Why Not Excellence? The ADF Motto

[carynml]

:jumpy:
Enough of the BS! Its time to get back to being and learning how to be DRUIDS.
I have some ideas for the winter.  

First much of the basis of the celtic beliefs, mythology and language centered around trees.  So that's where we start.  We learn about the trees, we do nature walks, we learn about our own watershed.  We do meditations with trees in the forest, we campout.  Once we have the trees down, we begin to learn the Ogham, the celtic alphabet, we will make our own Ogham oracles and learn to use them.

We will learn basic phrases in gaelic and other languages to be used in ritual as it is widely recognised that the gods respond better when spoken to in their own languages.

We will start a scholars guild with quality presenters brought in to teach.  (There will be fees)

Our Dedican't Program needs to be jump started.  Our Liturgist Guild needs to be brought up to speed and different folks volunteer to be the DIC (Druid In Charge) of the 8 rituals for the coming year.

The creation of s Scholar's Guild.  Why Not Excellence??

What do you all think?
Caryn

[Elizabeth]

Caryn,
Excellent idea!  :idea2:
To avoid one person being overwhelmed with teaching all the different sorts of trees, we could each volunteer to learn about a particular tree.  Then each Sunday during the Rites of Caffeina, we could have one or two volunteers present their information to the Grove. We could discuss key identification features of the tree (shape and color of bark and leaves), special properties (poisonous, healing, or edible), and whatever else we find interesting or important.  
Or whatever, but this sounds fun!
Elizabeth

 

[carynml]

Yep and before it gets too cold, we could go on some nature hikes either after or instead of Rites of Caffiena.  There will always be the folks who are not hikers and will want to do the ROC at the Grove Space.  

Also I got a Sierra Club flyer the other day and they have facilitated instructional hikes once a month.

What I do want to avoid is trying to jam too much into too short of a time.  We have done this and overwhelmed ourselves in the past.  1 day per weekend with a few exceptions, and 1 weeknight.  Any more gets to be too much really fast.
 

[JackGreen]

I'm all for the Scholars Guild as well.  Is there anyway we could do it on the weekend?  I just have a hard time during the middle of the week. I do think it would be a wonderful opportunity for learning. I'm still trying to learn the names of all the trees at the Grove. I think I have Ash and Holly down so far. Oh, also the Willow.
So please count me in.  

  Jack

[empress]

The Scholars Guild is actually planned to take place on Alternate Saturday evenings.  So your wish is granted Jack!  

Rhi and I are collaborating on this and would love to have help.  We want to create a plan and organize a schedule with committed presenters/performers lined up before we do the publicity.  We will be discussing this further this Friday
before and after the screening of F911 at my home.  I could have sworn I put an announcement of this on the webstie.. but perhaps I just couldn't figure out where to put it.

Anywhoooo, them that are interested in coming to my home to watch a screening of Farenheit 911 at 7:30 this Friday are welcome.  Give me a call and I will give you directions.  410 325 1344

Penelope

[pangur ban]

Re: Excellence and using Gaelic or any other tongue, lets try to get the right pronunciation. As for Gaelic, there are sites that can help. There are a number of dialects, but there is a standard New Irish. The language has gone through many mutations due to invasions and suppression. Sure, the Shining Lads understand the New Gaelic, if it's done correctly. If we're going to botch it, we may be better off using our own English. As an Irish priest told me once, "The Brits shoved English down our throats and are yet to get it back." The Sasanachs know we made it a real language. And the Gods were certainly around to listen in for 800 years, and they are lots sharper than we poor things!
Slan, Pangur Ban

[carynml]

:wave:
Along the lines of the the above discussion and my thoughts on this.  I made an announcement today at the CLG Witan Mtg and before rumors run wild, I will post this clarification.  

Late last year some of us began a discussion on rotating Senior Druids in order to keep any one person from burning out or going crazy.  As such Deirdre ran for vice-SD in order to learn how "to do it right this time".  The position of SD is not one that just be walked into and needs a great deal of support from committed Grove members.  I had been thinking about this for the past 6 months and it is not a decision I make lightly.  I have been the Senior Druid for CedarLight Grove for the past 4 years.  When I started, I did not have 2 teenaged sons living with me and causing me no end of problems.  After they both moved back in at the beginning of the school year last year, I have been living moment to moment with just about everything in my life.  Lets face it, I have 3 full time jobs and before I completely reach my breaking point and end up spending some quality time in a padded room, I need to step back determine what's really important (the big rocks) and quit trying to carry the mountain on my back.  

I have 3 main jobs at CLG.  I am the Senior Druid, president of the corporation and responsible to ADF for the day to day workings of the Grove, I am a building manager and landlord responsible for the maintenance of a 4 apartment building and its property, I am an ordained Dedicant Priest in ADF and am responsible for the spiritual growth, public rituals, and training for CLG's members.  To put it simply, I just can't juggle all these cats.  During the past year I have often times found myself writing rituals the night before, or having to spend time cleaning out the basement of CLC rather than focus on the the quality of the information at the Lore Meeting that week. Personally, I believe this should be 3 jobs performed by 3 different people and together we can work towards that goal.

So, for the record, I will not be running for Senior Druid for 2005.  I will remain the ADf Clergy person and spend my energies on a qualified cadre of liturgists able to perform rituals both at the Grove or at other places.  I want to help create a scholars guild, with high quality learning happening at CedarLight.  I love performing rituals and I am not going to stop leading rituals, just not 'all' of them.  I also want time to work on the ADF clergy study program and possibly some of the other paths in ADF.  This is my service to the Gods and this is what I am "supposed" to be doing.  Deirdre has accepted the nomination for Senior Druid and I will support her in that goal.  I  promised to be only a phone call away.

There will be those who will think and say, "Caryn left and is mad because of the vote on the Church of the Ancient Ways"   And to that I say, "GET OVER IT!"  One, I am not leaving and Two, the recent conflict has only served to show me just how thin I have spread myself.  It has forced me to do what my guides and gods have been telling me for some time, I just didn't want to admit it.  And what happens when you don't do what you are supposed to be doing? The gods thow you a 'zinger' to get your attention.

I need to get back to my service to the gods and let go of the massive list of responsibilities(distractions)  I have taken upon myself.  This is good thing folks!!!  CedarLight will be better, more people will carry the responsibilities and less people will get themselves into the rut I have let myself get into as Will did before me.  One or two people doing the majority of the work is not healthy for the life of the Grove.  This will be a good thing and next year will be great.

Hugs!  

[Deirdre]

Thank you Caryn...to be honest, by the time I got home, I had doubts that I could do the job, but thanks to you and others (you know who you are) I realize that I can do the (with help from my CLG family).  I will run for Senior Druid and I will promise to the best I can, if elected.  You and Will must realize that your phone number will now be number 1 on my speed dial.  I will do all I can to continue the job you and the others before me have started.  Thank you for your confidence in me......    

[carynml]

:bouncy:
I'm going to start a new thread under Grove Discussion on the Tree Study project.  And yes Elizabeth, we could all do some research and share with one another and 'my goal' by the end is to have a complete set of notes on the whole thing.  There's no reason everyone else can't have the same if you are willing to compile what is being presented.  I would caution everyone to be sure to cite your source, even if its a web page by "Squatting Cat".   And remember, you can always go back and change your work if you find out something is wrong.

I don't know if this is in one (or more) of the ADF study programs but I would not be surprised to learn that it is.  Well, On to Grove Discussion.
Hugs!