I haven’t written much lately. I should take more time for quiet contemplation.
Look deep inside
Seeking begins here
Within, not without
Be still and listen
Cry not “I am lost!”
But walk your own path
Take up lantern and staff
Hermit wandering the night
In quiet contemplation
Seeking here and there
New wonders await the one
Whose eyes are open
Look!
Amidst the fear
Of doing
Of not doing
In the mental turmoil
A thought surfaces
And all is in stillness
A piece of the puzzle
Falls into place
An interesting thing I’m noticing is how a quiet mind can result in poetry. Whether it’s through meditation, knitting or repetitive computer games where I don’t really have to think. For example, last week I was sitting at my shrine meditating. In ADF we have the Two Powers meditation. I was pondering how easy the Two Powers are to access. Suddenly, I got this bit of poetry.
Does the sun not shine its rays upon you?
Do the stars not shine in the night sky?
Is the grass not wet with the morning dew?
Is the ground not moist after rain has fallen?
Other times something I’ve been reading about/studying becomes a poem. I’ve been reading about the Airts, their associations and uses in ritual. I came up with this while in the bath.
Turn to the West, to the Sea
Where the waves flow endlessly
Sun sinks below the horizon
Reddened leaves fall from the trees
A boat moves toward the shore
Propelled by neither sail nor oar
Who is the one who stands aboard?
It is Manannan mac Lir, of course!
One foot on land, one foot in the sea
Beneath the grey sky, we call to thee
Join your magic with ours to open the Way
As we do the work of the Wise this day
I know it has been a while since I have posted anything. I need to sit down and write more often.
Up many steps at the top of a hill
A bowl of fire sits on a pedestal
Standing in a circular stone pool
I climbed until I reached the height
Drawn on by a fire burning bright
To lay eyes upon the sacred sight
There I danced in joy and reverence
Feeling a hint of the Lady’s presence
Spirit lifted by divine radiance
Soon it was time for me to retire
Nudged I lit a torch from the fire
A divine flame that will not expire
I climbed back down to the land below
As the drumbeat continued to slow
I opened my eyes in the world I know
Well I didn’t get this written before the Equinox, which was 2 days ago here. I did a ritual for that using the ADF Core Order of Ritual. I only slipped up once, but managed to regain my composure and get the rest done without any further issues.
So, as the post title says, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about Balance. With day and night being equal on the Equinox, it’s a good time to think about things in our lives that need to be brought back into balance.
A big thing for me is spending too much time alone. I do need my own space, but I can have too much of it. I need to spend more time out of the house. I go swimming a couple times a week, that helps. The local sport organisation just moved their small gym to a place 10 minutes walk from my house, so I can start going to that again. Plus I will get in better shape, which I need.
Have a think about what is out of balance in your own life, and what steps you can take to improve the situation.
This is one of those poems that comes out of nowhere saying “write me now!”
Golden haired
Dancer in the night
Daughter of the Flame
Shining eyed
Star forged
Birthed eons ago
Sun by day
Stars at night
See her many faces
Her light spans
Across the ages
Journeys to many places
Golden haired
Dancer in the night
The daughter of creation
To hunt!
Stalking through the forest
Muscles taut with power
Revelling in the chase
The catch!
Hot blood fills the mouth
Feeling the prey submit
As its life fades away
Hunted!
Creeping through the forest
Alert for signs of danger
Snapping spurs to action
Too slow!
Sharp teeth grip skin
Body slumps in submission
Consciousness fades away
I’m currently working my way through the Ár nDraíocht Féin (ADF) Dedicant Path. So writing about how I came to Druidry, and what it means to me, is a good topic for one of my first posts.
Nature Reverence.
I believe nature to be sacred. My reverence for nature led me to choose an earth-based path. It has helped my understanding a bit of how people are connected to their ancestral lands, sacred places and the spirits that live there. I would like to one day visit some of the sacred sites in Britain and Ireland. I believe that we, as humans, need to do what we can to protect and preserve nature. There are small things each of us can do. Although they can seem insignificant, they all add up. Recycle, use less water, less electricity, leave the car at home and walk or cycle if you’re not going far. Get involved in activism, support an organisation that is making a difference. I support Greenpeace. I can’t give them a lot, but it adds up.
Honouring the Deities.
Shining Gods and Goddesses, wisest and mightiest. I feel the greatest connection with Brighid and The Morrigan. During a full ADF rite offerings are made to the Shining Ones (Deities) as a whole. I work with the Gaelic (Irish) pantheon, so they are the ones I call. There are also offerings made to the Beings of the Occasion. For example: at Lughnasadh I made offerings to Lugh and His foster mother Tailtiu. I even wrote a poem for Them.
Honouring the Ancestors.
Mighty Dead, Ancestors of blood and spirit. I have issues with honouring my blood ancestors. Ancestors of spirit I relate to a lot better. Friends who have passed to the other side, who were like family to me. Those gone before who I share a calling with.
Spirits of Nature.
Noble Ones, with whom we share the worlds. I have yet to find a nice quiet place to work on my nature attunement, so I don’t have much to say about this yet. I offer to them in ritual, as to the other two Kindreds.
Regaining a sense of wonder.
I think we, as adults, can lose a lot of our sense of wonder. There is a lot about our world that is truly amazing. That this planet, out of all the ones we have discovered, can be home to such a complexity of life. That we can create so many amazing things, both through science and art. The weird and wonderful creatures, plants and places in nature. It’s all there, if we look.
Most of my poetry is devotional, especially to Brighid as She inspires me.
I was sitting in Dad’s back yard with the cats two days ago, when I decided to try writing some haiku. I still have things to learn about subject and form, but I think I at least got the 5-7-5 syllable form right. The first one was 3-5-3.
Clear blue sky
Not a cloud in sight
Sun shining bright
The sky is a sea
Clouds sail lazily like ships
Going to and fro
Under a clear sky
Gazing up from the lake bed
Sunlight filters down
Old iron fences
Showing signs of wear and tear
Monuments to time
Old tree standing high
Reaching up toward the sky
Watching the birds fly
Sleek cat crouching down
Eyes to sky where birds abound
All flitting around
To push through the fear and do what is right and necessary.
To use the energy of anger constructively, instead of being consumed by it.
Emerald's Ramblings 