About Us
We, the members of The Celtic Church of Y Doniad, declare that we are a group of Cymry Celts, whether by Blood or by inclination, dedicated to revive, restore, and the live the practices, teachings, and mysteries of our Ancestral Tradition of Cymry Gwyddoniad ac Paganaidd ("Welsh Witchcraft and Paganism"). Because the traditions of Heathenry are so individualistic, it is difficult to accurately state what we "believe", but there are certain ideas that bind us in common:
TRIBALISM
Modern Tribalism is the ideology that human beings have evolved to live in tribal society, as opposed to mass society, and thus will naturally form social networks constituting new "tribes". Slowly we have seen the decline in the Western ideals of culture, and the literal "ripping apart" of the basic family units. We believe that in unity with family and close friends, survival can be maintained by caring for ourselves. Social structures are breaking down at an alarming rate. We see lack of parental raising of children and the idea that the State should care for children and teach them morality. When groups of people form common bonds, the group can supplement their own incomes, lessening the individual debt caused by capitalistic ideas, as well as care for the elderly, and those with mental health issues in a caring and compassionate way. We have been taught that the family unit consists of: Two parental figures (whom are rarely even home because of economic necessity), and children (that are virtually raised by daycare's . Anciently, this was not so. There was an extended family group that helped. The Elderly would care for the young, teaching and guiding them in oral history, basic mathematics, and the Wisdom of the Ancients, while each adult worked within the basic community to provide for the needs of their community. Children learned a trade by hands on experience and witnessing their relatives at their work.
POLYTHEISM
As polytheists we are not pigeon holed in the common Wiccan belief that "All gods are one" nonsense Would you say that the son and the father were the same individual? No, you call them by their individual names, and though they may have certain characteristics in common, they had their own likes and dislikes, their own histories. The same goes for the Gods and Ancestral Spirits. When the Romans came, they likewise did not say that all the Gods were one, but merely placed the names of their own deities upon the local gods of the people they conquered because there was a similarity of attributes and personality. When the Church came in, thus we have the demonization of the various Gods. After the Earth-based renaissance, there was a tendency inherited from The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn to continue the monotheistic view of things, likening various Gods from differing pantheons together. This was a mistake, in our opinion.
A UNIQUE VIEW OF SOUL, SPIRIT, AND BODY
There has been a misguided notion that the words Soul and Spirit describe one and the same thing. This is a view that was promoted by the Christians when they translated our documents. Let is finally be stated once and for all that SOUL AND SPIRIT ARE NOT THE SAME. We understand the body. It is the vehicle we use while incarnate in Y Cylch Abred (The Circle of Contention; the Physical World). The soul, is the animating feature. The personality. It holds what makes us unique while providing the "juice" that makes us "go". The Spirit on the other hand, does not actually reside within us, but stays very close. Some other esoteric traditions called this "Holy Guardian Angel". The "external and movable spirit" or the guardian spirit manifested to individuals and to families as a whole. More often than not they could appear as a female, or collectively as females, representing the ancestresses from which we all descend. This is the truly IMMORTAL part of our being. These spirits represent an odd paradox- they are so close to us and so involved in our lives (as well as the great sweep of human events) and yet their actions, when we are blessed enough to see them, in dreams and visions, are mysterious to us. The operate according to hidden layers of Fate's great weave.
ANCESTRAL COMMUNICATION
We believe that we have the ability to "travel" and visit the Ancestors in various realms collectively titled, "The Otherworld". Though these experiences are considered "Unverified Personal Gnosis", meaning that the veracity of the information is in question, this leads us to make inspired research to verify or decline the information received. Much wisdom has been rediscovered through "Shamanic" methods and later proven to be true by scientists and leading researchers in such matters.
OUR FESTIVALS
Many Wiccans practice celebrations in the Wheel of the Year, detailing 8 individual festivals. We, likewise have Festivals in which we celebrate, but they are not only religio-spiritual, but practical as well. An example of this, is The Great Assembly, held on Samhain (October 31-November 1). This is the time when all kin in all three worlds come together to commune. Laws are decided and wisdom is obtained. This is also the time to celebrate the New Year of our people. We celebrate 4 Great Festivals: Samhain, Imbolc, Beltaine, and Lughnasadh (these are not the terms we use for them, but they are the most recognized among the Earth-based religious traditions). Some of us may celebrate the Solstices and Equinoxes, but these truly are not traditionally practiced by all of us. Each hearth and sub tribal unit will also celebrate other festivals more inline with their ancestral or spiritual heritage, such as the birth, wedding or death of a particular spirit, or relative. Or some great event in our collective past.
OUR INDIVIDUAL PRACTICES
Not all of our members are Gwyddon (our equivalent of the Druids of the ancient past), but people whom live their lives, working, spending time with family. Because of this, each individual has their own relationship with their spirituality, and though we may hold certain practices in common, each individual will have their own path. They will be in communion with the Gods and Goddesses that we all hold in reverence, but will also be connected with the Spirits that they feel particularly connected with. This means that, though we may have the same Gods and Goddesses, our understandings, our relationships with them will be different, showing forth as ritual, meditation that is unique to the individual, yet in common with our basic worldview. Some may still hold certain Wiccan practices, some will show forth a distinct "Christian" orientation, and others will show ideals more in tune with the modern Asatru movement.
THE VIEW OF A CASTE-ORDERED SOCIETY
Every individual has specific skills. We do not view that "everyone is created equal". Not everyone is "built" to be a warrior, an artist, or even a farmer. Not everyone has leadership qualities. And this is okay. Each caste we have, instead of being viewed like a pyramid, is laid out as equal in rights and privileges. We hold to a tripartite social structure consisting of: Warrior, Hearth-Keeper and Mystic. Though each individual will not be trapped within one specific skill set, how their personalities develop will determine their place within the society. Each person will have skill sets in each of these castes, but there will always be one skill set that is prominent. This is how we place people in an ordered society. Each looking out for the welfare of each, utilizing their skills for the Tribe as a whole.
OUR MYTHO-HISTORY
We draw our distinct cultural worldview off of ancient documents unique to us. Not only do we hold the Norse Sagas, The Mabinogion, and the Irish literature paramount in our understanding of the past, but we also apply our Awareness in interpreting these wonderful sources of history, wisdom, and lore, for our modern times. Instead of holding things in a static nature (like many Book Religions), we realize that all these works were ever evolving, just as mankind in general evolves with the changing times.
TRIBALISM
Modern Tribalism is the ideology that human beings have evolved to live in tribal society, as opposed to mass society, and thus will naturally form social networks constituting new "tribes". Slowly we have seen the decline in the Western ideals of culture, and the literal "ripping apart" of the basic family units. We believe that in unity with family and close friends, survival can be maintained by caring for ourselves. Social structures are breaking down at an alarming rate. We see lack of parental raising of children and the idea that the State should care for children and teach them morality. When groups of people form common bonds, the group can supplement their own incomes, lessening the individual debt caused by capitalistic ideas, as well as care for the elderly, and those with mental health issues in a caring and compassionate way. We have been taught that the family unit consists of: Two parental figures (whom are rarely even home because of economic necessity), and children (that are virtually raised by daycare's . Anciently, this was not so. There was an extended family group that helped. The Elderly would care for the young, teaching and guiding them in oral history, basic mathematics, and the Wisdom of the Ancients, while each adult worked within the basic community to provide for the needs of their community. Children learned a trade by hands on experience and witnessing their relatives at their work.
POLYTHEISM
As polytheists we are not pigeon holed in the common Wiccan belief that "All gods are one" nonsense Would you say that the son and the father were the same individual? No, you call them by their individual names, and though they may have certain characteristics in common, they had their own likes and dislikes, their own histories. The same goes for the Gods and Ancestral Spirits. When the Romans came, they likewise did not say that all the Gods were one, but merely placed the names of their own deities upon the local gods of the people they conquered because there was a similarity of attributes and personality. When the Church came in, thus we have the demonization of the various Gods. After the Earth-based renaissance, there was a tendency inherited from The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn to continue the monotheistic view of things, likening various Gods from differing pantheons together. This was a mistake, in our opinion.
A UNIQUE VIEW OF SOUL, SPIRIT, AND BODY
There has been a misguided notion that the words Soul and Spirit describe one and the same thing. This is a view that was promoted by the Christians when they translated our documents. Let is finally be stated once and for all that SOUL AND SPIRIT ARE NOT THE SAME. We understand the body. It is the vehicle we use while incarnate in Y Cylch Abred (The Circle of Contention; the Physical World). The soul, is the animating feature. The personality. It holds what makes us unique while providing the "juice" that makes us "go". The Spirit on the other hand, does not actually reside within us, but stays very close. Some other esoteric traditions called this "Holy Guardian Angel". The "external and movable spirit" or the guardian spirit manifested to individuals and to families as a whole. More often than not they could appear as a female, or collectively as females, representing the ancestresses from which we all descend. This is the truly IMMORTAL part of our being. These spirits represent an odd paradox- they are so close to us and so involved in our lives (as well as the great sweep of human events) and yet their actions, when we are blessed enough to see them, in dreams and visions, are mysterious to us. The operate according to hidden layers of Fate's great weave.
ANCESTRAL COMMUNICATION
We believe that we have the ability to "travel" and visit the Ancestors in various realms collectively titled, "The Otherworld". Though these experiences are considered "Unverified Personal Gnosis", meaning that the veracity of the information is in question, this leads us to make inspired research to verify or decline the information received. Much wisdom has been rediscovered through "Shamanic" methods and later proven to be true by scientists and leading researchers in such matters.
OUR FESTIVALS
Many Wiccans practice celebrations in the Wheel of the Year, detailing 8 individual festivals. We, likewise have Festivals in which we celebrate, but they are not only religio-spiritual, but practical as well. An example of this, is The Great Assembly, held on Samhain (October 31-November 1). This is the time when all kin in all three worlds come together to commune. Laws are decided and wisdom is obtained. This is also the time to celebrate the New Year of our people. We celebrate 4 Great Festivals: Samhain, Imbolc, Beltaine, and Lughnasadh (these are not the terms we use for them, but they are the most recognized among the Earth-based religious traditions). Some of us may celebrate the Solstices and Equinoxes, but these truly are not traditionally practiced by all of us. Each hearth and sub tribal unit will also celebrate other festivals more inline with their ancestral or spiritual heritage, such as the birth, wedding or death of a particular spirit, or relative. Or some great event in our collective past.
OUR INDIVIDUAL PRACTICES
Not all of our members are Gwyddon (our equivalent of the Druids of the ancient past), but people whom live their lives, working, spending time with family. Because of this, each individual has their own relationship with their spirituality, and though we may hold certain practices in common, each individual will have their own path. They will be in communion with the Gods and Goddesses that we all hold in reverence, but will also be connected with the Spirits that they feel particularly connected with. This means that, though we may have the same Gods and Goddesses, our understandings, our relationships with them will be different, showing forth as ritual, meditation that is unique to the individual, yet in common with our basic worldview. Some may still hold certain Wiccan practices, some will show forth a distinct "Christian" orientation, and others will show ideals more in tune with the modern Asatru movement.
THE VIEW OF A CASTE-ORDERED SOCIETY
Every individual has specific skills. We do not view that "everyone is created equal". Not everyone is "built" to be a warrior, an artist, or even a farmer. Not everyone has leadership qualities. And this is okay. Each caste we have, instead of being viewed like a pyramid, is laid out as equal in rights and privileges. We hold to a tripartite social structure consisting of: Warrior, Hearth-Keeper and Mystic. Though each individual will not be trapped within one specific skill set, how their personalities develop will determine their place within the society. Each person will have skill sets in each of these castes, but there will always be one skill set that is prominent. This is how we place people in an ordered society. Each looking out for the welfare of each, utilizing their skills for the Tribe as a whole.
OUR MYTHO-HISTORY
We draw our distinct cultural worldview off of ancient documents unique to us. Not only do we hold the Norse Sagas, The Mabinogion, and the Irish literature paramount in our understanding of the past, but we also apply our Awareness in interpreting these wonderful sources of history, wisdom, and lore, for our modern times. Instead of holding things in a static nature (like many Book Religions), we realize that all these works were ever evolving, just as mankind in general evolves with the changing times.
