The Way of the Seabhean: An Irish Shamanic Path

by Amantha Murphy, Orla O'Connell (Editor)

Amantha Murphy was schooled in the ancient and hidden lore of wise women and healers, rooted in the Irish landscape and guarded over the years by her female forebears. In The Way of the Seabhean, she brings to life shamanic practices from the Irish tradition, combining story, ritual, energy teaching and the insights gathered from her own shamanic journeying. At its core lies the pre-Celtic understanding of the Tree of Life and the Wheel of the Year, containing the seasonal turning points such as Samhain and Imbolc, their attendant festivals and the role and powers of long-suppressed Irish goddesses. Along with the better-known goddesses, Medb, Brigid, Áine and the Cailleach, we also meet a pantheon that includes Tailtiú, Boann, Macha, Tlachtga. These goddesses are archetypes, aspects of ourselves, which can help us to understand and embrace our many facets.Amantha’s shamanic teaching in Ireland, the US and Canada has already opened the Way of the Seabhean to an eager audience.As the material for this book is rooted in the oral tradition, it is perhaps fitting that dyslexia prevented Amantha from writing it alone. She turned instead to her chosen ‘scribe’, writer Orla O’Connell, whose work initially involved transcribing from more than two hundred recordings of Amantha’s lectures, workshops, shamanic journeys and rituals.

Genres: Nonfiction, Spirituality

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 31, 2021

About the author

From early childhood Amantha Murphy was the girl-child chosen by her grandmother to be initiated into the ‘Way of the Seabhean’, a traditional Irish path of the healing woman and seer, a role passed down from mother to daughter (or grandmother to grand-daughter) since ancient times. Her grandmother was a healer and midwife.
Throughout her school years in London, Amantha was challenged by severe dyslexia which made reading books almost impossible. She lived for her summers in Granny’s house in Kerry. There, she was steeped in the Irish oral tradition. Like a sponge, she absorbed the ancient stories and the lore that was entrusted to her. In the process she became a compelling storyteller.
By the age of seventeen, she had started doing palmistry readings for friends. She found that she had the gift of perceiving things that she had no way of knowing on the physical plane. Amantha worked as a clairvoyant in London and then moved into spiritual healing, trance mediumship and esoteric astrology. None of this was learnt from books. Instead, she learnt to trust her innate abilities through Spirit’s direction. She went on to facilitate development groups and women’s circles.
Developing her skills as a healer and seer, Amantha understood the ‘Way of the Seabhean’ as a shamanic path. Following that path, she developed into the Seabhean that she is today.
In 1995, she began hosting tours to the sacred sites in Ireland and in 1997, she returned to Kerry to live on her ancestral land. As part of her Seabhean work, Amantha does private sessions with individuals, in which she works with them to balance their energies, so that healing may happen if that is meant to be. She works in a similar way with the dying and also worked as a doula with women giving birth. Since 2010, Amantha has been training groups of Apprentices at home in Ireland, in Canada and the United States in The Way of the Seabhean which includes Womyn’s Rites of Passage. Amantha also celebrates rituals and rites of passage for people and is a registered marriage celebrant, through the Spiritual Union of Ireland. Her Teachings are a blend of ritual, journeying, healing, and sharing of the traditional lore and stories. It is always joyful.

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

As an Irish-born Pagan - who is passionate about our language, history, culture and heritage - this book was painful to read. Prior to purchasing and reading it, via Amazon Kindle, I reached out to the publishing company and the author, expressing concerns about the amount of appropriative material (from other cultures) that had already been stated in the book's promotion, on the publisher's website and on the author's own site. Neither cared for my views, despite the publisher's public statement to ensure that the material they produced was against and not contributing to other such appropriative tripe.

This book, in short, is full of the typical appropriated New Age information from several cultures around the world (including a lot of typical Wiccan information that purports to be "ancient knowledge") - presented and packaged as "Irish", with the backdrop of a story about the Author's life experiences and centered around her Irish Granny. While the book contains some correct information about Irish folklore and folk customs, that information is scarce and mixed in with material that is certainly not part of Irish spiritual tradition - the miniscule amount of correct information is also very easily found online, open source and presented far better than it is done in "The Way of the Seabhean".

The most unnerving thing about Murphy's work is that this incorrect, and quite frankly disrespectful, presentation of information is not only found in this book but also in Amantha's teachings to groups of women (and some men) around the world - creating a community of people with a spiritual practice that is based on untruths and made-up titles, which then encourages them to spread the word and teach themselves. This is disgraceful, and spits in the face of those who are trying to combat the already existing mountain of information that's available for consumption on Irish (and Celtic) spirituality. Murphy charges for the priveledge of lying to them and has pulled the proverbial wool over their eyes with her promises of having "ancient" and "lost" knowledge of our Goddesses. In presenting this book, she has presented falsified versions of our Deities which is abhorrent.

The Long and Short of it is: do not buy this book. Even in terms of the incorrect information that's already out there, this really takes the biscuit. In fact, it takes the whole packet, teapot and the kitchen sink. It's full of appropriated material, non-Irish traditions and concepts which are all packaged up and presented with a story about a Daughter of the Diaspora and her Irish Granny. I have no issue with someone having their own experiences and UPG (Unverifiable personal gnosis) - but presenting those things as fact and as "lost"/rediscovered Ancient Irish knowledge is deceitful, dishonest and disrespectful. Do not give this woman money, time or your energy. And if you're a student of hers, maybe rethink your choices there.

The above is the short version of my view, the TLDR. I have a lot more to say on exactly what information is presented in this book and if you care to find out more, by all means continue reading. Maybe grab a beverage first.

Firstly, to address the title "Seabhean" that Murphy has given to herself and her teachings, and has also trademarked... This is not a word in the Irish language, or tradition. We already have a title (actually a few) for the types of women who would be doing the work as healers and keepers of knowledge and old ways - the most well-known word/title is "bean feasa" (meaning: wise woman, or woman of knowledge). This word is not mentioned in the book, at all. The author gives several different meanings for the word "seabhean", which again is not a thing, and the inconsistency of this really sets the tone for the entire book.
1. "Seabhean" means "yes woman" (Murphy states that the word in the Irish language for "yes" is "'sea" - this is untrue, there is no word for yes (or no) in the Irish language, that is not how the Irish language works - I should know, I spent 17 years learning the language.
2. "Sea" also, according to the book, means "strength" and "regard or esteem"... and ALSO
3. "seabhean" means "woman shaman"... None of these iterations or explanations are correct.
4. There are also claims that it's a derivative of "seanbhean" (old woman) - which no, it's not.

It's an entirely made-up word and concept. The book claims that the word is from Donegal, however in correspondence and in answering my questions around this the author admits that the word was given to her by a friend in Dublin ("of Donegal and Connemara background"). In making up the title, she made sure to trademark it also.

The type of Spirituality presented in this book is that which encourages you to ignore the negative and those that disagree with you, giving Murphy the tools to alienate those who disagree with her "teachings" and label them as "negative" when they're calling her out. The kind of community that that creates is one that is (at best) a cult of personality. The typical presentation of ideas from other cultures like chakras, which don't exist in the Irish tradition. Again, when questioned on the use of "chakras'' in her book and "Traditional Irish" teachings, Murphy is aware of the Eastern origins of this concept, and her explanation of "I hadn't even thought about it" due to its use and white-washing in "mainstream" Western spirituality directly contradicts her "awareness" of cultural piracy. The author also claims to have fought with her scribe and publisher (probably in an attempt to deflect responsibility away from herself) for including the explanation of "Shaman" for this fanciful title - apparently "very aware of cultural piracy". Aware, but clearly indifferent to partaking in it. I find it interesting that she fought with the publisher and scribe for the inclusion of it, but keeps it for promotion of her teachings as ancient Shamanic practices. Shamanism, in case you weren't aware, is another Eastern tradition - the word, of North-Asian origin, has been taken by anthropologists and applied incorrectly to indigenous practices and cultures all over the world, even when they have their own terms for these healers and practitioners. It's a modern tool of cultural erasure.

Other concepts mentioned or alluded to in the book include takings from Norse Tradition. The Great Weave, which is a large section of the book, is used as a motif throughout the book to represent the connection of the individual to the collective. This is described as a series of threads, where “each one of us is a thread on that Great Weave. Everything we do, experience and feel not only affects our personal weave but touches and colours the Great Weave that holds our blessed Mother Earth in space.” (p. 215). Murphy talks about this as something which the “role of the seabhean” is central to, to maintain the balance of this and the Great Weave can be manipulated, in turn having an effect on the material world by how we thread our weaves. While the book states that a “seabhean” is not supposed to control or manipulate the Weave, it goes on to actively encourage that this be done. It urges the readers to “cut the threads that no longer serve us” and that in coming together, empowered, we can change the fabric of reality... The motif is reminiscent of the Norse tradition and practices associated with the Siedr and Norns. Again, this isn’t an Irish tradition or concept. Another taking from Norse is the Three Worlds (Upper, Middle and Lower) which Murphy associates with the "Tree of Life", taken from the Nine Realms. In the Irish tradition, we have the physical world and the Otherworld. And also, Tír na nÓg is just one name or section of the Irish Otherworld.

Now, on to a selection of points of the presentation of "Ancient Ireland" and its stories from the book:

- "a woman could divorce her husband at any time, but a man could only divorce his wife at Bealtaine." (p. 87) > this is completely incorrect information, any online search of the Brehon Law system in Ireland will clarify the specific reasons and rules around divorce and ending a marriage in Ancient Ireland, this was very lazy work on Murphy's end, but feeds into her overall highlighting of Ireland as a historically "matrifocal" society, which (while it's a lovely notion) is not true. Speaking as an Irish woman, it would have been lovely to think it was but this is another example of the misrepresentation of our country's history and heritage rife throughout the book.

- "Women still took their mothers’ names and owned land. Some women were chieftains." (p. 76) > While, again, this information would be lovely if it were true, it is not correct and a highly romanticised version of events.

- "Lugh was the sun god, son of the Dagda (the father god of the Tuath Dé) and Anu the mother goddess." (p. 91) > Again, this is completely incorrect information. While there are different accounts of Lugh's birth circumstances, all concur that his father was Cian and his mother was Ethniu (or Ethliu, depending on the version or translation). The only corroboration I could find for the Dagda fathering Lugh was via Marvel Comics... Also, Lugh was not a "Sun God" - this is another common misconception.

- Murphy's account of the infamous Irish epic, the Táin Bó Culainge (The Cattle Raid of Cooley) is particularly horrifying... Not only is Cú Chulainn Christianised in it, but he is apparently approached by the Morrigan on three occasions where she begs him to let her "carry his seed"... I could write an entire essay on how wrong this is, but I won't. I urge you to read the Táin for yourself and see how willing the Morrigan was to sleep with Cú Chulainn. She does appear to him ONCE in our text as a beautiful woman in an attempt to dissuade him and calm him down - but She certainly does not beg him for his seed...

- "In the old tradition, when a person dies, a bee often comes and carries their soul to Tír na nÓg, the land of the forever young"(p. 69) > this is a cute concept but one that is totally untrue.

- "The deity who presides over Samhain is the Goddess Tlachtga" (p. 66) > While Tlachtga is a figure in Irish stories, she is a druidess and not a Goddess. The Deity that is associated with Samhain is very clearly the Morrigan - who, interestingly, is not really mentioned in the book other than in reference to the fabricated role Murphy presents of her from the Táin.

- Perhaps one of the most dangerous things Murphy does in the book is present the Good Folk (the "fairies" as she continually refers to them - a term which most Irish people with knowledge of them will know is disrespectful). She says that they are elementals and encourages her readers, and no doubt students/followers, to work with them with no warning or caution. Additionally, on p. 152 Murphy regales a tale of how she got Them to move location to Derrynane when someone alerts her that They've all left... That was laughable, honestly.

- The concept of Mother/Maiden/Crone (MMC), as they represent the stages of a woman's life, particularly in reference to the author's crone stage is mentioned quite a lot. While there is reference to triple aspects of some Deities (e.g. Brigid, Na Morrigna), the MMC concept is a modern one which was popularised by Robert Graves and is not found in Irish tradition or lore whatsoever. It's something that is very popular in Wiccan teachings, again it's not Irish.

On top of the "matrifocal" and MMC concepts that Murphy presents in her teachings and, by extension, this book, there is very much a sense of trans-exclusion. What I mean by that is, the rhetoric is one that is very much excluding our sisters in the Trans community - this is evident by the focus on having a womb, or having had a womb to be capable of creation. The terms TERF (for Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminists) and FART (Feminism-Appropriating Reactionary Transphobes) were ringing in my head throughout my reading of some sections of this book.

I could go on, honestly I could write pages and pages of every point she makes - but this is all the energy I'm willing to put into this right now. Do your own research, be critical of sources that claim to know things that aren't verifiable and STAY AWAY from anyone claiming to be an Irish Shaman.

[Santinix · Rating 1 out of 5]

An utter disgrace. The general content of this book is a fairly generic account of myth and history which would be familiar to anyone interested in Irish paganism, but the invented Way of The Seabhan is the most shameful piece of paddywhackery since Edain McCoy invented the ancient Irish religion of Witta.
To sell this made up crap to people as an authentic Irish tradition is shameful. I foresee many expensive training courses stemming from this book in which well-meaning Irish Americans get fleeced so they too can becomes "seabheans".
There are many excellent books out there dealing with Irish myth and tradition. Please do not insult our culture by funding authors who just plain make stuff up.

[Randee Draper · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a whole mess of problems, not limited to mistaking Marvel Comics with actual folklore, playing bumper cars with the Irish Language, pretending that Christ and The Boy were pals, and breaking the cultural appropriation bingo card. The publisher and the author should apologize and be ashamed of themselves.

[Gwen · Rating 1 out of 5]

With the level of BS being thrown around about Irish culture and traditions and the difficulty finding good authentic information I am disappointed and disgusted with this book.

Seabhean is both trademarked to Amantha Murphy and called an "genuine Irish Tradition". This doesn't work.

Either it is "genuine Irish Tradition" or it is made up by, and therefore trademarkable to, Amantha Murphy. And given that it is trademarked to Amantha then it must be made up.

There is much better out there, actually based in culture, history and lore and not made up to make someone quick money. Bad play Amantha.

[Solistari · Rating 1 out of 5]

Appropriative and full of Unverified Personal Gnosis. This book does not and cannot represent Irish paganism in any way.

[Druid Daddy Nualláin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Appropriative nonsense. This was deeply offensive.

[Gina Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really appreciated this view of spirituality that comes from the Land. Amantha makes it clear that this is her lived experience and her lineage wisdom. She makes it accessible and inviting, a real treat for seekers of European descent who too often reach to Eastern and Native traditions instead of reaching back into their own DNA. This book and Amantha's teachings encourage us to discover our own ancestral knowledge.

[Patricia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Please, stay away from this book. Listen to the native voices and what they say about this author. After reading a few pages you can notice the non-sense writing and cultural appropriation. The publisher should be apologizing to the Irish community.

[Pat Druid · Rating 1 out of 5]

This would have been an ok book, just a bit run of the mill and unexceptional, if it hadn't been for the claim to be the keeper of an Irish tradition of which no Irish person has ever heard.
It IS possible that the author's granny was the one and only person in a long line of Seabheans and passed it on to her and her alone, and that this secret is so well kept that no-one else ever knew such a word or tradition existed. I'm on the sceptical side, but the claim can neither be proven nor disproven, so I'll leave it there.
Leaving that aside, the book is mostly fine though some of the info is inaccurate and not from Irish tradition. It's an easy read and definitely aimed at the North American Lady Shaman market. Those with such an approach might be better served by picking up Sharon Blackie or Sharon Paice MacLeod.
I'm gonna make one request of anyone who reads this book - if this is where your reading on Irish tradition began, don't let it end here - read other authors as well.

[Lilla]

This book is actively harmful to Irish culture. Please see these sources for more information:

• Why are Bad Books Dangerous to Irish Culture? | Discussion Panel from the Irish Pagan School

• “The Way of the Seabhean”, An Open Letter in Opposition to the Book and its Blatant Cultural Appropriation

[Sarah Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book, full of love and the authors personal story and history xx

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gentle, creative, journey through the author’s personal spiritual framework and perspective, which borrows from a variety of other teachings and ideas to form an integrated whole. Will not appeal to all readers/audiences, but for those seeking for framework of spiritual working rooted/connected to Ireland of both past and present, instead of always focusing on Greek pantheons or appropriating from indigenous cultures, this book is a valuable addition to your library, particularly if you have Celtic heritage and would like to explore the possibilities and ideas offered by a woman who has been practicing her path for a long time. This book does not present the author’s ideas as THE only way or the definitive, authoritative resource on Irish spirituality (it is definitely a blend or a “melting pot” of assorted ideas and practices), but to me it felt like an honest distillation of, or exploration of, everything the author has gathered, experienced, and explored over her years of practice. Interesting, insightful, and inviting.

[Michelle Marie McGrath · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book and it transported me back to my Celtic roots and made me long to visit Ireland again. Very down to earth and accessible.

[Kathleen Hosner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was outstanding. The sacredness of the teachings and clearness of the traditions was very instructive and transformative to me. Amantha has a magic of healing, clarity and integrity to her and it shows up in her work and now her book. What a gift to the world she has given us in herself and this book. May this work ripple out blessings to all who have the privilege of reading it.
KSH

[Margot Boerma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read this book , I was in awe of how Orla O'Connell was able to keep Amantha's words sound like it was Amantha herself speaking them. A Master storyteller and teacher, Amantha has told her personal story in this book woven in with her teachings. These teachings changed my life and the way I experience the Land and it's Sacred places. I can only hope that this book may inspire others the way ot has inspired me. Blessed Be.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the book but it was confusing with a kind of mashup of cultures. It would've been better as a memoir with clear delineation that much is her personal experience and her personal interpretations and not connected to factual history as we know it. Keep that in mind while reading and it's better.

[Dr. April Dawn Hurt · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are quite a few opinions about Ms. Murphy's book, all of which were taken into account when meeting her and taking her class, which helped illuminate some of the raised concerns about authenticity. Ms. Murphy's book and account are extremely authentic to her experience. As mentioned in another review, she does not market her book as history or even folklore but rather as a personal journey and experience. She had no teacher other than her grandmother. She is not Wiccan. It is unclear if she would even want to narrow her experience to define herself as "pagan." Hers is an experience inspired by nature herself, and this is simply her sharing her account of it. She believes in her personal truth and opens this up to share with others.

The seriousness and fervor with which some reviewers have approached their assessment is sad considering all pagans today are technically Neo-pagans drawing on lore and Masonic rituals. Ms. Murphy is not selling science. If you want true academic accounts, then look beyond most "pagan" literature towards true academics such as Dr. Ronald Hutton, who - unlike other suggested authors touting themselves as "Harvard trained," which can simply mean they audited a class at Harvard - is a Ph.D graduate of both Cambridge and Oxford Universities and has extensively researched and published on pagan history and lore. Fans of Absolute History and Timeline will recognize him. One may also want to explore Gerald Gardner, the man credited with essentially creating/popularizing Wicca in the 1940s. While it may be easy to criticize Ms. Murphy's unique account of her spirituality, those who live in glass houses should not throw stones - all paganism at one point was a person's unique account to which others in recent history subscribed.

Her lore is not always the same as other popular lore, but there are frequent alterations in myths. One need not look beyond the myth of King Arthur, which most can agree is significantly newer than pagan lore - from the Mabinogion to Chrétien D'Troyes insertion of Lancelot to Howard Pyle's Wart and sword in the stone - to see that tales grow and change over different times and localities. Who's to say her mythos is any less relevant? The closest person to call farce would be a veritable academic, which clearly none of her critics are. In person, Ms. Murphy presents as an old wise woman people would seek for guidance and teachings. She easily admits that this is her truth not society at large's truth. She freely allows one to embrace what one is called to do. Her passion and love for others is readily evident and is reflected in her writings.

[Marion Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an Irish person I am actually horrified at the nasty reviews written here. I also saw the same people doing the same thing on Amazon.
Cultural appropriation- how did you reach that conclusion.
Cancel culture is more apt. Another byproduct of todays society.
This woman is Irish. If she wants to exercise her right to free speech and write a book about her experience she is more than entitled to it.
She wasn’t writing a history book. She was writing about her experience. And the wisdom passed onto her by her grandmother. Which isn’t some elaborate hoax. I had a grandmother who passed on history and wisdom to me. The older generation did that. They also had respect for each other.
If you need to destroy someone in the name of your spirituality/ culture you have bigger problems than this book.
The Irish culture and heritage was around long before you walked the earth and it will survive just fine long after you’re gone.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I read this, I heard Amantha's beautiful Irish brogue in my head.

This is not a book you just read, it is one you read a bit. Think about it. Go back and re-read then move on allowing the information to soak in. Amantha is a Seabahn, a wise woman (if you will) of the lineage of Ireland. One who was taught by her granny in the stories and traditions of the land and the Great Mother. One who has journeyed with the deities and now teaches others what she was taught.

Amantha covers the Wheel of the Year as celebrated in Ireland, the tie to the land felt by the people, even those who have never been there in person. She talks about the type of rites and ceremonies each of us goes through during our life.

[Emily Shearer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic resource, approachable, full of history and analysis of the why's of practical applications of folklore as well as mystical language that can put reader in touch with ancient ways that are still very much relevant in this day and locale.

[Leigh Millar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this beautiful, gentle book. Amantha shares what she has learnt through her deep connection with the land, Irish oral tradition, and her exploration of shamanism. I love how she weaves story, personal experiences and learnt knowledge to show how we can celebrate and nurture ancient Irish culture.