"We"

Today at our UU Fellowship we read the litany "We" by Rev. Joy Atkinson. I found it powerful and uplifting, an excellent example of why I have chosen to walk the UU path.

The womb of stars embraces us;
Remnants of their fiery furnaces pulse through our veins.

We are of the stars,
the dust of the explosions
cast across space.

We are of the earth:
We breathe and live in the breath
of ancient plants and beasts.

Their cells nourish the soil;
We build our communities
of their harvest of gifts.

Our fingers trace the curves
carved in clay and stone
by forebearers unknown to us.

We are a part of the great circle of humanity
gathered around the fire, the hearth, the altar.

We gather anew this day
to celebrate our common heritage,
may we recall in gratitude all that has given us birth.

Slowly the Wheel Turns

Spring is slow in returning to the Great Lakes State this year. Today is April 5 and it snowed this morning. At the same time, the rivers are rising and are cresting just above flood stage as I write this post. Small snow piles still dot the edges of driveways and big, dirty masses line the edge of parking lots.

I'm glad for the flood this year. For a while, it looked like this spring rite of passage would pass us by this time. The rivers melted slowly and the ice did not break in spectacular fashion as it often does, bashing into trees as it makes its noisy way downstream. But spring rains and melting snows finally did their job and rising waters will wash the riverbanks clean, ready for new growth as the sun returns to the land.

I can't help but think we need the cleansing power of nature, such as the floods in spring, to help us wash away our doubts and insecurities, pain and grief that builds up within us. Words sting, people pass away or leave our lives like ships passing through the night. But Nature heals, brings new growth, fresh possibilities and never-ending promise for a new day.

Tomorrow, I will watch the swollen rivers flow and feel the spring gifts of the Spirit-that-moves-in-all-things. Maybe I'll watch a flower shoot slowly poking its way through the soil or the last maple sap of the year dripping from a tree. And I will take a deep breath, feel the breeze in my hair and be thankful for a new day with new possibilities.

See you in the Woods,

Skybranch /|\

Signs of Spring

Canada Geese returning to their nesting grounds.

In spite of what the groundhog saw (or didn't see) in February, signs of spring are slow coming to the Great Lakes State this year. Snow is finally giving way to patches of grass in the yard and sap is starting to flow in the maple trees!

Syrup season is always a glorious time of year in Michigan. The first spring birds appear, cardinals and chickadees start to sing and goldfinches begin molting into their golden yellow feathers of summer. Snowshoeing and skiing are done until next winter and soon mud season will be upon us. What a wonderful time of the year, when life returns to the land!

I think what I begin to miss most as old man winter drags his feet are the sounds and smells of nature in all her life-filled splendor. In many ways, we're lulled into a restless sleep as winter weeks tick slowly by. The air is cold and dry and skies are quiet, unless the winter wind is whipping bare branches to and fro or sighing through the pines.

Water begins to flow as ice melts on the Dead Stream

Now it's time to delight as the sun returns to fill our days with warmth! Smell the soil beneath your feet as the ground thaws and the first spring flowers begin to poke their heads through the earth. Listen to the birds! Canada Geese and Sandhill Cranes are honking and squawking as they fly northward overhead. In your backyard or in the park down the street, chickadees, blue jays, cardinals and robins chirp and tweet as they find their mates and choose their nesting sites for the breeding season soon to come.

Hug a tree! So much is going on in the forest. Sap rushes upward from root to branch, sending life-giving energy to the tip of every twig where buds patiently wait to send forth new leaves. The entire woodland ecosystem is connected with energy beneath our feet as roots, fungi and wee beasties move back and forth, chatting in complex relationships we hardly understand.

Yes, it's bound to be sloppy out on the trail and we're sure to have gray days of rain and cold spells here and there. But the miracle of spring life returning to the world only comes once a year and lasts but a few short weeks. Before too long, our northern forests will be filled with green leaves on every tree and we'll hardly recall these glorious days of transition when everything is literally changing before our eyes. So get outside before you miss it! Mud washes off and a warm cup of tea awaits the weary traveler at the end of the road.

Spring is nearly upon us. Where is your place in the interconnected web of all existence? Can you see the strands of living energy all around? Can you hear the pipes of Pan?

See you in the woods,

Skybranch /|\

Druid UU Video

So far, I've only created one little video about Druidry and have posted it on my YouTube channel. It's an introduction to the Seven Gifts of Druidry, as expressed by Philip Carr-Gomm in his fine book, Druid Mysteries: Ancient Wisdom for the 21st Century. While summarizing his seven points, I put together a series of photos that help me visualize the connections expressed in the Seven Gifts. As I'm from Michigan, most of the images are ones I've taken in the woods and waters of the Great Lakes State, with a variety of others sprinkled in as well.

Imagine my surprise the other day when I received an email from Philip himself asking if he could post my video on the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids website and on his blog. Amazingly enough, you can view it there now if you check out their home page at www.druidry.org. 

While not currently an OBOD member, I certainly have found a great deal of inspiration and insight from their online and written materials and am happy to make this connection. Hopefully my little production, especially the images of the natural splendor of Michigan, help inspire others to connect with nature in whatever ways they find meaningful. After all, if each of us were to find even a few special connections to the plants and animals around us, the world would be such a cleaner, happier, healthier and more peaceful place!

As winter s-l-o-w-l-y turns to spring, I hope you fully enjoy and appreciate the changing season in this special time of year. Peace be with you and blessed be!

- Skybranch /|\

In the Cold of Winter

After starting out with a flurry of activity, looks like DruidUU has settled into a once-a-month posting pattern this winter. I'm sure things will pick up around here as things change in the future, but that's just the way life is right now!

In case you haven't seen it yet, the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids recently published this video on their YouTube page that introduces viewers to their Order and its work. It's a high-quality production that is certainly worth checking out!

I held a small, but nice Alban Arthan ritual for the Winter Solstice at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, but due to scheduling conflicts, my Imbolc ritual will just take place in a solitary fashion here at home. I've enjoyed sharing Druidry with those in our Ancient Shores Chapter of the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans and will miss the community aspect of the coming holiday!

Best wishes to all of you as the coldest days of winter settle in for a spell. May you find rest and inspiration in this quiet and beautiful time of the year. The cardinals have already started singing at my house as they reaffirm their life-long bond in preparation for spring!

-Skybranch /|\

Since Samhuinn

Well, it's been just about a month since my last post on this blog and so very much has happened.

First of all, my grandmother, June Grubbs passed away on November 9th. She was my last grandparent and a very kind and sweet woman. My middle name, William, is after her father and he was the only great-grandparent I ever knew, passing away in 1973. Will wrote a scrapbook for his family which included a great deal of family history in addition to the story of his own remarkable life, growing up on a small farm in Michigan's Thumb, going to college and earning a Master's Degree and becoming a teacher and superintendent of schools. My interest in history and genealogy grew very strong through these amazing relatives of mine. Grandma June, "Nana", will be missed by many very much.

Leaves have fallen, the calendar of the year is coming to a close and family life has been very busy this time of year. Unfortunately, that has left little time for further druidry studies, reading or daily meditation. This often seems to happen to me as the year goes on. While I continue to take walks in the woods nearly every day, teach others about nature and feel a strong spiritual connection to the Spirit-that-moves-in-all-things, my devotion to a course of study wanes. We'll see what happens as the year goes on. I believe that Druidry has much to offer me and the world and I feel grateful it's a part of my life.

The path is winding and long. So I'll grab my walking stick, open the door and step outside...

See you on the trail,

Skybranch /|\

Invocation of the Ancestors

A raft of tamarack needles floats on the Peshekee River
in Michigan's Upper Peninsula 

This Samhuinn, I led a Druid-based ritual for five other members of the CUUPS Group at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship where I've been a member since 1997. In case you're not familiar, CUUPS stands for the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans and a group of us formed a local chapter, called Ancient Shores CUUPS, about a year and a half ago. (I'll write more about CUUPS in later posts.)

While much of my ritual was based on suggestions from The Druidry Handbook, by John Michael Greer, I also felt something extra was needed to complete the ceremony under our little grove of pines. What I came up with is something I call the "Invocation of the Ancestors" and I thought I'd share it with you here.

"As we receive the gifts of the Earth Mother and the Goddess at Samhuinn, when the veil between the worlds is thin, so too can we feel our ever-present ancestors, who may be gone from this world, but are with us, always. Through their courage and sacrifice, joy, laughter and pain, this world has been shaped for us to live in.  Indeed, our lives are the very real result of their everlasting love.

Druids know there is power in the sound of the voice. The resonant tones that escape our lips are the very echoes of Awen within us and the energy of Nwyfre, the life force, which is present in all things.

At this time, I invite us all to remember our ancestors together. As you feel so moved, let us speak aloud the names of those who have passed beyond the veil. Let us draw them near us, here in our sacred grove, as we thank them for their many gifts and feel their everlasting love."

As we spoke the names of our ancestors in the evening air, a powerful feeling came over our Grove. I truly felt the love of those gone before in a very real and immediate way. My Grandparents, Great Grandparents, Uncles and other loved ones who have passed on are still guiding my steps every day. And what a wonderful moment to share such a bond with the rest of our group at this special time of Samhuinn. 

May each of you also see clear the guiding light of your ancestors.

Yours under the Whispering Pines,

Skybranch /|\