The Summer Walkers

It was with interest that I watched one of the articles on Countryfile in the early hours of the morning the other week. They were reporting on the Ullapool Book Festival and, in particular, a woman called Essie Stewart, who was a tradition bearer (her words), i.e. one who keeps the oral tradition for their area.

Ms Stewart was a member of a travelling community in the Highlands, referred to as The Summer Walkers, (or tradition bearers), of which there is a book of the same name by Timothy Neat. These were native, Gaelic speaking people that travelled the countryside in summer, taking goods to sell to those that had not access to suppliers. They also had a tradition of oral storytelling; a tradition that told the tales of the areas which they traversed.

This reminded me of the traditions of indigenous Australians, wherein certain individuals remember all the stories of the landscape in their area, thus you can traverse the continent and hear all the tales associated with almost every speck of the country you can see. I am wondering if this is the case with Summer Walkers. It would be fantastic to find such a tradition in the British Isles.

There was a short snippet of Essie telling one of those tales at the Ullapool Book Festival, and I was disappointed that there wasn't more. I have tried searching for information about these people on the internet, but have not had much success. So, if anyone out there in cyberland know of any events where Essie, or anyone else of her ilk, is performing, please get in touch with me, via this website, as I am keen to hear these stories in person.

I am curious, too, if there are any young folk who are interested in learning these stories and passing them on as an oral tradition.

Summer Solstice

I have to admit to not making the most of the Summer Solstice this year. I was up at before dawn and wanted to take some pictures, but by the time I charged the battery, sorted out the tripod, etc. the sky was covered in cloud and I had missed the wonderful solstice moon picture I had planned. I did take a few pictures of the sunrise, but I am not that happy with any of them. So, instead I am putting in my favourite flower picture, taken the day before, which is of a peach coloured rose in the garden bed by the pool.



Most of the day I spent gossiping with my friends at Wicca Moon and people watching, except for that part of the morning when I had an appointment with my dentist, who informed me I needed to return in two week's time for yet another filling. Not the best of news with which to celebrate the solstice.

I did manage to return home in plenty of time for sunset and was able to spend some time in contemplation, at my favourite spot, as planned. So, it ended well at least.

Celtic Tales of Birds & Beasts

Told by Mara Freeman

Music by Gerry Smida

ASIN: 1890851043

I found this CD in a shop, where it was hidden amongst the new age music CDS. I bought it and forgot about it for a few days. I finally remembered to put it in my handbag so I could listen to it in the car and was pleasantly surprised.

Mara Freeman tells the tales of:

"The Prince, the Fox and the Sword of Light"

"The Selkie"

"The Legend of the Oldest Animals"

"The Black Wolf"

"The Children of Lir"

They are told with a minimum of background music and the odd sound effect. Ms Freeman also takes the time to add light accents to the speeches within the tales. Each tale is told rather simply, making them accessible for children and adults alike. I enjoyed the CD and will probably listen to it every now and then.

I have not looked at the texts of any of these stories, but I don't believe Ms Freeman was going for accuracy, rather atmosphere which is beautifully achieved on this CD.

Information on Mara Freeman can be found at the Chalice Center website.

Poets Needed

The Pagan Poetry Pages is a small and independent poetry site, founded in 2000 and dedicated to quality poetry, particularly concerning (though not necessarily restricted to) that with a spiritual or pagan slant. For years we’ve published a range of poetry, short stories, prose and journals in 6-8 editions per year, online. We have a members’ section where poems and writing in general can be posted and discussed. We welcome articles and news from the world of writing and poetry.

In the last year the PPP as it’s affectionately known has beeen quieter than normal due to other commitments on the part of the editorial team. But it is now being revamped and rejuvenated!

A new edition is already in the works and regular editions will be appearing throughout the year; we are also about to collate the PPP Anthology, showcasing the best of the poems and other works and this will be sold to raise money for the PPP annual Poetry Competition Prize Fund. The PPP anual Poetry Competition will be help from November and the results announced in the Yule Edition.We would love to hear from new poets, or indeed, renew our aquaintance with old friends.

We also welcome general prose, stories, and journals. Work can be submitted as members by joining the PPP website, or by emailing submit@paganpoetrypages.com.

Please include any biographical information and any details of previous publications, books, anthologies etc that you would like to have included with your published poem/work.

Pagan Poetry Pages ~ Read, Enjoy, Be Inspired!

Foundation Course in Dowsing

Well, thanks to Royal Mail I missed out on a foundation course in dowsing. I had signed up to the British Society of Dowsers in order to receive a discount in the fee, only to discover, yesterday, that the application form and cheque for the course were lost in the post. I am bitterly disappointed, as I was keen to learn more about water dowing and using rods, as I am already proficient (if I do say so myself) at using a pendulum.

There goes my solstice weekend.

Historical Atlas of the Celtic World

I don’t know how long this will be available but you just have to go and have a look now! This PDF book is available for download from Eso Ursi Garden and it’s a beautiful book.

The remarkable Celtic culture once encompassed most of western Europe; even after centuries of invasion and conquest it flourished in remote corners of the continent. This book is a beautifully illustrated survey of Celtic society, its history and belief, from its origins to the present day.

This book traces the development of Celtic religion and mythology, and describes the flowering of their unique metalwork, sculpture, and illumination. An expertly crafted view into the Celtic past, while emphasising the relevance of Celtic culture and identity today.

Go to the Eso Ursi Garden now and download this book, whilst you still can.

Wishing for Winter

The days grow longer
And I grow weaker
I'm not a summer child.
I relish the endless night
Snuggled under duvets
And chilling winds that bite.

Give me skeletal trees
Wearing cloaks of freezing, grey fog
Sheltering only the hardiest of creatures .
Keep your fat, green trees
Ripe with fruity riches,
Showering their ground with their excesses
Enveloping all in their leafy layers
Away from the sun's fearsome burns .
Give me instead the warm glow of a log fire
Crackling and sparking as the moon rises
And takes it turn to be Lord of the Skies.

Oh, give me wistful winter nights;
And you may have your long, tedious summer days.

© 2008 Webwitch for Pagan Poetry Pages

A belief in in god[/gods] infers you are stupid??

So, I was home yesterday and had the chance to watch daytime TV. On "The Wright Stuff", they were discussing how a belief in God was almost absent from those of higher intelligence. There apparently had been reports of a study stating that 699 out of 700 nobel prize winners had no belief in god and, thus, that believing in god meant you were stupid. The topic originated from the following article:

Intelligence is a predictor of religious scepticism, a professor has argued.

Belief in God is much lower among academics than among the general population because scholars have higher IQs, a controversial academic claimed this week.

In a forthcoming paper for the journal Intelligence, Richard Lynn, emeritus professor of psychology at the University of Ulster, will argue that there is a strong correlation between high IQ and lack of religious belief and that average intelligence predicts atheism rates across 137 countries.

In the paper, Professor Lynn - who has previously caused controversy with research linking intelligence to race and sex - says evidence points to lower proportions of people holding religious beliefs among "intellectual elites".

The paper - which was co-written with John Harvey, who does not report a university affiliation, and Helmuth Nyborg, of the University of Aarhus, Denmark - cites studies including a 1990s survey that found that only 7 per cent of members of the American National Academy of Sciences believed in God. A survey of fellows of the Royal Society found that only 3.3 per cent believed in God at a time when a poll reported that 68.5 per cent of the general UK population were believers.

Professor Lynn told Times Higher Education: "Why should fewer academics believe in God than the general population? I believe it is simply a matter of the IQ. Academics have higher IQs than the general population. Several Gallup poll studies of the general population have shown that those with higher IQs tend not to believe in God."

He said that most primary school children believed in God, but as they entered adolescence - and their intelligence increased - many began to have doubts and became agnostics.

He added that most Western countries had seen a decline of religious belief in the 20th century at the same time as their populations had become more intelligent.

Andy Wells, senior lecturer in psychology at the London School of Economics, said the existence of a correlation between IQ and religiosity did not mean there was a causal relationship between the two.

Gordon Lynch, director of the Centre for Religion and Contemporary Society at Birkbeck, University of London, said that any examination of the decline of religious belief needed to take into account a wide and complex range of social, economic and historical factors.

He added: "Linking religious belief and intelligence in this way could reflect a dangerous trend, developing a simplistic characterisation of religion as primitive, which - while we are trying to deal with very complex issues of religious and cultural pluralism - is perhaps not the most helpful response."

Alistair McFadyen, senior lecturer in Christian theology at the University of Leeds, said that Professor Lynn's arguments appeared to have "a slight tinge of intellectual elitism and Western cultural imperialism as well as an antireligious sentiment".

David Hardman, principal lecturer in learning development at London Metropolitan University, said: "It is very difficult to conduct true experiments that would explicate a causal relationship between IQ and religious belief. Nonetheless, there is evidence from other domains that higher levels of intelligence are associated with a greater ability - or perhaps willingness - to question and overturn strongly felt intuitions.

Source: Times Higher Education.

Now, I know the report relates to the xian god or a single god, but what about polytheists and/or pagans who believe in a higher energy/source/[insert appropriate name here]? Are we considered less intelligent again?

For my part, and given the (what I believe to be) genuine pagans with whom I have contact, I would dispute this. Many have degrees or are in the process of higher education and, from what I can see, also have high IQs. I know that I am in the top 10 percentile for intelligence, and I believe in more than one god.

Personally, I think belief is more dependent on how you were raised. If you grew up in a household where religion played a factor (regardless of it being xian or non-xian), you are more likely to continue on some spiritual practices, whereas if you were raised in a family where rational thought was more valued, you are less likely to explore the unexplainable, or anything that may require faith.

To my mind, Profess Lynn's argument is flawed as it does not explore the backgrounds of the nobel prize winners. What's more, I thought Rev. Desmond Tutu was a prize winner, so it he the only believer?

I wonder what the rest of the polytheist and/or pagan community might feel about this.

Association of Polytheist Traditions - Membership Offer

The Association of Polytheist Traditions [APT] is a non-profit organisation based in the UK. Most of us practise Reconstructed European Pagan Religions. But we welcome all polytheists, including those who adhere to 'world religions' and those who simply have personal relationships with individual gods.

The Association of Polytheist Traditions has an announcement for all RENEWING and NEW MEMBERS for the year May 2008-2009.

"Last year 2007-08 - we know that we didn't do that much. Really we know. Personal circumstances intervened for so many people that it wasn't funny at all... This year, we've started with a fantastic Mini-Conference in Birmingham on Gods and Ancestors in the Landscape, and are holding more events around Britain, with a revised website coming up shortly and issue 5 of our members' magazine Many Gods, Many Voices now being posted out.

So here's an offer. This year's membership is on us. Membership of the APT is free until 31st May 2009 - whether you are renewing or joining fresh. However you have to tell us through our joining form, sending it to us electronically or by snail mail (obviously omitting the cheque) and make sure we have your current address and email."

Making and Breaking Oaths

This is another topic that has arisen for me of late. Mostly because I have been reading Ciaran Carson's rendition of "The Tain". What niggled me the night before last was the part wherein Cú Chulainn takes up command of a chariot and goes on a bit of a rampage, taking on all comers and issuing challenges.

He goes on to do some hunting and then returns to Emain Macha and shows his disrespect to Conchobar and a desire to engage in warfare with those he has sworn to protect. In response to this, Conchobar sends out the women to shock him out of his battle rage and he is then dunked in barrels of water until he is calm, whereupon he is placed on Conchobar's knee.

What strikes me as odd is that as Sentanta, he swore an oath to protect Conchobar and his province from all comers in retribution for killing the prize hound of Conchobar, hence the name change to Cú Chulainn. So, why then, when he breaks this oath is Cú Chulainn not punished? It seems very odd to me, considering the role that oaths and honour play in pre-Christian society.

Some have conjectured that it is a case of "diminished capacity" whilst in the throes of blood lust, and so Cú Chulainn cannot be responsible for his actions, or the breaking of any oaths or promises. It is also conjectured that, though he may seem uncontrollable, he is invincible, nonetheless, and this is an asset to Conor people. So, they are unlikely to punish him for his actions.

I find both are unsatisfactory answers. To my mind, an oath is very serious indeed. I would consider an oath more serious than a marriage vow and infinitely more binding than a mere promise.

I tend to view promises as something you will endeavour to do, but they can be broken should adverse circumstances prevail, inhibiting your ability to fulfill such promises. For instance, if you promise your neighbour can have every male calf born to you this year and no male calves materialise, then its a promise which you cannot fulfill and, understandably so. Or, if you promise to take your elderly neighbour shopping on Saturday and your sister is in a serious accident and you have to attend her to bedside in a foreign country, then you should not be obliged to keep the promise you made to your neighbour. Though, I would think it dishonourable to not attempt to find someone else to assist in your absence. The consequences are breaking a promise are such that only your honour and reputation should be wounded.

I believe vows are far more serious undertakings than promises. A marriage vow should not be broken, bar extreme circumstances. The only premise I could find for the breaking of such a vow would be if you found your partner was already married and continuing the relationship without your prior knowledge. Then the vows would be made null and void. If anyone can think of any other circumstances do let me know. If one breaks a vow, I feel there should be some serious retribution and recompense owing to any injured parties.

When I was sworn in as a Justice of the Peace, I took the words of that oath very seriously and I would never knowingly break it. I have never been in any situation (other than a professional one) where I felt an oath was required.  I feel the undertaking of an oath is very serious.

There was an occasion where I was witness to an assault. I was called as a witness to the court and, as such I would have sworn an oath to tell the truth. As it happens, the accused was not the person I had seen and it was fortunate indeed that he had jumped bail, because I was being urged to say I wasn't sure about his identity rather than categorically deny it was him. How do I know it wasn't the accused? I was shown his photograph just before going into court. If I had seen that picture before that day, I would have advised the prosecutor and I would not have spent a troublesome hour pondering my fate were I to give false witness. My conscience told me I could not lie under any circumstances, because of the oath I would have sworn in court and the one I undertook as a Justice of the Peace.

It was a horrible position to find myself in, but I knew if they asked I would have to say I was sure the accused was not the attacker I had seen. My conscience would not let me do otherwise and I felt that I could not live with sending someone down for a crime he did not commit, regardless of any other, more serious crimes he may have committed.

I know they are talking about having children in the UK swear an oath to Queen, country and government every morning, but I would protest at any child of mine undertaking such an oath for many reasons. I have little faith in some of the government's actions and I reserve the right to protest against anything done in my name by the government that I feel is wrong. I am certainly not going to swear an oath to the next in line to the throne, as I have little faith in him, either. The country, this land on which I tread - yes, I can swear an oath to that, but can a child of primary school age really comprehend the importance of that oath?

Perhaps that's where my answer lies in relation to Cú Chulainn's actions; he was only a boy when he took his oath, so he may be owed some leeway when it comes to keeping it? It is my understanding, however, that promises, vows and oaths were far more important in pagan times then they are today and that a child would be more aware of the importance of allegiance, honour, respect and paying the price for the loss of same.

For my part, I won't be taking any oaths lightly, though I do endeavour to keep my promises and my word. I still hold to the belief that "my word in my bond" - a phrase which has always spoken to me of honour, fealty and the nobility (exalted moral excellence) of mankind.