amldduwiaeth: a Welsh polytheism community

Hello All,

I'm not sure if anyone is still around on this board (it's been a few months since anyone has posted), but I thought I would check.

I want to start with a big Thank You to everyone for making this forum & posting. I'm recently begun exploring the CR world, and have been called to explore a Welsh path. Having this board as a resource, to explore past topics, & to have ideas to draw from as I start to create my own ritual is... huge.

In addition to my 'hello', and as a way of introducing myself, I would like to ask your opinions on a few aspects of Welsh tradition & belief that I've been getting hung-up on. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

- The Tylwyth Teg. Much of the folk-lore I've come across has been directed towards the Tylwyth, and I'm trying to figure out where they would have belonged in traditional (pre-christian) Welsh Celtic belief. These are the two main hypotheses I'm entertaining, let me know which one you think is more right, or if there are completely different ways you've interpreted things.

  1. The Tylwyth have always been a part of Welsh belief. Pre-christian influence, a typical Welshman or Welshwoman would have recognized the existence of the Tylwyth in addition to general and local deities, etc. Perhaps later Christian influence discouraged folklore and beliefs in other deities while maybe being more willing to humor stories about the Folk, which is why most of the folklore (or maybe just most of what I've encountered?) deals primarily or only with the Tylwyth and not other deities as such.

  2. Belief in the Tylwyth Teg has replaced belief in deities as a result of Christian influence. The literally larger-than-life deities have been literally & figuratively shrunk into the stature of the Tylwyth. The only way traditional beliefs could survive was to be re-shaped in a guise more amenable to the ruling civilization.

At the end of the day, I'm guessing that there is no definite answer. I'm mostly curious because it shapes how I view customs the Tylwyth; are these beings in and of themselves to be respected, or are the related lore to be taken to be more descriptive of the original Welsh deities?

-I'm starting to be overwhelmed with the amount of opinions pertaining to Welsh folklore. I think that there's a couple (maybe more than a couple) conversations to be had here, but to start I'll keep it simple: What, if any, has been your experience with the authors John Rhys and Marie Trevelyan? Is their research accurate, etc? I've read a good bit of J. Rhys, & he seems really good, BUT... I have very little to compare it to. I'm a bit more wary of M. Trevelyan because she so rarely cites her sources (and, one of her few is Iolo), but there's a lot in her 'Folklore & Folk-Stories' that would be really cool to use as a base... if it's credible.

I'll leave it here for now. Even if no-one is here to read this, it was a good exercise to write it out & have a chance to be more precise in my thinking, so thanks :)

I hope to hear from you (all) soon, and, Greetings!

Regards,
-Tony-

P.S. I know that this is all more research-oriented. Welsh CR for me does have a spiritual side (that's kind of the point that all this research is supposed to supplement), but I thought some of the 'dryer' stuff would be a good place to start.

P.P.S. I haven't looked through much of the archives yet. If I'm asking questions that have been discussed umpteen times before, my apologies. I was too excited to introduce myself to bother much with patience.

I was wondering if anyone had any information on the Goddess Modron.

I have always felt drawn to her, and have done much research, but was wondering if anybody knew of any information or places I could look.

 

Thanks

Ivy

 

Is this community still alive.

Would be so amazing if I could get in touch with like minded people.

 

:)

Wow. It's been far, far too long since I posted anything here.

I hope everyone has had an excellent holiday last night/today! How'd it go? Do anything special? I've written up my own observance here if anybody's interested.

May each of you be well, fortunate, and happy.

I recently joined this community and wanted to take a moment to say hello.  I'm Rob Hewitt from Boston, Mass., U.S.A.

I consider Heathenry, specifically Fyrnsidu, my primary faith and practice.  I am an oathed gesið of the Geférrǽden Fyrnsidu.  Still, a significant number of my ancestors came from Brythonic (or formerly Brythonic) areas of Britain such as Powys and Ystrad Glud.  I've been feeling drawn for some time now to give that part of my ancestry some attention.  So that, really, is why I'm here ...to explore and educate myself a bit regarding reconstructionist practices in a Brythonic Polytheism context.  I do feel I need to state that I'm not advocating a blending of tradition.  Though I do understand a case for some historical syncretism might be made, my feeling is that what I do in a Fyrnsidu context will remain in that context, and what I may do in a Brythonic "CR" context is something to be kept separate.

It appears activity in the community has has been low, of late.  This seems to be the case with most communities (LJ and Yahoo!) in which I participate.  Still, I felt it only proper to say hello.  I'll likely spend some time reading through the archived posts, which may raise a question or two.

Also, my journal is new, and there's not much content as yet.  But should anyone here wish to "friend" my journal, you are welcome to do.

Rob

I found out about this a week or two ago, but only just had an opportunity to listen to the first lesson. It was alright. Very, very basic, and it'll take me a few more lessons to really form a solid opinion, but if you're Cymraeg-curious, you might check it out.

You can find it at http://learnwelshpodcast.blogspot.com or in the iTunes store.

It's been a bit quiet of late, and I'm feeling curious.

That pesky Autumnal Equinox is coming. While I like a good holiday now and again*, and enjoy a bit of MC Mabon**, the prevailing CR view seems to be that it's mainly the cross-quarters that are attested to in the extant literature, and that the four big solar days were mainly celebrated by Neolithic tribes, and then later brought back by the Saxons.

That being said, I've heard of neo-druidic groups celebrating it as Alban Elfed, and there's more than a few mentions of it among certain groups as Gwyl Canol Hydref (which is amusing to me, since the first thing my brain translates that to is "mid-October holiday"). It seems likely that people would want to celebrate the harvest this time of year (or set something on fire, drink, and tell stories because the weather's getting chilly).

So, thoughts and opinions? Compelling arguments in one direction or the other? Personal practices which may or may not be CR?

---
* This may have something to do with my celebratory ethic involving combinations of nature areas, bonfires, stories and/or music, tasty food, and drinking.
** When Neo-Paganism and common names collide, Welsh hip hop wins!

(permission was received from bodlon to post this)

Contact: Treasa Ní Conchobhair [eireannoir], Editor
DDaontacht@gmail.com

Aontacht (Druidic Dawn's Newsletter)
Autumn Equinox 2008
Theme: The Welsh/Brythonic Tradition

We already have a fantastic essay on Y Mabinogi by Eadha Deora [gwellion] (www.mabinogistudy.co.uk) set up as our main feature, but would love to have more wonderful submission. We welcome news, events, reviews, editorials, articles, essays, devotional pieces [prayers, poems, rituals and more] and photographs.

For more information, the deadline and submission guidelines: http://www.druidicdawn.org/node/1087

Thanks, bodlon!

I wrote this about two years ago and thought it was relevant to the group:

Return to me, my kinsmen,
with your tongue of dewy hills,
with your words as flowing swells.

Return to free, my kinsmen,
for memory trickles deep,
a well of desire within,
forgotten fallows sleep,
a wish and sorrow again.

Long have I flown the mountains,
outcast, spying, edged in night's cloak.
Long have I mourned the dawning,
forced to murder, a wandering brigand.

Wild wills cannot bar out the stars,
those fiery pikes out of the velvet expanse,
these I follow, Arianrhod's web-trance.

Flowers I once was, dancing and sweet,
Cheerful smiles under the summer heat.
But your wrath and honour wilted my youth,
Eager to judge, blot out the heart's truth.

Smitten by my people,
a brutal whip, your tripping tongues,
"What more can you expect of flowers?"
"Unfaithfulness, aye, no more"

Stripped of my beauty,
you mock this poor owl-form,
a shadow forlorn,
a penance outworn.

Can you continue to shut
your ears like a door to my cries?
Can you contine to strut
your fears like feathers, though they're lies?

Listen to my shrieks in the dark.
They will remind you of the stark
meaning of the word "unfaithful".

By the curse you placed on me,
for following my heart's plea,
so you, out of hate, not love,
cast the dye upon your hands.

I was faithful to love,
and for love, you cast me aside,
like scythed grass to be turned,
like winter peat to be burned.

Yet who was faithful to me?
O kinsmen, who now can judge?
Your judgement reads your guilt.
No one was faithful to me.

Long have I sought for shelter,
trembling, weary, robed in bitter's cold.
Long have I sent for succor,
bending my maiden pride to life's winter.

Return to me, my kinsmen,
for I have suffered inhuman soul-blight,
shards sharp like my talons and sight.

Return to free, my kinsmen,
know me as part of your heart,
and for that, I always remain,
haunting and hunting that part
of you that is me, our pain.
 

Hello everyone,

Very pleased my friend showed me this group. A bit about me too, especially since many of you don't know me from other groups.

I have been walking a Welsh path for 3 years now, as I live in North Wales, in Dyffryn Nantlle, the Valley of Lleu's Stream (at the end of the valley is the --still-living (apparently) oak tree in which traditionally Lleu had respite and Gwydion found him). There is a very strong sense of Lleu and Bloduewedd (her in her Owl-form that is) here. Owls regularly hunt and haunt this valley more than any other part of Snowdonia. About 5 miles away, you can see Eryri (Snowdon) and then if you turned around, you can see the sea 10 miles or so away, and on that beach is Dinas Dinlle (Lleu's City) which is just an old hill-fort nearly eroding now, and at low tide you can almost make out Caer Arianrhod. Maen Dylan you can reach at low tide, although it gets surrounded by water the rest of the time.

I am actually American, but have been studying Welsh language at University of Wales, Bangor, for the last 2 years (taking a Fluency Exam in a month!!! Ack!), and am starting my BA in Welsh Studies this year. My real passion is the Mabinogi, and I put a lot of thought into them, looking at it from historical context, psychological, mythological, emotional, etc all sorts of levels. There are always new things coming up.

My connection is strongest to Rhiannon, but of course, living in North Wales, there is the more personal and daily experience of Blodeuwedd and Lleu Llaw Gyffes, Arianrhod, Branwen, and so forth. If you asked my why I chose Wales, over say Ireland or Scotland or any other Celtic country, I just couldn't tell you. For me, it feels like Wales called and claimed me. In a way, I hadn't really wanted to move over here, but everything I tried kept pushing me here and now, I think it was one of the best experiences I could ever have had, whether I live here permanently in future or return to the US. It's strange though, because I feel so adopted by the places, and I love living in our little village where everyone speaks Welsh almost 24/7. I'm more patriotic for Cymru a'r iaith Gymraeg (Wales and her language) than I am for America, unfortunately.

At present, I am self-employed as a part-time genealogist,and as there is a great need for work in Welsh ancestry, I am hoping to one day perhaps direct my career or hobbies in that direction!

The people and places of Wales are very real for me though ---and of course, living here I'd have to be a numbskull not to feel them! But it is interesting to feel them changing with the times and to see how much I have changed by living and participating with them. I think anyone who really starts to learn about the Welsh deities and culture cannot but help fall in love. I certainly did. :)