Elusive Celtic Otherworld Where Tuatha Dé Danann Reside And Time Passes Slower
Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com - If you look through the Irish mist, you might catch a glimpse of the enigmatic Celtic Otherworld. Some ancient legends tell this beautiful place shrouded in mystery, co-exists next to our own reality, like a parallel invisible world.
Other myths and legends say that the Celtic Otherworld is hidden underground and can be reached by entering ancient burial mounds.
The location of the Celtic Otherworld is unknown. Still, it is home to the Tuatha Dé Danann, the people of the Goddess Danu, a supernatural race of God-like beings who invaded and ruled Ireland thousands of years ago.
The Tuatha Dé Danann ruled Ireland before being driven underground into the sidhe (burial mound) and this could explain why Celtic myths reveal that the entrance to the Otherworld is through a burial mound.
Life In The Celtic Otherworld
The Otherworld has several names in Irish mythology, including Tír na nÓg, Mag Mell, and Emain Ablach. In Irish myth, there is also Tech Duinn, where the souls of the dead gather.
Ancient Celts believed in immortality, and this is reflected in the concept that the Otherworld is a place where death and suffering no longer exist.
It sounds like a paradise, but even though everyone there is always young, beautiful, and happy, there are occasionally troubles, disputes, and even battles.
The Tuatha Dé Danann as depicted in John Duncan's "Riders of the Sidhe" (1911). Credit: Wikipedia
Despite their magical powers, the Otherworld beings still need human assistance to solve their problems. The Celtic Otherworld is not only the dwelling place of the Tuatha Dé Danann, but also mythical heroes such as Cuchulainn, who surprised with the divine, magical weapons he possessed and supernatural powers he could use as he wanted.
Knowledge has always been sacred to the Celts, and like ancient Egyptians, they restricted who was allowed to obtain the wisdom of the gods. In the Otherworld one could drink from a well or eat the salmon in it, to become wiser, but some knowledge was forbidden even to some members of the divine land. Legends tell that the four magical treasures of Tuatha Dé Danann may have been brought from the Otherworld.
How To Reach The Celtic Otherworld
Since many believe the Otherworld is so near our world, they hope to contact this supernatural place during festivals such as Samhain and Beltane.
It is possible to visit the Otherworld after being invited by one of its residents. Still, there are also myths and legends about people who stumbled upon this supernatural realm by chance.
For example, in the story of Pwll and Arawn, Cornac went looking for his family after exchanging them for a branch of magical golden apples. He went through a mist and found himself in an incredible land where there was no age, nor decay, nor gloom, nor sadness, nor envy, nor jealousy, and nor weeping. Cornac had entered the Celtic Otherworld.
Some myths tell the Otherworld is located beneath or beyond a lake. This is based on the belief that water symbolizes the unconscious and the spirit.
Time Passes Differently In The Celtic Otherworld
It’s very interesting to note that time passes much slower in the Otherworld. Ancient Pages wrote earlier that the Celtic Tree of Life served as a portal to invisible worlds and a source of sacred knowledge, guarded by the most enlightened ones.
Could the same be said about the Celtic Otherworld? Those familiar with a phenomenon known as time dilation are aware that as an object moves through space, time itself is measured differently for the moving object than the unmoving object.
Image: Credit: Adobe stock - jozefklopacka - The Celts' spiritual beliefs are reflected in their views of the Tree of Life. Read more
Basically, this means that time slows down as one nears the speed of light. It’s a concept in modern physics, but it’s also curious that ancient Celts who emphasized the nature of reality also described a place where time moves slower.
This can, of course, be just a coincidence, but it’s intriguing nevertheless. We should also not forget that ancient Celts believed gateways led from the material into the spiritual world. To understand how to enter these gateways, one had to have knowledge of the meaning of symbolism. According to the Celts, there was a very close connection between a symbol and its meaning. This means that all things are interconnected, and this concept applies to our reality and other invisible worlds.
If you are interested in exploring this subject further, you can read our article: 10 Ancient Celtic Symbols Explained
Updated on November 05, 2023
Written by Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com
Copyright © AncientPages.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or part without the express written permission of AncientPages.com
More From Ancient Pages
-
Rare 1,850-Year-Old Bronze Zodiac Coin Discovered During Underwater Survey Off Israel’s Coast
Archaeology | Jul 27, 2022
-
Ara Pacis: Altar In Rome Dedicated To Pax, The Roman Goddess Of Peace
Ancient History Facts | Apr 4, 2016
-
Yokai Kitsune: Charming And Cunning Liar With Double Nature In Japanese Folklore
Featured Stories | May 22, 2020
-
Evidence Of Stone Age Ear and Lip Piercing Found At Boncuklu Tarla Neolithic Site In Türkiye
Archaeology | Mar 14, 2024
-
Something Surprising Happened With Temperature Since The Start Of The Holocene – New Study
Archaeology | Oct 10, 2022
-
‘Altar Of Twelve Gods’ At Gabii, Italy Was Once An Important Ancient Place
Civilizations | Apr 1, 2023
-
Archaeological Discovery Of “Once-In-A-Lifetime” Medieval Gold Necklace In Britain
Archaeology | Dec 6, 2022
-
Benin Bronze Sculpture Looted By British Soldiers In Nigeria – Returns Home
Archaeology | Apr 2, 2021
-
Very Rare Ancient Roman Horse Brooch Discovered In UK
Archaeology | Mar 7, 2020
-
Incredible 500,000-Year-Old ‘Paradise’ With Thousands of Artifacts Discovered In Israel
Archaeology | Jan 24, 2018
-
Biblical City Of Tarsus: Excavations Reveal Its Secrets From Paul the Apostle’s Times
Archaeology | Jan 4, 2016
-
Medieval Celtic Mystery Written In Konungs Skuggsja – The King’s Mirror
Featured Stories | Sep 13, 2018
-
Legend Of Evil Spearfinger And The Cherokee Who Were Guided By Celestial Beings
Featured Stories | Feb 17, 2020
-
Mysterious Bronze Age ‘Golden Tomb’ Unearthed In Armenia
Archaeology | Mar 3, 2023
-
Gold Treasures From The Land Of Ancient Colchian Culture In Georgia
Featured Stories | Dec 19, 2023
-
European Neolithic Family Trees Shed Light On Social Organization
Archaeology | Jul 27, 2023
-
Sophisticated Masonry In Anasazi Dwelling Ruins At Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado, USA
Civilizations | Aug 11, 2015
-
Ancient Romans Used The Poisonous Black Henbane Plant As Hallucinogenic Medicine
Archaeology | Feb 9, 2024
-
Tomb Of Nicolaus Copernicus: Is The Mystery Surrounding Astronomer’s Burial Place Really Solved?
Featured Stories | Apr 13, 2018
-
Norse Goddess Sif Who Lost Her Golden Hair Due To Loki’s Evil Deed
Featured Stories | Jun 30, 2018