Category Archives: Uirā Toutionon

Poetic Reflections on the Virtues of BNG — The Îanoi of Bessus Nouiogalation

Branos Carnutodrûidion. Gaulish Polytheism. Gaulish Paganism

Written by Branos Carnutodrûidion/Urādos – Gutuatir of BNG

A short reflection on our virtues.

  • Dêuocariâ – Piety
    It is our sacred breath, offered with every flame.
  • Luxtiâ – Duty
    It is our place on the Wheel — the role we rise to with steady hands.
  • Uissus – Wisdom / Knowledge
    It is the soul’s pursuit, carried through the long journey of becoming..
  • Îanolabâ – Right Speech
    It is the voice that sounds like the Carnux — clear, bold, and meant to be heard with purpose.
  • Doniocariâ – Compassion
    It is the open hand extended in love.
  • Oigetocâriâ – Hospitality
    It is the warm hearth that never turns away a guest.
  • Raton – Generosity
    It is the gift that keeps the wheel unbroken.
  • Uiridios – Truth
    It is the still water that reveals all things, clear and undistorted..
  • Decos – Honor
    It is the quiet torc we wear in the unseen.
  • Uîrolaniâ – Justice
    It is the spear we raise for the silenced.
  • Galâ – Bravery
    It is our inner fire — steady, defiant, and unwavering in the storm.
  • Ûxelliâ – Pride
    It is the banner we carry into the world.

Ogmios Walks Beside Me — How the God of Speech Shaped Bessus Nouiogalation

Branos Carnutodrûidion. Gaulish Polytheism. Gaulish Paganism

Written By Branos Carnutodrûidion/Urādos – Gutuatir of BNG

I want to take a moment to share with all of you, whether you’re part of BNG or simply watching our journey unfold.

When BNG was first forming, three of us came together to shape what we hoped would be a living spiritual path rooted in Gaulish polytheism. At that time, we didn’t have a shared framework. Each of us brought our own cosmology, our own devotions, and our own understandings of the Deuoi. We came together with Sucellos, Taranos, Artio—gods who had long stood at the centers of our individual worship. It was a challenge just getting into the same spiritual rhythm.

And then something unexpected happened.

We didn’t summon Ogmios. We weren’t studying him. In fact, none of us had given him much attention at all. But like a quiet figure at the edge of a firelight, he stepped forward. Not loudly. Not in a flash. Just… undeniably. At first, it was disorienting. Ogmios pulled us out of our comfort zones. He demanded precision in speech, integrity in action, and courage in communication. He wasn’t interested in idle devotion or vague platitudes. He wanted us to speak clearly, to live virtuously, and to teach with purpose. And so, without ever formally choosing him, he became the guiding force of BNG. Our symbol became based on him. Our foundational teachings were shaped around his example. And over time, as our prayers took form and our doctrines unfolded, the presence of Ogmios wove itself into every part of what we were becoming. Eventually, the other founders stepped away, each for their own reasons, and I became the last of the original three still walking this path. Others came in to take up the work of the Delgaunoi, the Keepers of the Bessus, but Ogmios remained constant. And somewhere along the way, something even more unexpected happened: he stopped being just the guide of BNG and became the god who reshaped me.

You see, I never loved writing. Language, grammar, the art of shaping thoughts into words—it all felt like a burden to me. I stumbled through it. I avoided it. I didn’t think it mattered as much as action or devotion or feeling. But Ogmios thought otherwise. He became a teacher to me, in the truest sense of the word. Not one who scolded or demanded, but one who held up a mirror and asked, “What do you really mean?” He walked beside me as I tried, failed, rewrote, and slowly—painfully—learned how to find my voice. He didn’t just help me write better. He taught me how to think better. To refine my thoughts, to examine them, and to take responsibility for what I said. Every sentence became an offering. Every carefully chosen word, an act of devotion. Through Ogmios, I came to understand that language is a spiritual tool. It can heal. It can destroy. It can liberate or bind. And the ethics of language—truthfulness, clarity, restraint, kindness—became virtues I had to cultivate. Not just as a writer or a teacher, but as a Druid, as a human being.

In time, Ogmios taught me that the power of speech isn’t about sounding wise or being persuasive. It’s about alignment. It’s about having your words, your actions, and your soul all point in the same direction. He helped me recognize that virtue isn’t just what we do—it’s how we speak, how we teach, how we build and share meaning. And so now, Ogmios stands at the center of BNG—not just as a divine presence, but as the architect of its soul. He shapes our devotion, but also our structure, our ethics, and our discipline. He is the god of the tethered tongue and the unshakable virtue. And he is, without question, my god. I didn’t expect to be his devotee. I didn’t expect him to be mine. But that’s the nature of the gods. We may set out looking for them, but sometimes, they’re the ones who find us.

Through BNG, Ogmios has made me a speaker. Through Ogmios, BNG has become a tradition of voice, virtue, and vision. And through all of it, I have come to realize that we are not just followers of the gods—we are their students.

Site Updates: 25 Samonios 2607

You may have noticed a flurry of updates and changes on the BNG site — and yes, you’re right! We’ve been hard at work behind the scenes, polishing, expanding, and breathing new life into several areas of the site.

Bessus Nouiogalation is a living tradition. That means our bessus — our custom — is always evolving. As we grow, reflect, and refine, so too does the space that holds our work. This round of updates has brought more cohesion, deeper content, and finally, the completion (well, for now!) of some projects that have been patiently waiting their turn.

Here’s a quick rundown of what’s new:

New and Updated Sections

Community Reflections

We’ve also added the Uirā Toutionon section — a place for members of our Touta to share insights, reflections, poems, and thoughts on BNG practice. This is your space to help shape and reflect the living tradition.

New Orders: Slougoi

This one has been in the works since BNG began — and it’s finally happening!

We’ve launched the first Slougos (Order/Group)

These Slougoi will allow members to dive deeper into particular paths within BNG, reflecting different roles and areas of focus.

Coming Soon: Tegobessus Booklet

We’re currently preparing an offering for the Gaulish Polytheism website community: a downloadable booklet on Tegobessus — designed to help people create and cultivate their personal house custom. Stay tuned!

BNG continues to grow because of all of you — your passion, your practice, and your presence. Every prayer, every question, every reflection adds to the whole. We’re grateful you’re walking this path with us.

You give so that we may give. And we give so that you may give.

Gaulish Polytheism, Gaulish Paganism

— Branos Gutuatir

On the Toutâdeuoi

Anonymous – Toution

First is Ogmios, whom we honor as the great spiritual ancestor of the community—wise of word, strong of spirit. I see him as a divine father, the one who guides us with the golden chains of eloquence.

Toutatis Galatos is BNG’s guardian, the protector of our people, born of Ogmios. He watches over the tribe with steadfast care, standing at the heart of our shared path.

The Suleuias walk beside us as the seers and soul-guides of the community. They bless the hearth and help steer the course of our decisions with wisdom and grace.

The Materes are the deep forces of fate, weaving the threads of life and time. Yet like Galatos, they, too, are guardians—ever-present among the people and the land.

The Regentia are the honored dead—not just our ancestors, but the noble ones of memory. Their names echo through time, like Ambicatus, whose legacy inspires and shapes our steps.

Celtînâ is the radiant mother of Galatos and the beloved of Ogmios. She stands as the first mother of the Galatis, strong in valor, shining with beauty, a living image of the virtues our people hold most dear.

Carnonos, last in this honored line, is keeper of the threshold and opener of the rift between the worlds. To him, we give respect, for through his ways, we walk from this realm to Antumnos.

Dis Pater in Bessus Nouiogalation — A Gaulish Interpretation of the “Rich Father”

Branos Carnutodrûidion. Gaulish Polytheism. Gaulish Paganism

Written By Branos Carnutodrûidion/Urādos – Gutuatir of BNG

Dis Pater, meaning “Rich Father,” is a mysterious and ancestral god mentioned by Julius Caesar, who wrote that “all the Gauls claim descent from Dis Pater.” But Caesar never told us who this god was.

While “Dis Pater” is a Roman term, in BNG we do not equate it with the Roman god of the underworld. Instead, we interpret the phrase as Caesar’s attempt to capture a native concept.

In Roman tradition, Dis Pater is a god of the underworld, wealth, and ancestral lineage — often associated with Pluto or Hades. In the Gaulish context, however, the identity of Dis Pater remains unclear. Scholars and practitioners have linked him to gods like Sucellos, Taranos, Ogmios, Carnonos, or even mythic ancestors like Celtus. Each carries a piece of the mystery.

In Bessus Nouiogalation (BNG), we don’t claim to know exactly who Dis Pater is. Instead, we recognize him as a sacred role, a divine mystery that speaks to ancestry, transition, and cosmic order. Dis Pater is not one god but a function filled by many — or by one whose name has been lost to time.

Ultimately, we believe each soul may come to know their own Dis Pater — the one who walks beside you in silence, who guides your soul between worlds, and who whispers the ancient truths that shape your path.

As mentioned above in Commentarii de Bello Gallico, Julius Caesar wrote that “all the Gauls claim descent from Dis Pater.” It’s a cryptic and powerful statement — one that has echoed down through the centuries and become a source of speculation, reconstruction, and inspiration among modern Gaulish pagans.

Who was this Dis Pater, this “Rich Father” of the Gauls? Is it Ogmios, Celtus, Sucellos, Smertrios, Carnonos, or Taranos?

All these have been discussed as the Dis Caesar may have meant. Why? Because each bears a connection — through iconography, etymology, or mythic function. I won’t dive into the academic weeds here (perhaps on my personal site), but instead offer how Bessus Nouiogalation (BNG) sees it.

In BNG, we choose not to pin down this ancestral god with a single identity. We do not say who the Gaulish Dis Pater is, because we do not believe he can be fully named. To do so would be to close the door to mystery, and in BNG, mystery is part of the sacred order of things.

Instead, we hold space for several figures who might reflect the role or radiance of this hidden Dêuos — not one name, but a constellation of them.

These are not contradictions. They are facets.

Ogmios: The Father of the Gauls

In BNG theology, Ogmios is honored as the Father of the Gauls. He is the god of powerful speech, binding his followers not with chains of iron, but with chains of golden words. A god of wisdom, silence, endurance, and radiant strength — he leads not through fear, but through persuasion and insight. Ogmios is not just a god of eloquence — he is the one who calls the tribes into being. He teaches, names, and guides. He sets the tone for our shared ethos: to live with honor, wisdom, and clarity, even in silence.
As the divine father, Ogmios doesn’t thunder — he whispers truths that shape nations.

He may be Dis Pater as the one who calls us into being, who names the tribes, and binds us in golden truths.

Galatos: The Divine Ancestor

We recognize Galatos as a mythic figure central to Gaulish identity — our culture hero and divine ancestor. Galatos, in BNG thought, is not a historical figure. He is a mythic construct, born from multiple streams of lore and gnosis:

  • From the Greek Celtus myths, in which a legendary son gives rise to the Celts.
  • From the martial and protective powers of Smertrios, a god of strength and battle.
  • From the communal, rooted spirit of the Toutatis — the tribal protector and embodiment of the people as one.

He may be Dis Pater as the first of us, born of the land and tribe, carrying the spirit of our people forward.

Sucellos: The First to Enter Dumnos

We also see Sucellos as deeply entwined with this mystery — though in a more veiled and liminal role. In BNG mythopoesis, Sucellos is one of the first to pass into Dumnos, the Deep — and then into Antumnos, the Otherworld, the Ancestral Realm, the place of mystery and return. He is “the Well-Hidden One,” a god of quiet fertility, fermentation, and transformation. While his name may literally mean “the good striker,” we also reflect on kel- as “to hide,” and see in him the Keeper of What is Secret. Sucellos is not the father of the Gauls in a literal sense. He is the first ancestor — the one who precedes descent, who holds the memory of what came before, and who carries the keys to what lies beyond.

He may be Dis Pater as the hidden one, the first to pass into mystery, who waits for us in the deep places beyond life.

Carnonos: The Liminal Lord

We recognize Carnonos as a Dêuos of liminality and movement, one who dwells at the edges — of civilization and wilderness, of life and death, of seen and unseen. He is a guide, a guardian, a traveler. In BNG thought, Carnonos is not merely a forest god, but a keeper of transitions, a psychopomp who can move between this world and Antumnos, the Otherworld. His antlers crown him as one who listens beyond speech, who leads without words. He is flanked by animals, rooted in place, yet always moving through thresholds.

He may be Dis Pater as the one who walks between worlds, helping us cross when we must — and guiding us back when we are lost.

Taranos: Bringer of Virtue and Cosmic Order

Taranos is the great celestial Dêuos in BNG — the one whose thunder reminds us of the power of virtue and the need for cosmic balance. We honor him not only as the god of storm and sky, but as the one who maintains the order of the world through the gift of the Îanoi — the virtues. His mythic triumph over the serpent speaks to his role in shaping and protecting the structure of reality, setting boundaries between Samos and Giamos, between life and death, peace and chaos. The wheel is his symbol — ever-turning, many-spoked, always whole. Through it, Taranos teaches that strength lies in balance, that storm brings both destruction and renewal.

He may be Dis Pater as the giver of law, of structure, of insight — the thunder that wakes the soul.

The Dis Pater as a Sacred Role, Not a Single Being

So who, then, is the Gaulish Dis Pater of our bessus?

In Bessus Nouiogalation, we say this:
He is not a Dêuos of one name — he is a sacred role, a sacred function, a mystery.

  • He may be Ogmios, whose golden chains bind hearts to truth.
  • He may be Galatos, the first of us, born of strength and tribe.
  • He may be Sucellos, the smiling god who walks unseen into the Otherworld.
  • He may be Carnonos, guiding us through the veil.
  • He may be Taranos, striking thunder into our bones to awaken us.
  • He may be all of these — or none of them.

Conclusion: In the Silence, the Father Speaks

Each of the Deuoi has a sacred function in the cosmic order of things. For us, it’s about your own relationship to that deeper presence. The Gaulish Dis Pater remains unnamed in our tradition — not out of vagueness, but out of reverence. To name is to limit — and this god is too large, too deep, too intimate to be held in a single form. Each of us may encounter him differently — and that, too, is sacred.

In Bessus Nouiogalation, we also honor that your Dis Pater may not be any of the Deuoi listed above. He/She/They may come to you as another figure entirely — a guardian, a guide, a Deuoi whose name has been lost or never spoken aloud. What matters is not the name, but the role — the sacred presence of a divine ancestor who shapes, shelters, and calls you home.

BNG makes space for that mystery, too.