This book is about change, growth, learning, and connection. It is conversational, and informal, and a little bit fun to read. It is about looking at things around you - past, present, and future - and asking the important questions. Perhaps the only really important question: Why? This is a book for all of us who are looking, searching for a way to plant our feet firmly on Irish ground, and take responsibility for what we are doing here, for our place in the big picture that is Ireland today. You don't have to be Pagan, or New Age, or Magical, or Spiritual, to read this book. You don't even have to be Irish. To get the full benefit, you do have to be open minded, willing to learn something about yourself, about Ireland, and maybe even about your place in this land. This is also a practical guide and a work book, and that is important to understand before you buy. There are more questions within these pages than there are definitive answers. Understand that this work is up to you, and nobody else will take responsibility for the work you need to be doing. There is genuine guidance though, some funny bits, and more than a couple of pokes and prods to help you on your way. Written by a woman of this land, called Witch by some, Druid by others, and Bean Draoi by herself, when she has to go by something other than "that O'Brien one." Sharing experience and knowledge, and suggestions for how you might get to where you need to be - examining how things used to be done here, and what can be useful and relevant to us as we bring ourselves forward through our Irish Spirituality.

Develop Your Skills and Talents for Effective Pagan Leadership Join Reverend Lora O'Brien as she explores the duties, responsibilities, challenges, and benefits of becoming a priestess or priest. Whether you are currently in a leadership position, are considering taking on such a role, or would like to be more informed about the Pagan priesthood, this book helps you learn about the practical skills required and provides ideas on how you can improve yours. There's a pressing need in the Pagan community for strong, aware, responsible, and accountable leaders. A Practical Guide to Pagan Priesthood provides a skill assessment so you can get a sense of your strengths and areas to work on. You will also discover the two primary categories of priestly duties—pastoral and sacerdotal—as well as insights into group leadership, teaching, crisis counseling, communicating with deity, devotion, healing, life rites, and community celebration. As Paganism continues to grow and new generations become leaders, this guide shares a practical picture of what the Pagan priesthood can be.

Irish Reconstructionist Polytheism is an often misunderstood path, but it is one with great richness and depth for those who follow it. This short introductory book touches on the basic beliefs and practices of Irish Polytheism as well as other important topics for people interested in practicing the religion using a Reconstructionist methodology or who would just like to know more about it. Explore the cosmology of the ancient Irish and learn how the old mythology and living culture show us the Gods and spirits of Ireland and how to connect to them. Ritual structure is explored, as well as daily practices and holidays, to create a path that brings the old beliefs forward into the modern world.

The Ireland of myth and legend, still to be sensed and appreciated in the modern world, is the focus of this new and different travel guide. It contains not only the usual tips on what to see, where to stay, and how to get there, but also plentiful details about dozens of memorable and mystical sites, from New Grange to Staigue to Skellig Michael to Aran, and beyond. The traveler in search of wider experience of this ancient verdant land will find fascinating information about archaeology, geography, comparative religion, and local customs, as well as highlights from lively Irish literature and haunting Celtic music. Complete with maps, illustrations, and photographs, Celtic Journeys is a practical, easy-to-use treasure for those planning a trip to Ireland and for anyone interested in the world of the ancient Celts and its significance today. Book jacket.

Updated and Revised 2nd Edition! Irish Witchcraft from an Irish Witch is a delightful mixture of academia and accessibility; a book that explores Witchcraft in Ireland: how it was, is, and will be. It succeeds where many books have failed - fulfilling the longing for real Irish Witchcraft, while crafting the delicate balance between learning from the past and weaving a modern system based on truth and respect. Lora O'Brien is an Irish Draoí (user of magic) working closely with her heritage and her native land, providing a contemporary guide to genuine practice. Irish Witchcraft from an Irish Witch explores the past: -- Providing an investigation of the Witches' place in Irish mythology. -- Looking at Witchcraft and magic by examining the customs connected with the Sidhe (the Irish Fairies). -- Examining historical evidence of the Witch trials that swept across the island of Ireland through the ages. And the present and beyond by: -- Working with Irish Gods and Goddesses, landscapes, and energies. -- Examining the wheel of the year, with its festivals, cycles, and seasons of Irish culture. -- Looking at ritual progression through a Witch's life: magical training, physical growth. -- Providing alternatives to the traditional stages of a child's life in modern Irish culture. When it was released in 2004, this was the first traditionally published Pagan book ever written by an Irish author. It was the book that this author had sought, for over a decade previously... The 2nd edition of this book continues to do now what it did for so many on first publication - it bridges the gap between 'Celtic' NeoPagan nonsense, and authentic Irish Pagan Practice.

Unleash your inner warrior and embrace a timeless vision of the divine: strong, courageous, feminine. Craft your own spiritual practice centered firmly in the Celtic mystical tradition. In this book you'll discover how any woman can awaken the Goddess spirit and release the wisdom and magick that is her birthright.

What does God want for your life? Christine Valters Paintner, bestselling Catholic author and online abbess for Abbey of the Arts, uses reflections, stories, guided activities, prayer experiences, and a variety of creative arts to help you patiently and attentively listen to God’s invitation. Everyone wants to understand God’s will for their lives. Christine Valters Paintner shares one of the most ancient paths to understanding from her study of monasticism and immersion into Celtic spirituality while living in Ireland. The Celtic way, which Paintner distills into twelve practices, offers discernment that focuses on the environment rather than the intellectual focus present in other forms of discernment. It allows for what Paintner calls the “soul’s slow ripening,” coming into the fullness of our own sweetness before we pluck the fruit. Each chapter begins with a story of a particular Irish saint—some well-known like Patrick or Brigid, others less so, such as Ita and Ciaran—and then introduces a helpful practice for discernment that the saint’s life illustrates. Paintner explores the call of dreams, the importance of thresholds, the practice of peregrination (wandering for the love of God), walking the rounds, learning by heart, soul friends, blessing each moment, and the wisdom of the landscape and the seasons. Readers are invited to explore these concepts through photography and writing. She invites us to contemplative walks with specific themes along with poetic writing prompts for expression. As you explore an alternate way of discerning a spiritual path—one which honors the moment-by-moment invitations and the soul’s seasonal rhythms—you will discover that this book will help you become more aligned with creativity and wholeness.