for Seidhr that used to exist was that the women who did it had a living child; th emodern interpretation of that is that they had something tying the sufficiently to Midgard that they would want to/be able to return. Is there an equivelant?

Not inherently. There is the danger of getting lost. This is stated. Any binding to the physical is a plus and there are ways of creating such bindings, there are roles in the old society specifically for it, according to some interpretations of the old tales.

Deoridhe

Also, in your experience/knowledge, how does defense and offense work when walking the worlds, in terms of keeping oneself safe?

Y'see I knew there was something I was forgetting.

The Worlds don't follow the same rules as ours does. We know this. Hence being able to shapeshift, fly, blink from one place to the next. However, we can apply our understanding of this world and use it to shape a weapon in the Otherworld. I carry a sword with me. It's not real, I know this, but it's a weapon none the less.

These weapons and shields are our will shaped to our need by our magic.

Totems, grims, fetches, werelights, guides, whateveryouwanttocallthem also help in this regard. If you don't have one, be extra vigilant.  

[scorplett]

Cuchullain

Deoridhe

One of the standards for Seidhr that used to exist was that the women who did it had a living child; th emodern interpretation of that is that they had something tying the sufficiently to Midgard that they would want to/be able to return. Is there an equivelant?

Not inherently. There is the danger of getting lost. This is stated. Any binding to the physical is a plus and there are ways of creating such bindings, there are roles in the old society specifically for it, according to some interpretations of the old tales.

Deoridhe

Also, in your experience/knowledge, how does defense and offense work when walking the worlds, in terms of keeping oneself safe?

Y'see I knew there was something I was forgetting.

The Worlds don't follow the same rules as ours does. We know this. Hence being able to shapeshift, fly, blink from one place to the next. However, we can apply our understanding of this world and use it to shape a weapon in the Otherworld. I carry a sword with me. It's not real, I know this, but it's a weapon none the less.

These weapons and shields are our will shaped to our need by our magic.

Totems, grims, fetches, werelights, guides, whateveryouwanttocallthem also help in this regard. If you don't have one, be extra vigilant.

If I may just to add a touch to that Cúchullain, Im not sure if you would agree but however.

In my experiance, defence/offence matters are very dependant on intent of going, method of going and form of going.

Also, to add to the list of weapons and shields, some bodily fluids are very usefull as weapons in some of the places with certain of those one might meet but use them in the wrong place for the wrong purpose and you could do yourself more damage.

This to me tends to be a repeating occurance in that in any one hall one weapon will be perfect as a weapon of protection, however in others it will only hurt the user, or offend the locals smile  

[Deoridhe]

Cuchullain

Deoridhe

Also, in your experience/knowledge, how does defense and offense work when walking the worlds, in terms of keeping oneself safe?

Y'see I knew there was something I was forgetting.

I met lizards recently; I'll be up to mammals in no time, at this rate. I need to be prepared!

scorplett

In my experiance, defence/offence matters are very dependant on intent of going, method of going and form of going.

Also, to add to the list of weapons and shields, some bodily fluids are very usefull as weapons in some of the places with certain of those one might meet but use them in the wrong place for the wrong purpose and you could do yourself more damage.

This to me tends to be a repeating occurance in that in any one hall one weapon will be perfect as a weapon of protection, however in others it will only hurt the user, or offend the locals smile

It would be fantastic if you'd start a thread in the main guild expanding on this. I'm always curious about other people's pathwalking/journeying since so much of the lore for Seidhr was lost.  

[CuAnnan]

scorplett

Also, to add to the list of weapons and shields, some bodily fluids are very usefull as weapons in some of the places with certain of those one might meet but use them in the wrong place for the wrong purpose and you could do yourself more damage.

That'd be why I left it out of a 101 topic wink . What body part/fluid to use, when, how, these are hard to explain, particularly over the internet. Though I don't disagree.  

[Pelta]

Out of curiosity, what do you accomplish while journeying?

Though of course you don't have to answer if that's too personal. ninja  

[scorplett]

Cuchullain

scorplett

Also, to add to the list of weapons and shields, some bodily fluids are very usefull as weapons in some of the places with certain of those one might meet but use them in the wrong place for the wrong purpose and you could do yourself more damage.

That'd be why I left it out of a 101 topic wink . What body part/fluid to use, when, how, these are hard to explain, particularly over the internet. Though I don't disagree.

left out of 101 for very good reason imo. What sort/part really is hard to discuss over the internet, and even harder when many would try it without the base resonance present in the first place only making it more so... At the end of the day its dependant on who and what and where. But the widest range would be to conjure your blood as a source of Iron. This is not to say bleed yourself nescessarily. But percieving parts of yourself encompasing thoughtforms, scentient or otherwise keeps that item/being in tied to you and as such can be very usefull. This of course is not a catch all work for all fail safe way. Its often a personal thing and is so heavily dependant on who what when where and how. But even then thats dependant on knowing what the heck your doing in the first place, a knowing that often comes with knocks and bruises a plenty, especially of the ego kind smile  

[CuAnnan]

Pelta

Out of curiosity, what do you accomplish while journeying?

I journey for a variety of reasons. Interpersonal contact with my Gods is less difficult while journeying, I am less likely to misinterpret what it is They're saying.
I journey out of a sense of Need, also. There is some part of me which is fulfilled there that isn't here.  

[Pelta]

Cuchullain

Pelta

Out of curiosity, what do you accomplish while journeying?

I journey for a variety of reasons. Interpersonal contact with my Gods is less difficult while journeying, I am less likely to misinterpret what it is They're saying.
I journey out of a sense of Need, also. There is some part of me which is fulfilled there that isn't here.

I know exactly what you mean, and thanks for answering. biggrin

I find it quite difficult sometimes to define why I do it. It helps to hear other experiences.  

[CuAnnan]

Pelta

I know exactly what you mean, and thanks for answering. biggrin

I find it quite difficult sometimes to define why I do it. It helps to hear other experiences.

I understand. The answer took me three or four attempts to articulate. It was, to say the least, difficult to tread the line between too personal and not descriptive enough.