Wishing you all the very best this holiday season, and may you all have a peaceful New Year. I will be taking a short break, and will return here with more in January. Thank you to all subscribers, readers, commentators and visitors to this blog. It has been a pleasure to walk down the forest path with you this year, and I look forward to many more years to come.
Awen blessings to you all.
Jo. x
The longest night is upon us. For three short days, we have watched the watery sun rise and set in the same place on the horizon, barely skimming the treetops at its highest point, filmed over by hazy clouds. This morning, it was impossible to tell just when the sun had risen, and indeed even though it has been up for half an hour, it’s just as dark as before, with heavy overcast skies letting in only a small amount of light. I lit a candle in my lantern dedicated to Brighid just as the sun rose somewhere behind the clouds, and in Her name I lit my solstice flame. The candle’s flame burns very low, just barely alight as it struggles amidst a pool of wax and an insufficient wick. There is the tiniest amount of light at the tip, with a small blue aura beneath. I look at it even as I type these words, and its struggle portends much to come.
It has been a difficult year for many. Across the Western world, we have been rocked by unprecedented political change. There is not much hope for the future. Political leaders do not have the common good in mind, and greed runs riot. Things have not changed for the better. Across the globe, war, strife and unrest rage, with millions of innocent beings suffering. And there is still more darkness to come.
But even so, we can still take hope that the seasons change, the sun’s light will return. My candle is guttering now, in a valiant effort to stay alight. I have tried to help it, tipping out excess wax, but the wick and wax balance is not favourable. Just as in today’s political, economical and social climate, things do not look in our favour. But still we struggle on. We are a light in the darkness, no matter how small.
Somewhere, behind the clouds, the low sun is rising. We are the sun, we are the earth. We are the wind and the rain. We are the wild beasts and the tame. We are our neighbours and our enemies. We are our deeds. We are our poetry. We are our ancestors. The flame might go out in the physical, but it still shines in our hearts and minds. Where does a flame go when it dies? A flame is always there, simply needing the right conditions to manifest. So too with all of life. We all depend on conditions, yet we all have the flame within, waiting to manifest. The spark of awen, the spark of inspiration. To share this inspiration is at the heart of all that I do, in the hopes that my words inspire others not to give up hope, to remember their connection to each other, to all of nature. The flame that burns within our hearts and minds can never be extinguished. Instead, it kindles a new flame in the hearts and minds of others, and we tend that flame with all that we have, for our future ancestors.
The wick is barely glowing now in my lantern on the windowsill. But the flame of Brighid burns brightly in my heart. Though there is a long darkness ahead of me tonight, and a long darkness for many to come, there is still a light that shines. Even the smallest light shines in the deepest darkness.
And so, I will tend to my flame today. Today, I am a flamekeeper of Brighid. And should that flame go out, I will simply light another, and another, and I shall persist.
Blessings of the winter solstice to you all.
(Originally published today on my blog, Druid Heart, on SageWoman’s channel at Witches and Pagans.)
A momentous occasion! The Druid Network, as well as The Pagan Federation, have been accepted as full members of the Inter Faith Network! It’s been a long few years with some very dedicated people continuing to craft honourable relationship with the organisation and members of any and all faiths, and now The Druid Network and The Pagan Federation have had their religion recognised by the IFN in acceptance to the organisation. This means that there is even stronger legal footing for both organisations, as well as a broader acceptance of Druidry and Paganism (and other minority religions) into the whole. Well done!
The Wild Hunt published an article yesterday, read it in full by clicking HERE.
———————————————
“The Druid Network (TDN) is ending 2016 on a high note after being accepted as a full member by The Inter Faith Network for the UK (IFN). Established in 2003 by prominent Druid Emma Restall Orr, TDN has gone from being a primarily web-based interface to establishing the Honouring the Ancient Dead (HAD) project, which aims to restore dignity to the human remains of those likely to be British Pagans, including those whose remains predate Christianity. TDN evolved further, becaming a charity and, most recently, the organization was granted full membership in the IFN, alongside the Pagan Federation.
TDN Media co-coordinator Joanna van der Hoeven says, “TDN now has an even greater legal standing, which others can follow, in having both legal and religious influence in the UK. There will also be greater communication between Druids and members of other religions, which is a wonderful thing to happen.”
The Druid Network was originally launched to bring together Druids from around the world, as well as others from similar Pagan/natural philosophy-based paths. The intention of the network was to allow people to exchange ideas and beliefs and, to this end, TDN has no hierarchical structure, other than what is needed for administration purposes.
TDN spans the continents of Europe, North America, South America and Oceania, and in 2010 was approved by the Charity Commission to apply for Religious Charity status. This was a major step toward Druidry becoming a recognised religion in the UK. Once TDN was approved by the Charity Commission, many members began discussing an application to the Inter Faith Network.
The Inter Faith Network for the United Kingdom (IFN) is itself a charity that was set up in 1987, the first of its kind in the world, as a way of promoting understanding and knowledge of different traditions in the UK. The organization’s aims are to highlight common ground, as well as educating the public about the distinguishing features of each tradition. Sixty different faith-based organizations were included in its initial set-up and over the years; this has expanded. In the 2013 report, almost 200 organizations were members.
IFN has worked tirelessly for over 25 years to promote its message and to advocate for understanding and education between communities. In an increasingly globalised world, IFN has also worked hard to support interfaith dialogue and good interfaith relations. However, the IFN had traditionally only represented people of majority religions. Those of minority practices, such as Druidry and Paganism, had found it difficult to become members of the IFN due to the previous membership criteria.
Phil Ryder, a member of The Druid Network, who has been spearheading the current IFN campaign, explains, “In the light of acceptance by the Charities Commission of Druidry as a valid religious practice, the thoughts were that it would be hard for IFN to reject (our) application.”
The first application, however, was rejected. “The reason given being that they only accepted the ‘big faiths’ as laid down in their constitution,” says Ryder.
TDN was wary of causing bad feeling with the IFN, as they did not want to jeopardise the solid links that had already been established. Ryder explains, “We clearly stated we would not be involved in any legal challenge, but put the case to IFN that their current membership policy was not acceptable in our pluralistic society and advised against allowing this to go to court.”
However, TDN’s ability to make its case for membership was also important. Ryder goes on to say, “We offered open and honest dialogue to argue our case and that of other minority groups currently excluded. This was the start of a lengthy journey of over two years with exchange of emails, phone calls and a face to face meeting that also involved the Pagan Federation…”
Continued HERE.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf reviewed my latest book, Zen for Druids in the Midwest Book Review. They had some lovely things to say about it!
moon-books.net/books/zen-druids
“Druid, teacher, and author Joanna van der Hoeven presents Zen for Druids, an inspirational reflection on the interplay between Zen Buddhist teachings and the druidic way of life, which is innately connected to the beauty and harmony of nature. Chapters contemplate the Dharma in a druidic context, meditation and mindfulness, the turn of the seasons, and more. “When we are mindful, we are able to see that the universe exists in everything around us, and that we are not separate… By stopping the self-centered attention that we have lived with perhaps all our lives, we turn our focus outwards so that we don’t miss a thing. We learn the joy and peace that comes from really living in a mindful manner.” One does not need to be a druid or a Buddhist to benefit from the wisdom of Zen for Druids! Highly recommended. It should be noted for personal reading lists that Zen for Druids is also available in a Kindle edition ($4.61). ~ Metaphysical Studies Shelf, Midwest Book Review
To read more reviews, click HERE!
A lovely reader, Donal commented on my Make Tea post about how the US feels like they’re living in a Tolkein epic right now. It may indeed seem that all the forces of evil are set against us, overshadowing all. I was instantly reminded of my all-time favourite Druid, one of my greatest inspirations and heroes since I was a young lass: Gandalf. Tolkein was writing during some very dark times in his own day and age, and through Gandalf presented wonderful wisdom and awen. This got me through some pretty dark days in my own life, and still continues to inspire me each and every day. I hope that they can also inspire others. x
She lit the candles and incense, and sat down upon the cushions. Breathing deeply, she inhaled the fragrant scent, and allowed her gaze to wander over the items on the altar. She tried to focus, her gaze finally resting upon the image of Brighid, and the flame that the goddess held in her hands. As the darkness fell, both within and without, both figuratively and literally, she focused on the flame being offered. She took it within her heart, and for a brief moment it flickered, then died out as the darkness consumed it in a deep blanket of despair.
Breathe.
She focused once again on the image, this time on the watery vesica pisces symbol. Yet her mind would not focus, her thoughts filled with grief and anger, darkness and despair. She breathed through them, trying to remain in the present moment. But the darkness was overwhelming, and as she floundered, she cried out: “Help!”
The voice of the goddess spoke softly in her mind. “Make tea.”
She sat for a moment longer, determined to spend at least ten minutes at her altar. At last, she gave up and blew out the candles, allowing the incense to burn itself out. Make tea, the goddess had said. Alright. Let’s make some tea.
She went downstairs and put the kettle on. Let’s make tea, she said to herself. Mindfully. She prepared the small teapot with herbs known to lift the darkness and soothe the nerves: St John’s wort and skullcap. She also added some lemon balm, to ease tension and also for flavour. She inhaled the scent of the dried herbs, and mixed them together before placing them in the teapot. She looked out the window in the light of the setting sun, a small muntjac deer feeding alongside a magpie underneath the bird feeder.
She placed on a tray the teapot, strainer and saucer, as well as a small handmade earthenware cup. She brought these to the table, and laid them down with her full attention. The kettle had boiled, and she carefully filled her small iron kettle with the water, feeling the steam against her skin. She brought the iron kettle to the table, and placed it on a heat-proof mat. She sat down, her mind still battling the darkness around the edges, her thoughts seemingly not her own. She knew her hormones were swirling in a dance similar to that which she had experienced at adolescence, though now she was at the other end of the brilliant spectrum. She had to take care of herself, of her body as well as her mind.
She opened up the teapot and breathed. Mindfully, she took the iron kettle and filled the teapot with water, replacing the kettle with equal attention. She inhaled the scent of the herbs, and replaced the teapot lid. No other thoughts entered her mind, just these simple, small actions. Working with mindfulness, working with full attention to her actions, there was only the present moment.
She sat back and waited for the tea to brew. Slowly, she felt the darkness returning, crowding at her mind. Despair at the state of the world, at the constant struggle she faced with work, with others who could not do the simplest of tasks, with expectations from both strangers and friends, knowing that if she didn’t do something, no one would – stop. Breathe. Focus. Three minutes stretched to an eternity as the brew steeped in the teapot.
She took a deep breath, and the darkness receded an inch. She picked up the teapot, and concentrated on pouring the tea through the strainer into the small bowl. She kept up her concentration on her breath and on the pouring, and it filled her entire being. Nothing else mattered in that moment. Just pouring tea.
She put down the teapot and picked up the cup. The scent of the herbs brought back memories of a wonderful little shop called StarChild in Glastonbury. She allowed the brief memory to flicker, and then she refocused her attention on the cup in her hands. The heat radiated through the bowl, and she had to pick it up carefully, her fingers near the cooler end of the rim. Quietly, she took the first slurp, allowing the air to cool the hot water before it reached her tongue. She concentrated on nothing but drinking the tea, sitting alone in the dining room, with night falling outside.
She drank the first cup, and then brewed another in the teapot. She kept her mind focused on the present, acknowledging past wounds but not allowing them to flavour the present moment. She had worked hard to name them and transform them, and was working on it still. Three minutes again slipped past, and outside her dining room window she saw the Christmas lights from the house across the street go on.
She poured herself another cup, and drank it mindfully. A third cup was brewed and drunk, and when she finished she sat back and bowed to her tea set. She felt a little better, the darkness within relenting, though not wholly gone. She acknowledged and allowed the herbs to do their work on her body and her mind. With equally careful attention, she rinsed the kettle and washed the teapot, bowl and strainer, and then went upstairs with a lighter heart, to Skype with her mother and find even more comfort and peace, there in the moment, utterly in the moment.
What a lovely surprise in the post this morning from Moon Books! Available for pre-order now: http://amzn.to/2fSDGV5
Pre-Order/Buy now on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2fSDGV5
Dark Moon Wisdom
You don’t have to shine to be powerful.
Release.
Release into the darkness, allow the night to fill your soul.
Find your sovereignty in the darkness.
Face the shadows, name the fears.
Then allow the dark moon to guide you further, deeper within, towards utter integration.
Feel the deep magnetic pull.
You don’t have to shine to be powerful.
© Joanna van der Hoeven
Here is a new short film I did, inspired by the gorgeous Suffolk countryside on a beautiful late November morning.
Down the Forest Path 