Dedicant’s Path Through the Wheel of the YearWeek 11: The Two Powers : Dedicant’s Path Through the Wheel of the YearWeek 11: The Two Powers Presented by
Rev. Jessie “Medb” Olson
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Based on Our Own Druidry and The ADF Dedicant Path Through the Wheel of the Year
Review : Review Last week
If you have a local Grove that you attend, which one is it and when is their next High Day?
If you are solitary have you located or written your own ritual yet?
Nature
What notes have you written in your Dedicant Notebook about what you see, or if there are animals that appear often or plants that strike you as intriguing or odd.
Meditation
Did you write about your second week of meditation: experiences, breath pattern, difficulties, etc?
Related to Requirement : Related to Requirement #5 – Two Powers
#6 – Mental Training
Required Reading : Required Reading Our Own Druidry, p. 28-29 (The Two Powers);
Our Own Druidry, p. 38-39 (The Two Powers)
Suggested Reading : Suggested Reading Two Powers Audio file: ;
"Two Powers Active Meditation" by Tommy Watson,
A Book of Pagan Prayer by Ceisiwr Serith (ISBN: 1578632552)
Sacred Fire, Holy Well by Ian Corrigan, pgs. 10, 76;
Training the Mind: Techniques of Trance and Meditation CD by Ian Corrigan, "The Two Powers Exercise" and the introduction and discussion tracks
Introduction : Introduction In most ADF group rituals, there is an attunement, designed to help put you in touch with the basic cosmology that ADF rituals work in.
The most common of these is called the Two Powers meditation.
Many people use this particular attunement in their personal daily practice, as well.
Introduction : Introduction We mentioned the Two Powers a couple of weeks ago when we went over meditation, but said it would be explained this week.
The reason we chose to present it this way is because for the beginner, it's important to understand how you breathe and how you can open up best in order to fully understand this meditation.
Two Powers in ADF Cosmology : Two Powers in ADF Cosmology The Two Powers meditation is designed to put you in touch with the common (or "generic") Indo-European cosmic picture.
This picture is composed of two axes:
a horizontal axis
a vertical axis.
Two Powers in ADF Cosmology : Two Powers in ADF Cosmology Along the vertical axis, you will find four things in this meditation:
The Underworld: The deep earth, broad and cosmic, containing cooling underground streams, hot magma, and the world of our ancestors and the Chthonic deities.
The Midrealm: The world as we know it, the domain of the Spirits and Deities of Nature and the world of the living.
The Upperworld: Beyond the high reaches of the dome of the sky, a place of heroic Ancestors and Shining Ones.
The Center: The point the self stands at the center of all the worlds.
Two Powers in ADF Cosmology : Two Powers in ADF Cosmology Along the horizontal axis, there are four things you will find in this particular meditation:
The Land: The land extends out around you while in ritual.
The Sea: The sea supports and surrounds the land. The land actually floats on the sea, and by digging down into the earth you will eventually come into contact with those dark waters beneath it.
The Sky: the sky reaches out above us, the shining dome of heaven. It encompasses everything.
The Center: The tree, fire, door, pillar, or self stands at the center of all the worlds, the axis mundi.
How is it Done? : How is it Done? The Two Powers meditation begins with simple relaxation.
There are two currents (which is why this meditation is also often called the "Two Currents Meditation") at work here, which you will probably see immediately upon reading the meditation.
The first is the Earth Power
The second is the Sky Power
How is it Done? : How is it Done? The Earth Power is described as cool, soothing, and nourishing.
This is the fertile power of creativity, the chaos of potential from which ideas and thought-forms spring.
It rises up through your body, pooling in the places where there are three cauldrons: one of fertility, one of healing and caring, and one of wisdom and vision.
The earth power then rises up through your head and pours out your hands, returning to the Earth from whence it came, replenishing and recirculating this Earth Power through you over and over again.
How is it Done? : How is it Done? The Sky Power comes from deep within the wheel of the sky, shining down onto you.
It is described as warm, bright, and electric.
It is ordered, as are the progressions of the stars in the night sky, or the sun through the day; this is where the thought-forms and the ideas become solid and ordered.
The light meets the waters, mingling and reflecting on them.
The waters shine as they flow through you, as the Sky Power mingles with the Earth Power, becoming part of the return flow to the earth as the waters flow from your hands and from the crown of your hands back to the earth.
The Sky and the Earth meet in the three cauldrons, and the brightness of each is incredible.
Criteria : Criteria An essay focusing on the Dedicants understanding of the meaning of the "Two Powers" meditation or other form of 'grounding and centering', as used in meditation and ritual. This account should include impressions and insights that the Dedicant gained from practical experience. (300 word min)
Criteria : Criteria Inadequate
Word length inadequate
Plagiarism
Misunderstanding of the concept of "Two Powers"
Lacking in personal insight/opinions
Unwillingness to work with the Two Powers/give it a try
Criteria : Criteria Adequate
Word length adequate
Use of "script" (at least to begin)
Basic understanding of the purpose of grounding and centering
Criteria : Criteria Excellent
Publishable quality reviews
Deep/unique insights
Extension of concept beyond basics
Innovation/creativity
Homework : Homework Work through the Two Powers meditation. Work on getting the visualization down well, but don't be discouraged if you have a hard time with the visuals.
Being able to see things sometimes takes time.
If you cannot see everything, you might start with one current and then the other, and then try to mingle everything.
You don't have to get it right the first time, nor do you have to see it all every time.
This meditation takes practice, especially if you don't have someone to guide you through it the first couple of times. Keep in mind that there is a recording on the ADF webpage, and you can always record yourself reading it.
Homework : Homework You should still be doing regular meditation practice: if you feel ready, you can do a Two Powers meditation in place of (or in addition to!) your current meditations.
Either way, make sure you write a separate entry for meditation that you can send to your reviewer.
You might make entries in your meditation journal or small, short notes in your Dedicant Notebook, but don't write the essay on the Two Powers yet!
We'll do that later (Week 30).
The exit standard calls for an essay about your "understanding“ of the Two Powers, and you'll understand it best if you have done some practice with it first.