Tag: Sabbat
‘Twas the Night of Samhain
‘Twas the Night of Samhain
‘Twas the night of Samhain and all through the house,
Not a creatures was stirring except for my spouse.
The incense it burned in his cauldron so black,
For witchcraft and magick he’d a wondrous knack.
The circle was drawn with the athame of power,
The guardians were called to each quarter tower.
The Lord and the Lady attended our rite,
In wonder and glory and power and mite.
The dearly departed came as our guest,
To live once again after their rest.
We bid them goodbye with a tear in our eye,
Such a lovely presence of loved ones so nigh.
The candles danced in the flickering light,
With the Great Rite we bid them all a good night.
The guardians thanked, have all sped away,
The Lord and the Lady, thanks for the day.
The night of Samhain, Gods bless this house,
A circle of wonder ’round me and my spouse.
—(Unknown)
Not a creatures was stirring except for my spouse.
The incense it burned in his cauldron so black,
For witchcraft and magick he’d a wondrous knack.
The circle was drawn with the athame of power,
The guardians were called to each quarter tower.
The Lord and the Lady attended our rite,
In wonder and glory and power and mite.
The dearly departed came as our guest,
To live once again after their rest.
We bid them goodbye with a tear in our eye,
Such a lovely presence of loved ones so nigh.
The candles danced in the flickering light,
With the Great Rite we bid them all a good night.
The guardians thanked, have all sped away,
The Lord and the Lady, thanks for the day.
The night of Samhain, Gods bless this house,
A circle of wonder ’round me and my spouse.
—(Unknown)
Samhain Song
Samhain Song
“Soul! Soul! For a soul cake!
I pray you, good missus, a soul cake!
An apple, a pear, a plum, or a cherry,
Or any good thing to make us merry.
One for Peter, two for Paul,
Three for Them who made us all.
Up with the kettle and down with the pan.
Give us good alms, and we’ll be gone.”
~ Unknown
How To Honor the Harvest’s End – A Samhain Ritual for Wiccans and Pagans
How To Honor the Harvest’s End – A Samhain Ritual for Wiccans and Pagans
By Patti Wigington
Samhain represents, among other things, the end of the harvest season. If you haven’t picked it by Samhain, you probably won’t be eating it! The gardens have died off by now, and where we once saw lush green plants, there is nothing left but dry and dead stalks. The perennials have shut down for the season too, going dormant so that they may return to us in the spring. Animals are brought in from the fields for the winter — and if you’ve ever had a spider come wandering into your living room one chilly October night, you know that even the insects are trying to find a place to stay warm.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: Varied
Here’s How:
If we had lived a few hundreds of years ago, we would not only have brought our cows and sheep in from the pastures. Most likely we’d slaughter a few of them, as well as some pigs and goats, smoking the meat so it would last through the cold months. Our grain that we picked back at Lughnasadh has been baked into bread, and all of our herbs have been gathered, and hang from the rafters in the kitchen. The harvest is over, and now it’s time to settle in for winter with the coziness of a warm fireplace, heavy blankets, and big pots of comfort food on the stovetop.
If you want to celebrate Samhain as the time of harvest’s end, you can do so as a single ritual, or as the first of three days of ceremony. If you don’t have a permanent altar in place, set up a table to leave in place for the three days prior to Samhain. This will act as a your family’s temporary altar for the Sabbat. Decorate the altar with symbols of late fall, such as:
- Skulls, skeletons, grave rubbings, ghosts
- Harvest food such as pumpkins, squash, root vegetables
- Nuts and berries, dark breads
- Dried leaves and acorns
- A cornucopia filled with an abundance of fruit and veggies
- Mulled cider, wine, or mead
To begin your ceremony, prepare a meal for the family — and this is something that everyone can get involved in. Put emphasis on fruits and vegetables, and wild game meat if available. Also make sure you have a loaf of a dark bread like rye or pumpernickel and a cup of apple cider or wine. Set the dinner table with candles and a fall centerpiece, and put all the food on the table at once. Consider the dinner table a sacred space.
Gather everyone around the table, and say:
Tonight is the first of three nights,
on which we celebrate Samhain.
It is the end of the harvest, the last days of summer,
and the cold nights wait on the other side for us.
The bounty of our labor, the abundance of the harvest,
the success of the hunt, all lies before us.
We thank the earth for all it has given us this season,
and yet we look forward to winter,
a time of sacred darkness.
Take the cup of cider or wine, and lead everyone outside. Make this a ceremonial and formal occasion. If you have a vegetable garden, great! Go there now — otherwise, just find a nice grassy spot in your yard. Each person in the family takes the cup in turn and sprinkles a little bit of cider onto the earth, saying:
Summer is gone, winter is coming.
We have planted and
we have watched the garden grow,
we have weeded,
and we have gathered the harvest.
Now it is at its end.
If you have any late-fall plants still waiting to be picked, gather them up now. Collect a bundle of dead plants and use them to make a straw man or woman. If you follow a more masculine path, he may be your King of Winter, and rule your home until spring returns. If you follow the Goddess in her many forms, make a female figure to represent the Goddess as hag or crone in winter.
Once that is done, go back inside and bring your King of Winter into your home with much pomp and circumstance. Place him on your table and prop him up with a plate of his own, and when you sit down to eat, serve him first.
Begin your meal with the breaking of the dark bread, and make sure you toss a few crumbs outside for the birds afterwards. Keep the King of Winter in a place of honor all season long — you can put him back outside in your garden on a pole to watch over next spring’s seedlings, and eventually burn him at your Beltane celebration.
When you are finished with your meal, put the leftovers out in the garden. Wrap up the evening by playing games, such as bobbing for apples or telling spooky stories before a bonfire.
What You Need:
- A table to use as your Samhain altar
- Decorations that represent the late autumn season
- A meal with lots of veggies, fruit, and bread
- A cup of wine or cider
Samhain Graphics You Might Enjoy Using
Enjoy! More to come tomorrow…….
Welcome To The WOTC’s Special Samhain Edition (Part 1)
Good afternoon and Merry Meet, Dear Friends! I hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend. I also hope you are gearing up for Samhain. I believe this is my favorite time of the year. The trees are absolutely beautiful, there is a crisps breeze in the air, it is marvelous.
Today I decided to do a Samhain Special for you. It will be Part 1 and then tomorrow Part 2 will follow. I can never understand why people wait to the last day to hand out spells, rituals and other info associated with the Sabbats. I am one of these people who likes to have everything in advance. No running around like a chicken with my head chopped off trying to find an ingredient or item needed. So I figured I would give you, my dear friends, the start of our Samhain Special. That way you can figure out if you would like to try something new or perhaps you need to pick up something. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. And…….
Blessed Samhain to you and yours,
Lady A
Samhain Spirit Incense
Samhain Spirit Incense
By Patti Wigington, About.com Guide
Spirits in the Smoke
By the time Samhain rolls around, your herb garden is probably looking pretty sad. Now’s the time to take all those goodies you harvested and dried in September, and put them to good use. This incense blend is perfect for a Samhain seance, divination session, or for any other autumn working.
This recipe is for loose incense, but you can adapt it for stick or cone recipes. As you mix and blend your incense, focus on the goal of your work. Do you wish to contact the spirit of a long-dead ancestor? Are you hoping to bring some visions your way in a dream? Or are you maybe looking to enhance your own meditative abilities? Focus your intent as you blend your ingredients.
You’ll need:
- 2 parts Cinnamon
- 1 part ground cloves
- 1 part Dragon’s Blood resin
- 1 part Hyssop
- 1 part Patchouli
- 2 parts Rosemary
- 1 part Sage
- A dash of sea salt
Mixing the Magic
Add your ingredients to your mixing bowl one at a time. Measure carefully, and if the leaves or blossoms need to be crushed, use your mortar and pestle to do so. As you blend the herbs together, state your intent. You may find it helpful to charge your incense with an incantation. For example, if you were going to use your incense during a seance, you could use this:
The veil has thinned, the moon is bright
and I blend this magic on Samhain night.
Celebrating life and death and rebirth
with these herbs I’ve harvested from the earth.
I send my intent by smoke in the air
and call on those whose blood I share.
I ask my ancestors to guide and watch over me,
As I will, so it shall be.
and I blend this magic on Samhain night.
Celebrating life and death and rebirth
with these herbs I’ve harvested from the earth.
I send my intent by smoke in the air
and call on those whose blood I share.
I ask my ancestors to guide and watch over me,
As I will, so it shall be.
Store your incense in a tightly sealed jar. Make sure you label it with its intent and name, as well as the date you created it. Use within three months, so that it remains charged and fresh.
Ancestor Prayer for Samhain
Ancestor Prayer for Samhain
By Patti Wigington, About.com Guide
A Prayer to the Ancestors
This is the night when the gateway between
our world and the spirit world is thinnest.
Tonight is a night to call out those who came before.
Tonight I honor my ancestors.
Spirits of my fathers and mothers, I call to you,
and welcome you to join me for this night.
You watch over me always,
protecting and guiding me,
and tonight I thank you.
Your blood runs in my veins,
your spirit is in my heart,
your memories are in my soul.
[If you wish, you may want to recite your genealogy here. This can include both your blood family, and your spiritual one.]
With the gift of remembrance.
I remember all of you.
You are dead but never forgotten,
and you live on within me,
and within those who are yet to come.
Samhain’s Revels
“Samhain Dream”
“Samhain Dream”
by Myria/Brighid October 1999
It is Samhain …The Night of Shadows. The Circle is cast around the fire, And through the darkness, we glance, For the veils are thin, in this sacred night! Ancient voices around us, Whispering old and forgotten songs, While we dance the Spiral Dance, To meet Her. And there She comes, The Lady of the Gate! Power and compassion evolving us, As a dark but comforting wave. Beautiful Queen of the Dark Night! With Her mantle of raven’s feathers, And eyes deep with wisdom. Cerridwenn! She opens Her arms, in a welcoming embrace, We feel around us the flow of love, Of Her Eternal Grace. And then we hear Her voice, Melodious and grave, That speaks from inside our soul, As an echo in a cave. Blessed Daughters of My Heart, I hear your prayers from afar. And that is why I came tonight! Do not despair when the times are hard! Do not abandon the Path you found! For time has come for My return, And you, Loved Ones, shall open the way, Singing my name as the ancient bards. I am always with you, do never doubt that! I am the Old and the Young One! I am the Keeper of the Gate! I am the Master of Time! I am the Dark Goddess of Death! I am the Bright Goddess of Dawn! I am The One! I am Cerridwenn!
Now I Am Going To Do Things Just A Little Different….
I thought today I might change things up just a tad. I get tired of the same old same old, don’t you? Anyway today, I am going to give you a closer looker at some of the Goddesses, Gods, incense, recipes, crystals and etc., associated with Samhain. I know Samhain is still a couple of weeks off, but I hate to wait to the last-minute to do anything. Besides Samhain is our highest holy day, why not get familiar with the things associated with it? I hope you enjoy!
Bring Out Your Dead: Celebrate and Grieve at Samhain
Bring Out Your Dead: Celebrate and Grieve at Samhain
by Freya Ray
Sometimes it seems the past is this great labyrinthine thing, infecting, affecting, even overshadowing the present. When you’re “doing your work,” it’s easy to get stuck in process hell, reliving the painful events of your past. If, on the other hand, you’re busily pretending your past is no longer affecting you, the serpentine tentacles of old behaviors and fears reach out from your subconscious, pushing you to recreate your pain until it can finally be healed.
Quite frankly, both of these extremes suck.
We all have pasts, we all have old pain that needs to be healed. We have all lost friends, loved ones, cherished places and times. We have all had things that brought us joy that are no longer part of our lives. All of us.
Bring out your dead!
There is a middle ground. I don’t mean “therapy light,” or giving lip service to your “issues.” I mean truly honoring and grieving the things you have lost, in their time, and then moving on.
There is a saying that I’m going to mangle, something to the effect that the deeper our pain, the deeper it carves the channels for our joy. Samhain is not the time of year that encourages you to continue in a shallow, placid existence. Samhain is not big on denial or avoidance. Samhain is the time of the dead. The time when the doors between the worlds open.
This is not a trivial moment! It is a spectacular opportunity to bring out your dead. Bring them out! Celebrate their lives, their passings. Honor the good and the bad of what there was. Grieve, rage, and celebrate. All together.
For the worlds are mingling on All Hallows Eve. The worlds are closer, all this month.
Feel the presence of those who have gone, and take this moment to celebrate their passage through your life.
Celebrate.
Grieve.
It is all one; both are the path to truth and beauty. You must explore both of these extremes to be at peace with your past.
To be at peace with what has gone.
Your dead need not be physically dead. They can be dead to you, the relationship shattered. They can be an active part of your life, but some aspect of your relationship is no longer possible. When you think of what you have lost, it may be your innocence, or your childhood home, your first love, your soulmate you’ve never met, the eighties, dependence or independence, being part of a family or a lost pet.
No matter. We have all lost things that were precious.
We move through our lives, full of “I’m fine” and “No big deal.” Or we relive it over and over, complaining about it to anyone who will listen, paying therapists to be our guaranteed audience.
Three things must happen: grieving, celebrating and moving on.
Leave out one of this magical trinity, and it loses its power. You must admit the feelings of pain and loss to get them out of your body. Unshed tears form a wall around your heart like a moat. I can see them when I look at people’s auras. They stay there until you move them out of your body, flowing toward release on your tears.
Celebration cannot be neglected. If you don’t honor the good things brought to your life by something gone, you cannot understand the pain. You cannot embrace the experience as a gift, a lesson. You disempower yourself if you choose to ignore the gifts of any experience in your life. “Poor me, that sucked” is a weak stance. “Yes, that hurt, what a pain in the ass that I had to go through that loss, and yes at the same time I am grateful for the gifts the experience has brought me” is a powerful stance.
“It was my experience, you cannot take it from me. You cannot convince me that I am a lesser person for having lost that thing I cherished. I made no mistakes. I chose my path, as the best path for my growth.”
And then moving on. That’s why we have the seasons, the cyclic energies of the planet. The larger forces that surround us are here to aid us in releasing that which no longer serves us. The energies will be building, coming to a peak. October 31 is a beautiful night for ritual, for honoring, grieving and releasing that which is gone. That which is dead.
Bring out your dead.
Bring them out! Create an altar honoring those who are gone. Put pictures or mementos of your ancestors on it. Arrange photos of family or friends who have passed. Draw representations of things you have lost — pictures of your feelings about hope vanished, possibility eradicated, love lost, opportunities gone. Bring it all up, let it all out. Put it all there, together, where you can see it.
When you’re done crying…
Stand there and love it. Love it! Love them all, all the things you’ve let go of. Love yourself for being a living, breathing being standing there loving what’s gone. Love the gifts of memory that allow you to cherish beings who no longer have physical form. Love all of life, which teaches us with pain as well as joy.
Love. Decorate your altar with offerings. Choose items from your heritage to honor your ancestors, or borrow freely if you resonate more with another culture. Burn sage, offer pollen or cornmeal, put out cups of whiskey or tea, light a cigar, give chocolate or rice or sweet cakes or honey, arrange fresh flowers.
Allow this altar to be a part of your life for a few days, bringing the lost into your consciousness.
When it is time, let it go. Burn offerings or painful reminders. Burn your drawings of your pain. Send prayers of gratitude and good wishes for the departed off wherever prayers go. Send your ex your blessings.
Release, release, release.
When your tears are done, when the time of grieving and celebrating the past is done, let it go. Dismantle your altar, putting photos back where they belong, giving the offerings to the earth, getting rid of that which no longer serves you.
Release, release, release.
Then bring your attention back to you. Still standing, you. Still breathing, you. Still loving. Take your attention and your power back inside your own body, and embrace this moment. This one moment, when all power is yours. When all choice is yours.
And move forward with the living.
Freya Ray is a professional psychic, shaman, writer, and teacher.
Samhain Verse
Samhain Verse
Dionysus
by Pat Califia
The grapes must be cut down
Or no one but the bees
Will be drunk next summer.
They are full of juice,
Tight-skinned like the testicles
Of a boy with his first shadowed chin.
The harvesters move, row by row,
Unburdening the vines
And making the bees angry.
The grapes are trampled, then put away
While the darkness works its magic.
Not all harvests are so orderly
Comes a day when chaos pours out
Along with the blood of the grape.
Threshing ground and trampling vat
Are abandoned for a wilder dance
In the green meadows, high on the hills.
Where the elder trees of the forest
Still remember their sisters,
Who once cast their leaves and shadows
Upon the floor of the valley.
The plow may subdue the earth, for now.
But the wilderness remembers its ancient boundaries.
And as the sun goes down, Dionysus appears
To dance among his feral women,
His own life safe
Only as long as they can sieze and rend
Anything else athwart their path –
And the wine holds out.
The dance as if they were trampling
The fruit of the vine,
But the red stain has crept
Much higher than their ankles.
They wear golden bells and the skins of leopards.
The hunt has made them happy at last.
If the women cannot kill the god
Who pretends to direct them,
They will take the head of any man
Who struggles to remain upright
When madness has become a virtue
And everything forbidden is permitted.
Backs straight as if they had forgotten.
A lifetime of toiling over field and stove,
The prancing shrieking women dress
Their fores in ivy and demand
They bend their knees or hit the ground
To service what can never be tamed altogether.
The darkness works its magic.
The grapes must be cut down.
A plowshare may be hammered
From a sword,
And just as easily turned
Once more into a weapon
With enough force, enough heat, and
Hard punches from a hammer.
Women are so dangerous
When they become overheated.
Only the profligate might survive this night
And waken eager to drink
Still more of the grape god’s blood,
To help them forget the fences
That were so easily trampled down
Within the walls of this temperate town.
(Reprinted with permission from Pat Califia’s newest book, Diesel Fuel. Pat Califia’s WWW page address is http://www.patcalifia.com)
Happy Mabon To Everyone That Is Celebrating Today!
Happy Mabon To Everyone! I could say “Happy Mabon September 21st to September 23!” Before we get into my thinking I must apologize for running so late. You see, I am an old-school Witch. I celebrate Mabon on September 21st. When I grew up (and it wasn’t that long ago either, lol!) All the Equinoxes were on the 21st. You had Spring Equinox, March 21st, Summer Equinox on June 21st and so on. They all fell on the 21st. Now whoever was the smart individual who decided to change everything, Who Knows? I wonder, people change the calendar dates, they also change the dates we celebrate certain holidays, they change the time schedule for daylight savings time, what next? The changes don’t necessary benefit us but are for more our comfort and convenience than anything else. Don’t get me wrong at all, I have no problem with change and I sure don’t have a problem with comfort and convenience. But I have to stop and think, with all these changes do we lose a part of ourselves. Do we forget the significance of a date or time when it is changed? Do we remember why that date was so important to us to begin with? In other words, do we lose our heritage and a little bit of who we are when we tamper with things. I guess that is just human nature though, by changing this and changing that, we are striving to improve things, make’em better. That is all fine and dandy but what happens when the older generation dies out. And there is no one left to tell the tales or history associated with these dates. The dates suddenly become meaningless and our beliefs and rituals are tossed aside and the day becomes another ho-hum day. Think about, are some changes really good for us?
Didn’t mean to preach there, it was just something I was thinking about last night as I celebrated Mabon. Yes, like I said I am an old-school Witch and grew up September 21st was Mabon for me. When it is possible I love to do all my rituals and spellcrafting outside. Last night, started out rather “iffy.” When I first went out there, you couldn’t see anything but clouds. I came back in for a little bit and mixed up my incense recipe. I finished that I decide to give Mother Nature one more look and I was glad I did. The clouds had parted where you could see a wonderful set of stars. My, they were beautiful. I just sit down on the porch and stared up at them. On any Sabbat, there is magick in the air. It engulfs you and takes you to a new high. The feeling or sensation is unbelievable. But looking up at the stars, it was like the first time I had ever seen them. They were simply breath-taking. While taking in the beauty of the stars, a thought hit me. We are the most blessed people on this planet. We have the opportunity to celebrate Mabon four times (Sept. 20 – 23). Who else has the opportunity to celebrate and thank their Gods and Goddesses, four days, for all the bountiful harvest we reap. NO ONE!!!!! Personally, I think some sort of token of our appreciation and gratitude should be expressed every day. Even though, I had my main celebration of Mabon last night, I will continue to express my gratitude and love to the night of the 23rd. Who knows, on the night of the 23rd I might throw a big bash then, lol! But seriously, now is the time to thank the God and Goddess for our bountiful harvest. Make Mabon a good celebration for yourself. The Harvest now comes to an end and the long, dark days are quickly approaching as the Wheel turns to Winter.
May you have a Very Blessed and Prosperous Harvest this year,
Lady A
Mabon To Samhain
Mabon to Samhain
Wiccans observe the autumnal equinox with a lesser sabbat that many call Mabon. The day and night may briefly be of equal length, but from now on the hours of darkness will grow steadily longer, with the signs of natural life fading apace. With harvest over, the Goddess of the waning moon, now descends to the Otherworld, where she will reign alongside the Horned God, who has battled hideous beings in his quest to become Lord of Death.
About Mabon
About Mabon
a guide to the Sabbat’s symbolism
by Arwynn MacFeylynnd
Date: September 20-23 (usually, the date of the calendar autumn equinox).
Alternative names: The Autumn Equinox, the Second Harvest Festival, the Feast of Avalon, Equizio di Autunoo and Alban Elfed.
Primary meanings: The Fall Equinox falls exactly opposite the Spring Equinox of March 20 to 23. Both are times of equal night and equal day. The Equinox is the time of equality between the God and Goddess–the God represented by the Sun, the Goddess by the Moon; fruitfulness of the land results from their connection, and now the harvest’s bounty is brought in and stored against winter and dark times. The key action at Mabon is giving thanks. At the Autumn Equinox, the Sun’s strength also begins markedly to diminish, even disappear, until Winter Solstice in December.
Symbols: Garlands, corn, apples, pinecones, gourds, acorns, wheat, dried leaves and horns of plenty (cornucopias). Foods include corn, beans, squash, nuts, apples and root vegetables; drink includes cider, wine and beer.
Colors: Red, orange, yellow, deep gold, brown, russet, maroon, indigo and violet.
Gemstones: Amethyst, carnelian, lapis lazuli, sapphire, yellow agate and yellow topaz.
Herbs: Acorns, aloe’s wood, asters, benzoin, cedar, chrysanthemums, cinnamon, cloves, ferns, frankincense, hazel, honeysuckle, hops, ivy, jasmine, marigold, milkweed, musk, myrrh, oak leaves, passionflower, pine, pomegranate, roses, sage, Solomon’s seal, thistles, tobacco and vines.
Goddesses and gods: Goddesses include Morgon, Snake Woman, Epona, the Muses and Demeter; gods include Thoth, Hermes, Thor, Dionysus, Bacchus and Herne. The Sabbat is named for a god, the Mabon ap Modron, who symbolizes the male fertilizing principle in Welsh myths. His full name (depending on the translation) means Great Son of the Great Mother, Young Son, Divine Youth or Son of Light. Modron, his mother, is the Great Goddess, Guardian of the Otherworld, Protector and Healer. She is Earth itself.
Customs and myths: In the myth of Mabon, the god disappears, taken from his mother, Modron, when only three nights old. Mabon is freed with the help of the wisdom and memory of the most ancient living animals — the blackbird, stag, owl, eagle and salmon. All along, Mabon has been quite happy, dwelling in Modron’s magickal Otherworld — Modron’s womb — to be reborn as his mother’s champion, the Son of Light. Mabon’s light has been drawn into the Earth, gathering strength and wisdom to become a new seed. In a Greek myth associated with the season, autumn begins when Persephone leaves her mother, the earth goddess Demeter, to return to the Underworld to live with her husband, Hades, lord of the dead.
Mabon is rather like Thanksgiving for pagans. The foods of Mabon consist of the second harvest’s gleanings, so grains, fruit and vegetables predominate. Pagan activities for the Sabbat include the making of wine and the adorning of graves. It is considered taboo to pass burial sites and not honor the dead. Another traditional practice is to walk wild places and forests, gathering seedpods and dried plants to decorate home or altar or to save for future herbal magick. The sounds of baying hounds passing through the sky, the “Hounds of Annwn” in the Welsh mythos, are associated with fall and winter.
Spell-work for protection, wealth and prosperity, security and self-confidence are appropriate for Mabon, as are spells that bring into balance and harmony the energies in a room, home or situation. Ritual actions might include the praising or honoring of fruit as proof of the love of the Goddess and God. River and stream stones gathered over the summer can be empowered now for various purposes.
What is Druidry to Me?
What is Druidry to Me?
Author: Ashley Rose
I started down the Druid path a few years ago. Since then I have spent most of my free time reading through articles, websites, and books. I have also spent lots of time out in nature, or my outdoor sanctuary. I took a lot of time to figure out who I was and just how I was going to wonder down the Druid path.
I had started a binder of interesting things I found and of things I wrote. I started to split them up into sections. There is a Druid/Christianity section that has helped me out a lot to defend my religion against my evil step-mom and my father. I put in here anything that I could find about Christo-Druidry or stuff that used bible verses to help prove my points. There is also a HUGE section on the history of Druidry and breakdowns of Bards, Ovates, and Druids.
Over the past few years I have been working on reports for each of the eight Sabbats; they have their own divider. Along with these are sections on: sacred sites, pantheons, and other interesting articles. There are also two other ‘volumes’ that I have made.
My first binder (listed above) has a lot of 101/history/‘what is Druidry’ things in it. I decided that I needed to know the basics and really find out if this was the path that I wanted to go down. Then my second binder has a little harder/more complex things in it. Some of these are like: astrology, mythical creatures, tarot, runes, and other types of divination.
Then there comes my last binder. I do not know if I will even use some of this information; but it is there if I need it. Here you can find: spell work, herbology, and articles on magical healing. All of these come together to form the coarse work that I thought would help me out on my path the most.
I have now come to believe that some of these sections are coming to a close. I have lots of information to help me on my path or to reference things if I need to. So, I have set a goal that on Samhain this year (2009) I will dedicate myself to the Lord and Lady. And yes, I will be doing it in my own way. The way that feels right to me.
Now that I am ending my first phase of my studies, I wanted to put into my own words just what Druidry is to me. I have had lots of people ask me, “What is Druidry?” Sadly, I could never really put into words just what this religion is. It is more than a religion; it is a way of life for me. I could tell them just how much I was at peace and this is where I belonged. I also knew that I loved the freedom and diversity of the religion.
Druidry does not have a solid set of rules that one has to follow ‘or else they are going to hell’. I can practice the way I feel is right for me. It is also a religion that promotes creativity, allows divination, and encourages people to learn about their ancestors. Some of these things I have been doing and not even realizing that they fall into a religion that I would later follow.
I was raised catholic and never really felt like I fit in. Many Christians are taught to fear the Druid way of life. This is funny considering that their religion was formed from ours. Also, they are the ones who created the devil and sin, not Druids. The Christians tend to bash people because of their beliefs. They think that everyone should follow their religion or go to hell. Centuries ago Christians converted people over to their religion out of fear. The especially pried on the fear of things that people did not know. Christians box themselves into buildings when worshiping their divine. We seek ours outside in nature. Why not go out to what the divine has created instead of a manmade creation?
One of the biggest things in Druidry is the worship of nature. All Druids see nature as divine and something that is sacred (along with animals) . Many feel at home when in nature or even an oneness with it. Druids thrive to live with nature and not just on it. We are not superior to this planet; we are a part of it. Druidry encourages people to go out in nature and observe all that the divine has made.
Druids honor those who came before them. Life does continue after a person leaves this world. A strong understanding of each stage of life is common in this religion. This is important to me because my family has always been one to share stories of those who have come before. It is something I enjoy.
There are a few major things that Druids believe in. One of the biggest things is that all things are one and was created by a divine being. They also believe in other worlds, planes of life, and realms. The concept of reincarnation, and immortality of a soul, is a huge part of what Druids believe of the afterlife. Along with this comes karma. One thing that Druids do not believe in is sacrifices. One will not find a Druid standing over a virgin waiting to offer it to the gods. Druids are people of wisdom, creativity, and love.
The path of enlightenment is another strong focus. Druidry allows people to have free thought and to seek their own personal goals. This is a path that may change from person to person. One must also experience the nature of this religion first hand. It cannot be found in a book. Many use meditation to help them find this enlightenment. Druidry can be a path of self-transformation. It is one that encourages people to see the truth. Druidry works more on focusing internally and finding out who you are.
Another reason why I enjoy Druidry is because there is a “holiday” about every six weeks. This helps me to keep my life in check. Every six weeks I reflect on what has happened since the last Sabbat. I take time to contemplate what this Sabbat means to me, how the season has changed, and make plans/goals for the next six weeks. These practices help keep me whole. It is something I need for my soul.
In the practice of Druidry (as stated above) there are three different grades: Bards, Ovates, and Druids. These grades also go along with my studies. A person can receive help walking the path of these grades. However, it is something that one must experience for themselves. The practice of Druidry is not just something you can learn in a book. One must live it. These three grades help one accomplish this.
The first level is that of a bard. A bard is someone who studies literature; they are the storytellers of Druidry. We have learned a lot about ancient Druidry from what the bards learned and passed on. They learn songs, stories, and traditions of their people. This includes the bloodline of a tribe. Knowing about the gods, sacred lands, and our ancestors is another aspect of this grade. Bards are trained to use words as magick. Bards are encouraged to be creative and learn through some form of art. This can be through music, poetry, or even in an everyday aspect like raising a family. The use of elements (earth, air, fire, and water) is focused on by Bards. They use these to try and find enlightenment on a physical plane.
Next comes the Ovate grade. The Ovates are the prophets, seers, and healers of Druidry. They learn to work with the past, present, and future. They focus more on an unseen plane; not the physical one like a Bard. An Ovate will use the elements for: healing, divination, and tree lore. They also learn about different creatures such as: familiars, fairies, and totem animals. Along with this an Ovate may learn herbology, tree Ogham, an understanding of reincarnation, and how to walk between the worlds. They focus a lot on meditation to help accomplish these tasks. They also use what they learned as a bard to help heal people and to be councilors. Ovates help people keep their heart, mind, and body in tune with nature.
The last grade is that of a Druid. Druids are sometimes seen as a wise one. This could be due to the fact that it takes a long time to walk the path of a Bard and an Ovate. A Druid is known to possess great wisdom and to be a peace bringer. They are spiritual advisors, teachers, and judges. A Druid understands the gift of walking between worlds, shape shifting, and manipulating reality. They are well versed in: astronomy, mathematics, philosophy, and the power of the gods. A Druid should have a broad understanding of all aspects of this religion.
One of the last things I would like to say that even though I do practice some forms of Witchcraft along with Druidry, I do not call myself a witch. I am a Druid. One walking the path of enlightenment.
In conclusion I would like to sum up what Druidry is to me in just one hundred words. Druidry is more than just a religion; it is a way of life. One that allows people to practice the way that feels right to them alone. We worship this planet and try to live with nature, not just on it. Druids do not believe in the devil. We celebrate a holiday about every six weeks. These help us to observe the changes of the seasons and reflect back on our lives. It is also a religion that promotes creativity, allows divination, and encourages people to learn about their ancestors. We believe in reincarnation. And many druids seek enlightenment through meditation. This is how I see Druidry.
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