1 Foghamnhar YGR 01- Lughnasadh/Mabon 2007 – Vol.5, No. 4

Official Publication of the Reformed Druids of Gaia

1 Foghamnhar YGR 01-
Lughnasadh/Mabon 2007 – Vol.5, No. 4
druidsegg.reformed-druids.org

Message from the Editor

“It seems wonderful to me that the sun should rise in the west today
and in the east every other day,” he said.
“It would be better for us if it were so,” they said.
“It is the radiance of the face of Lugh of the Long Arms.”

~~ Mabinogion ~~

The days grow shorter, and we are focused on what we are harvesting
in our lives – seeing the results of the seeds we planted in the Spring…

The Druid’s Egg has undergone a complete makeover – transitioning from
a “newsletter” to an “e-zine”, and I believe you will find the navigation much
easier with the new format. There is now a Table of Contents with
live links to all pages, and loading time should be a lot faster, as each article, poem, and other feature now has its own page (instead
of the old format which was one LONG page as per the newsletter
format).

This is a work in progress, so I would welcome any feedback on the new
e-zine format… 🙂

The other big news is that – after 5 years of service – I have passed the “Archdruid” mantle back to my sweet soulmate husband El (who was the original Archdruid of the Order). More details on this can be found in his brand new section: “Growing Closer” (see page 3).

It has been an indescribable honour to be your Archdruid, but now other
responsibilities call to me in my path. I will still always be available for counsel and mentoring – and of course, Reiki healing energy and the occasional twisted humour! Oh, and I am still committed to bringing you The Druid’s Egg every quarter… 🙂

“When asked what were the three sweetest things he had ever heard,
Cormac mac Airt, the Irish Solomon, replied,
‘The shout of triumph after victory, praise after wages, and
a lady’s invitation to her pillow.”

~~ From The Celtic Book of Days by Caitlin Matthews ~~

Autumn blessings to you all,
In Gaia,

*Karyn “Ceridwen” Arseneau, AD /|\
Past Archdruid of OMS-RDG
*AKA: Ceridwen Seren-Ddaear

Past Archdruid of OMS/RDG

Growing Closer

by the Senior Archdruid
My local Grove, Cylch Cerddwyr Rhwng y Bydoedd, held an emergency meeting last month, and elected me their new Archdruid. The outgoing AD,
the love of my life and my soulmate of 100s of lifetimes, Ceridwen, has a lot on her plate, and didn’t feel she could adequately finish her present term (which would have ended on Samhain). Also, she has served for the past 5 years, and feels herself being drawn to other responsibilities. You see, my Grove isn’t just a local Grove. It serves as “Mother Grove” for both the Reformed Druids of Gaia and for the Order of the Mithril Star – both of which are growing exponentially. So on the blue moon, I was inducted as the new Archdruid. I have served in this role in the past – from 1997 through 2001, but many changes and new faces have taken place over the last 5 years.My
titles (and this is the last you will hear of this because I abhor titles) are:
Archdruid, Cylch Cerddwyr Rhwng y Bydoedd Grove, Eureka CA
Senior-Archdruid, Order of the Mithril Star
Senior-Archdruid, Reformed Druids of Gaia
and last, and this one is purely honorary (and humorous for that matter):
Archdruid of the Redwood Coast. Really now, most of these are humorous. Leading Druids is rather like herding cats and sometimes, nailing jello to the wall.I hope I live up to everyone’s expectations. I know I will stumble at times, but my water brothers in OMS have always been there with pillows to land on, so I won’t stress too much over this.Also, this will end my duties as “minister of propaganda” for the RDG as it’s best that the AD not be a lightening rod for everyone who has a beef against the Reform. A committee of members of the Nemeton of Dalon ap Landu will be taking over those duties for me from here out.I will be finishing out AD Ceridwen’s term, as I said, and then my term will begin on Samhain. Ceridwen is to be credited with leading the OMS into the dawn of the 2nd Age of Reformed Druidism, and with midwifing the birth of the RDG. For this we are all eternally grateful.For my part I intend to focus on bringing our tribe closer; on making us a more intimate family of Druids. To this end we will begin holding the rites of the waters of life virtually on a monthly basis in the mithrilstar chatroom. I am also inclined toward less formality, and more intimacy within the Groves and the Orders.Right now we are preparing for the Druid Gathering here in our beloved Redwoods, which will begin on Friday. I am hoping to see many of you there this year. So until Samhain……Namaste,
and May the FOREST be with you.
El Arseneau /|\
Senior Archdruid of OMS/RDG

The Season of Lugh

“The Sunday before Lughnasadh is called Height Sunday in Ireland,
when many people make pilgrimage to the mountains and high places.
This ancient custom may be motivated by the need to ascend to the highest
place
in order to see the dispositions of the land at this season and to intercede
with the gods of harvest.
Many such pilgrimages are still performed…”

~~ From The Celtic Book of Days by Caitlin Matthews ~~

In Irish tradition, the festival of “first fruits” on August 1 is significant for more than one reason. Lughnasadh is said to have been named after the god Lugh because his foster-mother, Tailtiu,
died at the beginning of August, and he ordered that the first day of that month should ever be held sacred in her memory. Accordingly,
the Assembly of Tailtiu was convened by the king of Tara, the religious and political center of old Ireland on 1 August – an important gathering which “all of Ireland” was expected to attend if the well-being of the community was to be assured. Going even further into the mists of mythic Irish history, August 1 was also the day on which the Fir Bolg – a warrior aristocracy – were said to have arrived in Ireland; Tailtiu belonged to the Fir Bolg, conferring on the date a double significance.In Scots Gaelic, Lughnasadh was known as Lunasdal or lunasduinn, while in Manx – spoken
on the Isle of Man – it was called Laa Luanys. The festival was obviously an important one throughout the Celtic world, for it was also celebrated across the water among continental Celts. Under Roman rule, the population of Gaul – now modern France – gathered together at the beginning of August to honor the god Lugus in the city named after him – Lugudunum, the Latin for Lug’s town, or Lyons as it is now known. Under Roman influence, this Gallic festival was later dedicated to Augustus – the deified Roman emperor – and in Britain it was similarly transformed, being dubbed Goel-aoust, Gul-austus, or Gwyl Awst (Welsh).Lugh, god of Lughnasadh, was a relative newcomer to the inner circle of divine beings of theIrish pantheon. In an attempt to forge an alliance with the demonic, giant race of Ireland, the Fomoire, the Tuatha Dé Danann, the Irish gods, had agreed to a marriage between Cian, one of their company, to Ethniu, daughter of Balor, Formoire King of the Isles. The child of this union was Lugh, who in his turn fathered – or was reborn as – the Irish hero Cú Chulainn…Lugh’s presiding over a harvest festival may have something to do with his possible role as a solar god – the Sun that has brought the corn to ripeness. However, Lughnasadh is not a solar feast, but is held in honor of the fruits of the Earth, and was, it will be remembered, inaugurated in memory of the god’s foster mother, Tailtiu, rather than the god himself, which supports the idea that the feast now called Lughnasadh replaced an earlier fertility festival. As a mother, Tailtiu would have represented the Mother Goddess, Mother Earth, the source of all fertility. Chronologically Lugh, being her
“son”, would appear after his “mother”, and he also had a late entry to the ranks of the original Tuatha Dé Danann. These mythic clues suggest that his festival, like the god himself, was a comparative latecomer – a newer
version of an older feast once held in honor of an earth goddess
from the pre-Celtic period.Tailtiu’s death on this day is, in itself, very significant, for in the seasonal cycle the beginning of the harvest is the time when the Earth ceases to bring for th life, and when her “progeny” – the corn or another crop – is cut down. Right across the old Pagan world, this dying of the Earth and the “killing” of vegetation was conveyed in mythic picture language as the seasonal death of a fertility figure or vegetation spirit, who might be either female or male, depending on the culture and period of
origin of the legend. In classical Greek myth, for example, the
spirit was the maiden Kore, daughter of the fertile Mother Goddess,
Demeter (whose other name, Ceres, has given us our word cereal), snatched while out picking flowers by the God of the Underworld, Hades: in Sumeria, it was Dumuzi, lover of the goddess Inanna. In British folk tradition, the spirit of the corn (and of malt liquor) was known as John Barleycorn, while in France, Germany, and Slavonic countries, the spirit might take the form of an animal – the Corn Wolf, whose invisible presence could be detected
in the rippling of the corn.Of course, the deaths of these figures was an occasion for some sadness, but there was hope, too, that the corn or vegetation spirit who died in Autumn would be reborn in Spring, as has always happened since time immemorial in the eternal cycle of departure and return. The ceremonial “killings” of the vegetation spirit, the Sacrificial God, were magical rituals to ensure this return. His death was not just something that happened, but something that had to be made to occur, if life was to go on. The Sacrificial God had to be slain in order to be reborn…In
European folk tradition, as the harvest neared its end, the attention of the reapers became focused on the last portion of the crop still standing, for this was redolent with magic – it was where the Corn Spirit had taken refuge. Thus the last sheaf to be cut was often shaped into the form of a human figure, dressed
in clothes and adorned with ribbons.Depending on the view of the particular community, the Spirit-in-the-Sheaf might be seen as old or young. If “old”, it was in the sense of “ripe”
or “mature”, and then the figure made from the last sheaf might be called the Corn Mother, Harvest Mother, Great Mother, Grandmother, Cailleach (Gaelic for “old wife”), Wrach (“hag” in Welsh), Baba or Boba (old woman in Slavonic languages), or even the Old Man. If “young”, the corn figure was seen as the child that has been delivered from its mother when the sickles cut its cornstalk “umbilical cord”. In this case, the figure might be called the Maiden, the Corn-maiden, the Maidhdeanbuain (“shorn maiden” in Gaelic), or the Kirn-baby or Kirn-doll, after kirn, which means corn in Scots and northern English dialect. In Germany, the birth of the corn baby was even enacted with fake labor cries, new-born wailing, and all. The part of the mother was played by the woman who had bound the last sheaf, while her “baby” was a boy inside a figure made from the sheaf. The folk custom recalls the rite of the Greek god Dionysus in his role as Corn God, the infant Dionysus Liknites symbolically carried in procession in a winnowing basket, for the adoration of the worshipping crowd. In the Corn Mother and the Corn Maiden, we also glimpse the images of Demeter and Kore.The figure formed from the last sheaf played a central part in the joyful processions, dances and suppers of Harvest Home, and was closely associated with the person who had cut, bound, or threshed the corn from which it was made. This person was sometimes given the same name as the figure – for example, the “Old Woman” – and it was often necessary for there to be a link in age, too:
when the sheaf was called the Mother, it was the oldest woman who had to shape it into human form; when called the Maiden, the sheaf had to be cut by the youngest girl. Thus, like the corn figure, the person most intimately involved with it was also seen as a representative of the Corn Spirit.The last sheaf and the “corn dolly” – as this traditional effigy is now best known
– had a magical, fertilizing influence that was put to use in various ways. Some of the grain from the sheaf might, for example, be mixed with the seed corn, or scattered among the young corn in the following spring. The doll itself might be kept in the farmhouse and then broken up and shared among the cattle at Yule to make them thrive in the year to come, or given to the first mare in foal. A Mother sheaf, shaped like a pregnant woman, might even be presented to the farmer’s wife to make her fertile
and give her a child the following year…Source:
Excerpted from The Magickal Year – A Pagan Perspective on the Natural World by Diana Ferguson

“Among the Inner
Hebrides, it was the custom for a newborn child to be taken by
its mother outside
and, at noon and in the sun, to touch the baby’s brow to
the ground.
This was called ‘the old Mothering’.
How could one better be blessed, on coming into life,
than to have the kiss of that ancient Mother of whom we are all
children?”

 

~~ From The Celtic Book of Days by Caitlin Matthews ~~

 

Ancient Wood

by Anita Freeman

If we had an ancient wood to play in
Far away from obligations
And city-mall temptations If I were draped in soft green,
If I swayed like a tender willow,
If I flirted from shadow to shadowWould you follow clad in hunter’s
green?
Would you follow as a leaping hound?
Would you follow lightly as a hummingbird?If I saunter by you in summer
rose and velvet
Trailing alluring flowers
Will you serenade me, Apollo in the glade?We could tag and twist across
a maze of branches
Plump and playful squirrels
Twirl around each other, ever-falling leaves.I would be a white doe skimming
through enchanted woods
You would be the great white hound always belling after me
Then I would turn and I would beWhite as bone and sleek as weasel
Fast as winter
After youI’d pounce and pin you
To the breast
Of ancient and relentless GaiaYour breast bare and open to
me
I would lay tiny perfect teeth
SoftlyAgainst the tender skin of your
beating heart
And hold.
And after a thousand years
You’ll know I love you. ~~ Anita Freeman ~~

Why Am I a Reformed Druid?
Contest Winners

“To dispense the healing power of music
was one of the many skills of the poet.
Three harp-strains are said to have been instituted
at the three confinements of the Goddess Boann:
at her first labour, she was sorrowful because of the pain;
at the second birth, she was full of joy;
at the third birth, she was sleepy because of the length of her labour.

These three children were called Goltraigers, Gentraigers and Suantraigers, who gave their names to the three strains which harpers were about to reproduce: the sorrow strain, which provokes the release of lamentation after grief: the joy strain, which provokes mirth after sorrow; the sleep strain, which provokes rest after trauma.”

~~ From The Celtic Book of Days by Caitlin Matthews

Why Am I A Reformed Druid?

by Druid Dhara

In the words of Rene Descartes- I think, therefore I am. Admittedly, (as a pragmatist) I do not appreciate Descartes but that was the very first thought
that came into my mind when I read the question – Why am I a Druid? The answer-much like the answer to the “What is the meaning of Life?” is quite simple.

I would like to take this opportunity to share the mystery of life question with
my water-kin. This answer comes from years of study and interest in philosophy. My personal favorite, and oft times over looked, Marcus Aurelius, sought the answer in the Stoic teachings of Socrates (who really knows what he said) but more importantly, Plato.

The question of the meaning of life has been bantered about since the beginning of time and the thinking man. And yet it has always been there.
The meaning of life is – to live consistently and in harmony with Nature! And what a better group to belong to than the Druids who have always attempted to live in harmony with nature? Of course there are many sects and paths to follow and those paths sometimes get tangled up in underbrush and fallen branches.

With the Reformed Druids of Gaia, we have no set path. We are free to be who we are without the trappings of religion or dogma. We are free spirits.
I embrace my water-kin across the continent and across the seas. Marcus Aurelius wrote “It’s Up to You!” And it really is. My water-kin support me and I them in any path that they choose and we are cool with that.

The two tenants of The Reformed Druids of Gaia clearly state our promise to Nature. I am old school, so please forgive me; Nature is groovy, Nature
is very groovy! This is our belief and our promise to the future! To live consistently and in harmony with nature is what we are about! Could any path be more perfect for me? The question “Why am I a Reformed Druid?” can be answered quite simply: I am a Reformed Druid because I am.

Why am I a Reformed Druid?

The Grandmother Tree
by Lisa Wyvern

Reformed Druidism is the path I have been searching for my entire life. I now realize that I was groping and fumbling my way down this path long before I knew it had a name. I remember a family vacation when I was 9
or 10 years old which had a huge impact on me. My parents rented a motor home and we drove up the California coast from Los Angeles where we lived to Humboldt County.

I remember a strange feeling growing inside of me the farther north of the Golden Gate Bridge we traveled. I sat and raptly watched the ocean and
the big trees and I remember wanting to cry every time the big logging
trucks went barreling past. My father told me not to be scared of the big trucks. I didn’t answer, but I knew I wasn’t afraid of them (well much) but I was sad because of all of those big beautiful beings they had slain and were carting off so callously. And there were so many of them. And I knew my father wouldn’t understand. He would rationally explain about commerce and profit margins and the need for the wood. And that made me sad too.

I remember camping out at Richardson’s Grove and announcing to my parents that when I grew up I was going to live there with all the big trees. My parents just smiled and nodded and went on with their conversation. But
I knew that I would be back one day. It took many years but I do live in Humboldt and I still love the trees.

I remember when I first realized just how sacred the old trees are. A friend and I had been driving home to Arcata from a cross-country road trip and Rainbow Gathering and were hot and tired and in very ill humor. We crossed the state line from Oregon to California and hit the Crescent City ocean breezes. We both started to feel better and as soon as we hit the Redwood State Park and got in amongst the trees we were both smiling and grinning. We drove for a while and I suddenly got the very strong urge to pull over. So I did. We both got out and let the dogs out and we both wandered into the forest.

There was no path, but we were drawn along between the ferns and the trees and we only walked for about five or ten minutes before the trees opened before us and there she was. She was the most amazing old growth
redwood grandmother I have ever seen. She was so beautiful. She had ferns growing all about her base and there was a space all around her like all of the other trees and plants were her children and they were gathered around listening to her. Damon moved off to one side of her and I moved to the other side.

I remember being in total awe of so amazing a presence. The silence was deafening and the sense of peace was so strong. I sat in front of her and
just absorbed her presence. I don’t have any idea how long I was there, but eventually I came back into myself and looked around. It was sunset and the most beautiful orange and purple and gold cloudscape blazed in the opening around the lady in the midst of this little glen. I got up and went and stood before her and stretched my arms out and touched her and put my face against her bark and there was this energy fusing between us that was amazing.

Again time was suspended and I came back into myself again and it was dusk and the dogs came trotting into the glen and lay down. I swear they
were smiling. Damon came wandering back from wherever he had been.
Neither of us said much the rest of the trip home but we were happy
and content and replete.

This experience is the quintessential embodiment of what Druidism is to me. It is love of the earth and the mother who birthed all living things. It is a constant exchange of care and love and support for each other: parent to child – child to parent sibling to sibling.

It is acceptance of my own and others faults as well as rejoicing in our gifts and talents. It is commitment to work towards the health and well being of our mother and ourselves, both spiritually and physically. While Druidism is only one path among a myriad it is the one that has long called to me, and I have finally had my eyes opened and am beginning to recognize the signposts along that path.
/|\

Why Am I A Reformed Druid?

by Gillian Silvermoon

I am a reformed druid because the Orthodox druids have WAY too many
rules and have stuck with the ancient, archaic ways of the past. The Conservative Druids have less rules, but still way too many and don’t seem to want to budge on the ones they do have. Reformed Druids live more in the modern day. What rules we do have, (rules? we don’t need no stinking rules!) we are more than willing to change as needed. (Yep, we make them up as we go along!)

We welcome our brothers & sisters with open arms, no need for elaborate
conversion classes that can take years! No need to spend money on
classes you don’t need or even want. No ancient languages to learn! No, just a bunch of friendly Druids, celebrating nature, the Universe and each other. How much simpler and down to basics can you get?

But seriously folks, I became a Reformed Druid because I finally realized
that was what I was. I searched for years, trying to fit into various religions. Not many of them made sense to me. How can you have as one of your commandments “Thou shall not kill” yet go out and kill folks because they don’t worship your God or believe the way you do? How messed up is that? Didn’t they read, “Love thy neighbor” or “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”? What are those, after thoughts?!

My Grandfather, who came from a village of Catholics, shunned religion
and always told me that nature was what was important and that we should be taking care of our planet. His words and the reverence he held for all of nature, stayed with me after he died. When I had my first introduction to druids through Dungeons and Dragons, I was like, WOW! That’s me! That’s what Grandpa was! So, I started reading and researching, on and off over the years, discovering the RDNA early in 2006. I read all their literature
and though it was pretty cool. Finally, some people that respected
our planet, wanted to protect it, but weren’t fanatical about. Heck, they were pretty laid back about it, kind of like me. And they had a sense of HUMOR about things! Gosh, how many religions can say that? None that I can think of! Looks to me like the Reformed Druids finally “got it right”.

Reform Druidism is the right fit for me. I have found a virtual grove to call home – new brothers and sisters that are into all things nature and care about each other unconditionally. We crack jokes, and share our triumphs and experiences. They understand the importance of being caretakers of this planet – something I wish more folks would give consideration to doing as well. This planet is what gives us all life and sustains us. She is our mother and should be treated with respect and love. That’s one thing I think
any flavor of Druid can agree to.

Yeah, I think Nature is groovy, Nature is very groovy!

Why Am I A Reformed Druid?

by Phoenix ShadowStar

The long version………

In  the beginning………..

My original search I looked into Protestant Christianity, the Catholic Church (during this time I was a Cloistered Carmelite Nun for almost 2 years), and Judaism. These were the avenues available for religious expression open at that time. These were the ‘dry’ years before the ‘New Age’ even existed and there were no books on Wicca or Witchcraft or even Buddhism – no one around me had even heard of such things…….

In the middle………..

In 1993 I found a little store in the city near me that was different. It was a ‘New Age’ store; something I had never heard of before. I began to read about Native American spirituality, and rediscovered Tarot cards. Soon I ventured in to the Wiccan section and began to explore the books there. I bought my first pentacle, a very simple silver one on a silver chain. I wore it constantly for years, until the ‘cusp time’. The books concerning candle magic described things that I had been doing since the age of 12. It was a strange sensation to put it mildly. Latter I was a member of several groups, attended many public rituals, then settled into solitary practice.

In 1999, I began to feel the need for a change……

Further on……….

Gradually I found that Wicca/Witchcraft wasn’t as satisfying as it seemed
at first. While it was interesting and fun, there seemed to be something
that was not being filled, something missing that I wanted to add.
I took a course from OBOD, the Bard course, but that wasn’t quite
it either. But it was closer.

Then my mother-in-law became interested in Wicca, and I found myself
in the position of companion for her in her studies. We joined a coven nearby, and for a while everything went quite well. Then in 2004, there were 3 hurricanes, and the covenstead was down and out for almost two years due to damages to the building and disorganization, as well as members having various personal issues to resolve. At this time I felt the need to buy a new pentagram. It was beginning to feel like I had ‘outgrown’ the one that I had. One of the new shops at the flea market had New Age and Wiccan books and jewelry. When we went in I saw the perfect replacement for my old necklace. I had never seen a pentacle like this one before. It has a star
and a tree in the center, and written around it are the words, “Thee I invoke by the moonlit sea, by the standing stone, and the twisted tree”. Then began the search to find the meaning these words contain. This search led me back to research on Druid groups.

The short version………

When I reached a ‘cusp’ in my spiritual path, I was looking for a group that focused more on Nature than on other things and other issues. I looked up “Druids” online and found RDNA. I fell in love with the two Tenants, and with the whole way the group was started. I read through the different pages listed under links and found OMS/RDG. Read the web pages through, and partly because of the book, Stranger in a Strange Land, decided to join the group.

The shorter version…….

Why Am I A Reformed Druid?

Because I love the tenants:

  1. 1.Nature is good (groovy).
    2. Nature is very good (groovy).
    3. Thou art God/dess.

All winners will receive a prize from the sponsor of
The Druid’s Egg:

Directions

by Billy Collins
(Excerpt from The Art of Drowning)

The best time
is late afternoon
when the sun strobes through
the columns of trees as you are hiking up,
and when you find an agreeable rock
to sit on, you will be able to see
the light pouring down into the woods
and breaking into the shapes and tones
of things and you will hear nothing
but a sprig of birdsong or the leafy
falling of a cone or nut through the trees,
and if this is your day you might even
spot a hare or feel the wing-beats of geese
driving overhead toward some destination.

But it is hard to speak of these things;
how the voices of light enter the body
and begin to recite their stories;
how the earth holds us painfully against
its breast made of humus and brambles;
how we who will soon be gone regard
the entities that continue to return
greener than ever, spring water flowing
through a meadow and the shadows of clouds
passing over the hills and the ground
where we stand in the tremble of thought,
taking the vast outside into ourselves.

The Oneness of the All

by Archdruid El Arseneau

We live on this one planet, Earth or Gaia. The planet is a living, breathing, entity, and we are a part of Gaia’s ecosystem, a complex, interdependent system that sustains all of the life forms, both seen and unseen that is dependant on the planet including ourselves.

We call this concept “oneness” and it is the idea that every human (or every being present in a human body) is a part of every other human, and every other living thing on the planet, including the planet itself. This concept has been the heart and soul of Druidism from the very ancient times up to our present day. The ancients knew, as we know now, that there really aren’t
any differences between the races, or between cultures, that justify fear, separateness, or any kind of ethno or racial phobias. It’s like the bumper sticker says:

One Planet, One People, One Future…

So as Druids then we are called to evolve beyond petty ideas about cultural and racial differences. A common trap we fall into is the idea that Celtic culture is more important or superior to any other, or that we as Druids serve only those from the Celtic community. It’s an absurdity, when one examines the attitudes of real Celts. There is no word for “Celtic” in any
of the Celtic languages. The Welsh, for example, call themselves “Cymru” which simply means “the people.” This Welsh word therefore has no ethnic or cultural exclusivity. Anyone, therefore, is “Cymru.”

As Druids, we need to be open to whatever works for the betterment of all, regardless of its origin. For instance, most martial arts are very beneficial for those who practice them, leading to discipline of body and mind and of course, better health. Most martial arts are also Chinese or Japanese in origin, but that shouldn’t matter. Likewise, Yoga is very beneficial for those who practice it, and it’s an Indian discipline. But that shouldn’t matter. The fact that it does matter to some, who wish a purely Celtic Druidism, is problematical at best, and unbecoming a Druid at worst.

We had a fellow email us recently, complaining because we have made
the Dalai Lama an “Honorary Druid.” He went on to complain that because His Holiness was Tibetan he could never be a Druid. I think the ancient Druids would laugh at such a concept. I personally found it to be very sad.

We sometimes are prejudiced in other ways. We know it’s a bad thing to disparage another because of race, or creed, or ethnicity. But some of us will use birth sign as an excuse. I can offer myself here as an example. I have experienced two bad marriages in my life and both of those women were Pisceans. So in the past I have tended to shy away from friendships with Pisces women. If a persons chart has Mars in Aries, I also tend to shy away from them and I have even in the past engaged in saying that perhaps Pisceans shouldn’t be allowed in our Order. This was a major wrongness
on my part, and I humbly apologize to all the Piscean women out there whom I might have disparaged. It won’t happen again. I’ve also made excuses for myself in the past by saying “Oh, it’s a Scorpio thing,” when I’ve
exhibited some bad behavior.

Using your own sun sign to excuse your bad behavior, or disparaging another sun sign for whatever reason is just as bad as exhibiting bigotry toward another race or culture. It’s a wrongness no matter what.

We are one people on this Earth. We’re not black or white, we’re not Celtic or Indian, we’re not Aries or Scorpio, we’re one people, one tribe, one race (the human race). Yes, in past incarnations we may have come from the Pleiades, or from Arcturia, and we might have been Elves, or Angels. But
we’re here now. We’re in human form in this incarnation at this time on this Earth.

It’s time to embrace each other. It’s time to celebrate our one-ness!  It’s time to act like the Gods we have incarnated to become.

One planet, One people, One future…

We are one.

 

Pledge to Gaia

by OMS/RDG Druid Gillian Silvermoon


I am a shepherd of the Earth,
I shall cause no harm.
My hands shall tend the seedlings
and I shall see beauty spring from Mother Gaia.
I shall nurture her children
and heal what needs to be healed.
I will love & protect her
all the days of my life.

Psychological Tarot Class

by Ceridwen Seren-Ddaear

“Dichetul do Chennaib, or psychometric divination, was one of the Three Illuminations
or prophetic skills required of an Ollamh of poetry in Ireland. By placing his hands or a
wand upon a person or object, he gained knowledge through his fingers
and could name and tell the history of that person or object.”

~~ From The Celtic Book of Days by Caitlin Matthews

This is a workshop that I’ve taught several times over the past 20 years, and it has the advantage of being able to be used with any TRADITIONAL Tarot deck. It offers a psychological approach to interpreting the Tarot cards, which can be quite useful when you are looking for a down-to-earth method of gaining a “reality check” in your Tarot spreads…

Major Arcana

0
– FOOL:

· Absolute faith and trust in the universe
· Feeling of protection and a sense that everything will work out
· Innocence and naiveté, but open to whatever the future brings

I
– MAGICIAN:

· Ability to discriminate between illusion and truth
· Realization that your personal reality is different from collective reality
· Ability to understand and describe more than one perception of reality

II
– HIGH PRIESTESS:

· Represents the gateway between the outer world and the spiritual  realm
· Calls for meditation and attunement to the subconscious mind
· Key to all aspects of memory

III
– EMPRESS:

· Unlocks creative imagination
· Sensitive to physical and emotional needs of others
· Calls for giving love, nurturing and healing

IV
– EMPEROR:

· Shows a need to identify with a powerful and established group energy
· You may need to give up some of your freedom and isolation to do this
· If you identify with this powerful person or group, your success or failure in the world is affected by theirs

V
– HIEROPHANT:

· Aligning yourself to a particular spiritual philosophy in a loyal and responsible way
· Can lead to a leadership role in this philosophical group
· Represents “in-tuition”, or inner learning / teacher

VI
– LOVERS:

· Working together cooperatively with others to accomplish a common goal
· This interaction validates and supports you and all concerned
· Interplay between self-conscious, subconscious and superconscious minds

VII
– CHARIOT:

· Situation where transition is occurring at an amazing speed
· Total attunement with fast-moving process or event
· Your awareness of limitations and parameters of the situation allows you to instinctively know how to “ride” it

VIII
– STRENGTH:

· Experience of gut-level, instinctive, compelling drives that are there for your protection or survival
· Something outside of you is strongly urging a certain course of action
· Your fierce determination to pursue your goal doesn’t seem logical, but does seem irrefutable

IX
– HERMIT:

· Bearer of the light; way-shower for humanity from one who has gone before
· Need for withdrawal or retreat from others in order to get some perspective on your situation
· Once clarity is achieved, you can return to your situation and play a more satisfying and effective role

X
– WHEEL OF FORTUNE:

· Events have been set in motion in a concrete, observable way
· Wishes, affirmations, etc. have triggered events
· Time to relax and wait and see how the universe responds

XI
– JUSTICE:

· Establishment of equilibrium or balance in your life
· Present situation will be balanced out by its opposite
· Time for discrimination

XII
– HANGED MAN:

· Reversing your perspective from the mass mind view
· Wait for better time to take action
· Look for cues and be ready to move

XIII
– DEATH:

· Experience of total change, transformation or metamorphosis
· Old patterns being destroyed to make room for new
· Change is voluntary and necessary

XIV
– TEMPERANCE:

· Blending of diverse elements to create something new
· Time for alchemy
· Strength through tempering process

XV
– DEVIL:

· Boundaries and limitations in your life
· Narrowed view of reality
· Self-imposed feeling of being trapped or imprisoned

XVI
– TOWER:

· Process of changing a core belief about the world
· Destruction of self-imposed isolation or prison
· Lightning flash of awareness of the larger picture

XVII
– STAR:

· Experience of the boundless, free abundance of the universe
· Flow of pure energy is available to you
· Receiving of support and resources

XVIII
– MOON:

· Guidance coming to you in the form of symbols and intuitions
· Higher self shows you the next step on your “path”
· Some doors are opening for you and others are closing

XIX
– SUN:

· Time of rekindled enthusiasm
· Readiness to make refinements and adjustments
· You are re-directing your growth, using the knowledge and experience of the past cycle as a base

XX
– JUDGMENT:

· Experience of the natural process of growth and maturation
· Moving to new phase in your life
· Celebrating the transition

XXI
– WORLD:

· Everything is available to you
· Choices are multiple and complex
· Strength in the ability to be open to all the alternatives

Minor Arcana & Court Cards


ACES – BEGINNING

· Wands – a new identity
· Cups – a new emotion or insight
· Swords – a new idea
· Pentacles – a new form or pattern

TWOS – AFFIRMING

· Wands – claiming and validating the self
· Cups – validating a feeling
· Swords – affirming a philosophy or lifestyle
· Pentacles – choosing a physical path

THREES – PLANNING

· Wands – defining and clarifying the identity
· Cups – emotional or intuitive clarification
· Swords – planning a lifestyle; clarifying ideas
· Pentacles – planning secure structures

FOURS – MANIFESTING

· Wands – manifesting a new identity
· Cups – acting on what you feel
· Swords – acting on what you think
· Pentacles – making something tangible

FIVES – ADJUSTING

· Wands – adjusting the identity
· Cups – emotional or intuitive adjustments
· Swords – philosophical adjustments
· Pentacles – physical adjustments

SIXES – REPEATING

· Wands –  a predictable personality
· Cups – a regular emotional cycle
· Swords – a regular routine
· Pentacles – predictable physical cycles

SEVENS – IMAGINING

· Wands – experimenting with different roles
· Cups – emotional variety and exploration
· Swords – mental flexibility
· Pentacles – physical experimentation

EIGHTS – ORGANIZING

· Wands – re-examining the identity
· Cups – evaluating feelings
· Swords – organizing thoughts
· Pentacles – organizing physical things

NINES – INTEGRATING

· Wands – the integrated self, moving forward
· Cups – flowing feelings
· Swords – integrated thoughts
· Pentacles – integrating security

TENS – HESITATING

· Wands – an identity question
· Cups – an emotional or intuitive crossroads
· Swords – a philosophical choice point
· Pentacles – a physical crossroads

PAGES – RISKING

· Wands – taking identity risks
· Cups – emotional risk-taking
· Swords – risks in thoughts or lifestyle
· Pentacles – security risks

KNIGHTS – FOCUSSING

· Wands – focusing on the self
· Cups – emotional or intuitive focus
· Swords – philosophical focus
· Pentacles – focused in the material world

QUEENS – FULFILLING

· Wands – a mature identity
· Cups – emotional or intuitive maturity
· Swords – intellectual maturity
· Pentacles – physical competence

KINGS – RELEASING

· – releasing an old identity
· Cups – releasing an emotional pattern
· Swords – releasing an old lifestyle or idea
· Pentacles – releasing something physical


1, 2, 3 – the conceptual level

4,5, 6 – the actualized level

7,8, 9 – the expanded level

P, K, Q, K – the fulfilled level


Wands – Fire
Cups – Water
Swords – Air
Pentacles – Earth

The Suits of the Minor Arcana

WANDS –
(Batons, Staves, Rods) – (Clubs) – FIRE

·
Basic nature: Progressing, acting, future-oriented
· Growth and awareness of the self and all its potential
· Identity and ego
· Your personal direction
· Roles you want to play
· “Who am I and where am I going?”
· “How can I creatively express who I am?”


CUPS – (Coupes, Grails) –
(Hearts) – WATER

·
Basic nature: Centering, securing what exists, building on past
foundations
· Growth and awareness of the unconscious and all its
potential
· Level on which you interact with others on a non-verbal,
emotional plane
· Subconscious gateway to spiritual awareness and psychic
activity
· Feeling your connection with the universe
· “What are my emotional needs and how do I meet
them?”
· “How am I connected to the universe on an unconscious
level?”


SWORDS – (Epees) – (Spades)
– AIR

·
Basic nature: Progressing, acting, future-oriented
· Growth and development of the conscious mind
· Developing your system of beliefs and philosophy
· Reflect your awareness of the connectedness between
ideas
· You feel an urge to communicate your own ideas and
get feedback from others
· Involvement in discussion and communication
· “What so I think and how do I share, teach or
act out what I think?”
· “What is my philosophy of life and how does my
lifestyle reflect that philosophy?”


PENTACLES – (Disks, Deniers, Coins)
– (Diamonds) – EARTH

·
Basic nature: Centering, securing what exists, building on past
foundations
· Growth and development of groundedness in the material,
physical world
· Helps you determine how secure you feel in your physical
reality
· Concerned with financial security and material resources
· Job or career – practical work you do in your
world
· Your body and health
· Sexual or physical interaction with others
· “What are my physical and security needs and
how do I meet them?”
· “How am I grounded in the material world?”


YES OR NO QUESTIONS

Minor Arcana:

·
Odds – Yes
· Evens – No
· Page – Yes
· Knight – No
· Queen – Yes
· King – No

Major Arcana:

·
Yes, if you want to put energy into working with the concept
of the card
· No, if you don’t want to work with the concept
of the card

Upright:

·
If yes, definitely yes
· If no, definitely no

Reversed:

·
If yes, lay the foundation now for later; it may not seem like
yes now, but it will eventually be yes, after a delay
· If no, it may not seem like no now, but it will eventually
be no, after a delay

Astrological
Correspondences of the
Tarot Major Arcana

FOOL
URANUS
MAGICIAN
MERCURY
HIGH
PRIESTESS
MOON
EMPRESS
VENUS
EMPEROR
ARIES
HIEROPHANT
TAURUS
LOVERS
GEMINI
CHARIOT
CANCER
STRENGTH
LEO
HERMIT
VIRGO
WHEEL
OF FORTUNE
JUPITER
JUSTICE
LIBRA
HANGED
MAN
NEPTUNE
DEATH
SCORPIO
TEMPERANCE
SAGITTARIUS
DEVIL
CAPRICORN
TOWER
MARS
STAR
AQUARIUS
MOON
PISCES
SUN
SUN
JUDGMENT
PLUTO
WORLD
SATURN

Triads

by OMS/RDG Druid Raven Phoenix

Three things that make a wise man:
A good ear, A slow tongue and a truthful answer.

Three things that make a true friend:
A kind heart, wise counsel and a listening ear.

Three things that make a poor man rich:
A strong faith, A loving heart and
the love of the Goddess.

Winner of the Tree Animal Contest
From Beltane Issue:

*
* * Druid Adam Mann * * *

  1. A seahorse
    2. A squirrel
    3. a bird
    4. a rhino
    5. snake
    6. crane
    7.another squirrel
    8. porcupine
    9. tiger
    10. 2 fish
    11. what looks like a kangaroo head
    12. an ant.
    13. a gorilla head
    14. a duck billed platypus
    15.a turtle
    16. 3 ducks
    17. another fish
    18. an elk head
    19. a squid

Dru Adam will receive a prize from the sponsor of
The Druid’s Egg:

Congratulations,
Dru Adam!!!

A Mithril Druid’s Lament (Catharsis)

by Taurnil Elendil

I
saw the bright and shining star
You know I’ve seen it there a long long time
It touched my heart right where you are
It seems all right to me, a love so right to me

You
made a promise from afar
You know I’ve dreamed of this a long long time
A life of brotherhood like on Mars
It seems all right to me, a dream so right to me

And
so we planned a brand new start
We’d live in harmony a long long time
Like all Michaels nest mates are
It seems perfection to me, utopia so right to me

But
then you dealt me some new cards
I haven’t seen three swords in a long long time
You crushed my dream just like my heart
It seems a wrongness to me, so very wrong to me

Now
when I stare at the night stars
I know my hope might return in a long long time
And I wonder just where you are
And how you could do this to me, this very wrongness to me

 

Ogham 101

Compiled by Ceridwen Seren-Ddaear

Ogham (Modern Irish), ogam, ogum (Old Irish), oghum (ScottishGaelic).The Ogham alphabet is thought to be named after the Irish god Ogma.

Ogham is form of writing in which the letters are represented by combinations
of parallel strokes in number from one to five, set in varied positions
along a central stemline. It was originally intended for inscription upon
upright pillar stones. The alphabet consists of twenty letters and five
diphthongs; the letters were incised in groups of five, perhaps indicating
some relationship to finger signs.

Ogham derives from the Chalcidic form of the Greek alphabet, once current in northern Italy, in Cisalpine Gaul, the Roman side of the Alps, the present
provinces of Piedmont and Lombardy. He states that it was used for secret
communication, being part of the signalling or gesture system of ‘druidic
freemasonry’. However, other authorities generally hold ogham to be based
upon the Roman alphabet.

Ogham in Ireland…was used for magical or cryptical purposes. ‘When paganism was waning the finger signs were used as a secret language and finally used for writing epitaphs’.

Ogham is the ‘occult manner of writing used by the ancient Irish’, according
to the Highland Society of Scotland’s Dictionary of the Gaelic Language
(1828).

Pronunciations

Beith
bEv
Luis
lweesh
Fern
fEArn
Sail
sahl
Nion
nin
Uath
wahv
Dair
dahr
Tinne
tEEnah
Coll
kahl
Ceirt
kert
Muin
mwEEn
Gort
gort
(phonetic as written)
nGéatal
gEEdahl
Straif
shtrAf
Ruis
rweesh
Ailm
eye-lm
Onn
ohn
Úr
er
Eadhadh
Ay-dav
Iodhadh
lO-dav
Éabhadh
Ay-vav
Ór
ohr
Uilleann
wEE-lan
Ifín
EE-vin
Eamhancholl
Ay-wan-kawl
Peith
pEv
Eite
ee-tah
Spás
spAYsh
Eite
thuathail
ee-tah
twa-val

Alphabet

Notable Features


* Type of writing system: alphabet

* Number of characters: 25

* Writing surfaces: rocks, wood, manuscripts

* Direction of writing: inscribed around the edges of rocks running
from bottom to top and left to right, or left to right and horizontally
in manuscripts.

* Letters are linked together by a solid line.

* The names and sounds represented by some of the letters are unknown.

* The Eite (feather) and Eite thuathail (reversed feather) symbols
are used at the beginning and end of sentences respectively.

Ancient Manuscript
Ogham Sample

Sources:

http://www.omniglot.com/writing/ogham.htm

http://ogham.lyberty.com/oghamintro.html

http://ogham.lyberty.com/smyth.html

The Woad Song

What’s
the use of wearing braces
Hats and spats and shoes with laces
Vests and pants you buy in places
Down on Brompton Road?
What’s the use of shirts of cotton
Studs that always get forgotten?
These affairs are simply rotten–
Better far is Woad!

Woad’s the stuff to show men!
Woad to scare your foemen!
Boil it to a brilliant blue
And rub it on your legs and your abdomen!
Ancient Britons never hit on
Anything as good as Woad to fit on
Neck or knees or where you sit on–
Tailors be you blowed!

Romans
came across the Channel
All decked out in tin and flannel
Half a pint of Woad per man’ll
Clothe us more than these.
Saxons you may save your stitches
Building beds for bugs in britches
We have Woad to clothe us
Which is not a nest for fleas.

Romans, keep your armor!
Saxons, your pajamas!
Hairy coats were made for goats,
Gorillas, yaks, retriever dogs and llamas!
March on Snowdon with your Woad on
Never mind if you get rained or snowed on
Never need a button sewn on–
Bottoms up to Woad!

(The author is unknown. Sung to the traditional Welsh tune:
“Men of Harlech”)

Image sources:
http://www.hippy.com
http://www.signonsandiego.com

What To Do When Reiki Finds You

by Barnsley Brown, PhD

 

(Note from the Editor: This is the 2nd in a random series of Reiki articles I am including in The Druid’s Egg – the first one, called “Reiki and Druids?” appeared in the Imbolc’06 issue…oh, and if anyone is looking for a Reiki teacher,I’m available for both local and long distance teaching or healing…Ceridwen)

One of the most amazing things about Reiki or the Usui Method of Natural Healing is that it always manages to find us at just the right moment! We all know that adage, “When the student is ready, the teacher appears.” In fact, all of us have probably had the experience of a teacher coming into our lives precisely when we needed what she or he had to offer. But what about “When the student is ready, the healing modality appears”?

Reiki has a magical way of finding those of us who need healing (Ahem, that would be all of us!) and those of us who are consciously or unconsciously on a spiritual journey. In fact, beginning to learn Reiki can feel like going through a slow, beautiful awakening as your whole being – mind, body, and spirit – responds to this loving, powerful energy.

Simply translated, the Japanese word, “Reiki,” means “universal life force energy.” Yet the foreignness
of the word can be daunting. I know I was completely intimidated by Reiki when I first heard about it. I was at a potluck at the Unity Church years ago, and a woman there offered me some of this strange stuff called “Reiki” for my menstrual cramps. I assure you that I moved as far away as possible from her because I thought hands-on healing sounded pretty darn weird and I was  definitely not willing to be a Reiki guinea pig.

Now I am sure the Universe is chortling, amused that I have been practicing Reiki daily for over twelve years and teaching it as a Reiki Master for more than a decade. How did that happen? To make a long story very brief, I had a serious car accident in
which my old, virtually indestructible Volvo was totaled and I suffered a double whiplash. Because I was out of town at a poetry conference and didn’t want to be doped up on pain medications
all weekend, I let the wife of my former poetry professor (a Reiki Level II Practitioner) do a treatment on me.

The results were wondrous! I didn’t have to take any more medicine, and by the time I returned (without my dear departed old Volvo) to Chapel Hill, I vowed to explore the pain relief method I had experienced. Shortly thereafter, I took my Reiki Level I training, and then followed that later with Reiki Level II and Mastership. Within two years, I was a full-fledged Reiki Master and had some seven hundred and twenty Reiki self treatments under my belt as well as many other treatments on animals, people, car batteries, and even my computer. (Yes, Reiki does work on
electronics!)

Now, Reiki goes with me everywhere like a beloved companion. Somehow, I’m always seated beside a Reiki person in a crowded room. She or he might be a Reiki Master or someone who has just had a Reiki
treatment or someone who wants to know more about Reiki. This happens no matter where I am: the gym, a lecture, even Wal-Mart.Somehow, Reiki always brings us together with others on a similar path. That’s the way Reiki works. It is a way of living and raising
your vibrational level so that you attract what you need while also drawing to you people who can benefit from what you offer.

Over this last decade, I can tell you a number of incredible stories about how people have found Reiki, or rather, how it has found them. For example, there was the woman who happened to look at the Reiki manuals I was photocopying at Kinko’s and told me she’d just been on the phone with a friend. They had been discussing Reiki as a treatment option for her friend who had a fibroid tumor in her breast. Or there’s the person who
saw my name listed as the only Reiki practitioner in a publication
and then called to sign up for a Reiki Level I class. She later
looked back in the same publication, and this time, there were
a handful of Reiki practitioners; yet she had only seen my listing
before. Later we discovered a half dozen commonalities that made
it clear why Reiki had drawn the two of us together.

Yet another time, one of my academic colleagues at UNC asked me, out of nowhere, “Have you ever heard of Reiki?” We had never discussed Reiki nor did she have any idea that I was a Reiki Master. (This was long before
I started my own business and advertised.) Of course, we were both delighted that I could provide answers to her questions and point her to some good books on Reiki.

Another student happened on a flyer on mind in a town some three hours away from here. How the flyer got there I still have no idea since I never took it there nor did I have any clients or students in that town or even near
that town. Evidently, Reiki even does air mail!

The point of these stories is that Reiki and the right Reiki teacher will usually find you, particularly if you have set your intent on healing yourself and others. As a final powerful example, I offer this story. In a business workshop, I met a fellow who owns a bicycle courier service. When he found out I teach and practice Reiki, he told me one of his employees was interested in it. I gave him my card to give to the employee and forgot all about it.Then one day after I had gone to the gym and was a sweaty, stinky mess, I clearly got the guidance that I needed to go to
the bank. I tried all manner of excuses to get out of it: “I don’t have any reason to go to the bank today,” “I can
wait till next week,” even, “I smell bad.” Yet I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had to go.

I went, and there in front of my bank was a fellow on a bicycle with a package, chatting with a friend and wearing this courier company’s signature shirt. Yes, you guessed it. This was the employee who was interested in learning about Reiki and who worked for the man I had met in a business workshop months before.

Of course, as the Universe would have it, I had a Reiki Level I class coming up that very Saturday, and there was just one space still open in the class. Todd, the
employee, filled it since the timing of the class was perfect for him, and he obtained his Reiki I certification.

 

What do you do to help Reiki find you? Just be aware. Once you learn a little something about Reiki and its many uses, somehow it just keeps popping up in front of you. Notice the people you meet, notice flyers on bulletin boards, notice books that fall off the shelves in bookstores, right in front of you. (I’m not kidding; this has happened to a number of people, including me.)

Reiki is such a powerful energy that it is bound to attract those of us who are meant to work, play, and live with it! If you keep your eyes and ears open, along with your heart and mind, Reiki or another appropriate form of energy healing will find you.

You will know it is time to take Reiki when your curiosity is aroused and Reiki keeps making appearances in your life. Like me, once you’ve had enough signs from the Universe (and hopefully signs that are not as dramatic as my accident), you will be ready and you will know deep inside that Reiki is for you. Then it is only a matter of time before the teacher appears, standing behind you in the grocery store line, doing yoga with you at the gym, or on a business card you find tucked in a book in a place miles away from where you live. Your teacher will have been expecting you and will be so glad you’ve arrived to experience the wonderful healing love and power that is Reiki!


Rev. Barnsley Brown, PhD and Reiki Master, offers ongoing classes in all levels of Reiki, intuitive counseling and healing sessions, Though Field Therapy, past life regressions, and stress management training. Contact Spirited Solutions, 919-967-1164, or email spiritedsolutions@yahoo.com  for details and to request a free newsletter and class schedule.

click here for part 2