So, as you can see, we have changed the name of this blog site to ” The Flowing Spirit”, what is often referred to in Druidry as “awen”. We hope that you like the change, and that it helps to reflect the content of the blog better!
When we have a new URL we will let you know – we hope to transfer everything over smoothly.
Awen blessings,Jo.x
Marguerite Manteau-Rao said “We feel what we think”
I have found this to be true on so many levels. When my heart is open with compassion, and I think loving thoughts, then I feel love in return. The gateway to the heart does not go in one direction only; it flows freely in and out, up and down, all the way around. I am free.
When I think hurtful, hateful thoughts, my heart constricts, causing me pain in return. The gates shut, letting no one in, keeping myself locked within. With these thoughts, I find I am trapped.
Live in love.
Witnessing a discussion on social media made me a little uneasy at the way people treat other people whom they believe are wrong, either in virtual or real life. I have seen this in the past many times; sometimes it is abuse, mockery, or belittling – yet each time it stops and makes me think about what I am doing to affect the world, looking at my reasoning, my motives, my intention. What I have been working on this past year is that those who disagree with us, those who challenge us, those who we absolutely hate, those we think are harmful to our world – all these people we need to accept.
Accept, you say?
Acceptance, yes, but in an egaged way. This is not passivism. Thich Naht Hanh coined the phrase “engaged Buddhism”, and this is active compassion in trying to create a better world. Essentially, we accept that there are people out there who are different from us; we accept the world for being the crazy, mixed up, sometimes awful, sometimes beautiful place that it is. We do not mock other’s beliefs, just as much as we do not condone the beliefs of others that we think are harmful and that cause suffering.
It’s a little hard to get the head around this concept. It’s taken me months to see where that balance point lies.
Thich Nhat Hanh wrote 14 principles of engaged Buddhism. The first one is the best.
“Do not be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory, or ideology, even Buddhist ones. Buddhist systems of thought are guiding means; they are not absolute truth.”
I personally love this. It reminds us that ideas are just that – ideas. It also demonstrates that everyone’s perception differs in slight or large ways, and that being bound up in our opinions can cause huge amounts of suffering. Our opinions are constantly changing – as we learn and grow, as we sacrifice ignorance, we change. This is reflected in the second principle –
“Do not think the knowledge you presently possess is changeless, absolute truth. Avoid being narrow minded and bound to present views. Learn and practice nonattachment from views in order to be open to receive others’ viewpoints. Truth is found in life and not merely in conceptual knowledge. Be ready to learn throughout your entire life and to observe reality in yourself and in the world at all times”.
Number three covers the area of engaged Buddhism, where we confront issues that we think could be harmful to others.
“Do not force others, including children, by any means whatsoever, to adopt your views, whether by authority, threat, money, propaganda, or even education. However, through compassionate dialogue, help others renounce fanaticism and narrow-mindedness.”
Note that here the key word is compassion – compassion is creating an understanding of all points of view and working respectfully with that new understanding to find a resolution if there is confrontation. Sometimes resolution cannot be found, but that does not mean we should stop trying, for who knows when the tides may turn? Thich Naht Hanh worked tirelessly during the Vietnam War, helping those who suffered from the tragedy that conflict brings. He never took a side, and was therefore looked upon with suspicion from both sides, eventually exiled from Vietnam after he went to speak in the United States about ending the suffering caused by war.
So often people think that the Buddhist notion of compassion is loving all things and allowing yourself to become a doormat. The ninth principle covers this neatly;
“Do not say untruthful things for the sake of personal interest or to impress people. Do not utter words that cause division and hatred. Do not spread news that you do not know to be certain. Do not criticize or condemn things of which you are not sure. Always speak truthfully and constructively. Have the courage to speak out about situations of injustice, even when doing so may threaten your own safety.”
It is possible to speak out against an injustice in the world, against something you believe is wrong, without using words that cause division and hatred. Thich Nhat Hanh has been doing this for over half a century. Using hateful terms, mockery and discredit of a person’s character are usually our first instincts in a confrontational situation. Stopping, pausing and truly thinking a situation out before you speak or act can result in much smoother and compassionate dialogue. Instead of instantly reacting to a situation, you are engaging with the other person, not seeing an “Us and Them” concept but one of a unified world, where we are all connected. I personally do truly believe that what we say, we are. Having studied the Buddhist principle of Right Speech on the Eightfold Path for a while now, it has changed my behaviour, how I act instead of reacting to a situation. It has really been an eye-opener.
These are but a few principles of this concept of engaged Buddhism – more can be found out through his book, ‘Interbeing’: Fourteen Guidelines for Engaged Buddhism, revised edition: Oct. l993 by Thich Nhat Hanh, published by Parallax Press, Berkeley, California.
May our hearts be open so that we can love those who challenge us, and in doing so create a world where harmony instead of discord is the song that we sing. It can be so tremendously difficult when those who challenge us are harming others with their actions. May we engage instead of reacting. May we speak from our hearts, with love, compassion and kindess.
(To see all fourteen precepts of engaged Buddhsim, you can read them here)
Here’s a recipe that I came up with for a raw vegan spread that is absolutely delicious.
Take a large handful of whatever mushroom you love. Chuck it in a bowl.
Take a large handful of sundried tomatoes. Chuck ’em in too.
Add around two teaspoons of capers.
Throw in some olives if you like olives.
Add a clove or two of garlic.
Whizz with a handblender until smooth.
Add salt and pepper to taste. A little mushroom ketchup adds a dash of awesomeness.
You can use up any old veg that you have lying in the bottom drawer in this way, padding out the recipe above and making it go further. Courgettes are good, as are aubergines. Total time to make – under 5 mins from start to finish. Serve on toast, oak cakes, or with raw veggies.
Enjoy!
Reblogged from my articles at Moon Books – http://moon-books.net/blogs/moonbooks/deep-paganism/
As Pagans I feel that we naturally tend towards a worldview that is less anthropocentric, especially if we follow an animistic path. Our love of nature, whether it is the world around us, or human nature, or both leads us on a journey that can take us outside of our selves, and thereby gaining a wider perspective on the whole.
Deep ecology is about thinking less about the benefits towards humanity, and more about the benefits to the environment. Buddhism, with its tenets of compassion, is very much in a similar vein; we try to drop the ego in order to benefit the world, and by becoming less self-centred, are better able to help others. Some spiritual and secular journeys can put too much stress on human relations, and not enough on the wider web of life. Within Paganism, we can see that we are always connected, and that connection is what inspires us to lead a life more attuned to the natural cycles, or vice versa.
In my own Druidry, what I seek is total immersion in my natural environment. I strive to loosen my sense of self as an individual and instead seek to blend my song with that of the world around me, finding a harmonious union. When out walking on the heath or in the woodland, I let the “I” drop away, and become totally immersed in the present moment. I feel that this gives me a greater connection to the world, allowing what Buddhism calls the dharma to flow. Dharma is simply reality, which we so often tend to avoid at all costs. When we realise the beauty of the present moment, when we can truly live it in every sense of the word, then we are truly connected to everything. We become part of everything, and in this I also see the Druid concept of awen, or flowing inspiration; the life force itself.
If I can free myself of myself, I can open truly to the songs of the universe. There is no separation – I am the heath, the forest, the deer. Movements are made in full awareness, and every step is taken in love and reverence. Every breath is a blessing. Everything my eye falls upon is a gift.
In living such a life, what is fundamental is a respect for all things. This is at the heart of animism, which sees the inherent value in all things just as they are. No one thing is more worthy than another. Each thing is an expression of itself in full blossom, in full fruition. Even my self, my physical self, is simply energy taking form as my body in this present momen t and perhaps even my mind), for however long or short a time span. This body is in permanent change and flux, growing and changing shape, eventually dying. In death the change continues, and the form alongside the energy flows in different currents. My body will continue to change, as cells break down and bacteria work to return the physical form to the earth. The process of life and death, of decay and regeneration is honoured within Druidry and within animism. No one process even is more important than the other. Birth is no more important than death. What we do realise is that life has no opposite – there is only flow, change, awen.
My sense of self is of little consequence in the grand scheme of things. What matters is that I pay attention to what is happening around me, and use that to inspire me to live my life accordingly, with honour and respect. Paganism allows us to leave behind all the machinations of humanity to follow a different flow, one where we see where we fit in the puzzle. The love of nature inspires us along the path, demonstrating that there is more to the world that our own human lives. We are the country folk, the paganus. Even though we may live in cities, we still feel the pull and hum of nature around us, reflected in the sun’s cycles, the seasons, the flows of human nature.
Immersion is key. If we can allow ourselves to not only ride the current, but become one with the flow itself, we are then blessed with a wholly different perspective not based upon human need and desire. There is much more to the world than our anthropocentric view, and we honour that world with all that we are.
Re-blogged from my channel at SageWoman:
Riding the tides of perimenopause, I find that my sense of self, ideas and concepts that I held about myself are shifting like pebbles on a shingle beach, never in the same place twice, forming new solid banks and spits jutting out into the vastness of the ocean. I live right on the coast of the North Sea, and am finding inspiration and a sense of kinship with the ocean that I have never felt before.
Swells and surges of emotion run through me as hormones find their way to the balance point in the dance of change and impermanence. My body is changing, the elasticity in my skin fading, laughter lines showing, cellulite appearing in new places. The curves in my body are becoming softer, gently changing over time. My breasts sometimes ache as my body tries to find a new way of being. Periods are nearer to each other, sometimes only two weeks apart, sometimes light, other times so heavy I cannot leave the house. Sometimes I feel like I did in my teenage years, without the skin breakouts!
It’s not only my body changing – emotions run deeper than ever before. Awareness of the emotions keeps them in check, allowing myself to truly feel them without too much attachment. They are sometimes like a knife, cutting through the dross to reveal the jewel beneath; instinct and empathy allowing me to connect with the world on a much deeper level than previously imagined.
My attachments to my body are also becoming less and less. I am ever thankful for this healthy body, that can dance and run and sing with abandon. Thoughts about how others relate to me are changing as my body changes. I notice people interacting with me differently – or is it that I am the one who is different? In our dance troupe, when we are performing, I notice that the attention is gently shifting away from myself to younger ladies in the troupe. I smile to myself as I notice this, seeing how this makes me feel. There is a tinge of sadness, as I release the undercurrents of vanity, as well as the newer notes of joy in not being wrapped up in the notions of youth that our culture is so focused upon. My heart goes out to the beautiful young dancers in our troupe, who have to deal with the extra attention. My soul connects with the beautiful older women in our troupe, whose sense of self pervades a solidity that wholly and utterly inspires me. I am seeing beauty where I never saw beauty before – it is truly remarkable.
I don’t crave attention in the same way as I used to. What others think matters a lot less than before. What does matter is how my life is lived, inspired by the world around me and walked on a path of honour and integrity. I see this reflected in the older women in my life, how comfortable they now appear. I wouldn’t want to be young again – in looks or age. I am at home in my body. Some women are blessed with this from an earlier age, others like me perhaps find it during the hormonal shift. What is important is that we find that stillness within, like a pool of water that becomes clear when all our doubts and worries about our self finally settle, allowing us to mirror the wonder of the heavens.
One beauty is not better or worth more than any other form of beauty – all forms of beauty are simply that- beautiful. Our soul takes form in our bodies, an impermanent expression of our being. Learning to love the impermanence allows us to see the beauty in all stages of life and death, growth and decay. It can allow us to be comfortable with who we are, no matter our age, what condition our bodies are in, what life throws at us.
This latest journey has just begun, and I have to say, I am loving the steps along the way. I breathe with mindfulness and take each step with love and joy even as I feel sadness and release. Life is precious, and impermanent, and in our awareness of impermanence lies our ability to truly live.
Available for pre-order!
Dancing with Nemetona: A Druid’s Exploration of Sanctuary and Sacred Space
Nemetona is an ancient goddess whose song is heard deep within the earth and also deep within the human soul. She is the Lady of Sanctuary, of Sacred Groves and Sacred Spaces.
She is present within the home, within our sacred groves, our rites and in all the spaces that we hold dear to our hearts. She also lies within, allowing us to feel at ease wherever we are in the world through her energy of holding, of transformation. She holds the stillness and quiet of a perfect day; she is the stillness at the end of it, when the blackbird sings to the dusk. She is the energy of sacred space, where we can stretch out our souls and truly come alive, to be who we wish to be, filled with the magic of potential.
Rediscover this ancient goddess and dance with a Druid to the songs of Nemetona. Learn how to reconnect with this goddess in ritual, songs, chants, meditation and more.
Ellen Evert Hopman, author of Priestess of the Forest says “This lovely volume teaches us how to re-sacralize our life. In a sad and violent world we need to remember to find the sacred within all things; our room, our hearth, our home, our altar, our garden, and our sacred Grove. By doing this, ultimately we will find the sacred within all creatures; animal, mineral, plant and human. This is the lesson of Nemetona, divine protectress of the sacred enclosure, so wonderfully expressed within this book.”
Philip Carr-Gomm, chosen chief of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids says “For those of us upon the Druid path, Nemetona is an intriguing goddess. Joanna’s book welcomes us into Nemetona’s sanctuary that we might know her more intimately. With a combination of helpful exercises and the gentle but compelling wisdom born of Joanna’s relationship with this goddess, we discover that the concept of the Grove and the experience of Sacred Space is more rich and complex than we imagined.”
This recipe is from the lovely Christine, who like me has recently make the vegan switch. We all enjoyed this lovely cake the other weekend, decorated with a marzipan topping. Divine!
My favourite banana cake recipe:
250 g wholemeal flour
150 g oatflakes
100 g unrefined cane sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
A little bit of Salt
200 ml coconut oil (raw organic for best taste)
1 apple
3 bananas
150 g blueberries
Blueberry jam
Marzipan (I use vegan ready to roll from Sainsbury)
All ingredients I use are organic, as it tastes better. And the best: it’s Vegan and cruelty-free!
First I put the oatflakes into the food processor and cut them so that they have the consistency of flour, but that is up to you really. If you like whole oatflakes in your cake then using them so is fine. Put that into a bowl. Add the flour the sugar, the baking powder and the salt and mix it up.
Coconut has a solid consistency when it’s cold, so you have to heat it up a little bit to make it liquid. Mix it with the already mixed up ingredients until all has been soaked with the oil. You could also put in the oil at last but having tried that already the cake seems to be more oily and that’s not happening when you put in the oil before adding the fruits.
Oh, and you could also use sunflower oil instead, as it’s much cheaper, but the taste will be very different.
At this stage I pre-heat the oven (200 celcius).
Then I put the apple into the food processor and cut it really small and then I add the bananas and that should make a nice smooth fruit mash. Together they should be around 400 g. Add these to the other ingredients into the bowl.
The cake form needs to be “oiled and floured” in order to prevent the cake to stick to it when taking it out. I use coconut oil and the wholemeal flour for this as well, again for best taste results.
Put the mix into the cake form. After that I put the blueberries in and push them under so that they are not visible. This will let the blueberries stay in the cake rather then having them at the top or bottom of it.
Baking time is 40 minutes only (if you make muffins, which I tried too and it works well, then max. 30 minutes at 175 celcius). Actually 175 works as well for the cake, but you’ll have to leave it in a bit longer (have tried that as well and yes, I have done this cake a lot of times by now). The baking time also depends on the form you are using. I use one with a whole in the middle which reduces the time as the heat comes also from the middle of the cake.
Prepare this cake a day before you want to eat it for best taste results. If you will eat it the same day it will feel very dry.
I let the cake cool down completely.
The next day I put blueberry jam on top and at the sides to make the roll out marzipan stick to the cake. Roll out the marzipan, put it on the cake and push it down a little so that it sticks to the cake.
Add some icing sugar if you want for decoration (or whatever comes into your mind).
Down the Forest Path 