Post by Fool Coyote on Jul 25, 2008 14:24:36 GMT -5
Bardic Initiation
According to most reputable modern scholars, little if any difference could be shown between a Drui and a File in Ireland. It is through the traditions of the Filidh of Christian times that we can hope to gain a fuller glimpse of the Druid of Pagan Irish culture. The duties of the File would have been first to praise his patron St, to master Literature, history, and tradition, preserve his genealogy, and to be learned in the art of Poetry and story telling. It was the bard's skill which ennobled him, so that even nobles feared his satire, according to Amergin the White Knee in his work "The cauldron of Poesy":
"My perfect cauldron of warming
has been taken by the Gods from the mysterious abyss of the elements;
a perfect truth that ennobles from the center of being,
that pours forth a terrifying stream of speech."
While there was certainly some preparation help from those in bardic orders in pre Initiatory rites, such as The tonsure for example, where by the top of the head, from one ear, over the top, to the other ear, was shaved leaving only the back to grow, which is believed by scholars to have been another example of Druidic tradition into Christian times. St. Patrick referred to the Tonsure as the "diabolical mark", even though he himself was said to have been tonsured. It is said he was stripped of his ordinary clothing, and given a robe of white, blue and green, under a white tunic, then crowned with ivy. However what do we understand of the actual practice of initiation?
Well, we know firstly that the Druids prized silence and darkness. it is known that when Celts were noisy during rites or sacrifices, there was a good deal of trouble to be had, as well, we know of their 'coves of learning" where by the senses were shut off to outside stimuli. In the Mabinogion initiation into Arthur's court took place in a cave, due to a legend which existed the Enoch had left invaluable secrets into the depths of the Earth, within a consecrated cavern. In Denbighshire, there is still to be found one such cave where Druidic initiations were said to be held.
The celebrated Purgatory of St. Patrick at Lough Derg (Red Lake) in Ireland is said to be another place of Druidic and Bardic initiation. The instructions of the usage of the cave are mainly attributed to Patrick, though are believed by most scholars to be a product of Pagan times. Firstly, you applied for acceptance at the site from the Bishop, stating that you came of your own free will, the Bishop would then try and try to talk the pilgrim out of it, by telling him all the many dangers to both body and soul, if the pilgrim wished to proceed, the Bishop wrote a letter to the prior of the island, who also would try to talk the pilgrim out of his journey. Now if the pilgrim persisted, he would fast for 15 days, attend many religious rites, be purified, and one last time, they would try to persuade him to not go.
Once the initiate made it this far, he was taken to the door, he passed under the dolmen, and the doorway was sealed, he stayed over night, until the next morning...If the initiate was still there, then the ordeal was a success, where by the initiate was lead away for another 15 days for prayer, observation and purification. If the initiate was gone when the doors were opened, it was assumed he had been swept from this world to the other and was never spoken of again.
Stories like this one are often mirrored by the mythologies of various Celtic cultures. Caves, like mounds, dolmens/doorways, crossroads, and the like are said to be entrances, or gateways to the other world, they are said to be one of the places where we can enter the realms to the west. In the Kadair Kerridwen (Chair of Ceridwen) there is a poem dating to at least the Welsh Gogynfeirdd movement in the 11th - 14th centuries the Poet "Taliesin" is said to describe his Bardic initiation which took place in the Hall of Ceridwen.
"While i was held prisoner,
sweet inspiration filled me,
and the laws were imparted me,
in a speech without words."
He sings of the inspiration the inspiration, imparted by the cauldron it's self, how he come to occupy the seat of Ceridwen, and as it's protector, he asks.
"The chair, and cauldron of Ceridwen,
have they no defence,
my tongue is not free,
in the goddess's sanctuary."
All this is after Taliesin's initiation, after he is swallowed by Ceridwen and reborn. This IMO suggest a imprisonment, (i.e. Cave or Cell of learning) and IMO, refers to some sort of Bardic initiation.
Many modern folklorists, and experts on Celtic mythology, see wells and caves as a feminine motif. If this is true, then through both history, and mythology, we see knowledge, an wisdom bestowed on the masculine, through the feminine, Taliesin and Ceridwen, Cu Chulainn and Scathatch, King Arthur and the Lady of the lake. Historical initiation for the Bard or Druid seems to have been a very personal, solitary, and profound experience shared only with his God(s). It was both a beautiful and terrifying time which was a transformation. It represents our individuality, and the strength of the individual, in context of the many. It shows us that the chain is as strong as a single link.
Coyote
According to most reputable modern scholars, little if any difference could be shown between a Drui and a File in Ireland. It is through the traditions of the Filidh of Christian times that we can hope to gain a fuller glimpse of the Druid of Pagan Irish culture. The duties of the File would have been first to praise his patron St, to master Literature, history, and tradition, preserve his genealogy, and to be learned in the art of Poetry and story telling. It was the bard's skill which ennobled him, so that even nobles feared his satire, according to Amergin the White Knee in his work "The cauldron of Poesy":
"My perfect cauldron of warming
has been taken by the Gods from the mysterious abyss of the elements;
a perfect truth that ennobles from the center of being,
that pours forth a terrifying stream of speech."
While there was certainly some preparation help from those in bardic orders in pre Initiatory rites, such as The tonsure for example, where by the top of the head, from one ear, over the top, to the other ear, was shaved leaving only the back to grow, which is believed by scholars to have been another example of Druidic tradition into Christian times. St. Patrick referred to the Tonsure as the "diabolical mark", even though he himself was said to have been tonsured. It is said he was stripped of his ordinary clothing, and given a robe of white, blue and green, under a white tunic, then crowned with ivy. However what do we understand of the actual practice of initiation?
Well, we know firstly that the Druids prized silence and darkness. it is known that when Celts were noisy during rites or sacrifices, there was a good deal of trouble to be had, as well, we know of their 'coves of learning" where by the senses were shut off to outside stimuli. In the Mabinogion initiation into Arthur's court took place in a cave, due to a legend which existed the Enoch had left invaluable secrets into the depths of the Earth, within a consecrated cavern. In Denbighshire, there is still to be found one such cave where Druidic initiations were said to be held.
The celebrated Purgatory of St. Patrick at Lough Derg (Red Lake) in Ireland is said to be another place of Druidic and Bardic initiation. The instructions of the usage of the cave are mainly attributed to Patrick, though are believed by most scholars to be a product of Pagan times. Firstly, you applied for acceptance at the site from the Bishop, stating that you came of your own free will, the Bishop would then try and try to talk the pilgrim out of it, by telling him all the many dangers to both body and soul, if the pilgrim wished to proceed, the Bishop wrote a letter to the prior of the island, who also would try to talk the pilgrim out of his journey. Now if the pilgrim persisted, he would fast for 15 days, attend many religious rites, be purified, and one last time, they would try to persuade him to not go.
Once the initiate made it this far, he was taken to the door, he passed under the dolmen, and the doorway was sealed, he stayed over night, until the next morning...If the initiate was still there, then the ordeal was a success, where by the initiate was lead away for another 15 days for prayer, observation and purification. If the initiate was gone when the doors were opened, it was assumed he had been swept from this world to the other and was never spoken of again.
Stories like this one are often mirrored by the mythologies of various Celtic cultures. Caves, like mounds, dolmens/doorways, crossroads, and the like are said to be entrances, or gateways to the other world, they are said to be one of the places where we can enter the realms to the west. In the Kadair Kerridwen (Chair of Ceridwen) there is a poem dating to at least the Welsh Gogynfeirdd movement in the 11th - 14th centuries the Poet "Taliesin" is said to describe his Bardic initiation which took place in the Hall of Ceridwen.
"While i was held prisoner,
sweet inspiration filled me,
and the laws were imparted me,
in a speech without words."
He sings of the inspiration the inspiration, imparted by the cauldron it's self, how he come to occupy the seat of Ceridwen, and as it's protector, he asks.
"The chair, and cauldron of Ceridwen,
have they no defence,
my tongue is not free,
in the goddess's sanctuary."
All this is after Taliesin's initiation, after he is swallowed by Ceridwen and reborn. This IMO suggest a imprisonment, (i.e. Cave or Cell of learning) and IMO, refers to some sort of Bardic initiation.
Many modern folklorists, and experts on Celtic mythology, see wells and caves as a feminine motif. If this is true, then through both history, and mythology, we see knowledge, an wisdom bestowed on the masculine, through the feminine, Taliesin and Ceridwen, Cu Chulainn and Scathatch, King Arthur and the Lady of the lake. Historical initiation for the Bard or Druid seems to have been a very personal, solitary, and profound experience shared only with his God(s). It was both a beautiful and terrifying time which was a transformation. It represents our individuality, and the strength of the individual, in context of the many. It shows us that the chain is as strong as a single link.
Coyote