The Celtic Pantheon

I have chosen to write a little more about the Celtic pantheon partly because it's the particular pantheon that I find myself drawn to working with again in this life, but also because working with the Celtic pantheon and Deities is a little different from the other pantheons.

Sadly, all too often at the moment, I see people selecting the Celtic pantheon for a variety of reasons which seem to have little to do with it being the right one for them.  It seems to have become something of a trendy pantheon to be associated with; partly, I'm sure, due to the wonderful writing of Marion Zimmer-Bradley in her Mists of Avalon series.  These, and the romantic image generally attributed to the Arthurian legends, make it an appealing one to select.

Now this presents no problem in particular if all you are doing with the pantheon involved is practising the Pagan faith.  However, once you start trying to actually work with the Gods, their acceptance of you, and readiness to aid you, is vital.

Celtic Deities simply will not respond to a human's need for help in the same way that the other main pantheons will.  Nor will any amount of pleading and persuasion convince them otherwise; they always prefer to select their own votaries.

In most pantheons it's normally relatively easy for the Gods to accept you sufficiently in order to work with them.  However, unlike other pantheons, the Celtic Deities are generally not able to be chosen; they choose you.  I've seen so many people run into problems because they have simply decided that they like the sound of the Celtic pantheon, but have failed to attain the approval of the Gods.  In truth, if you aren't selected, the best you can hope for is to study, acknowledge and honour the Deities, and play the waiting game of seeing if, one day, they might decide to pay you some attention in return.  Should that day come, don't be surprised if even then you don't get the Deity you had been hoping for.  As disappointing as it may be to be ignored by your chosen Deity, I'm afraid it tends to be a case of "You'll get what you're given and like it"!  And, I would add... be grateful.  It is an honour that they've chosen you at all.

So how do you know if you've been chosen?  Well, that's a good question, and one which has as many answers as people asking it.  For me, I was approached directly by Herne at the age of six.  He not only appeared to me, but also gave me his name (it was about a year later that I discovered that the lovely man I'd been talking with so often was actually a God!).  Within the year, he had also demanded my lifelong devotion, and has guided me ever since.  But not everyone is so fortunate to have such a clear message.  Equally, I had to wait a further 12 years or so before receiving such clear messages about my Goddess, and no amount of pushing and/or pleading would attain me her identity sooner.

Please see my general section on pantheons for further advice on how and why to choose a pantheon to work with.  If your heart is still set on Celtic, then all I would say is this...

The Celtic pantheon, more so than others, is a demanding one.  If you haven't been chosen, you're likely to find it a fairly unrewarding path to follow.  If you have, don't be surprised if they expect the lion's share of your life to be given over to serving them.  It has long been my joke that I like to say that I chose the path, because that way it makes me feel I had any kind of say in the matter!  But the joke has a great deal of truth behind it and, while I wouldn't actually swap my life for anyone's, no matter how demanding it is, nor would I recommend it to others who aren't 101% dedicated to the path.