I have been thinking about tradition over the last few days. Especially about the paradox which exists that for traditions to remain the same then they have to change. If we stay frozen and unchanging in the customs and interpretations of a given time period then as circumstances change we end up looking old fashioned and out of touch, even if that was not your original intention. It would seem that some aspects of a tradition can be traditional but they can not all be ancient, for the tradition will have to adapt in some degree for it to remain meaningful and for people to be able to understand that meaning clearly.

 

The Christian churches have a lot of traditions but they are in no way like the churches of the first century. We as pagans and druids have to do the same thing. There is value in knowing our past and understanding what the druids of ancient day actually did, but do we still need to do the same things. The answer has to be no. We do not live in the same world no matter how much we wish we did. We have to take the ideas of our forefathers and use them in a way which speaks to people today.

 

I have no doubt that as our world has evolved for good and for bad, and with us  the Gods too have evolved. They are growing with us. This is an exciting part of our faith. So try not to get to caught up in well the ancient Celts did not do that. Well yes true but the ancient Celts did not sit a computers communicating with millions of people all over the globe. The question that has to be asked is does this tradition speak to me. Does it help me to connect to that which is greater than me (the Gods?). If you can answer yes then it has value. This is why we in the OSC have stated quite clearly that our traditions will change. We are looking to speak to the now with our eyes firmly fixed on a glorious future being propelled along by all that was great from the past.

 

 

As a side line might bite is fine now. I have taken some medicine and my hand is normal size. So thanks for all the kind thoughts and prayers. It turns out I am allergic to that type of insect bite… who would have known… nothing bite in the UK. Here it seems everything wants a little piece of you.

Drawing boundaries can be dangerous. Whether we draw these lines internally or externally we run into the danger of losing site of the interconnectedness of all things. Yet we know the Celts drew boundaries around their settlements. Yet always along the edge of these settlements lived the wise folk. These folk walked the boundaries they were neither one nor the other. This is the role of Monastic druidry to get back to be the people of the boundaries to speak from a place of change. To do everything from that place of transformation! In this way we can be as a resource to our communities even just as a place to go when you need to talk.

I know this is a lot to ask of a person in this day and age, but it is worth doing. Why not see the issues from all sides. Why not move within the community while being apart. Why not be a resource of lore and healing in the best possible sense just like our ancestors were. Yes also there will be those who will be afraid of us and our path, but this is a part of the price we must pay for walking and living our calling.

I see many people within the pagan communities speak of these things then they become entrenched in their little groups. A fancy robe nor ritual a druid makes. A druid is one who does walk the boundaries and often may break them. Too often people get caught up in the truth of one way of doing things...... We do it right because we are ..............! (put any group or political party or even family name you want here and you will soon realise you have heard this sentence so many times.)This is human nature. Yet Boundaries kill parts of our true nature we become separated and possessive, we develop the this is mine and I can do with it what I like attitude. On an individual level we can become self centred and develop self seeking motives. We must walk the boundaries to show there is another way. We must show the path of harmony. We should develop this relationship with all and demonstrate this in our daily lives. We are the cunning women and man of the modern world. Not a role for everyone but an essential role if we are to survive.