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The participants of the first physical incarnation of Llan Dobhran have scattered to the winds geographically, and left as a marker a web page that seems to still touch people who stumble across it, even though our geographic dispersal has made us unable to continue the liturgical mission at this time. We were never able to find very many people who wanted to do the hard work of creating... The new faces that we found always seemed to expect someone to tell them what to do, what to think, what to believe. They wanted to come to a ceremony, but they did not want to write a ceremony. In an environment like that, the loss of even one producing member is devastating to a group. Do I leave this page up as a memorial to something that perhaps failed to withstand the expectation of "Religion as Spectator Sport"? Or does it do a service in inspiring others to try similar endeavors in what may be more fertile soil than the harsh spiritual desert of the American midwest?
I've added a "dreambook" to this site where perhaps such a conversation can be facilitated: February 2002 Update: Every once in awhile, I come in and touch this page, and today is such a day. I am occasionally doing ritual in a rather abbreviated and child-friendly form with a group of friends. We hit maybe half the sabbats if we are lucky, but it is something. If you've gone out and explored the larger site, you are aware that two years ago I had a major life-altering event and became a mother. My little toddler boy keeps me very busy, and is my major mundane and spiritual enterprise at the moment. I have also returned to the tarot studies (see here) and am working on writing a book about Tarot. I am also webmistress of a site called TarotReview. |
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First of all, I'm only an expert in my own life. You must become an expert in YOUR own life. Just because I think so, why should you? I'm unaware of any book that will detail how to live your life as, or what to believe if you are a christo-pagan, whatever mythstream you're swimming in. (If there was such a book I would certainly not agree with all of it, I'm sure.) You will not find proof in the Bible for the taste of chocolate, yet is that not joyful? How do you learn about chocolate? What is the best book? Sorry, I cannot tell you that. Nothing substitutes for prayerful mediation and it is to God/dess that I must send you for authoritative answers. Look within, not in a book. That said, reading can help you broaden your horizons. As I have been actively engaged in my own spiritual search, I have read hundreds of books, each of which has left its mark, equally those with which I agreed and those with which I disagreed. Not only books on Christianity or Celticism. Zen Buddhism and Taoism have had deep penetration into my way of thinking, as has my imperfect exposure to Native American ways of being. As to modern Neo-Paganism, much of the information is transmitted orally or experientially. It is certainly easier to find books on the subject these days, but as it is absolutely not an intellectual or belief-based sort of practice, the books will only put your foot on the path, they won't take you very far down it. There is also far more sheer rubbish than useful material published on this subject. (But even the rubbish has something to teach you.) There is absolutely no one who speaks for all pagans, but one organization which does outreach and has a good web site with some starting point information is the Church of All Worlds. Here is their page addressing common questions about Neo-Paganism. I speak on this site about the wheel of the year. While I do eventually intend to put my own thoughts on this topic in digital writing, I do not yet have anything I can email out other than the lammas ritual that is already on this site. This article by Mike Nichols is a good introduction. (And his page is marvelous for general neo-pagan information as well.) Another introduction was written by Christina Aubin.
What about Druidry?
Beyond the Bible, what are some sources on Christianity?
Introductions to Celtic Christianity
Other Christo-Pagan sites (new section as of February 2002!) Wild Goose Celtic Spirituality
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