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Volume 2 Issue 3
Aontacht : 1
Aontachtcreating unity in communityVolume 2, Issue 3 | Winter/Summer Solstice 2009
Brought to you by Druidic Dawn CIC(www.druidicdawn.org)
Aontacht ISSN 2044-1339
Volume 2 Issue 3
Aontacht : 2
aontachtcreating unity in community
I N TERV I EW
9 Erynn Rowan LaurieInterview with the author and Celtic
Reconstructionist by the Druidic Dawn Community
FEATU R ES
16 Personal Growth and the Ancestors
Morrigan Sidhe
20 Living AncestorsGillian Monks
22 Death: A Personal ReflectionMichelle Corrigan
PO ETRY
18 Relay Race Gillian Monks
19 Soul of my SoulLana “Aderyn” Winter
21 Coyote ManMaggie
22 Merlin at the Wanderer's GateShaun William Hayes
28 Winter FireGillian Monks
D EPA RTMEN TS
5 From the new editor’s desk ...letter from the Editor
6 Keeping Up with the Project/Management Team
latest news & updates at Druidic Dawn
7 Druidic Dawn CICAnnual Report
24 Cooking Cauldronrecipes from the community
29 Book ReviewsCommunity members review the books
they have read
36 Community Events Calendarfind gatherings and rituals near you
40 Coming Next a peek at the succeeding issue & our submission guidelines
Volume 2, Issue 3Winter - Summer Solstice 2009
Volume 2 Issue 3
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Contributors
Opinions and views expressedare not necessarily those of the
editors, publisher or staff.
Environmental BenefitsStatement
Aontacht magazine is onlyavailable online as a free .pdfdownload; thereby saving trees,water, solid waste andgreenhouse gases. It is designedon a Energy Star rated computer.
Aontacht is published four times ayear by Druidic Dawn, CIC.Aontacht, Volume 2, Issue 3 ©2009 Druidic Dawn, all rightsreserved. All contained content iscopyright to its respective owners,including art, photos, creativecommons and Public Domainimages. The contents of thispublication may not be reproducedin whole or in part without theconsent of the copyright owner.
General InquiriesAll questions, comments andetcetera can be sent to thefollowing address:
AdvertisingAt the moment we are notoffering ad space. However,this is subject to change.
Editor-in-ChiefJenn MacCormack
Co-EditorVacant
Contributing EditorNigel DaileyPublisher
Druidic Dawn, CICCopy Editors
Faye Boyd & MorriProduction & LayoutAontacht Production Team
Druidic Dawn CICwww.druidicdawn.org
Volume 2, Issue 3“The Ancestors”
Winter/Summer Solstice 2009
aontachtcreating unity in community
Lana "Aderyn" Winter is a writer and visual artistcurrently living in Toronto, Canada. She draws muchof her inspiration from legends of the Celtic andNorse traditions that influence her spirituality, andshe strives to pour forth passion and sincerity in allshe creates.
Jenn MacCormack (Eadha) divides her timebetween central North Carolina, USA and Gwynedd,North Wales. She is currently working on a BA inPsychology and a BA in Welsh Studies and is proudto be a fluent Welsh speaker. Besides studying,Eadha writes, speaks and teaches in local workshopson topics like Celtic Spirituality, ArchetypalPsychology and the Gods, the Mabinogi and ancient
Faye Boyd (Fae) has been interested in Nature and allthings Celtic for many a year. She is a member ofOBOD, Druidic Dawn, Ord Brighideach International,Celtic Reiki Master, Hot Stone Therapist, GuidedMeditations and is a spoken word artist. Fae residesin Canada.
Gillian Monks lives in the Nantlle Valley, inGwynedd, North Wales. She is a Quaker,Theosophist, practicing Holistic Aromatherapist andthe Grove Mother of Cylch Blodeuwedd. Gillianalso regularly runs a series of workshops called'Earthwalking' from her home about practical Celticspirituality for everyday life.
Celtic law. Her other major interests are gardening, poetry, the
Erynn Rowan Laurie lives in Everett, Washingtonand has been involved in the Pagan communitiesof the Pacific Northwest since 1984. Anindependent Pagan Scholar and one of the foundersof the Celtic Reconstruction movement, she writesand teaches on many aspects of Celtic Paganism,Druidism and Filidecht.
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Maggie is a member of the Order of Bards, Ovates andDruids, currently shares her home with two dogs and fourcats. I have had a strong connection with trees and animalsand wrote my first "tree poem" when I was thirteen. I read"The Druid Way" when it came out and it has changed mylife, it was like coming home. I am currently setting up aReiki practice working with animals.
Maya St. Clair (Cuaradai) is an Irish Polytheist andmechanical engineer with a love of history, mythology andculture. She is editor of the Orán Mór, the official newsletterof the New Order of Druids. She serves on the Council aswell. Maya is also an Irish Gaelic student, residing in Kuwait.
Michelle Corrigan. I realised that my path is to do deepsoul work and seek liberation so I have also spent timedoing self-study and healing. Shamanism is about beingconnected to the earth and nature, as well as to the GreatDivine. There are many answers to this question but forme it is union of the mind, body and spirit, being in touchwith the self, knowing who you are, being at peace andin harmony.
Morrigan Sidhe (Morri) has been practicing a Pagansince 1979 and adopted her family tradition of IrishDruidry in 1983. Since that time, she has been a memberof several Druid Orders and is expanding herunderstanding of Druidry by studying the BardicGrade in OBOD. She has been a student of severalMedicine Peoples from various Nations and is amember of the Carrier Sekani Nadleh Whut'en FirstNation Caribou Clan. She was the co-founder of IndigoBridge Cooperative, a web site devoted to providingaccurate information on Paganism to Pagan groups and organizations devotedto promoting religious tolerance. IBC also provided web design support tohundreds of groups over the course of its existence. She was the assistant editorof Echoed Voices e-zine for several years and is a ghost writer for Magical Ink,a small magazine published in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada where she resides.Morri's publications have included poems, short stories, and articles and sheis also an accomplished playwright and visual artist.
Shaun (phagos) is 55 yrs old, has been aware of his pathsince the age of 18 and has studied healing and the Westernmystery traditions on and off most of his life. Hisqualifications are in counselling and hypnotherapy and hehas practised past life regression. For the past ten years he
has been a member of OBOD and he is now studying in the Druid grade.Phagos co-founded the Sylvan Grove five years ago, and is one of fourfacilitators. They meet regularly in the New Forest near the historic village ofBurley, UK.
Editorial NotesYou do not have to be amember of the Druidic
Dawn community to submitto the magazine.
Please submitcontributions directly to
the editorial staff viaemail to:
Refer to the last page ofthis issue for writer’s
guidelines and even moreinformation, before you
submit inquiries orcontributions.
Below are our upcomingissues. Be sure to specify
to which you aresubmitting.
Volume 2, Issue 4,“Spirits of the Land”
Deadline 15th Feb 2010
The ancient Celts were ananimistic and liminal
people. They saw spiritsin all things. This issue
takes a look at thatspecific aspect of Celtic
practice, both ancient andmodern.
Volume 3, Issue 1,“Celtic Ecology”
Deadline 15th May 2010
Celtic spirituality is anearth spirituality. Thisissue is to focus on a
variety of topics,including ecology,philosophy, eco-
psychology, wildernessand the wild, the Celticlove and reverence of
nature, permaculture, andeco-activism.
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"Silent night, holy night"--the darkest night of the year fastapproaches in the Northern Hemisphere and we arereminded that there are still greater, numinous powers atwork in the world than we could ever dream. This is partof the magic people attribute to Christmas--the awe, thewonder, the sacred seeming to draw closer to us at this time.Of course the numinous is always a part of our lives, butthere is something about the dark isolating cold, after aheavy snowfall, when the world becomes completely Other,that still captivates us.
Turning our gaze inwards, this is the time of gestation andreflection, but also an opportunity for deeper communionand compassion, no matter your culture or religion. Theprimal images of the fire, the tree of life, and the Santashaman fill our dreams and connect us, even if we don'trealize it, to thousands of generations before us. I certainlyfind a comfort in this seasonal cycle, and at the WinterSolstice, how more appropriate is it to have an issue aboutthe Ancestors and Death?
This issue we have a variety of contributions. The interviewwith Erynn Rowan Laurie is one of the best I've read in along time--and that is due to her depth and clarity inanswering. Our three articles should prove inspirational inyour own path, and I hope the poetry and Cooking Cauldronsections give you something extra to add to your Solsticecelebrations.
With the new year approaching, Aontacht also has a neweditor. Because of other personal commitments, Chrissyhad to resign, but she wanted me to pass on to the readersher thanks for your support and the excellent experiencesthe magazine gave to her. I took the reins from her becausethere seemed no other logical thing to do but! I have noexperience with graphics though, unlike Chrissy's beautifulpast workmanship, so we are having to rely on others inthe DD community for that, in a pinch. If you think thoughthat you would be willing to work with me on the moreartistic, graphics side of Aontacht, on a trial or permanentbasis, please let me know! We could use the help.
A new editor always means new changes to a publication.I have a lot of ideas that might deepen as well as broadenAontacht for the better. One of the first changes that I wouldlike to bring out next issue is for this letter you are readingnow, from the editor, to be widened to include the wholeAontacht team. I'm not the only person working to bringyou this publication; changes and submissions arediscussed amongst the team, and so I would like the editor'sletter to be more a letter from all of us. It will still probablybe written by me, but I think this will provide more
continuity, no matter what changes and evolutions Aontachtgoes through (and it will go through them again in future,no doubt).
Secondly, I had an idea for three new features in Aontacht.The first would be a Group Interview in addition to theindividual interview. This would give opportunity for thosein the Celtic spiritual community (Druid, CR, CelticChristian, etc.) to share more about how their group gotstarted, what they do in the group, how they celebrate thefestivals, rituals, and so on. This might very well beinspiring to other groups as well as to solitaries, to find outwhat others all over the world are doing. We will bebringing out a poll on the main DD site soon so that youcan cast your vote whether you think that a "groupinterview" feature would be welcome.
The other addition is a possible Eco section. The nextvolume of Aontacht is going to have a decidedly moreecological focus, to put modern Celtic spirituality in contextof the Earth community. I'm not really sure how an actualEco-feature would take shape though. We probably willrun a poll on this as well, so keep your eyes open for thatbecause we'll certainly need your feedback and suggestions!
The third new feature will be a Reader Response area. Thismeans to be an invitation for ALL of you to write inregarding issues raised in the last issue, as well as yourresponse to articles, ideas, the magazine in general, whethercritical or positive. This is in line with the main aim ofAontacht, to create unity and mutual understandingthroughout the Celtic spiritual community.
Lastly, I would really like to ask for more participation frompeople living in the Southern Hemisphere. Right now,there is a huge bias in Aontacht towards just the NorthernHemisphere, but I would like to see that changed. The thingis that we need contributions, and it would be lovely ifperhaps some willing soul would volunteer to every issuewrite a little something from the perspective of being in theSouthern Hemisphere, or even just every once in a while.So if you can, please let us know.
Now, on behalf of Druidic Dawn and the Aontacht Team,I'd like to wish you and yours ...
Blessed Solstice and a Prosperous New Year!Nadolig Bendigedig a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!Beannachtaí na Nollag, athbhliain faoi mhaise duit!
Jenn, and the Aontacht Team
From the newEditor’s desk ...
Jenn MacCormack
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Keeping Up with the Project/Management Team
During the fourth solar quarter of 2009, the Project Team has become renamedas the Management Team due to various legalities, with the formation of thenon-profit Community Interest Company in September 2009.
On Site
The community has, and is still, reasonably active inrespect of attempting to find common groundbetween its member groups and individualparticipants. Discussion concerning Unity – WorkingTogether is still on-going which led to a poll, and hasresulted in an on-going ' Declaration of DruidicValues' project. The community is invited to add allvalues which are important to them as a group orindividual. Druidic Dawn has been requested by thecommunity once it has been completed to create anunbiased report or document which encompasses allvalues presented. The management team would liketo encourage everyone to participate, to enable anaccurate representation of values to be produced.
Due to the content nature of some of the relatedthreads, community members have requested thoseto be moved to become community access only. Thistoo developed an additional function enablingmembers to upload and attach images direct, to theirforum threads to assist in the written wordcommunication process.
A web site “Roll of Honour” has been recentlyadded, this is to celebrate and encourage communitymembers to contribute to their community.Eligibility and inclusion in the Roll of Honour, isachieved by either donating financially to assist inkeeping the web sites’ presence or volunteering andactively becoming involved in the communities’ siteand its associated activities. Where applicable, linksto your own web site can also be featured.
A new Celtic and Druid Archive menu has beenadded, at present under development, featuring
aspects of a Fraternal Archive. In the near future theKnowledge Base menu will be superseded allassociated and relative sub items being; Celtic;Druidry and Up to date, will be moved under the newCeltic and Druid Archive menu.
Lastly keeping with the theme of “workingtogether” a new Druidic Dawn moderated membersmessage group has been established on Yahoo. Thisenables members of the community to keep in touchwith discussion on site. Specifically if one considersyour existing Internet connection is slow andcumbersome and prevents one from reaching yourcommunity. This new feature allows members tointeract via the yahoo message group with theDruidic Dawn Community web site.
Druidic Dawn Working in the Community
Members of the Management Team have visited aworld heritage site which is held in some relevanceby both Druids and Pagans on many differentlevels. They have met up with some of theircounterparts on a fact-finding exercise. This isrelevant to fostering possibilities of workingtogether and to developing opportunities in the nearfuture in line with Druidic Dawn's communityinterests.
Members of the Management Team have visitedSpain on another fact-finding exercise. The decisionhas been made by the team to work closely with thegroup concerned and a public announcement will bemade in the Spring Equinox issue. Stay tuned!
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A member of the team has been invited to attend theOBOD Assembly in Australia in April 2010. Theyhave been asked to present a talk and discussion onthe work of Druidic Dawn CIC. Details of thisforthcoming event can be found within thismagazine edition.
Enquiries have been made with our organising teamin Canada on whether the Celtic Gathering will beheld this coming year in 2010 or at a future date.Once this is known, an announcement will be madeon the web site.
Druidic Dawn from behind the Scenes
Aontacht Magazine production team has had somechange over the last solar quarter. The co-editor hasbecome the new editor. The Druidic DawnManagement Team would sincerely like to thank theout-going editor for her donation, vision andproduction of the past Newsletters and Magazine. It
has become an asset of the Druidic DawnCommunity, producing quality articles, interviewsand book reviews (to name a few), which arepublicly available to everyone. We would like towish the out-going editor every success in the newavenues being undertaken; and welcome in the newincoming editor of the Aontacht magazine.
A vacancy has arisen for the position of co-editor, atAontacht. Any community member interested infilling the position, including guiding andcontributing towards the direction which thiscommunity magazine will take, are invited to [email protected]
In respect to the new editors announcement. Allreaders of Aontacht are invited to send in theirresponses, good or bad, and ideas relating to thecontent of this Magazine.
Druidic Dawn Management Team
Druidic Dawn CIC ~ Annual ReportSeptember 2008 - August 2009
As previously posted to the community an AnnualGeneral Meeting was scheduled and on the 13thOctober 2009. This report is being made publiclyavailable in this edition of Aontacht, Druidic Dawnonline Magazine.
The AGM purpose was to gauge the ability of thiscommunity website over the last year, includingensuring that items not yet completed continueonto fruition. An important consideration relatedto accessing the health and security and associatedsystems, for the security and protection of all. Italso investigating new ideas to be implemented inthe year ahead. There was also an element relatingto finance which enables this community presenceto be maintained and available on the internet.
Overall the operating platform remains stable andhas achieved being available 99.99% during thepast year. Any minor hiccups amounted to no morethan 30 minutes downtime, when the site becameunavailable. The present security system isadequate for the community needs at this time. Allthe same this is constantly under review but nochanges are envisioned at this time.
Druidic Dawn is now officially a CommunityInterest Company (CIC) as of September 1st 2009.Little will change for our members. Being a CIChowever means we shall be in a position todemonstrate to everyone in a transparent wayexactly what our altruistic objectives are, and howfunds are allocated. As a non-profit organisation,and currently with our volunteers plundering theirpiggy banks and looking under the settee withregards to paying the bills. You may notice a little"Donate" button on the bottom of our website, andwe would welcome any contributions in assistingus to maintain this valuable service, pluscontributing to our community projects onceannounced.
Last year achievements exceeded our expectationsfrom the previous AGM. It served to illustrate howdedicated the team is with the assistance of DruidicDawn Community volunteers are, not onlytowards this community and Druidry generally.The achievements are correct on 12th October 2009and are as follows:-
� Druidic Dawn presence on MySpaceestablished February 2009
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� Celtic Gathering micro site completed February2009
� Donate Button added in February 2009
� Book Reviews feature added March 2009
� Public Events Calendar – April 2009
� Druidic Dawn presence on YouTubeestablished April 2009
� Druidic Dawn presence on FaceBookestablished May 2009
� Druidic Dawn presence on Twitter establishedMay 2009
� Celtic Gathering Event held in Ontario, Canadain July/August 2009
� Druidic Dawn affiliated to Amazon Books inAugust 2009
� Druidic Dawn Community Interest Companyregistered 1st September 2009
� Aontacht - Druidic Dawn Online newsletterbecame a Magazine in the Autumn/SpringEquinox issue in September 2009.
� Druid Sound received four new podcastadditions these include : -
Wessex Research Group Network in Jan 2009New Order of Druids added in May 2009The Druid Network added in May 2009OBOD Netherlands Podcast added in June 2009
The teams’ non achievement relates to one item,which is now being brought into fruition. (Roll ofHonour)
We are in the early stages of bringing a new Celticand Druidic related project to the community. Thishas been suggested by a community member, andDruidic Dawn is more than obliged to support,having accessed the community value.
At present we would rather not say what it entails.The same applies to additional facilities which arealready under development. These having beenprioritised relative to 2009, 2010/11 with regards tocontributing back to the Druid Community andwhat is considered important to Druids.
In recognition to the volunteers assisting DruidicDawn all will be invited to attend a pre 2010 AGM,where criticisms, ideas and suggestions can beheard, and more importantly included at the nextannual meeting for possible discussion.
On behalf of the Management Team
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|The DD Q&A: Erynn Rowan Laurie|
by the Druidic Dawn
Erynn Rowan Laurie lives in Everett, Washington and has been involved inthe Pagan communities of the Pacific Northwest since 1984. An independentPagan Scholar and one of the founders of the Celtic Reconstruction movement,she writes and teaches on many aspects of Celtic Paganism, Druidism andFilidecht. She offers readings, consultations and other services by appointment.
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DD: Hello Erynn. First of all I'd like to thank you fortaking the time to answer some of the community'squestions. Welcome!
ERL: Hi Jenn, and greetings to everyone at Aontacht andDruidic Dawn! Thanks for giving me the opportunity totalk with you all.
DD: How did you first get involved in the Celtictradition, and the Reconstructionist movement?
ERL: I first got actively involved in Paganism back in1984. At the time the only thing I knew about out therewas Wicca, so that was where I started, like so manyothers at the time. Reading Celtic mythologies andlearning about ogam was what really sparked myinterest in finding a Celtic path that was meaningful tome. The more I looked at the history and thearchaeology and traditions of the various Celtic peoples,the more I realized that Wicca didn't fit the patterns Iwas seeing and so I gradually moved closer to areconstructionist approach and attitude.
DD: Would you like to share some of your journey asan encouragement to the readers of Aontacht?
ERL: At the time when I was seeking, there wasn't aninternet as we now know it. There were a fewcommercial online services like GEnie or CompuServe,with some Usenet access and email listservs if you werelucky. There were also Pagan bulletin board services likePODSnet, which was run on a FIDO model, socommunication was slower and less far-reaching.
Because I wasn't really finding anyone who was doingwhat I was doing, I started talking about my researchand my experiences on Celtic-L and founded the PODSCeltic echo in hopes of finding like-minded others. Backthen it was practically heresy to suggest that Wiccawasn't Celtic, though it's become much more acceptedand understood now. The folks on Celtic-L mostlywanted to talk about sports and current events;discussion of mythology, non-Christian spirituality, andanything hinting of Druids tended to be discouraged,sometimes harshly. Because of this I founded theNemeton email list, giving those of us who wereinterested in the spiritual end of things a safe place fordiscussion. From Nemeton, other groups and email listsdeveloped and the ideas and ideals of CelticReconstructionist Paganism began to expand on theweb.
I never much intended to become a "leader" in thecommunity but, as has been said, history is made bythose who show up. I was one of the many folks whoshowed up and did the work. We're all still doing thework today. CR is far from highly developed at thispoint, though it has been finding its bearings andbranching into a rich and multifaceted movement.People find themselves inspired by different Celtic
cultures and languages, interested in and touched bymany different Celtic deities, and working on andreconstructing a number of approaches to ritual,devotion, household worship, magic, and divination.This is really as it should be, because "the Celts" werenever a monolithic cultural structure. It's only to beexpected that different groups and locations willdevelop different responses to the stories, the research,the deities, and their own land.
We're at the beginning of a movement. Anyone who getsinvolved can help to shape it and bring forthconstructive and meaningful dialogue and ritual. All ittakes is a sense of devotion that evolves into action andto sharing with the rest of the community.
DD: What are some common misunderstandings andmisrepresentations of Celtic Reconstructionismamongst other members of the Celtic Pagancommunity?
ERL: There are a considerable number, and some of usaddressed these in the CR FAQ, which can be foundat http://www.paganachd.com/faq/
While it's important to remember that this documentwas written by committee, a good deal of it applies fairlybroadly.
Some of the big misconceptions include the idea thatCRs are all druids (only a few of us use that title), thatwe're Celtic shamans (I think we all uniformly shudderat the idea), that we're hostile to Wiccans (some are butmost of us just want folks to know we're not the samething), that we're big meanies (okay, some CRs areobnoxious, but you get that in every community), andthat we're all about intellectual pursuits to the detrimentof our actual spiritual practices.
Like many misunderstandings and stereotypes, there'ssome small grain of truth to some aspects of these. Forthe most part, though, misunderstandings are just that.They may not always be helpfully dealt with by some inthe community but there are those of us who are happyto engage with the rest of the Pagan community and todiscuss the issues openly.
DD: What advice would you give the readers on howto address and overcome those misunderstandings?
ERL: Talking to folks in the CR movement is helpful ifyou're not familiar with us; unfortunately some of thefolks on the CR lists tend to be very off-putting to newfolks and anyone perceived as an "outsider". These folksmake it harder for the rest of us. Just plain politenessfrom people speaking from the CR movement would goa long way to dealing with most of the problems. It'sreally hard for someone new to get an accurate look atthe movement as a whole when a few loud people are
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that we identify with a complex of cultures wherewarriors and honor were important doesn't give anyonean excuse to go off on people, which is something I'veseen all too often.
The idea that CRs are only about intellectual debate andciting sources isn't helped by the dominance of thatdiscourse in public. Very few CRs actually talk abouttheir personal and group practices in public. The fact isthat behind all the discussion there's a lot going on bothritually and as personal daily lifestyle practice, likeliving cultural virtues. Part of the problem is that peopleare hesitant to talk about their personal work becausethey're afraid they'll be told they're doing it wrong orthey're not "Celtic enough." Many people feel they don'tknow enough to participate in the conversation and thatrestricts the types of discussions that are had in publicforums. Remember that every one of us had to startsomewhere and that we're all learning day by day.
Part of this is based in the misconception that there'sonly one "real" CR way of doing things. The fact is thatthe Celtic peoples were never a monolithic culture anymore than Native Americans are one monolithic culture.Each tribe was doing different things than the tribedown the road a bit, and those things also changed withthe passing generations. We need to understand andaccept localization and regional variations within themovement, and to encourage discussions of what peopleare actually doing while listening with reasonableattention and respect. This doesn't mean thatmisconceptions shouldn't be corrected -- we're alwaysgoing to correct someone if they start talking aboutogams in North America, for instance -- but correctionsneed to be done in a way that encourages people to learnrather than shutting them down and shutting them outof conversation.
In the end analysis, courtesy and openness about whowe are and what we do would solve a lot of problems.
DD: What originally inspired you to write a book onthe Irish Ogam? What do you think is the book'soverall message or relevance?
ERL: When I first ran into the Ogam system I was quiteinterested because it was something Gaelic. I picked upwhat books and materials were available at the time, butthe more I read and the more research I did, the more Irealized that what was being put out in the Pagancommunity wasn't actually true. There was no treecalendar. There was no tree astrology. Some of the letternames being used were entirely wrong, historicallyspeaking. So I went searching for a more accuratehistorical perspective.
Eventually I realized that a non-tree-based system madea lot more sense to me and seemed more historicallyauthentic, but nobody outside of academia was talkingabout it at all. This was what pushed me to actually
write my book. I got four false starts on it over a periodof about 18 years and threw them out entirely.Eventually I got a booklet together for a class atPantheaCon in San Jose that became the core of myogam book. From there it was a matter of furtherresearch, refinement of the system, and expanding onthe booklet to include other aspects of my use of thesystem.
As to the book's message and relevance, I think it'simportant for people to understand the origins ofsystems they're using. Tree astrology may work forsome people, but no one should be claiming it as an"Ancient Druidic Astrology System." To make that claimis fraud. I think it goes back to individual creativity; ifyou create a system that works for you, own thatcreativity rather than trying to give it a fake historicalcachet. The important thing is that it works! Honestyhelps all of us in the community, and to acknowledgeour own creativity is important. I would have far lessquarrel with "Celtic tree astrology" if people weren'tclaiming the ancient Druids did it.
I'd like to think that my discussion of my rituals andexperiences with the ogam is relevant to the communityas an example of what can be done with the system, andthat it will inspire others to further the research and thework. I think it's also an important book because it waswritten from a specifically CR perspective; there's notmuch of that out there as yet. There's a good deal ofinterest, but the movement tends not to be veryaccessible for a variety of reasons. I hope to make itmore accessible through my work and to demonstratethat CR is not just spiritless academic discussion.
DD: Is there a particular Ogam symbol or tree thatspeaks to you more than others? Is the 'Rowan' in yourname connected to this?
ERL: Coll and nGétal are both very important symbolsto me. Coll is the hazel tree and a symbol of poetry anddeep wisdom. It's a quality that I work towardintegrating and embodying in my life. It's an ideal Iaspire to. nGétal is an ogam that addresses woundingand healing; it's both the wound inflicted and the workof healing the wound. As a disabled veteran, this is areally important concept to me; I've been working foryears on bringing myself back to health and, while it'shappening, it moves slowly. This fid or letter is areminder of my goals and one I use for much of myhealing work.
While the rowan tree was certainly the inspiration formy middle name, it wasn't specifically connected to theogam.
DD: How are you progressing with your book aboutthe healing potential of the Ogam?
ERL: It's going very slowly. I have about four books thatI want to write at the moment, in addition to all the
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essays I've been doing for anthologies in the past yearor so. I'm kind of overwhelmed with the amount ofwriting that I need to do and, as someone working withfibromyalgia, I only have a limited amount of energy togive to any one project at a time. I use the techniques Iwant to talk about, and they do often help me, but I stillhave a long way to go.
DD: Besides the Ogam and Irish GaelicReconstructionism, what are some of your other majorinterests, areas of study and hobbies?
ERL: Wow, that's a huge question! I actually have a lotof different interests outside of ogam and CR.
Spiritually speaking, I'm a member of the local Shinto
shrine and I do participate in occasional Hindu pujaswhen the opportunity arises. I do quite a bit of not-specifically-Celtic animist work. I've done a good bit ofinterfaith activism as well, though I'm certainly not onthe level of the folks who are going to the Parliament ofWorld Religions. My work has primarily been local onthat front.
Sometimes when I want a break from working onintensive non-fiction writing I'll write some fanfic forfun and to clear out the cobwebs in my brain. I love toread, as well, though primarily nonfiction in thehumanities and social sciences.
I really enjoy traveling when I'm able. This past summerI went on a three-week road trip to teach at an ADFcamp-out and then visit many friends in California. Itwas a fantastic experience. It involved camping andhiking, which I love, as well as stops in San Franciscoand Los Angeles.
Cooking is a lot of fun for me, and when I have theenergy I really love cooking for friends. I keep a blog atLiveJournal where I talk about the ins and outs of mydaily life, and I'll often post some foodporn aboutwhatever I've been cooking lately. I love food fromdifferent cultures, particularly Asian, Middle Easternand North African.
Musically I've always loved singing. For several years Iwas performing with Seirm, Seattle's Scottish Gaelicchoir, and that's not the only public performance groupI've been a part of over the years. I've studied gamelan,which is an Indonesian percussion orchestra, as well asplaying many other kinds of percussion. I used to playguitar, though too much pain in the hands put a stop tothat years ago. I love to go to live concerts, though, inmany genres of music. Lately there's been a lot ofsteampunk music in my area, and quite a few of myfriends are musicians of varying types, from medieval acappella vocals to gothic industrial bands and I love tosupport them when I can afford to go to their shows.
I'm also a big fan of weird, obscure, and foreign film. Iget a lot of really fascinating stuff online to watch whenI'm in the mood. I find stuff by Werner Herzog and JanSvankmajer to be really interesting and fun. I also lovebad, cheesy science fiction movies!
On a more serious note, I do a lot of informationactivism around women veterans issues like militarysexual trauma, and am a member of Veterans for Peace.Peace activism, feminism, and environmental activismare important to me, particularly as they interact withhuman rights issues. A few years ago I was interviewedon the local National Public Radio station with one ofthe psychiatrists from the Veterans Administrationabout military sexual trauma, and I spoke on a panel toa regional Veterans Administration health careprofessionals conference on spirituality and post-traumatic stress disorder. The local CR group I workwith is also doing a lot around ritual work for warriorsin terms of rites for people going off to war, and forfolks returning from military service. We had a panellast year at PantheaCon on the warrior ritual for sendingsomeone out and will be doing a similar one this year onour warrior return ritual. One of our folks recentlyreturned from Iraq and we'll be doing his ritual inJanuary. One important bit of this is that one of thechaplains from the local Veterans AdministrationHospital will be coming to participate in the ritual,which I think is a really groundbreaking thing. I've beentalking about the ritual and this aspect of it on my blog,as well as my experiences with my own warrior returnritual twenty-six years after leaving the military.
DD: What is your stance on other spiritual traditions,and what are your methods to avoid culturalappropriation?
ERL: I think it's important to learn about andunderstand other traditions, and to work on buildingbridges between spiritual communities. Attending therituals or services of other religions offers not just anopportunity to learn, but an opportunity to showrespect for those traditions by participating when it'sappropriate. I really believe that we're less likely to besuspicious of or to offend people of other religions if wehave seen or experienced what they do and learn abouttheir traditions. And they, conversely, are less likely tobe suspicious of or to offend us if they know us asindividual human beings whose path is simply differentthan theirs. One thing I've learned is that when you'repolite and you're doing your best to understand, mostfolks are happy to have you attend a ritual or a serviceand tell you about their tradition.
As to cultural appropriation, that's an immense anddifficult topic. I did a couple of essays for an anthologyon Paganism and cultural appropriation that came outlast year, titled Talking About the Elephant, fromImmanion/Megalithica Press. Because no culture existsin a vacuum, it's impossible for cultures not to influence
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one another. Respectful interaction is key. Knowing thesources of things and how they relate to one another isalso vitally important.
It's also very easy to read "cultural appropriation" intothings that are not appropriation. Some NativeAmerican groups express the belief that any non-Nativesweat practice is appropriation of Native tradition. Thetruth is, sweat rituals and practices are found in culturesaround the globe. From Finnish sauna to Gaulish stonesweat-houses, there are models that exist and that donot in any way steal from Native American cultures.One can legitimately be studying and trying toreconstruct an Irish sweat tradition withoutappropriating, for example, Lakota sweat ritual. The factthat most of the Irish tradition regarding this is lostmeans we have to look at other cultures to try tounderstand what might have been done, but thatdoesn't mean we can do a Lakota ritual and claim it'sIrish. Honesty about our sources cannot be over-emphasized.
DD: What would you say is the predominant CelticReconstructionist view on topics like reincarnation,animism, ecological activism, meditation, etc?
ERL: I don't think there is one. The wide variety ofpersonalities, locations, and cultural emphases in themovement means that all of these things are tackled asmatters of individual conscience and personal practice.
DD: Do you mind briefly sharing your own personalopinions on the above topics?
ERL: I tend to believe in reincarnation as atransmigration of souls, that we come back in manydifferent forms many different times. I think this view issupported by Irish and Welsh poetry where the poetidentifies with many different kinds of animate and"inanimate" objects, and by a number of tales that tell ofa venerable ancient who returns again and again indifferent forms.
Surviving evidence of beliefs does suggest that Celticcultures experienced their religions as animist, withspirits, deities, or various other entities occupyinglandscape features like mountains or wells. It's how Iapproach my own personal practice. I think of prettymuch everything as ensouled in some way.
As far as ecological activism, whether or not such athing can be supported by lore, I think it's imperative.Without immediate, rapid movement on issues likeglobal climate change and over population, there's notgoing to be an environment left that will support humanlife. It's a matter of survival rather than theology orideology. We're killing ourselves and we should stopthat.
Meditation is a part of my personal practice, but I alsoknow folks who don't really get anything out of it, orwho have a lot of trouble settling into it. I don't think it'ssomething everyone absolutely has to do. I thinkincorporating your spirituality into your daily life as agiven that permeates everything, rather than as bigformal ritual, is more useful and important. Living thevarious traditional virtues like generosity andhospitality has more practical value than trying to clearyour mind for ten minutes if all you're going to do is getfrustrated because you feel like you're not making anyprogress. Absolutely, keep up with some sort ofpractice, but don't keep it separate from everything elseyou do and are.
DD: Is it possible to have a "general Reconstructionistopinion" on any single given topic (ie is theReconstructionist group cohesive enough to have anagreed stance)?
ERL: No. At best you're going to get a "most CRs thinkthis is important" rather than "this is what all CRsbelieve or do".
DD: How do you make the historical, academic side ofCeltic Reconstructionism into an well-rounded butactive, every-day practice?
ERL: Study, research, learning, and communicatingwhat has been learned has always been a traditionalpart of Celtic cultures. It was incredibly highly respectedand encouraged. In the most traditional sense, onecannot be a Druid or a Fili without it. In the originalcultures, people would spend years or decades studyingand learning in order to fulfill their responsibilities totheir tribe or clan.
For me, the research is usually fun, and I find wonderfulthings to integrate into my personal and grouppractices, often in the most unexpected places. Law textshave been as much a rich source for me as traditionalmythological tales and folklore. Excerpts from sourcetexts often make it into rituals or deeply influence theway I work. Language study is important because itallows participation in a worldview that can otherwiseonly be seen from outside. To understand what wordsmean and where they come from helps contextualizepractice.
As a poet and a devotee of Brigid, study and historygive me a rich field of myth and symbol that influencesmy writing and poetry. There's no part of my spirituallife that doesn't incorporate something from thehistorical and academic aspects of CR. The plants I use,the words I choose, the way I conceive of cosmology --all of it is deeply influenced by the reading and studyI've been doing over the years, and what people in themovement are sharing with each other face to face or incorrespondence with one another. Trying to separate the"academic" from the "spiritual" would be impossible for
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me.
It's the academic work that tells me about the deities Iworship. Their sobriquets and their names havemeanings, which we can't really know unless weunderstand something about the Celtic languages. Itmakes a huge difference knowing that Daghda's epithet"Ollathair" means "great-father", not "all-father," forinstance. Without looking at a wide variety ofsometimes difficult-to-find sources, I wouldn't havefound the protective prayer that invokes the "silverwarrior who has not died, who will not die" and the"seven daughters of the sea". Research taught me thatjuniper smoke was used for purification. Commentaryon early Irish law texts gave me the image of thepreserving shrine and of the connecting thread of poetryin all things. Archaeology has given us images of deitieslike Nehalennia and Coventina, of Ogmios and Taranis.This is the stuff of my daily practice. Without this, wewould have nothing upon which to base our practices.
Working with this material is also a reflection of theGaelic preoccupation with truth or fir. Without knowingwhat's true, how can we practice at all? The study ofhistory and Celtic cultures helps us find and recognizetruth. It helps us separate the real from the fraudulent.Armed with truth, we can recognize when people aretrying to scam us with fake "Celtic Bibles," Atlanteanorigin stories, and similar impossible claims. If Atlantisworks for you as a metaphor, more power to you, justdon't try to tell anyone that the Druids really came fromAtlantis or that your granny left you a previously-unknown Old Irish text that you only have the Germantranslation for.
The other thing it's important to recognize is thatscholarship continues to move. What we thought wasthe truth twenty years ago is quite different now. Newarchaeology opens up new possibilities, uncovers thenames of new deities, and sheds new light on historicalpractice. New translations of texts correctmisinterpretations or offer up manuscripts that havenever previously been available outside of their nativelanguages, and these can influence ritual and practicevery deeply. The interplay of history, academic work,and practice is a complex, ever-shifting dance. We can'tremain static in the face of this ever-changing tapestry.
These are good for examining the connection ofspirituality and poetry with ecological sensibility andthe process of connecting with the land.
DD: If you could recommend any authors or books tous, which would be, say your top five or top ten onthat list, in no particular order?
ERL: This will be a rather idiosyncratic list, given myfocus and interests. Always understand that other folkswould recommend other books and authors. These are
primarily recommended for folks interested in the pathof the fili or sacred poet.
Joseph F. Nagy, The Wisdom of the Outlaw: The BoyhoodDeeds of Finn in Gaelic Narrative Tradition
John Gregorson Campbell, The Gaelic Otherworld
John T. Koch & John Carey, The Celtic Heroic Age: LiterarySources for Ancient Celtic Europe & Early Ireland & Wales(4th edition)
J. G. O'Keefe, Buile Suibhne: The Frenzy of Suibhne
Robin Skelton, Spellcraft
Robin Skelton, Samhain and other poems in Irish meters ofthe Eighth to the Sixteenth Century
Jane Hirschfield, Nine Gates: Entering the Mind of Poetry
These deal with aspects of poetry, metrics, translation,and poetry as magic.
Gary Snyder, The Practice of the Wild
Jason Kirkey, The Salmon in the Spring: The Ecology ofCeltic Spirituality
These are good for examining the connection ofspirituality and poetry with ecological sensibility andthe process of connecting with the land.
DD: What are your future plans, both personally andprofessionally?
ERL: I intend to keep writing as much as I can, though itdoes go more slowly than I'd like. There's a lot to sayand to explore and there are so many things yet tocontribute to the community to help it grow and mature.Definitely expect more anthology essays from me aswell as new books in the coming years.
More immediately, I'll be heading down to PantheaConagain in February of 2010, so if you're going, look meup! I go every year and usually do a class or two.
For the most part, I'm in a pretty good place with mylife. I love the Pacific Northwest, I've got a good localcommunity to work with, and I love having friendscome visit me from all over. Most of my networkingtakes place over the internet, through my website andmy LiveJournal. I'm always open to discussion with newpeople, though I don't always have as much time to talkwith folks as I'd like.
At some point I'd love to go visit Scotland and the Isle ofMan and experience the land there. I was blessed withthe gift of ten days in Ireland some years back and had a
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a fantastic time there. I think it's important to travel tothe places that are important in our myths and stories sothat we have a deeper understanding of the roots of thispath. Those of you who live there already are very luckyto have that kind of connection with the land.
Mostly, I just want to keep practicing the fine art ofbeing human. Someday I might even get it right!
DD: How do you see the future of CelticReconstructionism and Druidry developing in the 21st
Century? How can we make them relevant for ourpresent world crises and challenges?
ERL: I think that the ecological sensibilities of theDruidic movement are already relevant to the currentsituation. The ideal of our connection with the spirits ofthe land that we find in CR and the interest that manygroups have in localizing that sense of the sacred followthe same spiritual logic. I believe that helping peoplemove away from mono-vision is one potential role forthese paths; to see the world through polytheistic eyesopens vast new possibilities. There's less of a sense thatthere can only be one truth or one solution to a problem.
I believe it will be important to recognize that there areimportant ways that we can never and would neverwant to recreate the past. CR needs to adapt and be opento change if it is going to be relevant in the 21st century.We can learn many valuable lessons from the past, butwe can't remain stuck in it. Regionalizing and localizingare going to be important forces in the movement.Recognizing local climate, local ecology, and localsensibilities will, I think, become increasingly necessary.What works for Seattle, Washington isn't going to workfor Phoenix, Arizona. The land is different and so are thepeople and the energies. We can't expect to doeverything exactly the same way someone in 2ndcentury Ulster or 1st century Gaul would; for one thing,we just don't know the exact details. Our technologiesare different, as are our social expectations.
I do believe that CR and Druidism offer a model formore sustainable living with the land. The developmentof a virtue-based ethic is important within CR and couldhave a strong and lasting impact on the world at large ifit's whole-heartedly embraced.
I don't know what the future will bring. I just hope thatwe regain our collective sanity before we manage towipe ourselves off the planet.
DD: Do you have any closing words or advice youwould like to leave with us?
ERL: Live in the world like a poet. See the worldthrough lovers' eyes. Practice compassion. Be kind toyourselves. Be excellent to each other.
For further information about Erynn and CelticReconstructionism, you can visit these web sites:http://www.seanet.com/~inisglas/index.html andhttp://www.paganachd.com/faq/
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Honouring my ancestors is an integral part of myDruidic path as it is for many other people whopractice modern Druidry. It is, however, a traditionthat appears to be confused often by outsiders - andeven path workers - as being focussed on biologicallineage and an adherence to Celtic practices withoutquestion and to the exclusion of all else. This is notthe case for me. The value in honouring my ancestorslies not in creating division with others but infostering a connection to others. This connection hasbeen an invaluable component in my personal growthand well-being.
My professional background is in social work and mypractice is rooted in the holistic model of social work.In a nutshell, this means that I consider all aspects ofa person’s life in clinical assessment and intervention.One of these aspects is personality, and a corecomponent of healthy personality development isidentity. The successful development of identity ismarked by high self-esteem, advanced moralreasoning, and increased critical thinking.
Identity development begins at the point in childhoodwhen a child becomes aware that they are separateand unique individuals. People develop their identityin stages that are described in a variety of differentways by psychologists, most notably in the works ofErik Erickson and James E. Marcia. Ultimately, Ibelieve identity is synonymous with self-awarenessand is a combination of the understanding of oneselfboth as separate and connected to the world. This isdescribed as personal identity (our separateness) andsocial identity (our connectedness). I do believe thatwe also require aspiritual identity which, in the scientific world, fallsunder the umbrella of social identity and thecommitment to a set of religious beliefs. I delineatespiritual identity because I see these identities ascorrelates to mind (personal), body (social) and spirit(spiritual). In essence, to be a healthy person, I believethat you have to develop and balance your personalidentity, your social identity and your spiritualidentity.
Honouring my ancestors has been important to mein developing a coherent identity as an adult.Honouring my ancestors is not a ritual that Iundertake occasionally to give lip service to a set ofvirtues described as Druidic. It is a daily practice
that supports me to be the best possible humanbeing that I can be. It has required me toacknowledge and learn about all my ancestors. Ihave learned about where they came from, thechallenges they faced in their lives, the choices theymade and the values and beliefs that they held. Theexamination of my ethnicities has led me tounderstand that my ancestors all wanted the samething in life, the same thing that I want, which is tobe happy and productive in life. It has also givenme a greater sense of belonging to something largerthan myself. It has encouraged me to learn moreabout the history and development of humans andtheir cultures and has moved me beyond believingthat I belong only to the ethnic groups that form mycurrent physical being. Learning about myancestors has moved me beyond embracingreligious doctrine without question as I uncoveredthe core values, virtues and my own personalconnection to the Divine through the process. Theexamination of the values that my ancestors heldand the choices they made in contrast to the valuesthey, and others, held has supported mydevelopment in moral reasoning and criticalthinking.
I continue to learn about my ancestors, but I am alsoat the stage of my life where honouring myancestors includes passing on that learning to myyounger family members. I became one of theancestors when the new generation arrived.Nurturing the growth of my nieces and nephewshas required that I expand my learning to includethe ancestors in the extended family and, while theprimary responsibility to pass that information onto them falls to the family members directlyconnected to those ancestors, I can support themwith stories and objects that foster understanding,pride and a sense of belonging in the children. Icollect stories from all the ancestral groups in myextended family and I take joy in reading thesestories to my nieces and nephews. We talk aboutthe meaning of the stories, what they learned andwhat I learned or want them to understand. I tellthem stories about their parents, their grandparents,and their great grandparents. I show them picturesand I give them those things that have been passeddown through the generations that were valued bymembers of our family and, in doing so, I give thema physical object or image that connects them to
Personal Growth and the Ancestorsby Morrigan (Morri) Sidhe
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people whom they have not met, and will nevermeet, in person. Doing this also gives them anemotional, spiritual and cognitive connection totheir ancestors through the description of eachperson. I am helping my younger family membersform the foundation for a coherent adult identity.I am giving them the tools that they need to behappy and successful in their lives.
The process of building a connection to theancestors in the new generation of my family hasalso deepened the connection that I have with themand with the ancestors. It has cultivated my identityfurther and prevented me from becomingcomplacent in my personal development because Iam now an ancestor and a link to generations past.This means that I must be a good role model for thevalues and virtues I am passing on to my familymembers. It has prompted me to continue learningabout people, cultures, religions and the underlying
values they hold. It has deepened my belief that weare all connected. Honouring my ancestors and theancestors of my extended family helps me to remainhappy. It also helps me to feel successful as a humanbeing.Honouring my ancestors is a way to keep thelessons of the past alive, to pass on a moral code ofconduct that I value, to create an opportunity forothers to understand and embrace the Divine, butmore than anything else it is the foundation for mypsychological well-being and the psychologicalwell-being of those I love.
Sources:
Roediger, et.al., Psychology, Little, Brown andCompany, 1984Darley, et.al., Psychology, 2nd Edition, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1984Lindzey, et.al. , Psychology, 2nd Edition, Worth
April is typically a pleasant time to visit Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
All members of the Order, their partners, and children are welcome to attend.
The venue is a private residence in Cockatoo on 1.5 acres in the Dandenong Ranges
If you think you might like to come to this Assembly,
please send me an email and let me know if you have any special needs.
I'll then add you to the Assembly e-list.
contact Vicki
Come and Walk through a Southern Hemisphere Gateway
OBOD Assemblyin Australia
23rd - 26th April 2010
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Poetry
Relay Race
by Gillian Monks
Life is like a relay race -My lap is nearly run,
And after all that effortI'm back where I've begun.
I've put my good foot forward,I've sprinted with the best;
The finishing line is now in sight...Time to be assessed!
Each one of us are guardiansTo nurture life with care,
And all of us do get a chance -Indeed, 'tis only fair!
I'm so glad that I have found you,You with vigour, youth and time.
Now into your safe keepingI bequeath all that is mine.
You'll keep the house in good repair,You'll tend the plants and trees,
You'll watch your children growing strong......I've done all of these.
My love is with you younger onesBut - the baton now is passed...
My chest heaves as I cross the line,The race is run at last!
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Soul Of My Soulby Lana “Aderyn” Winter
blood of my bloodclad in furs of bearand wolfcarved ships with dragon's headswith calloused handsandburning heartssails taut as salt-spraycarvedrunes into pale skinfreckled from sunlit hours ofworkingearth into grainsteel into swords
ancient songs ina new worldwhere trees kissed the skystill echo softly throughstands of gnarled pine
bone of my boneraven hairedgolden skinnedsons and daughters from a landof sun and pomegranatescrossed wind-curst watersto lands unknownarmed with blades, words,healing herbsand secrets of the starsvoices dark and richas wildflowerhoneysinging history intoeach child's dreams
flesh of my flesh
my cheekbonesmy thighsthe shape of my hands,my face,the amber in my eyesthe waters of your travels reflectedin the blue of my veinswaters brokenbirthing my bloodlineflow through me like fire
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Living Ancestors
by Gillian Monks
My own closest and most important ancestor wasmy mother. Not only was she my nearest anddearest relation, she was also one of my bestfriends... wise, patient, funny and knowledgeable.But as life and age took their toll on her alreadyfragile health, her judgment and perceptionbecame uncharacteristically distorted. Withhindsight, I realise that some of the most valuablelessons that she taught me were learned when Iwas in direct opposition to her, but she was the onewho taught me, nevertheless, and I would not bethe person I am today without the bitter argumentsand eventual estrangement which ensued.We are all a product of our ancestors. A ratherobvious statement, I hear you say. But when I sayall, I mean all. We cannot pick and choose whichancestors we like best, or admire most; we are theresult of each and every one of them, from thesnivelling little coward who ran away, to thecrazed fanatic who created universal misery, to thesweet and gentle who nurtured everything aroundthem. We are a product of them all, and if even theleast significant was removed from your personalhistory then you yourself would be different too.Genetically, your very individual DNA would besubtly changed.
One also has to remember that as souls are bornand reborn many times into various lives upon thisearth, and frequently reincarnate with the samesoul group, you will probably have had first handknowledge and experience of some of yourancestors, and possibly even been one of your ownancestors in the chain of genetic descent, once ormany times. Quite a thought!
It is said here in Wales that there is only true deathwhen a person is totally forgotten. We all musthave many ancestors who can therefore bedesignated as “truly forgotten” because there is noway of individually identifying them to remember.But there is still a possible way that we all have ofhonouring them collectively. Remember that yourline of ancestors and your resulting geneticmakeup is unique to you. Take a strand of yourhair or a drop of your blood and look at it... reallylook at it, it contains all the genetic memoriespassed down to you by each and every ancestor
connected by blood that you have ever had. Lookat that infinitesimally tiny part of your physical lifeand it is all there. From your great uncle Eddie wholoved to read Sherlock Holmes murder mysteriesto your Stone Age great grandfather who clubbedyour umpteenth-great grandmother over the headand dragged her back to his cave. Keep looking.They are all there. Feel the rest of your bloodcoursing around your body simultaneouslyfeeling/knowing that they are all there with you.Genetically speaking, you are actually the livingmemory of your ancestral line. They might not beindividually remembered, but by you being theincarnate memory, none of them can ever be trulyforgotten, just as you in your turn will never beforgotten either.
Yes, periodically some family lines do die out.Then one has to take an overview of the biggerpicture. Here the concepts of mutual connection,mass human consciousness and collectiveconsciousness come into play. We are all a part of alarger whole, all connected, all “one”.Therefore, I would suggest that there are two majorways in which we can all truly remember andhonour our ancestors. The first is by taking care ofyourself, your physical body which has beenblended and melded from all those who have gonebefore. Your body is also their body, developed bythem for you. It is an amazing and unique livingwork of divine art which has taken hundreds ofthousands of years to perfect. And here youstand... the very best yet... so far. Nurture yourinheritance with love and pride. It is their giftspecifically for you.
The second way of honouring our ancestors is totake all that we are, which is all that they havebequeathed us, and carry it bravely forward intothe future. Starting now, today, even as you arereading my words. Walk out into the sunlight, therain, snow or darkness and breathe deeply. Feelhow alive you are, not just for yourself, but forthem. And then step forward. It is now time todecide what future you wish to create for yourself,and in time, what kind of ancestor you wishyourself to become.
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Coyote Manby Maggie
You have been presentSince the first day dawnedAnd your stories have been told by firesSince the first people made circlesAgainst the cold and the dark.Sitting on the edges,You observe the passions of humanity,Curious, alert, incisive,You play politics, set puzzlesAsk the questions nobody else would dare,And strike bargains, dipping your toesInto the river of human relationship.Rejected through your own cunning,The games rebound on you.You sing to the stars, cold white echoesOf your mental agility, twinkling hereThen gone, leaving strange patternsSplash marks of divine innocence.And yet you are not engaged,You tremble at the mystery of the heartBaffled by love, on fire with ideas,Mercurial, and forever elusiveYour tricks become a prison,Bars of intellect and intelligenceWhich can only be meltedBy the warmth of love in your heart
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Merlin at the Wanderer's Gateby Shaun William Hayes
O Merlin at the Wanderer's Gate,Stand there and say it’s not too lateBetween the worlds the veil grows thinO will you, will you, let us in?Magic, magic everywhereBy spit and blood and cut of hairThe old ways gather next to newYet still we wonder what’s to do.The tide has turned, the wheel does spinThe forces gather - out and inThis land, so long been held in chainsYet hark, She comes, She calls again!Great Goddess, Lady of the Lake,The Sword in hand for Him to takeTo make anew The Oath and standTo serve, to die, for this our land.The intellect that led us hereThe mind of man so sharp, so clearCan this now join our souls and seeThe greatest act of alchemy?Can we, the Druids from of oldUnite to form a golden soulAt this great time of prophesyWhen wrong does try to kill The Tree?A soul of future, born of strifeSpirit of tribe, not just one lifeThe light we need to show the wayLest ego’s madness makes us pay.And so to each of us in turnThe chance to serve, O do not spurn!For future children do dependThat we now let this madness end.Hands joined in circle, Awens madeThe mind made still as spirits prayedAnd Merlin, eyes so deep and wise,Throws the gateway open wide.O Merlin at the Wanderer's Gate,Stand there and say it’s not too lateBetween the worlds the veil grows thinO will you, will you, let me in?
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“Death: A Personal Refection”by Michelle Corrigan
When death is imminent, if you are in the presenceof someone or something, you can feel the energychanging around their physical body, whether it isa person, animal or even a plant. There is apeaceful energy and you may see a beautiful whitelight as the Soul and spirit is going home. Ofcourse, it is those who are left behind that suffer.Death is often feared and in modern times we tendto make such a drama out of it. Of course, toexperience death of your loved ones is a sad,terribly emotional loss especially if the one who haspassed over to Spirit is young, or your own child, adreadful loss.
When an old person has reached the end of theirlife it is still very sad but at least they haveexperienced life. One hopes that one does notsuffer at the end and to die peacefully in sleep mustsurely be the kindest way. The body can only take acertain amount of pain, and then it will shut down,so if a loved one is suffering ask The Divine,Healing Guides and Angels to relieve the sufferingand to send the person healing. This form ofhealing may help the person to release and passover to the Spirit World.
Death is a rite of passage, one that we all will takeone day. When the last breath is taken on anexhale, the life force will leave the physical body.The physical body becomes perfectly still once allthe life force has left. The Soul will pass into theWorld of Spirit and will be helped along bydeceased Ancestors, lost loved ones. This transitiontakes nine days. On the ninth day living loved onesoften feel sad and this can be a particularly difficultday if they are sensitive. Forty days after thepassing, the Soul will be over in the Spirit World.Again this can be a difficult day for those sensitivebeings and a ceremony such as spreading of thedeceased ashes would be relevant for this day. Theessence of the Self, the Soul, will come back intoanother life, to learn more lessons, to find liberationand wholeness; maybe as a Spiritual Teacher or anevolved Soul who has the right intent, integrity andwho works in the most discerning ways. They maynot return for another life, this may be the last one. Ifthey act in this position without the right intent andintegrity, the Soul will definitely return.
The Soul that is whole will ascend to anotherdimension and will become a Spiritual Guide.The Spirit World is a place of peace, timelessness andpure light.
Enjoy the fruits of life such as:
� Rising to challenges� Enjoying the beautiful countryside
and appreciating nature� Tasting and enjoying every mouthful
of food� Being with friends and family� Enjoying sex� Exploring other cultures and countries� Career� Seeking the Self� Enjoying the wonderful blessing of
being alive on this planet.� Count your blessings, appreciate life
and the abundance around you.
To be with a person or animal friend as they pass is abeautiful experience and a privilege - to be there, tohold them and help them on their journey and to feelSpirit so close.
When you lose a loved One, give yourself plenty oftime for grieving and adjusting. Be in tune with the9th day and the 40th day of transcending. This is a timefor your healing, allow yourself space. Seek counsel ifyou find it unbearable and nurture yourself in anyway that suits your needs.This healing time is time to allow the transition tooccur, the transition of your lost loved One and thetransformation of energy within yourself. Let go ofyour grief, do not hang on to the sad emotion. Yourheart chakra will be the centre that this energy will befelt so do plenty of healing on this centre.
After the forty day period, a ceremony of ‘letting go’is a great healing experience. Light a fire and feel thewarmth of the flames. Focus at your heart area or, ifyou are experiencing any physical pain anywhere inthe body, take your focus there. Take your hands toyour heart or anywhere you are drawn to. ‘Sweep’away energy into the fire asking for blocked energy tobe released.
Let go.
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Cooking Cauldronthe
Yule Gift Ideasubmitted by Faye Boyd
Lavender Sconessubmitted by Faye Boyd
Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour2 Tbsp all purpose flour1 Tbsp sugar1 tsp baking powder1/4 tsp baking soda1/4 tsp salt1/2 cup of low-fat plain yogurt1 large egg1 Tbsp butter melted
2 tsp crushed lavender flowers
Instructions
1. Heat oven to 425F
2. In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and lavenderMix well.
3. In a small bowl combine yogurt, egg and butter. Add yogurt mixture to flour mixtureand stir until just blended, do not over-mix.
4. Lightly flour a work surface and rolling pin. Roll out dough to a 1/4 inch thickness.
5. With a sharp knife, cut into 12 wedges and place on baking sheet. Reduce oventemperature to 400F and bake about 12 - 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10minutes.
A Yule gift with a wish for the coming year.In a small pouch, place some dried lavenderalong with an amethyst stone and a moss agate.
lavender for harmonyamethyst for transformationmoss agate for abundance
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Chocolate. The very word makes millions of heartsand mouths water with desire. At the Midwinterfestival, we are faced with depressingly long darkhours, the isolation and drawing-within that coldweather engenders, and it doesn't help that ourindustrial consumer societies seem to go insane inthe manic rush to "celebrate" Christmas. In the faceof all the chaos and loneliness, it makes sense thatnaturally, the Winter Solstice becomes more thanjust about the sun's mythically-speaking "death"and "rebirth". For us humans, it's also about spirit--in spite of how bitter, how unrelenting anddiscouraging "Life" seems to be, we turn thingsaround and use it as a time for celebration, in themost decadent and outrageous ways imaginable!And what, for so many people, could be moredecadent than chocolate? This is why I chose twochocolate recipes to share with you this issue. Forchocoholics around the world, chocolate is asymbol for the richness, the sensual pleasures anddelights of life at its best.
At the same time, there is a hidden side tochocolate of which most consumers are not aware.Unfortunately, one of our most beloved foods thatrepresents liberation, joy and perfection to us--means slave labour to thousands of others incountries that produce chocolate, like the Coted'Ivoire. What's worse is this slave labour usuallyconsists of children, sold into slavery and traffickedas cheap workers. This is one of the things thatkeeps chocolate so "affordable" for big companiesthat we know like Nestle's, Cadbury's, Hershey's,Dove, and multiple other franchises. When we buychocolate that is not fair trade, our pleasure is atthe expense of someone else's, a child no less. Fairtrade chocolate on the other hand is not based onslavery or sly-handed business tricks. So thisMidwinter and in future, I would like to encourageyou to only use Fair Trade chocolate, on principle.Honour is one of the things many pagans andpolytheists pride themselves in--and this honourshould extend to all areas of our lives, even downto our chocolate!
Chocolatetext and recipes
by Jenn MacCormack
Indulgence by Chocolate Brownie Cookies!
makes 18 large cookiesIngredients:
2 large bars of fair trade dark chocolate OR2 bags of fair trade semi-sweet chocolate chips250 g (2 sticks of butter + 2 Tblsp) softened butter150 g (3/4 cup) light or dark brown sugar100 g (1 cup) white sugar2 tsp vanilla essence300 g (3 cups) plain flour60 g (1/2 cup) fair trade cocoa1.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda3/4 tsp salt1/2 tsp instant coffee granules2 cold egg
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Instructions:
1) You should have already set out your butter tosoften to room temperature. When it is soft enough,cream together the butter and sugar in a largemixing bowl until fluffy. Then add the vanilla andmix well.
2) In a separate bowl, mix together the flour; cocoa;bicarbonate soda and salt, and set aside for later.
3) Melt 1/2 of 1 bar or 1 bag or more of darkchocolate chips. If you have a microwave, you cando this easily, but for example, if you don't (Idon't!!!!), then you need to fill a larger pan with abit of water and then put the chocolate inside asmaller pan which then sits inside the larger pan sothat way the chocolate doesn't burn. If it burns, it isdisgusting. And it doesn't work. So be careful.
4) Using a spatula or preferably a sharp metalspoon, scrape melted chocolate onto thebutter/sugar mixture and mix together well. Usingthe same pan, boil a teensy bit of water in a kettleor separate pan. Put coffee granules in the usedchocolate pan and then pour boiling water over itto dissolve it. Stir it around a bit until all dissolvedand see if you can get any more chocolate off thepan into the water too. Never waste chocolate!!!Add this to the wet mixture ofbutter/sugar/chocolate.
5) Add and beat in your 2 cold eggs--or if you'veadded too much liquid with the water, only use 1egg
6) Finally, add your dry ingredients, mixing welland making sure that all the dry ingredients are nolonger dry! Once mixed decidedly well, add in theremaining chocolate (sliced/cut up into chunks) orchocolate chips.
7) Grease your baking sheets/trays and using aspoon, scoop out your cookie dough. Roll thembetween the palms of your hands into 18 decentsized balls. You should get them 2 in a row on thetray.
8) Bake them for about 15 minutes. They shouldlook done, but will harden once out of the oven. Ihave no idea what temperature you should set theoven to because I don't bake in ovens that have pre-set temperatures. Our Aga varies depending on theweather, how well the fuel is burning in it, etc. Sosorry. I'm guessing about 325 F but just check othercookie recipes to see. Make sure you pre-heat theoven before putting the cookies in or it could affectthem adversely.
9) When you remove them from the oven, let themcool on the trays before removing them or else theymight fall apart.
10) Serve to all your friends or hoard them toyourself! Either way, ENJOY! :)
Chocolate Gingerbread CakeFor the Cake:
175 g butter125 g dark brown sugar2 Tblsp caster sugar200 g golden syrup (or molasses)200 g black treacle (once again, or molasses)1 tsp ground mixed spice1 tsp ground cinnamon2 tsp ground ginger1 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda2 Tblsp warm water2 eggs250 ml milk275 g plain flour40 g fair trade cocoa175 g fair trade chocolate chips
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For the Icing:250 g icing sugar30 g soft butter (estimate!)1 Tblsp fair trade cocoa (or more for very chocolatey!)60 ml ginger ale or ginger wine
Instructions:
1. First of all, if you don't use metric grams ormillilitres in your cooking, you can easily convertto cups. Just look a converter up on Google.Secondly, I use an Aga, so I have to take the heatas it comes, but for the rest of you, the ovenshould be preheated to 170 C / 345 F or gas mark3. Of course, prepare your baking tin before hand!I use the same roasting tin that I use for otherthings, but it should be about 30 x 20 x 5 cm deepin size. Line it with parchment, or old butterpapers, or whatever you usually use for cake tins.
2. Get yourself a decent sized saucepan. Put into itthe butter, as well as the sugars, golden syrup,treacle or molasses, (for the golden syrup andtreacle, heat the spoon under hot water whichhelps them come off the spoon more easily) andspices. Put the saucepan onto the heat and keepstirring round. Don't let it boil, make sure thebutter melts and that all the ingredients mixtogether. Remove from heat.
3. In a separate cup (preferably a big measuring cupthat has milliliters on it), dissolve the bicarb in thewarm water. Add to this the milk and break inyour two eggs and mix it all together. Then pourinto the butter-sugar-spice liquid. Beat in with awhisk or beater until nice and smooth.
4. Stir in the flour and cocoa. Using a woodenspoon, beat well. Fold in the chocolate chips(although this is optional). Pour the final mixtureinto the tin and bake for 45 minutes (in a hotteroven, can take 35 minutes). Test it if you need towith a knife or fork and see if it comes out clean.Should be risen and firm. You don't want it to dryout either so if it is a little bit gooey, excellent(could be the chocolate chips!).
5. Remove from the oven and cool in the tray on awire rack. I have tried cooling in and out of thetin. Definitely cool IN the tin. This is a very softcake and it crumbles to bits easily so alwayshandle with care.
6. Once the cake is properly cool, then you can ice it.Now this part is important! Sieve your icing sugar
into a separate bowl. Then with a heavy saucepan,melt your butter, adding in the cocoa and gingerale or wine. Whisk in the icing sugar. Melting thebutter is vital here instead of just creaming thebutter, because THEN all you need to do is pourthe icing over the ginger cake. First remove thecake from the tin and also remove the paper. Nowyou can pour it. It's ok if it runs over the sides, butit shouldn't be too thin!
7. You can actually cream the butter into the sugarand cocoa .... which gives you a thicker, verycreamy icing. (This is how I have done it in thepast ....) The only problem with this is that becausethe cake is so terribly moist and soft, it's difficultto smooth it onto the surface of the cake without itcrumbing and mixing into the icing. Try one or theother method and see which you prefer best.
8. If you wish, add chocolate sprinkles/strands ontop or mini chocolate chips ... or whatever yourimagination and creativity demands! These couldbe great for Halloween with orange and chocolatesprinkles/strands, for Christmas you could addcrushed peppermint or tiny bits of candied ginger.Or buttons, etc. All manner of possibilities!
9. Once finished decorating, cut into slabs. For adessert, cut into 12 slabs. For snack or biggergroups, cut into 20 slabs. 6. Once the cake isproperly cool, then you can ice it. Now this part isimportant! Sieve your icing sugar into a separatebowl. Then with a heavy saucepan, melt yourbutter, adding in the cocoa and ginger ale orwine. Whisk in the icing sugar. Melting the butteris vital here instead of just creaming the butter,because THEN all you need to do is pour the icingover the ginger cake. First remove the cake fromthe tin and also remove the paper. Now you canpour it. It's ok if it runs over the sides, but itshouldn't be too thin!
10. Once finished decorating, cut into slabs. For adessert, cut into 12 slabs. For snack or biggergroups, cut into 20 slabs.
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Winter Fireby Gillian Monks
Golden blue-tipped flames in gypsy danceEncircle scarlet caverns with their deep-throated glow,While youthful eyes seek pictures and the glowing coals entrance,Keep out the biting cold of frost and snow.
Chestnuts balanced on the bars to toast and pop,Marshmallows soft and sweet, fragrant orange peels thrown down;Small earthquakes as the cinders shift and drop,Hissing, spitting logs of green or grey or brown.
How many decades took to grow that stately tree?How many millions to form black diamond coal?Countless millennia spent... mere minutes warming me...A melody of wonders heartening to my very soul.
Oh Winter Hearth, where many sacrifices burn,And Lords and Ladies of the Yule look on and smile,How in this cold and dark our beings yearnFor Earth's green waking and the sun's new warmth awhile!
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Book Reviews
Ogam Weaving Word WisdomISBN 978-1905713028
Reviewed by: Elkie
Several reviews have already been written aboutthis book and all of them praised it. This review ismore of the same. Ogam Weaving Word Wisdomis a profound and generous work – it offers much –yet is not a smorgasbord of loosely connectedideas. Indeed there’s a strong theme resonatingthroughout the book. In the author’s own words:“My take on ogam…is based on language and thepossible original meanings of the letter names”. Itis the power of words and what can be createdwith them that is emphasized in this book.
Tree correspondences are mentioned only wherethey match one of the meanings of the word. Someword ogams omit tree correspondences andlikewise, these are omitted in this book. Intelligentconclusions have been drawn about the possiblemeaning of each ogam fid. Weaving WordWisdom is a fresh approach to the magicalalphabet that was used by the Celtic people ofIreland. It specializes in divination from a CelticReconstructionist’s point of view and uniquely,
offers three different categories of experience thatcan be applied to interpreting the ogam feda. Eachof these has a rough correspondence to a realm(land, sea, and sky) and a cauldron (Goiriath,Érmai, and Sofhis). This effectively separates theinterpretation of each fid into three currents ofmeaning and manifestation, allowing thepractitioner of divination the option of choosingthe current most relevant to the query and querent.It also contains ideas for ways that each fid may beapplied to healing but another work is beingplanned to cover this topic in depth.
You’ll learn much about the Celtic worldview fromreading this book and come away with some realways that you can apply this to your own way ofworking with the Ogam. Although rooted in Celticscholarship by the likes of Calder, Meroney, andMcManus, Ms Laurie acknowledges that meaningscan grow organically from their traditional roots.There’s information on ways to create your ownogam feda and ways to empower them. You’ll findbasic ways to cast a divination and advancedtechniques too. There’s a healing ritual and ameditation technique, also founded in Celtic lore.
Even if you are inclined to challenge the premisethat the Ogam began in Ireland with the coming ofthe Celts, you will not be disappointed by whatyou find in this book. Weaving Word Wisdomcontains a wealth of information for everyone whois interested in this enigmatic ‘pathway’. Thepersonal journey of each practitioner is unique andfascinating and we are fortunate that Erynn RowanLaurie has shared her journey with the Ogamso openly and generously.
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The Salmon in the Spring: TheEcology of Celtic Spirituality
ISBN 978-0-9799246-6-8Reviewed by Jenn MacCormack
Newly released at Samhain 2009, Jason Kirkey haspublished a seminal work on Soul and Naturethrough Celtic eyes that is sure to be a classic foryears to come. This book approaches our modernecological and psychological crises, eloquentlyillustrated through Irish myth and Jason's widebackground in the fields of Eco-psychology,Buddhist philosophy and poetry.
The thesis of The Salmon in the Spring is stated onthe back cover -- "Soul and nature--the inner andouter landscape--are one: they are the wildness ofthe world and the wildness of the self. To alienateourselves from one is to alienate ourselves from theOther." Each of the 11 chapters (plus coda) is veryfocused, on-topic and powerfully resolved topresent a clear picture of the present Earth andhuman communities' troubles and how exactly wecan begin, today, to personally contribute to theGreat Work of re-storying (restoring) our worldfrom consuming to communing.
For the more conservative amongst us, Jason showsadmirable ethics in his writing. He carefullydelineates between his own thoughts and that ofIrish tradition. There are no blurry edges or fuzzylogic. Although he does draw from some Buddhist
concepts and ideas, he never tries to pass them offas "Celtic", and he presents all sides of the issues athand. Even when dealing with modern Celticspirituality, he remains objective, blunt butinspiring. He continually invites you to make yourown decisions and draw your own conclusions.This is not a preachy book nor an author trying toconvert or belittle others. He is conservative in allthe right places but liberal in all the other rightplaces too.
The book opens first with a Foreword by hispersonal friend Frank MacEowen, who has himselfwritten books on the subject of Celtic Spirituality.Frank places before the reader the imperative ofour global situation, and exactly how The Salmon inthe Spring is so relevant for our times. He sums upadmirably: "This book is also an invitation to face,front and center, once and for all, the stark truththat the ecological crisis is not a crisis of the Earthat all, but rather a human self-esteem problem--onethat ultimately stems from a tragic state offorgetfulness. As the late, great postmodernphilosopher Alan Watts once said, 'You did notcome into this world. You came out of it, like awave out of the ocean. You are not a stranger here.'If the human species truly believed this it wouldcompletely transform our world. It would translateinto who we are and how we are." Essentially, thisis one of the main agendas of The Salmon in theSpring -- to help us fall in love with the Earth again,and to act on that love.
The Introduction is a vital part of the book as awhole. In it, Jason puts his book into context--notjust in context of the Celtic traditions or even theEarth community, but with the Cosmos itself. Helays before us the hard facts of our physicalexistence, from the beginnings of cosmogenesisright down to our present day self-destruction. Healso sets forth exactly why he wrote The Salmon inthe Spring and how he reached that point in hisjourney. There is no sense of spiritual superiority orself-obsession which characterize so many modern"spiritual" writers today. In explaining briefly hisown position, Jason makes sure you are not leftwondering about his intentions or aims. A goodstart to the book and I heavily suggest that anyonereading the book read the Introduction.
The book is divided into two halves: Part One: TheEcology of Perception, and Part Two: The Well and theBranch. The first part is where Jason lays all the
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groundwork, working through each of his pointsso that you are not left behind in a flurry ofacademic words. The second part is then builtupon the first, putting the earlier half's importantideas together to reveal a fuller, more integratedvision of our selves and our world.
Chapter One, "Place and Story" deals specificallywith the relevance of myth and story in connectionto landscape and identity. As the first chapter,Jason discerningly puts forward his owndefinitions of "Celtic", "Druidic" and other often"loaded" terms that can cause misunderstanding.He is clear on his way of meaning so that there canbe no possible confusion. He also examines the"mytho-ecology" of exile, something thousands ofreaders from all over the world will relate to. Hepresents the Celts as living peoples and cultures,within context of both their history and modernity.Chapter One also sets forth the main Irish myththat his book is based on and returns to again andagain -- The Second Battle of Maigh Tuireadh.
Chapter Two, "Wild Earth, Wild Mind" exploresthe human-nature relationship and all its conflicts.Jason navigates his way through the difficultterrain of what it means to be human and exactlywhat is nature, providing new insights into ourlongings and desires as a species. He also is carefulto distinguish between differentiation from the wildand disassociation (this disassociation being at theheart of our modern industrial problems). This isan important concept that he returns to later in thebook.
Chapter Three, "The Fomorian Eye" is a difficultchapter, but difficult in the sense that it deals withthe things about ourselves we don't like or fear. Inthat sense, this is possibly one of the mostimportant chapters of the book as he shows howdestruction of the wild is directly related to soulsuppression. He also deals with the oftenmisunderstood subject of the Ego, both inpsychological and Eastern senses of the word.Jason distinguishes between the functional andrepresentational ego and discusses the role ofdualistic thinking and our cultural and personalshadows in keeping us cut off from fullyexpressing our truest selves.
Chapter Four, "Tuatha De Danann Vision"presents a new interpretation of "ecologicalperception". In this chapter, he deals with thenuminous all around us and in connection to theearth itself. Jason talks about the Tuatha de
Danann, both in literal polytheistic and animisticterms as well as in psychological, metaphoricalterms.
Chapter Five, "Dreamtime Circle" is one of the bestpresentations of the Irish sacred year that I've readin a while. First he talks about the differencesbetween developmental and mythic time, and theirroles in oral societies as well as modernsensibilities. Then he works his way through eachof the four "Celtic" festivals of Samhain, Imbolc,Bealtaine and Lughnasadh from both a traditionaland psychological approach. I'm sure you will lookat these ancient festivals in a new way.
Chapter Six, "The Birdreign" brings the first part toa close. It is in some ways a summary but alsoconnects the Irish myths once more to our moderntimes. Using the story of Conaire as the perfectruler-king, Jason suggests ways in which weourselves can bring about our own time of peaceand transformation in the present era, to create a"New Story" that speaks directly to our ecologicaland spiritual needs.
Chapter Seven, "The Soul's Horizon" opens thesecond half of the book with a clear picture ofexactly how land and soul can be interconnected ina sacred way, by using the Irish story of "TheSettling of the Manor of Tara" as a basis. Jasonworks through Ireland and its five ancientprovinces as a mandala, moving from East all theway around the four directions to North, with Taraand sovereignty in the center.
Chapter Eight, "Borderlands" is probably the mostpersonal of all the chapters. It examines the longingfor place and pilgrimage, while addressing thepsychological journey from fragmentation tointegration through a living landscape, usingJason's first journey in Ireland as an example. Thisis a chapter that anyone not native to a Celticcountry will relate to, especially if you too have feltthe call of your ancestral lands.
Chapter Nine, "Connla's Well" discusses thenature of the soul and Firinne or Truth in relationto the wider world and the "ecological perception"first introduced in Chapter Four. In this chapter,Jason explains the mythic image of the sacredOtherworld well and the "salmon in the spring"who feed off wisdom. Invaluable to the work as awhole, he also brings in his interpretation of "dan"or our soul gifts to the world. There is also an theCailleach, both expressions of the "divine of the
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traditional Celtic theme of the marriage of the landgoddess to the king, and the mytho-ecologicalimplications.
Chapter Ten, "Ecos and Psyche" uses Maeve andthe Cailleach, both expressions of the "divinefeminine", to illustrate the core concepts ofsovereignty, ecological geasa or taboo andinitiation. There is also an excellent interpretationof the traditional Celtic theme of the marriage ofthe land goddess to the king, and the mytho-ecological implications.
Chapter Eleven, "Empty Mountains" is technicallythe closing chapter of the book. Jason brings all theideas and premises presented in the previouschapters full circle, creating a stunning new way ofviewing our world, something he calls "silverbranch perception" (after the Irish philosopher JohnMoriarty). In this chapter, Jason goes beyond theduality of Self and Nature and merges them into adeeper unified vision of the cosmos.
The Coda, "The Man Who Had No Story" roundsoff the book's ending. In it, he encourages thereader to go out and find their own story, their ownway of being fully alive and participatory with theuniverse as a living, evolving process--which isultimately Jason's obvious hope for the book.
Afterwards, there are a couple excellent resourcesections at the end. There is a Glossary of Terms,which explains some of the more academic orpersonal terms he used in the book, and is a goodway of getting an idea of the sort of things he talksabout throughout the whole work. This is followedby an excellent Notes section, and a Bibliographywhich is a good place to start if you are interestedin reading further. Jason also includes a Resourcessection, which has links to particularly relevantweb sites. The book in its first edition does notcontain an index, which is a bit lamentable, but it ispossible that in future editions, an index willappear.
In total, The Salmon in the Spring is 283 pages long.The cover is well designed, the typesetting easy toread, and I love how each chapter is divided intosubsections which helps when browsing orscanning quickly, as well as to get a strongerimpression of the chapter as a whole. You canpurchase the book either directly from DruidicDawn Book Reviews thus supporting thiscommunity, alternatively from Jason's web site oreven Amazon, for $17.95. If you buy directly from
Jason, you can request the book be signed.
I was impressed with the depth and vision of JasonKirkey's book. He is a rare voice, both professionaland personal, and I am excited to see what impactthis book has on the Druidic and other suchcommunities, and also what other works thisauthor could go on to produce. I don't think youwill be disappointed, whether you approach TheSalmon in the Spring from within an Irish or otherCeltic spiritual tradition, or as a philosopher,ecologist or psychologist. It is fluent in manydisciplines and therefore speaks with widerinfluence and understanding directly to our placeas humans in the more-than-human world.
Celtic Heritage: Ancient Traditionin Ireland and Wales.by Alwyn and Brinley ReesISBN 9780500270394
Reviewed by Maya
This is a book that I have read a couple of timesbefore and a book that teaches me something newevery time that I read it. Some of the information inthe book is of course out of date but that in no waydetracts from the book or its importance in lookingat the Irish and Welsh traditions. The book isdivided into three parts.
Part one is an introduction of the two traditions.The introduction of the book focuses on one of thetraditions in both the Welsh and the Irish nations,
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which is storytelling. The authors discuss theimportance of these storytellers in preservingfolklore and stories that otherwise would havebeen lost to us in this day and age. The authors alsodiscuss the people who decided to write thesestories down and why they decided to do it.
The second chapter of the book is divided intoeight sections. In the case of the Irish tradition it’sthe traditional Irish tales that are grouped into fourdistinct cycles, and in the Welsh tradition it is theFour Branches of the Mabinogi, in the poems andstories of the Arthurian Cycle, in miscellaneousstories, and in poems. The sections are a quick lookat what constitutes the bulk of the Welsh and IrishTraditions, with an explanation (again a very quickone) of the major works that make up themythology of the traditions and a comparisonbetween the two traditions. The authors find someparallels between the Irish and the Welsh traditionsthat are not readily obvious unless you are lookingfor them. The authors describe the five successivegroups of invaders that occupied Ireland before theancestors of the Gaels came and tell us that the restof the mythological cycle is about the last groupwhich are the Tuatha Dé Danann. Then they giveus the parallel in the Welsh tradition, which is theFour Branches of the Mabinogi. They then jumpback into the Irish Tradition with the Ulster Cycleabout a group of warriors and the main story inthat cycle is the Táin Bó Cuailnge. The next cycle tobe discussed is the Fenian cycle, which is equatedon the Welsh side with the Arthurian tales. Andfinally the Historical cycle which is about kings andkingship.
Part two is made up of seven chapters and thesechapters discuss the make up of the two Celticnations from the standpoint of mythology. It startswith Ireland and moves on to Wales.
Time and how it is measured is very important andfor the Celts it seems it had other significance too.This was the subject of chapter three. The authorsexplained the concept of light and dark and how itplayed into the Celtic world-view. Chapter three isa brief discussion of the Coligny Calendar and thedivision of the year in Celtic lands. The Celtsdivided the year into dark and light and startedtheir day from the night before. The Celtic year isbased on the agricultural calendar and their ritualswere tied to it. The authors also give a briefexplanation of the four festivals that the Celtscelebrate but also say that it is obvious from theColigny Calendar the solstices may have also been
celebrated. Boundaries were also important to theCelts be they property boundaries or natural manmade ones.
The Celtic Traditions left us no preserved story ofcreation. Yet in the Irish Tradition we have theBook of Invasions, which mixes biblical referenceswith native teachings to try and explain thebeginning of Ireland. The authors recount inchapter four the arrival of the Sons of Míl to Irelandand how they met and dealt with the Tuatha DéDanann. They also tell us of Amairgen and hispoems that embody the primeval unity of allthings, giving himself the power of bringing newlife into being and recreating the attributes ofIreland. Through the judgment of Amairgen andthe greed of one brother we have the story of howIreland was divided into the Northern half and theSouthern half and what each have symbolized. It isinteresting how these divisions persisted throughout the Irish history. The chapter also offers thecharacteristics of the five peoples that came beforethe Gaels and how Ireland gained its familiarfeatures. It seems to me from reading about thecharacteristics that they were setting the stage forthe political and social standards and divisions thatwere to persist in Ireland until at least medievaltimes. In this chapter as with others in this book theauthors compare much of the Irish Traditions tothose of the Indian Traditions with good reason.Much of the two traditions can be compared toeach other with success.
The following chapter talks about the Provinces ofIreland, how they were divided, and the functionsassociated with each Province. It also talks aboutthe attributes associated with them and where inthe texts they could be found. It’s an interestingchapter because it gives you a sense of cosmologythat could be used in ritual. What was reallyinteresting in this chapter is the discussion of wherethe fifth province really lies. Is it in Meath or is itthe second Munster? Munster as a province is a lawunto its own and incorporates all the functions ofthe other divisions. A really interesting chapter alsobecause of more comparisons with the Indiantraditions, I’m always struck by the similaritiesbetween the two.
In the sixth chapter of the book the authors tell usthat just because there appears to be divisionsamong known lines in the functions correspondingto the different directions it does not mean that thepeople in that direction are all in the same functionbut rather in each direction all the functions are
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represented. Also within each function we have athierarchy. The same can also be found among theTDD. Another thing that has to be taken intoconsideration is that everything in the Otherworldis inverted so our day is their night and our left isheir right and so on.
The next chapter in the book discusses the centerand its importance to kingship. As well, it tells howthe feasts were celebrated and how the seatingarrangements were made for the kings and theirwarriors. It also shows us how certain kings wereassociated with the calendar. The comparisonsmade to the Indian and Chinese cultures werereally interesting and were a good way to explainhow certain divisions in the center were made.Chapter eight is concerned with the division ofWales. The authors show a parallel between thepeople who settled Britain and the five invasions inIreland. We are also told that the first division ofWales was into North and South just like in Ireland.Then again, like in Ireland, into five provinces or insome cases only three. Each one of the provinces isalso associated with attributes just like Ireland. I’mnot very familiar with Welsh poems or traditionsbut I’m guessing the similarities come from the factthat perhaps the origins for them is in Indo-European culture.
The final chapter in part two of the book is callednumbers. The chapter goes on to tell us of the re-occurring numbers in Celtic mythology, numberslike five, nine, twelve, seventeen and twenty three.Each of these numbers is found in mythology eitherin the number around a king or person or even theinvasions that happened in Ireland and so on.Part three is made up of eight chapters and thesechapters all tell us about the meaning of the storieswe encounter in mythology. Each chapter talksabout a certain type of story in mythology.The first chapter in part three takes us back to thefirst chapter of the book and to the storyteller. Thischapter talks about the way the storytellermemorizes his stories, in what groupings and why.The authors tell us that there were many groupingsand stories missing from these lists and that weshall spend the next chapters discussing thegroupings and the stories in them. The groupingsare as follows: births, youthful exploits, wooing,elopements, adventures, voyages, and deaths.Reading through the last chapters of the book isvery interesting and if you are studying Celticmythology then you must read that portion of the
book. That portion as I said before groups togetherstories that are similar to each other and talks aboutthe attributes of each group.
The book as a whole is a good introduction to Irishand Welsh mythology. If you just wanted a bookthat would give you a good idea of the importanceof mythology in these cultures and their traditionsthen this is the book to read. Again keep in mindthat this book was written in the 1960s so some ofthe information might be a little out of date, but itstill a good choice.
Visions of the Cailleach:Exploring the Myths, Folklore andLegends of the pre-eminent Celtic
Hag GoddessISBN 978-1-905297-24-5
Reviewed by Jenn MacCormack
First published this year (March 2009), Sorita d'Esteand David Rankine bring an almostanthropological approach to the Cailleach-figure,tracking every known myth, folklore and legendthat mentions her. They have found her of courseprimarily in Ireland and Scotland, but their bookalso follows her into England, Wales, the Isle ofMan, Jersey, Brittany and Norway, showing howwide-spread and in one sense, indigenous theCailleach may be to the areas including andsurrounding the Celtic Isles.
Academically, the book draws few conclusions but
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mainly presents the "facts" as found in the nativelore. This is certainly to be appreciated, because itleaves far greater room for personal interpretation--but with all the strands placed before you. I likedtheir approach to her, both as a literal being and asymbolic figure. The book is not particularly long,at 144 pages, but it sure packs a punch! Each
chapter has an in-depth look at the Cailleach in herdifferent facets or forms.
Chapter One, "Origins Set In Stone" is perhaps themost speculative chapter. It is the authors'introduction to the topic at hand, examining theword origins of the name "Cailleach", and otherhistorical implications from Roman, Irish and othermanuscripts/sources.
Chapter Two, "Earth Shaper" is of great interest,examining the Cailleach's role as literal land-shaper, creating mountains, lakes and stonemounds, in folk tales from all over the Celtic world.There is significant continuity in her character here.
Chapter Three, "Water Witch" explores theCailleach's more tempestuous connections to theweather and water. This is a short chapter.
Chapter Four, "Crone of Winter" is also a goodchapter, as it presents the Cailleach in all herwintery connotations. This chapter also discussesthe connection between the Cailleach andBride/Brighid.
Chapter Five, "Oldest Spirit" shows the Cailleachas perhaps one of the most primal spirits orcharacters in Celtic folk tradition ... no doubt pre-Celtic.
Chapter Six, "Lady of the Beasts" was a differentside to the Cailleach I'd never thought of before.The Cailleach has a particular connection to Deer inScotland, and this chapter highlights her more"gentle" side.
Chapter Seven, "Shapeshifter" approaches theCailleach's transformatie powers, from woman to
stone, or in connection to lakes and othergeographical features.
Chapter Eight, "Bestower of Sovereignty" exploresthe connection between the archetypal landgoddess of sovereignty and the Cailleach. Thischapter made some interesting points I'd notnoticed before.
Chapter Nine, "Seer and Foreteller of Doom"paints the Cailleach in a prophetic role.
Chapter Ten, "Malevolent Cailleach" is far morelike the Cailleach I had read about/experienced.This shows her as a figure not to be trifled with,who demands respect, awe and to some extent, fearin its proper place.
Chapter Eleven, "Possible Cailleach Derivatives"examines other old crone figures in Celtic stories, tosee if there might be any relation to themoriginating in the Cailleach herself.
The book closes with an excellent Bibliography soyou can pursue the topic deeper, and also the Indexis appropriately useful for quick references. Thecover has an evocative painting from British artist,Marc Potts, entitled "Old Woman in the Hedge"which sets the more naturistic tone of the book inplain sight. The publisher "Avalonia" is I believesmall, but features similar books in their publishedcollection. This book is available from Amazon inthe US or the UK (although originally a Britishbook) -- for $17.99 or £9.99.
I would most definitely recommend this book asone of the top books out there for anyone interestedin the Cailleach, especially if you are interested inthe what the traditional lore has to say about herand not so much what modern interpretationsthink. The only part that I struggled with was thevery brief section suggesting that there may havebeen a Deer Priestesshood in connection to theCailleach in Scotland. This may make sense tosome, but held the air of a question mark for me.Either way, Sorita and Rankine are not pushy in theleast and as said earlier, you are allowed to drawyour own conclusions from the material.
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Community EventsGeneral on-going events for 2009/10
Anam Cara - Weekly Meditation Group
'A Weekly Meditation Group to be held inOswestry, (UK) to explore everything from theBreath technique; mantra/ chanting’ to hopefullymovement and shamanic journeying.' Toparticipate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/1070
NEW MOON MEDITATIONS every newmoon, Denmark; ring 004575757131 for nextmeditation:
We’ll make a circle and connect with the powers ofEarth and Sky, I will then play channelled harpmusic from a time past, and the participants will beguided into some deep mediation to the Holy Grailwithin our hearts. Go beyond time and space toprevious incidents/ present problems/ diseases.See them, solve them, let go. Afterwards we’lldiscuss what happened, and I will aid with myclairvoyance. To participate and for further details,see http://www.sosha.dk/kurserUK.html
NYMÅNEMEDITATIONER I BRYRUP: Ring fortilmelding og nærmere tidspunktVi vil danne en cirkel, forbinde os med Himlens ogJordens kræfter og jeg vil spille kanaliseret musikfra en svunden tid på min harpe, under det førstenummer vil mine hjælpere fortælle mig om denførste meditation, derefter vil jeg videregive den tilcirklen som en guidet meditation, med den forskel,at meditationen først påbegyndes når jeg atterbegynder at spille på min harpe og undervejs vilmine hjælpere følge alle deltagerne og støtte dem.Jeg vil spille mens deltagerne rejser til deresdestination i den anden virkelighed, derefter vil jegbede deltagerne vende tilbage samme vej som dekom fra, takke deres hjælpere og vende tilbage tilcirklen. Her vil hver enkelt deltager have mulighedfor at fortælle om sine oplevelser, hvis nødvendigt,vil jeg gå ind og hjælpe med mine clairvoyanteevner. Dernæst holder vi en pause, hvor vi får
noget te og noget godt at spise. Så fortsætter vimed endnu en meditation.http://www.sosha.dk/kurser.html
Pathways
A new group called Pathways, in Ellesmere,Shropshire, on the Welsh borders. The timetogether will be used to discuss anything thatanyone wants to about spiritual pathways. All areinvited, from those who have a clear idea aboutwhere they are going, to those who are just curious,and all explorers in between. Come to raisequestions, talk about books you are reading,workshops you have attended, stuff that is comingup, etc. Self-advertising is allowed/encouraged, ifrelevant to the spiritual pathways subject. Meetingsare held on the third Thursday of each month inthe Function room of the Ellesmere Hotel. Parkingis plentiful very nearby. Meet in the bar from7.30pm; go to the room from 8pm. If you are late,come in anyway! There is no charge, and the drinksare cheap.
Ellesmere is part of what is locally known as theShropshire Lake District. The energy of the town isgiven by the fabulous Mere in the edge of town.Future meetings might include a walk down to theMere and through the public gardens. This is thebeginning of something new, and the direction willevolve with time.
If you need any more details, you can contact Johnand Rachel on [email protected] see http://www.druidicdawn.org/node/1698
Introduction to Herbal Healing and Self Care:Ongoing Starting Sat. Nov. 7, 2009 (Nov. 21, Dec. 5,Dec. 19, etc.), November to April, two weekends amonth, 1-5 p.m.
WHERE: Belchertown, MACOST: Call for details
DETAILS: A six month intensive. Covers Westernherbal Materia Medica, formula making, case
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taking, Chinese Five Element Theory,Homeopathic First Aid, Flower EssenceCounselling, plant identification, ethnobotany, andhands on herbal techniques such as poultices,tinctures, salves etc.
Over 400 pages of handouts are included with thecourse. A certificate of completion is offered at theend.
MA NURSES CAN GET CEUS BY TAKING THISCOURSE CALL FOR DETAILS OR TO RESERVEYOUR SPACE: (413) 323 4494
Events for 2009/2010December 2009
18th-20th December: Yule, Nyfed Dâr Goch - RedOak Grove, Delaware Valley (PA, NJ & DE), USA.To participate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/185 orhttp://www.redoakgrove.org/upcoming/index.html
20th December: Public Yule Rite, Sassafras Grove,Pittsburgh, Ohio, USA. To participate and forfurther contact details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/187 orhttp://www.sassafrasgrove.org/cgi-bin/webcal/webcal.pl
20th December: Winter Solstice Gorsedd,Earthworks Grove, Shropshire/Welsh BoardersUK. To participate and for further contact details,seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/1494 [email protected]
20th December: Winter Solstice, Beacon Hill nearWoodhouse Eaves in Leicestershire. UK. Toparticipate and for further contact details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/174 orhttp://www.charnwoodgrove.org/events.html
21st December: Druid Moon Rite: Dumannios. TheThree Cranes, ADF, Columbus, Ohio, USA. Toparticipate and for further contact details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/186 orhttp://www.threecranes.org/calendars
21st December: Alban Arthuan or Winter Solstice,Isle of Wight, UK, to participate and for furtherdetailshttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/178 orhttp://www.wightdruids.co.uk/Events.html
January 2010
14th January, Walking the Dedicant Path:Druidic Study 18:00 – 20:00hrs. Three CranesGrove ADF located in Columbus Ohio, USA.To participate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/186 orhttp://www.threecranes.org/calendars
17th January: The Hidden Magic of Sussex;Talk for the Lewes Well-Being Festival, UK,with Philip Carr-Gom. To participate and forfurther details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/1365 orhttp://www.philipcarrgomm.druidry.org/events.htm
20th January, Druid Moon Rite: Rivros, 19:00 –22:00hrs. Three Cranes Grove ADF located inColumbus Ohio, USA. To participate and forfurther contact details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/186 orhttp://www.threecranes.org/calendars
31st January: Imbloc, Earthworks Gorseddau,Nescliffe Shropshire/welsh Borders, UK. Toparticipate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/177 [email protected] orhttp://earthworks.grove.googlepages.com/camps
February 2010
2nd February: Imbolc (Candlemass), Isle of WrightDruids, UK. To participate and for further details,seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/178 orhttp://www.wightdruids.co.uk/Events.html
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6th February: Imbolc Ritual; Shining Lakes GroveADF, Michigan, USA. To participate and forfurther details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/184 orhttp://www.shininglakes.org/schedule.html
6th February: Monthly Meeting with Imbolc Ritual,Nervil Nemeton Grove, Belgium. To participateand for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/182 orhttp://mothergrove.druidcircle.org/nervii/index.php?option=com_eventlist&Itemid=27
11th February, Walking the Dedicant Path: DruidicStudy, 18:00 – 20:00hrs. Three Cranes Grove ADFlocated in Columbus Ohio, USA. To participate andfor further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/186 orhttp://www.threecranes.org/calendars
12th – 14th February: Sli an Drui WeekendWorkshop, near Castlerea, Co Roscommon,Ireland. To participate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/112 orhttp://www.druidschool.com/site/1030100/page/3117458
19th-21st February: Singing the Soul Back Homewith Caitlin Matthews. WoodbrookeCollege, Birmingham, UK. To participate and forfurther contact details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/211 orhttp://www.hallowquest.org.uk/pdfs/Courses%20from%20Caitlin%20and%20John%20Matthews.pdf
27th Febuary: 'Living in a Magical Landscape' aone-day workshop at Beechwood Hall,Cooksbridge, near Lewes, UK. To participate andfor further contact details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/1365 orhttp://www.philipcarrgomm.druidry.org/events.htm
March
6th March: Monthly meeting with theme:Exclusive documentary "The Last Druid". NervilNemeton Grove, Belgium. To participate and forfurther details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/182 orhttp://mothergrove.druidcircle.org/nervii/index.php?option=com_eventlist&Itemid=27
13t March: The magic of Arthur and Avalon, a oneday workshop in Glastonbury, UK. To participateand for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/172 orhttp://druidry.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=PagEd&file=index&topic_id=2&page_id=146
19th – 21st March: Sli an Drui Weekend Workshop,Ireland. To participate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/112 orhttp://www.druidschool.com/site/1030100/page/3117458
20th March: Druid Moon Rite: Ogronios, 19:00 –22:00hrs. Three Cranes Grove ADF located inColumbus Ohio, USA. To participate and forfurther details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/186 orhttp://www.threecranes.org/calendars
20th March: Spring Equinox Ritual Shining LakesGrove ADF, Michigan, USA. To participate and forfurther details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/184 orhttp://www.shininglakes.org/schedule.html
21st March: Alban Eiler or Spring Equinox, Isle ofWright Druids, UK. To participate and for furtherdetails, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/178 orhttp://www.wightdruids.co.uk/Events.html
21st March, Alban Eilir, Earthworks Gorseddau,Nescliffe Shropshire/Welsh Borders, UK. Toparticipate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/177 [email protected] orhttp://earthworks.grove.googlepages.com/camps
22nd March: Book launch for Journeys of the Soul -The Life and Legacy of a Druid Chief By PhilipCarr-Gomm. To be present and for further detailsseehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/1365 orhttp://www.philipcarrgomm.druidry.org/events.htm
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April
17th April: 'Why Magic Always Works' a talk forthe Scottish Pagan Federation at the Pleasance,Edinburgh, Scotland. To participate and for furthercontact details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/1365 orhttp://www.philipcarrgomm.druidry.org
17th-18th April: Grail Workshop in Denmark; toparticipate and for further details seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/1799 orwww.sosha.dk
19th April, Druid Moon Rite: Cutios, 9:00 –21:30hrs. Three Cranes Grove ADF located inColumbus Ohio, USA. To participate and forfurther details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/186 orhttp://www.threecranes.org/calendars
23rd to 26th April: The Melbourne Grove will behosting an Australian Assembly for members ofthe Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids. Allmembers of the Order, their partners, and childrenare welcome to attend. For more information andto participate seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/1729 orcontact Vicki email: [email protected].
29th April - 2nd May: 3 jours en Brocéliande “LALÉGENDE DU ST GRAAL”. avec Philip CarGomm et Ozégan. Découverte des lieux et deslégendes, Retraite druidique, Cérémonie deBELTAINE. For more information and toparticipate seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/1365 orhttp://www.philipcarrgomm.druidry.org/events.htm
May
2nd May: Beltaine, Earthworks Gorseddau,Nescliffe Shropshire/Welsh Borders, UK. Toparticipate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/177 [email protected] orhttp://earthworks.grove.googlepages.com/camps
Events for 2011
17th - 19th June: 'Spirit of the West' DruidGathering at Pigeon Lake, near Edmonton, Alberta,Western Canada. To participate and for furtherdetails, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/1365 orhttp://www.philipcarrgomm.druidry.org/events.htm
Forthcoming Events for 2010
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Editorial Notes
You do not have to be amember of the Druidic Dawncommunity to submit to the
magazine.
Please submit contributionsdirectly to the editorial staff
via email to:[email protected]
Refer to the last page of thisissue for writer’s guidelinesand even more information,before you submit inquiries
or contributions.
Below are our upcomingissues. Be sure to specify towhich you are submitting.
Volume 2, Issue 4,“Spirits of the Land”
Deadline 15th Feb 2010
The ancient Celts were ananimistic and liminal people.
They saw spirits in allthings. This issue will take alook at that specific aspect
of Celtic practice, bothancient and modern.
Volume 3, Issue 1,“Celtic Ecology”
Deadline 15th May 2010
Celtic spirituality is an earthspirituality. This issue is tofocus on a variety of topics,
including ecology,philosophy, eco-psychology,wilderness and the wild, theCeltic love and reverence of
nature, permaculture, andeco-activism.
An interview with Bishop Alistair Bates is currently set up as our main feature,but we would love to have more wonderful submissions. News, events, reviews,editorials, articles, essays, recipes, devotional pieces, photos and more arewelcomed.
We are fielding questions for Bishop Alistair interview. Alistair follows aChristian Druid Path and founded a local Grove in Edinburgh, Scotland. He isalso very active in Europe. If you wish to know more or simply just curious ofthis particular branch of Druidry. Please send your questions [email protected]. These will be asked to Alistair in an anonymousfashion, however, we ask that you keep them clean, professional and courteous.Also note that we reserve the right to edit or discard any questions submitted. Iftoo many questions are received we sadly cannot use them all, but will try ourbest to include all. Deadline for questions is 1st March, 2010.
Basic Guidelines:1. Submit original work only. Essays & articles should be between 1,000-
2,000 words (footnotes and bibliography included). There is not a wordlimit for poetry, however, please do not submit epic verse.
2. You may submit multiple pieces. Only electric submissions are acceptedand should be either compressed (.zip/.rar) and attached (preferred forphotos & artwork), or pasted into the email body. Documentsubmissions should be in Plain Text (.txt) or Rich Text (.rtf) formats only;Photos/artwork as .jpg or .png.
3. Please cite your sources and clearly mark when using UPG [UnverifiedPersonal Gnosis]
4. Articles should be relevant to the Celtic/Druidic communities (refer toSubject Areas below) and must match the theme of the issue (if the issueis themed).
5. Run a grammar/spell check on your work before submittal.6. Keep work in a friendly manner. No racism, bigotry, violence or hated.
Subject Areas:� Pre-Christian: Discussion of history, anthropology, archaeology and more,
but also of the current Reconstructionist or Traditional movementshappening today.
� Modern Druidry: Discussion of Druidism within the last 300 years;includes Revivalist and Neo-Druid.
� Modern Celtic: Talk on surviving beliefs, folklore and superstitions stillalive today on the Celtic isles, i.e., Fairy Faith.
� Celtic Christianity: Looks into this truly beautiful and unique branch ofChristianity.
� Inter-Faith: How people incorporate other cultures into theirCeltic/Druidic practice, or getting along with those of other faiths.
DRUIDIC DAWN CALL FOR SUBMISSIONSAontacht – Spring/Autumn Equinox 2010
The deadline for ALL submissions will be 15 February 2010, as weare looking to have distribution by 20 March 2010. Submissions canbe sent to [email protected] or [email protected].
Note: International copyright law will protect all materialspublished. However, submitting your work will not guarantee itspublication. Also note that as Aontacht is a free publication, whichgenerates no profit, you will not be paid for your contributions.
