tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33003574750921292452024-03-18T19:50:28.237-07:00The Druid of Fisher StreetThe adventures of a Neo-Pagan DruidDavin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.comBlogger263125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-19038641354708188632015-05-12T16:17:00.000-07:002015-05-12T16:17:10.865-07:00Flow<div class="MsoNormal">
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The river rumbles and tumbles,</div>
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it bumbles and fumbles, </div>
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it races by with nary a pause </div>
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in its passing, </div>
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It holds onto nothing</div>
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yet carries away mountains.</div>
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--Davin Mac Lugh</div>
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" you need to be more flexible." My water witch's words rang in my seemingly
thick skull. "more flexible?"
I questioned silently to myself. That's
a first. All my life, well up until I
married my now Ex-wife, people always told me what a laid back "go with the
flow" kind of guy I was. Now many
years later and a lot of water under my bridge I am being told that I am not
flexible enough. What, by Lugh's spear
happened to me? </div>
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Taking
her words in I began to explore how I am now, how I was then, and how I got
here. It seems to me at some point
during my travesty of a relationship with my ex that I lost my
flexibility. I think it was likely a
result of trying to survive and emotionally abusive and liable time of my
life. It probably did help me survive
those times, the problem however, is that I am no longer in that situation and
such a way of being no longer serves me.
Point in fact it is creating a lot of unnecessary stress in my life,
which was the motivation that started the conversation in which my wife told me
I needed to be more flexible. So how do
I change? </div>
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The
warm spring air was pleasantly playing across the bare skin of my chest,
shoulders and back as I sat before my alter.
The sacred fire lit, the well and tree hallowed, I called to Bridghid,
the spirits of the land and the stag, and my ancestors. I had come to seek their wisdom and advice on
how to become more flexible with situations.
I began my chant, and it wasn't long before I stood before the open gates
and stepped through to the spirit world once again....</div>
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As stag
and I walked in the woods side by side, my hand gently resting upon his back he
said to me "you lack flexibility because you are attached to
outcomes. When events happen that make
those outcomes no longer a possibility you aren't letting go of that, and it is
causing you stress. Desiring a certain
outcome is natural, but holding onto that desire, that attachment, is not the
way of nature. " </div>
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So it
is. When we hold onto our expected and desired outcomes or situations and they
don't happen we are going to feel stress, pain, frustration, and
resentment. The cure is to be mindful of
what is going on internally and when we sense that holding on, that attachment
and desire for a certain outcome, we must take a deep breath and let go. Then and only then can we gracefully flow
through our day, our week, our month, our year, and our life. </div>
Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-36242682121454360382015-02-10T22:44:00.001-08:002015-02-10T22:44:46.258-08:00Nine days of devotion: 6-9<div class="MsoNormal">
Day 6: Brighid as warrior.
The idea of Brighid as warrior really stems from the Brigantine tribe of
Celts from England. It is within this
tribes range that a Roman-Celtic statue of a goddess holding a spear in one
hand and a sphere in another with other ruler icongraphy and the word
"Brighid" inscribed at the bottom that we get the idea of her as
warrior. There is no lore of her as a
warrior in the Irish or Scottish myths.
As for my personal work, I have not called upon this aspect of her, though
I do believe it is there. Though I don't
see her providing the skill of the warrior, but rather the fire, the spirit of
a warrior. She is the courage of the
warrior. I know there are certainly
areas of my life that I need more courage.
It's time to stop being afraid of nursing; to stop being afraid of
making a mistake. </div>
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Day 7: Holy well: Brighid is associated with many holy wells
all throughout Ireland, Scotland and England.
These wells are said to purify and heal.
Thus we touch up Brighid as a healer. Wells also signify depth and a
deepening of our spirit and spiritual work.
I for one have dived deeply into her well the past few months deepening
my understanding of this goddess and my spirituality. I have frequently called on her to purify my
spirit and heal my soul and my health at times.
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Day 8: Brighid as Hearth fire. Brighid is strongly associated with fire time
and again in many subtle ways in the lore.
I strongly feel that this may have been her original and primary association.
As the goddess of fire she is the center of the home, and therefore the
protector of the home. As the hearth
fire was mostly tended by the woman of the house, she is a goddess strongly
associated with woman. The home is one
area of my life that has most certainly been blessed by Brighid. The love of my wife and children bind us
together strongly. Our home, though very
old and a little run down, is large and spacious. Our friends love to come and spend time with
us here. We are also blessed to have a
good sized fireplace, and upon the mantle is the image of Brighid. </div>
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Day 9: Healer Brighid
is seen as a healer and called on often in this role. I suspect this stems again from her role as a
fire goddess. The fire of health that
burns to keep us alive. The fire of our
spirits. Also herbs were often used in
teas to drink to restore one's health and one must have a fire to boil the
water to create the tea, thus Brighid as healer. This is one area that I have called upon her
many times to aid me or those around me.
At the start of every shift I ask her to let her healing powers flow
through me. I ask to be her vessel of
healing in the middle world. She often
responds and I can tell those times when she is working through me. It's impossible to put into words, but it's definitely
a flow that enters me from on high and travels through my arms and hands. It's something I just feel. Too bad it's not accompanied by softly
glowing hands and swirling lights. </div>
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Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-60578233593987162562015-01-28T01:30:00.000-08:002015-01-28T01:30:42.896-08:00nine days of devotion: days 3-5<div class="MsoNormal">
Continuing with the nine days of devotion...</div>
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Day 3: Bridghid as Initiatrix. I struggled with this concept a good bit as
for me it just doesn't fit the lore surrounding Bridghid. It seems to have come from Wicca who would often
do initiations and dedications at this time of year. Still, Bridghid's aspect as mid-wife does
also lend itself to the idea of initiatrix.
Much as I wrote about on day 1 ties into this idea of initiatrix as
well. Brighid can certainly initiate one
into many things. Magic, poetry, song,
story, crafting, and many other things.
Personally I believe that she has initiated me into the use of Ogham as
a tool for creating magic. I have used
it both in a written form such as sigil magic and as type of oral magic similar
to what the Norse call Galdor. I have had
many successful uses of this ranging from protection for my money, to entering
into trance, to invoking the spirits of the dead to entering into trance and
going on spirit walks. </div>
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Day 4: Bridghid as blacksmith. Here we have the first of her main and most
well know attributes. The hammer, the
anvil, the red hot metal. With skill and
strength the goddess bangs away shaping...me.
Those who have worked with the goddess know that we all have to spend
some time "on the anvil." It's
those times when we are undergoing a usually unpleasant experience that is
going to shape us. Perhaps it's just a
human thing, but I find the hard times easier to deal with when I believe that
it is the goddess's hand shaping me upon the anvil. I know it may be unpleasant in the moment,
but when it's done I'll be transformed from a shapeless lump of iron, into a
work of art or some special tool.
Struggling through nursing school was definitely time on the anvil for
me. I am not the same person now that I
was when I started the program. Even the
water-witch has commented on the changes.
Sometimes the shaping is subtle.
Such as the moment when I realize that my mother is never going to beat
her addiction and it's more than likely going to kill her and there is nothing
I can do to stop it. It was as a single soft blow made with a light hammer that
set me free. </div>
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Day 5: Bridghid the poet.
It is said in the old lore that Bridghid was a patron of poets and
bards. I believe this connection comes
from the idea that Bridghid is a fire goddess and in Celtic culture poetic
inspiration was equated to "the fire in the head", thus it must come
from Bridghid. So more to the point she
is a goddess that inspires. Inspiration
is something I feel has been missing from my life of late. That firing spark is there, but it does not
burn as brightly as it once did. Perhaps it can be attributed to the stress of
my new career? Perhaps it's simply a
side effect of working nights and the bouts of depression I have had to deal
with as a side effect of changing my sleep patterns. I asked myself what I can do to increase my
inspiration, or give it a channel to flow through. I didn't come up with any satisfactory
answers. I hope that a more consistent
work schedule and getting involved again with the pagan community will
help. I am also beginning to get more
involved with ADF as an organization.
Lastly I am getting back to my daily meditation. All of these I hope will help stoke the fires
in my head. </div>
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Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-65199272290560164222015-01-26T10:20:00.002-08:002015-01-26T10:20:49.598-08:00nine days of Brighid devotion: days 1 and 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Imbolc will soon be upon us dear friends. As you can imagine this highday is of
particular importance to me. It always
has been, but this year especially since I am focusing my spiritual work with
Brighid this y ear. Sassafras grove back
east does nine days of devotionals to the goddess Brighid leading up to
Imbolc. Each day they focus on a
different quality or aspect associated with our modern concepts of
Brighid. They are kind enough to share
their ideas and meditations with ADF and I have been working along with
them. Today would be day three. </div>
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Day 1: Brighid as midwife: Traditionally this was a literal concept, that
Brighid was the midwife to Mary and was invoked during times of childbirth by midwives
assisting at births. Though this may
very well be a purly Christian mythos, I certainly can see the connections as a
pagan if Brighid is the goddess of flame and hearth, and the hearth is the
center of the home, then she is also a goddess of the home and family and by
that a goddess to invoke to aid in the birth as it was going to be in the home,
near the hearth and a new member of that hearth fire. As a man in my own spiritual life I have to
use this facet of the goddess as a metaphor. In what way has she been a midwife in my life
this past year? As midwife Brighid has
helped me to birth a new career as an RN at a local hospital. Getting through my schooling was one of the
hardest things I have ever done, and long time readers may recall that
struggle. As midwife Brighid is
currently helping me bring into the world my new self as a Druid Priest in
ADF. I see her at work with a woman who
is just beginning her first steps along a pagan path. </div>
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Day 2: Brighid as foster-mother: Fostering was a common and powerful social
glue used in Celtic culture. It tied
families together, created alliances and secured trade, peace, and family
lineages. Today we no longer carry on
fostering as our Celtic ancestors did, though we do have a system. As an aspect of the goddess this again ties back to her being the goddess
of the hearth flame, the center of the family unit traditionally, and thus the
goddess of hearth, home, and family.
Simply put Brighid is the foster mother of us all. She is here to teach, guide, cajole, scold,
congratulate and support. In her we have
the opportunity to find the mother we didn't have in this world. In my personal life, goddess is teaching me
about healing, compassion, balance, finances, mentoring, and time management,
depression, and addiction to name a few.
Much of this "education" has not been pleasant to learn or
easily gained. In the end it's wisdom
that I am getting, and wisdom is hard won.
If Odin was willing to lose an eye for it, I am sure I can withstand a little ego
bruising. </div>
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Stay tuned for Day 3-9! </div>
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Blessings of the Kindred on you all. </div>
Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-68899511508287787932015-01-16T22:43:00.000-08:002015-01-16T22:43:19.676-08:00Forgiveness on the forest path<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Recently
an ADF member asked a question that I
have often asked myself. Where in our modern druid spirituality does the
concept of forgiveness lie? Is it a
virtue? What did the ancestors and
ancient myths have to say? I am sure
many a modern pagan has wrestled with this issue. It's a drum beat the Christian based over
culture beats again and again and again.
So where do we, as modern pagans stand? From what do we draw on? </div>
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The
ancient myths and stories are surprisingly silent on the topic of forgiveness. In point of fact, in many of them revenge,
harsh and cold, is prominent. We do see
stories of an "Eric" or "Wergild" being paid. That is an exchange of payment to compensate
some wrong doing done to another. The
price being based on the value of the victim.
This however speaks more to the idea of justice then it does to forgiveness,
so it's not much help. No in the old
stories forgiveness simply isn't there. </div>
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It
seems to me that the concept of forgiveness is very much a child of the
Abrahamic traditions. However that does
not mean it should be thrown out the window. One of the main concepts of ADF
druidry is that of nurturing relationships.
Relationships with the holy kindred, with the cosmos, nature, each other
and ourselves. Thusly forgiveness, it seems to me, is a necessity for the
continued healthy *Ghosti of these relationships. Forgiveness is an important tool to spiritual,
emotional, and mental health. To be
clear I want to point out that I am not talking about forgetting. That is simplistic and foolhardy. Knowing, believing that forgiveness has
intrinsic value, I sat down and began to think about what forgiveness really
is? What is it made up of? Like a stone in a river I turned it around
over and over, taking away the extra and polishing the core of the
concept. What I have come away with is
that forgiveness is nothing more than a letting go of anger. That's it.
It's that simple and yet so hard to do at times. </div>
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It is
the natural state of things that we feel emotion. A complex web of cognitive and subconscious thought,
hormones, ego and culture. Ideally
emotions should flow freely like a river or creek. Sometimes the water is shallow, like the
river I grew up on in the summers. So
shallow in places you could walk from one shore to the other never getting more
then thigh deep. Other times the water
is deep and fast and dangerous overflowing the banks and seemingly washing us
away from time and place. Always
flowing, always coming, that is emotion.
Having someone hurt and anger us is an inevitable part of being in
relationship, any kind of relationship.
it's going to happen from time to time.
However when we hold onto the hurt and anger is when we start to have problems. It's akin to trying to dam up the river. The anger and hurt build and build and
build. We then are forced to release
small amounts of that emotion in some form to keep it from over whelming us and
overflowing the banks of the river and the dam.
These dammed and stagnant waters are resentment. If we don't do something those waters become
putrid, tainting the relationship . The
ideal of course is to not build any dam at all.
To simply let the emotions flow, but being channeled into a healthy and
constructive outlet appropriate to the situation at hand. When we do build dams,
as we all do from time to time, it will be best to tear them down. That is to let go of the anger and
resentment, to forgive. Only then when
we have let go can we get in right relationship with whatever or whoever caused
us to feel hurt. </div>
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Forgiveness
is a subtle thing, at times a difficult thing. Even after forty years on this
planet, I still struggle with it at times. So how do we let go? how do we forgive? That is an excellent
question, but like so many of the most important questions of life, there is no
one easy answer. It's a learning. It's something we must all figure out for
ourselves. It seems to me that it is
very much a personal process. Magical
workings may be of help. Perhaps
writing, or singing, physical activity and exercise. For some it may be they can take the dam down
quickly, for others it may take longer, and it may depend on just how long or
how "high" the dam has been in place and built. Some hurts may take us years and years to let
go of. Perhaps some we never will,
though we should all try, for the beauty of a natural flowing river cannot be
understated. </div>
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So is
forgiveness a virtue? Since I see
forgiveness as nothing more than a fancy word for letting go of anger, I say
no. It is a skill and a tool for better
health and a happier life for sure.
Letting go is Wisdom and that is a virtue. Letting go shows moderation and that is a
virtue. Letting go takes vision and
perseverance and those are also virtues.
Most of all letting go takes courage and that is most definitely a
virtue. </div>
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The
ancient stories don't model forgiveness well it seems to me. Perhaps it was the time, or they just didn't
understand the value of it. Whatever the
reason, forgiveness is a good thing...a healthy thing. It's part of our modern culture and I hope it
stays. I hope that we all get very good
at it. Not for the benefit of those who
hurt us, but for the good of ourselves and for the good of our relationships. </div>
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May the kindred bless your journey. </div>
Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-27252430167737290932015-01-15T23:54:00.001-08:002015-01-15T23:54:28.375-08:00Chasing away the lonliness birds<div class="MsoNormal">
I haven't had the heart to write in a long time. Just as I was beginning my new career as a
R.N. The protogrove lost most of its membership. Just at that time when I needed more support
and help with, most everyone walked away.
They all had different reasons.
That and the added stress of a new nursing career and working twelve our
night shifts for the first time in my life, well I lost my spiritual footing
for a bit. Instead of doing the work of
druidry, I turned to video games. It was
innocent enough at first. I would stay
up all night before my first night of work for the week playing them. Ah but in the late dark hourse, the
"loneliness" birds began to quietly flock in. Soon I was playing the game during all my
free time, seeking to escape the lonely feelings and the stressful
feelings. Yet it only made me more
lonely, more stressed. Without realizing
it I slipped into a depressive cycle that only feed into itself. Thus I did not write, I did not meditate, I
did not give offerings. I let slip my
relationship with the gods, spirits, and ancestors. I forgot to tend the fires of relationship
with the kindred, the family, friends, and myself. I *ghosti was broken. I felt alone like I have never felt
before. Soul deep loneliness. Misery.
I suddenly saw myself as Gollum when Bilbo first discovered him alone in
the bottom darkness of a giant mountain.
Alone with only my "precious".
Then I remembered. I remembered
when I was happy. I remembered what I
was doing with my life at that
time. I remembered what it felt like,
and some of the "loneliness birds" flew away. I then
took up my crane bag, sat down in front of my alter and I re-established the
fires of my relationship with the gods, spirits, and ancestors, and especially
with Bridghid. I asked for their help in
ending this depression. I gave offerings
and rededicated myself to the work of druidry.
Then some more of the "loneliness birds" flew away. When I was done, I got up and set to rearranging
the garage and cleaning it out. It was
2am before I stopped for the time being.
When I went to sleep, I slept better than I had in months and some more
of the "loneliness birds" flew away.
</div>
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A few
days later and things began to happen. I
was asked to give a talk at a state collage to give a talk to a anthropology
class about modern druidry. I have set
my schedule to allow me to return to the weekly pagan meetup group starting in
Feb. As for the protogrove? I leave that up to the kindred, though
currently I am not going to actively seek to rekindle it. Perhaps if the right people come....</div>
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For now it is proper for me to focus on my inner work. To regain my right relationship with the
cosmos, to set my feet firmly again upon the path of peace, joy, and fulfillment. </div>
Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-10994367037514834182014-06-27T16:42:00.000-07:002014-06-27T16:44:53.406-07:00Devotion to the anvil, the flame, and the well...for the time being.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDGe3Fswaf_YRENR_beXIAYosz1pO8Q_FqVAoXVp2XkrHAknn07VzgR7qX6wZfNeLKH_eTid78aw-OtjhBYWhqssLM-XWa2aXDif1LN7BI7E6iPUO80a-pHUnXwLcPn9_JjdTniW80Xya/s1600/Brighid-large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDGe3Fswaf_YRENR_beXIAYosz1pO8Q_FqVAoXVp2XkrHAknn07VzgR7qX6wZfNeLKH_eTid78aw-OtjhBYWhqssLM-XWa2aXDif1LN7BI7E6iPUO80a-pHUnXwLcPn9_JjdTniW80Xya/s1600/Brighid-large.jpg" /></a></div>
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There certainly is a trend within the Neo-Pagan movement these days for people to devote themselves to one particular patron deity. Some see this as a good thing, a return to the "old days" when there were priests devoted to a particular god or goddess. Others disagree and feel it can be dangerous and that it lacks balance. As for myself, I have decided that it really comes down to each to their own, and I also suggest a third path. That we are not limited to devoting ourselves to just one deity, nor are we required to honor all deities. I feel that the best path, at least for me, is one of balance. That each deity in a pantheon has lessons to teach, and that the seeker of spiritual truth must devote time and energy to each in turn. I am finding in my journey upon this pagan path that deities seem to flow into my life and out again. When I first stepped back on the pagan path in 2005, it was Cernunnos who was seemingly the main divine influence of my life, though there were others as well. My time with him taught me many things about sex, nature, hunting, joy, and festivals. Taught me things about myself that I would not have learned any other way. In time he seemed to slip out of my life and I found myself learning from Lugh for several years now. I have studied his stories and even heard him speak to me once. I have learned about leadership and skill. I have learned about achieving excellence. Again I have learned about myself and who I am. I thought that I would be working with Lugh forever. I thought that this was going to be my patron till the end of time. Yet he too seems to have slipped into the background, and now I find myself standing before Brighid hearing her call. So it is that I have chosen to dedicate myself to working with her, studying her myths, and learning what I can from her about myself and the cosmos around me...for a year and a day. At that time I will reevaluate if I want to and need to continue the partnership or if I will move onto studying and working with another deity. </div>
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So what have I noticed so far? Well for one I find myself being more easily moved emotionally then I have ever been in the past. I find myself being more compassionate and patient with those around me. I also have started to have inspirations for poems come to me, and strongly enough to bring me to tears. None of those poems have made it out of my head yet, but I suspect they may soon. I also plan to seek formal admittance to ADF's special interest group devoted to Brighid, perhaps I will do some flame keeping of my own. </div>
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No longer do I assume that though Brighid is the immediate divine "go to" in my life, that she will always be there. I will not make grandiose claims that she has "claimed" me as her own or any such thing. Only that she is here now, and has many many lessons to teach me about the anvil, the flame, and the well. </div>
Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-77472109496698358832014-06-27T16:00:00.001-07:002014-06-27T16:00:21.185-07:00She giveth...she taketh awayI am sad to report that the temple project has had to come to an end. We have lost the support of the partner of the location we were using, and can not afford the rent on our own. I am not as upset as many here suspected I would be. I always knew that this was a probably and possible outcome. I also knew that I had to try...that we had to try. I hope that my attempt has inspired other's in the community to what we might accomplish some day. Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-23330795562200507092014-03-13T12:53:00.000-07:002014-03-13T12:53:05.656-07:00Profane Into the Sacred: The creation of an Urban Pagan Temple<div class="MsoNormal">
It all started with a simple phone call. An aquiantance I have known and worked with
social on and off over the years was, according to my cell phone display,
calling me. It was a bit of a surprise,
she does not often contact me. Curious
as to what it could be about, I answered.
In short she was calling because she had acquired an old machine shop
she was going to turn into a dance studio.
It had a large fenced yard and was wondering if I and the pagan
community would be interested in using it for rituals. At first I was skeptical. I have, over the years been looking for such
a site. I have seen all sorts of places
and none of them worked for or another.
Still, I told her I would come by and look at it. It was after all less
than a block away. I am so glad I
did. It is about as perfect a space as
any urban druid could hope fore! Well,
perfect in the practical no non-sense business kind of way. It already has 6 foot tall fencing with three
layers of bobbed wire around the time to keep out would be vandals. It is tucked away just off a main road behind
buildings. It is easy to get to, has a
bus stop not even a block away, and plenty of parking. There is water. It is however devoid of life. It is an ugly dirty brown barren piece of
land. Bits of metal and plastic, glass
and junk are frequent. The earth itself
is hard backed desert brown that has been infused with the droppings of oil and
industrial waste. Digging down one gets
less than an inch before hiding dirt mixed with oil and hard packed by years of
trucks and machinery rolling over it.
Only a pick axe or jack hammer can break it up. This earth eats shovels for lunch. The surrounding businesses are another
machine shop type building, a lumber and stone yard, and a gas company depot. Across the street is more of the same. It’s an industrial area to say the
least. In short it’s a functional but
ugly piece of land. I brought some of
the other leaders of the pagan community over to look at it with me. We decided to go for it. So it is that I have spearheaded this
project. I have gathered together those
of the community willing to be founders and their vow to cover the very
reasonable rent. We are going to take
this ugly profane piece of land and transform it, to the best of our abilities
to something sacred and beautiful. </div>
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Having
started working on the site, pick axe swinging, I got to thinking about those “special”
and “holy” places and places like this one which just…well are profane, or
perhaps profaned. It would be nice to
find one of those special magical places with trees and grass and a great view
and build a temple there. Yet when I
thought about it, it occurred to me how much easier that is then what we are
attempting to do here, magically speaking.
Yet it is needed so much more in this dirty, ugly industrial
landscape. To transform this little
piece of land into something natural, beautiful, and a place of worship…well,
what more powerful magic could there be?
This is, in many ways, the most powerful “magical” working I have ever
done. It won’t happen overnight, and I am sure there
will be bumps along the way, but for now all is flowing and falling into
place. Though my muscles are sore from
the pick axe work I have done the last two days to raise standing stones and
place torches, my spirits are soaring. I
believe the kindred approve of this venture and are and will continue to
help. As I worked today a pure white
pigeon flow low over the temple with a branch in its beak, and landed in the
rafters of the lumber yard next door.
Though cliché’, I take this to be a very good omen indeed. </div>
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Below are some photos of the site and the progress made thus
far. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rjhELQaPa23abk8wu-DnJw470Y99gIbor_7VqI_pHHjyx9xFiHTqfeoaZF6RvnUUD-SUTqEmRc9aOWyq4mfEc_s_wyqyqOuFxKFIP3vWG5c-sl8lIsCw4ED14u5wXd_QI02twIbhNZ4V/s1600/1543974_601986746515371_373493734_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rjhELQaPa23abk8wu-DnJw470Y99gIbor_7VqI_pHHjyx9xFiHTqfeoaZF6RvnUUD-SUTqEmRc9aOWyq4mfEc_s_wyqyqOuFxKFIP3vWG5c-sl8lIsCw4ED14u5wXd_QI02twIbhNZ4V/s1600/1543974_601986746515371_373493734_n.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz8yIhb_c7LUJLLki9F86xM_brbmsDwLRXW6xqTLj3ruq6nw3PmHo31zpihbA2wIxp09KgwwJhmww1SlmEHHARonNhu8MMR18heoK3qKONB1kL7EqxS8rYl8658kOeGygA1ZJEGDFtOoH_/s1600/1551902_601986689848710_997433638_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz8yIhb_c7LUJLLki9F86xM_brbmsDwLRXW6xqTLj3ruq6nw3PmHo31zpihbA2wIxp09KgwwJhmww1SlmEHHARonNhu8MMR18heoK3qKONB1kL7EqxS8rYl8658kOeGygA1ZJEGDFtOoH_/s1600/1551902_601986689848710_997433638_o.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlVgSzXYK5Nv69fOw2FYaqfYXcxt6KDfnTeUnIBCvPiskWRTUNqEr2HA_8003QEFcpmyiyIcICyaawjxnBJcEq7qN0zxOAAqMVLXbMo9qUNZ24M97my5kODtWhPQ-DQVsd3XTb51heLTj/s1600/Standing+stones+1.0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlVgSzXYK5Nv69fOw2FYaqfYXcxt6KDfnTeUnIBCvPiskWRTUNqEr2HA_8003QEFcpmyiyIcICyaawjxnBJcEq7qN0zxOAAqMVLXbMo9qUNZ24M97my5kODtWhPQ-DQVsd3XTb51heLTj/s1600/Standing+stones+1.0.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGqImsA1Cam47mtphwmxXr6WQcvHurNMmFH8bAY9WNCkLLMMVqrLCJYFQRYORoDf6sJjWsXoOrWoXw2Z1BDW0botT2m2KQZ8QCEJ6erk5tawFAsf7eLdlkdP97sggg85jMcYiK1bmYyxYb/s1600/Standing+stones+and+torches+1.0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGqImsA1Cam47mtphwmxXr6WQcvHurNMmFH8bAY9WNCkLLMMVqrLCJYFQRYORoDf6sJjWsXoOrWoXw2Z1BDW0botT2m2KQZ8QCEJ6erk5tawFAsf7eLdlkdP97sggg85jMcYiK1bmYyxYb/s1600/Standing+stones+and+torches+1.0.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-65467128336961930182014-02-14T11:09:00.002-08:002014-02-14T11:09:12.367-08:00More Walk, Less Talk<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> I have learned something about myself and my spiritual path
of late. I am a “doer” more than I am a “thinker”. I do Druidry and sorcery rather than think,
write, or pontificate about nature, druidry and the holy kindred. Recently I have noticed several of the other
bloggers I enjoy reading, people who are far superior writers and maybe even
better thinkers then I, going on and on about Anthropomorphism and the nature
of the gods. Frankly I am board of
it. Though I understand the idea that
they are trying to “dig deeper” and come to some sort of better understanding,
I can’t help but feel they would be much better off stepping away from their computers
and spending time sitting under a tree and actually practicing. Not saying they don’t mind you. It just feels to me like they are spinning their
wheels like a hamster in its cage. Lots
of work and energy spent, but never really leading anywhere. I don’t see how it will make them a better
person or strengthen their connection to the kindred, nature, or even bring
them enlightenment. In my way of Druidry
one is better served by doing the work and experiencing the kindred and nature
then by just reading and thinking about it.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> This
has come up personally in my fledgling Protogrove. We have grown in membership significantly
over the last year, however, very few of them are actually DOING the work. They are not meditating regularly, or doing
the two powers exercise. They don’t
spend time in nature or at their shrines (if they even have one). They show up almost every week at the Dedicant’s
class I teach each week and they are mostly happy to help out and participate
in the high day rites. So what then is
the message? To me it tells me they are
happy to talk the talk, but when it comes to the walk…well they only want to
show up and play their part at the high-day. The actual day to day work, that I
feel where the real work and growth and meaning of Druidry is found is just not
in them. Personally, I am ok with that
for them. It’s their choice. However Druidry is a religion of doing, and
you get out of it what you put into it. A few of the “new” members of the protogrove
are starting to drift away. It is not
unexpected. ADF isn’t for everyone, and
though people are often enamored with the idea of being a Druid, they really
can’t be bothered to place one foot in front of the other and do the work. Make no mistake, hard work it is. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"> I
am not a great writer, or an amazing thinker.
I am a doer, and I lead from the front.
I do the work of a Druid Priest and sorcerer every day. I then write about my experiences here on this
blog in the hopes it will help others and as a journal of my travels. So you won’t find large complex philosophical
ideas that are wonderfully or beautifully typed out. You will find me doing my best to express the
experiences I have and some thoughts surrounding them upon my path of
Druidry. Look not to these pages to find
me, but to the river’s edge under the trees, three sticks of incense burning. </span></span>Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-49195427339980998662014-01-15T14:50:00.000-08:002014-01-15T14:50:55.870-08:00My Ministry <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_9lX06drB0NRdb7yjSA2qP7qGEnzBlIHjExnXiM5rBKgrKMQhH3IZsO7rqb5ah_LZkG3dc2X4G5fLPllr16FvHIGWwViiaNyIjqg4-WhZST0uZowe2zDe_orktahxEEJjPvXxLP9y6tY4/s1600/images+(4).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_9lX06drB0NRdb7yjSA2qP7qGEnzBlIHjExnXiM5rBKgrKMQhH3IZsO7rqb5ah_LZkG3dc2X4G5fLPllr16FvHIGWwViiaNyIjqg4-WhZST0uZowe2zDe_orktahxEEJjPvXxLP9y6tY4/s1600/images+(4).jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Ministry is defined as “Work or
vocation of a minister of religion”. As
I am coming toward the completion of my first circle clergy training with ADF I
am beginning to envision what my work, my ministry, will look like. Some of it is forming organically as needs of
the grove become evident, such as the need to teach a class on the dedicant's path. I see my
ministry with two main streams; the stream of public ritual and the stream of
private practice. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My
ministry in public ritual is to write and lead public rites for each of the
eight highdays. It is also to do other
types of rituals as well such as hand-fastings, funerary rites, coming of age
and transitional ceremonies, as well as personal rites of purification and
blessing. When called upon I will lend my skill as a sorcerer. This stream is perhaps the most obvious parts
of my ministry. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The other
stream of my ministry is going to be about helping people with their personal
practice. In this I see myself as a
coach. I will teach techniques, such as
meditation, prayers, and rituals for personal use. I will also encourage people to do the work
of Druidry, just as a coach encourages his players to practice and train. As part of this I also see myself performing
pastoral counseling. In this counseling
I will make use of the philosophies, stories, and skills of Druidry to help
people navigate the issues and crisis of their lives. </div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
What
you won’t see in my ministry is me telling you how to believe. You won’t see me telling you are wrong for
feeling a certain way. I won’t make you
feel small, ashamed, or try to enslave you.
My ministry is empowerment and giving a person the tools they need to
feel spiritually fulfilled. </div>
Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-78584179071795773652014-01-08T14:23:00.002-08:002014-01-08T14:23:51.667-08:00How Druidry has helped me in my own healing process<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG2Aa8Ap2HAKafV2LFqOTNNvd92aSjHpEr3rjpTPP7iq114w2kI2UpoCW0HXu7a3gEWuOjuIRR49PrcL3uYmk2tvW6CCsmm7fbX9UvFea_rrQII8h-WL-Wji3BFjTtPyR5uGb_osNrI4bD/s1600/60680_10151315353262326_1305703651_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG2Aa8Ap2HAKafV2LFqOTNNvd92aSjHpEr3rjpTPP7iq114w2kI2UpoCW0HXu7a3gEWuOjuIRR49PrcL3uYmk2tvW6CCsmm7fbX9UvFea_rrQII8h-WL-Wji3BFjTtPyR5uGb_osNrI4bD/s1600/60680_10151315353262326_1305703651_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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A reader of this blog asked me recently on an old post how
has this spiritual path helped me to heal, and do I have suggestions. Here is my answer. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
First
Druidry got me back in-touch with myself and got me to see who I was, who I am,
and who I want to be. It also, and this
is a big one, got me back in touch with feeling at one with nature. This was very much a balm to my tortured soul
and ego. I did this by spending time
quietly in nature. Hours of hiking some
place quiet and just sitting, stilling the thoughts and emotions, just
listening to the nothing and everything that is nature. The two powers exercise got me in touch with
the energies of nature and of magick. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Shamanic
work has been and still is a key component to my healing process. Through Shamanic techniques I have come to
the realization that I was just running through the forest shooting everything
I came across with arrows. Years later I
was able to face my shadow self for the first time, and then again not so long
ago. Shamanic journeys taught me that at
the heart of the greatest evil could be found good intent. This was a seed to
forgiving my ex. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Druidry
has given me a system for doing daily work with the holy kindred made up of the
gods, land spirits and the ancestors.
All of these beings have spoken to me at different times guiding me to
be a better person. All have brought
blessings and challenges my way. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Paganism
and Druidry have brought the most amazing friendships my way that I have ever had. Friendships that have let me tell and retell
the pain and suffering that I needed to get out. Friendships that have loved me when I couldn’t
love myself. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How do
I know I have healed? I know because the
buttons the ex use to push so easily no longer work. Nor do I anger as easily as I once did. I find my days filled with joy and laughter.
I wake up in the mornings excited for the day and looking forward to what may
come. Recently I have found myself
growing ever more compassionate. When I
hear things that would have in the past made me feel angry and or indignant
about something someone did, I now only feel empathy toward them and wonder
what pain they must be in to behave such.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One
thing is that is key, absolutely essential, and this applies to any spiritual
practice that is going to bring about healing is that you have to DO IT! I mean really do it and do it every day. You have to live it, eat it, breathe it,
sleep with it. It has to become a part
of what you do every day, of who you are. Do it when you’re board with it. Do
it when it’s raining, hot, cold, stinky.
I don’t care if it’s raining bombs out…do it. I do it when I am sick, when I am stressed,
when I am mad, when I happy, when I am tired. When I am busy, I just get out of
bed earlier. It’s not enough to read a
book, or watch a youtube video, or just think about doing it. You have to actually DO THE WORK. Any spiritual system in the world can lead
one to healing, but even the most powerful one won’t do anything if you don’t
DO THE WORK. Most days I enjoy it, but
some days I understand why it’s called “work”.
There are so many things out there that will try to distract you. Kids are a huge one, work, significant
others, pets, chores, TV shows. All of
these things are only distractions and obstacles if you allow them to be. They all have solutions. They are all just excuses why you didn’t/don’t
do the work. </div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Someone once emailed me and asked me, “in your words, what
does it mean to be a druid?” My response
was simply this; To be a druid you must have the heart of a poet, the will of a
warrior, and the mind of a scholar. </div>
Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-19157206861243163572014-01-07T07:18:00.000-08:002014-01-07T07:18:07.074-08:00Winter Solstice Update<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
My how the Protogrove has grown in
the last year! I re-read what I wrote
about last year’s Winter Solstice rite.
At that time the Protogrove was made up of three members. Since then we have gained some and lost some. We are now up to eight active members besides
myself. We now have bylaws in place, and
will soon be applying for Grove status with ADF. We also now have weekly Dedicant’s path
meetings, as well as once a month business and planning meetings. Having more members has been a blessing for
sure, but it also makes things more complicated in ways as well. There are more personalities to deal with for
one. Not that this is a difficult thing
per say, but it can complicate issues at times.
When planning for high day rites and festivals, there are more people to
help, but also more people for me to constantly check in with to make sure
things are getting done, and at the same time finding the balance so that one
is not micro-managing. I am also
learning to trust others to get things done.
The last few years I have had to rely mostly on just me to make sure
things get done. Now I am having to rely
on others and I am finding that at times it’s difficult. I have had just so many experiences in my
life when relying on others was a mistake.
So far however the group is going strong and all is rolling along
nicely. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This
year we are doing our winter solstice ritual in combination with KCPC the local
eclectic pagan meetup. We will be doing the
ritual in ADF’s Core Order of Ritual. As
part of that however we will be doing the Oak king/Holly King battle, as well
as our candle lighting ceremony which is becoming a Yule tradition. In this ceremony, I light a candle from the
sacred fire, then I light the candle to the person on my left saying “may my
inner light spark your inner light”.
Then in turn do the same to the person on their left. The lighting goes all around the circle then
the last person will light a large three wick candle on the alter representing
the whole of the community. Then we give
people the opportunity to honor those in the community who have helped in some
way. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another
new adventure ahead of us this year is the building of a public temple for
worship ceremonies of all the different pagan paths in the community. I was approached by a friend who is
converting an old machine shop into a dance studio/meeting hall. It comes with a fenced dirt yard that she isn’t
interested in using and asked me if we would like to use it for rituals. I looked at it and it will be perfect! I am in the process of bringing the idea to
the community and gaining their financial support. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On a
more personal note, my personal practice continues on strong as ever. I do morning offerings each day with two
powers meditation and some trance work on other days. I recently have noticed an opening and
expanding of my “heart”. I am feeling
far more compassionate and empathic of late.
I am not sure what has brought this about. It could be that Brigid is coming more into
my life and spirit. It could be a
natural evolution of my inner work.
Perhaps it’s a reflection of the book I am currently reading about the
art of blessing. Whatever has caused it,
I like it. I still feel strong, just
more loving, more patient. I am also
still chipping away on ADF’s clergy training program. I am getting to the end of it now, and I have
learned so much. I have also begun
serious thoughts on what my “ministry” will look like, but I feel that is worth
a blog post in itself. For now I will
leave you with this prayer of thanks I wrote as part of my clergy training in
my Liturgical Writing class. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond;">Samildanach!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond;">Sage of
every art,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond;">Master of
the high seat,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond;">I thank
you for blessing me and mine with skill.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond;">Lugh </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Garamond, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Lámhfhada</span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond;">,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond;">The eye
striker,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond;">Champion
of champions, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond;">I thank
you for protecting me and mine from the powers of chaos and oppression.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond;">Light
Bringer, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond;">Oath
Keeper, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond;">Law
speaker, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond;">I thank
you for the harvest that brings bread upon this table. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond;">As a gift
calls for a gift:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond;">My skill
is your skill,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond;">My
protection is your protection,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond;">My harvest
is your harvest,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond;">Hail Lugh
of the long arm! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond;">Summary:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond;"> I drew much of
the inspiration for this prayer from Cath Maige Tuired. When the god Lugh first makes his appearance
at the gates of Tara he is asked his name and replies that it is Samildanach
which means “equally skilled in all arts”; which he proves to be a master
of. Once he enters Tara he takes the
seat of the sage, and later that of the king.
Here I talk about the high seat of the sage and name him master as a reflex
of his mastery of all skills. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Garamond;"> Lugh Lamhfhada is another well known
name meaning “Lugh of the long arm” and relates to his skill with the
spear. I came up with the kenning of “eye
striker” because of the story in the Cath Maige Tuired where Lugh takes out the
“evil eye” of his grandfather Balor. The
Tuatha De Danan were champions, but Lugh was champion above even them evidenced
by his many feats in the Cath Maige Tuired, thus the title I gave him as “champion
of champions”. The title of light
bringer I came up with from the possibility that the etomology of Lugh’s name
comes from the Proto Indo-European *leuk
-flashing light (Wikipedia).
Though in Victorian times people thought him a solar deity I believe
this *leuk refers not to the sun but to the strike of lightning. Add to this the epitaph of “fierce striker”
and that lightning storms are said to be from Lugh and Balor fighting in folk
tales; I agree with Alexi Kondratiev (1997) that the light of Lugh is the
sudden blinding light of the lightning flash.
“Oath Keeper” is a reference to another possible etiology of his name
which means “oath” and was a god who was often invoked when contracts and business
dealings were being done (Wikipedia).
The title “law speaker” I give him because of his role in the story “The
sons of Tuireann” where he up holds the laws and names an eric for his father’s
murderers. The reference to the harvest
has to do with the end of the Cath Maige Tuired where Bres gives up the secrets
of planting, growing and harvesting. The
ending of the prayer draws upon the idea of reciprocity. It is designed to show how the speaker and
Lugh are deeply connected through this process.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-7755800684401874382013-12-11T14:24:00.001-08:002013-12-11T14:24:45.717-08:00Victory! <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jbxiG3PP7v2OKaJKuc-CvgVtuqqfeApXbKe-8RjkZTp2n4dE3U6fxItRR2pm2g1QXLbCqAoGJ36PKItvqRDs18j7BACKaSlk81U2-FBGXxSj0Yh3SBli6Wzy2uAEKCtxsxUc9AEiOiyc/s1600/victory+on+hill+top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jbxiG3PP7v2OKaJKuc-CvgVtuqqfeApXbKe-8RjkZTp2n4dE3U6fxItRR2pm2g1QXLbCqAoGJ36PKItvqRDs18j7BACKaSlk81U2-FBGXxSj0Yh3SBli6Wzy2uAEKCtxsxUc9AEiOiyc/s1600/victory+on+hill+top.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Today I stand strong, the hero’s
light shinning from my brow. </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I have
reached deep, “eaten bitter” and finished Nursing School.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Nothing in my life has challenged me as
nursing school has.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Readers will know
that I failed the last semester and had to repeat it.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">This was the first time in my life I ever
failed to meet my goal.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I had no one to
blame but myself.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Through this process I
learned a lot about me and I had to learn to deal with failure in a way I have
never had to before.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I learned that
given the choice between the easy road of mediocrity and the hard road of
excellence, I will choose the harder road.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Today not only did I successful complete that last semester, I received the
grade of an A and got excellent reviews from my clinical instructors.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I have already been offered, and accepted, a
job at a local hospital.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I feel
redeemed.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I feel victorious.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In “A
hero with a thousand faces” by Joseph
Campbell, he describes the hero’s journey.
It starts at status que, then there is the call to adventure. Along the way the hero meets a more
experienced guide who helps them. The hero
faces a serious of traps, enemies, or challenges. Then the here will face their biggest
challenge. This then changes the
hero. The hero returns to the start with
something new. A new knowledge, magic,
technology, idea…something. Also the
hero is changed. Nursing school has been
my hero’s journey. My call was the need
for financial stability, and I think the call of the goddess Bridgit and Lugh,
not to mention the call of my ancestors, many of whom were healers. I had the help of many teachers and
instructors, who guided me, and armed me with information and knowledge. I faced many challenges; tests, with
questions that required multiple levels of critical thinking, difficult situations
with patients and their families. I had
to confront my own fears, multiple times.
At the end, just when I thought I was going to be done, I was told that
I had failed to meet the requirements of level 4 clinic. I could have walked away at the point right
there, but I was given the option to keep coming to class, so I did. I had to learn how to deal with failure. I learned it was much like the process of
dealing with the loss of a loved one, with stages of denial, anger, bargaining,
and acceptance. At the end, I was given
the opportunity to either be graduated with my class, though the instructor
felt I would have a “large uphill climb” when I got into the real world; or to
come back and she promised me a seat in the next semester, and come out
standing on top of that hill. I had no
time to think, a decision had to be made then and there. It was a poignant moment of my life. You see I had a lot of pressure to be
done. My wife hates her job and was only
waiting for me to finish school and start a job to quite. My kids could use the extra income to better their
lives. To be done was so tempting. “to hell with what the teacher says, I know
what I am doing, I could be done and get a job…but what if I really don’t know
what I am doing…what if I hurt someone..”
These were but a few of the thoughts and pressures going through my head
in that moment. Looking back I feel this
moment was perhaps a test from the gods.
Maybe it was Lugh, maybe Brigit, maybe both, maybe none, I can’t say but
I know what I choose. I choose to repeat the semester. I choose the road of excellence. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today I
stand strong; the hero’s light shinning from my brow. I have reached deep, “eaten bitter” and
finished nursing school. Nothing in my
life has challenged me as nursing school has. Through this process I learned a
lot about myself and I had to learn to deal with failure in a way I have never
had to before. I learned that given the
choice between the easy road of mediocrity and the hard road of excellence, I
will choose the harder road. Today not
only did I successful complete that last semester, I received the grade of an A
and got excellent reviews from my clinical instructors. I have already been
offered, and accepted, a job at a local hospital. I feel redeemed. I feel victorious. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-39342097438408736212013-08-13T16:04:00.000-07:002013-08-13T16:04:17.592-07:00Healing with Milk<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWVTmye_rp2cv-_42TGENQQtwHaqalrdsyyVaZtHVerZqyhPAlD8GbIPyhK_3NUznTdLrB3TgQ1bPiZ1ilTPem2tpuT30MBBM05pQWujr4Zk2qe7XJSXLS4YSSj4KEDi8yp-igQ7ETYLC/s1600/healing+spirit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZWVTmye_rp2cv-_42TGENQQtwHaqalrdsyyVaZtHVerZqyhPAlD8GbIPyhK_3NUznTdLrB3TgQ1bPiZ1ilTPem2tpuT30MBBM05pQWujr4Zk2qe7XJSXLS4YSSj4KEDi8yp-igQ7ETYLC/s1600/healing+spirit.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Earlier this summer a friend and fellow pagan contacted me
via Facebook, asking me to send some “healing energy” to her father who had
been admitted to the ICU. I could have
done as asked as I often do with a simple inclusion of an extra prayer for them
in my morning ritual. Instead though, I
felt perhaps more was needed. I asked
for more specifics as to what was going on with her father. She began to run the story of what was
happening, and having been a nursing student in ICU for six weeks I quickly
came to the conclusion that things were dire indeed. His cerebral spinal fluid
was disappearing and the Doctors couldn’t figure out where. Then suddenly he
suffered from in increase in cranial pressure and went into a coma and had to
be put on a ventilator. Bed sores were present and several other co morbidities.
My logical, clinical nursing trained mind told me that his chances of survival
were the width of a thread…over a fire.
I of course did not share this with my friend, I learned long ago to be
very careful about saying such things to those who love the one in such a
condition. I told her I would do what I
could. My magical mind told me that this
was going to require a LOT more than just some “good vibes”. I set to work to call upon a spirit of the
court of Bridgit. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I
scanned through Ian’s book and came up with the spirit Slainte Beir. Though I had not worked with her before, she
has, according to Ian agreed to work with the Druids of ADF, and I had done a
number of workings to gain the authority of Bridgit to work with her spirits in
the past. I laid out my alter and
supplies. Cream it turns out is the
spirits preferred offering, but as it turned out, I had none. It was too late for me to go and get some, so
I decided to make do with milk. I gathered
a number of other offering items for Bridgit herself as well as the Cuach
Brid. This working was to take place at
my indoor shrine. I performed the ritual
using the Core order of ritual. Once the
gates were open I called upon my spirit guides for aid in this working. I then called on Brig using the prayers in
Ian’s book. I offered to her and took an
omen. I no longer remember now what
specifically I drew, but the question was if Brig had accepted the offerings
and if I had her go ahead for the working.
I did. I then got my center
again, and called upon Slainte Beir. Three
times I called and gave offerings.
Unlike some lucky folk, I am not one who easily sees spirits or hears
them either. So after the calling the
offerings, I sit and drum and go into a trance state, where I hope to find the
spirits at the crossroads. I was happy
to say that I did. I parlayed with her a
bit and explained to her my need and the needs of the dying man. She told me that it would require three separate
sacrifices of milk, poured over a large rock, and that I would know the times
when to do them. With that the spirit
left and I ended the working. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wrote
to my friend via Facebook, what the spirit had told me. She agreed to do the offerings, and said it
would be no trouble. I then found out
her father was to go into surgery the next morning. I felt that would be the time for the first
offering. The surgery was to try and
discover what was going on with the man’s cerebral spinal fluid. How it want from not being enough, to be too
much in a very short period of time.
They never found a good answer, but after the surgery and the offering,
he began to improve. I was a bit
surprised to be honest, but pleasantly so.
From that time on he slowly began to recover and improve. Two more surgeries and offerings of milk were
given throughout his stay. After thirty days
in the ICU my friends father was discharged to a skilled nursing facility. He had lost forty pounds of muscle and body
weight and could no longer easily support himself to do activities of daily
living. I am happy to report that a few
weeks after that he was discharged home.
He still is recovering his health, but is for the most part living a
normal life. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So,
what happened? Was it the working? Was it good health care? As someone who has taken care of people in
the ICU, some of whom died, you get a feel for how things are going to go. As a future nurse, hearing all that was
stacked up against this middle aged man, I believe with all I am that it was
the help of this spirit that brought this man back from the brink of
death. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have
often seen how the study of different types of “hard science”; i.e. mathematics,
biology, chemistry, engineering, ect., will cause people to stop believing in
spirits, gods, and magic. Yet for me it
has had the opposite effect. It seems to
me to only be providing proof that all that “woowoo” magic and spirits are in
fact real and interacting with us. As in this experience, my hard science mind
told me that he would most likely not survive, and yet he did! So something must
have intervened, and that something was most likely the spirit I called upon. So long as the hard sciences cannot in some
way measure magic they will not accept it.
Honestly, I am ok with that. I
hope they never can measure it. I hope
there will always be forces in this world that can’t be understood with measurement;
forces that must be felt and experienced and always leaving us a bit lost as to
how it worked. This is the re-enchanting
of the world. This is how it is done; one
magical working at a time. </div>
</div>
Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-21110332884935961842013-07-10T11:58:00.000-07:002013-07-10T11:58:57.497-07:00Return of the black stag: palaver with my shadow-self<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVwl6FZHHfECT2QJO39aPktbcEYkW3TIuRTAR2Y3wj99yDxYSuedeyqoizzUtwYhreryFkdkvqjWpswCFAxTS3igRm1H2lb0qUG7rP-_xf2KvvsdZjE_4wdQvtzNLEb2ZEaqpqRb03dIOz/s1600/Black+stag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVwl6FZHHfECT2QJO39aPktbcEYkW3TIuRTAR2Y3wj99yDxYSuedeyqoizzUtwYhreryFkdkvqjWpswCFAxTS3igRm1H2lb0qUG7rP-_xf2KvvsdZjE_4wdQvtzNLEb2ZEaqpqRb03dIOz/s1600/Black+stag.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A number of things have appeared to me over the last few
days that indicated to me that it was time to once again do a spirit-journey
and face my shadow self. I haven’t
worked with my shadow self in a number of years, not since about 2009. My internal struggles dealing with what has occurred
in regards to my failing to pass 4<sup>th</sup> semester of nursing school has
come to a head in the form of an intense discussion with my wife. It has become apparent that I am not dealing
with the emotional fall out of my failing as well as I would like. The hurt, anger, and disappointment is slowly
poisoning my attitude through this my relationships. I have to admit the usual “joy” of life I
feel has been notably absent the past few months. While watching a TV show the other day where
a main character took a inner journey in which he faced his own personal
demons, it clicked that it was time for me to do the same. So it was that today I made that happen. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I
started my journey out in the usual manner.
I called out to any ancestors who would lend aid to join me and gave
offering. I called out to my guide and
ally the stag, and to my patron and matron.
The journey turned out to be quite long as these things go, but then there
was a lot to discuss and learn. I
entered the spirit world through the gate that I opened. I found myself quickly falling down a tube of
purplish clouds at a frightening speed.
I called out for help and stag appeared and caught me upon his back and
slowed my decent at the last seconds then he gracefully leapt out the opening
onto the hillside path I have come to know so well. He took me down to the dale and the ring of
stones. It was night and very dark. Happily the ever present fire blazed away in
the center of the stone circle as usual.
The old teach however, was not there this time. I ask where he was and stag told me he would
be back in a little while, and that we should wait. In short order I suddenly felt an ominous
presence and out of the darkness into the far edge of the light of the fire. He
looked as he had all those years ago; A
huge black stag with four eyes glowing red.
His antlers sharp and ragged edged.
He walked around the light and approached me. Then he did something I have never seen him
do before, he stood on hind legs and approached the last few yards in a bipedal
walk. I found it disconcerting. His greeting was one of mockery, much as
awkward bipedal walk. And so the palaver
began. We talked of what I was feeling,
about the hurt and anger. I found myself
having to show my shadow self that I had made the mistakes that lead to me
failing, that it was not unjust. This
process has forced me to really accept with my heart what has happened. That it is time to let go of the anger, hurt
and disappointment. That these feelings
are keeping me from letting out the love and light I normally feel for the
world. In the course of the palaver I
also was reminded that anger will not destroy anger. Only love and acceptance will end my anger,
hurt, and disappointment. It is love and
acceptance from myself to myself that is the key to releasing the anger and
hurt. Before I felt the talking was done
however, the shadow-stag went down to all fours and walked away without a word
or a look over his should as what was to be my last sentence with him fell from
my mouth. After watching him go, my
guide, the brown stag indicated to follow him into the forest. It was very dark, and I followed
closely. We came to a game trail and it
lead to small stream. I could barely see
it, but heard it just fine. The trail
followed the stream downhill and we came
to a small pond. It was very calm and
gleamed with a sheen of silver from reflected moonlight of the full moon. Suddenly my guide did something I had never
seen him do before. He also stood, but
transformed into the torso and legs of a muscular man but retained the head of the
stag. He then walked slowly into the
pond. He beckoned me to follow. I stripped off my clothes and waded in after
him. He told me to let myself float in
the water. I did as instructed and
found that he placed his hands under me to help support me. Here I simply found myself floating and
letting go. Letting go of…well of
everything. Stag told me to just relax,
know that I am supported, to just go with the flow of the water without
attachment or desire; to just be. I did
as instructed, but then wanted to know about how to reach goals. If I just do nothing, I may never reach where
I want to go. I was told that even those
who swim have to work with the currents or risk tiring themselves and
drowning. I continued to just
float. It felt so good to really let go
completely and just trust that I would be all right. The kind of trust that in the universe that I
haven’t felt since before I met my ex-wife, the kind of trust a well taken care
of child feels in the world. After a
period of time, I am not sure how long, it was time to go back. At the edge of the pool, stag returned to his
more natural form, and he guided me back toward the circle of stones. However upon the way my shadow-self returned
to block the path. We spoke a bit
more. He was still rude and mocking,
however instead of responding with anger and defensiveness back at him, I
responded with acceptance and love. This
essentially shut him down and he quickly left back into the darkness of the
woods. However, I do know that we are
far from done. After this we walked by
the stone circle toward the gateway.
Looking toward the fire, I saw the outline of the old teacher, who only
waved as we walked by. We reached the
gate on the side of the hill and after a fond good bye, I stepped through and
back to this side of the veil, and back into my body. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I will
see what the next week brings to me, but have the intention to once again
spirit-walk and again confront my shadow-self. </div>
</div>
Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-40396106796913799222013-06-17T21:56:00.000-07:002013-06-17T21:56:13.899-07:00Fire, Well, Sacred Tree, flow and flame and grow in me. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1sNULRT4DLJu9z6NDkghhXssFocWSgMYnKgTm_IFfJn3upvWQ0Pda-zk83gjnUiTyqnpF50eRqW6PjV8vSqkO8wey3nQdQCXbx5mfIAJ5XwdnJQm6jisZGhXRsQAqeoTj88KbuwYjPt6l/s1600/Beltane+2013+JPM-71.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1sNULRT4DLJu9z6NDkghhXssFocWSgMYnKgTm_IFfJn3upvWQ0Pda-zk83gjnUiTyqnpF50eRqW6PjV8vSqkO8wey3nQdQCXbx5mfIAJ5XwdnJQm6jisZGhXRsQAqeoTj88KbuwYjPt6l/s1600/Beltane+2013+JPM-71.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">“The fire, the well and sacred tree; flow and flame and grow
in me.” So goes a commonly used phrase
in ADF liturgy. It is said in various ways
at high day rites and by different groves, but the idea is all there. The other day, a person publicly announced
that they were leaving ADF because they found it did not focus enough on what
was going on inside a person. That it
was too focused on devotionals. That they also think we spend all our time
talking about “right relationship” and that they do not care about that or
right action. That ADF does not spend
enough time dealing with “the messy, mucky, complicated, beautiful acts of
being human that have nothing to do with how virtuous or pious we are.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">
I have pondered over their words for several days now, and to the writer
I can only say they did not integrate the concepts, they did not enfold the
metaphor to their inner life. That is,
the fault is not so much with the ADF but with the person. You see good readers it is all
METAPHOR! Every religion; all of them.
Every single one of them is a metaphor for our spiritual experiences in
life. Hey!, Great if they think they are
literal truth, but with that truth is a metaphor. It is up to the individual to integrate that
metaphor into their life, thus finding the wisdom and unlocking the secrets to
a spiritual existence. No one can do
this for another. At best we can say “look
this is a metaphor for your life, now figure out what it means to YOU. Apply it
to YOU as you can.” So to the charge that ADF is not inwardly
focused, let me point out just a few of the ways I see that it is. As noted at the beginning of this post ADF
ritual tell us to “Let the waters flow within us, let the fire burn within us,
and to let the tree grow within us.” This is a metaphor that means that we each
need to tend to all the associations of the well, fire and tree, inside
us. What are these associations you
ask? I am happy to tell you, but it’s
all just metaphors. You would be a thousand
times better off going about your own inner work and coming to understand what
the associations are TO YOU. How do you
do that? YOU TURN INWARD. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> ADF
is concerned with “right relationship” and rightly so I think. Before I go on we need to have an
understanding of what is meant by “right relationship”. It means to maintain a balanced relationship
between you and the gods, the spirits of nature (thus nature itself) and the
ancestors. It also means to maintain a
right relationship with yourself. How do
you maintain right relationship with yourself?
YOU TURN INWARD. To know if you
are in “right relationship” with oneself you are forced to turn inward and
address what one finds, then taking actions both internally and externally to
bring that relationship back to balance.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> As
part of the Dedicant’s path the novice is asked to start what is called “mental
discipline”. This is some sort of
practice that forces the novice to sit down at least once a week and turn
inward. For most this is some sort of
meditation, though not always. Though
the requirement is weekly, I recommend that it be done daily. Though again not required, this practice is
encouraged to go on long after the Dedicant’s path work is done. All of this is a form of ADF having a person
TURN INWARD. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> Once
past the Dedicant’s work, we have several trainings that encourage further
practices of Trance work and poetry that if applied correctly will cause a
person to TURN INWARD. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So I have shown a number of ways
that ADF directs the person to turn inward.
ADF gives metaphor with which to navigate the inner world, and in the courses
it asks the student to find techniques that will turn them inward. All of these are tools that help a person
deal with the “..messy, mucky, complicated, beautiful act of being human that
have nothing to do with how virtuous or pious we are.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The author finishes with “…I don’t
think I can, through my own actions, earn my way to good standing with the Gods.” To this I would share what a wise druid once
told me, “Whether you think you can or you can’t…your right.” </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"> ADF is not at all a perfect organization, and
probably not a perfect religion.</span><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">It
certainly is not the religion for everyone.</span><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">
</span><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">People come, do, and decide to go.</span><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">
</span><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">That’s great.</span><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Just do not blame
the system for your missing the road signs, not internalizing the metaphors, or
finishing the work of the DP.</span><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span>
Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-32158849351565289982013-06-08T16:57:00.000-07:002013-06-08T16:57:09.962-07:00Sometimes the bear wins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42uf4XjDIaF1OPr34QujFfIy_j9D9hRIEYXRIen8i-9v6wsxSvEqqHqFDBcuQaNMhd1YDpx5WyDDFWqSl1eSYUFEvAs8knvM_D-2YspuMgS624u-BJFHubLP7Hv6ib4Xxt6U0jmuRFldw/s1600/grizzly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42uf4XjDIaF1OPr34QujFfIy_j9D9hRIEYXRIen8i-9v6wsxSvEqqHqFDBcuQaNMhd1YDpx5WyDDFWqSl1eSYUFEvAs8knvM_D-2YspuMgS624u-BJFHubLP7Hv6ib4Xxt6U0jmuRFldw/s320/grizzly.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Sometimes
the bear wins” or so the saying goes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
think for perhaps the first time in my life I have gotten the full taste of
this statement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nursing school has been
my bear for the past two years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has
been by far the most rigorous course of study I have ever undergone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sheer amount of information we must learn
is often overwhelming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have lost
sleep, and felt the strain on my marriage do to its demands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On top of all that is the pressure for me to
finish so that I can get out in the work force and be gainfully employed for
the first time since 2007, so that my beloved water witch can get out of the
job that she does not like, but supports us for now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Add to that the building debt incurred by the
costs of school; nope, no pressure there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Well, it didn’t happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made
one too many mistakes in my clinical rotation and the instructor felt I was not
ready to move on. So it is that I will be forced to retake the 4<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> and
final semester of nursing school over again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The fallout from this decision has been a huge learning experience for
me on a spiritual and emotional level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My wife was angry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having to tell
my father, a retired physician, was embarrassing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Never in my life have I suffered such a
defeat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I who learned two foreign languages
by the time I was 23.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who has a 2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup>
degree black belt and taught others to that level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I who have helped hundreds of people over
come pain and discomfort both physical and emotional; I who built a tight
night, healthy and loving pagan community where none existed before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I of my own doing failed, and at a time when
so many were counting on me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
cried, I felt shame and embarrassment, I did not give up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did not crumble or throw in the towel. I
did not blame anyone else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sat, in
front of my altar, and I gave my daily offerings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked my spirit-journey and spoke with the
stag and the old teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked “why?”
a LOT.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I played out the events over and
over, finding every fault and error.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
I did not do was start throwing magic and energy around wildly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did not summon spirits to do more than help
me learn from this process and to help me get through it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The instructor offered me the option to stop
coming to class, or to continue on and finish out the semester knowing I would receive
a “No Pass” regardless of my actually percentage grade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew immediately what the courageous course
of action was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I continued on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I studied and took every test.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I learned all I could, for it was made clear
to me that this is the way of champions, the path of the hero.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>All people
suffer times when things do not happen as they would have wished…everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, not everyone fails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The difference being between those who suffer
a setback and then give up, and those who regroup, and continue on, changed in
some way, but still trying to reach the goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One of the things that an instructor said to me when I was given the
news of my defeat was that “things happen for a reason.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I was younger, high school years, I
believed this strongly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somewhere along
the way, I lost this point of view or rather I became cynical about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thinking “sure it happens for a reason,
people fuck up.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not me though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my spirit work it has come clear to me
that part of why I suffered this setback was to be humbled a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I admit, I was cocky coming into the nursing
program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a string of scholastic
successes behind me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have also come to
believe that I suffered, am still suffering this “setback” because I had to
learn lessons about pulling it together and continuing on, about not giving up
and making it a failure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With these
lessens I will be better able to guide others who might come to me for advise
when I receive my ordination from ADF.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have also been lead to believe that by being forced to repeat this last semester
Lugh wants me to master as much as I can of the art and science of nursing
before I hit the workforce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Half-assed
or “good enough” may be acceptable to others, but not to devotee of Lugh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Excellence is the bar to which I excel in all
that I chose to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is both the
reward and curse of being a “Lughvian”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>At the
end of the semester, the head instructor sat down with me for my final review.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was Impressed with how much she had seen
me grow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was impressed with how well
I handled the situation and took responsibility and did not blame others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She told me then she was considering
graduating me, but that if she did so, I would have an uphill battle to face on
my first job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also knew that I had
missed most of the interviews for new grads into the local hospitals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a matter of a few seconds all of that I
have learned and come to accept swirled into the decision for me to not be
passed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Why not
glamour your way?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why not call upon the
spirits to blind the instructors to your mistakes?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have asked myself this same question as
well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The answer is comes down to this:
sometimes you have to accomplish something by the strength of your raw ability
unaided by magic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I had used magic
and been graduated without really being competent what danger would I be
placing any future patients in?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whose
death might I inadvertently cause?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No,
in this situation magic simply would not do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Now I
await news if I will be accepted back into the fourth semester and you can bet
your silver chalice that I have and am using magic to influence that decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will continue to offer to Brigit and Lugh,
the spirits and my ancestors for aid in learning, and guidance in action.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have learned much from this experience, and
have been humbled by it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I however will
not give up on my goals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not done,
and this battle is not over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am currently
enrolled in a nursing skills lab class where I am polishing my skills and
knowledge base and work toward excellence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-28026573246033429182013-04-16T09:06:00.001-07:002013-04-16T09:06:54.841-07:00The next stepping stone<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4l1SrgEmXLtjywlKyHkwILWg17bakBsSRkdYkYIkpztYy1NAGtevZ1DN0j68cuNWw7nEvSEqnLmPNMNSwGEtZITBnKwuKIe4QUQEyWLrYTnNbJ6YWPf5KcxuCqbmRPCe8X6g06krKQMBD/s1600/32174_10151469186356518_909836992_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4l1SrgEmXLtjywlKyHkwILWg17bakBsSRkdYkYIkpztYy1NAGtevZ1DN0j68cuNWw7nEvSEqnLmPNMNSwGEtZITBnKwuKIe4QUQEyWLrYTnNbJ6YWPf5KcxuCqbmRPCe8X6g06krKQMBD/s320/32174_10151469186356518_909836992_n.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
After 3 years of hard work, it is with both great honor and humility that I announce I have successfully completed the ADF Preliminary Clergy Training course, and have been officially accepted into the Clergy Training Program of ADF! <br />
<br />
Hail to the spirit stag, you who have been my guide into the wilds of the spirit world. <br />
Hail to my ancestors of blood and spirit, may I continue to honor you with my action<br />
Hail to the gods I swear by, may I always be your ally in this world. Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-68807354078866494332013-01-07T20:04:00.001-08:002013-01-07T20:04:41.358-08:00Winter Solstice 2012
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Winter Solstice this year was special for me in a way it has
never been before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This past year I have
been fighting my way through nursing school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Never before has school been so demanding of me, that it has required me
to let go of my ability to provide open public rituals to the local pagan
community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, Mabon for
this year was canceled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s worse is that
it was canceled last minute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had done
all the work of renting a space and writing the ritual, only to discover a few
days before that I was overwhelmed with school work to even have the time to go
and perform the rite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadly neither of
the other two grove mates where able to take over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope that by this time next year that will
be different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So having time off of
school between semesters and being able to put together and perform a winter
solstice ritual for the local community meant a lot to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I discovered in the process how much I enjoy
doing these.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not sure why I do, I
just do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess I enjoy the idea that
ritual is “poetry in the world of actions”, and I very much like to see my “poetry”
come to life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also get enjoyment out
of hearing what people get out of it for themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love to hear the sounds of laughter and see
the community come together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Another
thing that struck me at this rite is that we did a full on ADF core order of
ritual, and we had about twenty five attendees, not counting the three of us
that were druids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped and thought “wow,
of all the people here, only three of us are actually druids in the protogrove!
What does that say about the quality of the rituals we give?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To me it means that we do a great job of it,
and people like and appreciate what we do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We have been doing this for a year and some now, and people don’t just
keep coming back, they look forward to our next rite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So even though they don’t seem to want to join
our ranks in the protogrove, they like what we have to offer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am ok with that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We also
had a number of first timers at the Winter Solstice rite this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think this is largely because of the new
ownership of the local “metaphysical” shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The past owner, sweet and wonderful as she was, pandered more to the “New
age” group and carried very little in the way of neopagan or occult wares.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Silly really when there is a pagan meetup
group that meets weekly at the store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The new owners however, quickly realized the situation and within the
first two weeks of ownership loaded the store with quality items to catch any
pagan’s eye, both those new to the path and those with miles under our
belts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other thing these new owners
have done is to actively promote the meetup, and our winter solstice
ritual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The old owner would always let
us put up a flyer, but she never really promoted what we did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I brought the flyer and ten copies to the new
owners and in a one weeks time they had handed them all out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A small task the old owner never once
managed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The new owners also were among
those who came to the ritual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This has
really shown me just how much a difference actively engaged owners can make to
a protogrove.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The net result as of
today, I gained two new members to the Protogrove, and several others are
considering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I got a
lot done magically and for the Protogrove and the community this last few
weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been a good run so to
speak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next Monday, I return to class
and the trials of nursing school; all of which means that my posts to this blog
will once again become few and far between.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I humbly ask my readers to be patient, know that I will post as I am
able.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I will leave you all with some photos from our Winter Solstice Rite. </span></span></div>
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Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-75028799646051285222013-01-03T09:04:00.000-08:002013-01-03T09:04:06.118-08:00A deal's a deal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgljtkEzDPDHnuJI4OzEbo-pcZ5G4EyJY8e9FgRoNVjoJNs8MuwaurtaskCDmBb_h_S5XnT7YBkgOaCJz4xYPcxDXcc6XByXE2-c2GNSOL5-_VuOfl1AbjLEpP8S2WIcxzF3ADbVJ0VXE9V/s1600/Cailleach+shrine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgljtkEzDPDHnuJI4OzEbo-pcZ5G4EyJY8e9FgRoNVjoJNs8MuwaurtaskCDmBb_h_S5XnT7YBkgOaCJz4xYPcxDXcc6XByXE2-c2GNSOL5-_VuOfl1AbjLEpP8S2WIcxzF3ADbVJ0VXE9V/s320/Cailleach+shrine.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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As per the agreement I made with the Cailleach that I wrote about in the last post <a href="http://thedruidoffisherst.blogspot.com/2012/12/dealing-with-winter.html" target="_blank">Dealing with Winter</a> : here is a picture of the small temporary shrine I made for her along with the pine incense I have been offering each day. This is to continue till Imbolc. <br />
Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-39483389321399977972012-12-24T13:31:00.001-08:002012-12-24T13:31:33.987-08:00Dealing with Winter The grey of morning fills the view outside the window from my child hood bedroom as I write this. I have come to my childhood home to spend the holidays with my children and my parents. The fog is thick and heady and an owl who's ring through the woods near by. Before I left my home the weather was miserable along I-5. Ice and snow on most the passes I was going to have to travel over to get here. The going was dangerous. I decided it was time to see if some spirit art could help me out. I chose to do some work calling on the spirit of winter itself as the Irish and Scottish Celts saw her, the Cailleach. Basing the working off the formats that Rev. Corrigan put together, I opened the gates called my allies among the kindred and then called to the Cailleach, giving offerings. I then entered into a trance state. In this state I saw with my inner sight, Stag come through the gate and indicate for me to climb on his back. It would seem I was going to go to her, instead of her coming to me. I climbed up and through the gate we went to the spirit world. The stag took me to a part of the spirit world I have never been to. Several mountain tops away from my usual area of visitation. There I met with the Cailleach. I saw her much as she is described in the lore. Grayish blueish skin, long white hair. I had expected her personality to be harsh and cold as winter can be, but instead found her to be friendly and kind. I talked with her and explained my situation and my request for a Solstice Celebration free of rain (the weather report called for an 80% chance of rain) and clear passage to Oregon. In exchange she requested a temporary shrine and daily offerings of pine incense till Imbolc. <br />
<br />
The Solstice rite was a huge success and we had about 25 attendees. We got only the slightest amount of trickle on us at the end of the rite and it quickly let up, causing no ill effects. The next day on my drive up to Oregon, we did get some rain and stormy weather, but all of it in the low lands where it didn't slow us down at all. Just as we got to the first major pass, the mandatory chain check was taken away, and we had clear roads all the way to my parents home in Oregon. Even had some sunshine at the normally coldest and most dangerous sections! <br />
<br />
Was it luck? Was it the Cailleach? There really is no way to know for sure, but I trust my heart. You can bet your last dollar that when I get home from this trip, the first thing I am going to do is build a shrine and light some incense, every day till Imbolc. <br />
<br />
<br />Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-28813064547058467162012-12-14T22:39:00.003-08:002012-12-14T22:39:54.595-08:00tri Cumhachtai Brid
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The plop of a wet large leaf
hitting the cement of the patio outside my back door was a good indication why
I choose to take my working indoors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
need the rain here, never get enough of it so I try not to begrudge the weather
too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is one of the few times I
have had to do a working indoors, and the first time I have done a spirit art
of this level of complication indoors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
had been tumbling the idea of summoning the Tri Cumhachtai Brig (the three
queens of the court of Brigit) like a stone tumbling in the surf of the
ocean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t till after sun down
that I decided for sure to do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did
have all the supplies after all, and this break from school will be short, and
the winter solstice ritual is fast approaching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I rearranged my alter and shrine to accomadate this working, and well,
it just need a good cleaning up after a couple years of use.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The beginning of the rite flowed smoothly
from my lips as it has been practiced for two years now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I discovered as I picked up my staff
sized Slat Draoi that I was long on stick and short on room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The words of my old martial arts instructor
rang in my head “you can’t use a staff in a phone booth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The right tool for the situation.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realized I didn’t have any other sized Slat
Draoi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made a mental note to remedy
that in the near future, and refocused on what I was doing, making careful use
of the space and tool I had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
offerings were given, the words spoken with confidence and power.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then sat before the alter and now shrine to
Brigid, and let myself slide deeper into a trance state, in the hopes that Tri
Cumhachtai would be there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was having
trouble getting into it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mind was not
focused as I would have liked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe it
was the presence of my wife and step-daughter in the family room, two closed
doors away, that was distracting me. Or perhaps it was the outside dog moving
against the house, or the sudden sadness and depression I had struggled with
all day that came on for no apparent reason, or any number of things, I am not
sure, I just know I was struggling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not
wanting the work and offerings to go to waste, I buckled down mentally and
started to chant the Ogham name of Beith, followed by Dair, and Lus. I then I began
to recite the Gailic charm “Brid thuas linn, Brid thios linn, Brid maidir linn;
Brid inar gcroi”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon I found my inner
sight and saw the three queens standing before me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thanked them for coming, for their patience,
and then we got to work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We made pacts
of friendship and assistance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
informed of some of their realms of influence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was shown the ways that they have already been involved in my life and
development as a Druid. I received further instructions on the type of magical
work they (and Brigit) would have me develop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have been told to develop a system of magical work using the
Ogham.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This will be both work for inner
development and outer magical works.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was instructed on one way of spell casting making use of Ogham letters on a
staff of wood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last instructions
were to practice this system and when ready more instruction would come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the meeting came to an end, the three
queens wanted to go, but I came to understand without their explicit say so
that they could not till I chose to allow them too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a significantly different feeling
then during my audience with Brigid herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I gave a bit more offering of incense, thanked them, and the rite was
brought to a close. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>* as I am writing this I am getting word of
the tragic murders of children in Conneticet by a gunman at a school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps my sudden sadness and depression was
some sort of premonition of something very sad and wrong about to happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This working felt very different
then the audience with Brigid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the
audience the sense of power and majesty was palpable, visceral.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here with this working it wasn’t like
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could be that some of this is
from my mental struggles to get into a trance state. It also makes sense to me
though that working with the queens would have a much different feel then
working with the goddess herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One
thing is I felt that I had much more of their focus and attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were more present with me then the
goddess was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I received more specific
instructions about things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This all in
turn made the work seem much more “real”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In my conversation with the queens I asked for a prediction of the
weather today (I like confirmation that I am not making things up), and well,
it’s spot on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Overcast with no rain and
a bit of sunshine now and then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another
interesting note to that question is that when I asked it, I felt the queen delve
into my own mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was not an unpleasant
sensation, just different, I got the sense she was seeking information she
needed from my mind or memories to make the prediction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all the weather is not something
normally associated with Brigit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
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<span class="usercontent"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">A keening for those killed in Connecticut this day, </span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br />
<span class="usercontent">too young too young, this evil hath done</span><br />
<span class="usercontent">families torn asunder</span><br />
<span class="usercontent">Brigid wept like the rolls of thunder</span><br />
<span class="usercontent">as the Morrigan made her choices, </span><br />
<span class="usercontent">forever silencing their little voices.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-80779648908854477662012-12-12T10:12:00.001-08:002012-12-12T10:12:56.861-08:00The Cup, the Harp, and the Hammer #7--audience with the high one<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I stood and took a deep
breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In slow and out slow, letting my
mind settle to a quiet state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All was in
readiness for the work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fire was
lit, the well was filled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My offerings
laid out in order of need and use on the white cloth laid upon the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sky was clear and the stars twinkled
brightly in the mild winter night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slat
draoi in hand I began the ritual that would bring me into audience with the Brigid
the high one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The practiced words
spilled fourth smoothly<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and I felt
myself begin the change in mental state that would take me to a light
trance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fire and well were blessed,
the Nemeton made whole and holy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Manannan
was offered too and the gates were opened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I took a moment and again took a long deep breath letting my thoughts
and focus gather, then, from my soul I called to my allies among the dead, the
sidhe and the gods to aid me in this working.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I felt them draw near.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Taking up
the book I began the chant that would draw Brigid’s attention to my fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this point the initial rush of the fire
had died down to hot embers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not wanting
to lose my trance I left it as it was and choose not to try to stoke it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I placed each of the offerings in the hot
coals and repeated the sacred chant with each.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When all was given, I keep up the chant and felt the goddess draw
nearer, or perhaps it was just her attention, whatever it was, I knew she was “with”
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fire suddenly sprang back to
open flame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I chose to take this as
confirmation that she took the offerings, and was indeed present.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then invoked her purification of water, and
the blessing of fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This left me
feeling as if my spirit had just had a breath-mint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt tingly, clean, and yet empowered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt much of the psychic “gunk” I had acquired
over the past few months flushed away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
felt clean and renewed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also felt
empowered again as her flame took in my head, heart, and loins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We
spoke of many things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spoke of
inspiration, and magic, of matronage, and instructions of where she would have
me take my magical style.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Agreements
were made, and she granted me her blessing in convoking the spirits of her
court, and yet that it was not to be my main focus of magic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She told me a guide would be sent to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The meeting was then over on her word, and in
that ending somehow she gave me a sense of her vast power.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Coming
out of what had become a very deep trance state I closed the ritual with
offerings of thanks to Brigit and to all my allies. I had trouble standing at
first as all the feeling had escaped from my left leg, as is apt to happen when
I sit cross legged for prolong periods of time. The fact that I had not noticed
it going numb, and had no sense of how much time had passed was a good
indication of just how deep my trance had been.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The ritual was then ended in the usual way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When all was packed up I stood a while just
staring into the now healthy fire, letting the magical and psychic repercussions
slowly settle in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I was ready, I
picked up my supplies, turned, and walked into the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In the
night as I slept I had many dreams of a magical nature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some I remember some I don’t. This morning
while doing my usual meditation and two powers exercise, I found the energy
turned up, dare I say, amped up…way up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I felt as if I was humming with power. I did not find it frightening nor
painful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I simple was able to hold and
deal with more of it than ever before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Step
one is complete, now I will prepare for the second rite, convoking the three
queens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3300357475092129245.post-46402752291041130442012-12-11T11:06:00.001-08:002012-12-11T11:06:34.219-08:00...I am readyI have all the offerings. The tools are prepaired and gathered. Tonight I call on Brigid the high one for an audience and a blessing. Davin Mac Lughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10841114044728045495noreply@blogger.com0