Out-dwellers and you

Artist - Brian Froud

Out-dwellers since the start of modern day paganism seems to be a much debated and discussed topic. Every group out there seems to have a different interpretation of what they represent and what they stand for in each persons lives and ritual. Some groups view the out-dwellers simply as forces of chaos that are working against their own personal practise and ritual. Others view the out-dwellers as deities they simple are not worshipping at that given moment. For me the out-dwellers can represent a wide variety of concepts but the one that stands out mostly for me is the idea that the out-dwellers represent the human emotions found in all of us, the chaos that envelopes our lives and work and those are the forces that work against us in our piety.

The Out-dwellers for me is a topic I feel doesn’t get the attention it deserves in modern day paganism and druidry. I personally feel a deep connection with nature spirits where others may find a deeper connection to the shining ones. I often feel we almost ignore our own personal issues when it comes to ritual and then wonder why we don’t feel a connection when we perform out rites. We perform magics in our rituals and we ask the divine for assistance and guidance as we walk the path of life. I personally feel it is ignorant to do these things and expect an answer while we don’t even address our own personal failings. Everyone has them but we ignore them or beg for those we want the attention from to ignore them as well. Our flaws are simply a part of us and thats okay.

The words I am using may sound and feel harsh but that is not the intent. I simply mean that deep down we are all only human. No one is above anyone else and we come with flaws. Our DNA is flawed, our lives are flawed. Our goals, our work ethics, our social interactions. They all have flaws in some way and that is one hundred percent ok. It’s ok to be flawed because there are no perfect people. What is wrong is to ignore those flaws and just to pretend they simply don’t exist. This in its self is a major flaw that we all ignore more and more.

As soon as we can get over that initial flaw though then we can embrace our other flaws and realize that in reality they are parts of us and are beautiful parts in some ways. The biggest issue a lot of people seem to lack other than ignoring their flaws is by allowing they flaws to take over and control our lives and our magics.

Iam going to start a small blog series here highlighting the various out-dwellers I feel effect us. This is just for personal reflection and nothing is meant by it. Everyone is entitled to view the out-dwellers as they see fit.

Little Rituals

Paganism to me has always been a topic of conversation I highly enjoy. What does paganism mean to you? What does it mean to be pagan in todays day and age? What makes paganism, stand out from any other religion or spiritual belief system? These questions for me always seem to boil back to the same question though of why? why paganism? What has brought me here and what roots me into this path.

I am personally a creature of habit and someone who really appreciates a set schedule and system for my week. I enjoy my Thursday night AD&D sessions with friends. I use to enjoy my Friday night Magic nights with friends. I enjoyed my Sundays with my family, etc etc. I like pattern and schedule in my life. Now do not get me wrong. I very much enjoy spontaneity. I enjoy being able to last minute decide to go out with friends or a last minute drive to Woflville for the sake of it. You may be reading this though and ask, wait… what does this have to do with paganism. Well for me Paganism isnt what I just believe. It’s what I do.

Over the last year our Grove has been fortunate enough to have been visited by the Arch Druid of ADF Jean Pagano (Drum). During his visit here in Nova Scotia we discussed a lot about bringing paganism and ritual into our daily lives. We talked about small daily rituals that he felt benefited him. and connected him to his path and this really connected with me.

It made me realize that in my day to day life small things I do over and over are what could connect me to the earth below me and ground me in a way. Something I am happy to discuss with anyone I can is shaving. Now this may sound silly but the small ritual I have created for my own personal care I found has really grounded me as a person. It lets me connect with my inner self and it calms me great. It’s also nice that shaving in general involves water which is an element I have felt very disconnected from over the past few years. I lay out my razor, my creams, my brushes each time I shave and then I perform my tiny personal ritual, from washing my face, too bringing the blade to my skin, to once again use the waters to cleanse my self. this is just one of many small rituals I perform for my self personally that connects me to something. in this particular case no Gods are involved, No spirits are thanked, this is a ritual just for me.

- Brian Larter

Ritual Baths

With the recent passing of the Super Wolf Blood Moon I had asked some friends how they planned to celebrate (unashamedly looking for fun ideas myself) one, said she was going to have a ritual bath and meditate. This sounded like a great idea and since I'd had a bath without a toddler in it, it felt VERY magical indeed.

It made me start to contemplate the ritual of a cleansing bath.Of course the bath cleanses your body of dirt...we all know that but what more can it do for you?

The idea behind a Ritual Bath is very simple. The idea being that you use the bath to purify yourself outward and inward using water, herbs/oils and intent. Usually, this is preparation for ritual but not always, sometimes you just need a good emotional and spiritual scrubbing.

This practice isn't unique to Paganism. Many religions use bathing as a means of purification. In Judaism it is known as the Mikveh. In Buddhism, they use a tsukubai to purify your face and hands before practice. Wherever you are and whatever you call it, the idea being that you focus your energy and cleans your mind, body and soul. Use the time to reflect and mediate on removing negativity.

Doesn't this sound awesome? Wouldn't you like to know how to do it? I can help!

Firstly, set the mood. Find yourself a private space with some peace and quiet. The goal is to set yourself up for success and you want this bath to be not only cleansing but empowering. You may want to light some candles or enjoy some natural light. Consider lighting a scented candle or some incense to purify the air while you relax into your warm soak.

Draw your bath and while doing so, consider hanging a satchel of dried herbs on the faucet or carefully adding essential oils to the tub.

I recommend any of the following hers or oils to be used for cleansing:

Sage

Chamomile

Lemon Balm

Sandalwood

Lavender

Rosemary

Hyssop

Sweetgrass

Peppermint

I also like to add Epsom salts to help relieve lactic acid to further purify and relax my body and thereby my mind.

Finally, you may wish to add some music or nature sounds to complete the mood.

As you soak in your tub contemplate and visualize any negativity seeping form your body. This may take some time. You will need to unwind and then begin your practice. Focus on the warmth enveloping your body. Breath deeply and enjoy the natural oils you've added. Allow your mind to wander down a path of cleansing and healing. Relax your eyes, close them and tune in to your own personal rhythm, become aware of your body's needs; recognize tensions and slowly allow them to seep away. When you feel that all of the negativity and tension has left your body, refocus on how relieving and mentally / spiritually energizing this process has been. See your body as whole and pure and when you are ready, get out of the tub and retrieve the plug to let all the negative energy go away. You should leave your tub feeling grounded and connected to yourself.

I hope yo have enjoyed this post and that you all have wonderful baths planned.

Blessed Be,

Karen

Yule Ritual

We had a lovely Yule Ritual last weekend and I am happy to be getting this post up before the 21st.

We did ritual, exchanged gifts and enjoyed making hearth protection charms.

Using wooden spoons (a sign of the hearth and common protection symbol) we carefully wrapped them in ribbon while contemplating peace, love and protection along with a couple spare giggles. We said a simple blessing “ Lend us bright blessings on this Yuletide fare, give us love and peace in equal share. With Yuletide warmth our hearths be blessed that lifts the heart of Kin and Guest”. We all took our spoons home and hung them in an appropriate place in the kitchen.

Blessed Yule everyone!

Samhain Activities

Samhain quickly approaches and among all the candies and costumes it can be easy to forget the purpose of this day — Honouring our Ancestors.

It is believed that at this time of year the veil between this life and the otherworld is at its thinnest and it is therefore easy to connect with the dead. This can take many forms but if you are looking for ideas that may be more group or family friendly here is a good place to start.

Take a walk

I know I put this in every blog but… WALKING! Take a nature walk and discuss or contemplate the nature sloughing off its colourful garb. The flowers wilt and the trees have begun to drop their leaves. The ground is cold and things are rapidly preparing for winter. Remember that this is a cycle and like the plants and creatures around you, life will return.

Host a feast

Invite family and friends around out of the cold and offer them some comfort with food and drinks. This is a great time to share stories of those who have passed. It can be reflective and morose or jovial. There is no obligation to take any one path and often one will lead to another. Celebrate those who came before us and honour them by keeping their stories and memories alive.

Review and share photos

Bring out the old photo albums and sit with friends and family to talk about “that time when…” it can be a great way to remember our ancestors. You may even become inspired to create a collage or scrapbooking page for your altar.

Create the change you want

This is also a good time of year to let go of things. If you have a bad habit, feeling or activity that you would like to let go of, there is no time like the present. If you want to bring it into ritual or even just make the letting-go seem more tangible you can write it on paper and burn it or you can collect all the items that bring you to that action and discard (or donate) them.

Dance and Sing

Many people find that they feel a greater connection to their spirituality by moving or singing. Dig out some music that helps you connect and embrace what your body needs in that moment. This is extra fun to do with friends but I am a big fan of what I call “Solo Dance Parties”. This can also be a great way to shake off some of the impending winter blues and help you to remember that Death is a part of the cycle. It is just as important as Birth and embracing that is the reason for the season.

How ever you choose to celebrate please do it safely and take care of each other. Give thanks to the beautiful Autumnal world around you in whatever way feels best for you; your family/friends and your Groves. If you are alone, be mindful of your body (and mind’s) needs. If you are in a group, help those around you but never neglect yourself. This can be a trying time of year for some but remembering it is all part of the natural cycle will help to strengthen everyone.

Blessed be

The Grove does The Corn Maze

For the past couple years our Grove likes to hike up our rubber boots; get in the car and drive our sorry city butts to the Riverbreeze Corn Maze. It is always a blast for the kids and some good exercise and fresh air for the old folks.

Here are some lovely pictures of some of the fun we got to have.

Sharing this time with the extended family always renews my connection and recharges my batteries. I am so lucky to have them all in my life <3

Hiking & Sage Harvesting

HEY! Remember when I wrote that blog about Harvesting Sage in September and how to make your own sage bundles? (No — Here, I will help: http://novascotiadruid.com/?p=864) Either way, we finally got to do it as a grove.

It was a fantastic day where we did a little hike in a local park and then we all came back to the Larter house to pick, bundle and tie up our very own sage bundles. We also had BBQ and someone was nice enough to bring clay for some bowl and goddess making which I will totally have to revisit another time.

Needless to say this was a resounding success. Everyone enjoyed themselves. We all got a little exercise; some time to commune with nature and we enjoyed the companionship of our amazing grovies.

I would encourage you to push for things like this with your own groups. I have been on a week long high from spending time with people who warm my heart and doing this that enrich my soul.

P.S. For your viewing pleasure, I tried to take a selfie…

Making your own Sage Bundles

Smudging is a widely used practice to cleanse the body, mind or space of any negative energy. There are several herbs that can be used and several ways to smudge but the most commonly used in our grove is a Sage Stick.

Light the stick and once you have achieved a decent burn you can extinguish the flames and let the sage smoulder. Using your hands, you guide the smoke around and over your body or space to be purified and through ritual or meditation you fill that clearing with your intent and fresh energy.

With this being our most common practice, I started to grow Sage in the garden and dry it to be used as offerings and for smudging. This year I am making my own Sage sticks and I wanted to share that experience with you.

I had sage from a couple years past that needed pruning so you will see both youngling plants and some that have clearly been around for a couple of years in this post. Once the sage is fully grown and ready to be picked you can trim the stem back about half way or, pluck leaves if you are looking to have loose herb. The best time to do this is late summer or early fall but my older plants were wild and crazy so I jumped the gun a little.

Making your sage bundle:

Once your have sized up your stems (I like to keep my sticks about 3-4 inches) you can then begin the binding process. (Note : I like to allow freshly cut branches to wilt for a day or overnight before beginning the next step.)

Bundle the branches together to your desired thickness (I go about an inch)

With the tips of the branches pointing down, begin wrapping the cord tightly around the base of your bundle. I use a natural twine or hemp cord for my bundles but many people prefer to use brightly coloured string. You will need about 4 times the length of your sage bundle.

Then, wrap the cord around the bundle (while firmly pressing the plant material together) working your way to the top of the bundle

When you reach the top, begin working your way back down toward the base.

Tie the two ends of the cord together at the base.

Trim the edges if you’d like to make it look all nice and neat.

Set the smudge stick to dry in a basket or on a drying screen for about 7-10 days. Alternatively, you can use a food dehydrator to speed up the process and have your bundles ready in a couple of hours.

In my garden, Sage seems to grow like a weed so this is a simple process for me. This is a fun activity and can be done in quiet contemplation or as a group/ family activity. It is enjoyable, productive and you can use it all year long for ritual. I would encourage you to give it a try but also to share your sticks with grovies, family and friends so that everyone can enjoy the fresh scent of sage and its purification properties.

Best of luck and enjoy!

The Nova Scotia Druid's Beltane 2018 Celebration

We had a fantastic sunny day for Beltane. It was a little chilly with the wind but that didnt stop us from dancing out Maypole!

Take a look, enjoy and I hope you had as lovely a day as we did.

Beltane with the Family

Image Source: Carlotta Marie Bonnecaze (1887)

Fertility and sexuality are natural parts of life. There are few times in the druid calendar that would traditionally better suited to celebrate one’s sexuality than Beltane. Once upon a time, this might be celebrated with couples enjoying a good dance around the May Pole and even a bit of  coupling in the Forests. But as natural as this is, it is not for everyone, particularly those with young children who are not yet ready for the complex topic of human sexuality in its many facets.

Don’t worry momma, you can still  go a-May-ing during naps…;)

Beltane offers us many types of fertility to celebrate. Notably is the return of all things green and beautiful after the long cold winter. Let’s look at a few “ family friendly” ways to celebrate this turn of the wheel.

1.      Making flower baskets or crowns to wear and share. This is a fantastic opportunity to teach your children about respecting and appreciating nature. It is also a fantastic crafting session where they will learn to work with their hands and build something beautiful. They can either keep their creation or share it to brighten someone’s day.

2.       As always, and for all Druid celebrations I would encourage you to get outside. Have a nice walk and maybe bring a journal to jot down or draw all of the new life you see emerging around you. Take turns identifying the flowers and trees. This is another great learning opportunity for all.

3.      Beltane tea party is a great opportunity for children to celebrate. Your children may not be ready to view prolific drinking or blatant adult content but there is no reason they can’t  join in to celebration.. Why not host a beautiful Beltane Tea?  Use bright colours and fresh flowers to decorate your table and enjoy a little bit of nature inside or out with some sweets and tea. Don’t forget to share with the faerie folk, they love treats.

4.      If your children are a bit older and you are comfortable having them around fire why not stoke a Bale Fire. You can discuss the turning of the wheel while making s’mores and enjoying the fresh night air. (Just be sure to check burning restrictions in your area)

5.      Beltane is a wonderful time to set out goals. Have your family write down and place their goals in a box and kept secret until the next year when you can revisit those goals and celebrate or reestablish your plan. Encourage anyone who wants to discuss to share and be supportive of their desires to grow like the new spring flowers. Your family is your  greatest asset and can be an amazing source of support if you all practice.

These are just a few idea, but there are many more things you can do with your family.

Don’t be afraid to discuss sexuality once you feel the time is right. There are many resources online and in books to help with this difficult topic ones you and your child are ready.

Best of luck to you all and Blessed Beltane