Seminar Series

[Beith]

A Chairde ~ Friends,

In the spirit of learning and in the tradition of mentored teaching of the poetic and druidic schools of the past, we intend to establish a "seminar series" whereby each month someone with background in a particular subject or art or craft will offer a "seminar" on a given topic. The idea for this seminar series was born out of the recognition that there are many people here with information or skills in a variety of subjects and crafts from which others may benefit. It is not the case that each speaker is declaring themself as a 'self-styled expert’, but rather openly sharing what they know or giving guidance on how to do something that may be of practical interest or help to others. Thus the spirit in which each seminar is offered is in the interests of sharing knowledge and helping each other out with information and resources.

The topics will range from the academic to the artistic, covering a wide variety of items: from practical guidance on various creative arts to modern experiential Druidry; to factual information on a given subject -historical or contemporary. The unifying theme behind the topics is that they are in some way related to ancient or modern Druidry or may be seen as a comparative system of learning or spiritual practice.

The format of the seminars will be as follows:

(1) A typed 'seminar' will be posted at the beginning of each month here in the ‘Discuss Druidry’ forum.
(2) Each topic will stay "live" for one month allowing discussion and interaction on it.
(3) At the end of each month the topic will be moved to "The Attic" forum for archival or continued discussions there, allowing a new seminar topic to be posted in its place in Discuss Druidry the following month.

Seminars begin at Bealtaine and the first round of topics are organised for the coming year until Imbolc 2009, but if anyone is interested to participate beyond that by offering a seminar themselves, please contact Art, Kernos or myself in due course.

We hope that through these informal seminars, good information will be accessible to anyone who wishes to have it and that those with a skill or art or knowledge of a subject will be able to share it with those of us who wish to learn more about it; and hopefully in time, others will be inspired to take up the mantle and offer seminars on other topics so the series continues. Seminar 'speakers' will be recognized with an icon to add to their signature/avatar to mark their contribution to this forum.

Thank you to all who participate in offering their knowledge and to all who participate in discussions thereafter. We hope you enjoy the seminars!

Good wishes

Beith, Art, Kernos

[Jingle]

Thank you, Beith for getting this started and set up. I'm really looking forward to this series.

[honor_your_life]

I think this is a fantastic idea, I can't wait to see the topics. I for one, would like to participate.

[ennys]

This sounds cool and learnful!

Great idea!!

[Ailim]

Excellent idea, and I'm really looking forward to reading the first issue.

[SidheAingeal]

This is a fabulous idea, I cannot wait to see what people post about!

[Dryadia2]

What a Wonderful idea, Beith!

/|\

[Crowsfeet]

YAY!!!

Crowsfeet

[honor_your_life]

May I be third?

I actually already started on my paper. I hope everyone will enjoy it. So far it's quite informative and not really fun. I hope it will provide lots of knowledge. I'm excited!!!

Oh, did I mention....I'm EXCITED!!!!!!!

[Beith]

Hello everyone!

Thank you for your comments and enthusiasm! I'm glad the idea is well received. The first speaker is Donata and her seminar should go up today (will be posted as a separate "May seminar" thread).

Honor-your-life, certainly we'd be delighted to have more contributions in future. Right now we have planned one a month until Imbolc of next year and those are "full" in terms of contributions, but if a slot comes up this year because someone can't deliver, I'd be happy to let you know about it if you'd like to be involved. Otherwise we'll plan forward for next year and put you first on the list.

best wishes and beannachtaí lá fhéile Bealtaine daoibh!
(blessings of the festival of Bealtaine to you all)

Beith

[honor_your_life]

All the spots are taken? Well I guess that gives me alot of time to work on it! haha.

[Beith]

Hi Honour your life,

Prepare it anyway! Do it when the enthusiasm is strong!

Perhaps it will be that someone will want to delay their seminar or may not be able to have it ready at the proposed time and we may need another one, so if you are working on something, then go ahead with it, because research and writing is never wasted.

Good wishes,
Beith

[honor_your_life]

Oh I know! The enthusiasm is still very strong! It's one of my favorite subjects.

You are quite right, research and writing are never wasted. I research lots of different things, I love to learn.

[Beith]

Hello everyone,

An update on the calendar of Seminar Series for the remainder of the year. We have planned seminars up to Imbolc 2009 and will be soliciting further topics later in the year from Imbolc to Samhain 2009 (A "call for papers" will be posted to advertise this in Autumn).

Here is the current schedule as of June 2008:

Bealtaine (May 1st) - Donata - Finding Spirit of Place with the Medicine Wheel: a Personal Journey

Meitheamh (June 1st) - Eilthireach - "Meeting the Shining Ones: How to Make Contact with the Gods and Goddesses."
[complete - seminar now available as reference material in the Seminar Attic archive]

Iúil (July 1St) - Abhaill - "Conduit of Song: Channelling the Music of the Natural World"
[complete - seminar now available as reference material in the Seminar Attic archive]

Lughnásadh (August 1st) - Jaguar, "Herbs for Women"
[complete - seminar now available as reference material in the Seminar Attic archive]

Meán Fómhair (Sept 1st) - Serenarian, "Making A Sacred Book"
[complete - seminar now available as reference material in the Seminar Attic archive]

Deireadh Fómhair (Oct 1st) - DaRC, "Connecting to place: A travelog on the South Downs Way"
[complete - seminar now available as reference material in the Seminar Attic archive]

Samhain (Nov 1st) - Astrocelt "The Art of Journeying"
[complete - seminar now available as reference material in the Seminar Attic archive]

Nollaig (Dec 1st) - OakWyse - "The Art of the Sacred Poet"
[complete - seminar now available as reference material in the Seminar Attic archive]

Eanáir (Jan 1st) - Baobab "Exploring the Self Through Art Making."


Feabhra (Feb 1st) - Aelfarh "Day of the Dead and the journey to Mictlán, Mexican lore."


So plenty of good material to look forward to there! Each seminar is posted "live" for one month in "Discuss Druidry" and is moved at the end of each month to the "Seminar Attic" (a subforum to this one) for archiving and reference. Discussions can of course still continue on the topic there.

Enjoy the topics and thank you to all who participate in giving seminars or adding comments and feedback to them!

best wishes
Beith

[wyeuro]

Agus t/u f/ein, a Bheith. When will we see yours? Beidh s/i s/ach speisi/uil.
wyverne /|\

[Beith]

Dia dhuit A Wyverne,
Go raibh maith agat ar an teachtaireacht.

Nílim ag tabhairt seimineár ag an am sin. Thosaigh mé an "series" anuraidh chun seans a thabhairt do daoine a gcuid eolais a thaispeáint do na daoine eile anseo.

Bhí mé ag obair mar "stiúrithóir" don Seminar Series ar feadh bliana mar tá a lán daoine eolasach anseo agus níl ach beagán spreagadh atá i ngá leo chun é sin a ligeann amach. Scriobh mé cuid is mó de na bpostanna faoi rudaí Ceilteach (i Celtic studies, Gaeilge, Miotaseolaíocht agus freisin i Discuss Druidry) roimhe sin sa chaite, so ba cheart dom seans a thabhairt don pobal seo an rud chéanna a dhéanamh más maith leo.

Táim in ann rud a ullmhú faoin Imbolc - níl mar seimineár ach cúntas beag b'fhéidir faoi nósanna ag am Imbolc agus cur síos faoin Cros-Bhríde a dhéanamh - rudaí mar sin dá mbéadh an t-am agam.

Tá súil agam go bhfuil gach rud go maith leat.

Beannachtaí na Féile Bhríde ort,

Beith

[Tynan Elder Oak]

Probably being a bit dim here, but where/which board will I find these seminars?

[Ade Sundog]

Hello There Tynan Elder Oak

Here is the seminar attic - viewforum.php?f=186


And here is the current seminar - viewtopic.php?f=2&t=33289

Cheerz

[Tynan Elder Oak]

Thankyou!

[MistyNightWind]

This is a fantastic idea, and will certainly be following these. Although whether I have anything useful to say about them is another matter!