In the beginning.... Twas a dark and stormy night... It was the best of times, it was the worst of times... Call me Ishmael... If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know... If you like to read in chronological order, you can access the waaaaay back beginning … Continue reading Starting at the start
Wild Geese
"WILD GEESE" by Mary Oliver You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves. Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you … Continue reading Wild Geese
Blessed silence
My normal mode during winter holiday things at work is to find a reason I can't go, and this year is no exception! Right now I am enjoying blessed silence in my office because everyone else is gone doing the festive thing. Same thing every year, everyone looks at me sadly because they're convinced I'm … Continue reading Blessed silence
Death and dying
This morning my therapist mentioned to me that she had a really hard time this past week when, on top of everything else, Leonard Cohen died. I could see that her experience with this was akin to my experience when David Bowie and Robin Williams died. That is to say, it affected her deeply despite … Continue reading Death and dying
Rilke, from this morning’s therapy sesh
"GO TO THE LIMITS OF YOUR LONGING" BY RAINER MARIA RILKE translation by Joanna Macy + Anita Barrows God speaks to each of us as he makes us, then walks with us silently out of the night. These are the words we dimly hear: You, sent out beyond your recall, go to the limits of … Continue reading Rilke, from this morning’s therapy sesh
the draw to druidry (Bardic Course – NOD)
When presented with the question, “What drew you to Druidry?” I have a hard time pinpointing the moment. I feel as though I’ve always been drawn to “Druidish” things, whether it be in the sense of a pull towards Irish myth and culture or in the sense of a connection with the land, sea and … Continue reading the draw to druidry (Bardic Course – NOD)
Nature Awareness I
Nature awareness has three facets: the awareness of nature as it exists around us physically; the awareness of the spirits of nature and their relation to us; and the awareness of the Earth Mother herself, and the other deities who are also her children, and the relation of these beings to ourselves... Find a place … Continue reading Nature Awareness I
OBOD 2nd Triad (Bardic Grade)
The three great melodies of Creation: the wind in the trees, the stream at snowmelt, the cry of a new-born babe. Life calls to Life - in the sigh of the breeze, in the taste of clear water, in the voice of the child. Treasure life and you will find its gifts at every turn. … Continue reading OBOD 2nd Triad (Bardic Grade)
OBOD 1st Triad (Bardic Grade)
Three followers of wisdom: imagination, purpose and endeavor As wisdom grows in your heart, so too do your powers of imagination, your sense of purpose and mission in the world, and your ability to work hard to achieve your goals. Approaching the Forest: Introductory Gwers One
Post-Ritual: The First Oath
I went to Sunset Beach this morning to give the First Oath in the ADF Dedicant Path. I don't believe it's in the most recent text, but I found it in Rev. Michael J. Dangler's "The ADF Dedicant Path Through the Wheel of the Year." Dangler's book describes it as the First Oath, but as … Continue reading Post-Ritual: The First Oath
by the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea 