My studies in Druidry

As promised, here I am with Chapter 5 of Druid Magic... In case, over the span of time that I have been neglecting my blog, you have forgotten what book I have been discussing, it's Druid Magic: The Practice of Celtic Wisdom by Maya Magee Sutton and Nicolas R. Mann.

Anyway, on to chapter 6, Druid Magus... what's a Druid Magus? It means a Druid Wise person. That is my goal. Isn't that the goal of all of us following any kind of Druid path? To me being druid means being wise. Learning the meaning of our world, learning to read what is around and you being able to make decisions on what you see and know. I dunno. Maybe that is just me. Anyway, moving on.

This chapter goes into the Discussion of the Goddess Bridgid ~ or Brigid, depending on who you ask.

In one myth, it is known that she is the daughter of Dagda and is one of the only deities known across the lands. You can find mention of Bridgid in writing of the Greek, Irish, Scottish, welsh, and more. In another tale, It is know that she is the daugher or Druid Noble, Dubhthach, and a slave mother, Broicseth. Someone born in this type of extreme delineates a special noble birth ~ an unusual being. In this story, before she could speak, she had prophesied that she herself would be the Goddess of Sovereignty over the land.



The Three Cauldron's 
In all areas of belief, it comes down to Bridgid being the Goddess of Patron of Healing, Smith-craft, and Poetic Inspiration. As Druids, we can think of these gifts as being from the Earth, the Sea, and the Sky.

• Earth: comes the gift of smith-craft or the blacksmith's knowledge of metallurgy. Metals come from the earth, the land and knowledge of this gives us power over the element of earth... the wisdom to work with it to the best of our own knowledge and skill. To be more specific, in smith-craft or blacksmithing, we learn that we can change what we see into what we need. A smith turns a hard black piece of steal into a sword, or a hammer to be used in trade or defense  Today we can take this skill to mean that we can change our ideas, our dreams, into what reality. We can manifest our dreams, our necessities into reality. With knowledge, patience and magic, we can make what we need and desire. 
• Sea: There are hundreds of healing wells across the UK, things from the old, coming from ancient Celtic tradition. All over the countries you can find these wells that have been dedicated to Bridgid... even after the Christians came and Bridgid became the Prophet Brigit, the wells are still held sacred in her name. To this day they are still held in high regard and are the target of thousands of pilgrimages a year for prayer, healing, and dedication. 
• Sky: cosmic inspiration. Need I say more? Well, ok then. Lol. She is the Goddess of inspired wisdom. She brings fourth or inspiration in all things. Brings us wisdom, poetic inspiration. The Druid word Awen is inspiration, wisdom... and this is one of Bridgid's gifts to us. 

In Druid wisdom, along with many other paths, it is knows that all things start as if from a cauldron. The cauldron in all thing is the symbol of the beginning, the womb from where we all come... the place of all beginnings. it is so here also.... another reason, it has been decided in this particular book at least and it makes sense to me, that the three aspects of Bridgid relates to us as humans... it speaks to the whole human, well rounded and healthy as we all wish to be. This is what I took from this chapter. The three gifts of Bridgid are healing, smithcraft, and poetic Inspiration. These relate to the three aspects of being human. Healing relating to the body, smithcraft to livelihood, work, caring for our minds (smart enough to take care of ourselves), and poetic inspiration as wisdom, our spirit. The book gives this comparison to other known deities...

After this part of the chapter, the book posed what I found to be interesting questions. It asked if I am complete according to the three aspects of Bridgid and I would have to say no. I work at healing but as I well know, I am much better at healing and taking care of others then I am myself, especially when times are so difficult as they are right now. Especially emotionally. I am a basket case much of the time. I am so bad at this that I know I should be meditating to help keep myself balanced and I have some amazing meditations, especially loving the ones by Phillip Carr-Gomm, but I do not do them so much of the time, putting them away and sleeping more then anything so I don't have to think about it. I am so much better when I do, but for some reason it's such a hassle until I actually get into it. Livelihood is something that comes and goes. I even went to school during my children's teen years to try to make a better life for us and myself but I have now been without any work for two years. Having to rely on others kills me and I am hoping that in light of current events (a really awesome job interview Friday) that this is about to change for the better again. Inspiration, Wisdom, Learning and knowledge would most definitely be my strength. I am great at learning, giving advise people swear by, and readings and such are wonderful as long as I don't do them for myself. See again, I am better at taking care of everything else then I am myself. I have the knowledge and the wisdom but seem to find it difficult to apply it to myself.



The Cauldron of Posey 
I am not going to go into this to much. It's much the same as above. Bridgid is known as the Goddess or Patron of the Hearth Fire, or Goddess of the Hearth and home... this explains a bit as to why. The cauldron of Posey are the three cauldron's as above described in an old Irish text the Cauldron's' of Posey. They are as follows.

The Wise Judge

Have you heard of the Brehon Law? I found this so interesting though I will just touch upon it here. The Brehon law is restorative justice rather then punishing justice. Compensaiton is given rather then punishment and all is made known. for example of someone does you wrong by stealing from you, they will have to work off what they stole and it will be made known that you must do so. In the past, under the Brehon law, if you killed someone, like your neighbors son, you had to pick up and take over this duties and more for the family to make sure that all is done and this is your payback for what you did. And, the people all know. If you do commit a crime but do not pay restitution, you are disgraced among everyone and often end up having to leave as no one wants to have anything to do with, and that is if you are not run out of town. This wisdom bids problem solving skills rather then punish and release so that people commit the same crimes again and again as they do now... and there is no compensation paid to the victims. They just suffer the loss of whatever it was and do without.. or grieve.



With this knowledge, the books ask what are the values that you live by. this is my thoughts

• Kindness to all
• acceptance of all who do not harm
• help those in need
• stay quiet and respectful until overly disrespected. 
• protect those who cannot protect themselves. 
• Be truthful without hurting others. 
• Take care of myself. 

What are the 3 most important to you? 

• Kindness to all
• help those in need
• acceptance to all who do not harm. 

Which are currently socially and politically correct? 

• I feel they all of my choice are

Which would you die for? 

• I do not know. 

Which individuals/groups strain your ability to be fair? 

• Politicians
• People who are overly disrespectful, mean, and abusive

To whom to do you have flashes of being cruel to? 

• no one, and it drives my friends and family crazy as I have been abused so often but cannot even treat my abusers badly. 

When you make a snap decision, do you regret? 

• Depends on the decision. 

Do you have an addiction that clouds your decisions? 

• yes, but not a typical addiction, not what you might think. 

Do you have a double standard towards anyone?

• No

Part of being  a Druid Magus is being a keeper of your ancestors, studying your ancestry. I'm not going to go into this as it's pretty self explanatory. 

Becoming a Druid PhD (Practicing Holistic Druid) Hee hee...

A series of questions follows that ask you to think deeply about yourself, to help you find your path, the meaning of your life, and the direction that you are meant to take. I have answered the questions but am still pondering the answers.... changes may come here so if you are interested, it might be something to check back on as I think about these questions and answers more.

What special gifts do you have?

• I see the good in everything and everyone
• Healing
• Telling the future, knowing what is to come.  

What have you learned to do exceptionally well?

• Learn/find information
• healing spells
• pendulum readings.  

What wisdom can you share with the world? 

• This is one I need to think about. With the studying I have been doing, right now I can say that I can share what I know about healing nature and it healing us. Taking care of our world as it takes care of us. Knowing that everything, all nature is alive and feels, hears, and communicates. And it's here to help us as we are here to help it. 
• I will continue to add to this ongoing if I remember too... :-) 

What do you want...

• Spiritually? 
• peace
• guidance
• to help others on their paths
• emotionally? 
• some to love and to love me
• a calmness and control over my own life and emotions
• material
• a home
• to be able to have the things i need without stress and constant struggle
• professional
• to teach children
• my store
• cognitive
• health
• social
• the ability to have and hang out with friends and family without the anxiety that I get now. 
• financial
• enough money to do what i need to do and support myself and my family. 
• physical
• loose weight
• be healthy
• what is not finished and with whom? 
• I need to get divorced from the man i have been separated from for 9 years. Finalize and closure in that situation. 
• anger towards the struggle of my life. 

Learning list: 

Read: books about magic, spirituality, Druidry

Learn: to control my own life, my emotions, career, destiny. 

Master: myself and to understand why people do what they do. 

What do you want to produce or put into the world? what do you want to leave in your name? 

• Peace, love, harmony
• teach self control
• empathy and passion
• belief in one's self as the divine. We are all divine. 

Who can help you with the last four areas above? 

I do not know. 

Bet you thought that was it, didn't you. Hee hee.. nope, not done yet. More questions, lol...

What are your abilities?

• finding things
• learning
• understanding
• working with troubled children
• gaining trust of people
• bringing people together

What resources do you have?

• Knowledge
• vendors
• people

What resources do you need? 

• money
• venue

What do you enjoy doing so much that you loose time doing it? 

• readings
• talking with people about my passion, my Druidry and my spirituality, my store. 
• working with children

What is your learning style? 

• hands on
• talking about it (hence the probably really boring blog, hee hee)

How do you go about a goal? 

• head on
• research
• planning
• talk
• write
• more planning (yes, i am a big fat planner, hee hee) 

Personal Mission Statement

I am a teacher and a healer. I find the items and people needed to help people on their paths. I am a collector and teacher of information. I am a Druid. 

Festival of Tara Code

"Instead of New Year's Resolutions, write your ethical code and live by it. Every three years, as was done at the Festival of Tara, revise your code to come more in line with your Druidic practice of justice, arbitration, and decision making."

My Tara Code: I will have faith that my future will take care of me.