Comments on: 10 Questions with Alferian Gwydion MacLir http://themagicalbuffet.com/blog1/2011/06/12/10-questions-with-alferian-gwydion-maclir/ Where spirituality, politics, and pop culture collide! Thu, 16 May 2013 23:54:22 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Jon http://themagicalbuffet.com/blog1/2011/06/12/10-questions-with-alferian-gwydion-maclir/comment-page-1/#comment-127838 Jon Sat, 12 May 2012 21:39:24 +0000 http://themagicalbuffet.com/blog1/2011/06/05/#comment-127838 I bought the book from 13moons.com, and I LOVE it. Very well-written, and containing tons of info you wouldn't be able to find easily. It inspired me to make my own staff, of which is still in the drying process before I can carve it...if I carve it ;). A beautiful piece of Black Oak, curved almost snake-like at the top. I have no idea what Niall's problem is, but I highly doubt he ever read the book or even bothered to. Well handled, Alferian ;). I think that every Druid Order should use 'Wandlore' in their courses. Alferian, I want to thank you for your Inspiration and Wisdom. Blessed be by the Three Rays of Awen! /l\ ~ Jon I bought the book from 13moons.com, and I LOVE it. Very well-written, and containing tons of info you wouldn’t be able to find easily.
It inspired me to make my own staff, of which is still in the drying process before I can carve it…if I carve it ;) . A beautiful piece of Black Oak, curved almost snake-like at the top.
I have no idea what Niall’s problem is, but I highly doubt he ever read the book or even bothered to. Well handled, Alferian ;) .
I think that every Druid Order should use ‘Wandlore’ in their courses.
Alferian, I want to thank you for your Inspiration and Wisdom.
Blessed be by the Three Rays of Awen! /l\
~ Jon

]]> By: RJ http://themagicalbuffet.com/blog1/2011/06/12/10-questions-with-alferian-gwydion-maclir/comment-page-1/#comment-82156 RJ Tue, 05 Jul 2011 15:02:45 +0000 http://themagicalbuffet.com/blog1/2011/06/05/#comment-82156 I love the book, and don't quite understand how anyone could think wands somehow aren't "traditional" as they are probably one the THE oldest magical tools still in use. Wands, thousands of years old, have been found in the burial mounds of Volva and other magical people, and I believe they found a surviving Ash wand of the Druids. I'm sensing some sour grapes in one of the replies here, hmmm.. Little is known of the Druids, and there is no one "right" way to practice modern Druidry (or Witchcraft, or magic in general.) Modern magic is just that: modern magic. Though it draws upon older practices, there is no reason (nor is it possible) to live and work exactly as the people of thousands of years ago did. I found the Wandlore book amazing, precisely because it did manage to incorporate the old with the new, and gave one the tools to craft a wand for ones's self using various methods. I'm wondering if the people slinging criticism on here have even bothered to read the book, or if it's just another case of the smarmy, smug, armchair know-it-all who dismisses things out of hand (thinking, of course, that they already know everything) without actually knowing what it is they're criticizing. I love the book, and don’t quite understand how anyone could think wands somehow aren’t “traditional” as they are probably one the THE oldest magical tools still in use. Wands, thousands of years old, have been found in the burial mounds of Volva and other magical people, and I believe they found a surviving Ash wand of the Druids. I’m sensing some sour grapes in one of the replies here, hmmm..

Little is known of the Druids, and there is no one “right” way to practice modern Druidry (or Witchcraft, or magic in general.) Modern magic is just that: modern magic. Though it draws upon older practices, there is no reason (nor is it possible) to live and work exactly as the people of thousands of years ago did. I found the Wandlore book amazing, precisely because it did manage to incorporate the old with the new, and gave one the tools to craft a wand for ones’s self using various methods. I’m wondering if the people slinging criticism on here have even bothered to read the book, or if it’s just another case of the smarmy, smug, armchair know-it-all who dismisses things out of hand (thinking, of course, that they already know everything) without actually knowing what it is they’re criticizing.

]]> By: Alferian http://themagicalbuffet.com/blog1/2011/06/12/10-questions-with-alferian-gwydion-maclir/comment-page-1/#comment-80973 Alferian Fri, 17 Jun 2011 21:45:22 +0000 http://themagicalbuffet.com/blog1/2011/06/05/#comment-80973 I commend you for your service. Rest assured that I have not confused Harry Potter with ancient drudry. I cannot imagine how anyone could make such a mistake. However, I am not myself an ancient druid, nor to I profess to practice ancient druidry. I use the term druidry broadly as a Romanized word of Gaulish origen, which is essentially a synonym for magic. If you will send me your address at my email: alferian@bardwood.com, I shall be happy to send you a copy of the book. Then you can decide if I am as silly as you think, or perhaps even sillier. Cheers, Alferian I commend you for your service. Rest assured that I have not confused Harry Potter with ancient drudry. I cannot imagine how anyone could make such a mistake. However, I am not myself an ancient druid, nor to I profess to practice ancient druidry. I use the term druidry broadly as a Romanized word of Gaulish origen, which is essentially a synonym for magic. If you will send me your address at my email: alferian@bardwood.com, I shall be happy to send you a copy of the book. Then you can decide if I am as silly as you think, or perhaps even sillier.

Cheers,
Alferian

]]> By: Niall O'Draighnean http://themagicalbuffet.com/blog1/2011/06/12/10-questions-with-alferian-gwydion-maclir/comment-page-1/#comment-80890 Niall O'Draighnean Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:01:47 +0000 http://themagicalbuffet.com/blog1/2011/06/05/#comment-80890 Alferian; I am a Working Druid of over 33 years service. my primary areas of expertise are with wood and stone, so my views come from experience in this field; there are many chips on my workshop floor but none on my shoulder. It is just that i have developed a severe allergy to gobledegook and fear that you may have somewhere confused Harry potter with the ancient Druids... Alferian; I am a Working Druid of over 33 years service. my primary areas of expertise are with wood and stone, so my views come from experience in this field; there are many chips on my workshop floor but none on my shoulder. It is just that i have developed a severe allergy to gobledegook and fear that you may have somewhere confused Harry potter with the ancient Druids…

]]> By: Alferian http://themagicalbuffet.com/blog1/2011/06/12/10-questions-with-alferian-gwydion-maclir/comment-page-1/#comment-80814 Alferian Wed, 15 Jun 2011 05:13:23 +0000 http://themagicalbuffet.com/blog1/2011/06/05/#comment-80814 Well, Niall, I'm sorry you feel that way. Sounds like you have a bit chip on your shoulder. But OBOD druids draw together many strands of Celtic lore. My own practice draws upon practically every magical tradition I have studied. I'm not interested in any sort of purity. Don't believe it exists. And besides, our ancient Celtic ancestors picked up everything they could from other cultures. I absolutely encourage anyone to make a wand for themselves. But many like to have one crafted for them. I don't see anything wrong with that. The modern craft of wandmaking is just that -- a thing of today. If you bothered to read my book, you would find that ancient druids did use wands, but we do not know to what extent they worked them, or anything about them except that they are described in the old tales. You know what isn't a part of the druidry I practice? Knee-jerk prejudice and a sourpuss attitude. Cheers, Alferian Well, Niall,
I’m sorry you feel that way. Sounds like you have a bit chip on your shoulder. But OBOD druids draw together many strands of Celtic lore. My own practice draws upon practically every magical tradition I have studied. I’m not interested in any sort of purity. Don’t believe it exists. And besides, our ancient Celtic ancestors picked up everything they could from other cultures.

I absolutely encourage anyone to make a wand for themselves. But many like to have one crafted for them. I don’t see anything wrong with that. The modern craft of wandmaking is just that — a thing of today. If you bothered to read my book, you would find that ancient druids did use wands, but we do not know to what extent they worked them, or anything about them except that they are described in the old tales.

You know what isn’t a part of the druidry I practice? Knee-jerk prejudice and a sourpuss attitude.

Cheers,
Alferian

]]> By: Niall O'Draighnean http://themagicalbuffet.com/blog1/2011/06/12/10-questions-with-alferian-gwydion-maclir/comment-page-1/#comment-80664 Niall O'Draighnean Sun, 12 Jun 2011 21:19:27 +0000 http://themagicalbuffet.com/blog1/2011/06/05/#comment-80664 I would be lying if i said i was impressed, and this is exactly what i have come to expect from O.B.O.D. initiates. it only confirms that their 'Druidry' is concocted out of various strands of the western mystery tradition and is not rooted in Celtic Cultures; Wands are not part of the Druid tradition where much of the real magic is internalised instead of being externalised with such Ego acessories. if a Druid had need of a wand they would make their own and not go to a 'wand maker'. I would be lying if i said i was impressed, and this is exactly what i have come to expect from O.B.O.D. initiates. it only confirms that their ‘Druidry’ is concocted out of various strands of the western mystery tradition and is not rooted in Celtic Cultures; Wands are not part of the Druid tradition where much of the real magic is internalised instead of being externalised with such Ego acessories.
if a Druid had need of a wand they would make their own and not go to a ‘wand maker’.

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