The Celtic Vision

by Esther de Waal (Editor)

The Hebridean islands of Scotland stretch out into the Atlantic, immense expanses of barren, treeless and rocky terrain. The inhabitants of the desolate isles, spent their evenings "telling tales and histories, invocations and prayers, singing hymns and songs, runes and lays, sweet, beautiful and soft." The Celtic scholar Alexander Carmichael, spent a lifetime collecting the prayers, the songs and the poetry of these remarkable people. The fruit of his work is the six-volume Carmina Gadelica, an unrivalled treasury of Celtic spirituality.

The distinguished writer, Esther de Waal, has compiled a one-volume anthology from Carmichael's great work, introducing the Celtic people to a wider audience. Dividing her selections by theme, with titles such as Creation, Morning Prayers, Farming and Fishing, Household, Saints and Angels, and Sun and Moon, she shows us the unique marriage between the everyday and the eternal, which marks the Celtic mind. Praying and working are not separated, and the rhythm of each day and year is celebrated and offered to God.

Beautifully illustrated with intricate line drawings based on Celtic art, The Celtic Vision is a book for all seasons.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Mythology, Theology, Scotland, Poetry, Prayer

263 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1990

Reviews

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

What struck me as most powerful in this beautiful collection was the abundance of prayers for the mundane, everyday chores of life. The prayers for one’s cow, for planting and harvesting, for safe travel, and for the hearth-fire. Celtic spirituality can still so strongly resonate with modern concerns and the beauty of inviting God into our smallest moments can enhance anyone’s faith. This book would make a wonderful, heart-felt gift and is a warm addition to any library.

[David Levey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I live with this book almost daily. Its depth and simplicity powerfully draw me closer to 'the Lord and God of the peoples, ... Who created my soul and set its warp' (p 2).

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

The introduction at the beginning of the book and at the beginning of each section were as fascinating as the prayers themselves. The dedication to God of these people in the Outer Hebrides puts me to shame.

[Bonnie Westmark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a gift from a friend and the prayers are just beautiful. I read it while recovering from surgery and it brought me peace and comfort. It’s a wonderful book to bring you closer to God and to make you more aware of all the gifts and blessings we have that go unnoticed each day. I’m more aware that God is with me always and showers me with gifts
throughout each day and night, if I open my heart and eyes to see.

[Monique Amado · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think these prayers would be great for making into prints by a calligrapher, but found it not to be very engaging devotional reading.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

1988. A beautiful collection of prayers and songs from the Outer Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland. It also conveys interesting cultural information as one reads these prayers. You can see the pagan influences from before Christianity got to these islands. One is a recitation of the genealogy of St. Brigit [who was a goddess in pre-Christiana days] which was thought to protect the one reciting it from being "killed, harried, wounded or put in a cell."

[Katie MacLaren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a beautiful snapshot into the lives of Celtic people, whose faith was entertwined with all they did, the land they worked on and the animals they worked with.