The Journey Home

In time long past, the shores of Avalon stretched from the Isles of the Mighty to the Strong Door of Sena and the orchards of Avallenia. The Western Seas lay further off in the minds of men than they do today, when Sight is bound to ownership. In that time, a Seeker could wander the world unfettered by passports and papers, and it needed no man's permission to seek one's rest beneath the spreading bows in the Wood.

Guest Laws & Hearth Customs

In Avalon the place of gathering is sacred, and whether it is plain and rustic or elaborately decorated, it is always treated with great respect. The place of gathering is the literal and symbolic representation of the Source of Life, sheltering the heart of the family, kin and Kindred, the Tribe(s), the Order, and the Greater Tradition. This is not 'just an idea'; it is central to the laws and customs of our Tradition. Proper conduct at a sacred site is also proper conduct in a home. That conduct is learned by example and through Traditional study, which prepares us to live the ancestral Way as it expresses in our own time. Knowing ancestral ways and beliefs is prerequisite to following them -- not only in cyber space, but face-to-face in physical community. This last will entail more than bricks and mortar. We have most of us been indoctrinated into a society which has forgotten the art of living in community. But it is not lost beyond recall, and while many may be unwilling or unable to fulfill a tribal role at present, others are ready even now.

The Order intends to establish a physical community or "settlement" to act as a Hub location for its entire membership; providing safe, dedicated lands and resources for retreats, training, and vital immersions in the experience of "Tribal life". Members will come into the Hub for spiritual immersions and training and go out again, bringing what they have learned back to their local communities. Since we are opposed on principle to accumulating debt, the Order's property (the central hub) must remain modest enough to be obtained and maintained, at need, by only a handful of members. Nonresident members would be granted access according to set schedules and guidelines. Members and their families desiring a local alternative to the Hub would be encouraged to pool their resources to obtain lands and to model their local, member-owned homesteads and centres on the original.

Until recently, these goals seemed impossible for so small and modest a community as our own; yet the means have always been there. Like everything else, the answer has been in the keeping of our far ancestors, waiting for us to recognize it. With the help of a few modern visionaries and pioneers in sustainable architecture and construction, it has finally been re-illuminated. And so our long wandering may soon revolve around fixed settlements on the land -- even as did the far ancestors -- and that seems most appropriate. Thus we carry the ancestral fire to a new settlement, to be relit in our own time.

Laying a Strong Foundation

The clues to establishing lasting modern settlement(s) lie in the customs, beliefs, and dwellings of the far ancestors. These were not the round houses of the later Celts (though they echoed one another in form and feeling), but earthen dwellings with corbelled roofs covered in turf that made use of the materials and skills at hand -- the same design and methods, in fact, that were used for the mounds of the dead, which were built and equipt with all of the essentials and comforts the kin could provide. Most ancestral burial sites have been dismantled and the materials recycled by later peoples, but where left undisturbed by man these simple structures have survived the millennia without so much as a leak. Truly these were houses of the immortals, saturated with the images, lore, and stories of generations past, kept alive in the memory of the present. In such settlements kin-groups abided many generations, and through them we made our first binding connections with the Land. It is to these ancient, communal dwellings that we now look in fashioning lodgings for today's members.

Lore and archaeology both attest to different types of settlements in different times, and landscapes. Matriarchal settlements like Skara Brae generally show identical dwellings set in a circular pattern round a 'commons', while patriarchal settlements like Barnhouse show more individualized structures, with one or two grand houses and a scattering of modest homes, arranged in more linear patterns facing away from one another. Each of these patterns creates a very different type of environment and atmosphere, revealing and shaping each settlement's community in specific ways. Closely observing these differences can help us to place sites along a timeline and identify those that are likely most like the environment of the First Ancestors.

Some differences between settlements are purely pragmatic, arising from the needs and strengths of varying landscapes, and these should inform our own plans as well. A main point of divergence lies in the arrangement of private versus communal space. Should the settlement be devised facing inward toward a commons or outward towards the meadows and wildwood? What sort of energy and climate are dominant onsite? Will people be inclined to focus inward in contemplation or outward on external matters? The focus of the settlement can be used to augment different aspects of the landscape in order to promote a sense of balance between, and unity of, feminine (inward) and masculine (outward) polarities. Another consideration is that a land's dominant energy will tend to reveal the types of challenges it will yield. Earth-aligned places tend to offer physical and financial challenges, watery sites bring up emotional issues, airy places psychological issues, and fiery locales stir up passions and rapid change. Each type of site has its shadow and its light, and the stronger the alignment, the greater the impact of each; factors which must be taken into account when choosing a location and planning a community.

The early settlements were self-sustaining and fitted harmoniously with the environments in which they were built -- so much so that archaeologists have only recently begun to discover sites that have sat unnoticed in urban centers for centuries. Our own Avalonian settlement would be as close to those of our far ancestors as possible and practical. Stonework is a luxury in our time, but the methods used where stone and wood were not easily accessible will be of tremendous help in keeping the feel of our settlement authentic, and the structures efficient, sustainable, low-maintenance, safe, affordable and self-sufficient. A  commons would house communal resources (e.g. computers, energy efficient appliances, an emergency radio, etc.). Passive heating and cooling and renewable energy sources would be used wherever possible,  and minimizing the number of appliances and electronics in dwellings would be encouraged. Water would be drawn from springs or deep wells and high-efficiency stoves would burn wood or peat for supplemental heat. GMO foods would not be permitted onsite, providing a neutral buffer zone for humans and wildlife. Perhaps most difficult for many, our settlement would be a petroleum and motor vehicle-free zone. We would encourage non-motorised transport whenever possible (punts, bicycles, horses, etc.); parking for a limited number of motor vehicles would be provided away from the common area and dwellings.

Like our ancestral communities, our modern Avalonian settlement would be built and maintained through a collective effort. Those applying as residents would be required to make a vital contribution or forfeit their share. Each member's contribution would be according to their abilities, and support the survival needs of the community as agreed and determined in Tribal Council. Distribution of food, herbs, and other goods to participating members would be run on a cooperative basis, with all participants working equal shifts for equal shares of necessities. Any surplus would be sold to the public to help pay for whatever common goods, utilities, or other necessities the community could not provide for itself. Disputes would be settled between individuals or in Council, on the basis of ancestral law (or where impractical, according to the spirit of the law). Requirements for land and water usage would also follow ancestral guidelines (see "Tribal Laws").

Such a life would not be for everyone ... but then, none would be required to live it. Residents would be those members who are willing and able to realize the same vision, ideals, commitment, beliefs and values as those set forth in establishing this Order. They would invest equity and sweat equity in sustaining the community, serve as its caretakers, and provide instruction and other services to visiting members. It would in no wise be an easy transition even for such dedicated folk. Our birth culture has softened our minds and bodies and both would have to be trained to the very real requirements of such a place. Many modern conveniences would be lost; yet those of us who cherish this dream feel that the peace, satisfaction, harmony, and meaning to be gained would more than compensate us...

Ah! You have warmed yourself. I have spoken long. It is a gift of old age to speak much and say little. But if you are not yet ready to go to your rest, perhaps I might regale you with a bit more about our future? ...

Laying the Hearthstone

The question will now arise: How does a small group of impoverished Druids, who can barely afford to travel to Tribal gatherings (the equivalent of an out-of-state camping trip), propose to acquire the resources to build a physical community in this lifetime? As impossible as it might seem, even now the means are  nearly within our grasp. Even with very limited means, there are methods of building which endure for hundreds of years with minimal upkeep and that are almost free to those with land and a willingness to do physical labor. It demands that we choose our land wisely, with a mind for onsite resources and building codes. Ultimately, it will require land, a modest amount of funding, and twenty people willing to invest in workshops and donate eight long weekends over the course of two 'summers' (mild seasons) in exchange for residency or special access when the work is done. The methods we propose have been used all over the world for more than ten thousand years, and are now seeing a renaissance amongst forward-thinking architects and builders. They require almost no shipped-in materials. If we choose our land carefully Mother Earth will provide nearly everything. Once we've acquired land, in a short time our first permanent structure could be completed ...

A Real "Cob" Job

In old English, a 'cob' is a loaf-shaped lump of earth much like its namesake, the 'cobble stone'. It is formed out of a mixture of clay, sand, straw, and lime and cures as hard as rock. Cobbles are hand-made onsite and pressed onto a roofed, rock foundation in 12" tiers. The tiers are layered until the desired height is achieved. Cob lends itself to lavish sculptural elements, curving shapes, and built-in furnishings. Stone or wood lintels are built in as the walls go up, and the openings are cut out once the cob has dried. The finished walls are plastered and painted with earth paints. Cob houses are still common in Somerset, Devon, Dorset, Wales, parts of Scotland, and the eastern US (though these have suffered from the pressures of recent development). Cob makes an excellent insulator and, if properly built, remains dry and comfy, retaining heat during the winter and keeping cool in the summer. Traditional cob houses are reminiscent of 'hobbit holes' (rounded rooms connected by short curved passageways) and may be easily expanded room by room, year by year. The total cost of building a mid-sized cob building under the direction of professionals is minimal.

Bonnet and Boot

The roof may also be built for not much more than the cost of the roofing timbers, if one is willing to stick with tradition and do the labor, for the sod roof has also come back into vogue. Despite its occasionally bad press, properly constructed sod roofs are excellent insulators and can be water-proofed. Again, the materials are right under our noses, so the cost can be considerably lessoned. There are also professionals willing to estimate materials and beam sizes for next to nothing, and federal and state incentive programs to help with funding where using a contractor is preferred. Nonprofits are among the favored groups to receive these benefits.

Stone or a diluted mixture of cob may also be used to lay the floor, once again making full use of the materials available onsite. Cob houses are also ideal for solar and passive heating and cooling solutions, and when well-made are much sturdier than standard construction. (Cob houses in New Zealand have withstood, without a crack, earthquakes that leveled newer construction surrounding them.) Once cured, they can also withstand wind and weather with only minor repair. Repair work is easily accomplished by pressing some new cob into any cracks or gouges, curing, sealing, and retouching the paint. The experience of building cob structures is lauded as an excellent way to establish bonds and bring people together. There could be few methods better suited to an earth-friendly, self-sustaining traditional community.

Tradition's Footprint

What we are proposing is not new; the approach we advocate has deep ancestral roots, but it is also  attested by modern experts. It sounds too good to be true, yet web sources (circa 2008) estimate construction of a small cob dwelling at between $500 and $5,000 USD (excluding the cost of building permits, wells, and running in electric) once the land is obtained. Even tripling these estimates, fully paid land and one or more buildings could be within ADO's reach within 5 to 10 years. In response to this realization, we are already making plans for how members willing to commit might manifest these dreams. [NOTE: When the time comes for ADO to pursue this goal, additional IRS requirements, applications, and fees will apply. Under IRS guidelines, the settlement's incorporation would  be separate from the Order's 501(c)(3).]

As we have mentioned, those who make the commitment and perform the work will be considered the settlement's founders and have first claim to residency as on-site stewards and/or mentors as their reward for being amongst those who made and followed through on the commitment to "make the dream happen". Their successors will be held to similar requirements as a condition of residency. While all of this will take time, it is not too early to consider a criteria for identifying 'founders' as opposed to others who might make smaller contributions. Since the ancestors had settlements, we may turn to them for  guidance. Based on the lore and current membership requirements, all founders must:

• Be current ADO Lifetime Members in good standing (i.e. people who have already made a substantial commitment to our spiritual community).
  

• Know and abide by ADO Traditional customs, laws, and member policies.
  

• Meet ADO Elder Council requirements for Mother Grove level spiritual training.
  

• Donate to ADO a share of money, materials, and/or labour toward completion of Phase I construction, (obtaining the land and completing construction of the community centre) or the equivalent. This donation is a gift to the Order and does not imply personal ownership of any kind.
  

• Complete the necessary certified training qualifying them as members of the building crew (see www.cobcottage.com for examples of estimated workshop costs).
  

• Sign a Resident Contract with the Order specifying the residency requirements, expectations, privileges, and limitations.
  

• Submit to periodic revue and evaluation by the Elder Council and/or BoG for compliance with the requirements of the Resident Contract.
  

• Maintain the premises in good repair, help with future building phases and/or provide the equivalent training and services for onsite events, as assigned by the Great Council (the BoG and the Elder Council).
  

Daunting? ... It depends on how badly we want it. We all claim to want dedicated lands; it only takes twenty people to make it happen. This dream is not our only dream, but it is a great dream, nonetheless and one that many here share. For those who have neither the desire nor interest to live communally under Council 'rule', there will remain the same opportunities and resources provided to ADO members now --except that a safe, dedicated space will exist for member gatherings, spiritual functions, and training. Nothing will be lost, and much may be gained ... We have not gathered here merely to 'talk Avalon'; we are here to live our dream of life in an Avalonian community. The greater our involvement in manifesting this purpose, the greater will be our satisfaction as members. We hope you will join us in working to make this dream a reality.

American Avalon

We are taught that the far ancestors were among the ancient, native peoples of the "New" World. It is a belief for which we were once ridiculed, yet recently science has stepped in to vindicate us. Recent joint studies by European and American universities have brought long hidden archaeology and new DNA evidence to light, laying bare facts that should long have been obvious: the ancestors were here thirteen to twenty thousand years ago (and possibly earlier). They crossed both oceans to get here, and they left their footprints in the archaeological record to prove it -- a record that can still be read. For decades the world believed conventional 'wisdom' that assured us that identically crafted mounds, boats, symbols and structures on different continents was purely coincidental. No matter how improbable the argument,  we are conditioned to believe 'authorities' and most of us did. Just as we believed that all ancient Britons lived in Round Houses, rather than the "Hobbit holes" they more usually inhabited. Had we given any credence to folklore or literature we might have recognized these corbelled, turf-roofed dwellings as  the "Sidhe mounds" of Celtic lore, and the dwellers within, those later called Gods and "Faeries".

Warm and snug from wind and weather, the far ancestors enjoyed most of the amenities (indoor plumbing, cooling, heat), and using more durable and less toxic than our own construction methods than our own. If we are to remain true to the ancestral worldview in building our community, we must see the endeavor as they would see it. Fortunately for us, appropriate objects of study present themselves on both  sides of the Atlantic. All of the ideas used in these buildings are used in cob construction; the only real difference is in available materials, and whatever adjustments in building techniques those materials require. Even the most cursory comparison of Skara Brae (Orkney) and Mystery Hill (NH) will reveal this close kinship. It is precisely because the mirror reflects the same image on both sides that we may say our lore is  verified. But even physical evidence is perishable. What exists now in support of our lore may vanish tomorrow beneath the blade of the plow and the bulldozer. This would be a terrible loss -- not only to our present efforts, but to posterity, but it may happen nonetheless. Americans are not known to preserving their past. There fore we must learn what we can and acquire the skills we need now, while they are still recognisable and accessible.

The Evidence

We have said much about the cultural mirror that exists between North America and Western Europe, and its ancient roots. It is true that we might have provided volumes of information "proving" these assertions, but who but the converted would believe them anyway? People believe the experts that support their own opinions. The best "proof" is the evidence of our own eyes. To this end we have gathered together some images documenting this mirror as a spur to drive you on to your own explorations and investigations. We encourage you to visit some of these sites yourself: go with the expectation that something remarkable will happen, but avoid placing any specific expectations on what that might be. Enter mindfully, in an attitude of respect. Pause before entering to ground and centre. Take a moment to sense the atmosphere of the place. Is there a natural entry or an intentional one? State your name and your intention, then ask the site guardian or spirit of place for permission to enter. If possible, ask the guardian's name. Be willing to abide by the answer, however disappointed you might be.

Once you gain permission, move slowly and mindfully. Feel out the manner and exact location to enter, then follow your instincts and intuition going in. Take time to commune with each stone in a ring or cromlech, or with the whole group in a cairn or settlement site. Be prepared with a gift or offering in exchange for what you seek. Introduce yourself to each stone and ask what its message is for you. Some may have nothing to say to you, but others will say and/or show you much. Sit with each message. As you move around the site, notice whether the messages you receive have any relationship to the stone's location or purpose  (if known). Consider what is the memory of the land and what is the memory of the stone. Never go into a site about which you have a bad feeling until you have done inner work to determine the cause, even where permission has been obtained from the Spirits of Place. There are many dwellers within such places and not all of them make good company.

All of this is preparation for visiting existing sites, but also for founding your own site. If you observe and listen with your heart it will soon be evident to which places you *belong* and which places belong to those of other peoples. Consider all of this as you examine this selection of images ...

Through the Looking Glass

We have seen now a number of striking examples of exterior likenesses between sites in the US and abroad. Let us now turn our gaze inward, to the inner templates upon which these sites were constructed. Surely, if the similarities are coincidence, any resemblance must end at the surface. But do they? While the dimensions vary, the theme remains constant during much of the ancient period, only branching away near recent times. These echoes persist even across cultures (though with less persistence). Gaze, then, upon what has lain denied before science these many centuries in obscurity, while the authorities and experts insisted that Amerigo Vespucchi was first, after the red man, to reach these shores. Let your own eyes bear witness to a truer history ... for if the red man came first, then whom does his own lore speak of meeting here? And if he sprang from another line, how did he come to remake the forms and structures of a people he (supposedly) never knew?

There are many examples of the "keyhole" or "womb-tomb" shaped mound design, particularly in the Scottish Highlands, Wales, and Cornwall -- all areas once inhabited by the far ancestors. Parallel archaeological evidence in America has been used to support emerging DNA evidence indicating the presence of early Europeans in the "New World" as well. These similarities either arise from a common source or they attest to some inter-cultural dialogue or exchange. Notice the 'egg' in the two Serpent Temples (below left). If these are working calendrical features, we should expect their placement to change to reflect the differences in perspective on the sky -- as indeed they do. Most megalithic designs mirror the Mother's body. They are allegories for Earthly creation. These two sites, however, are of a different order. They are celestial allegories, whose function suggests the reason for the Druids' titles as 'Serpents of Wisdom.' In addition, the placement of the eggs in relation to the serpents evokes the eerie sense of  'Maiden' and 'Mother' aspects of Creation. Might this shift in perspective also imply a migration not from East to West, but from West to East, as some modern archaeologists have begun to suggest? ...

The lore of the Isles is filled with stones that speak, sing, or cry out. Many are associated with the ancient Druid seats, some with the delivery of justice, and others with uses long forgotten. The sites of these stones are often decorated with strange shapes and symbols whose meanings are mysterious to the modern world. For the tourist, they are often seen as crude decorations, first attempts at "civilized art" by fledgling societies; but they are much more than this to us, and are laden with many layers of meaning. Where Avalon has existed one would also expect to find such artifacts and here is where many will expect verification to fail... and yet it does not. The images below provide the same iconographic parallels as do those above for lithic comparisons. Look carefully and remember, so that you may recognize the marks of the ancestors in your own lands.

Resanctifying the Land

What makes a place sacred? Is it the ancestors who dwell within it, the priesthood that worships over it, the people who live upon it, or something rare and intangible that cannot truly be named or duplicated?... Each place has its own distinct identity, its own Spirits of Place, but what makes one  place so much more "magical," more responsive to feeling and thought than another? Modern people prefer to think of such places as "rare," but it was not so for the ancients; and the undisturbed places of the world bear witness that wherever the feeling of ancient cultures survives, so too does the sense of "magic" inherent in them.  Why should this be so? Is it simply wish fulfillment, the psychological projection of our desires upon the surrounding landscape? Or is it something more?...

In Avalon we say that the magic of a place springs from the beliefs of the beings who dwell on it. Where the inhabitants remember the land as sacred and magical, it remains or becomes so... Thus one way of restoring our sense of a "magical world," is to restore our own faith in the inherent magic, power, and sacredness of the land around us, of the Earth, the Great Mother as a whole. The images above are shared with the intention of awakening in each of us the memory of the sacredness of our world, whether near or far. There is no "one Avalon," no "one sacred place." Which is more sacred, the Mother's right breast or her left? Her toes or her fingers? To the ancients, no one part was "better" than any other, and so it must be again for us. Beneath the mask of modern development, the sacred landscape and all who dwell within it lie waiting for us to rebirth them into the this time and place. We may do this by remembering and honoring the sanctity of the landscape as it exists now wherever we are.

Mindfully or unmindfully, our every thought, word, and action either re-sanctifies or de-sanctifies Mother Earth. The consequences of these cumulative choices are very real, as are their impact on our quality of life. We have been taught to believe many untruths to protect others' realities. It is time now to enter into our own; to re-examine what we have been taught to believe about Mother Earth. It is time to redefine habits of mind that diminish her beauty, magic, and power, and reclaim the worldview of our far ancestors as it relates to this time, today. It takes no special talent, no "calling" to do this, but only deep desire and love -- love stronger than "habit." May each of us find the strength within ourselves to reclaim the truths that have been hidden from us. May we each learn to "walk in wisdom," to appreciate and be nurtured by the beguiling, enchanting planet on which we dwell.

The Road Ahead

With these basic understandings, skills, and key concepts you are ready to approach and introduce yourself to your future Sisters and Brothers in the Tribes, to the kindred, and to the ancestors. The road ahead is filled with new experiences, new ideas, and new challenges. It is a well-trod road ... an ancient Way. Whether it is a road you have traveled before or a path new and unfamiliar to you, come as one newborn to the world: with an open mind and heart, ready to give and to receive, to ask and to respond, to examine and to contemplate, to explore, to listen and to share.

For an oral Tradition, ADO produces and disseminates a prodigious amount of written material. Yet despite reams of written pages, the real 'secret', the real Mystery remains in the experience of the moment. Coursework and gatherings are emphasized because they unfold through 'action', rather than 'thinking'. Of all the things we learn 'information' is the least valuable and the most susceptible to distortion. Its potential lies in sparking curiosity and kindling inspiration. What is truly priceless is the experience itself. We provide much of this information to make new Aspirants feel more comfortable participating in Avalonian gatherings and ceremony, since our experience in modern society leaves us uniquely unprepared for such experiences. As Aspirants, the memory of Avalon is only just rekindling and we may need a 'map' to find our way around the holy Isle. This is precisely how 'information' should be taken; as a guide, but one which we are bound to see differently when our perceptions are informed by direct experience.

So we encourage you to consider ADO's written resources, taken together, as a sort of "Survivor's Guide to the Isle of Avalon" as she is known and celebrated today in ADO. Like the clues on the programme "Survivor", some of the information on offer will be crystal clear, some will be clear only after we have arrived at the scene, and some will seem vague and blurry around the edges right up until the moment of (or even after) each Challenge. As we move forward and encounter obstacles, we should keep in mind the various 'episodes' we have experienced, ask ourselves which attitudes and approaches were successful and why, compare this with our present situation, and then ask ourselves which kind of "Survivor" player we most resemble. It is a simpler way than one might expect to begin mapping out how and why the road to Avalon seems easy or difficult at any given time, but knowing this can make being a Tribes member immeasurably simpler and more enjoyable.

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This Hearthfire last kindled: 16 January, 2011

Copyright Notice: Text and background image copyright (c) 2000, 2010 by Morgaine for ADO. World rights reserved.

(Continue...)

Now the wild places of the world have gone or come under the control of lords unwelcoming to travelers. The art of hospitality is lost to most modern men. A dark time, a perilous time for pilgrims, one might say; yet in this Sanctuary we have long offered succor to Seekers. It was so for those who came before us, and it is so now ...

But you have not travelled so far to hear the ramblings of a hermit of the Wildwood. Did you not come seeking for your rightful place in Avalon?... It is different each time and always the same: it is the heart's path. In your dreaming you shall see it. The waters here run true and deep and I, who am keeper of dreams, will see that you remember it...