Help figuring out the celtic and druidic calendar!!!!

[Tranquility]

Hey guys, i was reading through a book on Celtic Shamanism and man i got stumped when i came to the calendar organization.. Here is what im confused about, there is a lunar calendar, with 13 months, each is 28 days, except for the 13th which is only a few days long.. right off the bat, this doesn't add up, but to confuse me more, here is what the book divides the months into. The cliff- october 29-31, The Tide-november, the stag-december, the flood-january, the wind-february, the sun-tear-march, the hawk-april, the flowers-may, the fiery god-june, the spear- july, the salmon-august, the boar-october 1-28.. iM SOOO Confused on how it gives a full month as we know it, for their months, i mean, some of our months have more or less days than others... if they all had 28 days, then the 13th month would have many more days than it does already... anyone who understands this i would greatly appreciate clarification on how this system actually works and is organized
thanks

[Tranquility]

Oh yeah and another thing i forgot that messed me up even more, how it said. When the celts became settled in one place and grew crops, the began to use the luinar and solar calendars together. However with a LUNAR calednar of 364 days in a year, this left an odd day in comparison with the solar calendar. This is why the druids added an extra day every three years or so at the close of their year, which ended with samhain. How can 12 28 months, and then the 13th month is 4 days i believe add up to 364? it doesn't.. this is where i meet with confusion.. if someone could explain to me the day when each month started and ended for them and show me that it added up to 364 i would be very relieved..

[Aine of the Fae]

What book are you reading this from?

[Tranquility]

This is From Advanced Celtic Shamanism, by D.J. Conway

[Siarlas]

ugh... major headache...

Soon as I get a chance, I'll find some clarification for you Tranquility. I know I've got something at home about the calendars.

[Tranquility]

Thank you, now that i read more about it, im EVEN MORE CONFUSED BEING CONFUSION!!! AHHHHH, sorry its just really complex, and odd to think that a much older and ancient society was much more complex and advanced than us, as far as their calendar system... Anyhow.. how many calendars are there under the celts? Im SOO Confused..... there is like, the one im thinking of, another one with wierd names, and like 52 days for 7 monthes, then the druid and lunar and solar ones... oh man i got a headache too kaya, anyone who actually understands this or can clarify the method, the 12 months and 13th month being only a few days method, would be great
thanks a lot

[Siarlas]

I haven't forgotten you , Tranq! I just haven't had a chance to look through my stuff. But I will tomorrow afternoon/night.

[Tranquility]

I pieced together a bit of it, ok, the celts had a lunar, and solar calendar.. thats all i can clearly say right now...

[sanacrow]

Originally posted by Tranquility
This is From Advanced Celtic Shamanism, by D.J. Conway

A note about several books/authors on Celtic studies/mythology and Druids that have been mentioned lately...

A warning in the Words of Isaac Bonewits:
I do not recommend Robert Graves' The White Goddess, nor any of the works of D.J. Conway, Tom Cross aka "Tadhg MacCrossan" (TheSacred Cauldron), Murry Hope (Practical Celtic Magic), Douglas Monroe (21 Lessons of Hogwash -- excuse me, Merlyn), Edward Williams aka "Iolo Morganwg" (Welsh Triads Vol. 3, The Barddas) -- source of much of Monroe's garbage -- nor any works by others based on the writings of any of these mentioned authors, nor those of Merlin Stone, Barbara Walker, or other revisionist ideologues. Over 90% of what is available in print about the ancient Druids is nonsense, so read carefully and look for unverified (and/or unverifiable) assumptions, nationalistic
biases, scientistic dogmas, monotheistic reinterpretations, Victorian whitewashes, references to Atlantis and/or ancient Egypt and/or UFOs, claims of intact underground family traditions of Druidism, "sacred druid trees" that are actually North American vines, racism, anti-semiticism, sexism (patriarchal or matriarchal), hetero- or homophobia, chapters (or entire books) on "Celtic Shamanism" or "Celtic Christianity" or "Culdees," etc.

For accurate history and practices, these two book lists are well-researched:

Issac Bonewit's recommended books:
http://www.neopagan.net/RecDruidBooks.html
(There are also a number of useful articles on his webpage at http://www.neopagan.net/Contents.html )

Drynemetum's Academic Research Center's Celtic list:
http://www.geocities.com/mikerdna/celtic.html
(Their home page also has links to a number of other useful resources.)

[Tranquility]

I have to say i'd disagree with Isaac, because all of D J Conways books are reliable from my experience reading a topic over and over again, i just cannot seem to figure out the calendar, i have not found anyone yet who can explain it either, so i can't jump to the conclusion that the one she said is wrong... no one has yet been able or had to time to explain it yet so..

[Tranquility]

Hmm, well i do read a variety of sources, so i will have to do some more research on the calendar, it seems no one else knows either..

[Tranquility]

O jeeze, im such a moron for confusin all of you, this is what i did by accident. Conway mentions how the calendar was first based on the moon itselfs under various names, later it became connected with their trees and the ogham alphabet, 12 months and the 13th being shorter... i was scannign the web and found like 8 sources and i realized i was looking at the wrong calendar.. then the next page she mentions the moon calendar..

[sanacrow]

Originally posted by Tranquility
I have to say i'd disagree with Isaac, because all of D J Conways books are reliable from my experience ...

I accept and respect your opinion, and it is certainly your right to choose your own references. However, I must say that I will defer to the opinions of Isaac over Conway, since he has spent better than 30 years studying the Celtic histories and religious practices, and is recognized by many historians and academics as an expert in the field - and Conway's books are known to be full of errors, to contradict each other, and her material is not at all respected by the folks who actually study and practice the skills and systems she writes about.

Once again, YMMV.

[Tranquility]

And then again i have very little experience, and have never heard of Isaac, i can't really even choose topics or people to go against, but right now i do read tons of the same subject by diff authors... now i know that D J has had past experiences that are not very supporting to her reputation
What would happen to be some authors you recommend? Im about to finish A book on Celtic Shamanism, so i think i am going to start a book on druids.. what authors or books on any topic do you suggest?
thanks

[Tranquility]

Oye, now i feel like a child again, figures that all the books i bought, that i thought presented the information the best ( Obviously inexperienced ) were by all the authors you said not to get books by.. *sigh*... there goes like 100$ i could have used on "truthful" books... the ones i read so far are by Edain McCoy, And Conway.. 3 by con, 1 by Edain... bleh.. this is what you said sana:
We generally recommend that any serious student avoid books by Raven Grimassi, Gerina Dunwich, Sirona Knight, Kisma Stepanich, Silver Ravenwolf, Edain McCoy, DJ Conway and Patricia Telesco.


BAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sanacrow]

For good - accurate - reading material on the Druids, I would strongly recommend starting with Isaac's reading list. (The link is in my first post above.)

Stuart Piggott's The Druids is a good start. It's just as academic as the rest, but not quite as dry and a bit easier to digest than many of the more specialized academic tomes.