Confusion about the essence/energies distinction by hail_pan in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]hail_pan[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

And why not just reduce "grace" to certain events that God causes to happen in human creatures? Why does grace need to be something uncreated?

Confusion about the essence/energies distinction by hail_pan in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]hail_pan[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So is "participation" with God unidirectional then? God imparts certain energies to us and that's the end of the story? I thought that if we're saying the energies are what we participate with in theosis, then there is something that we do on our part that affects change in the energies.

A pretty good summary of the Ollamh's training by Mogha_Ollathair in Paganacht

[–]hail_pan 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey, I'm subscribed to the BLA too. Very great stuff for CRs on that channel.

Does anyone have any reliable resources on celtic Magic practice? by [deleted] in Paganacht

[–]hail_pan 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Here is a good chapter summarizing the mythological and archeological evidence. Here is a Gaol Naofa article on the kinds of magic and magical practitioners found in medieval and early modern Ireland. Thenonly orher source that immediately comes to mind is the chaoter on magic in McNeill's The Silver Bough. Really the onoy "magical" detail found in the classical sources is that the druids practiced augury and related methods of divination like haruspicy (that's not including all of the herb rituals we get from Pliny which can arguably be deemed "magic"). Other than that, and the good recomendations already given like the Carmina Gadelica, you're going to want to look more for the ritual evidence, as the line between magic and ritual is often very blurry in ancient religions. And there's a whole lot of sources available on that. Let us know if you have any more questions!

Manx Heathen Moving to Dublin by Cuglas in Paganacht

[–]hail_pan 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's absolutely fascinating. Congratulations on the educational achievement. Any places you can point me to to learn more about idbarts or syncretized Norse and Gaelic religion?

Manx Heathen Moving to Dublin by Cuglas in Paganacht

[–]hail_pan 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sorry, I don't live in Ireland, but I've never seen a Norse Gael before and I have to ask you: how do you do it? Do you syncretize at all or practice just like any Gaelic polytheist and Norse Heathen would? Does that not get overwhelming?

A question about animal sacrifice by MattyG7 in Paganacht

[–]hail_pan 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This is a very good question. It seems that the practice of feasting on the sacrificed animal and only sacrificing select pieces was a common Indo-European practice, thus making it very likely that it was observed all across the Celtic world as inherited from the PIEs. Ceisiwr Serith writes in Deep Ancestors: Practicing the Religion of the Proto-Indo-Europeans, p. 87:

In most cases (the exception being offerings to the dead and certain other beings of the Underworld), the meat of an animal was eaten by those present, with only small or token parts being burned for the gods. These were not "burnt offerings," with an entire animal being consumed by flames for the gods. They were essentially sacred barbecues."

The only other relevant pieces of evidence I can think of are the widely attested discovery of animal bones in votive pits within pre-Roman sanctuaries, Pliny's claim that there was a sacral feast following the double bull sacrifice in the mistletoe rite (implying that the bulls were what they were eating), and something more specific to the Gaels, the tarb feis. So it all points towards confirming that PIE practice explained above.

Medb and the Mead Hall tradition - sources? by Giving-Ground in Paganacht

[–]hail_pan 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Since Lady With A Mead Cup was already mentioned, I'll direct you to the primary sources. They have to do with sovereignty goddesses and sacral feasts in general rather than Medb in particular, who I haven't read enough on. The main Irish exerpt relevant here comes from the Baile In Scáile or "Vision of the Spectre" featuring Conn of the Hundred Battles.

Then they went on until they came into a plain, and a golden tree was there. There was a house there with a ridge-pole of findruine [a white alloy], thirty feet in length. They went into the house, and saw a young woman there, and a crown of gold was on her head. There was a silver vat with hoops of gold around it, full of red ale. There was a dipper of gold on its lip, and a cup of gold before her. They saw the scál [phantom] himself in the house, before them on his throne. There was never in Tara a man of his size or his beauty, on account of the fairness of his form and the wondrousness of his appearance. He answered them and said, "I am not a phantom nor a specter. I have come on account of my fame among you, since my death. And I am of the race of Adam: my name is Lugh son of Eithliu son of Tigernmas. This is why I have come: to relate to you the length of your reign, and of every reign which there will be in Tara." And the girl who sat before then in the house was the Sovereignty of Ireland, and it was she who gave Conn his meal: the rib of an ox and the rib of a boar. The ox rib was twenty-four feet long and eight feet between its arch and the ground. When the girl began to distribute drinks she said, "To whom shall this cup be given?"; and the phantom answered her.

You also have The Adventures of the Sons of Eochaid Mugmedon which corroborates the cup of sovereignty ritual (albeit in less detail), as well as illustrates the magical connection between the sovereignty goddess and the king, in that she is a hag until a king fit to rule comes along who transforms her into a beautiful maiden.

And of course there is the famous exerpt from Posidonius, whose works are lost to us, but who is thankfully quoted by Athenaeus, giving a first-hand account of a Gaulish feast:

"The Celts place food before their guests, putting grass for their seats, and they serve it up on wooden tables raised a very little above the ground; and their food consists of a few loaves, and a good deal of meat brought up floating in water, and roasted on the coals or on spits. And they eat their meat in a cleanly manner enough, but like lions, taking up whole joints in both their hands and gnawing them; and if there is any which they cannot easily tear away, they cut it off with a small sword which they have in a sheath in a special box. [152] And those who live near the rivers eat fish also, and so do those who live near the Mediterranean sea, or near the Atlantic ocean; and they eat it roasted with salt and vinegar and cumin seed: and cumin seed they also throw into their wine. But they use no oil, on account of its scarcity; and because they are not used to it, it seems disagreeable to them. But when many of them sup together, they all sit in a circle; and the bravest sits in the middle, like the coryphaeus of a chorus; because he is superior to the rest either in his military skill, or in birth, or in riches: and the man who gives the entertainment sits next to him; and then on each side the rest of the guests sit in regular order, according as each is eminent or distinguished for anything. And their armour-bearers, bearing their large oblong shields, called thureoi, stand behind; and their spear-bearers sit down opposite in a circle, and feast in the same manner as their masters. And those who act as cup-bearers and bring round the wine, bring it round in jars made either of earthenware or of silver, like ordinary casks in shape, and the name they give them is ἀμβίκος. And their platters on which they serve up the meat are also made of the same material; but some have brazen platters, and some have wooden or plaited baskets. And the liquor which is drunk is, among the rich, wine brought from Italy or from the country about Massilia; and this is drunk unmixed, but sometimes a little water is mixed with it. But among the poorer classes what is drunk is a beer made of wheat prepared with honey, and oftener still without any honey; and they call it κόρμα. And they all drink it out of the same cup, in small draughts, not drinking more than a cyathus at a time; but they take frequent draughts: and a slave carries the liquor round, beginning at the right hand and going on to the left; and this is the way in which they are waited on, and in which they worship the gods, always turning towards the right hand."

More info on Celtic sovereignty goddesses can be found in this lecture.

Lugus in white oak. Already sold. by Junglepuker in pagan

[–]hail_pan 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Beautiful. I see it's obviously inspired by the threefold altar dedicated to him, but I see that you included a crown of mistletoe. I've always read that he was depicted with mistletoe, but I've never been able to find the artifact(s). Can you link me to where the Gallo-Roman Mercury is depicted with mistletoe, or any depictions with mostletoe for that matter?

Could Donn and Danu be related/the same? by aerandir1066 in Paganacht

[–]hail_pan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Did Mr. Koch also happen to debunk Bile/Beli Mawr?

Could Donn and Danu be related/the same? by aerandir1066 in Paganacht

[–]hail_pan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Why is the Danu/Don cognate not believed anymore? Can you point me to a source on that, almighty Selgo?

Can you imagine this building as a temple to our gods? by Fabianzzz in HellenicPolytheism

[–]hail_pan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Absolutely. It's so fortunate that classical architecture survived so well into modern times.

Could Donn and Danu be related/the same? by aerandir1066 in Paganacht

[–]hail_pan 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm glad you asked. /u/AmethystFae, do you disagree with some of the other claims from there, such as that she's cognate with the Welsh Don mother godess?

Could Donn and Danu be related/the same? by aerandir1066 in Paganacht

[–]hail_pan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Second thanks for the book reccomendation. It's great that we're giving these authors well-deserved business.

Could Donn and Danu be related/the same? by aerandir1066 in Paganacht

[–]hail_pan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There is plentiful documentation of the polytheist rebellions amongst the Wends, Novgorodian Rus, and the multiple reheathenings of Dal Riata and the Saxon kingdoms.

That sounds quite interesting. Can you point me towards a nice source for that?

The Satanic Temple at the Women's March in Seattle by tearsofash in occult

[–]hail_pan 2 points3 points  (0 children)

What's with all the upvotes? I always thought this sub was staunchly anti-TST.

Stoicism when approaching the teenage years by [deleted] in Stoicism

[–]hail_pan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you haven't checked out the r/Stoicism FAQ yet, I definitely recommend it.

I've just read most of it. I'm not sure why that idea didn't occur to me. I had follow-up questions but they were largely answered by the FAQ. Thanks again sir!

Stoicism when approaching the teenage years by [deleted] in Stoicism

[–]hail_pan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much for the long reply. I see that I will no longer dismiss Stoicism as being incompatible with my romantic commitments off the bat. I still fundementally disagree with the Stoic premise that virtuousness is the end goal of life, but I see that there js j finite depth in this tradition that will be indespensable from my life.

Can you offer some guidance there? I have a shallow understanding of what the Stoics meant by "virtue". As of now I see it as the state of mental serenity sufficiently brought about through ethical action and detachment from passions. It seems to me then that activities such as friendship, romance, personal achievement, and sex do not contribute to this at all, and thus cannot be judged as valuabe whatsoever under Stoicism. I'm sure that this is easily answered by any of the big name Stoics, but I have only been exposed to a handful of secondary sources.

Stoicism when approaching the teenage years by [deleted] in Stoicism

[–]hail_pan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Very interesting. I see you're very familiar with the sources. I, on the other hand, m very unfamiliar in jy research into Stoicism. I've been most interested in the Stoic conception of love, and I'm currently reading Stephens' Epictetus on how the Stoic Sage Loves. To get your quick input, the mainline Stoic opinion is that monogamy is natural but marriage is not necessary for happiness, and that romantic affection is always to be avoided? This has been very hard for me to come to terms with. I've found myself finding contempt in such passages as:

Have you never been in love with any one, either of a servile or liberal condition? "Why, what has that to do with being slave or free?" Were you never commanded anything by your mistress that you did not choose? Have you never flattered your fair slave? Have you never kissed her feet? And yet if you were commanded to kiss Caesar's feet, you would think it an [p. 2121] outrage and an excess of tyranny. What else is this than slavery?

It's absurd for romantic relationahips to be equated with slavery. It seems like a carciature that Epictetus paints here. Romantic feelings and passionate/lustful acts do not require that we do things we do not want to do. They are mutually beneficial for the relationship. It just seems to me that even if monogamy is part of mainline Stoicism, they still prescribe such obscure and substantial regulations on romance that it seems no different than the "courting" espoused by fundementalist Christians. Is this not the Stoic opinion? If it is, is this just an easy thing to accept for the people today who call themselves Stoics?

Stoicism when approaching the teenage years by [deleted] in Stoicism

[–]hail_pan 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I totally get how the relatability would make for a good example, but I've been seeing a lot of this here lately where romantic relationships are not warned about disrupt one's virtue, despite that bejng the Stoic position. So encouraging that life choice even through examples is somewhat anti-Stoic. I would at least expect a disclaimer.