by Rev. Melissa Ashton
On February 10, the Bardic Guild hosted a virtual Bardic Circle where we gathered to listen, to share, and to connect through the bardic arts. This month’s Zoom meeting was small, we had nine participants representing three countries, but it was just as rich and meaningful as our previous sessions.
With the pandemic lockdown, we all experienced an initial separation from one another. Rites were no longer held in person, festivals were canceled, and time seemed to stand still. As the lockdown progressed, we found ways to reach out and find community in creative ways. Our learning curve mostly consisted of the ample use of mute, discovering “original sound”, and knowing when to turn our cameras off to save bandwidth. We have all found ourselves laughing, cheering each other into confidence, and deepening connections through our shared work. The Guild has tried to host at least twice a year, if not quarterly since then.
This weekend’s event continued to deliver that sense of community and to reinforce the importance of sharing our bardic creations. As Birgit Reinartz, Bardic Guild Chief, happily quipped after Mike Biershenk performed his song for Brighid, Holder, Healer, it’s “funny to see us all swaying along with the music.” And we were! Each of us in our own little corners of the world were swaying in unison as we listened and sang along to the moving music Mike made for the matron of the season.
We heard songs, stories, poems, prayers, and invitations to the Kindreds. We brought out some of the “deep cuts,” like my own song, At the Center: A Song for the World Tree, that I wrote for my consecration years ago. You can listen to a recording here. Birgit performed her song to Nehalenia in German, and Hervé offered us a Blessing in Breton. We even had Rev. Kathleen perform “Spirits, We Invite You” for us in ASL! Here are the words:
Spirits, We Invite You by Rev. Katheleen Spirits of the vast sky, Spirits of the rich earth, Spirits of the deep sea, We invite you here today. Flying high and swooping, Swirling, gusting, howling, Grey and white and shining, Come spirits of the sky Growing, green and leafy, Running, crawling, leaping, Sandy, rocky, loamy Come spirits of the earth Dark and cold and hidden, Swimming, drifting, digging, Flowing, ebbing, roaring Come spirits of the sea. Spirits of the vast sky, Spirits of the rich earth, Spirits of the deep sea, We invite you here today.
Spoken word pieces this month were definitely on point! Nathan Large, ADF Bard Laureate, performed a poetic work for the Norns, Tapestry, a haunting and evocative piece! Rev. Lauren Mart regaled us with a few tales, and while the Labyrinth of the Traveling Pants has been a favorite of mine, I also thoroughly enjoyed her villanelle, Bathed in Light, which she wrote for the Spring Equinox:
Bathed in Light by Rev. Lauren Mart Tides of turning darkness, from the night Our seasons neither here nor there entwined With one who wakes the dawning, bathed in light Snowy powers passing, winter’s might With spring is balanced forward, time aligns In ever-burning darkness, glowing night Birds we see returning, robin’s flight We drink in dew’s bright droplets, sweet like wine She who comes with dawn, sings in the light Still the warmth is small yet, icy bites Run with our crystal breath, in chilly signs But growth begins in darkness, from the night In the turn of seasons, crocus writes The newest verses, now in scattered lines She flies on wings of morning, growing light But now the goddess rises, milky white Dancing in the sunlight, twisting vines The world turns now from darkness, no more night Eostre comes with dawning, bathed in light
Most of what we share is related to our own spiritual journeys, from deity relationships to nature to liturgical creations. Thexalon shared his newest seasonal piece for us, Brighid, Keep Burning, which you can also listen to here. Mike Biershenk shared his song to An Morrigan, Blood on the Willow, which can be heard here. Rev. Jan Avende talked us through one of their practices of creating a bardic piece when taking an omen for someone to aid in their understanding and internalization of the message. One such piece, “Seeking Peace,” takes the form of a sonnet:
Seeking Peace by Rev. Jan Avende Come together now and tell of your dreams: Of desire and the fire within, Of cool waters, the deep and flowing streams Shining with blessings as they swirl and spin. Know sweet Nature’s song is quiet and strong: A patient voice that nurtures. It carries on the wind, whispering that you belong. Walk this path slowly, as the way varies. Companions by your side, they come and go as they must, each teaching you a lesson. Be not afraid, for as they leave, you grow. A tree: reaching the dawning sun again. Join with a patience, the long view showing Peace in acceptance, even when going.
All these and more were shared as part of our time together. We shared a total of 25 works during just this one meeting, and I look forward to our next session with joy in my spirit. Events are typically coordinated online via the Bardic Guild forum, and Zoom links will be shared widely.
May the blessings of Awen, Imbas, and the Mead of Inspiration flood our senses and drive us to create as we walk the Elder Ways. I leave you with an excerpt from “Imbolc Bardits 2024,” by Eikthyrnir Odinson:
Imbolc Bardits 2024 by Eikthyrnir Odinson Bardit du chemin des runes: Que vienne le charme d'autrefois. Que soit présent les forces du crépuscule. Que ravive en nous la flamme d'une pensée. Ô Dame qui regarde depuis la salle des héros! Epouse du roi Borgne! Actes de rancoeur en soit il ne faut point. Pensée d'amertume encore moins. Même si l'affreux dit des choses étranges. Que vous vous trouvez dans une situation dans laquelle on vous donne des informations qui se contredisent et s'opposent. N'écoute pas les paroles de l'affreux. Parfois le diabolique se fait passé pour le bienveillant… Sait-on pourquoi? Qui peut s'avoir du premier abords? Si les insensés portaient couronne, nous serions tous des rois! Si tout les affreux portaient sa honte écrite en lettre d'or sur son front, les masques seraient bien plus chers... Et pourtant ne désespère pas! Des gens de bien il y en a plein, j'en connais de très bien. De ceux qui savent sentir avec le coeur et la conscience. De ceux qui savent vivre et attendre. De ceux qui sont vraiment bienveillants. De ceux qui savent réfléchir et qui savent améliorer leur conduite. De ceux qui vivent sans opprobre et sans masque. Ceux là savent vraiment chanter comme les oiseaux. Le plumage ne fait pas le chant de l'oiseau! Sur le chemin des runes il nous faut partir… Douce rune de l'éclatante lumière! Belle princesse du soleil en sowilo. Forte rune de la vache des highlands. Beau guerrier sauvage en Uruz. Protecteur des hommes et des animaux. Avertissement avec Algiz. Fluidité de la rune de l'eau! Qui nage comme un poisson en Laguz. Harmonie et héritage de la famille. Gloire en Othalaz. Sans oublié qu'avec tout cela nous ne sommes que peut de chose face à l'immensité du cosmos et du destin... Sans oublié qu'il n'y a de mauvais que celui qui s'imagine êtes bon. Sans oublié qu'il n'y a d'insensé que celui qui s'imagine être habile. Sans oublié qu'il n'y a de pire que celui qui s'imagine être le meilleur. Sans oublié qu'il n'y a de plus sot que celui qui s'imagine être sage. Et les rassurantes reliques que nous honorons. L'arbre sacré, la flamme sacrée, et le puits sacré. Le ciel avec le tonnerre, la mer avec ses profondeurs, la terre avec ses forêts sauvages. Il n'y a rien de menaçant comme le Tonnerre. Il n'y a rien qui n'engloutit autant que la Mer. Il n'y a rien qui est plus mystérieux qu'une Forêt. Mais en cette période d'Imbolc tout celà rejoint les flammes… Même les paroles d'un insensé ou d'un naïf peuvent avoir de l'importance pour l'éternelle lumière, celle qui nous conduit en ce monde et nous rappelle vers l'autre quand nous avons fini toute nos quêtes. J'allume ma flamme et je purifie ma demeure, mon jardin, mon foyer et les pensées... Merci aux Divinités de la saison. Que nos fêtes d'Imbolc soient des plus joyeuses cette année.
