The Path of Druidry Ch. 2

Chapter 2 delves more into getting started with communing with nature, getting out into the natural world where ever you may be. If you are in the city, you can still find nature in a park, or even just by having plants, a balcony garden, something of the sort where you can go to be quiet and peaceful.

Walking, as many of you may already know, can be like a meditation. Walk with clarity and open mindedness. See what you cannot see. Listen to the sounds, feel the air, the area, the spirits, the animals and plants as you walk. Refrain from using your eyes so much as we have already learned to depend on them to the point of missing the things that lie deeper. Walk with your "soft eyes" on so that you feel and hear what is around you. Do not depend solely on your vision.

To get started, concentrate on breathing, bringing yourself into a meditative state. Do not go completely under, remember, you are going to be walking in nature. You need to be safe first and foremost and not watching where you are going is not safe. This is a time to "get out of your head" and focus on what is around you. Hear, touch, and feel what is happening around you as you walk.

Sacred space is a key word in this chapter and it is defined as any space around you which you help high. Any space can be sacred and as a druid, generally we consider all space sacred.

The book goes on to talk about the guardians of the place, the older more mature trees that have been around to watch over all around would be considered guardians of the territory. Are there any in your area? Do the feel different then other trees  Does the space around them feel different? Can you feel what energies stronger from some trees then others?

The chapters discusses it's idea of the different realms, heaven, etc using Annwn, Arbred, and Gwynvyd. It talks about the circle with Annwn in the middle, the cauldron of nourishment and life. Arbred being where we are, the circle around Annwn, and then Gwynvyd being the realm of wisdom and light, around the outside.

So, in completion of this chapter, the Nature Ray is fulfilled by walking every day, even if only for  a few moments, to recharge and get your "green self" moving... The knowledge Ray for this chapters is your walks taking you deeper into your knowledge of your area and your oneness with nature. and the Devotional Ray is your relationship with your landscape, your natural area.