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Friday, May 2, 2014

Gods Part 2

Putting It All Together for M.K. Tradition

So there are literally hundreds of names in the Celtic tales and we have only briefly touch upon the study and history of some scholars and my own research. So how did I come up with which Gods resided in what place for my tradition? Well first I chose one branch of tales and all the characters that were mentioned - Arthurian. We know that there were many Arthurian cults in Europe. I then researched their names, and as I knew from other Celtic mythology, that most names will trace back to the spiral's centre or source and discribe its nature form. The source will flow outwards and births the knowledge flowing outward to the cosmos for all to learn. So in theory, why should Arthurian names be any different. I was right. I have been trying to get people to see the the bible was written the same way. That is exactly how all people of the time told stories or wrote back then. Symbols and stories changed as each new era comes. In other words, the bible is not to be taken literal but should be viewed the same as all the mythologies of the time, as it is mostly taken from ancient myths and given new concepts & symbols. I bet you can find the exact same gods covered up by using peoples names and trace them to a part of nature as well. Treat Scandinavian mythology in the same way.
Next I had to read and read and read and interpret the tales using the meanings of the names to test again whether I might be on to something. I had found and cross referenced with notes I had written years ago from my first study of the tales. In the end I decided to go with the most ancient of all the stories....those of the untouched Welsh. Welsh tales as they are in the most ancient form today of Arthur prior to becoming a romanticized King.
The Welsh Tribal Gods are divided into three families: the children of Donu (Dione, Diana, Don, Modren etc - the mother); second, the children of Nudd (Lludd, Lud); and third, the children of Llyr (Le'r, Lir). I decided to add the Children of the Dagda to my research as they too were popular but romanticized, especially the story of Cuchulain, included below, as it's deities were shared by Ireland and Wales. We will be the fifth. These Gods may also be defined within the three broad categories of Gods and Goddesses within the Three Worlds: Primal Underworld which is always connected to sky which is Stellar; Solar and planetary or the divine powers of creation; and the Lunar forces of nature controlling the order of living beings on the Earth. We serve the Gods by improving ourselves and listening to our mirror, which is our environment and people who come around. Now I had to take these, plus the main Gods of Irish and other areas that shared these Gods and compare them to the Arthur tales.
My journey through Arthurian stories over the years you have in your own handouts and can read about it there.
A short recap of your notes will take through Understanding the movement of Arthurian Traditions and the oldest references to Arthur, the Mabinogi, some of the characters possible identity, Our tradition follows the Welsh Chronicles, The Norman Welsh Arthur where Arthur emerges once more after the revolt against the Roman occupation, becomes a Welsh legend, and then adopted by the Norman's , to Cistercian Monks', to 1155 C.E., where the Anglo-Norman writer, a Jersey man, 'Robert Wace', develops the concept of that the 'Round Table' is the same as the way Celts would gather when their leaders called their people together, to many future French writers, such as the famous 'Chrétien de Troyes', to Sir Thomas Malory another writer known to have been a staunch believer in Arthur, to 'Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond' and of the 'Royal House of Lancaster' arrived in Wales, flying the flag of the 'Red Dragon'. He become King Henry VII, King of England, and starts the Tudor dynasty and Arthurian trads still important for King Henry VIII of England in 1509 C.E..
You could spend a life-time debating & studying the legends of Arthur but this's the shortest way for the main facts of how we view of the Arthurian legends today. Really the rest is all opinion & speculation. From these facts I my own perception that I built the theme of the M.K. Tradition.
The names of the 25 knights inscribed on the Winchester Round Table are given as:
  1. Kyng Arthur 2) Sir Galahallt (Sir Galahad) 3)Sir Launcelot Deulake (Sir Lancelot du Lac) 4) Sir Gauen (Sir Gawain) 5) Sir Percyvale (Sir Percivale) 6) Sir Lyonell (Sir Lionell) 7) Sir Trystram Delyens (Sir Tristram de Lyones) 8) Sir Garethe (Sir Gareth) 9) Sir Bedwere (Sir Bedivere) 10) Sir Blubrys (Sir Bleoberis) 11) Sir Lacotemale Tayle (Sir La Cote Male Taile) 12) Sir Lucane (Sir Lucan) 13) Sir Plomyde (Sir Palomedes) 14) Sir Lamorak (Sir Lamorak) 15) Sir Bors De Ganys (Sir Bors de Ganis) 16) Sir Safer (Sir Safer) 17) Sir Pelleus (Sir Pelleas) 18) Sir Kay (Sir Kay) 19) Sir Ectorde Marys (Sir Ector de Maris) 20) Sir Dagonet (Sir Dagonet) 21) Sir Degore (Sir Degore) 22) Sir Brumear (Sir Brunor le Noir) 23) Sir Lybyus Dysconyus (Sir Le Bel Desconneu) 24) Sir Alynore (Sir Alymere) 25) Sir Mordrede (Sir Mordred).

Arthur's Oldest Family Tree
According to a number of Welsh texts, on both lines of Arthur's parents, show that he is a descendant of the Welsh God - Llyr through his son Bran. Now compared to German, French manuscripts, the lineage is conflicting. In the Welsh Triads, Arthur was married to three queens, all of them were named Gwenhwyfar, each with a different father. Sadly none mention who they were. Today we won't go in to all the names as it has already been overwhelming.

Trying to Decide Our Gods out of the 714 god list and still More
Next I had the problem of researching. Not just every single name, but matching it up to either a constellation, planet, sun, moon, 88 constellations seen in the northern sky or something in nature - wind, lightening or mountain, by studying their nature and lore. On top of that, I had to check reference to what myths were told by happened in each season. My God I had bitten off more than I could chew. All I wished to do was to find the similar threads and bring the frayed parts back together in our own way. I went ahead as I was determined to do it anyway, with the final result being in the most simple form. I will leave it to you to have your own aha moments as you read the mytholgiees on your own. It might be a work in progress still today but I am quite proud as to what I accomplished.
I ended by splitting them up into the 12 to match the months of our own M.K. Calendar and used the Blue moon too. Then Its up to you future generations and your own tribe to matched up your own province ot States Gods with an animal totems and weapon to the God categories I've created and continue from there.
SUMMARY - Celtic deities were not the infallible gods created by the later patriarchal religions. They were eternal, but not immortal. In Celtic lore, the deities died and were reborn as with the seasons of the year. They represented power, because the Celts held them as the all, and the spirit of the very universe around them. Celtic deities did not come in well-ordered hierarchies, as many of the other beliefs did, so it was hard to put together. Some disguised & some obvious but they come in the shapes of Otherworld, Underworld, Stellar, planetary, creative & destructive, Earth & nature, Warriors & Heroes both male & female, Kings, Queens. Done. You can read the list I originally had anytime to see my dilemma.
Choosing Your Clan Gods
I think that the majority of pagans do not really research the origins of their beliefs. I never stop at one or two sources. It took me a long time of studying many cultures and religions to come up with some of the information you are privy to. The info is out there but people don't look. They just read what is being passed on as truth over and over again by an original persons who obviously didn't research themselves. Here is our tribes beliefs and if you remember, we've made it so that all peoples can come and join our tribe if they choose to focus on our similarities rather than differences and agree to the main beliefs and rules;
Although M.K. Members in the different tribes will have their own chosen Gods, we all view their families they came from the same as pre-agreed in concepts of families. Each clan however, in the same tribe, will share the same Gods of their own tribe. They are each tribe's own, as they are confined to that tribe's area or home, their own ancestors and members, King and/or Queen. We all share this in our own language away from prying eyes. The First Gods names are always chosen by the First clan in the tribe, their descendants come after that, branched off.
Our Gods are part of our family & part of ourselves. We honour each God in a set time on our calendars, which could be once a year, but is bespoken to them, just as we do to honour our own personal power animal.
M.K.'s has a Norse / Celtic feel to their Clans and the personal names chosen to reflect their kin. Out of the main God Families, each clan may also choose their own individual Clan Gods, according to their own clans traditions, members & chosen ways, even though several clans are in the same tribe.
If you been taught by M.K. and decided to stem out and build your own M.K. Tribe, choose your Gods to match your terrain in your province or state, your teachings, and upholding of the tribal order.
After your fosterage, you will get to know your own clans Gods or if the clan is new, together you will choose from the list at end of this lesson for your clan to share. Once the God models are chosen, give them a name using Puekawtta language. Once chosen, you are not done yet. Finding the location is the key to every God's power. Only when the name, place and the amount of energy and focus put into the place of intent, will the three most important strands come to be woven inseparably together. Only then will your God come to life.
Once the Gods in place, what do we use them for if they are a place and we are not there. You must remember that each of our Gods has been given both totems and a tools. In this way we give these Gods/Nature spirits a way to communicate with us. How do I know this works? Because when you believe this wholeheartedly, the Universe listens that is how the Great Mother (Universe, Cosmos, God) will communicate with you. You come here without scepticism to embrace this as your own so do so and you will see. M.K. Traditions believe everything in nature also have its own purpose, so not all animals we see are necessarily God communication, nor does spirit come on demand as they might be busy.
We believe special people can become possessed by divine or spirit energy made – a sensitive or channeler. We believe they can also show up within someone who can trance. Our trancers are the Nadredd's (Priests – remember dd is pronounced th). You can see slight shape shifting in others faces or skin.
Our Great Mother: As said prior to joining, we all believe in a Great Mother who encompasses all things. The Great Mother, having created a Father God, gave birth to sons and daughters, each having its own spirit energy, and they had children and so on. M.K. members respect for all things is the corner stone for our spiritual lives. In doing so, we are honouring them as well as all things sacred in the world. In saying this, we recognize that we are human and show disgust and other negative emotions and reactions at times, but we go with the flow. We recognize that when we have these reactions we need to heal something within.
She is always the 13th God. All M.K. tribes around the world stem from the same Great Mother but might choose to identify with a more recent mother or branch of the tree. The Great Mother and her 12 families however are the only Gods that will always remain the same universally in every tribe. Each tribe may fit in there where every they choose.

The Queen or King of Each Tribe
The main Mother of every tribe must display the attributes of a Queen or the founder of the Tradition. The King is always a protector of she or if he rules on his own, a protector of his land & women.
Choosing a Sovereignty Goddess
Your tribe's sovereignty must be chosen to reflect the Land you live on, or identify her the main river that flows through your territory. This is the Virgin Huntress, who marries the King, or Horse Goddess in the Canadian Prairies.

SUMMARY - Celtic Tribal Gods, no matter what, were connected to a specific site as most were considered tribal ancestors, thus you cannot worship them here in Canada because they cannot move around. You cannot choose someone elses mother to be your mother, no matter how you look at it. These Gods are not, and should never be viewed in the same way as the Christian God removed from us in a heaven. In the Celtic world, they are connected to a special place. You cannot honour a Goddess at a place where she does not exist. She is not there. Most are attached to the land in Europe, not other countries. We know this because their name matches the place named for them. In order to recreate a Northern European belief system you must recreate it with the landmarks of your own country. You must see the Gods the same way as these tribes looked at them. They could see their Gods with their nmaked eye. They were not in human form originally but changed to be so over time. In order to state you are a practising Celt, you wouldn't be 'solitaire', that is an eclectic or Wiccan term if I ever heard one. A tribal Reconstructionist would not mix pantheons, let alone say all gods are one. Bottom line is, you cannot choose someone elses family. Tribal societies are descendants of these gods so unless they've done a ceremony to adopt you into their tribe, you cannot 'steal' their traditions. A tribe would rarely, if at all, allow an outsider to witness a private rite, nor would the tribe allow a naming ceremony. So if a native person has given you a name, most tribes call these twinkies. It is a term that matches what we pagans use as our term 'fluff bunny.”
In my years of practice, I now know that if a person believes in it strongly, he can create anything he feels inside. This will give birth to an 'energy spirit'. It will live in the manner or intent that of the person who manifests it, and will attach itself to any energy that matches that, and get stronger, with some becoming intelligent, if they get a chance to grow. Knowing this, I believe, we can therefore wake up a Spirit / God in an area where it had once been or by paying homage to a God we've named, we can actually manifest it into being. Now Northern European Gods are found in water sources, deserts, forests, ancient hills, mountains, wells, weather and up in the sky. Ours too will be so. You can see then that it is very important that we know all about our Gods, from personalities to their stories to their appearance and most important pay attention to our moods and intent before we start speaking to them and starting this process.
Now once manifested, the tools, animals and other totems, we talked about just prior, the physical representation of them will appear to us, as that God / nature spirit tries to communicate. Remember what we believe will manifest. Trust me. I've seen it. Trust in Divine. Celtic Gods can also manifest in people who embodies the same aspects of the God of certain areas. Because we follow the ways of these northern European tribes, we know they elected their kings & Queens by vote, so it is easy to see why they saw their King &/or Queen as the God & just as easy to see why real historical figures were attached to god-like powers.
I also have noticed through years of research, that the main Gods of every cultures storytelling, no matter what belief system you follow you may put either the 12 apostles and a messiah or 12 Knights of the Round Table and King Arthur, and for Norse and so on. There are even Twelve Knights of Glamorgan who were supposedly of the legendary followers of the Norman conqueror of Glamorgan but if one reads about them, so were they there. In further research these same characters are actually figures from early Welsh tales. Again showing the DNA conection of these tribes centuries earlier. Norse history, I thus discovered, might not have existed at all. So I started comparing and then it hit me when I got to the Greco-Roman pantheon, who we now use as the names of constellations today. Maybe they all match? Yes, every single one. The zodiac, who knew!!! Even the Original Gospels were also written through the eyes of an astrologer, and I now understand why the Gospels follow the same story outline. The tale of Jesus takes place within one Zodiac year. By breaking down the Gospels according to each of the twelve Zodiac constellations, we can track Jesus along the sun's ecliptic through references to each motif that the constellations correspond to. He lives in the age of Pisces the fish.

by Brahva Cwmevos
2010

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