The Winds of Awen

In Druid philosophy, Awen is the creative spark, the vibrating field of energy which inspires poets and sages to reach beyond themselves to something that connects us all. It's actually a Welsh term for "poetic inspiration," especially used to describe the divine inspiration of bards. 

A Symbol of Awen, the three rays
of light from the heavens.

The Sphere of Protection ritual which I perform daily includes invoking the protection of Awen above, below and within me. I do this outdoors whenever possible, to feel closer to all living things. It's a powerful moment each day as I focus my mind on banishing negativity and opening myself to the possibilities of the universe. As I conduct this part of the ritual, I've noticed recently it almost always seems coincide with a breeze blowing through the leaves. I've felt its energy flow through me too.

In an effort to learn more about Awen, I looked up the root parts of the word on the "magical" world of Wikipedia. What I found makes a whole lot of sense: "Awen derives from the Indo-European root *-uel, meaning 'to blow', and has the same root as the Welsh word awel meaning 'breeze.'"

Our connection to the Spirit of Life and the forces of creation in the Universe is not just some fantastical notion of Science Fiction or the mad Fisher King. We are all connected, always, and it's time to start paying attention!

A parallel of this idea comes to my mind in regards to watching birds. I've been an avid birder since age 10 when I started my "life list." My family all piled in the car and traveled to Point Pelee National Park in Canada each Mother's Day to experience the wonders of spring migration. Over the past three decades,  I've come to learn about and appreciate hundreds of different species, from hummingbirds to eagles and all shapes and sizes in between. Over the past few years in particular, I've also come to learn more and more birds by their song and can walk a woodland path and pick out half a dozen species in the surrounding trees which remain hidden to view.

Most people, I've found, pay very little attention to our feathered friends. Surely, birding is a popular pastime and many people have feeders outside their window. But ask 10 people and I bet only three or four would call themselves a "birder" and even fewer would be able to identify birds by their songs. And in case you haven't noticed, we thankfully live in a world just FULL of birds in every conceivable habitat across the globe.

A Sanderling on the Lake Superior Shore

To me, it's as if most people are walking around with blinders on when it comes to our avian friends. How can you not be amazed at the brilliant rainbow colors of the warblers who live in our marshes and woodlands?! It's not that folks try to ignore them, but mostly birds just don't register at all, almost like they're not even there. 

I'm learning that our connection to Awen is just the same. We all have the ability to be inspired by our  connection to the web of creation. But most of us ignore it, just as if this magical bond doesn't exist at all. I've found it takes practice, as Yoda said, to "unlearn what you have learned." I think it's high time, however, that we all open up to our deep connection with the Web of Life, before we destroy it all in spite of ourselves. 

Skybranch  /|\