Hyacinthoides_non-scripta_(Common_Bluebell)

The World Our Garden

by Julian RoseWhen we walk into a carefully nurtured and diverse garden, we are struck by its beauty and its sense of completeness. We are enraptured by its scents and its mysteries. We are enlivened by its colours, both vivid and subtle, and we are nourished by the freshness that...

bee

The Honey Isle

by Chris Park‘A rose by any other name would smell as sweet’~ Shakespeare Maybe myth, maybe legend, maybe history… an old Welsh Triad preserved by Geoffrey of Monmouth, tells us that this green and pleasant land I am writing within, when first ever settled, was known as Y Vel Ynys...

gregorycolbertashesandsnow12

Them and Us

by Dr Renata Bartoli   The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans anymore than black people were made for whites or women for men.~ Alice Walker In the middle of the 16th century, while the Church of Rome was caught in...

holygrailru7

The Hallows

The basis of the Grail’s existence in British tradition is, as we see, founded on the union of the king with Sovereignty: the emblems of this union are the Hallows, which include the Grail in its earliest form – the empowering cup or cauldron....
mirror

The Riocht for the Soul

from The Encyclopedia of Celtic Wisdomby Caitlin MatthewsThose with the sight are accustomed to see the riocht of the soul, which may appear like an astral body or else be so manifest that the seer can barely distinguish between the two. The riocht or co-walker is frequently seen as a...

celticreikipic

What is Celtic Reiki?

by Susa Morgan BlackCeltic Reiki is one of many modern Reiki modalities of energy healing.Reiki (RAY-KEE) means ‘Universal Life Energy’ in Japanese, and is based on the teachings of Dr. Mikao Usui. Dr. Usui taught that all living things have the ability to heal. This ability comes from the Universe...

harp-hands

The Healing Harp – From Druid Tradition

by Susa Morgan BlackMusic is the principle that unites body, soul, and spirit.~ Boethius, 6th century philosopher. Irish LegendsThe Daghdha (Dagda) was the Chief Druid and King of the mythical Tuatha Dé Danann – the faerie race of Ireland and Scotland. He played an enchanted harp, called Una, which produced...

sunraysthroughtrees

The Druidic Art Of Writing

by Todd Dearing When I first read, and reading saw the paper dissolve away.~ Robin Williamson, Five Denials on Merlin’s Grave Nature is constantly communicating with us, even when we are not paying attention. Our biological processes are attuned to the messages of the environment around and within us. Additionally,...

the-journey

The Arcana Journey

The Arcana Journey is a tool I came up with to help me remember the meaning or story behind each of the Major Arcarna cards. I tried to capture the meaning behind each card and the symbolism. Sometimes, however, I found that I wasn’t planning what was to be said...

Clent_standing_stones,_Winter_sunsettonyhisgett_0

The Celts and Saxons: A Barbarian Conspiracy

and the quest for the grail. To the Christian and Pagan peoples alike he is claimed as an icon of spiritual values. There are many opinions about his origins and the academic debate will continue for as long as there are academics to debate the ins and outs of Arthurian...

castlerigg

The Consequences Roman Contact Had on British Religion

by Alexis EudyRoman contact influenced and indeed, helped create, British Religion in major ways. While in many respects, Roman and Celtic religion combined to form a unique and diverse British religious system, there were several exceptions. One was the persecution and eventual dissolution of Druidic influence. While Celtic Paganism stayed...

marseille_tarot

The History of Playing Cards and Tarot

by Maria RaiserShuffling the cards expertly, the dealer of a commonplace game of Blackjack may not be aware of the rich and tangled thread of history behind the cards he plays with. Where did playing cards originate? Theories are diverse concerning this question, suggesting origins in Egypt, the Middle East,...

Bare_Oak_Tree

The Northern Cosmos & The Hum

Edda” (1) we are introduced to very rich imagery describing the world-view of the pagan Scandinavians. By drawing and trying to map this ancient world-view, I began to see patterns emerging and correlations with work from other mythologies or religions. Finally after years of meditation and research my findings are...

Dew_on_a_spider's_web_-_geograph_org_uk_-_951235

The Tapestry of Life

by Jeremy Edwards, OBOD DruidDo not dwell in the past.Do not dream of the future.Concentrate the mind on the present moment.~ Buddha I believe Buddha had a point when speaking about our mindset. We cannot change the past, so dwelling on our mistakes or failures can only lead to heartache...

crone crow

Tlachtga and the Ancient Roots of Halloween/Samhain

by Luke EastwoodMost people have some awareness of the origins of the fire festival of Samhain, the time that is known in common parlance as Halloween. Samhain is the word for November in Gaeilge (Irish) and is thought to be derived from sam-fuin, meaning end of summer.The modern celebrations of...

large-1691001955_thisancientheart

This Ancient Heart: Landscape, Ancestor, Self

This Ancient Heart: Landscape, Ancestor, Selfeds. Paul Davies & Caitlin MatthewsForeword by Graham HarveyAfterword by Ronald HuttonMoon Books, Winchester (UK) & Washington (US), 2015.£8.99 UK, $14.95 US198 pages This book explores how we humans in the 21st century relate to the spirits of the lands in which we live, their...

Urban druidry

The Handbook of Urban Druidry

The Handbook of Urban Druidryby Brendan Howlin Druidry is a spirituality that is associated with being in the beauty of nature but what happens when you live in an urban environment, which is where the majority of people live? Does Druidry also have a message for people in this situation?...

the-druid-s-primer

The Druid’s Primer

A review by Matt McCabe of The Druid’s Primer by Luke Eastwood Moon books ISBN 978-1-84694-764-3. Starting out along the Druid path can offer retail opportunities galore: ‘should I get a Jedi robe?’ ‘do I need a golden sickle?’ In the business of the ‘new age’ everyone’s trying to sell...

Wood Wisdom

Wood Wisdom

A Review by Jacki Woolmington of Wood Wisdom by H Catherine WatlingISBN 1-86163-281-9 Capall Bann Publishing This is a book and card set designed to be a companion to exploring the sacred forest – both in the inner and outer worlds. 22 trees are explored with stories, rituals, meditations, poems...

lie of land

The Lie of the Land

Penny Billington reviews ‘A Lie of the Land: An Under the Field Guide to the British Isle by Ian Vince This is the book I’ve been waiting for. Believing that magic springs from the soil, that our locality, our region, our land grows us as surely as it does potatoes...

isle of

The Isles of the Many Gods

Sam Callow reviews ‘The Isles of the Many Gods’ by David Rankine and Sorita D’Este Having been drawn to Druidry through a keen interest in the ancient history of Britain, especially its cultural and spiritual heritage, this book was a welcome find.David and Sorita have put a great deal of...

the awen alone

The Awen Alone: Walking the Path of the Solitary Druid by Joanna van der Hoeven

by Maria Ede-WeavingDruidry is a fast growing tradition and whether by necessity or choice, many of its practitioners walk the path alone. Sharing a tradition and its spiritual practices with others can be richly rewarding but it is not for everyone and Joanna van der Hoeven’s latest book The Awen...

Journey-into-Spirit

The Journey into Spirit: A Pagan’s Perspective on Death, Dying and Bereavement by Kristoffer Hughes

by Maria Ede-Weaving Druidry teaches us to honour death and to remember the dead with reverence. However, for most of us, our wider culture has hidden much of death’s processes from view. The physical realities of this most inevitable and unavoidable rite of passage have been obscured and this has...

wild-flowers-in-the-breeze

Voyage Aux Pays des Plantes

by Minerva AsetEn étudiant les gwersus des cours d’Ovate, surtout dans la partie herboristerie, il m’ait arrivé plus d’une fois de devoir prendre mon dictionnaire car je ne comprenais pas les termes employés, ce qui était assez gênant.J’ai donc voulu faire un petit lexique du vocabulaire employé dans les gwersus...