Post by ladyanastasia on Apr 14, 2008 18:18:22 GMT -5
From the Druid Animal Oracle
Wren-Drui-en: Humility, Cunning, God
Drui-en allows us to glimpse the beauty of God or Goddess in all things. He tells us that “small is beautiful,” and that self-realization lies not in grandiosity or apparent power, but in humility, gentleness and subtlety.
Cunning, if tempered with humor and good intent, is a way of achieving great things with an economy of effort, and a rational and honest use of achievements of others.
Drawn reversed, this could mean that you need to look at whether your humility and gentleness actually render you invisible to others. Are they your way of defending yourself from life and from others, rather than facing life and it’s difficulties?
Perhaps you also need to look at how you use your cunning, your native wit., it is easy for the habit of building on the work of others to become a dishonest exploitation of others’ achievements, just as it is easy for cunning to become malign rather than benign.
Remember that the story of the Wren and Eagle can also be interpreted in a way that sees the wren as a cheeky and dishonest “upstart” who naively believes that he can fool others and win status for himself through his ruse.
Cleverness and building on the work of others requires wisdom and honest skill if things are to be of value.
The tradition of the Wren
Of all the birds revered by the Druids, the wren was considered the most sacred. In Ireland it was called the Drui-en, or Druid Bird; in Welsh the word Dryw signifies both a druid and a wren.
The following story is from the western highlands of Scotland.
In a great assembly of all the birds of the air, it was decided that the sovereignty of the feathered tribe should be given to the bird who could fly the highest.
The favorite was naturally the eagle, who immediately began his flight toward the sun – fully confident in his ability to win the title of King of the Birds. When he found himself soaring high above all his competitors, he proclaimed in a mighty voice his monarchy over all creatures that had wings.
But suddenly, from out of his wings popped the wren, who had hidden himself under the eagle’s feathers. He flew a few inches higher and chirped out loudly, “Birds, look up and behold your king!”
The Cunning Wren
This story shows us the wren as a cunning bird, prepared to build on the achievements of others and to mock their pride by outwitting them at the final moment.
The shaman was often known as the “cunning man,” and the Druid-as-shaman is also the “cunning man” – the man who can become invisible like the wren, who can travel on the back of the noble eagle to reach his destination, saving himself energy in the process.
Wren-Drui-en: Humility, Cunning, God
Drui-en allows us to glimpse the beauty of God or Goddess in all things. He tells us that “small is beautiful,” and that self-realization lies not in grandiosity or apparent power, but in humility, gentleness and subtlety.
Cunning, if tempered with humor and good intent, is a way of achieving great things with an economy of effort, and a rational and honest use of achievements of others.
Drawn reversed, this could mean that you need to look at whether your humility and gentleness actually render you invisible to others. Are they your way of defending yourself from life and from others, rather than facing life and it’s difficulties?
Perhaps you also need to look at how you use your cunning, your native wit., it is easy for the habit of building on the work of others to become a dishonest exploitation of others’ achievements, just as it is easy for cunning to become malign rather than benign.
Remember that the story of the Wren and Eagle can also be interpreted in a way that sees the wren as a cheeky and dishonest “upstart” who naively believes that he can fool others and win status for himself through his ruse.
Cleverness and building on the work of others requires wisdom and honest skill if things are to be of value.
The tradition of the Wren
Of all the birds revered by the Druids, the wren was considered the most sacred. In Ireland it was called the Drui-en, or Druid Bird; in Welsh the word Dryw signifies both a druid and a wren.
The following story is from the western highlands of Scotland.
In a great assembly of all the birds of the air, it was decided that the sovereignty of the feathered tribe should be given to the bird who could fly the highest.
The favorite was naturally the eagle, who immediately began his flight toward the sun – fully confident in his ability to win the title of King of the Birds. When he found himself soaring high above all his competitors, he proclaimed in a mighty voice his monarchy over all creatures that had wings.
But suddenly, from out of his wings popped the wren, who had hidden himself under the eagle’s feathers. He flew a few inches higher and chirped out loudly, “Birds, look up and behold your king!”
The Cunning Wren
This story shows us the wren as a cunning bird, prepared to build on the achievements of others and to mock their pride by outwitting them at the final moment.
The shaman was often known as the “cunning man,” and the Druid-as-shaman is also the “cunning man” – the man who can become invisible like the wren, who can travel on the back of the noble eagle to reach his destination, saving himself energy in the process.
