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Are you interested in Celtic Paganism, but don’t know where to turn for good information? Maybe it feels like the topic is impossibly big, or like every time you ask a question you get sent in a different direction.

This course is designed with you in mind!

Celtic Beginnings is a space where there are no stupid questions and no judgement.
We will cover the basics of different Celtic cultures, myths, gods and goddesses.
A firm foundation for you to build on.

I want to make a safe place where you can figure out what your questions are.

Where no one will laugh at you when you’re struggling to get from A to B, because you can’t figure out which map to buy.

Not knowing which map to buy. That’s often the trouble with getting started, I think. So, this class series will be about showing you a few different maps and how to read them.

You get to choose your own journey, explore you own by-ways, and probably make your own wrong turnings. But that will be okay, because you should come out of this with as set of maps, and maybe a list of people to call for assistance.

I can’t tell you how to do your religion or spirituality. (That’s not my style, but I can probably point you to a few people who will do that, who are trustworthy.)

I can help you make sense of the different Celtic cultures and languages and regions. Hint: there’s more than Ireland (but you probably know that).

There are things I won't be teaching about: Witchcraft and magic. Norse and Germanic questions. The good people/fae/fairies, etc. I don’t dislike any of these things, but I’m either not that interested or just don’t know enough.

However, I’m knowledgeable about: Gods and goddesses of different Celtic cultures, mythology of Ireland and Wales, folklore of Scotland and other Celtic places, Celtic languages, and I’m not too bad at the history and geography that relates to all this.
 Course outline.
This is a working outline. I will update it as I finalise things, but it's a good indication of what we'll cover.


Week 1 – introduction
The old Celtic world
How do we know things about the past?
  • Archaeology
  • Gaul – classical writers, inscriptions
  • Britain – classical writers, inscriptions, later historians, literature/myth, folklore
  • Ireland – literature/myth, folklore, later historians
Defining Celtic
  • languages and regions
  • using the word Celtic
  • who gets to practice Celtic religion
  • DNA/nationality/culture/calling
  • Are England, France, and other regions Celtic?
  • Celtoscepticism

Week 2  - Wales and the Britons
Gaul and early Britain
  • Important sites and inscriptions
  • Important deities
  • Romans and Celts – different approaches to religion?
Wales
  • Brythonic vs Welsh
  • Important deities –
  • Important myths –

Week 3 – Ireland
  • Important myths –
  • Important deities –
Week 4 – Scotland
  • Welcome to the crossroads – it’s complicated
  • Cailleach folklore
  • Importance of folklore

Week 5 – The situation today
The internet
  • Online groups
  • How to make Wikipedia work for you
  • Real mythology online
Holidays
  • Is the wheel of the year Celtic?
  • Fire festivals vs solar festivals
  • Names of festivals – some problems
Different strands of Celtic Paganism
  • Hard/soft polytheism
  • Devotional polytheism
  • Reconstructionism – religious/cultural
  • Druidry
  • Wicca
  • Eclecticism
Cultural appropriation
  • The diaspora
  • Perceived oppression and colonisation
  • racism

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