Vibrantly alive

People from all faiths and none at all find in the Celtic tradition an expression of spirituality deeply connected to nature and vibrantly alive—a spiritual rootedness we long for in the twenty-first century, at the same time simpler and richer.

Celtic Christianity emerged in a time and place where nature was ever-present—in the seasonal harvest and disruptions of it, in the sometimes brutal climate, and in all the gifts from the earth. In their simple rural life, the Celtic Christians were surrounded by the cycles of nature: the seasons, lunar months, tides, dawn and dusk. Even in ordinary tasks like gardening, metalworking, sheep herding, and farm chores, they felt God’s sacred presence all around in the natural world.

Perhaps the best-known Celtic prayer is the classic blessing “May the Road Rise Up to Meet You.” With its hopeful and forward-looking message, it is often used at weddings, sometimes in musical form. There are many versions; the original is this simple six-line version:

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
the rain fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of his hand.

-Essential Celtic Prayers