Customer Reviews

Magic Of The Celtic Gods And Goddesses: A Guide To Their Spiritual Power, Healing Energies, And Mystical Joy

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4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Surprisingly, considering its length and subtitle (A Guide to Their Spiritual Power, Healing Energies, and Mystical Joy), Magic of the Celtic Gods and Goddesses is a decent, if broad, introduction to the Celtic deities. The authors provide very general introductions to a number of the "primary" (that is, popular or common) gods and goddesses in Celtic mythology, and then briefly extrapolate this information into suggestions and ideas for practice and for learning more. The descriptions of the gods and goddess are largely based on Celtic myth and legend, and the authors usually differentiate between fact and their opinions, but they fail to footnote or reference the original texts. The extrapolations have a Wiccan slant but for the most part are general and balanced. All in all, this is a good introductory text but doesn't provide much in the way of detail or authentic history or practice.

What this book does best is provide a general introduction to the goddesses, gods, and themes or trends that appear in Celtic mythology as a whole. All of these aspects are introduced in very broad terms, with little to no reference to the original texts, but they are for the most part accurate and, as stated, the authors differentiate between Celtic myth and their interpretations and understandings of those myths. As such, this text is a broad but fairly accurate introduction, and I recommend it to readers who are curious about Celtic myths and gods but don't yet want to delve into original texts or hard to read textbooks. Celtic Gods and Goddesses introduces some of the bigger ideas and characters that appear in Celtic mythology, and provides just enough information to help the reader figure out if the topic interests him. The book is also very accessable and easy to read even as an introduction to Celtic myth and gods.

If the topic does prove interesting, research shouldn't end with this book. Continued research will provide the detail that this book lacks and will allow the reader to draw his own connections, rather than depending on the connections and extrapolations of the authors. Furthermore, this book does carry a slight but present Wiccan slant, in particular emphasizing eight holidays in the wheel of the year (rather than the Celtic year) and some practices and associations that are more Wiccan than Celtic Pagan. Further research will help separate the Wiccan aspects from the historical Celtic aspects and provide a more in-depth understanding of Celtic deities and religious practices and beliefs.

I was pleasantly surprised in this book, and the straightforward introduction of the gods and some of the stories in which they appear has made it easier for me to keep my names and stories straight when doing further research. I disagree with some of the interpretations of the gods (many of the warrior/war gods and goddess in particular) and I think that the authors are to quick to default to extreme positions or revel in blood and guts without actually seeking out depth, but I appreciate the fact that myth and interpretation were generally separated and demarcated. I consider this a broad but decent introductory text, and recommend it on that basis. It's a good place to start, especially for the hesitant or new reader, but it is a starting place only.

If you are interested in Celtic traditions, this book has a lot of good information. It is very well presented and covers a wide variety of information on the Celtic Gods and Goddesses. It is only just over 200 pages, so you don't need to spend a lifetime going over the mnaterial. I think Carl McColman and Kathryn Hinds have done an excellent job of presenting this material, in a way that is easy to understand and appreciate.

i liked this book. It explains practical ways to show devotion on a daily basis. Learning about the Irish ,Welsh and Celtic deities. Listing their different names and different aspect. Great read!

The content about the Gods & Goddesses in this book was pretty good, really well referenced and heaps of recommendations for further reading, I'm not sure on the accuracy of all the facts, but it seemed like a really good primer. On the negative side, I think it really should have been called celtic gods & goddesses FOR WICCANS. The author really wrote from a Wiccan perspective and suggested ways to celebrate the wiccan festivals in regards to the gods and goddesses, that detracted somewhat from it for me. But if that's what you're after, then its a good book!

Katherine Hinds and Carl McColman's book is both delightful and informative. The authors combine several research streams into a succinct yet in-depth profile of their chosen gods and goddesses. The hypotheses that the authors make are clearly pointed out as such.

With the gluttony of books in the pagan and new age market, it is refreshing to read a book that uses research and historical documents as its starting point with the authors acting as both scholars and storytellers. The chapter on Cernunnos was one of my favorites and a shinning example of the authors explaining a deity's occurrences in history and archeology along with hypothesizing possible cross cultural connections.

This book is accessible to beginners as well as those who are more advanced in their studies and is a great addition to anyone's library that is interested in mythology.

The authors have presented one of the first popular efforts to explain the Irish and Welsh Gods in a way that Neopagans will understand and appreciate. The book is written with a moderately reconstructionist sensibility that helps break down modern misunderstandings of Celtic lore, but it maintains a friendly and instructive voice that doesn't put the reader off. Scholasticly sound without being stuffy, and spiritually aware as well.

Recommended.

Ian

This review is purposely overly harsh in an effort to achieve a counter-balance. In truth, it deals with one, inexcusible, chapter re: The Great Queen [i.e. The Morrighan]. He *really* fummbled the ball, here (and that's being generous!).

Having read nearly all of the books listed in these authors' Bibiography, I firmly disagree with their interpretations of The Morrighan, entirely. In essence, they seem to have been imposing their views onto the evidence at hand. Further insulting was the way in which they extended an olive branch to Medb in an effort to completely excuse Her from War-Goddess status. However, they refuse to extend the same grace to The Morrighan when, according to the Medieval concepot of war-fare [inter-tribal catle raids] Medb is more of a War-Goddess than The Morrighan will ever be!

Most scholars, today, seem to be referring to Her not as a War-Goddess, but as one of the following: Tutelary-/Sovereign-/Earth-Goddess. In fact, recent academic articles by one Maire Herbert have exploded this out-dated War-Goddess model as it's applied to The Morrighan. This out-dated model is, unfortunately, the result of early Classicist idealogy being imposed onto non-Classical Gods and Goddesses (this model stems ONLY from one article written in 1870, and has stuck ever sense, unquestioned, and undefied erroniously-so by Pagans).

He further insults any well-informed reader by calling Her a "Battle Fury" (scholars are unanimously firm in their belief that She never actually engages in battle). Some other choice descriptions (which are abhorantly over-stepping the bounds of all reasonable research) are: She is a Goddess of a severe psychotic episodes, and that She is the personification of the cool, calculated, mentality of a serial killer! None of this is borne out via the research! I suggest that ANYONE interested in researching Her, turn to the following scholars (he referenced only to the last text listed, and seemed to have ignored that the author was emphatic in stating that She is an Earth-Goddess; others state She is also from a Mother-Goddess Cult, too):

* The Witch Figure -- Ed. V. Newall [Contains an article by Dr. Anne Ross]
* The Concept of the Goddess -- Ed. Miranda Green [contains two
academic articles by two Irish scholars which define Her as an Earth-Goddess, a genius loci, and one even blowing a part the War-Goddess model, Aspect, with no answers possible!]
* The Celtic Hgeroic Age -- Ed. & Trans. John Carey & John Koch [Often defines The Morrighan strictly AS Anann, the Irish Mother-Goddess.]
* The Great Queens: Irish Goddesses from the Morrighan to Cathleen Ni Houlihan -- Rosalind Clark [She has some excellent info. re: The Morighan as an Earth-/Tutelary-/Fertility-/Cow-/Sovereignty-Goddess.]
* War Goddess: THe Morrighan & Her Germano-Celtic Counterpart --
Angelique Epstein [Still a good text, even though she relies far too heavily upon the now out-dated War-Goddess model; she puts Irish "warfare" into it's propper perspective, which is truly alien to the modern Pagan re: what we concieve of as "war".]
* The Ancient Celts -- Barry Cunliffe

The utter nerve that he would dare state this chapter as objective research is insulting to academia, as well as to Pagans, who are taking them at their word! His clear, unthinking bias (and hypocricy when the Medb chapter is taken into account), is clear, and unforgivible to this Pagan (and researcher)!

I don't trust him as a researcher. In fact, his views concernign academia are lacking, for example, re: Ronald Hutton. He doesn't understand so much about the academic community, and that Hutton is often mistaken re: his personal assumptions. But, McColman merely writes any of his critics off (who question anything he writes, no matter how miniscule) as "not knowing what they're talking about!" No researcher would (especially an academic) would be so foolish!

Any truly advanced student in the subject will quickly see the huge problems concerning this book and how he type-casts the Gods (which is academically inexcusible!).

I admit to being a bit put off by the title and especially the subtitle of this book--which seem to promise so much in a rather fluffy sort of way. But like the other reviewers here, I was very pleasantly surprised.

Drawing on archeology as well as legend and literature, the book describes the major mythological figures that have come down to us from the Gaelic, Welsh, and Gaulish traditions. The scholarship is solid and substantial, yet presented in a highly readable form. The authors do not shy away from suggesting the reality of the gods and goddesses they describe, yet are always scrupulously careful to separate what is known from the scholarly record from what might be their personal experience or the tradition of one or another group of contemporary Neo-Pagans. Appropriately, they consistently point their readers in the direction of experiencing the spiritual realities for themselves.

I enthusiastically recommend Magic of the Celtic Gods and Goddesses to anyone interested in reading about the the mythology and lore of the Celts, as well as anyone wishing to develop or deepen their own spiritual relationships with these deities.

Magic of the Celtic Gods and Goddesses
By Carl McColman and Kathryn Hinds


Magic of the Celtic Gods and Goddesses by Carl McColman and Kathryn Hinds is a must read if you are in the Celtic tradition. If you are into reading about mythologies and about your ancestors past if your family came from the UK or Europe, Then this maybe of interest to you!

The authors' starts off by describing they way their world was, surrounded by history and mysticism. They give a great overview of the Celtic tradition in the beginning of the book. They also give resources of where they got the information.

The authors do make it a point to tell the reader that they are not to persuade you into what they believe but they want you to get a better understanding of the religion and so their religion won't be misunderstood anymore. That is a great thing they said because people should learn to be tolerant of other peoples religion and not to be prejudice.

I also love the fact that they give stories behind the Gods and Goddesses and how the Gods and Goddesses incorporate nature into what they did. Nature is the whole basis for the Celtic religions and should be because the Earth is the only reason we are here. Nature in this religion is so powerful that you can love nature all year long and greater at certain times of the year. Each God and Goddess has something to do with nature if it is with animals or making something from the Earth or using the land for a great kingdom.

I do recommend this book to anyone who just wants to know about our earliest religion and our ancestors. It doesn't matter was religion you are; there isn't a law against learning about a culture of a different religion. You should read this book just for knowledge to say you know something about a religion.

Pagans and wiccans seeking new connections with Celtic gods and goddesses would do well to consult Magic Of The Celtic Gods And Goddesses: A Guide To Their Spiritual Power, Healing Energies, And Mystical Joy which provides readers with an overview perspective to their spiritual potentials and healing energies, tracking down often-elusive details for a non-academic audience seeking tips based in fact. Research and spirituality blend in an overview of Pagan deities, rituals, and exercises, Magic Of The Celtic Gods And Goddesses is an impressively organized and presented reference for personal and academic Metaphysical Studies collections.