Tag: Polytheistic Monasticism

The Challenges of Taking a Polytheistic Monastic Name

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In the mainstream religions it is traditional for monastics to take a monastic name when they are ordained into a monastery on taking their vows.

When Christians monks and nuns take temporary vows they take a new name. This must be the name of a saint, monastic or Old Testament figure. The name is preceded by ‘brother’ or ‘sister’ as they see each other as family. For example Brother David, Sister Mary, Brother John. Three choices are handed to the Abbot who makes the final decision on the name.

Buddhist monastics are given a Dharma name, usually by the head of the monastery or by their teacher, and may have several different names during a lifetime. For example Shinran’s first name was Matsuwakamaru and his other monastic names were Hanen, Shakku, Zenshin, Gutoku Shinran and Kenshin Daeshi.

In Hindiusm monastics also take a new name when initiated by a guru. For example Paramahansa Yogananda was born Mukunda Lal Ghosh.

When a monastic name is taken it symbolises giving up one’s old identity, wealth and ties with family and friends to enter the community of the monastery. One’s secular life is renounced for a religious life.

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Modern Polytheism began to emerge in the 1960s and to grow in the 1990s. Polytheistic monasticism has developed more recently with the first book, Polytheistic Monasticism: Voices from the Pagan Cloisters, published in 2022. It has precedents in Pagan and Druidic monasticism.

The only physical Pagan monastery in existence is the Matreum of Cybele. Online Druidic monastic organisations include the Order of the Sacred Nemeton and Gnostic Celtic Church Monastery. Unfortunately I couldn’t find any information on their websites about whether monastics are required to take a monastic name or if they renounce their former life in any way.

In Paganism, more widely, it is common to take a craft name or magical name. This can be chosen through contemplating which animals, herbs, myths and Deities one has an affinity with or can be gifted by the Gods and spirits. Some well known examples are Greywolf, Starhawk, Bobcat, Robin Herne and Nimue Brown. This is used in the Pagan community and does not involve changing one’s identity and ties with secular sociey in which one’s regular name is retained.

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I am a Brythonic Polytheist and received my monastic name from my patron God, Gwyn ap Nudd, before I took vows as a nun. It started as a joke. Lockdown reawakened my longings for a monastic life. I’m an incredibly impatient person and, when I was being impatient with the weeds, Gwyn chided me, “Sister Patience.” I took it as a challenge, telling him “I will become Sister Patience.” It was a self-fulfilling prophecy for three years later I founded the Monastery of Annwn and took vows by that name.

For me the shift in name and identity from Lorna Smithers to Sister Patience has been a gradual one. I first started using my monastic name in the monastery only, then, as I began to change and grow to own it, I renamed my blog ‘The Cell of Sister Patience’ using it more widely in online spaces.

In February 2024 I was faced with the decision of whether to return to a regular job, which would have meant staying as Lorna Smithers and likely returning to old habits like shopping and drinking due to the stress and having more money, or to fully commit to a monastic life as Sister Patience.

My ability to choose the latter was made possible by mum offering to support me financially if my savings run out before I have found a way of supporting myself through a combination of writing and spiritual work.

This gave me the security to take the step of using my monastic name in all my communities, keeping my birth name only for financial and legal purposes.

It hasn’t been an easy process. Everyone who knows me knows I’m very impatient, thus Sister Patience would be the last name they would call me. My mum’s first reaction was, “I’m not calling you that!” before I explained. She still keeps calling me Lorna or, bizarrely, Beatrice, but is getting better. My dad won’t use it. My uncle on my mum’s side and his partner have been accepting. Most of my friends and the horticultural groups I volunteer with along with my personal trainer at the gym have been supportive. 

As a polytheistic monastic without a physical monastery it is impossible for me to make the break with the secular world made by other monastics. Ethically I am currently unable to make such a break as my eldery parents are dependent on me for support around the house and in the garden. 

Instead I strive to live as monastically as I can considering my circumstances. I serve my Gods through my spiritual practices and creativity and treat my room as a monastic cell and my home and garden as a monastery. My engagement with the wider world is limited to occassionally seeing friends for a walk and / or a brew and to attending spiritual groups. I don’t use social media and limit my online time to engaging with others for spiritual discussions and research for my writing along with learning yoga.

Taking a monastic name hasn’t changed how I am around people. I’m not putting on airs and graces. I’m not pretending to be something I’m not. I still swear. I still get angry. I still get impatient. But, looking back, not quite so much. There is power in taking a name and perhaps, one day, I will live up to it.

Defining my Role as a Nun of Annwn

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At the Monastery of Annwn we do not have a set definition of the role of a monastic devotee or any rules except to follow the Rule of the Heart (1). Our ethos is egalitarian and our paths are fluid and led by the Gods and spirits. However, as I step into deeper commitment to becoming a nun of Annwn, I feel drawn to define my personal role.

What is a Polytheistic Monastic?

I will begin by citing the existing definition of a polytheistic monastic from Janet Munin in Polytheistic Monasticism: Voices from the Pagan Cloisters.

‘Monastics are those who have taken solemn vows to live centred on their relationship with one or more Holy Power. Anything which impedes or compromises that relationship is left behind or minimised as much as possible. They are renunciates, offering up wealth, social status, a conventional career, and family life on the altar of devotion.’

This is echoed and expanded upon later on: 

‘The monastic’s life is focused on devotion to one or more Holy Powers, usually formalised with vows. Because of this focus, the monastic practices some agree of asceticism, removing distractions to spiritual life which are taken for granted by others: wealth acquisition, social life, social media consumption, etc.

‘The monastic lives according to a Rule or other structure which supports and reinforces their vowed life. Some of these are formal, breaking each day and season down into deliberate, repetitive order. Contemplation, prayer, study, worship, chores, rest and recreation all have a place and are engaged in deliberately, at the appropriate time. Others are less formal and detailed, but still serve as a mindful framework for the monastic’s daily life.’ 

Here we see, first and foremost, what defines a polytheistic monastic is leading a life of devotion centred on one or more Deities formalised by vows. For me this perfectly defines the heart of polytheistic monasticism. I’m also in agreement with the description of living by a rule and leading a structured life.

I agree a little less with the stress on renunciation. This is because renunication is a negative word. Its origins lie in the Latin renuntiare ‘protest against’. It carries overtones of negativity and against-ness and in my experience acting against most often causes undue conflict and waste of energy.

I propose instead a different word, ‘sacrifice’, which might sound more extreme with its connotations of offering one’s most precious things, desires, ambitions, at the most extreme end one’s life to the Gods. Yet, when we look at the root of the word we find a more positive sense than renouncing or giving up. The term originates from sacer ‘holy’ (2) and facere ‘to make, do’. Thus to sacrifice is to make holy all aspects of our lives for the Gods.

I do not agree, particularly when at present polytheistic monastics do not have the support of fellow devotees in a physical monastery, that it is healthy to renounce ties to family and friends unless they are insurmountable impediments to a monastic life. I think, instead, we should strive to sacredise these relationships and bring our devotion and inspiration into the lives of others.

I do agree that the rules and norms of modern capitalist Western society (ie. consumerism which brings about the exploitation of the earth and the underworld and social media which causes distractions that prevent communion with the Gods and the Deep) should be renounced because they are antithetical to the sacred and cannnot possibly be sacredised.

My personal working definition of a polytheistic monastic is as follows:

‘A polytheistic monastic leads a life centred on devotion to one or more Deities formalised by vows. This is supported by a rule and the order and discipline of daily, monthly and seasonal practices including prayer, meditation and ritual. It is a life of sacrifice, in the sense of making holy all acts and relationships as an offering to the Gods.’ 

What is a Monastic Devotee of Annwn?

When I founded the Monastery of Annwn in 2022 its main purpose was to provide ‘a virtual space and place of sanctuary for those who worship and serve the Gods and Goddesses of Annwn’.

This has been achieved. We number twelve members with several living under vows. We communicate through a private forum and have a monthly online check-in and run open online meditations and seasonal rituals.

We are bound as a monastery by our Nine Vows and the Rule of the Heart, along with daily and monthly prayers (many of which have been co-written and include a new moon prayer and a novena practice over the full moon) and our ritual year based around the mythos of our patron God, Gwyn ap Nudd.

Where Annuvian monasticism differs from more traditional forms is its combination of contemplative and meditative practices with the shamanic and ecstatic practices of spiritwork and journeying to Annwn. Devotional creativity, questing and sharing awen ‘inspiration’, is also central.

Whereas communication with underworld Gods and spirits and ancestors and artistic expression along with physical exercise are banned or restricted in other traditions these are encouraged in our monastery as sacred.

My personal working definition of a monastic devotee of Annwn is as follows: 

‘A monastic devotee of Annwn leads a life centred on devotion to one or more Gods and Goddesses of Annwn formalised by Nine Vows and the Rule of the Heart. Life is structured by daily and monthly prayers and seasonal rituals. By a balance of contemplative and shamanic practices (3) sacred relationships are formed with all beings in the world and the spirits of the Deep. Each devotee is an awenydd, questing awen, and sharing it in community.’ (4)

What is my role as a Nun of Annwn?

I see my role as a nun of Annwn as having many aspects. These have shown themselves as I have walked my path, from serving an apprenticeship to Gwyn as an awenydd, taking lifelong vows to Him, to becoming a nun. 

Devotee – At the heart of my path lies my devotion to Gwyn and I also venerate His family and my local river Goddess and spirits and the ancestors.

Inspired One – I first served Gwyn and other Brythonic deities and the spirits of my local landscape as an inspired poet and storyteller bringing their little-known myths and tales back to the world. This has changed slightly since I became a nun for I now primarily create devotional poems, songs and art.

Spiritworker – When I met Gwyn He taught me to journey in spirit with Him to Annwn and introduced me to the spirits of His magical realm. This is an ongoing process of building relationships and deepening into mystery. I also strive to build good relationships with the spirits of my home, garden, and local land. My ancestral guide is Orddu. With her I am learning to speak with the voices of spirits as recorded by Gerald of Wales amongst the awenyddion.

Wisdom-Keeper – This refers to my researching and sharing Annuvian lore.

Strong Vessel – For the strength to hold the awen I maintain the disciplines of a regular meditation practice including breathwork and physical exercise such as running and strength training along with yoga which combines both.

Guide of Souls – This is a newer role which Gwyn told me I must step into when I took initial vows. I have already been fulfilling it and continue to do so by my writing. More formally I have begun offering one-to-one soul guidance sessions for other people. I occassionally act as a guide to those passing through the Otherworld and between worlds too.

Sacristan – I first came across this term in the work of of fellow polytheistic Danica Swanson who runs Black Stone Sanctuary (5) but only recently realised it fits my vocation. For me it refers to someone who tends sacred spaces. I see it to include my altars and monastic cell and to be expandable to my home and garden (which I am striving to treat as a monastery). I also see it to relate to my work building and administering the Monastery of Annwn and to co-organising and often leading rituals and meditations.

In each of these roles I serve Gwyn and the Spirit of the Monastery. Although one or more might come to the forefront at certain times and others be backgrounded they are all inspired by the breath of awen and heartbeat of Annwn. I expect there to be more challenges and changes as I grow into the role.

(1) To follow our hearts in alignment with the heart of Annwn.
(2) When I saw sacre translated as ‘holy’ it made me smile as Gwyn’s name means ‘white, blessed, holy’ and I like to think when we sacrifice, when we make sacred, we make things a little more Gwyn. 
(3) I first saw the terms ‘contemplative and shamanic’ used together to describe the way of Mycogenous Dionysus by Dver and thought how well this fits with Annuvian monasticism too. https://forestdoor.wordpress.com/2023/10/02/mycogenous/
(4) Community can be human and / or other-than human.
(5) https://blackstonesanctuary.substack.com/

A Monastic Cell

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A monastic cell should be a santuary and not a prison.

I’m not the kind of nun who bricks herself in 
(although those who do might find 
a greater freedom). 

I am a nun with a horse within who likes to run, 
hounds to hunt, crows to converse with the living and dead.

I caretake this space as a cell within the body
of this place, of this world, of this universe, of Annwn.

I listen for the heartbeat and obey only the Rule of the Heart.

Creiddylad Arrives

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Creiddylad arrives brings the morning.
She is here, She is here, She is here.

Creiddylad arrives brings the birdsong.
She is here, She is here, She is here.

Creiddylad arrives brings the flowers.
She is here, She is here, She is here.

A monastic chant for Creiddylad, a Brythonic Goddess of flowers and fertility, as Her presence is felt in the land again with Her arrival heralding the coming of spring.

Twelve Days of Devotion to Gwyn ap Nudd – The Birth of Gwyn

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Over the twelve days of devotion (25th of December to 6th of January) I focused on the birth of Gwyn and was guided through a series of practices. I was called to chant, sing, meditate, draw and embody Gwyn and His mother, Anrhuna. On this last day I bring them together to share as an offering to Him and to my online community hoping it will inspire others to delve more deeply into the mysteries of His birth in the future.

Mam Annwfn

Chant: Mam o mam o mam o mam o mam o man Annwfn.

Embodiment practice*: Lying in a modified version of Suptka Baddha Konasana (reclining bound angle pose) with left hand on heart and right hand on belly.

Meditation 1: I am the Deep and I am its mother.

Meditation 2: My heart and His heart beating as one.

Unborn Gwyn

Chant: Gwyn heb ei eini, Gwyn fettws, Gwyn breuddwydio, Gwyn dreaming, foetal Gwyn, unborn Gwyn.

Embodiment practice: Lying in Parsva Savasana (side corpse pose or foetal position). 

Meditation 1: I dream the universe.

Meditation 2: I am promise.

Birth

Meditation 1: 

Where shall I birth You 
into the world, 
my son, my king, 
my patron, my muse, 
my inspiration, my truth? 

Meditation 2: 

A mother’s longest hours 
like mountains, heaving belly, knees bent, 
reaching the peak, screaming, running down holding a baby
knowing prophecy is born in moments of pain,
the first cry of an infant mouth.

She Holds Her Son

Song: 

She holds Her son 
between space and time
in the place that’s Hers
and His and mine.

The Newborn

Meditation 1:

Born with a laugh 
to change the world
wise a changeling 
speaking in riddles
comes a newborn
to break all the rules.

He sings:

Hear the heartbeat, hear the drumbeat, hear the call.
Feel the heartbeat, feel the drumbeat stir your soul. 

Sing, chant, dance, drum with newborn Gwyn and the shadow nuns. 

WE ARE REBORN
here, now, in this moment, always, forever.

Inspiration

No-one knows the day or hour of Your birth because You were born before the universe.

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You have as many births as the facets on your jewel – their number is infinite.

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The geni in ca fi’n geni ‘I am born’ stems from the Proto-Indo-European root *gene that gives us ‘genesis’. With You, with each child, a universe is born. 

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Each of us contains a universe, like a cauldron, and it’s only when our cauldrons crack and the relationships between the constellations of our presuppositions break down we perceive the sea of stars, the darkness of the Deep, the vastness of Annwfn, the Abyss, the Void. 

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Floating on the starry tide, the infinite waters, You are always being born.

*I have been drawn to use yoga poses in my practice on the basis of gnosis about shared Indo-European origins of Brythonic polytheism and Hinduism. I have found likenesses between Anrhuna and the Hindu Goddess of primordial waters, Danu, who gave birth to the dragon, Vritra, and the Davanas. Gwyn shares many similarities with Shiva.

Review – Polytheistic Monasticism edited by Janet Munin

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This is the third time I have read this book. The first was when I was asked to write an endorsement for it prior to publication around 2019. The second was on publication in 2021. This third time round I am re-reading it to refamiliarise myself with the foundations of the movement and for inspiration.

In her introduction editor Janet Munin defines polytheism as ‘the worship of more than one Deity or Holy Power’ and polytheistic monastics as ‘those who take solemn vows to live centred on their relationship with one or more Holy Power.’ For me this definition describing centring one’s life on one or more Deity under vows captures perfectly the core of polytheistic monasticism.

Common features of monastic life are listed as living by a Rule, taking vows and structuring time. Living a devotional life necessitates the renunciation of distractions such as ‘wealth acquisition, social life, media consumption’.

Nine essays from polytheistic monastics* follow. The first two cover the topic of callings. Aine Llewellyn’s short piece was very relatable as they speak about being called to throughly orientate their life around their Gods but finding no existing structures and not feeling monastic enough before returning ‘eyes clearer,’ ‘mind tempered,’ ‘heart opened’. Kimberley Kirner tells of being called by the spirits but not to the priesthood and notes the differences between these vocations – being inward and outward looking, one serving the spirits first and community second and the other vice versa. 

Julie Bond, an early pioneer, describes how she began developing a druidic monastic practice in the 1990s before taking formal vows with the Order of the Sacred Nemeton in 2012. She speaks of developing a system of daily observance based around set times of day and their correspondences, keeping seasonal festivals, a breviary, and adopting a habit.

John Michael Greer shares the story of the conception of the Gnostic Celtic Church Monastery centring on the Rule of Awen and the Hermitage of the Heart. Patricia Christmas is interviewed about being the resident votary at Harvest Home Hermitage and her spiritual and physical work on its 0.8 acre plot.

Danica Swanson speaks of her development of the Blackstone Sanctuary as a place of worship for a number of Norse Goddesses and for a variety of monastic practices including incubation retreats. The rule is ‘Follow the Ways of Non-Contrivance’. Swanson’s principle of ‘sacred endarkment’ – ‘holding respectful space for beings and places of holy darkness’ resonated deeply with me as a nun of Annwn. Her words about an initiation involving a mystical encounter with ‘the Void, the Abyss’ and the need for spaces where we can engage with such states deliberately felt very important and wise.

Rebecca Korvo focuses on reclaiming ‘the custody of the eye’ as a method for ‘pushing out the unholy and toxic’ and turning our attention to the Gods.

Syren Nagakyrie describes polytheistic monasticism as a ‘revolutionary vision’. She speaks of it as a form of resistance to ‘the exploitation of time and labour’, ‘disenchantment’, ‘oppression and devaluation of all beings’ and ‘extraction from the earth’ by ‘making every day sacred’.

Within these pages polytheistic monasticism is covered from a number of angles. As I said in my endorsement it is ‘a defining and much-needed book’. Three reads through I would still highly recommend it as the go-to publication for all people interested in the topic and to practicing pagan and polytheistic monastics who are seeking inspiration from like minds.

As the movement develops with more monastics being called and with online communities such as the Cloister** this book will continue to guide the way.

*With the exception of John Michael Greer.
**https://cloister.bone.blue

Meditating Gwyn – The Inspirer

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My breath with Your breath,
my heart with Your heart,
my feet on Your path,
You and I as one.

This piece of devotional art represents a face of my patron God, Gwyn ap Nudd, who I know as Meditating Gwyn and the Inspirer. Gwyn first appeared to me in this form when I started to take seated breathing meditation seriously after finding techniques that worked for me from yoga.

Several years ago I received the gnosis that the meditating deity on the Gundestrup Cauldron is likely to be Gwyn (who may also be Cernunnos ‘Horned’ by another title) and Gwyn’s appearance in this guise confirmed it.

I had not thought of Gwyn, as a warrior-hunter God who gathers the souls of the dead, as being associated with meditation until He took this apparel. Yet it made sense in terms of my experience of Him paradoxically being not only the storm of the Wild Hunt but the calm at the heart of the storm. It also ties in with His likeness with Shiva, the Hindu Lord of Yoga, with them both being creator-destroyers with connections with bulls and snakes/serpents depicted in similar poses.

Since then Gwyn has continued appearing to me in this guise when I meditate, helping me to align my breath with His breath, my heart with His heart, keep my feet on His path and enter union with Him.

Whilst this image resembles the image on the Gundestrup Cauldron in many ways, it differs in others. You will probably notice Gwyn’s antlers don’t look like real antlers. They look more like radio antennas. I asked Him about that and He said it represents His ability, when meditating, to tune into what is happening in Thisworld and the Otherworld and sense the deaths of those whose souls He needs to gather.

Gwyn and the serpents have jewels in their foreheads. This addition has come to me in personal gnosis as I’ve journeyed with Him into the deep past, before the world was created, before humans, when He lived in Annwn amongst serpents. He and the serpents all had these magical jewels. I found no evidence of this for a long while until I saw a bronze head with a forehead jewel from Furness, Lancashire in Pagan Celtic Britain. I then learnt the serpent associated with Shiva, Nandi, has a magical forehead jewel. There are also three jewels in Gwyn’s belt which, to me, are the three stars in the belt of His constellation, the Hunter (Orion).

He wanted hair. Although Gwyn is not pictured on a cauldron I kept His silver-grey apparel as I see Him as having grey skin in His more primordial form (Creiddylad has green skin, Nodens/Nudd blue, Anrhuna grey) which I later realised fits with representations of the Gods in the Hindu and Buddhist yogic traditions.

This image on the Gundestrup Cauldron has also been associated with awenyddion ‘people inspired’ who likely used meditation and journeywork to travel to Annwn to bring back inspiration for their poetry. I see it as an image of Gwyn as the Inspirer which can be imitated by His Inspired Ones.

Vow Beads

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Last week, in preparation for taking or retaking vows at the Monastery of Annwn, one of our monastic devotees led an online prayer beading session threading beads relating to our nine vows.

I received my first set of beautifully crafted prayer beads from my friend, Aurora J Stone, as a gift for taking my initial vows. I use this set to connect more deeply with Gwyn and the mysteries of Annwn.

Therefore I decided to make a simpler set to represent the vows. I chose nine wooden beads from a local supplier, with knots between them, and added the pendants of my winged horse and Annuvian hound spirits (which had lost their original ‘home’ as the necklace I wore them on had broken). For me this represented a physical binding, with the black cotton string, of my monastic vows with my spirit guides.

I am hoping that, together, they will guide me through the next three years of my temporary vows. I will be consecrating them when I take those vows on the new moon on Saturday.

On Not Feeling Monastic Enough

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During my discernment process around my temporary vows I have been struggling with not feeling monastic enough. Worrying our vows at the Monastery of Annwn are too ‘lite’. That I haven’t suffered enough, sacrificed enough, that my life of devotional creativity is too much like fun.

Reflecting on whether my life is monastic enough in relation to other traditions such as Benedictine and Carmelite Christians who pray Divine Office seven times a day I asked Gwyn by divination whether He is happy for me to continue focusing on devotional creativity or if he wanted me to give up more of my time to regulated prayer. I received the following answer.

For myself as querent (centre) I got 7 of Arrows Insecurity. This suggested my asking this question is based on insecurities around not feeling monastic enough.

For creativity (left) I first got Ace of Arrows – The Breath of Life. A clear sign this is where my inspiration lies. Secondly 1. The Shaman. A powerful card showing I must continue to bring wisdom from the Otherworld through my writing. Thirdly King of Bows – Adder representing magical and serpentine energies and the snakes and serpents prominent in my books. 

For shifting focus to contemplative prayer in a formal monastic way I first got 7 of Vessels – Mourning. This shows I am mourning having no existing tradition to follow in relation to my questions about spiritual direction. Secondly 2 of Vessels – Attraction. Rather than looking to more formal traditions I should keep my focus on the relationship between Gwyn (the stag-headed man) and Creiddylad (the horse-headed woman) and their relationship and the Heart of Annwn. Thirdly 8. Stag. I should remain focused on Gwyn and my shamanistic path as an awenydd (represented by stag and drum).

Shortly afterwards Gwyn asked me why, when I have my devotional relationship with Him and all the Otherworld to explore, I’m hankering after Christianity for guidance rather than asking Him and journeying for answers. He asked me to give up looking to Christianity and I agreed. 

A scary thing about this was when I was researching Christian prayer my horse and hound spirits disappeared from my life and I didn’t notice until I made my agreement with Gwyn and they returned to me afterwards on my run.

On further reflection I have been thinking about how the restrictions and rules of Christianity drive us towards physical and mental self-flagellation and cutting off parts of ourselves, in acts of martyrdom, in aspiration to saint-like ideals. Not good particularly if you’ve got a history of self-harm.

In contrast shamanistic traditions encourage us to be whole. To recover the soul parts we have cut off, that have been cut off from us through centuries of Christianity and more recently by industrialisation, rationalism, science, capitalism. 

To undo our internalisation of harmful social constructs and to heal. 

Our environmental crisis is underpinned by one of spiritual crisis. As Paul Francis describes it ‘an epidemic of soul loss’*. Our being cut off from the land and its spirits and the Gods has led to the hegemony of the exploitative world view that has allowed the ravaging of the earth that has brought about climate change to happen.

These insights have led me to see that if I am to be a polytheistic monastic and have a leading role in the development of the Monastery of Annwn I must put aside existing ideals that are harmful and focus on those that help us heal.

My work in relation to soul loss is reclaiming the myths of the deities of Annwn (the Brythonic Otherworld/Underworld) from demonisation by Christianity. Exposing the wounds and also working towards healing them.

Thus filling the myth-shaped and God-shaped holes**, the voids at the heart of modernity, that drive our endless consumption and consumerism.

Is this monastic enough? Is this monasticism? Perhaps not as we know it. 

Yet Gwyn has told me I am a nun of Annwn and this ‘title’ refers to my depth of devotion and service to Him. That it is fitting for one who lives a life centred on Him and to the awen from His cauldron.

I feel that in my soul I have always been a nun and this essential part of my being has been denied to me by society and my internalisation of society’s norms and accepting and becoming it is now the core of my journey.

*In his video on ‘Soul Loss and Soul Retrieval’ HERE.
**Terms used by myth teller Martin Shaw in a number of his video appearances on Youtube.

Nun of Annwn Daily Routine

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This is the daily routine I have been keeping as a nun of Annwn since taking my initial vows. My living at my parents’ house off savings from environmental work makes it possible for me to live a full time monastic life centred on devotional creativity in service to my patron God, Gwyn ap Nudd.

Weekdays

4am Get up and breakfast

4.30am Morning devotions and meditation

5.30am Devotional creativity – work on The King of Annwn Cycle

7.30am Run or gym, shower, snack

9.30am  Devotional creativity – work on The King of Annwn Cycle

12 noon Lunch

12.30 Devotional creativity – work on The King of Annwn Cycle

2.30pm Housework / gardening / outdoor volunteering / walk

4.30pm Bath

5.00pm Tea

6.00pm Reading – Fantasy / Myth

6.45pm Yoga

7.15pm Evening devotions

8.00pm Bed

*On a Wednesday morning in my 5.30am slot I check emails, the Monastery of Annwn forum and sometimes post on my blog.

Weekends

Saturday – Outward facing

4am Get up and breakfast

4.30am Morning devotions and meditation

5.30am Monastery of Annwn, emails, work on blog / internet catchup

7.30am Long run, shower, snack

10.00am  Work on blog / internet catchup

12 noon Lunch

12.30  Work on blog / internet catchup

1.00pm Meal planning and food shopping

3.00pm Meditation in garden / drumming / journeywork

5.00pm Tea

6.00pm Reading – Fantasy / Myth

6.45pm Yoga

7.15pm Evening devotions

8.00pm Bed

Sunday – Inward Facing

4am Get up and breakfast

4.30am Morning devotions and meditation

5.30am Prayer with beads and divination / journeywork

8.00am Yoga and snack

9.00am Devotional creativity – poems, songs, art

10.00am Housework

12 noon Lunch

12.30 Reading – Myth / Spiritual

2.30pm Sacred walk to Fairy Lane

4.30pm Bath

5.00pm Tea

6.00pm Reading – Fantasy / Myth

6.45pm Yoga

7.15pm Evening devotions

8.00pm Bed

In preparation for taking my vows one of my spirit guides instructed me to draw a map of the essential parts of my life as a nun of Annwn I intend to carry with me through the next three years.