Throughout the ages, poets, writers, musicians, painters and many others sought inspiration from the land for their creative works. For the ancient poet Taliesin, the Awen was found in nature–in the voice in the wind and the babble of the …
inspiration
Living Low Acre: A 20 Year Urban Permaculture Site in St. Louis
I had the opportunity this summer to visit Claire Schosser and her amazing “Living Low Acre” garden in St. Louis, Missouri. Her home sits on 1 acre in an urban setting and features a fruit-based forest, large vegetable garden, a …
Sacred Trees in the Americas: American Hazel (Corylus americana) Magic, Ecology, and Sacred Uses
For three years, I have had my eye on our American hazel bushes here at the homestead. When we first moved to the property, much of the understory was damaged with the logging the previous owners did and it took …
Beyond Divination: Four Spiritual Uses for the Tarot
When people think of the Tarot, they often think of its primary use as a divination tool. Tarot is an incredibly versatile tool, and now you can get hundreds of decks on practically any theme, choose from dozens of books …
Wildcrafting Druidry: Getting Started in Your Ecosystem
One of the strengths of AODA druidry is our emphasis on developing what Gordon Cooper calls “wildcrafted druidries“–these are druid practices that are localized to our place, rooted in our ecosystems, and designed in conjunction with the world and landscapes …
Awen, Bardic Arts, and the Ancestors
The time between Samhain and Yule is always a time of deep reflection for me. As a homesteader, this represents the end of the season– the first frost happened in the week I was drafting this post, making everything curl …
Cultivating the Flow of Awen in our Lives
I shall sing of the awen, which I shall obtain from the abyss Through the awen, though it were mute I know of its great impulses I know when it minishes; I know when it wells up; I know when …