ACOD News Letter

** Dec 2006 **
Greetings fellow ACOD members, welcome to the latest news up-date for all ACOD members, friends and associates. Well, it has been a very eventful year for ACOD headquarters, lots of good things happening and big changes too. So let's start with the most important.

Arrival of the Littlest Druid
This year has brought the introduction of the youngest member of ACOD, a wonderful new addition to our grove, in the form of our beautiful new baby boy. We are calling him Oliver (Ollie), he is strong and healthy. It's hard to believe that he is already 2 months old and g r o w i n g lots. We are both coping quite well. Naomi is well and thoroughly enjoying motherhood, I'm very proud of them both (LOL).

We have received many wonderful congratulatory mails, too many to reply to them all so thank you all very much for your kind words.

ACOD In The News
These last few years there has been a growing interest in Druidry and all things Druid. This year, ACOD has featured many times in the media. Articles and adverts have appeared in a number of local and national magazines, including Spheres, New Dawn, Insight, White Light & Witchvox website and several Irish web sites. We have had several radio interviews, we even had a Darwin radio station contact us!
Earlier this year I was contacted by the 'Gold Coast Sun' newspaper wanting to do a feature on ACOD. Corin was interviewed and pictures were taken in the grove. The article portrayed ACOD and Druidry in very positive light.

New members
ACOD's main focus for 2006 has been the Correspondence courses and membership drive. New memberships have been thriving; we now have over 200 members. A number of people have wanted their whole family to be part of ACOD and have enquired about family membership. To meet this demand we now have a special family membership rate for ACOD and a growing number of 'little' ACOD members running around. Maybe this is an area for ACOD to develop in the future…

Correspondence course
2006 has seen the correspondence course aspect of ACOD thriving. We now have members enrolled in the correspondence course all over Australia as well as overseas. Quite a number of people have completed the first year of the correspondence course (The Bardic grade) and are now working on the second level (The Shamanic grade). The correspondence course has become a big focus for many people. It particularly meets a special need for people who are perhaps isolated from people of 'like mind' whether this be in a rural area or in the in the middle of a busy city. Also people who are too busy with 'everyday life' to attend events/workshops and can study in their own time. Additionally, ACOD has many people enrolled in the correspondence course who prefer to work outside the group environment in a solitary fashion. In a sense we have started to become a 'secret college' for many people.

Pagan Fire - Album
Another exiting development this year was that Corin was asked to play drums on a CD recording: Julie Walton's "Pagan Fire" album
This is a very powerful and dramatic album; it feels very tribal with lots of funky drumming and jungle rhythms. I'm very impressed with the overall result of this album, their best recording to date-highly recommended.
The album costs $30 + any postage. For copies send to address: Julie Walton PO Box 152, Palmwoods 4555.

Technology Challenges
Of course during the whole build up to the birth and for some while after, the whole house and ACOD office was thrown into disarray. This was in addition to the previous time when both the ACOD office computers were very sick for a while and I had to take them to the computer doctor for repairs. A bad case of hard drive failure coupled with a nasty virus (YUCK!). However thankfully all is well now.

ACOD Web Site
Recently many of you have mailed or phoned to let me know the ACOD web site had disappeared. After checking, more accurately it seems to have been taken over by a pirate web site!
We seem to have been plagued by technology and computer problems this year, oh well. Anyway after a lot of ringing 'round and checking, we have now sorted out the problem, and the good news is we are now back on the web (LOL)!!!!
We are still looking for a reliable web wizard to help update the web site and set up chat rooms, Bardic area and other features. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, if you know some one who can do this voluntarily for ACOD let us know.
The ACOD web site address is as always: www.celticdruid.org

Workshops
Late last year and all this year too, unfortunately we have been required to withhold our workshops as we have had extensive building works occurring in properties either side of our grove/workshop space. Most of this work seems to be carried out at weekends when we hold our workshops, the noise proving impossible to contend with. So until this work has been completed we are holding back on workshops. During this time we felt it was a good idea to work on our own renovations which has involved a lot of hard work, expense, and taken longer than we anticipated. Then, along came baby Oliver so workshops seemed to be out of the question for the foreseeable future. It is also important to note that our workshops involve a large investment of time, preparation and expense (particularly the drum making); and as we try to keep the price down to be affordable we need to review the whole structure of how they are run, in particular ensuring a financial commitment from workshop participants in terms of a pre-paid deposit. Workshops remain on hold for the time being, we will let you know when they get going again.

Get a 'Real Job'
This brings me to some very important changes in the ACOD structure. ACOD was conceived as a 'not for profit organisation', like the Red Cross and Oxfam, which means that the people who run it are supposed to draw a salary, then after running costs are deducted, profits go back in to further the work of the organisation.
As Founding Principle of ACOD I have been running the college full time, for three and a half years now; on a shoe string and voluntarily. We have barely covered costs. Some of the costs, for those interested, of keeping ACOD alive I list below:

Business name registry, account charges, domain name registry, web hosting, computer maintenance, accountant bills, postage, magazine advertising, stall & petrol charges for publicity events; office supplies including large amounts of paper; photocopying, tea, coffee & milk for workshops, groves and volunteers; wine and food for workshops ….the list goes on.

Previously, Naomi had been has been keeping ACOD and the household afloat from her own private work. So, with a new baby in the house we have had to make some changes that included myself gaining full-time employment outside ACOD. In addition to running ACOD I am now working in hospital electrical maintenance, which I have been enjoying. This means that now more than ever ACOD is relying on member participation to keep it going.

Summer Break
Traditionally the college closes over the 'summer silly season', so within the next week we will close until end of January for a well earned break. So a note to all those on the correspondence course, send in all late work now so you can receive your next Gwers to work on over the summer break. We won't be responding to questions & inquiries until end of January.

Groves
As mentioned above workshops have become unviable for the present. Those who are regular grove attendees know we haven't been able to host a grove for some months now. We have been going to and directing regulars to other local ritual events in the area. The next Grove: Summer Solstice Sat 16th Dec 06: see below for full details.
Next year we will be able to start hosting Groves again, but we will be relying heavily on donations given at the time.

The Way Forward: How Can You Help ACOD?
It doesn't need to take up a lot of your time, remember lots of small drops make up the huge ocean!
Members can help in the following ways:
Promotion of ACOD-spread the word!
" Increase media presence: Magazines and news letters willing to list ACOD's activities (preferably for free).
" Increase the Web presence: Do you know of an appropriate web site that would be interested in featuring a link to ACOD? If so, please contact the website, check that they are willing to link to ACOD & if so send ACOD the email address of their web page wizard.
" Distribute flyers: Do you know of an appropriate outlet for displaying ACOD flyers e.g. shops, notice boards, groups, newsletters, friends etc? If so, write to ACOD and we will supply you with flyers.

Hope you all have a wonderful festive season, Solstice Greetings and best wishes for the New Year.

May the Awen go with you all
Corin & Naomi Thistlewood

Australian College of Druidry (ACOD)
Tel: (07) 5533 1080
Or e-mail: acod@dodo.com.au

www.celticdruid.org

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Birth Partners Lament
(To the tune of Glory, glory hallelujah)

When reluctant babies refuse to come - into the birthing suite
And things are getting really fraught - it's all my fault I'm bound
There are many age old remedies to try and some - that I have found
So best of luck my old mate to you

Chorus
Glory, glory - clitorial stimulation
Glory, glory - clitorial stimulation
Glory, glory - clitorial stimulation
It's the only way to do or die.

You can try some fairly basic stuff like - walking 'round & round the street
Or rubbing pungent smelling oils - into our partner's feet
Then there's always that old remedy - regarding bottles of gin
But that ain't PC no more, it's really quite a sin
Chorus

You can try those acupuncture points like - Chinese dragon rips round the ankles
Or pushing thumbs into her knee joints - 'til she rankles
There's some more up and down her back - another hot spot is base of spine
Glory, glory - hallelujah!
Chorus

You can try my old favorite called discretely - 'nipple stimulation'
Or once Lamaze was all the rage with his - controlled exhalation
But there's really nothing to compare - the chorus of this song
It's the only way to do or die.
Chorus

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Grove meetings
Regular Grove meetings (Druid circles), are held on each of the
8 traditional festivals through out the year.
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Next Grove: Sat 16th Dec 06: Summer Solstice
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This festival we will be joining with other magical groups on the coast in a joint ritual on the beach

DETAILS:
It's happening again!
Summer Solstice On the Beach

Saturday the 16th of December
At Miami Beach by the rocks.

We will be gathering on the beach from 5:30pm to socialize, followed by the ritual which will begin at dusk, when the torches are lit.
Wear bright clothes and flowers in your hair as we celebrate the summer.
BYO Picnic, drinks, blankets etc.
" Drums and other musical instruments
" Non perishable food items to donate to charity.
" A ribbon charged with your desires to add to the solstice wreath.
" A poem about the summer to read out as part of the ritual.

So sharpen your quill and start writing or simply find a piece, serious or funny, that you can relate to. This is just a way to be involved, not a literary exercise, so don't be shy.
Come along for the picnic or just the ritual.

If you have any questions, email Anna at morganna13@hotmail.com
Or ring Chris on 0418 787854.
(And don't forget wine and food for the feast)

We look forward to seeing you there.

'Celtic Druid' Web site

The ACOD web site continues to grow with lots of recent additions with info on new booklets available, greetings cards, the celtic shaman correspondence course, the branches & grove meetings, the celtic meditation group & short classes in metaphysics. We at last managed to get a shorter URL which is: www.celticdruid.org. In fact the creation of the 'Celtic Druid' shamanic supplies - brand name has enabled us to move all the merchandising into one area. Please note that ACOD is supported by 'Celtic Druid, without it ACOD could not exist. Therefore we encourage you to support it and purchase your supplies from it, thank you. http://www.celticdruid.org/supplies.html

Booklets

Part of the work of the Australian College of Druidry is to self publish information booklets which can be used as back up to the workshops and /or a useful practical resource in there own right. There are now two such booklets for sale with many more in the pipeline.

* Chants of Power - Songs of Spirit

For Witches, Warlocks & Wizards for the Neo-pagan, Shaman & Druid. Here is a collection of more than 50 of the most popular and powerful chants used by the pagan community. ($11.99)

* Introduction To Celtic Shamanism - pathways to Druidry by Corin Thistlewood

This booklet is part of a series: '...Pathways to Druidry', which is an attempt to bring to you 'in writing', some of the basic concepts of Druidry that are traditionally passed on, in Druid Groves, 'person to person' and by 'observed' example in the Gwers using the 'oral tradition' of the Celtic Druids. These Gwers (or lessons) were originally created to aid and inspire students of ACOD. Now for the first time eight Gwers from the Bardic Grade are offered to 'the seeker' and/or interested followers of Druidry to enable understanding of and to give access to, his/her own personal power.($14.99)

Both books can be obtained from ACOD direct Via mail order.

Greeting cards

The 'witches series' are a humorous series of four greeting cards with an eco friendly message on the back. Just a but of fun really to help raise funds, but they seem to be very popular.

Correspondence Course

To cater for the increasing number of people interested in Druidry and Celtic Shamanism, and especially those that cannot come to the courses personally, I have created a correspondence course for each of the ACOD grades. The Celtic Shaman correspondence course, for the Bardic grade is very good value for money if you compare it to other druid courses provided by america or UK, additionally the creators of this course are based here in australia and it is tailored to suite the land of australia. It takes the following form: * Gwers (lesson/workbook) sent out monthly ( one year course) * Each student will be assigned a tutor * Recommended reading list every month * One assignment each month to be assessed by tutor * Students will be eligible to attend the monthly grove meetings * Certificate of achievement ( on satisfactory completion of course, assessed by Certificate 4 trained tutors) * Includes yearly membership fees to ACOD The Bardic grade correspondence course works out at a nominal $10 per week, which is mostly administration costs so is very good value. If you are interested in embarking on this exciting venture go to the ACOD web site and fill out the form or phone and we will send you a leaflet. http://www.celticdruid.org/cor.course.html

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[About ACOD] [The Branches] [Workshops ] [Tutor Bio's]

[Correspondence Course] [Celtic Druid - Supplies ] [Links] [Home]