White Mountain Druid Sanctuary (WMDS) is a Druid inspired Pagan site in Trout Lake, Washington. There aren’t many Pagan sites in the US and there are even fewer that have been created as a modern interpretation of ancient Indo-European customs and practices. WMDS was envisioned after years of study of ancient Celtic (Irish, Welsh, and Gaulish) archaeology, history, and religion and was built to honor the practices of Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship (ADF), a Pagan church based on ancient Indo-European traditions expressed through public worship, study, and fellowship. WMDS was also built to re-imagine how the ancient peoples of Celtic Europe may have honored the world around them, the Land, and the Gods and Spirits.
The centerpiece of the site is the Stone Circle. Inspired by Stonehenge and the many other circles found throughout Europe, the Stone Circle at WMDS is 50 feet in diameter surrounded by 20 foot pillars. There are two rows of benches that seat 50-100 people and surround a stone fire pit in the middle of the circle. The fire pit itself is 3 feet tall in the shape of a square. The circle is entered through the west side where the well to the Underworld is located. Due east is the Axis Mundi and beyond that Trout Lake Abbey, a bed and breakfast with accommodations for most income levels. South and west are the Cascades and directly north is the breathtaking Mt Adams.
Trout Lake gets several feet of snow a year so the entire site of WMDS has been built to withstand any kind of weather. It has been built to last for decades if not centuries. The location is rural and draws one into communing with nature and reflecting on our relationship with the earth. During the cold months, rituals are held indoors in a small building right next to the Stone Circle called “The Sanctuary.” Inside this building a tree has been molded into the wall from floor to ceiling with a fireplace at its base.
In future blogs, we’ll talk about the Shrines to deities and the Nature Spirits, plans for future building, and the rituals that celebrate every High Day (Equinoxes, Solstices and cross quarter days).
To see more info, or make a donation, visit here https://www.patreon.com/wmds