In the publication of English writer Liz Babb's gift book Celtic Treasure, we have been gifted with a literary Easter egg that offers surprise after delightful surprise in its 80 pages.
The presentation of the book is striking. Almost a perfect square, the book measures 6 inches by 6.3 inches. It is easy to carry or to fit into a purse or backpack for easy transportation. As you can see, the cover presents a precursor of the inside with a beautiful photograph of a glowing orange sea, with a slightly tilted Celtic Cross that draws the eye from the setting sun. The subtitle of the book is Unearthing the Riches of Celtic Spirituality. Liz Babbs unearths those riches with the skill of a miner who finds rich veins of ore.
I was first attracted to Celtic Spirituality in the late 1980's, as I became more familiar with the Iona Community and during the time I was in training to be a spiritual director. As I have collected various books on Celtic Spirituality over the years, I have longed for one that explained the tenets of Celtic wisdom in an easy and pleasant production. I have, at last, found that book.
What impresses me the most about Celtic Treasure is Babb's ability to paint spiritual landscapes with words and use of photographs to enhance an easy to understand explanation of Celtic Christianity.
There are eight chapters in her book:
Unearthing Celtic Treasures
Celtic Saints
Prayer and Solitude
God of Creation
Celebrating Creativity
Valuing Community
Generous hospitality
Celebrating Life
To engage with the book - I hesitate to use the word read as that is not comprehensive enough in description - is to take a journey into the depths of the Celtic landscape. With Biblical quotes, biographies of saints, explanations of Celtic spirituality, wisdom, and culture - interwoven with her own very capable poetry - Babbs weaves a tapestry that richly tells the story of Celtic spirituality.
I particularly appreciated her chapter on creativity, as she used photographs of the Lindisfarne Gospels - perhaps the most beautiful of all the illuminated manuscripts - to show the beauty of the creativity of the Celtic mind. She also writes a rich section on Celtic storytelling and it's communal aspects and explains the richness of music in Celtic life.
On page 41 of her book, Babbs explains the Celtic notion of an anam cara - Gaelic words meaning soul friend. An anam cara was someone you could share your deepest thoughts with, your innermost self, and receive guidance and wisdom for the spiritual journey.
With her newest book, Babbs becomes an anam cara for us.
I highly recomment Celtic Treasure as an entry point into the priceless treasure that is Celtic Spirituality.
