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