ADF Clergy Retreat: Stagefright, Rejection, Instrumentality, and Joy

[chronarchy]

I'm in the process of working through the last of the notes so I can ship a summary to the ADF Clergy list about what went down and who got volunteered for what at last weekend's retreat, but one particular thing that my notes never can capture is the remarkable number of side conversations we have as Priests about Our Druidry, and the fellowship

Comments

[chronarchy]

Stagefright works in mysterious ways, doesn't it? :)

I just get it all the time. It can be worse some days (like at really large festivals, or if I'm less prepared), or easier others (a High Day rite I completely planned, for instance).

I wonder if it's worse for those of us who are shy, in general, or for those of us who are outgoing? I'm not sure.

[kargach]

I've played cornet and baritone in my grade school band (I got to play baritone for the usual reason: I was the only kid strong enough to carry it around), and also learned electric organ. And I'm seriously considering getting a ukelele and learning it well enough to perform my Portal opening version of "The Rainbow Connection" without having to argue with Missy about the key change on the last verse. >8)

I definitely feel a nervousness before performing or leading ritual, but I've never had it strongly enough to call it "stage fright". But I know lots of liturgists who do - Hek, I know solitaries who feel that way when doing solo rites - and I'm glad to see us talk about it with the public so they don't think that they're the odd ones.

[kargach]

And the singing was amazing, even though I knew far fewer of the songs than I'd have expected. I'd forgotten how long it had been since I'd done a Hindu chant, Marae used to do them all the time when she was in SLG and I always loved them.

[chronarchy]

Yeah, I didn't know a whole lot either. But then, no one cared how many people knew them, which was pretty cool, too.

[chronarchy]

Indeed, the solitary experience of speaking out loud in ritual is actually often worse (fright-wise), because some people become weirdly self-conscious when it's just you and the Gods for some reason. It happens to me, as well. "Why am I speaking/singing/dancing when I'm the only one here?" The answer, of course, is "I'm not the only one here," but it's hard to remember that sometimes :)

Looking forward to that "Rainbow Connection" piece :)

[kallisti]

We are glad to provide the music that holds ADF together, GBS has been a big part of the Canadian Folk scene for decades, and much of the local Pagan community are fans. Start any GBS song at any local event, and you will half the crowd singing along with you! I've been lucky enough to have seen GBS in concert about a dozen times so far...the last time just a month ago along with some 10,000 other GBS fans at the Ottawa Folk festival! Add some Stan Rogers, with a bit of the Rankin Family, you have just about a good over view of Canadian East Coast/Celtic music scene.

There is no reason why ADF doesn't have an orchestra, other than the fact that most of the people are so widely spaced that they can't get together to practice too often. I would look forward to hearing music like The Imperial March for when the AD comes on stage, for example I, too, often deal with stage fright...although, strangely, not so much during rituals...other public performances, yes, heck, I even get it strongly calling someone I don't know! Strangely, if I

[chronarchy]

I do enjoy Great Big Sea :) Canadian music is actually often quite good :)

[athenamsb]

It struck me at some point during the evening, as I watched us just be together, that the joy we find in Our Druidry is very much the joy we find in others, and our relationships with them. Whether folks were singing, listening, or just being close to each other, we were all there, in that place, not worrying about the administrative side of ADF, differences of opinions, or politics. We were all just being Druids and friends.

Yes. This. This exactly.

[uberrod]

Regarding stage fright, the hardest part is the starting of the ritual, that is the moments before one says, "ok, let's start." Once started things are better. That, and having to lead singing I find horrible. I really don't have much confidence in myself as a singer and when leading songs you really have to put yourself out there. You can't just blend into the background of the other voices

[chronarchy]

Yeah, Ian is a hefty stick to measure up to :) But from everything I've heard, it went quite well.

The singing part I'm less concerned with these days, though it used to be terrifying to me. Part of it is that I've just done it more, but another part is that I think (though I've no real way of knowing) that I've gotten a bit better at it. Plus, I do it after I've gotten started :)

[uberrod]

Although after facing a big challenge successfully, subsequent efforts are easier because you can always look back and say, "Hey, I did X, this current things is no problem." This is another tool to use to ward off stage fright.