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Volume 4, Issue 1
Aontacht • 1
AontachtVolume 3 Issue 1 | Summer/Winter Solstice 2010 creating unity in community
Brought to you by Druidic Dawn (www.druidicdawn.org)
Aontacht ISSN 2044-1339Aontacht - ISSN 2044-1339
An Online periodical of Druidic DawnVisit us at www.druidicdawn.org
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Zaontachtcreating unity in community
8 RafayardFeatured InterviewDruidic Dawn Community
16 Midsummer Night’s Dream:A true tale
23 Journeys along a Pathway31 The Acorn, the Squirrel and the Oak
20 Finding Our Place on the Planet
1 9 T h e A m e r i c a n K i t c h e n
25 Night26 Awen27 A Longtime Lover Returns
2 8 The Song of Taliesin CD29 The Druid Way29 Caesar’s Druids
3 Contributors Page
6 From The Desk.....
7 News from the Druidic Dawn Management Team
36 Community Calendar
41 What is in our next issue
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Contributorsaontachtcreating unity in community
Environmental BenefitsStatement
Aontacht magazine is onlyavailable online as a free .pdfdownload; thereby savingtrees, water, solid waste andgreenhouse gases. It is de-signed on an Energy Star ratedcomputer.
Aontacht is published four timesa year by Druidic Dawn, CIC.Aontacht, Volume 4, Issue 1 ©2011 Druidic Dawn, all rights re-served. All contained content iscopyright to its respective own-ers, including art and photos. Thecontents of this publication maynot be reproduced in whole or inpart without the consent of thecopyright owner.
Interim EditorNigel Dailey
Co-EditorRichard Fox
Druidic Dawn Rep.Nigel Dailey
Graphic DesignerDonald Drake
Feature Editor - RecipesFaye Boyd
Feature Editor - PoetrySarah Ward
PublisherDruidic Dawn, CIC
Original Layout DesignAestas Designs
( aestas.dieromantic.com )
General InquiriesAll questions, comments andetcetera can be sent to the fol-lowing address:
At the moment we are notoffering to community mem-bers.
Opinions and views expressedare not necessarily those of
the editors, publisher or staff.
Rafayard serves as the Director of themulti-faceted learning centre - The Houseof Creative Learning. She set up the Cen-tre seven years ago and continues to teachmusic there with several other very giftedmusicians and educators.
Jenn MacCormack (Eadha), a Psychology,Anthropology & Linguistics student, is in-terested in how place, language and cul-ture interact and evolve together. Herpassions are the Mabinogi, environmentalanthropology, gardening, swimming, writ-ing and travelling. She is also a fluentWelsh speaker but currently resides inNorth Carolina, USA.
Jason Kirkey is a poet and author of sev-eral books, including The Salmon in theSpring: The Ecology of Celtic Spiritualityand Estuaries, a collection of contempla-tive nature poetry. He is the founder ofHiraeth Press and lives in the Ipswich Riv-er-North Atlantic watershed of Massachu-setts.
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Editorial Notes
You do not have to be a mem-ber of the Druidic Dawn com-
munity to submit to thenewsletter.
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 4, Issue 2,“Magick of Druidism” Deadline Aug 15, 2010
All Celts and Druids had theability to undertake Magick,be it privately or publicly.How does magick play apart in the Modern Celticand Druid practice? Whatmagick does it hold and howis it expressed in your partic-ular practice? Are there spe-cific forms of magick whichcan be shared?
Volume 4, Issue 3“Storytelling”
Deadline Nov 15, 2011
The Art of Storytelling playsan important role for ancientand modern Celts or Druidsas a medium, which passeson knowledge and wisdomteachings to explore. Whatstories do you have and wishto share with Aontacht read-ers? What hidden knowl-edge do they contain?
Contributors
Richard Fox (Renard) is an earth magick practi-tioner, fire mage and a warrior poet who livedmostly outdoors in the forests of the U.S. formore than 18 years. During that time he plantedmore than 700,000 trees and supervised theplanting of more than 26,000,000 additionaltrees. Today he works with Native Americansfrom 14 tribes on major renewable energyprojects, including solar heating and electricand wind turbines with a base among the Lako-ta on the Pine Ridge and Rosebud reservationsin South Dakota.
Donald Drake: (Domhnall) While in Scotland in1980, Domhnall came into contact with a familyof Druids and started down his path towardstudying the Celts at that point. He has notlooked back, adopting the Celtic ways of life inhis everyday life and pursuits.
Caroline Queen of Celtica has a great love ofnature and meditation, and lives in Y Drenew-ydd in Cymru, in the beautiful Welsh moun-tains. Loves to explore and be in sacred places,where one can worship and undertake the mag-ic art of healing. My artist name is Templetree,named for her passion for conveying the truthof the trees being a prayerful, active contributorto organising sacred gatherings for years. Pres-ently runs the record label Great Oak, with amission to create a sustainable green Celtica,filled with Great Oaks and High Consciousness.
Darrell Fishel resides in Asheville, NorthCarolina and is a former Baptist Minister ofMusic/Worship Leader. His studies andinterests currently include Modern Druidism,Germanic Neopaganism, Celtic Shamanism,Buddhism and Reiki. His Bardic pursuitsinclude singing, the Appalachian dulcimer,drumming and poetry.
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ContributorsProduction Team
Positions Available:
Editor
A vacancy is available for a Volun-teer Editor to lead a very success-ful team of dedicated volunteerswhich brings this magazine to thewider community. If one have thetime to spare and wish to activelybe of service to this and the greaterCeltic and Druid internet commu-nity.
"Wild Earth"Feature Editor
The "Wild Earth" Feature Editorwill manage our newest forthcom-ing feature on "Wild Earth". Thisposition would entail writing ashort, succinct and relevant pieceon any number of topics related tothe Earth for each issue. We arelooking for diversity of experienceand understanding, as well as aclear writing style that is both in-telligent and practical. It is possi-ble that if the individual is unableor uncomfortable with writing reg-ularly, instead he or she may pro-cure an appropriate submission onan eco-related theme each issue.The Production Team is flexibleand interested in working with theFeature Editor in developing the"Wild Earth" feature into some-thing fresh and unique. For moredetails on the "Wild Earth" FeatureEditor position and what it in-volves, please contact us at theemail below.
David Hillman; resides in North Wales and isthe part time forest worker for the EternalForest Trust at the Boduan Sanctuary. Findspleasure in all outdoor pursuits, walking andcaring for various rescued dogs. An accom-plished craft worker in both leather and natu-ral woods additionally enjoys the pleasure ofreading, and venturing into writing stories.
Maya St. Clair (Cuardai) resides in Kuwait, isan Irish Polytheist, and a mechanical engineerwith a love of history, mythology and culture.She is editor of the Oran Mor, the official news-letter of the New Order of Druids. She alsoserves on their Council. Maya is an Irish Gaelicstudent and regularly writes a wide variety ofarticles and book reviews on Celtic and reli-gious topics.
Druid 3 x 3: I am a Pacific West Coast Druidwho makes a living working as aGardener/Landscaping to support himselfwhile Reading and Writing about Druidry. Iam a member of The Druid Network and theDruids of Albion. I an a Dedicant to "Bobcat"Emma Restall Orr as she is someone who isWise, Knowledgeable and Peaceful and it isher Example that I am trying to follow. I usedto be Atheist until 10th of June 2000 when Idiscovered how Trees, Plants and Herbs werethe Closest Surviving Lifeforms to Hiroshima'sGround Zero when I was touring around thatCity.
Faye Boyd (Fae) has been interested in Natureand all things Celtic for many a year. She is amember of OBOD, Druidic Dawn, OrdBrighideach International, Celtic Reiki Master,Hot Stone Therapist, Guided Meditations and isa spoken word artist. Fae resides in Canada.
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There was time before calendars and digital clocks werecreated and universally accepted. And this time wasmeasured by our revolution around the sun. The mostobvious was the four times of the year marked by thelongest and shortest days - the solstices and equinoxeswhen the days and nights were equal.
These four sun-determined days became important al-most universal days of gatherings and meetings through-out the world. Every village had elders who could tellthese times with simple means and thus even peopleseparated without means of direct communication couldshow up at predetermined places on the correct day.
Beyond these four days, the exact time between each solsticeand equinox could also be measured and thus the otherfour great days of the turning of the sun were established.Each had seasonal aspects associated with it and thesebecame woven into the ceremonies and festivals that tookplace on these key gathering dates.
Today these days are still celebrated by many as theturning of the wheel and a way to associate with and hon-our the cycles of nature. Because they were celebrated fora very long number of years, they also act as a bridge toall those who came before us and participated in follow-ing the rhythms of the planet.
There is much in life that is like that - a bridge thatconnects us to the past. We see it and feel it in the placesof upraised stones for instance. We know real peoplestood there, worshiped there and we can feel their pres-ence and the power that was generated there even nowthrough the ages.
This can be said of all of our sacred places. There is aresidue of the past that resides there and can be felt and
touched in many ways. These places were sacred for areason – often by their very "nature" though in someplaces because of events that unfolded there. They remainsacred today and each remains a powerful and importantbridge to our collective Druid past.
When the Romans defeated the Druids in Wales, they hadno castles to dismantle, no churches to desecrate. But theDruids did have powerful places where they gatheredand often conducted their ceremonies - in the form ofsacred oak groves. Many of these were cut down andburned by the Romans.
On harsher places like Bardsey Island, these oaks were theresult of a long line of succession that eventually resultedin the famous Oak Groves and they have not returned.
As custodians of this earth and our sacred heritage, mod-ern Druids have a responsibility to all the earth, but alsoa special responsibility to protect our sacred sites. We alsohave an incredible opportunity to restore some of the sacredoak groves. What memories must live within their oakconsciousness?
Surely they would be a living connection to the originaloaks and original druids and their restoration would beour turn to create new sacred sites for future genera-tions.
Co-editorAontacht Magazine
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rWhat’s Happening on the DD Website
Welcome to the third solar quarter of 2011, whichhas been a busy period behind the scenes, the newMeet and Greet real-time chat facility upgraded forall community members who prefer to draw up achair and chatter about all things Celtic and Druid-ic.
Three additional introduction clips have been pub-licly added from the Druid Network Conferenceheld last November 2010. These include PolytheismDruidry, Pagan Visionary Art and Ley lines the fullpresentation can be purchased online for a minimalcost. All purchases assist to maintain the websitepresence and would be greatly welcomed.
Friends of Druidic Dawn is a new area for contrib-uting community members who wish to donate ona monthly or annual basis. Friends of Druidic Dawnhave free and unfettered access to all areas of thesite, at no additional cost.
The Druidic Dawn Archive service is in the progressof archiving the renowned website of Astrocelt Cy-ber Grove. This website was active during the timeof 2003-07 concentrating on many aspects of Druid-ry with a concentration on the Welsh Celtic Tradi-tion.
Druidic Dawn working in the Community
Following the fantastic success of the previous event,the 2nd Celtic Gathering is to be held in Ontario,Canada. To give you a feel for what the event is allabout, please watch this video, although you need tobe there to fully appreciate the experience.
A wide selection of presentations is available, butthis is an opportunity to share with others, be it po-etry, music, talks, classes etc. If you are interested inspeaking the organising team would like to hearfrom you ASAP, so get in contact now. The closingdate for registration is on the 3rd July 2011, so don’tdelay book today.
Druidic Dawn behind the Scenes
Once again a fantastic edition of Aontacht has beenpublished because of the amazing effort of the dedi-cated volunteers. However there is a need for a vol-unteer editor to assist with the creation of themagazine so that we can continue to improve whatwe’ve already created. If interested please emailyour CV to [email protected]
On Behalf of the Management Team
Aontacht DD Representative
Keeping Up With the Project Team
Welcome to Summer & Winter of 2011. A lot has been happening at Druidic Dawn, and we like to keep our readersupdated on what's going on.
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The Druidic DawnQ &A :
A Featured Interview
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tRafayard serves as the Director of the multi-faceted learning centre - The House of CreativeLearning. She set up the Centre seven years ago and continues to teach music there with severalother very gifted musicians and educators.
The idea of the Centre was blessed and witnessed in the druid grove at an assembly where shepledged her service to the community as a music teacher and as someone who can help others findtheir own inspiration and creativity through music.
Rafyard also has a deep connection to the land and the animal world and both raises orphanedanimals and runs an alpaca farm. The Druid Essence is the foundation that permeates througheverything she does as she Journey's along her own unique path.
DD: How did you start on your personal pathinto Druidry? How does living in Australiainfluence the practice of Druidry?
Rafayard: My druid path with OBOD started inthe late 80’s when I was living in England. I wasworking in a pub called the 4 horseshoes thathad a very old church next to it, which borderedon a small forest. In between shifts I used to goand amble through the trees enjoying the beautyand serenity. The feeling of antiquity I rememberbeing very strong and I spent quite a bit of timeconnecting with some old oak trees that had thebiggest girths on them that I had ever seen. I wasdrawn to these magnificent trees and spent quitea bit of time in peace beneath their canopy.
I have always loved nature, with almost an in-tensity, even when I was very young. Allthrough my life I had access to wild, beautifulplaces. I grew up on the Eyre Peninsula in SouthAustralia. My playground was the very wild,west coast beaches. I had travelled a lot fromwhen I was seventeen and had a background inhorticulture. From the forests of New Zealand tothe River Ganges In India- years of travel alwaystook me to places where I would be in awe of my
surroundings and thankful to be there. I havealways felt connected to the earth and haveplanted trees wherever I have lived, all my life. Idon’t believe I became a druid. I think I havealways been one.
One day in between shifts in a little bookshop inthe nearby village, I found a book on naturalmagic by Marion Green. This had the OBODcourse advertised in the back of it. I never lookedback. The Gwers unlocked the doors to answersI had been wanting. Things I had been instinc-tively feeling, but from that point on, I had adirection and a way to work on deeper levelswith knowledge that felt intrinsically right. Myspirit was already moved. I had stood inside3000 year old sun temples in the heart of India. Iwas open to more of this feeling and very keento learn.
So I started the course in England and by thetime I was doing the ovate grade I had moved tothe southern alps of France. I did the journeythrough the trees while living in the beech for-ests, deep in the heart of the mountains. Aftertwo years there I moved back to Australia andcompleted the druid grade back in Port Lincoln.
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It hasn’t ever mattered to me where I was,whether north or south, east or west. I continuedto study and adapt and feel the connection withmy sense of place-wherever that was. All thewhile gaining a better insight, notching up lifeexperiences and trying to make sense of thewonder of it all! Being in Europe had given mean understanding and a stronger connection tomy roots. I learnt where I had come from andwho were my ancestors. I learnt to love lan-guage. Living in Australia taught me about feel-ing connected to my sense of place right fromwhen I was little. This was also my place now.The home of my family and future. We nowshare those beautiful places with our childrenwhom are growing up knowing their sense ofplace. Where they come from.
DD: You are the Director of the multi-facetedlearning centre - The House of Creative Learningwhich you set up 7 years ago. Can you tell us abit about the Centre, your role there and whatyou teach?
Rafayard: My husband Dean and I were facedwith having to deal with his family home afterboth his parents passed away. It was a housethat had been in their family for three genera-tions. A great big old duck pond stone homebuilt in the late 1920s. We didn’t want to live init because we had 60 acres just out of town andwe really liked living in a quiet space surround-ed by nature. This house is right in the CBD inbetween all the schools. It failed to sell at auc-tion. As the hammer went down, the back doorslammed shut and we all felt Grandma had hada hand in controlling the situation! She was thepiano player for the local dance band. I woke upat 4 the next morning and woke up Dean andsaid “lets start a music school” He mumbledsomething about that’ll be nice dear and wentback to sleep! I was buzzing with excitement!The House of Creative Learning was born!
I have always taught music. When I was 20 andliving in Margaret River in Western Australia Iplayed in bands and shared my musical knowl-edge with others. That was the start of learningto teach. My father was a singer and my head iscrammed full of songs learnt with him as we puton vaudeville shows for all the local clubs. Ihave always been thirsty to learn and when Iwanted to do something or play something Isimply taught myself how to do it. That requiresa certain amount of self-discipline, which hascertainly been a good thing over the years.Schools invited me to offer music tuition. Wewere in the country and the little schools didn’thave established music programs. Things grewfrom there until the point came where I woke upthat morning wanting to do something outsideof the education system that gave me more free-dom to teach outside the square. Here was aperfect opportunity to create something reallyspecial and unique.
The house had once been a boarding house. Acentral passage with rooms off to the sides. Big,fat, stone walls buffeting the sound from roomto room. Perfect for teaching music in. It startedoff just me but it attracted other teachers withsimilar visions and soon turned into a multi-faceted centre.
DD: You are helping people to find their ‘Awen’through music. Without mentioning specificnames, can you share with us a couple of exam-ples of how this has manifest over the past sevenyears?
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Rafayard: At this point in time I came to realizethat this was my purpose. To share my creativitywith others in a way that nurtured each individ-ual’s talents. That encouraged people to discov-er their own personal inspiration. This is to mereally important work as it helps on so manylevels as students become empowered with theirown self-worth and sense of joy that the creativearts can bring about.
I felt I had to honour my purpose and I wantedit witnessed and blessed in the heart of the sa-cred grove, for this is the place where thingsevolve from first for me. If I have trust in theidea, then I seek blessing, confirmation andguidance from the universal. My faith in myconnection to the deeper inner realms of being isso strong that it has been my anchor throughoutmy life and the druid path has given that instinc-tive faith a firm foundation for true purposefulliving with meaning.
So at the assembly in Queensland in one of themost beautiful groves I have ever been in I de-clared my life’s purpose and asked that bless-ings be given for The House of CreativeLearning.
Oh yes! I asked for it all right!! It has been amonumental journey, filled with everything youcould possibly imagine and more and continuesto be so. The greatest satisfaction for me hasbeen to watch people who want to express them-selves, who may have been told that they can’tor have been too scared to do so find that theyare in an environment where they can. Wherethey are encouraged with positive energy tohave a go and feel proud of who they are. Itoften brings me to tears and there have beenoccasions when a singer has blown me out of thewater and I am simply overwhelmed with emo-tion at what they have achieved for when theyfirst walked in the door they didn’t have thatself-belief, which then blossomed with learning
and understanding. Somehow the voice is themost vulnerable of instruments. The sound ofsomeone’s soul energy. Singing students laythemselves bare and that deserves a great deal ofrespect. I believe it is everyone’s right to sing. Ialways love to work with a choir because manyvoices singing in harmony to me is one of thegreatest things ever.
DD: You have coordinated (along with SteveSailor) a music program for aboriginal studentsat the school, which included song and danceand instrument making. The Community Harmo-ny Through Music Programme is part of a widergroup of initiatives called "‘Creating Futures’which aims to improve Indigenous engagementand retention at Port Lincoln High School andpromote a culture of Indigenous leadership. Canyou elaborate on this and provide any insightsinto the uniqueness of working with indigenousstudents and music? Is mentoring part of theCommunity Harmony Through Music program? Ifso, does the Cooringal Grove participate in this inany way? Does the Community HarmonyThrough Music program include the use of in-digenous instruments? Do you play any of theindigenous instruments? Do the children? Couldyou explain how the indigenous culture withtheir close connection to land, with the impor-tance of song lines become integratedwithin your style of Druidry?
Rafayard: Over the years there have been somewonderful programs with indigenous people,which have created some great partnerships be-tween the schools and the house and the aborigi-nal community. This has been a really positivething that has allowed students an opportunityto work in a safe, inspirational environment anddiscover greater parts of themselves. The struc-ture of funding and availability of tutors hasmeant these programs have now changed andbeen absorbed back into the school system whereit is now part of their curriculum if they choose itas a subject. I am not sure it works as well as I
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think environment plays a critical role in ourwillingness to learn.
DD: You play guitar, piano, voice, recorder andharp. What is your favorite instrument to playand why? What is it that you love most aboutteaching and/or performing music? How ismusic part of your spiritual path?
Rafayard: I became a multi-instrumentalist outof necessity really! There was no one to teachrecorder. Oh Raf can do it, she knows music.Hmm if only they knew what is required to getcompetent enough, but you see I had the beliefabout music being such an important part ofchildren’s education so I took up the challengesin order for there to be that opportunity there. Inthe city there is always more choice when itcomes to specialists in any given field. In thecountry teachers have to do a bit of everything asthere simply is not the same choice available. Wedo what we can. A very big part of music pro-grams in the schools depends on the ethos of theschool itself. How much they value the arts asbeing an important part of education. This variesquite considerably and schools with a sportsfocus really struggle to keep their arts programsgoing. It also depends on what the trend in theeducation system is at any given time. The artsalways suffer because the antiquated view of thearts not being as essential as other subjects stillholds very strong in many people’s minds. Theydon’t have the understanding about integratedbalance. Those that do, often can’t make changesbecause they are not in the positions of power.
Music has always been a big part of my life. Ihave a very vivid memory of my father and Idriving along the road and I got so animatedabout learning the words to a particular old jazztune that he pulled over to the side of the roadand we sang it until I knew it from start to finish.We were very happy with ourselves. We got solost in the moment we were late for a show!
I have played piano, guitar and sang right fromthe early years but the harp I took up a few yearsago as it is an instrument that really calls to thesoul. I guess different instruments allow me toexpress a certain feeling at the time. Apart fromthe practicalities of teaching, I like to play jazzon my eight string taro patch and I like thesoulfulness of the celtic harp. I love the bluesand Bach on the piano and I love to stand in mygarden and play recorder to the birds. I like tosing in the caves up the coast overlooking theocean at Silly Bay. Everything has its’ moment!It is all part of my spirit and my connection tothe greater spirit. I think toning and chanting isone of the most wonderful ways to work withmusic spiritually. I was exposed to a lot of thiswhen I was in India and it continues to be agreat part when I engage in my druid work. Atoning circle with others is a very powerful andwonderful experience.
DD: Given that Australia does not have 4 dis-tinct seasons... it could be argued there are 5 or6... have you ever considered the need for addi-tional ceremonial times and what these timesmight be called?
Rafayard: In regards to ceremony I think it is soimportant that you are attuned to your sense ofplace. I always feel a bit weird in October wheneveryone gets hooked into the commercial as-pects of Halloween and I am in my garden cele-brating the joys of spring and new life! Where Ilive you can have 4 seasons in one day!! I per-sonally don’t have the need to change from theeight festivals to anything different but in thepast I have undergone ritual work to acknowl-edge certain weather anomalies like a big rainout of season for example. To me it is simplybeing aware of what is going on around you. Ilove ritual because it enables me to be gratefuland connect to the magic of life. Whether it iswith others or on my own it is an essential partof my life.
DD: Your connection to the land and the animalworld is very important to you. What do you see
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DD: Your connection to the land and the animalworld is very important to you. What do you seeto be humans relationship with animals and howdoes your personal relationship with them im-pact you in your daily life?
Rafayard: We seem to collect animals like somepeople collect spoons. They constantly find theirway to us! My husband and I are a pair of softiesand I’m sure the word is out in the animal king-dom! We recently took care of a black swan thatturned up under our mulberry tree when it was2 weeks old. Arnie stayed with us for 5 monthsand then took to the skies not so long ago. Wewent camping at our usual annual pilgrimagespot and we took him with us and taught him tofly running up the beach flapping our arms. Heinstinctively knew to fly into the up drafts. Hebuilt up his strength flapping around daily onour dam. He is magnificent. Funny enough I waswriting all this wedding music at the time and inthe druid animal oracle the swan represents soul,love and beauty. He touched me in ways thatthere are no words for. We shared a beautifulbond and when he left it was a bittersweet expe-rience indeed.
The animal kingdom is part of our natural worldand we can learn so much from them if we takea bit of time. There are correlations between theEuropean archetypes and there are definiteunique qualities that are only pertinent to thatparticular species. We call in the grey kangarooin the north, the shingleback lizard in the south,the rose breasted cockatoo in the east and thefrog in the west. They are all here where we live.
Their energy is strong and it feels right to hon-our them in ritual. I am sure they are part ofindigenous culture because they are part of thelandscape. I don’t consciously work with theindigenous culture because it is not my heritagebut I certainly acknowledge, respect and proba-bly instinctively feel those connections. My to-tem animal is the eagle. It is a universal bird andI feel I am a bit that way too.
DD: Do you find yourself drawing from therhythms of the land, sea and sky in Australia?How does this influence your own music or thatof the music you teach?
Rafayard: I am constantly drawing from therhythms of the natural world around me. Nomatter where I am in the world. The Eyre Penin-sula will always hold a special place in my heart,as it is where I grew up and now live. My songsdo reflect this culture. It is a coastal culture filledwith wild, west coast beaches, and craggy cliffsof limestone, raging southerlies and an oceanwhose next stop is Antarctica. You most certain-ly know you are alive when you are on thebeach at Greenly. So cold in the winter and thesand is so hot in the summer you can’t get backup to your car without wrapping a towelaround your feet! The moonsets are phenome-nal and the storms some of the most vibrantcolours I have ever witnessed. We love it upthere, which is why we are honouring the spiritof the sea at the assembly and plan to hold theovate ceremony in an incredible mallee grovesunken in the sand dunes.
DD: You are hosting your third Southern Hem-isphere OBOD Assembly in October. To makesuch a huge commitment three times, thesegatherings clearly must mean much to you.Could you tell us about your hopes and dreamsfor these gatherings? Could you expand moreabout this Gathering? For instance is there atheme, what events are being planned and soforth for the gathering?
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Rafayard: This will be the 3rd assembly we havehosted. I guess we do it because we can. We havethe ideal property and it is my way of servicing thedruid community. I probably have never thoughtmuch about why, it just seems to be the right timeat the time. We are honouring Mannanan Mc lirand the spirit of the ocean, as it is such a strongpresence here. Already people are finding storiesand songs to contribute. Our whole ovate day willbe spent up at Greenly as it is such a special place.I chose Brigid too as a balance, to also emphasizethe healing qualities that can occur when likeminded people gather in sacred places. And as apatron of music, her essence is always welcomearound the fire at Cooringal and I’m sure therewill be much music shared.
On the first day which is the bardic day we aregoing to acknowledge the spirit of our place, get toknow each other, get creative, make things for oureisteddfod in the evening, open it with an interac-tive story from one of our most talented bards andhave a good dance complete with disco balldressed up in sea costumes. Push the tables backand get down! Light hearted fun to celebrate beingalive. I wanted to have a full day to honour each ofthe grades so that we can really feel the essencethat each grade brings, with some space in be-tween organized activities for reflection and spon-taneous things to occur. On the ovate day afterbeing at the beach we will have a more quietevening where we can share healing skills andsimply feel the energy of Brigid and reflect on ourday at Greenly. The druid day is a day of skillsharing, a women’s and men’s circle and theBeltaine festival. I hope to have a discussion aboutour roles as druids in the wider community duringthe evening. In between good mead and goodmusic of course! That’s the basic outline, it will allbecome apparent as we get closer to the event andpeople start focusing on their journey to Cooringal.
DD: Could you tell us about the local Druid groupin the area, what is its history, how often does itmeet, what celebrations are honoured as the sea-sonal wheel turns, what is its creativeness, is any-one welcome to participate?
Rafayard: We don’t really have a druid group inour area, for a long time I have been the only onebut there is another lady who has just joined theorder nearby which is wonderful. I always cele-brate the festivals though and open my home eve-ry 6 weeks for friends to come and connect withtheir own sense of spirit. Everyone is welcome andwe always eat really well after and play greatmusic in true druid style! The bardic grove is ourstone circle and there have been many people walkthe sacred circle over the years. We have an ovateand a druid grove also but these are reserved formembers of these grades only. It is always anhonour, and very different to celebrate the ritualswith other OBOD druids which is one reason Ibelieve the assemblies are so important and willcontribute to keeping them going. Of course get-ting across Australia is not quite like traversingEngland. Those that make it here to Cooringalhave definitely done some miles. It is quite a com-mitment.
Triple aspect formed when The Cellar Folk Clubput on the Stinky Creek folk festival. We wrotesome tunes, played some festivals and gigs inAdelaide and decided to record a cd. This was agood culmination to some great times. The band isno longer together in that form. We all went off todo different things but cds can be purchased [email protected]. They are songs that re-flect a love of the land, my druid connection to alllife and a love of ritual as a way of honouring andrespecting this.
When I was a child my father and I had 10 songsthat were desert island songs. Songs that we couldsimply could not live without. We would updatenow and then and even sometimes have the samesong. Tuxedo Junction was one of these!
DD: Each of us are influenced by many peoplethroughout our lives. Can you recommend fivebooks to our readers?
Rafayard: I have to think about books in the sameway if I am to narrow it down. I am an avid reader,this will be very difficult . I think I will mentionauthors rather than individual books. Anything by
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Tolkin, Julliet Marillier and Joseph Campbell. Ilove The Candle of Vision by AE. Any cookingbook by Charmaine Soloman and any gardeningbook by Peter Bennett. The druid animal andplant oracles by Phillip and Stephanie Carr-Go-mm are also very firm companions. There is noillustrator better to enliven the imagination thanBill Worthington.
DD: What's do you see unfolding in the nextyear for you and the Centre?
Rafayard: Where is the centre heading? That is avery good question. Two of my children nowteach music there as well. It has it’s own energyand I hope it will continue to touch the lives ofall who walk through the doors. I will continueto teach but hope to slow down a bit too andspend more time in my garden. Life is aboutunderstanding the balance between all livingthings. I need to be quiet and alone in order tomaintain my own inner peace. It is very impor-tant to me as the centre is a very active, busyplace alive with bubbling creativity. We have 3creative teenagers! This requires time. I alsohave a very strong self sufficient streak and thattype of lifestyle requires a lot of time! I want towalk in the paddocks with my alpaca herd, eye-ing off their wool for me to spin. I want to be ableto avoid rushing anywhere and avoid feelinglike there is simply too much work to do, which-ever way I look either at home or at work. Thereis so much beauty in the world and I want thetime to enjoy it.
D: Any parting words you would like to leavewith our readers and the global Druid commu-nity?
Rafayard: It’s never too late to follow yourdreams. There is so much knowledge that wecan tap into in order to achieve whatever wewant to in life. As I have gone through differentphases so far I feel very blessed to have followedand trusted my instincts. My strong faith in theuniversal means I never lose hope even in the
trickiest of situations. The essence of druidry iswho I am and permeates through everything thatI do. The OBOD course offered me the tools forpersonal enrichment at a time when I was hun-gry to learn. I still utilize this knowledge alongwith my life experiences and continue to growday by day. I am still keen to learn and lovegreatly to sit in the heart of my sacred grovewhere illumination can be as subtle as an unfold-ing flower or like a steam roller urging me toaction! Life is never dull and I am never, everbored! It’s what you make it and I intend to makethe most of it….
With blessings from the heart of Cooringal
Rafayard
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Volume 4, Issue 1
A week from Midsummer, the full moon isbright tonight although she sails behind cloudscasting silver upon the sea of night. It is mid-night, and the scents of darkness perfume theair -- foxglove, sweet rocket, wisteria, newmeadowsweet. The elderflower is out like noyear before, covering the ground in white blos-som, filling the air with flowery snow.
It is a night for the liminal, for wonder, forbeauty. I find myself climbing up the hill thatoverlooks Llyn y Dywarchen, the Lake of theTurf. Once upon a time it was a bog that season-ally filled up with water and became a lake. Inthe centre of the lake rises a lonely isle with asingle tree growing at its peak. When I firstcame to Wales, I fell in love with this place,sensing it as 'Other', belonging to the Fair Folkin some way.
Recently, my Tylwyth Teg (Fair Folk) associa-tions were confirmed: starting from Drws-y-Co-ed and spreading out into that vast open plainbeneath Snowdon's heights, from Waunfawr onpast Rhyd Ddu, the Black Ford, to Beddgelert --this valley is said to be the centre, the seat of theFair Folk in North Wales. This is where theirHigh King was traditionally said to have heldhis court. I worked on the Welsh Highland Rail-way, which runs straight down the middle oftheir territory. Whenever I think of Wales, it isthis plain, this area that rises in my mind. Manylocals do not like the railway, and I never un-derstood why. But now I know. The railway ismade of iron, is it not? And the Fair Folk do notlike iron, will not cross it, yet there is a 20 milerail line splitting their lands in half.
All these thoughts go through my head before Iarrive at Llyn y Dywarchen. And there, risingout of the darkness, is the lake, itself almost asemi-circle, and the turf-mound, the floatingisland, which Gerald of Wales was said to haveridden around the lake on, stands still. Thenight is mild, a soft cool breeze now and then.Snowdon, yr Eryri, sleeps pearly-blue in thedistance, a great stone dragon stretched out, hisjagged humped back high in the stars. The low-er mountains surrounding Snowdon are cov-ered in cloud, as a slow mist creeps down intothe valleys below. The lake is quiet except forthe endless lap-lap and occasional ker-plunk offish. Twice, an owl calls far in the distance--atawny owl--the owl of Blodeuwedd. A couplesheep out to mountain pasture call to once an-other -- but they are on the other side of thehills and their voices drift plaintively andalone. Everything is so still, so silent, except formy own slow breathing and the almost imper-ceptible rustling of the long grass and rushes.I sit and listen for a long time, the deep peaceof the place welling up out of the lake andwashing over me. I have not felt peace like thisin many a year -- it is like a moment of content-ment one feels at home when everything isright with the world -- only a hundredfoldrolled into one.
From time to time, I think I see lights on the is-land -- faint and flickering -- wishful thinking?probably the pale water reflecting the moon'slight. Still, I feel entranced, staring at the island,merging into the place ... the place has enchant-
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ed me, for I grow unusually sleepy, my bodyheavy. I can hardly move and I sink down tothe mossy ground, lying on my side, my headcradled in my hands.
Like this, I fall into something other -- neitherawake nor asleep. It is like a dream and I cansee dark figures rise up out of the lake, climb-ing up the hillside to where I lie. Some of Thempeer over the edge, refusing to come closer.Others stand next to me. I am conscious that Iam lying down, but here, in this dream-vision,I am sitting up next to my prostrate body, look-ing at the gathering crowd. I cannot really seeThem -- They are just dark forms, but there isthe faintest glow around them -- glow is not theright word for it's not 'light' in any way -- butThey emanate somehow. There is a radiance toThem even in Their darkness.
I become aware of how ancient They are -- parthuman, part animal, part something else, andnone of those at all. I feel my heart speed up,palpitating, my blood throbbing in my ears.My breathing is shallow and quick. Their pres-ence takes my breath away and I feel I canhardly breathe. They are appraising me, talkingamongst Themselves -- the lake's waves andthe wind in the grass are in their voices. I feellike a very small child. Finally They are silentand my heart is in my throat. They greet me asone They have met before, but there is no emo-tion. They seem emotionless. They ask me whatI want, visiting Them on a night such as this,and what I have brought in return.
As They speak to me, I start to shake, physical-ly shake. Part of me feels afraid, a voice insidemy head telling me how dangerous this is, con-sorting with Them. If the stories are true, peo-ple meet Them and lose their minds, or go offwith Them to their great halls undergroundforever, leaving their bodies to die. They alsohave a reputation for being tricksy, driving ahard bargain. A deal with the Fair Folk alwayshas unforeseen repercussions -- you ask for one
thing, and they give it to you, but often at ahigh price or in ways unimaginable. They areamoral -- there is no right or wrong with them.They simply are.
I laugh, feeling crazy. I may be afraid, but atmy own peril, I also am in love. The deep peaceof Llyn y Dywarchen tells me I am safe. Theirbeauty, even in the dark of night, is complete,perfect, indescribable. I start to sing for them:
How beautiful they are,The Lordly OnesWho dwell in the hills,In the hollow hills.
They have faces like flowersAnd their breath is windThat blows over summer meadowsFilled with dewy clover.
Their limbs are more whiteThan shafts of moonlight:They are more fleetThan the March wind.
They laugh and are gladAnd are terrible!When their lances shakeEvery green reed quivers.
How beautiful they areThe Lordly Ones,Who dwell in the hills,In the hollow hills.
The summer wind blows through the silenceafter my song. They stand still, listening, look-ing at me, until I say, "I wanted nothing but tomeet you--and in return I offer you remem-brance and my love." Then, out of nowhere, theair is filled with the sweetest scents of honey-suckle--up there on that barren hillside. Tearsrun down my cheeks unbidden and I havewords no longer.
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The moon begins to emerge from out behindthe clouds -- a strange, golden yellow moon --and in that soft light, They dissolve, like shad-owy mist dissipating in the sun. I hear thefaintest, finest tinkling -- did I really hear it?Was it near or far away? I cannot tell but myscalp prickles at its unworldly sound. That isthe last thing I remember, for I go unconscious-- maybe asleep -- everything is a black blank-ness except a profound peace and beauty.When I come to, I feel stiff as though I've been
there for hours. I stumble up from the ground,light headed, my body feeling foreign and dis-oriented. Turning to face the lake and islandone last time, I murmur "Diolch yn fawr" be-fore heading home and to bed. Looking at theclock, I realise I was there for over an hour.
I feel profoundly different -- more myself, lessconcerned with the things that worried me yes-terday, and more than ever, in love with thisWorld.
Celtic lands with a small group of like-minded people. This yearwe are offering two tours of the best sacred sites:
A JOURNEY TO AVALON. September 1st - 10th, 2011. Staywith Mara at the Chalice Well Retreat House in Glastonbury toenter into the Mysteries of Avalon, Stonehenge, Tintagel and
more. http://www.celticspiritjourneys.com/avalon.php
Email Celtic Spirit Journeys at [email protected] orcall us at (+44) 1239 858 830 worldwide or toll-free: 1-800-657-1520
from the United States only.
Volume 4, Issue 1
Aontacht • 19
The American Kitchen
French chef has jotted down in his notebook a few ofthe causes of waste in an American kitchen:
Scraps of meat are thrown away
Cold potatoes are left to sour and spoil.
Dried fruits are not looked after and become wormy
Vinegar and sauce are left standing in tin.
Apples are left to decay for want of sorting over.
The tea canister and coffee box are left open.
Bones of meat and the carcass of turkey are thrownaway, when they could be used in making good soup.
Sugar, tea, coffee and rice are carelessly spilled inhandling.
Soap is left to dissolve and waste in water.
Dish towels are used for dish cloths, napkins for dishtowels and towels for holders.
Brooms and mops are not hung up.
More coal is burned than necessary by not closingdampers when the fire is not used.
Lights are left burning when not in use.
Tin dishes are not properly cleaned and dried.
Good, new brooms are used to scrub kitchen floors
[The Chef]
Rice SnowballsBoil one pint rice until soft in tow quarts water withone teaspoon salt, put in small cups, and when per-fectly cold place in a dish. Make a boiled custard ofthe yokes of three eggs, one pint sweet milk, and oneteaspoon cornstarch; flavour with lemon. When coldpour the custard over the rice balls an hour beforeserving.
This is a very simple but nice dessert.
Custard Fritters
Make a baked custard with one pint milk,yokes of five eggs, two tablespoons sugar, onetablespoon rice flour or four, ¼ teaspoon vanil-la, sugar. Bake in cylinder molds like smallmuffin rings. Place in pan of water and cookuntil firm. When cold cut in circles about ¾ inchthink, egg, crumb and fry in basket in deep fat.Drain, dust with powdered sugar and serve onhot napkin with sauce.
The
Recipes from the Community
FormularyA note from the Formulary Editor – I thought in this issue I would take folks down memorylane with an article from the 1896 Hamilton Appeal Newspaper, Alabama. I hope you enjoy it!Fae
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From even a fleeting glance at Irish mythology it'sobvious that the concept of sovereignty was im-portant to ancient Gaelic society. The idea of sov-ereignty was so essential that it wasn’t so muchconceptualized as it was divinized. To becomeking in Ireland one had to be ritually married tothe goddess of the land, Sovereignty ("Flaithius" inthe myths). Beyond the realm of kingship mythand ancient rites we must wonder how such anidea can still have meaning today. We might ask,“What does it mean to sovereign in a world with-out kings?” I believe that would be the wrongquestion however. Sovereignty is not derivativefrom ancient Irish tradition; it is an ecologicalpower—that is, it is derived directly from theEarth. Whether they knew it or not, when the Irishdruids (presumably) instituted the rites of king-ship, they were participating in the same processesand powers at work in the ecosystem. This was away of ensuring that the functioning of societywas in right accordance with the principles of“wild law.”1 Sovereignty is something we cancultivate in both our individual and collectivelives, whether or not we participate in some formof Celtic culture—no kings or goddesses required.Sovereignty appears to be constituted by at leastthree ecological processes: homeotely, habitat, andniche.Sovereignty is homeotelic because it ensures thatthe microcosm of the society operates within thesame underlying wholeness as the macrocosm ofits environment. I’ll break that down a bit more.
Homeotely is a word coined by the ecologist Ed-ward Goldsmith.2 It derives from two Greekwords: homeo, meaning “same;” and telos, whichmeans goal. To be homeotelic with wild naturemeans to have the same goals as it does. It is onlywhen we align our priorities, lifestyle and activi-ties with the Earth that we can contribute to themaintenance of this planet's well-being (or criticalorder). Psychologists say that healthy romance isbased on finding someone "compatible" withyourself. Well, our love affair is with the Earthherself, just like the Celtic kings of old and the landgoddess. We have to be "compatible" with theEarth, with our local watershed or ecosystem, inorder to ensure a "happy marriage"—or using eco-logical terms, a mutually enhancing relationship.In Irish mythology it is the king's marriage to thegoddess of the land, whose name is often simplySovereignty, which ensures a good harvest, plenti-ful rain, and healthy livestock.Sovereignty means occupying a habitat because itis always in reference to a particular place andenvironment. There is no sense in trying to becomesovereign in an abstract, disembodied sense—weare always placed on the Earth and in relation to aphysical world. Ancient Ireland was divided into“five fifths:” prosperity in the east, music in thesouth, knowledge in the west, battle in the north,and kingship in the center. The center could bespoken of as the habitat of the king. Having ahabitat means having a place and knowing whatthat place means—what the plants and animals
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are, its dynamics, its seasons, etc. It meansknowing how to live appropriately in the place,homeotelicly. Habitats and the species they sup-port co-evolve and adapt to one another so thatthey form a tight knit community where all theirneeds are met within the confines of the system.Having a habitat means being native to some-place and thus finding a sense of consonancebetween one’s own mind and the mind of theecosystem. Just as the muskrat lives at the edgeof cattail marshes or the riparian zone of streamsthe Irish king resides in the spiritual center ofIreland, the Halls of Tara. It is said in Irish my-thology that no one enters the Halls of Tarawithout an art. Another way of saying this mightbe that no one has a habitat without also havinga niche.Sovereignty means having a niche because it isnot enough to simply have a place, but one musthave a role to fulfill in that place. The role of thesovereign Irish king is to ensure the proper orderof the cosmos is maintained. It is what makeshim king and what makes the society function—his role both creates him and creates the worldthat needs him. Having a niche allows a being toboth maintain itself and maintain its habitat.Often it is the way in which food, water, andshelter is obtained—how it hunts, where itsleeps, etc. A niche is the activity which is essen-tial in order to be. Although not a living creature,per se, wild fire demonstrates the way a nicheaffects and creates the being and the place. Inorder for fire to be, something must burn. Theburning activity is the niche of the fire, the enact-ment of its wild soul. By burning through afire-adapted landscape the wild fire accomplish-es two things. It self-creates by burning the fuelsacrificed to it by the ecosystem. It is also createsthe ecosystem, providing an essential ecosystemservice, by enriching the soil with ash, clearingexcessive growth from the understory and pro-viding ample room for the development of re-maining plants, and opening the seeds of certaintrees which require the brush of fire. A tree doessimilar. The activity of its growth, its leaves andspreading branches, its dropping of nuts and
berries—all of these make the tree what it is;without these actions the tree could not be. Butsimultaneously it is providing shade, shelter,habitat, and planting the seeds of saplings tocontribute to the diversity and health of an oldgrowth forest.
Whether river, mountain, birch, blackbird, orhuman, the ecosystem embodies sovereignty.All things have a habitat, a niche, and—if theydon’t want to be naturally selected out of thecommunity—are homeotelic to the underlyingorder of the rest of the ecosystem. To be sover-eign means that we, too, must participate inthese dynamics in our own way. This is a newway of thinking, conceiving of ourselves asmembers of the ecosystem rather than alien visi-tors. We too are held by these necessities in orderto thrive along with the rest of the Earth commu-nity. We must, individually and collectively,discover the niche which calls us into being inmutually enhancing ways. Don’t just thinkabout how you get your food and where yousleep. Art and poetry are also a niche for thehuman being. If the ecosystem is an open net-work of relationships through which energyflows and matter cycles then humans and there-fore cultures are intricately linked up within thatsystem.
he ancient land-based goddess of sovereigntystands as representative of the ecosystem and allits communities (be it human or more-than-human)—the king’s marriage, his willingness toact, on behalf of the entire tribe, in accordancewith the order required by such a system tofunction. This order is imagined in Irish asFírinne or Truth. It is from his participation inand alignment with this fundamental orderingof the Earth that the ancient Irish king was saidto be sovereign. For ourselves today, it is just asimportant for us to find our own personalFírinne—to live from the center of our truth andbe authentic to that. When we lose our center,lose our personal sovereignty, we become de-
voured by addiction, anxiety, neurosis and pos-sibly even psychosis (that is, we either stagnateor inhabit a space of chaos). Sovereignty thus has
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voured by addiction, anxiety, neurosis and pos-sibly even psychosis (that is, we either stagnateor inhabit a space of chaos). Sovereignty thus hasvery real implications. It also requires integrityon our part. Integrity is not just a morality; it alsohas ecological and cultural significance. Ecologi-cal integrity is based on the integration of allparts in the whole and their optimum integralparticipation. For a society or culture, integrityworks the same way—when any one part of thatsociety or culture is marginalized or spurned,social sickness and chaos result. Thus, sover-eignty is about fully inhabiting who we are—who we are as a species in an ecosystem, who weare as a member of society and a family, who weare as mutually unique individuals. Whoever weare, we are called to discover our place on theplanet.
Find what it is that you must do in order tobe—really be—and do it. Whatever it is will, inthe widest sense of the word, become your poet-ry. To be a poet, particularly in the Old Irishsense of having an art or a dán, is to fulfill one’sniche. Hölderlin asks in a poem, “What use arepoets in times of need?” I would ask more specif-ically, what use are poets in an ecological crisis?Poetry feeds directly into the energy cycles ofcultures, which are interconnected with the en-ergy cycles of ecosystems (which feed and nour-ish humans and cultures, in turn)—itre-invigorates them, heals them, constructs
them, dreams them, and sometimes even de-stroys them. If you could trace the flow of cre-ative energy you might see it flow like a riverstraight out of the poet, through the culture, andthrough the ecosystem, which all cycle togetherinterdependently. Each person will have theirown niche in service both to the human commu-nity and the more-than-human community intheir own particular places which, as the humanspecies finds its collective niche, will revealthemselves to be one Earth community.
Even as the ink of this poem sinks into the page
the paper fades, dampens, decays—
What vegetables will it become?
Who will eat this? Who will drink the vitality of change?
Who will fruit, flower, and seed?
What use are poets in times of need?
Footnotes1. Cullinan, Cormac. Wild Law: A Manifesto forEarth Justice. Dartington: Green Books, 2003.2. Goldsmith, Edward. The Way: An EcologicalWorld-View. Revised and Enlarged. Athens:University of Georgia Press, 1992.3. Excerpt from the poem "Who Will Eat This?"by Jason Kirkey; April 2010.
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I came to Asheville, North Carolina, 14 years ago af-ter leaving my second position as a Baptist Ministerof Music. I was raised in a fundamental independentBaptist church where I was very dedicated to myfaith. I believed that I had all of the answers and yet,after spending my entire life in the "service of God", Iended up in Asheville with a broken marriage, a bro-ken wallet and a broken heart. Despite these issues, Icontinued in the Baptist faith and eventually enteredthe ministry once again. I desperately wanted to livein truth and love but behind every church door that Iopened, I found nothing but the stagnant propagationof beliefs to which I had been subjected my entirelife. Seeking for truth and love but still under the er-roneous belief that to not be a Christian meant eter-nal damnation, I left the Baptist denomination andsought out non-denominational but still Christian,gatherings. I did indeed find a form of the love that Ihad been seeking but, for me at least, there was stillsomething missing. Many of the ideas that I learned inthe non-denominational setting were foreign to mebut I listened with an open heart. I felt that surelythese people who seemed to love each other as muchas they did and who seemed willing to share that lovewith me, must have the answers that I sought. As Idug further, however, I found that at the core, whenthe thrill of new experiences had waned, they strug-gled with the same questions and issues that I did andthat ultimately, in their trying to “break free of themold”, had become trapped within a form of theirown making.
I want to step aside for a moment to clarify that I donot intend, in any way, to disparage those individualswho find fulfillment in the Christian path, especiallythose Celtic Christians who have discovered a way oflife devoid of the negativity and personality cultsprevalent in the particular type of Protestantism intowhich I was born. To those who truly discover thegrace and beauty of agape in the life of the Christ, Iapplaud and support you.
To continue, it was during this time that I really be-gan to listen to my heart and to let it guide me. Even-tually, I left the church altogether, my marriage fellapart and I was left adrift in a sea of questions andconfusion. Slowly, very slowly, I began to open up toother ideas and allow those questions that had alwaysnagged at me to come forward. I let surface all of thelatent anger and frustration that I had built up overmy years of blind service to the church. I had neverbefore voiced these feelings. To do so was lookedupon as not being
“in tune” or “right” with God. Allowing myself to fi-nally express what I had felt for so long, was the firststep in the process of healing. Eventually, I was ableto let go of everything in my life associated with or-ganized religion, including the anger and pain, forgiv-ing those who had wronged me and finally forgivingmyself. With this acceptance and release, I came to aplace of peace, a place of rebirth, a place where Icould begin anew my search for Truth and Love.
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Three years ago I began reaching out to two paganfriends of mine, we'll call them John and Valerie.Luckily for me, John, is basically Culdee/Celtic Re-constructionist. This allowed me to have a sort ofcomfort zone with him because the Christian as-pects of his belief system. Valerie is Gardenarian. Ihave to admit that it took me a while to associatethe word "witch" with her. She was unlike any defi-nition of witch with which I was familiar.
Every time I went to their house, I felt loved in waythat I never felt in church. I felt completely acceptedjust as I was. They wanted nothing from me otherthan what I was willing to give. They didn't push.They didn't poke. They didn't prod. They let me be.Their consistent show of love and understandinghelped to break down my misconceptions of pagan-ism and introduced me to a whole new world of ide-as. Eventually, I was able to let go of my prejudices,assumptions and deceptions toward Nature basedpaths that still had a hold on me from my years inthe Church. Reaching the point where I could letthose go without the fear of eternal damnation wasone of the most liberating experiences of my life!
I had grown up under the belief that the only trueform of love came from a personal relationship withthe Christian God. Finding this kind of love from anon-Christian source made me re-evaluate the truenature of love. I slowly began to realize that Lovewas infinitely more dynamic and boundless than Ihad ever believed or imagined possible.
The road that I have been travelling since that begin-ning point has been one of evolving spiritual under-standing and self-discovery. I am happy to say thatwithin the philosophies and ideals of the modernDruid revival I experienced a homecoming of sorts. Ifound that thoughts and feelings I had had since Iwas young suddenly began to make sense. The moreI learned of Druidry, the more I learned of myselfand I am still learning, still growing, every day bring-ing a new opportunity to learn, to grow, to becomeLove.
I have come to believe that Love, the journey oflearning to live this amazing force, is, in my opinion,the penultimate goal of being human. Our Englishlanguage attaches to the word love several differentconnotations used to describe everything from theadoration of our favorite ice cream to the expression
of a deeply held emotional bond with another per-son. We unconsciously use the word "love" so oftenthat we become numb to its sound. Whatever depthof meaning it may have held at one time is then lostto us. This is why, when I write of the universal as-pect of Love, that I capitalize the word to emphasizeand enforce the idea that I am referring to a conceptthat exists outside of our usual understanding anddefinition of love. By interpreting Love through a setof Druidic archetypes, I have been able to establishand embrace a new, more meaningful, more power-ful understanding of Love.
I will share with you this personal gnosis concerningLove. Perhaps you will find it useful and relevant inyour own journey. As the Sacred Tree that growswithin us all, Love’s roots connect us not only to theearth but to every living thing be it plant, animal orotherwise. As the River Awen, Love flows througheach one of us as the source of creative power, caus-al inspiration and experiential truth. As the Winds ofSpirit, Love rises from the recesses of our ancestralpast bringing us wisdom, understanding and knowl-edge. As the Eternal Fire that burns within us, Lovebecomes the catalyst that facilitates the alchemicalGreat Work of refining our hearts and minds intotheir highest forms.
Green leaves surroundLike raindrops suspendedOld wood calls my name.The two-trunked oak doth bid me stop'Neath twisted weighted boughs.
There, I feel your heartBeneath the earth. WhereCan I run from you?Your truth like waves upon this stoneHas crushed me into sand. - DF
Be open to Inspiration whatever the source. Listenwithout pride. Listen without prejudice. Listen inorder to learn. Learn in order to grow. Grow in orderto Love. Be Love and Loved’ Be.
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hBardic WhispersExpressions from the Soul
By Caroline Mulcahy
As the owl swoops by, the full moon keenly grips the path,From the heights of those rushing moors, nimble foot unseen, quickens.
Cackling forests, steeped in the ancient must of night,Keep the way, shrouded in the clutches of creaking arms.
Howling fight of the wind, gushing might of the roarThrough the valley, so filled with aching time,
The sense pools the soul with the cloaked prayer,Easing thy way boldly, heather gripping to the heel,
Bound, as the hare so swiftly disappears.Oh to carry thy way, through times held in murmurs,
Cutting the moment through each stride, sharp of the breath,Held in the focus of gracing the way, hidden.
Oh the chill of the night, the fire in the soul to see,All senses keen, how the whisper of the olds,
Sparks to behold up on the heath, still,Fly, there, the winged ones cry to the dawn,
Way over the gurgling river, teasing the magic from the depths,To a solid old door come, into the fireside blazing open,
The joy of toasting by the mesmeric,dancing roar, exhausted,Howling wind of the night, outside,
Stone walls so thick, piled those many years ago,Age old eyes peering through the blanket.
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AwenBy Caroline Mulcahy
Hi there sweetie, through the heather blows the moors,As the moon is bright, we come to venture out of our doors,
To where the frost glistens in the midnight thrill,To where the old ways meet to the fire on the hill,
With the might of the heart glowing beamy through the chest,With the light of the torch bearing streams of will to the best,
We praise to the elements a glowing in our wands,To bring the freedom of love to be felt by those who seek to hold,Magic of the old earth loving, times past stream through to raise,
The love from ancient times be dwelling on each of our lovely face.Sweet old circle of the moons dews light, remedy of heart serene,
Brings the bliss of the surest comfort to be dear in the morning light.Saved such love for one of one wherer he is, for one day to be told,
As the mountains stretch to the Heavens up hîgh, their wisdom the Circle holds.Feel the merriment of the ancients who know, to laugh for the way unfolds,
With stealth of might, with health of the bright for us all to make The Kingdoms way,Simple as the doe roams, light as the dolphins sound, joyful as the Hearts loves day.
No man has known me, none been given yet, this joy which I hold so dear,For my virtue brings me the only courage Im allowed to keep safe with a loving tear.
For one day he will come to me proud & know none have known me so,He ll love me with all his hearts might & strength, for I feel his love from here, I know.He s a great man, there, hes a kind man true & I feed him my strength in all which I do,
So he may have all the courage & hold all the keys, to be opening gently the heart of tiny little me.The Heavens do smile, for The Heavens do know, how Ive fought for my virtue for which I have to show,
This flow of serenity steeped well in those old hills, with loving songs of memories of singing to him on the hill.The day keeps well fine wine for all to love & the doves sweep in to raise my prayers to above,
The Angels reach out & do guide my hand so sure, so the mighty worthy one may come bursting through the door.May he mighty be, may he have strength of all to know, how much I worship him, all for one & one for all.
May he feel my love, lifting him up to Heavens sight, so he may see me adore him, so I can help him to be right.May he be so safe, as the heather on the moor, may he live in praise of The Goddess who him adores.
May he win his way, by gracious endeavour to show to me, how noble a man can be extreme Aristocracy.May he glow with pride, may he be empowered be The Earth, may love fill him up, so he brims over with such truth.
May he find me, may he show me for the first time that love I dream of,May we be wed in the sunlight, for happy many years.
May our children grow strong & bring wealth to all the good,May laughter ring in all our ears, for the truth to be understood.
May i love only just him, he who is my dream, my hope, my worth,May he come to enjoy me, for every birth of every love.
May our love bring such a Heaven reigning down onto this Earth,May the love fill all with joy for evermore for all to have.May truth reign sure & mighty, may peace grow on & on,
May deep happiness grow with fruits for everyone to adore & adore.
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A Longtime Lover Returns
The earth again moves beneath my feet.My longtime lover, returns to me once againIn an endless cycle of fertility and form.She writhes beneath me.... undulating in surges of energyChemical processes are brought to lifeStarches begin to accept the call to transform into energyThe underground drums to her tuneGrowing stronger... beating louderShe cries out and a patch of crocuses appearShe lives as always... but now in a state of awakeningHer energy growing... expanding... reaching out as each day passes...Her desire is still sluggish yet the first whispers of grass emerge into the world of form.Soon she will begin to pulse as her magick developsThe trees begin to swell and anticipate their annual birthing push from belowAs her energy begins to build and her desire to create life and form grows.Unleashed she will once again yield some of her mysteriesAs she makes new bodies for trillions upon trillions of plantsAs spring migrates through another year in an endless cycle.Plants emerge from the sacred earth and begin to harness the sun and growFor soon she will be in full explosion modeAnd they must be readySoon all of nature will help her bring about this new and unique SpringAnts and bees and birds will all cooperate in a courtship of infinite powersA vast eruption of flowers will emerge...her love expressed once again.Her palette paints for all to see a worldwide mural of changing colors and scentsThe flowers become seeds that guarantee a continuing realityAnd creates a smorgasbord of food for all that crawl and fly and walk in the woods.The skies fill with a symphony of sound from the life that comes forth from the land.She will wallow in the trough of conception and nurturingAnd all that know her will tremble at the power of her love
Spring Returns....
By Renard
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Reviewed By Domhnall
Do you remember the old time radio shows? Youknow, like “The Shadow”, “Amos and Andy” and such?
Did you enjoy them?
Do you like the Audio Books (as I am) that arebecoming passé?
Well, have I got a treat for you!
The two CD set for “The Song of Taliesin” is set justlike those old programs. John Matthews does a mas-terful job of weaving the story of Taliesin, one of theCeltic better known legends.
Matthews draws the listener in with such vivid im-agery that one almost feels they see Taliesin in thevarious settings in the story. You feel that you canactually see Taliesin as he is recounting his exploitsand adventures throughout the Celtic realms.
Matthews, in collaboration with Steve Gladwin,brings the Bard to life in a way that only the mind’s
eye could reveal and appreciate. The other perform-ers of the story, Jem Dick (The Monk, Arawn, severalof the Bards and Merlin) and Sharon Jacksties (Cer-ridwen and “The Lady”) add the element of realism tothe story.
I found myself being drawn in as a young Gwion Bachis charged with stirring the potion that Cerridwenhad made, a potion that the first three drops gave thegift of wisdom and knowledge, then, on to the ac-count of how Taliesin came to be.
The narrative then takes us on Taliesin’s journeythrough life culminating with the Bard’s last days inthe service of Arthur.
My only quirk with this particular production wasthat I felt it better served as a DVD instead of asoundtrack from a play. For those that are fans of theold radio shows, this format is perfect, but in today’simage generated culture, putting the images into thestory would be of better use.
I think that the story on the whole is well done, andleaves one feeling that they have walked with Taliesinon his journeys. But, with that being said, I also feelthat the imagery would hold the interest of thenovice of the Bard’s tale better.
Boldly done, this two disc set is a must for any whofollow the life and times of the legends of the Celticworld.
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Reviewed by The Druid -3X3
This Book is a Great; 88 Pages it comes in 3 Parts with3 Chapters in each Part having a total of 9 Chapters, sothis Book is actually a Huge Gigantic 3X3 Triad ofWisdom. That in itself impresses me. There is a 2 PageIntroduction in which he writes out definitions theCelts, Druidism and Paganism, which is fairly welldone. He writes about how the Word "Pagan" comesfrom the Latin Word "Paganus" and it meant "Villager"or a "Country Person". He does note that there areabout 300 Million Pagans in the World, but a lot ofthem are Solitary and there are Thousands of DifferentOrders, Societies and Organizations that call them-selves Pagan, so our 300 Million are Scattered Seedsthat are not too well Coordinated. And woe to anyonewho tries to get them Coordinated. Anyone who triesusually ends up Shouted Down or Banned.
Synopsis of what Druidism is all about. I think it is aGreat Book to give to someone who has just come tothe Craft of Druidism as it is an easy read that is not toocomplicated and easy to understand.
In this Book, he goes into the Basics of DruidisticPhilosophies, Rituals, and Beliefs in such a way thatleaves things open for others to interpret for them-
selves. He goes over the History of the Druids fromNeolithic Times to Present Day Druidism and dispelssome of the Misinterpretations about Druidism that Ieven had before reading this E-Book. He goes over howCeltic Druidism was the Nature Based PhilosophicalPractice of mainly Northern Europe up to the times ofthe Roman and Catholic Conquests and how theymanaged to preserve their Heritage through the Infa-mous Burning times.
What makes this Book essential to have in everyone'sLibrary is the fact that even though it is a relativelyshort Book, it actually does have a few DruidisticConcepts that I had never heard of before, so in orderto get acquanted with things such as the story of HighKing Lóegaire mac Néill.
The Book is Flawlessly Written in my opinion. Sowhen this Book is Published, I do recommend gettingit to have for your Druidistic Library.
ISBN-10: 9780300124422ISBN-13: 978-0300124422
Reviewed by Maya St.Clair
Synopsis: Ancient chroniclers, including Julius Caesarhimself, made the Druids and their sacred ritualsinfamous throughout the Western world. But in fact, asMiranda Aldhouse-Green shows in this fascinatingbook, the Druids’ day-to-day lives were far less luridand much more significant. Exploring the various roles
that Druids played in British and Gallic society duringthe first centuries B.C. and A.D.—not just as priests but
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that Druids played in British and Gallic society duringthe first centuries B.C. and A.D.—not just as priests butas judges, healers, scientists, and power brokers—Ald-house-Green argues that they were a highly complex,intellectual, and sophisticated group whose influencetranscended religion and reached into the realms ofsecular power and politics. With deep analysis, freshinterpretations, and critical discussions, she gives theDruids a voice that resonates in our own time.
Review: In this book the author, a professor of Archeol-ogy at Cardiff University, used her tremendous exper-tise as a scholar of ancient religious culture, her intimateknowledge of the classical sources and her archeologicaland anthropological background to put together thisbook on the Druids.
Professor Miranda Aldhouse-Green used the preface totell us why she wrote the book and what she hoped tofocus on in it. Her focus is to be on the Druids encoun-tered by Greek and Roman writers and travellers at atime when they were flourishing, and on the time oftheir decline and possible reconfiguration under the
Roman occupation. She also tells us that she will becombining close scrutiny of the Classical records withthe archeological and anthropological material findings.She acknowledges that there are problems with all ofthese sources.
The book is divided into 12 chapters and an Epilogueand each chapter is then further divided into subsectionsdepending on what the chapter is talking about. Thisbook is well organized and indexed. The sheer amountof research and documentation in this book is worth theread. All that was ever said or written about the Druidsis presented here supplemented by archeology, anthro-pology and some of the vernacular records too. As usualwith Prof. Miranda, I don’t agree with all her conclusionsBUT most of them are sound. It does read a bit like athesis paper but it is interesting enough to keep yougoing till the end. I like Prof. Miranda’s writing style asshe does not talk down to her readers even if they arelaymen.
This is a great edition to the library of any personinterested in the Celts and by extension the Druids.
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The acorn lay on the forest floor, inside the shell thelittle oak spirit felt strange to be separated from itsparent tree, and he was a little apprehensive as manyof his fellow acorns were being eaten by pigs andsquirrels, the little oak spirit waited. The squirrelhopped and ran through the forest; he was fat and fullof acorns so when he saw another acorn he didn’t feelhungry but felt obliged to pick it up anyway. Insideacorn the little oak spirit flinched, braced itself andtook the equivalent of a deep breath. The squirrel hadalready buried many acorns for the coming winter buthe buried this one anyway, it’s what squirrels do. Theoak spirit breathed again and promptly took a nap, thesquirrel promptly forgot where the buried acorn was.The falling leaves covered the acorns resting place aswinter came. Hard frosts squeezed the acorn as thelittle oak spirit dozed on trusting the shell, around himhe could feel the deep dreams of the giant alder as theyalso slumbered through the winter.
Spring came, the earth thawed and warmed. The littleoak spirit stirred and felt a bit cramped in his shell.Days passed as he felt more cramped. The soil waswarm and damp; it tried to stretch the shell whichgave a little more as the days passed. The small oakspirit yawned and had another goodstretch…and…the shell split which it was wellpleased. The feet were pushed out of bed then hishead as more days passed. It became warmer andlighter for the little oak spirit, then one morning theSun rose and blinking into the daylight. The little oakspirit found it had a new body as a little sapling.
The tiny tree drank from the damp earth and breathedin the fresh air. He grew, his leaves what few it hadseem to fit it very well. They seemed too big for itslittle stem as it quivered in the breeze as it lookedaround at all the elders, most were massive and old.
They spoke to the little oak through the rustle oftheir leaves of words of wisdom, peace and centuriespast.
Spring passed as summer and autumn arrived, thelittle oak and, all of its elder grew tired of their leavesand let them fall to the forest floor. The squirrel andits new family skipped through the fallen leaveseating and burying acorns, as they clambered andplayed among the branches of the elder oaks. Peasantscollected fallen dead wood as the oak spirit hoped itwouldn’t get trodden on. The oak spirit dozed off tosleep as they all slumbered through the winter.
Spring came, and summer, and autumn, and winter,on and on the years passed. Pigs fed beneath the trees,the squirrels came and went. The little oak grew yearon year, it was now tall as the children which playedin the forest, as their parents gathered firewood, ofold branches the elder trees had discarded. The peas-ants held seasonal celebrations beneath the elder treesand wore sprigs of oak leaves in their hair. It seemedthe young oak spirit that the people grew up and thengrew old very quickly as they lived their lives in anoisy rush; which is not very surprising comparedwith the life of a speeding oak. Squirrel lives pass inan instant to the oak spirit thinking.
Each year new squirrels appeared, the young oakspirit liked the squirrels, they kept him amused andthe people it found more amusing. But he liked themand as it grew the oak felt more and more protectivetowards them. They seemed so frail and simple anddependant on the forest for fuel and food for their pigs.
Then one year the young oak tree grew his first acorn,and he felt very pleased with itself. Each year it slowlygrew; each year fallen leaves nourished the earth
The Acorn, the Squirrel and the Oak
by Dave Hillman
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The acorn lay on the forest floor, inside the shell thelittle oak spirit felt strange to be separated from itsparent tree, and he was a little apprehensive as manyof his fellow acorns were being eaten by pigs andsquirrels, the little oak spirit waited. The squirrelhopped and ran through the forest; he was fat and fullof acorns so when he saw another acorn he didn’t feelhungry but felt obliged to pick it up anyway. Insideacorn the little oak spirit flinched, braced itself andtook the equivalent of a deep breath. The squirrel hadalready buried many acorns for the coming winter buthe buried this one anyway, it’s what squirrels do. Theoak spirit breathed again and promptly took a nap, thesquirrel promptly forgot where the buried acorn was.The falling leaves covered the acorns resting place aswinter came. Hard frosts squeezed the acorn as thelittle oak spirit dozed on trusting the shell, around himhe could feel the deep dreams of the giant alder as theyalso slumbered through the winter.
Spring came, the earth thawed and warmed. The littleoak spirit stirred and felt a bit cramped in his shell.Days passed as he felt more cramped. The soil waswarm and damp; it tried to stretch the shell whichgave a little more as the days passed. The small oakspirit yawned and had another goodstretch…and…the shell split which it was wellpleased. The feet were pushed out of bed then hishead as more days passed. It became warmer andlighter for the little oak spirit, then one morning theSun rose and blinking into the daylight. The little oakspirit found it had a new body as a little sapling.
The tiny tree drank from the damp earth and breathedin the fresh air. He grew, his leaves what few it hadseem to fit it very well. They seemed too big for itslittle stem as it quivered in the breeze as it lookedaround at all the elders, most were massive and old.They spoke to the little oak through the rustle of theirleaves of words of wisdom, peace and centuries past.
Spring passed as summer and autumn arrived, thelittle oak and, all of its elder grew tired of their leavesand let them fall to the forest floor. The squirrel andits new family skipped through the fallen leaves eatingand burying acorns, as they clambered and playedamong the branches of the elder oaks. Peasants collect-ed fallen dead wood as the oak spirit hoped itwouldn’t get trodden on. The oak spirit dozed off tosleep as they all slumbered through the winter.
Spring came, and summer, and autumn, and winter, onand on the years passed. Pigs fed beneath the trees, the
squirrels came and went. The little oak grew year onyear, it was now tall as the children which played inthe forest, as their parents gathered firewood, of oldbranches the elder trees had discarded. The peasantsheld seasonal celebrations beneath the elder trees andwore sprigs of oak leaves in their hair. It seemed theyoung oak spirit that the people grew up and thengrew old very quickly as they lived their lives in anoisy rush; which is not very surprising comparedwith the life of a speeding oak. Squirrel lives pass inan instant to the oak spirit thinking.
Each year new squirrels appeared, the young oakspirit liked the squirrels, they kept him amused andthe people it found more amusing. But he liked themand as it grew the oak felt more and more protectivetowards them. They seemed so frail and simple anddependant on the forest for fuel and food for their pigs.
Then one year the young oak tree grew his first acorn,and he felt very pleased with itself. Each year it slowlygrew; each year fallen leaves nourished the eartharound its roots for the following year growth. Acornsfed the pigs and the squirrels as fallen branches sup-plied the people with fuel for the winter. The oakspirit slept each winter, each spring it awoke, in thesummer it gave shade for the farm workers. Duringtheir lunch break. Some years there were fiercestorms, gales, thunder and lightning. Some of theelders were slain and fell, some were badly damaged,the dead trees didn’t go waste as they were used bythe peasants for fuel or for building. The woundedtree still had strong oak spirits within them and theywere resilient and soldiered on knurled and misshap-en, but still kind and gentle in spirit. The young oakwas unharmed surrounded and protected by theelders that remained.
Years pass, people came and went as did the squirrels,pigs and owls and all manner of other creaturesthrived in the forest. The oak was now in his primeat his full strength. It was two hundred years old inhuman years, but oaks don’t keep count as they havemore important things to think about. Two hundredmore years passed as the oak became one of theelders, on the breeze it spoke with his peers of manythings, which an oak spirit considered worthy ofdiscussion. One topic was the appearance on thehorizon of thick smoke. Day in day out, if the windblew towards the forest, the oak spirit found thesmell of the smoke strange and worrying.
Another hundred years passed the oaks soldiered on
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in their own slow and dogged way, birds built nests inthere branches and fed their young with grubs andinsects found on the leaves and in the gnarled bark of theoaks. Children built swings on the trees and tree dens intheir branches. A few years later all the young men leftthe area, leaving their farms to be tended by their wivesand children. Many of the men never returned, strangeare the ways of men agreed the oak spirits amongstthem. A track way was built beneath the trees on theedge of the forest, horses and carts, cattle and sheeppassed by from time to time; as the oak spirits wereamused and entertained.
A few years later another generation of young mendeparted many never to return. Strange missiles fellfrom the sky causing large, loud explosions. The oak treewas injured and some of the fellow elders were blowndown. The oak took a deep breath and slept throughwinter and awoke in the spring to carry on.
Now came a bad time for the oak spirit of the forest.The men began to cutting down the trees and not justthe old dead ones but young strong trees. A wide roadwas built over the track way and to enable large lorriesto carry away the felled trees. Year passsed the oakspirit now only had three companions. All wizen elderslike itself, at one time in his youth there was onethousand oaks in the forest. Though he was now theoldest oak, twisted and bent from the explosion and twolightning strikes. The squirrels and the birds still lovedthe oak well enough although it wasn’t producing somany acorns these days.
Then one year when it was five hundred and fifty yearsold lorries and diggers arrived and chainsaw operatorsand men in suits, followed by a group of young men andwomen, and policemen. The three oak spirits were veryapprehensive. Some of the young people chained them-selves to the trees, others built little houses up in thebranches. A few weeks later the oak spirit was on hisown, and the ground around its trunk was no longerbrown earth and green grass. But a hard black crust, itfelt very alone. A group of people came to the oak, anddays later returned to carry out a ceremony around itstrunk. The people were men and women, young andold, they wore robes and carried staffs, they fixed rib-bons and flowers to his trunk and they chanted and sang.The oak spirit was much cheered, especially when itrealised that there was still a squirrel amongst its branch-es. Each summer on the longest day the robe ones wouldvisit, it felt less alone, but it had no one fellow oaks totalk with.
An industrial estate was now being built where oncethere were fields. The oak spirit began to feel unwell,the water, what little could be reached his roots throughthe black crust around his trunk tasted poisonous. Drinkit must and the air was full of poison, but it felt he musttake it into his body and store it to protect the squirrel,the birds and the people from its effect.
Each winter the oak spirit slept, each spring it washarder to wake up, as it couldn’t sleep properly duringwinter as it was often too mild. The spirit reached its sixhundredth year birthday yet it felt a lot older. Only halfof its roots were working, and only his upper brancheshad leaves and a few acorns. Some people still tookadvantage of its shade during the summer. The factoryworkers would sit on the bench by its trunk and eattheir lunch, just like the peasants five hundred yearsbefore. People would leave their bikes propped againstthe broad wizened trunk, when they stopped to buysome food from the snack van.
In its six hundredth and fifty year, spring came; it didn’tfeel much different to winter, a bit brighter maybe. Theoak spirit felt as if it was in a dream it didn’t want towake up! It had spent nearly seventy five years drinkingand breathing poison, but it thought of its friend thesquirrel asleep in his nest in the hallow of the uppertrunk. What will it do if it doesn’t wake up so it stirreditself and woke with a groan. Grew a few leaves at thetop of its branches; but could only manage to produceone acorn. Luckily the squirrel had found extra food inthe waste bins outside the factory gates, where theworkers had their lunch breaks. As for the oak, he hadn’tproduced any growth rings to speak of for years. It wasso tired and felt sick to the heartwood. Its fallen leavesnever got into the ground to nourish it in the spring; thewater and the air were poisonous. What was the pointof waking up in the spring?
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That night the winds picked up until by early morningit was blowing a gale and the rain pelted down. The oldoak dozed drifting in and out of wakefulness, the squirrelsheltered in his nest in the hole in the upper trunk buthe didn’t like the way his old friend the oak was creakingand groaning. Now oak trees don’t normally die all of asudden it’s usually a slow process maybe a hundred yearsor more. Only one year ago the men from Health andSafety had checked the tree and considered that itshould be okay for another few years,….they were mis-taken.
At 8.15 in the morning, the rush hour of mankind, therewas a big gust of wind which woke up the oak spiritfrom his fitful slumber. It looked around at the rain, thecars, the industrial estate, the tarmac,…….it had hadenough and with the weight of over six hundred years ofloyal service to man and nature. The oak spirit let go ofits grip on mother earth. The oak spirit shot up the deadcarbon of its earthly body, as it sped upwards it passedone last message to his furry little friends telling then tosave themselves. The squirrel didn’t know quite whatwas happening to him as the oak spirit surged throughhim, but it got the message. As the tree uprootedthrough the tarmac and began to topple, the squirrelraced to the upper branches, at the last moment withoutreally thinking he grabbed the last acorn and leapt to oneside of the falling tree onto a telegraph pole. Down thepole and away as fast as he could, run, as the oak spiritspeeded off to join his ancestors.
The dead oak tree crashed down onto the paint storefactory, it ripped through the roof, the gas lines, andelectricity cables, causing an explosion and chemical firetoxic fumes gushed from the mangled wreckage. Twoworkers were crushed to death in their cars at the frontentrance. Soon after a fire engine rushing to the scene
collided with a car and a school bus, killing five chil-dren, an expectant mother, and a cancer research expertwho was on the brink of a major medical breakthrough.The toxic run off from the industrial estate found itsway into nearby streams and rivers killing thousands offish. People were affected by the toxic fume clouds. Thefactory never reopened, two hundred and fifty jobswere lost and many of the workers never found otherjobs.
Meanwhile the squirrel stopped running; he was at asafe distance from the disaster. He was much shakenand couldn’t believe the oak tree was gone; it had beenthere for ever, where could he live now? Then helooked at the acorn, he was too shaken to feel hungry sohe thought he would bury it to save it for later……..butthere was no soil, no leaf letter and been all his life butsome distant dream or memory, or instinct told him heshould bury it. So he searched all day for open earth,two miles he trotted, along way for a squirrel, by lateafternoon he still hadn’t anywhere to bury the acorn. Hejust couldn’t scrape through the hard crust of theground. He stopped on the pavement outside theschoolyard gates to rest; cars started pulling up andchildren swarmed noisily out of the school. The squirrelwas tired his feet hurt, he felt lost and alone as it wasgetting noisy and crowded, he lost his nerve; droppedthe acorn and ran for home…if he could find one.
The children were collected by their parents and takenhome in the cars. One little girl was left; her mother wasalways late as she waited by the school gates. Then shesaw something on the pavement it was small and green-ish brown, she picked it up, what is it she thought.Inside the acorn the little oak spirit felt strange to beseparated from the tree and more than that a littleapprehensive. The little girl's mother finally arrived tocollect her. The girl said to her mother look what I’vefound, what is it; she asked, showing her the acorn. Ithink it’s an acorn said her mother. What’s an acornasked the little girl, it’s a seed from an oak tree but howit got here I don’t know, there are no oak trees aroundhere. What’s it for asked the little girl, its where babyoak trees come from her mother answered. They gotinto the car and set off for home. The little girl peeredclosely at the acorn with furrowed brow deep inthought. What should I do with the acorn she asked?Well her mother said you could make a hole in it andthread it on a string to make a necklace; or paint it withsome of your luminous paints and hang it up in yourbedroom, at night it would like your own little star tolook at as you fall to asleep, or you could just put it inyour treasure chest with your other precious things.
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At bedtime the little girl goes up to her room, she hasthe acorn in her hand, she gets into bed and puts theacorn down on her bedside table in the glow of thetable lamp. She looks at the acorn and says in her mostserious grown up voice, whatever shall I do with you.Inside the acorn the little oak spirit felt uneasy itcouldn’t feel the breeze on the shell. Though he felt itwas nigh time, but couldn’t feel the moon or stars norsense the earth or water. Should I paint you, the littlegirl said to the acorn, or make you into a necklace, or putyou in my treasure box. I don’t know maybe I couldeven put you in a plant pot or in the garden to see if youturn into a baby oak tree. What would you like me todo with you? She picked up the acorn and put it underher pillow. I’ll decide in the morning she thought toherself. on the shell. Though he felt it was nigh time, butcouldn’t feel the moon or stars nor sense the earth orwater. Should I paint you, the little girl said to the acorn,or make you into a necklace, or put you in my treasure
box. I don’t know maybe I could even put you in a plantpot or in the garden to see if you turn into a baby oaktree. What would you like me to do with you? Shepicked up the acorn and put it under her pillow. I’lldecide in the morning she thought to herself.
In the roof space of a disused office block, the squirrelthought of his old friend the oak and the pondered onthe ways of men. It had been a bad day, but at least hewas alive.
In the dark under the pillow the little oak spirit in itsacorn shell waited; listening to the child’s gentle breath-ing and wondered what the morning would bring.Morning came, although the little oak spirit couldn’t feelthe Sun or the breeze under the pillow, it sensed thedawn. A small warm hand grasped the acorn, inside theacorn shell the little oak spirit took the oak spirit equiv-alent of a deep breath and braced himself…………….
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Community Events CalendarListing your event is free and you can submit up to five entries at a time. Note: We reserve the right to editor omit entries. To submit, please send an e-mail to [email protected] with ‘DD Event Listing’ in thesubject line. Include the date, title of event, location (including country), a short description and any contactdetails.
Note: Inclusion of events here does not imply endorsement from Druidic Dawn, magazine or itseditors.
General on going events for 2010
Anam Cara - Weekly Meditation Group
'A Weekly Meditation Group to be held in Oswestry,(UK) to explore everything from the Breath technique;mantra/ chanting’ to hopefully movement and sha-manic journeying.' To participate and for furtherdetails, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/1070
NEW MOON MEDITATIONS every new moon, Den-mark; ring 004575757131 for next meditation:
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. Seethem, solve them, let go. Afterwards we’ll discusswhat happened, and I will aid with my clairvoyance.To participate and for further details, seehttp://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 musik fraen svunden tid på min harpe, under det første num-mer vil mine hjælpere fortælle mig om den førstemeditation, derefter vil jeg videregive den til cirklensom en guidet meditation, med den forskel, at medi-tationen først påbegyndes når jeg atter begynder atspille på min harpe og undervejs vil mine hjælperefølge alle deltagerne og støtte dem. Jeg vil spille mensdeltagerne rejser til deres destination i den andenvirkelighed, derefter vil jeg bede deltagerne vendetilbage samme vej som de kom fra, takke deres hjælp-ere og vende tilbage til cirklen. Her vil hver enkelt
deltager have mulighed for at fortælle om sine oplev-elser, hvis nødvendigt, vil jeg gå ind og hjælpe medmine clairvoyante evner. Dernæst holder vi en pause,hvor vi får noget te og noget godt at spise. Så fortsæt-ter vi med endnu en meditation.http://www.sosha.dk/kurser.html
Pathways
A named Pathways, in Ellesmere, Shropshire, on theWelsh borders. The time together will be used todiscuss anything that anyone wants to about spiritu-al pathways. All are invited, from those who have aclear idea about where they are going, to those whoare just curious, and all explorers in between. Cometo raise questions, 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 in theFunction room of the Ellesmere Hotel. Parking isplentiful very nearby. Meet in the bar from 7.30pm;go to the room from 8pm. If you are late, come inanyway! There is no charge, and the drinks are 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 oftown. Future meetings might include a walk down tothe Mere 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
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June
19th – 26th June: Wisteria Summer Solstice Festival:The Three Cranes Grove ADF Solstice Ritual at thisevent, Ohio, USA. To Participate and for furtherdetails see http://www.druidicdawn.org/node/186or http://www.threecranes.org/calendars/ andhttp://wisteria.org/wisteria-summer-solstice.htm
20th – 21st June: Summer Solstice, Stonehenge, OpenAccess, Wiltshire UK. To participate and for furtherdetails, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/2118 orhttp://druidnetwork.org/en/events/index.html
20th June: Litha (Summer Solstice), Public Ritualwith the Charnwood Grove, Beacon Hill, Leicester-shire, UK. To participate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/174 orhttp://www.charnwoodgrove.org/events.html
21st June: Summer Solstice; the Feast of the Sun,Open Public Event with the Sassafras Grove ADF,Pittsburgh, USA. To participate and for furtherdetails, see http://www.druidicdawn.org/node/96or http://www.sassafrasgrove.org/cgi-bin/pmwiki/pmwiki.php?n=Sass.NextUp
23rd - 26th June: Eight Winds Festival, organisersADF Druids Northwest, California, USA. Toparticipate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/186 orhttp://www.threecranes.org/calendars orhttp://adfnorthwest.weebly.com/eight-winds-2011.html
24th June: Alban Hefin, Midsummer Gathering withthe Gorsedd of Bards Cor Gawr atStonehenge, Wiltshire, UK. To participate and forfurther details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/2118 orhttp://druidnetwork.org/en/events/index.html
25th June: Summer Solstice Ritual, with the DancingLights Grove, ADF, Ontario, Canada. To participateand for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/52 or
http://www.dancinglightsgrove.ca/calendar
26th June: Alban Hefin - Summer Solstice, TrinityGrove, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. To participate andfor further details seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/2077 orhttp://trinitygrove.weebly.com/index.html
26th June: Summer Solstice Rite, with the ThreeCranes Grove ADF, Ohio, USA., at ComFest: Toparticipate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/186 orhttp://www.threecranes.org/calendars
July
3rd July: In Honour of John Michell ‘Enchanting theLandscape in the Heat of London’, London, UK. Toparticipate and 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
5th – 7th July: Discovering the Inner Temples, withRJ Stewart at Hawkwood College, Stroud, Glos, UK.To participate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/1365 orhttp://www.philipcarrgomm.druidry.org/events.htm or http://www.rjstewart.org/images/Inner-Temples-Hawkwood2001.pdf
5th – 11th July: Starwood XXXI, Pomeroy, Ohio,USA. To participate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/185 orhttp://www.redoakgrove.org/upcoming/index.html7-10th July: The Magic of Three Sticks with RJStewart at Hawkwood College, Stroud, Glos,UK. To participate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/1365 orhttp://www.philipcarrgomm.druidry.org/events.htm orhttp://www.rjstewart.org/images/Magic-of-Three-Sticks.pdf
10th – 16th July: Study and Live at the Druid-school, Ireland. To participate and for further
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details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/112 orhttp://www.druidschool.com/site/1030100/page/3117458
14th July: Walking the Dedicant Path: Druidic Studywith the Three Cranes Grove ADF, Ohio, USA. Toparticipate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/186 orhttp://www.threecranes.org/calendars
22nd – 24th July: 2nd Celtic Gathering, OntarioCanada. To participate and for further details,http://www.druidicdawn.org/node/1381.
27th – 31st July: The Druid Camp – 2011 organisedby the Druid Network, Forest of Dean, UK. Toparticipate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/2118 orhttp://druidnetwork.org/en/events/index.html
29th July: The Henge of Keltria Gathering of the Kel-trian Tribe and Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, USA.For further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/266 orhttp://www.keltria.org
29th July - 7th August: OBOD Lughnasadh Camp,UK. 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
29th - 30th July: Calan Awst with the Red Oak GroveADF, PA, NJ & DE, USA. To participate and forfurther details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/185 orhttp://www.redoakgrove.org/upcoming/index.html
29th July – 2nd August: Celtic Camp, inclusive ofLughnassadh, Ireland. To participate and for furtherdetails, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/112 orhttp://www.druidschool.com/site/1030100/page/3117458
31st July: Lughnasadh with the Tuatha de Bridget,Glasgow, Scotland, UK. To participate and for fur-ther details, see
http://www.druidicdawn.org/node/2118 orhttp://druidnetwork.org/en/events/index.html31st July: Lughnasadh Gathering with the Gorseddof the Bards of Caer Abiri, Avebury, Wiltshire, UK.To participate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/2118 orhttp://druidnetwork.org/en/events/index.html
August
6th August: Lughnasadh Ritual, with the DancingLights Grove, ADF, Ontario, Canada. To participateand for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/52 orhttp://www.dancinglightsgrove.ca/calendar
7th August: Lughnassadh Ritual with the ThreeCranes Grove ADF, Ohio, USA. To participate andfor further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/186 orhttp://www.threecranes.org/calendars8th – 14th August: Study and Live at the Druid-school, Ireland. To participate and for further de-tails, see http://www.druidicdawn.org/node/112orhttp://www.druidschool.com/site/1030100/page/3117458
11th August: Walking the Dedicant Path: DruidicStudy with the Three Cranes Grove ADF, Ohio,USA. To participate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/186 orhttp://www.threecranes.org/calendars
September
1st – 10th September: A Journey to Avalon, UK. Staywith Mara at the Chalice Well Retreat House inGlastonbury to enter into the Mysteries of Avalon,Stonehenge, Tintagel and more. For further detailssee http://www.druidicdawn.org/node/2269 orhttp://www.celticspiritjourneys.com/avalon.php
4th September: Natural Health Retreat, with PhilipCarr-Gom, Hertfordshire, UK. To participate and forfurther details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/172 orhttp://druidry.org/modules.php?op=modload&na
me=PagEd&file=index&topic_id=2&page_id=1467th – 13th September: Study and Live at the Druid-
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me=PagEd&file=index&topic_id=2&page_id=146
7th – 13th September: Study and Live at the Druid-school, Ireland. To participate and for further details,see http://www.druidicdawn.org/node/112 orhttp://www.druidschool.com/site/1030100/page/3117458
8th – 11th September: Festival of the Midnight Flame,ADF Druid Gathering in Northern Michigan USAhosted by the Grove of the Midnight Sun, ADF. Toparticipate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/186 orhttp://www.threecranes.org/calendars/ andhttp://www.grovemidnightsun.org/midnightflame.html
10th - 11th September: New Fire Temple of Initiationand Illumination workshop Santa Cruz, CA. USAwith RJ Stewart. To participate and for further details,see http://www.druidicdawn.org/node/197 orhttp://www.rjstewart.org/calendar.html
18th September: Autumnal Equinox Ritual, ThreeCranes Grove ADF Ohio, USA. To participate and forfurther details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/186 orhttp://www.threecranes.org/calendars/
19th September: Mabon (Autumn Equinox), PublicRitual with the Charnwood Grove, Beacon Hill,Leicestershire, UK. To participate and for further de-tails, see http://www.druidicdawn.org/node/174 orhttp://www.charnwoodgrove.org/events.html
Advance Event Notices for 201122nd – 25th OBOD US East Coast Gathering, Pennsyl-vania, USA. To participate and 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 orhttp://eastcoastgathering.druidry.org/index.html
23rd September: Druidry & the Perennial WisdomTradition, talk by Philip Carr-Gomm, Isle of Wright,UK. To participate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/1365 orhttp://www.philipcarrgomm.druidry.org/events.htm or http://www.aldermoor-farm.co.uk/Druid%20Wisdom.htm
23rd – 25th September: Alban Elfed (Fall Fest) withthe Red Oak Grove ADF, PA, NJ & DE, USA. Toparticipate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/185 orhttp://www.redoakgrove.org/upcoming/index.html
23rd - 24th September: New Fire Temple of Initiationand Illumination workshop Seattle, WA, USA with RJStewart. To participate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/197 orhttp://www.rjstewart.org/calendar.html
25th September: Equinox at the Druidschool, Ireland.To participate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/112 orhttp://www.druidschool.com/site/1030100/page/3117458
25th September: Autumn Equinox with the Tuatha deBridget, Glasgow, Scotland, UK. To participate andfor further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/2118 orhttp://druidnetwork.org/en/events/index.html
25th September: Autumn Equinox Gathering with theGorsedd of the Bards of Caer Abiri, Avebury,Wiltshire, UK. To participate and for further details,see http://www.druidicdawn.org/node/2118 orhttp://druidnetwork.org/en/events/index.html
October1st – 2nd October: Faery Ritual Workshop with RJStewart at the Living well retreat centre, Deadwood,OR., USA. To participate and for further details seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/197 orhttp://www.rjstewart.org/calendar.html
2nd – 5th October: Thresholds of Power and Healing,Somerton, Somerset, UK. Learn Shaminc Healingways with Caitlin Matthews. For more informationsee http://www.druidicdawn.org/node/211 orhttp://www.hallowquest.org.uk/index.html orhttp://www.hallowquest.org.uk/pdfs/Courses%20from%20Caitlin%20and%20John%20Matthews.pdf
6th – 10th October: OBOD Southern Hemisphere As-sembly, Port Lincoln, South Australia. To participateand for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/561 orhttp://serpentstar.wordpress.com
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Volume 3, Issue 37th – 13th October: Study and Live at the Druidschool,Ireland. To participate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/112 orhttp://www.druidschool.com/site/1030100/page/3117458
8th – 9th October: Inner Mysteries of Avalon with RJStewart, Dexter, Oregon, USA. To participate and forfurther details seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/197 orhttp://www.rjstewart.org/calendar.html
13th October: Walking the Dedicant Path DruidicStudy, Three Cranes Gove ADF. To participate and forfurther details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/186 orhttp://www.threecranes.org/calendars/
15th October: Symposium 2011: After the Exhumation,Leeds City Museum, Leeds, UK. For further details,see http://www.druidicdawn.org/node/329 orhttp://www.honour.org.uk/?q=node/1
28th – 30th October: Calan Gaeaf with the Red OakGrove ADF, PA, NJ & DE, USA. To participate and forfurther details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/185 orhttp://www.redoakgrove.org/upcoming/index.html
28th October -6th November: OBOD Samhain Camp,UK. To participate and 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
29th October: Samhain Ritual, with the DancingLights Grove, ADF, Ontario, Canada. To participateand for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/52 orhttp://www.dancinglightsgrove.ca/calendar
30th October: Samhain with the Tuatha de Bridget,Glasgow, Scotland, UK. To participate and for furtherdetails, see http://www.druidicdawn.org/node/2118or http://druidnetwork.org/en/events/index.html
30th October: Samhain Rite, Three Cranes GroveOhio, USA. To participate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/186 orhttp://www.threecranes.org/calendars/
30th October: Samhain Gathering with the Gorsedd ofthe Bards of Caer Abiri, Avebury, Wiltshire, UK. Toparticipate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/2118 orhttp://druidnetwork.org/en/events/index.html
NovemberDate TBA November: Inner Temple Traditions in Isra-el. To participate and for further details seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/197 orhttp://www.rjstewart.org/calendar.html
3rd November: Samhain at the Druidschool, Ireland.To participate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/112 orhttp://www.druidschool.com/site/1030100/page/3117458
December
9th – 11th December: Jesus and Myth: GnosticPilgrimage into Myth, Folk Belief and Paganismwith John and Caitlin Matthews and special guest,Mark Townsend; Stroud Gloucestershire, UK. Formore details seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/211or http://www.hallowquest.org.uk/index.html orhttp://www.hallowquest.org.uk/pdfs/Courses%20from%20Caitlin%20and%20John%20Matthews.pdf
16th – 18th December: Alban Arthan with the RedOak Grove ADF, PA, NJ & DE, USA. To participateand for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/185 orhttp://www.redoakgrove.org/upcoming/index.html
19th December: Yule (Winter Solstice), Public Ritualwith the Charnwood Grove, Beacon Hill, Leicester-shire, UK. To participate and for further details, seehttp://www.druidicdawn.org/node/174 orhttp://www.charnwoodgrove.org/events.html
Aontacht • 41
Volume 4, Issue 1
Aontacht – Autumn/Spring Equinox 2011You do not have to be a memberof the Druidic Dawn community
to submit to the newsletter.
Please submit contributions di-rectly to the editorial staff via
email to:[email protected]
Refer to the writer’s guidelines,before you submit contributionsor inquiries. Below are our up-coming issues in case you'd liketo get ahead on submissions. Besure to specify which issue you
are submitting to.
Volume 4, Issue 4“Sacred Places ”
Deadline Feb 15, 2011
Tribal Celts and Druids had theirsacred places within the locallandscape and further afield,which held specific meanings andspiritual significance. How doesthose relate to contemporary Celtsand Druids? Do they hold thesame essence as in times past?What makes a modern “sacredplace”?
DRUIDIC DAWN CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
An interview with the main teacher at the Druidschool of Ireland, Con Connor willbe featured in our next issue of Aontacht. We also hope you will participate inDruidic Dawn by being part of the next issue of our magazine - Aontacht. Send usyour News, Events, Reviews, Editorials, Articles, Essays, Recipes, Devotional Pieces,Photos and other materials to [email protected].
We are currently soliciting questions for our upcoming interview with Con Connorthis coming Autumn/Spring. In addition to his activities at the Druidschool Con is anactive Arch Druid of the Dark Moon Grove; a member of the Tribann Council of Ordna Drui; and the Holy Council of Sages of Celtia, in addition of being a member of aWorld Druid Order. Overall Con works with light and has a strong connection to theSpirit; through the elements of the land and its various sacred sites. An accomplishedastrologer and tarot reader; his passion is teaching together with sharing and assist-ing others along their path. On a lighter note his fun side surfaces as he enjoys goodentertainment and laughter. So send in any questions you might want to ask. This isan incredible time to ask your personal question to one who is heavily involved inmany aspects of Druidry and Celticness. We hope to hear from you!
Basic Guidelines:i Submit original work only. Essays & articles should be between 1,000-2,000 words
(footnotes and bibliography included). There is not a word limit for poetry, how-ever, please do not submit epic verse.
ii You may submit multiple pieces. Only electronic submissions are accepted andshould be either compressed (.zip/.rar) and attached (preferred for photos &artwork), or pasted into the email body. Document submissions should be in PlainText (.txt) or Rich Text (.rtf) formats only; Photos/artwork as .jpg or .png.
Please cite your sources and clearly mark when using UPG [Unverified PersonalGnosis] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unverified_Personal_Gnosis)iii Articles should be relevant to the Celtic/Druidic communities (refer to Subject
Areas below) and must match the theme of the issue (if the issue is themed).iv Run a grammar/spell check on your work before submittal.v Keep work in a friendly manner. No racism, bigotry, violence or hated.
Subject Areas:· Pre-Christian: Discussion of history, anthropology, archeology and more, but also
of the current Reconstructionist or Traditional movements happening 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 still alive
today on the Celtic isles, i.e., Fairy Faith.· Celtic Christianity: Looks into this truly beautiful and unique branch of Christian-
ity.· Inter-Faith: How people incorporate other cultures into their Celtic/Druidic prac-
tice, or getting along with those of other faiths.
The deadline for ALL submissions will be 15 August 2010, as we are looking tohave distribution by 21 September 2010. Submissions can be sent [email protected]: International copyright law will protect all materials published. However, submittingyour work will not guarantee its publication. Also note that as Aontacht is a free publication,which generates no profit, you will not be paid for your contributions.
