Spirits of the Land

On the latest OBOD PodCast  Kristoffer Hughes suggests that  honouring the British gods is essential to an animistic view of the world.  The myths and legends of this land tell us who to honour where.  It clarified something that I'd been doing but had been worried about - that when in Wales I honour Welsh gods.
But Kristoffer, in his inimitable engaging style, says that not only is this ok but is the right thing to do if you follow a path that honours the spirits of the land.
In Sussex, the land of the South Saxons, I work with the Anglo-Saxon spirits that I know and love.   In Wales I find out the local legends and honour those spirits when I am in that landscape, after all, it's only good manners to thank the hosts of the landscape you're in.  It does not mean you're untrue to your patron Gods but it's a Pagan thing to do this acknowledging other Gods and traditions whilst you are in their time and space.

Walking the land is essential to understand the spirits of the land and so in Wales knowledge of the local myths and legends is essential if you're travelling there.
Discovering new paths on the landscape is, for me, an essential Gewessi practice but also ties in with my Mountain Biking; I must write up the story of Afan Argoed, Gwynn ap Nudd and me.   Travelling the land invokes the Spirit of the Land who is the/a/one of the Goddess'.

The 3 Cauldrons are essential  to the practice of the Northern Tribes, as they belong to the Goddess' of the Land, and consist of :
Inspiration that nourishes and invigorates,   
Transformation that sustains our  energy, 
Examination or Testing that casts scorn upon our well laid plans.

The Cauldron of Inspiration is the knowledge seeking to find the myths & legends of the land.  The Cauldron of Transformation is invoked by physically going out and walking the land, it is the enquiry into the landscape.  Finally the landscape responds and often with a challenge; the Cauldron of Examination.  A great rainstorm, a heavy headwind or scorching heat have all been challenges the landscape has thrown me.  Often it means an initial attempt to travel to a particular place will fail.   I will return with my tail-between-my-legs, humbled by the landscape.
The benefits come when returning, wiser and more determined.  The spirits of the land then reward your efforts.

Haiku: Winter

Holly King's last bite?
Clean white melts to slushy grey,
lethargic leaves, warm bed.

Sacred Space & Techno-Shamanism

Many years ago during my raving days, which as a lifestyle choice has it's own risks both physical and mental, I was drawn to Techno-shamanism. Whilst it's spirituality was, possibly, tainted by it's chemically induced methods it did teach me a lot about sacred space. At a rave, whether in a nightclub or in a field, you use your dance as a kind of ritual to create your own personal sacred space.

In a similar way you can use the ritual of calling the quarters to create your own sacred space. I don't have a sacred space in the house; it is wherever I am performing sacred work. The sacred space is created by my ritual; whether it be the Druidic spiral of calling the quarters or the Hearthen blot by blessing the feasting horn. It is a space both physically, in space and time, and transrationally within me.

Just in case anyone is interested here's a bit more about Techno-Shamanism ============================== ================================== Goals of Techno-shamanism:

1. Create and maintain sacred space.
2. Create alternate awareness.
3. Translate music into energy and movement (dance the energy).
4. Understand the nature of attention and focus to be able to transform energy into awareness.
5. Invoke friendly spirits, guides and other dimensions to guide your journey.
6. Transcend yourself by experiencing a state of ecstasy and bliss.
7. Connect and commune with other people and dance the group mind.
8. Allow yourself to feel the unity of the tribe.
9. Dissolve fear and experience the power of transcendence.
10. Find meaning, purpose and humour in your life.
11. Apply these processes and experiences to your everyday life.

Who am I?
Why am I here?
Where am I going?
=========== =================================
http://ashejournal.com/index.php?id=277

Weard-gework

Weard-gework; just what do I mean? It's my Gewessi view of the discipline of action; working wyrd. I was listening to an old OBOD Druidcast (number 46 I think) where the lady talking mentioned that only those who have a daily focus to their spiritual practice seem to reap the deep spiritual gnosis and she prefers their company

http://www.druidry.org/druid-way/resources/druidcast-obod-podcast

This daily practice concept is one that is common to all work that brings long term benefit. On Velominati, a road cycling fan site that I'm over-fond of, it's called La Vie Velominati; the life as a road cyclist. http://www.velominati.com/

In Yoga it's called Karma Yoga and is thus an ancient spiritual practice - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma_yoga

Much of my pagan work is done inside, the British weather is not always conducive to outside work, but the true Weard-gework is outside and involves physical effort. Perhaps it's the combination of adrenalin and endorphins with the patterns of nature that, for me, brings benefit to my spirit.

An example occurred this weekend – a combination of a virus, the weather being very wet and Yuletime festive commitments meant I'd not been on my bike much. I'd been 2 weeks without MTBing. Which, in my head, is a long time and doubts start to gnaw at my soul, much like Nidhogg gnaws the roots of Yggdrasil. Am I still a biker? Am I getting too old? How much will it hurt to get back into the rhythm? Is my chest well enough to ride? The belittling nagging madness that is sometimes my negative-mind chatter.

I pumped up the tyre (I must replace that slow leaky inner-tube) and got on my winter soul bike. Three gears with the fourth gear option of shank's pony; walking. I headed out into the grey dreariness and past Blackstone. My body was complaining, legs aching in the way they do when they've been unused for a while. Then hit the off-road and the first muddy bog. As my foot sunk into the sodden clay the laughter bubbled up. Frige is my mud-goddess and in the winter we play whilst waterproof socks keep me dry. Skipping, or attempting to skip, over each mudhole in the trail I practice the mount and dismount of the bike and I don't care that I'm no cyclo-crosser. I'm outside and the tree lined trail is marvellous. I feel the energy poised in the leaf tips for the spring explosion. The Oak King is born and the birds are singing.

As I approach the hills a gap in the grey clouds appears and a hint of blue sky! My hope for sunshine on the top of the Downs briefly takes wing. Then there's the climb ahead of me. The Edge of the World is the path up. Certainly not rideable, even in the best of conditions, for a mortal like myself. I grab the bike and start the push& trudge up the steep, claggy wall upwards. I'm settling into the rhythmic pain of climbing, a familiar pain as calves and back ache. Near the top I feel an energy pulling me and my spirit soars – two trees lovingly entwined. An Elder and a Hawthorn I'd never noticed the two of them before. I spent a moment with them and moved up into the fog.

My hope of sunshine had been dashed but the fog enfolded me like a chilly blanket. I know this land so well 50 yards visibility is more than enough. I leap-frogged some women runners over the next couple of rises until just before the final climb they asked me how to get back to Portslade. I discussed where they expected to get back and divined the route for them. Riding up to Devils Dyke and down to Saddlescombe I then play gate opening leap-frog with another MTB'er. Discovering that he lived near to me but was going to take the road as he didn't know another route. My turn as navigator or trail-seer had come again. I took him over the next hill and pointed him home.

The nidhogg of mind silenced in the land-boon of spirit.  True weard-gework.

Yule

Burning spear of sun's  waning,
A final show at cycles end.
A beautiful sunburst
Supernova marks year's end
Lances through leaf lost Hurst.

Psyche shielding

I use the visualisation for psychic protection and to draw emotional strength from it. It's not a particularly special visualisation; a classic Arthurian based one.

You are kneeling in front of an altar, it is dark & stormy outside but there is a single candle lit upon the altar (in my youth the altar was in a typical church but now the church is roofless and romantically ruined). It sits within a green wood grove, verdigris with moss, where ferns are growing out of the stones walls and multi-coloured lichen cover the stones. The storm is outside the grove. You are wearing full plate stainless steel armour, that is polished until it gleams like silver. You are holding the sacred sword, Excalibur, point down in front of the altar. A knights shield is upon your back polished to become a perfect mirror. Stare at the flickering light of the candle which reflects spears of light from the sword and armour. On a long and deep in-breath draw the light from the candle into yourself. On a slow out-breath let the light fill you until it overflows into your armour, sword and shield. You have become the light and within you is the power of the pure paladin - nothing can break this defense. The light gleaming from your armaments holds back the dark. You are safe.

I then bring my consciousness back. As I've been using to for a long time it's ingrained & I can complete the visualisation in a single breath cycle. I normally touch wood to ground myself and bring a little luck