Re: Brehons. . . Taliesin_2 Sat Mar 6 20:19:19 1999 Searles wrote,*br*: I've pondered the issues of human sacrifice among the *br*: ancients and even held a Celtic Workshop on the subject at *br*: one time. I felt that it was important for us today to *br*: understand why people were sacrificed to the gods by the *br*: Celts and (indeed) most of the people of the world in *br*: ancient times. Many reasons were given, such as:*br*:*br*: Renewal of the world.*br*:*br*: Blood Magic and Empowerment of other Magical acts.*br*:*br*: Establishing a Guardian for the People (or the Family)*br*:*br*: As a Tribute for success in crops, herds, war, progeny.*br*:*br*: It seems that even the Tuatha De/ Danann were required to *br*: pe4rform these rites by the Fomorii so that they could *br*: harvest the crops and increase their herds.*br*:*br*: The important thing to consider is that almost all religions *br*: and people have eventually transcended the need to sacrifice *br*: humans and animals to their deities. The Tuatha De/ fought *br*: a war with the Fomorii over such issues and IIRC they did *br*: not sacrifice their progeny after the victory that occurred *br*: at Maigh Tuired. In times of trouble, such sacrifice was *br*: suggested by certain priests among the Celts (who IMO had no *br*: power of their own). I feel they resorted to suggesting *br*: such measures because they were not competent in their own *br*: right. Almost always, the gods found another way to avoid *br*: such actions. Frequently they would intervene through *br*: actual manifestation (in the case of Conn) or some other *br*: Magical action (such as the dragons and the prophecy of *br*: Merlin).*br*:*br*: The need for human sacrifice is not something that exists in *br*: this world, in the forms that existed in the past. Today's *br*: sacrifices are accomplished through living instead of *br*: through dying. We are called to focus the spirit through *br*: our bodies in action, rather than through death. This doies *br*: not mean that the spirit of a person should not be dedicated *br*: to the gods, but that the decision for the giving or the *br*: taking of life should remain in their hands and not our own. *br*: I do not think that any of us today has enough of the *br*: truth within us to determine if another person should live *br*: or die. That is a truth for each person to decide for *br*: themselves along with their gods. I do think that people *br*: who are no longercapable of living within this life, should *br*: be allowed to pass over, but this does not mean thatthey *br*: sjould be killed, only that they should be allowed to die on *br*: their own. With the proper teachings, the spirit and mind *br*: can guide the body across the veil between the worlds. Such *br*: a guiding and a shielding of one person for another is an *br*: act of the greatest humanity and love.*br*:*br*: I will continue this discussion and expand on these ideas *br*: along the pathway of the anamchara or soul friend, as well *br*: as the "Bardo" which is an entire system for such *br*: things. I think we should develop rituals for crossing *br*: over, but that we should definitely not assist anyone beyond *br*: supporting them in the dignity of their own deaths as the *br*: laws of this land allow.*br*:*br*: I'll have much more to say soon,*br*:*br*: Sla/n is beannacht,*br*:*br*: Searles*br*:*br*: P.S. Bealtaine is for fertility and a celebration of life *br*: and its blossoming, but I don't think it is necessarily a *br*: wild night of sex and frolic in a wholesale fashion. I do *br*: think that the normally responsible and tightly regulated *br*: mores of society should be loosened at such times. Perhaps *br*: this would also be a good topic for extended disscussion, as *br*: well as a study of what the ancients actually did during *br*: such festivals?*br*:*br*: *br*: Aicerno OCathasaigh wrote,*br*: : Searles,*br*: :*br*: : I was wondering how the work on the cairdean page was *br*: : coming. . . As well as pondering on a few other issues also. *br*: : Besides the Brehon work, I've been thinking about the issue *br*: : of 'assisted suicide' and the possibilty of renewing the *br*: : practice of human sacrifice.*br*: <snip>*p*Searles could you post Merlin's Prophecy here??? I would like to see it. BB! Re: Brehons. . . Searles 391 Wed Mar 3 00:35:12 1999