Reflections on ADF's first Clergy Retreat
The vision started with a blending and bending. The Trilathon stood at the center of my vision, the world around it swirling and yet stationary.
To the right of the gate stood the Earth Mother, beautiful to behold, smiling gently, adorned in reds and browns. I was astounded to realise that I had never in my life looked at the Earth Mother, through all my training and work, through five years of honouring her in all my rituals. I was awed by the beauty that radiated from her.
To the left of the gate stood Garanus, wings folded, stately. One leg was folded up, his other foot was rooted to the mud. It struck me as odd to find him in this pose, when so often I have seen him in the deep, sacred waters with one foot, and the other foot on the land. Still, the mud between his toes was the land and sea, and he was still a creature of the skies.
I bowed to the crane and asked his blessing. I knelt before the Earth Mother, smelling her scent. Both granted me entrance to the mists beyond the portal.
So began my vision. ADF's Clergy Retreat this past weekend included the best and deepest trance experience and work I have done since meeting and experiencing trancework with Dr. Felcitas Goodman.
It may have been better.
ADF has integrated real, deep trancework into Our Druidry in a very tangible way.
The omens taken that weekend are still written on my hands. The Initiate's Program is hammered out entirely, and should be ready for students very, very soon. ADF's Core Order of Ritual is solidified. We discussed what ADF ritual *doesn't* do in concrete terms. Courses in magic, divination, and trance are now prepared. I took over 24 pages of notes in my journals regarding events this past weekend. I learned many things about liturgy and ritual, and have helped write and learned a new chant, one I hold very deer to myself.
I am, possibly, not the same person I was on Friday night, when I stepped out of the car at Tredara.
I have no doubt that the weekend was life-changing, and that my experience was deeply religious.
To the right of the gate stood the Earth Mother, beautiful to behold, smiling gently, adorned in reds and browns. I was astounded to realise that I had never in my life looked at the Earth Mother, through all my training and work, through five years of honouring her in all my rituals. I was awed by the beauty that radiated from her.
To the left of the gate stood Garanus, wings folded, stately. One leg was folded up, his other foot was rooted to the mud. It struck me as odd to find him in this pose, when so often I have seen him in the deep, sacred waters with one foot, and the other foot on the land. Still, the mud between his toes was the land and sea, and he was still a creature of the skies.
I bowed to the crane and asked his blessing. I knelt before the Earth Mother, smelling her scent. Both granted me entrance to the mists beyond the portal.
So began my vision. ADF's Clergy Retreat this past weekend included the best and deepest trance experience and work I have done since meeting and experiencing trancework with Dr. Felcitas Goodman.
It may have been better.
ADF has integrated real, deep trancework into Our Druidry in a very tangible way.
The omens taken that weekend are still written on my hands. The Initiate's Program is hammered out entirely, and should be ready for students very, very soon. ADF's Core Order of Ritual is solidified. We discussed what ADF ritual *doesn't* do in concrete terms. Courses in magic, divination, and trance are now prepared. I took over 24 pages of notes in my journals regarding events this past weekend. I learned many things about liturgy and ritual, and have helped write and learned a new chant, one I hold very deer to myself.
I am, possibly, not the same person I was on Friday night, when I stepped out of the car at Tredara.
I have no doubt that the weekend was life-changing, and that my experience was deeply religious.