To Dawdle is to Enjoy

        I'm sure we've all heard someone tell us "stop dawdling, you're going to be late" at some point in our life. I certainly have. The definition of dawdle is "waste time; be slow" or "move slowly and idly" As someone with ADHD, dawdling is a fact of life for me, but in truth, everyone should dawdle mindfully. 

    Dawdle mindfully? Yes. 

    Take your time in getting from point A to B. Don't worry about how long it takes to get there, just enjoy the adventure and seek out all you can. Life is nothing but one big adventure anyway, so why not enjoy it? 

    My path has gone all over the place and has led me through many belief systems, and helped me to cross paths with all kinds of people -  some I am still in contact with, others chose a different path. I absolutely love reading and studying about different beliefs and religions and all their different traditions. I also find it interesting to learn about their rituals and traditions. 

    Dawdling through life led me to my current path - the path of the Druid. 

    Druidism has been around for a very long time, quite possibly longer than anyone could imagine. Unfortunately, much of the history was erased when Christianity came onto the scene, but there has been a growth recently of people rejoining the Druid way of life. 

    Druidism can be spiritual or religious. You can worship one, many, or no deities at all. Druidism mainly emphasizes on the connection to nature and all living things. The Druids of old were a high-ranking class of religious leaders, judges, and teachers in the ancient Celtic societies. They were known as great spiritual practitioners. They believed nature was sacred and divine, and that every part of nature was connected to this wonderful web of life. They would practice rituals that revolved around the changing of the seasons - spring equinox, summer solstice, autumn equinox, and winter solstice. 

    Whereas, modern Druids are no longer advisors to Kings, Queens, and Chieftains, they are still in very high regard in certain circles. Some practice with their Order, others prefer a solitary practice - often referred to as Hedge Druids. 

    For me, being a Druid is about regaining that deep connection to nature. It's something so basic that so many people have lost. In connecting back to nature, we can relieve many of today's ailments, either by mindfulness or the re-learning of using the medicinal gifts nature has given to us. I absolutely still rely on modern medicine and sciences, but so many medicines have failed me with things like my anxiety. Where modern medicine failed, nature has thrived. If I'm feeling overly anxious, or have just had a really bad day, I can go outside, stick my bare feet on the ground and just walk around, grounding, and sending all that negative energy and thoughts into the earth to be transmuted into something good. The use of herbs has also been beneficial in helping me through this world of man-made chaos. However, the one thing that has helped me to enjoy life again is dawdling. 

    Dawdling helped me discover my Druid path, it helped me discover new knowledge, and it has helped me truly enjoy things. Now, don't go dawdling all the time and make yourself late to important events, but when appropriate, dawdle away. Take time to enjoy the scenery, let your imagination take flight. When we dawdle, we allow ourselves to slow down, and in slowing down we can become more self-aware of ourselves, nature, and what is around us... and we can actually enjoy it. 

    I encourage everyone to dawdle, even if it's just for a moment, because to dawdle is to enjoy.