A Druid's Blog – May 2019 – On the Virtues of Cyber Druidism

Last night was Walpurgisnacht, a traditional Germanic celebration the Eve before the big May Day or Beltaine Fire Festival. Keeping in mind that the Germans were Celts too, and that all Celtic festivals began in the evening, my Druid group, an international Order called Tribe of the Oak, with members all over the planet – from the USA to Ireland to South Africa, decided to try an online ritual to welcome in summer and May.

I had never participated in an online rite and I wondered if it would seem sterile and dry and disconnected. Much to my surprise the ritual had so much energy that my cats kept pestering me to join in and though we began at 9 PM Eastern time, I didn’t fall asleep until 2 AM because I was buzzing with so much energy.

I am happy to report that online rituals have deep possibilities; art work, poetry, continuous background drumming or music, everyone indicating their presence by “liking” things that are said, petitions for healing, divinations and blessings flowed easily. Maybe because it’s a cerebral medium, doing a rite online allowed a depth of thought and feeling that I never would have thought possible.

It was helpful to have actual props on hand such as candles and sage, knowing that everyone involved was lighting a candle and burning sacred herbs at the same time. We also put out food offerings for the Good Neighbors and the ancestors before the ritual, which made it all very concrete and real.

As I was laying down cornbread on a mossy stone under the pines, a huge woodpecker flew right over my head. Woodpeckers are all about communication; they drum and peck their signals across a wide distance. They also delve into secret dark places to pull out hidden treasures. And apparently they love Oak trees, a wonderful omen for the Tribe of the Oak.

Here are some accounts of May Day traditions in Ireland, Britain, and the USA. May your summer fires be bright!

SOME BOOK NEWS

BEING A PAGAN has been reissued with the Victor Anderson (Feri Faith) interview put back in!
“THE SACRED HERBS OF SAMHAIN – Plants to contact the Spirits of the Dead” will be out in August and is already available for pre-order
‘THE SACRED HERBS OF BELTAINE” is in production and will be out in spring of 2020!

*You can always order signed copies of my books from this website *

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS

I hope to see you at one or more of these events!

May 17/18/19
The Awareness Shop – 180 Main St. New Paltz NY
12561 exit 18 off I-87
845 255 5756 cell 845 598 8444
Ellen Evert Hopman comes to visit The Awareness Shop in May 2019
- Ancient British Sacred Sites Friday, May 17, 2019 6 PM – 9 PM
  The Awareness Shop – 180 Main St. New Paltz NY
  A slide show and talk covering the South Eastern portion of Scotland with its carved Pictish stones, the major English monuments such as Stonehenge, Avebury, Silbury Hill, some Arthurian sites such as Tintagel, Glastonbury (Avalon), and Camelot, and the mysterious and wonderful Cornish sacred sites of the Michael/Mary Brighid/Lugh ley line. The talk lasts about two hours and is followed by a book signing. $30 per person. $10 Non Refundable Deposit is required as class size is limited.
- Celtic Tree Medicine and Lore Saturday, May 18, 2019 11am-5pm
  The Awareness Shop – 180 Main St. New Paltz NY
  Tree Divination Using the Ancient Celtic Ogham Alphabet
  The Irish Ogham tree alphabet pre-dates the Latin alphabet. Instead of letters like A-B-C-D the alphabet uses tree names like Birch, Rowan, Elder, Oak, etc. Each letter of the alphabet is couched in symbolism and lore. Ellen Evert Hopman is the author of A DRUID’S HERBAL OF SACRED TREE MEDICINE, TREE MEDICINE TREE MAGIC and other volumes that explore ancient Celtic tree lore and tree herbalism.
  In this workshop you will learn a Druid tree meditation with live trees, the basics of the Ogham letters and the spiritual, medicinal and cultural lore around them, make a small divination deck, and practice using the trees to do readings for yourself and others. The class involves work outside in nature so wear good shoes and be prepared for the weather. $125 for the day – $25 Non Refundable Deposit required – class space is limited. Full day workshop 11am—5pm bag lunch included for those with no dietary restrictions.
- The Nine Principles of Celtic Spirituality Sunday, May 19, 2019 11am-1pm
  The Awareness Shop – 180 Main St. New Paltz NY
  What are the basic principles of Celtic Spirituality? How do these principles apply to Celtic Christianity and Celtic Paganism? How is Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism different from more modern paths such as Wicca? In this class we will examine evidence from the historical Celts and their traditional practices, poetry, Celtic triads and aphorisms, and Brehon Law. $50 per person, $10 Non Refundable Deposit to hold your space.
- Cosmology of the Ancient Celts Sunday, May 19, 2019 2-4pm
  The Awareness Shop – 180 Main St. New Paltz NY
  Two Seasons, Three Worlds, Four Treasures, Five Directions: The Pillars of Druidism. $50 per person. $10 Non Refundable Deposit to reserve your space. 845-255-5756.
  An exploration of the basic Cosmology of the ancient Celts and the most important symbols of Celtic and Druidic sacred mythology and religion. Learn why Celtic tales included recurring symbols such as magical swords, chalices, stones, water and fire. Discover the religion that was practiced by King Arthur and the Celts before the Christian missionaries arrived.
  To register for any or all of these amazing gatherings at The Awareness Shop – 180 Main St. New Paltz NY
  please call 845 255 5756 – be prepared to leave a non-refundable deposit and your contact details.
August 22-25, Camp Cedarcrest , Orange CT
Harvest Gathering
Event page on Facebook
Camp Cedarcrest
886 Mapledale Rd, Orange, Connecticut 06477
Get tickets hereEllen will speak on the following topics;
Intro to Druid Spiritual Path
Pillars of Druidism
Communicating with Trees
Study Herbalism with Ellen Evert Hopman, Herbalist AHG
A Six Month Intensive in Western Mass
October 13 – April 2019
Intro to Herbalism and Self Care
Two Saturdays a month, 1-5 PM near Amherst, MA
Western Materia Medica, Chinese 5 Element Theory,
Flower Essence Counseling, Formula making, Hands on Herbalism,
Ethnobotany, Herb walks, Homeopathic First Aid, Live case taking and more.