The Druidic College

“These days people seek knowledge, not wisdom. Knowledge is of the past, wisdom is of the future.” - Vernon Cooper
Druids aspire to associate themselves with wisdom above any of the many other desirable attributes. Our very appellation implies we have, or at least are capable of channeling, the wisdom of the oak. But how do we define and measure “wisdom?” What are the necessary composites of “wisdom?” Is it ingrained or learned?

Some questions are down right near impossible to answer! What is your favourite colour? Is not each colour for a different use? Would a green Sun and an Orange ocean be more appealing? And you favourite food? Porridge for dinner, kippers for breakfast? Why not?

So defining a “favourite” tree can be a bit befuddling. Each tree has great worth. Each proffers us diverse offerings: the hazel, wisdom; the willow, emotion; the hawthorn, protection.

Reflections

“It is difficult to say who do you the most harm: enemies with the worst intentions or friends with the best.”
Edward George, Earl Lytton

Traditional blood ties are random and at best happenstance. Whether we love, like or can even tolerate our blood relatives is as much a matter of chance as hitting even a small jackpot at the local casino. It can be done but …!

We often refer to the pagan or druidic ‘family’ when we speak of the macrocosm of those with similar beliefs as our own.

The Void

It was dark, so very, very dark that the nonexistent stars feared to shine.

It was silent, so very, very silent that even the unborn wind could not hear itself breathe.

And then, it shattered, exploded into a million fragments; a million million. In an instant too quick to be measured in “time,” for time implies passage and movement, and there was no “time’ for either, it happened so quickly that it did not happen.

The Perils of Popularity

In the fast paced, ‘I-want-it-yesterday,’ world of today, understanding the philosophy and values of an ancient philosophy such as Druidry can be a challenge to many. This is by no means exclusive to Druidry alone in the pagan community. Many seek a new (or should we say ‘old’), more fulfilling path than those that have devolved into the western traditional norms. In doing so, some of these seekers dart about trying this, then that, and then another alternative.

Alban Elued

As the Great Wheel turns, the Sun once again enters the cardinal Air sign of Libra, the sign of balance. It is the elusive moment of equal day and night; the Autumn Equinox, the festival of Alban Elued, Light of the Water, when, as the Celts believed, the year descends into the rejuvenating depths of the ocean. We enter the dark half of the year where the mysteries have domain and we may seek their answers. In Celtic lore, the Lady Cerridwen stirs her cauldron of knowledge in preparation for the great feast of Samhain, the occasion of death and rebirth.

Memories are those minute nuggets of the past that hide away in the dark caverns of our minds. They may commonly be sorted into two types; those we term ‘good’ memories, and those we label ‘bad.’ The bad memories serve to remind us of occurrences that we do not as a rule want to repeat; a finger burned, an opportunity missed, a lover lost. So, in their way, they provide warnings and protection. If we are mindful, little red flags pop up and bells sound loudly. Then we may choose to heed the signs, or foolishly, have another go. Results seldom vary.

The Sun sits low in the sky. As we gaze into his fiery center, a crimson sphere becomes visible in our mind's eye. Now is the time of love, of transformation, and the time of the lunatic! Let us now celebrate the Moon of the apple.

The Quert is feminine; it's element water. Her powers are of love, healing, and immortality. Her fruit and limbs are used in love rituals, handfastings and garden magick. In the Celtic mythology of our ancestors, the apple was regarded as the fruit of immortality.

Trames Druid Lapidem Miliarium

Milestones on the Druidic Path

Once one has decided to explore the path to Druidry, the view to the horizon and beyond can be a daunting one. As one begins to realize that it continues over the horizon and ends, if ever, we know not where, it becomes even more overwhelming. On any journey, especially one so long and demanding, it is natural to attempt to gage one’s progress, usually by the use of markers passed en route. The milestones for the Druid’s journey are many, possibly countless.

It would at first seem superfluous to proclaim that we live in a very different world than did our ancestors. We have all the “benefits” of modern technology, of modern medicine (if one can afford it!), and even for all but the humblest of us, a lifestyle that would be the envy of the ancients. We have all the gadgets and gizmos we could want to make or life and leisure time as comfortable as we could desire. Just how did mankind survive before the advent of the microwave?