Awenydd

[Bleidd Mawr]

I just wanted to comment that I am changing my title under my icon from werewolf to Awenydd. The werewolf thing is fun, but I feel it might cause others to believe I am not serious about my religious path which is not the case. The path I follow of is that of the Celtic Shaman. I am aware that the word shaman (saman) originally applied specifically to the Tungus people in Siberia, but for good or ill it has become applied in a broader sense to animistic practices across the world. I do not shrink from using the word shaman, but there is a more culturally specific term used in Wales that was roughly equivalent. The term was Awenydd which can be translated as "inspired one." Here is a quote from Giraldus Cambrensis writing in 1194:

"There are certain persons in Cambria, whom you will find nowhere else, called Awenyddion, or people inspired; when consulted upon any doubtful event, they roar out violently, are rendered beside themselves,and become, as it were, possessed by a spirit. They do not deliver the answer to what is required in a connected manner; but the person who skilfully observes them, will find, after many preambles, and many nugatory and incoherent, though ornamented speeches, the desired explanation conveyed in some turn of a word: they are then roused from their ecstasy, as from a deep sleep, and, as it were, by violence compelled to return to their proper senses. After having answered the questions, they do not recover till violently shaken by other people; nor can they remember the replies they have given. If consulted a second or third time upon the same point, they will make use of expressions totally different; perhaps they speak by the means of fanatic and ignorant spirits. These gifts are usually conferred upon them in dreams: some seem to have sweet milk or honey poured on their lips; others fancy that a written schedule is applied to their mouths and on awaking they publicly declare that they have received this gift."

I am not changing my screen name, Bleidd Mawr, which means "Great Wolf" (great as in big or large) because the wolf is my primary spirit animal (along with the osprey and dolphin). I may be replacing my werewolf icon with an appropriate Celtic symbol, most likely a triskelion (triple spiral).

Blessings

Bleidd Mawr

[emalpaiz]

Quote

Interesting!

 

[cuchulain]

Self definition is ultimately the most important, friend.  I can definitely understand wanting to clarify in a forum such as this, however, where people tend to use your title in responses, and often use your title in the way THEY think it should be, rather than you do.  I changed my title to stoic atheist, since that is what I define myself as, and sometimes others have used my title in their responses, usually incorrectly, in my opinion.  

[Bleidd Mawr]

On ‎5‎/‎27‎/‎2016 at 3:22 PM, cuchulain said:

Self definition is ultimately the most important, friend.  I can definitely understand wanting to clarify in a forum such as this, however, where people tend to use your title in responses, and often use your title in the way THEY think it should be, rather than you do.  I changed my title to stoic atheist, since that is what I define myself as, and sometimes others have used my title in their responses, usually incorrectly, in my opinion.  

Hi Cuchulain,

I just doubted that many people would have seen the word "awenydd" before, much less know how it is translated  I figured with your profile photo you probably would  

If people innocently misuse a title it's one thing and can be overlooked, but if they intentionally misuse it as a form of derision or sarcasm that's another matter.