Week 2: The First Oath

(Taken from Our Own Druidry pg. 18-19)

In the first Oath the student pledges to take up the tree ways that are the core of ADF's work. 1. Virtue: to do right and to live well. 2. Piety: to keep the customs and work the pagan ways. 3. Study: to seek to increase Pagan knowledge and skill.

Before you begin, close your eyes and think about the First Oath and what it means to you. Envision what it means to you to live a pagan life, and what it means to live a virtuous life. Think about all of these things, and whenever you are ready it is time to begin:

(Some people like to open the gates and include the hallows. In this example I will not be doing that.)

"I (name) before this assembly, declare myself to be a pagan, a seeker of the Old Ways, and worshiper of the Old Gods. With this holy Oath I set my foot upon the path, the Druid's way, and I vow to seek virtue in , my life to do right by my kin, my friends, and my community. I vow to make my paganism real, by keeping the rites and works that call to me. I vow to deepen mu understanding of the old ways through study to fill my mind with the truth of the elder paths. These things I swear to the Gods with those gathered here as my witness, Esto (so be it)!"

The Wheel of the Year: Week 1

I have been working through the book by Rev. MJD "The Wheel of the Year", and I am very happy that I found it. I love that it set up a outlined path on how to approach the DP work. I know that at times, before I found this book,  I would sometimes become overwhelmed with the course load and how to approach it. I started reading this book and I seen that it had homework to go along with it, so I figured it would much easier and effective to just journal it here on my blog, so without further ado, here is my homework for week 1.

1.) Why have you chosen to take the first step on the Dedicant Path?

I have chosen to walk the path of ADF because the structure and the system resonates with me personally. I love the way that the structure is set up and how the COoR is presented. To me the ritual format and the scholarly aspect is essential to a fulfilled practice.
  
2.) Is this a step on your path, or will this be the path itself?

 To me the DP is just a mile stone upon my path. My steps within this course of life has brought me to a place and time where I can actually spend an adequate amount of time on the course load. I know that the DP will help me lay the foundation to the path that I walk and will support me along the way. It will help strengthen my foundation and knowledge of my personal practice and how it evolves from this time forward.

3.) What do you expect to learn?

I expect to learn as much about myself as I do my Hearth Culture.  I know that for every question that I find the answer to, there will be three more questions that will present themselves. I am looking forward to learning and growing, and the seasons change and the night becomes day.

4.) What would you like to get out of this journey?

I would like to obtain a better understanding of my hearth culture and their pantheon. I know that there will a pluthra of information for me to process, and I am hoping that I will obtain some of the answers that I am looking for.
  
5.) Do you know where this path will take you?

This path is going to lead me to exactly where I am suppose to be. I know that I have been lead to ADF, because it is what my life needs at this time. The structure, in what short time I have been using it, has provided me with the missing pieces that I have had in my previous practice. I know that the whole picture is not complete at this time, but half of the fun is learning where and how all the pieces fit together.

6.) If you have just joined ADF, why have you chosen to work on this immediately? If you have been with ADF for a long time, why are you only starting now?

I wouldn't consider myself new to ADF, because I knew several people who where members before I joined, however I have not been a member for long.  I joined about three months ago, and I have been wanting to start my DP yet I didnt know how to approach it. I didn't know where to begin and how to go about starting, so I was setting myself up for failure before I even let myself begin. Then I found this book, and the structure breakdown of it week by week has helped me keep track of my work and provided me an open on how to start on the DP.

7.) Does it look hard or easy?

There are parts of this work that look hard, and then there are parts that look easy. I love to journal so that seems easy, I have been a practicing pagan for years now so keeping the High Days is not a new concept to me. The hard parts I believe is going to be writing my virtue papers, writing a collaboration of my hearth culture and personal practice, and documenting my book reviews. I know that they are not impossible to do, but it will require work and perseverance
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8.) Which requirements appear to be difficult to you now, and which appear to be easy?
9.) Do you have any doubts, questions, any concerns that you need to ask?

Ancient Symbols Modern Rites.

I have been working through this book now for a few weeks and I find it enthralling and enticing at the same time. The way that this book completely breaks apart the COoR is wonderful. I feel that I have a better understanding on why things are done at the time in ritual that they are. I feel that I have a better understanding of the Hallows, the Kindred, and the GateKeeper. Not to mention the Prayer of Sacrifice, I had done a few ADF style rituals, yet I never really knew the real meaning behind some of its ritual practices. I will have to say that I recommend this book to anyone who is looking to understand the COoR, or use it to help establish their own OoR. I am currently using my notes and some of the things that I learned to format my own devotional rituals and rites. I will post them when I have them completed that way you can take what you will from them.

Khaire!

Hallowing my home shrine

(This text was taken from the ADF Our Own Druidry Book, with a few alterations on my behalf to suit my own personal hearth culture.)

First leave a small offering to the outsiders.

Start off with a simple prayer to the spirits of inspiration.

Arrange your hallows upon your shrine along with: a bowl of the triple water to be transferred to the well, silver to offer to the well, olive oil to offer to the sacred fire, and a candle lit from another hallowed fire if possible. Go ahead and light the pythia and place upon it the Kindred incense.

Start by deep breathing, then perform The Two Powers Meditation. When ready its time to begin. Sprinkle the shrine with barley and start off by saying:

"The world is in me, and I am in the world. The spirit in me is the spirit of the world. By eye and by hand and by tongue, my will is the will of the world. And this is my will to make these things a seat of wisdom, my own hearth, and the Well of Memory. Esto! [So be it!]"

Take up the bowl that has the triple water in it and sprinkle the shrine and all the tools placed upon it while saying:

"By the holy power of the deep; the waters of the dark; the secret well. Be free of every ill or every bane; washed clean by magic's might. Esto! [So be it!]"

Pass all items through the incense while saying:

"By the shining power of the sky, by heavens divine light, let every ill or bane now flee away; By my word and will and magic's might. Esto! [So be it!]"

End the cleansing by saying:

"By the might of the Waters of life and the light of the fire, be you cleansed and blessed! Be you made whole and holy. By my word and will, Esto! [So be it!]"

Pour the triples water into the well then pick up the piece of silver then say:

"O' cauldron of the deep power, I bring you into my service, and place you in my shrine. I set you in the center to be part of my sacred center, and I charge you:"

(Offer the silver to the well)

"You are the gate of the earth, the deep way, the holy mouth of the earth."

Transfer the hallowed flame from the candle to your oil lamp or representation of your sacred fire, then say:

"O' hearth of the power of fire, I bring you into my service and place you in my shrine. I set you in the center to be part of the sacred, and I charge you:"

(This is when I offer olive oil to the fire. I do this by simply placing a drop on my pythia.)

"Daughter of Gaia, Venerable guardian of the unwearying flame. The ministers of the sacred rites are thine, mystics much blessed and holy.

The Gods have fixed their dwelling place in thee, strong stable basis of the mortal race, many-formed, eternal laughing, blessed, lovely Queen, ever scarlet one accept these rites, accord to each of us just desires, gentle health, and needful goodness." (Homeric hymn to Hestia)

Place the tree on the shrine, or simply touch it to connect and focus on it, then say:

"O' pillars of the temple, I bring you into my service, and place you in my shrine. I set you in the center to be part of the sacred center, and I charge you:"

(I place a drop of water from the well and a drop of oil and say:)

"Rooted deep within the land, crowned above the sky, the tree is planted in my soul to grow between the worlds. Center of all things, boundary of boundaries: hold fast my work, my soul, my grove."

Take a moment to reflect on the three hallows and how the function together in creating the sacred center, then say:

"The Fire, The Well, and The Tree. Flow and flame and grow in me. In land, sea, and sky; below and on high.

Thus are these Hallows claimed and Hallowed."

Sprinkle the shrine with water from the well:

"What was cleansed, now let be filled, receive the dark strength of the Underworld. Be you in the soil in which the seed of my spirit grows."

Cense the shrine:

"What is cool, now let be warmed, receive the bright power of the heavens. Be you the sun that brings my spirit to fruit."

Strengthen the Two Powers Meditation and charge the whole shrine again:

"Mighty Olympians, here is my shrine. Let it be a seat of power, an ark of wisdom, the font of the love between myself, the Gods, and the Spirits. Let it grow as I grow and change as I change. Let the fire be bright in it, let the water be deep in it, as I walk my path. Esto! [So be it!]"

Reflect upon the meaning of your shrine and the work that you will perform to strengthen the bonds between the Gods and spirits that you work with. How this is a place where you can go to honor them and their teachings:

"The Fire, The Well, and The Tree, flow and flame and grow in me. I give thanks to all beings who have witnessed and aided in this work, and declare this rite ended! Esto! [So be it!]"

Working with Demeter

I do not want to put too much about the "Meeting Demeter Meditation", on here (without the permission pf the Order) because I know that DEO like to keep their teachings within their Order. So I am simply going to reflect upon my personal experience with the meditation as well as the ritual I had to go hand in hand with building my relationship with the great Goddess Demeter.

Before I got started I went ahead and prepared the Kykeon, a traditional drink offered to Demeter, that way it would be nice and cool by the time that I started the ritual. After the drink was prepared I went and cleansed myself, then got my other offering ready: milk, rose water, olive oil, and honey. I used my Kindred incense as well.



After all of the preparation was completed, I light the illumination candles and cast barley upon my shrine. The place was now ready for my to embark upon my journey.

I started off with the meditation. In which I would have to say I learned quite a bit about how to apply the teachings of Demeter into my practice and my everyday life. I learned that in order to feel the blessings in the world around me I first needed to feel them inside of myself. I learned that I needed to observe the world around me and take the lessons that I learnt there to the world within me, that way they could change me and reflect back in the world through me. I also learnt that Demeter is a compassionate mother, that we are all her children. That she provides us with the knowledge on how to cultivate this bountiful earth so that we can live and thrive.

After the meditation I said a simple prayer to the Great Goddess, and presented her with my offerings. After a short minute on reflecting on the meditation and the praise offerings I cast an Omen. I used my ShapeShifters tarot deck and got the card: 10 Cups; Happiness. To me the meaning of the card represented that learning to live in and outside the world around me I would live a full and complete life. That if I could find my role in the world around me then I would be able to accept the things that I could not change and change the things that I could not accept. That instead of fighting with the world around me it would be beneficial to understand that everything has its place in this great world that we live in.

My over all experience was one of joy. I felt very comfortable with working with Demeter, and I look forward to working with her in the days that come.

Establishing my chthonic shrine

 I was reading through some of the pages on the ADF website, when I can across an Order by the name of DEO. The core practice of DEO is to understand the cycles of life and death and our role in the world around us. Most of the principles used in DEO is derived from the Homeric Hymn #3, as well as the mystical rites of the Eleusinian Mysteries. I still am working through what all that entitles, but it is a process that I am thoroughly enjoying. That being said, I decided that I would set up a shrine to help me work through the process.

This past Sunday, April 8th 2012, I was spending a little time outside enjoying the wonderful day. I was thinking about what the teachings of Demeter meant to me, and how I could observe them in the world around me, then I realized that I needed a place where I could go and specifically reflect upon those teachings. So I set to work on establishing a shrine.

I knew that Demeter would be classified as a Chthonic deity, in which case I decided that my shrine did not need to only be a place to reflect on the teaching of Demeter as much as the teachings of the chthonic realm. I have already been working with Dionysos for years now, so I wanted a place where I could give honor to both of them, while still staying within the guidelines of DEO. That is how this shrine came to be. I wanted to be able to reflect the teachings and mysteries of the chthonic realm.

The Two Powers Meditation II

So I have been contituing with do a daily meditation before bed. The past couple of nights I have had trouble with the visulation. Howeve, I did not let my past fails get me down, so last night I put the ear phones in and just settled into a nice meditation position.
     I decided that I was going to play The Orphic Hymn to Dionysus and let the inspirational praising of my patron help me along my journey. To my suprise it was a lot easier for me. Just with like the first time I ever tried this meditation, I heard the loud crashing the waters of life against the world trees roots. I could not only see the still silence of the underworld, but I could feel it. I could feel the rest and mysterious powers of the underworld around me. I started to feel how everyone that has come before me has at some point in their life felt the cool waters of the waters of life, how everyone that has past has drank from the well of memory and been filled with the knowledge of the world beyond.
Each breath in the waters climbed and swirled around the tree, always building up no matter how slowly it seemed to take. Reaching for me just as I was reaching for them. Pulsing with anticipation to fill me with the knowledge and revrence of their mysteries. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. I felt the cool waters slowly wrap around the base of me, and seaminglessly filling me. I felt the ice cold awness of it flow into my body and rise into me. The waters slowly was feeling my body and connecting me to the world below.
    I turned my gaze twoards the heavens in search of my true north. Through space, through time, beyond my realm of understanding I could feel a stir in the very fabrication of life. A star perfectly alighned to me, to my mind, my body, and my spirit. A single spark, a single flame waiting to be feed a nourished, reaching for me as I was reaching for it. I seen the fires of heaven swirl and desend twoards me waiting to fill me with its divine ispiration. As the fires reached ever closer I could feel a stiring inside me. The waters of life wanted to be connected to the fires of heaven. The two wanted to be connected, they reached for each other just as I reached for them. As the fire poured into me it reached evern further into my as if it was reaching into my soul.
    As the two powers joined together I could feel them pulsate and project their energy out into the world around me. My roots were rooted deep in the earth below me and my limbs streached to the heavens above. I was the world tree, and taking my place in the world around me. I was connected and everything in that place and time was as it should be.

I am starting to realize the benifits of doing the Two Powers Meditation on a daily basis. It help us understand our role in the world around us, and how we can help connect the powers of Tree, Well, and Fire to the world around us.