Spiritual Practices to Finding Equilibrium in the Chaos: Grounding, and Flow through the Druid Elements

This is a beautiful article and so needed in this dark times.

The Druid's Garden

A tremendous amount of really difficult occurrences are happening in the world right now. It seems like the more time that passes, the more we balance on the edge. The edge of what exactly, nobody can say.  But the edge of something, and likely, not something any of us are looking forward to. Things seem to be spinning faster, and faster; the light growing darker and darker.  A lot of folks are having difficulty just coping with reading the news or even being on social media, the enormity of everything–social, political, environmental, personal–weighing down.  Responses to this range from rage and anger to numbness. There is a heaviness in the air that cannot be discounted.

A good place to seek the stability of calas

And so, many of us turn to spiritual practices as a way of helping make sense of it all, to find a way forward, finding a…

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New Facebook page for Green Owl Druid

Please visit our new Facebook page on

https://www.facebook.com/greenowldruid/

Thank you 🙂

Celtic Daily Wisdom: ‘Thin Places’

Tadhg Talks...

Have you ever encountered a ‘thin place’?

Ancient Celts held the view, and latter-day ones, and others, still hold the view, that there exist places, times and events where the separation between here and the Other, that veil, that threshold to the spiritual realm, is unusually ‘thin’ and can be touched, encountered, felt, experienced. They called them ‘thin places, and they still exist today, and you can experience them.

In one sense, the ancient celts never ‘suffered’ with dualism as we do, and so it seems odd to speak of here and the Other. Perhaps, a way forward is to understand that that oneness always exists, but for us – never always aware, but knowing that we need to wake up again and again – we need to be aware of that unity, and that opportunity or re-awakening to oneness is for us, a ‘thin place’!

So, a ‘thin place’…

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New beginnings

How beautiful is this? Congratulations Pauline and Neil on your hand fasting.

Musings of a Scottish Hearth Druid and Heathen

Yesterday was a full moon and the summer solstice.  It was also my wedding day.  Today I want to share the vows I made to my husband, Neil, with those friends and family who couldn’t be with us for a range of different reasons including our need to restrict numbers.

I, Pauline Claire, take you Neil, to be my husband in the eyes of the law and of all present here, seen and unseen.

There is nothing I want more than to share the rest of my life with you as my closest friend, my lover and my partner in all things.

I promise to share my worries and concerns with you, even the silly ones, openly and honestly. I promise to share my hopes and dreams with you.

I promise to do my best to always listen to your worries and concerns with an open heart. I promise to…

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Keeping Brigid after Imbolc

Interesting read 🙂 I have only started to feel a connection to Brighid fairly recently, despite being a Pagan all my life and I think the main reason for this was her neo-pagan “fluffiness” (that’s how I perceived it) and like the article says her being the Goddess “Du Jour”. Then I got involved in recon Druidry and really started to see her properly in all her complexity. I also found a healing prayer to her 2 years ago when one of my cats got sick and the rest is history.

Parting the Mists

Brigid before me,

Brigid beside me,

Brigid behind me.

I am under the shielding

Of good Brigid

Each day and each night.

This is my nightly prayer – though often said in my mind rather than with my mouth – as well as my charm of protection whenever the need arises for one.

This came to me many years ago after first reading “The Descent of Brigid,” based on verses in the Carmina Gadelica, as well as several other protective charms to the Irish goddess and saint called Brigid, Brigit, Brig, or Bride, depending on your preference. If you are unfamiliar with this deity, this article on The Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids is a good place to catch up.

Many people remember Brigid at her February festival of Imbolc, which many of us celebrated last week. We make a Brigid’s cross or bed, maybe eat some dairy-based dishes, sing…

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Incense Recipies for Druids and those doing Druidic Studies

The Druid's Garden

Extruding Incense sticks

Incenses for Druids

The following recopies are most appropriate for druidic work, or those engaging in reading, study, grove leading, serious ritual work, or other work.  I also have posted an introduction to incense making as well as recipes for bards and ovates.

I suggest growing and/or wildharvesting as much of your ingredients as you possibly can (ethically, of course). This allows not only for more sustainable incense making, but also for you to work with the energies of the plants throughout the process.  See my previous post for more information. These recipes were created by myself and members of Crescent Birch Grove; some of them were adapted from other sources (as noted) and the rest are fully original creations.  I hope you enjoy!

Notes: Cone/stick incenses form a incense clay that you can then shape into cones, sticks, spirals etc.  They need about a week…

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Barley Mushroom Soup for Lugnasadh

Lughnasadh or Lammas is quickly approaching and here is a vegetarian / vegan recipe for us Veg Heads:

Barley is one of the grains honored in harvest folklore throughout history, especially around the Lammas sabbat. It’s a filling sort of grain, and lends itself beautifully to a hearty soup, especially when you add wild mushrooms and other late summer goodies! You can either make this soup right before meal time, or get it started early in the day, and allow it to simmer for a few hours.

Ingredients

• 5 C. vegetable broth
• 1 C. barley, uncooked
• 1/2 lb. mushrooms (use morels or enoki for a woodsy flavor)
• 1/2 C. onion, diced
• 1/2 C. fresh carrots, chopped
• 1/2 C. celery, chopped
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 80 minutes

• Total Time: 110 minutes

  

  Mushroom Barley Soup –

  Image by Nina Gallant/Image Bank/Getty Images

   

http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/lammascooking/r/BarleyMshrmSoup.htm