The Green Mountain Druid Order is not only up and running - we are running now at full speed! Most of our time and energy is used in planning and facilitating our three Druid training classes, writing the Home Study course, facilitating various other workshops and, of course, building our house. So much to do! Still, our efforts are creative, worthwhile, very satisfying and affect the lives of many people for the better; this makes it all incredible fulfilling.
As the Druid Training develops, we find we have a growing spiritual community on our hands. We intend that our study doesn’t simply stop after the three years’ formal training – we feel that an ongoing opportunity for study is essential for an alive, ever-growing community. A new Druid Grove was established in 2009 in the Montpelier and Burlington areas. We take turns in hosting it, and it is wonderful to see students of every grade meeting, sharing and playing together. (Groves are groups of Druids, Druid students, and guests who meet regularly in order to share space, study, discuss related topics, plan, share in a circle, do ceremony, and focus on related Druid matters together).
Earth Love
It is a healthy sign that we are starting to meet outside of class times to have fun, be creative, work with sacred space, and simply be together. Some of our students are moving closer to Dreamland, and we hope that, throughout the population of Vermont, the percentage of Druids will reach the 50% mark before the turn of the century (just kidding!).
Fearn and I have been creating and writing a Druid Home Study Course, available to those who are not able to attend our Druid Training in person. We are adapting the lessons of our training to be available to the solo practitioner, and we have had some very positive feedback from our students. We hope to be guiding and teaching more Home Study students in 2010, all over the U.S.A.
I will be returning to Colorado this March to visit the Training Grove that was birthed there in 2008, supporting and advising the developing Druid community and sowing some more seeds. What a beautiful place, what beautiful people! We hope this time to get to know the area better, and visit some more sacred places while we are there. And, of course, spending another 24 hours lazing in the hot springs under the stars, admiring the snow-covered Rocky Mountains that tower high overhead!
Fearn and I started a series of Geomancy (Earth Mysteries) workshops last year. We enjoy working together, complimenting each other as we engage with enthusiastic people wanting to learn more about communicating with the Earth, and look forward to developing this subject. If there is enough interest and commitment, we will develop a comprehensive training for those interested.
We will both be attending and offering presentations at the ASD Convention at St. Johnsbury this summer. The ASD, and the wonderful people associated with it, have always been very supportive of me on my magical and energetic journey in the USA. I am very happy to support it in return, by attending its functions and contributing what I can.
On April 2 the GMDO starts its 2010 Druid Training - another group of magical people committed to following the Druid path of wisdom and transformation. How exciting it is, witnessing the members manifesting, one by one, and watching the circle grow. Who will it be this year? What will their skills be? How will their destiny unfold? What an honor!
In late April of 2010 the Druids of the GMDO who have completed the 3-year training will be traveling to the UK to perform a graduation ceremony at Stonehenge. We will visit many sacred spaces and places on our journey, and I am so much looking forward to it! Last year’s pilgrimage was a great success and full of magical happenings. It will be a bit of a whirlwind tour, so there won’t be much time to meet old friends and colleagues, but I hope to connect with a few.
I am very happy to announce the start of a series of Toltec shamanism workshops. In 2010 I will be leading 6 workshops, each lasting one day, one a month between June and November. Check out the Shamanic Training 2010 in the ‘Shaman’ section of the website!
2010 is possibly the year to erect Sophia, the 50-ton standing stone at New Paltz in New York State. It is 33 ft long and 9 ft wide at the base, tapering up to a point. We need to separate it from its present position, drag it possibly 400 yards (by machine), drag it a further 100 feet by hand, then erect it, again by hand. Once it is upright, we will dig away the soil around it in such a way as to make a large pond, filled by a stream and wetlands nearby. We will allow access to the stone by means of a small peninsula connecting the base of the stone with the side of the pond.
The ‘Sirius’ stone circle is still under construction, and will be for some time to come. So far the 4 Direction stones are raised and in place. I look forward to moving stones at the Sirius community (near Amherst, Western Massachusetts) through 2010, and volunteer stone movers are welcome. Please let me know if you are interested in stone moving, and temple building. I will be facilitating another 5-day workshop at Sirius this year, incorporating stone circles, Earth Mysteries, and temple building. Last year’s workshop was very successful and we look forward to organizing at least one per year.
We also hope to raise at least one, and if possible four, standing stones at Dreamland (our home and headquarters of the GMDO) as the direction stones of our future stone circle. I have been observing the rising and setting positions of the sun for quite some time now, and am getting a feel for the geometry. The rising position of Sirius is in a prominent place on the horizon, and very close to the Imbolc-Samhain sunrise. It will be a powerful alignment indeed!
I will be leading a Steamlodge every so often at Dreamland, a powerful and beautiful ceremony of purification for the spirit and body. Our lodge is next to the swimming pond, and it is a delight to hurl oneself into the water during rounds. Be careful not to step on Lily, our resident snapping turtle! She is a pacifist and hates to be shocked…
The Burlington Earth Clock stone circle was finally completed at Samhain 2008 with the installment of its analemmic sundial, a huge circular slab of granite, which lies at the center of the stones. If you stand on it on a sunny day, your shadow will be cast upon one of many smaller stones surrounding the slab, and which will tell you what time of the day it is. The stone circle now stands proudly awake, on the shores of Lake Champlain. Every Solstice we hold wonderful ceremonies there and we are supporting the ‘Wake the Lake’ Festival started by Jessie Sunquiet at Summer Solstice. I will continue the tradition of leading a ceremony of World Peace in the stones, on the Wednesday closest to full moon, close to sunset. Come and join us!
If you are interested in any of our activities, please send me an email and let me know. I will put you on our mailing list, which will send you updates on our activities, and I will answer any questions you may have. I look forward to maybe meeting you, one day.
With love and blessings, Ivan.
For further information about ‘Events’ please explore the suns in the sky above.
PLEASE NOTE: Whoever reads this page has not connected with me by accident. I dare you to gather your curiosity and courage, and enter the unknown with me!
