Where to begin?
Perhaps just the present moment.
Right now as I write this, I feel I am in a “Perfect Moment” where I feel integrated and at peace. Feeling this peace has been a process over the last year for me. It’s been a process of grief, joy, freedom, struggle, acceptance, reconciliation, and return. Yes – “return” is a great word for “right now” in this moment.
Many of you are seeing this Northern Druid website and blog for the fist time, and to you I say, “Welcome!” I hope that I can be of great service to you with the ideas and information I share!
Some of you too will remember that this website was quite active from 2009 to 2014, but then it vanished, or forwarded to another site I called “A River Between.” I still have that website, but it too will be shifting a bit in the coming months.
Re-launching Northern Druid is a return and a re-integration of many parts of myself, and a re-dedication to this more complete integration. After a lot of time and contemplation, as well as “perspective” – I have come to a place where I feel more comfortable “walking between worlds” as some may say. In 2014 I began a re-examination of my Christian roots and did a lot of work in healing my own past anxieties about faith and religion. Through that process, I also made a lot of other discoveries that helped me bridge back once again and connect with my more “Druid Path” as well. Finding out that I had a relative from Scotland in the mid-1700s with ties back to Columcille (Saint Columba), who was known as a “friend to the Druids” definitely helped.
Then “the longing” became ever present again. This is a concept that Frank MacEowen describes in his book, The Mist Filled Path, that is such a part of the heart of Celtic Spirtuality. This longing most likely came at a time that I needed it most, as many changes have happened to me in the past year.
Let me catch you up. In the past year:
- I divorced from my partner, Michael, whom I was with for 11 years (married legally for 3).
- I actually FINISHED my Master of Arts degree in Human Development.
- I won the Outstanding Final Paper Award for the Graduate College for my paper, “A River Between: Scandalous Learning, Grace, and Creative Recovery” (I’ll share it here – be patient!).
- I moved back to Northfield, Minnesota – the town I loved and lived in from 2004 to 2008.
- I grieved my loss – tremendously. After that, a wave of acceptance and freedom began washing over me.
- I changed my diet and lifestyle, and lost 60 pounds (so far). Weighing in at 318 at the end of November (the day the divorce was final), I’m now about 33 pounds from my goal weight of 225 (I’m 6’2″ tall so this is very reasonable).
- I started playing tennis, practicing Yoga, and lifting weights regularly.
- I began to read my Tarot and Angel Card decks again.
- I found a seller on eBay, who provided me with The Greenwood Tarot deck for a very reasonable price (I had previously sold my copy of this deck in 2013).
- I healed. Through all the grief, change, uprooting, and “trusting” of a process where I had no idea where I would land – I healed (and I’m not sure I’ve even landed yet).
As I listen to the recordings of previous podcasts that I produced here, I realize that I’ve always been propelled by change. This past year was CHANGE (in all capital letters)!
Bringing Northern Druid back and breathing new life into the website and this “persona” (for lack of a better term) was borne out of my trusting a process. The website seems to be writing itself once again.
I make no guarantees or promises on the content of this site, if I’ll create a new podcast, or how I’m going to go about any “plan” for Northern Druid. It’s unfolding in the moment, just as I am. I’m trusting the process, and I’m so grateful to you, dear reader, that you’re coming along with me.
I hope you enjoy the content on NorthernDruid.net as it evolves! Please let me know if there is anything I can do to be of service to you. I deeply mean that. We’re at a time where the world needs service, and for people to step into new processes to “be the change” that is so needed. I’ll step up how I can. I hope you’ll join me!
May the Forest be with you. May God bless you. Merry Well and Merry Meet.
I’ll see you while I “walk between”…
Scott
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