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...viewing the path |
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In order to see our path through a Druid's eyes, we must first see through a Celt's eyes. Once you have read through Journey 1, you will want to do the following exercise. First, read carefully and thoroughly.
The world you will be entering is one in which the world of the present and the living, and the world of the past and the ancestors (the Otherworld), are very close to one another, separated by only a thin veil. You will learn to feel the wisdom of those from the past, guiding you in your life now.
You will also learn to take guidance from the natural world. The early Celts believed that every living thing was sacred, and was connected by a life energy to every other living thing. Every animal, every plant and even every element, was sacred and unique, and possessed a spirit of its own. Especially sacred were trees, and animals such as hounds, hares, salmon, cattle, horses, eagles, stags(deer), and pigs. Each of these animals held special meaning and powers, which we will discuss as we travel. Not only are our Druid ancestors present in the Otherworld, on the other side of the veil, but we may also find our ancestors and other wise spirits present with us as spirits in Nature - in the trees, the wind, the sea, fire, birds, and the simplest of creatures like cattle or the squirrels in the forest. They are all around us, all are alive, all deserve our respect.
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Life for the Celts was governed by sowing and harvest, by plenty and famine, by the moon's cycles, by the turning of seasons. Life was inseparable from the land and seasons, and inseparable from other living things, plant and animal, crops and livestock, forest and lake. The ancestors were always present, just through the veil, always watching, always reading to guide if asked. The chief role of the Druids was to understand and interpret the signs of the natural world, so that their people could live safely and harmoniously with the rest of the universe. Their lives depended upon it, for if they misunderstood the way of nature, crops could fail, livestock could die, armies could invade.
Modern Druids feel that we have moved too far away from the world of nature. They feel that we cheat ourselves when we fail to look to nature to guide us and teach us. Druid ideology fosters a deep respect for the natural world, and modern Druids try to foster this in their own lives. To do this, they live in such a way that they are continuously and increasingly aware of the natural world and its inhabitants as part of the greater life-force of which we are all members. They cultivate rituals in their lives that honor the forces of nature and the living spirits in the things of nature. They try to live in a way that shows respect for all of the natural world.
All of nature is sacred, plant and animal. All is connected. All possess spirit.
The line between life and death - between past and present - between our world and the Otherworld - is a thin one, like a veil or a mere doorway between existences. But through the natural world, the past touches the present and the future. This will be more clear to you as you journey.
Our spiritual ancestors are always present, and will teach and guide us if we learn to seek them out and hear them. You will learn ways of doing this.
Go to a quiet place where you won't be interrupted. It is good to do this exercise outdoors, but if that is not possible, a private place such as your room will do nicely. You may want to wait until nighttime and light a candle as you do this. A lit candle purifies your environment in a spiritual sense. You should use an unscented candle. (I like to use a white candle, a fat sturdy one is best so that it isn't going to start a fire while you are meditating). Sit comfortably.
Now close your eyes and breath deeply and slowly, ten times. Keep your eyes closed now. Listen to your breathing. You too are part of the life force. If you are outside, listen to the natural sounds around you - birds, wind, leaves rustling. Can you smell the earth or vegetation around you? If you are inside with your candle, can you hear it flicker? Do you smell the smoke? These are the same smells your Druid ancestors knew all those centuries ago.
Imagine in your mind a forest path. You are walking it alone. You feel the breeze on your face, you hear the creatures of the forest. Is it nighttime or daytime? Either way, don't have any fear. There is nothing to fear in the forest, amongst the other spirits. Your ancestors will be with you. Do you smell the sweetness of the forest vegetation? You see the forest become denser and you feel hillsides nearby. After a bit, you see the entrance to a tunnel in the hillside. You go inside. It is dark, but you feel safe and you walk forward confidently. You are excited because you feel yourself going to a new, important place in your life journey.
You see an end to the tunnel, covered with soft evergreen boughs. You walk through them, and you are on the other side, in a magical world. You are still in a forest, but it is more alive, more fragrant, more mysterious than any you have known before. Look around you and note what you see. Let your heart and imagination guide you. If it rains, you won't be cold. If the wind blows, you welcome it.
You are free to wander as long as you want to, and to explore this world. Remember that it is safe. You will see no powerlines. You will hear no engines. There is none of that here. You only hear the sounds of the forest.
You may leave anytime you choose, and come back through the tunnel, to the present. come through it slowly, walk calmly out of the forest, then listen to your breathing, and finally open your eyes. You may feel as if you have been away for a long time. You may be a little tired, or a little overwhelmed.
This exercise has served two purposes. First, it has taught you to begin to be aware of the natural world, and the spirits therein, and of yourself as part of that world. Secondly, you have begun to journey into the place where you will meet your spirit guides. One day in that forest, you will see a guide - it may be a Celt or a Druid, male or female, or it may be an animal. Don't force this, it will come to you in time. You will know when you see it. You may even know the name of your guide when you see them. If they speak to you, it will be in the language of spirit - the "voice in your head".
You might wonder, how will you know that the guide is real and not your imagination?. I would ask you, how do you know that the real spirits would not speak to you through imagination?. If you do these meditations often, and slowly, and faithfully, I believe that you will come to feel that what you experience is real, because you will find yourself changed by it. You will find yourself growing.
After reading this Journey, and doing its exercise, mull it over for a few days before going on to Journey 2. It is important that you give yourself time to digest your lessons... Do the exercise again, and again. It will be different every time. And every time you come back to the present, you will be a bit wiser.
When you are ready,
Journey 2 begins here.