Episode 171 Toward A Better Life with Kevin Pennell 0:00:00 Episode Preview 0:01:13 Prologue - Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi by Damh the Bard (Used with Permission) 0:05:56 Episode Opening: The podcast that features like-minded people sharing stories, ideas, and activities, on what we can do to generate a Better Life individually and collectively. Submissions: Be a part of the show by sharing your prose, music, poetry, or storytelling. Just send them to me kevin@towardabetterlife.com. If it's audio, please send it as an MP3 file. Subscribe Ad-Free episodes are now available of Toward A Better Life through Patreon. As a paid subscriber you can enjoy episodes without advertisements. All you need to do is visit Patreon, search for Toward A Better Life Podcast. AND Spread the word and keep following for magical insights into Earth Based Spirituality, self development, and self care. Free Discovery Call By the way, if you'd like to dive into self-care, self development, or distance shamanic work, drop me a line kevin@towardabetterlife.com for a free discovery call. 0:09:58 Chat with Damh the Bard and the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi Damh the Bard is a modern-day Bard whose spirituality and love of folk tradition is expressed through his music, storytelling and poetry. His performances are both entertaining and educational, speaking directly to the heart, and never without a good splash of humour. With twelve outstanding albums, and singing and speaking engagements all over the world, Damh has become one of the most popular contemporary Pagan musicians – a musical storyteller who works within the world of myth: where the Elves dance on Midsummer's Eve, where the trees talk, and the Hollow Hills take you into the Otherworld, where the Goddess rides her horse, guiding you to magic, and the Horned God and Greenman of old call to you from the shadows of the Greenwood. He began his Spiritual Journey at a very young age, often found in the school library reading through books on magic and the supernatural. Damh was initiated into a Ceremonial Magic group at age 18. He then discovered Paganism, which led him to Druidry, joining the Order of Bards Ovates and Druids in 1994. On the Summer Solstice of 2010, he was installed as the Pendragon of the Order, taking over from the artist Will Worthington who had been the Order's Pendragon for the previous 19 years. Damh served the Order as Pendragon until the Summer Solstice of 2025 when he passed the role over to Matt McCabe. His Path is an Animistic Way that sees and acknowledges the connection between all life. That Spirit is within all things, from the pebble to the mountain, from the raindrop to the oceans, all alive, vibrant, conscious, and part of the Great Web. To Damh the Path of the Bard, the Skald, the Scop, is to sing of that connection and bring that magic to life through music. Along with his musical concerts, Damh has also given talks, run workshops, and participated in panel discussions at conferences and camps in the UK, Europe, Australia, Canada, and the USA, with his favourite topics including: Awen the Mead of Poetry and the Creative Quest; Animism; Magic and Seership; Tree Lore; Mythology; and Wilderness Awareness. 0:48:37 Son of the Waves - Damh the Bard (Used with Permission) 0:54:29 Continued Chat with Damh the Bard and the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi 1:14:29 Oak Broom and Meadow Sweet - Damh the Bard (Used with Permission) 1:19:16 Episode Closing Thoughts Connections: Damh the Bard: Website: https://www.paganmusic.co.uk/ Y Mabinogi: https://www.paganmusic.co.uk/y-mabinogi/ Connect with Damh the Bard: https://www.paganmusic.co.uk/contact-2/ Order of Bards Ovates and Druids: Website: https://druidry.org/ Join the Order and Train in Druidry: https://druidry.org/our-courses/train-in-druidry Toward A Better Life Website: https://towardabetterlife.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/KevinPennell Kevin Pennell: https://towardabetterlife.com/contact/
