Sssssophia
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I've been lurking for a few months, but today decided to take the plunge and become a member. I hail from Brisbane, Australia, and am fortunate to have a great OTO Camp here. I'm in my mid 40's, mother of 2, wife and nurse. Although relatively new to thelema-despite reading mitp in the 80's, and hanging out with my Thoth tarot deck for many years- I am also high priestess of an all female ( but non dianic) witch coven and Druid with the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids.Looking forward to posting on this forum instead of only lurking.
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Hello there,
A Druid, you say? Druids have always been interesting folk to me.
First of all, welcome to the forum! Lots to learn and discuss here.
Second, do you find your practices conflicting or synergistic with your recent Thelemic excursions? From a distance, they seem like very different angles. I've met many witches who drifted over to Thelema after reaching a wall in their craft, or simply feeling it at the time, but never a Druid. A writer and Magus I respect greatly recently started activity with the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids, in contrast with a 30-year career studying Chaos Magick; intrigued me a bit..93/93
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Hi Sssssophia! Welcome to the Temple of Thelema! Enjoy your stay!
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Hello and thanks for your welcome.
When I re read my post, it seems like I am very much into the “collecting of titles”, but in reality it’s been far from that! Druidry – for me – is my deep and underlying path, and I only really got into the Wiccan / witch side of things as a part of my Ovate work, 16 years ago. As life would have it, things developed quite quickly and I found myself actively running covens. Also, there’s not a lot of Druids around compared to general pagans / witchy folk, so that’s how I generally socialise as well.
To me Druidry and Witchcraft have very different “flavours”, and yes, I did “hit the wall” with Witchcraft. I’d really gone as far as I could go / wanted to go. Thelema, and Magickal practices have actually invigorated my Witchcraft, a positive off spin!
I’ve been thinking about the similarities / differences between these different streams recently. There are many links between Wicca and Thelema/ Magick …for example the Charge of the Goddess, but now I’m feeling that Thelema and Druidry share more in common! Both are “deep” and “broad” enough to encompass other practices, both share a strong element of mysticism, the themes of dis-covering your Will is common to both (though using different terminology and approaches)… and there is no feeling of conflict as yet.
Something else I’ve noticed – and this could be peculiar to my location – is that the difference in the way the Pagans / Witches interact with each other versus the way that people following a Druid path (generally) interact with each other. I’ve found that interactions between my Camp members are more like Druid interactions rather than general Pagan interactions. Difficult to quantify, but that’s my impressions!
It wasn’t a conscious decision to become a Thelemite, BTW. I certainly wasn’t hanging around looking for a third path… but “something” grabbed hold of me and drew me in and I knew overwhelmingly “this” is what I needed to be doing / learning / being.
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I think you will find many people here able to relate to that feeling of being reeled in by the 93 Current. IT's just.. So... Personal. So alive. I know that when IT entered my life, IT would not allow me to look away.
Is there a book you would reccomend for a curiosity in Druidry? The love and connection with Earth appeals to me greatly, as well as its Irish roots. I think this is a time in Earth's history where she needs all the Love she can get.
In a simple Father Sun/Mother Earth meditation I was doing where you formulate a ball of white light in the center of your Heart Chakra and send it firstly, to Earth, then another to the Sun, as a general "Hey there, I love you guys, thanks for life n'such", and await its return to you. When I sent the ball to the Sun, I was overwhelmed with light and love, I had to go into another room and cry for a while, but I never got anything back from Mama Earth. I'd like to investigate that disconnect there and hopefully mend it, which it seems Druidry is capable of. Most magick out there, I find, is very much concerned with the stars. I would hate to forget my home.93/93
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Bright blessings fellow Druid!
My mother introduced me to the local Muin Grove here in Upstate NY. Those rituals are actually the only rituals I have ever been at with a group, and I loved them deeply.
I too, for a few decades did the witchcraft path, more the actual BTWicca of Gardner and Sanders... lots of Starhawk and Buckland thrown in for good measure.
I Found this site when I got an email from someone who closed the letter 93 93/93.....and I had no idea what that meant....even though I had read AC and Liber AL..
Weird....
Bt anyways welcome, and while I am celebrating Samhain, I hope you have a blessed Beltain!
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Greetings Diluvium,
I think a good “starter” book is The Druid Way by Philip Car Gomm. It’s quite gentle and accessible and gives a sound overview of Druidry IMO. Many people new to the concepts of Druidry enjoy Spirits of the Sacred Grove, by Emma Restall Orr, and although I was privileged to have her as my Tutor many years ago, I find it a difficult book to “get into,” although I recommend it due to positive feedback from others. I also like books by John and Caitlin Mathews (eg “The Book of Druidry”)… I tend to lean towards the non fictiony / more theoretical books in general.
Recommend avoiding Douglas Munroe books (eg 21 lessons of Merlin) due to mish mash of information, no sources provided… having said that, many people embrace his writings, so horses for courses
I agree Druidry is a very valid way of healing disconnects… disconnects within and without. Druidry does, however, include stars (sun) as well as the earth, and if anything is a path of balance rather than extremes.
Regards,
Sophia
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Hello Veronica, and bright blessings returned!
First, I must say that I have always enjoyed reading your posts during my lurking time on the forum.
The Beltaine tides are very enjoyable in the Southern Hemisphere at the moment… warm, spring energised… but as always we acknowledge the Samhuin energy at this time of year. Also, Australia is moving more into the “Halloween” spirit with an increase in Trick or Treating. I took the kids out on Monday night, and we had a blast! Some people really get into the spirit of things and it makes for a wonderful, fey, community feel
I was wondering …have integrated your Witchcraft path into Thelema, or abandoned it, or practice it separately? Or something else altogether?
We still recommend Uncle Bucky’s Blue Book to our Novices (as well as the Witches Bible Compleat by Farrars). My first coven was Wiccan, but after a few of us left to create our own coven in 99, since then we have gone down the eclectic Witch path. It’s a lot more embracing – our coven includes witches who have a range of different focuses.. Shamanistic, Egyptian, Celtic, British… and now Thelema.
Regards,
Sophia
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Glad to hear you like my posts, he he...sometimes I just can't tell what peoples reactions are.....I hope that you get some good belly laughs at least! I seem to have a great knack of killing conversation... Oh well, at least I try...lol
I am really weirded out by the idea of trick o treatn in the spring!!! How bizarre, glad you got to take advantage, me and my fam. Scored about thirty pounds of loot! Enough calories for a month!!
I think I reached a dead end in where Wicca could take me, and not having a legit...BT Coven around was a serious brick wall for some time. That's when I reached back to my European Celtic blood and looked into Druidry. I spent a lot of time investigating Shamanic trads and indigenous teachings across the globe. I think that I am more of an Animist then anything. Thelema for me seems to have the supreme flexibility that I need.
Who knows maybe some day I will want to understand this Cermonial Magician stuff, and work more fervently on relationships with entities......I have no purpose to do so now.
The thing I didn't like about Wicca ect, was the idea of spell work, and not being able to accurately predict my results every time. Too risky, to much energy and resources, and well I don't collect feathers for my cap, that way.
I also got terribly bored with the direction the publishing market was going with that material, So I went from reading occult, to reading the actual sciences, geology, geography, biology, physiology, astronomy, and my current fav. Neuroscience!
Never boring in that market!!!
Of course I still do turn the wheel, in my own way, had a HUGE bonfire last night, burned several Guy Fawks effigies......he he...my kids are so cool to play mommas silly games.
Love light and laughter to you Sister!