Mabh Savage
Words and the world passing by; how it sings to me; how I clamour back.
Why am I a Celtic witch?
What does that mean, and how is it different from any other type of witchcraft?
Well let‘s look 
at the ‘witch’ part first; when I say I am a witch, I‘m saying I harness the energies around and within me to instigate change. Mahatma Ghandi said: ‘Be the change we wish to see in the world.’
Much of witchcraft is this; using our inherent power as a sentient being to be a force for transformation. Anyone can do this with training, and the will and patience to gain a deeper understanding of the universe around them. You don‘t need to be religious, although many witches do follow a religious path, such as Wicca or another polytheistic faith. For me, witchcraft is more about having faith in yourself and your own skill, although
I also accept the existence of other-worldly beings and forces.
On to the Celtic part: I am deeply influenced by my Celtic ancestry, and walk a path side by side with the Tuatha Dé Danann; the great folk who were one of the many races that invaded Ireland. Lebor Gabála Érenn, the Book of the Taking of Ireland, is an 11th century text describing eight periods throughout Ireland’s ‘history’ (the book’s contents are of more mythological interest rather than indisputable fact) including the
rise and fall of the Tuatha Dé Danann. The text tells us that they came to Ireland on dark clouds, and that they viewed their men of arts as gods, and knew the incantations of druids. It is sung in the text that they are ‘without a covenant of religion’; indeed it seems that while they accept the reality of larger-than-life heroes and magical transformation, they revere none as being above or beyond them. Everything is worldly and everything is within
reach.
This is why I feel my craft belongs to a Celtic source more than any other. I am stubborn to the point of foot stamping and petulance, yet patient enough to wait longer than most would in a tense situation. I will fight when necessary and be quiet when not. I know when presentation is important, and when subtlety is key. I accept that part of me is divine, and acknowledge that divinity within others, but I am not cowed by it. I know when to
use my craft, and when elbow grease and hard work will give me a better result.
Excerpt from Pagan Portals: Celtic Witchcraft. Pre-Order here.
Mabh Savage 