Breaca's blog has now moved to Wordpress.
The Blog is now more detailed and updated more regularly.
You can find it here:
This Blogger account will be deleted in due course.
Blessed Be!
)O(
Sunday 30 September 2012
Sunday 26 August 2012
Dana: The Primal Enlivening: NOD Assignment
Dana: The Primal Enlivening: Chapter 5 Assignment
Dana, or Danu as many know her, is the Primal Irish Mother Goddess, and the Matron of the Tuatha De Danann. She is the head Matriarch of the Irish Pantheon and is considered by many to be the Celtic representation of the Earth Mother Goddess found in many other Myth Cycles & Pantheons (Gaia, Hera, Juno have all been linked to her).
Having read the NOD chapter on Dana, and looking at the three outlined general orientations to seeing her, I need to answer these questions:
What way, or ways of seeing Dana, makes the most sense to your own sensibilities? What is being 'tended' or needs 'tending' in your life? How can you open yourself up to Dana as a way of being tended?
First of all, let us look at the three ways of seeing Dana/Danu and evaluating each one.
The first way of looking at Dana/Danu, is that she ''...IS the Land, in both its most literal sense, as well as being the energy that is 'behind' or within the land; the very essence that enlivens the natural world.''
And that by perceiving Dana/Danu this was ''...may be a way of relating to the sensuous earth as aliving experience''.
So this way of perceiving Dana/Danu, The Mother Goddess principle, is that she IS the Earth on which we live, as well as the living energy within it which exists in all living things on this planet.
This way of looking at her probably mostly connects her to the 'Gaia' principle. That she is the Earth- Mother Earth- but also that every living thing on the Earth, whether Plant, Mineral, Animal etc is made up of Her also. We call her Dana/Danu to personify that energy and to give the Earth a more humanazied image which enables us to connect easier with her.
Something we can more easily recognize and understand because we cannot truly grasp the idea that the Earth itself is alive and has a consciousness.
This way of seeing Dana/Danu is one which requires us to form a bond with the Earth on which we live and to connect to the Goddess through our care of the Planet and the actions that we take to tread lightly upon her. To connect with Dana/Danu in this form is to spend time in Nature, feeling her close by going to her sacred places and by feeling apart of the greater web of life by realising that we are a small speck of her Energy and that everything we see, touch, feel, hear and smell, is part of Her.
The Second way of seeing Dana/Danu is the idea of what the NOD article calls DanaSpirits.
This is the idea that every living thing on this planet has a soul and conciousness just as we do, though it may display it in different ways. It is the idea that Dana is the conciousness that exists in all of these things. She is not a separate entity with Her own conciousness. She IS the conciousness in all of us.
This is perhaps a little harder to get our head around. She is the Creater then, but not a separate energy that creates and feeds the energies of all that lives on the Earth. She is not the Earth on which we live, but she is the conciousness that exists within EVERYTHING on that Earth. She cannot therefore be personified.
This makes it harder for us as humans to 'see' her, and form a relationship with Her. We can connect to the Bee, the Flower, the Tree.... which are formed from her Conciousness, but she is not the Mother. She is the Soul of the Mother, but not the Body. The Light, but not the Flame.
The third and final way of seeing Dana/Danu given in the article, is the idea that She is like the Tao or Chi from Eastern traditions. The Force from Star Wars if you will. She is the energy. ALL energy. An energy force that we can call upon and use, that we can direct for our own will. An energy that we are made up of, both molecularly and consciously.
Again this way of looking at Dana/Danu can be difficult for Pagans who believe in the Balance of the Force if you will- that yes, this Energy DOES exist. But it is not solely Female. It is not Dana/Danu alone.
A large number of Pagans, and I am one of these, see the Force, the Chi, the Tao, the Awen, The Nwyfre... whatever name you give it, as being made up of both the Feminine and Masculine energies. The God AND the Goddess. Not one of them alone. Because of this reason, I would find it very hard to see the energies of conciousness, matter, soul and of Life as being solely Dana/Danu.
So which way DO I see Dana/Danu as?
I think it is a combination. I think the first way of seeing Dana/Danu, as the Earth itself and the energies with which we are all made. She is the Mother Goddess to me, and she is personified by the Earth. She is also present within all the energies, alongside the God principle, in every living creature, stone, tree, ocean etc. This is the way that makes the most sense to me.
What is being tended, or needs tending in my life?
I would probably say my confidence. It has always been something which has needed tending of the years. Nurturing, to help it grow.
My role as a Priestess and a leader of Celtic Moon is something which I think is currently being tended by the Mother Goddess in many different forms.
How can I open myself up to Her as a way of being tended?
To continue to connect with her through Ritual, through Meditation and through my personal Spiritual practice. By spending time with Her in Nature (the Woods, Sacred Sites, Sacred Wells etc) and connecting my Soul energies to her Primal Earth energies.
It is the bond, this connection, that helps all of us to be nurtured, to grow, to be tended and cared for to help us to gain confidence and maturity.
May the Mother Bless & Teach us all.
Blessed Be.
Breaca
Dana, or Danu as many know her, is the Primal Irish Mother Goddess, and the Matron of the Tuatha De Danann. She is the head Matriarch of the Irish Pantheon and is considered by many to be the Celtic representation of the Earth Mother Goddess found in many other Myth Cycles & Pantheons (Gaia, Hera, Juno have all been linked to her).
Having read the NOD chapter on Dana, and looking at the three outlined general orientations to seeing her, I need to answer these questions:
What way, or ways of seeing Dana, makes the most sense to your own sensibilities? What is being 'tended' or needs 'tending' in your life? How can you open yourself up to Dana as a way of being tended?
First of all, let us look at the three ways of seeing Dana/Danu and evaluating each one.
The first way of looking at Dana/Danu, is that she ''...IS the Land, in both its most literal sense, as well as being the energy that is 'behind' or within the land; the very essence that enlivens the natural world.''
And that by perceiving Dana/Danu this was ''...may be a way of relating to the sensuous earth as aliving experience''.
So this way of perceiving Dana/Danu, The Mother Goddess principle, is that she IS the Earth on which we live, as well as the living energy within it which exists in all living things on this planet.
This way of looking at her probably mostly connects her to the 'Gaia' principle. That she is the Earth- Mother Earth- but also that every living thing on the Earth, whether Plant, Mineral, Animal etc is made up of Her also. We call her Dana/Danu to personify that energy and to give the Earth a more humanazied image which enables us to connect easier with her.
Something we can more easily recognize and understand because we cannot truly grasp the idea that the Earth itself is alive and has a consciousness.
This way of seeing Dana/Danu is one which requires us to form a bond with the Earth on which we live and to connect to the Goddess through our care of the Planet and the actions that we take to tread lightly upon her. To connect with Dana/Danu in this form is to spend time in Nature, feeling her close by going to her sacred places and by feeling apart of the greater web of life by realising that we are a small speck of her Energy and that everything we see, touch, feel, hear and smell, is part of Her.
The Second way of seeing Dana/Danu is the idea of what the NOD article calls DanaSpirits.
This is the idea that every living thing on this planet has a soul and conciousness just as we do, though it may display it in different ways. It is the idea that Dana is the conciousness that exists in all of these things. She is not a separate entity with Her own conciousness. She IS the conciousness in all of us.
This is perhaps a little harder to get our head around. She is the Creater then, but not a separate energy that creates and feeds the energies of all that lives on the Earth. She is not the Earth on which we live, but she is the conciousness that exists within EVERYTHING on that Earth. She cannot therefore be personified.
This makes it harder for us as humans to 'see' her, and form a relationship with Her. We can connect to the Bee, the Flower, the Tree.... which are formed from her Conciousness, but she is not the Mother. She is the Soul of the Mother, but not the Body. The Light, but not the Flame.
The third and final way of seeing Dana/Danu given in the article, is the idea that She is like the Tao or Chi from Eastern traditions. The Force from Star Wars if you will. She is the energy. ALL energy. An energy force that we can call upon and use, that we can direct for our own will. An energy that we are made up of, both molecularly and consciously.
Again this way of looking at Dana/Danu can be difficult for Pagans who believe in the Balance of the Force if you will- that yes, this Energy DOES exist. But it is not solely Female. It is not Dana/Danu alone.
A large number of Pagans, and I am one of these, see the Force, the Chi, the Tao, the Awen, The Nwyfre... whatever name you give it, as being made up of both the Feminine and Masculine energies. The God AND the Goddess. Not one of them alone. Because of this reason, I would find it very hard to see the energies of conciousness, matter, soul and of Life as being solely Dana/Danu.
So which way DO I see Dana/Danu as?
I think it is a combination. I think the first way of seeing Dana/Danu, as the Earth itself and the energies with which we are all made. She is the Mother Goddess to me, and she is personified by the Earth. She is also present within all the energies, alongside the God principle, in every living creature, stone, tree, ocean etc. This is the way that makes the most sense to me.
What is being tended, or needs tending in my life?
I would probably say my confidence. It has always been something which has needed tending of the years. Nurturing, to help it grow.
My role as a Priestess and a leader of Celtic Moon is something which I think is currently being tended by the Mother Goddess in many different forms.
How can I open myself up to Her as a way of being tended?
To continue to connect with her through Ritual, through Meditation and through my personal Spiritual practice. By spending time with Her in Nature (the Woods, Sacred Sites, Sacred Wells etc) and connecting my Soul energies to her Primal Earth energies.
It is the bond, this connection, that helps all of us to be nurtured, to grow, to be tended and cared for to help us to gain confidence and maturity.
May the Mother Bless & Teach us all.
Blessed Be.
Breaca
Wednesday 15 August 2012
Grandmother Crow
Inspired by my experience in the West Kennet Long Barrow
on the Celtic Moon Pagan Pilgrimage 2012,
this poem is Dedicated to Grandmother Crow in thanks for the advice & guidance that she gave me.
"Drums Beating,
Heart Beating,
Feel the Souls of days gone by
Soul Singing,
Heart Singing,
Through the Astral, flying high
Blood Pulsing,
Heart Pulsing,
Seeing with the hidden eye
Hand Shaking,
Heart Shaking,
See her, Feel her, Ask her why
Soul Smiling,
Heart Smiling,
See her, Know her, Hear her reply
Tears Flowing,
Heart Flowing,
Grandmother Crow in the Barrow lies...''
Artwork is 'Scathach' by Jan Hess
Tuesday 7 August 2012
Our Handfasting
Merry Meet everyone!
This blog post has taken nearly a month to write up! Things have been such a chaotic blur lately! In a good way of course...
Our Handfasting (Pagan Wedding) on July 14th was absolutely Magickal :)
Our Celtic Moon brother and sisters did a wonderful job of the ceremony, and Midnightstar & Breckin bound us for this lifetime and for all lifetimes to come.
Our Pagan friends as well as our muggle friends and family all said that they thought the Ritual was beautiful and that they really enjoyed the day.
Vandrake and I were so pleased with how everything went, and it was a day filled with fun, laughter and such beautiful meaning and memories for both of us.
Our photographer Leon made a video of the photographs which can be seen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34gAMOBqNps&feature=youtu.be
I want to say thank you to everyone for making our day so special and so magickal. We truly Love you all!
Blessings,
Breaca
)O(
This blog post has taken nearly a month to write up! Things have been such a chaotic blur lately! In a good way of course...
Our Handfasting (Pagan Wedding) on July 14th was absolutely Magickal :)
Our Celtic Moon brother and sisters did a wonderful job of the ceremony, and Midnightstar & Breckin bound us for this lifetime and for all lifetimes to come.
Our Pagan friends as well as our muggle friends and family all said that they thought the Ritual was beautiful and that they really enjoyed the day.
Vandrake and I were so pleased with how everything went, and it was a day filled with fun, laughter and such beautiful meaning and memories for both of us.
Our photographer Leon made a video of the photographs which can be seen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34gAMOBqNps&feature=youtu.be
I want to say thank you to everyone for making our day so special and so magickal. We truly Love you all!
Blessings,
Breaca
)O(
Saturday 9 June 2012
The Magical Camp & Faerie Festival
Having attended most of The Magical Times magazines indoor events in Canterbury & Brighton, last weekend was our first trip to one of editor Matthew Callow's outdoor events.
The Magical Camp & Faerie Festival was held in a field in Findon, near Worthing in Sussex.
We were unable to make it down there on the friday evening, so Hubby and I made our way there early on the saturday morning. The weather for saturday was fine~ I even caught the sun~ and we enjoyed shopping at some of the beautiful stalls. I even bought a gorgeous new set of Faerie wings from Woodland Wings.
We had Henna and facepainting done, and then some of Celtic Moon sat down for a singing bowl/drumming session which attracted its fair share of attention!
In the evening we were all dressed in our best for the Faerie Ball, with music from Matthew Callow (what a voice! His new album 'Eden' is now out, check out http://www.matthewcallow.com/), Endless Knot (http://www.myspace.com/endlessknot) and Eleanore & the Lost (http://www.eleanoreandthelost.com/).
Sadly the weather turned to Monsoon and Eleanore could not finish her set with the rain pouring in and the marquee lifting two foot off the ground!
Our tent survived the night but other campers and stall holders were not so lucky...
However there was much merriment, mead, cider, dancing, laughing, getting soaked, faerie wings, glitter, face paint, colour, Poi, FOOD and most importantly of all, FRIENDSHIP.
Matthew is holding another camp in September, and depending on the weather/funds/timing we may be in attendance. So watch this space!
For me, it was another Fab Witchy Weekend with wonderful people, and it really reminded me how truly Blessed I am to know so many truly cool individuals!
Bright Blessings!
Breaca
)O(
The Magical Camp & Faerie Festival was held in a field in Findon, near Worthing in Sussex.
We were unable to make it down there on the friday evening, so Hubby and I made our way there early on the saturday morning. The weather for saturday was fine~ I even caught the sun~ and we enjoyed shopping at some of the beautiful stalls. I even bought a gorgeous new set of Faerie wings from Woodland Wings.
We had Henna and facepainting done, and then some of Celtic Moon sat down for a singing bowl/drumming session which attracted its fair share of attention!
In the evening we were all dressed in our best for the Faerie Ball, with music from Matthew Callow (what a voice! His new album 'Eden' is now out, check out http://www.matthewcallow.com/), Endless Knot (http://www.myspace.com/endlessknot) and Eleanore & the Lost (http://www.eleanoreandthelost.com/).
Sadly the weather turned to Monsoon and Eleanore could not finish her set with the rain pouring in and the marquee lifting two foot off the ground!
Our tent survived the night but other campers and stall holders were not so lucky...
However there was much merriment, mead, cider, dancing, laughing, getting soaked, faerie wings, glitter, face paint, colour, Poi, FOOD and most importantly of all, FRIENDSHIP.
Matthew is holding another camp in September, and depending on the weather/funds/timing we may be in attendance. So watch this space!
For me, it was another Fab Witchy Weekend with wonderful people, and it really reminded me how truly Blessed I am to know so many truly cool individuals!
Bright Blessings!
Breaca
)O(
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| Me as a Faerie! |
 |
| Lindsey Goodbun Drumming http://therockabillypagan.blogspot.co.uk/ |
 |
| The Celtic Moon Men |
 |
| Me & fellow Celtic Mooner Esther Remmington http://www.estherremmington.com/ |
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| Me and Celtic Mooner Moonstream (Anna Newbury) |
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| Husband! |
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| Anna's Celtic Moon Henna Tattoo |
Pagan Picnic
Recently, we went to a Pagan Picnic hosted by an offshoot of the Dolmen Grove in Essex.
It was held in the Beautiful Hadleigh Country Park and was based at Hadleigh's very own Roundhouse!
There was music from 'Spriggin' Mists', Belly Dancing from 'Tribal Unity' and Morris Dancing for everyone to enjoy!
There was a Storyteller wandering the grounds and capturing audiences with his tales, and several stalls selling books, witchy wares and crafty bits.
I even grabbed a copy of Cunningham's Herbal for £3!
It was a really hot & sunny day with beautiful blue skies, and the shade of the Roundhouse was lovely and cool! It was really lovely to just chill out and relax surrounded by friends and those of a like mind.
In the afternoon we took a visit to the Farm of BroadOak Herbs with the Urban Herbalist & her busband. The land there has an amazing energy and the labyrinth of herbs is incredible! We even discussed a potential Celtic Moon Camp there.... oooh! Exciting times!
It's weekends like that, that really make you Love being a Pagan in this day and age.
Bright Blessings!
Breaca
)O(
It was held in the Beautiful Hadleigh Country Park and was based at Hadleigh's very own Roundhouse!
There was music from 'Spriggin' Mists', Belly Dancing from 'Tribal Unity' and Morris Dancing for everyone to enjoy!
There was a Storyteller wandering the grounds and capturing audiences with his tales, and several stalls selling books, witchy wares and crafty bits.
I even grabbed a copy of Cunningham's Herbal for £3!
It was a really hot & sunny day with beautiful blue skies, and the shade of the Roundhouse was lovely and cool! It was really lovely to just chill out and relax surrounded by friends and those of a like mind.
In the afternoon we took a visit to the Farm of BroadOak Herbs with the Urban Herbalist & her busband. The land there has an amazing energy and the labyrinth of herbs is incredible! We even discussed a potential Celtic Moon Camp there.... oooh! Exciting times!
It's weekends like that, that really make you Love being a Pagan in this day and age.
Bright Blessings!
Breaca
)O(
Tuesday 5 June 2012
Celtic Moon Pagan Pilgrimage
It has taken me a few weeks to be able to sit down & write this blog entry, forgive me for the length of the post, but I promise you that it is worth reading.
My experiences on the recent Celtic Moon Pagan Pilgrimage were very extreme, and thus has caused me to need time to really process & contemplate my thoughts & feelings before trying to express them in words.
We began our Pilgrimage by meeting at our home for the weekend~ the very beautiful Lock Quaye cottage in the sleepy riverside village of Bradford~upon~Avon.
We chilled out for the evening with good company, a roaring fire & a Celtic Moon private viewing of Spirit of Albion the Movie.
There were also some very much needed heart~to~heart chats with those who needed it.
As Priestess, I found the first evening of the Pilgrimage to be a very grounding one which opened up the rest of the weekend for Magick, leaving behind the mundane & moving on from the more negative aspects of our sometimes troubled & often complicated lives.
That night, my Husband saw a Ghost in our bedroom in the cottage. A gentleman that he believed was a miner or a dock worker due to the scruffy nature of his outfit and dark black soot/coal all over his face. He was merely looking at us, and as there was no sense of malice coming from him, I believe he was probably just being nosy as to who was staying in the cottage this week.
The following morning, we headed to Glastonbury!
For most of us this was the first time that we had been to Glastonbury, and we had alot of expectations!
We began with a walk up the Tor.
The high winds were bracing, and the bright blue skies overhead beckoned us onwards & upwards!
Upon reaching the summit, we each took a few moments to admire the view.
The energies of the Tor were refreshing for me, and I did get quite emotional.
I sat in the shade of St Michael's mount with my Husband, and enjoyed a caramel biscuit bar courtesy of my favourite bald guy :)
I then spent time sat gazing out on the horizon, speaking with the Gods & leaving behind a few woes on the top of the Tor.
As a group we then sat together, some of our artists sketching, others talking, some just laying in the sun.
After some group photographs we then headed back down the expanse of the Tor to the Chalice Well gardens.
Here we spent time splashing in the Healing Waters, Meditating in the Gardens & drinking the pure, cleansing water from the Ancient Spring.
We charged crystals & pendants and I personally felt a very strong, overwhelming sense of Peace there.
From the Well Gardens we perused the Magical & Esoteric shops of Glastonbury High Street, and I added to my already vast collection of books!
Finally, it was back to the Cottage for a delicious group meal of Curry (Chicken & Veggie version) followed by plenty of mead & rum.
We had a relatively early night in preparation for getting up at sunrise the following day!
Up early, fed and watered and ready for a very Spiritual day, we set off in convoy to Salisbury plain.
As a group we had paid for a very special private viewing of Stonehenge, which would allow us to walk amongst the usually closed off stones for one full hour before it opened to the rest of the public.
Most of us had been before and stood at the sidelines, but nothing could have prepared us for how we would feel once we were amongst the Stones themselves.
I am still finding it hard to express it in words. From the moment I stepped within the boundary of the stones, I had Butterflies in my stomach, and my head was swirling with colours.
I could almost feel the stones humming with energy.
We spent some time individually exploring the stones, taking photographs and basking in the energies of that very Sacred place.
I felt very overwhelmed, and yet it felt comforting & familiar.
We sat in the centre of the stones and meditated as a group beside Breckin's make shift Altar. Most of us held crystals and pendulums- the energy throbbed through mine.
Some of the other people who had paid for the viewing stopped to watch us meditate.
Together we then stood in a circle and performed some Awens~ the Druid chant for peace & inspiration, like the Buddhist Om~ it was a personal ritual that required no words or actions, just the members of Celtic Moon holding hands & chanting.
By the end, almost all of us were in tears. But not sobbing with distress, more like tears of release & emotive power.
For me, Stonehenge was VERY spiritual. VERY Masculine. VERY much surrounded by our Pagan Ancestors.
The feelings I experienced there will be with me for the rest of my life, and never again will I visit Stonehenge and stand at the side, away from the stones. We Pagans belong amongst the stones, celebrating & connecting to the energies of our Gods. I will always pre-book to experience the wonder & TRUE MAGICK of Stonehenge.
After a hearty breakfast at a Harvester local to Stonehenge, we made our way to Avebury.
I have been to Avebury stone circle 4 times before in my life.
I find the energy of the stones is more feminine, and more relaxed than at Stonehenge.
The village and pub in the centre mean that you are never far from civilisation, and it is almost a 'middle' place. Stuck between the world of the Magical and the Mundane. The Other realm & this earthly plain.
Being close to the stones, touching them, listening to them, very much brings me closer to the Ancestors who brought those stones to that place and arranged them so for ritual and celebration.
I left Avebury feeling re-balanced after the powerful knock~out from Stonehenge.
The most powerful experience for me however, came after we left Avebury.
In all the times I had been to the stone circle, I had never before visited The West Kennet Long Barrow. I had wanted to for such a long time, and my experience within it is something that I will spend years trying to understand.
I will share what parts of my experience I can verbally explain to you, but words can never really convey what I felt.
Within the dark chambers of the Long Barrow, the sound is so silent, so quiet, it is almost deafening. The pressure of the ground above you, the white noise of the silence & the thundering of your own heart beat, are pretty much all that you can hear.
At one point within the Long Barrow, all of the birds outside ceased their song, and all that was left was unearthly, peaceful silence.
I felt reverence for the Ancestors, those that had laid within those walls, those who had visited & those who exist in the realms of the Otherworld.
I sat with some of the other Celtic Mooner's in the various chambers of the Long Barrow, but one chamber in particular kept drawing me back- the second chamber on the left hand side from the entrance of the Barrow.
Breckin was sat in there on a stone slab. I joined her on the slab, very much feeling like I just had to sit down.
A few moments later, Breckin left me alone in the chamber~ whether she felt that she had to leave me to it, I don't know, but within minutes of her leaving I was in deep meditation.
The images I saw to begin with were very blurred & obscure. I saw fire lit torch light, the chambers lit up & offerings of flowers. I saw tribes people, I saw modern visitors, I saw spells being cast by ancient & modern witches. Like a flashing through of the history of the Barrow.
A few moments into my meditation, I placed my hands onto the cold stone at the back of the chamber (I was sat on the back of the floor slab, facing the back of the chamber.) I rested my head against the cold stone. Everything was silent.
I felt someone join me on the slab. I thought one of the Mooners had come to sit with me like I had come to sit with Breckin. But when I turned and opened my eyes, it was not a Mooner that I saw. I saw the back of an elderly woman, with a long dark grey braid running down her back. She wore a dark, woollen garment, and she turned her face to the side so that I could see her profile.
I knew she was there, but not there, so I turned back to the cold stone of the chamber and closed my eyes again.
This time I saw the woman in my mind's eye, though I could still feel her sitting behind me on the slab.
Her face was so familiar. She looked like me. She looked like my mother, and my maternal great-grandmother. Yet she also looked different from us.
She told me her name was Crow. I immediately thought of Morrighan, but she said no.
She reassured me that she was not an incarnation of the Crone Goddess, but more an incarnation of my family line. An Ancestor.
I asked her why she was there, had she lain there? Why did she come to the Long Barrow?
She told me that she had never lain there. Never even visited it in life. But she came there because she could.
It is a great place where those on the other side of life can come and be amongst the living.
She came because I was there.
She told me that "Nothing ever changes" ~ I took this to mean that everything that is has been before and will be again.
I spoke with her about my path, my role as Priestess & my beloved Grandfather.
She promised me that my Grandfather was well in the Summerlands & that I will see him again when it is time, and not before.
Whilst speaking with her, I could feel ice cold hands holding my wrists as I placed my palms flat to the cold stone. She was reassuring me, showing me that she was there and that I had truly seen her.
I could smell Lavender, woodsmoke & the earthy scent of the land.
In my stomach I felt an energy that I cannot explain. My heart thundered from seeing something so vivid. Her back. Her Plait. Her Cloak. Her profile, with my Mother's nose. MY nose.
She told me that she is with me always. Grandmother Crow. That my role of Priestess has far to take me and that there will be many more experiences that I must open myself up to.
I cried. I sobbed. Tears were streaking down my face. I was not afraid of her, I Loved her. She was a stranger, and yet I knew her. She was there, and I could feel her. I could see her with both my physical eyes & my inner sight.
I will never forget that face for as long as I live.
I left the Longbarrow in floods of tears, and was greeted at the doorway by two of the Celtic Mooners who held me close & knew that though I cried, I was not sad.
I walked slowly to the top of the Longbarrow to be held by my husband. I was left shaking, empowered & yet exhausted, ecstatic & yet frail.
I wept the whole walk back from the barrow to the car, and then I felt at Peace.
Just reliving that experience to type it up has left me feeling very otherworldly.
It is very difficult to express something so intense, so personal.... I truly hope that it has helped some of you to understand just how immense, how powerful, how emotional & how spiritual my own personal journey on the Pagan Pilgrimage was.
I Loved sharing the journey with so many wonderful, magical people.
Long Live Celtic Moon.
With Love & Blessings to you all,
Blessed Be!
Breaca
My experiences on the recent Celtic Moon Pagan Pilgrimage were very extreme, and thus has caused me to need time to really process & contemplate my thoughts & feelings before trying to express them in words.
We began our Pilgrimage by meeting at our home for the weekend~ the very beautiful Lock Quaye cottage in the sleepy riverside village of Bradford~upon~Avon.
We chilled out for the evening with good company, a roaring fire & a Celtic Moon private viewing of Spirit of Albion the Movie.
There were also some very much needed heart~to~heart chats with those who needed it.
As Priestess, I found the first evening of the Pilgrimage to be a very grounding one which opened up the rest of the weekend for Magick, leaving behind the mundane & moving on from the more negative aspects of our sometimes troubled & often complicated lives.
That night, my Husband saw a Ghost in our bedroom in the cottage. A gentleman that he believed was a miner or a dock worker due to the scruffy nature of his outfit and dark black soot/coal all over his face. He was merely looking at us, and as there was no sense of malice coming from him, I believe he was probably just being nosy as to who was staying in the cottage this week.
The following morning, we headed to Glastonbury!
For most of us this was the first time that we had been to Glastonbury, and we had alot of expectations!
We began with a walk up the Tor.
The high winds were bracing, and the bright blue skies overhead beckoned us onwards & upwards!
Upon reaching the summit, we each took a few moments to admire the view.
The energies of the Tor were refreshing for me, and I did get quite emotional.
I sat in the shade of St Michael's mount with my Husband, and enjoyed a caramel biscuit bar courtesy of my favourite bald guy :)
I then spent time sat gazing out on the horizon, speaking with the Gods & leaving behind a few woes on the top of the Tor.
As a group we then sat together, some of our artists sketching, others talking, some just laying in the sun.
After some group photographs we then headed back down the expanse of the Tor to the Chalice Well gardens.
Here we spent time splashing in the Healing Waters, Meditating in the Gardens & drinking the pure, cleansing water from the Ancient Spring.
We charged crystals & pendants and I personally felt a very strong, overwhelming sense of Peace there.
From the Well Gardens we perused the Magical & Esoteric shops of Glastonbury High Street, and I added to my already vast collection of books!
Finally, it was back to the Cottage for a delicious group meal of Curry (Chicken & Veggie version) followed by plenty of mead & rum.
We had a relatively early night in preparation for getting up at sunrise the following day!
Up early, fed and watered and ready for a very Spiritual day, we set off in convoy to Salisbury plain.
As a group we had paid for a very special private viewing of Stonehenge, which would allow us to walk amongst the usually closed off stones for one full hour before it opened to the rest of the public.
Most of us had been before and stood at the sidelines, but nothing could have prepared us for how we would feel once we were amongst the Stones themselves.
I am still finding it hard to express it in words. From the moment I stepped within the boundary of the stones, I had Butterflies in my stomach, and my head was swirling with colours.
I could almost feel the stones humming with energy.
We spent some time individually exploring the stones, taking photographs and basking in the energies of that very Sacred place.
I felt very overwhelmed, and yet it felt comforting & familiar.
We sat in the centre of the stones and meditated as a group beside Breckin's make shift Altar. Most of us held crystals and pendulums- the energy throbbed through mine.
Some of the other people who had paid for the viewing stopped to watch us meditate.
Together we then stood in a circle and performed some Awens~ the Druid chant for peace & inspiration, like the Buddhist Om~ it was a personal ritual that required no words or actions, just the members of Celtic Moon holding hands & chanting.
By the end, almost all of us were in tears. But not sobbing with distress, more like tears of release & emotive power.
For me, Stonehenge was VERY spiritual. VERY Masculine. VERY much surrounded by our Pagan Ancestors.
The feelings I experienced there will be with me for the rest of my life, and never again will I visit Stonehenge and stand at the side, away from the stones. We Pagans belong amongst the stones, celebrating & connecting to the energies of our Gods. I will always pre-book to experience the wonder & TRUE MAGICK of Stonehenge.
After a hearty breakfast at a Harvester local to Stonehenge, we made our way to Avebury.
I have been to Avebury stone circle 4 times before in my life.
I find the energy of the stones is more feminine, and more relaxed than at Stonehenge.
The village and pub in the centre mean that you are never far from civilisation, and it is almost a 'middle' place. Stuck between the world of the Magical and the Mundane. The Other realm & this earthly plain.
Being close to the stones, touching them, listening to them, very much brings me closer to the Ancestors who brought those stones to that place and arranged them so for ritual and celebration.
I left Avebury feeling re-balanced after the powerful knock~out from Stonehenge.
The most powerful experience for me however, came after we left Avebury.
In all the times I had been to the stone circle, I had never before visited The West Kennet Long Barrow. I had wanted to for such a long time, and my experience within it is something that I will spend years trying to understand.
I will share what parts of my experience I can verbally explain to you, but words can never really convey what I felt.
Within the dark chambers of the Long Barrow, the sound is so silent, so quiet, it is almost deafening. The pressure of the ground above you, the white noise of the silence & the thundering of your own heart beat, are pretty much all that you can hear.
At one point within the Long Barrow, all of the birds outside ceased their song, and all that was left was unearthly, peaceful silence.
I felt reverence for the Ancestors, those that had laid within those walls, those who had visited & those who exist in the realms of the Otherworld.
I sat with some of the other Celtic Mooner's in the various chambers of the Long Barrow, but one chamber in particular kept drawing me back- the second chamber on the left hand side from the entrance of the Barrow.
Breckin was sat in there on a stone slab. I joined her on the slab, very much feeling like I just had to sit down.
A few moments later, Breckin left me alone in the chamber~ whether she felt that she had to leave me to it, I don't know, but within minutes of her leaving I was in deep meditation.
The images I saw to begin with were very blurred & obscure. I saw fire lit torch light, the chambers lit up & offerings of flowers. I saw tribes people, I saw modern visitors, I saw spells being cast by ancient & modern witches. Like a flashing through of the history of the Barrow.
A few moments into my meditation, I placed my hands onto the cold stone at the back of the chamber (I was sat on the back of the floor slab, facing the back of the chamber.) I rested my head against the cold stone. Everything was silent.
I felt someone join me on the slab. I thought one of the Mooners had come to sit with me like I had come to sit with Breckin. But when I turned and opened my eyes, it was not a Mooner that I saw. I saw the back of an elderly woman, with a long dark grey braid running down her back. She wore a dark, woollen garment, and she turned her face to the side so that I could see her profile.
I knew she was there, but not there, so I turned back to the cold stone of the chamber and closed my eyes again.
This time I saw the woman in my mind's eye, though I could still feel her sitting behind me on the slab.
Her face was so familiar. She looked like me. She looked like my mother, and my maternal great-grandmother. Yet she also looked different from us.
She told me her name was Crow. I immediately thought of Morrighan, but she said no.
She reassured me that she was not an incarnation of the Crone Goddess, but more an incarnation of my family line. An Ancestor.
I asked her why she was there, had she lain there? Why did she come to the Long Barrow?
She told me that she had never lain there. Never even visited it in life. But she came there because she could.
It is a great place where those on the other side of life can come and be amongst the living.
She came because I was there.
She told me that "Nothing ever changes" ~ I took this to mean that everything that is has been before and will be again.
I spoke with her about my path, my role as Priestess & my beloved Grandfather.
She promised me that my Grandfather was well in the Summerlands & that I will see him again when it is time, and not before.
Whilst speaking with her, I could feel ice cold hands holding my wrists as I placed my palms flat to the cold stone. She was reassuring me, showing me that she was there and that I had truly seen her.
I could smell Lavender, woodsmoke & the earthy scent of the land.
In my stomach I felt an energy that I cannot explain. My heart thundered from seeing something so vivid. Her back. Her Plait. Her Cloak. Her profile, with my Mother's nose. MY nose.
She told me that she is with me always. Grandmother Crow. That my role of Priestess has far to take me and that there will be many more experiences that I must open myself up to.
I cried. I sobbed. Tears were streaking down my face. I was not afraid of her, I Loved her. She was a stranger, and yet I knew her. She was there, and I could feel her. I could see her with both my physical eyes & my inner sight.
I will never forget that face for as long as I live.
I left the Longbarrow in floods of tears, and was greeted at the doorway by two of the Celtic Mooners who held me close & knew that though I cried, I was not sad.
I walked slowly to the top of the Longbarrow to be held by my husband. I was left shaking, empowered & yet exhausted, ecstatic & yet frail.
I wept the whole walk back from the barrow to the car, and then I felt at Peace.
Just reliving that experience to type it up has left me feeling very otherworldly.
It is very difficult to express something so intense, so personal.... I truly hope that it has helped some of you to understand just how immense, how powerful, how emotional & how spiritual my own personal journey on the Pagan Pilgrimage was.
I Loved sharing the journey with so many wonderful, magical people.
Long Live Celtic Moon.
With Love & Blessings to you all,
Blessed Be!
Breaca
Tuesday 8 May 2012
Hastings Green Jack
This Bank holiday weekend Hubby and I were in Hastings for the Jack~in~the~Green festival.
We met up with some of our fellow Celtic Mooners and with some of our wonderful friends in the wider Pagan Community.
Everyone made a real effort with their costumes and the Morris Sides and Drum Teams were amazing!
The Pentacle Drummers even got the Sun to come out of the grey clouds and banished the rain!
It was a great way to mark Beltane and we were even Blessed by the 'Super' Full Moon even if it was hidden by rain clouds!
The castle was full of green faces and colourful costumes as little faeries danced around the Maypole and the Queen of May herself presided over the occasion from her wooden throne.
It was a lovely weekend, even if the weather was a bit meh- the company was perfect!
Bright Blessings!
Sunday 22 April 2012
Blessings from Brighid
I used my singing bowl to reach a state of peace and meditated properly for the first time in weeks! (Mundane life has been very hectic).
My Spirit Guide Jacob joined me in my Astral Sacred Space, and we talked for a while about my connection to the Gods, and my role as a Priestess for Celtic Moon.
I have felt a little weary of late, and haven't had much time to properly devote to time in Ritual.
I know now that I need to maintain my Solitary practice to again feel confident as a Priestess.
I have felt that I am not doing a good enough job as a leader at times, and recently there was a situation where I was left feeling quite exposed and vulnerable and it made me feel very inadequate as a Priestess.
Jacob as always told me to trust in my abilities and that I am far too self concious for my own good!
He can be a little know it all sometimes :)
I spent time in my Astral Space and then I became aware that I was not alone.
Brighid came forth to me beside a Waterfall. I knelt before her and she told me that I AM Her Priestess and Her Daughter, that I am experienced and wise and yet I am still an eternal student.
She told me to have faith and confidence in my abilities- to know that I AM a good teacher and a guardian of the Old Ways.
She told me that my own lone practice feeds and encourages my practice in the CM Community, and that I must trust myself and my own instincts to know what is right.
Sometimes you just need the Lady Herself to remind you! I read my Tarot and Oracle cards again and felt comforted by the messages therein.
I will certainly heed the words of my Guide and my Goddess, and most importantly to my Intuition!
Bright Blessings!
Breaca
xXx
Sunday 15 April 2012
Into the Well of Beauty: NOD assignment
Artwork by Esther Remmington
Brighid & Cernunnos
Into the Well of Beauty: Chapter 4 assignment
Reflect on your own relationship to the Sacred and/or Divinity.
How does it relate to this chapter of the NOD Bardic Text?
In a previous post I discussed how I came to be a Pagan. That I always believed in 'something', something within Nature that connects us all. I have likened it to the 'Force' described in Star Wars.
Our Celtic Ancestors were not known for anthropomorphising their Gods. That is, it was only with interaction with Rome that they came to see statues and figurines of humanized Gods.
Our Ancestors saw the Gods of Albion, Eire, Cymru etc as the Land itself or within the Trees and animals of Nature. The Hills were the shapely body of Danu, the Sun was the blazing light of Lugh and the Ravens were the sign of the Morrigan drawing close.
Many Celtic tribes had a totem animal that represented their connection to their Gods (the Bear, the Wolf, the Raven etc). Others connected through hot spots in the Land (Sacred Wells, Standing Stones, Hills and Burial Mounds.
But it is only really later that we began to personify our Gods in Human form.
For me, all Gods/Goddesses are one. They are the life force, Nature itself, that flows within each of us.
But just as I am a Daughter, I am also a Wife. I am a sister, an Auntie, a cousin, a friend, a Priestess, a Witch, a Druid, a Teacher, an Actress, a Student and a storyteller....
I am one but I am also many....and thus it is with the Gods.
The Spirit has both male and female energies within it (as do all humans)
This is personified as God and Goddess.
The Goddess then is taken and she too is split. Maiden, Mother, Crone. Goddess of the Earth, Goddess of the Moon, Goddess of the Sea, Goddess of Love, War, Sexuality, Peace, Animals, Childbirth, Fire, Forge, Water, Wells, Healing....
The God's energies are also divided. Son, Lover and Father. God of the Sun, Lord of the Sky, Lord of the Hunt, God of Animals, Stag God, Horned one, God of Lust, Protector, Hunter, Warrior, Leader, Guide, Guardian, Green Man, Lord of all that is wild and free...
We call upon different God/Goddesses for different things. We call on the aspect that we need. My Nephew will call on me as his Aunt, but my students will call on me as their teacher- I am the same.
If we need protection we may call on the protective aspects of the God or Goddess.
If we require Guidance then it is this aspect that we call upon. And so we call the Gods by their different names.
We also have Patron Gods and Goddesses who we may have a closer bond to.
For me, I have always been close to Brighid.
I found her many years ago. Red headed Irish Goddess of Fire & Forge. Of Healing Waters and Guiding Light. The Goddesses of many aspects. So Beloved that when Ireland became Christianized they had to make her a saint for she was not going to vanish with the Old Gods quietly!
For me she has been there through all trials and tribulations, through Joy and Abundance, forever guiding me and ensuring that I act upon my instincts.
I cannot describe the Love I feel for this aspect of the Great Spirit.
I honour her in Ritual and have dedicated my life to being her Priestess, and teaching others the way of Paganism and Celtic Witchcraft.
She was beside me when I worked as an Auxiliary Nurse, when I cared for those who were sick and dying, and when I tended the bodies of those who had passed. She is with me now as a Teacher of children.
She gives me the strength to be compassionate and kind, caring and patient.
She gives me the fire to spark my ideas, my creativity, my passions and my desires. She gives me the energy to be excited by life, and to be ever optimistic.
She is the force behind me unwavering belief that life is sacred, precious and should be lived the fullest with no regrets.
She is my inner strength and my guiding light.
The male aspect of Divinity came to me a little later. Some call him Cernunnos, but I find Herne befits him better. Herne has a gravitas and a heart warming feeling, whearas Cernunnos sounds too Classical for me!
However you call upon him, he is the Stag Horned God.
He is the Lover, the Protector, the Warrior and the Hunter.
He is the spark. He teaches me to enjoy my life. To live it truly to the maximum. To dance, to feed my passions, to enjoy the sensualities of life in all its forms (to feel, taste, touch, smell and hear the world around me) and to ACT rather than just REACT.
He teaches me to embrace all sides of my personality and to like who I am. He helps me when I don't feel confident. He is the nervous butterflies and hungry excitement before I step onto the stage. He encourages the fire, the anger, the laughter and the extroverted side of my personality.
I honour my Patron Gods and feel closest to them but I do also feel close to Morrigan, Dagda, Lugh and Danu.
These are the Gods whom I work most often with, though I have been known to work with Greek and Roman aspects of the Great Spirit if a spell, healing or other magickal practice requires it.
Chapter 4 of NOD discusses the connection we feel to the Gods.
It is individual for all, and will be different for everyone- even those following a similar path.
I don't see my Gods as beings floating in the heavens in humanised bodies that can interfere in our lives if they feel like it. But that is me.
They are a personification. They are a character that helps us relate to the energy that is made of the elements. They are present in Nature. They are the Standing Stones and the Flowing Wells.
They are the Sun in the Sky Above and the Moon at Night. They are the seasons. They are the dual sides of our personalities. They are within and around us always.
I may call my Goddess one name, but she is ALL names.
My relationship with my Gods builds each and every time I invoke them in Ritual. Or each time I hear a song written for them that makes me cry through Love for them.
When I go through a difficult time, I do no blame the Gods. I do not have anger at them. I find comfort in them and I accept that life must have a balance of good and bad, light and dark.
My relationship with the Gods and with Divinity is eternal, and is one that I gain much happiness, spirituality and peace with.
I leave you with two songs dedicated to my Patron Gods.
Brighid by Damh the Bard http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAXuLcej3Ws
Herne by Clannad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4Qo4vxXpC8
To you and to your Gods however you see them,
I give the Brightest of Blessings,
Breaca
)O(
Saturday 7 April 2012
Myth work 1: The Battle of Magh Tuireadh (NOD Assignment)
In this essay from my NOD course, I am looking at the Irish Myth the Battle of Magh Tuireadh and specifically at the way that the themes of Light Vs Dark are used within it. It also looks specifically at the Irish God Lugh, who is the Hero of the story. This image is an artist's depiction of this famous Celtic Sun God.
The Second Battle of Magh Tuireadh
How do the themes of Light Vs Dark, Order Vs Chaos feature into this story?
This beautiful Irish Legends asks us to look at the reality of life, and the Nature of reality: That everything has an opposite and a balance.
Just as there is man, there is woman, night and day, summer and winter, light and dark, order and chaos, war and peace, good and bad... the list of Balance goes on!
This Myth reflects that throughout its telling.
Firstly, you have the very clear divide:
The Tuatha De and the Formorians.
The Tuatha represent the Light, the Order and the 'Goodies' if you will.
You then have the Formorians... often Monstrous in their depiction, who represent the 'Dark Side' of the (Life) Force... the dark, the chaos and are the Villains of the piece.
They are the archetypes which represent these sides to life.
The Tuatha are the ordered, organised band of Irish Gods and their followers.
They have the 'Heroes' of Nuada, Dagda, Ogma and Lugh.
In the opposite corner you have who have Bres (both of Tuatha and Formorian ancestry, who ruled the Tuatha after Nuada lost his arm, but who was deposed for unfairly ruling his Kingdom) who runs to the Formorian King (his own Father Elatha) and demands that they help him to regain his power over the Tuatha De.
Elatha refuses and so enters the 'Big Bad' of the story, Balor of the Evil Eye!
Doesn't he just sound lovely?
So far, so Dark.
The Tuatha want to be ruled fairly by a just King, but the deposed Bres runs off to the Formorians and raises a huge army.
Meanwhile... Nuada has his arm grown back for him (by the son of the Physician God Dian Cecht, who gets so jealous of his son's healing gifts he kills him...several times...) and becomes King once more. At Nuada's court, a young man arrives, possessed with every single possible gift, skill and talent. This young man is Lugh.
Lugh, like Bres, is of both Tuatha De and Formorian descent. But he chooses to align himself with the Tuatha De Danann.
To liken it to a modern myth, Lugh is Jedi and Balor is Darth Vader.
Within the Tuatha they have warriors who represent Good. The Dagda represents strength, and is known as the 'Good God', Ogma is athletic and brings wisdom (the Ogham alphabet was said to be invented by him) and Lugh is skilled in EVERYTHING.
Together, with the added Magic of Morrigan, they represent a force for 'Good' fighting against tyranny, chaos and evil.
Lugh eventually kills Balor of the Evil Eye, and the Tuatha De Danann are victorious.
Lugh who is both Tuatha and Fomoire.
By having the overall Hero of the piece being an amalgamation of both good and bad, evil and good (again think Skywalker and Vadar) there is a very clear message within the Myth.
The message is that in order for us to truly understand ourselves... for us to truly live a life of balance... for us to truly understand our very Nature... we MUST address the dark and light that exists within all of us.
We all have positive and negative aspects of our personalities. We are all capable of good AND bad deeds.
By acknowledging this, and understanding it, we can come to a greater understanding of our Souls, and choose to live our lives the way we want to.
By coming to terms with the 'ugly' or 'formorian' sides of our personalities, we can come to accept them...we can take responsibility for the decisions we make, and we can live a truly more enlightened life.
If we deny, repress, ignore or 'feed' this side of ourselves, we will find only unhappiness.
To truly be victorious, to truly live our lives as we want to live them we must see the dark side of ourselves and make changes.
Like Lugh, we must take action and use the light to fight the dark- the order to fight the chaos.
If we cannot acknowledge the darker aspects of our personalities, and make action to move beyond them, then we won't learn!
Or at least, that is what I have taken from this Myth.
I truly believe that these kinds of Legends hold up a Mirror for you to look within and get a better understanding of your own personality, your own soul, and your life.
Nature has Balance throughout it, and this Legend is reflecting that balance... showing us that ultimately the Good guys DO win, but only if they can embrace and understand their dark sides but then use the light to overcome them! Just Like Lugh!
Hmmm. I have found it very interesting to deconstruct this Myth And I hope my waffling makes sense!!
Brightest Blessings,
Breaca
x
Friday 6 April 2012
The Growing Full Moon
Tonight for the 'Growing' Full Moon I will be celebrating with a Ritual, a Blessing of Thanks and with some Magical work. I have several spells that I wish to cast and as Hubby will be out, it will give me the perfect chance to have some magical 'me' time.
I think that it is important that even though I work magically with my husband, and with my fellow Celtic Mooners in Ritual, that I maintain my own solitary practices as well.
My way of working alone is very different to how I work with a group, and is an important way of honouring my bond to my specific deities Herne and Brighid.
Usually for a Full Moon Rite I will work Skyclad, which I do not do in group ritual. This is because for me working Skyclad is a private rite and in Celtic Moon one of our founding principles is that we would not work in this way...but each to their own :)
Here are some Correspondences for the April Full Moon:
Otherwise known as the Pink Moon, Seed Moon and Planting Moon.
Nature Spirits- Plant Faeries
Herbs- Basil, Chives, Dragons Blood and Thistle
Colours- Crimson Red, Gold
Flowers- Daisy, Sweet Pea
Scents- Pine, Bay, Bergamot &
Patchouli
Stones- Ruby, Garnet
Trees- Pine, Bay & Hazel
Animals- Bear, Wolf
Deities- Kali, Hathor, Anahita, Ceres, Ishtar, Venus and Bast
A ring around this moon means Rain or Snow on the way!
Tonight, whatever Magick you make, may it be Blessed by the Gods and may your Growing Moon Seeds blossom and come to successful fruition!
Blessings,
Breaca
Tuesday 3 April 2012
Bodrifty Roundhouse
As well as our wonderful Handfasting which Hubby and I are both very excited for, we are also very much looking forward to getting back to Cornwall for our Honeymoon!
We will be staying in the same lovely Holiday park as we did when we got engaged for 7 days, but for the three days preceding this we will be staying in the GORGEOUS Bodrifty Iron Age Roundhouse!!!
No Electricity, No People, No Noise, No Mundane!
Just us! An open fire, the gorgeous starry nights and utter peace and tranquility!
A few feet away we have a lovely little out building with all the modern necessities (Bathroom, Stove etc) so we won't be truly following in the Ancestor's footsteps... but I cannot explain to you how much I am looking forward to it!
It has been a tough couple of years since we were last in Cornwall (Work wise for both of us anyway) and our Handfasting and Honeymoon will be a fantastic way to celebrate the completion of my teacher training, and all of the hard work that I am putting in to my work, as well as taking some much needed time for 'us' to just be!
I truly, truly, truly cannot wait!
So many wonderful things to look forward to this year!
Breaca
)O(
The Celtic Moon Pagan Pilgrimmage
This year, I am embarking on a Spiritual Pilgrimage with the Celtic Moon Druid's Grove & three members of the Celtic Moon Pagan Circle.
For me, the journey will be about connecting to the land of my Ancestors, celebrating my beliefs and honouring my connection to the Gods.
We will be visiting the sites of Avebury- where I have been several times and I must say that I find the energies there truly Beautiful- we will be Celebrating at Stonehenge during an early morning Ritual where we will be allowed within the Stone Circle itself... something I have always dreamed of doing, and we will be visiting Glastonbury (Chalice Well, the Tor, the Goddess Temple).
For me, this trip will be about more than just seeing some Pagan sites and spending time with friends... though that will of course be lovely!
For me, it is a Spiritual journey and I intend to spend some time in contemplation, in meditation and connecting with the energies of each place.
For me, it will truly be a Pilgrimage. A Spiritual journey that I wish to return from having been changed in some way.
It will be a Magickal break from the Mundane, and I intend to leave as much of the Mundane behind as possible!
Five weeks to go, and I cannot wait!
Blessings,
Breaca
Saturday 31 March 2012
The Nine Strands: NOD assignment
Exploring the Druid Identity: What a Druid's role in Society might be & how you can incorporate this role into your life.
When we take the Nine strands of Druidry-
Tribal, Art, Healing, the Metaphysical, Seership, Ritual, Natural Philosophy, Teaching and Service- we can begin to break down our ideas about the Druid path and what a Druid's role is within our modern society.
In my last essay I looked at the ideas how and why the Druid Path is relevant in today's society. Some of the same ideas may come in this exploration of the role of the Druid, and how I myself will incorporate this role into my present modern-day life.
To do this I have to explore the role of the Druid in my Ancestor's time, as well as now.
I am English, but my family are predominantly Northern Irish and Scots, moving over to England in the late 60's/early 70's. I have family on the Isle of Man also.
I grew up with a strong Celtic identity- with Irish and Scots blood in my Veins. The lines of McQueen, MacMullun and Lawther being mapped on my family Tree.
Taking each of the Nine strands, I will explore what it was to be a Druid, and what it is to be a Druid now.
Firstly, let us look at the Tribal strand.
Our Celtic-British Ancestor's lived in various tribes throughout the Lands. All were Pagan, all were 'British' but they were very much separate- many of them at War with one another.
Each tribe would have their own Gods/Goddesses that they revered- most of which were linked to the Lands in which they lived.
The Druid would move between the borders and villages, settling disputes, sharing stories and information about other tribes.
In our modern society, the 'tribe' has become a lot smaller. Whilst we are all apart of a wider society, we align ourselves to our families and friendship groups.
For me personally, my 'Tribe' is my Circle 'Celtic Moon' (www.celticmoon.ning.com)
For them I am their advisor, their Priestess and it is to me that they come with their problems.
We are also apart of the Pagan Community of Southern England, and we attend gatherings and festivals to celebrate with other 'Tribes'.
This, along with my Blood heritage, gives me my cultural identity. And my cultural identity in this modern life is a Celtic Pagan.
The second strand in Druidry is Art.
Our Celtic Ancestors were well known for their artistic endeavours and beautiful, intricate spiral work.
Their jewellery and decorated ornaments were much sought after and traded throughout Europe.
The Bard's were the storytellers, and the first 'performers'. The Role of the Bard, and the Druid, was to keep the lineage of the tribes, and to bring to life the Legends of Gods and Heroes.
I am a Drama Teacher and occasional Actress. I have been on stage many times since my youth, including in London's West End (Hamlet, Duke of York's Theatre)
My creativity is in performing, directing and in writing. I write poetry, prose and plays.
I strongly feel that in our modern lives we can still be the Bards... the storytellers of old... and that the Awen can touch us just as freely as it did our Druid predecessors. Our role now is as it was then- to bring to life our history!
The Third strand, the Metaphysical, is an interesting one. We think of our Druid ancestors as being very Shamanistic in their practices (though they would not have seen themselves as 'shamans'). There are similarities between many Native cultures throughout the world (Native Americans, Aborigines, Maori, Haatian etc).
The Druid's worked closely with the Animals of their land, and found connection to them through Spirit and Ecstatic work (spirit guides, transformative meditation)
This is something we would link more with the 'Ovate' as opposed to the Bard.
I myself work with a Spirit Guide who once was a Wolf, but over time has revealed himself to have many different forms. The metaphysical for me in my modern practice is very much about meditation and spiritual work on the Astral planes.
Hand in hand with the Metaphysical is the Seership strand. For me this is very much about Divination. We know that our Ancestors used the Ogham, and this is something which I have been attempting to learn more about. For me though, I primarily use Scrying, Spirit guide meditation, Tarot/Oracle cards and Pendulums for my Divination. And of course I rely mostly on my intuition and innate ability to empathise and 'sense' things. My Intuition is very potent, and if I ignore it I always regret it!
The Ritual strand is one that is very important within Druidry now, and was also integral to our Ancestors.
The Druid's of the past led Rituals and Rites of Celebration as well as Rites of Passage.
We can see from archaeological and historical evidence that Ritual was something which existed in almost every human culture and country.
We still have 'rituals' today that we don't really think about (Birthday celebrations, Sunday Roasts and Bedtime routines).
Drama and theatre course came from Ritualistic performance and re-enactment.
For me in my role as a modern Druid, Ritual is how I mark the passing Cycles of the sun and the moon. It is how I strengthen my connection to the Gods, give thanks and give prayers, and create Magick within my Mundane!
Natural Philosophy for our Ancestors was simple. The Earth, and the Land where they lived was everything to them. It provided their sustenance, their shelter, their very survival. They revered it, they feared it and they worked the land to ensure that their crops were successful and their Harvests fruitful.
In modern society, we have forgotten how it feels to truly be connected to the Earth, to Nature Herself. Most of us live in cities, and are lucky if have a park/woodland nearby.
We are surrounded by noise, pollution and concrete and it can be difficult to feel inspired.
But when you take time out to explore the wonders of Nature, to really spend time in the outdoors and get to know more about it, you can begin to re-establish that long-lost connection. My Husband and I Love being in Nature. We walk weekly in the local Ancient Woodland, and spend as much time outdoors as possible. We recycle and try to leave as small a footprint as we can.
We donate to the Woodland Trust and animal charities, and try to eat organic and free range.
The 8th strand is Teaching.
The Druid's of old were Teachers and trained the Dreamers of the Tribe how to heal and how to be close to the Gods.
My job is as a Teacher of Drama.
I teach in a secondary school and teach teenagers how to grow in confidence as well as in knowledge.
Within Celtic Moon I am a Priestess and a Teacher of the Magickal arts.
I teach people the basics of modern witchcraft and guide them to new areas of study as they travel along their own paths.
Linked to this is the final strand of Service.
Just like my ancestor Druids, I am here for those who need help, healing, guidance and advice.
I am here to teach people about caring for the Earth and for Mother Nature. I am here to share my experiences that others may learn and grow with me.
I am an eternal student as well as an enthusiastic teacher.
A modern Druid's role in society is still so very close to the role that they have performed for thousands of years. We may not be exactly the same... our societies may be entirely different... but the role of the Druid remains the same.
To Teach, to Inspire, to Guide, to Honour and Celebrate the Divine Spirit, to care for the Earth and her Creatures, To tell stories, to Heal and to live a life Blessed by Awen.
How will I incorporate this role into my life? As I believe this essay already shows, I am living this role daily and intend to continue to do so as I learn and grow each day that I walk this Ancient, winding path.
Bright Blessings,
Breaca
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