First Footing & Wassailing into 2021 - Sunday Sessions 2020

First Footing & Wassailing into 2021 - Sunday Sessions 2020

Author: Woodland Bard December 30, 2020 Duration: 1:13:28
Through my personal experiences of first footing for several years on a Scottish island and Wassailing apple trees in Somerset and Ireland I notice similarities. There is a common bonding of wonderful and essential personal affirmations blended with simple connecting fellowship with our community of family and neighbours, even during Covid times. There is also a lovely slow down and re-connect with where we live, the landscape around us, and how it all provides for us, if we respect it. First Footin', a heart warming simple traditions of calling on local family and neighbours, and sharing local whisky, or tea, slices of black bun, a sort of rich fruit cake in pastry, and a bowl of soup or stew. Wassailing, a joyful shared blessing of our elder apple trees in three parts, blessing the roots, blessing the tree, and blessing each other who are served by the harvest from the trees. The common link is the social fellowships that both traditions draw us into with the banter of gossip and stories, thoughts for those passed on, joy for the living and their affirmations, and sharing our hopes, dreams and toasts to good health. We can adapt that to our Covid times. Join us and celebrate with this, our last, and more casual, Sunday Session of 2020.

Step into a living tradition where the landscape itself holds the stories. Nature Folklore, hosted by the Woodland Bard, is a weekly gathering that explores the deep spiritual connections between people and the natural world, rooted in the ancient soil of Ireland. This isn't a lecture, but an immersive audio experience. Each episode delves into a specific thread of lore-you might wander into the hidden sidhe realm, learn the old wisdom held by specific trees, or decipher the messages carried by water and weather. The conversation naturally extends into the creative practices born from this connection: dream vision writing, poetry, and the art of oral storytelling, all while honoring the legacy of the harper bards. Recorded live, often from the very heart of a growing Tree Labyrinth at Carrowcrory in County Sligo, the podcast carries the ambient sounds of that sacred space-the rustle of leaves, the call of birds, the whisper of wind. Listening feels less like pressing play and more like being invited to sit on a mossy stone within the circle, partaking in a timeless exchange. The Woodland Bard acts as your guide, not as a distant expert, weaving together research, personal reflection, and spoken word to re-enchant the everyday world. This is a podcast for those who feel the pulse of old magic in wild places and seek to understand its language, a regular touchstone for a spirituality felt through the land.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 55

Nature Folklore
Podcast Episodes
Discovering The Sidhe - Sunday Sessions 2021 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:20
Through this Sunday Session we will explore some folklore stories that interpret the Sidhe and the Sidhe Realm, that some people call the Fae Realm. We will explore how people feel and what they describe when they experi…
Trees In Water Folklore - Sunday Sessions 2021 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:24
The merging of sidhe, water and tree folklore through Spring Through this Sunday Session we will transition between the water folklore subjects of February, and the tree subjects of March, to include some of the sidhe an…
From Resurrection To The Three Trais - Sunday Sessions 2021 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:50
A refreshed vision from the three enchantments Resurrection means different things to different people. This Carrowcrory Sunday Sessions is hosted on the Christian Easter Sunday, a time of Christian belief of the body of…
Us And Trees, What Can We Do? 2021 update - Sunday Sessions 2021 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:55
An hour or so exploring some of the practical, engaging, wholesome, and personally therapeutic activities we can do within and around trees. Subjects covered will include creating a passion for woodlands, forest educatio…
Tree Sanctuary & Labyrinth Garden Creation - Sunday Sessions 2021 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21:42
Access to an essential space for nature, and the great spirit connection This is a Sunday Session about uncomplicated and easy tree and nature connection that most of us should be able to do for precious sanctuary. I app…
Bare Root Tree Planting
 - Sunday Sessions 2021 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:35
'Tis the season that most people may be planting trees The tree planting season is traditionally Samhain to Imbolc, early November to early February, in the Northern Hemisphere. This is known as the 'dormant season' duri…
Ogham, The Tree Language Story - Sunday Sessions 2021 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:32
Exploring our forgotten connections to ancient arboreal founded languages One thing you will notice with Ogham symbols, if you try to draw them, the immediate difference to our English scribing, that unfolds our thoughts…
Dowsing - Sunday Sessions 2021 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39:56
Dowsing is divination employed to locate underground ground water, our main topic during this session, but also dowsing tools used to locate and understand earth vibrations in specific spaces. Other uses will probably be…
Water Dragons, Serpents & Snakes - Sunday Sessions 2021 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:22
... especially the water serpents of Ireland in almost every river Not exactly a Valentine's Day subject, or is it? Serpents are strongly related to fertility, both the fire and water kind. But maybe they are not romanti…
Imbolc Traditions - Sunday Sessions 2021 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:14:22
Celebrating the earth womb, water bearers, and births of spring. This Sunday Sessions focuses on the goddess traditions that are said to have inspired the life, crafts and teachings of Brighid of the Eternal Flame. Many…