Re: The Gathering of the Keltrian Tribes Aicerno OCathasaigh akiernox_ocasey@hotmail.com Sun Jun 13 12:20:46 1999 *L* Sounds not unlike my experience at WellSpring, except that the meeting of ADF occurred on Friday morning. . . That was when we elected new people to the Mother Grove (all offices except arch-druid, Fox still has a few more years to go before that office comes up for re-election). The workshops that I attended were as follows:*br*Thursday:*br*The Techniques for Henna Body Art - practical applications of the tradition, First Rites - Customs for Pregnancy, Birth, and Childbirth.*br*The first workshop was hosted by Catherine Cartwright Jones, and the second one by the ADF arch-druid Fox. At 8:00 PM (or 20:00), there was a Bardic Circle held at the Pavilion. . . and then we departed the pavilion for the bonfire.*p*Friday:*br*National ADF Membership meeting, and the Dedicant Program Roundtable.*br*At 20:30, everybody gathered at the RoundHouse for the Hall of Feasting. At this hall of feasting, the Mother Grove gave a small liturgy which then set up the scene for the toasts, and what toasts there were. A thing to be explained first, we were using a keg of beer as our return flow from the deities. First the Old Mother Grove was toasted, then the New Mother Grove. The deities, ancestors, nature spirits, and celestial bodies were toasted. Personal oaths were made, boasts were made, those completing the dedicant's program were toasted, as were those starting out on the Dedicant's program. The greatest feeling of comrade-ship I have ever experienced or witnessed, I witnessed then. I hope to see many more like that night.*p*Saturday:*br*Saturday started off with the work-shop *br*"Rooted Deep, Crowned High" - Trances to comprehend the Celtic Cosmos, and was hosted by Ian Corrigan. I had an interesting experience during this work shop. As I went down into the world waters in the underworld, I experienced a chaotic series of thoughts. While then traversing into the Heavens I saw a series of moving spirals before me. Upon reaching the destination, I entered a state where I had no thoughts, no emotions, I was utterly calm, and at peace. I then travelled into the middle realms where I encountered a vision. I came back into myself from the trance, and we had a discussion about what we had witnessed during our trances.*p*This workshop was followed by "A Day in The Life" - Highland Hearth Customs and daily votive rites. this was hosted by Sitheag Bochannon.*br*AS I departed from that workshop, It started to rain, and rain. At I:30 I went to my next workshop, Wheel and Hearth - Family Customs for the wheel of the year, which was hosted by Fox. This was then followed by Ancetral Deguassing - Traditional Gaelic Works of Purification and Healing. This work shop was hosted by Sitheag Bochannon.*p*At 20:30, the main rite began. This rite was the Shrine Sacrifice, in which we placed a wooden shrine covered in muslin and loaded with various gifts to the deities, ancestors, et all on the bon fire in the round house.*p*That was WellSpring, and a good time I had there.*p*Aicerno *br* The Gathering of the Keltrian Tribes TopazOwl 475 Wed Jun 9 11:57:09 1999