Learning Shamanism

 I have been looking into Druidry as a spiritual path that can complement my Animist beliefs and my shamanic practice. Having found the Isle of Wight Druids offer FREE courses in Druidry, I have decided to follow this path for a while and see where it leads. The first course the IOWD offers is called Druid of The Birch Grove and it is conducted by email and is based around the 13 moons of the year. So it lasts about 14 months. The next 2 courses are Druid of The Yew Grove and Druid of The Oak Grove - both lasting for a similar period of time. I may and may not live long enough to finish this training programme, and, of course, I may just give it up if I feel it isn't right for me. Anyway, I am prepared to dive into the work and see what happens. There is an Initiation Ritual that one conducts alone with the Spirits of Nature. I decided to conduct this ritual on August 12th 2026, the day of a new moon and a partial solar eclipse. The UK has been experiencing an unusual and prolonge...

So, what is Druidry? Here is a great explanation from a blogger called Woodlarking Modern Druidry is a nature centred spiritual path inspired by the cultures, traditions and landscapes of the ancient Celtic world. While it takes inspiration from history, folklore and mythology, it is a modern religion that has developed over the past few centuries rather than a direct continuation of the priesthood described by classical writers. Many druids seek to deepen their relationship with nature through observing the seasons, spending time in wild places, celebrating seasonal festivals and cultivating a sense of reverence for the land. Creativity, poetry, music, storytelling and the pursuit of knowledge also hold an important place in many druid traditions, reflecting the role of wisdom and learning associated with the ancient Druids. There is no single authority or set of beliefs that defines Druidry. Some druids honour Celtic deities, while others follow a more animistic, pantheistic or phil...

 It's been a while since I have added anything to this little blog but life has been gifting me with new directions and old reflections concerning my spiritual path. In June this year of 2026 as I reached my 74th birthday I decided to rejoin The Way of The Buzzard Mystery School as I felt a need to belong to a "Tribe" - not having anything in common with the many thousands of "normies" that surround me in my mundane world. While getting back into the Buzzard teachings and talking to other Buzzards, I found that the teachings were not only based on Core Shamanism (as seemed the case back in 2020) but were also heavily influenced by Celtic Shamanism - with striking similarities to Druidry! I also discovered that some of the other Buzzards were also Druids. This led me to do more research on the various Druid organisations in the UK. I had previously dismissed Druidry as a bunch of nutters who liked to dress up in white robes and dance around stone circles - but i...

After experiencing a recent NDE, I have come to realise that it really doesn't matter which "spiritual" path you decide to take - or even if you have zero interest in so called "spirituality". The only thing that matters is that we try to develop unconditional compassion (which includes respect and unemotional "love") - firstly for ourselves , for our fellow humans (I often struggle with this one), the animals, birds, reptiles and insects. For the beautiful planet we live on - the forests, rivers, streams, wild plants, mountains and meadows. This is our only job, may we do it to the best of our ability. If you want my opinion (and advice) on the ways of the world or if you don't, fine, here it is anyway. First, never believe any politician, no matter who or what he or she claims to represent. They are all, without exception, professional LIARS. We don't need a "government". No matter who you vote for in any so called "democracy...

 Here's the thing - "Shamanism" is just one word but it can mean all kinds of different things to different people. I have just started doing the First Steps course with Paul Francis and the Three Ravens College of Therapeutic Shamanism - more as a refresher for myself than an attempt to learn something new. (I have read all Pauls' books, so I am very familiar with his take on Core Shamanism).  Paul is a great teacher but there is one thing he is very dogmatic about (an unshamanic trait) and that is his insistence that the "Lower World" is a pristine environment as would have been experienced by hunter gatherer humans living in what we call the "Stone Age".  I am not saying he is wrong but this is not a universal belief among shamanic people. There most likely was a "Blueprint" for planet Earth that was pure, natural, beautiful and unpolluted by modern human greed, ignorance and mental illness - but is this our Prime Reality or not? Whet...

In my last post I implied that talking to yourself is a form of madness and that a state of "no mind" is a goal to aim at. Well, I still stand by that, but I will acknowledge that words do have a certain "power" and there can be a place for talking to yourself. Many shamanic teachers refer to "words of power" because sorcerers and witches rely heavily on the psychological impact of a word or series of words to gain influence and power over other people. The same techniques can work when trying to influence or gain power over one's own mind. In mantra yoga, words, or more correctly, sounds, are used to control and master the mind. Some mantras are claimed to have "magical" properties such as enabling levitation or telepathy. I practice a form of mantra meditation myself; the so hum (soham) meditation technique mentioned in my last post. Soham actually has a meaning - I am that - but it is the sound that is important. It is the sound of the bre...

When I was a boy I used to hear this phrase a lot - "Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness". Probably not PC or "woke" to say that in these strange times that we are living in but I believe it is a statement worthy of consideration. Those who know me personally will be thinking to themselves "Well he should know" - not because they respect my knowledge or because I spent many years working for a Community Mental Health Service - but because most folk seem to think that I am a bit mad. Maybe they are right, it's not for me to say. Obviously, most of us have witnessed the blatantly crazy person talking loudly on the street and having an animated conversation with him or her self (by the way, it is usually a male). But in these days of mobile phones and "bluetooth" technology it is no longer considered strange to see somebody walking down the street apparently talking to themselves. In fact, it has become the norm. But, technology apa...