Henge
Happenings
The Official Newsletter for Members of the Henge
of Keltria.
Imbolc 2004 - Issue #61
From the President --
Imbolc 2004
Imbolc, falling as it does in the middle of the Dark Half of the Year, is usually a quiet and introspective feast, as it probably was for our Celtic Ancestors. Cold and uncertain weather kept people from traveling to or holding larger gatherings, and so Imbolc was more of a family-oriented celebration, each family looking to their own hearth and home to welcome Brighid, Bringer of the Light, on her feast day. It remains so in our modern celebrations, as Grove members are separated by winter blizzards and hazardous travel conditions.
I note the lengthening of days at this time, but that is the only outward sign of the sun’s return here in the Northeast. This is already one of the hardest winters we have endured in a very long time, and I won’t be sorry to see it go. Already I long for the warmth and new greenery of the springtime, the rain and the fresh smell of thawing, fertile earth. Now there is nothing but the bitter cold wind and seas of whirling snow that dampen my spirit and drive me indoors to daydream by a toasty, crackling fire. As I study the fire, I also study the depths of my soul, and I am reminded of the discussion we have been having on Keltria-L concerning the traits of a Druid Leader.
Although not everyone expressed value of the same traits, certain things have come out time and again in our consideration of the traits of a Druid Leader. One is that the words “Druid Leader” are redundant, for by their very nature, Druids are leaders, albeit in many different ways. To lead is to hold responsibility. Some Druids hold the responsibility of a Grove, while others hold the responsibility of an Organization (and in truth, some have both of these responsibilities). Yet others are responsible only to the Gods of their People and themselves; still, that is a huge responsibility, for any responsibility to the Gods can be monumental. Many others feel responsible for the Earth and, thus, hold responsibility to the Nature Spirits, and others feel responsible to the Ancestors by keeping the history and the law and the ancient knowledge. Druids have a great deal of responsibility, to be sure.
But, curiously, many of us also claim responsibility to something a bit more elusive. Many of us claim responsibility to Truth.
That’s a rather interesting trait, and one that comes up repeatedly among Druids, this responsibility to Truth. But what, indeed, is this “Truth” we all seem to revere with a capital “T”? We say we must act only from Truth, bring Truth, know Truth, live by Truth, embody Truth. A common Druidic saying is “The Truth Against the World.” What do we mean by all of this talk of Truth? How can we serve such an abstract concept as Truth? Is there only one Truth? And how does it help us to lead?
It is commonly known that in ancient Irish societies, the prosperity of the people was directly linked to the truth of a ruler. An Irish document known as “The Testament of Morann” claims that “through the truth of the ruler,” plagues are kept from the people and the tribe is prosperous, secure, peaceful, joyous and comfortable. The document goes on to state that a good ruler will be “merciful, just, impartial, conscientious, firm, generous, hospitable, honourable, stable, beneficent, capable, honest, well-spoken, steady, and true-judging.”
Of course, in modern times, we are not “rulers,” but leaders. Yet the qualities of a good leader remain the same. A good leader’s first concern is the welfare of the people s/he leads. A good leader will lead the people in Truth and thus ensure their prosperity. This is what the Testament of Morann tells us, and what has also been echoed by the varied responses on the Keltria list.
There is a Universal Truth, a Great Truth, and that is what we mean when we capitalize the word. Whether it is completely knowable or not is a matter of some debate, humanity being considerably limited in the scope of cosmic understanding. Still, it exists, and Druids work diligently for understanding of this Truth. That is how we serve Truth, how we embody Truth, how we live by Truth. In this service of Truth, we also serve our people, our Gods, this world and the Otherworld. The more we know about this Truth, the more we learn to embody all of the various traits of a leader as expressed on the Keltria list: to follow only the good, to act with integrity, to demonstrate and encourage the search for knowledge, to show compassion and humor, to protect nature, to serve and foster our community, to be grounded in the self, to have an open mind, open heart, and open hand, to respect self and others, to live honorably, to be loyal, to be just, to be patient, to be selfless, to be humble.
As I sit in meditation in front of my fire at Imbolc, welcoming the returning Light, I examine the qualities of a good leader as espoused by both Morann and by the people I have been entrusted to lead. I examine my elected position as President of the Henge and sincerely hope that I can live up to the expectations of my people, just as any of us who find ourselves in a position of great responsibility will question our ability to serve.
Then Brighid whispers to me from the flames as they dance in the cool night air that to live by Truth, act from Truth, and embody Truth is to “Walk with Wisdom.”
Blessings of Imbolc,
TopazOwl
Henge President
