My Nine Books

[Dave TheDruid-3X3Participant]

Here is a Closeup of it:

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[Dave TheDruid-3X3Participant]

I decided to get out my Shrade Lockblade and give it a Good Sharpening. I also like using a Kitchen Sharpening Steel (which Kochanski also does not mention in the Chapter) so got it out and gave me Shrade a Good Fine Sharpening:

Finished the Chapter on Knives and now going into the Chapter called ‘Saw Craft’.

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[Dave TheDruid-3X3Participant]

I read the next Chapter ‘Saw Craft’ while having the Stanley Cup Oilers Hockey Game on. I was able to finish that Chapter during the Hockey Game NP as it was only 10 Pages long.

It pretty much described how much more Safer it is to use a Swede Saw then an Axe and how to maintain the Teeth Sharpness and even how to rig up a Saw from Wood Branches or Limbs if you do not have a proper Handle.

Next Chapter is about how to make Rope Cordage. The Chapter is called ‘Bindcraft’. I read some of that Chapter during last night’s Hockey Game.

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• This reply was modified 5 months, 3 weeks ago by Dave TheDruid-3X3.

[Dave TheDruid-3X3Participant]

Bindcraft is about making Cordage & Rope from Natural Fibers.

I would never try that. I would be too Nervous that my attempts to make Cordage would end up with Failure and the Cordage made breaking.

I then read Chapter ‘Shelter Craft’ and describes several methods of Building Shelters.

I found this one which is one that I would not mind trying to make to actually Live in:

The next Chapter is how useful the Birch Tree is for Bush Crafting & Survival.

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[Dave TheDruid-3X3Participant]

Awens

Just read the Chapters on Birch Trees and Conifer Trees.

Birch is known for creating the Hottest Fires and tells of hour the Bark is used for making Baskets, Writing on and (of course) Canoes.

The Conifers such as Alders, Spruces and Tamaracks are mentioned and how their Resins can be used as Sealants in Birch Bark Canoes, Antiseptics as well as starting Fires.

The next Chapter is on what Willow Trees are used for in Bush Craft.

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[Dave TheDruid-3X3Participant]

The next Chapter starts off with the Poplars and then need of Sunshine in order to Grow. Poplar and Quiking Aspen and both make good Firewood. Aspen gets a Chalky White Powder on it’s Bark which can be used as a form of Sun Bloke. Black Poplar is have known to carve Dugout Canoes from. Black Poplar Inner Barks can be boiled into a Paste that can be used for making Casts to set Broken Bones. Willow Tree Branches are known for being so straight that they are used to make Arrows & Spears from. Leaves are considered so edible to Herbivores that they are sometime used as a Lure to bring them to the Hunter. Bebbs Willow is known for making Good Archery Bows.

The next Chapter after that is about ‘The Shrubs’. The first Shrub covered is the Silver Willow whose Bark is good for making Cordage. Red Osier Dogwood’s White Berries are Edible although they do have a Bitter Taste that cause some people to think it might be Poisonous. It’s Inner Bark can be pounded to make a Tobacco Subsitute.

The final Two Chapters are about the Moose and Varying Hare and their characteristics and how to Hunt & Butcher them.

That is The End of Northern Bush Craft by Mors Kochanski.

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[Dave TheDruid-3X3Participant]

Well – A 10th Book has come my way.

It is ‘The Elements Of The Druid Tradition’ by Philip Carr-Gomm.

I had gone off on a Road Trip to the Pacific West Coast to attend my Mother’s Memorials as she had recently Passed Away on Beltane May 1st which was also a Full Moon.

While at the West Coast, I spent a few days visiting an Old High School Buddy. We did some Hiking, Playing Cards and Reminiscing.

When I went to leave for the Road Trip back, my High School Buddy ‘Cannibal’ gave me a Special Parting Gift and that was Philip’s Book.

Here it is:

I am currently Texting passages of it to my Druid Spirit Guide.

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[Dave TheDruid-3X3Participant]

The First Thing I Found in Philip’s Book was mention of a Book by Professor Stuart Piggott called ‘The Druids’.

Philips says this Book is well known in Druidism but I had never heard of this Book. I did a Search of my Local Library and they turn out to have a copy that I can check out. So as soon as I am finished Reading Philip’s ‘The Druid Tradition’, I will put a Hold on Professor Piggott’s Book.

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[Dave TheDruid-3X3Participant]

Awens to All:

I am about to Read Chapter #2 but I thought I might get caught up with the Introduction.

Philip then goes on about how there Millions more Lifeforms that have yet to be discovered than has become Extinct.

Then in Chapter #1, Philip relates the Legend of how the Irish, Welsh and Scottish had come from the West reputedly from Atlantis.

I then emailed Philip that it was from my Father’s Family Genealogical Research, he discovered that the Peoples of Ireland, Wales and Scotland, through DNA Analysis, that those Original Peoples had come from the South instead of the West through West Africa, Portugal and then Spain having originated from the Peoples of South Africa. Some had come from the People who had migrated up though Caucasus then to the West arriving as the Celts at about 500BC.

It is then stated that some of the Records of the Druids had been Orally handed down from Generation to Generation until finally getting Written Down for the First Time in about 330AD and is published by T.D. Kendrick’s Book (also titled) ‘The Druids.

It is then stated that a lot of what we know of the Druids has been Translated from the Ancient Ogham Writing.

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• This reply was modified 3 months, 3 weeks ago by Dave TheDruid-3X3.

[Dave TheDruid-3X3Participant]

Awens to All:

Chapter #2 is called ‘The Recent Past, Druidry Reborn’.

It mainly covers how the Myths, Traditions & Stories where handed down from Generation to Generation Secretly during the Roman & Christian Times and were then first recorded into Writing at about 330AD or so and then for the First Time Completely Written Down during the 1800s during the Modern Revival of the Ancient Traditions.

Several Scholars and their Publications are mentioned but one that I had never heard of was that of John Toland who was a Colleague of John Audrey and how Toland had been the Founder of the ‘An Tigh Gaetha Gairdeachas’ Grove. After finishing this Book, I will have to look up more Information about John Toland.

Then there is the Christian Scholar Philip Brydodd who set up the Mount Haemus Grove in around 1245.

Also mentioned is how Old Celtic Art was Preserved through the Morris Men, the Helston Furry Dancers and the Abbots Bromley Horn Dancers. I am familiar with the Morris Men but I will have to look up more Information about the Helston Furry Dancers and the Bromley Horn Dancers as I had never heard of them before.

There is a Record of a Druidistic Clan who had Preserved it’s Traditions up to about the early 17th Century on a Island called St.Kilda Island in the Northern British Isles.

The 2nd Chapter, ironically enough, ends with a Guided Meditation Session that Honors Summer which is happening today. I did not get about any Reading of the 3rd Chapter today but I will see what I can do tomorrow.

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[Dave TheDruid-3X3Participant]

Awens to All:

Just read Chapter #3 of Philip’s Book.

It mainly goes into his Relationship with the Esteemed Ross Nichols and then goes into a few other Druids that he has collaborated with.

Found out that Nichols’s Celtic Name was ‘Nuin’ and that he had written a Book about Druidism that was Published Posthumously called ‘The Book of Druidry’. I managed to find a Website from which I was able to download a PDF File Copy of Nichols’s Book and look forward to Reading it after I finish Carr-Gomm’s Book.

Philip then mentions a few other Druidistic Scholars that he has known and that includes:
– Colin Murray,
– Vera Chapman,
– Dr. Thomas Monahan,
– Dr. Graham Howe,
– Lewis Spence,
– Charles Cammill.

I had not heard of any of them. So will have to do some Research on them sometime in the Future.

Then Philip goes on about various other Druidistic Orders which includes:
– Reformed Druids of North America,
– The United Ancient Order of Druids,
– The Secular Order of Druids,
– The Universal Order of Druids,
– The Ancient Druid Order,
– The College of Druidism in Edinburgh,
– The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids,
– And The Welsh, Breton and Cornish Druid Groups.

He laments that many of these Druid Orders have Inter-Order Rivalries that cause Dissention between making a Lament of:
“Why is it easier to Build Barriers than to Build Bridges?”

I found that statement somewhat similar to Rodney King’s Lament of “Why can’t we all get along”.

It also reminds me of a piece in which the OBOD Druidess Nimue Brown once wrote in which she Laments on how some Druidistic Orders have “Gatekeepers” who keep out those who they find not to be the type of Druid that they want within their Orders. I found that piece of Nimue’s quite Profound as well as being Perfectly Correct.

So that is my Review of Philip’s Book Chapter #3. Tomorrow, I will give Chapter #4 a read.

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[Dave TheDruid-3X3Participant]

Awens to All:

Here is my Review of Chapter #4 which is called ‘Bards, Ovates And Druids’.

The part about Bards points out how they are Story Tellers, History Chroniclers, Musicians and Singers. It says that a Bard had to Study Poetry & Stories for a total of 12 Years learning about 175 Stories. I have that covered as I have about 75 Tape VHS Video Collection of Science, Knowledge & History Stories that covers just about any topic you can think of. The Tree of the Bards is the Birch which is the Tree that represents the First Letter of the Ogham Runes Alphabet. The Times of the Bard is Spring and the Dawn of Every Morning.

It is in this Chapter that Philip writes: “One of the Prime Reasons for Modern Man’s sense of Alienation lies in the fact that he has cut himself adrift from the Natural World and from the Roots of the Past. Practicing Druidry is about Healing this Alienation thus reconnecting to our Past and to the World of Nature”. Philip then mentions an Esteemed Shamanistic Professor Michael Harner as a Good Example of what Bards are about.

The part about Ovates points out that they are Masters of the Spirit Realm and of Reincarnation in much the similar way as the Hindus do. Ovates are not just Physical Healers but also Mental Psychiatric Healing. The Tree of the Ovates is the Yew and the Ovate Direction is North and that Ovate Season is the Autumn through the Winter.

The part about Druids point out that they were Community Wisemen & Judges and the severest Punishment were Banishments or being Exiled & Ostracized. Druids were the Teachers of the Tribe, the Inventive Scientists of the Tribe. The Tree of the Druid is the Oak and the Direction is the East from which the Sun’s Power comes from each Morning. The Times of the Druid is the Summer and at Noon Time when the Sun is at it’s Brightest.

The Chapter ends with a Coaching on how to do a Meditation to Good Soothing Music.

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[Dave TheDruid-3X3Participant]

Last Night, I read Chapter #5 which is about the Eight Sacred Sabbaths Titled ‘The Eightfold Year – The Druid Ceremonies And Their Meanings’.

What it revealed to me that each Morning represents the Birth of New Life, each Noon Time representing Growing Up & Middle Age, Afternoon representing Growing Old and the Evening Sunset representing Death.

It also showed how Spring Alban Eiler represented New Life, Summer Alban Heruin representing the Growing Up & Middle Age, Autumn Alban Elued representing Growing Old and Winter Alban Arthuan representing Death.

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[Dave TheDruid-3X3Participant]

Awens to All:

Here is what I found in Chapter #6 of Philip’s Book.

At the beginning of the Chapter, I found the Stories & Cosmologies of Two Nature Spirit Deities which I had never heard of before. They are ‘Teutales’ (aka: Teut) and ‘Hu-Hesus’ (aka: Esus). Teutales is a Nature God and Hu-Hesus is a Tree Spirit.

He writes about how Modern Humanity have been belittling and ignoring the Spiritual Essences of our Ancestors.

There is a part called the ‘Five Forces’ in which he says that there are People who are Outer Directed and those who are Inner Directed. Outer Directed are People who feel that the Circumstances of Life are directed from Outside Influences. And Inner Directed are those who fell that their Influences come from within and that they should have Control of the Outside World. I would consider myself an Inner Person.

He then goes over the Seasonal Celebrations again ending with a Nice Meditation Composition.

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• This reply was modified 3 months, 3 weeks ago by Dave TheDruid-3X3.

[Dave TheDruid-3X3Participant]

Awens to All:

Chapter #7 is called ‘Circles & Stones, Trackways & Stars’.

The Chapter Explains how Ancient Stone Circles tended to be built where our Ancient Ancestors managed to find Conjunctions where Ley Lines of Electromagnetic Fields met up with each other and they even made Physical Trackway Lines where such Electromagnetic Lines were found to run along. And such Stone Circle Temples where built to be Calculators of the Earth’s Seasonal Rotations as the Earth went around the Sun indicating the changes of the Seasons.

I have a Documentary VHS Program on VHS Tape called ‘Temple Building’ in which Temples were made along such Magnetic Ley Lines that is very fascinating. Unfortunately, I seem not to be able to find the Documentary that I have on Tape anywhere on the Internet or even YouTube.

The Exercise at the end of the Chapter invites one to go to such a Sacred Circle and Physically Experience it’s Energies. I have done that at Stonehenge in 2003’s Summer Solstice and at the Anglesey Bryn Celli Ddu and Liverpool’s St.Luke’s Bombed Out Church at 2024’s Winter Solstice.

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