Cernunnos as Yoga Master: The Celtic Shiva

Cernunnos as Yoga Master: The Celtic Shiva

In 1891, a great silver bowl or cauldron, elaborately crafted during the Iron Age, was found at Gundestrup in Denmark. The Gundestrup Cauldron contains a wealth of ancient spiritual motifs, a few of which will be briefly discussed in this article. 

The exterior of the cauldron depicts the busts of seven different deities, male and female, as well as symbols associated with them. In Hinduism as well as various syncretic mystical paths, the number seven is also associated with the 7 major chakras or energy vortices of the human body, each with their own symbolism and deity (or facet of the One God). 

The interior of the Gundestrup Cauldron features five scenes of religious or spiritual significance. One of these scenes depicts a horned god sitting in a typical yogic posture. Often identified as Cernunnos (the "Horned One"), he wears on his head a splendid crown of seven-tined stag antlers. One is reminded that in the shamanic Song of Amergin, an ancient Celtic poem, the bard sings: "I am a stag of seven tines."

The Master Yogi-Shaman or Horned God sits with a stag and bull at his right hand, and a horned serpent and hunting dog on his left. This image is similar to that of the Vedic god of animals, Pashupati (Lord of Beasts), who was also an early form of Lord Shiva. (The Pashupati seal, or Mahayogi seal, was found at the site of Mohenjo-daro in modern Pakistan).  Cernunnos, Pashupati, and Lord Shiva are all depicted in a similar yogic pose or asana while surrounded by animals. 

In the right corner of the horned god scene is a man riding on the back of a dolphin to meet the divine bull or Bull of Heaven. Lions appear to be guarding the waters or the path toward the bull; perhaps the scene is a reference to crossing the "ocean of Samsara" to reach spiritual liberation, or Moksha, the end of earthly reincarnation. 

The scene is further enhanced with decorative leaves from a sacred plant or tree, such as ivy, mistletoe, or oak. In ancient Greek religion, ivy was associated with Dionysus, a similar God of Ecstasy, as well as wine and vegetation. Mistletoe and oak were often associated with the heavenly Storm God in various Indo-European cultures. The Storm God was usually placed at the head of the pantheon, like Zeus at the head of the Olympians. Rudra, another early form of Shiva, was also conceptualized as a storm god. The thunderbolt itself may be understood as the ecstatic "lightning flash" of Kundalini and its inherent spiritual enlightenment and revelation.

At the bottom of the bowl the divine bull is seen again, this time hunted down by three dogs and a warrior with a sword in his hand. The cauldron has been damaged, but in its original state the bowl would have rested on the curved horns of the bull projecting outwards to form a crescent shape, like an image of the crescent Moon. 

On the bull's forehead rests a twisted rosette with an ancient Indo-European swastika in the center, symbolizing the solar Life Force, as well as universal diversity united into One at the mystical center or Axis Mundi; hence, unity in diversity, and diversity in Unity; God as One and All simultaneously. Looking more closely at the bull's head, one can see that this symbol is part of a larger decorative motif; the rosette is fastened to the top of a column, with it base situated upon a crescent moon. The column once again represents Axis Mundi or the World Tree, the mystical center of the universe. In this particular depiction, the column spans and unites the energetic poles of solar and lunar, one pole at each end - symbolism also relevant to Tantric Yoga and Inner Alchemy, where the internal Axis Mundi or World Tree is also the spinal column or its inner energetic channel, the Sushumna, through which the Kundalini ascends.

The Gundestrup Cauldron therefore becomes, in a symbolic context, the sacred cup of the moon or the chalice of alchemy, a pagan Holy Grail containing the mystical drink of immortality made from the Life-fluid or blood of the divine bull, resulting in ecstasy and psychic vision. It is the mystical cup of Ambrosia, Soma, or the Wine of the Gods; the sacred Blood of Christ slain and risen.

The hunter of the bull appears androgynous; he wears the spurs of a man on his boots and has the breasts of a woman. Perhaps he has completed the inner alchemical operation of uniting masculine and feminine, of solar and lunar, of ida and pingala. With his weapon drawn and arm raised, he is depicted in a posture of jumping or floating through the air, with his hunting dog running or leaping beside him.

Like Shiva, Cernunnos is the God of Ecstasy. In his left hand, he holds a snake adorned with the spiraling horns of a ram. This horned serpent is Kundalini ascending - the serpent of Light and bliss which rises through the sushumna or spinal channel. This serpent of ecstasy is also a representation of Devi Shakti, the Divine Feminine, Life Energy, or Holy Spirit. Starting from the base of the spine - the internal Axis Mundi or sacred column - it rises up through the seven chakras and emerges through the top of the head at the Sahasrara or Crown Chakra, resulting in Unity with the Divine Oneness, as well as mystical perception of Divine Light and the Face or Presence of God.

The stag, the ram, and the bull are all common symbols of God Most High in ancient cultures. Thus, when Kundalini ascends to its highest position, the serpent receives the horns of God - horns of divine power. 

When St. Hubertus the hunter encountered the stag with the Crucifix of Christ between its antlers, he received a vision of the ultimate Reality. It was a vision also of God Most High as the suffering god of vegetation and sacrifice, the slain and rising God. This vision was given to St. Hubertus on Good Friday - the day of Jesus Christ's Crucifixion. The sacred hunt thus becomes a religious symbol for the holy spiritual quest - for the seeking of ultimate Reality and ecstasy. 

Originally posted on our Random Religion and Spirituality blog at:

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Medieval Catholic Christian Magical Incantations: Historiolae or Narrative Charms

Medieval Catholic Christian Magical Incantations: Historiolae or Narrative Charms

During the Middle Ages, magical incantations were a popular means to ameliorate suffering and reduce fear. One such form of incantation was the narrative charm, based on a short mythical or legendary story. The mythical story (or narrative) provided the paradigm and context for the desired magical result. A narrative charm could be recited orally for the benefit of the recipient, or it could be used in a textual amulet. Modern scholars also refer to narrative charms as historiolae.

The historiolae contained brief anecdotes about sacred, legendary, or mythic personages who had suffered in ways that foreshadowed the current sufferings of a person in the present day. These anecdotes therefore could metaphorically erase the barriers of time and space; past and present were no longer separate entities. Like the mythical personage featured in the charm, people who turned to such narratives held firm the hope of reaping similar benefits of supernatural protection and divine healing. When properly invoked, the sacred types and precedents featured in these stories were believed to facilitate a magical replication of past miracles and supernatural cures. The recipient would be protected and healed just like the original subject of the sacred narrative.

Narrative charms were deeply rooted in oral culture, so they often included some form of dialogue. These dialogues could also precede the use of other conjurations spoken by a parish priest or healer to address demons or other malevolent forces for the benefit of the afflicted person.

Historiolae were utilized in ancient rituals for thousands of years. The earliest evidence we currently have for narrative charms in the Middle Ages dates to the 9th or 10th centuries, when Latin historiolae appear in surviving manuscripts. From the 13th to 15th centuries, narrative charms circulated widely in secular manuscripts and textual amulets. Some late medieval critics condemned these charms and amulets as worthless folly. The Malleus Maleficarum, or Hammer of Witches, published in 1486, mentions one such charm with disdain: "Some old women in their incantations use some such jingling doggerel (or silly jingles) as the following: Blessed MARY went a-walking / Over Jordan river. / St. Stephen met her, / and fell a-talking, etc." (Malleus Maleficarum, Part 2, Question 2, Chapter 6)

Like other noncanonical texts, narrative charms were not standardized, and therefore had many variations. Through oral transmission and inventive scribal copying, historiolae spread widely and were distributed in innumerable different versions. One example that saw endless permutations was a narrative-style fever charm based on an apocryphal story about St. Peter sitting outside Jerusalem’s Golden Gate or Rome's Latin Gate. In its many versions, Jesus Christ invariably begins by asking St. Peter about his affliction. Learning that St. Peter is suffering from a fever, Christ uses his healing touch to cure him. St. Peter then asks Christ to allow other people to benefit from divine Grace by transforming the narrative charm into a textual amulet that can be worn on their bodies. Jesus responds affirmatively.  

Like the biblical Word of God, this fever charm was ideal for use in textual amulets because it contained what were believed to be Christ’s own words. It thus became very popular; similar versions of the fever charm, in Latin as well as vernacular languages, can be found in a wide array of physical contexts. Latin and vernacular versions of narrative charms survive in innumerable English, German, Italian, and other secular manuscripts, especially from the 14th and 15th centuries.

Originally posted on our Random Religion and Spirituality blog at:

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The Ahl al-Bayt are the Door to the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge

The Ahl al-Bayt are the Door to the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge

An excerpt from Nahjul Balagha (Peak of Eloquence) by Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (s.a.):

"Remember, that we are the Ahl al-Bayt of the Holy Prophet. We are his true companions; we are trustees and treasurers of the knowledge granted to him and we are the doors through which one can reach this store-house of wisdom and learning. It is unlawful to enter a house but through its door, and he who disregards this principle is a trespasser or a thief.

"The Ahl al-Bayt own and possess in their deeds and words the excellence and nobleness which the Holy Qur'an preaches. They are the treasure-houses of the Mercy and Benevolence of God, and they are the sources from which real wisdom and true knowledge, destined by Him for man, can be obtained.

"Their (successors of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.)) speeches contain nothing but truth. If they do not speak about any subject, it is not because they do not know anything about it or anyone else could speak better, but simply because it is advisable not to speak then. It is imperative on the man, who has been destined by God to guide humanity, to explain things correctly and truly to his followers; he should utilize his wisdom for their well-being; he should think more of the next world and teach people to attach more importance to it - because from there they have come, and to there they will have to return."

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The Legend of How the Holy Grail Came to Britain

The Legend of How the Holy Grail Came to Britain

The Holy Grail (or Cup of Christ) was the drinking vessel which Joseph of Arimathea used for catching the blood and water which poured forth from Jesus' side after the Crucified Messiah was pierced by the Spear of Longinus. It was the same sacred chalice which Jesus used during the first Holy Communion ritual at the Last Supper. 

According to Robert de Boron’s version of the Holy Grail legend, Joseph of Arimathea was incarcerated within a Jerusalem prison by the Jewish authorities after the body of Jesus suspiciously disappeared from its tomb. One day, while in his prison cell, Joseph miraculously found the Holy Chalice placed at his feet by God. Suddenly, a voice emanating from the vessel proceeded to explain the "secrets of the Grail", including the Mysteries of the Eucharist and how the rites of that Sacrament reflect the Passion of Christ. Food and drink also spontaneously manifested within the Holy Grail, and by this means Joseph was kept alive for many years.

The Holy Grail continued to nourish and sustain Joseph of Arimathea until Jerusalem was conquered by the Roman Emperor Vespasian in 70 CE, upon which he was released from prison. Fearing re-imprisonment, Joseph escaped to the desert with his family, and even in such harsh conditions they were continually sustained with food and drink from the Cup of Christ throughout their journey.

In de Boron's version of the story, Joseph passed away soon after fleeing Jerusalem, but not before placing the Holy Grail into the care of his brother-in-law, Bron. The Holy Spirit subsequently lead Bron and his family north to Glastonbury, England, where he was told to deposit the Grail. Thus, in de Boron’s version of the legend, it was Bron who carried the Cup of Christ to Glastonbury. There are, however, more popular versions of the legend which state that Joseph himself brought the Holy Chalice to the sacred British city.

According to an alternate version of the myth, when Joseph of Arimathea was still in Jerusalem, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to him and eleven other missionaries. Angel Gabriel instructed them to travel to Glastonbury, England in order to build a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus. 

Joseph and the eleven missionaries left Palestine/Israel with the Holy Grail and eventually reached the coast of Britain after a very long journey. They sailed down an inlet leading to the future site of Glastonbury, which at that time was only a marshland covered with water. They disembarked on an island now known as Wearyall Hill, named after the weary and near-exhausted state in which the missionary group arrived. It was here that Joseph planted his staff into the ground and watched with jubilation as it sprouted leaves and flowers, signaling that he and his companions had completed their journey. The unique flowering tree which sprouted from Joseph's staff later became known as the Glastonbury Thorn.

Once Joseph and his companions settled into their new English homeland, they followed Angel Gabriel’s instructions and constructed St. Mary’s Chapel, which became one of the earliest Christian churches in Europe. Twelve dwellings were built in a circle surrounding this chapel, each facing the central church, which housed the Holy Grail and, by implication, the sacred Presence of Christ Himself. Joseph’s little Chapel was eventually torn down and a larger chapel constructed in its place, one that would later be incorporated into the structure of Glastonbury Abbey by the 8th century CE.

According to legend, before Joseph died, he buried the Holy Grail in Chalice Hill beside Glastonbury Tor.  An alternate version states that Joseph secreted the Grail within the Chalice Well, from which continually flows blood-colored water to this day, symbolizing the salvific blood of the Messiah. Many people over the centuries have received miraculous healings as a result of drinking or bathing in the waters of Chalice Well.

Another legend states that Joseph of Arimathea did not die in Britain, but left Glastonbury soon after constructing St. Mary's Chapel. From there, he sailed south with the Holy Grail to Spain. According to the story, he landed at Barcelona and then proceeded overland to either Montserrat in Catalonia near the Pyrenees, or to Montsegur in the former region of Languedoc, France. Both of these mountain sanctuaries later became associated with the Holy Grail and its Mysteries, and have often been equated with Munsalvaesche or the Mount of Salvation, the castle of the Grail King Anfortas (or the Fisher King) in Wolfram von Eschenbach’s medieval romance, Parzival.

Originally posted on our Random Religion and Spirituality blog at:

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