Buadach Beatha... Journey of the Gaelic Soul: The Journey of the Soul in Irish Tradition.

Buadach Beatha... Journey of the Gaelic Soul: The Journey of the Soul in Irish Tradition.

 

The journey of the Gaelic soul might be considered as an ‘immrama,’ or a journey through distinct phases; by insights, rites of passage and enlightenment. Some authors see the traditional pattern of Gaelic life as passing through five distinct phases, five being the number of fingers on the hand, the senses, the sets of tree’s in the Ogham alphabet, and the five provinces of ancient Ireland. The phases are birth, coming of the age, passion, old-age and passing.

 

Birth.

 

Birth is seen as a miracle, a wonder-birth or ‘coimperta’ in the Irish tradition. The process of childbirth was considered fraught with spiritual dangers, that the soul of the child may be tainted or affected by bad spirits, and for this reason the woman would wear a girdle called a ‘crios’ as a protective charm. Further measures included the hanging of rowan crosses tied with red thread over the cradle, and not allowing the child’s feet to touch the floor until it was baptized. Immediately after the birth the midwife or ‘banghluin’ would administer a blessing in the form of three drops of water on the child’s head, which invoked the triune powers so evident in Gaelic culture:

 

“The little drop of the sky

On thy little forehead, beloved one.

 

The little drop of the land

On thy little forehead, beloved one.

 

The little drop of the sea

On thy little forehead, beloved one…

 

…To keep thee for the three,

To shield thee, to surround thee;

 

To save thee for the Three,

To fill thee with the graces.”

 

The nurse would then give the traditional form of baptism, called the ‘baisteadh breith’ in Gaelic. This would be in a bath into which had been placed a silver or gold coin (perhaps relating to the powers of the sun or moon, and also maybe reflecting the child’s gender.) The nurse filled her hands nine times with fresh spring water and filled the tub whilst singing an incantation:

 

“The little wavelet for thy form,

The little wavelet for thy voice,

The little wavelet for thy sweet speech.

 

The little wavelet for thy means,

The little wavelet for thy generosity,

The little wavelet for thy appetite.

 

The little wavelet for thy wealth,

The little wavelet for thy life,

The little wavelet for the health.

 

Nine little palm-fulls for thy grace,

(Name) the Three of Power.”

 

The child was then passed over a flame three times from the nurse to the father, then the father carried the child three times around the flame (deosil). In the ‘Cath Maige Mucraime, the Druid Olc Aiche puts five protective circles around the new-born Cormac; against wounding, drowning, fire, enchantment, and wolves. The child was finally grounded into the plane of earth by the last blessing of the mother herself, which involved touching the childs forehead on the earth three times whilst reciting an incantation, which might include the names of ancestors, the immediate clan or tuath, the Old-Ones, and the first parents. The god-parents would be nominated at this ceremony and the child then truly accepted into this world.

Coming of the age.

 

Coming of the age is the rite of passage to adulthood, where the season of the power to seed and bear fruit emerges. The soul, like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, develops from playful innocence toward a seasoned maturity. It is likely that in a traditional Gaelic community a child would have prepared for this time through natural play and attachment to their respective parents and relatives, echoing their work activities through their senses and recreation in games, in much the same way that we see the offspring of wild animals do.

 

In rural parts a girls step into womanhood was marked by the ‘moisach’ or first menstruation. This crossing of a new threshold was marked by a ritual known as ‘kertching’ and ‘crossing the knowes’ which involves the education of the girl in womanly ways by the collective female members of the clan. Kerching refers to the award of a new white headscarf to the woman after an initiation, which replaced her girl’s headband. Such an award was seen as a token of respect, distinction and honor for her new status. There can be elements of playful humiliation in some of the rites of initiation; in the Orkney’s a ceremony called ‘bundling’ was practiced, and in which the girl was tied into a single impenetrable garment by her mother and then placed in a box bed within the family home. A ‘Lothaire’ or handsome seducer then climbed in with her. After this ceremony she may make a charge, such as:

 

“I vow as an honorable woman of my clan:

 

To respect my body with the care of a mother and the protection of a father,

To honor my mind with the challenge of strong thought and firm judgment,

To empower my spirit with the passion and cultivation of love,

 

All these things I swear by, in the names of the Gods of my clan,

And if I am untrue to them;

May the earth swallow me up,

May the waters drown me,

May the sky fall upon my head.

 

A boy’s advent into masculinity may take another form. At the point of noticeable physical changes his father, uncle or other prominent male might take him on a hunting or fishing trip, leave him overnight in solitary contemplation to assess his skills of nature, or even send him to be educated by an ‘elder-wise one.’ It may be envisaged that whatever the process, it would be one in which the lad must prove his worth, like the hero ‘Fionn mac Cumhail and the Druid Fintain, who after taking and cooking the salmon is mysteriously blessed with infinite wisdom. This schematic form of initiation into adulthood is common amongst various native cultures, and perhaps very much like a ‘vision-quest’ in which an individual is placed within an environment to receive inspiration regarding their primal existence of being. In his advice to Feradach, a son of Craumthann, Morann mac Moen (a Brehon Druid) says:

 

Since he is young… Let him observe the driver of an old chariot. For the driver of an old wheel rim does not sleep He looks ahead, he looks behind, in front and to the right and to the left. He looks, he defends, he protects, so that he may not break with neglect or violence the wheel-rims which run under him. And… let him be merciful, just, impartial, conscientious, firm, generous, hospitable, honorable, stable, beneficent, capable, honest, well-spoken, steady, and true-judging.

 

When asked about his traits as a lad, the venerable and renowned King Cormac replied;

 

I was a listener in woods, I was a gazer at stars, I was blind where secrets were concerned, I was silent in a wilderness, I was talkative among many, I was mild in the mead-hall, I was stern in battle, I was gentle towards allies, I was a physician of the sick, I was weak towards the feeble, I was strong towards the powerful, I was not close lest I should be burdensome, I was not arrogant though I was wise, I was not given to promising though I was strong, I was not venturesome though I was swift, I did not deride the old though I was young, I was not boastful though I was a good fighter, I would not speak about any one in his absence, I would not reproach, but I would praise, I would not ask, but I would give, For it is through these habits that the young become old and kingly warriors."

 

Whether boy or girl, the body and soul were nourished accordingly, a respect for natural laws, personal responsibility and correct behavior was instilled within the young mind. But also a deep sense of spirituality and destiny, of a faith which they carried with them into adulthood and their role in the community.

 

The Gaelic world was a caste based society, having five main groupings of people; the flaith or aire the nobility, the bo-aire who were non-noble freemen with property, the ceiles or free tenants who were also called aithech included, trades and crafts-persons and anybody without property, the feine or farmers and agricultural workers (who may or may not have owned property), and the last group were slaves. Within the context of the Senchus Mor and Brehon law individuals were considered either aurrad or having acceptable legal standing within the tribal boundaries, or deorad which indicated a status as an outsider with no legal recourse whatsoever. An individual born into any one of these classes might expect to follow in the training, education and work of their family, the children of a farmer would learn the skills of herding, milking, ploughing and harvesting, a child of the nobility would be tutored in swordsmanship, horse-riding, and aristocratic pursuits. There were no restrictions placed on the potential of any young person, indeed it could be said that even the shepherd could one day become a king, neither was there a precise distinction between masculine and feminine vocations; Celtic society honored all and history informs us that many noble women assumed the mantle of leadership, became famed warriors and kindled the hearth of the home. Many men respected for the beauty and elegance of their poetry and arts, as weavers and herbalists. What was more important in the Celtic mind was the realization of a deeper and more profound sense of the sacred in their work, the attention to details, and a successful completion to any commission.

 

Passion.

 

The spiral of life continues with the accomplishment of a craft, and steps forward to a blending of the opposites. At about the age of twenty-five a young couple would join together, perhaps finding their anam-chara or ‘soul-mate’ in the dances of fertility at the annual festival of Beltaine. A marriage commitment is seen not as a simple contract between a man and a woman, but a union of souls within the cosmos, both of whom become the pillar of nobility at the center, with this modern adaptation of a traditional Gaelic ceremony:

 

We are here today to witness the blending and weaving together of _____________ and _____________. We come together in this circle of companionship, in this wheel of the seasons of life to share this experience and we will welcome the four sacred spirits of the earth to witness this marriage of souls.

 

Open your palms and face the east. Welcome the spirit of the East as it brings us the dawn of new beginnings each day of our lives. The sunrise today is for _____________ as they take this journey through life together. For them it is new beginning of a journey that may bring them prosperity, abundance and happiness. May they share their hospitality with good will and generosity each day as they will grow in love and understanding.

 

We welcome to spirit of the South as it brings us the fair flowing and harmonic waters of Life. In the summer the fields are full for the music of the sun is high in the sky. We give blessing for our own abundance and wish to bestow abundance upon ____________ in this place. May they have an abundance of knowledge, melody and happiness from this day forward.

 

We welcome the spirit of the West for this brings a time of day for learning. Each new day brings a time for reflection on the days passing. The setting sun bestows a time for contemplation, rest and the desire of dreaming. There are lessons and tales for each of us on this journey. For ________________ May these fertile stories of the setting sun bring them closer together on their precious journey and they will reflect on the laughter of the day.

 

We welcome the spirit of the North. As in the wheel it shows us a silent and quieter place and more silent place. It is a place within our selves that serves for contemplation and self renewal. A place that our and most inner selves and plays an important part of your journey together, For each of you bring will your own true nature to this union today.

 

This day you stand in the center of the four quarters, gilded in the noble, generous and bright sanctity of this world, blessed in the warm gaze of your families, ancestors, spirits and Gods, that you might continue the word, truth and heritage of your life…

 

May the blessing of Divine light be on you both - light surrounding you and light within your coupling. May the blessed brilliance shine on you like the tender glow of the hearth fire, so that stranger and friend may come and warm him-self at it. And may light shine out of the two eyes of you, like a candle set in the window of a house, bidding the wanderer come in out of the storm. And may the blessing of the mighty waters of the ocean be on you, may it beat upon your Spirit and wash it fair and clean, and leave there a shining pool where the blue of Heaven shines, and sometimes a star. And may the blessing of the earth be on you, soft under your feet as you pass along the roads, soft under you as you lie out on it, tired at the end of day; and may it rest easy over you when, at last, you lie out under it. May it rest so lightly over you that your soul may be out from under it quickly; up and off and on its way to the heavens.

 

In this ceremony the bride usually stands on the left, the groom on the right, since according to tradition this would allow the man easy access to his sword for protection of his woman. Their hands are then bound together with a ‘kerchief’ perhaps made of fine lace. The final aspect of the ceremony involves the groom carrying his bride across a thresh-hold, usually the doorway to their new home, this is symbolic of protecting her from the attentions of malevolent spirits. The entire ritual was closed with the Mi na Meala or ‘The Month of Honey’ a settling in period where the couple enjoyed each other without limit or hindrance. The bride would be given a am breid, or square of linen to be used as a head-covering and a significant sign of wife-hood. This kertch was arranged into a triangular fashion symbolic of the trinity and called a currachd tri-chearnach.

 

This ceremony is a greater bonding, where each respective participant gives themselves not to each other, but to a greater and more powerful divinity, to nature and earth, spirits, ancestors and future generations and the preservation of their names, customs, traditions and language.

 

Old age.

 

The process of aging in the Celtic tradition is not a period of sallow wrinkled skin, graying hair or a slow decline into lonely retirement. Rather it is a blossoming, a golden maturity blessed with autumnal shades of bronze, red, the delicate flutter of russet leaves fluttering in a silver speckled wind. It is what I would call the ‘Fleadh na Ablach’ or the feast of Apples, whose harvest comes at the end of the year, but whose potent symbolism is a sweet reminder of immortality and the land of youth, the otherworld to which we make our journey in the spirit life. During this time we occupy ourselves with remembrance, recollection and reflection, examining and weighing the worth of our soul in preparation for the next stage of the journey of life. Fiona MaCleod in ‘The Winged Destiny’ describes an encounter with a wise old Gaelic woman in Port na Churaich (Haven of the Coracle) on the Island of Iona, Mary Macarthur, who had fallen asleep on a granite rock and upon awakening recounted a spectacular vision that she had experienced:

 

I had the good sleep, and a thousand things of goodness more, for I had a dream of dreams. Do I remember it? Yes, for sure, I have it as, clear as a cradle. I was lying here, just as I will be now, with this faggot here too, when a woman of beauty came up the path and took the faggot and flung all the sticks an' ends into the sea. What will you be doing, lady?" I said, but not in anger, only in the great wonder. ''Tis your sorrows I'm throwing away,' she said with a voice as sweet as to send the birds to the branches--churiead e na h'eòin, an crannaibh. 'It is glad of that I am,' I said, 'for it is many of them I have.' Then she said: 'You'll have peace, Mary, and great joy, and your songs and your beauty will never die.' So the tears were at me at that, an' I cried: 'It is only an aisling you are. . . a dream and a vision!' 'No,' she said, "an' by the same token, Mary, I'll tell you the song that you were singing below your breath down there on the shore:

 

"A Dhe na mara

Cuir todhar's an tarruinn

Chon tachair an talaimh

Chon bailcidh dhuinn biaidh,"

 

And sure, an' in truth, these were the very words I was singing to myself down there on the shore . . . 'O God of the Sea, fill the sea-wave with store of the good weed, to feed the soil that will give us food.' And at that my heart sank with fear and rose with gladness, for who could this be but . . . an' sure before I could put word to it, she said I am Brighid. I went on the knees, and cried gach la' agus oidche thor, duinn do sheimh--'each day and night give us thy peace.'

 

Mary’s beautiful and evocative vision is a poetic reminder that our ageing is a beautiful walk on the path of our immortal spirit, our heart is a clay cauldron filled with magical reminisces and powerful potential. John O’ Donahue gives an excellent blessing for old age, which sums up the Celtic view of seniority:

 

May the light of your soul mind you,

May all of your worry and anxiousness about becoming old be transfigured,

May you be given a wisdom with the eye of your soul, to see this beautiful time of harvesting.

May you have the commitment to harvest your life, to heal what has hurt you, to allow it to come closer to you and become one with you.

May you have great dignity, may you have a sense of how free you are,

And above all may you be given the wonderful gift of meeting the eternal light and beauty that is within you.

May you be blessed, and may you find a wonderful love in yourself for yourself.

 

As we become parents, then grandparents we evolve into the wisdom-keepers of our families, chieftan’s, queens and respected elders. Within a constantly evolving ‘family tree’ we have progressed from the roots as children, to the solid core of the trunk toward the uppermost branches which whistle in the sky and yearn for a blessed infinity of joy.

 

The Age of Passing Over.

 

When the spirit decides to leave its clay abode and walk into the clouds of unknowing, with the anticipation of a great journey across the ocean of heaven, in a gilded vessel of ‘Manannan’ the Navigator to the isles of Tir na n’Og, the Land of Youth, otherwise called Tir nan Sinnisir Mbeo or Land of Living Ancestors. In this aspect of our soul’s journey we re-enter the melody of the universe, from which we came, known in Celtic myth as the ‘Oran Mor’ or Great Song, and our spirit dances within the sound of the waters, breath, wind, and ever revolving wheel of creation and life. The physical manifestation of this was the death-song, or in Gaelic the ‘caoin’ (pron. Keen), whose dirge reflected the sounds of wind and water and in essence provided a final blessing for the departing spirit.

 

Here is an example of a typical ‘caoin’ or death-lament from Marjory Kennedy-Fraser's Songs of the Hebrides (a group of isolated islands off the north-west coast of Scotland), collected in the late 1890s and the early 1900s, translated by the poet Kenneth Macleod. Traditionally the cantor or singer is either a close friend (anam-chara) or relative of the deceased:

 

The Death Croon (An Cronan Bais)

 

An t-Anam chara (The Soul-friend) sings;

 

Thul dhach-aidh an nochd d’on t-sior thigh

Geamh – raidh, d’on t-sior thigh Fogh-air is Earraich is Samh-raidh thu dol

Dhach-aidh an nochd an seirm nan cann-tair ‘S geal ain glean ‘gad fheitheamh air

Bruiach na h-aibh-ne Dia an t-ath – air na do shuain.

 

(You are going home to the night of winter, Ever-house, The Autumn, Summer, and Springtide, Ever house Home you going tonight on music of cantors, White angels await you on the shores of the Avon. God the Father with you in sleep).

 

It can be seen that the Celtic view of the journey of the soul followed a ‘double spiral’ which begins in the center, moving up and around with key points in the physical world that relate to our condition (dawn, midday, sunset, and midnight,). Eventually the soul begins to move down back toward the center where it passes through the doorway of death to journey within the spiritual realms, only then to return by rebirth to life in this world again. Within Celtic culture this spiral is sometimes envisaged as a snake, which stripped of its Judeo-Christian symbolism is actually a creature of vitality, healing power and regeneration. And so it is with the Gaelic soul, a powerful and indestructible energy, of light and beauty forever surfing on the waves of the cosmos,

 

All Rights Reserved – David John Drew 2007

The Delineation of a Modern Druid Grove

 

1^st May, 2005

The Delineation of a Modern Druid Grove

 

Constitution and Charter

 

Of The

 

Druids of North America

 

In

 

The State of Colorado

 

(Instituted on the 1st of May 2005)

 

General Preamble

 

I, David John Drew of the City of Aurora in Adams County, in the State of Colorado, The United States of America, in the month of May the first, two thousand and five do hereby establish a Drunemeton or Grove of Druidry to further the exploration of the ancient path of Gaelic spirituality, history, literature, and community, with the aim of making more orderly our investigations and learning, and to encourage the growth of fruitful bonds between our companions in this faith in the pursuit of scholarship and friendship within a peaceful enclave.

 

This Grove will also seek to contact and establish links with other Druidic Groves across the nation of North America and throughout the world, for the enjoyment and profit of learning and comradeship. This Grove will offer the hand and heart of peace to all of various faiths, religions, and spiritual paths regardless of origin, in an attempt to further understanding and global cooperation for the development of all citizens of this earth, to promote equality, education, and interfaith dialog to demolish poverty and ignorance.

 

This Grove will not suffer or promote discrimination of any sort amongst its members, whether based on sexuality, race, religion, age, or any other possible permutation of individuality. The administration of this Grove will be established on the basis of communal and democratic principles and will not suffer any dictatorial authoritarianism. Membership will be open to any person of interest; any member may be expelled by common vote for failing to adhere to the principles, aims, and articles of this constitution and charter of the organization know as ‘Hesperus Aurora Grove.’

 

Invocation.

 

I call upon the strength of heaven

The brilliant light of sun

The reflected radiance of moon

The burning splendor of fire

The sharpness of lightening

The broad swiftness of wind

The hidden depths of ocean

The sound stability of earth

The firmness of mountain;

 

I call upon the ancient Gods, the Tuatha De Danann as witness;

 

Danu, Great Mother Spirit of Earth, of Gods and humans, the source,

Daghda, Eochaidh Ollathair, The All-Father, of Wisdom,

Boanne, Virgin-Goddess of the ever-coursing river,

Brighid, Burning-Arrow, Goddess of Fertility, inspiring and healing,

Morrigan, of Badh, Macha and Nemain, Phantom Queen of War, Death and harvester of the dead,

Manannan Mac Lyr, Lord of Elysium and of the deep oceans,

Aengus Mac Ogh, son of the young, patron of love-poets,

Lugh Samildanach, master of all arts, God of light,

Oghma Cermait, honey-tongued, and ‘grainainech’ sun-face,

Dian-Cecht, most noble physician and healer, God of restoration,

Mare, Goddess of sovereignty and nobility, of prophetic dreams.

 

O’ ancient Gods, Spirits, Noble ancestors, indwellers of the deepest Sidhe, arise from your slumber to witness this honorable charter of formation and a new birth. Join us this day to bless our virtuous venture, protect, nurture, and inspire our well-intentioned efforts. I humbly request that you prevent any impediment in our progress, guide and guard us, make smooth our journey along the sacred path of the earth and illuminate our spirits and sight on dark days.

 

I call upon the spirits, ancestors and guardians of this place, the Arapahoe, The Bison Path People, the Chiefs ‘Oh-Has-Tee’ and ‘Little Raven’ and ‘Left-Hand’ and White Antelope’ and ‘Neva’ and ‘Bosse’ and ‘Heaps-Of-Buffalo’ and ‘Notanee’ and ask you for permission to dwell in this place for a short time, to rejoice in its beauty and drink from the wisdom of this earth, I ask for your blessing and protection at this time, so that we may prosper.

 

In a sacred manner we live,

To the heavens we gaze,

In a sacred manner we live;

The Great Earth is our benefactor.

 

I call upon the ancestors of this ancient land, the Dine, honorable people to beckon and invoke the mighty Gods and Goddesses of this land to bless our venture and protect us. We ask for the assistance of Na’acdjei Esda (Spider-Woman), and Etsan Natlehi (She-Who Changes) and Yolkai Estaan (White Shell Woman) and Johano-Ai (Sun-God) and Niltshi (Wind-God) to watch over us, provide guidance and assistance along difficult paths to a golden land.

 

Here Begins the Articles of This Grove of Hesperus-Aurora.

 

ARTICLE I

 

The name of this organization shall be Hesperus-Aurora Grove, of the Druids of North America in the State of Colorado. The title of the Grove comes from the sacred mountain of the Dine People (the Navajo) known as Hesperus, which lies in the south-west of Colorado in the La Plata mountain range, and is known to the Dine People as Dibe Nitsaa or Big Mountain Sheep, or Baashshinii Dzil or The Jet-Black Mountain because of the profusion of obsidian there. Thus shall the obsidian stone be the elected totem-stone of Hesperus Grove. Hesperus was the name given in ancient times to the evening star, which is identified by our esteemed astronomers as the planet Venus, and thus shall Venus be elected as the totem-planet of Hesperus Grove. In the works and knowledge of the learned astrologers, Venus is the ruling planet of Taurus the Bull, and so shall the mighty horned bull be adopted as the totem-beast of Hesperus Grove and which also represents the great Irish epic myth the ‘Tain Bo Cualigne’ or ‘Cattle Raid of Cooley.’ Of the native flora and fauna in the State of Colorado I have most carefully selected and elected three distinct species of creature as companions in our path; The osprey (Pandion haliaetus carolensis) to represent the element of air and of sky, the raccoon (Procyon lotor) to represent the element of earth, and the Kokanee salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) to represent the element of water. As a botanical I have elected the chokecherry shrub, whose Latin name is Prunus virginiana. This is in honor of the first inhabitants of this area, the Arapahoe tribe led by Chief Little Raven who dwelt at the base of the shining mountains along ‘Cherry-Creek’ where it meets the South Platte river. The Arapahoe named the area after the wild chokecherry bushes growing along the creek. I also have adopted the native oak species Quercus gambelii as a ‘grandfather’ totem for our presence as a Grove here, a qualifying act recommended from the European tradition. The choice and acceptance of these native species in the immediate environment is representative of the Grove in the true tradition of Druidism; that which expresses a love and respect and reverence for the land, nature, the earth and that which populates and sustains it.

 

The Primary Aims of Hesperus Aurora Grove shall be:

 

1) The advancement of learning, education and training.

2) Worship, spiritual and religious activities.

3) Within the Celtic concept of ‘soul-friendship’ or anamchara the grove will exist for the nurturing of companionship, spiritual guidance, mutual support and friendship.

4) The Grove will recognize life events within the community, such as births, marriages and deaths. The administration may develop rituals and rites to mark these occasions, in order to enhance their significance and depth of meaning within a communal context. Such is the practice amongst most societies based on ancient native spiritual values.

 

ARTICLE II

 

Hesperus-Aurora Grove will be administered by three principal officers:

 

1) The Ollamh-Draoi or Arch-Druid, shortened to OD or simply Draoi. This shall be the official organizer of the grove. The Ollamh-Draoi will preside over all services, meetings, and convocations. The Arch-Druid will be the official representative of the grove in all matters. He/She may be a lay person with sufficient experience to effectively manage the organization and/or be trained and/or ordained by a spiritual authority. The traditional and historical role of a Druid is as an advisor, judge, teacher, authority in spiritual matters, natural philosopher, mediator, and diplomat, although these categories are not limited.

 

2) The Faidh or Ovate, in a very traditional sense is a diviner, seer, and/or prophet. The Faidh held the ability and skill to see and sense beyond physical space assumed time. In a modern sense the Ovate may be seen a the protector of the Grove and its members, marking the boundaries and carrying a symbolic shield. They may also hold the tools and skills of divination, to advise on past, present or future events. Many Ovate’s also possess a sound tree-lore (or ‘laws of nature’) and have healing skills, a knowledge of herbalism or other medicine-craft.

 

3) The Filidh or Poet/Bard. Traditionally the Bard kept the oral traditions of the tribe. There were several educational grades of Bard; Ollaire or Principal beginner, Tamhain or Poets Attendant, Drisac or Apprentice Satirist, Cli or Pillar, Anruth or Noble Stream, Eces or Man of Learning, and Ollamh or Doctor of Poetry. In a modern administrative sense the Bard is a secretary who maintains the written records of Grove meetings… ect. In a more spiritual sense the Bard is involved in the generation of creative works, forming character through expression and development, recording inspiration, a translator of the voice of nature, a herald of events, a vital link between the spiritual and the physical realms. He/she believes in the restorative power of nature and the flow of ideas is the Bardic stream of thought, channeling that energy in identifiable forms. A craftsperson, a maker or one skilled with hands, voice, and movement.

 

The grades of officers in Hesperus Aurora Grove are not intended to be hierarchal, but represent the specific skills, abilities, training, and knowledge of individuals. As a triad they personify the mind, body and spirit of the grove and should equally provide inspiration, education, and protection.

 

ARTICLE III

 

Elections for the posts of Ollamh-Draoi, Faidh and Filidh will be held annually on the last day of the Celtic New Year which is October the thirty first. All posts will be filled by voice vote, or via electronic communication which is by email, telephone or other. The Ollamh-Draoi reserves the right to appoint any member amongst members of the Grove to fill an unexpired term, and may appoint any member to serve in his/her place pro-tem. The annual General Meeting (AGM) of Hesperus Aurora Grove will be either at the same time as the election of officers or within two weeks of that date.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

Hesperus Aurora Grove shall convene for a minimum of twelve meetings per year, and of this number the eight official ‘high-days’ are incorporated. The Grove shall adhere to the Celtic eightfold path of seasonal observances. These consist of four agricultural or earth celebrations, and four solar or celestial festivals. Where members of the grove cannot convene as a whole on these sacred days, individuals shall follow a personal ritual.

 

The Earth Festivals are:

 

1) Beltaine on 1st of May.

2) Lughnasadh on 1st of August.

3) Samhain on 1st November.

4) Imbolc on 1st of February.

 

The Solar Festivals are:

 

1) Mean Geimreadh on 21st December.

2) Mean Earrach on 21st March.

3) Mean Samraidh on 21st June.

4) Mean Foghmar on 21st September.

 

Hesperus Aurora Grove will convene in a specific, pre-arranged location in the absence of a permanent venue. In addition, Hesperus Aurora Grove recognizes the observance of the division of the year into lunar months. The new moon is the beginning of each month, the calendrical year begins on the first days of the season of Samhain and ends on the last days of the season of Lughnasadh. These are the first new moons prior to these festivals. The lunar calendar has been accepted on the basis of archeological evidence extracted from the Coligny Calendar (a bronze tablet discovered in 1897 in France and which details a Celto-Gaelic solar/lunar calendrical system). A similar system is detailed in Ireland in an ancient stone fragment known as the Knowth Site Stone. Hesperus Aurora Grove understands that the beliefs, practice and acceptance of a lunar calendar vary greatly from community to culture, and therefore is not in a position to force one system upon anyone. For the purposes of guidance the modern Irish calendar is given here:

 

Deireadh Fomhair October to November.

Mi na Samhna November to December.

Mi na Nollagh December to January.

Mi Eanair January to February.

Mi Feabhra February to March.

Mi Marta March to April.

Abrean April to May.

Mi na Beltaine May to June.

Meitheamh June to July.

Mi Luil July to August.

Mi Lunasa August to September.

Mean Fomhair September to October.

 

ARTICLE V

 

All members and officers of Hesperus Aurora Grove shall endeavor to uphold and follow the three essential tenets and moral principles of Druidism, being; truth, justice and knowledge. This is together with fifteen key Celtic virtues, extrapolated from the Audacht Morainn or Testament of Morann Mac Moin, a Brehon Judge and Druid. The fifteen virtues are summarized as follows: Mericful, just, diplomatic, conscientious, reliable, generous, hospitable, curteous, honest, courageous, strong, eloquent, steady, composed and objective.

 

The most basic cosmological belief in Gaelic-Celtic and Druidic practice is An Thribhis Mor or The Great Triskele, which represents the three essential elements of earth, water and air, or land, sky and sea. This Grove adopts this view and its traditional basis on which all oaths are formulated, although it does not seek to persuade any member or individual pursuing membership to adopt this belief.

 

This Grove recognizes that throughout history Druids have fulfilled many roles in traditional Celtic society, that they were a professional class of men and women who were historians, analysts, judges, arbitrators, diplomats, ambassadors, keepers of myths and tales, masters of chanting and music, artists, poets, doctors and physicians, magicians, cup-bearers, diviners, bards, lawyers… amongst other professions. Any member of this grove may pursue to qualify themselves in any of these arts or others not mentioned or listed, and will be supported wholeheartedly by the Grove administration.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

Hesperus Aurora Grove recognizes thirteen points of modern Druidic Spirituality, which are based on a desire for and love of nature, the world, humanity, and all of its aspects in the search for a truly harmonic existence:

 

1) The Love of Peace.

2) The Love of Beauty.

3) The Love of Justice.

4) The Love of Myth.

5) The Love of History and Ancestors.

6) The Love of Trees, Herbs and Plants.

7) The Love of Mountains, Stones, and Minerals.

8) The Love of Truth and Wisdom.

9) The Love of Animals.

10) The Love of The Universe and Cosmology.

11) The Love of The Sacred Body.

12) The Love of Humanity and Community.

13) The Love of Life, Celebration and Commitment.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

No discriminatory behavior will be tolerated in Hesperus Aurora Grove. All members will be treated as equals without exception. No person desiring admittance to the Grove will be refused on the basis of race, religious belief, gender, or other, but will be accepted solely on the basis of a presentation of a petition which may be written, oral or otherwise, stating their belief in the basic tenets of this Druidic Grove, which are:

 

1) Druidism is an ancient spiritual path with many dimensions and aspects, although primarily it is ‘earth-centered’ and seeks wisdom and knowledge through direct contact and study of nature and the universe. It is the basic belief of this Grove that nature is complex and interrelated, that the human being is but one of the many elements in this creation and that an understanding if the relationships with nature is one key to spiritual happiness.

2) A belief in and desire to follow the eightfold path of cyclical observances oitline in Article IV.

3) A belief in and desire to follow the three essential tenets of Druidry, and the fifteen virtues outlined above.

4) An understanding of the basic Celto-Druid cosmology of land, sky and sea.

5) A belief in the role of Druids in Celtic society as a professional class, and by extension that this professionalism may be emulated in our own time for the benefit of this group, the general community in Colorado, and both nationally and internationally.

6) An understanding of, an willingness to follow the thirteen aspects of love outlines above in Article VI.

 

Membership shall not be limited by location. Any individual expressing their desire to join Hesperus Aurora Grove shall be admitted regardless of their origins. No member shall impose or seek to influence any other member/s in religious, theological or spiritual doctrine. Members may share experiences, impart objective knowledge, teach or lecture on topics of specialization, or generally, or offer insights into their spiritual values, but there should never at any time be an intention or resolution to convert or change the spiritual or religious beliefs of any other member/s. It is the sole and unchangeable view of Hesperus Aurora Grove that absolutely no spiritual path is inherently superior to any other.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

Hesperus Aurora Grove cannot accept responsibility for any criminal damages caused by members whilst committing illegal activities. This Grove does not support any unlawful activity. Hesperus Aurora Grove cannot be held responsible for any mental illness contracted as a result of beliefs or doctrines contained within this constitution.

 

ARTICLE IX

 

Amendments to this constitution may be enacted after two consecutive meetings of members with majority votes on items for correction or addition.

 

MEMBERS

 

The constitution and organization of Hesperus Aurora Grove is put into motion with the following members, who join of their free will and may likewise choose to leave:

 

Jan Preston Dunn. Ed. Le-Rae. Sam Kuntz. Shawn. Simon Shupp. Ben Alexander. Ryan. Shirley. J. W. Rockies. Laura. Laura Allen. David J. Drew. Shannon.

 

All Rights Reserved - DAVID JOHN DREW - 2005

Vis Medicatrix Naturae: Meditations on the healing power of nature

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2007 

Vis Medicatrix Naturae: Meditations on the healing power of nature 

 

©2004 by David John Drew. All rights reserved. 

 

As I sat in the cool shade of an ancient Gambel Oak in the blistering dry heat of a Colorado summer I questioned my inner desire to be closer to nature. The apparent silence was in fact dense with my inner mechanical ruminations, lost in the maze of complex relationships that exist between the world environment and humanity, good, bad and indifferent. From an apparently fractured and discordant state how could I establish, build, and maintain a harmonious existence with this nature, with what seemed to be an abstract, chaotic mass of undecipherable signs, seasons and unpredictability. I sensed myself being plunged into darkness with my monumental meditations, into a dark, muddy ocean which blinded my senses but brought a surreal tranquility. Within that womb-like state I came upon an island, in the center of which was a gentle mound, an apparition stood atop the hill shining in glory. The aura spoke to me in a voice akin to the soft rose gilded clouds of a spring dawn; 

 

"A blessing exists for every realization of why you exist in a certain time and space within the cosmos. That which you seek the answer to already exists within you as a map of nature. Fathom the beauty of your spirit and the harmony of the universe will reveal itself and resonate through you, eroding the stone wall of your blind ego..." 

 

And the aura blew me backwards into the vast sea. I landed in the tumultuous vortex of a whirlpool which sucked me down in spirals until I awoke, slowly breathing beneath the oak in the clarity of midday. 

 

Time and again I visited and reclined beneath my adopted tree, pondering and digesting the message of Aurora without realizing it. My earthly path was limited to a concentric circle between labor, meditative speculation, and my abode, but without seeing the whole unified center. But, I felt a gradual change in my perception; a release and subsidence of anger, frustration and depression. I saw others on the same path as I, although without the pause for contemplation and they appeared to be disjointed, fractured and sad, a woebegone existence trapped in a material mechanistic cubicle. The oak tree had imparted a mysterious healing energy on me, and this infused me with a positive spirit to discover why. 

 

Ius Naturale 

 

With Mater Matura or the Mother of Dawn, my vision of Aurora came also with the revelation of a natural law (Ius naturale), the ancient legal system of the Matriarchate. Equality and democracy were the ruling principles, it was not hierarchical and there are no special privileges. The natural law flows through air, water, nature and matter, it inspires fertilization, forges bonds and relationships, secures freedom, demands justice and truth, it will build a wall of ignorance and blindness around the persecutor, it rewards the diligent and those who seek inner light. It is a law of morality, from which the communis omnium possessio or law of common property sprung, and from which we can all claim equal rights to the air, sea and vacant spaces. I learned the vocabulary and origin of the Matriarchate, mater, like the Sanskrit matra, and Greek meter, signify both mother and measurement. The cycle of creativity, nurturing, life, love, healing, and death are all calculated according to the principles of the natural law. Our language infused with root words of the Matriarchate; mantra, matrix, matter, material, matrimony, matron, metric, mensuration, mentality, mark, mathematics, geo-metry, hydro-metry, and many others. 

 

Matrilinialists of the Matrix 

 

Throughout recorded human history, across nations and in varying spheres of activity I became aware of significant individuals who possessed a visionary perception of the earth. Inspired people, inventors, engineers, biologists, scientists, naturalists, psychologists, spiritualists, theologians, doctors, philosophers, architects, gardeners, ecologists and others who had observed, recorded and defined the forms of nature with an alternative but equally valid perspective in comparison with orthodox scientific thought, they had glimpsed the "essence," viewed the elements and constituents as a complex and intricate web of relationships. Some were aware of contemporary forces of erosion that in some way disrupted or were in the process of destroying those harmonic bonds and offering proposals or initiating action to halt the malignance and restore an equilibrium. Collectively I began to call this group of workers the mystery-workers of the matrix. They acted as spiritual guardians of a nature-faith to protect the "Mother" to follow and uphold her laws regardless of the historical time and space they occupied. They provided luminous examples of inspiration for me on my spiritual path, venerable saints who pointed and guided me in the right direction and infused me with a sense of purpose and worth. 

 

Wunder-Wasser and Aquae Sulis 

 

A core element expressed in ancient systems of faith is an active belief in the sacredness of earth. Archeological, historical and cultural evidence of rituals and seasonal festivals indicate that human communities have endeavored to maintain a symbiotic relationship with the earth. Indigenous tribal people conceived the earth as a living spiritual being, a Goddess with primal wisdom and knowledge, the source of life with a womb from which the seed or source of live of all existence issues, the Creatress or Mother Nature. One of the most significant properties ascribed to Mother Nature was her ability to nurture and heal, (together with a destroying force) which was regarded as a divine blessing. In this context doctors were originally individuals trained in the processes of natural healing, and would teach and educate their people in best ways to remain healthy, never the arrogant belief that they could prevent disease since everything was in the hands of Mother Earth and the constituents she had provided in the earth. 

 

In the Celtic tradition the element of water was accepted as the primary restorative and therapeutic dynamic of the earth, Dana the Great Mother of the Gods, The Tuatha De Dannan was essentially a water deity with countless rivers named in her honor. Bodies of water such as rivers, springs, wells, lakes and oceans where they met or came into contact with earth were perceived as channels to the subconscious realms of the divine otherworld; Tir na n'Og or the Land of Youth, everlasting beauty devoid of illness, as Niamh Chinn Oir describes in the Fionn cycle; 

 

"It is the most delightful of places, all rich and fertile, fruit grows on the trees in every season, rivers run with wine and honey, a hundred warriors will feast with you, a hundred harpers play sweet music, allow my father to shower you with gifts...You may defy the passage of time, no-one ever grows old in our land, beauty, strength, and good health will always be yours, you will get silver, gold and many precious jewels, you will get everything beyond them of which I have no leave to tell." 

 

As the very soul of the Cosmic Mother, Tir na n'Og is the source of restoration, peace and timeless being, which the perceptive and open can always access through divine ritual. Water as a medium of health and healing is exemplified at Aquae Sulis at Bath in Britian, founded by the leprous and disinherited Prince Bladud who through a series of misadventures was plunged into the primal spring and cured of his affliction. The temple is built in the honor of the Goddess Sulis (a Q-Celtic term for eye, orifice or hole) who presided over and monitored the healing process. The spring pumps out hot water at a temperature of 115 F, and at a rate of 250.000 gallons a day it represents the abundant embodiment of the Earth Mother herself. A similar site exists in Dijjon, France. The Fontes Sequanae is dedicated to the Goddess Sequanae and its curative waters specifically applied to rectify eye disorders. A Christian Welsh "Water-Prayer" may be an affirmation or extension of previously held pagan beliefs in water healing; 

 

Living God, who turns dry land into pools of water, 

Lead us to the springs of eternal life, 

May we drink and be satisfied 

And become channels of your grace. 

May those who thirst find the water without price. 

Enable us to play our part in leading them 

To the never failing fountain of life. 

 

The curative powers of water were rediscovered and made popular by the Revd. Sebastien Kniepp (1821-1897) in Bavaria, Germany. Soon after being admitted to seminary he became seriously ill with pulmonary tuberculosis. Discovering an 18th century book on hydrotherapy he decided in the winter of 1849 to immerse himself in the icy cold waters of the Danube river. Several brief exposures to the waters appeared to stimulate his immune system and affected a rapid recovery from his condition, enabling him to continue his theological studies in Munich. After being ordained in 1852 he continued his practice of natural health, combining other modalities such as phytotherapy, nutrition, exercise and health education for the benefit of his poor parishioners. Several times he used his natural healing techniques and brought dying patients back to life. Kniepp physiotherapy is recognized as an early form of classical naturopathy and despite the fact that he was regarded as a charlatan by the medical establishment a German study in 1977 discovered that immunological reactions to protein and bacterial antigens were much higher in patients who had undergone a course of hydrotherapy. 

 

Viktor Schauberger (1885-1958) contributed the most dynamic and creative thought on water as an active and energetic primal force. Born in Austria to a long line of foresters stretching back 400 years he refused to go to university at 18, instead he left home and spent extended periods of time deep in the remote regions of forest. With an analytical and almost scientific mind he observed, contemplated and pondered on the subtle energetic mechanics and motions of the earth, especially natural water courses, waterfalls, springs, and whirlpools. Schauberger viewed water as a living entity which he termed "the blood of mother earth" which he perceived as being born in the womb of the forest, water had a life and death; 

 

"The upholder of the cycles which supports the whole of life is water. In every drop of water dwells the Godhead, whom we all serve; there also dwells life, the soul of the 'first' substance - water - whose boundaries and banks are the capillaries that guide it and in which it circulates." 

 

In his observations of what he considered to be a primeval mother earth Schauberger developed very profound and radical theories on the formation and use of natural energies, a careful study of whirlpools, tornadoes, cyclones and hurricanes, enabling him to forward his theory of implosion; "all movement is the outcome of attraction or repulsion - between expansion and contraction" using the principle of the vortex and two types of natural movement, centrifugence and centripetence to create energy capable of directing mechanical movement. It was through this particular aspect of his research that he was able to produce the type of nutrient rich water that comes from natural springs. As a substance that Schauberger believed to have life and death, water could also become polluted and diseased through misuse and consequently cause illness in humans. Healthy water, which is capable of nourishment and preventing disease by supporting the immune system is that which has optimum levels of energy and nutrients, and in essence Schauberger developed the technology to convert any water source to this curative level. For his contributions to the understanding of aqua-nutrition and his "wunder-wasser" Schauberger was called the "Water Wizard.' 

 

Alchemy of the Earth 

 

Nearly two years ago I began to study herbal medicine. From the beginning of the course I was introduced to semi-orthodox scientific approach to phytopharmacy, the chemical constituents, drug interactions and a fractured sense of herbalism divorced from its ancient origins and place as a primary earth orientated healing system. My heart yearned for a traditional spiritual dimension of the art. I was introduced to the Astrologer/herbalist Nicholas Culpepper (1616-1654) whose most famous work is "The English Physitian" published two years before his death. Culpepper was odd by the standards of his day, working against the medical establishment with his curious but fascinating cosmological faith; 

 

"If you don't consider the whole universe as one united body, and man an epitome of this body, it will seem strange to none but madmen and fools that the stars have influence over the body of man, considering he, be an epitome of creation must needs have a celestial world within himself." 

 

The "universal man" was a primary belief of Culpepper, a sacred energy flowed throughout creation and nature within and without existence as we perceive it. Plants, animals and humans are all affected by this energy, through exploration, extraction, implementation and balance we can enact and promote the healing process. Looking up at the dark sky at night I realized that the stars, planets and the moon were not faraway untouchable bodies but reflections of myself. I gazed at Orion, the light of Heaven or "Ur-Anna," described by the ancient Greeks as the roamer or foot-turning wanderer with a beautiful composition of stars, and slowly realized that this dancing stellar skeleton, beheld a primal version of my own being in the cosmos. Betelgeuse (the armpit), Rigel (the foot), Mintaka (the girdle or stomach), Trapezium or Thetal Ori (the heart), Bellatrix (the west shoulder), Al-nilam (an arrangement of pearls, teeth?), Al-nitak (belt), Nair al Saif (bright tip of the sword), Saif (sword), and Meissa (the shining head). Like the Goddess of creation, Aruru in the Epic of Gilgamesh, who conceived of a form of man in her mind, of the substance of the firmament, created of water and clay which was then dropped into the wilderness and called the primal or wild man "Enkidu," so, perhaps I too am a reflection of this Matriarch of creation, of divine essence, primal ingredients, minerals, stars and dark matter, animated by bright flowing energy. The Bereishitic Adam of Ha-Adamah (Earth-being formed from the womb of Earth-Mother). I subsequently discovered a 12th century herbalists spell, translated by Charles Singer which awoke me to definite spiritual aspects of the herbalists art, and identified the primordial, Goddess-Matriarch who inspires life, creation and healing; 

 

"Earth, Divine Goddess, Mother Nature who generates all things and brings forth anew the sun which you have given to the nations, guardian of the sky and of all Gods and powers...You are the source of strength of the nations and of the Gods, without you nothing can be brought to perfection or be born, you are the great Queen of the Gods...Now I make intercession to you all your powers and herbs and to your majesty, you whom Earth Parent of all has produced and given as medicine of health to all nations and has put majesty upon you..." 

 

This inspired my study of herbal medicine, and perhaps protected me from the infectious and dangerous belief that through my study of a medicine I would have that "God-like" control over the lives of others. In the spell the name of the Goddess is neither implied or stated openly which caused me concern. Maybe she has no name, being the unimaginable source of all life, but what I grasp from this prayer is the notion that time is considered circular and repetitive, existence is cyclical; the Divine Goddess is invoked as a triad representing the constant repetitions of birth, life and death, then again rebirth. She is the "One"of infinity, mentioned in the Vedic Hymn of Creation; 

 

"There was not then what is not, there was no sky, and no heaven beyond the sky. What power was there? Where? Who was that power? Was there an abyss of fathomless waters? There was neither death nor immortality then. No signs of night or day. The ONE was breathing of its own power, in deep peace only the ONE was: there was nothing beyond. And in the ONE arose love. Love the first seed of soul." 

 

I became aware of the Irish Goddess of herbs and healing Airmid, the daughter of Dian Cecht the God of Medicine. In the 2nd battle of Mag Tureadh Airmid inherits the spiritual knowledge of 365 herbs which grow from out of the body of her dead brother Miach. Airmid has since been the primary focus for invocation when it came to the application for herbal healing. Apart from these references there is very little information on the uses of herbs in Celtic culture. Lacking evidence in the Celtic-Pagan sphere of herbal arts I began to explore the early Christian use of herbs, and discovered the Benedictine monk Basilius Valentinus, an alchemist and mystic with a strong spiritual belief. Valentinus established the foundations of chemistry in the Western tradition, but his views on the nature of medicine and healing were unorthodox and fascinating; 

 

"The earth is not a dead body, but is inhabited by a spirit that is its life and soul. All created things, minerals included, draw their strength from the Earth Spirit. This spirit is life, it is nourished by the stars, it gives nourishment to all the living things in its womb. Through the spirit received from on high, the earth hatches the minerals in her womb as the mother her unborn child." 

Like many alchemists Valentinus believed that perfect human health was attainable by the administration of transformed substances from the earth, be they plant, mineral or metal. These constituents of the earth were believed to contain vital essences that are released and obtained through chemical processes. In his work The Twelve Keys Valentinus describes the extraction and transformation of such medicines for specific symptomatic conditions. The keys are highly symbolic, shrouded in mystic metaphor and symbolism, they require extensive study and analysis to decipher, but represent a deep and profound understanding of the living composition of the earth, as a body and form. 

 

Contemporary British scientist James Lovelock gives a name to this entity in a unique hypothesis: Gaia. Gaia is the earth Goddess in the Greek creation myth, and the divinity who formed the earth out of a chaotic mass. Lovelock developed his hypothesis of a living organic earth after participating in the NASA Viking project, which involved sending a complex information gathering vehicle to Mars to assess the planet for life-forms. Lovelock realized afterwards that in essence Mars had no atmosphere and hence had a dead equilibrium, contrasting his discovery with planet earth the conclusion that he come to was that earth's atmosphere provided a "far from equilibrium" state, meaning that other complex processes were happening but not apparent. His involvement with the Mars project gave Lovelock a unique perspective of earth life, almost an independent view. He began to see that Earth was not so much a planet capable of supporting various life forms but itself was a whole self evolving, living, communicating and regulating system. The processes he observed happening, types of homeostasis together with positive and negative feedback loops drew Lovelock to the conclusion that earth was a living being, whom he subsequently named Gaia, a complex, interlaced entity that defies time and space; 

 

"The name of the living planet, Gaia, is not a synonym for the biosphere - that part of the earth where living things are normally seen to exist. Still less is Gaia the same as the biota, which is simply the collection of all individual living organisms. The biota and the biosphere taken together form a part but not all of Gaia. Just as the shell is part of the snail, so the rocks, the air, and the oceans are part of Gaia. Gaia as we shall see, has continuity with the past back to the origins of life, and in the future as long as life persists." 

 

Consilience and Biophila 

 

There are many who are working within the Gaia hypothesis, inspired and intrigued by its revolutionary proposal. Since 1984 the evolutionary biologist E. O. Wilson of Harvard University has gathered various strands of studies, and brought them together in what he terms consilience in order to explain natural phenomena. Consilience in essence is theoretical ecology and a jumping together of knowledge, facts and theory across a wide range of disciplines such as anthropology, biology, zoology, philosophy, theology to investigate and explain natural laws. Wilson went further with a theory he titled biophilia. This concept holds that because humans have evolved in the natural world, their primary instinctual motives are deeply rooted in an environment of plants, animals and landscape. The gradual transference of the landscape from a natural one to a concrete suburban one has induced symptoms of stress, high blood pressure, muscle tension and other chronic disorders. Humans need the essential "touch of the earth"to be truly healthy. 

 

Vis Medicatrix Naturae 

 

The belief that humans are inextricably connected and part of natural order is defined in one of the first principles established by Dr. Benedict Lust (1872-1945). Inherent in his naturopathic system of healing (inspired by the Revd. Sebastien Kniepp) was the belief that the earth, human body and environment possess integral means of rehabilitation, Vis Medicatrix Naturae or The Healing Power of Nature, the doctor can only preserve life for a short time but ultimately it is nature that heals the body: 

 

"In all cases, and in all diseases, therefore, man can recover and again become happy only by the use of the agents of Life; man must strenuously endeavor, in his mode of living, to heed again the voice of nature's path...choose the food that nature has laid before him...bring himself again into the relation with water, light, air and earth, that nature originally designed for him..."

 

And the wild-one therapy 

 

Modern science and medicine in the Western tradition are slowly awakening, realizing and investigating these healing ways of nature. The incorporation of nature into the fabric and design of medicinal centers is what primarily concerns Dr. Roger Ulrich, professor and Director of the Center for health Systems and Design at Texas A and M. Dr. Ulrich believes that nature is important for emotional and physical health and has conducted serious research on the beneficial aspects of practical implementations such as the effect of hospital window views on individuals recovering from surgery, healthcare gardens and art on patients and hospital staff. His discoveries indicate that even 2-dimensional images of tree's have a positive impact on individuals who are removed or isolated from nature and the environment. This research has had a far reaching impact on the world wide medical profession, architects, interior designers and urban planners who now incorporate healing gardens, garden rooftops, interior plants and landscapes, and nature art into their designs. A study at Deakin University in Australia recognizes that public parks are an essential and fundamental health resource, particularly the salutary role thay play in disease prevention, lowering blood pressure, cholesterol levels, stress and depression. 

 

Dr. Howard Frumkin at Emory University Department of Environmental and Occupational Health looks forward to the day when he could prescribe nature as a treatment for conditions, saying "Spend time in the park instead of taking this medicine." This desire is in fact being made a reality, many universities and colleges such as Naropa in Boulder, Colorado are offering courses in "wilderness therapeutics" as an added healing modality to healthcare professionals such as psychologists. Structured retreats in natural settings have been found to benefit cancer patients, emotionally disturbed children, and rape victims amongst others. Perhaps we have become too civilized, surrounded by walls and restrictions of our own construction, defined by temporary and transient notions of citizenship based on certificates of ownership, employment and nationality. Our poverty is not of means but of ideas, resulting in a blind, fumbling illness. This is summed up by Janet Thomas in her book "The battle in Seattle": 

 

"The reductive challenge we face in contemporary life to describe, weigh and measure the secrets of our lives means that they (the administrative power and control of governments) lose their power, their numinous nature, their stature...Try sitting with a cedar tree for ten minutes and listening to what it has to tell you...The truth is that nature is always attracting, recovering, healing. It is our biological and psychological ability to regenerate, and when we connect to the natural world with our own reasoning, consciousness and language, together with all our other senses, we are opened up to real power." 

 

I personally realized the importance of nature in healthcare whilst I worked as a Chef at Bowden House, a psychiatric clinic at Harrow, Middlesex in England. The building is a converted ancient manorial residence situated in the grounds of a beautiful tree-laden landscape. With a nearly 100% success rate I'm sure that the surrounding peace, tranquility, gentle tree energies and birdsong contributed a tremendous amount to the patients healing process and recovery. Whilst I applaud the most recent developments in Western medicine towards the healing power of nature it also makes me despondent to realize that the ancient practitioners of the healing arts, who worked as partners of Mother Earth and were pointing out these facts since the sun first rose, were either ignored, laughed at or regarded as charlatans. 

 

Florilegium 

 

So, in terms of Druidry and the Earth Path how can we incorporate these valuable lessons into our everyday life in a practical way. Mother Earth has three primary principles to offer to anybody who seeks enrichment through positive transformation. Through the study of habitat, ecosystems, wildlife, plants, weather we can develop our sense of the knowledge of unity, that everything is connected and related yet also infinitely diverse. A simple interaction with nature initiates a healing process, a deeper study of this process is a journey into natural medicine. A developed partnership with Mother Earth through a medative process begins a heightened and broader ecological spirituality. In conclusion the Earth path offers knowledge, spirituality and healing. On a purely practical level I began to change my own life to attune myself with the "Mother." This involved doing practical voluntary work with an organization called Clean Water Action, which actively campaigns for the maintenance and support of legal standards to ensure that the water we consume is free from pollution, and meets and exceeds accepted standards of purity and health. I also joined a water monitoring group called CoCoRaHS (The Community Collaborative Rain and Hail Study) in which my little home became a registered meteorological station and I measured daily rainfall. This enhanced my appreciation for the value of natural sources of water in an area of the country which is constantly on "drought-alert." I committed myself to cycling, walking or bussing to work and participated in a scheme entitled Ride Smart Thursdays, who encourage forms of transport which reduce urban pollution. With help from the National Wildlife Federation I turned my back yard into a haven for indigenous species of plants and animals, they offer both practical advice and an online "university" with free courses in habitat creation, preservation, ecosystems and endangered species. But, the core of my personal transformation has been my study of herbal medicine, which is constantly developing and integral to my daily life, matured by studies in ecopyschology. It is all hard work but the blessings are infinite, as infinite as the divine source of creation that I am slowly coming to realize. 

 

Book of the universe 

 

One day I was one the way to visit my oak tree, anticipating the bright lunation it would bestow upon my spirit. To my horror I discovered a steel fence had been erected around the area and I feared the worst, construction workers were clearing the parkland, chopping down trees and marking out the foundations for a complex of buildings. My heart fell and I said a whisper of a prayer; 

 

O Ancient ones that tread softly through the earth 

Winged Spirits of breath across the sky from Heaven 

Musical guardians of rippling waters and ocean depths 

 

O Armies from the hive of the Queen 

Enwrap your armor around the oak 

Burnish it with fires of bronze 

 

Let its memory not fade 

Let its age not tell 

Let its wisdom prosper. 

 

And I had a vision of numerous bronze coins being retrieved from the deepest and darkest parts of the earth. The coins were strung together on a hemp cord and wrapped around the trunk of the oak tree. A sign was written on parchment in oak gall ink, the blood of the oak which cursed any man who lifted a sharpened tool against it. 

 

Of all the trees in the park the oak was one of the few to survive, later I learned that the area was to be turned into a rehabilitation and detoxification center for drug dependents and abusers. Whether my petition to Mother Earth had enabled this or the healing power of nature had ultimately planned it all along I cannot say. What is sure is that the mighty oak was now on another purpose, to heal others that had become sick, isolated and distracted from their true nature of being. And so, I leave the last word to the Italian Renaissance visionary, Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), in the Paradise of the Divine Comedy; 

 

Nel suo profondo vidi che s'interna, 

Legato con amore in un volume, 

Cio che per l'universo si squaderna. 

 

La forma universal di questo nodo

Creo ch'io vidi, perche piu di largo 

Dicendo questo, mi sento ch'io godo. 

 

("Within its deep infinity I saw ingathered and bound by love in one volume, the scattered leaves of all the universe. The universal form of this complex whole I think that I saw, because as I say this I feel my joy increasing.') 

 

Biography 

 

David Drew was born on the North banks of the river Tyne in Northumberland, NE Britian in 1964. He graduated with a Degree in Design from Plymouth University (Devon, SW Britian) in 1989. Studied Culinary Arts at various London schools including the National Bakery School at South Bank University and was the Executive Chef at the Science Museum in Kensington, London. Currently lives and works in Aurora, Colorado with his wife (a jeweler and silversmith) and a triadic coven of inspirational daughters. 

 

Earth-treasures 

 

Clean water action: http://www.cleanwateraction.org/ 

 

CoCoRaHS (Community CollaborativeRain and Hail Study):

http://ccc.atmos.colostate.edu/~hail/index.php 

 

Ride smart Thursdays: http://Ridesmartthursdays.com/ 

 

Backyard wildlife habitat program: http://www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/ 

 

Wildlife University. Free courses in habitat creation, wildlife preservation, ecosystems, endangered species, native plant and animal conservation: http://www.nwf.org/wildlifeuniversity/ 

 

Ecopsychology (free course): http://www.ecopsych.com/giftecopsych.html#start. 

 

Herbal medicine (free courses): http://www.susanweed.com/An_Article_Weed_Self-help1.htm 

 

http://www.naturalhealthschool.com/

 

Practical plant alchemy course by Mark Stavish MA (free): 

http://www.hermetic.com/stavish/alchemy/plant1.html

 

COPYRIGHT 2007 DAVID JOHN DREW