Henge Happenings # 109 - Imbolc 2016 - Public Edition

The Henge of Keltria Henge Happenings Imbolc 2016 - Issue 109 Public edition

Contents

From the President............................1 Secretary's Report..............................2 News from the Groves........................2 Sword, harp and singing bird: Aonghus Ă“g........3 A Guide to Irish Pronunciation............8 Deepening Our Druidic Identity II......10

Druidism for the 21st Century™

From the President

our Keltrian training courses for grove and individual use. Keltrian Druidism, like most anything else worthwhile, is about our relationship with a greater vision and, therefore, what we get out of it depends on what we put into it.

Walk with Wisdom,

Karl Schlotterbeck President, Board of Trustees of the Henge of Keltria

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With the darkest days of the season behind us, even in the cold of winter, we feel the stirring of renewed life. We (in the Northlands) look forward to warmth and green. Right now we tend the hearth fires to keep warm. Equally important, we tend the fires of inspiration through study, celebration, practice and service. Speaking of service, there will be opportunities for service as the Henge serves its members. This year, two trustee positions and the board secretary for the Board of Trustees will be coming up for election. Watch for future communication regarding these elections and, perhaps, running for office yourself.

Henge Happenings Editor: Jenne Micale dulcimergoddess@keltria.org E-mail: http://www.keltria.org/E-Mail.htm All material published in Henge Happenings is ŠCopyright 2016 by the Henge of Keltria Inc.

Sometime during the year, we will hold our annual Gathering with members serving members as we celebrate together. This is the one time most officers, elders and other members can meet for faceto-face discussions, ritual and social events.

All rights reserved.

This publication is also protected by the Berne Convention.

With the Book of Keltria completed, the elders’ attention has turned to the Book of Ritual, as well as 1

Secretary's Report - Imbolc 2016

that have to be taken down and then back for each gathering. Over the last nine years, we have been The Henge has seen steady membership blessed with land that welcomes us and ritual space renewals since our that grows more solid and functional. We love to stand last Samhain Henge as a Grove of Trees in our nemeton. We will be Happenings. We all opening up our doors to new students this fall and look look forward to what forward to seeing what new energy and dynamics our 2016 will bring to next classes may bring.

Keltria in terms of growth and From the Writings of "Fiona Macleod" [pseud.additional resources William Sharp], Volume 6 also The Winged Destiny: being offered for Studies in the Spiritual History of the Gael: everyone's personal development. ...I am Brighid-nam-Bratta (Brighid of the Mantle), IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Please but I am also Brighid-Muirghin-na-tuinne (Brighid of note that the office of Secretary will be open for the conception of the waves), election this year for the Board. Please consider and Brighid-sluagh (Brighid of the immortal host), stepping forward and offering your energy and service. Brighid-nan-sitheach seang (Brighid of the slim faery We have worked hard to create what we hope are folk), reasonably organized and detailed procedure guides for Brighid-Binne- Bheullbuchd-nan-trusganan-uaine handling the regular Secretary duties. I am happy to (Brighid of sweet songs and melodious mouth), make this document available to any with an interest in pursuing this position. We are also still looking for our and I am older than Aona (Friday) host site for the 2016 annual Gathering. If interested, and am as old as Luan (Monday). please submit your proposal to the President for Board overview.

And in Tir-na-h'oige (Land of the Ever Young) I have been working on getting our Book of my name is Suibhal-bheann (Mountain traveler); Songs recorded with my harp and hope to be in Tir-fo-thuinn (Country of the Waves) submitting that to the Board for discussion and it is Cu-gorm (Grey Hound); verification of the musical score to confirm our and in Tir-nah'oise (Country of Ancient Years) document is true to the original tune and energy of the it is Sireadh-thall (Seek-beyond). songs.

It has been a pleasure and a privilege to hold And I have been a breath in your heart. this position for the last four years. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn and grow with all of And the day has its feet to it that will see me you. coming into the hearts of men and women Walk with Wisdom, Strength and Gratitude, like a flame upon dry grass, like a flame of wind in a great wood...

Ulchabhan

Grove Report: Gryphonsong Clan Our Clan has made great steps forward in the building of our outdoor storage facilities at our Circle site. One of the storage containers doubles very nicely as additional seating for attendees as well. The additional of water-tight bins generously donated by Clan members and additional outdoor site specific supplies will greatly reduce the amount of ritual items

May your Feast of Awakening plant glorious seeds of potential for your upcoming cycle.

Walk with Wisdom, GryphonSong Clan

2

Sword, harp and singing bird:

birds that continually circle his head, bringing joy and love (Rolleston 121). Some descriptions have him playing a harp of gold, drinking the ale of immortality and using his cloak of invisibility to protect chosen lovers (McKillop 138). In a larger sense, he appears to be the same god as the Welsh Mabon and Gaulish Maponos, the Divine Youth whom the Romans interpreted as Apollo. To draw on a wider range of Indo-European mythology, he has qualities in common with the Indian Kama, the Slavic Lado/Yarilo and the Norse Baldur.

Aonghus Óg

By Jenne Micale Edain came out of Midhir's hill, and lay Beside young Aengus in his tower of glass, Where time is drowned in odour-laden winds And Druid moons, and murmuring of boughs, And sleepy boughs, and boughs where apples made Of opal and ruby and pale chrysolite Awake unsleeping fires; and wove seven strings, Sweet with all music, out of his long hair, Because her hands had been made wild by love.

When Midhir's wife had changed her to a fly, He made a harp with Druid apple-wood That she among her winds might know he wept; And from that hour he has watched over none But faithful lovers.

- William Butler Yeats, “The Harp of Aengus”

But don't let the swans and the flowers fool you; Aonghus is more than a winged Victorian Cupid

Amid the falling snow, the light lengthens; buds began to swell on the icicleladen branch. The green force of life trickles and then flows in tandem, rising forth as winter's cloak melts from the land.

It is at this time – the birth of spring and its slow swelling – that Keltrian Druids honor Aonghus Óg, the Young Son with the swan wings.

His name has been variously spelled, and variously interpreted. Scholar and linguist Marie-Louise Sjoestedt interprets his name as “unique force,” while Celticist Mary Jones translates it as “Chosen One.” Writer Aedh Rua, drawing on other research, connects it to the old Celtic/Gaulish name Oinogustus, interpreted as “one choice” or, occasionally, “one strength.”

His title is a bit more consistent: Mac Óg means “young son,” and Óg simply “young.” There are, however, variants: Mac ind Óg “son of the young/son of youth” and even Mac in Dá Óg, “son of the two young ones,” which perhaps refers to his parents, Boann and the Dagda (Sjoestedt 41-42).

He is associated with swans, which appear in a variety of myths, as well as four

Victorian-era painting of Aonghus Og by an unknown artist, via Wikimedia Commonz 3

figure. To use a Greek analogy, he's equal parts Eros, Apollo and Hermes: the lover, the poet and the trickster. His is the primeval force that shatters the arbitrary chains of tradition — a bit like sex itself.

Love may have swan wings and a harp, but he also carries a sword. And he’s not blind; in fact, he’s sharpsighted and pretty darn smart.

In short, propriety and social rules do not matter to the Young Son; throughout myth, he supports the path of the heart, no matter the cultural ramifications or consequences. He's probably a great fan of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, although he'd likely give the titular couple more time together before the inevitable disaster.

A love that crosses boundaries

He does meddle in human affairs of the heart, although in a protective role rather than the typical Aonghus' parents, “the Two Young Ones,” are Cupid-armed-with-arrows image. His foster-son, the river-goddess Boann and father-god Dagda. There Diarmuid of the Love-Spot, has the magical ability to is a catch, however; Boann is already married to a god inspire transgressive love, which he tries to curtail by named either Elcmar or Nechtan, who may be the same keeping the infamous spot covered. He inevitably slips as Nuada Airgetlám, the Tuatha de Danann god up and Grainne, new bride to his chief Finn, falls in associated with rulership, justice, the sword and law. love with him – although, dismayed by an arranged Associated with fresh water and a magic well that marriage to a man older than her father, she was eventually transforms Boann into a river, Nechtan must admittedly on the lookout for a better opportunity. She be tricked the allow Aonghus Óg to be born; when the forces Diarmuid to run away with her via a potion and Dagda sends him off on an errand, the gods stop the a geis, over his protests. Interestingly, Aonghus seems passage of time to make a single day last nine months, to bless this love – spiriting the couple away in his allowing for the birth of the Young Son, who is then cloak of invisibility over the heads of Finn and his sent to his brother Midhir (“judge,” whom I interpret men, giving Diarmuid advice on how to keep one step as the Celtic moon god) to raise. Upon his birth, his ahead of Finn, and later also spiriting away Grainne mother said, “'Young is the son who was begotten at alone as Diarmuid fights on. As Diarmuid fights, he break of day and born betwixt it and evening'” (Rees uses Aonghus' sword, Manannan's spear and a hefty and Rees, 216), the origin of his title and also a hint of dose of trickery to win the day. the god's interesting relationship with time.

Love and Time While Boann never leaves Nuada, it is perhaps telling that Aonghus is born of an affaire de coeur Aonghus has a complex relationship with time rather than a sanctioned partnership. He later helps his and its manipulation. As seen above, his birth comes foster-father Midhir in his own matters of the heart, after an alteration of time – an illusion that allows a winning him the hand of lovely Etain (or Edain) via a day to last nine months. He is also heavily involved in series of impossible tasks with some help from dad – the myth of Midhir and Etain, which involves the and conveniently ignoring the fact that Midhir is repeated transformations and ultimate reincarnation of already married to the goddess Fuamnach. His brother the latter, who is continually gained and lost by her and new wife live with him for a year, perhaps love, a cycle reminiscent of the waxing and waning circumventing the rule in which the elder wife would moon. be able to work her will on the new bride during the first days of partnership. When Fuamnach turns Etain He gains Brug na Boinne, his home, through into a jeweled insect, he provides Etain a home and the verbal manipulation of time-concepts. He asks the protection in the form of a glass room. When the elder occupant at the time, the Dagda, to borrow the house wife tricks Aonghus and Midhir away from Etain and for a day and a night. Feeling generous as Aonghus blows the latter away with a Druidic wind, it is does not have a sídh mound of his own, his father Aonghus who seeks vengeance, ultimately beheading grants the request. When he shows up the following Fuamnach in a rare act of violence (Heaney 25). day, Aonghus won't hand over the house-keys. Irish, as it happens, has no article that differentiate “a day” 4

from “day” itself. Or as the god explains it: “'It is clear,' said the Mac Óc, 'that night and day are the whole world, and it is that which has been given to me'” (Rees and Rees, 88). It's a bit of trickery that would make the Greek Hermes proud.

sons: Bodhbd (Bodb) Dearg, whose name means “Red Raven” and who is associated with arcane knowledge.

Bodb's search is successful and he finds the woman at Loch Bél Dragon, the Lake of the Dragon's Mouth.

Her name is Caer, a name that appears to be connected to the word cathair, which means a city or rocky fort; she is also called Ibormeith, or Yew Berry. Bodb takes his brother to the lake, where he recognizes the woman of his dreams – who wears a silver band around her neck, connected by gold chains to 150 other young women.

From his conception, Aonghus alters the perception of time – although not time himself. He doesn't stop the sun's passage or count the years of Etain's loss; other gods do that. Instead, he's an illusionist, making us question the reality of what we see and experience and to look to the loopholes in the contract. In some senses, the Young Son stands outside of time, a perspective that influences the One Choice that must be made. These choices aren't only limited to love; he advises his father, for example, to trick the ravenous Fomorian satirist Cridenbel by mixing gold coins in his food (Blamires 101), thus poisoning the Fomhoire and providing an alibi all at once. Standing outside of time and recognizing the limits of perception are, in essence, the key to cleverness.

Unable presumably to catch her attention, Bodb refers Aonghus to the rulers of the land, the famous Maedhbh (Maeve) and Aillil, who summon Caer's father, Ethal Anbhuail, to their hall. He refuses to come, and their forces – aided by the Dagda – overun

Aonghus interacts with time in another way: by freeing the light and warmth of spring. According to a Scottish myth, the Cailleach – a goddess of winter – imprisons his sister Brighid in the mountain Beinn Nibheis, and Aonghus rides on a white horse to save her (Kondratiev, 152). The god associated with youth, poetry, love and springtime frees the firegoddess, and together they bring the spring to the wintry land.

The fort of the yew-berry While Aonghus plays a role in many myths, he's the focal point of Aislinge Óenguso, the Vision of Aonghus. For a year, the god sees a beautiful woman in a vision or dream; she plays the lute or harp. He falls deeply in love with this vision-woman and begins to pine away, unable to rouse himself from his trance-state. Physicians call in his mother Boann, who searches the world for this woman to no avail. Then they call in his father, the Dagda, who has a rather comical, if pragmatic, response: “What is the use of talking to me? … I know no more than you do” (Celtic Miscellany, 94).

The Dagda, however, calls in another of his

Aonghus Og, from the 1914 book "Heroes of the Dawn," via Wikimedia Commons 5

Ethal's sídh. Amid threats to his safety, Ethal tells them that he cannot give Caer to them, for she is a shapeshifter whose own power exceeds his own – and possibly that of Aonghus. After a little ungentle prodding, he admits to them how she may be approached: she changes shape each Samhain at the lake. Caer's hand, as it turns out, cannot be won by either force or trickery.

MacKillop provides this answer: “Her nickname Ibormeith (yew berry) implies something of the nature of her character. The long-living evergreen yew is commonly a symbol of immortality in European tradition and is still often seen in Christian cemeteries.

Wood from the tree is hard to burn and was the favoured material in druids' wands” (167). The City of the Yew Berry represents a kind of immortality, the numinous, shape-changing power of spirit that lies behind magic.

Come Samhain, Aonghus goes to the lake, where he picks out Caer from 150 identical swans linked by silver chains. He simply calls to her, introduces himself and asks her consent to the match.

She gives it, provided that he permit her return to the lake. He happily grants this and they fly off together in the shape of swans, singing the song that puts all into blissful slumber for three days. “The girl stayed with him after that,” the eighth century version of the tale ends (Celtic Miscellany, 97).

The story of Caer and Aonghus can be seen as the definition of ideal love: seeking, finding, asking consent and granting free-will. It can also be seen as the artist's pursuit of the “Muse,” the creative spirit behind the work. (MacKillop, interestingly, sees Aonghus as a god of poetry rather than love.) It can also be interpreted as the sacred's courtship of and relationship with the soul, who has her own free will and agency.

In some senses, the story is reminiscent of the Roman Cupid and Psyche, save that the roles are reversed; it is the god who must pursue the vision of his soul and win her hand. Force and flattery cannot win her, only the ability to choose the beloved correctly from others – a task that resurfaces in Midhir and Etain, except the king mistakenly chooses his own daughter rather his wife. After the choice is made, the beloved is asked her consent, which she gives in exchange for free will. Perhaps tellingly, she never leaves him – even though she has the right to leave and return to her lake at any time.

Restorer of the soul On swan wings, we alight on another of Aonghus' roles: the restorer of the soul. Caitlin Matthews considers Aonghus as a powerful “healer of souls” (283), and a primary guardian of the soul-shrine with his sister Brighid (328). In support of this, we may remember the songbirds (or swans, depending on the story) that circle his head, whose tunes inspire joy, love and release from depression. Aonghus and Caer also bring bliss and restful sleep to all those who hear them sing. In some tales, when his brother Midhir loses an eye breaking up a quarrel, Aonghus is the one who brings the physician Dian Cecht to restore him.

The Rees brothers compare this story to Indian tales of Gandharvas, or nature-spirits who appear as half-bird and half-man; their wives, the Apsaras, are water-nymphs (276). Kama, the Indian god of love with his flower-tipped arrows, “is also called 'The Gandharva,'” they note (278); Aonghus turns into a swan alongside his bride, in essence, becoming a nature spirit. To take a larger view, shape-changing swan-maidens persist in folklore throughout the world, as part of a larger theme of animal brides.

Matthews in particular cites Aonghus role in protecting Etain when she was in the shape of a fly, and thus vulnerable to Fuamnach, and his treatment of Diarmuid after his foster-son's death. While Aonghus cannot restore him to human life, he brings him to the brug, where he breathes the spirit into him every day, allowing the two to converse for a while. Diarmuid experiences, in short, an eerie kind of half-life similar to that of the speaking head of Bran the Blessed in Welsh lore. To Matthews, “Aengus is concerned with the harmony which should be in the soul-shrine” (328),

The Fort of the Yew Berry is obviously something other, a boundary-crosser with great power, the last according to the admission of her father.

Where, or what, is the City of the Yew Berry? James 6

which perhaps explains his violent reaction to the repeated disharmony caused by Fuamnach.

Rockport, Mass.: Element, 1994.

Rees, Alwyn and Brinley. Celtic Heritage: Ancient Tradition in Ireland and Wales. London: Thames and Hudson, 1961.

As spring edges into fullness, allow your soul to listen to the song of Aonghus – his birds and his harp, his longing and his love. Like springtime itself, he is fresh and new – the “force that through the green fuse drives the flower,” as poet Dylan Thomas puts it.

That force – chi, prana, spirit – is a powerful one binding us to the cosmos and its cycles as long as we live, and to art, love, music and visions. Aonghus Óg is a manifestation of this force, which is not limited to lovers or the young, but feeds all who drink from its sweet waters.

Rolleston, T.W. Celtic Myths and Legends. New York: Dover Publications, Inc. 1917.

Rua, Aedh. Celtic Flame: An Insider's Guide to Irish Pagan Tradition. New York: iUniverse, Inc., 2008.

Sjoestedt, Marie-Louise. Celtic Gods and Heroes.

Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 2000.

Bibliography “The Wooing of Etain.” from Heroic Romances of Ireland Volume II, ed. and trans. A.H. Leahy.

London: David Nut, 1906. Published on http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/etain.html, Accessed Dec. 30, 2015.

A Celtic Miscellany. Ed. and trans. Kenneth Hurlstone Jackson. New York: Penguin Books, 1951.

Blamires, Steve. The Irish Celtic Magical Tradition.

Cheltanham, UK: Skylight Press, 1992, 2012 Heaney, Marie. Over Nine Waves: A Book of Irish Legends. London: Faber and Faber, 1994.

Jones, Mary. “Óengus mac indÓg.” Jones' Celtic Encyclopedia. http://www.maryjones.us/jce/ oengus.html. Accessed Dec. 29, 2015.

Kondratiev, Alexei. The Apple Branch: A Path to Celtic Ritual. New York: Citadel Press, 2003.

MacKillop, James. Myths and Legends of the Celts.

New York: Penguin Books, 2005.

Matthews, Caitlin and John.

The Encyclopedia of Celtic Wisdom: A Celtic Shaman's Sourcebook.

Swan in snow. Photo by Jenne Micale.

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How do I say that again? A Guide Miach to Irish Pronunciation

Do you want to add some Irish phrases to your ritual, but have no idea how to say them? Can't remember the correct pronunciation of holy days or the Gods?

The Henge of Keltria's Steward of the Woods has you covered, with the help of Topaz Owl and the ever-useful The Henge of Keltria Book of Ritual. This cheat-sheet of pronunciations makes Irish easy!

Review it before your next ritual.

Mórrígán

MOR-i-gahn (or MOR-ree-gawn)

Nuada

NOO-ah-tha

Ogma

OG-mah

Tailtiu

TAIL-chew (or TAHL-tuh)

Tuatha Dé Danann

TOO-a-ha jay DAHN-non

Masters and Mythical Cities

Irish Gods and Goddess, Feast Days and Places Name

MEE-uck

Phonetic Pronunciation* Gods and Goddesses

Esras

EHS-rahs

Falias

FAH-lees

Findias (or Finias)

FIHN-jees (or FIHN-ees)

Aonghus Óg

ANG-uss Ugh

Gorias

GUH-rees

Airmid

AIR-i-midj (j like the end of “bridge” in English)

Semias

SHEH-mees

Bíle

BEE-luh

Morfessa

MOR-fehs-sah

Boann

BOW-ann

Murias

MUH-rees

Brigid

BREEJ ( j like the end of “bridge” in English)

Tuan

TOON (or TOIN)

Uiscias

IHS-kees

Cailleach

KAL-yuck (gutteral K, as in Scottish “loch”)

Dagda

DAHG-tha

Danu

DAH-noo

Dian Cécht

Feast Days Beltaine

BYALL-tin-uh

Imbolc

IM-mulk (gutteral k, as in Scottish “loch”)

JEE-n kyekht

Lughnasadh

LOO-na-sah

Goibhniu

GIV-ah-noo (or GEHV-ah-nuh)

Samhain

SOW-in

Lugh

LOO

Manannán Mac Lir

MAHN-ahn-nawn MACK LEER Connacht

Places

8

KUHN-nahkt

Gealtacht

GYALL-tahkt (Irish speaking area of Ireland)

Uisce beatha

Leinster

LEHN-ster

Magh Mór

MOY-mohr

*Pronunciation of Irish words are subject to regional dialects; hence, there may be other valid pronunciations for these words.

Mide

MIJEH

Munster

MUHN-ster

Tír Andomain

CHEER AHN-duh-mahn

Uisneach

ISH-nyak (gutteral k, as in Scottish “loch”)

Ulster

ISH-kah BYAH-hah (whisky; “waters of life”)

Sources Irish spelling taken from: Collins Irish Dictionary. Glasgow: Harper Collins.

2006 Ellis, Peter B. Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1992.

Mackillop, James. Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1998.

UHL-ster Irish pronunciations from: Taylor, Pat and Tony. The Henge of Keltria Book of Ritual. 2004. 4th Ed. Cafe Press. pp. 80-82.

Topaz Owl Steward of the Wood

Other Useful Words and Phrases Aer

AHR (air)

Abhainn

AH-vahn (river)

Aos dána

ees DAH-nah (People of the arts)

Bíodh sé amhlaidh!

BEE-oh shay OWL-ee (So be it!)

Cloch

KLOK (stone)

Coill

KWILL (forest)

Crann

KRAWN (tree)

Draoi

DREE (Druid)

Draoithe

DREE-uh (Druids)

Oiche

EE-huh (night, eve)

Ollamh

UHL-lahv (teacher, professor)

Talamh

TAL-uv (earth, soil)

Tine

CHIN-eh (fire)

Uisce

ISH-kah (water)

Image from the 1885 book "Picturesque Ireland," via Wikimedia Commons.

9

human construction. Of course, there are endless things that could be included, but you would select those that, in some way, call to you or stand out. Note also that the elements of our world can include human-made things, too.

This is done over a month’s time as a contemplative practice that requires awareness of the environment around us and, at the same time, any response from within us.

Deepening Our Druidic Identity, Part II of III

By Karl Schlotterbeck, MA, CAS, LP – President, ArchDruid Emeritus In the last issue of Henge Happenings, I discussed some of the Bardic Disciplines of the Invisible Druid Order. In those disciplines, attention is directed toward becoming more aware of one’s place on the land within the Circle of the Horizon, and the development of poetic skills. Only some of these “disciplines” can be presented in text as many of them build on one another over time. Nevertheless, there are some that are easily applicable (with discipline) to all aspirants of Druidic ways.

During the Ovate year, attention is directed toward communication with elements, beings and cycles, which also means developing relationships with them. The beings and elements around us are not just objects of our attention, but we acknowledge that we are also objects of their attention.

Once these nine elements are identified, the next step is to address each one individually, contacting the consciousness that is there (yes, including human-made things, too) and asking each one how it perceives you and what it sees in you. Stuck in our own self-centered habits of thought and cultural biases, we too often perceive things and people in the world around us as objects, rather than sentient beings with their own points of view – including stars, trees, ants, streams, roadways, etc. We thus remain unaware of their observations of us.

Photo by Cypresseyes

The first half of the Ovate Year emphasizes hospitality or receptivity to the spirits and elements around us as we become aware of their presence, both physical and non-physical. Here’s one way to do that: In your daily activities and travels around your community, make note of nine “elements” that stand out for you. These elements could be particular trees, a stream, hill, roadway or

The second half of the Ovate Year is more active as we journey out into the Otherworld for various purposes, similar to shamanic journeys. Thus, we practice both active and receptive modes of relationship with the beings of this and the Otherworld.

10

There are some activities that span both phases of the Ovate Year. One is taking notice each day of specific animals that unexpectedly appear to us or familiar animals that behave strangely in that day.

Another is to engage in daily divination (such as a rune, card or whatever system one is most comfortable with), and look at patterns in terms of which divinatory themes repeat themselves over the course of a month, and which are absent.

Waxing Quarter – As best you can, practice mindfulness, being present in all you do Full Moon – During this day, look beyond the obvious, to see the spirits behind everything, as if everything you see is the manifestation of a spirit Waning Quarter – Honor what is important to you; celebrate it as an expression of your values Waning Crescent – Imagine walking the world Also throughout the year, specific activities are as a spirit, living without names coordinated with seven phases of the Moon – each Balsamic/Last Crescent – (the last crescent intending to use the energy of that phase to break before the Dark of the Moon) – Fast, cleanse, attachment to our routines and habitual patterns of and let go into the Dark thought, increase creative thought, and expand These disciplines may sound demanding and awareness. Some of the activities are aligned with time-consuming but, taken as day-to-day practices, traditional meanings of the waxing and waning of the they require only a small amount of time, a journal, a Moon’s cycle, while others are more related to our bit of attention and, above all, discipline. The purpose druidic purposes. of these disciplines is to help us realize how embedded we are in nature and entwined in the consciousness of Here are those phases and activities. Note that nature and all her elements – to become aware of our the “New Moon” here refers to the traditional meaning relationship with all that is around us and to make that of the first visible crescent rather than the conjunction relationship worthy of a Druid’s consciousness. of Sun and Moon as it has come to mean today. This conjunction is here referred to as the “Dark of the In part III of this series, I’ll present some of the Moon” for it is the time during which the Moon shows Druidic Disciplines of this path. us its dark side.

Dark of the Moon – During this phase, make every effort to break up routines and do things in different ways New Moon (meaning the time of the first visible crescent) – Spend time envisioning and dreaming of possible futures Photo by Cypresseyes 11

What are the hallmarks of Keltrian Druidism?

Interested in meeting up with like-minded Druids?

Steer your browser to http://www.keltria.org/contact.htm to find out all the different ways you can reach us!

The Keltria-L E-Mail List provides a discussion arena to share ideas, questions, answers and a chance to get to know other Keltrians. Non-members are welcome to subscribe as provisional subscribers for six months.

While many Keltria members practice as solitary, we do have an assortment of groves and study groups across the country! These include: • GryphonSong Clan and Olde Stone Grove, both in the Atlanta, Georgia, area • Slaibh Anam Druid Grove Study Group in Durango, Colorado • Garrán an Eich Órbhuí (Grove of the Golden Horse) in the Syracuse, New York, region • The Red River Grove study group in the Shreveport, Louisiana area • The White Oak study group in Raleigh, North Carolina • The Celtic Earth Haven Study Group in Green Bay, WI • The White Cat Grove study group (currently on hiatus, but pondering resurrection if there's renewed interest) in Binghamton, New York • Garrán na Talún Cáiliúil - Grove of the Famous Land study group – in Sanford, FL U.S. Mail:

Contact us

The Henge Of Keltria P.O. Box 1060 Anoka, MN 55303-1060

Website: www.keltria.org E-Mail: Please email the Henge Office at henge-office09@keltria.or Also, search for Henge of Keltria on Facebook, or apply for membership to the Keltrian Druid discussion group.

We celebrate the Gods and Goddesses of ancient Ireland.

This is accomplished through our rituals and sensing their inspiration in our lives.

We revere the Spirits of Nature.

This is also achieved through ritual and awareness of their messages received as we move though our daily routines.

We Honor our Ancestors.

As with our Gods, Goddesses, and Nature Spirits, our Ancestors provide us with guidance and encouragement.

We respect all life and do no harm without deliberation or regard.

It is wrong to kill or maim without reason, regard, and necessity. We place the responsibility of choice firmly in the hands of the individual.

The virtue of an action is judged by the action itself, the intention behind the action and its outcome.

An individual determines their own ethics based on self-respect and consideration of others.

Justice is sought through restorative measures.

Justice is best served not by reward or punishment, freedom or confinement, but in the efforts towards restoring the health of broken relationships.

We gain knowledge and develop wisdom by learning what we can and teaching what we are able.

Our purpose in life is to grow and evolve in wisdom.

We encourage people to follow their own paths.

We do not have the “one, right, only true way.” The Henge of Keltria provides a framework for selfexploration and choice.

We endorse the growth and evolution of The Henge of Keltria and the membership.

The Henge of Keltria is prepared to accept new, proven scholarship even if it alters core practices. We recognize the importance of an individual’s evolution and provide guidance when requested.

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