Welcome to
Ros Briagha's website

Ros Briagha is a community leader
who ran OakDragon,
an outdoor educational organization that brings people back to Nature. She is a Wiccan teacher and ceremonialist who is also adept at divination.

Tarot Readings
   Tarot Readings (online)

Astrology Readings
    Book a reading

Geomancy
   What is Geomancy?
   Stone Circles
      Coed Marros
      Temple Druid
   Tipi Living

Recent Work
  August 2017
  September 2017
  October 2017

Magical Journeys
  Hindwell March 2005
  Strata Florida June 2005
  Mitchells Fold June 2005
  Coed_Hills September 2005
  Gower December 2005
  Gors Fawr December 2005
  Callinish June 2006
  Dragons Flight June 2007

Nestled deep in the Welsh hills is a small community of folk seeking to live lightly on the Earth, owning land in common, sharing space together, called Tipi Valley. This has been my home for the last few years, and living there has taught me much about how to work with nature, and also how difficult this can sometimes be!

Most folk there have some kind of garden, ranging from a few flowers in tubs around their door, to full scale vegetable beds supplying nearly all of their needs. Several people have ducks and chickens, and there are goats too, who really enjoy their freedom to browse among the willows and brambles. Not to mention the horses ! To eat a meal of fresh vegetables, eggs and goats cheese, sitting in our beautiful meadow, far from roads and pollution, is a rare and wonderful experience in this crowded island we live in.

Living in a tipi means that all ones needs have to be sorted out personally — no services to provide heat, light, water or cooking facilities. The whole process of living becomes a dance with Nature, receiving her bounty in a very direct way, and in this article I thought I would focus on the water, the most crucial aspect of survival.

We get our water from one of the various wells dotted about the valley, some of which are very old, dating back to the time when monks and pilgrims travelled through on the green lane from Liandeilo to Talley Abbey. Others have been dug out by members of the present community, and all seem to give fresh, sweet water. In fact, when I got a water testing kit, they scored well on every count. So no nitrates, oestrogens or other pollutants there, and the health and vitality of the folk living there is an obvious testimony to the benefits of this.

There is no doubt that water will be one of the major issues of the 21st century, - already 40% of the worlds population does not have access to clean drinking water — and we are very, very lucky here in Wales to have such a wealth of the stuff! Remember this next time it’s pouring down, and be grateful.

Drinking water comes from the wells, but the rest, for washing bodies, dishes and clothes, we get from the streams flowing through the valley, coming down from springs on the moor high above us. It’s always worth checking in the bucket to make sure no small beings, like water boatman or freshwater shrimps, have been accidently swept up, and carefully returning them to their aquatic home.

You really learn the value of water when it has to be carried home, and I often think of my african sisters, who carry water for miles each day, and then my 500 yard stretch seems very little. But even so, not a drop is wasted, and I always make sure that there is enough for a morning cup of tea. And of course, keeping the wells and the stream clean, not putting dirty containers in the wells or soap in the stream, is essential, another important lesson that our modern world would do well to remember!
Next time I will talk about the wonderful world of Wood, another crucial ingredient of Tipi Living!