Celtic Wheel of the Year

Tess Ward has written a spiritual handbook full of wisdom, grace and creativity. It dips into the deep wells of Celtic tradition and beyond to gather the clear water of life. This is a book of prayer to be treasured. Mike Riddell, author of The Sacred Journey and Godzone Tess Ward writes like a mystic. Deeply immersed in nature, embedded in folklore, poetic in word and vivid in the images evoked, both the introductory material for each month and the accompanying prayers awaken deep sentiment and the soulful realisation that we are always within the divine embrace in which we live and move and have our being. A gem for all seasons! Diarmuid O’Murchu MSC In an age of global warming and increasing ecological vulnerability, the only viable spiritualities are those which re-connect us to the earth and deepen our sense of connection with the divine spirit that enlivens it. Tess Ward’s book is a valuable resource for anyone seeking such a spirituality. Her prayers and reflections offer a creative synthesis of Christian symbols and other nature-based traditions, and the structure of the book reminds us of the sacred qualities of the passing seasons. For anyone looking for a livelier, embodied and grounded faith, Tess Ward offers an important, hopeful and refreshing way forward. Dr. Gordon Lynch, Dept of Theology and Religion, Birmingham University, author of The New Spirituality “The Celtic Wheel of the Year” is a must read for everyone interested in praying with an ecological awareness. Tess Ward offers refreshing reflections and creative prayers that weave mysticism, feminism, and embodiment with Celtic and Christian spirituality. The earth connection grows stronger with each prayer. Diann L. Neu, codirector of WATER, The Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual, and author of Return Blessings.

Tess Ward was a psychiatric nurse and is now an Anglican priest and spiritual director/counsellor. She has been chaplain at an Arts Centre, alternative worship leader, leads retreats and spirituality groups, and has been “road testing” her prayers for 8 years. She lives in Oxford, England, where she is now a hospital chaplain.