CELTIC TERMINOLOGY




Aes sidhe: The Supernatural Folk, i.e. the Faerie Folk.

Aicme: group of five Oghams.

Airbe druad: "Hedge," a magickal barrier no one could pass through.

Aisling: dream. Vision.

Alban Arthuan: Winter Solstice.

Alban Eiler: Spring Equinox.

Alban Elved: Autumnal Equinox.

Alban Heruin: Summer Solstice.

An-da-shealladh: "two sights," the ability to see spirits.

Anam: soul, indestructable self. One does not have but rather one is anam. It is seated in the head.

Annwyn: the Under World.

Ategenos: rebirth after death into the Other World.

Awen: inspiration.

Awenyddion: inspired ones.

Beltane: Irish festival of May 1.

Beo -- living thing, life, livelihood, quick, alive, active, lively. One's physical body or true form. This can be shape-shifted into other true forms or be transformed by external magicks by others.

Bith: this world: the manifest multi-verse.

Blath: prosperity. The eastern realm among the Fifths.

Bodhran: "cow song," a drum.

Breaca sith: "faerie marks," the livid spots that appear on the faces of the dying.

Bricht: magick, the spoken spell.

Bri: strength, energy, vigor, merit, essence, natural talent. the power inherent within a person, place or object. It is the power of the creative intent that basically defines your existence. One has a limited amount of Bri. See Bua.

Buabhaill: drinking horn.

Bua: victory, triumph, success, skill, talent, destiny. the earned power that can be shared, stored, increased or decreased. It is what develops from ritual, configuration, blessing, sanctification. One has an unlimited amount of Bua. See Bri.

Bwa'r Crach: "hag's bow," the rainbow leading to the Other World.

Caer: castle or fortress.

Cath: conflict. The northern realm among the Fifths.

Coelbreni: divination sticks.

Coiced: a fifth, one of five provinces of the land or cosmos.

Coirc: magick cauldron.

Corp creidh: "clay body," used as a magick poppet or spelling doll.

Craebh Ciuil: "the silver branch," or faerie shaman's magick wand.

Crannchur: "casting the woods," or divining by oghams.

Cwn Annwn: the hunting dogs of the faeries. Also called the hell hounds.

Da/n -- poem, art, hymn, skill, gift, destiny, fate, talent, vocation, calling, treasure. A gift or talent intrinsic to a person, given by the Gods, unchangeable, which may either be expressed or not.

Deiseal: clockwise.

Dicetla: spells.

Dichetal do Chennaib: flash of inspiration.

Dli: binding principle, law. That which connects and binds everything, and is found in everything.

Dryw: wren, or druid.

Duile: elements. Sometimes there are seven or nine duile in a Faerie Pagan's worldview. This list may include earth, water, stone, salt, sun, rain, cloud, stars and wind. Also du/il -- element (created thing), entity, creature, affection, hope, desire, fondness. An intrinsic quality of a person's form within the world, how one interacts with life. One's "mask" one's emotional attitudes or motives.

Eifeacht: force, efficacy, effect, value, worth, importance, meaningfulness, potency, success, capability, achievement, wisdom, sense, feats, avail, maturity, substantiation. The environment within which one acts; the powers outside a person that may be tapped into or interacted with.

Emania: "Land of the Moon," where the dead went.

Eocra esci: "keys of knowledge," ogham sticks.

Feth Fiada: spell of invisibility.

Fey: faerie folk.

Fianna: a wandering band of warrior-bards led by Fion mac Cumhaill.

Fid-nemith, or fid-neimid: sacred grove.

Fidh, or Fiodh: "wood," or "tree." Used to denote the Oghamic characters and the Trees they represent.

Fili (Filid pl.): poet bards. This Irish term most closely fits the term "Druid."

Fith-fath, or Fath-fith: a rhymed incantation to change ones shape.

Fis: learning. the western realm among the Fifths.

Forfidh: the additional five Oghamic Fedha which are used for dipthongs.

Geis (Geisa pl.), or Gwelt: prohibition against doing something, but at the same time a source of power.

Glainnaider, or Glain-nan-Druidhe: "Druids glass," a magickal amulet.

Glam-Dichenn: a satire.

Imbas: fire in the head. source of poetic/magickal/divine inspiration.

Imbas Forosnai: word of mouth wisdom.

Immrama: voyage or journey of the spirit.

Ingheaw Andagha: "Daughters of Fire," or the priestesses of the Goddess Brigit.

Les: bag holding herbs carried by healers.

Lion na mna sithe: "Lint of the Faerie Woman," a healing herb.

Lorg: staff.

Lughnassadh: festival of August 1.

Mag, or Magh: a plane or field. Usually referring to the Other Worlds.

Marcachd shigh: "faerie riding," or the paralysis in animals caused by faeries riding them.

Miaran na mna sithe: "thimble of the faerie woman," or the foxglove.

Midhe: the middle of the Fifths.

Muince: a collar or torc.

Muir: the sea.

Neladoracht: divination by clouds.

Nemeton: sacred grove or enclosure marked by a pillar or tree.

Nemetos: holy or sacred.

Nenadmim: apple cider.

Obaidh: incantation.

Ogham: the magickal faerie alphabet.

On-lay: a spell placed on a home, or other area.

Orth: spell.

Piastra: "lake serpent," or water dragon.

Piob shith: "faerie pipe."

Rige: soverignty. The middle realm of the Fifths.

Samhain: festival of October 31.

Sean-sgeal: folk tale.

Seis: harmony, or musical art. The southern realm among the Fifths.

Si/dhe: the Realm of the Dead, or the "Faerie Realm," or the Under World in Faerie Lore.

Sidhe: faeries or other world beings.

Sidheog: faerie.

Slat an draoichta: "rod of druidism," or a magick wand.

Sli: path, passage, directin, means, manner, mode, way, distance, space, speed, measure, habit, will. The life-path one follows and the manner in which one follows it.

Taghairm: "spiritual echo," or calling up the dead.

Tais, or Taidhbhse: ghosts, or spirits of the dead.

Teinm Laida: understanding gained through the writing of poems.

Tiene sith: "faerie fire."

Tir: land. Used symbolically in names for the Under World. (i.e. TIR-nan-og.)

Tir-nan-og: "Land of the Young," or Faerie Land.

Tuatha De Dannan: "Children of the Goddess Dana," or the ancient Faerie Gods and Goddesses.

Tuathal: counter-clockwise.

Tuigen: feathered cloak.

Uath: poetic art.

Well of Segais: the ultimate source of information on the Other Worlds.

Few: an Oghamic character.

Fifth: coiced. a province of the land or cosmos.

Middle: midhe. The middle realm of the Fifths.

Notch: the short lines or dots used to indicate the vowels of the Oghamic system.

Other World: 1) the Worlds other than the Physical World. 2) the celestial or "higher" realms, most often designated with the word MAGH.

Score: the lines which cross the stemline to form the Oghamic Fews.

Stemline: the straight line on which the notches and scores are cut to make Oghamic Fews.

Under World: the "lower" realm(s).