Something I didn't notice until I was editing this video: The word "Ynni" that I mention near the end of this video could be split into two Welsh words..."Yn" and "Ni" which are "In" and "Us". Literally "In us", "within us". Which adds to the fact that it describes a vitality or a pulsing energy within us. Just thought I'd mention that here!

I find you breath of fresh air and love all of your talks and watch you on utube and thank you , Olwyn

This video has been a really interesting investigation into Welsh language etymologies, albeit perhaps inadvertently. The word under scrutiny; Nwyfre, has two elements and is easy enough to decode: ‘nwy’ in our modern understanding of the word means ‘gas’ and the second element ‘bre’ (‘fre’ as it appears in the word Nwyfre is its mutated form) has the meaning of being elevated or hilly etc. We often see ‘bre’ inserted into words or place names in this way, such as Moelfre in Ynys Môn/Anglesey, which we might translate directly as high hill, perhaps. To the ancients the word ‘nwy’ would most likely have meant ‘ethereal’, or the very air around us etc. You might directly translate it to mean ‘gaseous upland’ as per the dictionary, but this would hardly be doing the word much justice. As with many of these words it might be more fitting to paraphrase than to directly translate linguistic elements. As such, ‘Nwyfre’ means the realm of air around us: that which is perceived but cannot be touched etc. The upper limit of Nwyfre we call Yr Wybren. It would certainly correspond to ‘ether’ in most ways. We have many words like this in Welsh: nouns that are linguistic couplets in their forms, but aren’t considered or reflected upon any longer. For example, if we take the word ‘Gwydyr’, meaning ‘glass’ we’re actually seeing two one-syllable words; ‘gwy’ an older Welsh world for ‘water’ and ‘dyr’ meaning hard, or later on, steel. So depending on how we want to translate it the Welsh word for ‘glass’ means ‘hard water’. So yeah.

The Chinese dictionary definition of Qi or Chi (chee) means very simply "AIR."...!!! but over time it began to mean the energy we tap into with acupuncture, herbs and Qi gong exercises. One gets a tingly sort of feeling when doing Qi Gong exercises. There are places in the Mabinogion where I sense that the energy becomes heightened when the worlds are connected, like when Powyll suddenly finds himself in Annwyn. I have noticed that different cultures often have similar concepts for these spiritual feelings we share.

I am studying Druidry and Welsh, and I appreciate hearing all these words correctly spoken. This explanation of nwyfre has been helpful. Google translates nwyfre as godly and firmament. I read a review of your book by Kris Hughes! It's on my list of books to purchase!

Thank you so much for this teaching! One of the things I find confusing is when folks try to make these kinds of odd comparisons (Qi as Nwyfre) when perfectly good words & concepts already exist in the language & culture. Reminds me of the imperial desire to categorize all the indigenous knowledges they rolled over. I love what you've said here - extremely helpful and generous.

Thank you for this video, very much needed from a native voice! I loved the way you explained every single passage and I totally agree with your thought about the need to KNOW where things come from, even if we use them with new meanings (that's something I always teach to my students for practicing shamanism). Well, LOVED it, that's it!! :D

I really like Ynni now. It is more in line with how I thought of nwyfre

I cannot thank you enough for this video! I'm a Reiki Master and have studied Ki in depth. But I have never ever heard of Nwyfre and I'm Welsh! Now I have to do a deep dive on this. You are amazing Mhara! Xxxxxx

Deep grace & gratitude 🌻💛💫

Mhara your so amazing 💛💛💛 We love u!

Love this video, I’ve long been confused of the distinction between Awen and Nwyfre, and your video was a tremendous help!

Love you and loved this video. Thank you Mhara i appreciate your ynni! xx

This video was super enjoyable! Same as your book. I'm into chapter 3 and the way you love Wales is the way I felt when I lived in Scotland for a couple of years. I love how I can hear you from within the book, your voice/tone is conveyed wonderfully.

LOVE your videos and love you! ^_^

For Aristotle everything in this world is made of earth, water, air and fire but the stars and planets are made if a fifth element called eather. The word eather apparently means 'the the ancient Greek personification of the clear upper air of the sky. But the word eather in modern occultism has come to be used interchangeably with the idea of the fifth element as spirit. It may be that Iolo was using Nwyfre as the equivalent Welsh word to eather rather than as the Welsh equivalent of Qi or Prana.

This was so helpful! Thank you. I will definitely get a copy of your book.

Thank you for your research and sharing of information. It is so refreshing to pose the challenge of asking more questions about beliefs and practices. I have that little book of Phillips, as well as The Druid Craft Tarot. The Tower card meaning used the word Nwyfre, which led me once again to you🎉. Your hair, scarf and fire cloak are so flattering on you. 🔥

Thank you. As always, you offer a very thorough presentation, and cite your sources.

I was going to comment about Nerthus. You beat me to the punch, there! I am a Welsh learner and really appreciate your insights and pronunciation help. I'm going to look into your book.

Only watching this for the first time. This is an excellent (and kind) look at the jargonisation (new word?) of Celtic languages by neoPaganism.

Thank you so much Mhara for this lovely video. I think it's very necessary. And you were so diplomatic about it. I tend toward the "eww they're making it up" end of the spectrum, but also know that sort of thing is going to happen...So thank you for saying that the best thing we can do is educate ourselves on what's true. I'm sure we'll still have people argue with us, but... And yes there are much better words. This sort of thing is why I ultimately left OBOD. Too much pulling from other places. Iolo's work which is heavy on fallacy, Nuinn's work (with it's heavy Wicca influence) and PCG's Buddhist/Psychology influence all seemed not authentic to me... I so greatly appreciate a Welsh person sharing the culture with us and teaching us pronunciation, sharing stories, clearing up misconceptions...I can't wait to read your book!!

Wondrous Mhara. ✨🌟✨

This was excellently thought out and articulated. TBF, people holding up two or three polysemous words as synonyms is never going to be a clean process- it's basically a messy Venn diagram.

Nwyfre is the power of the ether, connecting us to the sky and forces of wind (heat vs cold). I believe it’s elemental power we can tap into.

I always adore your thumbnails! You're so expressive! Like your most recent tiki-tok haha

The reconstructionist path is one of ongoing frustration. Personally I would gravitate toward any existing Welsh vocabulary where the appropriate words already exist. Evidently Welsh has words which are doing the job just fine. On the other hand, one cannot have a vital, ongoing tradition and keep it as a static museum piece at the same time. It must necessarily entertain new definitions and new ideas (not accept them at face value, just give room to entertain/discuss them). As I'm not an indigenous Welsh speaker, I have no right to decide any definition or how any discussion plays out. I do appreciate the very diplomatic approach. As one who left the reconstructionist project decades ago, I feel collegiality and solidarity are critically important.

👌👏👏👏 I personally don't use it, nor karma, chi, qi, prana but I really appreciate the video and information ❤ Awen is my chosen energy to work with 🖤 diolch yn fawr iawn mhara.. (swynydd - not updated my Google account to my g.n name yet).

I saw the name on the thumbnail and since I have seen the name Nwyfre before I had to watch so that I could hear you pronounce and define it a bit. Fascinating video and I enjoyed it. Thanks.

excellent explanation

How wonderful to 'meet' you, Mhara. Oh, I'm so grateful when Life ushers me somewhere that I am so happy to find.. I subscribed to you at about one minute into this video and thank you: I'm almost 'new' to druidry, although it seems I've wandered this path, unknowingly, across the planet in Australia, since my first memories, at least :) I only felt any sort of connection to my ancestors after visiting many parts of Ireland and the UK in 2018, when my soul rejoiced at finding my body firmly bunkered down in longbarrows, amongst standing stones and in beehive oratories.. There I played my flute, almost as my personal keening to the ancestors I've known nought about. I didn't make it to Wales.. absolute madness, since Wales was a place that, even in childhood travel games, beckoned me more than any other.. I guess the ommission was because I knew I had to go slow there, miss nothing, soaking it all in.. Since that trip I've had my ancestry NDA done, and whilst I'm mostly Scottish, then English, with Irish and Welsh trumping only a teenie trace of Norwegian. The %s don't dishearten me.. before the test, I had NO idea what backgrpund I had, and the % shifts and sways as more people related to my DNA are tested.. Maybe one day I'll be seriously Welsh, in blood at least :) Sorry, I've done what I do when I'm excited, which is let loose :D What I meant to share was that I have also been confused about the use of Nwyfre because I have had experiences of losing myself quite powerfully into the Awen stream when poetry first exploded out of me like a cork from a shaken champagne bottle, and again, once the poetry had dried up, when my artworks (some destined to become an oracle deck and others, healing mandalas) also poured out of me in a torrential flow, unceasing for 5 months and then slowing down to an occasional splutter. In neither instance was I completely in control.. Whilst sitting in meditation I'd ask for symbols and they'd arise 'out of the blue' (perhaps that's where the use of Nwyfre came from🧐?), and startling phrases would wake me, jolt me upright, at 4 in the morning and the next day an entire poem would 'write itself' (honestly, that's how it felt even though I was holding the pen.. it wasn't automatic writing but it literally flowed from I don't know where..).. That was over 20 years ago, and long before I'd heard of Awen I wrote a poem titled "the Universal Wisdom Well".. That inexplicably wonderful place is my connecting place where Awen and I meet.. and finally, with my interest in druidry, and I've discovered that there is actually a word for it.. Awen... Hence my confusion with the use of Nwyfre for what seems to be Awen being spoken of. 🙏

I am so glad to have found your channel & podcast, and also that you recommended The Celtic Source as well. I’ve been interested for many years in learning about Welsh myth and history, especially in a spiritual context, but have been very frustrated with what books and info I could find. Especially when it comes to the pagan side of things, people just literally seemed to make things up, and then other people would reference them. And when I’ve read through the Mabinogi and other such things.. well without context, there’s a lot that didn’t make sense. So I am very glad to finally get more accurate info, and to be able to see the whole picture!

I neglected to include my most important thoughts on your video: excellent, excellent, excellent! I learned so much. A sincere thank you Mhara.

Love your videos Mhara, could listen to you all day. I felt really pleased with myself because i actually pronounced ' NWYFRA ' correctly. My partner is Welsh, her name is LYNFA pronounced LYN VA, as F is pronounced as V in the Welsh language. ( as if you didn't know hahahaha ) I'm Scottish by the way.

Thank you for the video. I hadn't come across the idea before. As a related note the idea of Karma is often vastly different even between the cultures we traditionally think of it being used in and in almost all cases it's not the modern interpretation where something you do in this life will cause something bad or good to happen later in this life.

So very interesting! Life has been drudgery for the past year, and I've been almost desperate for something to fascinate me and be really excited about. Then I found your amazing content on TikTok and ordered your book. So thank you for the much needed...Awen? 😉😗💋

Thank you for this interesting video! I am in the OBOD, but since I am researching more intensively about the historical "Celts", Welsh mythology and Druids alongside the revivalstuff, I notice more and more inconsistencies, which mostly go back to Iolo Morganwg and Wicca. Don't misunderstand, in the Gwersi of the OBOD is also mostly in it, where the information comes from, just often from Iolo Morganwg or regional peculiarities. But since there would be, as in this case, quite more appropriate words, or practices, as some of them show clear wiccan influences, I take for some time again more distance from my OBOD practices. I guess I'm just too much of a reconstructionist for that then, I'm a history nerd so things like that really bother me. Maybe I'm weird that way. Actually, I am somehow eclectic. For example, I work with gods from different pantheons, but never together, always separately and according to historical model as far as it can be reconstructed. Is there a term for this?^^ I don't like to mix things for my own practice. Nothing against OBOD, Wicca and revivalists, but for my personal practice it just doesn't seem right.

Dear Mhara, diolch yn fawr for your incredible book and your fabulous videos, they are - and you are - real unique gems indeed! I have a brief question re. The Welsh word “egni” - what about it? Can it be used in the same context as “ynni” or, perhaps, “nerth”? The reason I am asking is that I can recall it from a book on Celtic spirituality, and the author of that book mentioned something like “some pagans who follow Celtic (or Welsh in particular) paths of witchcraft may call the magic energy we tap into while doing our magic - “egni” which means “energy”… I thought it would be a great idea to check with a native Welsh speaker or with a Welsh pagan, and you are both, so here I am, asking )))

A brilliantly thorough and sensitive examination, and I completely agree about the C20 fad for British versions of certain spiritual practices. I wish such falsities and appropriation weren't still being perpetuated. It's great to have some alternatives too. Thank you Mhara

Just purchased your book - looking quite forward to reading it. :-)

tbh, if i had a time machine, i'd go back and smack Iolo. for general purposes (gp, as we say). otherwise, i agree. LOL

Thank you so much for this video! I was looking for a Welsh word equivalent to Prana & your video came up so I knew it would be super informative & reliable. The more you were describing it's original meaning I began questioning myself as to why I felt the need to look or such a word in my home language (I'm a Yoga teacher doing research for an upcoming programme into a particular line of philosophy). So I really appreciated your commentary on this & weirdly I'm finding the more I'm learning about the philosophies of Yoga, I'm drawn to learn about the history & philosophies of home, which then leads me to question why I'm looking for parallels, but I guess we all have to start somewhere. I agree that Awen, Ynni & Nerth feel much more fitting but could it simply be that Nwyfre "sounds" more mystical & magical to some? Also, I have your book & I love it! Thank you for sharing your knowledge & wisdom Mhara, you're an inspiration! xoxo

Love this information, thank you

I thought qi was translated to “winds” same with prana and relates to the element specifically That we have Channels in the body that “wind” moves through and can be utilized using breath and movement-to release stagnation in the physical body therefor relaxing the mind(among many other things)All this is really helpful, and I don’t see why one would need a welsh version so much, if tcm doctors are everywhere and yoga instructors are everywhere. Like if you want to practice something, why not learn about it specifically there’s plenty of elders willing to teach, and not copy/paste it into another culture.

Love this! I completely agree with what you're perspective here regarding karma as someone who grew up with Theravada Buddhism where karma is an important concept. The Western and New Age definition of it is very simplistic and no completely accurate.

I feel like I have a pretty good connection to my spiritual and artistic inspiration and I thought the concept of Awen was really interesting. All three, actually. Cool stuff.

I nearly choked on my drink when you said “I’m not very scholarly” (with respect, I disagree 😉☺️). I enjoyed the flow of this video and the information regarding your personal connection to, and the etymology of various words. Personally I like Ynni and Awen…more to delve into here. Much love to you Mhara ❤️

Excellent video, thank you! I'd just add that, if the only magical or spiritual use of 'nywfre' by Iolo Morganwg is the mention in Barddas (where he writes of “nwyvre, which is God, from Whom proceeds every life, strength, and intellect, and every perception and sense”) then there's no reason to think he ever used 'nwyfre' to mean anything like the meaning it has been given by modern neo-druidic practitioners. Iolo was nothing if not familiar with Middle Welsh, so he knew very well what the word really meant. What he seems to be saying is that God is identical with Heaven, and that life, strength, intellect, sense and perception all flow from Heaven or from God. That's an entirely different conception to the OBOD interpretation of the word.

YEEEEES! THANK YOU FOR BRINING UP KARMA!

Sorry if this is a boring question, but what is the origin of your name; what Mhara means etc?

Hey! Thanks for this! How much do you think it's influenced by "nwyf", which does mean things like energy or vigor, zest? Perhaps a misunderstanding, as if Iolo was looking for an energy (nwyf) from above (nwyfre). I dunno. Personally I've kinda considered hwyl, or nerth to be better words instead of nwyfre.

❤❤❤❤❤

It is exasperating that people think of karma as some hooded avenger come down from on high to right wrongs, slights and assumptions (real or ,more usually, imagined. ).

Linguistically maybe similar to Kundalini and the concept of Kundalini? Also not a scholar.

I mean no offence to anyone, but I do sometimes struggle with what I feel can be “made up” aspects of Druidic revivalism. Wouldn’t it be better to use actual words that existed with this meaning (eg eneit- Middle Welsh for “spirit/life force” and from the proto-Celtic for “breath”- which is EXACTLY the etymology of Qi, and indeed the English word spirit). It just feels too “let’s play make believe” rather than working truly hard to find actual ancient concepts (as admittedly sparse as those are for Druidry). I’m very drawn to Druidic concepts, but I just struggle with “buying in” to some of the more obvious anachronistisms, and especially when we realise that the druids were the keepers of history, law and other aspects of what we would tie to academia today, I would hope for a more rigorous keeping of true history (where it can be known). Forgive my rant!

Ia, yn union, e.e. Prydydd y Moch yn disgrifio awen fel 'ynni amgen'.

diolch yn fawr

I had to laugh when you were looking up how to pronounce Qi because I came here to learn how to pronounce Nwyfre 😂

Diolch yn fawr iawn Mhara. Rwyf wrth fy modd â'ch fideos ac rwyf bob amser yn eu cael yn hynod ddiddorol ac ysbrydoledig, Mhara.

It said a Welsh Woman, Not Person. That sounded very Woke. Natura Naturans doesn't make mistakes. Blessings ❤