Gather in the spirit of Awen, under the shining mountains
Come circle with fellow Druids over three days in Western Montana
Welcome to our grove of groves- AWeN gathering: the American West Nemata
in the tradition of the Order of Ovates, Bards and Druids druidry.org
Join Us | Brief Intro | Shining Mountains | Raven’s Ridge | RSVP | Intro to Awen | Our Values | Even Info
Join Us
Join us for the first AWeN gathering; An intimate Druid camp in the foothills of Montana’s Mission Mountains on North Crow creek- based on the western Canadian Druid camp model. Limit 30 campers.
High summer-between Alban Hefin and Lughnasadh
2026: Thursday June 25- Sunday June 28
$190 early bird- $240 after May 15, 2026.
On the edge of the Salish-Kootenai Reservation in Ronan, MT., halfway between Missoula and Kalispell, MT.
Brief intro
A brief intro to Shining Mountain Grove at Raven’s Ridge.
Gather in the spirit of Awen, under the shining mountains
The Shining Mountains Grove- (formerly the Mountains of Bran-Beith seed group), based in Western Montana is a grove within the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids. We meet 8x a year- for the quarters and cross-quarter days -near the Mission Mountains when the weather and health permits, and on Zoom otherwise. Our meetings rotate between Ronan, Bigfork, and Missoula.
Population is sparse in this part of the world- our members liver hours apart, so our grove often meets for a weekend retreat in good weather, on Zoom in tough weather, or we take a walk with the Druids- hikes at some mutually accessible situation. All are welcome, some just check in on the Facebook page, others attend a few rituals, and a handful feel drawn to be at the core of the work, help plan rituals and have an active practice of their own.
Many Druids in the Northwest are solitaries with a loose affiliation because there is no grove nearby, so a druid camp, an in-gathering, feels important. We are loosely connected with sibling groves in Nevada and the Northwest coast and hope to grow this Northwest Druid community.
We hope to make this the first of many- an annual high summer event;
Our Chosen Chief, Eimear Burke, intends to be here for 2027
If you are already a member of OBOD- welcome. If you are not yet a member but are interested, investigate https://www.druidry.org/ and contact us. We’ll encourage your private work, answer any questions we can, and support any on the OBOD path here in the northwest. If you are comfortable as a solitary, wonderful, we’ll be here when you are feeling sociable or would like a group initiation into the Bardic year, Ovate, or Druid grades.
We often meet in Ronan, on a foothill of the Mission Mountains where a family of Ravens lives, year after year. On our first meeting as a seed group the ravens circled overhead and left us a feather, raven and birch continue to be our special teachers, as are these amazing mountains we call home.
Photo Gallery Here
(photos of our gatherings and of ravens ridge)
The Shining Mountains
The Shining Mountains; this term was used by many tribes for the Rocky Mountains from Canada through New Mexico as their peaks shone with snow early in the fall through late in the spring. Their gleam was a guiding site when crossing the plains, these shining mountains, so the name stayed.
Raven’s Ridge
Raven’s ridge: About 2 miles out of Ronan, heading towards the mountains. 17 wooded acres with a flat field and house at the top, rolling hills with a creek at the base.
Rotating Banner
(slideshow of forest, mountain, ritual circle)
RSVP
(Quick links to RSVP, blog, and travel info. Keep text short; focus on visuals and links).
Gather in the spirit of Awen, under the shining mountains
Intro to Awen
Awen – The rays of inspiration, the inspiration of the poets, bards, our relationship to our creative muse. Awen flows from the source and connects us to the source. Awen cannot be forced, but we can get out of our way and open to it.
Awen | Order Of Bards, Ovates & Druids
The Awen symbol could represent the three drops of inspired brew that Gwion Bach tasted from Ceridwen’s cauldron, with its inspiration pouring down on us . It can symbolize the two equinoxes on the edges with summer and winter solstices at the mid-point, describing the cycles of the year and the spiritual connection we take from that. It infers mind, body, and spirit working together, with the earth, sea, and sky holding us.
What We Value
Creation and Creator are not separate, our conversation with the natural world is our spiritual path. All the natural world- and how it works- carries the story, love, and divine instructions. Our practices ask us to listen more deeply to the wisdom of the natural world, to open to inspiration, and to feel our mutual connection.
The Druid’s prayer unites all forms of Druidry and speaks of our search for connection, understanding, justice, and connection to the divine forces of our natural world.
Grant, O Goddess/God/Creator-Creation, Great Spirit, Thy Protection;
And in protection, strength;
And in strength, understanding;
And in understanding, knowledge;
And in knowledge, the knowledge of justice;
And in the knowledge of justice, the love of it;
And in that love, the love of all existences;
And in the love of all existences, the love of Goddess/God/Creator-Creation, the Earth our mother, and all goodness.
Photo Gallery Here
(Photos of the land and ceremonies).
Event Info
Gather in the spirit of Awen, under the shining mountains
High summer-between Alban Hefin and Lughnasadh-
(after the spring rains, before fire season, not to compete with other Summer Solstice celebrations or July 4th traffic)
2026 -Thursday June 25- Sunday June 28- 2026
2027- June 24-27
Cost: $190 early bird- $240 after May 15, 2026. Ronan, Montana (between Missoula and Kalispell). Limit 30 people.
Accommodations: Arrive Thursday, leave Sunday- most people to camp in their own tents or rv’s. We provide porta potties. We have a few beds in the house (upstairs) and in our trailers -for elders/ extra needs, and a few tents to loan. If you prefer- you are welcome to stay at a hotel or Air B+B within 25 minutes’ drive.
Food: Meals provided- vegetarian- gluten free available. Please bring your own food if your diet is super specific. We are looking for a versatile cook- and will ask all campers to sign up for a few shifts of meal prep or clean up.
House guidelines: We ask that no one smokes within the house or within 30 feet of the house, and that extreme caution is used when smoking on the property to prevent wildfires.Â
We also ask that you use unscented or naturally-scented products in the house, or use the ones we provide, so that the house is safe for the fragrance-sensitive (including many of our relatives). In turn, we will use only unscented cleaning products and laundry detergent.
The next annual gathering: We hope to continue in the years ahead- Eimer Burke has agreed to come in 2027- Come and help us grow our system and shape future gatheringsÂ