Christian Brunner's Druidry
Christian is a Druid in the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids (OBOD) based in England. Being a Druid means quite a lot of things, but first and foremost, Druidry is a service to the community.
As a Bard, which is also the first grade-level of the OBOD, Christian's creative side comes into play. Not only has he been a painter for decades, he is also the author of a few books on what could be called "Magic".
- The first book was the novel "Fliegenpilz". This contemporary story, so far only available in German, is about a young man's journey from a seemingly incurable disease to healing and eventually to his own initiation as a spiritual healer, a shaman.
- "Fliegenpilz" was followed by a non-fiction work with the original German title "Mutter Percht und Mistelzweig - Schamanische Praxis in den Keltischen Alpen", which is now also available in English under "Mountain Magic - Celtic Shamanism in the Austrian Alps". The book explores traces of the Celtic and possibly even older Alpine cultures, as they are still present in the folk stories and the trudional customs in these Mountains.
- Another German-only volume is a cookbook, "Steinkreis, Stosupp,n und Grüner Veltliner" which Christian co-authored with his late father Reinhard Brunner. The book contains eight three-course menus for each festival of the Pagan Wheel of the year.
Christian is also an Ovate, which is the part of Druidry that is, among other things, concerned with Healing and Divination.
- Much of the healing work is based on ancient methods that anthropologists describe as "shamanism". This is a vague technical term that indicates that the practitioner seeks answers to their clients' questions in the dimension of the Otherworld. Similar to the general theme of his books, Christian uses mainly Alpine traditions in this healing work, even though the basics are the well-known techniques of Extraction and Soul retrieval. Herbal remedies such as self-made teas, tinctures, and lotions, as well as custom-tailored incense for healing and cleansing are as much part of the healing work as are crystals and ancient spells.
- For Divination, Christian looks at that what's hidden, using mainly Ogham staves, a set of rabbit bones, the good old crystal ball, and sometimes Tarot cards.
And finally, there is the work of the Druid. Here, Christian puts all his knowledge and skills of a Bard and Ovate to work as a Spiritual Counsellor, and a as a Druid Celebrant.
- Sometimes, there is not so much need for healing, but rather for guidance and inspiration. As a Druid, Christian counsels his clients in finding the right job, the right partner, or in handling any difficult situation where one can find themselves stuck. Divination, astrology, and creative rituals are explored to find solutions to all kinds of problems, big or small. In all these instances, it is often the overseen spiritual aspect that hinders progress, even when the process itself is mundane such as selling a house or starting a business. And a little bit of "Magic" can certainly be helpful.
- As a Druid Celebrant, Christian can officiate all kinds of ceremonies and rites, from naming a baby to celebrating Coming of Age, dedications of places and pieces of art, blessings of homes, gardens, or offices, and the spiritual services at a funeral. One of Christian's favorite rites is the wedding or hand-fasting, and he is registered to officiate legal weddings in Massachusetts.