Nathairwen at the altar of the Moon Circle at Dunraven This little bit of self-indulgence is in response to the ever-increasing number of requests I receive to know more about me, and the Druid Gorsedd of the First Cirlce. I am called Nathairwen, sometimes White Serpent. For those who care about such things I am a scorpio, born at sunrise on the day of the first full moon in Scorpio, with Scorpio rising. A Samhain baby I suppose you could say. I am the Arch-Druid of the Druid Gorsedd of the First Circle. The name First Circle denotes the inner-most circle of Druids that might have surrounded the Arch Druid in days of old. I am also a member of The Ancient Order of Druids in America and Comhaltacht Draiocht. I am to be honest a revivalist Druid who sees great value in the legacy of our Celtic ancestors. I do not believe that the past can or should be reconstructed, but I believe there are lessons there that will see us into the future with honor and wisdom. I am above all, a Druid. I have officially walked the path for a decade now, but I have truly never been anything else. Though I was raised a Southern Baptist, I was never happy there, and never quite fit in. I have studied Bardic crafts such as metal working and smith-craft since I was fourteen. I was raised around music, and I have written poetry and played and written songs since my teenage years. I developed an interest in healing early on, and began to study herbs and other forms of alternative healing. My degree is in metaphysics, and spiritual counseling. I had studied many of the things that a Druid might have been expected to learn in the old world, for many years before I ever heard the word Druid. My family name (Dunn, formerly spelled O'Duinn came to Scotland from Ireland and according to one local geniologist could been derived from the name of the name of the realm of the dead, Tech Duinn or it's god Donn. In Scottland my ancestors were among the ancient Kings and Chiefs, and were later given lands and title in England by Charles 1st for loans of money and men to fight a war. (Murray Co. Heritage, Wolfe Publishing). In my lifetime the elders of my family planted by moon signs, played and sang traditional Irish and English music, and had many other "quirks" that could be traced back to their Gaelic roots. The Celtic traditions were strong in my upbringing, and in the entire area of Appalachia where I grew up. These are said to be the oldest mountains in the world. I know there is something magical about them and I am blessed to live here. I served five years in the U.S. Navy, and recieved the Navy Expeditionary Medal for combat duty. So in that I spent my time as a warrior and developed a whole new appreciation for the life I could have lost.

Nathairwen and Myrddin at a public handfasting All my life I knew there was something out there, calling to me, something that I was being prepared for, but it seemed to always be just beyond sight. I experimented with the dark arts, as many people who come from the Christian path do. After all, we were taught that there were only two paths, that of God and that of Satan. So if one was to leave the church, it made sense that there was only one alternative. I found it odd that the one thing Anton Le Vey and the likes of Jimmy Swaggart could agree on was that the "white witches" were lying to themselves, and that all witches drew their power from the same source, Satan. It did not take long to determine that the "dark side" was not for me any more than was Christianity, but where to go? Wicca did not "feel" right for me, although it serves many people I know well, and is a very honorable path. Then I met my mentor and friend Myrddin Faolwen. The instant he began to talk to me about Druidry, I knew it was for me. I could almost say the words along with him, so familiar were they to my soul. I had after thirty-three years of wandering, found a home. On Samhain of 1995 we founded the Druid Gorsedd of the First Circle as it is known today. After some time of study and indoctrination Myrddin asked me to take over as Arch-Druid, due to his impending move out of the area. I have had the honor of serving in that capacity ever since. That covers where I have been, now let’s talk about where I am and where I am going. I continue to study, and now teach Druidry as a part of my daily life. I now live openly, and and am becoming more involved in community events. The DGFC continues to evolve and grow, sometimes outward to other parts of the world, sometimes inward as members advance in training. I have somewhat grudgingly become active online and have in that way contacted many wonderful friends in all parts of the globe. Through our online services we have been able to reach people interested in DGFC Druidry who would have otherwise never heard of us. In the relatively short time we have been online, we have caught the attention of other Druid orders and individuals world wide. We are doing some teachings online as well as one on one. The fact that you are now reading this bit of text online is testament to the useful nature of the internet to our path.

Nathairwen presenting his staff to Lugh for a blessing on Llughnassadh, 2004 In recent times I have been blessed to witness the fruition of my dreams; to see new groves started in other areas, under the auspices of the First Circle, yet remaining independent and self-reliant. We now have groves in the U.K. and Australia and several in differing areas of the U.S. Our Elders, Grove Chiefs and I are working to ensure the DGFC will continue to enjoy a period of continued growth. That was the charge given me when I became Arch-Druid. I seek no personal recognition, only the betterment of our members and perhaps through them, the world in general. With the guidance of the ancestors and the power of the Gods, may it be so. I will not rest until all those who are born to be Druids and have heard the call of the Gods, are given the chance to practice Druidry in a manner that is fitting to them and to the Gods. All this may sound ambitious and lofty, but how will the word get out if I sit quietly in my circle and wait for the Gods to provide that which I was charged to seek out? I will leave you with some quotes by myself and by others much more learned and articulate than I, that I think sum up what what Druidry is about, and where my path lies. "We must seek to learn all we can while in this world. The path to the otherworld is manifest in wisdom, and wisdom is made manifest at each milestone along the way". -Nathairwen "We must practice kindness, and patience, for these are the manifestations of the ancestors and their gods within us." -Nathairwen "…The hills and groves were God's first temples, and the more they are cut down and hewn into cathedrals and churches, the farther off and dimmer seems the Lord himself." - John Muir "Now is the time, for the old gods' return" -Blue Oyster Cult "Why Druidry? It all comes down to two simple concepts: freedom and balance. In Druidry I have found the freedom to explore who I am and what my place is in the universe. There are no constricting rules, no "thou shalt nots", no restrictions on my studies. Druidry is not a religion of extremes or extremists. We seek a balance between man and nature, between mankind and the gods, between the physical world and the spirit realm. But perhaps most importantly, we seek personal balance". (Grey Badger, AODA) I am a Druid, a stone in the ancient circle, standing firmly grounded upon the Earth, yet reaching for the heavens. I am kissed by the wind, washed by the rain, and warmed by the sun. I will endure through time. I am the Chosen Priest of Math Mathonwy. I keep the Flame of Brigid. I serve the Gods of my ancestors. I know that all the Gods are one God, and the one God is many. I am a Druid, a stone in the ancient circle. May the Gods of my ancestors hear these words, and may the prayers of the Druid be blessed. Nathairwen's Creed, Paraphrased and compiled from various teachings.