bards, an introduction

"In the smoky halls of Celtic lords, the bards of old practiced their craft, weaving hearthside tales of heroes, battles, palaces, and princesses into intricate patterns of poetry. Chords resounded from the ringing strings of harps, and the warrior race they served was brought to silence, held captive by the power of the bardic vision. Through the bards, the Celts found in themselves a profound love of beauty, nature, and art. The bard's art was to weave magic from word and music--at once primal, wild, and yet sophisticated enchantment.

"The way of the bard is an ancient quest to understand the soul and bring about its growth." -- perfect opening words from The Lore of the Bard, introduction, by Arthur Rowan.

I hope to bring snippets to this blog about Bards over the next few days. I am learning about those bardic elements that create the perfect environment for enchanted storytelling and spiritual growth. So far, I have been stunned to learn that my path began in Music, and then turned to Anthoropology and the study of Myth around the world, and then finally into Storytelling. I seem to have been walking this path for some time without knowing it. This has been outlined in this tome I'm now reading. And I do call it a "tome" because it's a hefty volume full of good insights.

I will end this short blog with another line from the book:

... the great bardic gift of true-sight, which is the mark of the poet-seer.