collapse

* Recent Posts

"Christ Is King" by Altair
[Today at 01:09:34 am]


Re: Cill Shift Schedule by SunflowerP
[Yesterday at 11:04:57 pm]


Re: Stellar Bling: The Good, the Bad, the OMG! by SunflowerP
[March 21, 2024, 11:21:37 pm]


Re: Spring Has Sprung! 2024 Edition by SunflowerP
[March 21, 2024, 10:24:10 pm]


Stellar Bling: The Good, the Bad, the OMG! by Altair
[March 21, 2024, 02:52:34 pm]

Author Topic: Solitary practice?  (Read 3895 times)

Revenant

  • Apprentice
  • ***
  • Join Date: Dec 2012
  • Posts: 42
  • Total likes: 0
    • View Profile
Solitary practice?
« on: October 26, 2014, 06:47:40 pm »
Please bear with me as I'm not exactly sure what I'm trying to ask. :o  It seems that no matter how much I wander and research I still keep coming back to Druidry. For years, due at least in part to my location, I have been a solitary "pagan" and I'm ok with that. I'm not sure that I would be comfortable in a group setting at this point even if one was available. So, in continuing a solitary practice, are there any specific books or research materials that you would recommend? I'm not really looking for anything involving any "hard and fast" beliefs...but just something that would allow me to have my own ideas while still providing some structure. I read The Druidry Handbook by John Michael Greer years ago but, to be honest, I don't really remember much about it. Are there any good books or research materials out there that are geared more to a solitary practice? Any that I should steer clear of? I initially thought of possibly joining the OBOD or a similar group but, for now at least, I'd like to try this on my own. Any suggestions?
"When I have a terrible need of - shall I say the word - religion, then I go out and paint the stars."  ~Vincent Van Gogh~

Mountain Cat

  • Journeyman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jul 2014
  • Posts: 197
  • Country: ca
  • Total likes: 3
    • View Profile
Re: Solitary practice?
« Reply #1 on: October 26, 2014, 10:35:22 pm »
Quote from: Revenant;163499
Please bear with me as I'm not exactly sure what I'm trying to ask. :o  It seems that no matter how much I wander and research I still keep coming back to Druidry. For years, due at least in part to my location, I have been a solitary "pagan" and I'm ok with that. I'm not sure that I would be comfortable in a group setting at this point even if one was available. So, in continuing a solitary practice, are there any specific books or research materials that you would recommend? I'm not really looking for anything involving any "hard and fast" beliefs...but just something that would allow me to have my own ideas while still providing some structure. I read The Druidry Handbook by John Michael Greer years ago but, to be honest, I don't really remember much about it. Are there any good books or research materials out there that are geared more to a solitary practice? Any that I should steer clear of? I initially thought of possibly joining the OBOD or a similar group but, for now at least, I'd like to try this on my own. Any suggestions?



OBOD is nicely geared towards solitary practice, and I'm just starting their program. All the rituals are written twice, solitary and group. You don't need to have any contact with live people if you don't want, for the most part. They do offer you a mentor, though. But I find it nice for learning solitary practice. Everything is written down and you take what you want or need from it.

I didn't find the Greer book to be overly helpful to help set up a solitary practice, though there were inspiring parts.

I found a book called "The Path of Druidry" by Penny Billington that is a little mini- course in solitary Druidry, but I only got a couple chapters in before my OBOD materials arrived, so I can't speak for all of it, but it was interesting and inspiring.

As for research, Ronald Hutton's "The Druids" and "Blood and Mistletoe" are scholarly looks at the history of Druids and Druidry.
 
Hope that helps a bit. :)

Revenant

  • Apprentice
  • ***
  • Join Date: Dec 2012
  • Posts: 42
  • Total likes: 0
    • View Profile
Re: Solitary practice?
« Reply #2 on: October 26, 2014, 10:56:27 pm »
Quote from: Mountain Cat;163505
OBOD is nicely geared towards solitary practice, and I'm just starting their program. All the rituals are written twice, solitary and group. You don't need to have any contact with live people if you don't want, for the most part. They do offer you a mentor, though. But I find it nice for learning solitary practice. Everything is written down and you take what you want or need from it.

I didn't find the Greer book to be overly helpful to help set up a solitary practice, though there were inspiring parts.

I found a book called "The Path of Druidry" by Penny Billington that is a little mini- course in solitary Druidry, but I only got a couple chapters in before my OBOD materials arrived, so I can't speak for all of it, but it was interesting and inspiring.

As for research, Ronald Hutton's "The Druids" and "Blood and Mistletoe" are scholarly looks at the history of Druids and Druidry.
 
Hope that helps a bit. :)


That helps quite a lot Mountain Cat...thank you! :)
"When I have a terrible need of - shall I say the word - religion, then I go out and paint the stars."  ~Vincent Van Gogh~

Little Kingdoms

  • Apprentice
  • ***
  • Join Date: Jan 2014
  • Posts: 21
  • Total likes: 0
    • View Profile
Re: Solitary practice?
« Reply #3 on: November 03, 2014, 03:00:36 pm »
Quote from: Revenant;163499
Are there any good books or research materials out there that are geared more to a solitary practice? Any that I should steer clear of? I initially thought of possibly joining the OBOD or a similar group but, for now at least, I'd like to try this on my own. Any suggestions?


Agree with the recommendation of Penny Billington's book, although I didn't finish it myself for the same reasons (decided to take up the BDO course) so I haven't read it cover to cover.  She is a member of the OBOD and seems to take a lot of her approach from them.  I liked her exercises in the book.

I also quite liked "From the Cauldron Born" by Kristoffer Hughes.  He examines the story of Ceridwen and the bard Taliesin in depth, pondering the role and symbolism of each of the characters in the story from a spiritual point of view.  Hughes is a Druid himself, and since the Taliesin myth is so central in Druidry it makes for some interesting meditations.

I've also just started doing some research into plant lore in conjunction with the Druid Plant Oracle cards.  The set was composed by the Carr-Gomms of the OBOD and has a lot of information regarding traditional medicine and folklore.  I meditate on the cards and try to find info about the plants themselves.  It's an interesting way of connecting to the land and the ancestors.  I'd like to do the same thing with their Druid Animal Oracle deck, when I get the time!

Amphibian

  • Journeyman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Dec 2013
  • Location: Idaho
  • Posts: 224
  • Country: us
  • Total likes: 48
    • View Profile
  • Religion: Magpie eclectic feral urban hedge druid(ish)
  • Preferred Pronouns: she/her/hers
Re: Solitary practice?
« Reply #4 on: November 03, 2014, 07:54:32 pm »
Quote from: Little Kingdoms;164233
Agree with the recommendation of Penny Billington's book, although I didn't finish it myself for the same reasons (decided to take up the BDO course) so I haven't read it cover to cover.  She is a member of the OBOD and seems to take a lot of her approach from them.  I liked her exercises in the book.

I also quite liked "From the Cauldron Born" by Kristoffer Hughes.  He examines the story of Ceridwen and the bard Taliesin in depth, pondering the role and symbolism of each of the characters in the story from a spiritual point of view.  Hughes is a Druid himself, and since the Taliesin myth is so central in Druidry it makes for some interesting meditations.

I've also just started doing some research into plant lore in conjunction with the Druid Plant Oracle cards.  The set was composed by the Carr-Gomms of the OBOD and has a lot of information regarding traditional medicine and folklore.  I meditate on the cards and try to find info about the plants themselves.  It's an interesting way of connecting to the land and the ancestors.  I'd like to do the same thing with their Druid Animal Oracle deck, when I get the time!

Ooh, all sorts of reccomendations in this thread! I was/am also struggling a bit to construct a functional practice out of the materials in Greer's book; it's got a bunch of useful stuff, make no mistake, but I get the feeling that he's expecting a new Candidate to have a mentor of some sort available to assemble the pieces, as it were.

I'll definitely be checking out Billington's book, so thanks for the clue. :)
All knowledge is worth having.
It doesn't stop being magic just because you know how it works.

RecycledBenedict

  • Sr. Master Member
  • *******
  • Join Date: Jul 2015
  • Posts: 851
  • Total likes: 6
    • View Profile
Re: Solitary practice?
« Reply #5 on: July 17, 2015, 04:05:07 pm »
Quote from: Revenant;163499
Please bear with me as I'm not exactly sure what I'm trying to ask. :o  It seems that no matter how much I wander and research I still keep coming back to Druidry. For years, due at least in part to my location, I have been a solitary "pagan" and I'm ok with that. I'm not sure that I would be comfortable in a group setting at this point even if one was available. So, in continuing a solitary practice, are there any specific books or research materials that you would recommend? I'm not really looking for anything involving any "hard and fast" beliefs...but just something that would allow me to have my own ideas while still providing some structure. I read The Druidry Handbook by John Michael Greer years ago but, to be honest, I don't really remember much about it. Are there any good books or research materials out there that are geared more to a solitary practice? Any that I should steer clear of? I initially thought of possibly joining the OBOD or a similar group but, for now at least, I'd like to try this on my own. Any suggestions?


I liked Greer's book, especially the table of inner places corresponding to each of the eight annual festivals on p. 82-83. These inner places are useful for active imagination purposes. His suggestions of deities corresponding to the festivals (p. 77-80) didn't work well for me, but, since he expressedly encourage readers to form their own personal style of druidry within the current, I have found out a sequence (still in progress from year to year) that works better for me. If you or anyone else find it helpful, I will give it here:

Winter Solstice: Mother Nature, The Sun, sleeping heroes
Candlemass: Matronae, Ced, foremothers
Spring Equinox: Niwalen
Walpurgisnacht: Don, Belenos, the Winter Baron, the May Baron, land spirits
Midsummer: Suleviae, Apollo Grannus
Hay-harvest festival: Tailtiu, Celi, Lugus/Lugh
Autumnal Equinox: Ceridwen
All Saints: Rhiannon, Gwyn ap Nudd, the departed

Other aspects of my solitary practice are still in the beginning. I have recently begun to meditate over the new moon and the full moon, and I acknowledge the seven planetary deities with one hymn a day. During winter, I try to greet the Sun at sunrise, but during summer it would be bad for my health to do so daily: i limit its use to Summer Solstice.

Tags:
 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
12 Replies
2250 Views
Last post December 16, 2012, 07:26:50 am
by Rhyshadow
3 Replies
2141 Views
Last post January 31, 2013, 03:24:04 am
by Wolf's Verse
23 Replies
3688 Views
Last post March 12, 2013, 09:04:32 am
by Polymorphia
1 Replies
1073 Views
Last post December 17, 2013, 09:42:22 am
by Izzie414
21 Replies
4042 Views
Last post October 29, 2014, 12:01:01 pm
by Amphibian

Special Interest Group

Warning: You are currently in a Special Interest Group on the message board with special rules and focused discussions.

* Who's Online

  • Dot Guests: 240
  • Dot Hidden: 0
  • Dot Users: 0

There aren't any users online.

* Please Donate!

The Cauldron's server is expensive and requires monthly payments. Please become a Bronze, Silver or Gold Donor if you can. Donations are needed every month. Without member support, we can't afford the server.

* Shop & Support TC

The links below are affiliate links. When you click on one of these links you will go to the listed shopping site with The Cauldron's affiliate code. Any purchases you make during your visit will earn TC a tiny percentage of your purchase price at no extra cost to you.

* In Memoriam

Chavi (2006)
Elspeth (2010)
Marilyn (2013)

* Cauldron Staff

Host:
Sunflower

Message Board Staff
Board Coordinator:
Darkhawk

Assistant Board Coordinator:
Aster Breo

Senior Staff:
Aisling, Allaya, Jenett, Sefiru

Staff:
Ashmire, EclecticWheel, HarpingHawke, Kylara, PerditaPickle, rocquelaire

Discord Chat Staff
Chat Coordinator:
Morag

'Up All Night' Coordinator:
Altair

Cauldron Council:
Bob, Catja, Chatelaine, Emma-Eldritch, Fausta, Jubes, Kelly, LyricFox, Phouka, Sperran, Star, Steve, Tana

Site Administrator:
Randall

SimplePortal 2.3.6 © 2008-2014, SimplePortal