Sunday, December 23, 2012

Ritual Recap #1: Yule

So I haven't posted in a while, but I haven't fallen off the wagon. Yes, I let my DP work slide. However, I've retooled my schedule for the work, going forward.

Outstanding items:
  • Performing my First Oath Rite (Week#2). I've written the oath, and it's published here. I'm going to use the sample ritual in the DPttWoY booklet. I'm hoping to do it tomorrow, as I'm off work and I just picked up a very nice new Well and Tree in the Cedarlight Grove  auction last night.
  • Writing up my Yule essay (Week #3). The difficulty here is including too much information, and in finding information about how the ancient Irish may have celebrated the solstice. There are a few monuments, such as Newgrange, that line up with the sun rise (or in one case, IIRC, the sunset) of the winter solstice.

Week #4 is the first ritual recap. For me, this is Yule. I attended the Cedarlight Grove ritual last night. Our deities of the occasion were Thor and Freya. Heimdall was the Gatekeeper, and the rest of the ritual was in keeping with the Norse theme. We processed in singing "The Holly and The Ivy", a little off-key (I think singing in Pagan ritual wouldn't sound so pathetic if people would just go for it. Mumbling the words quietly so no one else can hear you singing doesn't really give a good effect. I'd have sang a bit louder myself if I could have seen the paper to read the words).

It was cold and very windy, and I'm a spoiled Wiccan who likes to have her rites indoors most of the time. However, there were two or three roaring fires, and I stood next to one of them. We arrived very late and missed the pre-ritual briefing and time to stake out a chair, so we had to stand for the whole ritual. That wasn't very fun... however, the Cedarlight ritual crew brought such mirth to the ritual, that I couldn't stay in a bad mood for long.

The Grove offered a beautiful hammer to Thor, and I enjoyed the creative use of multi-colored twinkle lights around the Tree to symbolize Heimdall's rainbow bridge. The sounding of the horn was comical, because it's really difficult to get a decent sound out of one of those horns! The lore of the season was imparted by a cute little play about Thor, Freya, and the Yule Goat. I was not aware of this Yule Goat thing before, so that was new.

Many brought praise offerings to the Gods. I did not, partly because I was in a rushed hurry to get things together for ritual (most of which was my own fault), and partly because I don't work with Norse Gods and don't feel much of a connection to them (despite my genetic ancestry being about 80% German). I did promise myself that I would take the time to bring offerings for Imbolc. While that will be easier, since Brigid is my patron, it will be my third Grove ritual (and hopefully my first as a Grove member) and it's just getting rude to show up and not have something for the Gods.

It was difficult to hear the Omen, as it was very windy, and I was all the way on the other side of the ritual space from the folks doing the Omen. The Yule Log was burned as a sign that the sacrifices had been accepted, and they were. With all the expensive beer flying around, I'm not surprised! This may only be my second Grove ritual, but this group does not stint on honoring the Gods.

The Gates were left open for the all-night solstice vigil, and we all went back inside for feasting and a fundraising auction. I won a little Well and a little Tree, photos of which will show up in a few weeks when I do the Home Shrine work. I also got an Isis Chalice for my husband, who works with the Egyptian Pantheon. And we had a lot of fun randomly talking about Doctor Who with one of the Grove members (whose name I will catch next time!)

So summing up...
  • Positive ritual impressions: Norse pantheon work was interesting, as it's not my hearth culture. The printed ritual program allowed those of us who aren't really familiar with ADF rituals to follow along. Ritual space decorations were pretty. I definitely felt like I was walking with the Old Ones. And fire good.
  • Not-so-positive ritual impressions: It was COLD, and once my toes started to go numb I found myself distracted from the praise offerings. I also had to stand up the whole time because there weren't enough chairs. It was hard to read the program because it was dark and I didn't have a flashlight. And it was hard to hear much of what was going on, I assume because of the wind, because the ritual space isn't all that large.
Lessons learned:
  • I need to arrange things to get there early enough to hear the pre-ritual briefing. We were lost because we were late. We got no chairs because we were late. We had to park halfway down the street, and I didn't really get enough chance to ground myself prior to ritual. We were late because I didn't account for traffic on the way home from work, changing clothes at home, and rushing to Home Depot to pick up hand warmers. So going forward, I need to budget in an hour to get home from work, and everything needs to be ready to go. No stops for supplies and cash.
  • Flashlights are good. If I pick us up a couple small clip-on book lights, those can easily clip to a piece of clothing and allow us enough light to see the ritual program without being distracting to others. I gave up following along after about 5 minutes because I couldn't see to read.
  • If I want to talk to Grove leadership about joining up, it's going to have to be during a Sunday Rites of Caffeina, because it was an utter crush last night. I guess I should have expected that, as Yule is a popular holiday. And I want to get to the Rites whenever I'm not working, so that's not a hardship either. I was just sorry I didn't get more of a chance to socialize and ask questions.
This is not a verbatim piece of the ritual write-up I will submit with my DP documentation, as I haven't gone into detail on the COoR or anything like that. And I'll probably edit out some of the personal comments for length. I did really enjoy myself, and I'm glad I dragged myself out in the cold for it, because I didn't have anything planned to do alone at home and that would have pushed my year of rituals for the DP back again. However... going forward, I need to put more effort into planning praise rituals and participating in ritual. I know what's expected now, so there's no more excuses except laziness.

Blessed Yule! Hail the Gods!

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Week 2: The First Oath

Ever so slightly behind in my quest to keep up with the weekly work assigned in the DPttWOY booklet, but that's ok.

The First Oath is something that I wrote out, but never actually performed in all my attempts at working through the DP. Maybe there's a message there. I don't know. At any rate, below is the text of the oath I'll be reciting. I'll utilize the simple ritual included in the DPttWOY booklet for taking the first oath, and journal on that once it's done, which should be Friday or Sunday this week.

Some of this is taken from the oath text in the booklet, some is taken from the "The First Oath" article written by Ian Corrigan available on the ADF website, and some is my own words.

My oath text:

I, Dragonfaerie, Wiccan, ADF Dedicant, and Priestess of Brigid, do declare before the world and the Otherworld that I will be a keeper of the Old Ways. I will seek to understand my own spirit, the ways of the world and the ways of the Gods, Goddesses, and Spirits. 

With this holy oath, I set my foot upon the path of learning Druidry, and I swear these things:


That I will seek virtue in my life and deeds. That I will seek to live well and to do right in wisdom, honor, integrity, and diligence. That I will strive always to keep piety, to observe proper rites and works and seek to perfect my personal practice.

That I will do right by my chosen kin, my friends and community. That I will make my Paganism a part of each day, and to seek to blend all parts of my journey into one balanced, fulfilling path.

That I will work to learn all I can about the Old Ways, by studying the remnants of the past and seeking the opinions of learned people, so that my work may be strengthened. That I will listen to my intuition, to the words of the Gods, and not be afraid of the path simply because it is overgrown or untrodden at times.


Before the Gods and Spirits, and before these witnesses, these things I swear. Biodh se!

Friday, November 16, 2012

Week 1 of "The Dedicant Program through the Wheel of the Year"

A Quick Introduction...

So, this is about my 5th or 6th time attempting to get through the Dedicant Path work since I joined ADF. In the past, I've run into many snags that dropped me off the wagon: mislaying my journal and other materials, illness, work issues, and procrastination.

I'm hoping this time it sticks. I've changed my outlook on the DP, and my approaches towards completing it. I want to utilize Michael Dangler's excellent "The ADF Dedicant Program through the Wheel of the Year" booklet because it directs the student to carve out regular time to complete spiritual work -- something I've been sorely lacking over the past several years.

And I'm already a little behind in terms of the schedule I've worked out for myself, but only by about a week. I didn't make it to Cedarlight Grove for the Samhain ritual (and didn't have a viable back-up plan in place to do a ritual at home), so now I'm a ritual longer in completing the work, but that's ok.

This blog, linked to the Gmail account that I utilize for ADF email lists, will house my DP work over the next 12 months. I hemmed and hawed about putting it online, but you can't misplace a blog. Plus, this is all stored on the cloud, so it's unlikely to get zapped (though I will be saving off copies on my external hard drive at home, just in case).

After completing the DP, I hope to go on to other training programs, and plan to house that work here, too. For now, this place will be solely about my Dedicant work. The name, Spiraling Flame, honors both the spiraling journey we take through life and my patroness, Brigid.

Without further ado, my journal reflection on Week #1 of the DPttWOY (this is the acronym I'll use to save time in the future):

Week #1 Homework

Why have you chosen to take the first steps on the Dedicant Path?
I want to learn the path of ADF Druidry, and I want to take other training courses offered by ADF. The DP is the gateway to that. Druidry can enhance my path of Witchcraft and will bring me a step closer to building a path of Celtic Witchcraft that is inspired and embraces the old ways and practices rather than just being "Wicca with Shamrocks".

Is this a step on your path, or will this become the Path itself?
Both, I think. Learning Druidry is a step on the path I believe I'm on, but it's also a viable practice in and of itself. I like the emphasis on honoring the Gods and forging strong relationships with them, which I find is lacking from a lot of contemporary approaches to Witchcraft which envision the Gods as archetypes rather than as some sort of distinct beings.

What do you expect to learn?
I never "expect" anything, but I would like to learn about the Irish Gods, how the Ancestors honored them, and how I might add those ideas to my practice. I expect to find some way to put together regular devotional practice. I expect to come away with a deeper understanding of myself, how I view my spiritual journey, and how Druidry can inform that.

What would you like to get out of this journey?
Fun. Wonder. I'd like to learn some new things, feel more confident in my relationships with the Gods. Learn  how to put into practice things I've reading about and only wishing I could do. I'm hoping to become grounded again, after feeling lost and drifting for a few years. I still love Wicca, and I still consider myself Wiccan, but I've come to realize that I need more, spiritually, than I was getting out of my practices of Wicca. I needed to add something new to the mix.

Do you know where this path will take you?
No clue. I've learned that it isn't wise to chart the trip too tightly, or you miss a lot of scenery and serendipedous missteps along the way. I know, roughly, what direction I'd like to be heading in, but I intend to stay loose and go with the flow, and see where the roads and rivers take me through this forest.

If you have been in ADF for a long time, why are you starting only now?
I've actually started the DP several times over my time in ADF, only to flame out a few months into the process. Although the "Wheel of the Year" booklet isn't a mandated way to take the course, I like that it breaks things down into small chunks per week. I need to develop a more regular spiritual practice, instead of working in fits and starts as the mood takes me, so having regular work every week is a way to meet that goal.

On the other hand, it is a bit like falling off the wagon when I end up getting distracted from the work for weeks on end. I have a bad habit of putting my spiritual needs last, and then being bitter about that. I'm hoping this time, it sticks. I've changed approaches and attitudes, I'm starting to attend functions at my local Grove... I want to go through this work now for the sake of doing the work and recentering myself, and not necessarily because I want to do other training programs. Yeah, I do want to do other training programs, but I've come to realize that the DP isn't the entrance exam to those things. It's country I need to travel through before setting off on any other journeys.

Does it look hard or easy?
It looks challenging. But that's good. If it was easy, everyone would do it, and pagan paths are never easy. Sometimes there's smooth sailing, but these aren't paths for people who want everything spoon-fed to them and wrapped up in gilt boxes. But it doesn't look overly hard or demanding, either.

Which requirements appear to be difficult to you now, and which appear to be easy?
The easiest things are often the hardest... attending the 8 high day rituals looks easy, until you hit a roadblock. Like you plan to attend Grove ritual, but something comes up, and you didn't plan for ritual at home. So you let it slide. This is how it goes with me, and it's one challenge I'm approaching with different strategies this time around.

The reports and such look difficult, but only because I tend to overachieve. Reading a few books or doing a little research isn't hard, but I'll need to resist my temptation to write a dissertation on everything. The DP reviewers don't want 100+ pages of material to review.

Meditation and visiting my nature spot may or may not be difficult. It depends on how successful I am at carving out regular time to work on my spiritual things, as opposed to just laying on the couch and watching TV or thumbing through a book. I get tired at night and my motivation isn't always there.

Do you have doubts, questions, or concerns that you need to ask about?
I do have serious doubts that this time, things will "stick". But I need to press on through all that. I'm definitely hoping to get a mentor once I formally join the Grove this weekend. I need someone to be available to give me a kick in the butt when I'm getting too bogged down in other things. I think the requirements are straightforward, and as long as I remember to be concise and not write term papers, and to not neglect my spiritual work in favor of too much couch-potato time, I'll be fine.
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