A Druid Author - Interview with Chuck Hall
By Christopher Blackwell

I came across a posting by Chuck Hall, aka Aedan, about one of his books and asked for an interview.

Christopher: Could you tell us a bit about yourself and how long you have been a Druid? Are you the only Druid in your family?

Chuck: I set out on the Druid path in 1984 when I joined the Emerald Coast Grove in Pensacola, Florida. My son, who is now serving in Iraq, is also a Druid, and my wife has 'Druid leanings' but specifies herself as a generic Pagan.

Christopher: What is a Druid from your experience?

Chuck: There's usually quite a bit of discussion about the relationship of modern Druidry to ancient Druidry. Some feel that we can never recapture the essence of historical Druidry because those records and teachings have been lost to us forever. I disagree. To me, Druidry is a spiritual practice. Spiritual practices exist in a world outside of time, which is always readily available to those who seek it, so bridging the gap between modern Druidry and ancient Druidry is simply a matter of seeking in sincerity.

The most basic definition of Druidry is having a reverence for nature, recognizing that we are a part of it and it is a part of us, and learning from what Mother Earth has to teach us. At this most basic level, most cultures at one time or another had their own version of what I call Druidry. The Native Americans saw the unity and spirit of nature. So did the Australian aborigines, the Bushmen of the Kalahari, the Aleutians, Japanese Shinto, and any number of other cultures. The knowledge of the spirit world and its relationship to nature is always there. My particular manifestation of it is called Druidry.

Christopher: Why do you write and how long have you been writing?

Chuck: I write because I have to. It's one of those 'obsession' things. Even when I don't intend for it to be published, I still think better and more coherently when I can put my thoughts down. I can't remember a time when I didn't write. The first piece I ever had published was in 1974 when I won an award at Carlisle Park Middle School in Guntersville, Alabama. There was a writing contest where the best essay on litter prevention was published in the local newspaper. My essay won, so in a way I've been writing about ecology since 1974.

Christopher: Does being a Druid have any affect on what you write about?

Chuck: Hopefully being a Druid has an affect on everything I do, but particularly writing. My latest book is about sustainable living, but I tried to capture some of the more spiritual aspects of caring for the Earth too.

Christopher: What is your latest book? Could you give us an idea what it’s about and where our readers might find it?

Chuck: My latest book is called Green Circles: A Sustainable Journey from the Cradle to the Grave. It begins with natural childbirth, ends with green burial, and covers sustainability at all phases of life in-between. The idea for the book grew out of my work with teaching and promoting sustainable living. People always ask me what they can do to live a greener life. That's such a big subject that there's no quick and easy answer. I saw the need for a resource book on sustainability that would give readers a wide range of options to choose from when living green. The book is an overview of what's out there, with a list of resources for those who want more in-depth information, including reading lists and websites.

The book was also an exercise in sustainable living for me. I have always wondered if it is possible to live your life in such a way that you are putting back more resources than you are taking away from the Earth. So I researched the subject in depth. This book is the result of that research. It demonstrates that it is theoretically possible to live in such a way. The next step, for me, is to put it into actual practice. A few of us Druids and others who care about the environment are working towards starting a sustainable community in 2008-2009. It is our intention to put the principles of the book into practice in the community, which will be an educational facility as well as a Druid/Pagan village.

Christopher: Any other books you would like our readers to know about?

Chuck: My first book is called Cob Castles. Cob is a method of building using natural materials. The word 'cob' comes from an old English word meaning 'round mass' or 'lump.' Cob is a mixture of clay, sand and straw that is used to literally sculpt homes. It is similar to adobe, but cob walls are built up in one piece instead of being shaped into bricks. The result is that you can sculpt the walls into virtually any shape as you build, making for interesting artistic possibilities. Cob buildings are beautiful. I have some pictures of some cob dwellings at: www.cultureartist.org/gallery/architecture/Cob/Cob1.htm.

I have been working with cob for years, and I teach cob building workshops twice a year. Cob Castles is an extension of those workshops. I use it as a companion book for the workshops. It teaches you how to build your own home out of cob.

Green Circles is available at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, or at my website at www.cultureartist.org.