This Workshop covers the basis of Druid Magick or Draíocht. In it, we discussed the "Dragon" or "Serpent" Power that is inherit in the Land. We also touch upon the many different areas of knowledge and discipline necessary to be a Druid. In addition, we discussed the Mysteries of "Death" and "Rebirth". The Major headings were:
There are many paths to Magick though only One True Magick IMHO. The Grove is a home to this Power as is the Circle and the Temple. How do we attain the Power to do Magick for ourselves and for all of humanity? Let us look to see what the Pathways were for others.The Ancient Druidic Orders is a good place to start and even toughI have discussed the Ancient orders or levels of Druids in a previous workshop, I include them here for the sake of our current discussion. Druidic Bards studied for 15 to 20 years to learn the epics, chants, spells and histories of their peoples and clans. These works were memorized exactly and were a requirement for advancement to a higher or inner level of the Druidic ranks. The works had to be rendered with feeling so that the listener would be spell bound and consequently could relive the event. The Irish Druids had the following classes of Bards:
Class # of Epics Driseg 20 (the Beginner) Foclaic 30 (Advanced Beginner) Cili 100 (Journeyman) Anraid 175 (Master/Warrior) Ollomh 175+(Doctor/Judge)
It is to be expected that the lawyers, seers, scientists, judges, and clergy of the Draoi underwent similarly lengthy training periods.
In the Christian Bible, Joseph was awarded a cloak of many colors by his father because he was beloved among all of his brothers. Due to the jealousy and greed of his brothers, Joseph was also sold into slavery in Egypt and suffered a "death" to his old way of life. Because he was open to wisdom and could perceive the meanings within signs and dreams, he became the chief counselor to the Pharaoh and rose above his death to "new life". Just as the history of the Gaels is tied to Egypt, so the rites of Druids are tied to this idea of "many colors" and rebirth. Please recall that the Mileseans descend from the Pharaohs of Egypt and that their Druids were said to be better Magi than the Persians. To be a Druid, one must learn the art of interpreting dreams, divination and eloquence. This is a mighty job and worthy of us all!
When I embarked upon the quest for my roots and for the nature of Draíocht,
I was immediately impressed by two things:
1. The Druids were acute and patient observers of Nature.
2. The Druids were the scholars and scientists of their day.
Using these two ideas, I created a color-coded series of educational levels for myself
in my quest into the secrets of the Draoi.
I believe there are five areas of knowledge in the Mysteries:
Knowledge of Self
Knowledge of World
Knowledge of Spirit
Knowledge of Magick
Knowledge of Deity.
The entire process of learning and growing never stops. As a minimum
I have required myself to know the following:
Knowledge of Self (The Blue Level)
Meditate to know the inner voice.
Know truth and abstain from lying.
Love and Be Loved.
Know the limits of self.
Identify Sexuality.
Know the life goals.
Know the body and how to maximize and maintain health.
Knowledge of World (The Green Level)
Know the physical world.
Know how the laws of Nature work.
Become Holistic with Creation.
Shape the forces of Physics and Chemistry.
Know the ways of Botany and Zoology.
Study animals, plants, insects, birds,fish,trees and rocks.
Hear the voice of the Waters and the Winds.
SEE within the Fires,
Connect with the Earth.
Know the history of civilization.
Know the laws of man.
Learn Music.
Learn Poetry and Writing.
The Knowledge of Spirit (The Yellow Level)
Know the Spirit within.
Study the Religions of Humanity.
Make a Spiritual Journey,
Leave the body and walk the Moon Ways. (OOBE)
See the origins and travels of the Spirit within.
(PAST LIFE REGRESSION)
Know the Spirit in Music, Colors, Symbols and Life.
Hear the Akasha.
The Knowledge of Magick (The Orange Level)
Read the Works of the Masters (Cayce, Crowley, Enoch, Fortune, Hermes,
Jung, Ogham, Pythagorus, Qabalah, Science, Solomon, Thelema,
etc.)
Learn to "See"
Learn to "Divine".
Learn to "Shield"
Learn to "Speak"
Learn to "Heal".
Learn to "Travel"
The Knowledge of Deity (The Red Level)
Create and lead a Ritual.
Focus the three Powers (Earth, Self, Gods).
Perform the Great Rite.
Change Reality.
Perform the rite of "Making"
Be reborn and become ONE.
After passing through all levels successfully, the Student then becomes the Teacher
and can wear the White, Multi-speckled or the Dark Robes of their choice. This is my path
to Draíocht. You alone can chose the proper path to your Inner Light of Whiteness or Darkness.
All colors are one color. All Draíocht is ONE Draíocht!
The Welsh Bardic work "Barddas" contains a description of the three Circles of Being (as conceptualized by Iolo Morganwg): Abred or the Realm of Matter (The physical world of form), Gwynyd or the Realm of Blessedness (The Magickal Astral world of Spirits), Ceugant or the Realm of Infinities (That which is the home of the God/desses and the Blessed). This is not that different from the Three Worlds of Land, Sea and Sky. These states of being are separated by three veils(in Iolo's Cosmology) that must be passed: Annwn or "Dark Forgetfulness" (This is the gap or veil that must be passed to achieve birth and rebirth in the Physical World.), Cythraul or "the Ghost" (This is the veil that must be passed to achieve enlightenment.), Lyonesse or "the Isle of the Blest" (This is the final veil that is passed when one has achieved complete enlightenment and complete growth.) "Awen" or "illumination" is like a lightning bolt that can come to us across these veils and bring us knowledge and understanding. The key to our Power and true wills is how well we are able to pass between these states of being. I will discuss some of these techniques next.
I call the first technique: Circles of Thought or The Cyclatron of the Soul. One of the marvels of modern science is the atom smasher or particle accelerator. Another name for these powerful devices is a "cyclatron". This is basically a phased arrray of electromagnetic devices that take charged particles and accelerate them to tremendous speeds around a circular field until they approximate the speed of light or at least they approach relativistic velocities. The particles are then smashed into a target and the history of the mutual destruction is observed and recorded so that humanity may unlock the secrets of the Gods. I trust that most of us here tonight have experienced this acceleration effect within the vortex of our thoughts and Spirits. We strive mightily to increase the relativistic mass of our thoughts so that we may observe their behavor as they approach God-like reality in their manifestions. Whirr and strive as we might, we are doomed to the universal restraints of our own humanity in much the same manner as nuclear physicists are limited by the universal limits of "C" or light speeds (warp Factor 1, Mr. Sulu!<G>). Such are the limits of thinking.
I have gone through the process of questing for ultimate meaning in life many times. Most of this effort has been exhausting as well as futile. Only through extraordinary efforts have I actually attained results. These results came about through quantum leaps of the mind and spirit across the "void". Since the salmon is the totem of knowledge, I call this leap the "Salmon Leap". It is very approprite to name it thus since the "void" is actually "death" and the salmon "leap" up the streams of it's birth to spawn new life from it's own death struggle. The ancients also refered to mighty feats as a "Salmon Leap". We must experience the "Shaman's Death" in order to attain our new life and knowledge. The "Salmon Leap" brings us to a New Reality and altered state of Being. Included in the initiation rites to all of the Great Mystery Schools was just such a rite of Death and Rebirth. It is my belief that one cannot accept one's Inner Self until Death itself has been faced and accepted as yet another passage. Journeying into the unknown is such an act. Coming through the "dark night of the soul".or the "Shaman's Death" purifies and releases.us so that we can experience illumination and.enlightenment. Our "darkness' and ignorance.are burned away in the flames of the Phoenix.as we are reborn into the Light! Such a wonder! The Akasha and all knowledge are there to be received! Our training and our quest are rewarded. We are a new creation!
The Dragon's EyeThe "Dragon's Eye" is another word for Earth Magick or the Power inherit to the Land that is at the root of the Celtic Soul. This is the power of Excalibur or Caliborn, the sword of Arthur. It is the "Dragon's Breath" that Merlin works with to create a Magickal Mist while using the charm of "Making". We have already seen the "Eye of the Dragon" in a previous workshop ritual. I would like to now open the floor for a further discussion by everyone here as to how we sense this Power in the Land and particularly how we sense it at many sacred sites such as "Stone Circles", Raths, Menhirs, Hills, "Ley Lines", "Stonehenge", "Avebury" or any other site of your experience. The floor is now open for Magickal discussion!Anyone else have a good story for how they've sensed the Power of the Land? How it just is laying there waiting for the call?Some time, when you can be alone for a while climb up into the moutains, my mountains are the Sierras. get up high, above treeline, and sit there, find a rock... where the wind blows all the time and just sit. it may take a while maybe an hour, maybe a day... but you will feel it.. strength more than power, but power just the same coming up form the rocks... singing in the wind... when you have got it right.. the animals will come you may not see them, the conys and the birds but you will feel them too if you are lucky. they will talk to you not in words but in thoughts. if you are ready your totem will make itself known I have found that no great preparation is neccesary but for an open heart and mind it happens for me everytime I go there which is not nearly often enough oh! don't do this in a lightning storm Beautiful! A hymn to the Mother! We can all sing the song of the Health of the Earth! She is beautiful still in some places and will be again in others as we....and I do mean we.... all get together to release the Power of the Dragon! THAT has been safeguarded for us by our ancient Shamans within the Earth. I sense that the keys for this Work are soon to be given to us all once more.Well, I can think of many times that I've felt the Power of the Land but I'll offer just a simple recent example:Last week I gave my ankle a nasty sprain, I knew that one thing it needed for healing was to walk barefoot on the land, so that's what I did in general I find that going barefoot on almost any ground allows me to feel the power of the land......I don't do it long in the snow thoughMany of the ancient sacred sites are no longer in active use. I think that the day is rapidly approaching where the Land will call us to Work Magicks at such sites. We will re-establish the "ley lines" of Power that are now just echoes of their past. These lines and sites require a Human/Dragon magickal connection to re-Power the grids that exist all across this planet. Many events occur today that point to this Work.I just wanted to comment that a few years ago I visited a more obscure stone circle and noticed by items left behind that it had been recently used. so not *all* the ancient sites are inactive and I'm glad!That's true! I believe Shadow Hawk told about feeling serpent lines of Power beneath Avebury's Circles during a visit there as well, though Stonehenge seemed inert. He told me recently that he sensed that it could come "alive" again for the right combination of persons working there. If that happened, it would have to be tended on a regular basis. Too much of the Dragon sleeps at that site. Myrdin Emyrs sleeps nearby himself! Anyone else have a "Dragon" sense?Silbury Hill?Silbury Hill is right by Avebury and is a huge Mystery.Many of the American Indians have the same legends only we call it the serpent. My great grandmother taught me to go out at night and to feel the serpent move beneath my feet and to listen to the song it made in the wind. We believe the time for the serpent to rise is here. Spirit of the people and the land. I have been a healer in my past lives we used the crystals to awaken the serpent when it was time that time is soon and I feel the serpent singing to me.Some legends say that crystals were used at Stonehenge as well. They were placed upon the tops of the lentils there to provide a Power connection. Perhaps the crystal skulls will provide an answer. I hope to see one in Miami next month.All this talk of serpents reminded me of Australia, where the Aborigines have the story of the rainbow serpent (I think it may be part of a creation myth) there they call the ley lines songlines. Bruce Chatwin wrote a wonderful book by that name that covers a lot about the Aborginal beliefsI want to check into that some more. Isn't it also amazing that everyone connects the serpent to wisdom....even the Christians do it! Though I must say hey try to make out like it was a bad thing to get smart!All peoples have stories of serpents many of them have head cult legends where the skulls were used as resonators to focus energy and to sing to the serpent to wake it up the aborigines believe this as did the mayans and the chereokes and other native peoples. I think kundalini is an extension of the serpent in the land we are all one and interconnected the power of the sleeping dragon flows through us all.
The Song of Amergin
This translation by Dr. Douglas Hyde from his work "Literary History of Ireland" was as well known to the Druids as the "Lord's Prayer" is to todays priests. It is a perfect example of the many different Magickal skills used by the Druids. It is one of my personal favorites as well!<G> I would like to use it to discuss the "many-speckled" rainbow of Draíocht! Once again I give you the words of the Bard:
The Mystery
I am the wind which breathes upon the sea.
I am the wave of the ocean.
I am the murmur of the billows.
I am the ox of the seven combats.
I am the vulture upon the
I am a beam of the Sun.
I am the fairest of plants.
I am a wild boar in valour.
I am a salmon in the water.
I am a lake in the plain.
I am a word of science.
I am a point of the lance in battle.
I am the God who created in the head the fire.
Who is it who throws light into the meeting on the mountain?
Who announces the ages of the Moon?
Who teaches the place where couches the Sun?
(If not I)"
Let's just go down the line and list the Druidic attributes used in this one spell by lines and in order (I also assigned colors to each attribute):
Attribute Color
The Powers of: Wind (Red)
Sea (Grey)
Fire (White)
Persistence (all)
Death in battle. (Black)
The Power of the Sun. (Golden)
The Power of the Green World. (Green)
Courage in extremis. (Red)
Infinite Knowledge. (Yellow)
The resting place of the soul. (Purple)
The Knowledge of Science. (Yellow)
Focus through Discipline. (White)
The Gift of Awen. (Orange)
*Draíocht*. (White)
I could write an entire page on each of these attributes but not tonight!<G> "Fire in the Head" is the name of an excellent book by Tom Cowan on the subject of Celtic Shamanism. "The 21 Lessons of Merlin" by Douglas Monroe agrees with my assignments for most of the above colors. A true Druid worn the Cloak of many Colors for festive occassions. They wore White or Black robes to conduct Magick and during ritual. A bull's hide was worn when in battle. (Sometimes they wore bird feathers and hats as well.)
This the source or result of working with Magick for Druids. It is a measure of their Power and the strength of their "True Wills". In the some neo-Druidic writings it is suggested that the students of Draíocht were awarded colored.glass beads (called Gleini na Droedh) that were strung on leather cords for necklaces. These multicolored necklaces were supposedly kept secret by each Druid and produced only to demonstrate their Authority to other Druids. Magical knowledge, discipline and practice.determined the level of Authority thus attained. This may or may not have been the case for the ancient Draoithe, but for myself, I prefer to collect feathers to show my own "Authority".