This site copyright © 2010 by The Reformed Druids of Gaia, Inc.
"A non-prophet, ir-religious, dis-organization"
No rites reversed.
|
“Time
has been transformed, and we have changed; it has advanced
and set us in motion; it has unveiled its face, inspiring
us with bewilderment and exhilaration."
~~ Kahlil Gibran ~~ |
| |
Occasionally,
you will run into an RDG or OMS document that has some strange
annotations to it, in the form of something like:
“Adopted
this 87th day of Samradh, B.G.R. 04.”
This
is a date. The same date might also be recorded: 87 Samradh
BGR04. But what's up with that? Welcome to the Druish calendar
system, as used within the Reformed Druids movement. |
| |
We
don't really know a whole lot about the origins of the RDNA
calendar. We assume it was a project of a long winter's weekend,
probably when the television was out. No doubt a certain amount
of whisky was consumed, or maybe they were smoking pot. We
just don't know, and the ARDA doesn't say, or give credit.
But this business of creating new calendars to signify new
epochs of Druidism began with the Druids at Carleton. |
| |
Years
among the RDNA at Carleton are dated from the first official
Reformed Druid service at Carleton in May 1963. Archdruid
Robert Larson, who founded Berkeley Grove (NRDNA) in 1968
after leaving Carleton in 1965, chose to follow the Celtic
custom and dated the First Year of the Reform to the Samhain
(Nov. 1st) of 1962.
The
Gaian Reform, which began with the birth of the Reformed
Druids of Gaia, also gave birth to a new Age. Thus the year
beginning the day after Samhain 2006, is the First
Year of the Gaian Reform, or “1 Y.G.R.” and
the year running from the day after Samhain 2007 to the
day before Samhain 2008 is really 2 Y.G.R., etc. This
is refered tio as the "2nd Age," or "Gaian
Age" of the Reform. Naturally the years run backwards
as well. Fortunately, unlike the civil calendar, the Druid
calendar has a Zero date (Samhain 2006) which belongs to
neither the Years of the Gaian Reform (Y.G.R.) nor the years
Before the Gaian Reform (B.G.R.).
|
| |
The
calendar is divided into 4 seasons, each of which consists
of about 91 (+ or -) days (depending). The seasons are: |
| |
- Geimredh
- (Irish) "Winter," which begins on our November
1st
- Earrach
- (Irish), "Spring," which begins on our February
1st
- Samradh
- (Irish), "Summer," which begins on our May 1st
- Foghamhar-
(Irish), "Autumn," which begins on our August
1st
|
| |
Each
season is divided up into three months, which correspond to
the regular secular months: |
| |
| The
months of Geimredh are: |
|
| The
months of Earrach are: |
|
| The
months of Samradh are: |
|
| The
months of Foghamhar are: |
|
| (Click
on any of the above to take you to that month as rendered this
year.) |
| |
| The
weeks begin on Monday and end with Sunday, and are rendered
in the Welsh language. The days of the week and their Druish
correspondences are: |
- Dydd
Llun, "Day of the Moon," Monday. Also Druish day
of the Willow.
- Dydd
Mawrth, "Day of Mars," Tuesday. Also Druish day
of the Holly.
- Dydd
Mercher, "Day of Mercury," Wednesday. Also Druish
day of the Hazel.
- Dydd
Iau, "Day of Jupiter," Thursday. Also Druish day
of the Oak.
- Dydd
Gwener, "Day of Venus," Friday. Also Druish day
of the Apple.
- Dydd
Sadwan, "Day of Saturn," Saturday. Also Druish
day of the Sequoia*
- Dydd
Sul, "Day of the Sun," Sunday. Also Druish day
of the Birch.
|
The
Druish correspondences come from various "Celtic"
tree calendars.
*Because
the Coast Redwood is sacred to the OMS,
we took Saturday for the Sequoia Sempervirons. |
| |
|
|
