The Bardic Handbook

by Manwaring, Kevan

• ISBN13: 9780906362679
• ISBN10: 0906362679
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-07-30
• Publisher: Gothic Image

Summary

This complete manual for the Twenty-First Century Bard contains all you need to know to start you on the Bardic Path. Here you will find inspiration and instruction, whether you want to dedicate yourself to the Way of Awen, or simply wish to improve your public-speaking skills and be able to express yourself with confidence. Learn how to enchant an audience with gramarye, through poetry, storytelling and songcraft, and how to use magical words to bless, honour, heal and celebrate your identity, community and cultural heritage.

Table of Contents

Preface	9	(1)
Foreword	10	(3)
Emma Restall Orr
Introduction	13	(3)
BARDIC BEGINNINGS
Using The Bardic Handbook	16	(1)
A Bardic Year: A month-by-month guide	17	(2)
Orientation: The Circle of Elements	19	(1)
Where to Begin	20	(2)
Self-evaluation	22	(1)
The Leaves of Life	23	(1)
Starting Out: A personal journey	23	(2)
Declaring your Chair	25	(2)
The Bardic Learning Cycle	27	(1)
A Bardic A-Z	28	(2)
SPIRIT
Month 1: Awakening to Bardic Awareness	30	(42)
The Nature of a Bard: Past and Present	31	(5)
The Nature of Awen	36	(5)
Creating a Bardic Space	41	(1)
The Celtic Diaspora	42	(3)
The Cauldron-Born	45	(3)
The Story of Taliesin	48	(2)
The Training of a Bard	50	(3)
The Crane Bag: Bardic Techniques and Exercises	53	(2)
The Three Illuminations: Imbas Forosnai -- the light of foresight	55	(2)
Imbolc: The Poet's Festival	57	(5)
Brighid: Goddess of the Bards	62	(2)
Praise Poems	64	(2)
End of Month Review	66	(2)
Spirits of Air	68	(4)
Month 2: Threshold Guardians	72	(22)
Gods of the Threshold	74	(3)
The Harp	77	(5)
Perpetual Choirs of Song	82	(1)
Ballads	82	(1)
The Crane Bag: Senchus -- Bardic Memory	83	(3)
Retrieving Lost Knowledge	86	(2)
Ritual Phrases	88	(2)
The Stone on the Emperor's Hand: Mnemonic Devices	90	(3)
The House of the Storyteller	93	(1)
Month 3: Twice-Born	94	(25)
Anruth Ceremony	95	(7)
Voice of the Wind	102	(3)
The Voice: Word Magic and the Uses of Gramarye	105	(2)
Colloquy	107	(3)
Riddles	110	(1)
Solar Festivals: The Equinoxes	111	(2)
Quarterly Review	113	(3)
FIRE
Spirits of Fire	116	(2)
The Fire Festivals	118	(1)
Month 4: Finding the Fire Within	119	(10)
Voice of the Fire	121	(3)
Using Passion	124	(1)
The Crane Bag: The Three Illuminations -- Teinm Laida	125	(4)
Month 5: Encountering Faerie	129	(17)
Fire in the Head: Inspiration and composition in poetry	131	(7)
Tips for Writing Poetry	138	(1)
Tips for Performing Poetry	139	(1)
Voice of the Sun	140	(5)
The Shining Ones	145	(1)
Month 6: Entering the Land of Story	146	(16)
The Lore of the Storyteller	148	(4)
Climbing the Beanstalk: Storytelling in easy stages	152	(2)
The Crane Bag: Using Archetypes	154	(2)
Lughnasadh: A Harvest of Tales	156	(2)
Six Month Review	158	(2)
Spirits of Water	160	(2)
Month 7: Connecting with the Animal Kingdom	162	(16)
The Hawk of Achill	169	(1)
Fionn and the Salmon	169	(2)
The Weir of the Twice-Born	171	(2)
Voice of the Sea	173	(2)
The Crane Bag: Tipping the Cauldron	175	(3)
Month 8: Calling The Inner Bard	178	(23)
The Crane Bag: The Inward Spiral -- the joy of solitude	181	(3)
Bard and Community	184	(3)
Marking Rites of Passage	187	(1)
Voice of the Trees	188	(3)
The Silver Branch	191	(2)
The Crane Bag: The Three Illuminations -- Dichetal do Chennaib	193	(2)
Ogham: the Celtic Tree Alphabet	195	(3)
The Crane Bag: Walking	198	(3)
Month 9: Awenyddion -- becoming an inspired one	201	(10)
Quarterly Review	205	(3)
EARTH
Spirits of Earth	208	(3)
Month 10: Your Bardic Debut	211	(15)
The Bladder Stick: Using Humour	213	(3)
The Crane Bag: Briamech Smetrach -- The Uses and Misuses of Satire	216	(1)
Voice of the Earth	217	(2)
Sitting Out: A Night on Bard Mountain	219	(3)
The Crane Bag: Dindsenchas -- stories of place	222	(4)
Month 11: The Tongue That Cannot Lie	226	(48)
Voice of the Ancestors	228	(1)
The Crane Bag: Stone Upon the Belly	229	(4)
Voice of the Stars	233	(3)
On Being a Twenty-First Century Bard	236	(1)
Voice of the World -- Relevance and Motivation	237	(3)
Finding Material	240	(3)
Brainstorming and Mindmapping	243	(2)
Breaking down the Bones	245	(1)
Visualisation	246	(2)
Inhabiting the Story	248	(1)
Structuring	249	(2)
Rehearsal	251	(1)
Direction	252	(1)
Using Music and Sound Effects	253	(1)
Using Movement	254	(1)
Improvisation	255	(1)
Persona	256	(1)
Repertoire	257	(1)
Promotion and Marketing	258	(1)
Selecting your Set and Pitching it Right	259	(1)
Working with the Space	260	(2)
Working Solo	262	(1)
Working in a Group	263	(1)
Timing	264	(1)
The Warm-Up	265	(1)
The Walk Through and Warming up the Space	266	(1)
Audience Participation	267	(2)
Working with Interruptions	269	(1)
Multi-media	270	(1)
Reciprocation and Remuneration	271	(2)
Documentation	273	(1)
Closure and Follow-up	273	(1)
Month 12: A Bardic Life	274	(36)
A Year and a Day: Accepting your Bardic Chair	278	(2)
Quarterly Review	280	(1)
Final Review	281	(1)
Final Feedback Form	281	(2)
Certificate of Bardic Initiation	283	(2)
APPENDICES
The Wheel of the Year-diagram	285	(1)
Bardic Reading List	286	(2)
Contacts	288	(2)
A Brief Bardic Glossary	290	(2)
The Shining Word -- diagram	292	(1)
British and Irish Gods and Goddesses	293	(1)
Eco-Bardic Principles	294	(1)
Eisteddfod	295	(2)
Setting up and Running a Bardic Chair	297	(2)
British Bardic Chairs	299	(1)
Case Study of a Modern Bardic Chair	300	(1)
The Role of the Chaired Bard	301	(1)
Running a Bardic Circle	302	(2)
`The Dialogue of the Two Sages', version by Robin Williamson	304	(6)
Index	310