Druid Practice Manual

A long time ago, I was creating The Druid Mystic Order for people who wanted a more contemplative, nondual experience of Druidry. In the end, I didn't proceed with it, but I kept the Practice Manual, see below. Although it might be accused of being prescriptive, it's simply a set of ideas to use to ground a practice that might otherwise be rooted in the head.

The Druid Practice Manual

The Forest Path

Living in Unity

As Druids, we keep the forest in the landscape of our hearts. We are committed to protecting nature and are determined not to kill or cause suffering. We want that nothing shall come to fear us but instead, that life feels safe around us. Our homes, our hearts, and our Druid practice are expressions of sanctuary and safety. We hope to leave no trace of our doing so the quiet light of our being helps to bring all things to peace.

The movement of the universe, or flow [Gwyar] of Awen, has brought us to where we currently are. Whether that is in a high-rise apartment with a balcony, or a detached house with large grounds, we are the keeper of that part of the earth, and as Druids who revere nature, we care and protect the wild animals, plants, trees, and minerals that share the space with us. This might be wild deer coming to the garden, or a butterfly that has flown into an apartment window.

If we do not have a garden, perhaps we can secretly drop wildflower seed bombs in a corner of a park or wasteland. We can also clear plastic from a nearby river or tidy up the trash from a wild meadow. If we have a lack of time, we might support an environmental/animal charity financially, for example.

We aim to remember that all these things including our family are aspects of the same One. We will try to respond to them calmly whenever we might feel otherwise. We cook and serve drinks in the spirit of nurturing and loving, we add healing herbs to improve wellbeing, and we give time in the same way when it is called for. This is our practice, and we may extend it to our work or everyday situations when we encounter others. We do this without exhausting ourselves and where it does not prevent us from living this Way of Life.

Nourishing Creation

We may know that we cannot heal the whole world, but if we can nurture our part of it, however small, we will help to nourish the Whole. We will cultivate non-discrimination because we understand that all life is a manifestation of the One, and no single aspect of that is more or less important. We try not to attach ourselves to rigid views, for our practice is to be like a warm spring breeze that gently softens and comforts everything it touches.

To nourish one is to feed the other. We strive to take care of life’s creation in all that we do. With this in mind, we might do things like the following:

Wear clothing that is made with as little harm to the ecosystem as possible.
Care for our gardens, our corner of the world as described.
Tread lightly on the earth and to try to leave no trace of where we have been.
Avoid using power tools in the garden where possible, and slow down so we get a greater sense of the earth and its ways
To use eco-friendly cleaners etc.
To buy local produce wherever possible.
We aspire to buy and eat food that has compassion at its heart.
In recognising our own Beauty and Wonder, we cherish ourselves and others as one Whole Family
We carry the quiet healing space of the forest in our heart

We aspire to reduce our reliance on driving, or if we cannot, to drive in a way that is more efficient and less harmful to the environment

Letting in Wildness

Wildness is the pure face of the Source, and our spirit recognises this. We practise looking deeply at the wildness in our day so that we can naturally grow in awe of its untamed splendour. We can feel the breeze on our skin, hear the wind through the trees, notice the sound of rain pattering against the ground, admire tiny wildflowers in the corner of a cultivated park, and so on. We know this is medicine for the spirit, and it often works in a subtle way. In difficult times, being aware of wildness can heal us in the same way that a mountain stream might trickle beneath the surface under environmental challenges, to then return stronger lower down.

Our hearts recognise wildness. Getting down to the level of wildflowers, we see insects twinkling in the sunlight, spiders basking in stillness, and life moving at an unhurried pace. Seeing this, and being with it, returns us to a way that is untouched by mankind. Over-manicured gardens and parks cause confusion at a subconscious level, and it is the same for animals. Such trimming back of wildness represents a sickness of mankind because of a lack of connection with the silent forest within.

As monks and nuns of this order, we try to maintain as much wildness in our gardens, home, and life as is possible. Knowing how untamed corners can be important shelter for animals, we make this part of our practice. We may feel compelled to save the earth yet overlook our own piece of space. A tiny corner of garden left to the will of nature is as important to some animals, as is the Amazon rain forest to others.

Despite what Druid Orders might suggest, no trees are more important than others. It doesn't matter whether we live in an area surrounded by oak, or maple, or even cacti. They are each an expression of the sacred Beauty that some of us call the Goddess. We make where we live our own practice, and we engage with it with reverence for its own special grandeur.

Walking Barefoot

Telluric energy enters our body and heals us through our feet as we walk, however, modern shoes with rubber and plastic soles do not allow this energy to pass into us. Buildings with concrete foundations may also seal us from some of this energy. As a result, we become less healthy. We are committed to spending some minutes of our day in raw natural connection with the earth. If we cannot make a connection with our feet, perhaps we can use our hands. We can touch flowers or trees that are directly rooted to the ground. But best of all, we place the soles of our feet on the earth and feel its freshness rise within us.

The healing connection begins instantly. We may feel its freshness permeate up our legs and into our body. The earth’s energy helps to reduce inflammation inside the body, which is the cause of much illness. Animals are naturally in contact with the earth directly through their feet, yet we have mostly lost this relationship with the ground.

We aim to step in a way that our contact is not harmful to life beneath us. We slow down. We engage our breath and grow silent, enjoying the feel of grass or soil beneath the soles of our feet.

We have no purpose during our walking, we walk aimlessly, having no idea where we might end, or what we might do when we arrive there. We know that the more we walk in this way the quieter our heart becomes and the slower our breath grows.

We might bring each step in harmony with each breath, slowly placing the heel, then the sole, then noticing the gentle spreading of our toes as they feel the freshness of life beneath them. We might walk with our ancestors, or someone who is unable to walk with us, or even at all. We invite them with us and give space to their energy.

And if our life finds us too busy to slow down, then we choose to say that we will walk only ten steps, taking ten breaths, so that we allow ourselves a moment of relaxation.

Natural water can also ground [or earthing] in the same way. By wild swimming in the ocean, lakes, rivers, or dipping our toes in a forest stream we can benefit from the healing energy it brings.

The Moon Path

Simple Sitting

We sit quietly for at least 20-minutes a day. We claim this space to calm the inner narrative that creates splintered echoes of our True-self. We do not regard this as a special time. We sit simply, like a cat, for no other reason than sitting.

If we can sit quietly at the same time each day, we notice how both body and mind benefit greatly, and for more than the time of actual sitting. Over time, the body comes to expect the quietude and it starts to slow down in readiness of it, and it also begins to extend beyond the sitting period. Therefore, a 20-minute sitting might provide 40-minutes of benefit.

We give space for the body to come to its natural stillness. We do not seek this specifically, but simply allow it room to occur naturally. We have no goal. We do not become. We let go of objectives and becoming something. We simply be so that we might experience how thoughts will begin to quieten through doing nothing.

If we call it meditation, it becomes "something". Perhaps we sit with a cup of tea because there are no experts to say whether we are doing it right or not. Once sitting in quietude is regularly experienced, standing, walking, working, talking, and other activities, can all be done in this same state. We aim to bring this quality into each moment.

We make time to rest and let the whisper of Wonder enter our day for the unexpected to appear. We know that having a thought-free mind allows the energy of creativity and Wisdom to appear. Time spent without thought feels like an internal shower of freshness washing down from the head to the belly. We aspire to practise this throughout the day as we listen to how regular thoughts are like tiny droplets against the vast ocean of tranquil space in which they arise and depart.

Deep Listening

We may know that rational wisdom does not always match with the inner knowing of the One. We choose to listen to the true wisdom that quietly surrounds thought and feeling. We give attention to its muted unfolding until its sacred word weaves seamlessly through our day. We dwell in the ocean of Awen to become aware of how it stirs us into deep upwells of creativity. We are committed to following where those currents of inspiration lead us so we might become intimate with the immensity of feeling whole.

We can experience how this knowing is within the oak tree as much as it is in the sparrow, or the stone as much as it is a cloud. Although this wisdom is ever-present, we take time within our day to recall it by either regarding the stillness within ourselves* or of that in other things.

This wisdom is simply recognised when it is uncovered. Its presence is obscured by our thoughts and the noise of life. A mind used to quietude seems to fill with space. It is not the space that is getting bigger but everything else receding. Thoughts are like birds crossing the sky; instead of focusing on a thought, we choose to look at that which thought flies through. Thoughts will still arise, and we might notice them, but our attention is on the silence in which they appear.

When Silence calls to us, it might do so in unexpected ways, and it is important to know that it will never sound hurried, impatient, or frustrated. This wisdom is at peace, it has no needs, it simply expresses itself through us, and as us.

We may wish for big signs. We might hope for something to dramatically point us in a particular direction, however, it is often in the little things that the path of life unfolds. We therefore quieten our minds to hear the faint whisper of what is happening right now. If we feel compelled toward a particular path but don’t yet see how to arrive at the destination, we give attention to this moment. We aspire to set aside the typical roles we might play, and we look to the Unconditioned for what is unfolding.

As monks and nuns of the Druid Mystic Order, we seek to experience how the power of Awen emerges through us via what we are doing right now, and how we are doing it. This a key practice of listening. It is in this very moment that the Awen is drawing forth in our lives, and when we feel no resistance to what is manifest, we begin to sense the simple direct flow of where life is taking us, one step at a time, for nothing more than the sake of its beautiful creation.

* If you have been diagnosed with clinical depression or similar, speak to your therapist before regarding the stillness within as doing so could deepen a depression.

The Wandering Oak (replace the name Oak with any tree from your area that you feel a connection to).

We make time in our life to wander. We walk to look through the seam of things to where the edge of Awen can be found. Rather than simply appreciating the beauty of things, we take each step to witness the Beauty that is within and of all things. We walk to see the stillness present in all movements. We walk to notice the silence harboured within an ocean of sound. We do this regularly until the boundary of what we are appears increasingly faint, progressively transparent.

To be a Druid is to notice the presence of the One that is in and of things. All living and non-living things are expressions of This. We can observe the world around us and one day we might notice that there is something common to a stone as there is to a cloud. It is not the object that we are seeing but the Objectless that appears as them. This is our wish.

Taking time in our day to walk in the Wonder of Beauty is life-affirming. We stop whenever we see something we are naturally attracted to and appreciate its presence. We sense how it feels as well as enjoying how it looks. When this happens, the world seems to appear even more beautiful to us as the energy of Beauty becomes central to our life.

The Wind Path

Feeling Flow

The word "Awen" has at its root in the Welsh word "Awel" which means a breeze. Awen is like a breeze of inspiration, of creative energy. As Druids, we try to be aware of how the power of life's creation begins to flow through us unobscured by thought and the will of the ego. We aim to see that what occurs through us is done so with the fluid force of Nature behind it. We are committed to giving ourselves to the immediacy of this moment and to not being consumed by thinking (of the past, future, or now) so we may experience how the pure power of Nature rests behind the expression of flow.

We take time to notice when we are appearing to step outside of the flow due to frustrations, needs, and the drive of the ego. To be at ease and abide by the moment is how we wish to live.

When we fight against life's difficulties, we rub up against the flow of what has come into being. We do not abide by it. In this order, we seek to remind ourselves that all events are either physical or energetic manifestations [Calas] of the Source. Frustration is simply Its experience of the moment. Joy is Its experience of the moment too. Good and bad drop away when only the One is seen.

In letting go of what we wish to happen, happening occurs. And this does so with the power of nature behind it. So, we therefore know that we can take it easy by simply being aware of what we must do in the moment to allow this energy its full expression. We recall our need to relax when tension is felt, and we realise that such stress is a sign that our ego is resisting Life, and consequently, we are beginning to lose the power of that flow and begin to make things difficult for ourselves.

At Ease with the Flow

Aware of how we might feel forced to do something that we don't want, or how we find ourselves somewhere we don't wish to be, we practise abiding with the outcomes of flow at this time. We see how flow is a combination of different energies at play inside and outside of our life and that we cannot be aware of all things. We see that our frustrations can be grounded in an inability to see the full picture of what is occurring around us. And we also know that like a normal breeze, it will at times grow stronger, and at others become weaker.

We can simply observe the energy that is present in our life knowing that it will transform until it eventually returns to stillness.

Life might be seen as what happens between moments of stillness. It can be argued that the fuzziness, the busyness, the times of change, the times of anger, of love, of aggression and of peace, are what makes life happen.

Flow is a consequence of different energies interacting with one another. These aspects of Creation learn how best to absorb energy, transform it for their needs, and move excess energy onward. This is the movement of Creation at work in our life. This is flow. As monks and nuns of this order we hope to realise that our anxieties, our need for attention, and our desires to give, and so on, are all part of this universal exchange of energy which arises throughout our life as patterns. These patterns are also described as conditioning. And our sense of self is a result of much of this conditioning.

To surrender, is to yield to this moment but not necessarily to give in to it, but instead to see it for what it is, as a witnesser, as the One from which the energy flows. In doing so, we see how "things" are simply expressions in an arc of energy that must, at some point, return to Silence and Stillness. Like summer fading into autumn, we simply regard it with mild interest, and we are therefore, at ease with the flow because we are untroubled by its outcome. Such a view, or experience, helps us to live a less complicated life.

To Live Simply

Knowing how life is all One and how everything is equally important, we aim to consume in ways that bring peace and wellbeing to others and to ourselves. We do not take from the body of consciousness in ways that are harmful. We see how consuming is more than what we eat and drink but also what we watch, what we listen to, and the people around us. We seek to live simply, and like the birds in the trees we take only what we need, and if we are fortunate enough to have more than what we require, we try to share this among those less fortunate.

In listening to the body, we get to sense when it is hungry. By hearing its muted voice, we begin to see how overeating is harmful. We are careful not to eat late in the evening so that the body does not go to sleep with stored nourishment in it. We aim to eat light plain meals of highly nutritious food, food that is as raw and natural as possible without being processed. Any food that is packaged and sold is a commodity that we consume. This does not mean that it is food, so we eat those things with care.

We choose to drink more water throughout the day as it is better for our cells. Where we do not have a supply of our own water, we use filters to clean the tap water from over-processed chemicals.

We also recognise how our actions and speech are continuations of creative energy that is consumed by others. We learn to watch how our own reactions can grow into something beyond us, into something we may not expect. We are careful to be ambassadors of natural calm wisdom, to plant the seeds of peace through our actions so that others might notice a different way through the flowering of our being. By demonstrating our peace, not from a wish to present a particular way that is better than another, but simply out of the natural result of our practice, we show a straightforward happiness that is not tied to goals or dreams. It is tied to now.

While aims and objectives can be useful in life, they can interrupt the flow of what is trying to unfold around us. To live unconcerned with a particular outcome is to be like leaves blown freely by the wind in whichever direction it chooses.

Unlike much of the modern world, the Druid Mystic Order values not pushing ourselves too hard, to be at ease, to have a supple mind, and take the simple way rather than the complicated. We see the importance of slowing down and taking light naps during the day.

Taking a short nap each day helps us to feel refreshed. Only mankind seems to have trouble with being at rest. As monks and nuns of this order we aspire to follow the guidance of animals. Are they on the go all day? By observing them we learn from their natural way.

When we do this, we notice how their activities match the hours of daylight. As a result, we might choose to not stare at our mobile phones or PC screens after dark. We may decide to have one evening per week using no electricity but sitting in candlelight as our body lets go of some of its tension.

The Rhythm of Work, Silence, and Recreation

Life is full of distractions, and it is easy to be driven to the fringes of what we feel is important. What we do at this moment is also what we serve at this moment. If our life is too focused on work then work has become our altar, if family responsibilities take too much of our energy, then our family has become our shrine. We seek a balance between our work, our responsibilities, and play. By listening to the direction of inner Awen we

are led in ways that will not exhaust or demand too much of us.

We know that outer situations can make us stressed if we cannot rest but we learn to not resist them. Resistance means there is tension. When matters are out of “our” control, they are likely influenced by the flow of the universe. We simply adjust as necessary and remember to take our time. We slow down to sense the movement of flow. We sit quietly until inspiration moves us.

Overall - Sharing Our Way of Life

We seek to share our practice through how we are and what we do more than what we say. We resonate with the hidden communion that becomes the root and the grounding of our life. We dwell in the quiet sanctuary of Silence and Stillness. We find our intention through the stirring energy of Awen and grow in peace with where it directs us.

We understand that no matter how accurately the Truth is described it cannot be understood and experienced by the rational thinking mind. Furthermore, we know that practices like those mentioned here must not become methods. They are practices in the loosest form, and their role is to create space in our day for that to be filled by the Wonder of Life.

As nuns and monks of this order we have the right to create a grove for new members to attend. We teach through our being. We show through non-methods, through undoing. We hope to show people who wish to force one thing over another that this might be the play of the "ego". We seek to be different. We are each beacons lighting the way for others, to show that to be one thing over another might still be the play of the "ego". We seek to be different.

If people are to take guidance from these aspirations, their practise needs to be soft, not rigid, gentle not hard. In fact, to “practise” is to miss the point. This way is here to create space in your day and not fill it with must-dos and methods. In the way that a wild deer is compelled into the forest for sanctuary, we are enticed into Silence.

And that alone is enough.

An Ancient Way

The Way of Vitality

The following words are from over thirty years of personal practice and reading. Much of the advice here is from that of centenarians compared to those living to over 100-years old, many centuries ago. The similarities were taken into account and formed into a book.

You may wish to make some of this information part of your practice. Monks and nuns of this order are free to choose all, some, or none of the following into their daily routines. Some of the information is already outlined above but there is plenty of new content that I think will be of interest.

Worry Less

Anxiety and worry ages us quickly. A troubled mind can lead to a sickened body. Be free from:

World affairs

The problems of others

Druidry

Being right (or wrong)

Enlightenment

Teaching/helping others

Eternal life

Being good

Having a purpose

Simply find the Source and rest. There is no need to be mystical. Desires die in the space of Silence. Cares disappear in the place that thoughts enter and leave behind. Accept what you have and make do with less. If abundance comes to you accept it with the same disinterest as a lack of abundance.

Not Doing

Experts wear themselves out. There's no point trying to understand everything. If you hear teachings, treat them in the same manner you would while listening to rain. Relax with a cup of tea and simple food. Don't try. Don't do. Just be. Be quiet.

Give yourself space for silent sitting and let the mind be free of care, then the energy of what is arising through you will have no obstacle, and what happens will have the force of nature behind it.

The body doesn't need much. Plain food, water, and light exercise.

Don't Wear Yourself Ou

Try not to take on anything that is too strenuous for the body or spirit. This will be too harmful to your life energy. Everything comes to be without over-exertion. What you need arises by chance as a reaction to other energies. Life is like this.

Don't take on things in a hurry. Allow them to come to you in a way that feels easy. When results don't work out the way you expect, return to silence and listen.

Don't Limit the Limitless

All possibilities are part of the One. You are this too. This means that anything is possible within the scope of what is flowing energetically now. Setting limits to what you can do, or can be done, is false. Allow the flow its full expression and witness the magic of its beautiful unfolding.

Go Slower

Take plenty of short naps. You will still have time to do everything. Listen to rain, listen to birdsong, simply hear and observe nature. Get a sense of its pace. If things seem to go awry, slow down until your actions match the pace of the flow of Awen.

Drink plenty of water but drink seldomly. Drink when you feel thirsty. Be aware that hunger can be a sign that you are not drinking enough. Eat when you feel hungry. Listen to your body for what and when it needs nourishment. Take small meals. Do not overeat as this can harm the body.

Notice how you feel after eating. Take time to relax after food so that the body can digest it better. If elderly, eat small light meals frequently.

Eat a light meal in the evening so that you don't go to sleep with too much nourishment stored in the body.

Change Your Habits to Suit the Seasons

Spring

Rise early in the morning
Don't sit indoors feeling drowsy when it is bright and breezy outside
Take leisurely scenic walks. If you live in the city, take joy in finding small pockets of wildness.
Feel delight in hearing birdsong
Brim with vitality at the rising energy of spring
Take a moment to smell blossoms and admire flowers during your day

Summer

Rise early in the morning, go to bed later
Go outside while the air is fresh, and the heat of the day is not so strong
Breathe deeply and practise Yoga, Tai Chi or Qigong, or dance and sing freely
Be aware that cool shady areas can harbour germs such as under eaves and in corridors
If resting indoors do so in a quiet, clean room
If venturing outdoors go where it is naturally cool such as in woodland or by water
Keep the heart at peace and balance your breathing so it is not too fast or shallow
Avoid direct hot sunlight
Don't rest in drafts, and don't sit under an open window
Don't eat raw, cold, greasy food or ice cold drinks - eat bean soups and dark plum drinks

Autumn

Be careful over sharp changes in temperature between day and night
Dress in thin layers to easily adjust to the heat or cold
In dry autumn air blood fluids can become dry so eat sesame seeds to nourish the blood
Practise massage and Qigong, Yoga, Tai Chi, or light dancing
Rise early and go to bed early

Winter

Rise after sunrise when the sun is warm and go to bed earlier
Try to keep your waking hours to that of the birds and wild animals
When very cold, wear thin layers not heavy ones
Don't sit in front of the fire for long
Practise Yoga, Qigong, Tai Chi or light dancing, and breathe in deeply as though spring
Tend to gardens and trees if you have them and appreciate winter beauty
Eat warm soft, well-cooked food and not tonics or medicines that boost internal heat
Remain fit, light-hearted, optimistic, and open-minded

All Year

Remain tranquil whenever possible
Think of your peace as a liquid being held by an internal cauldron - too much excitement or worry will cause the peace to overflow
Breathe in fresh air and exhale stale air
Practise chess to exercise the mind
Make music to lighten the heart
Write and read poetry to connect with nature
Say kindhearted words
Take plenty of walks
Take light naps after food, and sitting quietly
Always be pleasant and optimistic
If you struggle to feel contented think of those less fortunate than yourself

Set Your Routines to Specific Times

Having a daily regime is important. The body responds better when things are done at the same time each day. For example, if you meditate at 9:00 am for twenty minutes each day, the body and mind will grow to expect this and the state of peace will begin before you meditate and will last longer after meditation, therefore, a twenty-minute meditation at the same time each day has a much longer positive impact on the body.

Where to Live

If you can, a beautiful area with clear water to drink, lakes to swim in, dense forests (cleans the air) and fertile land with fragrant flowers. Tree-thick zones generally have less dust and have plenty of negative ions that are good for the body. Many plants secrete substances that kill many bacteria.

If not, tend to flowers and plants, feed the birds in your garden or yard to beautify your environment. Spend more time in the garden no matter how small. Flowers are nature's physicians because of their beauty and natural aroma. Dried flowers can also be good such as lilac.

Live in a quiet area, secluded, and with little air and noise pollution. Keep your home well ventilated.

What to Eat

Vegetables and fruits. Avoid rich, salty, greasy food. Cook medicinal herbs with your food. Drink tea (especially green or white) which can help brighten sight and is full of antioxidants.

Eat whole grains rather than bleached white grains. Eat beans, fresh veg and sweet potatoes.

Swallow your saliva. If you have a dry mouth lightly tap your teeth together until saliva comes, then swish it around your mouth before swallowing it.

Have little alcohol. It can aid digestion while fruit wines can reduce heart diseases. Too much alcohol can consume energy and affect the blood and marrow.

Pleasures to Do

Always Be Pleasant

Be amiable, prudent, broadminded, modest, magnanimous, and not calculating or worrying over the affairs of others

Always Be Contented

You will always feel short of this and that if you are constantly aware of what you have and what you lack. Wherever you feel there is adversity, step back and compare your circumstances with those in a worse situation. You can then begin to feel calm and cheerful with what you have.

Simple Pleasures

Taking a short nap, sitting quietly, appreciating flowers, listening to birdsong, noticing the sound of wind and rain, appreciate the moon, have wonder about the beauty of nature, appreciate paintings and poetry, enjoy reading, enjoy unrestrained singing, and reciting poetry. Appreciate a view, a landscape, and nature. Enjoy dancing, listening to music, and playing music.

Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope that you become a monk or nun of this order. I hope to meet you one day!

Best wishes,

Moonleaf

Disclaimer. Please note that all the above practices are described through personal (Moonleaf) experience, through reading health books, and reading books on the advice of centenarians. I am not personally able to advise you. And I am not qualified to do so. They are simply listed here to help bring peace into your life. It is up to you to consider how they impact your health and lifestyle. If in doubt, seek professional advice for your specific situation.