MEET YOUR TUTOR

Favourite words and their meaning/approach to teaching…

I love exploring where different words come from and what they mean. My mother was a linguist and used to read dictionaries in all sorts of different languages, for fun! Words so often come from or relate to some other, older language and culture, and this fascinates me – how we are all interconnected and have been travelling, communicating and influencing one another for centuries. Here are some words which are important to me, in the way I live and work with classes. If you are interested in looking them up, here is a link to an online etymology dictionary.

• Conversation: this comes from a Latin word about the way we live together – sharing a way of life in a particular place, used especially for people living a dedicated religious life. So deep conversation is so much more than just talking to one another, it’s about being together and includes our relationship not just with each other but also our environment and how we behave in this relationship. We explore this together in our class and our environments.

• Communication: this comes from Latin too and relates to the word ‘community’ and the idea of sharing things in common, with the general public – distributing equally to the whole, so everybody is involved not excluded. I relate this, especially to our sense of ministry and intention to be accessible to and of service to the public, and this is why we practise nonviolent communication. x

• Belief and Love: this comes from an Old English word, ge-leafa, which in turn comes from an old Germanic word meaning what we hold dear, what we trust and have faith in – what is beloved to us. Theres a link between ge-leafa and the word ‘love’. So what we believe, is not just a set of ideas, it is what is dear to our hearts, our personal ‘truth’. Emma Restall Orr, (Living Druidry author), once pointed this out to me – thanks, Emma! 

• Listen: I think this is interesting because the most ancient root of listening is hearing. The meaning in the past emphasised active engagement: to listen, we hear and we respond – as the saying goes, ‘to hear is obey’. Obedience, by the way, although we may associate this now with dog training, or other submissive connotations, is also connected with listening, especially to a Higher Power, particularly the promptings of the Divine or our deeper intuitions.

• Truth, trees, wisdom and druidry: I love the fact that tree and Truth both have the same root, meaning firmness, reliability, and sturdiness. This is clear in both Old English and Old Celtic words but going back much further in time, an ancient (proto Indo-European) word ‘deru’, apparently meant wood – especially oak trees – and being firm and steadfast. I also love that the word ‘druid’ comes from this root. The ‘id’ bit of Dru-id’ is from old Celtic and proto Indo European meaning knowing and insight, and gives us the word wisdom. So a ‘Druid’ draws insight or wisdom-truth from the trees. This is what I mean, by saying I practise Druidry. I think this is something many of us around the world and throughout time, have in common!

Annie does have an internet and public presence going back before her work with OneSpirit and you might notice especially her publications if you are looking her up!

Annie’s writing

• Annie wrote her first book, ‘Reclaiming the Sealskin’, in 2002, spending a ‘quiet’ year while working through some challenging experiences. She found herself walking every day in the local woods and extending her reflections from here to other aspects of nature, finding much peace this way. She posted the draft manuscript to the publisher without telling anybody and was amazed at the welcome. This was a period in which Annie was exploring the relationship between Earth Spiritualities and Christianity, particularly ‘Celtic’ Christian traditions.
• This led to other books, many of which Annie was asked to write by the publishers, drawing on her knowledge and experience in reflecting on Biblical tradition, the natural world and liturgical or ceremonial creativity, mainly for a largely ‘alternative’ Christian audience.
• Annie has ten books in print altogether, and lots of shorter articles and ceremonies.
• Annie has not written anything for a while now. These days, if she were going to write more, would probably focus on her long-term love of oracle systems, on nature-based spiritualities such as Druidry and ways in which the Divine Feminine has kept alive in the faith and spiritual paths of the world and how all these might live on at the heart of humanity.
• Her most recent book, ‘The Book of Uncommon Prayer’, touches on some of these areas, as a resource for creative ceremony work.

Annie’s Chaplaincy work

• In spiritual and pastoral care, Annie has an active Interfaith Ministry in her community. She lives with her husband, Rev Ray, who is a priest for a very diverse urban community church, St Chad & St Mark’s.
• In particular, Annie works voluntarily as a trained chaplain and Interfaith Mental Health spiritual care practitioner, in running an urban therapeutic garden project. She also supports the church community in their practice of faith and spirituality.
• Annie says, ‘Living here at the heart of the community is deeply humbling and challenging, and I am daily struck by the compassion and courage of people around me, often living in such challenging circumstances, but continuing to draw together and look for ways to support one another and find meaning and purpose in life. There is a lot of love, generosity and mutual respect here, and such powerful experiences of faith and humanity – everyone is welcome in this place, and we have open doors to the whole neighbourhood, ‘all faiths and none’ – it’s like the whole world is here, this is our community. We provide a free meal for about 70 people every Sunday, but that’s just the beginning, there is so much going on here, all week, not to mention the wildlife that’s thriving in our garden habitat! But at the heart of it, there’s a hugely diverse, praying, vibrant spiritual community with inclusive, equitable values and a lot of love. It’s an awesome place to be an Interfaith Minister!’

You can visit the website of St. Chad & St. Mark’s Church here, or their Facebook page here, if you wish! 

(Annie says, ‘I try to keep out of the pictures, but I do preach sermons so you might find some videos of me!’)