River Wolf

Exploring modern Druidry

[chronarchy]

What made you choose druidry? Why, out of the numerous pagan paths out there, did you choose this one? What's different? (I'm trying to see if druidry might be the path for me hehe)

I’ve thought a lot about this, over the years, and actually have a lot of answers: it feels right, it’s like being “at home,” I value the relationships I’ve built, etc. But in the end, I’ve found some very specific things that have really appealed to me, that are worth sharing:

Nature really does it for me. I mean, just take a walk in the woods sometime, and you’ll get this one. It’s awe-inspiring, amazing, and beautiful: how can it not be holy? Druidry allows me to deepen my connection to and experience with nature in amazing ways.

Polytheism really does it for me, too. Interestingly, a polytheistic worldview where there are many spirits makes more sense than either monotheism or atheism to me. I’ve never been a big fan of “unlimited” deities, whether that involves “knowing all” or “doing all” or simply being “all powerful;” deities without limits and without needs have no use for humans, and can neither love nor be interested in us. I prefer a world where humans have agency and the ability to create relationships with the earth and the spirits of the cosmos, which brings us to:

Druidry is all about relationships. Everywhere you look, it’s relationships that really come out and shine when we do this Druid thing: relationships with the Earth Mother, relationships with various deities and spirits, and even relationships with individuals in this realm. These are important and worth keeping, and they have meaning.

I love the scholarship. I like to dig into the sources, to find new meaning in old ideas, and to apply ancient wisdom to modern work. I like to find new ways to connect to ancient spirits and places. I like to help others find those ways as well.

Druidry is world-affirming, not world-denying. The physical world, for us, isn’t just a place of pleasure and sin, and it’s not meant to be denied or considered “lesser than” the spiritual world. Heck, the two aren’t even truly separate. Even the action of offering physical things to the Spirits shows that we affirm the world, rather than deny it: we offer things because the physical is valuable and has meaning, and by offering things, we give those physical things value and meaning. It’s an amazing cycle that we work in.

Druidry happens to be the path that matches these things best for me. You can find them in other Pagan paths, too, but the way I do Druidry (and the way ADF does Druidry) really sort of “clicks” with these things in special ways.

I hope that is helpful. :) Sorry it took a couple of days.

[riverwolfdruid-blog]

Well this is better articulated than I could write at this stage on the path ...

[skylark913]

Prayer for the Helpers

May your Fire burn strong and be a spark off of which others may light their own when it has gone out.  May the darkness be illuminated as you hold the Flame in the moment for those who cannot.   May the warmth of your hearth and your community keep you supported as you are a foundation for others.

[riverwolfdruid-blog]

Practice Makes

Listened to a NPR podcast interviewing the author of A Year of Living Biblically, who said something that I’ve heard before but I needed to hear right now in my life.

He talked about how the practice of living piously changed him, made him more cognizant of appreciative of the sacred (despite being an atheist, before/during/after this experimental year). People think that thoughts create action, but he found the reverse: his practice changed his thinking.

Sometimes I avoid building good habits. Okay, usually I avoid building good habits. It doesn’t matter whether I enjoy the activity or not, and it doesn’t matter how much I really want this habit in my life. Paradoxically, I resist.

I read elsewhere that this is a resistance to change. This was reiterated in this NPR podcast. It’s not the change from without that we resist most, the changes we may see in our world or our daily schedules, though certainly we resist those, too. It is in fact the changes that happen within ourselves. When we change our habits and daily practices, the most profound change is ourselves. We become different people. And then we must question who we are. Who were we before? Who are we now? Who can/will we become? And if we can change, what remains the same? Is there are core of self, or soul or spirit, that doesn’t change through the process? If so, which self am “I,” the self that has changed and has become who I am today, or the core that remains the same? Or both? Or neither?

Spiritual practice makes me calmer, more connected, but perhaps even more than that, practice makes me. Or, given that I am questioning the very nature of “me”, practice makes, and what it makes, I’m not fully certain.

... My reflections have been rather existential of late.

[corpsexhands]

some self care sigils. not really made to be charged and used in magic, just sigils for sigils sake. (it’s nice to have symbols in your life)

number V can be read as “don’t take shit from others” or “don’t take shit from yourself” or both, if you want. it works for each.

[thechargrey]

Yup, my mom did this

A little tip for parents with children in school (or for children in school to show their parents)

My mom gave me and my sister two days every semester that she called “mental health days.”

Those were days, that for ANY reason, and without having to tell my mom the reason, we could skip the day of school. We’d just tell her we were taking a mental health day and she’d call the school and let them know we were not coming in. 

#1 This helped keep our grades up by lowering our stress levels. I never got a C in any grade school class. The majority of my classes I received A’s. I also took 4 AP classes and they were not weighted. Trust me, it made a difference.

#2 I never felt the need to skip school. I knew if I ever wanted to or needed to my mom would help me. 

Your kids are young and need time to recover. They need some days where they can do nothing but stay in bed for no reason. They need their own space where their privacy is respected. It will make a huge difference.

[buckwildbarrelracer-deactivated]

Will do this when I have kids

[mossman-making-stars]

I would like to add something to this for the teachers too! (I may have already told this story on tumblr but OH WELL I’m telling it again)

One of my math teachers in high school had a policy called The Red Beanbags of Don’t Bother Me. He kept a pile of red beanbags on his desk, and at any time of the day you could go over and take one. From that point on, as long as you were in his classroom with a beanbag on your desk, no one could bother you. He wouldn’t call on you to answer problems, no students were allowed to talk to you, and perhaps most importantly, no one could ask why you took a bean bag that day. The only caveat was that if you used the beanbag more than three times in a semester you had to go talk to the school counselor about it.

I only used the beanbag a handful of times during those 4 years, but it was a godsend when I needed it. I knew people who would camp in his classroom during lunch (or even skip class and stay there all day) under the protection of the beanbag. As a teacher there’s not always a lot you can do for a student suffering mental illness/emotional abuse/ other struggles, but giving them some space and privacy in your class can make a HUGE difference.

[tumble-duh]

^^ that story is perfect

[riverwolfdruid-blog]

I was an A+ student, but behind that my mom saw that I could be too focused and driven. This was actually undiagnosed Generalized Anxiety Disorder coupled with dealing with my parent’s divorce when I was 13 and its effect on my mom as she coped with that. And one of my biggest sources of anxiety was people pleasing and gaining adults’ approval, which got tied up with academic performance very early on. Fortunately school came easy to me. (Though that had consequences of me not experiencing failure, which continues to be an obstacle in my life, but I digress.)

Though my mom didn’t have an official system, if I didn’t want to go to school, she listened. She would double-check that I had my ducks in a row (I wasn’t going to miss an important test or presentation or anything), and maintained that as long as I made up any assignments we were good. Though she probably didn’t realize it at the time, this was actually a great boon for me because it taught me a good work ethic. I understood that others had put trust in me to get my work done, so I was always very responsible about fulfilling my end of the bargain. But I also realized the value in trusting others to get work done in their own methods and pace within a larger framework ... a skill I use with great results today as a K-12 educator. :)

[riverwolfdruid-blog]

Back from hell

So I took up a job at a Chinese summer camp (aka English cram school but the students live there) which turned into over month of living out of a suitcase without days off. (The week before that was moving to a new city for my September position, which was extremely stressful because there were many obstacles for bringing my dog with me, and the week before that was vacation ... such a distant memory.) 

You know how when plants are under stress, they stop growing and start shedding their leaves to just care for the bare minimum in an effort to survive? Yeah, that was me from the beginning of July to now.

But I’m back, a little worse for wear but settling into a new home and trying to get back into a healthy routine rather than a basic survival routine.

[riverwolfdruid-blog]

Driftwood Dragons And Beast Sculptures By James Doran-Webb

James Doran-Webb, the incredibly talented driftwood sculptor who we wrote about previously, has expanded his work from majestic horses to terrifying driftwood dragons that seem prepared to terrorize the village folk in the surrounding countryside.

[jfgordonsworld]

Daily Devotional to Cernunnos I call to Cernunnos of the ancient forest deep Draped in the richness of moss and leaf Whose antlers are the branches of the World Tree And holds the torc as Nature’s Chief By fur and fins, scales and feathers By ash and holly, thorn and oak By land and sky, sea and nether Stag Crowned One do I evoke O’ Lord of Green hear my prayer Given in perfect love and trust By Fire and Water, Earth and Air Keep me humble and keep me just O’ Lord of Shadow receive my gift Guide and guard me throughout my days Heal and hold me when I float adrift While you whisper the age-old ways O’ Lord of Light feel my earnest heart Fill it with Power, Love and Wisdom As I walk the path of the White Hart And honor the turning seasonal rhythms Shed in me what needs to be undone Align my Will with Divinity For the highest good; harming none As I will it, so mote it be Thank You

© 2014 Mat Walker & The Astrarium (via jfgordonsworld)

Ooo I love this one.

[paganmusic]

OBOD 50th Anniversary Film

The OBOD 50th Anniversary Film is now online.

Just over a year ago 400 members of the Order of Bards Ovates and Druidsgathered in the magical town of Glastonbury to celebrate the Order’s 50th anniversary. As part of the celebrations and to mark that important moment in the Order’s history we commissioned a short film, and I’m delighted to say that the film is now online and ready to watch. There are clips from presentations given by Philip…

View On WordPress

[chronarchy]

Once upon a time, I wanted to go to Stonehenge for the Solstice. After seeing the aftermath of this year’s festivities, I have decided I no longer wish to go for the Solstice, but to go the day after so I can help clean up.

Story at: HuffPost

[chronarchy]

Well, they did it again this year.

[riverwolfdruid-blog]

Going to Stonehenge for the Summer Solstice has definitely been a life goal of mine. Now I know to stay for the day-after cleanup, too.

[riverwolfdruid-blog]

I’m wicked excited to report that I meditated today. Again. It’s officially been numerous days in a row.

Time: midday after lunch Duration: 15 minutes Type of Meditation: focus on sensations of breathing and the body Resource(s): Gaiam TV’s meditation series (Here & Now) Notes: I nearly gave in and took a nap instead of meditating and reading, and let me say I did not regret the results. I felt very refreshed and much more alert than if I had succumbed to a couch nap. I feel a distinct difference not only directly after meditating, but hours later. I’m more calm and happy, and less groggy (though the green tea probably helped a bit there, too).

[riverwolfdruid-blog]

Afternoon Meditation

Previously I was doing meditation in the evening as part of my evening pre-bedtime activities. However, today I tried it after lunch. One awesome thing about China is the midday rest time, which is also reflected in the school schedule; the last morning class ends at 11:30am and the first afternoon class begins at 2:30pm. I’m not a huge fan of naps when I’m not sleep deprived, so today I tried a 15 minute breath-focused meditation, followed by some tea and quiet reading time. It was perfect; very refreshing, and I felt rejuvenated for the rest of my day. Now, just past 7pm, I’m still feeling the benefits, as I didn’t feel wiped after my last afternoon class.

Man, I’m going to definitely miss midday rest time when I return to teaching in the U.S. :(

[riverwolfdruid-blog]

The omen of blessings received for my Summer Solstice ritual, in which I also did the First Oath (for the Dedicant Path in ADF).

From the Gods: The Magician. The power to make things happen in my life. A definite win for my life right now.

From the Dead: 6 of Wands. Victory and triumph over a preceding dark period in my life (divorce from a person I was with for pretty much all of my 20s), out of which I’ve come out stronger, wiser, and better.

From the Sidhe: Page of Pentacles. The ability to foster my own wealth and develop my own skills. I’m currently in another country trying to improve my language skills (because I teach said language as my career), and simultaneously teaching English here to build up a savings after being pretty penniless after aforementioned divorce, so I’d say this is a pretty welcome blessing on both counts.

[riverwolfdruid-blog]

First Oath Completed!

Using the simple ritual text for the First Oath found in the Dedicant Path Through the Wheel of the Year, I completed my First Oath. Though I wrote this First Oath text (a rewriting of the one in Our Own Druidry) a while back, I never actually did it in ritual. It was a little electrifying to actually formally make the oath, though maybe a bit of that is due to it being after drinking the blessings, and I used beer for said Waters of Life? :)

In the ritual, I also honored Brighid (the goddess I connect most with) and Áine for the Summer Solstice.

First Oath

I come before the Ancestors, the Land Spirits, and the Gods To declare myself a Druid I am a seeker of the Old Ways, A follower of the Old Ways made New, A worshipper of the Elder Gods and the Three Kindreds

With this sacred oath, I set my foot upon the Druid’s Path For I seek a relationship with the Kindred And I am cultivating the practice of living well

I vow to seek virtue in my life To strive to do right by my kin, my friends, my community, and myself I vow to make my spirituality real By learning to keep the rites of nature’s cycles

I vow to deepen my understanding of the Old Ways made New Through study and practice To fill myself of the truth of the Druid’s Path

These things I vow to myself to the Three Kindreds And to Brighid, fire in my heart of hearts

[magic-spelldust]

Dockey Wood Bluebells at Dawn by Alan MacKenzie

[riverwolfdruid-blog]

Good morning, and happy Summer Solstice! I slept horribly, but I seem to be okay, so I’m not going to dwell on it.

[riverwolfdruid-blog]

Tea Devotional

I wrote this forever ago. It’s my favorite morning (or evening) devotional prayer, a way of integrating the Kindreds into a daily habit to make it a more sacred practice. I think it could easily be adapted for the coffee drinkers out there, too. :)

I drink this cup of tea in fellowship
 With my gods and goddesses, the Shining Ones above,
 With my ancestors, the Ancient Ones below,
 And with my neighbors, the Noble Kindred all around me.

This cup holds the heat of the hearth and the poet’s tongue,
 The waters of the sacred wells and rivers,
 And the herbs of the nourishing Earth mother and land spirits.

I take this cup in fellowship
 And honor the connection of all beings.
 I raise my cup with an open heart
 And drink with the blessings of the Kindreds.

[riverwolfdruid-blog]

Completed day 2 of Gaiam’s Beginner’s Guide to Meditation. 

I’m surprised how readily my body responds to the meditation, which is focused on the relaxation response. My body is definitely in a trance. My mine is less so. I always want to plan, including planning what I will write for my reflection. But I try to guide it back to the here and now, noticing only what is going on in my still, sitting body, only the breath going in and out. It’s a constant back and forth, a constant little nudge back to the now.