It is a sultry day; the sun has drank
The dew that lay upon the morning grass,
There is no rustling in the lofty elm
That canopies my dwelling, and its shade
Scarce cools me. All is silent, save the faint
And interrupted murmur of the bee,
Settling on the sick flowers, and then again
Instantly on the wing. The plants around
Feel the too potent fervors; the tall maize
Rolls up its long green leaves; the clover droops
Its tender foliage, and declines its blooms.
But far in the fierce sunshine tower the hills,
With all their growth of woods, silent and stern,
As if the scorching heat and dazzling light
Were but an element they loved. Bright clouds,
Motionless pillars of the brazen heaven –
Their bases on the mountains – their white tops
Shining in the far ether – fire the air
With a reflected radiance, and make turn
The gazer’s eye away. For me, I lie
Languidly in the shade, where the thick turf,
Yet virgin from the kisses of the sun,
Retains some freshness, and I woo the wind
That still delays its coming. Why so slow,
Gentle and voluble spirit of the air?
Oh, come and breathe upon the fainting earth
Coolness and life. Is it that in his caves
He hears me? See, on yonder woody ridge,
The pine is bending his proud top, and now,
Among the nearer groves, chestnut and oak
Are tossing their green boughs about. He comes!

Lo, where the grassy meadow runs in waves!
The deep distressful silence of the scene
Breaks up with mingling of unnumbered sounds
And universal motion. He is come,
Shaking a shower of blossoms from the shrubs,
And bearing on the fragrance; and he brings
Music of birds, and rustling of young boughs,
And sound of swaying branches, and the voice
Of distant waterfalls. All the green herbs
Are stirring in his breath; a thousand flowers,
By the road-side and the borders of the brook,
Nod gaily to each other; glossy leaves
Are twinkling in the sun, as if the dew
Were on them yet, and silver waters break
Into small waves and sparkle as he comes.

~~ William Cullen Bryant ~~

Litha, or Midsummer, is a celebration that has been observed for centuries,
in one form or another. It is no surprise, then, that there are plenty of myths and legends associated with this time of year!

• In England, rural villagers built a big bonfire on Midsummer’s Eve. This was called “setting the watch,” and it was known that the fire would keep evil spirits out of the town. Some farmers would light a fire on their land, and people would wander about, holding torches and lanterns, from one bonfire
to another. If you jumped over a bonfire — presumably without lighting your pants on fire — you were guaranteed to have good luck for the coming year.

• After your Litha fire has burned out and the ashes gone cold, use them to make a protective amulet. You can do this by carrying them in a small pouch, or kneading them into some soft clay and forming a talisman. In some traditions of Wicca, it is believed that the Midsummer ashes will protect you from misfortune. You can also sow the ashes from your bonfire into your garden, and your crops will be bountiful for the rest of the summer growing season.

• It is believed in parts of England that if you stay up all night on Midsummer’s Eve, sitting in the middle of a stone circle, you will see the Fae. But be careful – carry a bit of rue in your pocket to keep them from harassing you, or turn your jacket inside out to confuse them. If you have to
escape the Fae, follow a ley line, and it will lead you to safety.

• Residents of some areas of Ireland say that if you have something you wish to happen, you “give it to the pebble.” Carry a stone in your hand as you circle the Litha bonfire, and whisper your request to the stone — “heal my mother” or “help me be more courageous”, for example. After your third turn around the fire, toss the stone into the flames.

• Astrologically, the sun is entering Cancer, which is a water sign. Midsummer is not only a time of fire magic, but of water as well. Now is a good time to work magic involving sacred streams and holy wells. If you visit one, be sure to go just before sunrise on Litha, and approach the water from the east, with the rising sun. Circle the well or spring three times, walking
deosil, and then make an offering of silver coins or pins.

• Sunwheels were used to celebrate Midsummer in some early Pagan cultures. A wheel — or sometimes a really big ball of straw — was lit on fire and rolled down a hill into a river.The burned remnants were taken to the local temple and put on display. In Wales, it was believed that if the fire went out before the wheel hit the water, a good crop was guaranteed for the season.

• In Egypt, the Midsummer season was associated with the flooding of the Nile River delta. In South America, paper boats are filled with flowers, and then set on fire. They are then sailed down the river, carrying prayers to the gods. In some traditions of modern Paganism, you can get rid of problems by writing them on a piece of paper and dropping them into a moving body of water on Litha.

• William Shakespeare associated Midsummer with witchcraft in at least three of his plays. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, and The Tempest all contain references to magic on the night of the summer solstice.

He walked
up the golden sand
A trail of seaweed upon the land
He sang a song that was bittersweet
About a maid he wished to meet

She gathered
shells upon the beach
With an eye to sell she inspected each
She dreamed of a husband she might find
Her future comfort she had in mind

As she stood
she met his gaze
Lost in his eyes as if in a maze
Liquid brown, gentle and merry
Holding the mysteries of all Sule Skerry

They lay
with their bodies intertwined
His passion was kept gentle and kind
Then amongst her happy sighs
He looked her fully in the eyes

“Bonny lass,
with youth in bloom”
“I’ve planted twins within your womb”
“One to keep and one for me”
“In seven years I’ll take mine to sea”

“Fret you not,
for allowing these pleasures”
“From the sea I’ll provide you treasures”
“Whether or not you decide to marry”
“You’ll never want, I swear by Sule Skerry”

And thus
he donned his selkie skin
And dove into the sea with flip and a spin
She ran to sea and stood in the spray
And she cried and wept as he swam away

One child
was born fair with lusty cries
The other sweet with liquid brown eyes
In motherhood she forgot her tears
And so happy they lived for seven years

Then one
day he again appeared
And took her sweet child as she had feared
He kissed her once but did not tarry
And with the child returned to Sule Skerry

This is the eve of St. John’s Day, which replaced the more ancient celebrations on Summer Solstice with a Saint’s Day. In a Victorian book of spells and incantations, I found this divination which is supposed to be performed on Midsummer’s Eve, around sunset. An odd number of women (three, five or seven) go into a garden and each picks a sprig of red sage. They put these into a basin of rosewater setting on a stool in the middle of a room they have set aside for this purpose. Then they tie a line from the stool to the wall and each woman takes off her shift and hangs it, inside out, on the line. I assume this leaves them naked. Then they sit, silently (no matter
what happens), in a row on the other side of the stool. Around midnight, each one’s future mate will take her sprig out of the water and sprinkle her shift with it.

Cagliostro, attributed to, Spells and Incantations of Yesteryear, from an earlier edition by J Fletcher & Company, 1876, reprinted by Metheglin Press.

Midsummer’s Eve is also called St John’s Eve. The official version says that St John was assigned this feast because he was born six months before Christ (who gets the other great solar festival,the winter solstice). Actually it may have more to do with the story of St John losing his head to Salome. In ancient times, a ritual sacrifice was made to the goddess of midsummer.

Other midsummer symbols also accumulate around St John. He’s the patron of shepherds and beekeepers. This is a time to acknowledge those wild things which man culls but cannot tame, like the sheep and bees. The full moon which occurs in June is sometimes called the Mead Moon. The hives are full of honey. In ancient times, the honey was fermented and made into mead. According to Pauline Campanelli in The Wheel of the Year, this is the derivation of honeymoon.

This is a traditional time for honoring water, perhaps because it plays such a vital role in maintaining life while the sun is blazing overhead. Several of the goddesses worshipped at midsummer – Matuta, Anahita and Kupala – are associated with moisture and dampness. St John baptized with water while Christ baptizes with fire and the Holy Spirit. In Mexico, St John presides
over all waters. People dress wells and fountains with flowers, candles and paper festoons. They go out and bathe at midnight in the nearest body of water. In the city, they celebrate at the bathhouse or pool with diving and swimming contests.

Herbs and Lovers

Midsummer Eve is also known as Herb Evening. This is the most
potent night (and midnight the most potent time) for gathering
magical herbs, particularly St John’s wort, vervain, mugwort,
mistletoe, ivy and fern seed. In some legends, a special plant,
which is guarded by demons, flowers only on this one night a
year. Successfully picking it gives one magical powers, like
being able to understand the language of the trees.

This is also a time for lovers. An old Swedish proverb says
“Midsummer Night is not long but it sets many cradles rocking.”
According to Dorothy Gladys Spicer in The Book of Festivals,
Irish girls drop melted lead into water and interpret the shapes
it makes. In Spain, girls do the same with eggs. In Poland,
they combine three of the symbols of the holiday for a divination.
Girls make a wreath of wild flowers, put a candle in the middle,
set it adrift on the river and tell the future by observing
its fate.

Celebrating

This is a great festival to celebrate outdoors. Go camping.
Go out into the woods or up into the mountains or down to the
beach. Find some place where you can build a bonfire and light
it when the sun sets. Bring along plenty of flowers (especially
roses or yellow flowers like calendulas, St John’s wort, or
marigolds). Fashion them into wreaths, wear them as you dance
around the fire and throw them into the fire at the end of the
night. Bring along sparklers too (but use them carefully). Indoors,
use whatever symbols represent light and warmth to you: golden
discs, sunflowers, shiny metal trays, chili pepper lights.

Gather magical and healing herbs at night on June 23. Hang St
John’s wort over your doors and windows for protection; toss
some on the fire as well. Harvest your garden herbs now so they
will be extra potent.

To acknowledge the gift of water in your everyday life, decorate
the faucets in your house. Z Budapest in The Grandmother
of Time suggests walking to the nearest body of water,
making a wish and then throwing in a rose you have kissed to
carry your wish home. She provides the following wishing poem:

Yes, you are here in the soft buzzing grass.
Yes, you are listening among the flowering gardens.
Yes, you are shining from the most royal blue sky.
Yes, you are granting me what I wish tonight.
Grant me a healthy life rich with high purpose,
A true partner to share my joys and my tears,
Wisdom to hear your voice giving me guidance,
Wealth to give to others as you have given to me.

Honoring Your Strength

The sun is associated with will, vitality, accomplishment, victory
and fame. As you throw your flowers into the fire, acknowledge
your accomplishments. Write about these at length in your journal,
perhaps while sipping a cup of tea sweetened with honey, or
gather your friends in a circle and go around several times
with each person boasting about their strengths. Assign a different
topic for each round, for instance, aspirations, courage, achievement,
competence. Toast each other (with mead, if you can find it).
This is your night to shine. Source: School of the Seasons.

Britain: Traditional Midsummer. Although Midsummer is celebrated
by most Pagans worldwide on the eve and day of the actual Solstice,
Britain traditionally celebrates on June 23rd. The Neo-Pagan
holiday has been dedicated to the Green Man. The day also commemorates
Cu Chulainn, a legendary Irish hero.

Asatru: Sommerblot. The Midsummer Festival is a century-old
tradition in Scandinavia, celebrating the earth, summer, and
the longest day of sunlight — the Summer Solstice. In the North
it is the time of the midnight sun. As with most Old World celebrations,
Christianity has influenced some of the traditions. The festival
now honors St. John the Baptist rather than pagan gods. Huge
bonfires are built.

In Finland, the bonfire is called a “kokko”. The wood
used is collected throughout the year. Homes are decorated with
garlands of wildflowers and greenery. People dance, visit friends
and relatives all night. In pagan times people would jump over
the bonfires for luck,

and rituals and dances were once used to drive away evil spirits
and ensure a fertile land. Today, Maypoles are erected and danced
around. Huge crosses called “midsommarstoeng” are
also built. The branches from birch trees are used to build
the structure, and then covered with leaves and flowers. Young
girls collect wildflowers and place them under their pillows
to dream of their future loves, boys use a copper coin.

Slavic Pagan: Kupala – Kresen (June) 23. In the Old Russian
tongue, Kupala means “bather”, and the holiday is
celebrated in remembrance of the human sacrifices made in olden
times to the Master of things Submarine, Jasse, the Dragon.
All through the night, people celebrate, sing songs, hike, and
tell fortunes. A blot is held near water. In times gone by,
fires were lit in preparation for a sacrifice of a young maiden
by drowning in the river. Later, human sacrifice was replaced
by a doll made of bread (a loaf-doll).

Source:
GrannyMoon’s Morning Feast Archives and School of Seasons

Einstein didn’t speak as a child
waiting till a sentence formed and
emerged full-blown from his head.

I do the thing, he later wrote, which
nature drives me to do. Does a fish
know the water in which he swims?

This came up in conversation
with a man I met by chance,
friend of a friend of a friend,

who passed through town carrying
three specimen boxes of insects
he’d collected in the Grand Canyon—

one for mosquitoes, one for honeybees,
one for butterflies and skippers,
each lined up in a row, pinned and labeled,

tiny morphologic differences
revealing how adaptation
happened over time. The deeper down

he hiked, the older the rock
and the younger
the strategy for living in that place.

And in my dining room the universe
found its way into this man
bent on cataloguing each innovation,

though he knows it will all disappear—
the labels, the skippers, the canyon.
We agreed then, the old friends and the new,

that it’s wrong to think people are a thing apart
from the whole, as if we’d sprung
from an idea out in space, rather than emerging

from the sequenced larval mess of creation
that binds us with the others,
all playing the endgame of a beautiful planet

that’s made us want to name
each thing and try to tell
its story against the vanishing.

~~ Alison Hawthorne Deming ~~
(Genius Loci)

Boann  and Bebhionn were as opposite as day and night, one as bright
and vibrant as the sun, the other as deep and sensual as the
night. Both were visions to behold. The sisters were always
very close—and sometimes prone to mischief in their curiosity,
for both were amazed by all manner of wonderful things in the
world. When they were old enough to marry, the sisters were
courted by several men. Bebhionn was happily wed to Aed Alainn.
The lovely Boann had caught the eye of Nechtain, the Keeper
of the Sacred Well of Segais.

Now, the Well of Segais was said to be full of the Waters of Inspiration
and Knowledge, and only Nechtain and his three cupbearers were
permitted to approach it, for one glance into the Well would,
in the very least, strike the violator blind.

While taking a walk one afternoon, Nechtain’s carefree path
led the two within distant eyesight of the Well. As beautiful
as it was ancient, the Well was surrounded by nine hazel trees,
heavily laden with the largest hazelnuts Boann had ever seen!
When Nechtain realized where he had taken them, he hastily turned,
and though he led them away once more, Boann’s thoughts
remained on the Well.

For days, Boann dreamt of the Well and imagined all manner of life
and gifts teeming within it. She was driven to discuss her preoccupation
with Bebhionn, whose eyes widened with wonder as Boann wove
her visions of the well around her sister. Bebhionn, being happily
married and uninterested in disfigurement, kept at bay the curiosity
that consumed her sister. She left Boann with a warning to avert
her thoughts as well.

One day while picking berries for a pie, Boann found herself once
more within eyesight of the Well. She waited. She saw no one.
She waited a bit more. Still, she saw none. She waited yet longer,
and suddenly, the stillness was broken when a splash echoed
toward her from within the Well. And then another. She took
a few careful steps toward the Well, and before her eyes, she
saw a great salmon jump out of the Waters, shimmering in rainbows
of sunlight, to eat of the hazelnuts on the trees surrounding
the Well. At the sight of the magnificent fish, Boann forgot
all about the warnings and dangers of the Well. She only wanted
to see for a moment. The Waters within were so inspiring that
the mere echo of their splashing enraptured the mind and amplified
the desire to gaze.

Boann approached the Well with an awe and innocence that belied her
age. She cautiously placed a hand on the side of the Well and
peered in. In an instant, the Well began to shake and to crack,
and the Waters rose up in a great wave. Boann let out a shocked
cry as the Waters whirled around and slashed her arm. Boann
began to run. Behind her, the Waters continued to spiral round
and round and finally slammed through the sides of the structure,
shattering the walls of stone. Freed from their ancient tomb,
the Waters began to chase after Boann, erasing her footprints
almost as fast as she made them.

On and on, across the breadth of the island, the Waters pursued
her until she finally leapt into the sea, where she was caught
by a startled Manannan mac Lir. The Waters were calmly assumed
into the Sea where they disappeared into the inky depths with
a final, silvery flicker. Manannan, surprised by the sudden
disruption in his day, looked toward the path where Boann had
come, taking in the breathtaking view of a silvery river, almost
laughing in its freedom and sparkling in the sunshine.

And  so it was that Boann freed the Waters of Knowledge and Inspiration
and brought them to the land.

The universe does not
revolve around you.
The stars and planets spinning
through the ballroom of space
dance with one another
quite outside of your small life.
You cannot hold gravity
or seasons; even air and water
inevitably evade your grasp.
Why not, then, let go?

You could move through time
like a shark through water,
neither restless or ceasing,
absorbed in and absorbing
the native element.
Why pretend you can do otherwise?
The world comes in at every pore,
mixes in your blood before
breath releases you into
the world again. Did you think
the fragile boundary of your skin
could build a wall?

Listen. Every molecule is humming
its particular pitch.
Of course you are a symphony.
Whose tune do you think
the planets are singing
as they dance?

~~ Lynn Ungar ~~
(Blessing the Bread)

While the Solstices were not as important to the ancient Irish as
the major fire festivals;

Lughnasadh (August 1), Beltane (May Day, May 1), Imbolc (February
1) and Samhain (Halloween), they were none the less celebrated.

The solstice, much like the fire festivals, was considered a
time when the veil between the worlds was thin and lines along
which the world of the natural and supernatural might merge.
Fairylore is full of creatures that come to life on mid-Summers
Eve, and many films, poems and other writings reflect these
ideas beautifully. While these themes have been relegated to
the world of children, it’s hard not to get excited on mid-Summer’s
Eve, read a few lines from the bard, and go back to a time when
the lines of the imagination drew in and out of these realities
with great ease.

My strongest mid-Summer association is often with the bard himself.
Mind you, the bard seems to have drawn a little inspiration
from the otherworld in his “Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

And as imagination bodies forth?
The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen?
Turn them to shapes, and gives to airy nothing?
A local habitation, and a name?

ACT V, Scene 1, A
Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

Over time, we’ve come to view these otherworldly creatures as
reflections of our own psyche, a means of taking parts of ourselves,
thinking of them symbolically and creating stories around them,
in order that we might better understand who we are and what
it means to be human. Above all, it enables us to align with
the world we live in and for many of us the easiest entrance
into that particular castle is through nature itself. Is it
any wonder we feel a certain alignment at mid-Summer. The old
Irish would have said it was ‘our’ time. The time of the people.
The time to do the business of living. Planting, sewing, reaping,
marrying – and for a brief time at mid-Summer wondering what
else is out there and what there might be to align with. For
this reason, it was known as the ‘light half’ of the year.

My childhood was full of fairy forts. There’s hardly a townland
in Ireland without a fort, fairy ring, holy well or some ‘place.’
Magical places were always thresholds, where rivers met or townlands
bounded each other. Magical times were when time met, dawn and
dusk. Of couse, no one had to explain this to us back then,
we ruled those worlds and happily travelled in and out of them
after school each day. Of course they were magic! Such a fuss!

So, here’s a simple fairy story, the first one I learned, and
the root story of one of the first songs I learned ‘De Luain,
De Mairt’ in celebration of the Summer, the Solstice and the
Celtic Imagination!

A Simple Fairy Story

Once upon a time there were two brothers who lived on the edge
of the woods. Both were born with a hideous humps on their back.

One day, one of the brothers set out to walk into the village.
While passing the fairy fort he heard music. The fairies came
out and invited him in. They played wonderful music for him,
fed him, played games with him and even took the lump from his
back. Delighted, he returned home to tell his brother of his
great adventure and good luck.

The next day, his brother set out and also heard music while
passing the fairy fort. The fairies invited him in. However,
he was not so lucky. They were cruel to him, whipped him and
gave him the lump from his brother’s back. The poor man went
home beaten, disappointed and carrying two humps on his back!

So, is there a moral to this story? I would say – no. Nor will
you find a moral in most fairy stories. An interesting thing
about fairylore is that it’s likely to interweave nicely with
whatever it is you believe in the first place. The one thing
it clearly does is reflect life. One day you walk down the street
and have a great day. For whatever reason, you walk down the
next day and all hell breaks loose!

Summer Breeze

Ogham is traditionally read from the bottom to the top as a means
of secret communication between the Celtic tribes and the Druid
priesthood. I advise reading Ogham today in the same traditional
manner so it adds it’s magical essence to the reading.

NcEtal-Reed

Full bounty rectifies the wasteland of life.

Luis-Rowan

Shedding the old is never easy yet it is an accomplishment of
it’s own.

Quert-Apple

Within the blossom exists the truth of many hidden qualities
of life.One must exemplify their attitudes in order to win over
the alignment of the energies this season.

Contemplation

Sweetness of life exits within the planes and boundaries of
the earths ley lines. Seek to find the meaning the energies
that are currently arriving that is connecting with the Sovereignty
and her land. By harnessing both sets of currents, time will
move swiftly yet productively, prepare to be more active this
season while being more aligned with nature. Remember to stay
grounded!

Forever Oneness,
who sings to us in silence,
who teaches us through each other.
Guide my steps with strength and wisdom.
May I see the lessons as I walk,
honor the Purpose of all things.
Help me touch with respect,
always speak from behind my eyes.
Let me observe, not judge.
May I cause no harm,
and leave music and beauty after my visit.
When I return to forever
may the circle be closed
and the spiral be broader.

~~ Bee Lake ~~
(Aboriginal poet)

Medford, OR:
Come celebrate Beltane with Clan of the Triple Horses at one of our favorite sacred spaces, the beautiful Labyrinth at Rogue Valley Medical Center, Medford, Oregon.

We will have a brief Rite at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 5, 2011.
The Rite will honor the tradition of Ár nDraíocht
Féin: A Druid Fellowship, highlighted by each participant
walking the Labyrinth at his or her own pace and with respect
for his or her privacy. Our Rite will celebrate the weaving
together of male and female, body and spirit—the “fertility”
yielding new life, new creativity and new directions. This will
be strictly symbolic and families will be welcome.

The Rite will be brief to allow time for personal walking and
reflection. Each participant is invited to bring a candle to
burn at the Center during our Rite and a small biodegradable
offering to the Nature Spirits. No one will be turned away for
lack of these items. Offerings will also be provided.

We can adjourn to a nearby, reasonably priced restaurant or
coffee house for food, drink and catching up after the Rite.
Join us to celebrate the Spark of Life!

We have not set a date or location for our Midsummer Rite. We are
looking at several possible sites at this time. Updated will be posted on www.triplehorses.weebly.com and on RDGTalk.

Our website: http://triplehorses.weebly.com

Our contact info:
medford.grove@reformed-druids.org

Seasonal blessings,
Clan of the Triplehorses Grove

And next year in Dryad’s Realm!

In Gaia,
Ceridwen Seren-Ddaear, Senior Archdruid RDG &
Sybok Pendderwydd, Senior Clerk, RDG / Patriarch, OMS
Contact
eureka.grove@reformed-druids.org

The Mother Grove is the home of the Senior Archdruid of RDG and of the Patriarch of the Order of the Mithril Star.

Colorado Springs, CO:
The Season of Awakening leaves quietly as the portal of Calan Mai opens and ushers in fertility energy for the upcoming grove ritual celebrating the Season of Flourishing to be held on Tuesday, May 5, 2011 at 8:20 AM in N.Cheyenne Canon. Colorado Springs, CO.

Clergy has taken up visits with local Hospice’s in the city limits to preform Reiki and Last Rites.

On Alban Eilier, CoS held a re-balancing ritual to tune us into the tides of the forthcoming growing season.

The CoS website has been taken down and is in the process of a new skin, Gwyl Awst is the deadline for the new site to published In the meantime stay tuned to the Face Book site.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Circle-of-Stones/117600581588209

Midsummer is considered to be a focal point thus all members are reminded that this is a time of considerable solar power and to focus intent and energy into their workings as per stated in the Ogham reading submitted by the Arch Druid, Rev. Druid Patricia Vialpando in this issue of Druid’s Egg.

Speaking of the Arch Druid, she launched a wonderful presentation titled
Physical Aromatic Touch on Earth Day April 22, 2011 for her new business Nature Speaks Apothecary. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nature-Speaks-Apothecary/189115187767354

Also a very special Happy Birthday to our Preceptor, Rev. Lloyd Pauli, he turned 83 years young on May 2nd.

That’s all the news for this season. Have a great Summer!
nt- Arch Druid Dyddgu

Official website – http://www.circleofstones.us
Official Contact email – info@circleofstones.us
Contact email – coloradosprings.grove@reformed-druids.org

Twitter – http://twitter.com/CircleofStones9

COS Blog – http://thecircleofstones.blogspot.com

Facebook Fan Page: New website link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Circle-of-Stones/117600581588209

RDG ProtoGrove, Agoura Hills, CA:
Rabbit in the Moon Grove continues to meet monthly for private ritual, and also continues to provide a core Pagan group for our local UU church. We all also participate with Raven’s Cry Grove, ADF in their work. Archdruid Michael (me) is also Chieftain and Senior Druid of Raven’s Cry, so our relationship with ADF is a strong one but not exclusive by any means. In April, we presented “The Wicker Man” movie at the UU church, and in May we will present our own druid style ritual at the church, honoring the Egyptian gods and goddesses. Our Rabbit folk held a private rite and business meeting on May 1, including the eating of chocolate rabbits
(a suggestion from El, by the way). No, we don’t take ourselves overly seriously…

We do have some serious plans for June though. It is our intent to have a set of bylaws approved which will support our charter as a full grove we plan to receive at the Gathering. Of course, we will be preparing our ritual to present at the Gathering, and give it a tryout as our private rite for late June. The June rite will be our first time inviting guests to be with us, looking toward the possibility of their eventually becomingmembers. Excitement levels of all of us are way up looking forward to our 600 mile trek up to the Gathering. We are a crazy bunch when it comes to traveling for our spiritual path!
Three more of our Rabbit folk plan to complete their vigil (one completing her second order also) and become third order before our trip, and the remaining one may well have her second order accomplished also.

We have a web presence – only a name and one page right now, but watch us grow! http://ritmg.info

Our activities are listed on Witchvox and the L.A. Pagan Examiner.

Contact: agourahills.grove@reformed-druids.org

AD Michael

RDG ProtoGrove, Crossville, TN:
No news this season…

Our online Family can be found at: http://bseriousseekersonly.runboard.com/
after making a free account with runboard, and applying
at the above link.

Contact: crossville.grove@reformed-druids.org

 

Middleburg, FL:
The Grove is going through an ‘inward’ phase, and this has resulted in Archdruid Penda’s receiving the AWEN and being inspired to tell a story. This is the beginning…

As I look towards the skies above I feel the hunger that has plagued my brethren for eons. My young gaze at me with mouths agape hoping for even a scrap to eat. I look into their eyes and and offer what little reassurance i can.

I wait for the morning fog to burn off as the air slowly warms. My young
begin to become vocal as the sun warms our home within the clouds. They tell me it is time mother, t to begin today’s search for food. I look at my babies and tell them today we will feast.

As the sun rises above the rock face and trees that we call home, the
air around me begins to move around me. I Time to leave you
alone as i search for what our world will bring today.

I look out over the cliff that we call home. The warm breeze hits me
as i stretch to greet it. I lean forwards Into the winds and with no thought I jump from the cliff Into the empty skies. The wind against my body reminds me of the vastness and wonder of my world.

Behind me the cliffs I call home look smaller as the warm wind lifts me higher. Before me lies the great sea still shrouded in a blanket fog. Slowly i begin to circle the skies as i drift further from my home. As the warm air rises, I look around what may lie below me in the meadow. The colors distract me for a moment as I take in the wonder below. The lush green grasses are set ablaze by the flowers opening to the new days sun. I circle the fields hoping to find today’s meal. Not seeing anything, I move westward toward the sea. The winds
move faster as the morning turns Into mid day and i climb higher into the sky.

I wonder If today will be like the day before, a small bird was all i could find and share with my hungry babies. Today may be different I think as I see my friends circling In the distance towards the sea. I Join them in the search and move towards the rocky cliffs that mark the border of our homeland. We stop to rest on the top of the cliff. As in the past, we know here maybe enough food to share and satisfy the bellies of our young.

Below us lies a small strip of sand that may hold today’s bounty. We watch
as the water rolls into the sandy spit of land. We watch and wait patiently as more of the sands are exposed to the light of the day. Suddenly I see a large grey mass lying on the warming sands. I wait for any movement from the mass but see none. We know this beach well. There are no large grey boulders here i thought. Again I take flight, slowly gliding towards the sands. The grey mass looks bigger as i glide closer. I do see my kind joining me in the air. We see some movement down below around the mass. As we glide closer, I discover that the movement is just the gulls and terns that live on the cliffs above. They take flight as we come in for a closer look. Still no movement as we hit the cold moist sands. Moving closer i see the mass has short grey fur and has been lying here overnight. The scent is heavy of the salt air and the freshly washed ashore mass. As we move closer, the last of
the gulls take flight freeing us to approach with ease. The scent is something we remember from long ago. It Is a great feast one we have not seen in many seasons. Before us lies a gift from the sea., a godsend in these days of hunger. We begin moving into our feast and singing our song of happiness. Our song fill the air as we greedily tear into our find.

To be continued…

Till next time,
Penda, Archdruid
Contact: middleburg.grove@reformed-druids.org

Redding, CA:
No news this season…

Our fledging web presence is at: http://www.myspace.com/manzanita_druids

Blessings of Summer,
Tiffiny /|\
ArchDruid, Grove of the Manzanita, RDG
Contact: anderson.grove@reformed-druids.org

Although it’s not a “Grove”, the NoDaL still qualifies as an “autonomous collective” of the Reformed Druids of Gaia, and consists of all the 3rd Order Druids therein. The purpose of the NoDaL is to provide a space for Archdruids of the RDG Groves and Proto-Groves to discuss the many aspects of running a group of Druids, and provide advice and support for each other. They also act as the “legislative” branch of the RDG – creating policy as needed.

In January the NoDaL voted to make some changes to the hierarchic system  used by RDG. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd Degrees will henceforth be
called “Orders.” In regard to members of the 3rd Order, it is henceforth a requirement that members of the 3rd Order participate in the NoDaL debates and votes, which are done in within an internet group.

The members of the Nemeton request that anyone interested in having
input in RDG policy, please share their concerns or suggestions.
You may write the NoDaL at senior.clerk@reformed-druids.org

Philadelphia, PA:
Currently meeting in the lush emerald woods of Fairmount Park in the city of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection (commonly know as Philadelphia), Aelvenstar Grove honors Mother Earth. The grove was formally founded Beltaine, 2004 and is a proto grove of the Reformed Druids of Gaia/Order
of the Mithril Star and the Reformed Druids Of North America. In addition, we are associated with other pagan organizations such as Per NTR Sesen and Temple Harakhte.

Looking to our ancestors and the ancients, Aelvenstar Druids respect
all life and receive inspiration from Nature and the heavens. We believe it is the natural state of Mankind to live in harmony with Nature. and that it is our responsibility to respect and protect the Earth. As activists, it is our responsibility to do our part collectively and individually to heal the environment.

Emphasizing development through the practice of Druidcraft, focus is placed upon personal growth through the development of body, mind,
and spirit. Through study, discussions, rituals, retreats, fellowship, and meditation, a spiritual framework is provided through which Druids may further develop themselves.

Aelvenstar Grove holds eight celebrations a year, on the solstices, equinoxes, and cross quarter festivals. We sometimes meet on other occasions for outings and initiations. Online meetings and initiations
are held too, as some members live a distance away.

We welcome new members of all backgrounds who love nature and seek
spirituality permeated in the divine beauty and wonder that surrounds us. Nature is groovy!

Courses available: Reformed Druidism 101

Website: http://www.aelvenstargrove.org

Email: philadelphia.grove@reformed-druids.org

For more information about Reformed Druidism, visit
http://reformed-druids.org

Live Oak , FL:
Greetings!
White Horse ProtoGrove is sorta in idle mode at the moment………….I
am back at college working on my LPN & doing pre-requisites
for my RN at the moment & have been very busy……..

Blessings, Ann Feather

Contact: sebring.grove@reformed-druids.org

Roots Rocks and Stars
RDG “Proto-Grove”

Albany, OR:
Roots Rocks and Stars currently consists of three humans and two canine companions. We people are all college students, one in natural resources, one in Literature, and one in history. We live together in a small apartment in Corvallis Oregon’s north end. We are all ethnically descended from British Isle and French folks (some Native Canadian/American ancestry as well) and this colors our rituals. We are primarily dedicated to Cernunnos, Epona, Brigid, and Cerridwen but actually tend toward an abiding devotion to nature and spirit without too much investment in names and images. Our rituals tend to involve home-cooking and plenty of beer.

Contact: albany.grove@reformed-druids.org

No news this season from:

Thorn & Rose
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
RDG “Proto-Grove”

calgary.grove@reformed-druids.org