Sky, Earth, Sea, a Journal of Practical SpiritualityThe Druid Order of the Three Realms
Interview with Paige Varner and Bob Patrick By Christopher Blackwell

I was alerted by a reader of a new Druid E-zine, Sky. Earth, Sea, a Journal of Practical Spirituality. I contacted its cofounders and editors to find out more about it and got permission for this interview. In the process I learned also of a new Druid order, The Druid order of Three Realms.

Christopher: Could you each give us a bit of background material about yourself?

Paige: I was raised in a rural, conservative Baptist environment, and remained loyal to that spiritual model until my late twenties – despite completing an MS in physics in my early twenties. Eventually, though, my spiritual path led me to study shamanic techniques rooted in Peruvian traditions, as well as element-based paths of personal spiritual development.

I am currently a High Priestess in the Alchemical Mystery School, an active member of the local Covenant of Unitarian Universalist PaganS (CUUPS) group, an initiated Candidate in AODA, a founding member of the Druid Order of the Three Realms, and a stay-at-home mom.

Bob: I’ve been accused of being religiously promiscuous. Of course, I think that’s an overstatement. Some years ago, I decided that I owed it to myself to explore where my head and heart were leading me. That’s not always been an easy path, but it certainly has been rich.

I was raised in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains in northern Alabama, a state in the Deep South of the US, in a Methodist family in a small rural community. I was the first in my family to earn a University degree, and I devoted that to biblical studies in Hebrew and Greek. Languages have always fascinated me just as the earth, trees, gardening and the woods have. Not necessarily two compatible interests, but that is me.

I went on to seminary at Emory University in Atlanta and after earning an M.Div, was ordained as a United Methodist minister. After serving eight years as such, and drawn deeply into ritual, symbol, sacrament and a search for wider meaning, my wife and I left Methodism and became Catholic.

During the 15 years that we were Catholic, I taught theology, Latin and Greek for the Catholic church in high school and graduate programs, and came very close to being ordained a married Roman Catholic priest. Even though Rome gave permission for this to happen, the local bishop was rather close minded and prevented it from happening.

It was the perfect spring board for me to begin to explore. That exploration led me to certification in massage therapy, work in Tai Chi, Buddhist meditation, and exploration of Druidry.

I am an Ovate in the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, was a short-time member of the Ancient Order of Druids in America, and am a founding member of The Druid Order of Three Realms. I am also a member of the Unitarian-Universalist Association and find that a good context within which to make sense of these various paths of wisdom that I have been privileged to walk.

Finally, I am on the verge of finishing a PhD in Latin and Roman studies. I hope to graduate this next spring.

Christopher: How is Sky, Earth, Sea different from other Druid E-zines and Newsletters?

Paige: SES intends to gather material from individuals on the Druid path, in all its many and varied forms. We are not associated with a particular order or form of Druidry. In addition, our focus is on practical spirituality – on how the material presented is useful in everyday life.

Bob: Practical spirituality is definitely the way our journal has taken shape. To me, that means finding ways to practice meaning in one’s life. The practice of meaning can take, of course, myriad forms, but it always means establishing relationships with the rest of the world around me: people, animals, plants and trees, the movement of water and air, the energy of fire and earth. And, it involves both an interiority that is deeply personal and some sort of larger vision of things.

While many aspects of the spiritual path can feel and be deeply personal and intimate, I find that authentic spirituality also always invokes dialogue—whether we wish to be involved in a dialogue or not. There’s just something about being human, on a path, that requires relationship. That relationship can certainly be with other human beings, but, as most Druids know, it can be deeply held with a tree, or a stone, or a cloud as well.

Christopher: What part does each of you play in the creation of this new E-zine?

Paige: There’s a lot of back and forth, but generally, I handle copy editing, layout, and distribution.

Bob: Yes, much sharing, and I often handle content decisions.

Christopher: What type of materials do you feature and what kind are you hoping to get from other Druids in the future?

Paige: We have featured a variety of reflections on personal paths, how-to articles on rituals and crafts, artwork, poetry, book reviews, and short fiction. We recently carried a “What is a Druid” reflection from one of our readers – we would love to have more of those from people with a variety of backgrounds.

Bob: And I will add that we have refrained from deciding ahead of time what any particular issue will feature. The themes seem to rise out of the offerings of writers. We are not opposed to deciding on a theme at times, but we have also enjoyed the themes “showing up” in our email boxes.

Christopher: Don't you make a free first issue to let people know what the new E-zine is like? How do people get a copy?

Paige: Yes. Visit www.skyearthsea.com and click the “Purchase” link on the right of the page. There is information on registering and receiving the Spring 2009 issue of SES at no cost.

Christopher: What are your hopes for this new E-zine?

Bob: That question sends me in several directions at once. My primary hope is that the journal become increasingly a place where people can find some of the meaning they are looking for—or at least, that it become a really good mirror for people to see the meaning that they already are, an aid to help find the wisdom that each already are but often don’t perceive.

We both feel very deeply that personal stories and the relation of personal experiences are powerful ways to share the wisdom of the path.

I hope the journal is that kind of activity, that kind of energy. And, practically speaking, I’d love to see the day when the journal generated enough income to pay writers a decent stipend. That may seem trivial in light of what we’ve said above, but to me it’s an example of how the energy that writers share in the journal might come back to them as they labor over their writing. We shall see if that emerges.

Christopher: Now I have heard that that there is a new Druid order, Druid Order of the Three Realms. Care to tell us how and why it was formed? Is there anything unique about it?

Bob: I am an Ovate in OBOD and was a Priest in AODA. I continue to find OBOD a rich source of Druid wisdom and practice, but it’s center is in the UK and the opportunities for real interaction in the US is not very available in the Southeast of the US. Most of my connection with OBOD is through the internet. I had hoped that AODA might provide an opportunity for real time, live community, and I began a Druid study group as a Priest in AODA.

Unfortunately, the leadership in AODA became much too hierarchical and inflexible for our group and for me personally. I made a personal decision to leave AODA and simply focus on my druid path as a solitary. The experience was very helpful for me and helped clarify things for me. The essential symbol of Druidry is the circle, the grove, and yet modern Druid orders have largely set themselves up in hierarchical fashion. I found that conflict to be too important to ignore.

Over many months, through many conversations, the DOTR was formed, holding the basics of Druid respect for nature, Celtic traditions where we can know them, and the freedom to explore personal paths in mutual trust. Our order is formed around the circle. We have worked out a grove ritual which we agree to do when we gather in community, and allow each Druid to work out his/her own personal ritual when working alone.

We care for our grove and tend it, even guard it, but from the formation of the circle—not from some superior position looking down on others. Basic and essential respect is our key value.

Christopher: What are some of the things that would attract a woman, or a man, to being a Druid?

Paige: For me, the local community has been wonderful. I love having a common framework, a common language, for participating in rituals with others, and at the same time being encouraged and supported in furthering my own personal practices.

Bob: I think a man or woman drawn to the palpable language and energy of the earth, the sky and its wonders and the rhythms of the seas and who is not afraid to explore and study and create his/her own path would find in Druidry some good friends for the journey.

Christopher: Do any other set of beliefs in the world seem to share some similar ideas with the Druids? Can a person be in other Pagan and Heathen communities and also be a Druid?

Paige: Absolutely, a person can be in other Pagan or Heathen communities and also be a Druid. There are many, many different forms of Druidry. The particular type practiced by DOTR has been heavily influenced by Unitarian Universalism, especially earth-centered UUism.

Christopher: Does this new Druid Order have any events scheduled? Where can people find out about it? Where people learn more about what type of people the order accepts, its values? Is there rank or any different type of memberships?

Bob: You can visit our public ning at www.druidr3realms.ning.com. There you will find all of our basic founding documents, how to join the order, and the kind of support we offer aspirants or other druids who join us. I think we’ve addressed the issue of rank above. I will only add that while all members of our order are Druids, each Druid may take on special roles that may be temporary or long term.

For example, a Druid may designate her/himself as a Druid of Fire (or Earth, Water, Air) because of a special work that he/she is currently involved in. If a Druid has special training that lends itself to priestly ministry, we will designate him/her a Druid priest, but we recognize all Druids in our order as priests of his/her own ritual. In any given gathering of the grove, a Druid may lead as the presiding Druid and/or the ritual Priest/ess.