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Soul Friendship in the Celtic Tradition: Ancient Insights for Today
“Soul friendship joins friends together
in a common dwelling that neither time nor space
nor death itself can separate.”
—Edward Sellner
The special friend who accompanies a person through life’s journey is more precious than gold. The early Christian Celts had a heartwarming name for this the Anamchara. (Anam is the Gaelic word for soul; chara is the word for friend—“friend of the soul.”) This special friend was someone with whom a person could talk through practical matters, reveal hidden intimacies, and break through the barriers of convention and egotism to an eternal unity of soul.
Ray Simpson brings this ancient concept into the twenty-first century, drawing practical applications from the long history of soul friendship. He describes a spiritual bond that lasts beyond this life into eternity, for it flows directly from God, who is the pattern of all friendship, the center and source of all human relationships.
in a common dwelling that neither time nor space
nor death itself can separate.”
—Edward Sellner
The special friend who accompanies a person through life’s journey is more precious than gold. The early Christian Celts had a heartwarming name for this the Anamchara. (Anam is the Gaelic word for soul; chara is the word for friend—“friend of the soul.”) This special friend was someone with whom a person could talk through practical matters, reveal hidden intimacies, and break through the barriers of convention and egotism to an eternal unity of soul.
Ray Simpson brings this ancient concept into the twenty-first century, drawing practical applications from the long history of soul friendship. He describes a spiritual bond that lasts beyond this life into eternity, for it flows directly from God, who is the pattern of all friendship, the center and source of all human relationships.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2022
16 people are currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
Ray Simpson
89 books15 followersRay Simpson is Founding Guardian of the international Community of Aidan and Hilda and the author of forty books on Celtic spirituality and other subjects.
Before that he was invited to plant a Fresh Expression at Bowthorpe, Norwich: 'One Family of Christians for one New Neighbourhood' sponsored by six denominations. He has linked early Celtic monastic villages with villages of God inspired by emerging new monastic churches.
He owns a house on UK's Holy Island of Lindisfarne, where the Community of Aidan and Hilda has its Retreat House, The Open Gate and Celtic Library, but is mainly based on the nearby mainland at Berwick-Upon-Tweed.
His big project is to make 'The Way' accessible to
all peoples through daily emails (enrol on www.waymarksoflife.com) and a year's app is being crowd funded.
Before that he was invited to plant a Fresh Expression at Bowthorpe, Norwich: 'One Family of Christians for one New Neighbourhood' sponsored by six denominations. He has linked early Celtic monastic villages with villages of God inspired by emerging new monastic churches.
He owns a house on UK's Holy Island of Lindisfarne, where the Community of Aidan and Hilda has its Retreat House, The Open Gate and Celtic Library, but is mainly based on the nearby mainland at Berwick-Upon-Tweed.
His big project is to make 'The Way' accessible to
all peoples through daily emails (enrol on www.waymarksoflife.com) and a year's app is being crowd funded.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 6, 2025
Im always down to learn about Celtic spirituality
June 5, 2024
2024 bk 66 I am out of the German tradition. That said, when I first heard of the concept of Soul Friendship I pictured it as Pastor/Teacher + Confirmands with loose connections after the confirmed or the important role model/mentor in a pre-teen/teen's world. Soul Friendship in the Celtic tradition can be so much more than the above shorter type of influences. I found much to provoke thought and found much clarity as Simpson explored the concept in different centuries and through recorded relationships. My only wish is that there had been an additional final chapter - "Seeking a Soul Friendship in the 21st Century" with types of questions thar Soul Friends of today might ask each other and how to find such a being. Well done book with many prayers that I am saving to my collection.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews