Metamorphisis

originally posted Aug. 2003.


I would like to relate to you something that happened to me August 3rd, 3 days before my birthday. As a fore-note, among other things, I am known for my affinity with ravens and crows in particular. they are called the messengers of the Gods and thoughts /prayers fly on their wings from this world to the next.
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Their[Crows]language is as expressive as anything we could
think of and more so. I found this out first hand as I started my clean up of the grounds where I work.

Last Sunday I had the unfortunate luck of finding a crow that had just been hit by a car. (note-I watched 3 cars drive over her before I could rescue the remains. I clearly saw the drivers faces and the 2nd and 3rd driver Did Not know she was there and yet... I saw them jerk the wheel to miss her without their eyes looking down. This I cannot/will not try explain !!!)

I carefully wrapped and boxed up the shattered body and said a sad prayer to the Spirits to accept her Spirit on it's final flight. Halfway I took her to our woods to bury her before I heard a strange very loud sound. I stopped my golf cart and heard it again clearly...mournfully. The unearthly wailing cry of what could only be its mate. I looked up and in the nearest tree he was pearched, staring directly at me and the closed box in the back with the carefully wrapped body. For at least 10 heartbeats he appraised me and the box. Back and forth the gaze went. His eyes then pierced me and he cried out again in the same unearthly call and was joined by a number of unseen others.

As tears filled my eyes and my body started to shake I felt my guards stripped away by a force unknown and scarry in its' insistence. The calling embraced and washed over and into me. Then it overtook me with a chilling clarity and I was among them. Then I felt the total joy and pain as he took my spirit in kinship. Our pride and pain truly manifested as he took me up and we lept to soar. I understood then...we were flying over her domain and I was part of their funeral rite and farewell to this mother and sister.

I had taken on the task of giving her back to the Earth with respect, instead of allowing the ignoble fate awaiting her body where she died if noone else had been around or a lesser creature had been there. They understood my respect of her and my true sadess and they included me in and showed me a glimpse of their ways. Then I undersood. I learned their understanding of death eclipses ours. They are closer to the One than us.

It is a sound and honor I can never forget and I thank them for their trust in me and allowing me into their sacred song.

She was powerful, proud and repected and will migrate back soon enough. I now know her nestmate will be alone until his end, never to pair with another, as is their way.

The lesson is simple and as old as our shared Paths.

-If you listen hard enough you can hear the voice of the Woods itself.

-If you are Honest in your reverence to the Greenman you may be rewarded in ways totally unexpected. For the Earth is alive and wishes to share with us. If we will only open our heart **see note

One could look at the omens the situation presented being it happened 3 days prior to my birthday, the things involved, etc. But by NOT doing this and simply respecting the passing of another creature I found out more than I ever could have otherwise and came closer to my Truth.

This was TRULY a birthday for me for in one day I have been through death and then my rebirth in another form. Because they now see me as friend and for a second/eternity allowed me to become one of them.

Peace,
Twig

**Note - I did/do not use Cernunnos as a "God of the Woods" for my source states that:
"He is...not necessarily representing an animal spirit but a deity closely involved with animals...and can transform instantly into animal shape."
[The Encyclopedia of Gods by M. Jordan ISBN 0-8160-2909-1}

What kind of Druid are YOU!??

You are a normal Druid. Well.....maybe you aren't
normal. But the closest thing to, anyway. You
recognize the wisdom in the old ways but you
don't recreate all of them, thank pete.


What kind of Druid are you?
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Vuja Da

Reincarnation. I've never really touched on the subject but it is so ingrained in and a part of my Path that I will try to explain it. Heh, this should be good.

I guess in what has to be the biggest karmic jokes there is, In my first life I was Myself, as I am now! I was a Druidic teacher,healer and somewhat upper level druid with a mission. No claims to fame other than the fact that (put on your thinking caps here) I died so that the I that lives now would have the Spirit Guide needed to be able to contend with what him/I and others saw coming.

..............................................................................

The wind throws massive showers of sparks sideways as the fire roars and crackles in front of us. No amount of wind can mask the smell of charring flesh from the sacrafices though. You never really get used to it though it's grown to only a minor annoyance after so many years. Long has the altarstone remained wet in preperation for tonight.

But this time is different. This time the magic must be stronger....stronger than ever before in memory of the eldest. For this is the destiny that was thrown upon you all. To sleep with the Gods until called from your slumber by the omens you have been shown. For a year and a day now the prayers have gone up without stopping. An entire circle has this fire remained lit and offerings gone up and you have cleansed yourself and been prepared to be presented to the earth to hold until called upon. The sacrifices alone have almost caused the people to revolt but that is what the law demands. Otherwise all of you will be utterly forgotten and so cease to have ever existed. What will people remember of you after tonight? Perhaps they will sing great songs. That would be nice.

But this harvest night shall be the last. For we must make the future remember before it is too late.

At the height of the calling I am driven by unknown reasons to step back from the ring of dancing to the boulder strewn edge of the plateu. Beside the beacon rock I wait tensely with one hand on my curved knife when from out of the gloom a strangely dressed man stumbles up the carefully hidden path. Cautiously and frightened he looks around as best he can in the gloom. Drawn like a moth to the light.. Too bad he chose to put his foot on this sacred ground tonight for it will be his last. But if the Moon Goddess requires a man who am I to argue?

Reeling now I feel weak and the Goddess herself speaks to me and I know this shade that gropes in the dark before me! This is the Me that I am to Be! Drawn here across the stars. For as this is my last rite, this is his first and his initiation into the Mysteries! I see him lying in some strange place and know he has made the choice I made and sealed his fate to the God and Goddess. And he was sent here to see whence he came and I.....I am shown who I am to become, who I am to teach. Hehehe I shall Guide myself!!!

Now strength returns and I know what must be done. Stepping out onto the path I block the fires light and almost chuckle as the I that is not yet me freezes in fright and nearly falls.

Now the God of Wood and Tree and and All that Is speaks through me as I look upon myself and know the trials he has endured to get to where he stands tonight. The choice he made to bring him to the holy meet going on behind you.

"You have not lived in vain!" I bellow as my robe and cape are whipped about by the winds. "You have learned what is needed for what lay ahead of you and we are pleased. Now GO!".

I watch as the man covers his face and begins to sob.

And turning I walk back up the path to where the others are still chanting, enraptured by the Spirits. He will be waiting for me. I know that now and it comforts me for what comes next.

Giving my sacred blade to the next elder in line I drink from the bowl of Life and feel the Spirits explode in my stomach and head as the sickly sweet liquid releases them. I remove my robe and lay on the altar. Normally cold it is comfortingly warm from the heat of weeks of preperation fires. Vaguely I see dim shapes above me and hear the buzzing of many insects. A flash of hot white and I hear the Crow calling my name.

Then, as the red water of Life leaves me, I smile. I am coming my Friend, my Brother. You shall have a Guide....and I will show you...everything is as it should be ...as we foretold.

Peace,