First off, some general advice……
We recommend that individuals stay away from online forums where discussions of Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism take place until you have developed some “self esteem” in regards to your practices. Online forums tend to attract people who are “snarky” and quite belligerent when hiding behind a computer screen. We find that online forums generally tend to turn people away from CR rather than foster serious practice. Try to find an individual or group which you trust and talk to or e-mail those individuals privately and ask them to mentor you or to offer you advice rather than post a question to a board and get a plethora of different (often opposite) opinions on a simple matter.
Step 1. Learn about the principles of Reconstructionist Paganism in general.
For individuals who are just starting out in Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism, we would recommend to first try and get an idea of what Reconstructionist Paganism is in general. There are many branches of Reconstructionist Paganism (from Greek and Roman to Germanic and Norse to Chaldean and Babylonian), yet all follow similar principles. A good book which provides some of this background, from a Celtic Reconstructionist Pagan background is the CR FAQ:
In addition to this book, do not be afraid to look at other, more established, Reconstructionist Pagan religions. Asatru, Kemetic Reconstructionism, Roman Reconstructionism and Hellenic Reconstructionism all have major online presences and by looking at these religions – just some basic research – one can surmise what Reconstructionist Paganism is all about.
Step 2. Begin to learn about the general pre-Christian people who spoke a Celtic language, their customs, religions and “worldview”.
After developing an idea as to what is meant by Reconstructionist Paganism, then it would be useful to begin to delve into some of the more academic books.
The first of these would be:
Celtic Gods and Heroes by Marie-Louise Sjoestedt
and
Both of these books give a pretty good overview of the Celts, their cultures and their beliefs and both are (fortunately) very short reads and pretty inexpensive. Celtic Mythology by McCana is no longer in print but can be found on many online used bookstores for under $10.00.
It might also be useful to read both The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles: Their Nature and Legacy by Ronald Hutton and Twilight of the Celtic Gods: An Exploration of Britain’s Hidden Pagan Traditions by David Clarke and Andy Roberts to get two separate opinions as to what degree certain elements of “paganism” survived in the British Isles.
Step 3. Learn the Mythology
Many of the more scholarly folks in the Celtic Reconstructionist Pagan movement will cringe at our next suggestion, but the best way to get a smattering of knowledge about the vast mythology of the Celtic peoples is to invest in one of the encyclopedias of Celtic mythology that are out there.
While it is not completely documented with references (although some entries are), the following encyclopedia has proved to be quite useful:
The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore (Concise Encyclopedia) by Patricia Monaghan
also
A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology (Oxford Paperback Reference) by James MacKillop
A fun exercise is to simply open them up to a new entry each day, read the entry, reflect on it and then maybe research it a little more if you find it interesting.
It would also be useful to look at such texts as The Tain (Irish) or the Mabinogion (Welsh) for the mythology and tales of specific cultures.
Step 4. Figure out how to put it all into practice
Unfortunately, none of the books we have suggested that you read will have given you any practical suggestions as to how to develop your own spiritual practices based upon that of the pre-Christian speakers of one of the Celtic languages (with the exception of the CR FAQ to an extent). To do this, you will need to take the information that you learned about Reconstructionist Paganism in general – the principles – and apply them to what you read.
If this seems difficult, you may want to pick up a copy of A Book of Pagan Prayer by Ceisiwr Serith. While this book is not entirely Reconstructionist (nor entirely Celtic), it does provide some nice prayers and some suggestions as to how to make offerings (which will become the core of your practice).
Additionally such books as The Year in Ireland by Kevin Danaher and
Carmina Gadelica: Hymns and Incantations from the Gaelic by Alexander Carmichael can provide inspirations for prayers and customs that can be “paganized”.
