Ah, the season of Love, sultry Summer nights with bonfires and drum circles on one’s favourite beach, picnics in the park, and strolls through a beautiful redwood forest while the rhododendrons are blooming…that
is, if one has the time!
Most Druids are busy people, and the local Mother Grove is no exception.
We’ve had an influx of new members who are much younger than the
founders, and bringing to the group a lot of energy and enthusiasm and a desire to be involved in more activities…
Speaking of which – in less than 3 months from now, we’ll be hosting our
Fourth Annual Redwood Coast Druid Gathering at Humboldt Redwoods
State Park here in Northern California. We’ve had some people commit
to presenting workshops already – but we do have plenty of room for more – so if you are planning to attend this year, and you would like to present a workshop of your own, please email us.
For more info on the Gathering, and to REGISTER, click on this banner:
Oh, and I should mention that I’ll be doing in-person Ordinations for all eligible members who show up at the Gathering, so if you are ready to do so, you won’t want to miss this opportunity to celebrate your elevation with lots of fellow Druids and Waterkin! 🙂
We’ve also been holding regular Reiki shares and other Lightworker-type
activities locally and incorporating them into our Druid practice – and the results have been very exciting and empowering for all of us! It will be interesting to see where all this will take us – both in our local work and in our Gaian outreach and connections… 🙂
Wishing everyone an enlightening and enjoyable Summer season,
In Gaia, Ceridwen Seren-Ddaear /|\
Editor-in-Chief
Senior Archdruid of OMS/RDG
Growing Closer
by OMS Patriarch Ellis Arseneau
It’s Beltane, and Beltane is about sex, and sex is the ultimate in growing closer. As a Pagan, I’m not at all adverse to unbridled, uninhibited, hedonistic love. On Beltane we especially celebrate our oneness. “Thou art God and I am God and all that groks is God.”
Sex is the closest we get on Earth to “the great link,” that time in our past and in our future, when we leave our individuality behind and melt together with the other gods and become one as God.
The Beltane tradition is simple: on this night, marriage vows of fidelity
are set aside, and you may love anyone of your choosing (assuming
they also choose you) or as many as you can take on. It’s not a contest, and no one is counting. Just freely love and be loved and leave jealousy and possessiveness behind, at least for this one night. So it was in Ireland at least up until the decades prior to World War II. The people would gather together on the hilltops all across Ireland, naked and free, celebrating life and fertility.
It is said that children born of these Beltane couplings were revered
as “Faery Children,” and at least one source tells us that the surname prefix “Fitz” references this. So it was that among the Belfires of the first of May, a great communal coupling took place, which assured abundant harvest at the end of the year, and also had the effect of binding the community together.
Why don’t we do this today? Why are Pagans in America so hung up about sex in general? Part of it is the brainwashing we all receive beginning at an early age concerning sex and nudity and monogamy. Most of us, by the time we become Pagans, realize intellectually anyway that this was all Christian brain washing. A few of us can even
take the next step, and toss away some of our inhibitions about nudity. But an orgy on a hilltop? Most of us can’t organize a bonfire, let alone an orgy. And for the most part we are all carrying around the baggage of jealousy and possessiveness and sometimes without even thinking about it. You can blame our Puritan ancestors if you want, but much of our conditioning comes from the media, and the media is a great instiller of Christian values, even if they’re not called that.
On the other hand, we all admire the Pagans who can shed their clothes and walk amongst us at Pagan festivals in pride, clothed as nature intended. We’ll never do that of course. We have kids who would
be shocked. Our bodies are old or fat or out of shape. We’re reserving
our nakedness for our spouse. And as for sex with a stranger? Well,
I personally don’t advocate sex with strangers, I advocate keeping
it within the tribe. But sex with someone other than your spouse is perfectly fine (taking the proper health-related precautions, of course), though it’s even better if your spouse approves.
Beltane is about being “swingers for a day.” Just one day a year with the magical purpose of bringing about prosperity to the tribe. Sex magic abounds – incorporating the Eastern practice of Tantra into a Western expression is common. The rest of the time fidelity is the rule and it should be honored, whether the relationship is a monogamous one or a polyfidelitous one.
Among Pagans, there is no such thing as sexual harassment, at least not to the extremes that have been established in the American workplace. Pagan men and women are true equals in every way; therefore the problem of one coming from a place of “power over” doesn’t exist. A lecherous glance at a nice pair of breasts, or a well hung schlong, is a compliment – not an assault. Well-adjusted Pagans
know and accept this, and even play into it. Why not be admired, and admire, sexually?
This is not to say that rape never occurs in the Pagan community; it
has, it’s tragic and it should be dealt with both legally and magically.
On the other hand, my best friend was accused of rape by members
of the Pagan organization he was then associated with. They even
held a little “witch trial” where women came forth to testify against him. It was a travesty. A kangaroo court. A witch trial. He never forced himself on anyone, and his “victims” gave clear indication that they were willing and not coerced. This was a dark chapter in American Paganism where the Puritanical values of our past were resurrected and applied for political reasons and for naught else. Actually I’ve seen it happen time and time again, where a Pagan who is sexually balanced and celebrated for so being, will later be vilified for his/her sexuality when it is politically expedient – usually by “pagans” who have one foot
(or a foot and an arm, or leg and maybe even half their body) in
Christianity.
But I digress…….
It’s Beltane. Let’s shake off the chains and shackles of our still very
christian based society, and let’s be Pagans, at least for this one day (better if we can do it every day). My friend Adam used to sing, “Hey, hey for the 1st of May! Outdoor shtuping begins today!”
So say we all!
May the FOREST be with you always,
And may you never thirst for the waters of life.
Druid El Arseneau, Patriarch
Order of the Mithril Star
Let us bless
The imagination of the Earth.
That knew early the patience
To harness the mind of time,
Waited for the seas to warm,
Ready to welcome the emergence
Of things dreaming of voyaging
Among the stillness of land.
And how light knew to nurse
The growth until the face of the Earth
Brightened beneath a vision of color.
When the ages of ice came
And sealed the Earth inside
An endless coma of cold,
The heart of the Earth held hope,
Storing fragments of memory,
Ready for the return of the sun.
When the ages of ice came
Let us thank the Earth
That offers ground for home
And holds our feet firm
To walk in space open
To infinite galaxies.
When the ages of ice came
Let us salute the silence
And certainty of mountains:
Their sublime stillness,
Their dream-filled hearts.
When the ages of ice came
The wonder of a garden
Trusting the first warmth of spring
Until its black infinity of cells
Becomes charged with dream;
Then the silent, slow nurture
Of the seed’s self, coaxing it
To trust the act of death.
When the ages of ice came
The humility of the Earth
That transfigures all
That has fallen
Of outlived growth.
When the ages of ice came
The kindness of the Earth,
Opening to receive
Our worn forms
Into the final stillness.
Let us ask forgiveness of the Earth
For all our sins against her:
For our violence and poisonings
Of her beauty.
Let us remember within us
The ancient clay,
Holding the memory of seasons,
The passion of the wind,
The fluency of water,
The warmth of fire,
The quiver-touch of the sun
And shadowed sureness of the moon.
That we may awaken,
To live to the full
The dream of the Earth
Who chose us to emerge
And incarnate its hidden night
In mind, spirit, and light.
~~ John O’Donohue ~~
(To Bless the Space Between Us)
A Labyrinth Journey
(Lovingly contributed by Jackie Greer
Clan of the Triple Horses Grove, RDG)
Beltane night. Journey in spirit to where Needfires burn on every surrounding hillside, showers of sparks exploding to dance skyward with the stars.
Each spark from your own Clan’s Needfire is a prayer, an intention,
instantly received in the Celestial Realms. The Veil is thin tonight. As you gaze into the fire for an eternal instant, the darkness beyond the fire is suddenly pierced by a thousand twinkling lights.
In wonder you pass through the fire, not harmed in the least. The fire has become a portal to the realm of the Fey, and each light is a Fey Spirit, some beautiful, some not so “beautiful,” but each fully visible to your astonished eyes.
“Welcome,” a melodious voice chimes. “See me in whatever you form you like, for our worlds are
united, as are all things on this night. We celebrate the union of Male and Female, Passion and Will, Blood and Bone, Darkness and Light. Nothing can be created until the whole is complete, releasing the park of Life in the eternal, conjoining instant. Journey with us tonight to find that Spark at the Center of your Soul.”
You follow your Fey Guide to the entrance to a labyrinth laid out in stones in the middle of the clearing. You hesitate. What lurks around each of those twisting curves?
“We will be with you. Do not fear,” the voice chimes. You step in. Something awaits you at each curve. A fear? A hurt? Someone who has betrayed you? Loneliness? Spiritual darkness? One of the tasks, chores and worries that threaten to overwhelm you? But on this Beltane night, each curve’s vision vanishes, revealing a glimmering Fey Spirit in its place.
Each curve becomes narrower. With a start you find yourself at the Center, where countless Fey Spirits whirl, leap and dance around their own Beltane Needfire. You join them, slowly at first, soon whirling in ecstasy, aware of nothing except the joy of a Soul
stripped of everything but its passion, its will and its intent. Time vanishes as you dance in a realm of pure Light.
After an eternity that is an instant, the whirling slows; the Light fades into a golden glow. You rest, purged of all but the Spark of Knowing that has been consummated within you.
Dawn breaks as the fires twinkle out on the distant hills. You thank
the Fey Spirits and wish one another a safe journey. As you leave
the Center and spiral outward, a Fey Spirit offers you a Gift at every turn – a vision of a loved one’s face, a sip of mead, a piece of Elven Bread, a simple “thank you” for joining them in celebration.
As the path breaks to the outside, you turn, face the Center, and
whisper,” Thank you,” knowing you will return and be blessed by this sacred space whenever the Fey Spirits bid you welcome. But the new spark within you will never desert you.
A Ceremony
(Exerpt)
We will grow old, and older.
One of us will die, and then the other.
The earth itself will be impaled
on sunspokes. It doesn’t matter.
We have been imprinted on the protons
of energy herself,
and so stand in another atmosphere,
where an undiscovered star we will never live to see
casts shadows on a grove of succulents we cannot yet imagine.
There our interchangeable features still vibrate and blur,
each smile half of one circle,
each utterance spiraling like light
upward in shudders along the spine
as if the moon and you and I were slivers
of one mirror, gazing on herself at last.
~~ Robin Morgan ~~
The Cerne Abbas Giant
The Cerne Abbas Giant or the ‘Rude Man’ is one of the largest hill figures in Britain, he (the figure’s gender is beyond doubt) is one of two representations of the human form, the other being the Long Man of Wilmington in East Sussex. The giant, carved in solid lines from the chalk bedrock measures in at 180 feet high, and carries a huge knobbled club, which measures 120 feet in length.
The first written record of the giant appears in 1751 in a letter
by Dorset historian John Hutchins, he suggested that the figure
was cut in the mid 1600’s. Another slightly later reference to
the figure can be found in the Gentleman’s magazine of 1764, where the figure is described and depicted with a navel, that has long since disappeared. The lack of earlier references is frustrating but does not mean that the figure dates to the 17th century, and its style and proximity to an Iron Age earthwork suggests a much earlier origin.
Thereare numerous theories as to when and why the giant was created, one of the more popular is that he is the Greek-Roman god Hercules, who is often represented with a club and an animal fur. It has been suggested that the figure was once depicted carrying and animal fur in his left hand. It is possible that worship of Hercules arrived in the early part of the Roman invasion, which was then became amalgamated with a god of a local Celtic tribe. The theory given the most weight by historians is that it was created during the reign of the Emperor Commodus between 180 – 193 AD, he believed himself to be a reincarnation of Hercules and allowed the cult to revive.
Other stories suggest that the monks at the nearby monastery cut the giant as a joke on an Abbott called Thomas Corton, who was expelled from the area for malpractice. This is unlikely but its close proximity to a ecclesiastical house is strange, how could such an obviously pagan symbol have survived for so long? especially through puritanical times and the reformation. It may be that the religious buildings were built close to the giant as a form of amalgamation of the pagan site. This was common practice, and many churches are built on, or near to, sites that were once Pagan religious centres.
Folklore
According to one tradition, recorded from a farm labourer in the
Gentleman’s Magazine, the figure is the representation of a Danish giant who had led an invasion of England from the coast. He had fallen asleep on the side of the hill, and the local villagers
had taken advantage of his slumber and cut off his head. They
had then drawn around his prone body in the manner of a gigantic police chalk line, to show where he met his doom. However, the chalk figure sometimes rose from the dead on dark nights, to quench his thirst in the local stream, a habit also common to certain standing stones.
The giant’s obvious sexuality and virility was put to use in fertility
folk magic. Local women who wanted to conceive would spend a night alone on the hillside – most productively within the confines
of his giant phallus, and young couples would make love on the
giant to ensure conception.
Sleeping on the giant was also thought to be a good way to ensure a future wedding for unmarried women. Just above the giant’s head is a small Iron Age earthwork that encloses a roughly square piece of land, this is known as the ‘Frying Pan’ or the ‘Trendle’, and it was within this enclosure that the Mayday Maypole was erected during the festival celebrations. Like many traditional village Maypole ceremonies, this practice died out in the 19th century.
Directions: Half a mile North of Cerne Abbas, Dorset, the best viewpoint is beside the A352.
She who reconciles the ill-matched threads
of her life, and weaves them gratefully
into a single cloth —
it’s she who drives the loudmouths from the hall
and clears it for a different celebration
Where the one guest is you.
In the softness of evening
it’s you she receives.
You are the partner of her loneliness,
the unspeaking center of her monologues.
With each disclosure you encompass more
and she stretches beyond what limits her,
to hold you.
~~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~~ (Rilke’s Book of Hours: Love Poems to God, translated by Anita Barrows and Joanna Macy)
I am dusk
And all soft things
Which permeate,
The whisper
Of purple and blue
At the edge of the earth
And all along the curve of your mind.
I am woman,
Formed and shaped
Out of the mystery
That boils at the heart of the universe,
Yet stands and breathes
Just a heartbeat away.
Do you want me?
I am already yours.
I was given
In the beginning of your dreams.
I belong to you
As sound is shaped by silence
And shadow is cast from substance.
I am the stillness
That wakens you in the night
And stirs your ashes
Into thoughts of God/dess and life
And the scent of my hair.
I am woman,
The pulse
Which runs like a chant
And a drumbeat
Under your thought,
Then shifts and rises
In the gentle choir
Of soul and thought
That yields your dreams.
Do you want me? I am already yours.
We were carved
Each
By the edge of the other
As space and substance
Clasp and define one another.
I am the hollow of your hand,
The curve of your soul.
Yet know that
That which arcs the universe
Into time and space and form,
And that which sifts the infinite
Into stars and dreams and breath,
And the sweet drift of the scent of my hair
Is the possession, the eternal possession,
Of that which is never possessed…
I am shadow
And all that follows
And yet eludes.
I am woman,
I am the other side of love…
I am the other name for you.
~~ Source Unknown ~~
In your hands I place my heart
Beating true to what is held dear.
And into your keeping I give my soul
Radiant with the reflection of your light.
If you should have need, I will know
For we are bound beyond time forevermore.
Your arms are my haven and my stronghold.
My body is your comfort in the storm.
Bound in a circle of fire and steel
Our spirits will find each other through the years.
~~ Source Unknown ~~
The minute
I heard my first love story,
I started looking for you,
not knowing how blind that was.
Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere,
they’re in each other all along.
~~ Rumi ~~
Consecrated Condoms:
The Safe and PC Way
to do the Great Rite
Dress decorated with condoms at the first Shenzhen Sex Culture Festival in China.
Metaphysical shops all over are installing condom machines dispensing consecrated condoms. These condoms are blessed for use in various activities and rites.
A sampling of the different types are:
The Fertility Rite condom: Green, anointed with fertility oils,
and a pinhole is included. For use at Beltane orgies by people
who want to look PC but secretly want to get/make pregnant with
the child of the “King Stag”.
The Anonymous God condom: Blessed to allow the wearer to remain anonymous during the act. The recipient of the blessing will not remember who it was, but will remember how good it was.
The Man in the Wood condom: Consecrated to allow the wearer to
maintain the act indefinitely. Immensely useful for those users
who have problems keeping the act going.
Anointed with “Maintain” gel.
The Jack “off” the Green condom: Blessed art those who
engage in the act with themselves. Can also be used by those who
enjoy the use of another’s hands on” experience for their
magical expurgations.
The Trickster condom: Will it work, or won’t it work? You won’t
know ’til a few weeks later.
The Panpipe condom: Blessed with the ability to play 4 different
ethereal songs, depending upon the speed and force of each thrust.
The Satyr/Nymph condom: Sloppy seconds? No more! This condom has
been ritually blessed to allow the wearer to conduct in several
sessions; no muss no fuss, it’s self-cleaning!
The Necromancer condom: For when it’s necessary to raise the dead.
(Disclaimer: Not responsible for maggots, rotted flesh, or zombified
participants during use. Use at your own risk.)
Truly, we live with mysteries too marvelous
to be understood.
How grass can be nourishing in the
mouths of the lambs.
How rivers and stones are forever
in allegiance with gravity
while we ourselves dream of rising.
How two hands touch and the bonds
will never be broken.
How people come, from delight or the
scars of damage,
to the comfort of a poem.
Let me keep my distance, always, from those
who think they have the answers.
Let me keep company always with those who say
“Look!” and laugh in astonishment,
and bow their heads.
~~ Mary Oliver ~~
(Evidence)
Plant Mythology & Lore
In many cases, human life ends with death and burial in the ground. Plants are just the opposite. They emerge from the earth and draw nourishment from it. For this reason, many mythological traditions associate plants with birth or rebirth and with the eternal cycle of life springing forth from death.
The magical plant or herb of immortality sought by Gilgamesh, the hero of ancient Mesopotamian mythology, provides one example of how myths use plants as symbols of life and of the healing power of nature. However, because some plants yield poisons and some die in winter, plants can also represent death and decay.
Various trees, shrubs, herbs, grains, flowers, and fruit appear in myths and legends as general symbols of rebirth, decay, and immortality. Some plants have acquired much more specific meaning in folklore.
Acanthus.
The acanthus plant grows throughout much of the Mediterranean region. Its large leaves appear in many ancient sculptures, especially on top of columns in the Greek style called Corinthian. Legend says that after a young girl’s death, her nurse placed her possessions in a basket near her tomb. An acanthus plant grew around the basket and enclosed it. One day the sculptor Callimachus noticed this arrangement and was inspired to design the column ornament.
Bamboo.
The jointed, cane-like bamboo plant plays a role in Asian folklore. Because bamboo is sturdy and always green, the Chinese regard it as a symbol of long life. In the creation story of the Andaman Islanders of the Indian Ocean, the first man is born inside a large stalk of bamboo. Philippine Islanders traditionally believed that bamboo crosses in their fields would bring good crops.
Beans.
Beans have been an important food source for many cultures, except for the ancient Egyptians, who thought beans were too sacred to eat. Many Native Americans – from the Iroquois of the Northeast to the Hopi of the Southwest – hold festivals in honor of the bean. Europeans traditionally baked bean cakes for a feast on the Christian holiday of Epiphany, or Twelfth Night.
Some ancient lore linked beans with the dead. The Greek philosopher Pythagoras thought that the souls of the dead resided within beans, while the Romans dreaded the lemurs – the evil spirits of the dead – who brought misfortune on a home by pelting it with beans at night.
Immortality: ability to live forever
Deity: god or goddess
Cereal Grains.
Grain-bearing cereal grasses, “the bread of life,” are basic to the diets of most cultures. Rice is the staple grain
throughout much of southern Asia. In many Asian cultures, people perform rituals to honor the rice spirit or a deity of rice, usually a female. Some peoples, such as the Lamet of northern Laos, believe in a special energy or life force shared only by human beings and rice.
Although maize, a grain native to the Americas, is now called corn, many Europeans traditionally used the word corn to refer to such grains as barley, wheat, and oats. Europeans often spoke of female corn spirits – either maidens, mothers, or grandmothers. Grain waving in the wind, for example, was said to mark the path of the Corn Mother. Such sayings may have come from ancient beliefs
that grains were sacred to harvest goddesses such as Greek Demeter and Roman Ceres.
In Central America, the Maya believed that human beings were made from maize. After attempts with other materials failed, the gods succeeded in creating people by using ground maize mixed with water.
Clover.
The Druids of the British Isles regarded clover as sacred, with both good and evil meanings. According to legend, however, St. Patrick later converted the Pagan Irish to Christianity by using the three-part cloverleaf as an example of the Trinity: God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in one. Clover came to represent fertility and prosperity in English folklore, and dreaming of clover foretold a happy marriage.
Coffee.
Legends from various parts of the world tell how people learned of the stimulating properties of caffeine, contained in the beans of the coffee bush. An Ethiopian story says that a goatherd noticed that the beans from a particular bush made his goats unusually alert and frisky. People sampled the beans and determined that they might be useful for keeping people awake during evening religious ceremonies. Similar tales from Europe and South America also relate
that people discovered the effects of caffeine in coffee by observing animals.
Ginseng.
The ginseng root has long been prized in Asia for its medicinal properties. It was also thought to provide strength and sexual energy. A Korean legend says that a poor boy caring for his dying father prayed to the mountain spirit, who appeared to him in a dream and showed him where to find ginseng. A drink made from the root cured the father. Another legend tells of a man who found ginseng and tried to sell it at a high price. When his greed led to his arrest, he ate the root, which made him so strong that he overpowered his guards and escaped.
Ivy.
The leaves and vine of the ivy, which remain green year round, often symbolize immortality. The plant was associated with Dionysus, the Greek god of wine (Roman Bacchus), who wore a crown of ivy and carried a staff encircled with the vine.
Laurel.
The evergreen laurel tree or shrub occurs in many varieties, including cinnamon and sassafras. Greek mythology says that Daphne, a nymph who rejected the love of Apollo, was turned into a laurel tree. The laurel was sacred to Apollo, whose priestesses were said to chew its leaves in order to become oracles. The Greeks also crowned some of their champions with laurel wreaths. According to English
mythology, if two lovers take a laurel stick, break it in half,
and keep the pieces, they will always remain faithful to each
other.
Leek.
The leek – vegetable with a stalk of leaves layered like
the skins of an onion – is the national emblem of Wales.
According to legend, St. David, the patron saint of Wales, ordered a troop of Welsh soldiers to put leeks in their caps to identify each other during a battle. When the Welsh side won, the soldiers thanked the saint – and the leek – for the victory.
Mandrake.
The mandrake plant has properties that bring on sleep or reduce pain. Many folklore traditions link the plant with sexual behavior. In the biblical book of Genesis, for example, Jacob’s wife, Leah, obtains mandrake root to become pregnant. The Arabs called the plant devil’s apples because they considered the arousal of sexual desire to be evil. Medieval Christians associated the mandrake with devil worship, and witches were believed to make images of
their victims from mandrake root. According to one European tradition, a mandrake root cries out when pulled from the ground.
Manioc.
Flour made from the manioc root is a traditional staple food of the Amazon peoples of South America. A story about Mani, an old, much-loved village leader, explains the origin of manioc. Before dying, Mani promised to come back to take care of his people, and he told them to dig in the ground a year after his death. What they found was the manioc root, Mani’s body turned into food.
Magical Wedding Gift
The Trio people of South America have a myth about Paraparawa, who lived before people were farmers. Paraparawa caught a big fish one day, but just as he was about to eat it, the fish became a beautiful woman. Paraparawa wanted to marry the woman, so she asked her father to bring a wedding feast. Out of the river he came, a huge alligator – some say a giant snake – with yams, yucca, sweet potatoes, and bananas. Following his bride’s
instructions, Paraparawa put the food in the ground. Each plant then became a hundred plants and provided plenty of food for all. Later Paraparawa planted the remains of the meal, which became another bountiful harvest. This is how people learned to farm.
Mistletoe.
The mistletoe plant, which grows in trees, appears in European legends as a symbol of fertility and eternal life, perhaps because it remains green all winter. Unlike most plants, mistletoe thrives without being rooted in soil. This may explain why many cultures have believed it to be heavenly or supernatural. Mistletoe has also been said to offer protection from sorcery and evil spells. The Druids believed that mistletoe had great healing properties,
especially if it was gathered without the use of a knife and never allowed to touch the ground.
Some Africans compare the mistletoe on a tree to the soul in the body, and they believe that mistletoe in a house brings good luck. In Norse mythology, mistletoe was sacred to the beloved god Balder, but the evil god Loki used trickery to kill Balder with a stalk of mistletoe fashioned into a dart.
Myrtle.
An evergreen shrub, myrtle is associated with birth and rebirth in European mythology. The ancient Greeks carried myrtle with them when they colonized new lands to symbolize the beginning of a new life. The Greeks also associated myrtle with Aphrodite, the goddess of love.
Parsley.
The Greeks believed that the herb parsley grew from the blood of a hero named Achemorus, who was killed by a serpent. At games held in his honor, they crowned the winners with parsley wreaths. Both the Greeks and the Romans regarded parsley as a symbol of death and rebirth. They often put parsley on tombs, and someone “in need of parsley” was on the verge of death.
Thistle.
A Scottish legend tells how the thistle, a plant with purple blooms and prickly stems and leaves, became a national emblem. Around A.D. 950, Norse raiders invaded Scotland. As they crept toward a Scottish camp after dark, one of them stepped on a thistle. The resulting cry of pain awoke the Scots, who drove the invaders away and saved Scotland.
Tobacco.
The tobacco plant originated in the Americas, and smoking dried tobacco leaves was part of many Native American rituals. Native Americans of different regions developed various
Myths about tobacco: In the Southwest and Central America, tobacco is associated with rainfall because tobacco smoke resembles clouds that bring rain. A story from southeastern North America says that tobacco’s origin was related to sex. A young man and woman who were traveling left the path to make love. They married soon
afterward. Later the man passed the place again and found a sweet-smelling plant growing there. His people decided to dry it, smoke it, and call it “Where We Came Together.” The couple’s life together was happy and peaceful, so the flower produced by their love – tobacco – was smoked at meetings intended to bring peace.
Yam.
In a myth from the African country of Kenya, the creator god Ruwa made humans immortal and gave them a paradise to live in but ordered them not to eat one plant growing there – the edible root known as the yam. One day Death told the people to cook the yam for him. When Ruwa learned what the people had done, he took away their immortality.
Lucky Herbs
The following plants, according to Scott Cunningham, possess the power to attract good luck:
Additionally, rosemary and St.John’s Wort are said to bring good luck to a home, as well as to drive out demons and ghosts. But the two luckiest plants to bring indoors, according to English herb lore, are white heather and rowan tree.
Unlucky Herbs
In the Welsh countryside, as well as in other parts of the world, it is believed that bad luck will befall any person who dares to pick a leaf or flower growing atop a grave.
It was once widely believed among country folk that it was unlucky to bring into the house a bunch of primroses or daffodils totaling any number less than 13. Doing so was said to have an adverse effected upon the fertility of chickens and geese, causing them to lay fewer eggs.
It is extremely unlucky to bring blackthorn into the house. A blossoming branch from this plant is believed by some folks to precipitate an illness or death in the family when brought indoors.
Hydrangea planted near the house or brought indoors will curse your daughters with spinsterhood, and parsley (if it is
given as a gift) will impart the worst of luck to both the giver and the recipient.
Other plants said to invite bad luck when brought into a house include broom (especially if brought in during the
month of May), dog rose, elder, gorse (also known as furze flower), hawthorn, heather (unless it is white), ivy, lilac, lilyof-the-valley, pussy willow, snowdrops, and the flowers of any plant, shrub, or tree (especially fruit-bearing ones) that bloom out of season.
“Hawthorn blooms and elder flowers, Fill a house with evil powers.”
~~ An old English saying ~~
The speedwell was once thought to be an unlucky flower. So unlucky, in fact, many young children were often warned not to gather it lest their mothers would die before the year was done. In some parts of England, it is still believed by some that picking speedwell (also known as “bird’s-eye”) will cause one’s eyes to be pecked out by birds!
Bringing any type of white flowers into the house will result in a death in the family, according to an old superstition.
To avoid bad luck, white flowers should never be given to the ill or brought into hospitals.
Bringing yew into one’s home is also said to be a very unlucky thing to do. Some folks believe that if it is brought indoors at Christmas, a family member will meet his or her demise within the next 12 months.
~~ Source Unknown ~~
When I am Among the Trees
When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness,
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.
I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.
Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.
And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,
“and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”
~~ Mary Oliver ~~
(Thirst)
How to Tell the Tourist from the Druid in the Forest
Generously contributed by
OMS/RDG Druid Dave Cowper
The Druid:
When the Druid first enters the forest she stops for a few reverent moments to let her spirit’s energy expand into the forest. (What will the spirits in the forest reveal to her today)?
Several gentle deep even breaths from the belly (to quiet her mind). A long loving look around to greet her many forest friends (to fill her soul). Consciously she focuses on her hearing (to soften her step). She believes that to truly see Mother Nature you need to make less noise than she does.
Loves and respects all things in the forest (even the tourists). Has used the gear in her day pack to help others more times than needed it for herself. Doesn’t mind carrying the dehydrated emergency food, whistle,
cell phone, lighter, GPS, LED head lamp, spare batteries, map, compass and multitool as they all weigh less nowadays than just the flashlight she used to carry.
Her Water Bottle has several feet of duct tape wrapped around it for gear repairs and first aid (IN AN EMERGENCY blisters on your heel can be covered in duct tape (4” strip) to lessen further friction and reduce pain).
Figure
1: Look here if overdue.
She’s wearing old well loved hiking boots. She could draw you a map (free hand) of the area that is more
detailed than the map in her pack. Like the bear she could hear the tourists coming long before she saw them. Like the deer she could remain still and see the tourist long before they would see her. Like the cougar she quietly decides whether or not to reveal her presence. Like the wolf she could track a tourist by the garbage they drop and the damage they do as they move through her forest. Like the wise old Eagle she knows north by the Sun and the Stars.
Figure 2: Ever get the feeling you were
being watched?
The Tourist:
Started the hike fashionably dressed including clean running shoes. Never truly knows when or where she started the hike and neither does anyone else.
Has hiked above the show line into the ice fog only to ask the druid “where the lookout is for pictures”? Wears enough scents, shampoos and deodorants to give a skunk a heart attack.
Started their 4 hour hike 4 hours before sunset, but only 3 hours before darkness under the canopy of the forest.
Will use a cell phone as a light to try and walk out of the forest after dark, as they have no signal to have someone come and get them.
Figure 3: Trippy Pokey Scary Night Thingy,
or The Western Red Cedar
Just grabbed a handful of poison ivy after a pee. (Karma for the last time she left TP behind in the forest).
Sounds more like a motor home is driving up the trail than just one yappy human. Thinks that an avalanche warning is something on a menu with ice cream and fudge. Even if they had brought a first-aid kit wouldn’t know how to use it. Believes that the Silva Ranger is the love child of two Power Rangers.
Figure 4: The Silva Ranger Compass
Wouldn’t believe that a couple of the extra large orange garden garbage bags could save her life as a:
Rain Jacket and pants (remove shoes put one leg inside a bag wrap around to gather in excess put your shoes back on tie the top of each bag to your belt).
Sleeping bag (both legs in one and head hole in the another.)
Shelter (wind break, water proof liner for lean to, ground sheet).
First Aid Pressure dressing or splint (think triangular bandage).
Distress signal (orange)…
As a bird soars high
In the free holding of the wind,
Clear of the certainty of ground,
Opening the imagination of wings
Into the grace of emptiness
To fulfill new voyagings,
May your life awaken
To the call of its freedom.
As the ocean absolves itself
Of the expectation of land,
Approaching only
In the form of waves
That fill and pleat and fall
With such gradual elegance
As to make of the limit
A sonorous threshold
Whose music echoes back among
The give and strain of memory,
Thus may your heart know the patience
That can draw infinity from limitation.
As the embrace of the earth
Welcomes all we call death,
Taking deep into itself
The right solitude of a seed,
Allowing it time
To shed the grip of former form
And give way to a deeper generosity
That will one day send it forth,
A tree into springtime,
May all that holds you
Fall from its hungry ledge
Into the fecund surge of your heart.
~~ John O’Donohue ~~
(To Bless the Space Between Us)
Meditations on the
7-Pointed Star of Druidism
Seren Derwydd Series
Part 6: Dysg – Learning
by OMS Patriarch El Arseneau
Moving right along, we now consider the 6th attribute of a Druid, “Dysg”,which in the Welsh means “Learning.”
Caesar wrote that it took twenty years for a candidate to amass enough knowledge to take the title of Druid. We don’t know if that is true or not, and frankly, given Caesar’s hatred of the Druids it’s reasonable to assume that he lied about this and everything else. But since this is a positive aspect of Druidry, it’s equally likely that he was telling the truth. My thinking on this is that
more than likely either the parents of a candidate took them tothe Druids to be raised (just as Merlin was given charge of Arthur as an infant) or, that the Druids divined candidates for their order from the newly weaned among the Celts, perhaps in a similar manner that the Dalai Lama is chosen. Either way, that twenty
years began at a very young age, and included an education in just about everything, including science, math, poetry, history, astronomy etc.
Today a Druid’s education begins when he or she decides to become a Druid. That education never ends, because the Druid’s appetite for new knowledge is insatiable. We can never know too much, and we will always know too little. Our education needs to be broad, so that we have a working knowledge of everything, yet, we may want to specialize at least for a time on a subject we are particularly attracted to. For example, I of late have become very interested in higher mathematics and quantum physics. This I find odd, since neither of these subjects interested me when I was in college (I was a Journalism and History Major, with a Minor in Sociology and Religion). Recent advances in Physics are revealing the blending of quantum mechanics and religion, and yielding fascinating new theories regarding time, and history. Calculus and Trigonometry are the language that explains these theories and phenomenon associated
with them, so I’m finding my interest piqued. At the same time, my long term study of Kabbalah is also helping stimulate my new interest in higher math, especially in regard to what is called “esoteric mathematics.” This all dovetails nicely with my long term interest in astronomy and cosmology. But this is
just an example, and other Druids may find that there interests lie in other branches of science, or in history or literature. Other disciplines a Druid might learn are in the realm of the esoteric, such as Reiki, Native American Medicine, Shamanism, Tantra, etc.
Of course, foremost of all, the Druid is also a magician. Magick is the science of bending the universe to one’s will. For the Druid this means acting in harmony with the Gods as collective caretakers of the Earth, and maintaining and restoring the balance. Our understanding therefore of science, ecology, biology and physics greatly enhances our ability to grok what actions to take when confronted with a cusp.
Lastly a Druid is a Priest. Clergy are expected to be therapists and so a working knowledge of psychology and sociology are necessary tools for dealing with the crises of life, as well as an expertise in ritual for those rites of passage common to all of human kind: birth, coming of age, marriage, divorce, eldering, and death,
each with their own psychology and emotion.
What of knowledge of the ancient Celts, and of modern Celtic culture? I’m going to lay out something highly controversial here. I think a working, general knowledge of these things is good, especially for the development of ritual and mythology, but othe than that, these studies have very little to do with being a Druid. Think about it: the ancient Druids probably didn’t spend a lot of time learning their own culture, and really, of what practical use is it? There is also the problem of our having almost no knowledge whatsoever of what the ancient Druids actually believed, that being a problem associated with Druidism having been a oral tradition. But we can do what we know the ancient Druids did: th y made up
their religion, as we are making up ours.
Part of our mission in the Order of the Mithril Star is to develop educational tools and resources for all Druids, and Reformed Druids specifically. To that end we are also always learning, and from the beginning, we have found the need to constantly tweek “The Druid Path” course, now in it’s 13th incarnation. Our vision for the near future sees the course expanded into three separate courses. Waiting is.
Next time we’ll discuss the seventh and last point of the Seren Derwydd: “Delfrydwr” – Idealism.
Ceres Looks at the Morning
(Exerpt)
I wake slowly.
Already my body is a twilight:
Solid. Gold.
At the edge of a larger darkness.
But outside my window
a summer day is beginning.
Apple trees appear, one by one.
Light is pouring
into the promise of fruit.
Beautiful morning
look at me as a daughter would look:
with that love and that curiosity:
as to what she came from.
And what she will become.
~~ Eavan Boland ~~
(The Lost Land)
Litha – Celebration of the Summer Solstice
by Jennifer Bones
The summer solstice has long been a time of celebration and festivity for cultures dating back to ancient times and stretching through the present day. For those of us on the Northern Hemisphere, this day falls approximately on June 21st. During this time the Earth is tilted closest to the Sun giving us greater exposure to the Sun’s light and, subsequently, the longest day of the year. The themes of Summer Solstice are sex, love, creativity, energy, luck, health and wishes.
“Solstice” comes from the Latin “sol” meaning sun, and “sistere,” to cause to stand still. As the summer solstice draws near, the noonday sun rises higher and higher in the sky each day. On the day of the solstice, it rises an imperceptible amount, compared
to the day before, thus appearing to “stand still.”
In the magical sense, Summer Solstice brings us to the halfway point of the Wheel of the Year. The sun is in full reign, reaching a peak in the sky and shedding beams of truth. The brilliance of the sun allows us to see things clearly, banishing shadows
and releasing the past.
This day has special meaning to all societies. For those who follow Faerie Magik, this is an especially meaningful event as it is said that all the faeries come out to celebrate this day with all the creatures of the forest. An elaborate feast is held with endless goblets of ale, festive music and dancing. If you’re familiar with faerie lore, you won’t be surprised to learn that these Summer Solstice parties are clothing optional and last until the wee hours of the following morning. Shakespeare centered his faerie-packed tale of love and trickery, A Midsummer’s Night Dream, around this mystical day.
Of the modern religions, it is the Pagan & Wiccan societies that celebrate this day with the most passion. This holiday is most commonly known as “Litha” (the ancient Germanic name for Summer) and it is believed to be the time when the Sun God
is at his strongest. He is also the God of the Forrest and is often depicted as seated at on a green wood throne. During the time in which Christianity and Paganism was merging, images of the Sun God wearing masks made of leaves were included in the
architectural features of many early churches. This God has become more commonly known to modern Wiccans as The Green Man.
Herbs are at their most potent state during this time. Now is the time to gather and dry your herbs for use during the rest of the year. Be sure not to wait too long past Litha or the plants will begin to seed and lose potency. Gather roots as the Moon wanes and leaves & flowers as the Moon is waxing. Thank each plant as you harvest it, keeping in mind our debt to Mother Earth and Her children.
The many sacred stone circles found around the globe (e.g. Stonehenge) were believed to have been built to celebrate this time. On a practical level any agricultural society would hold this time in very high regard. Not only does this longest day of the year
offer a welcome break, it also marks the transition from cultivation to harvest. The significance of this day was not only practical but also held a much deeper, spiritual meaning. If you are lucky enough to live near a sacred stone circle plan a picnic and bring whatever supplies needed for your individual spells and rituals.
Alternatively, one can create their own stone circle by selecting stones that you are able to feel a vibration from or are otherwise attracted to and placing them in a circle. Choose eight large stones and place them equidistant at each spoke of the wheel. Fill in the spaces with smaller stones. Cast your circle as you normally do prior to performing any spellcraft.
This is the time of year to write down any wishes you have and tossing them, along with a Litha inspired offering into a well, spring, or cauldron. For example, simply hold a small stone along with a special feather or sprig of herbs in your right han and meditate on the wish (or reasons to be thankful). Once you have filled up the stone with your meditation, toss it with intention into the water. If a cauldron was used, empty the contents into a stream or other body of running water when the spell is complete.
Litha has long been a time for unadulterated joy and pleasure. Lengthy and detailed scripted rituals seem to contradict the spirit of this season. Rather, we should celebrate with intention but with an open heart. Focus on how grateful one should be that the Sun continues His tireless journey each year providing so much to all of us. Pick a few themes (below) and simply set out to have a great time. Rise early with the Sun and plan a bonfire for later that night to further lengthen this day. In other words, party ’till you drop!
The following themes and recipes are utilized in Pagan ceremonies, rituals, and spells:
Herbs – basil, chamomile, daisy, elder, pine, St. John’s wort, tyme, yarrow, frankincense, fennel, lavender, and lily
Essential oils and incense – frankincense, lemon, lavender, sandalwood, lotus, jasmine, rose, wisteria, and myrrh
Colors – yellow, white, red, blue, green, tan
Decoration – anything reminiscent of the sun (yellows, reds, oranges), dried herbs, potpourri, fruits, summer flowers
Gemstones – any green stone (e.g. emerald)
Foods – mead, fresh fruits and veggies, lemonade, cookies and cakes decorated to honor the Sun, and of course plenty of ale
Spellwork – Litha is the perfect time for any magick but is especially good for Animal Protection and Marriage & Vow Renewal spells
Litha Incense – 2 parts Sandalwood, 1 part Mugwort, 1 part Chamomile,
1 part Gardenia petals, several drops of Rose oil, several drops
of Lavender oil, several drops of Yarrow oil
Orange Honey Butter – 2 Tablespoons grated orange zest, 3 Tablespoons
confectioner’s sugar, ½ cup unsalted butter, softened,
1 – 2 Tablespoons honey, Combine ingredients and chill until ready
to eat. Yum!
Easy Honey Mead – This recipe can be considered cheating but if you’ve ever tried to make honey mead at home, you’ll appreciate this recipe’s simplicity. First heat 1 part water with 1 part wildflower honey until the mixture is smooth and the honey’s completely incorporated. Sprinkle some rose petals into the mixture and let it cool. Strain
the mixture (optional). Mix 2 parts honey water with 1 part grain alcohol and serve chilled over ice. (Alternatively, mix 1 part honey water with 1 part vodka).
You may want to try a few activities at this time as well, such as making a Witch’s Ladder by braiding three strands of red, black and white yarn into a three foot length. Weave nine feathers of various colors into the braid and hang up in your home. Use feathers of green for money, white for balance, black for wisdom, etc.
Here is a fun and rather disturbing Summer Solstice recipe:
Squashed Frogs
1 stick of butter
10 oz. bag marshmallows
5 cups corn flakes
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons green food coloring
1 cup M&M’s plain chocolate candies
Melt margarine in large saucepan. Add marshmallows and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until melted and mixture is syrupy.
Remove from heat. Add vanilla and food color. Mix. Add corn flakes and M&Ms and mix until well coated and bright green. Drop from a tablespoon on a piece of waxed paper and cool the globs.
Sources:
Jennifer Bones is a long time practitioner of the Nature / Pagan
religion. Her writings span from spiritual fiction to historic
studies of women’s issues. She is owner and manager of her current website: http://goddessgiftshop.com
Secrets of a Green-Thumbed Witch: Tarot and Gardening
By Melanie Harris
Growing a sacred garden can be a delight, but when leaves wither and plants begin to die, feelings of hopelessness and disappointment emerge. Such desperation can make chemical fertilizers tempting, but often, all that’s needed in the garden is a little magic. With each growing
season, we have a fresh opportunity to improve our skills as both gardener and Witch. We want to do all we can to grow our best gardens yet, and this includes trying out new magical methods to improve our crops.
One such technique that is easy to learn and very beneficial is to use Tarot cards to help maintain the health of plants in the garden.
Tarot cards can reveal a failing plant’s specific ailment and needs, and can also be used to increase vitality and enhance growth, calling on essential elements in the environment that will sustain and protect your plants.
If you have a plant that is showing signs of distress or that is growing more slowly than expected, sit next to it with one of your Tarot decks and mix the cards, focusing on the plant’s energies. Absorb the vibrations of the plant and send this power through
your fingertips and into the cards. Ask the plant what is wrong, and draw a card for the answer.
As your ability to creatively apply your knowledge of the Tarot will determine the quality of your garden diagnosis, it’s a good idea to study up on various aspects of Tarot symbolism and interpretation. Intuition is your primary tool, but it needs a firm foundation of knowledge on which to operate. Seek out both new and classic guides to the Tarot, and strive to never rely solely upon one
reference. By learning a multitude of possible associations for each card, you will give yourself a broad base of information to help you develop your own interpretations.
Here are some general interpretive guidelines to get you started in the right direction. With a traditional Tarot deck, drawing an upright cup card can show that the plant needs more water, as cups are the suit of this element. A reversed cup card may signify that the plant is being over watered. Likewise, an upright wand card can reveal that the soil needs to be better aerated, while a reversed wand card shows that the plant might need to be buffered from the wind. A sword card likely points to disease or overcrowding, and if the card is reversed, it can signify that the damage may
already be beyond rectification. An upright pentacle card communicates that the plant may need stronger protection against pests, while a reversed pentacle card can show an imbalance in soil composition or a need for more nutrients. An upright Major Arcana card can be interpreted as a sign that the plant needs more light, and a reversed Major Arcana card may mean that the plant needs to be shaded.
For those with a more advanced understanding of the Tarot, interpretations of chosen cards can be more detailed and the diagnosis of the plant’s ailment more specific and complete. For instance, the Five of Pentacles in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, with its imagery of starving figures left out in the cold, could be taken to signify that the plant is plagued by a pest that is cutting off its access to nourishment. A worm or insect could be feasting on the roots of your little green friend.
As another example, the Eight of Swords, with its symbolism of confinement, could be interpreted to mean that the plant is being restrained. Another plant could be wrapping around it or crowding it, or if it’s a container plant, it might need to be moved to a larger pot. The more familiar you are with the Tarot, the easier will it be to make the most of your intuition when interpreting the cards to diagnose the health of your magical garden.
With contemporary decks that stray from traditional imagery, you will need to rely solely on your psychism to supplement the information in the interpretive guide to your particular card set. Unlike
the traditional Tarot, fairy cards and similar sets do not have the benefit of having been written about for centuries, and there
is simply a lack of available cross-references for studying the newer decks. Don’t let this discourage you from investigating these cards, however. Many contemporary decks retain accuracy while offering a fresh perspective that can expand your magical
skills and sharpen your intuitive faculties.
No matter which deck you use to analyze your garden, it is important to be objective when interpreting the cards. Our desires for a healthy garden may cloud our judgment, causing us to overlook obvious warnings of plant illness and other problems. Be aware of personal bias, and your interpretations will be accurate. In addition to diagnosing the specific needs and ailments of plants, the Tarot can also be used to increase plant growth and improve your garden’s overall vitality. The cards can act as symbols through which to invite natural elements to magically protect and support the growth of your plantings. Create your own ceremony, or try this effective ritual:
Take with you into the garden the Ace of Cups, the Ace of Wands, the Ace of Pentacles, and The Sun. The Ace of Swords may be substituted for The Sun card if you wish. With contemporary decks, simply
choose whichever cards best represent the earthly elements that your plants need to flourish: earth, air, water, and light.
To begin the ritual, hold the Ace of Cups or an alternative water card into the air and say, “Powers of water, please do all you can for my garden.”
Next, hold the Ace of Sword or other air card and plead, “Powers of air, please be kind and helpful to my garden.”
The Ace of Pentacles or an alternative earth card is next. Take it into your hands and say, “Earth, be rich, so that my seeds will grow. Please do all you can to protect and sustain this garden.”
Finally, hold The Sun or an alternative fire (light) card into the air and request, “Powers of sunlight (fire), please shine on this garden in proper measure and magnify its bounty.”
Express your gratitude to the elements and the ritual is complete.
By trying these new Tarot techniques this spring, you’re likely to have prolific growth in
the garden as well as in your magical spirit; celebrate both by sharing the fruits of your harvest. Man is not meant to fend solely for himself, working in isolation for money with which to buy a chemical-laden frozen dinner. Other social animals live in harmony with nature and work cooperatively towards the good of their species.
By applying locally a global perspective to sacred gardening, using magical skills and technical knowledge to make sure your backyard garden is healthy for the plants you grow, for your community, and for the world, you will reaffirm and deepen your connection to nature. Your garden will produce such a magnificent bounty that there will be plenty to share with other people. You won’t
be able to grow enough beans to feed the world, but you can easily grow enough rosemary to share with your witchy friends, or produce enough tomatoes to keep the guy down the street from having to purchase any all season.
The ultimate goal of sacred gardening, and of all other branches of positive magic, is simple: to benefit the earth and humanity by increasing love and light and alleviating suffering. By using any sort of magic in the garden, be it diagnosing plant health with the Tarot or using crystals to speed growth, you are making a pact with the sacred. Nature will care for you only if you care for Nature, so when your magic succeeds and you gather your garden harvest, show your love and consideration by doing all you can to share the blessing. Loving magic, and magically loving, after all, is what true witchery is all about.
Beltane night. Journey in spirit to where Needfires burn on every surrounding hillside, showers of sparks exploding to dance skyward with the stars. 
Each curve becomes narrower. With a start you find yourself at the Center, where countless Fey Spirits whirl, leap and dance around their own Beltane Needfire. You join them, slowly at first, soon whirling in ecstasy, aware of nothing except the joy of a Soul
The Druid:
One such technique that is easy to learn and very beneficial is to use Tarot cards to help maintain the health of plants in the garden.
the benefit of having been written about for centuries, and there
