Summer Solstice, 2015

[Pages:125]Trilithon

The Journal of the Ancient Order of Druids in America

Volume II Summer Solstice, 2015

Copyright ? 2015 Ancient Order of Druids in America

Elphin Press. All rights reserved.

ISBN-13: 978-0692427552 ISBN-10: 0692427554

Cover art by Dana O'Driscoll

From English Forests and Forest Trees: Historical, Legendary, and Descriptive. London: Ingram, Cooke, and Co., 1853.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents....................................................................................................v Letter from the Editor...........................................................................................vii

Dana O'Driscoll Trilithon Credits .....................................................................................................ix About the Ancient Order of Druids in America................................................x Mabinogi Skies: Astronomy of the First and Second Branches.....................12

Tracy Glomski The Coelbren of the Bards: A Practical Introduciton .....................................40

John Michael Greer Training the Connection between Body and Spirit...........................................54

Jessica Tess Carving Away: An Initiation of the Trees Through Spoon Carving .............60

Mark Angelini Uncovering the Esoteric Nature of Trees..........................................................69

Dana O'Driscoll and Scott Smith Walking the Earth, Sun, and Moon Paths with Elder .....................................90

Claire L. Schosser Traversing the Earth Path: Impressions and Reflections...............................100

Paul Angelini Ancestral Wisdom in Contemporary Druidry ................................................112

Daniel Cureton Blast From the Past: Selections from The Light of Brittania ..........................121

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Letter from the Editor

Welcome to the second issue of Trilithon: The Journal of the Ancient Order of Druids in America. In the spirit of the ancestors of our tradition, our community continues to develop more discussion, practice, and scholarship surrounding the Druid Revival as it manifests in the AODA. This journal has also served as a way to reach members throughout the United States and the broader world--and I thank so many of you for writing to me with feedback and accolades about our first issue.

This year, Trilithon showcases original Druid Revival scholarship tracing our historical roots and reenvisioning two of the most important revival texts: the Mabinogion and Iolo Morganwg's Barddas. Our lead article is a manuscript of considerable importance and scholarly achievement by Tracy Glomski, who charts connections between astronomy and the First and Second Branches of the Mabinogion. Trilithon will be publishing her second and third articles in this series in 2016 and 2017. Our esteemed Grand Archdruid, John Michael Greer, has also produced a brilliant manuscript examining the historical roots of Iolo Morganwg's Coelbren of the Bards, providing evidence of its possible roots and demonstrating its divinatory power.

A running theme in our tradition, and in this issue of our journal, is sacred interactions with nature. Trees have made themselves an informal theme this year, branching through a series of articles. Mark Angelini's compelling discussion of spoon carving as a process of initiation with the trees begins this series of articles, followed by Claire Schosser's experiences in working with elder, Paul Angelini's description of observation and interactions in a variety of landscapes. Finally, we end the tree theme with and my own artle sacred trees in collaboration with Scott Smith, a traditional English botanical artist. In each of these tree and land focused articles, our contributors share their own experiences with trees while also drawing upon the roots of our tradition providing scholarship, inspiration, and a blending of inner- and outer-world knowledge.

Our issue is rounded out with two additional pieces that speak to core of our practices: Jessica Tess's examination of martial arts and its role with the Sphere of Protection and Daniel Cureton's essay on ancestral wisdom.

I hope you'll enjoy reading all of these articles as much as I have, and I encourage you to consider writing essays of your own for our 2016 issue.

I'd like to conclude by taking a moment to acknowledge the fine contributions of our authors and their tireless dedication to the craft of writing (and their willingness to engage in revisions of their work). Karen Fisher has once again been an incredible copyeditor, and I offer much thanks. Scott Smith also deserves accolades for his visual contributions to the journal this year--the inner title page and page footers, as well as the graphics in our collaborative article. Also this year, Paul Angelini worked extensively with me on this edition, offering his services in procuring royalty-free images for many articles, laying out portions of the journal, and writing our

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introduction to the "Blast from the Past" selection. I'd also like to acknowledge the AODA Grand Grove for supporting this journal, in every sense of the word. I especially thank John Michael and Sara Greer, who have been exceedingly supportive and who have donated their time and expertise to its development.

I'd like to close by acknowledging the support of the inner teachers of our order and the ancestors of our Druid Revival tradition. Finally, I'd like to thank the living earth from whom all blessings and Awen flow. Please feel free to write responses to articles or any other letters to the editor--you can contact me at trilithon@.

Yours in the peace of the sugar maple grove,

Dana O'Driscoll Chief Editor, Druid Adept, and Grand Pendragon, AODA

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