Simplicity in Practice
Often, when people first begin, they tend to overthink. They see images of elaborate altar setups — shelves full of objects, statues, tools, and decorations — and this can create a sense of pressure or inadequacy, as if one must do the same in order to be “doing it right.” But our Gaulish practice is never about accumulation. Connection does not come from things. It comes from intention, attention, and right action.
The truth is simple: we do not know exactly what a household altar looked like in pre-Roman Gaul. Based on archaeological evidence and comparative studies of Indo-European domestic religion, we can reasonably say that household practice was basic, flexible, and minimal, shaped by need, season, and circumstance.
A simple setup is not “less devoted.” A surface, A flame, A bowl, An offering. That is enough.
The Uentâ
Uentâ is the place of offering or sacrifice.
It is not where objects are stored, but where right action is performed.
The altar is not sacred because it remains.
It is sacred because it is entered rightly.
A hearthstone, flat rock, wooden board, tabletop, or bare ground.
When the rite begins, this surface becomes the Uentâ, oriented toward Ari — the East — the direction of order, light, and beginning.
Orientation and Movement
When arranging or working the Uentâ, many choose to orient the space toward Ari — the East — the direction of light, order, and beginning.
Ritual movement may proceed from right to left, following a Gaulish logic of orientation. This movement reflects:
- Attention to directional order
- Conscious entry into ritual space
- Deliberate, mindful action rather than habit
This is not presented as a universal reconstruction, but as a ritual discipline that helps structure awareness and intention.
The Cumbâ
A bowl or shallow vessel placed upon the Uentâ.
The Cumbâ is the valley that receives — the place where Addatus (offerings) are given and returned to the flow of reciprocity.
Aidonâ and Fire
A candle (Dagilâ) is placed at the heart of the space.
Within it burns the Aidû, the living flame.
Here Aidonâ is made present as witness.
On Images (Deluâs)
Images (Deluâs) are not required.
When present, they serve as markers of relationship, not objects of fixation.
They enter the Uentâ for the rite and withdraw when the rite is complete.
The Act of Dugiion
This arrangement is not yet sacred by itself.
It becomes sacred through Dugiion — worship enacted through right action:
- Clearing the space
- Placing the items with intention
- Giving Addatus
- Speaking, offering, or standing in silence
Flow of Use
- The space is cleared
- The Uentâ is established
- The Cumbâ receives Addatus
- The Aidû is witnessed through the Dagilâ
- Dugiion is performed
- The space is returned to ordinary life
The transition is the sacred act.
The Nemeton
While the Aidû burns upon the Uentâ, the space becomes a nemeton.
It does not persist because objects remain,
but because the rite was entered, enacted, and released rightly.
You do not need to recreate what others show online.
You do not need many objects.
You do not need complexity.If your intention is clear,
if your offering is given rightly,
if your space is entered with care —Then your practice is already whole.
Glossary of Gaulish Terms
Uentâ – place of offering/sacrifice
The ritual surface where right action is performed, not just a place to store objects.
Aidonâ – hearth goddess / sacred fire personified
Represents the living flame (Aidû) and the witness of ritual.
Aidû – flame / fire
The fire that burns on the Uentâ, representing life, presence, and the sacred.
Dagilâ – candle
Used to represent Aidonâ in home practice; a small, manageable fire source.
Cumbâ – bowl / valley
A vessel placed on the Uentâ to receive offerings (Addatus).
Addatus – offering / gift
The act of giving to the gods or ancestors; placed in the Cumbâ or directly on the Uentâ.
Deluâs – images / representations
Optional markers of relationship or focus, not necessary for ritual.
Dugiion – worship / enactment of devotion
The ritual action itself, which makes the space sacred.
Ari – East
The direction associated with light, order, and beginnings; used to orient the Uentâ.
Nemeton – sacred space
The area made holy by ritual; in home practice, this is the Uentâ when the Aidû burns and the rite is active. The Nemeton exists through action, not through objects left in place.
Bessus Nouiogalation 