Dying is the Easy Part… Life, Death, and the Role of the Three-Fold Rebirth in Celtic Philosophy
Death is not seen as a final judgment or a fixed destination, but rather as a natural transition, a continuation of our journey.
Last month, I buried a dear friend. In his final hours (which I’m glad to say were peaceful), he requested that I be the one to lead the eulogy and incorporate my Druidic celebrant scripts at the funeral. I was extremely surprised about this as, through our many years of friendship, I had no idea that he was interested in what I practice. He explained that while it didn’t make much sense to him, he found a certain warmth in Druidry’s philosophy on life after death and felt that his friends and family deserved to feel that same comfort when he passes from the world.
But before we can get into life and death, you first need to understand something about harmonious cooperation. In my Druidic teachings, the concept of Comhoibriú (pronounced “Kuh-vree-oo”) represents a quest for alignment with the universal harmony that binds all existence. This principle proposes that everything, from the smallest ant to the grandest oak, emanates from the same cosmic energy and hence, is intimately interconnected. Achieving Comhoibriú is a spiritual endeavor of attuning oneself to this interconnected frequency of existence.
This pursuit shapes the Druidic understanding of reincarnation. Death, to the Celts, is not an absolute end but a transition point in an individual’s quest to attune to universal harmony — a transition that involves a three-fold process of rebirth. For Druids, both ancient and modern, death is not a bad thing, and certainly shouldn’t be feared.
The Roman historian, Tacitus, wrote in his “Annals” about the fearlessness of the Celtic people and Druids who stood opposite a large and overpowering Roman force, at the Battle of Mona (Anglesey). Despite being ready to face off against an impressive host of armored, and well-trained Roman legionnaires, the Celts did not fear death:
On the shore stood the opposing army with its dense array of armed warriors, while between the ranks dashed women, in black attire like the Furies, with hair disheveled, waving brands. All around, the Druids, lifting up their hands to heaven, and pouring forth dreadful imprecations, scared our soldiers by the unfamiliar sight, so that, as if their limbs were paralysed, they stood motionless, and exposed to wounds.
Celtic philosophy perceives death as a point of cyclical renewal, involving three stages of reincarnation:
- First, the mind and legacy of the deceased are first absorbed by the living, influencing new perspectives, truths, and discoveries.
- Secondly, the body decomposes and merges with the natural world, contributing to the cycle of life.
- Finally, the soul finds solace in the Summerlands (also known as The Otherworld, Tir Na Nog, or The House of Donn — these are all references to the spiritual realm in different Celtic traditions), a spiritual realm for rest and reflection on the past life’s actions before it returns to the physical world to continue its quest for harmonious cooperation.
The Summerlands is not a place of eternal reward or punishment, but rather another stage of existence, a realm of the ancestors and the divine. Here, the soul rests, reflects, learns from the experiences of its past life, and prepares for its eventual rebirth.
The purpose of living, then, is to learn, grow, and contribute to the harmony and balance of the world. We are here to experience the joys and challenges of life, to learn from them, to build relationships with others, and to develop virtues such as courage, wisdom, honor, and generosity. Our actions in this life ripple out through the web of existence, influencing others and the world around us, shaping the course of our souls and the world in ways seen and unseen.
As for the outcome of death, it is not seen as a final judgment or a fixed destination, but rather as a natural transition, a continuation of our journey. Living a virtuous life, honoring the gods and the ancestors, and respecting the land and all beings in it enriches our souls and enhances the harmony of the cosmos. They prepare us for our journey into the Summerland and our eventual return to the mortal realm. In this sense, a “positive outcome” in death is not an end goal, but an ongoing process of growth and evolution, part of the endless dance of existence.
Each life is a fresh canvas, a new landscape of potential experiences and lessons. By starting anew without conscious memories of past lives, we have the opportunity to approach the world and its challenges without preconceptions or past biases, allowing for genuine growth and learning. This forgetting isn’t a loss. It’s a gift, enabling us to experience the world anew, learn and grow without the burden of countless lifetimes’ memories.
Moreover, while we may not consciously remember our past lives, the essence of those experiences remains within us. This can manifest as a deep, intuitive wisdom, or a sense of knowing that goes beyond our individual life experiences. It may shape our inclinations, our strengths, our fears, and our dreams in ways that we may not fully understand but that guide us along our life’s path.
In terms of enduring similar challenges, consider how even the same lesson can take on new depths of meaning in different contexts. For example, the lesson of compassion might be learned in one life through the loss of a loved one, in another life through caring for a sick friend, and in another through experiencing hardship oneself. Each iteration provides a new perspective and a new depth of understanding.
The world is ever-changing, and new challenges arise with every cycle. As we adapt and evolve, we play our part in the broader evolution of the cosmos, contributing to its intricate tapestry with each thread of our experiences, insights, and actions.
Remember, from the Druidic perspective, existence is not a linear journey with a set beginning and end, but rather a continuous spiral dance, ever-evolving. Each life, each turn of the spiral, offers its own unique opportunities for growth, discovery, and contribution to the harmony of all existence.
Written in loving memory of John Rankin. May we meet again in our next lives.
In death’s soft whisper, life’s echo springs,
Through the cosmic dance, the soul takes wings,
From earthly realm to Summerland’s embrace,
In nature’s cycle, rebirth takes place. In every ending, a beginning sings.
