Celtic Blessings

[Elspeth]

I came across these in the CARMINA GADELICA when I was researching Celtic Christianity. I thought it might be cool to post one a day until I run out.
Feel free to post your own as well and comment.

The first is BLESS, O CHIEF OF GENEROUS CHIEFS. Fundamentalist may cringe at the references to brownies and ban-shees, but if they do they are being too literal. I may not believe in the actuality of the fay and fairey folk, but that doesn't mean I don't have metaphoric trolls, sirens and ghouls in my life.

Oh, to truly ask God's blessing in all my actions.




BLESS, O CHIEF OF GENEROUS CHIEFS

Bless, O Chief of generous chiefs
Myself and everything anear me,
Bless me in all my actions,
Make Thou me safe for ever,
Make Thou me safe for ever.


From every brownie and ban-shee,
From every evil wish and sorrow,
From every nymph and water-wraith,
From every fairy-mouse and grass-mouse,
From every fairy-mouse and grass-mouse.


From every troll among the hills,
From every siren hard pressing me,
From every ghoul within the glens,
Oh ! save me till the end of my day.
Oh! save me till the end of my day.

[Elspeth]

GOD WITH ME LYING DOWN

God with me lying down
God with me rising up,
God with me in each ray of light,
Nor I a ray of joy without Him,
Nor one ray without Him.


Christ with me sleeping,
Christ with me waking,
Christ with me watching,
Every day and night,
Each day and night.


God with me protecting,
The Lord with me directing,
The Spirit with me strengthening,
For ever and for evermore,
Ever and evermore, Amen.
Chief of chiefs, Amen.

[haynes9]

That's great stuff, Elspeth! I am a fundamentalist, but I am not in the least offended. I can see the symbolism.

Have a great day!

[gaberlunzie]

This is an ancient Scottish Blessing - one of my very favorites!

May the blessing of light be on you - light without and light within.
May the blessed sunlight shine on you like a great peat fire, so that stranger and friend may come and warm himself at it.
And may light shine out of the two eyes of you, like a candle set in the window of a house, bidding the wanderer come in out of the storm.
And may the blessing of the rain be on you, may it beat upon your Spirit and wash it fair and clean, and leave there a shining pool where the blue of Heaven shines, and sometimes a star.
And may the blessing of the earth be on you, soft under your feet as you pass along the roads, soft under you as you lie out on it, tired at the end of day; and may it rest easy over you when, at last, you lie out under it.
May it rest so lightly over you that your soul may be out from under it quickly; up and off and on its way to God.
And now may the Lord bless you, and bless you kindly. Amen.

[gaberlunzie]

May the light of your soul guide you.
May the light of your soul bless the work that you do
with the secret love and warmth of your heart.
May you see in what you do the beauty of your own soul.
May the sacredness of your work bring healing, light
and renewal to those who work with you
and to those who see and receive your work.
May your work never weary you.
May it release within you wellsprings of
refreshment, inspiration and excitement.
May you be present in what you do.
May you never become lost in bland absences.
May the day never burden.
May dawn find you awake and alert,
approaching your new day with dreams, possibilities and promises.
May evening find you gracious and fulfilled.
May you go into the night blessed, sheltered and protected.
May your soul calm, console and renew you.

(Celtic Blessing)

[Elspeth]

BLESSING OF THE KINDLING



THE kindling of the fire is a work full of interest to the housewife. When 'lifting' the fire in the morning the woman prays, in an undertone, that the fire may be blessed to her and to her household, and to the glory of God who gave it. The people look upon fire as a miracle of Divine power provided for their good--to warm their bodies when they are cold, to cook their food when they are hungry, and to remind them that they too, like the fire, need constant renewal mentally and physically.



TOGAIDH mi mo theine an diugh,
An lathair ainghlean naomha neimh,
An lathair Airil is ailde cruth,
An lathair Uiril nan uile sgeimh,
Gun ghnu, gun tnu, gun fharmad.
Gun ghiomh, gun gheimh roimh neach fo’n ghrein,
Ach Naomh Mhac De da m’ thearmad.
Gun ghnu, gun tnu, gun fharmad,
Gun ghiomh, gun gheimh, roimh neach fo’n ghrein,
Ach Naomh Mhac De da m’ thearmad.

Dhe fadaidh fein na m’ chridhe steach,
Aingheal ghraidh do m’ choimhearsnach,
Do m’ namh, do m’ dhamh, do m’ chairde,
Do ’n t-saoidh, do ’n daoidh, do ’n traille.
A Mhic na Moire min-ghile,
Bho ’n ni is isde crannchaire,
Gu ruig an t-Ainm is airde.
A Mhic na Moire min-ghile,
Bho ’n ni is isde crannchaire,
Gu ruig an t-Ainm is airde.

I WILL kindle my fire this morning
In presence of the holy angels of heaven,
In presence of Ariel of the loveliest form,
In presence of Uriel of the myriad charms,
Without malice, without jealousy, without envy,
Without fear, without terror of any one under the sun,
But the Holy Son of God to shield me.
Without malice, without jealousy, without envy,
Without fear, without terror of any one under the sun,
But the Holy Son of God to shield me.

God, kindle Thou in my heart within
A flame of love to my neighbour,
To my foe, to my friend, to my kindred all,
To the brave, to the knave, to the thrall,
O Son of the loveliest Mary,
From the lowliest thing that liveth,
To the Name that is highest of all.
O Son of the loveliest Mary,
From the lowliest thing that liveth,
To the Name that is highest of all.

[Celtic cat]

OH these are wonderful, maybe they would go well on the wedding invitations. Neat!

[Elspeth]

What a great idea, Cat.

Look though Carmina Gadelica at
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/cg1/index.htm
That's where I'm getting my posts from. Ask Gabby where she got hers.

[Elspeth]

Prayer for Travelling

LIFE be in my speech,
Sense in what I say,
The bloom of cherries on my lips,
Till I come back again.

The love Christ Jesus gave
Be filling every heart for me,
The love Christ Jesus gave
Filling me for every one.

Traversing corries, traversing forests,
Traversing valleys long and wild.
The fair white Mary still uphold me,
The Shepherd Jesu be my shield,
The fair white Mary still uphold me,
The Shepherd Jesu be my shield.

[stoirmeil]

You've probably already come across this one -- it's very well known and very strongly a mix of Christian and pre-Christian imagery. It's called the Breastplate or "Lorica" of St Patrick. Here are two small passages that show both elements:

I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the
Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession
of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.

. . . .

I arise today, through the strength of Heaven:
light of Sun, brilliance of Moon, splendour of Fire,
speed of Lightning, swiftness of Wind, depth of Sea,
stability of Earth, firmness of Rock.

This is showing both the three-ness of Trinity, and the four-ness of the earlier elemental influences -- earth, air, fire and water. I have always found this synthesis beautiful.

complete website:
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Poet.../StPatrick.html

[Elspeth]

With fall nipping the mornings, it won't be long before many of us are firing up our furnaces as well as fireplaces and woodstoves for the winter. Though it loses some of the romance when turning a thermostat instead of lighting a fire, the concept is the same.


BLESSING OF THE KINDLING


THE kindling of the fire is a work full of interest to the housewife. When 'lifting' the fire in the morning the woman prays, in an undertone, that the fire may be blessed to her and to her household, and to the glory of God who gave it. The people look upon fire as a miracle of Divine power provided for their good--to warm their bodies when they are cold, to cook their food when they are hungry, and to remind them that they too, like the fire, need constant renewal mentally and physically.




TOGAIDH mi mo theine an diugh,
An lathair ainghlean naomha neimh,
An lathair Airil is ailde cruth,
An lathair Uiril nan uile sgeimh,
Gun ghnu, gun tnu, gun fharmad.
Gun ghiomh, gun gheimh roimh neach fo’n ghrein,
Ach Naomh Mhac De da m’ thearmad.
Gun ghnu, gun tnu, gun fharmad,
Gun ghiomh, gun gheimh, roimh neach fo’n ghrein,
Ach Naomh Mhac De da m’ thearmad.

Dhe fadaidh fein na m’ chridhe steach,
Aingheal ghraidh do m’ choimhearsnach,
Do m’ namh, do m’ dhamh, do m’ chairde,
Do ’n t-saoidh, do ’n daoidh, do ’n traille.
A Mhic na Moire min-ghile,
Bho ’n ni is isde crannchaire,
Gu ruig an t-Ainm is airde.
A Mhic na Moire min-ghile,
Bho ’n ni is isde crannchaire,
Gu ruig an t-Ainm is airde.

I WILL kindle my fire this morning
In presence of the holy angels of heaven,
In presence of Ariel of the loveliest form,
In presence of Uriel of the myriad charms,
Without malice, without jealousy, without envy,
Without fear, without terror of any one under the sun,
But the Holy Son of God to shield me.
Without malice, without jealousy, without envy,
Without fear, without terror of any one under the sun,
But the Holy Son of God to shield me.

God, kindle Thou in my heart within
A flame of love to my neighbour,
To my foe, to my friend, to my kindred all,
To the brave, to the knave, to the thrall,
O Son of the loveliest Mary,
From the lowliest thing that liveth,
To the Name that is highest of all.
O Son of the loveliest Mary,
From the lowliest thing that liveth,
To the Name that is highest of all.

[Tassiecelt]

Lovely stuff elspeth, I've used these blessings in my sermons more than once, they are a great celtic inspiration.