Green Priestcraft: Becoming a Chaplain of Creation

How do we pray for and with the trees?

Almost every traditional culture around the globe has some form of “person whose job it is to pray”.  Whether that is a priestess, a shaman, an imam, a druid, a rabbi, a witch, an elder, a minister … these are the people who take seriously the need to care for the inner life of those in their communities.  Green Priestcraft takes this basic concept and extends it to our spiritual relationships with the more-than-human creatures around us.  But what might that possibly mean? How do we pray for and with the trees?  How do we bless the land and the waters?  How do we become “Chaplains of Creation”?  Those are the questions which lead us into this day.

This daylong workshop will introduce participants to some basic tools and practices of spiritual and ritual care for the Earth. Drawing on his extensive work in Christian Animism and Druidry, Rev. Shawn will explore a spiritual cosmology which sees the Creation as “teeming with neighbours … only some of whom are human.” Expect to have your curiosity awakened and your sense of “self” gently stretched, as we peer into a cosmos which is more sentient than we ever imagined!

Schedule:

10:00am

• Our day begins with a meditation and sharing circle to get to know each other, and to learn about the cosmology which supports Green Priestcraft.
• The morning continues with an exploration of the steps needed to find one’s “parish” and learn what a chaplain of creation actually does on a day to day basis.

12:00pm

• After lunch , participants are invited to walk, move, and/or meditate on the possibilities of their own green parish and grove, with an opportunity to share their insights.

1:30 – 3:30pm

• The afternoon is devoted to learning three of the basic skills of Green Priestcraft: calling a circle, kything, and blessing.

3:30 – 4:30pm

• We close the day with a ceremony and sharing circle, and a chance to socialize afterwards. 

“Zoom breaks” will be provided thoughout the day!  And do remember: all times are PST.

This will be a great workshop for those whose passionate love of creation, fervent faith in the Creator, and abiding sense of enchantment come together as we move from creation-care to creation-prayer. Participants will learn how to identify their own “parish and parishioners” (home-place and neighbour-kin) in the natural world around them, discover how to create a sacred grove, and explore the deep mysteries of kything (a technique of deep spiritual communion, communication, and blessing) within our more-than-human family.