The Book if Spells by Gregory Branson-Trent

Ok, so this was a quick read as I didn't read page for page through the spells. It's a great book for the basics. It has some wonderful how to information for the person just starting out. What I can add is to remember that this is a very private practice. No matter what book you read, make it your own. What works for one person may not work the same way for someone else so when you find something you like, make changes, make it personal, make it what it needs to be fore your own use.



Some really great info I found that is not always in other books was how to make a BOS. It gives great instructions on how to create the book and what you might wan to put in it. I have always loved the binder idea. As someone who is really over organized, being able to add items in the middle is amazing. However, if you are wanting that leather bound journal look, you just learn to deal with some chaos, lol...



It also discusses how to write spells. It talks about "props" or tools and intent, chants, and other components  However remember. These things are all to show intent to make your will and focus as strong as it can be. That is what spell work is about, intent. If your intent is strong, you can perform spells with only your will. No props are necessary.



The book goes on to give information on simple spells, great places to start. Consecration and cleansing spells are always a great place to start. Though I know people do it all of the time, i was a bit concerned that the astral projection section was right at the beginning. I feel that astral projection is something that is mroe advanced and should be done with care. That is just my opinion however and to each their own. If you do try this, despite the fact that the book states that it's easy and that there is no danger, please be careful here.

The rest was basic simple spells. It's a great resource for ideas, spells to manipulate and change and make your own. If you do decide to pick this book up to read, I hope you enjoy it. It's quick and easy, maybe a couple hours at the most unless your read through every spell.... 

The Book if Spells by Gregory Branson-Trent

Yes, I am reading two books at once along with my Druid studies. Crazy, well, maybe. Honestly, I have this book on my kindle and am reading it when I am away from my house. So much easier to carry around me Kindle then the big book Path of Druidry. So I read that one at home and this one else where.

What do I know about this book? I saw it months ago and thought, that is one I need to read at some point. Why? Not sure, just had a feeling so here we are.

As I have done with other books, I'll tell you about thing that I find interesting and informational and you'll have a good idea of it's something you might want to read yourself.

Enjoy! Hope I do!

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. 

The Path of Druidry Ch. 1

So, this is another workbook. She starts out explaining what Druidry is and how it can fit into modern day life. Great place to start. We are not all long white beards and grey robes carrying staffs and chanting spells.. Well, maybe we chant spells and some of us have beautiful staff, but i promise I do not have a long white beard. My grey cloak is very cool though. My sister made it for me. :-)

The first exercise is a basic meeting with your/my druid teacher, or my druid in my grove. This is something that I have been doing for a while now so I felt a bit like a cheater but followed the lesson anyway and met with you druid. Yes, he is the white beard and grey robe. Calm, quiet, and wise with an air of peace to him. We sit on either side of the fire burning in the pit surrounded by water with a ring of stones holding it, as is always at the center of my circle. The book wants us to think and meditate on the word Druid. What does it mean to you/me. What experience does this invoke... Then it has you/me wake up and take notes about the experience.

So what came to me. This druid is my teacher, my guide. I did not leave this meditation just to this as I have done this previously. What I hope to get out of Druidry is peace of mind, peace in general and an understanding and way to make it through this world as whole and complete as I can. In this meditation i did, however, ask for guidance as it is what I have been seeking for a long time. I envisioned myself helping someone. Flashes if my shop, which does not physically exist at this point. I still have a feeling of young people or children around me which makes me so happy. and I see myself doing what I want, not what is expected of me. This is exciting for me as I have always ended up doing what is expected, not what I wanted. Even when I try to hard to do what I want.

Notes I took at the end:
What are my goals in the study and practice of Druidry?

• peace within myself and in this world
• security of mind and spirit
• life friends
• confidence and courage
• to be ok and at peace with me. 

Here's the start of something that it seems, did not get finished. 

Hear the rumble deep within

low deep, a tremble, deep sound

resonates, the flicker of a leaf

stone, sing together, a hum of the earth

Chapter 1

The basics of Druidry. sacred space. meditation, Nwyfre - energy connecting us to all things - dragon energy.

This chapter talks about what to keep around you to be druid. What it means, how to start this path, this journey. It talks about talking time each day, green time I think that book called it, to be in nature. Even if you are in the middle of the city, look out the window at a tree. Take time, the book says, three times a day, for yourself to commune with nature, to be one with it. What a beautiful thought but at this point in my life, not really possible. I am, however, working on twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. I have not managed it yet though. For me, committing to something like this is difficult. Why, not really sure, but it just is. I will though. Something I want so badly to do. Hoping that if I don't get it right away, I will once the weather is nicer and it isn't so cold.

A journal of what we see each day during each medition or green time. did you walk in a park, sit under a tree. How did you spend your time. what was the weather like, what did you feel. Keeping a journal will help to bring this all together. you will also start to notice the patterns in the world around you. Over the next year, you will learn the path of the green. When the leaves sprout, fall, when things turn green, yellow, are birthed, die. Everything runs in a circle again and again each year. You will learn this circle for your area.

This course is presented in Rays... as in the rays in the druidic symbol below...

The nature ray - the study of nature and our surroundings, often practiced in the open air.
The knowledge ray - the study of myth and the inner realms
The devotional ray  - developing an appropriate relationship with the worlds.

The exercises will be given pertaining to these three rays...

Watch for the next post for Chapter 2!!!  

The Pulse

The pulse surrounds
I hear the music
Through my feet
The sound of time
The history of being
Moves me along
My path of ages
The rhythm beating
The voices calling
As the leaves spin
And twirl their dance
of longing
Under the touch of the sun
The view from above
The prism of a drop
Of water as it
Travels through the breeze
Crawls down the green blade
To reach the deep dense
Earth as
The pulse surrounds

written by Mystical Journey

The Path of Druidry by Penny Billington

Ok, so I realize I haven't finished writing about the last book, Druid Magic, but here I am all tucked in my nice cozy bed with my computer on my lap typing and I have my books here... I have my OBOD materials here for my next Gwersi, I have my mouse and my orange juice and my bed time tea here for when I'm done... But the notebook with the rest of my notes for Druid Magic is else where, not sure where. Probably still in my bag from work as at work I read on the kindle on my phone. Hmm. Well, not going to go get it now so I'll tell you about the new book I am reading. I so love new books. They smell good and the pages are crisp and unbent. The cover is so bright and shiny... Not for long. Lol... Time to read. I'm reading The Path of Druidy now, written by Penny Billington, who is actually one fo the people who keeps OBOD running. Can't remember all of what she does but she is a big part of touchstone, and other things too... There is a great interview with her in Druidcast ~ episode 55 from October 2011. 


Should be good. It's another like a workbook with activities at the ends of the chapters, discussions, and she has a funny personality stopping to tell you when it's time to get up and take a break
Put the book down for a moment. Shake your limbs to relax yourself. Check that your spine is straight and take three relaxed breaths with your surroundings. 


I am on page 9 right now in chapter one which talks about the Basics of Druidry. It's interesting reading all of the different books because they all give similar information with a personal twist that belongs solely to the author. This is not even all ringing true completely with the OBOD teachings so far which is funny as she is such a big 

part of OBOD. Anyway, love the fact that it's all so personalized and think it's amazing that we can all find our own way and that is ok. 
Time to go... Really should go to sleep but anxious to get into my new weeks gwersi... Check out my notes on the forums where the Gwersi come into play.. Love you all and night night... 

My Studies in Druidry

Chapter 15 talks about Upholding the truth of Sovereignty. To me, sovereignty is our freedom to be who we are. This chapter talks about how upholding the truth of sovereignty helps us to be who we truly are. Lying can create a conflict in us that affects us so completely that it changes our personality, it discolors our aura, it makes us feel that we are not who we truly are. To be true to ourselves, to live in peace and harmony with others and ourselves, we need to hold true to the truth of our sovereignty, we need to tell the truth in all we do and respect the truth of others. Know that like us, if someone else doesn't follow this, they too will live in turmoil. To be true to ourselves and to honor ourselves and all that we are, we need to be truthful in all that we do.

Now, this brings up a question to me, one that I hear from students all of the time. What about a truth that will hurt someone. It’s usually petty things when this comes up like telling someone that you like their shirt or that you are not going to the party because you have home (and you just don’t want to go) but how does this idea fit here? I would love to hear the thoughts of others. For me, I weight the harm either way, if I lie, what could happen. If I tell the truth, what could happen. Hmmm. I look forward to seeing if anyone will respond. There are a few I know will.

Oh, the poem previously posted called teach refers to this chapter.

My Studies in Druidry

Book Review Druid Magic continued.

Chapter eleven talks mostly about how Druids, many Druids view the world. I found this chapter interesting because I always love it what text supports what I have always believed but never really had put a name or word too. I love knowing that other people see things that same way that I do, gives my own belief system a bit of solidity and reality rather than fantasy. 

The book discusses the “Celtic Cosmos” in terms of the land of the living, the fairy realm, and the human world. 

• They describe the land of the living as the “land of youth”, the home for women, and the home of the “blessed ones,” and “our eternal selves” when we are out of our bodies.   To me, this seems much like what Christians view as heaven, what I view as the Summerlands. A place we all want to be, at least I do at this point in my life, lol… It’s a place where we all exist when we are in between lives here on earth, our celestial home, our true home.
• The fairy realm is the place where the Sidhe live, the fairies, the Gods and Goddess.  To me this seems strange. I would imagine the Gods and Goddess’ would live more in the Land of the Living, our home when away from our bodies. Hmmm. Makes you think, right? Wonder how others feel about that? 

• The human world, well, that is self-explanatory. That is here, our day to day lives, magical and mundane. All who are here on earth. 

The four pillars of Druidry are the basic belief system of Druids in general and really. Most I have talked to hold these same beliefs though not all. This is the nice thing about Druidry, it’s personal based on our own experiences and what we know to be true. Our beliefs tend to change and grow and we study and learn  because part of being Druid is being a lifelong learner. Everything is a teaching and learning experience and in life, this is something that we all need to remember. If we stop learning , life becomes stagnant  and we tend to lose our way. 

The Pillars of Druidry are as follows. 

• Multiple lifetimes: The self or anam (Gaelic word for soul) comes and goes in an eternal cycles of lives. When out of body, they dwell in the land of the living. They can incarnate in any form. Detail from each life is lost as we pass from one life to the next but lessons learned from experiences carry on.  This knowledge can manifest as Awen as well as in the decision making process in a future life. 
• Spirit in all things: The idea that all things carry spirit is not claimed by only Druidry. Everything is alive with a presence, a spirit, a goddess, different people see them as different things. I feel that each and every thing has a soul in it. Some things carry a soul that has reincarnated into it, others have souls that have been inside for years, centuries, maybe all time. I believe that the sacred places, the places of power around our great earth are these places with spirits that have existed in that place for centuries or forever. 
• Reverences for our ancestors: As per the book, there is an awareness that each soul brings wisdom with it in each existence, both individual and collective. We carry the wisdom of our ancestors with us from life to life. The books states that in our DNA, we have cells from our ancestors inherited from birth and passed on through generation to generation. This is a new concept for me. I need to think about this more to make an educated decision, and one from my heart and soul.  For me, I think this in that we have the ability to communicate with or ancestors. We can speak with them, ask for guidance and understanding. This knowledge and wisdom we carry with us. 
• Multiple worlds: This refers to the Celtic Cosmos… As seen above… Don’t see any reason to go into this again. 

Chapter 12 discusses what is Druidry… It was an interesting chapter but really did not prompt to much to write here. I did answer the questions at the end, one being “what does Druidry bring to your life?” This is my brainstorming list in the order that it came to me. 
• Truth
• Peace
• Guidance
• Belief
• Magic
• Creativity
• Path
• Leadership

I didn’t write anything about chapters 13 and 14 so I am guessing they were history stuff… Much of what we already know from OBOD. 

Staring at me this morning in precalculus class

Bright shiny faces
Sudden confusion
Deer in the head lights
Numbers letters symbols
Progression of processes
End result
Don't understand
Correct answer
YES!

written by Mystical Journey 01/15/2013

Teach

The word of peace
Love and knowledge
Spread around
The world to whom
Ever will listen
As confidence builds
And people learn
They can control the destiny
Of the world when
We care for her
She in turn cares for us

by Mystical Journey 01/15/2013