Dia Dhuit!
This year’s NCPPD was great and marked the first year that ALG had a presence at the event. Actually, we are the first and only Druid group to represent at the PPD festival here in Central NC! The event brought in $550 in cash and over 1 ton of food for the Raleigh Food Bank!
ALG had a steady stream of interested people stop by our booth both Saturday and Sunday. We had 50 people sign up for an email from us and already have had 5 or more join the meetup. Welcome newcomers! Thanks to Ailim for working the booth and Tommy for coming by and visiting too. It was great to have the crowd we had this weekend. On Saturday, I taught ‘Introduction to Druidry’ which drew about 20 people and was well received. Be sure to check out the meetup for pictures of our booth!
Not to be lost in the business of the week and weekend. As you already know, today marks the Fall Equinox aka Alban Elfed for the OBOD Druid Community. Burn some incense, do a meditation and go outside and enjoy the cool wet day in ritual! The harvest has been abundant in both food and rain here in NC and this would be a great day to give thanks to the gods and goddesses.
High Summer breathes her final, burning breath as Father Sun descends the western skies, and gathering clouds as gray as death
blend into the haze that over all now lies.
This Alban eve brings promise of relief with showers soon, with breezes cool and clear. And whether through conviction, or belief, I see Elfed’s presence drawing near.
The ground is deep with fallen leaves and nuts of White and Red Oak, and of Beech, that line and fill the footprints and the ruts which all along the wooded pathway reach.
First claim, of course, to chipmunk and to squirrel for bleak mid-Winter sustenance belongs, as all around old leaves descend and twirl about, through feathered autumn songs.
Yet here and there on Mother earth I spy an Acorn, or a Beechnut left for me, for stringing, when the snow begins to fly, to decorate Arthan’s Sacred Tree.
by Oakwise Alban Elfed 1998
I’m rebuilding the Ritual group for ALG with the high hopes of conducting Samhuinn ritual on around November 1st. The goal would be to have at least 6 dedicated, committed path Druids (ones who identify as druids) to practice together and commit to being available at ritual time (within reason based on work etc). The commitment would be some memorization and about 3 hours of practice before November 1st. We would perform the ceremony for/with the rest of the grove, having the rest filling in around and participating as needed. My experience has been that not everyone is prepared to fill a direction or wants to be center of the ritual. To provide the best magical experience for the group we need people to step forward to take responsibility for this aspect of the Grove. If you are interested, please let me know by email and come to our October 6th meetup to discuss.
Awen's Light Grove 