INTRO Gwers 2

The second of two intro gwersi... This one also begins with a letter, briefly introducing the theme of this gwers. 

The Teaching of this one is titled "The Role of the Bard in the Druid Mysteries." It starts with an overview of pre-Christian spirituality, and how many of these traditions are apparent in indigenous people worldwide. It then explores the history of Bards more specifically, along with their function and practices. 

p. 21

Three things that enrich the Bard: Myths, poetic power, a store of ancient verse. Welsh triad

p. 23

Today ... we need to connect to the same intent, the same purpose and essence, as did the Bards of old: whose goal was to be filled with divine inspiration, to fully express their innate creativity, to bring joy and magic to those around them, and to grow in wisdom.

YES!

Triad (p. 23):

The three great melodies of Creation: the wind in the trees, the stream at snowmelt, the cry of a new-born babe

Treasure life and you will find its gifts at every turn.

Practicum (p. 24)

Sacred Groves were places of sanctuary and worship for the Druids. Like a temple or chapel set within the natural world, they were places of spiritual refuge: places to calm the mind, refresh the spirit, and give comfort in times of distress. 

The natural world does this for me as well.

The main part of the practicum guides you through making a sacred grove in your own inner world. It encourages you to use as many of your senses as possible, and as detailed as possible. Why? By firmly establishing this Sacred Grove in your inner world, you will be building a place of peace and harmony to which you may return at any time, even while you are busy, to gain inspiration, refreshment and calm. I really like this concept! It reminds me of "happy place" visualizations in psychology. I haven't done this yet, but I recently "visited" different habitats in Nature Treks VR to get inspiration. I would like to get a start on my sacred grove soon, especially with being back at work in a chaotic environment.

This practicum also introduces the OBOD symbol (p. 25), and explains its significance. Of particular interest to me is the 3 points of light - the triple aspect of deity. It also represents where the sun rises on the equinoxes and solstices.

Within this symbol of the Order is a richness and depth of teaching which includes mythology ... psychology in the triune nature of the Self, and philosophy in the triune nature of Deity.

Eisteddfod (p. 25)

As you read each Eisteddfod section in the Gwersi, imagine you are seated in an ancient hall, being entertained and enlightened by one of the Bards of old. Here is how one contemporary Druid describes the scene that would have greeted you, if you were seated in such a hall one winter evening in the sixth century:

What follows is a description of how the bard would've dressed, the setting of the hall itself, who would've been there (including the hunting dogs), and how the bard would've told the stories. There is also a short poem.

The next gwers will be the first in the Bardic grade!

Ready to dive in, 

LilacPhoenixCMB 💜