Calendrical Beliefs - These beliefs are probably the best documented of all the Celtic beliefs, for archaeologists have uncovered and studied the calendar of Coligny. In the Celtic Religion, the year was split in two main parts, the Winter half that began with Samhain, and the Summer half that began with Beltane. Imbolc and Lughnasadh marked the middles of each of the halves. The Celts seemingly believed that the summer and winter halves fought each other in the form of a white bull and a black bull, and also in the form of some of the gods. We also know that months and days had lucky and unlucky qualities. In the Gaulish language, "matos" means good, while "animatos" means bad. The Gaulish calendar was divided into 12 months, alternating between 29 and 30 days each month. Months with 29 days were considered "animatos" but months with 30 days were "matos". Some days in "matos" months were "animatos" and some days in "animatos" months were "matos". We don't know what result this had on the actions of the Celts on specific days.

Children - Children were not considered to be real human beings until the age of around 2 or 3, when they began to speak in consistent sentences. No corpses of children below this age have been found in Celtic cemeteries, though they were often found in villages. Only at two or three, when they underwent the ritual of Namegiving. After this age, many children appear in graveyards, frequently sporting much jewelry. This jewelry is said to be apotropaic, or protective, to ward off evil spirits, since the children were probably thought of as more likely to succumb to them. Though we know that the passage from childhood to adulthood involved some sort of initiation ritual, we do not know any details of it. Caesar claimed that in Celtic society, it was thought a bad omen if a father was seen with his son who was not yet old enough to carry weapons.

Creation & Apocalypse - Historians do not know for sure, but they speculate that the Celts' beliefs on the Creation of the world were much like those of the Indo-European neighbours. This would mean that they thought the Earth Mother gave birth to the world. The only sources we have on their thoughts on the end of the world are the following. Some Celts said to Alexander the Great on the Danube River, "We fear nothing but that the heavens may fall down on our heads." Cu Chulainn's father's last words dealt with something similar. The only assumption we can make is that they Celts believed the sky would crash down on Earth at the end of the world.

Druidic Magic - Magic was said to be performed by druids by making an offering to the gods in exchange for a special service. The druid requires a healthy awareness of the surrounding nature and spirits and an understanding of their language. They do not use magic to summon spirits, but mainly for communication. Here are the different types of magic. Aisling is a dream or a vision, usually when the druid is in a different state of consciousness. Immram means "sea journey" and is a trip to the realms of the gods. Imbas means "fire in the head" and is some type of inspiration. Echtra sometimes happens accidentally to heroes, transporting them to another realm. Draiocht is the actual word for magic. When translated, it means "what druids do." Firinne is the force of nature.

Faerie Faith - When Chrisitanity became the official religion, the old Celtic religion became the Faerie Faith. There are no druids, priests, or churches in the Faerie Faith. Wise women and faerie doctors are skilled and knowledgeable in the ways of the faeries, which is what gods are called. The Faerie Faith is very superstitious and filled with taboos. These are in place to prevent people from angering the faeries. Wise women and faerie doctors were sometimes sought to cure cattle or humans.

Geas - (pronounced "gesh", plural "geasa") This is a restriction or obligation that a person may possess. Those who posses these are usually either kings, heroes, or druids. For the king, being married to the land goddess and in charge of his tribe, a geas is necessary to aid him in preserving the balance. As long as heroes respect their geas or geasa, they will be immensely successful and victorious. There are many ways for a person to receive a geas. A parent can give it to a child at birth. The story of Llew is a good example of this. A criminal can be given a geas by either a druid or a king as a form of punishment. A person might have a natural geas, which a druid may find through oracular rituals. After beating a hero at cards or chess, a hag may impose a geas on him. This is part of her right as the winner. When this type of geas is given, it is usually some type of impossible feat which must be fulfilled. Breaking a geas is acting against the forces of nature. This is why it usually results in death. Some warriors were defeated when their enemies used their geas against them to force them into impossible situations. For a good example of this, see the story of Cu Chulainn. This is the reason that geas are usually kept as secrets.

Head-Related Beliefs - Some Celts were headhunters, who kept the heads of fallen enemies as treasures. Not even the weight of the head in gold would suffice to take it from the family. The monument in Roquepertuse had doorways of stone, adorned with the skulls of humans. Skullbones were used to make amulets, many of which have been found on Ancient Celtic sites. The Celts thought that a person's soul was contained in their head. Therefore, to possess someone's head was to possess that person's soul.

Healing Beliefs - Many different ways were used by the Celts to cure illness. Offerings were sometimes made to the goddesses of springs in order for the deity to cure a sick person. Nodens, a British god, had a connection to a pack of dogs who licked wounds. The Celts believed that having a wound licked by a dog cured it. Some herbs and plants were said to have curative properties. Some Celts performed trepidation surgery, which is the opening of the skull. The head held a special place in Celtic belief.

Sacred Animals - Horses are an earth animal and symbol of sovereignty. Some horses were married to kings, which relates to the idea of the sacred king. Salmon often appear in legends about Fianna where they represent wisdom. Crows and ravens are symbols of impending battle or death. They are related to the goddess Morrigan. Deer are hunting animals that represent the honour of hunters and warriors. Boars stand for war and death, and for the heroic skill required to kill one. They are hunting animals. The spittle of serpents was used to make druid eggs. Serpents represent earth powers. Cattle were sometimes used as money by the Celts. The size of one's herd reflected his political power. Cattle represent fertility.

Spirits of Nature - It is safe to assume that the Celts believed in spirits of nature. In the ritual of the curved blade, druids used techniques to attempt to cheat nature. These spirits of nature are probably the predecessors of the Small Folk, popular in Irish folklore.

Triads - The Irish druids lived by the motto "Knowledge, Nature, Truth," which is just one example of a Celtic Triad. Hundreds of these have been invented to impart wisdom. The triskele, a Celtic symbol, consists of a spiral with three arms turning counter-clockwise from the center. It is often used to represent triads, the most common of which being "Water, Land, Air." Goddesses like Morrigan and Eriu are parts of groups of three, or Triads. Celtic poetry is also arranged in Triads.