Miscellaneous

by Donna Deeks…sacred beers…came out of a worldview in which the sacredis ever present with us, where all things possess a soul… 1Brewing is as ancient a craft as any in this world. Beer—the drink made from the malting and fermentation of grains—was first brewed between 5,000 and 10,000 years...

it’s the best tool to follow sheer nature. But the reality is not so obvious, and if the instinct was the best way to approach the world, children would not need parental teachings and could solve every problem (also of nourishment) autonomously. Many people who have embraced the natural...

by Andrew Cooper-KnightFollowing a chance meeting with a truly inspirational druid, I realised the time was right to sign up to the Bardic Grade course.Over the past few weeks I have created my sacred grove in which I find myself when I meditate. It is a true sanctuary, with a...

by Maria Ede-Weaving We make plans in life but putting things in place for the eventuality of our own deaths leaves a good few of us a little squeamish. It can feel a little like tempting fate.Six years ago I sat with my father in the funeral directors as he...

ber of women and men in leadership roles. One of the most popular female Druids today is Emma Restall Orr, one of the most popular Wiccans is Starhawk. Heathenry has Galina Grasskova and Diana L Paxon. There are countless others in all pagan paths and traditions that stand alongside the...

by Joanna Van Der HoevenPrayer – it’s a beautiful word. It looks pretty on the page; it comes softly from the lips. It’s not a word to be shouted. It is a word that is deeply connected to other words, like sacred, holiness and religion. For the pagan, as in...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

Ancestors ~ Becky Deed by Donata The ancestor altar is set up to honour and remember the ancestors, not to worship them. The ancestor altar can become an all-purpose altar and be used for meditations, ceremonies, etc. Choose the table, mantle, dresser, etc. where you will set up the altar....

by Jonathan Laszlo Mark ~ My interest in Druidry lies in the spiritual relationship between Druids and plants, with a focus on the influence that this spirituality has on their home gardens. Over the course of two months, ten Druids’ home gardens were visited. Plant inventories were recorded to look...

by Jonathan Laszlo Mark To read the second part of Temples in the Backyard: Druid Home Gardens and the Spiritual Relationship with Plants Part Two click on the Pdf link below. The first part can also be found here.

by Sue Wookey Up high on the hill, soft grass bending over nubbles of flint, dark handspushing upwards under hawthorn tangles and a grey-snagged sky. I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised – after all I was obsessed with geology as a child and spent many a holiday bashing rocks...