Below are some images from the photoshoot for my latest book with Moon Books, The Awen Alone: Walking the Path of the Solitary Druid (release date end of 2014 we hope!). The images below did not made the final cut, but they were so beautiful that I had to share. The final artwork will be shared when it is completely finished – I’m so pleased with it! Please check out the work of the inspired and talented Emily at www.photographybyemilyfae.com.
Not satisfied with the response to a complaint that I had made at the beginning of April regarding two sexist comments that Ken Bruce had made at the beginning of his BBC Radio 2 show on 2 April, I have written back to the BBC and am sharing this story with you. What we say DOES matter, and we need to speak out against what we think is wrong. As a Druid, I take speech quite seriously (when I’m not being The Fool, but there is method in my madness there as well – indeed, a good friend of mine this weekend said that I am one of the most intelligent people she knows, and also the silliest – but I digress…)
What happened was that I wrote in to BBC Radio 2 because Ken Bruce had called Lynne Bowles a “whale” (in jest) and in the next breath said something about her putting on a French maid’s uniform. Many people would say that taking this out of context is making it appear worse than it actually is. What I am saying is that the context of sexism doesn’t matter – it’s still sexism. Ways to undermine women’s power in our society is becoming more and insidious where it cannot be achieved through brute force. Here is the correspondence that I have received back from my complaint, and my further response.
I am putting this here on my blog as well as my Facebook page. My original post in which I tagged the BBC has mysteriously disappeared from my Facebook timeline. It is my intention to make this public, and whether it is simply a Facebook error or a more targeted silencing, I shall never know – what I do know is that they cannot touch this blog.
UPDATE 24.04.13: BBC’S MOST RECENT RESPONSE BELOW. Am trying not to bang my head against the desk…
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Dear Ms van der Hoeven
Reference CAS-2646747-YB2LTD
Thanks for contacting us regarding Ken Bruce on BBC Radio 2.
We note you were unhappy with the manner in which Ken started his 2 April programme. You felt he made demeaning remarks about Lynn Bowles.
We appreciate your concerns. Ken, as a highly experienced broadcaster, is well aware of the boundaries of acceptability. The changeover with Chris Evans and his programme team was clearly intended as light-hearted banter between professionals who are well used to working with each other and treating each other with respect. We regret the dialogue didn’t meet with your approval on this occasion and we hope you otherwise enjoyed the rest of Ken’s programme.
We’d assure you your concerns have been registered on our audience log, which is a daily report of audience feedback that’s made available to many BBC staff, including members of the BBC Executive Board, channel controllers and other senior managers.
The audience logs are seen as important documents that can help shape decisions about future programming and content.
Thanks again for taking the trouble to contact us.
Kind Regards
Lucia Fortucci
BBC Complaints”
Dear Ms Fortucci,
I am writing in response to your reply to my complaint made last week.
I am not as certain as you or the BBC are of Ken Bruce’s awareness of the levels of acceptability regarding boundaries – simply because he has had years of experience does not mean that what he says and does is always acceptable acceptable.
Sexism can be a very insidious creature in our society, and sexism, even in the form of “light-hearted banter” is wholly unacceptable. Should we allow bullying and racisim if it is all in the name of good fun? I think not. I don’t think the BBC are taking this issue seriously enough. While I have enjoyed Ken Bruce’s programmes in the past, I really do hope that these words and sentiment are actually taken seriously by the programmer himself, and not simply fobbed off as a registered complaint that no one will see because they are not required to look at all the feedback when it comes to programming. Issues like these have been swept under our society’s carpet for years.
For me personally, sexism and sexist words are never acceptable, and I shall speak out against them whenever I experience them. Sadly, this is still too often even in our so-called “modern and liberated society”. I feel that our liberties may be taken away should sexist comments continue to be made in any fashion, whether spoken in anger or in jest, for the very nature of sexism is to undermine a woman’s personal power, and can be done in a myriad of ways that are “acceptable”.
Regards,
Joanna van der Hoeven
Dear Ms van der Hoeven
Thanks for contacting us again regarding Ken Bruce’s comments at the beginning of his show on 2 April.
We’re sorry to read you were dissatisfied with the previous response. As such we forwarded your complaint to the programme makers who would like to apologise for any offence caused to you; however regular listeners to Ken’s show will regularly hear endearing banter between Ken and Lynn Bowles about each other for pure entertainment and are in no way deliberate attempts to be sexist.
At this stage however, if you believe a serious and specific breach of the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines has occurred with this programme and you wish to pursue this complaint further you can contact the BBC’s Editorial Complaints Unit (ECU), within 20 working days, and they will carry out an independent investigation.
You can e-mail them at ecu@bbc.co.uk or alternatively write to them at the below address quoting the following case number CAS-2658696-YB869Z:
BBC Editorial Complaints Unit
Media Centre
MC3 D3
201 Wood Lane
London
W12 7TP
______________________________________________
Dear Mr Martin,
Would I be endearing myself to you if I called you a whale? I’m not trying to be deliberately sexist, but how about you go and put on a French maid’s uniform for me?
The issue isn’t whether or not it is deliberate – deliberate or not doesn’t make it right, or acceptable. I find it appalling that the BBC feel this way.
Sincerely,
Joanna van der Hoeven
_________________________________
Dear Madam/Sir of the Editorial Complaints Unit at the BBC,
I began this complaint with regards to remarks made by Ken Bruce. What I would now like to complain about is the complacency within BBC that allows sexist and demeaning comments to be made under the pretense of “endearing banter”.
Both responses I have had from the BBC have brushed this off under the carpet of “enterntainment”. There is nothing funny about derogatory remarks or sexism. Only when we see that, when we break free from accepting these abuses under the guise of comedy and entertainment will we actually be able to move forward as a species.
These remarks may not have been made deliberatly by the presenter, Ken Bruce. However, that doesn’t make it right, or absolve it in any way. People need to be made aware when they are crossing the lines, either what would be the point of having any lines in the first place? People in the media have an especial responsibility to choose their words carefully. I only hope that what I am saying will be taken seriously by someone, and that more thought will be behind the words of BBC radio two presenters such as Ken Bruce.
Yours sincerely,
Joanna van der Hoeven
Good words here by Kevin…
A friend and colleague has been asked to teach a class on Feminist Spirituality. I also had a great conversation with Bobcat and she shared some thoughts about the gods that got my mind going. I have been pondering deity and gender. Out of these sharings, this missive was born. I hope it is good food for thought.
I think isn’t helpful is for people to get caught up in gender language when talking about spiritual matters. For example, why can’t “god” be without gender reference? “God” is like a four letter word, like “Lust”, “Fuck”, “Food”, “Stop”, “Back! -off”. It burst out of us because it is a verb, not a noun. It is guttural, bursting out like a yell, a great expression, exhalation, exaltation. We are speaking of movement and emergence when we speak of “God”. This isn’t a thing. It is an event, a powerful force of…
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This is a reblog from my post at SageWoman Magazine’s blog channel on Witches and Pagans.
Beltane is fast upon us – here in Suffolk, the hawthorn is in bloom already, and I have heard the first cuckoo of summer. The oak leaves are just coming out, and the beech and ash are lagging behind, sluggish after their long sleep. The garden is abloom, and the forest is filled with bluebells, their soft energy shimmering in the sunlight. It is, indeed, Beltane.
Beltane is a pagan festival that relates to fertility and sexuality. It is a celebration of passion, of the fire within the blood and the rising sap within nature and in our own bodies. Yet for the single woman, what does Beltane mean to her? To the pagan without a partner, they can often feel left out during this holiday, this celebration of sexuality, where it is often depicted as the Goddess and God coming together to create new life. What of those women who have no significant other in their life at this time?
Beltane can be celebrated by the singleton as much as with a partner. In Druidry, we take inspiration from the natural world around us, the gods and our ancestors. We know that we are all connected, therefore we can never truly be alone. We take this sense of connection and work with it in everything that we do.
At this time of year, we can work with the energies of flowing, of fire and creativity. We don’t have to just celebrate sex and the act of sexual union – that is only one facet of this festival. It is a fire festival, and so we can take inspiration from the flames and work that into our own lives…
To see the whole post, click HERE.
A solo of mine from a few months back… seems so long ago now…
Vegan BrowniesRecipe by: SANDYWIFEY31S  |
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 Ready in 30 minsPicture by: tahoegirl
These are very gooey, which is a good thing in my book. However, if you want your brownies a little more solid you’ll need to cook them longer than the recommended time. Great for people with egg or dairy allergies. Feel free to add your own additions like hazelnuts, walnuts or sunflower seeds.
IngredientsServes: 16
Preparation methodPrep: 5 mins |Cook: 20 mins | Extra time: 5 mins
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Within any relationship there is a give and take, an exchange of energy that flows, spiralling in and out and around, up and down and out and through. Within some practices of paganism, and dependent upon the individual, there can be too much one-sidedness in their relationship with deity, the spirits of place, the ancestors, etc. Often this is the individual asking or petitioning other powers all the time, or simply taking without giving anything in return. Sometimes it is the other way around, where a devotee gives and gives but is reluctant to ask for anything in return. I tend to fall into this latter category all too often.
My life, my rituals, my energy is utterly devoted to the land, the gods and the ancestors. They are my inspiration, they are my connection to the awen. I do not know what I would do now without them. As such, I let them know that they are honoured with daily prayers and devotions, in ritual work and in secular work. Their inspiration sings deep within my soul, feeding my own creativity and actions.
In ritual especially, I find it difficult to ask for anything. I am aware that so many people in our modern society, and indeed within paganism itself, take and take without giving anything in return. I am paranoid that I will fall into that category; that I should I ask for anything I will be lumping myself in with those who take advantage of the beautiful energy of a place, or who bother their gods, or who work magic without forethought.
I know that it is silly, even ridiculous to think this sometimes. However, I think that it also keeps me in check, keeps my ego in check, and allows me to remember my place within the web. I am a part of the tapestry, not separate, and therefore everything that I do affects the whole. Yet I can be so afraid sometimes to move some threads, to take some energy that lies within their warp and weft that perhaps my own colour fades, or becomes too thin. Reciprocity works both ways.
I am uncomfortable asking for things in ritual or in prayer. Why should this be? In my relationship with my partner, I am not afraid to ask for the things I need, for I know that good communication is key to any relationship. I need to understand, to really see and feel this truth in my relationship to the land, the ancestors and the deities as well.
Perhaps it is because they are so much bigger than I am – I am but a drop in the ocean. Yet I am still part of the ocean, whose power lies in its collective drops of water, singing and blending with the songs of wind and rain and sun. I can call upon that power for I am that power, and that power is me. I am a leaf on a tree and the tree itself – there is no separation. My gods live within me as much as they exist without. Separation is nothing but illusion.
Perhaps this is what some pagans have an aversion to when they consider the term “worship”. Taken from the Old English weorthscipe, it is the value of something – what it is worth to the individual. Weorth – worth, and scipe – condition. Worship is not bowing and grovelling before the gods, as some may perceive it to be – it is judging the worth of something in order to be able to fully relate to it. I hold my gods, the land and the ancestors in high esteem and therefore they are worthy of my attention. What I need to realise is that perhaps I too am worthy of their attention.
I’m working on it…
Here is my “revised ending” to the traditional song/story of Willie and Mary, which, in its various guises, always bothered me how the woman just accepted being tested by her love after years and years of waiting. She never got upset about being tested after all that time. Me, I’d tell him where to go. So here’s my offering – the last two verses are my “revisited version”. 🙂
Willie and Mary (revisited)
As Willie and Mary met by the seaside
A long farewell for to take
Said Mary to Willie, “If you go away
I’m afraid my poor heart, it might break”
“Oh don’t be afraid, dearest Mary,” he said
As he clasped his fond maid to his side
“In my absence don’t mourn, for when I return
I will make you, sweet Mary, my bride”
Seven long years had passed and no word at last
Mary stood by her own cottage door
A beggar came by with a patch on his eye
Bedraggled and ragged and tore
“Your charity, fair maid, bestow upon me
Your fortune I’ll tell you beside
Your lad that you mourn will never return
To make little Mary his bride”
She slipped and she started, saying, “All that I have
It’s freely to you I will give
If you tell me true what I now ask of you
Is my Willie dead or alive?”
“He’s living,” said he, “though in sad poverty
And shipwrecked he has been beside
When he’d money untold and pockets of gold
He’d have made little Mary his bride”
“Then if he is dead, no other I’ll wed
No other I’ll have by my side
For in riches though rolled or covered with gold
He’d have made his own Mary his bride”
Then the patch off his eye the old beggar let fly
His old coat and crutches beside
And in sailor’s blue clothes and with cheeks like the rose
It was Willie who stood by her side
“Oh don’t be afraid, dearest Mary,” he said
“It was only your faith that I tried
To the church we’ll away by the break of the day
And I’ll make little Mary my bride”
With eyes afire did Mary face the liar
“My faith was not yours to be tried
I’ve kept my heart mired, I never did tire
And your test I’ll no longer abide
Through the longest of nights have I cried and I cried
Seven long years I stayed true
Though suitors have tried they lay not by my side
All for my sweet love in you
But now you’ve impressed, beggarly dressed
And lied to me, thinking you’re dead
Your love’s not the best if it requires a test
My own company I’ll keep instead”
I don’t think any of us expected the deeply moving and transformative powers that awaited us on our weekend of the Little Pagan Monastery Retreat.
Held over the weekend of 11 – 13 April 2014, we stayed for two nights at Little St Michael’s, the Companions’ Retreat House for Chalice Well and Gardens. I knew that staying and sleeping in such a sacred spot would be the basis for challenging soul work. We had 24 hour access to the gardens, which was a special blessing after hours, when we had it all to ourselves. The chance to meditate, pray and create ritual at the Red Spring was truly unique. It opened our souls to the very special power of the Vale of Avalon, wherein the Goddess was present in everything.
We walked the spiral path up the Tor, feeling the strong energies push and pull us in every direction as the wind whipped around us. We climbed the Tor twice that weekend, the second time to watch the sunrise. The mists of Avalon swirled around us as we may our ascent in the hour before sunrise, and settled over the Somerset levels in thick, low banks of cloud that seemed to shine with their own inner light. The sun rose from behind the far hills, a red-orange disc of flame that filled the soul with such joy it felt like we would burst with it.
A private visit to the White Spring later that day resulted in a very moving ritual, wherein participants immersed themselves in the sacred waters of the large, dark mirror pool. Souls were awakened, energy bursting forth from the dark womb of the waters and new journeys began for everyone.
The days followed a routine of morning, noon and evening prayers and meditation. Together we created a group prayer to be recited at these times.
We give thanks for this day
May awen and peace flow our way
In honour of this land we pray
Some participants had powerful dreams, which was likely to happen in such a sacred power spot. The lodging itself was incredible – a 400 year old building filled with such peaceful energy. We had the meeting room as well, a beautiful open space filled with light where we gathered for discussions and group work. The kitchen and dining room were huge – how many kitchens have a vesica pisces symbol in the floor?
All in all, this weekend was one that I shall remember for the rest of my life. What we learned from this weekend we will take into our lives wherever we may be, and use the wisdom of Avalon to nourish, strengthen and sustain us in all that we do. We prayed that Avalon itself was blessed in return by our love and devotion to the sacred spirits, and we look forward to returning as soon as we can.
As some of you may know, the Order of Bard, Ovates and Druids are celebrating their 50th anniversary this June, 6 – 9 in Glastonbury. This is quite a momentous event, and I am very honoured to have been asked by Philip Carr-Gomm for an interview on the Friday night which will be available at a later date on the podcast. Many thanks to OBOD for thinking of me, and I hope to see many of you there! x
P.S. To read my review of the event, click HERE
Down the Forest Path 