Better be sure than sorry
Better be sure than sorry ~ Is fearr deimhin ná díomá
There is time for action and time for question. There’s a time for knowing, and a time for reflection. It is no failure to find oneself in a place where you don’t have the answers. The more we allow ourselves to be comfortable and whole in times when certainty eludes us, the less danger we are...
A Good Start
A good start is half the work ~ Tús maith leath na hoibre
That's a good saying for the beginning of the year, give yourself a good start.
Whether your attitude is one of hope or trepidation for 2024, the sun will continue to rise, the days will continue to get longer. And according to the philosophy of ominous positivity, we will survive, we...
Extending Hospitality
Extending Hospitality
Our circle is extending the spirit of Hospitality in a small way to our Jewish and Muslim neighbors, and you or your group may wish to do something similar.
I have been disturbed by the aggression directed at the Jewish and Islamic communities here in the US. In the heat of international events there appear to be people...
Blue Moon: a celebration of grief
A new public ritual to process grief and grieving.
First assume that the Druids were educated...
Druidry is lifelong learning and service. Druidry respects education and academics.
"Fír Flathemon: the Truth of the Ruler" Audacht Morainn segment 3
Audacht Morainn segment 3. Fír Flathemon, the Truth of the Ruler
How Do You Say This In Irish?
Adding the Irish language into practice for a non-fluent speaker is difficult and indirect, but there are ways.
The Spiritual Benefits of Despair
Dealing with despair by facing it as a spiritual tool.
Better together, online
The benefits of pursuing spiritual practice and community online, or virtually
"Let him preserve..." Audacht Morainn segment 2
Audacht Morainn segment 2, preserving Truth, Justice and the spoken word.
Unverified Personal Gnosis: UPG
The benefits and pitfalls of unverified personal gnosis. How can we interrogate our own intuition to better trust, or disregard what arises for us?
Retreat!
Creating retreat within our daily lives, making use of the elements of retreat when we cannot access retreats at a distance.
Carry my song
Audacht Morainn segment 4; preserve my song. The meaning of the text is not to preserve concepts, but to preserve a shared experience, and to hand that shared experience forward.
Thoughts and Prayers
When “thoughts and prayers” are not enough, how can we honor consent and our own limitations to take action in the face of loss, grief, and death?
I am the Child of Poetry
A reworking of the “Colloquy of the Two Sages” to reflect a broader, less gendered reality.
The Audacht Morainn Section 3: the right audience.
Audacht Morainn, section 3 addresses finding the right audience for the wisdom of the dying Druid. This section is about how to evaluate a ruler and the fit recipient for your values.
Brig Ambue - Brigit the cowless
Blessed Imbolc to everyone! May the hope of the increasing sun inspire and sustain you. This blog post includes a link to our February charity, Brigit’s Basket Food Drive for Food Bank of the Rockies.
For many people Imbolc is dedicated to Brigit, either as saint or Goddess. In Ireland this is called Lá Fhéile Bride and is an official national...
What is our Druidry?
What is our Druidry?
It's not simple to answer the question "What is Druidry?" but it might be easier to answer the question "What is our Druidry?"
First a little background: Druids existed.
There's evidence from various historical sources attesting to the presence of a class of people called "Druids" across Europe and into England and...
Practice in Place
Practice in Place
My lecturer at University College Cork informed us that Ireland was believed to be the most densely named place in Europe, and possibly beyond. Ireland is a tiny place, really, just one third the size of the state of Colorado, yet if you visit long enough and spend time talking to local residents it seems like every large rock...
Colorado Celtic Weekly Planner 2023
Colorado Celtic Weekly Planner 2023
In 2023 the theme is: Hope!
I chose to look deeply at native bees in Colorado for this year, and there were so many more than I could put in a dozen calendars! I feel that bees are deeply hopeful not just because so many of them are simply adorable, and not just because they provide pollination for our food,...
Preserving and raising Truth
Preserving and raising Truth
In lines 6 & 7 of the Audacht Morainn it says:
6. Let him preserve Truth, it shall preserve him
7. Let him raise truth, it will raise him.
Truth is a long game. A commitment to truth only works as a long game, a lifetime strategy, a way to influence the odds.
We live in a time more significant...
Heroes can’t help us, community can
Heroes can’t help us, community can
It's so easy to love a hero, and it's so important to feel appreciated and special as a human. Maybe, especially as Americans, we are conditioned to feel like extra personal effort and courage will or should result in positive outcomes followed by adulation. It's practically addictive, sometimes to our detriment.
But...
Reclaiming our Religion
Religion is any set of actions or texts that express a metaphysical belief. A religion can have a membership of one. We are facing a democratic crisis in our country. The First Amendment, which allows us as members of the Pagan community to freely follow our own conscience, is under threat by forces of fascism, racism, and Christian supremacy. For...
Precious Connections
The sun slides toward the summer solstice, calling many of us to come together to celebrate. Or perhaps we will hold some special ritual at home. We will reach out remotely. There may be a special mead, a tea of fresh garden herbs, or a unique dish for this day!The aging sun of this year will rise at 5:30 in the morning here in Colorado. Sunrise...
Spiritual Leadership
The Audacht Morainn, the testament of a dying Druid to a new king, has at its beginning the words that encourage a messenger. "Arise, set forth, O my Neire accustomed to proclaiming. The virtue of dutifulness makes you known,Dutiful the journey you undertake,Announce, increase truth."It is the privilege of this messenger to carry wisdom, to help someone...
Full Inheritance
Paulie Rainbow
The healing power in the fullness of our inheritance
In the magical community we spend a lot of time looking for the ancient ways. We're fascinated by the archaeological evidence of folk magic, and seeming religious icons carved tens of thousands of years ago. There are entire groups that investigate the interpretations of Minoan...
New Beginnings
Paulie Rainbow
New Beginnings on the Spiral
The traditional beginning of our sacred year is Imbolc, or Lá Fhéile Bríde/Brigit's Day, but there are so many beginnings throughout the year. Our earth, moon, and season based practices provide us with endless opportunities to start anew.
It feels both very natural and surprisingly right for...
Living Values
Paulie Rainbow
Living Values
I made an important discovery in my car one day.
I don’t really care about cars. As long as they go forward, backward, and stop as indicated, I’m fine with them. To the horror of car lovers in my life, I can barely tell one brand from another.
I really enjoyed my little motorcycle, and I prefer to...
Darkness to Light
Paulie Rainbow
“Darkness turns to Light” Audacht Morainn
The phrase “Darkness turns to light” comes from an obscure bit of wisdom text, called in English, “The Testimony of Moran.”
I just turned in my extended essay thesis for my master’s program, where I propose that the “Testimony of Moran,” or the “Audacht Morainn” as it is known...
Spiritual Immersion
Paulie Rainbow
Immersive spiritual experience - taking a dip in the moonlight.
I tend to be an immersive learner. I don’t just want to read about a place, I want to go there. I struggled to read music, but I could play a piece by ear if I heard someone else play it. I learn languages best by speaking and hearing them.
In basic magic,...
Wisdom of Emer
Paulie Rainbow
The Wisdom of Emer and the search for modern meaning in medieval Irish texts
When I set out to create the Denver Celtic Women’s Circle I had some very specific ideas about what kinds of texts we should draw on to invoke the most affirming and strengthening magic in our shared rituals.
One of the texts that I leaned on heavily...
Digging the Well
Paulie Rainbow
Digging the Well - looking for the wisdom of the path
The DCWC loves doing the Hearthstone OFM once a year, it’s a fun challenge, delving into the things we love, like opening a treasure chest in the attic and looking for the perfect hat and wand out of a grand and sparkling collection!
Because the rest of the year...
Tangible Ritual
Paulie Rainbow
Tagible Ritual
Recent events have left most of us drained, or angry, or fearful.
And it is the special place of religion to provide comfort, strength, and guidance.
Thankfully, we have had the joy of the Winter Solstice, and the gradual but steady brightening of our days to offer some external signs of hope, although,...
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