Irish Astrology

Celtic Tree Astrology is a term that doesn't seem to carry much weight in the wider world of astrology. Why is this? Researchers in this field have found that the Druids had experience, knowledge, and practice of techniques drawn from the cycles of the moon and the motion of the planets, and then dismiss any notion of an Celtic Symbols astrological system as defined either then or today. This is because the earliest examples of Celtic Symbols used for astrology were only found to occur around the 7th century. Notable Celticists like Peter Berresford Ellis (article 1) condemn the notion put forth by Robert Graves in his book 'The White Goddess' (1949) of any involvement of trees as astrological celtic symbols used by the Druids , calling them 'fantasies', 'bogus', and 'spurious arguments'. Ellis may be a Celtic scholar of note but he is not an astrologer nor a student of it, and like any 'bad scientist' refutes the existance of the obvious if it can't be proved first on paper or by an experiment. Does a broken heart exist, and can it be proved scientifically? We all know the answer.

To be fair Peter Ellis's disdain is only against Robert Graves misinterpretations and his lack of qualifications to misinterpret (or vice versa!) and not against the concept of an Celtic Astrology in itself. In fact he supports the idea. But, by default, he drags the concept of Celtic Symbol Astrology down also, and almost destroys the notion altogether, with the support of, I might add, the entire Celtic scholastic field. This is very disturbing. If we are not to call astrology practised by the ancient Druids 'Celtic Astrology', then what else can it be called? And what are all these scholars afraid of? Their intuition, or their own logic?

Peter Ellis goes on to make some truly stunning statements about Irish Astrology in both of his famous articles (article 2) regarding this issue when he states that the ancient Celts foretold the future from the stars by ciphers and numbers" and that an "argument...took place among the Alexandrian School of Greek writers as to whether the Celts borrowed their ideas from Pythagoras or whether Pythagoras borrowed his ideas from the Celts" and that "this fascinating argument among Greek scholars began in the 2nd Century BC and continued for some centuries." If this is the case then it would be fantastic to think that we were the forerunners of numerology alongside the Chaldeans.

Of the twenty letters in the Ogram alpahabet only seven correctly correspond to Old Irish tree names. And this is where the dispute comes from regarding the concept of Celtic Astrology. But look at the obvious.....only seven identifiable tree names. Why? There were only 7 identifiable planets at the time. This was understood and venered by all civilisations at the time. And all of them incorporated this fact into their cultures in some shape or form. Seven trees, seven planets. Coincidence? I don't believe so.

There is also the possiblity that some letters were named after the elements. The ones I have found so far being: L = Luis (claimed as a rowan) comes from luise (flame, blaze). T = Tinne (claimed as ash and sometimes holly) means a bar, rod of metal. And U = Ur (claimed as heather or even blackthorn) means earth, clay or soil. So that's Fire, Earth, Metal so far. Further research might uncover the other elements Water and Air. Lets wait and see. I will add updates as I learn more. Lastly, there are also connections between the Druids and the Indian system of Vedic astrology. One seems to be paralleling the other. Again, there is the argument, which system came first?

Traditionally, the year is divided into 13 lunar months, with a tree (sacred to the celtic druids) assigned to each month. Each Celtic Tree Astrology Sign has particular secret and magical mysteries. Celtic Druid beliefs and Celtic Symbols were passed down by word of mouth by the people, with a lot of their knowledge, teachings and philosophies incorporated into Irish, Welsh, Scottish, Breton, sources of myth and poetry.There is enough evidence out there to prove, logically and intuitively, that a system was in place amongst the Druids to read the secret mysteries of the stars. This site also includes Celtic Tree Astrology, Free eBooks, Free Screensavers, Celtic Store, Articles, and much more.