Meditation Log - Week 7

Nature: 8/31/2014: Sat in the park, not long enough, battery low on my phone, made me twitchy.  Enjoyed the light and the grass and the trees and the breeze.  Wish I could have stayed in it longer.

Meditation: tried to meditate, but too twitchy. Will keep at it.

Week 8 - Meditation and Mental Training

Meditation and Mental Training

 Passive Meditation: Sitting, standing, or lying down, clearing the mind,

and allowing thoughts to slide through.

 Active Meditation: Exercising, running, juggling, doing yoga, working a

cash register, etc., in order to induce a meditative state.

 Daily Devotions: Do a simple ritual each morning or night.

 Daily Prayers: Say a prayer on waking or on falling asleep, or over your

lunch meal.

 Trance Work: Induce a trance, through any variety of methods.

 Mantra Meditation: In which you chant a simple mantra over and over

until you manage to feel that connection.

 Oracle meditation: Pulling a rune, tarot card, or watching the flights of

birds in order to gain some insight into your meditation.

 Two Powers meditation: Explained in week 11, it involves using the basic

Two Powers meditation to connect with the currents of the world.

Write about how your first week of meditation went. A couple of sentences

will work. You might mention the breathing pattern you used, how long you did it,

if anything happened, and any experiences you may have had.

I did a guided meditation to ask my Lady for guidance.  It's a standard one where you are in a glade and the Goddess shows up to talk to you. Slowing my breathing for calm and receptivity, but that was about it.  I got the impression of  “If I don't go with you, how would I go at all”? "Who would carry me forth?"  Very pregnant young goddess, giving birth to me as hers. Autumn deep auburn hair, pale skin, thin hands, very large belly, white plain dress, short sleeved, no nail polish, pure, ivy at neck and in hair, green v's like on the motorcycle's paint job. Overdue pregnant, where the body thins out and the woman is entirely tummy. "Will I go ahead and get born already?"  Motorbike escaping from the flames tearing down the factory, me and her on the back. She provided way out, but my skill to steer. Looks like the question about dedicating to her is pretty clearly answered, and the fears about job stuff is too. She'll go with me, and we'll travel light, but the old is burning and it's time for new starts.  The V is the same as the old car V, seen it below the Cadillac logo, on Chevys and Dodges. Fast, classic, stylish, powerful.  

Week 7 - Home Shrine

Write down what is on the altar, how it looks, and why you chose the things you did.

I've had a mostly wicca-ish altar for a few years, changing it up seasonally, but the ADF ritual has a few different components and needs. I use the altar for daily meditations, special prayers, and seasonal rituals, so it needed updating for these new needs. I have to my left fire in the form of a pillar candle on an iron holder. Behind it is a holder for various incenses I use. When I'm outside, I'll burn the loose incense, but inside I just sprinkle it on the little upraised dish. On the right is a small pottery dish with a beautiful blue glaze that has sparkling facets set into the bottom of it for the well and a bell to open rituals. In the middle in the front is a small dish with a spiral worked into it and a glaze that speaks to the idea of dawn for offerings. Behind that is a picture of Angel Oak, one of the largest and oldest oak trees in existence, and one I was privileged to visit on a recent vacation, for the Tree. Behind that is a barely representational figure of a woman, with an opening in her middle where a candle can be placed. I'm still deciphering her identity, but I've seen her, and this is the best way I know to represent her without attributing any qualities to her in error. I'm seeking a suitable chalice as a horn doesn't feel quite right, and I'm thinking of adding a few items back in as focus objects such as seasonal items like wheat stalks, but better to add to something once the framework is made than to twist and edit something else to suit a different style.

Week 6 - IE: A History of Pagan Europe

This one isn't complete, and probably won't be for a few weeks.  Technically, I have until Week 25 to finish this.  The book just arrived (yay used books on Amazon) and I've got a work trip starting in a few days for three weeks in another town, so I'll start reading and working on it then.  Here are the guide questions, so I'll be working through them and updating this post as I go.

MLA citation.

What is the book about?

Is there a main thesis?

Can you summarize the main points?

Why was this book on the reading list?

Do you think it should be there?

Does it inform your own personal practice in any way?

Does it give you new ideas, crazy thoughts, or open your mind?

Could you recommend this book to others?

Do you have trouble understanding it, or is it a breeze?

Are there things that would make it better?

Making an outline or notes as you read will be invaluable to writing your book review later.

Week 5 - Nature Awareness 1

In your Dedicant Notebook, discuss what you felt when you were experiencing Nature. Did you have problems focusing? - Not so bad, but having my phone be empty of charge and me being unreachable made me twitchy. My wife is diabetic, so being out of reach and alone is generally a bad thing. It's going to take time to unlearn.

Did you have trouble finding your spot? - Nope, there's a lovely little park near my home. The first few rituals I ever did were there, so it's home ground.

Try drawing a map from your house or your office to this spot, but don't include street names or man-made objects; instead, use natural landmarks to remind yourself how to get there in the future. - Drawn, but I'm not up to doing ASCII art.

Were you able to hear things you've never heard before? - Not hear, exactly, but it was enjoyable to feel the trees and the air and the grass.

Did you catch a glimpse of the Earth Mother playing with children in the park? - not yet, but I think my worries got in the way, I'll do more sitting in parks.

What is the source of your drinking water? What rivers make up your watershed? - Lick Run Watershed feeding to Roanoke River through Western VA Water Authority, The Western Virginia Water Authority’s drinking water comes primarily from four sources: Carvins Cove Reservoir, Spring Hollow Reservoir, Crystal Spring and Falling Creek Reservoir

What are the prevailing winds? What are the major influences on your local clouds, rain and storms?

Due to mountains, the winds come from varying directions. Either from the west straight through, up the I-81 corridor, or cycling widdershins from the coast – usually due to some big storm. The mountains trigger most of the snow to land on their western slopes, so that reduces the amount of snow we get in the valley.

What is the composition of your soil? Is it acid or alkali? What are the major crops grown in your region?

Alkali. Soybeans, corn, tobacco, tomatoes, and by far the most? Pot, though the official numbers don't include it.

Identify 5 species of trees in your area. Then, learn 4 more!

Maple, Hickory, Beech, various Oaks, cherry, redbud, dogwood, willow, choke cherry

Identify 5 herbs for health in your area. Then, learn 4 more!

Yarrow, ginger, marigold, alumroot, mint, foxglove

Identify 5 species of birds common to your area,

red tail hawks, starlings, sparrows, hummingbirds, crows, turkey vulture

and 5 species of wild animal.

Rabbits, groundhogs, raccoons, white tail deer, squirell

Know the three major sources of air and water pollution in your area.

Carbon Monoxide, VOC, PCB's – cars, industry

Know how your area deals with trash and garbage. Consider recycling and/or composting.

Solid Waste Management handles trash in the area, and for residents, they do recyling as well.

Learn about environmental action groups in your area; consider joining and/or working with one or more.

Cutting down on all external commitments, so no joining in. Meagan with Blue Ridge Conservancy gets to native-plant my yard when I get one.  I've already got way too many pulls on my time to add another.

Week 4 - High Day Recap

The August Feast: Lughnasadh, Feast of the God Lugh, first harvest

The structure was straight off the ADF list, being one that I did myself as a solitary and only lightly edited from the one in the Dedicant Path Study Guide. I stumbled and stammered a little, though I had taken the time to look up the pronunciations of the names, and reading off of the computer screen was a bit distracting. I did feel a response and the runes were really good, so that definitely worked. I've been exploring Proto-Indo-European as a hearth culture, so the patrons were Xáusōs (Dawn and rebirth), Dhéǵhōm Mā́tr (earth mother), Kolyos (lady of death), and the gatekeeper was Páxusōn as the guide through the wilds. I've been working with the Green Lady, Kore/Demeter/Persephone, Potnia / The Mistress, Lady of Life, Death, and Rebirth for some time now, and am trying to see her through this lens. I'm more soft polytheist than I think the ADF is, but I'm working on finding my way. For the sacrifice, I decided to have a piece of bread for the gods, honey for the nature spirits, mead for the ancestors – my silver necklace for a time to silver the well and a drop of tangerine essential oil for the fire for some new beginnings I'm hoping for. I felt the connection to my Lady, the gates opening and closing, a patting-on-the-head kind of feeling for me trying so hard. I did feel a confidence that they cared and were going to be tolerant of the newbie – and thrilled that they responded so kindly. The omens I drew were Perthro, Fehu, and Radho, which were all very auspicious for the questions I had about upcoming interviews.

Ring bell and then Moment of silence to focus and center

Earth Mother, please be with me as I celebrate this season of early harvest.

I come here today to celebrate the first harvest, the harvest of grain, to give praise and receive what bounty may be given.

Below are the dark waters of creation, Beside me is the Tree of Life, Above are the guiding lights, and within me is the fire.

Guide and Gatekeeper, Páxusōn, please open the gates and guard me as I venture forth.

Pahk-oo-sohn

Spirits of Nature, please join me in this celebration, Ancestors, please join me in this celebration, Shining Ones, please join me in this celebration.

My Lady of Life, Death, and Rebirth, in your phases and faces, Xáusōs, Dhéǵhōm Mā́tr, Kolyos,, please join me in this celebration.

Kah-oo-sohs , D aygh-ohm Maht-r , Kohl-yohs

I offer my praise and thanks for this season and my hopes for a bountiful harvest.

I have done and worked and struggled, and I have kept my devotion to you. I give you these gifts of time, of effort, of struggle, and of diplomacy, these applications and all my hard work. Please accept them with my praise and faith.

(Draw 3 runes)

Please bless me, for I sorely need your aid in making a good harvest.

Please send your blessings to this drink that I may enjoy it fully and accept it into my life. (drink)

Truly, you do send blessings and wonders and I thank you for them, even the ones I don't understand now.

Today I call forth the season and it's bountiful harvest to be mirrored in my job search, let my work bear good and sweet fruit and may I have a good position that will fill our needs and wants and give us joy.

My Lady of Life, Death, and Rebirth, Xáusōs, Dhéǵhōm Mā́tr, Kolyos, in all your guises, thank you for celebrating this season with me and for your many kindnesses and gifts.

Kah-oo-sohs , D aygh-ohm Maht-r , Kohl-yohs

Deities, Ancestors, Spirits of Nature, thank you all for celebrating this season with me and for your many kindnesses and gifts.

Páxusōn, as Gatekeeper, thank you for your watchful guard.

Pahk-oo-sohn

Earth Mother, thank you for your endless care and support.

And so I move forward.

D P Perthro Secrets, mysteries, initiation, knoeldge of the future, determining the future

A F Fehu Posessions won or erned, income, luck, abundance, success and happiness

N R Radho change in lifestyle, evolution, change of place, larger perspective, seeing right move and making it

All very auspicious

Week 3 - Explain High Day

The August Feast: Lughnasadh, Feast of the God Lugh, first harvest

This feast is commonly celebrated as Lugh's games of skill in celebration of his mother at her funeral after clearing the land for agriculture in Ireland. Most neopagan events I've attended for this have been focused on that narrative and had a definite tilt towards grain-based food served afterwards. For me, this time of year is all about the coming end to summer and the first successes after a season of hard work. I'm not as attached to this celebration as others, simply because I'm not as fond of heat and Lugh isn't a god I've ever really connected with. The one thing that did strike me in considering this holiday is that this season is very much about returning to school and the ending of playtime, and it seems quite appropriate as a time to start the Dedicant's Path. This summer's been unusually cool and wet, very much like fall weather rather than the puffy clouds and thunderstorms we're used to, so it's been a bit unseasonal.

Week 2 - First Oath

Candle, dish of water, tree, cup of drink

Earth Mother, I stand upon you today and recognize that we begin with you and we will end with you. Uphold me now as I give praise, and support me as I receive blessing.

A child of the Earth, I come before the Gods, the Spirits of Nature, and the Ancestors to offer praise. I seek to establish ties, to offer to them and open to them in return.

The waters support and surround me.

The land extends about me.

The sky stretches out above me.

At the center burns a living flame.

I call out to the keeper of the Gates.

Though I walk on uncertain paths,

Though I travel on unmapped ground,

Guide me, ward me, and relay my voice

As I offer prayers and praise.

(envision door opening)

I call out to my ancestors, those who came before me, you of my blood and you of my heart. I seek to give you praise, to remember you now, and to honor you.

I call out to the spirits of this place, the spirits of nature who are the soul of this land. I seek to give you praise, to call out to you now, and to honor you.

I call out to the deities, first children, eldest and wisest. It is you to whom we look for guidance, and you who grant the greatest blessings. I seek to give you praise, to honor you now, to give you due worship.

Lady of Life, Death, and Rebirth, Bountiful One by your many names, please be with me now as I embark on this new journey.

Today, I have given of my praise and myself.

With love in my heart and devotion on my tongue

I call out now, with all my soul:

Accept my praises!

As I have given praise to the Powers, I open to them. If there are blessings to be had, what might the nature of those blessings be?

(draw 3 runes)

Indeed, the powers offer me blessings. Now I seek the manifestation of those blessings, the outpouring from the Powers that offer them. To those who enter this exchange, pour forth your blessings into my cup!

(envision power of runes pouring into the cup you're holding)

This in my hands is a sacred cup, the great blessings offered to me as joyful return of my praises to the Kindreds. Here are the deep waters that flow within the earth and that rain from the sky. These are the waters of life!

I accept this blessing, and I drink it with love and knowledge of the Powers!

(drink)

Filled with the blessings of the Kindreds, I now call out to the powers here gathered to hear me as I give my First Oath as a traveler upon the Dedicant Path in ADF. Hear my words as they arise on the fire, and hear my voice as it resounds in the well.

I declare myself to be a seeker of the Old Ways. With this oath I set my foot upon the path and I vow to make my devotion plain. I vow to seek virtue in my life, to do right by my kin, my friends and my community, I vow to make my beliefs real, by keeping the rites and works that call to me. I vow to deepen my understanding of the Ways through studying and experiencing to fill my mind with the truth and my heart with connection.

These things I swear to the Gods, with those gathered here as my witnesses.

Now, with joy in my heart, I give thanks:

Lady of Life, Death, and Rebirth, Bountiful One by your many names, thank you for being with me and for your many gifts.

My thanks to the Deities, thank you for your blessings. To the Nature Spirits, thank you for your blessings. To the Ancestors, thank you for your blessings. To all those Powers who have aided me, thank you for your blessings.

To the Keeper of the Gates

For guiding me and warding me

Thank you for your protection.

(envision gate closing)

Mother of all, to you I will return all things I have left unused. For supporting and upholding me in this rite, I thank you!

This rite is ended.

Deities T Tiwaz Success, Honor, Justice, Self Sacrifice

Nature E Ehwaz Change for the better, slow but steady progress, trust

Ancestors G Gebo gifts in balance, personal relationships, giving and getting

I think I can do it, and do it well, but I'll get out of it what I put into it.

Week 1 - Study Guide and Why

There is a study guide to the DP that walks you through all the requirements and adds a bit so it's more like a class instead of a shopping list of stuff to get done.  It's organized into weeks, so here's the format for those.  I'll be putting in other stuff than just the ADF stuff here, but the Study Guide stuff will be marked out by week.

This is a cut and paste from my notes for what I did in Week 1.  So it happened a few weeks back.  I'm going to copy my notes up in order so that they read correctly, even if they're all posted here in the next little bit.

Week 1

 Why have you chosen to take the first steps on the Dedicant Path? - Because Mara and Steph did and I'm about to graduate from Cailin's class and I need more study and I have been going to PIE stuff anyway, so it seemed to hit on multiple levels.

 Is this a step on your path, or will this become the Path itself? - Not sure yet. Probably just a step, but I'm open to change.

 What do you expect to learn? - About how PIE worship was done, possibly a better understanding of my Lady, possibly how to make it work in a more formal structure.

 What would you like to get out of this journey? – a better understanding of ritual technique and depth of devotion

 Do you know where this path will take you? - heck no. If I said I did, I'd be lying. I've got hopes, but the proverbial way to make God laugh is to tell him your plans, and I find that much to be true.

 If you have just joined ADF, why have you chosen to work on this

immediately? - Because this is the reason I joined the ADF.

 If you have been in ADF for a long time, why are you starting only now? - N/a

 Does it look hard or easy? Hard, but not because it's beyond me, but because I'll have to focus on myself and my growth and not just put crap on paper like in school.

 Which requirements appear to be difficult to you now, and which appear to

be easy? The timeframe looks interesting, but a good challenge. I've been celebrating all the Sabbats each year for a few years now, so it's do-able. But thinking something is easy is the way to make it hard, so I'm just going to do my best at all of it.

 Do you have doubts, questions, or concerns that you need to ask about? Maybe. I'll see what crops up as I go along, talk it out with Mara and Steph, seek further guidance if necessary.

ADF and other Paths

It was advised to make a record of my ADF Dedicant's Path in a place where it couldn't be destroyed by a hard drive going or a notebook getting wet. 

Three of us here in town have been Pagans for a while, but we've started the ADF DP, and one of the others is using a blog, so here I am, copycat.  My wife has said that I'm creative, but she's wrong.  I see the best ideas, and I copy them with whatever tweaks suit my situation.  I do not have to re-invent the wheel.

So, here's the blog.  I may make it more public one day, but in the meantime, here it is.  Ups, downs, and side-trips.  I'm still uncertain if the ADF path as a whole is the best fit for me, as I've been happily Eclectic Pagan for a while, but you don't learn except by doing, so here goes.