Customer Reviews

Celtic Rites & Rituals: Witches, Druids & Seasonal Festivals

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I think this is a book I want to find again. I have excerpts of it and xerox copies of some of the pages, but I cannot find it again. I think it is being reprinted. I hope so. I have used and used the copies that I have for several years. They are tattered and torn to coin a phrase. LOL.

The emphasis on the Celtic culture as a basis of the books text, was a draw for me. I am Celtic in descent and am totally submerged in the Celtic Way. Loved its emphasis on the Gods and Goddesses and the rituals associated with them.

I loved it.

Where can I find a new copy? I love this book.

I saw that Celtic Rites and Rituals only had one star, but when I read the reviews they were all positive. I read Celtic Rites over five years ago and now found a used copy. I am excited about the prospect of purchasing a new copy since it is being reprinted. It has been my manual of Ritual for the last five years. I look at every event in my life as being part of ritual. Celtic Rites helps me exist. It is a great book.

After I bought this book, I used it as a basis of comparison with every book on Paganism or Witchcraft from that point on. I have never found a better book on Ritual. It brings the Welsh Pagan World into your world. Wonderful and amazing book.

Although this is an excellent book on Welsh Witchcraft Ritual, I am slightly disappointed in its treatment of Druidic ritual. I can see that the author knows his stuff, but he didn't expand on his brief description of The Druids and their Rituals, it sort of left me hanging and wanting more. Is the author going to re-publish this book. My copy is a little worn. Is he going to revise it so that it includes more Druidry? I like the druid section on their web page: http://www.tylwythteg.com/druid1.html
All in all a very good book.

I didn't want to buy it, then I refused to read it for awhile, now my friends are asking me to review it. As far as I can determine, this is a complete description of Welsh Witchcraft Ritual. I live in Wales. I am Welsh. I speak Welsh. I have learned a great deal of Welsh History. I am proud and protective of my Welsh Heritage.

This book has only added to my knowledge. It is astounding how close this ritual philosophy is to what I was taught by relatives.

No,I am not a Christian, but then who is these days? Either we are agnostics, athiests, protestants or pagans. There isn't anything else. That's what is so curious about these negative reviews I've seen for This book. They seem to be reviews but they are really just personal attacks on the author.

If you are Welsh and want to find out what else is available besides accepted history, please read this book. It costs more than two of your average useless wiccan books. But, it is real!!!

I will read it again and again and again because when I read it my spirit is aroused. This book opens something in my spiritual self that makes me closer to the Gods. I believe you will be affected as profoundly as I have been.

Blessed be!

This book is about a system of Welsh Witchraft. Dynion Mwyn. It is a controversial group. The Welsh Nationalist extreemists hate them. The Christian Welsh extremists hate them and Pagans who make their money teaching rubbish as knowledge hate them. They don't charge for initiation. They don't require students to do anything they have a problem with.

There is a great deal of Welsh material in this book as well as other traditions and philosophies. It contains a great deal of material that is similar to NROOGD teachings which originated in California. I have spoken to a few of their members who are angry that they could not prevent the re-printing of this book. One of the authors of this book, Taliesin enion Vawr was initiated into the New Reformed Order of the Golden Dawn as well as into Gardnerian and Alexandrian traditions. I believe he was contemporary with and claimed to know Robert Cochrane, who worked with Doreen Valiente.

The authors use a great technique of presenting generic terms and ideas which masks the real philosophy of the Welsh Tradition, but
teaches you enough so that when you actually enter into training as a seeker of the Welsh tradition, it will be very easy to pick up the wonderful religious ideas and ritual philosophy.

The seasonal rites in this book appear to be very similar to the Celtic Tradition of Gwen Thompson and are not Gardnerian, nor are they NROOGD of which I am an initiate of both.

The Sabbat rituals contain a few modern verses written by modern poets which I am grateful for. After all isn't a tradition supposed to grow and change?

All in all I would say that this book would give you a tremendous education into the techniques and philosophy of ritual and rites as it is currently being practiced in Wales by actual initiates. I visited one of the two groups in Cardiff Wales that practice Dynion Mwyn last month and I assure you, they are practicing The Ancient craft as described in this book, PLUS much much more.

If you are looking for a book which describes Rituals and festivals as practiced by Welsh Pagans, you have found it.
Read this book carefully. It is a winner, and well worth the money.

Linda Prior
London UK

Well I've read it twice and those who have given it poor reviews obviously haven't read it at all. I have no idea why they dislike the author, but it is obviously a personal thing and has nothing to do with the value of the Book. I have a degree in Welsh History and a long association with the Welsh Folklore society. Besides actually visiting Betws-y-coed and tracing one of the co-authors life, I have interviewed several members of Y Tylwyth Teg in Florida and two members of The Dynion Mwyn "mother grove" in Wales. Very interesting people. I may debate whether the family which taught the authors, was totally correct in their philosophy, but I can say they were honest and sincere. I found nothing inconsistent with the ideas and words in Celtic Rites and Rituals. In fact, I was hard pressed to contradict anything they purported to believe. Those who are criticising the book are listening to rumour instead of reading the book. I wonder why they don't want you to read it? If in fact it contains some ideas they disagree with, so what. I have read over sixty books on The Celts, Celtic Spirituality and this is fresh and true. But, I also have read Celtic Rites and Rituals. From whatever source these three Co-authors obtained their material, it is fresh and absolutely wonderful. No, the critics didn't bother to read the books. They just have a problem with people reading the truth and haviong freedom of speech. The authors must be doing something right. A very famous book store in California has already (according to them) sold over two thousand copies. Good for you Rhuddlwm, Taliesin and Merridden. You've done good. Excellent Book on Celtic Rites and Rituals.

They put up two very negative spotlight reviews which are bogus, when this book has so much going for it? I am mystified. I was blown away by the rituals in this book. They are REAL Welsh. The reviewers are NOT. These are real Celtic Welsh rites and rituals. They come from the Welsh soul.

How amazon can put up an obvious fake review I haven't the faintest. There is something funny going on. I loved the book. I am Welsh. I am Pagan. The reviewer must be atheist or agnostic. They certintly can't be religious.

Wonderful book.

I live near Porthcawl, Wales on the coast. I love my country, but I am ashamed of these neo-extremist so called Welsh people who
instead of actually reviewing a book, they attack the author, and insert the bad review several times so it will count as three bad reviews instead of one. How criminal. They have disappointed me because they know nothing of Wales even though they pretend to.

This book was a wonderful book because it brought back old memories and it was a reminder of what i had experienced when I was young in North Wales when I was initiated.

It is one of the best books on Ritual I have ever read.

Thank you author whoever you are.