Summer's End

Another month has past and summer has now come to an end. The autumnal equinox is nearly here and a new chapter of the year is about to begin. Autumn is my favorite time of the year and I already have greatly enjoyed the crisp air, the turning leaves and the rich smells of the Earth as it begins to prepare for its Winter rest. 

Since my canoeing retreat in August, I have returned to the "real world" and have been very busy, indeed. As time has passed in a flurry of activity, I've still made time for the materials sent by the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD) each month in my training course for the Bardic Grade and still find them full of meaning, insight and inspiration. 

Today, I set up a small altar on a shelf in my room and have made preparations to lead the Alban Elfed ritual for the Ancient Shores Chapter of the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans. The rite will be performed on Sunday and and I hope the weather holds and we are able to gather in the lawn under the sky, among the trees. 

The major piece of the puzzle that eludes me so far is the formation of a daily routine which includes time for Druid meditation, ritual, and reflection. I am just so busy, especially with work and volunteer commitments, in addition to many ongoing family responsibilities that fill up daily life for so many of us. It seems that early morning might be a good time, but I am such a night owl and I've always found it difficult to arise with the sun (or before). Oh well...I fit things in the best I can for now and will continue to figure out a balance. Isn't that what we all must do always, each in our own way? Autumn has always been a natural time of reflection for me. It's time to pause, soak in the amazing beauty of the season with all my senses and make plans for the cold, quiet months to come. 

Tomorrow, I will perform a solo ritual to celebrate the changing season and finish preparations for the group ritual on Sunday. I am also getting ready to head back up North next weekend, this time leading a group for a wilderness adventure on slow-moving rivers, winding through changing forests as flocks of migrating birds fly overhead. 

In the meantime, I will see you, dear readers, along the trail, on the river and in the Sacred Grove. 

Yours under the Changing Oaks, 

Skybranch /|\

August Reflections

In my last post, I said my intention was to investigate the "Druids performing human sacrifice" question I received after I read my credo statement to our Unitarian Universalist congregation in July. After thinking  about it and even writing some, I decided it was simply not worth giving any more energy to, so I'm not going to expound about it after all. Even if Druids did perform human sacrifice as their culture and way of life was being systematically wiped out by the Romans, they certainly don't do it any more. And it has never, in my wildest dreams, been my intention to follow a reconstructionist form of Druidry that simply imitates the religion of an ancient past. Enough said. It's time to move on. And move on, I have.

This summer, I enrolled in the training course for the Bardic Grade of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids. Since mid-June, I have completed ten Gwersi, or lessons, and have found them to be informative, inspiring and enlightening. Suggestions for meditation, creating sacred space, and lessons on Celtic history and mythology have helped create a framework around which I can focus on a spiritual practice that is alive and very connected to the Earth and the web of all life.

This month I also had the opportunity to put my solo canoe on my car and head to Michigan's Upper Peninsula to do some paddling in preparation for a group trip I am leading at the end of September. The weather was fabulous and I was very much alone on wide open lakes and a meandering river, deep in the forest near Whitefish Point. I watched as two ospreys fished in the lake, splashing down with  tremendous splashes of water. As I was annoyed by flies at one point on the trip, I sang a little dragonfly song and (coincidence or not) had this large, amazing dragonfly hover right next to me, then alight on the front of my canoe, where some pesky flies had been hanging out!

I was able to study and meditate in my tent as ferocious thunderstorms raged outside, bringing the power of Nature very up-close and personal in a way many people miss out on while they are shut up in their houses, office buildings and automobiles.

Such days away are nothing less than a spiritual retreat for me, when I can recharge my batteries, connect in deep ways to the mysteries of all life, and let my flow and pace match the rhythms of nature. When I enter back into my busy schedule of "normal life", I keep these feelings and memories alive in my heart and draw upon their strength and energies for months to come.

May you, dear reader, also find such peace and connection in your life, whether it's in the backyard garden, under a sacred oak, or deep in a forest far from home.

Yours under the Sacred Oaks,

Skybranch

What I Believe

There is a tradition at our Unitarian Universalist Fellowship which invites people to share their credo statements with the congregation. As Unitarian Universalism and Druidry are both non-creedal paths, the responsibility for forming our beliefs lies with ourselves. Below is the statement I read before our congregation today. Without further ado, here it is:

The last time I stood before this congregation to read my credo statement was nearly three years ago, in October 2008. Only in a Unitarian Universalist congregation would I have the opportunity to share my beliefs again after some time has passed with any thought in the world that they might be different from before. I think it’s just wonderful that we have such opportunities to support each other in our search for truth and meaning as we grow and change together through the years.

So, after reviewing my credo from 2008, have things changed? I realize that some of you might not have been here last time and even if you were, you might not remember what I had to say (I doubt it’s tacked up on your refrigerator). As that’s the case, here is a review of my statement from three years ago:

I believe all living things are strands on the web of life. Trees, birds, insects, snakes, fish, amoebae and people share a spark of life that is sacred, wondrous and holy. We’re made of stardust and water – we live, we love, we die. And that’s it.

What we choose to do with the time we have will, in part, determine our future as a species on planet Earth. Only time will tell if Mother Nature’s experiment with “big brains” will work out. If people finally manufacture our own demise (and take a whole host of other species down with us), life will eventually find a way to persist, in some fashion, beyond humanity. Earth was not made “for us” by some omniscient, other-worldly God, any more than it was made “for” dinosaurs, pitcher plants or mastodons.

Big Two-Hearted River in Michigan's Upper Peninsula

I feel most intimately connected to the web of all life in natural places that are relatively unscarred by human hands. And I make it a point to seek out these places as often as possible, to reflect, connect, and renew my spirit. Sometimes in the wilderness, the persistent mental chattering of my mind slowly fades, like ripples on the surface of a lake receding to leave a perfect, mirrored pool. When I slow down, remember to breathe and pay attention to the world around me, I find my still mind acts not only like a mirror, but like a lens through which I can glimpse the depths of the universe.

I believe that most people pay precious little attention to the world around them. Bills, money, politics, hairstyles, cell phones, and other random minutiae consume our lives so completely we feel empty – cut off from the rest of nature and from our very own humanity. When I truly pay attention to others; when I listen, laugh, share and love, I begin to understand how inextricably connected we really are.

Life is constantly changing, flowing and growing. What never changes is our inherent dependence on one another. I believe the best way to live my life is in a way that honors the deep, fundamental connections between all things. Sometimes I forget, stumble or fail. But always trying again may be the most important thing I ever do.

Well, that’s pretty good. Not too much has really changed for me in the past three years as far as my beliefs are concerned. I must admit, I do have some doubts about the cheery, “we all die and that’s it” part. More and more, it seems to me that our fundamental spark continues on in some way. Transforming into something else maybe or merging with the energy of the universe. I guess we’ll all find out what really happens someday (or maybe not).

Symbol of Awen and of the
Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids

What has changed the most for me in the past few years is my discovery of the path of Druidry. Yes, I just said the word Druid. I’m not talking about the same priestly class of ancient Britain recounted by Julius Caesar, but a Druid tradition that honors the past, but is very alive and well in the present.

As you can tell from my statements above, my spirituality has always been strongly rooted in a connection with the natural world. Since discovering Unitarian Universalism fifteen years ago, I have appreciated that many UUs share this point of view and that our seventh principle recognizes a “respect for the interdependent web of life, of which we are a part”. But for me, much of Unitarian Universalism has still seemed too rooted in the humanistic, rational world which discounts magic, mystery, the unknown and the unexplainable. Something in me has yearned for something more. As Philip Carr-Gomm writes, “Only one aspect of our Being grows and is satisfied by the purely rational...Another great part of ourselves needs the nourishment of the trans-rational - the aesthetic, poetic, mythic sides of life that cannot fully be explained or described by the mind." 

At this point, I’ll refrain from my credo turning into a lesson on neo-paganism and the path of Druidry, but I will say this. Connecting with others in this Fellowship in our Ancient Shores chapter of the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (or CUUPS) and in a broader sense, to Druids all over the world in the Ancient Order of Druids in America and in the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids has been an immensely rewarding experience. Currently, I am enrolled in the training program of the Bardic Grade of the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids, which is based in Sussex, England. Each lesson, each reading, exercise and mediation has been like flinging open doors and windows of possibility – new, amazing ways to appreciate the magic and wonder of all life all around us.

As part of this experience, I’ve been keeping a blog, entitled DruidUU. A video I created is even featured online on the home page of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, which is the largest Druid organization in the world. In my latest blog post, I wrote the following:

We are starstuff. Billions of molecules of vibrating energy, spinning electrons, protons, neutrons... All things are the same, really, "on Earth, as it is in heaven." We are not only connected to each other, as humans living on Mother Earth, but intimately connected to every other animal, plant, lichen, rock, droplet of water and gust of wind that blows. And when our short time is done here in this physical form, our energies don't simply disappear or fade away, they transform, connecting even more deeply to the whole that is everything, eternal, always.

No matter if you call it God, Goddess, Great Spirit, Yahweh, Allah, Awen, Buddha, Tao or any other name. Names do not matter. Everything matters. We are all connected. And we destroy any being, any mountain, any rock or river at the peril of All. We are caretakers, we are Wise Ones, watchers and protectors, spreading peace and harmony throughout the land, the sea, the sky and into the heavens.

Let the Inspiration of the Awen fill us up with imagination, creativity and love for all things, for all life and for each other. All of us, always.

Luminous beings are we...and we are ever so good at hiding the light. But still it refuses to go out. Wake up from the dream. Let your light shine!

After today's service, I received many wonderful compliments and warm remarks about my credo. The most touching was from someone who said, "You are our poet." What a lovely sentiment for someone who is in a bardic training course! 

In my next post, I'll share some thoughts and feelings about someone else's comment. He said, "Didn't Druids perform human sacrifice? Are we going to have one here?" While I'm sure he was trying to be funny, there are some underlying issues there I'd like to explore. Until next time, my friends, be well and let your lights shine! 

Yours under the Sacred Oaks,

Skybranch /|\

The Light Body

"Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter!" - Master Yoda

We are starstuff. Billions of molecules of vibrating energy, spinning electrons, protons, neutrons... All things are the same, really, "on Earth, as it is in heaven." We are not only connected to each other, as humans living on Mother Earth, but intimately connected to every other animal, plant, lichen, rock, droplet of water and gust of wind that blows. And when our short time is done here in this physical form, our energies don't simply disappear or fade away, they transform, connecting even more deeply to the whole that is everything, eternal, always.

No matter if you you call it God, Goddess, Great Spirit, Yahweh, Allah, Awen, Buddha, Tao or any other name. Names do not matter. Everything matters. We are all connected. And we destroy any being, any mountain, any rock or river at the peril of All. We are caretakers, we are Wise Ones, watchers and protectors, spreading peace and harmony throughout the land, the sea, the sky and into the heavens.

Let the Inspiration of the Awen fill us up with imagination, creativity and love for all things, for all life and for each other. All of us, always.

Luminous beings are we...and we are ever so good at hiding the light. But still it refuses to go out. Wake up from the dream. Let your light shine!

Yours under the sacred oaks,

Skybranch /|\

Pagan Values of a Druid UU

I'm flying in right at the end of the 3rd Annual Pagan Values Blogging and Podcasting Month. Truth is, I've started this post several times and have never been happy with the results. Being a Druid UU, my intention has been to fully examine Unitarian Universalist Principles and compare them to those expressed by my teachers in Druidry and my own inner voice. But each time I started I got bogged down in the details, winding down tangled, lengthy paths of words that confused things more than they brought clarity.

The past couple of weeks have actually been one of amazing transformation for me - of new beginnings. While I have explored the path of Druidry for the past two years now, I have recently taken a new step on my journey. Yesterday, I completed my initiation into the Bardic Grade of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD).

In taking this step, I have come to realize the source of my writers' block in regards to my Blogging Month entry. It was too complex, too rational and intellectual and ultimately emanating from my head and not my heart. As Philip Carr-Gomm writes, "Only one aspect of our Being grows and is satisfied by the purely rational...Another great part of ourselves needs the nourishment of the trans-rational - the aesthetic, poetic, mythic sides of life that cannot fully be explained or described by the mind."

And THAT, I feel is the real difference between Unitarian Universalist and Pagan Values. While they share many similarities, a great majority of UUs have wrapped themselves so tightly in the blanket of reason, intellect and logic that there is no room for the mystical, magical and unexplained. And while their last stated principle is "Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part," the Druid in me strongly believes this doesn't go far enough. In my experience, Pagan Values would place this as their first value or principle (not the last) and also word it differently. Instead, it should read something like, "Reverence for the interdependent web of all existences of which we are a part." 

So here it is, my 11th hour entry for the 3rd Annual International Pagan Values Blogging and Podcasting Month. May your path, wherever it leads, be filled with mystery, wonder and intimate connection to our glorious Mother Earth and the lovely universe in which she spins. 

Yours under the Sacred Oaks, 

Skybranch /|\

Another Step Down the Path

While I've explored the path of Druidry for the past two years now, I have primarily utilized resources provided by the Ancient Order of Druids in America (AODA) and joined the organization as a Druid Candidate. As time went on, I continued to read and absorb ideas and inspiration from other sources, notably several excellent books by Philip Carr-Gomm and music by Damh the Bard. Over the past couple of years, I had resisted becoming a member of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD) for a couple of reasons. The primary reason was that OBOD was based in Britain and I felt a desire to grow my spirituality down the Druid Path on a very local level. The tree and animal lore of another continent, for example, doesn't tug at my spirit in the same way that the plants and wild creatures of my native Michigan do. The second was a more practical matter - cost. While the full training course offered by OBOD provides a much more structured system of instruction on a regular basis throughout the year than that provided by the AODA, it obviously cannot be provided for free. 

Canada Goose swimming on the Chippewa River

But I continued to find myself dabbling...drifting in and out of the Druid mysteries and struggling to maintain a more disciplined routine of study. I simply wasn't exploring the history, lore and resources of Druidry to the full depth which I really desired. I get busy and tend to let things slip. I needed more guidance on the path. 

Then, things began to fall into place that seemed just too good to be mere coincidence. First, I received an email out of the blue from Philip asking if he could use the video I produced on the Seven Gifts of Druidry for the OBOD home page. (I was thrilled and said YES!) And then just a few weeks ago, I had the amazing chance to meet Damh the Bard at the Michigan Pagan Festival. Not only did I not realize that Dave would be performing until the morning of his performance (thank you Facebook!) I hadn't even known about the festival in advance. Best of all, Dave knew about my video and was simply an amazing performer and all-around wonderful person. 

I finally woke up, realizing the Universe was telling me something. Instead of just waiting to "accidentally" run into all the other leaders of the Order, it seems it was time to dig a little deeper.

While sitting in my hotel room the other week, smack in the middle of the beautiful, rolling hills of West Virginia, I finally decided it was time for me to take another step forward down the path. And just the other day, I received my welcome packet from OBOD with an invitation to join the Order and undertake their course of study in the Bardic Grade. Much to my surprise and delight, when I opened the first page of the first booklet, I found this poem by Mary Oliver, which I had already typed into a new blog post in my attempt to express my values as a Druid UU. 

Wild Geese by Mary Oliver

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. 

You only have to let the soft animal of your body

Canada Geese fly along the Dead Stream in the middle of Michigan's mitten.

love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting--
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

So here I am. Continuing my winding journey toward understanding and connection with the natural world, my sense of place, people around me, and the long heritage of those gone before. As Mary Oliver states above, "Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination..." 

It's time to accept the invitation.

A meeting with the Bard

Since discovering the path of Druidry two years ago, I have felt blessed by the wisdom, guidance and inspiration of many teachers. In this particular case, mind you, I'm not referring to those with four legs, wings, compound eyes, leaves, branches or petals. This time I'm talking about those of my own species, particularly some who have taken time to write books, essays, poems and music to ponder, absorb and ultimately live by. Three individuals, in particular, stand out as my main sources of information and inspiration so far. They are, Philip Carr-Gomm, John Michael Greer, and Damh the Bard. 

If you follow the path of Druidry yourself, I'm sure these names will be of little surprise to you. Philip Carr-Gomm is currently the Chief of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD). He is the author of many articles, essays, podcasts and books, including The Druid Mysteries and The Druid Way, and is co-author of the Druid Animal Oracle and editor of The Rebirth of Druidry and The Book of Druidry. 

John Michael Greer hails from this side of the pond and is currently the Grand Archdruid of the Ancient Order of Druids in America (AODA). He has also authored many books, articles, essays and more. Most particularly relating to Druidry are his excellent resources entitled The Druidry Handbook and The Druid Magic Handbook. He also keeps an active blog entitled The Archdruid Report. 

When it comes to pure inspiration, beauty and foot-tapping rhythms, however, neither Philip nor John Michael can hold a candle to Damh the Bard. On his website, www.paganmusic.co.uk, Damh (pronounced Dave), describes himself as follows: 

Damh is a modern-day Bard whose spirituality, and love of folk tradition, is expressed through his music, storytelling and poetry. Drawing on the Bardic traditions his performances are both entertaining and educational, weaving a tapestry of myth, peace, and anthems that speak directly to the heart, but never without a good splash of humour. Damh is a musical storyteller who works within the world of myth that cannot be proved; where the Faerie really do dance on Midsummer's Eve, where the trees talk, and the Hollow Hills take you into the realms of Annwn. Where the Goddess rides her horse, guiding you to magic, and the Horned God of old calls us from the shadows of the Greenwood. So relax, and let the music take you there.

Simply put, Damh's music has touched my soul as few other musicians or poets ever have. A true storyteller, he weaves a spell upon the listener, transporting us back to ancient times or simply to a new perspective in the modern day. He also currently serves as Pendragon of OBOD and keeps busy with a variety of performances and projects, such as The Spirit of Albion - the movie, which is currently being produced based on his music. 

But alas, this folk musician lives on the "wrong side" of the pond and I accepted the fact it would be highly unlikely (if not impossible) for me to ever catch his act live in person. But yesterday, when browsing Facebook, I was amazed to discover he would be performing at the Michigan Pagan Festival that evening! A quick look and I discovered that the Fest was just two hours from my home and I swiftly made plans to drive down and see the show. 

I'm happy to report that Damh the Bard delivered an amazing performance, even surpassing my already high hopes for the evening. In a pole barn at a county fairgrounds, with driving rain pounding on the sheet metal roof, the spirit and energy of the Gods and Goddesses, Mother Earth and the Blessed Community of Humanity filled that room to the point of overflowing. We cheered and sang along, clapped our hands, stomped our feet, got up to dance and even howled like animals in the night. And when the last song was sung, we all stood together, arms around each other, singing and swaying to the music. It was a blessed experience I'll remember and cherish always. 

Thank you so much, Damh, for making a stop in the Great Lakes State and sharing so much with us. Your gifts of story and music truly make a positive difference for many of us throughout this crazy world of ours. I'll cherish your CDs and signatures, smiles, kind words and (sweaty) hugs and look forward until the time when we shall meet again. Blessed Be. 

Kyle (Skybranch)  /|\