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hedgewitchgarden · 1 year

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Traditionally, Imbolc is a celebration of the first stirrings of spring coming back into the land. For people living in temperate parts of North America, particularly on the eastern seaboard, the timing can be challenging–we are in deep winter and there aren’t always clear and visible stirrings of spring. But looking to our dear friends, the Sugar Maple trees, offers a wonderful focus for this season. Today we’ll explore a bit about the maple tree’s magic and connections to creativity and the flow of awen, and I’ll share a ritual for celebrating Imbolc that honors the maple tree and invites the flow of awen and creativity into your life.

For more posts on Imbolc, you can visit any of the following posts: reflections on the landscape in the Northeastern USA at Imbolc, healing waters of renewal ritual at Imbolc, the butzemann tradition at Imbolc, 21st-century wheel of the year–reskilling at Imbolc, energizing snowy spaces with sacred geometry at Imbolc. For more posts on the maple tree, including tapping the tree and honoring the maple, please see: January Wassailing for Abundance, Building a Maple Sap Rocket Stove Evaporator, Tapping Maple Trees, the four sacred trees brew, and the Maple tree’s mythology and magic.

Maple and the Awen

As a new animist druid learning the wheel of the year, I actually had the most difficulty with connecting to Imbolc–we did not have flowers coming up, I did not have the traditional sheep herd, I’m not a polytheist (so no work with Brigid) and it was still really frozen most years. Over time, and being involved in AODA, I learned to adapt Imbolc and other holidays to a more ecoregional approach–where I would pay attention to what was happening on my land instead of following a wheel that was meant for a different ecosystem. Thus, when I started learning about the flowing of maple sap in the trees at this time of year, it allowed me to engage in a multi-year exploration of the celebration of the maple and her flows at Imbolc–and today’s post explores the energy of the maple tree by offering an Awen ritual for the celebration of Imbolc.

In the Druid tradition, we honor the Awen (Ah-wen), which is Welsh term that means creative inspiration or creative flow. Awen can mean both a spark of a new idea or getting into a creative flow with a work (including what psychologists would call the flow state). This can be a very powerful, mystical experience. Awen as a concept is central to modern revival druidry–it is present in our symbol (the Awen symbol, detailed here), we chant it, and one of our three major paths focus on the bardic arts or sacred creativity. Awen can be personified through a deity or muse, can be a mystical force, and it also can be an experience. I detailed the history of this term in an earlier post, so you can see more there. Thus, if you want to connect with your creativity, bring life to a new project, get back into the groove of something you had to put down–connecting with the Awen at this time of year th

In my work with maple trees, and as I published in the Magical Compendium of North American Trees, Maple has deep associations with the Awen for several reasons: first, the maple is associated with flows and the flowing of the sap. The sap is rich in vital life force, in energy, in what we druids would call Nywfre (see my last section for more on this). This powerful force can inspire new things into being. Maple also has firey energy in the fall (sugar maple in particular), decking the land with bold colors and being the brightest and most colorful of all the fall trees. Thus, maple is a creative force in and of herself. Maple encourages us to get into our own flow, show our own bold colors, and express ourselves creatively.

This ritual is typically done at Imboc, when the maple trees flow with sap, to tap into the energy of this time: the stirrings of new beginnings and inspiration. You could do this at another time of year as well, with the blessing and permission of the maple.

Imbolc Maple Ritual for Invoking the Awen and Creativity

The Sugar Maple tree flows in the spring in the Northeastern part of North America. It is this tree that can be tapped to produce maple syrup and maple sugar; it has long been associated with the flow of energy, and in the druid tradition, this tree is also associated with Nywfre, the vital life force of the earth and the force of creativity. This ritual taps into the energy of the maple tree to offer a powerful Awen blessing upon your creative endeavors. While you can perform this ritual at Imbolc (traditionally on February 1 or 2) you are also welcome to perform it any other time when you feel the need to ritually invite the awen into your life.

Further, if you do not have maple trees in your area but you have other trees that produce sap (Walnut, Birch, Sycamore) you can use one of these trees in place of the maple.

Supplies

For this ritual, you will need

Maple syrup, maple sap, or maple sap water (tapped fresh from trees) with a goblet or cup for drinking. If you are using maple syrup or maple sugar, put 1 teaspoon of maple syrup in one cup of fresh, cold water. This will give an approximation to real maple sap. The water should be very cold and invigorating, just like you were drinking it from a tree in early February when the temperatures are low–put it in the freezer for 1/2 hour before the ceremony.

Journal for writing down creative ideas or tools for creation (used at the end of the ritual)

Offering made to maple trees (herbal blend, song, dance, drumming, etc.)

Anything you want to include to open up your sacred space.

Oracle or tarot deck for divination

Ritual Part 1: Offerings and Reflections

Maple Offering

Prior to the ritual and in order to enlist the maple tree’s help, you should make an offering to a maple tree (any in the Acer family) or a related deciduous species in your region. Maple trees, being connected with the bardic arts, love bardic arts offerings—singing, dancing, music, poetry, and other bardic crafts. Once you have done this, explain to the tree that you would like to perform a ceremony to invite the awen into your life, and see if the tree agrees to help (ask directly using spirit communication or use a divination system — a pendulum works very well for this). If you receive permission, you may proceed with the ritual. If not, find a different tree and ask again. If the trees don’t agree, don’t proceed forward with the rest of the ritual. If possible, after the tree has agreed, bring something from the tree into your ritual space (e.g. old leaf, fallen branch, etc.).

If you would like, you can sing this song that I wrote to honor the maple. It is done to the tune of “Edelweiss” from the Sound of Music:

Maple Tree, Maple Tree

Every morning you greet me

Strong and wise, burning bright

You look happy to meet me

Flowing in snow, may you bloom and grow

Bloom and grow forever

Maple tree, maple tree

Bless this dear friend forever

Reflecting on Awen and new projects

Optionally, you can also take time before the ritual to reflect on how you might want to call to the awen and direct the flow of awen in your life. Do you have a project that you are starting that you would like creative energy for? Do you need ideas and inspiration more generally? You can take some time to reflect, meditate, or set intentions prior to the ritual–as you will be asked to state your intentions as part of the ritual.

Ritual Part 2: Invoking the Awen

Setup: Place the goblet of maple water in the center of your space. You may also choose to have the elements present. You can use your Awen altar for this ritual.

Begin by opening up a sacred space in whatever method you prefer. I use AODA’s Solitary grove opening. You can also use an oracle or tarot deck to open up a sacred space, as I detail using this method.

Begin with an Awen chant: “Awen, Awen, Awen” (pronounced Ah-Oh-En and drawn out as you chant).

Say, “Sacred Awen, flowing inspiration from nature and the divine, I ask for your flow within me. May you find me a worthy vessel for the sacred act of creation. I specifically ask for your assistance with ___________ “ (Describe in your own words what you are seeking inspiration for.”

Pick up the goblet and hold it above your head.

Say: “Sacred maple tree, I call to you for the blessing of Awen in my life! Please fill this cup with the Awen, the divine force of inspiration. As your sap flows in this most sacred time of year, so too, let the Awen flow into my life and overfill my cup!”

Envision the liquid glowing green-gold in the goblet, radiating the energy of the Awen. Chant three or more Awens as you envision this.

Lower the cup and say, “Maple tree, each spring, your sap flows deep from your roots into the tips of your branches. These branches swell and bud, and a new season of abundance and growth is upon us. This flow connects to the Awen, the divine inspiration within all living things. May I be a worthy vessel for the gift of Awen!

Drink the water in the goblet, feeling the gold-green energy of the maple flowing into you. If you feel led, chant the awen again.

Enter into a meditation where you seek the flow of awen. Envision you visiting a maple tree, and being able to directly walk into the tree and travel down into the roots, flowing with the sap flow of the tree. Follow that journey and see where it leads. As you do the journey, you may be inspired with new projects, ideas, and energy. When you come out of your meditation, use your journal to document ideas.

Optionally, you can use a divination system (Tarot, Ogham, etc) to gain further insight as to the path ahead.

Close your sacred space. Go start creating!

Awen and Nywfre

Another close tie to the maple flowing and the sap is its connection with Nwyfre (NOOiv-ruh). Nwyfre is one of the druid elements representing the vital life force and consciousness within each living being. It is a middle Welsh word that translates to “sky” or “vigor”. Nywfre refers to the spirit of life that flows through the plants–the energy that allows a plant to grow. This is not a physical thing, but a metaphysical thing. I also think that drinking sap from a maple tree is the closest thing you can experience to physical Nywfre–it is vitalizing, rich, and intense.

Nywfre and Awen are complementary but not the same–the druid revival texts distinguish them as follows: Nywfre is the spark of life, that which separates an inanimate thing from an animate being and allows life to exist. Awen is the spark of ideas and the flow of creativity that allows sacred creations (which also have spirit and a different form of life). These distinctions are helpful because if you wanted to adapt the ritual below to connect to Nywfre instead of Awen, it would be certainly possible to bring Nwyfre and that energy into your life.

#imbolc #imbolg #imbolc ritual #the druids garden

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calamity-unlocked · 1 year

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Ok but I'm living for the idea of Sparrow raising two kids while having druid magic. it would have made his life so much easier but he could never overtly use it bc he had to keep it a secret from his own family

But like you can NOT tell me that Normal didn't at least once sprain his ankle trying to do a flip and Sparrow already had a headache and he didn't really want to go through the hassle of taking his kid to the doctor so he just quickly Cure Wounds'ed him, and when Normal asked about it, he was just like, yeah i once met a guy in bali who taught me pranic healing. And normal just has to live with that for an explanation.

#im not saying normal believes in pseudosciences #im saying he's unsure #that aside picturing as just a modern homely druid makes me so happy #like hes got the dill and rosemary plants in the kitchen #which always smell the best #and the flowers in their garden thrive #and hes the kind of person who just instinctively knows when its going to rain #idk. druid sparrow makes me happy #dndads #dungeons and daddies #sparrow oak #normal oak

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villainihavedonethymotheronao3 · 3 months

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Obviously, DnD characters are wish fulfillment and lots of people don’t want to address the slow senescence of the vulnerable human form in their fun games. That being said, narratively, I do think that levels should probably fluctuate over the course of a lifetime. The level twenty world-saver is going not going to stay level twenty into their old age—that’s not how athletes and retirement work! Wisdom and Charisma casters maybe, but your STR/CON/DEX builds are going to soften with age. They might still be the spryest bastards in the old people tai chi group, but “terrifyingly in shape 70 year old” is not the same as “deadliest man on the planet”. Drop those old folks a few levels, give them some creaky bones and presbyopia. It’s good for them, promise.

#slamming a stick into the ground like the pope ‘MORE WIZARDS WITH MINOR COGNITIVE DECLINE’#old washed up bards and barbarians who had to get a hip replaced #the only classes that are probably immune to it are druids and clerics #based solely on the power of very old gardeners and priests #they’re probably good until they start losing 3x oriented #but even monks I I think have the right to take an arrow to the knee #the other aspect of this is differing lifespans which mean that when parties do get back together for a reunion tour #there are incentives to keep them apace with their peers #and the format of dnd means that the only other time most people see their old characters is in little cameos when friends gm #and no one wants to nerf their friend’s baby #but with in the era of more experimental actual play and game design #I think we can move past these hang ups and give the people what they deserve #old rogues with arthritis who are still really good but won’t stop complaining about their glory days

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pourovergaming · 2 months

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“It’s really beautiful in the morning!”

Sunrise Over the Garden

This set is a bit special and started with inserts that have packet with pearly-white mica powder that has a gold flash, then were adorned with floral stickers - evoking, to me, sunlight glistening off of flowering plants in a dewy garden.

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pedros-immaculate-vibes · 6 months

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OKAY BUT WHAT IF YOUR TAV WAS A DRUID

AND AFTER THE NETHERBRAIN, DURING THE SIX MONTHS AWAY

ALL OF THE COMPANIONS MISSED YOU

AND PICKED UP GARDENING AS A SMALL WAY TO REMEMBER YOU

AND THEY ALL REALIZED THEY STARTED THE SAME HOBBY AROUND THE SAME TIME BECAUSE TAV ALWAYS TENDED TO SOMETHING WHILE ON THE ROAD

AND YOU SEE THEM ALL JUST SWAPPING GARDENING TIPS AND TALKING ABOUT CANNING TOMATOES AND SHIT

WHAT THEN

W H A T T H E N.

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asteroidtroglodyte · 1 year

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As a consequence of my gardening style, my flower bed is now full of many species of insect.

Which has attracted large numbers of spiders.

😅

[Breathing slowly and deeply, taking out the trash cans at night] spiders are friends. we do not need to be afraid of spiders. spiders are friends. they are part of a healthy and balanced ecosystem. they are more afraid of you than fUCK ONE TOUCHED ME AH AH AHHH AH GET IT OFF GET IT OFF AHHHH

[Flees back inside]

I can take out the cans in the morning.

Yea.

#spiders #Druid life #gardening woes #domestic struggles #please I don’t want your web in my face #I’m sure you don’t want your web in my face!#no one is winning here!

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hexblooddruid · 3 months

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There is no witch to whom the door to wickedness is not unlocked.

#worlds beyond number #mmm thank you Brennan #thinking about hexblood bryn #druids are the gardeners

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diceyclipse · 2 years

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Fog in the Autumn Garden - A classic design of mine: dried flowers and/or leaves, with a white fog slowly encompassing the die, making it look like morning fog rolling throughout a garden.

#dice #my dice #diceyclipse #fog #foggymorning #foggy forest #foggy garden #garden #handmade dice #dice set #dice maker #fog in the garden #druid

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hedgewitchgarden · 1 year

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Ancient peoples set standing stones in various places in the world. In places, such as in the British Isles or Iceland, you can still often find these standing stones, trilithons, stone circles or stacks of stones. While their many uses are shrouded in antiquity and subject to some speculation, in the Druid Magic Handbook, John Michael Greer describes standing stones can channel the solar current into the earth, which offers blessing and healing to the land. I think it’s likely that standing stones can do many other things (tell time, point to astronomical features, be places of worship and community). Today, new groups of people and individuals are choosing to set stones. For our purposes, today, setting stones for land blessing and healing is certainly a good thing to do to provide spiritual support for the land.

The Summer Solstice is a fantastic time to raise a standing stone–in your garden, in a natural place you visit, or even in a planter on your windowsill. You can set a standing stone as part of a permanent sacred grove, sacred garden, or other such space of worship and do this as part of your solstice activities. The full energy of the light of the sun will infuse your standing stone, allowing it to radiate blessing and light to the landscape.

Choosing Your Stone, Location, and Timing

As someone who has raised standing stones with many others at ritual events, I know how hard this work is to do, especially on a larger scale. Ancient—and modern—standing stones and stone circles were set by communities of people working together, often over long periods of time. The size of a stone that a single person, or small group of people, could set is nowhere near the massive stones of old, such as those seen at Stonehenge, Avebury, or other ancient sites in the UK.

And yet a smaller stone, set by one or two people, is no less effective at bringing in that healing energy and light, creating a space for ritual, and allowing you to commune with the land.

Begin by looking for a stone that you could manage to carry and set on your own or with a small group of friends. I usually look for stones that are long and thin. Standing stones are ideal if they are able to be placed 1/3 in the ground and 2/3 out of it, somewhere that gets sun. Thus, the best standing stones are ones that are tall and somewhat long but not necessarily very wide. That’s a general guideline, however, and your stone might end up being something shaped very differently. Stones that contain some quartz are ideal (as quartz is an excellent transmitter of energy). Where I live, we have mostly shale and sandstone, I’d choose sandstone over shale since the sandstone has a higher quartz content.

Take your time looking for your standing stone. Look for it when you are hiking, in your yard, walking along streams, just being out in the world. A standing stone will find you when the time is right. I find a lot of these kinds of stones when I’m hiking and kayaking, but getting them back to where I might set them can prove difficult–so understand your own limits or move a stone slowly over time.

Once you have your stone, find the right place to set it—a place where you feel inspired by spirit to do so. This could be anywhere—an edge of a forest or field, in your backyard, even on your patio set in a pot with flowers (if you use this option, consider then moving your ‘energized’ soil to places in need of healing. Like all other aspects of land healing, make sure that you engage in appropriate deep listening to make sure A) setting the standing stone is appropriate and wanted and B) that you have the right time and location to do such work.Raising stones the old fashioned way…yes that’s uphill!

To set your stone, choose a fortuitous day and time. The most fortuitous day of a year and timing for setting a standing stone is noon at the Summer Solstice, as you are calling upon the energy of the sun, and setting the stone when the solar energy is at its peak in both time of day and year will be powerful. You can choose any other day or time that is fortuitous, however, but I do suggest you set it at noon if at all possible.

Physically, to set a stone, you dig a hole, place it where you want it to go, and fill it back in, checking to make sure the stone stays in the position you want it as you fill. Most standing stones go about 1/3 into the ground for the sake of stability. I really recommend keeping it natural–no pouring concrete. Just fill it in with whatever you dig out, add some gravel or smaller stones if you like for stability, and your stone should do well.

If you want, you can plant something around your stone (flowers or veggies if its in a garden, seeds or acorns you find nearby where you are setting the stone) and leave an offering.

You might like to use the following ritual for setting your standing stone.

Ritual for Setting a Standing Stone

Materials: Assemble all of your supplies prior to beginning your ritual. This should include tools needed to move and place your stone (such as a shovel) as well as blessing materials to bless the hole your stone will be seated in. The ritual below uses an herbal tea made from fresh healing herbs: rosemary, sage, oregano, and lavender as well as a blessing sigil (a pentagram or other sigil as appropriate).

The Ritual

Open up your sacred grove in the manner you usually do.

Begin by stating your intentions for the healing to take place. While I highly recommend you use your own words, you can also use the words here: “Land before me. What a journey you have had to get to this place. And now, your healing is coming forth. As you regrow, as you heal, know that I am with you. I set this standing stone today to aid you with your healing, that you may grow bountiful and diverse.”

Now, bless your stone. Pour some of the tea over the stone, and bless the stones in your own words. Or you can say, “Sacred stone, sacred ancestor who has been on this land for millennia, thank you for lending your healing power as a channel for the solar current.”

Prepare to dig the hole. Say, “Spirits of nature, powers of this land, I offer my energy to prepare this earth.”Standing stone – bringing the solar into the telluric

Dig the hole. As you dig, focus your mind on healing for the land.

After you dig the hole, bless the hole with your own words, or say, “Sacred earth, oh cradle for this stone. Hold this stone firm, and be a conduit for healing to radiate forth.” Pour the remainder of the healing waters in the hole. Place a blessing sigil in the hole as well.

Set the stone, making sure you firmly tamp down the soil all around the hole.

After you finish, say, “From above to below, from the solar to the telluric, may this stone radiate healing energy to all of the lands. Each day as the sun rises until the sun sets, this stone will serve as a conduit to channel nywfre (noo-iv-ruh) throughout this land.”

Visualize the rays of the sun warming the stone, and then envision the stone channeling those rays into the earth, a beautiful golden light emanating from the stone in all directions. Visualize those rays of golden energy helping plants regrow, seeds take root, eggs hatch, and young ones grow. Imagine the land before you as a healthy, strong, and abundant place for all.

Offer your own vow as a caretaker of the land (optional, if you feel led). “As I close this ceremony, I offer myself as a force of good and healing in service to this land. Lead me as to what you need me to do. Speak, and I will listen. I honor you and heed your call.” Bow your head and cross your arms.

Close the ritual space.

Closing

This ritual is most effective if you visit the stone and continue to offer healing and blessing. After the initial setting of the stone, you might come back every solstice and equinox and do a full season of healing rituals or use it as a focal point for other work. Or just come by the stone to commune with nature, meditate, and enjoy the energy. I hope that the long days of summer (or long nights of winter for those in the southern hemisphere) bless you and keep you safe.

PS: If you haven’t had a chance to check out the Tarot of Trees 10th Anniversary Edition Indegogo Campaign, please consider doing so. We are working to bring the Tarot of Trees in a revised and larger edition. Thanks for your support!

#summer solstice #ritual #standing stones #the druids garden

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lotusmoonbunni · 3 months

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Briar showing her druid spells off to her father, Alexi. Louis is very engrossed in his book after being the previous victim volunteer. Alexi is a man who rarely smiles and when he does its in private with his partners and children

#art #drawing #fantasy art #fantasy #dnd #ocs #oc: alexi #oc: briar #roses #garden #druid #king #royalty #my art

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maegalkarven · 7 months

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The funniest side-effect of Levi creating a big ass beautiful natural garden in Baldur's Gate (he collapses Cazador's palace and uses it as a fundament for it) using flesh as a fertilizer and growing plants and trees out of the bodies, is unexpected friendship he and Kagha develop.

Kagha leaves the grove to help make Baldur's Gate closer to nature (in repentance of her past actions).

She comes to the city, fully expecting to hate every part of it, and finds the most beautiful oasis of nature built on the bones of the enemies of the state. She can't help but appreciate such take on being a druid.

Meanwhile Halsin tries to tell Levi this is not how druids actually druid, Silvanus does not-

Levi doesn't listen, he knows better than to care what some god says. He knows druid magic in the way it comes to him; with blood and death and wild, animalistic rage, and bloodthirst and urgent need of survival, and creation out of destruction, life out of death. Be considers that to be the cycle of life.

Someone dies, and thus serves to make the plants thrive. What's wrong with that?

#dark urge: levi #kagha bg3 #levi is a strange druid who is neither alike normal druids in the grove or shadow druids #he is somewhat...a blood druid. blood and viscera and new growth out of it. animal instincts and fight for survival. teeth and claws #and blood-red roses blooming by the window or archduke's cabinet #he is what happens if you make bhaalspawn a druid.#kagha def becomes the archdruid of the new circle in the city bc levi is too busy creating havoc #and he's too often in hells to treat to his garden property

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adamofingolstadt · 10 months

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Grandma Stimboard