Unfettered Wood: Gaelic Polytheism & Folk Magic: March 2017

Thursday, March 23, 2017

The Gaelic Roundtable for March: Journeys

This is my first post participating in The Gaelic Roundtable blogging project, March's topic being Journeys.

I am going to keep this particular post short and sweet, as I don't know how terribly interested most of my readers would be to hear me natter on about how I became a Gaelic Polytheist and much of what I believe is already peppered on this blog. So to keep this to the point, I will address each individual question posed.

Tell us a little bit about your practice; what kind of Gaelic Polytheism do you practice? Is it Historically Oriented or Eclectic?

My faith is of a reconstructionist nature, so I try to be as historically accurate as possible, while keeping at least some modern "sensibilities" in mind. This of course is always a work in progress, and thankfully there are quite a few wonderful online resources and folks to talk to, to get information and feedback from.

As far as my practice goes, it is part of my everyday, from small daily devotions, to observing the cross quarters and other days of importance. I honour the Gods of the Gaels in general and have more "personal connections" with a few Goddesses that have been fostered over time. As well, I honour the Ancestors and Spirits {both of place and nature}.

Are you a member of an Organization like OBOD or another one?

Right now my only interaction I have with other Gaelic Polytheists is online, but hopefully now that I am in a bigger city that might change. The one group that I formally belong to is Nigheanan Brìghde Order of Brighidine Flametenders {a Celtic Polytheist one}.

Do you follow the Irish, Scottish, or Manx beliefs- or maybe a combination of the three?

I draw inspiration from Irish, Scottish and Manx cultures, although it would probably fair to say that Irish has the largest influence. With my fairly recent move to Kingston Ontario Canada, I am hoping to benefit from the strong Irish cultural roots here, by visiting important sites and delving into cultural events and specifically the Irish-speaking community.

How did you wind up at Gaelic Polytheism? What drew you to our faith and made you start practicing?

My journey towards Gaelic Polytheism is probably a fairly typical one, being from a line of a couple of different Christian faiths. As a teenager I was drawn to eclectic Paganism and practiced variations of that into my 20's, and as I got older I started to explore more structured systems. At one point I was practicing a mix of quasi-Celtic Reconstructionism and Traditional European Witchcraft, which eventually lead me to finally hunkering down and taking up Gaelic Polytheism.

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Well, that's it! If other participants have any questions about my practice/journey, please do feel free to ask.I look forward to reading about the journey of others and thanks for allowing me to participate!

Sláinte!

Laurel

The Gaelic Roundtable

There is a new online community-building project called The Gaelic Roundtable for Gaelic Polytheists to participate in. The mission statement says:

"This project is meant to benefit the Gaelic polytheist community threefold:

To encourage the growth and development of a community which is able to support a myriad of viewpoints without mortal conflict;

To encourage discussion between community members, as well as the critical evaluation of materials available to that community;

To create a cohesive resource for those searching for information and practical applications of Gaelic Polytheism in the modern era."

One of the ways to participate is to post on monthly topics, this month being Journeys. I like the overall idea behind this project, so I will be taking part as well. If you are a Gaelic Polytheist, you should check out The Gaelic Roundtable and see if it interests you as well!

Sláinte!

Laurel

Friday, March 3, 2017

In the Belly of Garden Planning Madness

Japanese Ghost Fern & Wild Ginger

In my neck of the woods Spring has been teasing us with peaks of her face, and her inevitable emergence is just around the corner. With this, I have been really missing my old garden. I miss every single plant, and just about every single critter that would visit my garden. To distract myself I have been planning a garden for our new home.

I did not bring any of our outdoor plants with us, however I did bring quite a few containers along, some of my favourite pieces of garden kitsch as well as the stones that were used in our previous outdoor shrine, and of course my seed collection. Otherwise I am starting from scratch.

One of the things I am going to have to figure out is what other types of containers to get. There are all sorts of options out there, and while I tend to gravitate towards the pretties, they are generally more expensive and not always the most practical option. I am thinking of getting a few storage totes, as I have used them to grow things in before and they hold up. I could always gussy them up with some paint, and this would still make them a more affordable option. Plus, I have seen plans online on how to make them insulated for overwintering perennials, which I am keen to try out. More about that to come in a future post, I am sure.

Our balcony faces North-North East, and while it is sheltered and quite large, I don't think it makes sense to grow vegetables on it. I may grow some greens and will definitely grow some herbs, but what I want to focus on are some of my favourite shrubs and trees, woodland plants and plants that pollinators love.

Meadowsweet, loved by the bees and me.

My old hardiness zone was a 4 a or a 3 b and my new one is a 5 b or a 6 a, so it is quite a bit warmer here. That said, when growing perennials in containers, I really should be focusing on plants that will survive about two zones lower than the one I am in. Thankfully the plants that I am really drawn to fit the bill.

There is already a small gaggle of seedlings starting on the window sill of our office/craft room including a few different types of columbine, Japanese primrose, Fuji Blue balloon flower, cardinal flower, and foxgloves. But there are many more that I hope to put in our new garden.

Below is a list of all the pretties that I am hoping to cram into our new garden:

Trees & Shrubs