Beliefs

What do you believe the Divine is?
We believe that the Divine is an essence that pervades all things on Earth and within the universe as we know it. The greater amount of Divine essence within a thing, the greater the thing’s awareness of itself, its surroundings and the universe. Without the Divine essence, existence as we know it would cease to be.


What do you believe the gods are?
We believe that the gods are beings who have considerably more of the Divine essence within them than anything in existence on Earth, allowing them a greater intellect and understanding of the universe and existence. In our belief, all gods exist; historically, they have frequently been placed into groups, and though we find They generally work within those paradigms, They are not restricted to them. We do not find any gods to be omnipresent, omnipotent, infallible or all-knowing; though Their perspective is less limited than our own, they are capable of action and therefore capable of mistake. In our experience, though, They are less prone to mistake than misjudgment what a particular person will do. The Gods have no natural physical shape like humanity, nor do They fully reside within our plane of existence. They are capable of existing within a physical shape at Their will, which may or may not be human in appearance. They do, generally, have a form that They prefer, that humans have come to associate Them with.


Why do you think we're here?
This is a question that we feel can never be satisfactorily answered. It is our belief that our existence is one of three possible circumstances: the first, a cosmic project, the second, a cosmic experiment, or third, a cosmic accident. If, assuming that we are a project of some kind, we feel that no doubt we were created to fulfill that purpose instinctively. Therefore while some thought into a greater purpose may give us temporary direction, overall it matters little. If, assuming that we are an experiment, we feel that forcing ourselves into some supposed purpose will be directly against the nature of an experiment, and so contemplating a greater purpose or reason is not only wasteful of time but completely against the point. And finally, if we assume that we are an accident of some sort, then we are free to create any sort of purpose we desire, and fretting over a purpose is entirely useless. In any case, living our lives as best we can and honoring our Gods does not distract us from any greater reason, nor does it require knowledge of a personal or overarching reason of existence, and so we attempt to content ourselves with our own lives, and let the cosmos sort itself out on its own.


Do you have a creation story?
Quite simply, no. There is no existing pre-Christian Irish Celtic creation myth that's been found to date, and I'd feel awfully silly making up my own!


What do you think happens when you die?
We believe that when the body dies, the soul is released and may go on to any number of places. I personally think a good metaphor would be a very long hallway of doors, and those who follow Conair an Cheo would be inclined to go through only a few. The most common place our soul would travel to would be Teach Duinn, the House of Donn. It is from there, on the days and nights when the veils are thin, that souls come and wander our world for whatever purpose. After a time, the soul is released and returns to this world for a new incarnation. Those who were remarkable in life travel to Mag Mell, beneath the seventh wave, and under Mannanán's watch enjoy a period of rest and the rewards of their existence before passing on to their next one here. Another place a soul might travel to, though it would be remarkably lucky to do so, is Tir na nÓg. It alone is a land that can be visited by the living or dead; it is a place of Heroes and Greats, ruled by Niamh, and is eternally beautiful and joyous. The souls that go to Tir na nÓg might never reincarnate, or might return to the land of the living to find that time has quite outstripped them. In any case, the journey that soul endures to and from this world irrevocably changes it, and so the soul that lived once can never truly live again; as a flame between candles, it is the same but changed.


What is the ethical basis of Conair an Cheo?
Conair an Cheo's ethics come from traditional Celtic values, which we feel should be embraced and wholly integrated into one's daily life. We believe in the Nine Merits of an Honorable Life: honesty, justice, loyalty, courage, community, hospitality, strength, gentleness, and equality.


Where do the ancestors fit in?
Remembering and appropriately honoring our ancestors is an important part of Conair an Cheo. Whether they are related to us by blood or not is not of the utmost importance; they are our dead, those who passed before us, and we remember their lives with love. The most important thing is to honor them in a way they would appreciate- one's Christian grandmother would probably not appreciate libations and offerings, and these things must be taken into account. Without the past we can have no future, doomed to repeat the same mistakes and failures; without the teachings of those who have gone before us, we have little to pass on to our children.


Where do the land spirits and fairies fit in?
The land spirits and the fairies (whom we prefer to call the Good Folk) are not always the same thing; in native Celtic countries such as Ireland or Scotland, calling all the land, nature and other varied spirits the sídhe may be appropriate, elsewhere the spirits of the land have their own cultural names, and to refer to them as the sídhe or Good Folk or to assume that they have similar natures or desires is misleading, inaccurate and possibly dangerous. The spirits of the land should be honored and respected in whatever way seems most appropriate for the locale; the Good Folk are generally given offerings to keep their good will. While neither of these practices are specifically necessary to Conair an Cheo, they are both commonly integrated- thanking the land spirits for their hospitality, and the Good Folk for their beneficial behavior.


How important are offerings?
Offerings are a major way to connect to the gods and show them that we appreciate their gifts and guidance; they can also be used to honor land spirits and the Good Folk, and to remember our ancestors. They are an expression of honor, worship, devotional attention and love.


Do you have hard and fast rules about hot topics?
Generally speaking, no. We do not endorse or support discrimination of any sort, as we believe in equality; thus we support gay rights and minorities, from the standpoint that no person should be denied the right to marry or adopt because of their sexual orientation, the color of their skin or any of the number of ridiculous, divisive reasons many persons support. There are other topics- the death penalty and abortion, for example, that we do not say one way or another; one must examine their own conscious, look to the gods, the heroes and their lore and decide for themselves. On all "hot topics" one must look at their own conscious as well as the beliefs and ideals of Conair an Cheo and be sure that they are in alignment.