In a bid to actually focus and finish the Dedicant Path, I’m keeping this online journal to consolidate all my thoughts and writings on my path and to document my growth as a Druid and a Pagan.
Exit Standard for Required Readings
From the website: Short book reviews on at least: 1 Indo-European studies title, 1 preferred ethnic study title and 1 modern Paganism title. These titles can be selected from the recommended reading list in the Dedicant Program manual or the ADF web site, or chosen by...
Exit Standard for High Days
From the website: Short essays on each of the eight ADF High Days including a discussion of the meaning of each feast. (125 words min. each) Additional notes:
Exit Standard for Documentation
This is directly from the website: Written discussions of the Dedicant's understanding of each of the following nine virtues: wisdom, piety, vision, courage, integrity, perseverance, hospitality, moderation and fertility. The Dedicant may also include other virtues,...
Week 24 and beyond
Since I'm doing energy work and meditation on an ongoing basis, it's enhancing my clarity about things. I guess the key word is 'mindfulness'. My spiritual path is a daily part of my life, and as busy as I am in some ways, I am calmer and more peaceful, with a...
Ancestor Altar
This altar not only incorporates my family lines on both my Mum's and Dad's sides, but also our ties to Scotland and the home country, and my non-human lineage as well. My family is from Scotland on both sides of the tree, but my Mum is 1st generation American, so my...
Week 23 Meditation
For my final week of the meditation requirements, but not of my meditation practice, I'm going to return to my core type of 'meditation' - shamanic journeying. As I've gone through the weeks and looked at many different types of meditation, it's expanded my knowledge...
Week 22 Meditation Recap
I still did not do this in the shower. I still am having trouble being swept away, if I do not focus on becoming the stone, the creek bed, the land surrounding the stream. I think this is a meditation I need to continue. It does help me with cleansing, but I don't...
Week 22 meditation
This is a guided meditation, at least at first, that I intend to work with for some weeks. It has great value, and it is helping me see where I am very weak, and need more work. Again, I have a foundation problem; I tend not to be grounded or belong anywhere, and this...
Week 21 Recap
Journeying always works for me; it is the most consistent mental training and practice I have. It brings healing, joy, calm and Teaching; when the 23 weeks of qualification are done, this will be an enduring part of my weekly practice. In looking back, I also will do...
Week 21 Meditation – back to journeying
This week, I'm highly stressed, so I'm going to do, at least 4 times this week in addition to the meditation for the ADF class with Jessie Olson, a series of journies to the Upperworld to visit my Sacred Grove. I need the peace and the healing. That will be the whole...
Week 20 recap
This was an interesting meditation. I don't necessarily resonate with Thoth, but, I am working on opening my heart chakra and this meditation had a nice feel to it. Since this was a 'guided' meditation, I only performed it once, because I don't generally like guided...
Not sure how I feel about this
On the lists, a new member asked a question about working with pets in ritual, and in how the members responded, I could see that my mindset was completely different, and potentially misunderstood. In fact, I considered some of the responses decidedly odd. One person...
Week 20 Meditation
The meditation I'm working on for this week is from the teaching coven, Sacred Mists; they have a whole section in their BOS covering meditations, and I just picked one that called to me. It's called 'Rose Journey - Power Animal Meditation'. First of all, I had a...
Week 19 recap
Well, I never got to the second meditation this week. The only Two Powers I did was the guided meditation this week at the ADF class on WizQ; but I did do other energy work.
Week 19 – Revisiting the Two Powers
This week, in honor of starting the ADF WotY study with Rev. Jessie Olsen, I decided to revisit the Two Powers meditation at least once beyond doing the guided meditation as part of the class.
Week 18 Recap – Entering Tranquility
This was easy to do, and I liked it. In addition to this, I also included what is known as a 'warding posture'; it starts with the basic pose, but the arms are in front of you, and your hands are stacked one on top of the other, blocking the solar plexus. I found it...
More Gaelic Folklore for both Scotland and Ireland
From the 11th century, the Christian eve of All Saints is referred to in Gaelic as Féile na Marbh, or, the festival of the dead'. The night of Samhain, in Irish, Oíche Samhna and Scots Gaelic, Oidhche Samhna, is one of the principal festivals of the Celtic calendar,...
Scottish Practice and Folklore for Samhuinn
Samhuinn (Samhain in Irish) is the time of the 'little sun'. Astronomically, it is a time when the seven stars that form the Pleiades rise at sunset, and the harvest is in. Seasonally, all plants and berries are gathered from the hedgerows, and cattle have been driven...
Note to self on wisdom
HA - lovely discussion today on an oracle study chat on the topic of wisdom. I'm writing this down, because I realise all this study and work I'm doing for ADF, looking at the virtues, and examining my feelings and thoughts on things really are increasing my...
Week 18 Energy Work practice
For Week 18, and the next few weeks, actually, I'm going to be focusing on my energy work, sort of physical side of mental training, meditation, energy management. Many of the next few things I'm going to work with are from Eastern practices, especially Tai Chi. I...
Week 17 Meditation wrap-up
I'm glad I continued the chakras. I NEEDED to do this. I'm still working with this energy on a continuing basis, however; my root chakra is very off-kilter right now.
Week 17 Meditation / Mental Discipline
Well, this week I'm going to break my 'rule' and continue the same meditation on Chakra cleansing I began the week before. The reason is, i feel I need it. I want to do this meditation at least twice this coming week.
Week 16 wrap-up
First, I only did this exercise once this week. I probably should have done it more frequently, seeing what I experienced, but, I've decided to go ahead and do this again this coming week, and not change the meditation, like I usually do. I discovered that, prior to...
The Actual Week 16 Meditation Practice and Sources
Conveniently enough, this method requires no tools, no stones, no gadgets and no special preparation. If you have any of those things, you can use them to clear Chakras. In Alberto Villoldo's great little book, The Four Insights, he describes this method of chakra...
Week 16!! Meditation
I can't believe I'm on week 16. This is actually very hard, and I'm starting to grind again. I'm determined to make it through - I'm more than halfway! For this week's practice, I'm going to do this exercise AT LEAST TWICE. It's something I learned from a Shaman named...