At the end, when you considered the possibility of an earlier form of the otherworld not yet associated with the aristocracy, it made me think of the various 'lands of plenty' that crop up in folklore and media, where food and drink is plentiful without work and the usual social order is upended eg: Cockaigne, Lubberland, and 'big rock candy mountain'.

Oddly enough I was directed to this video while researching the lore of Elden Ring. But after listening to your soothing asmr tone i am hooked. Outstanding work.

You never mentioned Tír Tairngire / Tír na nÓg as the Irish Otherworld, and which is quite analogical to the Welsh Annwfn - a single kingdom where immortal beings dwell, the kingdom accessed through water, mists and through the síd. What about it and how does it fit (or not) into the picture you described? Can it be that the “many isolated pocket worlds” concept of the síd was a later misconception / misunderstanding by the Christian scribes of the ancient lore?

Came here from Lora Obriens blogs and stuff. Excited to learn. Thank you for posting up such a great video.

Very well explained. Thank you!

Great video. Would love to hear your thoughts on the 3 Ysbrydnos. Your commentary about the possible belief of having access to Annwfn at particular times of year made me think of the Ysbrydnos.

This is a superb video which laymanizes typically inaccessible descriptions perfectly! Really supported my essay (don't worry, it was referenced accordingly) Thank you!

This is really insightful. For almost two years I’ve been working on a novel baised off of Irish, Scottish, welsh, and Manx mythology and I’m having it take place in what I’m naming the “Otherealm” before the Tuatha de danan (sorry if spelling is wrong) Settled Ireland. My motto is only throw away accuracy for coolness. But it would be nice to hear what you assume the otherworld could look like. This novel has been a passion project I’ve been carefully handcrafting. When I’m finished with the first draft I’d love to get some suggestions to make it more accurate where possible

Ha! Another one I missed when you released it. I love how detailed this is. thank you!

Bro I just came from watching your mari lwyd video. I love these man, Thanks for putting these out.

Interesting. as I am Welsh and Irish.

Excellent thought provoking topic and contents; especially for me as a Yoga and Meditation teacher based in Gaeltacht centred on Ballinskelligs, County Kerry. In the early Sanskrit texts (300BCE and dating maybe a millennium before that) Meditation has the well known concept of sitting in an auspicious venue and leaving the normal world of things and places, for another world of transcend awareness. The meditation practices in the Proto-Indian-European world (Yoga) had a focus on Siddhis (special powers) arising from meditation. In this context I was very interested in what you said about ‘sit’ (and sitting) being the origin of the Early Irish concept of Otherworld. BTW… Christianity has always had the concept of sitting in meditation and entering a transcendent World closer to God.

Ive been to the dust of bones I've stood at the foot of the stairs that carry us ive seen all the symbols on the great disc that balances us and still im trapped here, ive been to the sacrificial stone altars of the otherworlds and I still seek guidance

I like your detailed explanations. can you make a video on history of fairy tales or tell me why fairytale are called fairy tales. Also what is the deference between a myth and fairytale?

I hadn't realised that the "an-" suffix in welsh was an intensifier, thought it was a negation, like "un-" i.e. annwfn = un-world.

You speak about Welsh and Irish Otherworld traditions (and they're very well explained, informative, interesting and helpful) but what is know of Scottish Otherworld traditions? How do they differ?

ábhar den scoth... excellent content. Recently discovered your channel.

Why can't we view Annwfn as a unified Otherworld, within which there a many separate and distinct strongholds, or Sidh? Each Sidh being the abode of those dwelling (or imprisoned) there. And only at certain times, or under certain circumstances can one cross from one Sidh to another, whether by traversing through our world, or through Annwfn?

I am interested in etymology and your other content, but it's mostly over my head and I just like the sound of your voice. When I have my next period of restlessness in the wee hours, in addition to drinking some more chamomile, I will have to listen to another of your lectures, sorry . . .

I understand that a variety of areas in the landscape such as certain water source could be considered focal points of Celtic worship, is there a reason why the other world type concept seems to be mainly focused on underground spaces rather than other places where worship had been traditionally conducted?

I wonder if there's an etymological link between Sith and the Norse Seithr. I've heard Seithr is connected to the word seeth, as in boilng.

very interesting , to me , its Sid, "Shee" and here its a very local thing with accents included . meaning to me would be "entrance to" where the bright ones are , all of our celtic cuntures are linked , maybe through the druids . thank you , your search has a meaning

Maybe Caer Sidi being a way for a welsh bard to explain to irish Dyfed kingdom ruler/s about Annwfn in relation to their own irish knowledge of sidh. i have no idea about chronology, prolly throws my hypothesis out the window :)

Dr., Wouldn't the Otherworlds need to be connected in some way? The House of Donn is where many believed the dead landed first. There to be sorted to their proper destination.

Youd realise you were a Dr simply based on the fact you don't say "Too-ath-a" haha ! Good video thank you!

Oh my god Siddhars are ancient Tamil beings the enlightened beings i heard they have super powers that human can't imagine, please reply I have more to say That other world is reachable through nirvana the enlightenment That is who you call siddi or Siddhe

I believe that both, Old Irish: Síd, and Modern Irish: Sí, are pronounced as "shee".

*Sed 'Sit' Latin word Sedes seat, abode: reminds me of the Bible v verse Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God;

There is a conceptual problem with only looking at the otherworld through the eyes of bookish scholars and ancient etymology. The first problem is not realising that the "otherworld" is still with us today and can be accessed at certain locations and times. Once a person has experienced the otherworld then the words being used to inadequately describe it are moot. I experienced the "otherworld" at Glastonbury in England on 3/3/3 by accident. I thought that the date would be on the calendar of every neo-druid in England and that there would be a big party at Glastonbury Tor. I was wrong. I travelled around 100 miles to get there at night along the St Michael ley line. It was a beautiful clear starlit night when I set out from London but that changed to thick green fog when I arrived at Glastonbury. When I went around a roundabout I could not find the exit roads and had to drive round the outside very slowly. Once I was on the right road I drove down the middle of the road very slowly and even so I crossed a T junction and nearly hit the gate opposite. Luckily there was a brass sign on the gate pointing to the Tor. I arrived at the Tor only because I found the disabled parking markings on the road. I set off wearing three coats because the fog was freezing. I had a torch and just followed the well worn path seeing just a few feet ahead and all I could see around me was thick mist. I arrived at the top and there was an icy gale and no party. So I said a prayer or two, which was very difficult under the weather conditions. In the morning it was light but there was no sun and just thick grey clouds and fog. I set off back down the path I had come up the night before and it was still thick fog. I soon reached the bottom of the hill and to my amazement , the sun was shining, there was no breeze, the butterflies were flitting about the field and the birds were happily singing but I was in the wrong place as I had arrived at a different side of the hill to where my car was parked. So I thought the quickest way to my car was to go back up the hill and down again. I left the sunny field and after climbing less that a hundred feet I was back in white mist. I kept going and when I reached the top and it was icy cold with a gale force wind, dark black clouds scudding across the tor and think fog everywhere and only the owl and pigeons for company. I decided to go down a different path in the opposite direction as I thought that my car would be down there. I set off down the path in the mist and after a short while I ended up in the same field, where the sun was shining, the butterflies were flitting from flower to flower, the birds were singing and there was no breeze. I did not understand what had happened."That's impossible I thought". I looked at the Tor at I could see its dark shadow through some light mist and I thought the weather must have changed rapidly as I went down the hill. So I decided to go back up the hill again. I had not climbed very far when I was back in the mist which got thicker and darker until I reached the top, where there was a gale force wind, no sun and dark clouds flitted by. I sat down very tired wondering what to do. Then I heard some voices as some other hikers came up the path. When they got to the top the mist cleared away within just a few minutes and I could see my car down below at the bottom of the hill. My experience is compatible with the legends of the otherworld in that area and the experience was of course completely impossible.

undertale