The beauty of Druidry today is the fact that each Seeker along the Modern Druid path is encouraged to seek the “Truth Against the World”. Given that, every Druid will develop his or her own standards of practice, ethics and beliefs as they progress. Naturally, these basics will not be shared by every Modern Druid, but they do serve as a good starting point if you are new to the Modern path of Druidry. As you progress in your practice, you may find that these basics are merely a framework to build your own ideas and beliefs upon based on your continuing studies.
Questions and answers have been a time honoured tradition of passing down knowledge and the concepts below have been arranged in this manner, based on questions that I have been asked.
How does Druidry today compare to what Druids did in Ancient times?
It differs a great deal. The main reason being that the Druids did not leave any written records! What we have to go on today are the legends passed down through the ages, writings of people who observed the Celts (some of those writings were pretty biased), and what scholars have learned through study of archaeological evidence.
Modern Druidry has evolved from the fantasy-like meanderings of the 19th Century Druid Revivalists to the modern century of practitioners with access to a whole world of information which was severely limited in earlier times. Most Druids today want more scholastic proof of things, more Celtic or hearth-culture focused spirituality and an identity of their own. Many want to be as authentic as possible, but we have so little to go on. However, some people are not as interested in the scholarship aspect and just go with what feels right.
Some of what the Romans wrote about the Druids is definitely illegal by today’s standards, such as Human Sacrifice, etc. Since the Romans were the only ones to really touch on this subject, the importance of human sacrifice is questionable. Were these folks sacrificed or were they murder victims or executed criminals?
Numerous studies and writings have shown that the Celts were well known for collecting and keeping the heads of their more valiant enemies as battle trophies. Was this sacrifice or a way of reaping the spoils of war for a proud warrior race of people?
Regardless of the endless debate that could go on about this, human/animal sacrifice is not done nor is it condoned today. The same goes for any other illegal practices, such as the intake of illegal substances or the improper wielding of bladed weapons in public places. They are absolutely not condoned in modern day practice!
Looking at what was written about Druids of the ancient times is that they seemed to be very connected with their times. They dealt with cultures all over the world with trade agreements, they were involved with politics since they advised the rulers, they healed using more advanced medical techniques than the Romans (actually, it was the Celtic people who introduced soap to the Romans) and served their communities as ritual leaders, teachers, law makers and advocates, as well as for spiritual or counseling services.
Druids were well known for being the educated class. If one were to try and draw comparison to what an ancient Druid knew and practiced to what would be required today to do the same work in society today; one would require university degrees in law, medicine, psychology, education and religious studies. One would also require training in diplomacy, several languages and Public Relations. No wonder it took approximately 20 years of training to become a Druid!
Druidry seemed to be a philosophy or faith that was with the times in its day, so it is important that Druids stay “with the times” today, but without losing the connection to our ancient past. We live in the modern world; therefore we have different needs, culture, skills and issues than our ancient ancestors. However, that should not prevent you from studying the history of the Celtic peoples and researching what culture was like and how it has developed. There is no doubt that Druids served their communities and were considered an important part of Celtic society.
While the Earth was not in danger of pollution in ancient times, it is definitely in danger of it now. Our ancestors dealt daily with the need to find and grow food to survive. Many of us may not be working the fields or raising cattle today, so we may not understand the agricultural importance of the seasons and the sheer cost of mere survival in a culture where one couldn’t just run to the supermarket for medication or food. While most Druids are not advising rulers or politicians today, they can still be involved in their communities and still keep up with world peace or aid efforts.
Druids can serve their communities today through community service or choosing a career that allows them to serve in a way that helps. There are many Druids who are psychologists, teachers, doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc. Being a Druid should not excuse us from living in society…it did not in ancient times either.
Are there any holy books/writings/teachings used?
There are no official holy books used, if one uses the context of the Bible in Christianity or the Torah in Judaism. Since Modern Druidry’s main tenet seems to be to seek the “truth against the world”, a holy book would only invalidate this.
However, there are certain texts that are out there, which contain some useful information.
These texts are as follows for those who are interested in learning more about values, law and leadership from writings that have been translated or written about:
- The Audacht Morainn (Testament of Morann) – A statement of ethics of a ruler should follow: http://home.flash.net/~bellbook/faolcu/morann.html (Compiled by Fergus Kelly)
- Cormac’s instructions to his grandson on the virtues of good kingship – (Translated by Kuno Meyer) http://www.ancienttexts.org/library/celtic/ctexts/cormac3.html
- The Brehon Laws or the Fenechas (Law of the Freemen) from the Senchus Mor. These are not available in original format, but there are books and websites you can check out to get more information. This is a good compilation by Raimund Karl: http://www.fhaoil-choin.org/celtlaw.htm
- The Celtic Triads – These are triads of wisdom that have been passed down. John F. Wright of Clannada collected a ton of them and they have been circulated all over the internet with no credit to him: http://wolf.mind.net/library/celtic/triads/triads.htm (I apologize for the bad web design, but the full credit is given and the triads are all there)
- The Myths and Legends – Depending on what hearth culture a Druid follows, one can find a lot of material out there on mythology. The Mabinogion contains the Welsh Legends in particular.
You may hear mention of a “Book of Pheryllt”, particularly in Douglas Monroe’s controversial book, “The 21 Lessons of Merlynn”. This is misleading as there was no such thing. (See this site for a well-researched and excellent article on the so-called “Book of Pheryllt” http://www.digitalmedievalist.com/faqs/pheryllt.html)
An older forgery is the Barddas, which is claimed to be ancient, but was invented and written by Iolo Morganwg (Edward Williams) in the 19th Century. This is interesting reading if you are interested in learning about what was believed and practiced when the Druid revival was taking place in England. It may not be the truth about how the ancient Druids practiced, but it is a part of our history as Modern Druids.
Most Druids prefer books that are well-researched and well written. There are too many books out there that claim to be about Druidry, but just contain a mish-mash of other occult or Pagan philosophies with a “Celtic flavour”.
A list of available recommended books will be provided at the end of this course.
How is Modern Druidry practiced? (Methods of worship, common beliefs, etc.)
The practice of Modern Druidry is determined by each practitioner. There is no one way to practice Druidry, there are as many ways as there are individual Druids.
Some commonalities that many Druids can agree on are as follows:
- Truth – Almost all Druids believe in maintaining a level of integrity in their every day lives, as well as the search for Truth for oneself. Many Druids today prefer to seek truth for oneself in their studies, by learning from others, doing research on one’s own and getting to know the Kindreds through meditation, ritual practice and communion with Nature.
- Neo-Pagan Druids are mostly Polytheistic – They worship or believe in a number of Deities, usually of the same pantheon. (i.e.: all Welsh or Irish Deities). Most Druids follow the Celtic Pantheons, while ADF Druids are free to follow any Indo-European Pantheon, including Russian, Germanic, Norse, etc. Most Druids will agree that Deities are not meant to be “used” for a certain purpose. Many Wiccans will call upon a Deity from any pantheon, as long as that Deity serves the purpose listed in a correspondence chart. Most Druids do not subscribe to the “Deity of the Week” practice common to so many Pagans. While many other pagans see each deity as being a part of one Goddess or one God, Druids see each deity as an individual who must be respected as such.
- However, that being said, I should also mention that there are Christian Druids who believe in only one Deity.
- Some Druids do not believe in deity at all and see it only as a philosophy. Neo-Pagan Druids tend to be polytheistic.
- Druids generally welcome anyone. Rituals are generally open to all who wish to attend and anyone is welcome to train as a Druid. Some other Neo-Pagan groups tend to be more exclusive in their ritual practices and teaching and prefer to get to know a person before allowing him/her to attend rituals.
- Magical workings (spells, etc.) – While practiced by many Druids, this type of activity is not the primary focus of Druidry, nor is it done the same way it is done in other traditions such as Wicca for the most part. Wiccans and such practice the magic to hone their skill, since that is a large part of their practices. If a modern Druid never cast a spell, no one would really think less of him or her for it since it is not a requirement.
- Nature is important – Many Druids honour Nature and do their best to stay ecologically aware and sound in their practices.
- Celebration of at least 4 holy days – Many Pagans celebrate the 8 seasonal festivals of Samhain, Winter Solstice (Yule), Imbolc, Spring Equinox (Ostara), Beltane, Summer Solstice (Litha), Lughnassadh (Lammas) and Autumn Equinox (Mabon). Only four of these are actual holidays that come from the Celts: Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnassadh. Many modern Druids do celebrate all 8, while others celebrate only the four Celtic ones. It’s generally up to the Druid, unless he/she is part of a group that requires all 8 days be celebrated.
- Service – Many Modern Druids often seek to serve their Gods, Community and their own needs through community service, ecological awareness, keeping one’s life in balance and maintaining a respectful spiritual practice.
Those folks who see Druidry as a philosophy may just follow their own religions with a kind of “Druidic” approach, which is the addition of the Druid philosophy. There are Christian, Buddhist and Wiccan Druids (Druid craft), as well as many others.
Are there any celebrations/holidays? How are they celebrated?
Many Pagans celebrate the eight celebratory seasonal festivals of Samhain, Winter Solstice (Yule), Imbolc, Spring Equinox (Ostara), Beltane, Summer Solstice (Litha), Lughnassadh (Lammas) and Autumn Equinox (Mabon). Only four of these are actual holidays that come from the Celtic culture: Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnassadh. However, many modern Druids celebrate them all. Some do not, if they are particular about maintaining only the Celtic holidays.
Samhain is an Irish Gaelic Word that means “Summer’s End”. (no, there is no Celtic Deity called Sam Hain – that a load of fiction that has no historical bearing) It is also knows as Calan Gaef. The Summer season had ended and the last harvest brought in at this time. Winter was at hand and people had one night of revelry before the chaos of the cold time dug its claws in.
The Celts believed that the gateway to the Otherworld was at its thinnest at this time and the souls of the Dead could come and mingle with the living. Many folks would hold feasts for the dead and this was seen as a nice time to mingle with dearly missed ancestors.
The people would extinguish all of their home fires and the Druids would light the Samhain bonfires. The cattle and livestock would be passed between the fires in blessing, and folks would take torches lit from these fires to relight their home fires. Divination was commonly done at this time to predict what may lay ahead in the new year, since the Otherworld was close at hand and the results would be enhanced by this.
Many confuse this as being the Celtic New Year. It is not. It simply is the end of the Summer. There is a time of dark chaos (“no-Time”) that starts now and carries on until about Imbolc. Modern Pagans tend to celebrate it as the New Year, but it was not the new year for the Celts. Just the start of the chaotic time between the old and new year.
Winter Solstice is a cross-quarter holiday and is known as Yule or Alban Arthuan by many Pagan traditions, including many Modern Druids. It coincides with the Christmas season. This is the longest night of the year and many traditions are celebrating the conception of something, whether it is a God or just ideas. This is generally a time of gathering with family and friends to stave off the cold winter with a nice meal and perhaps the exchange of gifts. The days will grow longer from this day forward.
Imbolc is sacred to the Goddess Brighid and is essentially the beginning of Spring in the Celtic countries. Lambs are born, ewes are lactating and snowdrops are beginning to appear. The days are growing longer as well. Most folks celebrate Brighid’s aspects as a protector of the household, a healer and a deity of light. Some celebrate her aspects as Smith and inspirer as well. Common traditions include the making of Brighid’s crosses, Bride Dolls, Bride Beds (to put the dolls in) and leaving milk and bread outside for Brighid and her white cow as they make their rounds blessing homes.
Spring Equinox is a cross-quarter holiday that celebrates the balance of daylight and darkness. Some folks call it Alban Eiler or Ostara. Day and night are the same length at this time as we head towards the lighter half of the year. The days are noticeably longer and the weather is starting to warm up. This holiday is often called Ostara by Neo-Pagans because of its Germanic origins with the Goddess Eostre (which, coincidentally, is where we get the word “Easter” from), who brings in the spring and wakes the earth. The hare is her animal and with the birth of chicks and such at this time, eggs and rabbits are popular symbols! Folks often plant seeds at this time, or bless seeds for planting, to symbolize planting goals for the year. This is a time of transformation as the Earth wakes from her winter slumber.
Beltane or Calan Mai happens around May 1 and this is a Pan-Celtic (not restricted to one particular tribe or locality) festival celebrating the beginning of summer. The leaves have appeared on the trees and life is bursting everywhere. Fertility is the focus of this season as well as bonfires for welcoming in the lighter half of the year. Two large bonfires were lit with nine sacred woods, by nine men, and the cattle were passed between them to ensure health and blessings for the summer. Some folks would collect dew at dawn and keep it in bottles to use for healing all year. This was known as the joining of the fire and water (sun and dew) and sometimes the cattle would be washed with the dew rather than be passed between the bonfires.
Many folks today celebrate Beltane with a May-Pole. This is not a practice given to us by the Celts. The British started this custom, but it may have stemmed from the dancing around birch or hawthorn trees (with no ribbons) in Wales, Ireland and Scotland.
The veil between the Otherworld and our world is thin again and Beltane is the exact opposite of Samhain in this regard. While Samhain celebrates death, Beltane celebrates life.
Summer Solstice (also known as Alban Heruin or Litha) is the longest day of the year. This is a major holiday in Scandinavian countries and folks take time off work to celebrate the longest day with loud festivities. This is a time to celebrate summer and the height of the growing season. The days will grow shorter from this day forward.
Lughnassadh (also known as Lammas) is a festival that originated in Ireland. The God Lugh, had been fostered by a human foster mother named Tailtiu, who taught him everything there was to know. When she died, he instated a festival day of funerary Olympic style games for Tailtiu who was also a warrior. Each year, on August 1 (or thereabouts), we celebrate Lugh and honour his foster mother, Tailtiu. This is the start of the harvest season, so most celebrations have a harvest theme. As well, some groups will host their own “Olympic style games” in honour of Tailtiu. The days are beginning to get shorter, and some folks notice it at this time.
Autumn Equinox (Also known Alban Elved or Mabon) is the second of equinoxes when day and night are again balanced, this time leading us towards the dark half of the year. This is the second of the three harvest festivals (Lughnassadh, Autumn Equinox and Samhain) and the harvest is in full swing. It is a transformative time as the leaves are all changing colour and the Earth prepares for the winter ahead. We stand at the balance, poised to enter the dark half of the year. This is a time of wrapping things up, looking at what we’ve harvested this year (our goals and what we’ve accomplished).
What Symbols do Druids Use Today?
There are a number of symbols associated with Modern Druidry…one could write a whole book about it, so I’ll just post the short and common list here.
Modern Druid Symbols
Awen
This is not an ancient symbol, but it is popular among modern druids. It represents the ancient concept of Awen, which is a Welsh word meaning “Divine Inspiration” or “Flowing Spirit”. The rays represent three rays of light.
Druid Sigil
The Druid sigil is a product of the Reformed Druids of North America. Its founder claimed this was an ancient symbol of the Earth Mother, but it is not. Still, this symbol has become the symbol for RDNA and its offshoots. The true history can be found here: http://www.geocities.com/mikerdna/sigil.html
Horned male deity
A popular motif in Celtic art, this symbol has been used by modern pagans to represent the Horned God or Cernunnos, a Celtic forest Deity.
Fire, Well and Tree
Used in ADF, the fire, well and tree represent three vital things needed for living: heat, shelter and water. Fire heats our food, our homes and our souls. The well provides us with water to wash, drink and heal with. The tree is representative of the world tree (the axis of the earth) and also of the trees that provide us with oxygen, wood for shelter, a home for animals and fruit to eat.
Some Celtic Symbols
Triskelle
This has a number of possible meanings: the sacred number three, the triple Goddesses, the spiral of life, the union of mind, body and spirit or immortality. Some haven said this may represent the three trimesters of birth. The possibilities are endless and no one really has the answer.
Some Celtic Symbols
Wheel
At its base is the circle, which is sacred to many traditions around the world. The wheel was important to the Celts (as were most functional things). The spokes could represent the holy days, the Duile (Elements)
Triqutera
This has been used by Celtic Christians to represent the trinity of Father, Son, Holy Spirit; but may stretch back to the triple Goddesses.
Brighid’s Cross
An equal armed cross, this symbol pre-dates the Christian symbology associated with Brighid. It is commonly made out of rushes and may symbolize balance.
Sheela Na Gig
Along with the Green Man, this symbol can be found all over medieval churches. The Sheela is a woman holding upon her vulva. This could symbolize life from the mother and birth.
Green Man
A symbolization of the forces of nature personified. The Green Man is a Challenger of Mankind and a Champion of nature. He challenges us to work with nature rather than against it.
Claddaugh
The design for the famous rings came about when a freed slave came up with a design that meant true love. The hands symbolize friendship, the heart means love and the crown means loyalty.
The Tree
Trees are a vital part of the ecosystem and the Druids of old recognized their importance. Trees were protected by law in Ancient Ireland because they were important for building, making needed items (boats, weapons, shields), keeping the soil intact, providing shade, providing a home for other creatures and providing fuel for fire.
Spiral
Spirals were common motifs in Celtic artwork and one can only speculate what they may have symbolized. Such speculations include the cycles of life, immortality, the journey of the soul, the cycle of sun and moon, etc.
Animals
Animals were just as important as trees to the Celts. They provided food, transportation or even acted as symbols or messengers of deities. Some animals that were particularly sacred were horses, cattle, ravens, cranes, boars and pigs
Where can I find more information About Modern Druidry Online?
For more information on Druidry and Druid Groups, check out these good websites:
- http://www.wildideas.net/cathbad/druid.html – Cathbad’s brilliant guide to Druidry
- http://www.adf.org – Ar ‘nDraoicht Fein (ADF) Largest Druid Group in the USA
- http://druidry.org – Home site of the OBOD
- http://www.druidnetwork.org – The Druid Network
- http://www.druidorder.demon.co.uk/ – Home site of the British Druid Order
- http://www.imbas.org/ – An excellent site with some excellent articles on Celtic Reconstructionism and Modern Druidry
- http://www.keltria.org/ – Henge of Keltria – A group in the USA
- http://www.geocities.com/mikerdna/ – Reformed Druids of North America (RDNA) – Oldest North American Druid group – ADF and Henge of Keltria both came from RDNA
Altars
An altar is usually an arrangement of sacred objects upon a surface which holds spiritual meaning for the person who has set it up. There is no set formula for setting up altars in Modern Druidry. An altar can be set in such a way that is sacred and meaningful for the individual.
Altars, like many other things, can be as grandiose as a large table with a special table-cloth and a number of sacred objects or a small spot in the garden with some pretty stones, statuary and some favourite plants.
When setting up your altar, it is best to start with a suitable surface. TV Trays are very handy for small, easily moved indoor altars. The surface of an old, fairly level tree stump or stone might also serve as a great outdoor temporary altar.
The next thing to consider is the gathering of objects that are suitable for the space and have meaning for you.
Below are some ideas based on a few of the altars I have set up in the past:
Altars can be very conspicuous like the ones above or very inconspicuous such as a shelf with a few knick-knacks, or a plant on your desk at work.
An altar can be a translation of sacred space, or could be for something in particular. You might have an altar with family heirlooms and pictures of deceased relatives as an ancestor altar, or an altar with shells, sand and water to represent the Sea.
Some ideas for altar decorations:
- Statuary – Many online and street-side Pagan supply shops carry statues of Gods and Goddesses that you can place upon your altar.
- Candles – Candles always add ambience to any setting
- Flowers – Living or silk, flowers add a nice touch to any altar
- Ritual “tools” – Wands, knives, offering plates, incense burners, sickles and chalices are all small enough to fit on a small altar.
- Elemental items –A potted plant or stones for Land, sand, shells and river rocks for Sea, and feathers for Sky all make lovely altar decorations
- Photographs – Photographs of deceased relatives upon the altar are a great way to honour a passed on relative or friend. They are also a great way to celebrate the Ancestors.
Tools and Attire
There are so many advertisements for Pagan Products and such, from books, to jewelry and everything in between nowadays that it’s hard to decipher what is needed and what is not. This has always been a topic of discussion and there are many schools of thought on this issue, which makes this a difficult topic.
There are those people who believe that no tools are necessary, while other believe that the proper Pagan must have all the latest little gadgets and thingies available on the market. Others believe strongly in making their own tools, while others don’t. Some believe that tools must be of a certain type/colour/style, etc, while others believe that as long as the tool works, who cares what colour it is.
I believe that the need for and use of tools is a personal matter and you must go with what you feel comfortable with. Don’t let anyone intimidate, aggressively sell or otherwise bend your mind towards anything you don’t feel comfortable with…which is a rule that works well in any aspect of life, I believe. Do what feels right for you…it’s your practice after all!
Ritual tools and clothing serve primarily to get one “in the mood” for a spiritual experience. It helps to focus the mind on the situation and also can help one feel connected. Such things can include robes, costumes, special tools such as chalices, swords, wands, etc.
The only “thing” that is needed for a spiritual experience is yourself. In the end, it does not matter what you wear or what tools you use. The spirit is within you and the connection is there.
However, these things are an easy and excellent way to help keep the focus and also make the experience even more special because these are things specially set aside for that purpose.
Dressing for Success: Ritual Attire
Personal ritual attire can include many things in different traditions. Once again ritual attire is optional. Depending on your preference, attire in general may be optional! Some people prefer to practice “sky clad” (which is a fancy way of saying “naked”), wearing only their jewelry if that. Some Pagans prefer going sky clad whereas others would prefer clothing. There is no right or wrong way to go … as long as you feel right and your choice helps in your practice.
Here are some common forms of attire for ritual practice:
Robes:
A robe is a basic gown type of garment that most people wear for ritual. They come in many different styles and colours and are pretty easy to acquire. One can acquire a robe from a store, have it made by someone else, or you can make it yourself. For the sewing challenged, one can take a meter or two of fabric of any colour, fold it in half and cut a hole for the head in the fold. Simply throw it over your head, belt it at the waist and voila…you’ve got a robe! If you are more adept with the sewing machine, you can go to the fabric store and browse the patterns for something that you like…or if you are really good, you can even design your own.
As for colour, there is so much debate about that once again. Some say you should wear a certain colour, while others say it doesn’t matter. I personally happen to fall under the latter category.
Do whatever works for you is what I say. Your robe colour depends on your preference (or your group’s if you are in a group and they wear a certain colour).
Other Clothes:
Don’t feel like wearing a robe? There are many other options out there! Some people wear traditional attire of their culture (i.e.: kilts), medieval costumes, fantasy costumes, etc. There is no limit to what you wear as long as it feels right for you.
The only thing I might say is that it should be something special, made or acquired for the purpose of practice. This is not mandatory of course.
One should take safety into consideration when choosing attire. If you are going to be lighting candles, it is best not to wear long flowing sleeves. Also, ensure your robe is not so long that you are going to be tripping over it. If conducting rituals outdoors, ensure that you dress appropriately for the weather.
If attending a circle or ritual hosted by another person or group, and you do not want to wear a robe or costume, remember that you are attending a religious service. While you don’t have to wear “Sunday Best” suits, it is still a good idea to dress respectfully.
Garters and cords:
Wiccans and traditionalists use these most often. In many Wiccan traditions, the High Priestess wears a garter with buckles representing the covens she has started or have started from members of her own covens. Cords can be worn like belts or used in rituals for a variety of purposes, even if the purpose is just to have something to tie around one’s waist.
Headgear:
Headgear is entirely optional and can consist of veils, circlets with a moon, sun or any other symbol of your choice, helmets, hats, etc. If you are considering wearing headgear to another person/group’s ritual, it is wise to ask the ritual leader if it is appropriate for you to wear as some groups and people have specific rules about headgear.
Jewellery:
Some people wear enough jewelry to rival Mr. T. while others wear none at all. Some groups have stipulations on jewelry (i.e.: you can only wear a certain type of jewelry such as gold, silver or bronze depending on your rank), while others don’t see it as a big deal. Jewelry can be anything from necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings, etc. The symbols you wear are up to you (unless you’re in a group with its own stipulations).
Tools
The Tool that cannot be bought:
The tool I speak of that cannot be bought is your practicing or sacred name. This is the name that you will use for yourself in ritual; the name you have chosen or that has been inspired or chosen for you.
There are also examples of such names further back in Celtic legend. The Celts named their babies a baby name and then, depending on the person’s deeds and such, their true name would be given. Celts believed there was a lot of power surrounding one’s name. A person could be made or destroyed by their name and he or she would be careful as to whom the name was revealed. In the story of Llew Llaw Gyffes, Arianrhod swore that the boy would die if he were not given a name by herself, his mother. Gwydion had to trick her into giving him a name in order for the boy to survive.
Nowadays, of course, you will not die without your name, but your practicing name can be helpful in the way that it can help you transform from your “mundane” self to your practicing self in ritual and such. It basically helps you get into your mindset.
How does one choose a name?
There is no one set way to do it; for everyone it is different. Some find their name in meditation. Others just choose a name that makes them feel good while still others have it given to them by their teacher/High Priest or Priestess at initiation ceremonies, etc. It is up to you how you acquire your name…if you even choose to. Some people say you must never reveal your name to anyone save for other practitioners or just those within your group (if you are even in a group).
One’s name holds a lot of power, so keep it close to you.
Practical Tools:
By “practical tools”, I mean those tools that you will use mainly during ritual such as daggers, wands, staves, etc. Many traditions say that you need these things, but it is entirely up to you again. Eventually, you may find that you do not need these things at all in order to focus.
Athame or Dagger:
This is basically a knife that you use during ritual or in your practice. Certain Wiccan traditions have stipulations about the knife or Athame (a-THAH-meh). For instance, some traditions say it must have a white handle, others say black…I say what does it matter?
I have one with a brown wooden handle, another person I know has one with a bone handle. Some groups say that it must be dull while others say it should be razor sharp. One thing that many people agree on is that it should not be used as a weapon, which I also agree with.
KNIVES, SWORDS, SPEARS AND THE LAW: It is important that you keep in mind the laws regarding bladed weapons in your vicinity. (To the average person, a knife, sword or spear is perceived as a weapon.)
If you are unsure of the laws, please check into it by asking a representative of your local law enforcement agency or other law authority…or you can check the Criminal Code for your country (I personally would ask a law enforcement professional as they would be the ones handling it if you are caught in public with a knife or a sword). Just because it is a religious item, it may not be seen that way by the law, so please abide by the laws. Breaking the law is not honourable in any tradition.
The athame or dagger is associated with the element of fire (as is the spear in Celtic tradition) and is used primarily for cutting everything from herbs to circles. It can also be used like a wand for casting.
Sword:
The sword, like the dagger comes in a variety of different styles. There does not seem to be the same stipulation on the handle colour or style as there is with the dagger.
The sword is associated with the element of fire, and in some traditions, the element of air. It can be used for rituals that require a bit more “force” for casting or cutting. Its uses are more symbolic.
Wand:
Unlike in the Harry Potter books, the wand cannot be used to turn someone into a newt or anything with just a flick of the wrist and a few magic words. Wands can be made out of anything from wood to crystal and its size and style is entirely up to you.
Wands are usually associated with the element of air and can be used for casting or focusing energy.
Staff:
The staff is a bigger version of the wand and can be of any length, but many people prefer one that is around their own height (give or take a foot or two) and is generally made out of wood. Style, size, colour, design, etc. is entirely up to you once again.
The staff, like the wand is usually associated with the element of air and can be used for casting or focusing energy.
Chalice:
A chalice can be anything from a plastic tumbler to an ornate silver or pewter goblet…whatever your preference and budget allows. I have different glasses that I use for each season, so they change. One stipulation would be that you should avoid anything lined in lead or other toxic metals if you plan on drinking the liquid in it!
Cauldron:
This is an item most commonly associated with Paganism. It can be anything from a black cauldron like the ones seen in movies or a kitchen pot.
The cauldron, like the chalice is associated with the element of water or the womb. It can be used for scrying (seeing portents of the future in the reflections of the water…I would suggest a cauldron with a dark interior for this purpose!), burning things, holding liquids, cooking soup…its possible uses are endless! Ensure your cauldron is physically made to suit your purpose for it.
Incense:
Besides smelling nice, incense has a number of uses in healing and ritual. There are many types of incense and what types you use are once again up to you. Some people have specific recipes for specific uses Incense is usually associated with fire or air and can be used for purifying, protection, aromatherapy, etc. Its uses are widely varied.
If you or anyone in your ritual group is allergic to smoke, incense should not be used.
Blessing Disc:
I call this a blessing disc instead of a pentacle disc, because any symbol one finds powerful can be used. It can be made from paper, wood, stone, clay, plastic, glass, marble, etc. The choice is yours. You can buy it or make it yourself.
The blessing disc is associated with the element of earth and can be used for blessing…kind of a channel for blessings or consecrating.
Deities and Kindreds
For those who see Druidry as just a philosophy, there may not be any deities. There may be generalizations like “The Earth Mother”.
For those who are following it as a religion, or for those who do honour deities, there are a number of possibilities.
ADF allows for their Druids to follow any Indo-European hearth culture, so some folks may worship Norse deities like Odin or Freya; Russian Deities, Celtic deities or Germanic ones. The catch is that one must choose one hearth culture and stick to it.
Many Modern Druids follow a Celtic path and as such involve Celtic Deities. There are several pantheons (or local groups of Deities), most common of these are the Irish and Welsh.
Almost all Druids will agree that the Deities are to be respected as individuals and not used like tools. Some Pagans have correspondence charts with certain Deities being good for certain things…this leads to any Deity being called upon for whatever purpose the person is trying to fulfill in his or her working without that person being a devotee or particularly devoted to that deity. (i.e.: Call upon Kali for protection or Brighid for healing)
This belief comes from the Wiccan viewpoint that “All Gods are one God and all Goddess are one Goddess”. To a Wiccan who believes in this form of Duotheism, it’s perfectly OK to “use” deities or mix and match them because they’re all just aspects of the same Lord and Lady, right?
To some Druids, one might as well be saying “All men are one man and all women are one woman”! To see the deities as just aspects to be used could be seen as extremely disrespectful. It depends on the Druid, however.
Some Druids have a particular Deity or group of Deities whom they have forged a relationship with. These Deities are often referred to as “Matron” or “Patron” Deities. Many folks will report that they have discovered these Deities in any number of ways, including:
- While studying Deities in the pantheon of their choice, they have felt an unusually strong pull toward a certain Deity.
- Seeing omens or symbols around them that were not seen before (i.e. all of a sudden one sees ravens everywhere, etc.)
- Having recurring dreams about the Deity or dreams about something to do with the Deity
- While meditating, the Deity comes right out and chooses the druid as a Devotee
- While meditating, that Deity just makes him or herself apparent
There are a number of ways folks find the deities they are drawn to (or, more appropriately, called to!) and often people have reported a huge benefit from this type of relationship with a Deity or a few. Often there is an aspect of the Deities that one can learn from. I.e.: one who hates change might find Morrighan and learn to deal with drastic change. Folks have often mentioned detriment when they ignore such a call!
Some Druids believe in an all-encompassing genderless and formless “source” that is the power of the universe and as such either see deities as avatars or do not follow the worship of deities at all.
Kindreds:
The concept of kindreds is well known in ADF cosmology and spiritual belief, but they consist of beings that almost all Modern Druids honour in some form or another. When I refer to Kindreds in this course, I am referring to the ones listed below:
Deities: These are the Deities, archetypes and sacred forms that appear in the spiritual literature and beliefs of almost all cultures in the world.
Ancestors:
- Ancestors of our Land – many of us who live in lands other than the ones our blood ancestors are from honour the ancestors of the land we live in. In North America, for instance, we recognize and honour the ancestors and spirits of the First Nations people who shaped the land we live in. We must be careful not to dishonour the Ancestors of our lands by claiming to practice Native religious beliefs without sanction from First Nations People. The First Nations people can take great offence from others trying to follow their ceremonies or rituals or by doing rituals in their sacred space. The best way to honour the Ancestors of the Land is to reflect upon the land’s history, learn more about Native history and culture, take care of the land we live upon and perhaps burn a little tobacco in their honour during a ritual.
- Ancestors of our Culture – These are the heroes of the lands and cultures of our blood ancestors – the ones who are honoured by our people. They can be the heroic people of our cultural legends, or they may be people from our more recent history who have done great things.
- Ancestors of our Blood – These are our immediate ancestors – our foremothers and forefathers who begat our own bloodlines. It is with these ancestors that we have the strongest link for, without those ancestors, we would not be born into this world as we are.
The Good Spirits – These include the Spirits of our Place, Guardians, Guides, Animal Spirits and the Folk of the Fey. We have all heard of superstitions regarding house spirits, or have encountered helpful guide or animal spirits in meditations. All places have a spiritual presence that resides there and acts as a guardian, if for no other reason to protect its own living area! These spirits, when encountered, should be treated and regarded with respect.
Some common Deities in the Welsh and Irish Pantheons:
Daghda
Irish
(One of the Tuatha De Dannan – the People of the Goddess Danu)
The “Good God”, Daghda is known for his large stature, his club that can kill an entire army with one stroke and which can also dig trenches just by being dragged across the ground. He possesses a harp that changes the weather and a cauldron that never empties (but will not serve food to a coward)
The Morrighan (Mor Rhiogain)
Irish
(One of the Tuatha De Dannan – the People of the Goddess Danu)
The “Great Queen”, the Morrighan is actually three Goddesses: Badbh, Nemain and Macha. Daughters of Ernmas, these three ladies (or altogether as the one Morrighan) are the Goddesses of war, fate, death, transformation, change and rebirth. Her animal is the raven or hoodie (carrion) crow. She often appeared to doomed warriors as “The Washer at the Ford” – an old woman who would be seen washing the bloody clothes of the doomed warrior. To see her meant certain death. She is also a challenger – and her challenges are often not easy but very beneficial if you accept and succeed.
Lugh Lamfadha / Llew Llaw Gyffes
Irish and Welsh
(One of the Tuatha De Dannan – the People of the Goddess Danu Lugh is also half Formorian)
Lugh is best known as the Many-Gifted God. He is a master of all trades and skills. In the Irish story, he is the son of Cian (son of Diancecht, the Physician of the Tuatha De Dannann) and Eithne (Daughter of Balor of the Evil Eye – Enemy of the Tuatha De Dannan) He appears at Tara and is admitted because he possesses all skills and no one else is a master of all skills. He eventually defeats Balor by putting out the evil eye with a slingshot, earning him the title Lamfadha “The Long Arm”.
The Welsh story is much different in that Llew is born when Arianrhod, a self-proclaimed virgin, steps over Gwydion’s staff and two babies spring from her loins. Infuriated by her brother’s revelation of her lack of virginity, she throws one of the babies out to sea (who later becomes Dylan, a sea god) and Gwydion rescues the other. She makes an oath that the boy will not live without a name, arms and a wife.
Gwydion manages to trick his sister into giving the boy his name when he disguises the boy and himself as cobblers. While fitting the lady for shoes, the boy shoots some birds with a slingshot. The lady exclaims what a sure true aim he has and he gets his name!
Brighid
Pan-Celtic
(One of the Tuatha De Dannan – the People of the Goddess Danu in Irish mythology)
Brighid’s name means “Exalted One” but has also been translated to “Fiery Arrow”. Evidence of her worship has been found all over the Celtic lands, where she has been known as Brig, Bride, Brigantia and Brigit.
She was a Goddess of healing, inspiration, poetry, smithcraft and protection of the home.
Diancecht
Irish
(One of the Tuatha De Dannan – the People of the Goddess Danu)
Diancecht was the physician of the Tuatha De Dannan and had two sons, Miach and Cian, as well as a daughter, Airmuid. It was Diancecht who created a silver hand for their king, Nuadha, when he lost his hand in battle against the Fomorians. Nuadha, even with the silver hand, was considered blemished and could not rule Tara anymore. The rule went to Bres, a half Fomorian, who ruled terribly and put the Tuatha De Dannan under oppression.
His son Miach proved himself to be a better healer when he located Nuadha’s real hand and reattached it perfectly.
Diancecht flew into a rage and struck Miach across the head, but Miach was able to heal himself easily. Diancecht struck again harder and Miach healed himself. The final blow was too much for Miach and he died.
When Miach was buried, 365 herbs grew from the grave in the shape of his body. Each herb corresponded to an ailment and it is said that these would have been the herbs that could heal all human ailments.
Airmuid collected all the herbs and arranged them carefully, so that they could be remembered and used in the future. Diancecht (still in a rage) scattered all of the herbs and only a few could be recovered. This is why we still do not have all the cures to human ailments, according to this legend.
Cian would grow up to become a great warrior and Lugh’s fathe
Danu / Dana
Irish
Danu is the “Mother Goddess” in the Irish pantheon. Never mentioned as being directly active in Mythology, She is the progenitress or at least benefactress of the Tuatha De Dannann – the people of Danu. She is also known as Ana, Dana and Anu.
Taliesin
Welsh
Taliesin’s story starts out with a mother and two children. The mother is the Goddess Cerridwen, whose two children were exact opposites of each other. One was beautiful, intelligent and full of “light” in her manner. The other was ugly, stupid and dark as can be. In fact his name, Avagddu, means “Utter Darkness”.
Cerridwen, being the loving mother, wanted to do what she could for her son. She figured brewing a magic potion that would grant him the wisdom of the world would be best since she could do nothing for his looks. (If he can’t be pretty, he might as well be smart, right?)
The potion was one that took a year to make and ingredients had to be added at certain times. She hired a boy to stir the cauldron and an old blind man to stoke the fire.
At the end of the year, when Cerridwen went to make the final incantations and fetch her son, three drops flew out of the cauldron and landed on the boy’s finger. They were hot and the boy instinctively sucked on his finger to relieve the pain.
Instantly, he gained the wisdom of the world, for those were the drops that were needed for Avagddu. The rest of the cauldron boiled over and burst out poisonous liquid. Gwion, the boy, with all the wisdom of the world knew his life would be over if Kerridwen caught him, took off running.
Cerridwen pursued him and they changed themselves into animals in the pursuit…
First he transformed into a hare and she into a greyhound, then he turned into a fish and she into an otter; then he became a bird and she a hawk. Finally he turned himself into a grain and hid in a haystack. She became a hen and pecked the grain out and ate it.
Gwion became a babe in her womb and she gave birth to him 9 months later. Instead of killing him, she cast him out to sea in a leather bag to meet his fate. He floated for days before getting caught on a salmon weir.
The unlucky son of the chieftain who owned the weir found him instead of an abundance of salmon and found that this baby was wise, could speak and changed his luck forever. The baby had a shining brow and the chief’s son, Elphin, exclaimed “Taliesin!”, which means “Shining Brow”.
Cerridwen
Welsh
Cerridwen often appears as a nasty hag in the Taliesin stories, chasing poor Gwion about just because he got burned by the drops of wisdom, but she is actually an initiator. A Goddess of Initiation, so to speak.
At the heart, she is a mother. She wants what’s best for her children…even the one she did not plan for, which is why she set him out to sea and did not kill him like she had originally planned.
Also, if one looks at the Taliesin story with regards to its symbolic meaning, she forces Gwion to use his new-found power and wisdom to transform himself. She then takes him into her womb where he is incubated to brood and grow in his new wisdom, safe inside her. When she births him and sets him adrift, she is showing that she can do no more and he is on his own to develop his skills and find his destiny.
Gwydion
Welsh
Gwydion is a powerful deity who is also the Trickster-Turned-Good.
His uncle, Math, was a powerful wizard who had a requirement to rest his feet upon the knees of a virgin. Goewin is the virgin and she is quite beautiful.
Gwydion and his brother Gifaethwy do a terrible thing when they kidnap and rape her. Math punishes them by turning them into mating pairs of animals, meaning they have to mate with each other and bear offspring!
First they are a stag and doe, then a boar and sow; finally a pair of wolves. They had to change sexes each time, so they could both get the full experience of being one or the other.
After these changes, Gwydion and his brother were quite repentant!
Naturally, Math needed a new foot holder and Gwydion’s sister Arianrhod volunteered, claiming to be a virgin. To test her claim, Gwydion laid his staff upon the ground and asked her to step over it. The result was two babies who sprang forth…one of whom Gwydion fostered (Llew Llaw Gyffes) and tricked Arianrhod into breaking her geas upon him. (Geas – a spiritual taboo or list of requirements that must not be broken lest the person becomes cursed or dies)
Arianrhod
Welsh
Arianrhod’s name means “Silver Wheel”. She is the daughter of Don and Beli Mawr. She has numerous brothers, including Gwydion and Gilfaethwy.
Some folks have mistakenly thought of her as a Celtic “Moon Goddess” because of the meaning of her name and the fact that her castle is so high it seems like it is in the stars. Caer Arianrhod is what the Welsh called the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights.
The only story of her in Welsh Mythology is that of how her brother tricked her when she claimed to be a virgin. She denied her son the three main staples of masculinity: a name, arms and a wife.
Math
Welsh
King of Gwynedd and powerful when it came to magic, Math is the uncle of Arianrhod, Gwydion
Arawn
Welsh
God of the Welsh Underworld, Annwn (pronounced Ah-noon), Arawn is the keeper of the Cauldron that can bring life to the dead. Arawn once switched places with the mortal ruler of Gwynedd, Pwyll and forged a very close friendship by doing so.
Don
Welsh
Don is the Welsh equivalent of the Irish Mother Goddess Danu
Epona
Irish
Known as the Horse Goddess, Epona is a tribal Goddess and the horse is sacred to her.
Mannannan MacLir / Manawyddan
Irish / Welsh
Both deities seem to be fairly equal in Welsh and Irish Lore. Their stories are slightly different, but both are deities of the sea. It is said that both men have a chariot that goes over the waves (a boat) and will be steered by the person’s will alone.
Mannannan is the deity who gives Cormac MacAirt his famous Cup of Truth, Silver Branch and Tablecloth of Plenty after testing him.
Both are powerful deities that have held a lot of influence in the legends.
Oghma
Irish
(One of the Tuatha De Dannan – the People of the Goddess Danu)
Oghma is said to be the inventor of Ogham. He is the Champion of the Tuatha De Dannann…a Celtic Heracles of sorts. He is known for his eloquence in speech, strength in arms and skill at battle.
He apparently wanted to bring the spoken word to a more permanent form and spent a lot of time seeking. He eventually tied himself to the Wheel of Fate and the letters of the Ogham Alphabet made themselves apparent at great risk to Oghma himself. He is credited with inventing writing or the Ogham script, used by the Celts in marking off territories and graves. Some say that the Ogham can also be used for divination.
Goibhniu/Govannon
Irish/Welsh
(One of the Tuatha De Dannan – the People of the Goddess Danu)
Goibhniu and Govannon, like Mannannan Mac Lir and Manawyddan is very similar in both Welsh and Irish mythology. He is the smith of the Gods who is also the brewer of the finest mead.
Cernunnos
Pan Celtic
Cernunnos seems to appear in a lot of Celtic art as a “lord of the forest”.
The Cailleach “Veiled one” or “Old Woman”
Irish / Scots
Cailleach is a powerful crone-like deity in Irish/Scots lore. She is “Grandmother winter” who brings the sharp winds and bitter cold. Cailleach is a creator and destroyer. She shows that destruction can bring new life through the change of the winter season. She is a protector of wildlife as well. Cailleach is works alongside Brighid (or so it seems) to bring the seasons. Cailleach is the guardian of Winter while Brighid brings the warmth of Spring and Summer.
Grounding and Centering
An important concept in modern Pagan Practice, particularly in ritual or meditation, is that of grounding and centering. This is simply the act of becoming aware of oneself before and after meditating, doing a ritual or engaging in any other activity that involves altering one’s state of mind. It is common for people to come out of rituals and other situations not feeling “all there” or “removed”. It is also a great way to calm oneself when feeling overly angry, anxious or upset. Essentially, you are snapping back to reality and becoming aware of yourself. How you choose to do that is ultimately up to you. This is one of those cases where you truly do have to do what works best for you!
Try to keep it simple. If you are in a situation where you need to ground in a hurry, doing some involved visualizing may not be helpful. Think of mundane things like what is in the fridge, how to bake a cake, your personal information (name, address, phone number, etc.) or what the combination is for your gym locker. This information is always with you and can be accessed in almost any state of mind. Saying something mundane out loud may also help (a poem, a joke, all the places in the world you can think of that start with the letter ‘C’, what items are in the room, etc.) you ground because you will be using and hearing your voice.
If you need to visualize, think of yourself as a big oak tree with its roots firmly in the ground. Dig the roots deep and imagine yourself being quite secured there. Imagine bringing cool water up through your roots and then imagine the warm sun on your face. Feel that warmth permeating every part of your body. Feel the sensations of cool water and warm sun flowing through your body, grounding you to the land, sea and sky.
Some people say that imagining themselves as a tree with roots going into the earth helps them to ground. Others find that doing something simple like clapping their hands or stamping their feet will help shake them back into reality.
One excellent way to ground is to become aware of your body through movement and sensation. A favourite dentist’s office trick for grounding or dealing with anxiety is to wiggle one’s fingers and toes at the same time.
Do a task that you know will help you ground yourself in the here and now, the world of form, and you will be able to ground and center with ease. As you practice, you will find that this becomes easier for you over time.
Meditation
Meditation is word that will be encountered with regards to almost every spiritual practice and religion. Some see meditation as a powerful tool for altering consciousness and traversing between worlds. Others see it as something exotic that must be practiced for many years in order to be mastered. Still others are scared off by the mere mention of it, thinking it will take far too much time and effort to master in their busy lives!
In many Pagan Traditions, meditation is mostly used as a tool for trance working, journeying or path working (guided meditation), healing or getting to know spiritual guides or deities.
What is meditation exactly?
In Catholic school, we were taught to meditate on a few occasions: the 13 Stations of the Cross at Easter and the four (now five) mysteries while praying the Rosary. Was there any great process to this? No. We were just supposed to think and reflect about these things in depth, which is essentially what meditation is. As I read more about Druidry, I found the concept of meditation becoming a constant topic of interest. Guided visualizations were offered in books and I did not think that I was ever going to be any good at meditation because I couldn’t “see” what was happening! Have you experienced this while trying to meditate?
I would eventually read an article online by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche on the Shambhala website which would put meditation into perspective for me: Meditation is basically the recognition that we can “actually relax and be who we are”.
Pema Chodron wrote that Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche used to instruct his students in the art of meditation by saying “Simply open your mind and relax”. Of course, this was too simple for many people, so he had to add some “technicalities” such as monitoring the in and out breaths and allowing stray thoughts to dissolve by saying “dismiss” to oneself when a thought comes along.
Reading the instructions of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche made me realize that I had been meditating ever since I was a small child. We all have! If you have ever spaced out, daydreamed, spent time seriously pondering something or you’ve ever apologized to someone for not paying attention because you were “off in another world” for a moment, you know what it is to meditate and how to do it.
The trick is reconnecting with that part of yourself since many authority figures in your formative years probably told you to “stop daydreaming” and “pay attention”!
How does one reconnect?
The first thing to remember is that there is no great esoteric secret to meditating. You are simply relaxing, getting into the moment and opening your mind. To do this, find a place where you’re likely not going to be disturbed and where you will feel relaxed enough to just be yourself. This could be your favourite room in the house or a nice place outside.
Once you have found your meditation place, get yourself settled into a comfortable position. Lying down might cause you to fall asleep, which is not such a bad thing, but it likely will undermine your whole purpose of conscious meditation.
Sit comfortably up against a wall or tree if it suits you. If crossing your legs is comfortable, do so. There is no “official” position for meditation and the lotus position can be awfully uncomfortable for someone who is not used to sitting that way! It’s difficult to relax in this position if your muscles are spasming and you’re grimacing in pain.
Once you’ve settled into a comfortable position, you’re ready to start!
For the beginner, it’s best to start with what I call a simple “space-out”. Stare about 6 feet a head of you at nothing in particular and just experience everything that is going on around you. Listen to any sounds, feel any breezes and just become aware of yourself. Follow your breathing, heartbeat and any sensations you’re feeling. If you need a focus, follow Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s advice: concentrate on inhaling goodness when you breathe in and exhaling any negativity as you breathe out.
Distracting thoughts will come through your mind. “I forgot to close the window.” “I need to call my Mum after supper.” “My nose itches.” “I think one of my kids just broke the record for longest scream.” Whatever the thought, acknowledge it and let it go on its merry way. (In the case of the itchy nose, scratch it and move on.)
If you feel any emotions, anger, bliss, or sadness, experience them. Be angry, be sad, cry, laugh or growl. Part of meditation is getting in touch with yourself and with your emotions. Look into what is fuelling the emotion and look at it from an objective point of view. “Why do I feel this way?”
Simple as it seems, this may take some practice. Over the years, we’ve been conditioned by parents, teachers, peers and supervisors to believe that any time spent “spacing out”, “daydreaming” or simply doing nothing and “just being” is unproductive and should not be done. A lot of your initial meditation time will likely be spent giving yourself permission to let go.
If this is still a difficult process after a few tries, you may need to introduce an activity or ritual to help you focus. This is simply the act of doing the same thing when it is time to meditate.
You may want to start with a little pre-meditation ritual of your own to get your mind 100% focused on meditating. It could be as simple as lighting a candle, sitting on a special cushion, saying the same phrase over and over again (a mantra), using a repetitive motion like rocking or using a singing bowl. Whatever your chosen ritual is, be consistent with it at first. Do the same thing every time you go to meditate in order to “train” your mind to relax into the needed state.
Eventually, you’ll find that you will not need the ritual as much and that you can get into the mindset at will. What you are essentially doing is using a technique to deprogram yourself from an ingrained belief that you need to be constantly busy with something to be productive and replacing it with something else.
When you have reached a point where you can get into the meditative mindset with ease, you can start incorporating a variety of things into your meditations and experimenting with different techniques.
Different techniques include:
- Contemplation – This is the act of focusing on a subject of choice. Pick a topic and contemplate it. What ideas can you come up about the topic? Can you imagine yourself in a situation that relates to the topic? What flashes of insight do you get from contemplating the topic? You can use contemplation to ponder problems, questions or even gain compassion in a situation by imagining yourself in that situation. Who knows what kind of answers will come from within. Contemplation is the art of opening yourself up to your inner wisdom.
- Guided Meditation – This is a popular one in most Pagan traditions and involves a scenario that is read to you or that you know by heart and imagine yourself doing. Many include going on a journey somewhere, meeting certain people or spirits and gaining some sort of knowledge or insight from the experience. Basically, you are fantasizing about this and going where your mind takes you.
- Trance work – This is basically a form of hypnosis, which goes beyond the simple conscious mindfulness of basic meditation. It is the act of accessing the subconscious mind and can be done on one’s own or with someone guiding you. If you do engage in this, ensure that you are with someone you trust and who is trained to handle any situations that arise. Some psychologists use the technique of hypnosis to help people remember blocked out trauma from their pasts so they can work through it. Anyone who has undergone this can tell you how powerful the experience is. This is not a form to be taken lightly and has caused a lot of psychological trauma in its incorrect practice. The experience can be amazing if done right. It is rare to find someone who is well schooled and ethical in its practice, despite there being a lot of people out there who claim to be properly trained and able to do this without harming the individual. Some will claim that a little bit of trauma is all part of the process and not to worry about it. Please be careful when attempting this form of practice.
Remember to remain aware of yourself when meditating. If you start feeling ill, dizzy, achy, etc. just come back to yourself and the world of form. Use some of the techniques in the previous section on Grounding and Centering to help you.
One thing that is great about learning grounding/centering and meditation is the benefit you will see in all aspects of your life. You may find yourself being better equipped to handle stress and anxiety in your life as well as finding more balance in your reactions.
Notes:[1] Rinpoche, Sokyal Mipham. “How to Meditate”. Shambhala International. 2006. <http://www.shambhala.org/teachers/pema/meditation3.php>%5B1%5D Pema Chodron. “When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times” Shambhala Publications Inc. 1997. (Page 22)[1] Rinpoche, Sokyal Mipham. “How to Meditate”. Shambhala International. 2006. <http://www.shambhala.org/teachers/pema/meditation3.php>%5B2%5D Pema Chodron. “When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times” Shambhala Publications Inc. 1997. (Page 22)