A Wicca Graduate

I have been doing an on-line course since March of this year on Wicca and got my final pass certificate the other day.

It's been a great course because I got to do lots of research on the history of Wicca which was very interesting and also I had to write about the various traditions and areas that I am interested in so my love of the Druid path has really helped.  I also had to write essays on the wheel of the year and how the various Sabbats celebrate the changing seasons and the cycle of life and death.

I liked the way that on this particular course I could show my own views on how I feel about the ever changing wheel of life and how I celebrate these magical times of the year.

 I am really looking forward to Samhain (tomorrow) as we are going for a walk to a stone circle then back home for pumpkin carving and a bonfire. This is one of my favourite Sabbats as it was during Samhain that I felt I wanted to follow the pagan path.  Samhain is seen as the New Years Eve, a time for reflection, remembering those who have gone before us and looking to the future.

It is also a time of feasting and fun which I will be having in abundance!

The Worlds of wonder event - Stepping through the Gates of Autumn

To celebrate the Autumn equinox ( Mabon) I attended a wonderful event run by Steve Rumellhart.  I love this time of year, dark and light are in balance and it is a time to reflect on the year gone so far and plan for the winter months ahead. Although I am a sun worshipper and a sun sign, I can still appreciate that we need this balance when the world starts to become darker until the sun gives way to rests and then returns strong once again.

 We started with a magical story telling by Cliff Eastabrook - The Travelling Talesman. As we walked through the beautiful woods, he weaved a magical tale into every part of the landscape.
 

It really made me think about every time I go into my woods, how I look at things and it inspired me to try it for myself.    

These events are so much fun too.  I love dressing up and in one day I managed to shape shift into a fox and a wolf!

The other guest was Leo Rutherford (Shaman and author) pictured below and I managed to catch up with him after his talk!

 

This is so true and something I will remember. Why have a dream if you do not intend to try and make it come true?

A drum of my own!

 
My drum was delivered at the weekend and it was a very special occasion as I have been waiting for months to buy one.

There is something about a drum beat that gets to me, it's a healing and uplifting sound that soothes or energises most people. Even though I am not an expert and probably sounding awful to everyone else around me, at least I can take myself off to places where I don't bother anyone and can enjoy my own noise in my own magical way.   

My drum is a 'fair trade' drum so I feel it is from a good source, the skin is from goat which has not just been killed for this drum but as food.  I would not wish to upset any people who disagree with using animals in this way but I believe that the animal has fed someone and then its skin used just as we do with leather handbags or shoes. 

The difference to me is that this animal will live again through the beat of the drum because I will honour its heartbeat through the beat of the drum.

First Storytelling event - The Cauldron of Inspiration

Ceridwen for the day on the shore of Lake Bala in North Wales

I did my very first storytelling session the other day to the wonderful and very receptive audience of Wrekin Writers. It's strange, as for months I had been dreading it. I have never done anything like this before and didn't even know if this sort of thing would fit in with a writers circle but it did and I loved every moment.

I told the story of Ceridwen and Taliesin and had visited Bala a few months back to gain some inspiration for my story.  It certainly worked as since enrolling on my bardic course I have not stopped writing and looking for inspiration every day. I have a thirst to learn more stories and be able to recite them without a script. Now I know I can do it. I only learnt the story of Taliesin a few months ago so now I am collecting stories and having a go at writing some of my own.

I loved every second and came away with my mini cauldron full of inspirational words that I had set as an excercise. The group selected three drops of the awen (three words) and they will come up with a piece of work using those words.  I can't wait to see what they come up with.

My first story telling event at the Wrekin Writers meeting

This course is teaching me to just be creative and not worry if it's not a great piece of art or literature, if you are creative then you just want to do it and that is why I am posting these funny little pictures today.

The horse below is not a great picture of a horse, I know that but I painted him with a paintbrush made of my own hand. I cut a piece of hazel and whittled it down into a pointed end then used ink to paint this funny little equine.  I loved just making something natural and getting creative with it. In a time before paint brushes were invented I am sure my ancestors may have used something similar.






I have also been learning the ancient Ogham ( tree alphabet) It is like a form of short hand and very interesting. I wrote the name of my house for a bit of fun and was delighted that Author and good friend Catherine Cooper actually managed to work it out.  We decided in the end that it would be a bit time consuming to use this ancient language too often but it's great fun to have a go.







More creative stuff. This is a branch of peace. This seems to come from the medieval Irish bards who carried a branch of peace throughout their training. It is simply a branch with a few bells attached to it and a leaf. I love just shaking it, it makes me feel happy and my Morris dancing side comes out every time I pick it up, I want to skip round the room.





This was one of my first exercises with my Bardic course. It is a personal map and what I feel about each of the quarters -  North, East, South and West. I had to produce something to represent how I feel about these areas. The North is considered as winter and darkness, the element is earth and so includes such animals as the bat, bull, raven or owl.   The East is connected with sunrise and of spring, the element is air so the birds have a close association. The South is the quarter of Summer, with the element of fire and sunshine and finally West is the region of Autumn and has the element of water.  I have always been fascinated by mermaids so that is what I chose to represent  this area.






In addition to my official course with the British Druid Order, I am also working through the Bardic Handbook  by Kevan Manwaring.  I think I mentioned this book in a previous post. It's brilliant and once again full of inspiring exercises that I find myself doing every day.  Last week I wrote three short poems during my lunch hour.  I sat on the banks of the river severn reading this book and jotting ideas as I couldn't help but be inspired at the wonders of nature.

So this is only the first 3 months of my training and already I have done things that I never imagined. I have stepped out of my comfort zone in so many ways and it is paying off.  Some of the things I have done have led to further opportunities so I seem to be finding extra inspiration for my writing and getting results from that too. 

Earth, Air, Fire, Water - in a bottle!

I have been wondering for a while what to do with these old bottles that the hens found in the garden. I scrubbed them up and made them into bottled elements - Earth, Air, Fire and Water. The natural elements of the earth are so powerful and each one is special in its own way.

The Earth (North/Winter). The soil came from the garden where earth dwelling creatures live, the badgers and even the humble earth worm which I was careful not to include in my bottle!

The Air (East/sunrise and Spring) This is a symbol of the creatures of the wing, all the birds that claim the sky as their home. It has strong connection with the cuckoo and the blackbird.  These feathers were left in the garden, one by a magpie and the other from a wood pigeon.

Fire ( South/Summer and the midday sun)  This is the symbol of the sun at its most powerful, the buttercups make a perfect bottle of sunshine, I can't help smiling when I look at it.  It also has association with the mythical creatures such as the phoenix and the dragon

Water (West/Autumn)  The setting sun. I took a small bottle of sea water from the coast of Wales. This is a symbol of the all the creatures that dwell in or by the water such as the otter, dolphin and whale.

So now I have bottled the elements and have a little bit of natural magic at my fingertips!

Earth

Air

Fire

 

Water

Declaring my Bardic Chair - a very personal journey

I started my full Bardic training just over a month ago on May day, Beltane. I chose that day as it's a special day, to me it feels like re-birth, new beginnings and I though it a good day to remember as a year and a day from then I hope to be able to claim my Bardic chair which will be a symbol of my graduation for the first year of my study in druidry. That is only the beginning but it's a start and already I have learnt so much that I know it is the right path of study and indeed a way of life for me.

Last month I went to Glastonbury for a few days. It's an incredible place and though we were celebrating our wedding anniversary which was magical, I was also on a personal journey too as it felt that I had truly begun to tread the steps of my own path of where I want to go to in life.

I had been recommended a wonderful book by some members of the British Druid Order called The Bardic Handbook by Kevan Manwaring  and while I was browsing the abundance of magical shops in Glastonbury town, I found it, bought a copy and started reading it straight away

In the first chapter, one of the first exercises is to go out to a place that you feel is right, a hill, a stone circle etc and declare that you want to claim your bardic chair a year and a day after you start training. This was so wonderful to read as for once I had the excuse to go out and do what I believe in and not feel foolish.

Before climbing the great Glastonbury Tor we went to Wearyall Hill  where the Glastonbury thorn once grew.  Legend has it that Joseph of Arimathaea planted his staff and that is where the tree started to grow.  The tree had stood there for centuries until mindless vandals decide to cut it down so now all that remains is a stump but I was so moved by the sight of the battered tree adorned with ribbons fluttering in the breeze that I decided to make my declaration right there on the spot. 

Wearyall hill looking towards Glastonbury Tor

It was an incredible feeling as because I was actually saying it out loud, I felt that it was real and I would make it happen. With the sheep as my witnesses I made my declaration that a year from now I hope to graduate to the next stage of my bardic learning. My words felt like they were carried on the wind towards the Tor and later when I climbed the path towards St Michael's tower on the top, I truly felt that my incredible journey had begun. However long it may take, it will be time well spent

                                          Glastonbury Tor and the path to St Michael's tower



Living the life, not just writing about it

It's only a few weeks since I started my Bardic course with the British Druid Order and I feel that I have learnt so much already.  I love the studies and exercises but I want to actually live the life and not just do a distance learning package in order to call myself a Bard. 

I recently went to the wonderful Wildways in Shropshire which was mentioned in my previous post and enjoyed a magical morning learning how to wattle.  It may be easy to some but there is still an art to it. You have to pick the best material - hazel or willow, you have to be mindful of birds and other creatures when you take some to use and how flexible it is at certain times of the year. All of these things count.

I was also shown how to light the best fire.  I have been used to lighting fires all of my life but I still learnt new things that can help to get a great fire going when out in the open.

All these magical forestry skills are so important.  It's not just about keeping the poetry and stories alive, it's about keeping the ancient crafts alive too, after all that is how people lived centuries ago, they needed all of the basic skills to build and make places for worship or just to live and celebrate life, telling the stories of old in their roundhouses or just sitting out in the woods around a fire.

I have been experimenting with outdoor cooking and my fire pit and tripod work well. In fact the other day I boiled this 'potion' quicker than my kitchen kettle boils.  Soon I want to buy a proper cooking pot and make food over an open fire but better get a nice clean cooking pot first as this one belongs to the chickens and they are not pleased that I have pinched their corn pot to experiment with!

Druid Hedge School

                                                                                         The roundhouse



I have had the most incredible few days that have filled me with inspiration. Following on from the World Drum events, I went to Wildways on the Borle in Shropshire on Wednesday for a women's drum session.

Around twenty of us walked through the beautiful woodland before we reached the roundhouse, an exact replica of what our ancient ancestors would have lived in.


Once we closed the door it was as though we were shutting the 21st century out and following the footsteps of our ancestors. It was such a beautiful atmosphere with the fire crackling in the centre, giving the only light and it was all the light we needed as we sat in a circe and chatted before playing. I didn't have a drum but within minutes a lady gave me a huge Djembe drum to play all night. It was an incredible experience, I don't know where it came from but I lost all my inhibitions, I have never played anything like that on my own and not in front of other people who had been doing it for years but I found myself making my own rhythm which magically seemed to fit with everyone else's.







As I walked around the fire which was then glowing in the centre, I became a different person, it was an incredible experience. I can almost understand how the Shamans can go so deeply into a trance and take on other forms, I felt like I was on the cusp myself.




              Inside the Yurt at Wildways with the famous World Drum
Saturday I attended the Druid Hedge School event, also at Wildways. It was a wonderful day with fascinating talks and meditations. Greywolf, Chief of the British Druid Order did a meditation called The Three Cauldrons. It actually made me cry for some reason, not out of sadness, it was just such a powerful experience that left me feeling so inspired. It was though I was actually drawing up creativity through my body and into my head which was bursting with ideas to create something.

It has given me the final push for something I have been considering for a while. Next month I will be enrolling on the full Bardic training with the British Druid Order. I thirst to learn and feel that I have to do it, even though it's a big commitment of one years study, it feels right for me.

The World Drum

(Me with the World Drum)

The World Drum returned to the UK at the beginning of March and the other day I got to hold it and beat it on top of Titterstone Clee.  The British Druid Order climbed the hill with the drum and people came from every direction to take part in this very special ceremony. Young and old, two legs and even four, we all joined together to listen to the rhythm of the drum.

We gathered in a circle and very soon the drum was beating.  I imagined it being the heartbeat of the earth and as we passed it around the circle, everyone got to play this amazing drum.  I could  feel the vibration of that and the other drums that were being played and at times it matched my own heartbeat. An incredible feeling and one that I will never forget. It's so primeval, just a simple drum beat but to me it actually meant the earth.

The World Drum is a traditional Shaman drum made in Norway by the indigenous Sami people.  It was created to take part in rituals around the world and celebrate the rhythm of Mother Earth.  It travels from one country to another and joins people from every walk of life so that everyone can share equally the need to appreciate the cycle of life.

After Five years, the drum came back to the UK where the British Druid order hosted the ceremonies around the country. It visited many famous landmarks such as Avebury Henge, Stonehenge, Glastonbury Tor, Ironbridge and then the other day, my very own Clee hill where I walk over the craggy rocks to hear only the sound of a buzzard or the sheep down below.  Now I shall  always imagine the sound of that drum as the beats carried on the wind. I was so moved by the experience that I immediately wanted to come back and drum on something. It left me wanting more.  It left me wanting to do more and celebrate just how lucky we are to live on such a beautiful planet that needs our help to survive.

                                                    The British Druid Order and other drummers 

Hop, skip and a jump with the Ostara Hares

Today is Ostara, the Spring Equinox and a perfect time to get the balance right in everything you are doing.

Ostara is an ancient pagan celebration of welcoming new life, the start of Spring and shaking off the long hard months of winter. Today is a  time when everything is in balance, the day is just as long as the night but from now on we will have longer days as the sun grows and warms the earth and the days of light become longer.  Although it may not seem like it at the moment when we are still having snow in some areas, it will change.

I spent a magical morning making salt dough ornaments to celebrate this turn of the wheel which has strong connections with the hare, spring flowers and the egg to symbolise new life.

I wanted my Ostara decorations to actualy be a part of nature so I collected some water from the spring that constantly flows  in our village.  It doesn't matter how severe the weather is, that spring continues to flow.

I used two cups of  plain flour, one cup of salt and one cup of water.  Mixed together, rolled out and cut my shapes.  After baking them in an oven for 45 minutes, I had two magical hares, ready for painting and once that was done they were ready to hop, skip and jump into Spring and banish winter for another year.

The besom has a home

We have been working on my 'Den' today.  Although snow covered the ground this morning, after a few hours it had melted so we made a lot of progress.

I love this area.  For so long it has been neglected and used as a dumping ground for things we wanted to burn, hide or take to the tip, which now I feel was very wrong as it's such a beautiful place. 

The besom has brought much laughter and many jokes from my friends and family but this broomstick is there for a practical use, not to fly about the garden on.  Much as I would love to do that, I use it to sweep the area clean. I didn't want to use my hard yard broom in this area. It's big and has a very hard brush, it simply wasn't practical. It didn't feel right so that is why I got a traditional Besom instead. 

Saying that, my beautiful natural besom can also be used in a ritual to sweep away negativity and cleanse an area from bad feeling. Luckily I have not had to use it for that purpose yet.

I feel so close to nature when I am in this space. Birds nest above and I can see all kinds of life around me. I still can't believe at times that this is not actually a tree but just ivy growing from something man made. Another reminder of how we all seem to be connected, we are meant to be here together with our animals and plants and beautiful landscapes, it's just working out how best to get along and so all of us can thrive.

This is from the other side. We are trying to clear a path so that it will be possible to walk all the way around it.  We have a raised area here which is from years of piling more and more soil and making a compost area. I want to turn it into a miniture hill where we can sit and gaze down on the firepit below.

The 'Den' may take months to create but even now it has become a magical area where I can meditate. I love to just sit or stand here. It's amazing how much you see anywhere if you just stop what you are doing, stand still and observe nature

I have a few guests that seem to like my den. A male pheasant has taken a shine to being in this place.  On several occasions I have surprised him when entering only to have him squalking at me and flying off in a huff as though he objects to me being there!

So, the work continues, I wonder who will visit next?

 

 

A Clootie Tree in the back garden

We spent some time clearing the garden this weekend and focussed on the areas that we have neglected for years.  Some things that are right under your nose go un-noticed but then today this magcial site became open to me again.  After years of storing rubbish and things I wanted to burn, I had forgotten how magical this part of my garden is. 

I think it looks like an ancient tree with all  those clinging roots but in fact it is just a covering of ivy over an old structure that I have in my garden.

This was an old stone crusher from the times of mining around the Clee hills.  My garden is part of the old railway that went up to the Titterstone Clee. The stones were brought back down here for crushing. It must have been a hive of industry in those times with constant activity from the mining but now I find it so magical that after more than a 100 years, nature has claimed it back. 

Many birds enjoy the cover and countless creatures of all kinds love to dwell here.  This is why I have adopted it as my own 'Clootie Tree'. Although most Clootie trees are ancient and grow by the holy wells, this will serve me just as well.  I feel it is still a special place, it has history, it has nature and now it has me to look after it and enjoy all the magic that grows with it.

I will certainlly follow the tradtion of some of the Celtic ways of using a Clootie Tree.
The tradition is that you dip a ribbon or piece of cloth from a person that may need help or healing into a spring or well.  You then hang the ribbon onto the tree and when the ribbon finally rots away, the individual will recover.

Apart from that I feel that it is a lovely place to sit and meditate about my own life and feelings. After hearing the news of a family bereavement the other day, I felt comfort by placing something there.  I knew it would not bring him back but it felt good to think about him and acknowledge a life that had been and gone.

There are many ancient Clootie trees and wells all over the country and they are well worth a visit but at the moment I feel lucky that I do not have to go  any further than my own garden to feel the same emotions and appreciate what is out there.  

Happy Imbolc

                                      My own home made St Brigid Cross ( although rushes or straw are the traditional  material you can use anything.  I used old wrapping paper)

I love this time of year, it really does feel like the awakening of the land from the harsh cold of winter.

Imbolc celebrates the coming of Spring and although we are not there yet, it gives hope of the sun returning after months of darkness.

Imbolc or Candlemass also celebrates St Brigid's day.  St Brigid has strong links with poetry and story telling and all creative things which is why she is one of my favourite Goddesses.  The moment I woke up, I felt creative and wanted to do some form of writing as well as enjoying the outdoors and feeling the sun on my face again.

I went for a long walk and took pleasure in watching the birds and seeing the snowdrops peeping from the frozen ground as if they know what day it is too.  

The story of St Brigid is very special, it is believed that she found a dying pagan and wove a cross before telling him of the Christian faith.  The cross signifies the pagan wheel of the year but St Brigid was thought to be the bridge between the old pagan ways and Christianity which is still as strong today. I love to think that some religions can come together without violence and aggression.

Today is about celebrating another turn of the pagan wheel of the year and honouring this special Celtic Goddess who is thought to bring back the warmth of the sun as the earth shakes off its winter cloak.  

I will be celebrating this day with a feast in honour of the sun returning and of St Brigid who many centuries ago bridged a gap yet still allowed people to keep the old ways as I do.  

Anyone can celebrate a feast day like this, it's just thinking about foods that honour the sun such as spicy warm foods or dairy products that also have a strong connection with Imbolc which translates roughly as milk of the Ewe.

I am having a spicy chicken casserole with Mediterranean bread followed by a piece of cheesecake.  So see, it's simple anyone can celebrate these special occasions without going to much trouble in the kitchen!

However you choose to celebrate today it doesn't matter - just celebrate!  

  

Animal Spirit Guides

Animals have so much knowledge of the world that they live in. Many of them trust in their own instincts to survive and I believe that we can learn so much from them. They are all teachers and if we allow ourselves to be taught, we can become different and better people.

We have to remember that we only share this planet with them. We are not superior to them, we are just different.

Many cultures have revered certain animals since ancient times and believe that the animal spirit or animal totem can guide and teach us to open our minds and realise that every creature in this world has a purpose. Even the spider that many people fear has a vital place in our world. It shows incredible creativity and patience and if left alone would rarely harm anyone. Others may help us to have courage, and follow our instincts, fight for what we believe in and show loyalty to one another.

 Most of my writing is inspired by animals and nature so I know for me this is true. My own animals have been part of my life for so long and I see them all as important as each other. I recently obtained a beautiful set of animal tarot cards and on the first week of the New Year I decided to find my own animal spirit guide for each week of the year. When I say find, I believe that they are selecting me.

Last week I connected with the Wolf which is one of the most powerful animal guides and considered to be a pathfinder. I immersed myself into this beautiful, sometimes much mistaken animal and let it enter my meditations and thoughts throughout the week. I felt so inspired and wanted to take on all the virtues that the wolf displays such as trust, loyalty, perseverance and gain wisdom of the earth. It made me want to learn as much as I could so as well as taking in the spirit guide, I made it my job to research the wolf too and by doing so I found out some fascinating facts about an animal I previously did not have much knowledge of.

This week, the great Bison selected me and once again, I am learning from a magnificent animal even though I have never seen one. The main lesson that I am getting so far is that I should walk forwards and honour every path that I take to follow my own dreams.

I have no idea what will select me next week but I take great pleasure in the fact that by the end of the year I will have a whole family of animal guides that I will know a little bit better and hopefully some of their wisdom will be transferred to me.

Blessed be!

                                                The Yew tree, not just a place of worship but in some cases an object of worship

Hello and welcome to the first post of my new blog 'Pagan Apprentice'  I hope that anyone who feels the same way as I do about the old and magical ways of life will comment on this blog as it is lovely to know that I am not on my own seeing the world  in a different way.  Sometimes modern day life can be so horrific with news of cruelty and death and war nearly every day of the week.  I am powerless to all these horrible things happening, all I can do is care for those who are suffering and take comfort in my way of life, however mad some people may think that is. 

I worship nature and all of the animals that we share this beautiful planet with and see these things as equal, or in some cases even superior to our human way of life.

I have been longing to talk about the way I love to see life, it may not be to everyone's taste and that is why I decided to start this new blog where I can express all the things I feel and think without boring or upsetting anyone.  My other blogs are quite different and would not be suitable for the sort of things I want to talk about on this one.  So here it is, my first post as a fully pledged Pagan.

Some people have asked if I am a Witch, maybe hundreds of years ago I would have been accused of such things just because I love to dress in a cloak occasionally, cast a few runes for fun and do the odd spell but hopefully now most people would understand that there is nothing evil or wrong about having a different religion as long as it does not harm anyone.

I called it the Pagan Apprentice because I am constantly learning.  I thirst for knowledge and love to find  ways of dealing with life and what it throws at us every day of the week.  I like to find ways of mentally overcoming barriers and ways of celebrating the wheel of the year as every season is important to how we all we live and survive. Even though most people love the Summer best, we still need the ever changing seasons so that every form of life form can have its chance.

I first got these feelings when we were celebrating Halloween a few years ago. I now prefer to call this Samhain and it has become one of my favourite pagan celebrations.  I love to dress up and do all the usual stuff for fun but on this occasion I suddenly felt different as we sat in our cloaks in front of the bonfire.  Something changed in the way I viewed this day, it was not a fancy dress party, the cloaks served purely to keep us warm and the bonfire made me reflect on the year gone by and things that had happened.  This was the beginning for me and it was the beginning of the New Year of following the pagan wheel of the year.

I celebrate all the magical and fascinating sabbats or festivals through the year and hope in the coming months to enjoy them with you.