Last Sunday I joined friends in a Native American (style) drum making workshop. It was an interesting day, to say the least. But at the end of it, I came home with a gorgeous drum! Canadian Cedar hoop and Raw Deer Hide from wild Australian deer.

Throughout the making of it I asked my Patron Herne the Hunter to lend his energy and to bless the drum. Being made from deer, I thought this was a good honouring of both the deer and Herne.

It’s taken several days for it to dry, and each day I have blessed the drum with sage, later adding rosemary, and asking for Herne to continue to bless it. Of a night I have laid crystals upon it, namely fluorite and mookaite, to lend their energies to the drum.

There is a reason for those stones, but intuition is telling me not to go into it.

Today was the seventh day of blessings. I rose early, as there were a number of things I needed to do before the final blessing and beating of this, something I’ve been waiting to do!

I made myself a pendant. It’s my new-style Tree of Life pendants with Mookaite chips. Again, I’m not allowed to go into the story behind the choosing of this stone. But this is to be a ritual-only piece of jewellery. Taking three hours to make, I watched Merlin for entertainment.

While the glue was drying (to hold the wire so it doesn’t catch or move around on the circle) I began adding string to the back of the drum.

I love the lacing style I chose. The three of us all chose it, but I suspect for different reasons. Apparently most women chose this lacing style because of it’s fluidity. Personally, I chose it because it reminded me of antlers.

It was suggested on the day to cover the compass points of the lacing with cotton or wool for acoustic reasons. So I did. With green.

Another few hours gone. I ended up using my fluorite wand as a spindle as it was such a small space.

But it sounds divine!

…and running barefoot through the Forest…

I know it’s Imbolc coming up, but Imbolc as August 2nd is my anniversary with my Muggle. So no Witchy things will be happening that night (however much I’m CRAVING a good ritual up at The Hill!)

Today I began part one of my three-part ritual, dedicating myself to Herne.

It was simple, but effective. I could only do so much out in the back yard, dressed in my ritual clothing, without making my rather racist neighbour want to come out and have a chat about all the ethnic groups in the area and his dislike for them. Oh yeah, we live next that THAT guy!

My newly created pendant was a gift to myself (in a manner of speaking) and a symbol of my dedication. I came inside and FINALLY played and beat the drum, much to Herne’s approval. The final installment will be a tattoo on my wrist, but that won’t happen until September.

I’ve got to be careful about how much I say from now. I tried writing an email telling a friend of the wonderful conversations I’ve been having with Herne this last week, and he made sure I knew not to send it.

I have a firm grasp of what he looks like in my head. I know the colour of his hair, his eyes, and how full his beard is.

He has a wonderfully wicked sense of humour. Leading to this Dedication to him, I asked him to give me a craft name. Through letters and a pendulum he spelt EBEABNP. I asked if he was taking the piss, and oh yes indeed he was!

This is all of our conversation that I will be sharing. It is sacred to me, and  know I need to learn to not feel the need to share ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING!

I am a Dedicant and Daughter of Herne the Hunter, and I couldn’t be happier.