Conclusion: The Lessons of Celtic Monasticism

At Glendalough, place is very much a symbol and an agent of the inner journey. Place here represents a journey, just as the outward peregrinations of the Celtic saints were a symbol of place, the stability of the soul which, having found itself, is in harmony with God.

Perhaps our Celtic journey today is best summed up by a prayer attributed to St. Aidan:

The hermitage of Sts. Aidan and Cuthbert off the Holy Island of Lindisfarne

Leave me alone with God as much as may be.
As the tide draws the waters close in upon the shore,
Make me an island, set apart,
alone with you, God, holy to you.

Then with the turning of the tide
prepare me to carry your presence to the busy world beyond,
the world that rushes in on me
till the waters come again and fold me back to you.
Prayer attributed to St. Aidan

Celtic monasticism offers many lessons to the modern world. It teaches us that we all need a Holy Island, a Lindisfarne or Iona, and that we all have one within us now. While many us make many journeys looking for that special place where everything is right, we already have within us that special place, that Holy Island that is our truest home. It is a place we are often not comfortable with and often don't want to face, but within that desert we will encounter not only our truest self, but the God who made us. It is a place that needs to be remote, like Lindisfarne when engulfed by tides, a place so remote that only we and God are there; it is a place that needs to be connected to others, like Lindisfarne to the mainland when the tides are out, a place where solitude and communal life compliment one another. That home within all of us is a thin place, a place of resurrection we need not wait for the end time to experience.

Celtic monasticism reminds us that sometimes we, like Columba, can soar with the angels, but it is it is so that we can, like Aidan, keep our feet firmly on the ground. If we go to the mountaintop, it is so that we can see into the valleys. Wherever we are, no matter how hard life is or however long or short a time we might be there, Celtic monasticism reminds us to remember we are never alone. Columba once said that, "The Path I walk, Christ walks it." Celtic monasticism reminds us that just when we think that the obstacles are insurmountable, the pain is unbearable, the end has been reached, and we just can't go on, we may be surprised to find that our journey has not ended at all, but that it is only the beginning of something new and wonderful.

In the modern world which is so beset by constant movement, change, and tumultuous events, Celtic monasticism reminds us that there is always a place for us, a place where we are most truly at home, a place deep within where we are one with God and with all creation.

I hope you enjoyed our journey through Celtic spirituality, and may your travels be just beginning. My wish for you, in the words of Columba, is "may you arrive in every place, may you return home, may the way you spend be a way without loss, may every path before you be smooth, and may man, woman, and child welcome you."

Return to the Index of Celtic Monasticism

For further exploration, consult the following links:

The Rule of the Céili Déi as given by Saint Maelrúain of Tallaght; Celticchrisitianity.org also has more general information on the modern Céili Déi.

Reform movement in eighth-century Ireland; very ascetic group which reflects the love of the eremitical tradition in Irish monasticism.

Carmina Gadelica classic Celtic prayers compiled from oral tradition in the 19th century.

Celtic Orthodox Christianity

Holy Celtic Church

Celtic Druid Order The Druids were a pre-Christian order of priests in Ireland.

Anamchara Celtic Church

Encyclopedia of the Celts

copyright © Dr. Deborah Vess 1999. All rights reserved. Photographs by Dr. Deborah Vess. Visitors to this site are welcome to use the photos and other information for educational purposes provided that user acknowledges the source.