AontachtVolume4Issue2Magick

8/12/2019 AontachtVolume4Issue2Magick

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Brought to youby the community of Druidic Dawnwww.druidicdawn.org)

Magick of ruidism


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O

Zaontacht

creating unity in community

Cover photo: Harmonyeris among the Circle of Fire Spirits Don Searle

9 Con Connor from theDruidschool of Ireland

Feature Interview

17 Magick of Druidism

21 Nature Magick in the 21st Century

31 Three Magic Treasures of Ynys Pydrain

19 Contribution from theCanadian Celtic Gathering 2011

30 Rosemary and Thyme

27 Rivers28 The Waddies29 Samhain

35 The Path of Druidry36 Scottish Herbs and Fairy Lore37 Indo-European Poetry and Myth

3 Contributors Page

6 From The Desk.....

8 News from the Druidic Dawn Management Team

39 Community Calendar

42 What is in our next issue
http://www.donsearlephoto.com/firehttp://www.donsearlephoto.com/fire


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Contributorsaontachtcreatingunityincommunity

Environmental BenefitsStatement

Aontacht magazine is onlyavailable online as a free .pdfdownload; thereby savingtrees, water, solid waste andgreenhouse gases. It is de-signed on an Energy Star ratedcomputer.

Aontachtis published four timesa year by Druidic Dawn, CIC.

Aontacht, Volume 3, Issue 1 2010 Druidic Dawn, all rights re-served. All contained content iscopyright to its respective own-ers, including art and photos. Thecontents of this publication maynot be reproduced in whole or inpart without the consent of thecopyright owner.

EditorInterim Nigel Dailey

Co-EditorRichard Fox

Druidic Dawn Rep.Nigel Dailey

Graphic DesignerInterim Nigel Dailey

Feature Editor - FormularyFaye Boyd

Feature Editor - PoetrySarah WardPublisher

Druidic Dawn, CICOriginal Layout Design

Aestas Designs( aestas.dieromantic.com )

General InquiriesAll questions, comments and et-cetera can be sent to the follow-ing address:

[email protected]

AdvertisingAt the moment we are offering adspace. To the community of

Druidic Dawn. This is subject tochange.

Opinions and views expressedare not necessarily those of

the editors, publisher or staff.

Con Connoris an active Arch Druid of theDark Moon Grove, a member of the Trib-ann Council of Ord na Drui; and the HolyCouncil of Sages of Celtia. He is the mainteacher at the Druidschool of Ireland and amember of the World Druid Order.

Debra Lewisoriginally from Nova Scotia,Canada and has lived in the Northwest of

England since 2005. Currently studying theOvatic path of Druidry with the Order ofBards, Ovates and Druids, Deb also worksas a medical laboratory assistant with theNHS.

Richard Fox is an earth magickpractitioner, fire Druid and a warrior poetwho lived mostly outdoors in the forests of

the U.S. for more than 18 years. During thattime he planted more than 700,000 treesand supervised the planting of more than26,000,000 additional trees. Today heworks with Native Americans from 14tribes on major renewable energy projects,including solar heating and electric andwind turbines with a base among theLakota on the Pine Ridge and Rosebudreservations in South Dakota.

Maya St. Clair resides in Kuwait, is an IrishPolytheist, and a mechanical engineer witha love of history, mythology and culture.She is editor of the Oran Mor, the officialnewsletter of the New Order of Druids. Shealso serves on their Council. Maya is anIrish Gaelic student and regularly writes awide variety of articles and book reviewson Celtic and religious topics.
http://www.aestas.dieromantic.com/mailto:[email protected]://oda.chez-alice.fr/doc1eng.htmhttp://oda.chez-alice.fr/doc1eng.htmmailto:[email protected]://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_1/aestas.dieromantic.comhttp://www.aestas.dieromantic.com/


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Editorial Notes

You do not have to be a mem-ber of the Druidic Dawn com-

munity to submit to themagazine.

Please submit contributions

directly to the editorial staffvia email to:

[email protected]

Refer to the last page of thisissue for writers guidelinesand even more information,before you submit inquiries

or contributions.

Below are our upcomingissues. Be sure to specify to

which you are submitting.

Volume 4, Issue 3,Storytelling

Deadline Nov 15, 2011

The Art of Storytelling playsan important role for ancientand modern Celts or Druidsas a medium, which passeson knowledge and wisdomteachings to explore. Whatstories do you have and wishto share with Aontacht read-ers? What hidden knowl-edge do they contain?

Volume 4, Issue 4Sacred Places

Deadline Feb 15, 2011

Tribal Celts and Druidshad their sacred placeswithin the local landscape

and further afield, whichheld specific meanings andspiritual significance. Howdoes those relate to con-temporary Celts and Dru-ids? Do they hold the sameessence as in times past?What makes a modern sa-cred place?

Caroline Queen of Celtica has a great love ofnature and meditation, and lives in Y Drenew-ydd in Cymru, in the beautiful Welsh moun-tains. Presently runs the record label GreatOak, with a mission to create a sustainablegreen Celtica, filled with Great Oaks and HighConsciousness.

Dafydd Monks lives in Gwynedd, North Wales.He is a student of Herbal Medicine and has astrong interest in the Welsh language, the Welshtradition of Druidry, and their place in the 21stcentury.

Contributors

Penny Billington is a Druid celebrant in the Or-der of Bards, Ovates and Druids, and edits theOrder magazine, Touchstone. Author of theGwion Dubh, Druid detective series and hascontributed to Philip Carr Gomms The Book of

English Magic and to the Druid Grade Gwers.Her Druidic experience includes conducting andarranging a variety of events over the years.

Shaun William Hayes has been aware of hispath since the age of 18 and has studied healingand the Western mystery traditions off and onmost of his life. His qualifications are in counsel-ling and hypnotherapy and he has practised past

life regression. For the past ten years he has beena member of OBOD and he is now studying inthe Druid grade. Phagos co-founded the SylvanGrove five years ago, and is one of four facilita-tors. They meet regularly in the New Forest nearthe historic village of Burley, UK.
mailto:%[email protected]://www.druidry.org/http://www.druidry.org/http://www.druidry.org/obod/intro/touchstone.htmlhttp://www.druidry.org/obod/intro/touchstone.htmlhttp://www.druidry.org/http://www.druidry.org/http://www.druidry.org/mailto:%[email protected]:%[email protected]


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ContributorsProduction TeamPositions Available:Editor

A vacancy is available for aVolunteer Editor to lead a very

successful team of dedicatedvolunteers which brings thismagazine to the wider com-munity. If one have the time tospare and wish to actively beof service to this and the great-er Celtic and Druid internetcommunity.

[email protected]

Graphic DesignerA vacancy is available for aVolunteer Graphic Designer

to oversee the Layout andgraphic needs of the AontachtMagazine. If one have the timeto spare and wish to activelybe of service to this and thegreater Celtic and Druid inter-net community.

"Wild Earth"Feature Editor

The "Wild Earth" Feature Edi-tor will manage our newestforthcoming feature on "Wild

Earth". This position wouldentail writing a short, succinctand relevant piece on anynumber of topics related to theEarth for each issue. We arelooking for diversity of experi-ence and understanding, aswell as a clear writing stylethat is both intelligent andpractical. It is possible that ifthe individual is unable or un-comfortable with writing reg-ularly, instead he or she mayprocure an appropriate sub-

mission on an eco-relatedtheme each issue. The Produc-tion Team is flexible and inter-ested in working with theFeature Editor in developingthe "Wild Earth" feature intosomething fresh and unique.For more details on the "WildEarth" Feature Editor positionand what it involves, pleasecontact us at the email below.

[email protected]

Nigel Dailey resides in North Wales and

has a variety of interests ranging from Ar-chaeology, Anthropology, Archaeoastron-omy, Astrology, Druidry, History,Mythology and Smallholding. All has beengained while travelling through the jour-ney human beings call "life."

Faye Boyd has been interested in Nature

and all things Celtic for many a year. She isa member of OBOD, Druidic Dawn, OrdBrighideach International, Celtic Reiki Mas-ter, Hot Stone Therapist, Guided Medita-tions and is a spoken word artist. Faeresides in Canada.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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We know now that Druidry can survive. Thequestion is whether it will choose to flourish. Wecan look to the Christian model and choose to splitinto more factions, argue among ourselves and

diffuse our power. Or we can admit the limita-tions of our knowledgeand promote a wider fellow-ship and in doing so accept a wider spectrum ofbeliefs and embrace that we are all seekers of truthand explorers on thepath of life.

Druidry requires that we adapt, that we seekknowledge in many forms and in many places.We are guided by what we know of our ancestorsand the customs, practices and rituals of the past.

Yet, we must forge our path into the future builton a ongoing living and respectful relationshipwith this planet and a caring for all life.

The opportunities for Druidry - for all earth basedspiritual based paths - have never been greater.People are pouring away from traditional reli-gions that are based on fear and dominion overother life forms. They are tired of being told theirGod is willing to damn them for all eternity for

infractions of rules that were made by men andenforced by a priesthood that is rotting from with-in.

People seek the embrace of their Mother and herunconditional love. They seek a way back home toour rightful birthright that we earned as a speciesthat evolved on this planet over millions of years.More and more people seek a new way to honour

the old ways and a better understanding of theirplace in the universe.

But they need help.

Many of them have grown used to having anintermediary between them and the One SourceThey have been told even exploringother spirituapaths is a sin and they need the help of a fellowtravellers to tell them that the path is clear, thatthere is no hell to fear and nothing will jump outof the bushes at them.

Druidry is a personal path chosen by individuals

through the journey of life, and given the essenceof what Druidry is, the written word is unable tofully encompass the experience and insight thatpracticing Druidry provides. We who alreadywalk our path are not superior to others just start-ing, but are fellow travellers on a remarkably longtrail in an impossibly infinite universe. We canencourage others, show them places to stop andlearn along the way. We can offer them spirituafood and drink that nourishes them instead of

poisoning their minds and crushing their spirits asthey have found on other paths.

At the Druidic Dawn, we try our best every day toserve the needs of the global Druid communityOur web site continues to expand, we experimentwith new activities as our reach extends furtherand our magazineAontacht has become one of thepremiere Druid publications in the world.

News from the AontachtProduction Team


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The Druidic Dawn mission is to foster understand-ing, through shared knowledge, of the variousstrands that make up the fabric of what we nowknow as Druidry.

We are a social enterprise celebrating Druidic di-versity, at the same time honoring the different

established Druidic paths, which we highlightthrough our community portal, our projects andour activities.

Back not too long ago, we polled our membersfrom many different organizations and grovesfrom all other the world and determined some ofthe pillars of Druidic Values. Simply put, they are:

Respect

Life, yourself, others, nature that surrounds us,the universe that encompasses us,

the ancient ways, and our ancestors.

Protect

Nature, others, the balance of life,and the ancient ways.

Realization

Nature that surrounds us,

the universe that encompasses us,and the other which is beyond description

Understanding

Learn from others and our experiences,pass on what we know,

and build upon the knowledge of our ancestors

Regarding this last one - Understanding- many ofyou have benefitted from books written by someof our members and many others, or have beeninspired by a poem from a bygone age or attendeda recent workshop, ceremony or celebration of theTurning of the Wheel.

They are all a part of the greatpassing onthat is anessential part of what we are.

I ask each of you, what is it that youhave... or willpasson? What is it that you can and willcontribute

to the greater good and to the knowledge of theancestors?

Youhave many resources and skills that were builtupon the foundation of caring and sharing of thosethat came before you. And there are many waysyou can help at this critically important and pow-

erful time and I hope you will do so, as we greatlyneed your service and contributions.

Right now for instance, we are recruiting for ourcore Druidic Dawn Management Team whichguides our many interests and paths of service.

We realize that to continue to grow, we must con-tinue to adapt and change and bring in new peoplewith different skills and interests. We also have

several spots open on our magazine Aontacht in-cluding the main Editor position.

We hope that every one of you will stand up foryour beliefs. Stand up for what is right and justand make a difference with your lives. We hopethat you will serve the greater Druidic communitywhereveryou are located and that someof you willjoin usat the Druidic Dawn in ourglobal adven-ture. We need your support - your contribution of

volunteer hours and your donations in our effortto unite Druids, and provide resources to thosewho walk the path of respect for all life.

If you are interested in knowing more about theDruidic Dawn Management Team or the openingsat our magazine Aontacht, please contact us [email protected]. And remember, as wesow, so shall we harvest....and the more you givethe more you haveto give.

Blessings upon each of you and I look forward tohearing from you!

Co-Editor
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Welcome to Autumn & Spring of 2011!

A lot has been happening at Druidic Dawn, andwe like to keep our readers updated on whatsbeen going on.

Druidic Dawn working in the Community

The 2nd Celtic Gathering was held in July 2011 atthe beautiful Mansfield Outdoor Centre, North ofToronto, Canada. A select group of participantsfrom Canada, USA and Wales, enjoyed a relaxed

and informative weekend. The Highlights weretalks on the Thirteen Treasures of Britain, the Loreof the Celtic Goddess and a workshop being anadventure which covered various aspects of theelements and spirit. The final group working wasa gentle, blissful meditative journey, held on agrassy hillock with shady trees, which embracedthe love and life of Mother Earth and the Spirit ofPlace.

Plans for the 3rd Celtic Gathering are underway;to be held in Early Autumn 2013. So make a notein your diaries and keep a look out for furtherdetails on the Celtic Gathering Website.

Druidic Dawn behind the Scenes

The Management Team which facilitates DruidicDawn web site and associated projects on behalf ofthe community is presently being restructured. Ifyou are a member of its community and interestedin volunteering your services, to guiding this com-munity into the future, [email protected] like to hear from you.

In a similar situation Aontacht has three vacanciesat present for an Editor, a Graphic Designer, and

Wild Earth Feature Editor. Details of which can befound in the past columns on the contributor pageIf you are a member of the Druidic Dawn commu-nity and have time available to volunteer yourservices to the magazine. The Aontacht productionteam [email protected] would like tohear from you.

On Behalf of the Management Team

Aontacht DD Representative
http://www.druidicdawn.org/celticgatheringhttp://www.druidicdawn.org/celticgathering


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D r u i d i c D a w nFeature Interview


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Con Connor is the main teacher at the Druidschool in Ireland. Working with Niamh, Red John,Clive and others, Con provides a wide spectrum of ceremonies, healing and counseling, as well asdiverse onsite and online training courses. Con is the Ard Draoi leis an Doire Geallach Doracha(Arch Druid with the Dark Moon Grove), a member of the Tribann Council of Ord na Drui, and amember of the Holy Council of Sages of Celtia. He is also a member of 'Ga agus Claoimh' - an Irishand Viking age re-enactment group and a member of The Irish Society of Diviners.

Con and his exceptional associates are building a new Druid center of power - one where peoplelearn to restructure their lives through hands-on activities, service and study.

DD:Thank you for agreeing to this interview with the

Druidic Dawn (DD). We appreciate your time andwillingness to share your work and beliefs. Can you

tell our readers when you first became interested in

Druidry? Was there an event, or set of circumstancesthat first led you to this path?

Con:I reckon I first felt the stirrings of spirit when Iwas about 7 years old. I can remember hearing my

higher self, as if a wise older version of me was giving

guidance to the young me. I was looking out mybedroom window to a low flat hill that I now know to

be Tallaght hill. It has a complex of ancient monu-ments that are part of the oldest landscape temple

calendar in Ireland. I have re-discovered many lostmonuments on that hill and these have been added tothe list of National Monuments Records. I have lived

on 4 sides of that hill and it has taught me much, when

I was able to listen... I never thought of it as Druidryat the time - I just saw it as waking up to and connect-

ing to my Spirit.

DD: When was the Druidschool in Ireland created

and what was its original mission? Has that missionchanged much over time and if so, how?

Con:As an idea it began for me in 1993, but I calledit HAG (Heritage Awareness Group). I now have,

with my partner Niamh, secured a small farm in the

west of Ireland where we host ceremonies, healingand counseling and our many training courses. My

original mission was about helping others to re-con-

nect to their ancestral awareness and I like to thinkthat Im still doing that.

DD:How many Druid teachers are active and whatsubjects are available at the school to study?

Con:I like to think that everyone and every experi-ence can be our teacher if we but have the wit to

listen... Im the main teacher, but Niamh, Red Johnand Clive also play important roles. We have special-

ists in Bushcraft, Native Woodlands and Natural

Healing who also do workshops for and with us. Therange of subjects is wide but they all combine to

empower students in awareness of the self and ourconnection to Nature and to the Gods. We call thisprocess Spiritual Alchemy, the high magic of self-

transformation when you nurture the spark of soul

within you to be a shining Light.

DD: Can you expand on the activities of the DarkMoon Grove? Is the grove interlinked to the Druid-

school or are their activities separate?


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Con:An Doire Geallach Doracha is the name of ourgrove. In English this means the dark shining oak

circle or simply put - the dark moon grove. There is astage in the cycle of the Moon when no waxing or

waning crescent is visible and this is when the Sun and

Moon and the Earth are in alignment with the Moon inthe middle and when this is exact we get a dark moon

eclipse with the Moon between the Sun and the Earth.The other type of eclipse is a full moon eclipse whichhas the Earth in the middle. The start of the Celtic New

Year is when this Dark Moon alignment is nearest to

10* of Scorpio as this connects to the star Antares, oneof the four bright stars that make an equal arm cross

within the belt of stars that make up the Zodiac. Thatmeans there is an alignment from Antares, Sun, Moon

to the east of Ireland near Dublin, where this Sunrises

over an extinct volcano before it connects to CairnLat Sliabh na Callighe with its passage and chamber

and its unique man sized quartz free standing stoneinside. A fantastic alignment to start the Celtic NewYear, sacred to the Goddess Tlachtga.

We meet as a grove and hold public ceremony tohonour the Full Moon, the Gods and to call a healing

circle and to ask for continued connection to our teach-

ers, guides and ancestors. But only grove members canjoin us for our gathering / ceremony on the Dark

Moon. Our grove is separate to the school. Manyfriends have stood with our grove at the full moonwithout being members of the school. Since the Spring

Equinox 2003 I have facilitated at over 100 full moon

ceremonies on Tara where we have been honoured tohave had many experienced Lightworkers and many

seekers join us. Red John now facilitates the ceremonyon Tara for the full moon and Niamh and I host a full

moon ceremony here in our purpose built ceremonial

enclosure - the Torc.

DD:What does being an Arch Druid in Ireland meanto you?

Con:Ard Drui in our language is slightly different to

Arch Druid... If you understand that the word Druid

was never used in the past in Ireland to describe thegroup that included those who held higher awareness,

the intelligentsia, the astrologers, the healers, the al-chemists, the law keepers, the engineers etc... in asense you have to abandon the word Druid. Instead we

had the words - Drui, Draoi, Draoithe and so on and

this is usually interpreted (by catholick scribes) aswizard, magician, spell caster and as anyone who

displeased or did not obey the dictates of the church.For me today in Ireland being an Ard Drui means that

I seek the ways of understanding that our ancestors

used, their ways of comprehending and connecting toNature, the methods that support harmonic balance in

people and with the land and in so doing that Icanpresent as teacher, healer and guide to those who wantto walk a Celtic Path to the Light. It also means that I

as an Ard Drui try to look after the Dark Moon Grove

as a sort of parent / guardian and in that it may be verysimilar to the responsibility of an Arch Druid with his

or her grove. But maybe the most important responsi-bility of an Ard Drui in Ireland today is to recover the

indigenous knowledge traditions of this beautiful

country and to share them to seekers.

DD: Why did you decide to join the World DruidOrder?

Con:The World Druid Order asked me to join as an

Ard Drui. I read their Charter of the World DruidOrder and Universal Primordial Tradition and

knew that they are holding a true connection to theprimordial tradition and that their intentions are for the

highest good for all, so I felt honoured to have been

asked and accepted their request with pleasure.

DD:How has attendance changed, if any, in the lastfew years at the Druidschool and the events you put

on? Do you see any increase in the movement away

from other religions and coming to the earth based

ways?

Con:Yes, Irelands Druidschool has quite a presenceon the internet and it brings many people to study with

us from all over the world - Australia, Alaska, Brazil,

England, France etc as well as from Ireland. This
http://www.druidschool.com/site/1030100/page/2605237http://www.druidschool.com/site/1030100/page/2605237http://www.druidschool.com/site/1030100/page/2605239http://www.druidschool.com/site/1030100/page/2605239http://www.druidschool.com/site/1030100/page/2605237http://www.druidschool.com/site/1030100/page/2605237


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reflects the reality that we are not just an online pres-

ence but actually have a university with a campus and

accommodation in a quiet remote farm west of theShannon. We have just expanded our range of courses

and as various projects get completed we will offer

more courses and increase accommodation from 4beds to 8 beds. We share the Celtic Path with our

students, this is our understanding of the indigenoustradition of this land from the Stone Age right up to thepresent. We respect Wica, Masonry and other forms of

Cabbala (having many friends who practice and walkthese paths) and we find that some people on these

paths are seeking a Celtic spiritual understanding

instead of variations on a foreign magical discipline.Ours is a practical hands on approach, not just philo-

sophical conjecture - that is to say we chop wood,

carry water, plant trees, grow fruit and veg, clean holywells, host medieval camps, clean sacred sites, protest

on the ground against wanton temple destruction andcorruption etc - we get our hands dirty...

When people are in a religion its because it serves aneed they have. We do not promote a religion, we

share techniques and guidance for seekers to find their

own connection to source and then self transformthrough choices into the best expression of their higher

self. Sometimes this disappoints people because they

are seeking a Celtic religion - but thats not what weteach or do.

DD:Can you explain the concept of the Three Caul-drons - Warming, Vocation and Knowledge?

Con:Yes I can and do, but please understand that this

is part of the oral teaching that makes learning with us

special. To write it down would limit it to the writtenword but to speak and share it in the best way at an

appointed time and in a sacred space is what gives the

listener great value. Simply put - see the Cauldron ofWarming as the belly area, Vocation as the chest and

Knowledge as the head - but that does not tell youmuch, does it? Each of us has our own 3 cauldrons soany single description or use of excessive complicated

vocabulary would be counter-productive.

DD:Can you give more details about students partak-

ing in the Three Celtic Dream Journeys - Imramma,Eachtra and Imbass and how they are connected to the

magic of the Three Realms?

As above, so below is a well known phrase in mod-

ern magical practice, but maybe for us the new phrase

could be as within, so without... The Aislings (guid-ed dreaming / vision questing) of Imramma, Eachtra

and Imbass are connected to the 3 Realms without and

to the 3 Cauldrons within. The Three Celtic Dreamscan be seen as shamanic journeys to gather personal

understanding and experience of non-ordinary reality -this is when you get your own personal message atthree levels. This often done in the Torc, our purpose

built ceremonial enclosure, or sometimes its in theHemp Hall in the main building. Each journey allows

many experiences but the focus is to collect an Oghan

symbol (ancient Irish type of Runic scripting), eachsymbol from each journey is interpreted in relation to

its realm / cauldron. This is the unique 3 part message

for each seeker, later on this may be carved on a staffto remind one of the experience but I (being a leather

craftworker) will carve / emboss the 3 Ogham symbolsonto a vege tan leather key fob as a permanent remind-er.

DD:Can you tell us about divining the subtle energy

currents with brass rods and how this relates to the

design and layout of the ancient temples of Ireland?

Con:The subtle energy of mother Earth can be found

by many types of diving techniques. I start students onthis part of their studies with brass L shaped rods and

then move up to pendulums. Advanced students learnhow to interact with subtle energy currents using justtheir awareness. The ancient temples are located over

nodes of this apparently hidden energy. Churches, upto the 1800s were often built on top of ancient temples

to utilise this fact. Each student of this skill first needs

to learn diverted thinking and then to progress on to notthinking at all - to divine is to seek the Source and we

need to get our thinking minds out of the way to do this.

Just like we have veins of blood carrying life forcethrough our bodies and trees have sap doing the same

job, mother Earth has underground streams of watercarrying life force through her body too. Our ancestorsknew this and built temples over nodes (crossing points

of two or more streams) to enhance the potential so we

could benefit and this is why we have the idea of sacredspace.


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DD: Tara was the royal city and ancient capital ofIreland and served as the residence of supreme kings

from ancient times. Your work to understand andprotect Tara from development has inspired many

around the world. Can you tell us about that struggle

and specifically the role of the fundamentalist sect,Opus Dei and their activities in the sacred site of

Lismullin?

Con:Thank you for your kind words. Tara is special,

very special. We are blessed in Ireland even with

1,500 monuments being destroyed every year we stillhave hundreds of thousands of ancient temples and

fortifications left. On my website under the Tara na Riand Fascism tabs I tell many stories and share many

images of what has happened recently at Tara. The

media, politicians and judiciary are guilty of a mostserious crime against our glorious heritage and cul-

ture. Opus Dei means the work of god but I do not

believe it is the work of any god to destroy the indig-enous beautiful tradition of the native first peoples of

this land - it is the work of men, greedy men who seek

to control and limit our freedom of spiritual expres-sion subverting Article 44.2 of our constitution. Opus

Dei has built an E10m (cost in 2000ce) complex in asacred site called Lismullin in the very heart of Tara.

This is a huge story and I hope someday to work with

a film producer and crew to expose what really hap-pened so the repair work can begin. The forced troll

road now encloses in a culvert, the stream that was the

life blood of Tara, today this stream is called Gabhra.This is a bad catholick joke as this translates to Goat

which is their Devil.

In the past this stream may have been called after

Edain Eachraidhe aka Etain of the White Mare - the

Goddess symbol of the Iron Age in Ireland, Rhiannonin Wales, Epona in France. The previous age had the

White Cow as Goddess - Boann aka the Boyne and

Taras little river joins the Boyne exactly where theyplaced the un-needed troll road bridge. Opus Dei

protected the graves of the Black Friars (1200ce) fromthe line of the forced troll road and in so doing causedthe forced troll road to move east cutting into Rath

Lugh and causing the discovery of the wood henge.Incredible though it may seem - this discovery of a

huge post circle with its high status female burial with

attendant horse and dog did not stop the frenzy ofdestruction because there was no political, judicial or

media will to protect it. If they had protected it - this

would have long term effects on the invisibility ofOpus Dei at Tara because their building complex is

about 250 yards from the wood henge. Such is thepower of the fascist regime and its church in Ireland.

It is probable that a Queen or High Druidess at Tarafrom the time of the wood henge was buried there due

to her importance and connection to place. She, her

horse and dog are currently in plastic bags in a storageunit in Drogheda (15 miles away). Opus Dei say

nothing at all about all of this as they quietly continueto promote their extreme fundamentalist one godorder. Theirs is the only part of the catholick church

in Ireland to have new priests in training. Their coveris as a cooking school with dormitories but they have

2 underground halls and an upstairs church laid out in

true Masonic style, while the ground floor windowsall have steel bars to protect the activities within. But

they foolishly believe that they will stay invisible and

survive. There are 4 other churches in the Pagan City


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of Tara named after Patrick and Columba and they are

all roofless, abandoned and in ruins. This happened

because the regime that supported them faded and cuttheir money supply - Opus Deis money supply comes

from the stud farm owners who do not pay tax, the

corrupt politicos, the fascist judges and the owner ofthe written media monopoly. But, crazy as it may seem

we have to thank Opus Dei because what they havedone has caused a generation to become aware of theGoddess and inspired many to stand up and say NO.

DD: You have stated that an increasing number of

people are becoming no longer dependent on interme-

diaries and are increasingly making a direct connec-tion to nature. Do you see this happening as part of a

global spiritual transitioning?

Con: I hope so. People who need religions can find

them easily - various new religions come with manycomforts. But for many seekers no religion can fulfilltheir needs. Spirituality is very different when its out

in Nature as opposed to inside a church with their lies,rules, tithes, punishments and so on. As an Astrologer

for 35 years I see group incarnational patterns empow-

ering more and more people with the potential to wakeup to their divine nature. The greatest example of this

has to be the flower power generation - putting flowers

into the rifles of the army ... no way... but they did andit changed everything. There are so many movements

worldwide seeking truth and honesty, so many peopleopting to be ecological environmentalists, so manybooks, teachers etc that have similar hopes and dreams

that we are clearly past the beginning and currently

moving to the stage when the reins of power shift to anew grouping giving bright hope for us all. I always

smile when I recall the famous phrase - you dontneed to follow anybody, youre all individuals but it

really only works when the individuals are awake.

There is a critical mass equation that suggests apercentage of a population holding a similar con-

sciousness causes a shift in the entire group. We arethere, almost.

DD: You are now 53 years old. How has the aging

process changed you as a spiritual person?

Con:Ha, Ive become more cynical, but Ive learnedto let things (such as anger, expectations of people,

etc) go, I like to think I can see the bigger picture more

clearly, I reckon I am very aware of some of my past

lives as reasons for what I do now. I love my life and

Niamh, my beautiful woman. Every morning I give

thanks to the Gods for a new day and every day I tryto be more complete that I was the day before.

DD:Can you tell us your thoughts on cleansing andenergizing a sacred site or the charkas or the Aura and

the methods you use to remove blocks and facilitaterenewed healthy energy flows?

Con: Its all about the blockages and finding whatsneeded to move those blockages, its about finding the

natural harmonic again. You start off by recognizing

whats causing the problem, disharmonics etc. thenyou take a good hard look at the effect. In between

cause and effect is the energy field of place or person

where this is manifest and then you work with thestrong points with an intention of clearing and restor-

ing balance. Various technical supports are usedthroughout but they all have a common factor in thatthey all facilitate the moving of energy. A simple

example, a woman who cannot express herself i.e. herpower - she may have a compromised throat area, part

of the treatment for this would be the wearing of a blue

scarf and beginning to sing quietly and practicing headexercises to strengthen neck muscles. Each person will

have his or her thing to let go of and new thing to bring

in and I do my best to help interpret this and work withthe person or sacred site to clear blockages and to let

the light flow again. We are Light beings and we glowat sacred sites when those sacred sites are working.

DD:There are those who want to restore the ancient

oak groves and other natural sacred sites. Do youbelieve that these powerful locations hold the memory

and power of the old times and ways and they can beaccessed by true seekers today?

Con:All powerful locations hold memory - perhapsthat's why they are power full. A message I often share

about the Druids Path - it does not go anywhere butyou have to walk it all the time. Its the experience ofthe Pilgrimage that often gives the lesson and the

location is sometimes not up to the same standard as in

the dream... Restoring the great forests and our con-nection to them is of great importance to survival of

humanity. They are the great terra formers generatinga place in the multiverse where we can sustain our

selves. Trees have their branches in the sky, their trunk

is solid as the land and their roots lift and hold the


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Nextupcoming

Interview

PamelaMeekings-Stewart

Groveofthe

SummerStars

NewZealand

Tarot and or Astrology to help determine the negative

cycle (cause) and ways to escape it to proper balance

(a new effect). Every client is totally different so thisis rewarding work and experience. I have in the past

refused to continue to work with certain individuals

who would not change but wanted stress relief instead- I tell them why Im saying NO and then they make

another choice - stay stuck or escape and go live freeon an island are the options. I can only help when theperson is ready to grow.

DD:What are your future plans, both personally and

professionally for the Druidschool?

Con:We have a small farm in the west of Ireland near

the source of the River Suck. The buildings are over

200 years old. The property was derelict for nearly 20years when we put our deposit down. My plans are to

do as much construction as I can with the resourcesand volunteer and student support we get each year forup to 5 more years. There are so many parts to list that

this becomes a job in its self so I focus on short,medium and long term plans all at the same time. We

already provide a range of services to Pagans such as

facilitators for handfastings and baby namings a serv-ice that we would like to develop is facilitating passing

over ceremonies, we have dedicated a one acre field

The Urn Field for this use. We are almost finishedre-roofing the 200 year old cow barn that will be our

Teampaill na Tri Coire (Temple to The Three Caul-drons). We intend that ours becomes a place wheremore and more people from all over the world come to

learn about our Celtic Spirituality.

DD:Of all the books you have read, can you recom-

mend five to our readers?

Con: The Celtic Gods: Comets in Irish Mythology

(Paperback). Mike Baillie and Patrick McCafferty.

The Serpent and the Goddess, a study on women,

religion and power in Celtic Ireland, by Mary Condren.

Books by and about Bill Mollison, Victor Schauberg-

er, Wilheim Reich: masters of the 3 realms.

DD:Do you have a website, blog etc for those who

want to know more about you and the work of theDruidschool and the Dark Moon Grove?

Con: The main online presence is ourdruidschool.com website of over 550 pages and 500+

graphics with our free monthly newsletter. This issupported by our Irelands Druidschool Facebook page

and our Roscommon Sword Facebook page which

show photos of my medieval leather footwear etc.

DD: Do you have any closing comments that you

would like to leave with our readers?

Con:Watch all the Monty Python and Terry Pratchettmovies that you can get, watch them many times. Sellyour TV. Drink the best water you can get, eat fresh

organic produce and help to plant trees. Even if youonly have a one room flat with one window that takes

the Sunshine - grow an herb box. Shine brightly and

always remember that the last laugh is on you!

Thank you for your obviously applied study and qual-ity questions.

Gr, Solas agus Gaire (Love, Light and Laughter)

Con

Feature Interview ImagesAll Rights Reserved

Druidschool.com
http://www.druidschool.com/http://www.druidschool.com/http://www.druidschool.com/http://www.druidschool.com/http://www.druidschool.com/http://www.druidschool.com/


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The magick of Druidism lies in it's uniqueness foreach individual. It's a unique spirituality in that itdoesn't expect you to take other's truths as yourown. But that's a superficial thing really.

For me the real magick is The Quest. For each andevery aspect of druidry you have a Quest to com-plete before you have understanding of it. If youwant to learn about faeries, you actually go outlooking for them - ask the faeries themselves aboutthemselves. Don't just read about it in some eldermember's works, however accurate they may be.Again, with the Gods, if you want to learn aboutOdin, or Brighid, or any number of the myriad ofdeities that exist from all cultures in the world, it isencouraged that you seek out the informationyourself. Seek a relationship with the deity your-self and even develop your own rituals to honourthat god. Don't read about them in some ancientmanuscript or poem or try to copy someone else'sritual. This will usually feel alien and, well, notyours.

Another quality to Druidry's magick is in thepatterns. Sometimes they're more obvious such as

the wheel of the year, and the wheel of life. Atother times they seem innocuous and incrediblysubtle.

Last year I was due to go on a long flight home toCanada. Before the journey I kept having visionsof apple trees and apple dryads when I was inmeditation. So I studied up on the tree a little biton the internet and stumbled upon a little knownGerman/Dutch Goddess called Nehalenia. The

actual flight is over a rather large body of waterthe Atlantic Ocean, and for reasons unknown, thisparticular time I was nervous about flying over itI did it regardless. When we were in Nova Scotia

we went on a little excursion to a very well knownpaganism/witchcraft shop in the city of Halifaxcalled Little Mysteries. There I found a pendantdedicated to the goddess Nehalenia. Of course, Ibought it. Finding the pendant, led me to re-search her further and I found, ironically enoughthat she is a Goddess that merchant shippers inancient times would pray to, and offer barrels ofapples to, in order to ensure safe passage over thewater.

Where did these seemingly random occurrencescome from? Is it the fact that they all happened ina short space of time that makes them seem moremystical? Were they coincidence? Or perhapsone of life's many patterns? In my mind Nehale-nia has made herself known to me and she hasbecome one of the deities in my pantheon. I havemade a point of eating apples even though I don'tactually like them very much because it's a bit of anod to Her. And when I make offerings, an apple

is part of the sacrifice. Every time.

Another pattern that's emerged, however, is overa much longer time span. It cover's my friend'sentire life. She is not a Druid, but a Buddhist. Shehas had a life of pain and anguish, starting at avery young age in foster care. She over came itand challenged people in Court so that they couldnot cause pain to others. She protected her sib-lings when they were in harms way. She helped

MagickOf ruidism y Debra Lewis


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ease the passing of another sibling into the Sum-merlands when no other family member would orcould. She has overcome the suffering of a mar-riage to an abusive drug addict and is now a singlemother of three vivacious children. Now she has"suddenly" decided to make her refuge vows in

Buddhism. Suddenly to others perhaps, but it's anobvious choice to me. She is dedicating her life toovercoming the suffering of herself and others.

In my druidic view,she is simply followingthe pattern of her life.It seems natural to mefor her to become aBuddhist. It makes

perfect sense. To me,her whole life is onemassively spiritualevent.

As someone raised athiest and a student of thesciences in university, I am drawn to question allof this. All of it is quite suspect of being anexperience that has happened only in my mind.It is possible that these events are actually trulyrandom sequences of events, but because the hu-man brain is designed to recognize patterns welink the events together.

Yet. The human mind has evolved to recognizepatterns. Why? Survival? Probably. It's clearly ofsome use to us. That is how omens have come tobe, both accurate ones and not. Ever hear thesaying "drop a fork and someone's coming tovisit"? Ever try it? It's funny. I've dropped lots of

forks and not thought twice about them, but sureas I start to pay attention to my fork droppings Ican link them to an event. Is it simply because I'mthinking about it?

Even this whole series of questioning is part of themagick of druidry. It is a constantly evolvingquest for knowledge; to understand the humanspiritual psyche; to understand my own link in thegreat pattern of life.

Yet another part of my questioning (questing?) isput rather succinctly by JK Rowling's characterAlbus Dumbledore "Of course it is happening inyour head, Harry, but why on earth should thatmean that it is not real?" (From Harry Potter andthe Deathly Hallows, 2007.)

The beauty of druidry; the magick of druidry inthis space and time is that a person can be asskeptical as they like and it's still a beautiful andmystical event.

Debra Lewis
http://www.druidpathways.org/


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The Messenger Speaks

I am a memory of a Cornish sea cliff,

And a time of a high Avalon wind,

I am the vision of Tibetan mountains,

Spiralling me down to an underworld cool,

I am a memory of a Canadian child,

Who collected the sounds of the Raven,

The sacred tor too, brought them calling,

Till the power of a birds took me circling,

Like the blossom that dances away from the cherry tree.

The Alchemist Sees

Imagine being the spirit of wolf,

Within the circle of all wolves,

All creating the power to manifest the emotions, A collective,

How do you get things apart?

Is it simple? It is, and why? Because you can,

So how deep is the root of a mountain?

See it, with the root of a mountain,

And know then where you are. Welcome home.

The Wild EarthStories of our World

Shared collective workings

from the attendees of the Canadian

Celtic Gathering 2011


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The Dreamer Experiences

How cold and lonely can an ocean bed be?Not like the lake with the water snake,Can you dream like a child, which swings bird like,Into a silvery splash, or the magical movements of a seal at play,Would you chase through the bulrushes after the jumping frog,Or face the upstream challenges of a salmon,Lake, ocean, river and pond, their depths are your future.

The Magicians Touch

Walk with the magicians to a sacred grove,A woodland, glen, a forest of giants and silver ladies,Follow them over the stone walls and across the rivers:Knowing they are walking to the world of wonders,The scent of earth is all around as the sun sprinkles down through the branches,The magicians are now seated upon moss covered logs,Their feet are dirty like the roots they rest on, all is peaceful,Through the trees the creatures come to greet the magicians of the land,Fox, Snake,Wolf, the mountain Goat and the grizzly Bear,While the sentinel Raven watches from above,Look at the magicians carefully,A ball of light; a coil of Snake, a flash of white Wolf,The Magicians walk the land.

Spirit Listens

Like the blossom that dances away from the cherry tree,Know then where you are,The depths of your future are in,The Magicians that walk the land.


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Ilove science. It provides us with so many incred-ible insights and opportunities and great inven-tions, medicines and toys.

I also love Magick. Because it helps me to commu-nicate directly with this planet and all its naturalforces and that helps me to better understandmyself and my place and role in the universe.

There is though some significant differences be-tween the two approaches to understanding andusing the forces of Nature.

Science deals with the physical characteristics - thequalities and properties of minerals, chemicalsand a myriad of different objectsin the universe.

For instance gas will instantly ignite every time itcomes in contact with a flame. It's characteristicsguarantee that interaction every time. Water willrespond to gravity and flow downhill. These phys-ical characteristics acting out in reality provides anabsolute certainness that science used as it has

evolved. It became the platform on which thefoundation of science was built. All science isbased on a relationship built on this guaranteedrepeatability that then creates corresponding pre-dictabilityand therefore gives humans an ability topredict the behaviour of natural forces - so we cancreate electricity, keep food safe, make medicinesand everything else that science has produced.

Science has brought us an amazing cornucopia ofknowledge about how the world, and to a lesserdegree, how the universe, operates.

But science by its very choice to build on the twin

pillars of repeatabilityandpredictability, has largelyavoided looking into large and significant otheraspects of nature that are notstructured that way.

And therein lies the Realm of Magick.

Magick is certainly a deep and broad topic, withmany schools of thought and directions. For thepurpose of this discussion, let me mostly confinemyself to the arena I know best - Nature Magick.

I was fortunate to live outdoors in the great west-ern forests of the United States for most of 18years. I was a social activist from the 1960's whowas part of building a forest based cooperativemovement that tended to the forest includingplanting more than 27 million trees in 17 states.Truth is I would have agreed to be an indentured

servant for the opportunity to live out in remoteforests for all that time. It was a time of great workefforts often conducted under very harsh anddifficult conditions. Beyond the work aspectthough, it provided an incredible Earth Magicktraining ground where much teaching, trainingand experimenting took place.

Nature Magick in the 2 st CenturyThe Difference Between Magick and Science


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I learned that within nature, every objectis imbuedwith a life force and each of these living entitiesisimbued with varying amounts of intelligence.

All objects in all their myriad forms are ultimatelybuilt from the primordial matter that makes up the

universe and many would say - the multiverse ofall possibilities. While its origins are still a mys-tery, all matter also comes with a small amount ofPrimal Intelligencethat was either there as part ofthe creation of the multiverse or has evolved overtime...perhaps as a result of matter movingthrough vast lengths of time and space.

In any case, the very matter... the material used to

create a hill... comes with some small amount ofinherent intelligence. Individual rocks and treeshave a relatively limited amount of intelligence...an amount generally equal to that which is neces-sary to perform its ecological function.

Moving upward from individualobjects of nature,concentrations of natural properties increase thatintelligence making every place in nature, evermeadow and grove and pond a unique living enti-

ty created by the mingling of the intelligencesinherent in the elements that make up their biolog-ical composition.

As natural systems become more complex, moreintelligence is created and the entity has more ofan ability to sort through higher amounts of infor-mation.

It is also important to understand that as intelli-gence increases, more information can be pro-cessed and the intelligence becomes moreorganized. As some point in this intelligencebuilding and organizing process, the beginningsof volitionis achieved . This is where the intelli-gence develops a will that counsels the process ofperforming more complex natural functions. Sim-

ply put, the coalescing entity begins to have theability to make choices.

Many small creeks become a lake and the lakegenerates a higher level of intelligence - somewhatseparated from the intelligence of the creeks... but

yet inter-connectedwith those intelligences. In thisway, segments of nature coalesce and become in-dividualized even while still being directly con-nected into the overall Earth network of life.

And this interconnectedness with the componentintelligences continues along as nature systemsbecome more complex and they develop into agreater network of ever-increasing intelligence

and life forms.

As the ability to make choices continues to grow,there is a corresponding growth in self conscious-ness. It is here where humans first evolved whais called Nature Magick.

In the old times, people sometimes formed rela-tionships with a creek or pond they used often, or

with stands of forests. They gave offerings andregularly petitioned for positive desired outcomesHumans sometimes found special places, wherethe intelligence had gathered more strongly and astronger connection could be made with the lifeforce there.

Over time, these places became known as oursacred places. For the Druids they were the agedsacred oak groves. There are other locations, like


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hot mineral springs, where the concentrated na-ture energy could be directly absorbed into thehuman body and thus have an healing experiencewhich is another form and example of having arelationship with nature that results in a positivedesired outcome.

Sometimes we can see this higher intelligence inaction in nature. We see it in the behaviours ofbees, ants and birds, where the "group mind" ismore intelligent than any individual ant, bee orbird.

And this same "gathering of intelligence" frommany individual entities carries on upward into

nature, forming higher levels of intelligence, someof which can be observed or communicated withby humans.

So a creek is alive and has intelligence. All thecreeks and rivers in a watershed are each individ-ually intelligent... but together they generate ahigher intelligence with more ability to interfacewith the world, including humans. Beyond any

single watershed, all the water in a geographicmass like North America has a higher level oforganized intelligence and somewhere along theline the Lords of Waterare formed. Similar buildingalso takes places in the other natural realms -air,earth and fire.

Living entities... beings with intelligence and bothwill and volition.

And even among them the level of intelligence andindividualization and the ability to make choicesvaries greatly. This is nota linear or strictly hier-archal situation, but more of a layers and levelssituation where the separateness of consciousness

happens, yet the entity is still functioning as partof the whole Gaia complex. Some of this is mirrored by humans in that some humans are moreintelligent than others and some are just morewilling and ableto communicate than others.

This volition is critically important to NatureMagick. Ultimately, this is the fundamental differ-ence between Science and Nature Magick. Science

On completing his assessment of the course, Professor Ronald Huttonsaid:

"I am now convinced of the conclusion which I was already reaching

tentatively when I sent my interim congratulations, that it is

the most intelligent and erudite sequential introduction

to modern Druidry available."
http://www.druidry.co.uk/Bardic_Course.html


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depends on utilizing the physical characteristicsof objects in nature and its ultimate predictabili-ty.

In Magick though, there is an additional ingredi-ent that alters the outcome of the experimentand does not work within the parameters of

predictability. And that is the capability andwillingness of intelligent life forms to communi-cate with humans and then its capability andwillingness to utilize its power of volition toaffect a desired outcome. Ultimately, NatureMagick depends on having a positive, live, co-herent and ongoing relationship with Natureintelligence through its various levels and formsof entities.

Magick depends on contacting and communi-cating with nature entities, and then having thatentity agreeto do what is requested or desired.That is why it works.. and also why it is notalways as repeatable and predictable as science,as living forces of nature must agreeto cooperatewith you. And that is just not always possiblefor a host of reasons, including the practitionernot having the right understanding, not enoughpersonal power or more likely that the nature

entities involved just choose not to connect or toparticipate. It is what provides the variability ofMagick and why it is not repeatable upon de-mand.

Historically Nature Magick has played a power-ful part in older Druid and Earth based religions.Much can be said, but very little knownabout thisearly Earth Magick, as almost nothing was writ-ten down about it. Perhaps this was intentionaland a way to remind us that it was about rela-tionships with nature, not written words thatmake magick happen. A reminder indeed thatceremony is a way to focus the mind and set thestage, but ultimately it takes a genuine commu-nion with Nature for magick to occur.

There was no setpath... no consistent chemicalreactions to depend on... no sure way to accom-plish Nature Magick. It depended instead onunderstanding, respecting, communicating andworking directly with the forces of Nature.

Today, much of humankind believe they haveleft the natural world. That they have evolvedfrom the mammal chain of life, but somehowsevered their ties with Gaia. But it is not so. Weare still connected in a variety of ways. We thinkwe are the rulers of our bodies and minds, but inactuality we are a part - a very keypart indeed,but just apart in the ongoing decision makingprocess that determines what we experienceeach day.

In my understanding of the mechanics of the uni-verse, there are four primary influences that de-termine what a human will experience at anyparticular moment.

There is certainly the first party actor ME - theme that is thisincarnation, thisversion of me inthe multiverse. The ME that is cognizant...is

utilizing my intelligence and emotions etc tomake decisions every moment of every day.

There is also the influence of GAIA that has aninfluence and impact on everydecision we make.Our bodies come from this planet, where theintelligence that built up over many millions ofyears of evolution and experimenting, has hard-wired herself into our brains and bodies andutilizes this connection to have an impact on ourdecisions and perception of reality. As an exam-ple, think of the "autonomous" aspects of ourbody's functioning - the digesting, the hormonaland chemical balancing, the disease fighting,even the breathing we do that is ongoing everysecond, but requires almost no direction or deci-sion making by ME or US. It just "happens" andwe very rarely ever question it or howand why


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it happens. This GAIA influence has other abilitiesthat often sit in the background while ME appearsto be the decision maker, but at times GAIA caneffectively take over the decision making power.This is most easiest seen in her role in promoting

some of her fundamental agendas - species evolu-tion and propagation.

There is also the influence of KARMA. The karmathat travels with us over time... lessons learned,past relationships, our teachings and lessons weneed to learn along the Path of Life. This influenceon our decision making is always present, alwaysmanifesting its influence into what we experienceand what comes our way. KARMA is often played

out by a life-long series of seemingly random,unpredictable events in our lives that often deeplyimpact our lives.

Finally there is the influence of the UNIVERSE onus. Theory has it that all energy and matter mani-fested at the time of the Big Bang. Ultimately thismeans every living somewhat intelligent atom inour body has always been present and has a long

history that far exceeds its miniscule role as ME orUS. The UNIVERSE is hard wired into our psycheand has an influence on our decision making also.Our sense of ourplace in the universe... our roleinthe universe helps guide our decisions and as ourperception of our role changes, so does our under-standing and perception of reality. The primalintelligence that has grown up over the entireevolvement of reality may well have levels of in-fluence on us that we cannot fathom as we walkthe earth, on a small planet that is part of a incom-prehendably vast, diverse and complex multiverse.

Ultimately, these four influences can be seen as aconduit between us and other parts of our connect-ed reality. A conduit that can also be used in bothdirections, giving us a way to understand the in-formation being processed and shared and allow-ing us the possibility of having an impact on eachof them as well.

People have forgotten the old ways, the old con-nections from our species history. Pathways andprocesses that put us in touch with Nature and ourgreater self. Most people have forgotten the ceremonies that connected us with the gods and god-

desses of nature and allowed us to tap into vastamounts of energy and information about theworld.

But these pathways are still there. We don't have tolearn the old ways. We need to make new ways thathonour the old ways. Ceremonies that make sensefor us - here and now. Admittedly, some schoolsof Magick have largely been forgotten... the path-ways even to get there obscured over time and

even the sought after outcomes forgotten... butthey can be remembered or revived and broughtback into the world. For the earth remembers andall the natural processes are still there waiting tobe tapped into and the living entities of nature stillare capable of communicating with us. Andyes...even the old gods and goddesses are stillthere - forgotten by most, but still expressions ofnature and natural processes worthy of our re-spect and honouring and well within our magickal

reach.

Our sacred places are still full of power and ener-gy. We have just forgotten how to reach them anduse them. The pathways to them are now overgrown and few walk those rough trails, except fora few Druids and earth friendly priests and priest-esses who do not fear experimenting and treadingwhere few have traveled for so long.


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Those who embrace their natural heritage realizethere is nothing to fear. Those who understandthat they are a small immortal mote of the PrimalIntelligence, know they have nothing that cantruly be taken away from them or lost. Andthrough their efforts they work to reconnect hu-mankind with their birthright as a very complex

and intelligent creation of Nature.

Indeed, reading and studying and doing cere-monies are very important to understand ourrole in the universe. But they too often havebecome an endin themselves, not thepreparationfor the Great Workof actually being in commu-nionwith Nature and being an active part of theglobal Gaia Network.

In conclusion, reality is affected and can be al-tered by different combinations of scientificpractices... but this can also happen throughNature Magick.

Chefs use scientific formulas (aka recipes) to cre-ate masterpieces of food made from individualingredients. Magick utilize recipes also. We findways to focus our minds on a desired outcome,

and then we open a communion with Naturethat could favourably impact the sought afteroutcome. We use scents and sacred objects tofocus the mind. We use ceremonies to build thestage and mindset and to invite the ancient play-ers and to open the doors to the selected intelli-gent, volitional, nature entities. And in doing so,we create masterpieces of Magick made from allthese individual ingredients.

As we advance in Magick, just like in humansocial settings, we gain access to nature spiritswith greater intelligence and higher capability toimpact the physical world. We literally becomeon a first name basis with them and developbonds and active relationships with them and asa result our recipes become more complex andpowerful.

Eventually practitioners can truly arrive at therealm of Nature Magick. It s borders are vagueand undefined, but it is as real as Bardsey Island(aka the Island of Avalon) and still well hidden bythe Mists and treacherous currents. Sometimesthe crossing is intentional... other times not, butit is alwaysan adventure.

The further on you travel or are pulled into that

realm of magick... the more profound the experi-ence.

And more than ever the Earth is calling forth thenew orders of Druids and other earth basedapproaches that are built on respect and love forthis planet. And Gaia offers, as she always has,her unconditional love...a love that has grownfrom being our Mother for millions of years of

evolution. She offers no condemnation, no eter-nal Hell or need for fear and domination...onlyher constant love and her willingness to shareher resources.

Working with HER has never been easier...normore important... for all of uswho walk a path ofrespect and love for all life, but also for everymember of our species. Many of our specieshave wandered far and found the new religions

and ways of life a bitter experience. Best that wetake up the old ways and find our way homeonce again.

Renard


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hBardic WhispersExpressions from the SoulRiverLeanin gainst a tree,

river brings the joy of a child.

Oh how the reach of the green,

brings the view of the wild.

Dear flow, from the source,

from a many mile before,

Grace, many tears soothe,

the flower blossom to the heart.

Sweet breath of the peace,

moments of life nurtured true,

By the haven of the crystal waters,

wonders of life bring smiles for you.


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The Waddies

Exuberant luxury in the quivering waves of sand.

Thrown from the horizon, rise those stark mountains,

draped in the robes of jungles splendour,dripping, thick, green life,held by the deep, cavernous waters below,filled by the gushing, sudden rain.

A cave so high, once the sabre tooth lived there,crawl up those dusty rocks, hot,from the easing river below,to a blistering, swaying sun, dripping wet, to peak.

Desert, as far as the eye can see.

Photo CreditDarko Tepert 2005A view from over Wadi al-Qelt


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Samhain

Samhain swirling round my soulOld Lady in her jet blackstole

Magic, Magic all aroundSilently creeping, without a sound

A blessing toall from both sides of the veil

Ancestors remembered as we drink from the grail

Gwyn Ap Nudd, the escort of the dead

Is out with the Wild Hunt,so best keep to your bed

Cernunnos and Herne also follow the hounds track

But all bow their heads low to the one called Callieach

So eat, drink and play with seasons merriment

But never forget those whose lives have been spent

Their lives and their stories confirm who we are

They come to us now, by the light of the star

Shaun William Hayes Oct 2008

Photo Credit: John Parker: Cae Mabon 2007


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Rosemary and Thyme

I am sitting here at my desk, wondering how we

went from 30 C to 10 C in just over 36 hours.This triggered thoughts of winter, cold and fluseason. So I thought that perhaps in this issue ofAonatcht I would cover two of my favourite es-sential oils. We all know that these two herbs arevery tasty indeed, over the years it has beenused in a variety of cooking.

I thought today we could take a look at thesetwo in a different way.

Historically, Rosemary has been used by the an-cient Egyptians in the wrapping of mummies asa preservative. The ancient Greeks claimed thatit stimulated the mind. The Romans used it tostimulate the heart and circulation.

Rosemary has scientifically been proven to haveanti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.Thyme historically was used by the Romans asan infusion to apply to the forehead to relieveheadaches.Thyme has also been scientifically proven to beanti-fungal and anti-bacterial.Now to some exciting uses for these two magnif-icent oils:

Room Freshener: (I use a diffuser)

Use 4 drops of each and diffuse into your home

to reduce infectious air born micro-organism,great in cold season.

Inhalation: (bowl of hot water and a towel arerequired)3 drops of each oil will aid in bronchial infec-tions as well as sinus congestion.

For cleaning your floors:Putting no more than 7 drops of each oil in a

bucket of hot water to clean your floors willleave your home smelling nice, and disinfect thefloor as well. You could also use distilled waterin a spray bottle with the added oils and sprayyour carpets lightly.

Thyme

On its own is a great remedy for athletes foot.Mix 2-3 drops with a teaspoon of vegetable oiland rub into the affected area.

In and Out these two herbs areamazing.

The

Recipes from the Community

Formulary

Photo CreditRainer Zenz 2006Thyme, oregano and rosemary.


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Thlws ar Ddeg Ynys Brydain - The Thirteen Treasuresof Britain has been duly recorded in manuscripts foraround about seven hundred years. While in in recenttimes Welsh Historians have expressed an interestconcerning the treasures. The publication of TerioeddYnys Prydein Triads of the Isle of Britian, by Dr. R.Bronwich in 1961, brought to light the work of Row-

land Lewis o Fallwyd in the 17th Century. The Thir-teen Treasures of Britain were previously known asthe Thirteen Rarities of the Royal Regalia in theBardic Museum published in 1802, and written byEdward Jones. Who collated two manuscripts togeth-er; one belonging to the antiquarian Edward Llwyd,the other is not named. There are indeed similaritiesbetween Edward Jones and Rowland Lewis versions.

Researching on the internet for additional informationabout these treasures can be helpful. Indeed there isabundant information available, most of which list thetreasures. The lists, albeit on the internet or in pub-lished form vary; as treasured items become swappedover or two items become a single trio. What appearsto be wanting is an elaboration on their magical aspect,and information about their owners were lacking insome cases. Taking a multidisciplinary approach andusing Dr. R. Bronwich English translation of RowlandLewis o Fallwyd recording. There are up to fifteentreasures, but as we journey, Ill explore only the firstthree.

Dyrnwyn, gleddyf Rhydderch Hael: White-Hilt, theSword of Rhydderch the Generous is the first onelisted. Being described as;if a well-born man drew ithimself, it burst into flame from its hilt to its tip. Andeveryone who used to ask for it would receive; butbecause of this peculiarity everyone used to reject it.And therefore he was called Rhydderch the Generous.

Where can a sword named White Hilt be found.Perhaps from a blacksmith in earlier times, when theyheld prestige as being magical people? Is White Hilt

pulled from a stone having been filled with liquefiedalchemical metal mix? White Hilt could be similarto King Arthur's Sword Excalibur which was pulledfrom the stone or taken from the hand on the lake.Both magically materialises from the gods and god-desses of the land.

Rhydderch the Generous, we know from the sourcesas Rhydderch Hael or Rhydderch Hen the Old. Themonk Goeffry of Monmouth wrote the History ofKings of England in the mid 1100s AD. Here itsindicated that Rhydderch is the king of Britain relatedto the 2 BC, he too is the 21st generation of kings afterthe accession of Beli Mawr, being an ancestor and aform of an ancestor God. Geoffrey writings may notbe taken seriously today yet in any exploration, oneneeds a starting point. In the Early Welsh GenealogyTract and the Brut y Brenhinedd the name of Rhyd-derch is recorded but no other information is availa-ble. So one has to dig deep and explore wide to findthe information ones seek.

Rhydderch Heal seat was at Alt Clut in modern dayDumbarton Fortress of the Britons This is a tworock pointed outcrop where one side has a longrecord of inhabitation. Rhydderch is an interestingcharacter associate to history and legend. He has beenreferred to as a champion of early Christianity, havingbeen baptised by St. Patrick according to Irish sources.Rhydderech also granted land to St. Kentigern in

Glasglow and was a patron to this Celtic Saint andearly Christian church.

Additional associations relate to battling with theearly Anglo Saxon invades on the Northeast Coast ofBritain in present day Northumberland, an areaknown as Bernicia. This is referred to as the Battle ofMorcant Bulc where an alliance of tribal leadersparticipated. This alliance included Urien of Rhegedwhere he lost his life through treachery and assigna-tion.


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North of Dumbaton during the early Irish colonisa-

tion of modern day Scotland was an area known asDal Riata, Rhydderch battled with Aedin mac Gabrinone of the early rulers of that area. Rhydderch has alsobeen suggested to have participated in the Battle ofArfderydd, where Rhydderch gave battle against hiskinsmen Gwenddolau ap Ceidio, who held the lord-ship at Elmet. This battle is associated with a northernconflict over a larks nest in the literature. Gwenddolaufalls in this battle his war band fights on earningimmortality in the traids. As they become the mostloyal and faithful war bands of Ynys Prydain. Howeverwithin the Genealogies the name of Mryddin pops up

as the Bard Tulu of Gwenddolau ap Ceidio war bandfrom Elmet. Who would have been present to sing ofthe bands exploits. However legend informs he wasaffected by the loss and in time became temporarilymentally deranged in the forest.

Disregarding the sword Excalibur from the Arthuriantradition, the owner of a sword holds authority andpower. Interestingly it would appear, a sword handeddown from a common ancestor or god or materialisedfrom the spirits of the land held some form of power

associated with it.

Hamper - Mwys Gwyddno Garanir: The Hamper ofGwyddno Long-Shank: food for one man would beput in it, and when it was opened, food for a hundredmen would be found in it.

Gwyddno Garanir is a legendary person or an histori-cal figure in the genealogies it appears to be eitherGwyddno ap Clydno or Gwyddno ap Cawrdaf.

Taking the legendary point of view Gwyddno Garaniris from way back in time and space. He is a sovereignleader who ruled over an area known as the "BottomHundred" or Cantre'r Gwaelod. The Bottom Hun-dred is a submerged kingdom which is first men-tioned in the Black Book of Carmarthen dating to the13th century. Within it a conversation between Gw-

yddno Garanir occurs with Gwyn ap Nudd in poeticform, which hints at why the kingdom became lost tohim, with only a quarter remaining having been in abattle. Even this quarter or the whole lower hundredwas to become lost after a feast of some kind wherea maid named Mererid or Margaret described as aFountain cup bearer released the sea from behind theflood gates which flooded the remaining lower hun-dred.

Its been suggested Margret was a keeper of a cover

to a magic well, located in the lower hundred. Thecover was not place over the well correctly as theuncontrolled water gushed when being in the powerof the gods. In relation to the Lower Hundred thisbecame the case which submerged the land. Thissuggestion is rather modern and came about in thelast 110 years through the studies of Sir John Rhys, aCeltic scholar. Comparisons with other stories ofsubmerged land being the result of a well cover notreplaced properly. It might be interesting St Colum-bia of Iona in his travels in Scotland when convertingthe Picts, not only informs us about the Loch ness

monster, but also speaks of its formation occurringbecause a well cover was not replaced.

Nonetheless, legends or stories of submerged landexist all around the coast of Wales, Ellis Gruffudd andLewis Morris in the North at Conwy this was thelocation for the lower hundred. Additional researchhas revealed this was Llys Helig; the court of Helig apGlanog which became submerged due to his not sopleasant antics of Helig being a unpleasant ruler.

In the south IoIo Morganwy located a submerged landas being off the coast of Dfyd, modern day Pembroke-shire. The ruler of this kingdom IoIo names Seithen-inin.

Additionally in the west lands associated to Gwyddnois cited in various locations in Wales between Aberd-fri and Aberystwyth which relates back to a bardicpoem written by Phylip Brydydd in the mid 1200', ormid-13th century. At specific annual low tides today,at either the north or in the west cited locations. In


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one case petrified stumps from long submerged for-ests is also evident. But also the remains of low stonewalls with a scattering of stones can be seen. These areperhaps quite different in size today when viewedcompared with the detail recorded by Lewis Morris inthe early navigation sea charts which he produced. Avery strong case exists for either the west or the north

Wales location via the place names, although popularculture prefers the western site in Cardigan Bay.

If we pause and turn towards archaeology and oceanicstudies of raising sea levels, present empirical evidencefor core samples indicate sea levels began to rise circa8,000BC. It is after land became lost, England andScotland becomes detached from present day Europe,Ireland becomes detached from the Great Britain landmass. Dry land, forests, sacred places such as Treehendge on the east coast of England became lost.Indeed along most coasts which surround Great Brit-

ain?

Even in the case of IoIo Morganwy which some mightconsider the land he mentions as being a figment of hisimagination, or the results of his laudanum addiction?The submerged land mass has to some extent beenverified through published scholarly research. Where30,000 years ago the cave which held the incorrectlynamed Red Lady was on high ground, which was andI still believe the earliest available archaeological evi-dence in the UK of ritual being undertaken in respects

of a deceased ancestor, but I have digress.

Returning to the treasure of this magical hamper, atthis point there is a need to introduce the Story ofTaliesin. We may recall the battle with Ceridwyn, andthe final form taken by Taliesin was that of a grain ofcorn which Ceridwyn swallowed when in the form ofa hen. The corn grew inside Ceridwens female formto produce a male child which she casts out to drift onthe sea in a woven basket. We also have Prince Elffinap Gwyddno who came to fish for salmon at hisfathers weir. Here Elfin retrieves the basket and thechild who we know became Bard known as Taliesin,the radiant brow.

Let us hold this information and all the associatedconnections in our minds about this second treasure.Specifically as we move Gwyddno Garanir from alegendary aspect into a historical view. Two candi-dates have previously been mentioned being Gw-yddno ap Clydno and Gwyddno ap Cawrdaf. Thecorrect title is Gwyddno ap Clydno. The "ap" is a later

from of "mab" being similar to mab in the Gaelictradition to indicate "son of" subsequently we arriveat Gwyddno ap (son of) Clydno ap (son of) GwirwFarfdrwch dating to the 560 of the 6th century. If wework with the genealogy tracthe was the Prince ofMierionydd and Farther to the historical Idris associ-ated with the Giant and the mountain named Cadr

Idris. The association appears to be faulty eventhough its in the area near to the west coast of Walesassociated to the Lower Hundred. This associationevolved from early antiquarians in the 17th and 18thcenturies. The other historical candidate is Gwyddnoap Cawrdaf, if one recalls from earlier mentions of the13 Treasures derive from the North. Gwyddno apCawrdaf is associated through the genealogies withthe Northern Britain and also of being an owner of awier/port named Cored Wyddno. Addition versionsof the name Elffin as the son of Gwyddno ap Cawrdafappear in the northern genealogies. If we then take

the historical view from the surviving written evi-dence, everyone here has to decide whether this is theowner of Cener'r Gwaelod.

To understand the historicity of Gwyddno from thenorth, with scant information available we have tothink about the movement of tribal people whichoccurred in post Roman Britain from the North topresent day Wales in relation to the recorded regionalfounders. This could explain why there is this associ-ation with the historical figure together with that of

his son Elffin. What about Cantre'r Gwaelod, theBottom Hundred; or the hundred Vils which madeup a Cantref under Gwyddno ruler-ship. The cantref,is a medieval term from the 11th century onwardsrelating to land measurement. At this moment intime it suggests there has been a fusion of Northgenealogies with local oral knowledge and the sub-merged land could be in the North or in Wales.

But who is Gwyn ap Nab, and how does he fit intothis. As we may recall he is a figure associated withthe underworld of Annwn, the children of Annwn,the hounds of Annwn and the Fairy folk. The battlerelating to this specific treasure one might conclude itrefers to one where the sea is controlled by a deityfrom the underworld. The outcome of this fightleaves a third of the land to the sovereign owner.Later version of the loss in poetic form, removesGwyn ap Nab and replaces his name with the Chris-tian God as the old perspective of viewing the worldbecomes blended and altered as the new ways takingprecedence.


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Looking at the Magical Hamper with the food itproduced would be magical indeed. Another explana-tion may lie in the cultural memory of the fertility andagricultural productiveness of the land lost. It couldalso relate to the produce of planting a single seed. Theabundance of produce would be enough to feed many.Additionally an alternative interpretation from the

ealey 1800's suggested, the hamper could have been afish basket, which became baited and placed in theweir. The single piece of bait it would catch andproduce enough fish for a hundred people.

Horn - Korn Bran Galed o'r Gogledd : The Horn ofBran the Niggard from the North: whatever drinkmight be wished for was found in it.

Similar to the Hamper which magically multiplies thequantity of food place in it, there is now a horn whichwill give any drink required by its owner. Very littlecan be learnt about this treasure, there is small refer-ence which associates the horn to the Greek Herculesand Centaur which he slayed. The horn of Bran theNiggard becoming associated with the horn cut off thecentaurs head. This in itself could be disregarded.However there could be an association with a magicalhorn from the Gaelic folklore tradition from Ireland,where there is a magic bull horn which can supplyboth food and drink mentioned in folklore.

Bran Galed is prompted as being from the North, so

perhaps he too is a historical person? Various attemptshave been made to link Bran to an individual linkedwith Rheged and in the court of Urien named Bran abYmellyrn. As the only reference which exists is a fewlines in poetic verse, in some cases he is considered tobe at present a legendary figure. Perhaps at this timeits interesting to note from the earliest recording ofthe 13 treasures by Gwlym Tew in the mid 1400's whooriginally listed the treasures by name only. Latereditions elaborate on this, and indeed as we havepossibly deduced names also become altered and even

changed too. Subsequent scholars suggest this particu-lar treasure may be associated originally with Bran anold sea god related south of Gododdin in Northumbria.

Similar to the Merlin connection with Rhyddech andthe sword, Bran the Niggard appears to have a connec-tion with Merlin too. From a note on one of themanuscripts (pen.147) dating to c. 1566, a reference isrecorded relating to the Welsh Mryddin task of col-lecting all the treasures together. Once gathered theseare placed in a "glass house" for safe keeping. Bran horn

become

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AontachtVolume4Issue2Magick