Trilithon The Journal of the Ancient order of Druids in America Volume III Summer Solstice 2016 Trilithon: The Journal of the Ancient Order of Druids in America Trilithon: Th e Journal of the Ancient Order of Druids in America Volume III Summer Solstice, 2016 Copyright 2016 by the Ancient Order of Druids in America, Indiana, Pennsylvania. (www.aoda.org) All rights reserved. ISBN-13:978-0692712733 ISBN-10: 0692712739 Colophon Cover art by Dana O’Driscoll “Spirit of Mugwort” (Painting channeled through meditation) Designed by Paul Angelini using Adobe® InDesign.® A Treatise On Th e Identity Of Herne’s Oak, Shewing Th e Maiden Tree to Have Been Th e Real One. by William Perry, Wood Carver to the Queen, 1867 “Learn diligently what thou seest; keep diligently what thou learnest; and fear not to make known what thou knowest.” Triad from The Druids and Theosophy, 1926, Page 205 Contents Letter from the Editor....................................................................................i Trilithon Credits..........................................................................................iv About Th e Ancient Order of Druids in America...........................................v An Interview with Grand Archdruid Gordon Cooper...................................1 Interview with Grand Archdruid Emeritus John Michael Greer...................8 An Interview with Archdruid Emeritus Sara Greer.....................................19 An Introduction to the Nine Hazels Qigong..............................................28 by Adam Robersmith Ecology and Spirituality in the Vegetable Garden.......................................40 by Claire L. Schosser Revitalizing Your Orchard with a Wassail Ritual.........................................59 by Maxine Rogers Th e Consecrated Garden.............................................................................65 by William Herrington Th e Song of St. Margaret.............................................................................67 by Christian Brunner Crafting a Wizard’s Staff .............................................................................86 by Rick Derks Seeking, Developing, and Tending Sacred Sites...........................................91 by Dana O’Driscoll Mabinogi Skies.........................................................................................114 by Tracy Glomski Saving Our History: How to Create Pagan Archives.....................................161 by Daniel Cureton Blast from the Past: Th e Druids and Th eosophy........................................192 by Peter Freeman with a foreward by Annie Besant Contact List for AODA Groups...............................................................215 Letter from the Editor Greetings everyone, and welcome to the Ancient Order of Druids in America’s Tri- lithon volume 3! Th ree is a special number for Druids, and our third issue is certainly carrying on that tradition. First of all, I’d like to start with some announcements about the AODA, as this helps frame our issue this year. Th e end of 2015 and beginning of 2016 have been a time of major leadership changes in the Grand Grove. John Michael Greer, who served as the AODA’s Grand Archdruid for twelve years, has stepped down. Gordon Cooper, Archdruid of Fire for over a decade, has become our eighth Grand Archdruid. Further, Sara Greer, who served as Archdruid of Water and Siani Overstreet, Archdruid of Air, have also stepped down. I have been serving as AODA’s chief editor for Trilithon and Grand Pendragon and have now moved into the Archdruid of Water position. Adam Rob- ersmith, Druid Adept, is our new Archdruid of Fire. Finally, Paul Angelini, who has worked on the staff of Trilithon for the last two years, is now serving as the order’s new Grand Pendragon. Because of these changes, we have devoted part of this issue to interviews with John Michael, Sara, and Gordon. We wanted to honor the work of of our Archdruid Emeriti and spend time getting to know our new Grand Archdruid. So we begin this issue with three interviews that explore their many contributions, histories, and knowledge. Beyond our interviews, we are proud to be publishing a number of unique pieces of Druid scholarship. First is a segment of Adam Robersmith’s Druid Adept project, titled “Grounding Th rough Heaven and Earth: An Introduction to the Nine Hazels Qigong.” Th is piece is an adaptation of the traditional qigong movements to Druid practice, and, if I do say so myself, it is really enjoyable to practice! We also have the second installment of Tracy Glomski’s “Mabinogi Skies” series that explores the astro- nomical aspects of the Mabinogi. It encourages us to look to the skies to connect to ancient wisdom and knowledge and off ers an original scholarly interpretation based on astronomy. We also have “Th e Song of St. Margaret” by Christian Brunner, which translates and analyzes a poem from the remote areas of Switzerland and Austria and demonstrates its connections to ancient traditions. My own “Sacred Sites in America” reenvisions the sacred site for an American Druid context and suggests i ways of creating many diff erent kinds of sacred sites. Daniel Cureton’s “Saving Our History: Creating Pagan Archives” explores how to create digital and print archives of materials that can help establish a stronger history. Finally, Rick Derks shares his insights on staff creation. We also have three pieces that have some connection to gardening and ceremony— Claire Schosser’s “Ecology and Spirituality in the Vegetable Garden” provides insights not only on key gardening methods and her expert analysis of their effi cacy, but also spiritual practices for the garden. Maxine Rogers shares her experiences in wassailing her apple orchard, and Will Harrington shares his own gardening insights. As a fi nal off ering for this packed issue, we are reprinting a lost Druid Revival pamphlet titled Th e Druids and Th eosophy by Peter Freeman, which is not available anywhere else at this time. As chief editor, I am truly delighted to see how our journal has grown over the last three years. Like an oak seed that has sprouted, each year grows stronger than the last, and this year, I am excited to off er you such a variety of pieces on Druid practice. I believe we are publishing some of the most interesting and engaging Druid scholarship and insights available anywhere. I’d also like to acknowledge three people who have helped this journal take shape: Karen Fisher, who has been copy editing for us since the beginning of this journal, three years ago; Paul Angelini, who joined us last year on layout, and who did the full beautiful layout of the journal this year; and Kelly Trumble, who joined us as a copy editor this year. Th e AODA owes them much in the way of thanks for their service to the order! Readers, I encourage you to consider submitting some of your own material in the coming months for our 4th issue, and to write to me at [email protected] with your thoughts and insights on our latest issue. And contributors to this issue or previous ones—thank you so much for making this journal what it is! I want to conclude by saying that I think this is a very exciting time for the AODA. I encourage you to look forward to new off erings and material from the order in the coming months and years. In addition to this journal, we are now off ering a regular newsletter (which you can subscribe to at this address: http://eepurl.com/bUMPPP). ii Bright blessings to all—enjoy the summer sun and the blessings of the dew, the rain, the winds, the sea, and the land around us. Yours under the sugar maples, Dana O’Driscoll Chief Editor, Trilithon Druid Adept and Archdruid of Water, AODA A History of British Forest Trees by Prideaux John Selby, 1842 iii Trilithon Credits Dana O’Driscoll Chief Editor, Cover Art Dana O’Driscoll is the Chief Editor of Trilithon: Th e Journal of the Ancient Order of America, a Druid Adept in the AODA, and serves as the Archdruid of Water. She also is Druid grade graduate in the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids, a member of the Druidical Order of Golden Dawn, and a traditional western herbalist. Her AODA Druid Adept project explored the connection between druidry and sustainability and how to use permaculture design principles and community building to engage in druidic practice. By day, she is a writing professor and learning researcher; by night, an organic gardener, natural builder, mushroom forager, and whimsical artist. Dana is typically covered with paint, dirt, or both, and loves to sneak into the forest to play her panfl ute when other people aren’t looking. Dana’s writings can be found on the web at druidgarden.wordpress.com. Karen Fisher Copy Editor Karen M. Fisher is an Druid Apprentice in the Ancient Order of Druids in America and has been a pagan for over 30 years, most of which were spent on a Wiccan path. She is a professional freelance copyeditor for several academic publishers. She enjoys hiking and foraging and lives in a big old house in Pennsylvania. Kelly Trumble, Copy Editor Kelly Trumble, AODA Druid Apprentice, is an AODA offi ce staff volunteer and an enthusiastic student of the Dolmen Arch magical system. In a past life, Kelly earned a PhD in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century British literature and taught writing and literature courses as an adjunct professor. Kelly currently lives in beautiful northern Michigan with her husband and son. She spends most of her time homeschooling her son, doing the occasional copy-editing, volunteering at the local library, and caring for her family, though she’s been known to sneak in a little reading or puzzle-working if no one is looking. Paul Angelini Layout Designer Paul Angelini, native-Michigander and Druid Apprentice in the AODA, has been an assitant on the Trilithon staff for the past two years, and a member of the AODA since 2013. His passions include cyder making, permaculture design, used book stores, foraging for wild food and herbs, and the study and practice of the Western Esoteric Tradition. As Grand Pendragon of the AODA, Paul is commited to preserving the order’s unique history and tradition for the benefi t of generations present and future.