About Druidry
Introduction to Druidry
Celtic Society
What is Druidry? What is a Bard? What is and Ovate? What is a Druid? Historical & Modern Druid Practices Druid BeliefsDruidry Today
Digging Deeper
Cosmology
Patterns
The Spirits
Tools & Practices
Random Philosophy
Back to TopPrevious Page
Firstly, let me clear up one important thing, it's pronounce KELT not SELT. There is a football team who pronounce their name "Seltic", that's the only time I've heard the latinised C be used.
So Who where the Celts? In truth the origin of the word Celt, which is the Greek "Keltoi" meaning Barbarian, is both vague and a little insulting. The Greeks used the term Keltoi to describe any race that they met who they considered to be.... less than their own culture. The Celts as we know them now were neither barbaric, nor lacking in education. If we look at the broadest use of the word, we can include the Vikings, Teuts, Saxons, Angles, Iberians, Brythons and Gaels. But in modern times we have narrowed this down to two distinct cultures, the Brythonic and Goidelic peoples. Of course neither of these peoples were confined to Britian, in fact both have their roots in Europe. Certainly the Germans, the Spanish, Portugese, French (Both Gaulish and Bretton) are Celtic, in fact the Basque region, Brittany and much of Germany are still fiercly proud of their Celtic roots. The main difference between the Brythonic and Goidelic people is in fact their language. The two root languages are today described as "p" Celtic and "q" Celtic. In Brythonic the letter P appears whereas in Goidelic doe not have a P, but does have a Q which is lacking in Brythonic.
Both the Brythonic and Goidelic cultures can be seperated into several distict tribal groups. The Brythonic peoples are possibly the older of the two and include the Cymru (Welsh), the Cornish and the Bretton. Of course a long time ago, these people were most likely all called the Cymru and at that time, this also included the people of England and Scotland too as it was all at one time known to be one country, today we call it "The Isle of the Mighty". The Goidelic, or Gallic peoples included the Gauls, Manx, Irish and Scots Gaels, but in later years also included a people known as the Galatae who still today inhabit parts of Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Israel.
The Common belief is that the Brythonic people came to Britain from Central Europe whereas the Goidelic tribes came mostly from the Iberian Peninnsula and possibly Madeira. However, the ancient stories of these peoples are quite different.
The Cymru have a story that tells of an ancestor/deity called Hu Gadarn, pronounced Hee GAdahrn (Hu the Mighty) who brought the people out od slavery in the summer lands (Sumeria) stopped off to build Troy and then moved to Prydain (Britain). The Irish Gaels tell of several invasions of Ireland before they themselves even got there, by people such as the Partholoneans and Mileseans who they claim to have come from Greece, the Fomhoir who are supposed to have come from Scandanavia, the Fir Bolg who came from the sea and of course the most famous of Celtic pantheons, the Tuatha De Dannan who came from a place of light.
Celtic Culture was not the first Culture to have found Britain, there was already a healthy population of Hunter Gatherers here on the Island and as Celtic peoples did not seek to eradicate the cultures the met, but rather sought to assimilate and trade with them, it is quite possible that the indigenous Shamanic traditions of Britain formed the basis of what we know as Druidry but adding to what the Celtic people brought with them.
There are a few dark parts to Celtic history, The Celts were a warrior race, but they were were only this way for survival, not for conquering. they were Head hunters, claiming the heads of their victims and enbalming them so as to keep the soul of the victim enslaved. The were a slave trading race and they were of course always at war with each other. But the redeeming features of the Celtic peoples were strong enough and powerful enough to win the jealousy of Rome.
Unlike the culture of Rome, the Celts regarded women as equal, Rome would not even acknowledge women as citizens and must have been horrified to see women leading entire tribal groups (let alone getting their butts kicked by Boudicca). The Celts has started to build roads way before the Romans, we invented soap, we had laws that included the young, elderly, infirm or disabled as equal citizens and made it the able boddied people's job to look after them. Where Rome allowed people to dump unwanted babies and children into the city rubbish tip, the Celts had already set up a system of Child maintainance that made sure the parents were financially responsible for the child until he/she became an adult. We were using Gold coins before Rome and in fact most of the Celtic peoples were situated on vast quantities, hundreds of tons, of gold.
The Romans had said that the Celts had no idea about art or science and yet this couldn't be further from the truth. The Romans had to continually alter and rewrite their calendar as after a few years they found themselves celebrating the spring equinox at midsummer, the Celts on the other hand had devised an incredibly accurate calendar, the coligny calendar that could pinpoint the movement of the sun hundreds of years into the future, possibly even the cycles of nature in the local area too. And as for art the Celts are known to have had three distinct forms of visual art, "La Tene" which takes it's name from the eartliest finds of Celtic people at an area called by that name, is a fluid, spiralling and asymetrical form. You may have seen this form used in movies such as "King Arthur" with Clive owen where the Celts (or as they were called in this film Woads) had blue paint and tattoos. There was a form known as "Trumpet and Seed" where each piece of art was made from two primary shapes, a cone or trumpet and a seed. And of course there is Knotwork.
But beyond visual art, the Celts are known for their love of story and song, the Bards would hold the lore of the people and tell grand tales, recite poems and sing songs that inspired, taught and kept the people in line.
The Celts were fond of bright colours and used plants such as Woad, Madder and Weld to dye their clothes bright blues, red and yellows. Gold was less a commodity than a religious tool or symbol of status. One of the more famous accessories that a high ranking Celt would own would be a torc, this is a kind of necklace that has an opening so that it can be placed around the neck and pushed closer together so that it does not fall. Each end of the torc would have an attractive finnial, either in a spiral, circle or even in the shape of an animal.
Physically, the Celts were huge by ancient standards. Celts were often described as a full head taller than the average roman, with huge rippling muscles and fair hair. This alone would have been a scary sight for the invading forces of Julius Ceasar, let alone the fact that the women fought alongside the men with equal ferocity and of course the majority of Celts went into battle naked save for a cloak and a torc.
One thing is very certain about the Celts is that they were very fond of a drink. Mead, possibly the oldest of alcoholic drinks in the world, was invented by the Celts and it was so important that cheiftains and cheiftainesses were often burried with huge vats of mead.
We also know that the Celt took a balance with nature very seriously and they they were, and still are, a deeply spiritual people.
Back to TopPrevious Page
Druidry is a nature based Spiritual Path with its roots embedded in the Ancient Celtic past. For some it is a set of spiritual practices that can be used to learn about and develop the self, for others a path to power, others still see it is a status symbol or a fashion, but for me it is both a calling and a responsibilty, it is as much a part of my being as my body is and in the way I practice and walk my path in Druidry, it is a form of Shamanism, the oldest form of spiritual practice known to man, dating back some 40-50,000 years.
Historically Druidry is uniquely Celtic and in the modern eye seems to have been peculiar to Britain, Ireland and Gaul, but in truth Druidry has archealogical roots in South Eastern Europe, and the religion and philosophies of Druidry hold parrallels with those of other countries that can only suggest that Druidry has at some point travelled through and collected parts of the cultures of the Egyptians, Sumerians, Greeks and other cultures.
Of course Druidry is not confined to any one religion and in many modern Druid Groves and Seed Groups (Druid Groups) there are Christians, Agnostics, Pantheists, Animists and even complete Atheists. In fact I myself do not adhere to any one religion, rather I try to incorporate teachings from all cultures, religions and philosophies (it doesn't always work however).
Druidry is often stereotyped as a sun worship cult full of old men, freemasons and hippies wearing white robes, to be practiced by standing around at stonehenge once a year, or as a religion practiced by devil worhsiping nudists who sacrifice goats. Neither of these is correct. Druidry is a Shamanic Goddess worship path, recognising and revering the sacredness of balance and diversity in nature, of the divine feminine alongside the divine masculine (Mary alongside Jesus, The Moon god alongside the Sun Goddess). Druidry also recognises and works with, in ways that can only be described as Shamanic, the world of the Spirits. It is an Ancestor path also and a Nature based path. It is a Path that allows it's pratitioners total religious freedom, freedom of speech and expression and further to this, promotes these things as all things are valid and equal.
Druidry is not dogmatic, it does not demand that it's pratitioners follow an exact set of rules and practices, rather it promotes the growth and evolution of it's practices. Druidry has no commandments other than that you realise and accept the consequences of your every action, thought and word. There are no punishements within Druidry, we believe in the reality of spirits, God or Gods and their powers over our lives and their ability to reward or punish us for our deeds. Druidry is not sexist, nor does it remain confined to any one religion, race or country, all are equal.
Historically, and Idealy, Druidry is an Oral tradition, it's teachings, lore and philosophy were passed down from teacher to student by the spoken word, not by the written, however today this is not possible, both because people generally do not have the ability to commit to the lengthy periods of learning, nor the massive memories with which to hold the lessons, today the written word is an advantage, not a taboo.
Druids do NOT all wear white robes, some do, the white robe is described as only one part of the Druid's "ceremonial" wardrobe, in Battle the Druid was reported to wear the hide of a Bull and in social dealings a cloak of many colours. The white robe only came out for religious affairs and may only have been worn by one particular class or school of druidry. The Druids I have worked with in my life have all been different, the white robes seem to be on show more commonly at big events like stonehenge, avebury or glastonbury gatherings, or whenever there is a high chance of public spectators, the majority of Druids I know wear normal clothes, Others still posses the entire costume of a stereotypical druid, white robe, wimple, a tabard or sash in the colour of their grade (I'm some of them even have white underwear for the occasion), Others still wear nothing, or, like me, have very "shamanic" costumes, constructed from things they are guided to use by the spirits.
Druids are not all vegetarian, we are not all eco warriors, we are not all animal rights protestors, we are not all travellers, we are ordinary folks who have answered a very real calling and (should in my mind) have taken on the responsibilities of that calling.
With the introduction of Modern Druid Orders such as OBOD (The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids), the BDO (British Druid Order) and the Druid network, Druidry is becoming more and more easily accessible and more and more popular and these three in particular offer courses and workshops in Druidry. It was in fact OBOD that introduced me to Druidry over a decade ago and although I don't recommend it as a be all and end all of a Druidic path, I will say that OBOD itself is a good springboard for newcomers to Druidry, it does not try to tell you what your path should be, it encourages you to search for that yourself.
Back to TopPrevious Page
A Bard, in the context of Druidry, is a person responsible for the remembereance of the laws and lore of the people, one who is gifted with the ability to inspire, teach and even create and manifest using the power of story, either through art, theatre, music, storytelling or any one of the plethora of expressive ways.
A Bard can inspire us to great deeds or have us trembling at the stark reality of our mortality, can raise us up as gods among humanity, or make us crawl on the floor, wimpering as people listen to our inadequacies. In History the Bard will often have used satire to raise or destroy morale in intertribal wars, perhaps they would teach children the history and lore of their people through a grand theatrical story. They would recount the stories of the ancestors, and tell of their great deeds at festivals and at the feast table. A Bard would accompany a Chieftain or Chieftainess and tell of their deeds, doing battle with rival leader's Bards using their chosen form of expression.
They would spend some 12 years memorising hundreds of stories, poems, songs and triads (a druidic teaching in the form of a saying or poem), at the end of this time they may chose to become an Ovate or they may retain their position of Bard, or even move through the grades of Druidry and simply use the teaching to broaden and strengthen their abilities.
The Bard is seriously NOT one to argue with.
The Bards are perhaps the only practitioners of Druidry that managed to survive the destruction of the Druidic path by becoming scribes, translating our stories and litanies into christian fables, legends and teachings. The Bard also became the Court Jester, the Town Crier, and more recently, the journalist, singer, author, artist, public speaker or teacher.
In the mind of the Bard is held our past in clear memory, in the heart of the Bard is the love of inspiration and the hope of re-kindling an ancient flame, the power of the Bard is the power to help us shape our future.
Back to TopPrevious Page
I'd personally refer to the Ovatic part of the Druid Path as the more "shamanic" part. In modern Druid orders the Ovate "grade" is the second of the three grades and it focuses on the more "magical" aspects of Druidry. The Ovate is a seer, herbalist or other kind of healer or is perhaps a diviner.
It is in many ways a path in it's own right and in this it's a solitary one, (for me at least) focusing on work within, concentrating the abilities that the practitioner is gifted with.
I feel, in honour of the spirit of the Ovate that it is perhaps best to leave the rest to mystery as that is where the Ovate (like myself) lives, waiting half hidden on the edge of dream, memory, vision, reality......
Back to Top Previous Page
A Priest, a mediator, an advisor to kings, perhaps even to be a king, the Druid grade (being the most famous part of Druidry) is the third grade in Druidry and is also the one that leads us out of the forest of confusion into the clarity found in age, wisdom, experience, love, justice and honour.
Some old guy with a sckle cutting Mistletoe, reverently and precisely leading a ceremony for a Celtic tribe, or some Old hippie dude playing a djembe at Stonehenge. A Madman sat on a branch wistling like a bird covered in sacrifical gore, or a pristine, white robed advisor to a king. Merlin or Getafix, Mog-ur or David Blane, Dumbledore or Winston Churchill (well, he actually WAS a Druid) throughout history, literature, legend, truth and dream the Druid has remained a reliable source of inspiration, teaching, magic, humor and sheer power.
Historically the Druid was the Priest of one of the largest of the Celtic religions (not all of them) and despite their modern associations as sun worshippers, they were in fact the priests of a Goddess worship path.
More than any of the things a Druid is supposed to be, the Druid is complete as a human and is now moving into a place that is beyond humanity as seen by the ordinary.
Back to TopPrevious Page
What is a Spiritual Practice? Some would say it's a tool used by a group of devoted people coming together, practicing certain spells so that the wheat will grow. Others might say it is a certain time set aside to meditate on the self and ones place in the universe to better help ourselves (and hopefully others) and to better know ourselves. Others might say it's the casting of a spell or the reading of runes, and Others still might say that it's the celebration of an important historical event that changed the world for the better, founded a religion or opened some door to better mankind.
In truth, for me at least a Spiritual practice is all of these things, just as for me as a Druid, breathing is a spiritual practice, I am after all sharing the air in my lungs with countless other people, animals, trees, not to mention all those that have long since died that once held this breath, even the Dinosaurs. In my path every action, thought and word is spiritual, not because sit and think about each breath, each mouthful of food, but because in everything I say, think and do, in some tiny way, I affect the whole universe. Take a look at the page on The Web of Creation for a more in depth look at this.
Obviously there are those practices that are more obviously spiritual, such as Meditation and Spell casting, but within Druidry, there is no set list, and each ceremony, each spell, even if it has the same name as another, will be different, affected by our own creative expression.
In Classical Druidry there are accounts of several practices, unfortunately, the majority of work on the subject being written by the Romans, it is a little, shall we say, biased toward making us look like a bunch of nasty barbarians to be crushed underfoot.
Some of the More famous practices are those of the sacrifice of a white Bull, (something the Romans as Mithraic devotees, and even the Christians used to do too.) but this was not some useless killing of what would have been an important comodity to the Ancient Celtic people (a good white bull would mean good breeding, meat, trade etc) it was a means of divination and of devotion to the Gods and Goddesses. It was reported that the Druid would sacrifice the bull, drink its blood and then sleep in its skin and the dreams he or she recieved would bring a prophecy.
The use of sacrifice would also have been similar to that still used today by other sacrifical cultures, Halaal and Kosher meats for example, the animal isn't jsut killed, it is sacrificed to God / Allah. In Mongolia the practice of sacrificing sheep is still commonplace, the sheep is cut between the pubic area and the throat, the sacrificer then reaches inside and pinches the aorta until the animal basically falls asleep. While the head, neck and chest are placed looking upward on a pole so that the animals spirit can return to the spirit worlds, the meat is cut up and placed upon the altar as an offering to the Tenger (Mongolian Deities) during a ceremony before being shared among the people at a feast.
Sacrifice is not limited to animals however, plants were also sacrificed, and, more obscurely (and very often among the British Celtic Peoples), huge amounts of beautiful silver, gold and bronze jewellery, homewares, tools and even weapons were made, then broken and placed in water sources, possibly as gifts, but these were nonetheless sacrifices. A Sacrifice of something important to oneself is guaranteed to get the attention of the Spirits. Today many people, myself included, choose to offer their own spit, hair, semen or blood during a ceremony in order to get this attention.
There are many more practices that have been recorded such as the observance of the flight and behaviour of Birds, the reading of bones or intestines, and the practices of ceremonial burial and it is perhaps from this latter practice that we have gained most, unbiased, knowledge of our ancestors.
There is also the observance of a sacred calendar, just as once, long ago, the gregorian calendar (the common one used worldwide today) was used not just as an observance of time, it has sacred meanings. The Most complete Celtic Calendar we have today is the Coligny Calendar, it shows the old Celtic months in their old names and from their translations we can learn a lot about how our ancestors saw time. And from the modern Pagan Calendar (a mix between Anglo-Saxon and Celtic) we can see eight great agricultural and solar events which would have been of utmost importance to our ancestors. The four solar events are the two equinoxes and two solstices (used for marking time) and the four agricultural events, planting, growing, harvest, sacrificing, which were the most important days of the year in ensuring a good harvest, no famine and thus survival for the people.
Since the days of our Ancestors the world has changed and so now, in Britain at least, there is no need for strict observance of an agricultural calendar as we can "control" our environment (well, we still have a long way to go before we can solve the damage our more recent ancestors and ourselves have done!) I fele that in truth today, there is no need for a definite, regular set of practices, it is up to the personal choice of the Practitioner. I do however believe that an observance of our ancestor's calendar, or better still one we make ourselves based on the observance of the cycles of seasons and natural rythms, is both respectful to the teachings of our ancestors and beneficial to our bond with the Earth.
As I work in a very Shamanic way I have adopted practices from other Shamanic cultures into my path and I'll share a few of those with you now. This bit is written from a Shamanic perspective.
There are many common practices that are used in Shamanism that can be used as daily practices, annually or whenever the need arises.
Most often a Druid / Shaman will have a set of daily practices that help keep him / her clear of negative energies and more able to enter the state of being needed for his / her work (a state called the Shamanic State of Consciousness (SSC) by Dr. Michael Harner, founder of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies). These practices can include Smudging (a form of sacred smoke bath), the use of energised liquid for washing, a morning prayer or dance or meditation.
Other practices used within Shamanism can be healing practices, ceremonies, journeying, Divination and religious duties.
Back to TopPrevious Page
Protection of the Home
In Britain it is said that if you plant Holly in your Garden near to your door it will protect the home.
In Mongolian Shamanism it is common for the Shaman to stand at the door to his or her Ger (a traditional Mongolian dwelling) and facing in toward the Ger the Shaman will sweep his or her arms backwards so as to throw negative energies and bad spirits out the door. In some dwellings a bundle of Porcupine quills or a Bear Claw is hung by the door to keep away negative energies and bad spirits. Also Door and window frames can be washed daily with Arshaan (energised liquid) and this can be done whenever the need arises.
We know of the tradition among the Native American of using artifacts such as Dreamcatchers and Medicine Shields, But it wasn't always down to the item itself, sometimes the colour that was important.
In the Celtic past we used to add carved stone heads or real skulls into our door posts as both a warning to enemies and as wards against bad luck, negative energies and bad spirits.
There are countless other practices for protection of the home, but I feel that the most common practice is the visualization of a protective field around the home. This also works well for objects you want to protect and for yourself too.
Back to TopPrevious Page
Protection of the Self
Again there are many practices that are used for the protection of the self. From the daily practices such as smudging, Chakra cleansing and balancing, grounding and other similar practices, to the carrying of items that carry power within them that is protective. There are many names for these items such as; Fetish (very common name among Shamans today), Amulet, Talisman, Ongon (from the Mongolian Shamanic traditions) and wards. These Items can vary in size, appearance and in the materials they are made from, as much as they can vary in the medicine (power) they carry. Some can be as simple as a feather, some are intricately carved stone animals. These Items become the home for an Totem, Power animal or a spirit that the Shaman (or other person) that carries it works with, perhaps an ancestor.
In Mongolia, Siberia and other countries in the world, such as Iraq expectant mothers were given a set of three triangular pouches which are called Gurbaljim by the Buryat Mongols. These pouches are generally stung point downwards one below the next. The top is usually Blue, the middle is Green and the bottom is Red. In Mongolian Shamanism if the mother gives birth to a girl then a Golden or Yellow pouch is added at the bottom. The colours of the initial three pouches represent; Blue - Father Sky, Green - Mother Earth, Red - The Lower World. The yellow or golden pouch represents Golomt Eej (the Daughter of Father Heaven, she is the mistress of the fire in Mongolian Tengrism which is the religion of Mongolia).
The Shamanic costume is a form of personal protection. Jewellery can be charged with protective energy and among many Shamanic cultures a kind of mirror is used for protection, it is usually made of bronze, but often Obsidian, Nephrite, Iron or another material can be used.
Back to TopPrevious Page
Healing Practices
This is by no means a complete list of Shamanic healing Practices, it is a list of the practices that I use.
Soul loss and Soul retrieval
At certain times in our lives we go through traumatic times and events which can leave us feeling out of sorts, beside ourselves, breathless or confused. This is because at times of trauma or extreme stress a part of our soul can break off. Most times it will come back on it's own, but sometimes it requires help to return. Soul retrieval is a shamanic technique that has been around for tens of thousands of years. It includes a shamanic ceremony and results in the re-integration of the missing soul part.
During a soul retrieval ceremony the Shaman will talk with you and try to determine the cause of the soul loss, thus making its return easier.
Soul retrieval is a non-invasive shamanic healing technique that requires training and experience.
Power Loss and Power retrieval
Certain people and recurring events can drain our energy, either spiritually, emotionally, financially or through other methods. Sometimes we unconsciously give our energy, our power, away unnecessarily. We cling to old ideals and old fears, or to events, situations and people that are no longer beneficial to us. These people, events and situations are draining on us and usually try to keep us the way we are so that the flow of power is still directed at them. We can give power away by being angry with people, talking about the past in a bad way, holding on to bad times and bad people in our hearts and minds. This all stops us from being totally ourselves.
In order to live happily and fully we must be in control of where and to whom our power is going.
Power retrieval is a shamanic healing technique that incorporates both ceremony and counseling. The result is a more confident and optimistic outlook and a positive grasp on your personal power.
Power ally retrieval
Power allies can be animal spirits, ancestors, tree spirits, angels or pretty much anything that gives power to you.
We are all born with certain power allies and we call these Totems, but at different points in our lives we need a little extra help, perhaps in learning a new subject as well as we can, getting through a difficult situation or the integration of a new skill.
Power ally retrieval is a shamanic healing technique that incorporates ceremony, during which the Shaman will call out for assistance for you. This technique can also, often be used to bring back power allies that we have lost through ignorance or misuse, but it is up to you to work with them properly.
Extraction
By far the most misunderstood Shamanic healing practice, it has been vastly exploited to the benefit of the media. We see pictures on the TV of Shamans in distant countries physically pulling organs and cancers from their patients, this is NOT extraction, this is Psychic Surgery, which is equally as powerful, but vastly different. In extraction medicine the Shaman draws out from the patient a spiritual entity, poisonous energy or other intrusion. It is not a practice that should be attempted without proper training as in some forms it includes the sucking of the intrusion into the mouth as if drawing poison from a snake bite. Once the extraction is complete one of the other techniques may be used to complete the ceremony of healing.
There are other forms of healing practice which are focused on the health of the Physical Body such as herbalism, homeopathy and so many more, however I know very little of these.
Back to TopPrevious Page
Other Practices
I could go on and on telling you about practices that I have learned or have experienced and many, many more that I have learned about but not trained in or experienced. The variety of Shamanic practices is huge and colourful, all I can do here is to refer you to a few books that I have read or suggest you to train at a Shamanic Lodge.
The Books I will suggest here are:
The Way of The Shaman by Micheal Harner
Riding Windhorses by Sarangerel
Chosen By The Spirits by Sarangerel
Dancing with the Wheel by Sun Bear, Wabun Wind and Chrysalis Mulligan
Shaman, Healer, Sage by Alberto Viloldo
Spirit in the City by Ross Heaven
Druidry in the Modern age seems to have two very different paths within itself. I call these paths "Masonic" and "Shamanic".
Masonic Druidry is a new (as far as the 18th Century can be called anyhow) path and focuses on the mental and philosophical aspects, on blending itself with other paths and with an archeaological and theoretical reconstruction of Druidry. It is the practitioners of Masonic Druidry that are most often seen in white robes. Ceremonies within Masonic Druidry are most often read from a sheet and follow a rigid structure that has been handed down from as far back as the Druid Revival in the 1700's and there is little room for change.
"Shamanic" Druidry on the other hand can be best described as "traditional" druidry. It is the Shamanic path, as Druidry is in fact the Celtic path of Shamanism. A Druid is a Celtic Shaman. And this path is focussed on practical, physical, emotional and spiritual methods of helping Community, Environment and Earth. It also does not seek to Justify itself by looking for links in other paths, it recognises that all religions are equal and accepts members of all faiths without debate. It is also organic, changing to meet the times and the needs of a certian community, place, event etc and the practices that can be found in "Shamanic" Druidry are not absolutes, they are meerly tools that the practitioner may choose to use or not as he or she chooses. Ceremonies within "Shamanic" Druidry are Organic, springing up o the spot from the well of inspiration but forming around a general intention, such as healing the earth, celebrating a solstice or performing a naming ceremony or wedding.
It is within "Shamanic" Druidry that our path lies.
Neither path is "the right path" and both are as equal and valid as eachother for different reasons.
Back to TopPrevious Page
It is easier for me to begin this section by dispelling a huge myth. The truth is that Druidry is NOT a religion. Druidry, like other Shamanic paths is a set of practices and philosophies that can blend easily with the native religion of the people, the changes in time and culture and also evolve to meet changes in the environment. Druidry, like other shamanisms, can be practiced by any person from any religion. The myth that Druidry was the religion of the celts actually did a lot to take away fromt he power and diversity of the Celtic religions. Celts, like the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and so on, did not have a static, unchanging religion which people would fight and even kill to prove as right, this is because the Celts believed in many gods. Cults developed around each deity, sometimes based on "job" of the people that followed it, for instance, Sucellos may have been a god of smiths and it could be that, like in Native American cultures, there was a society within the local religion at which smiths aone would hold ceremonies and honour Sucellos. Perhaps Taranis was a god of warriors and again there wa a warrior society within the tribe, perhaps even between tribes.
Druidry is a spiritual path, there is a definite religious twist to it, as you would expect for any spiritual path but this is little more than giving you a wider perspective on how you see the divine in the world, and in yourself. To put a finer point on it, our religious beliefs are best described as a heady mix of Animism, Pantheism and Theosophy.
Of course thousands of years ago it is most likely that Druidry grew out of a cult, as did Buryat Shamanism which came from the religion of Tengrism, but the practices within ancient druidry have been all but lost to history, bar a few that have helped us to piece things back together. Without full knowledge of the origins of the ancient practices we cannot say where Druidry began, but the general belief is that it began in an area of europe around the Danube and moved with the Celtic peoples to Britain where it is known to have developed into a powerful system, in fact people from all religions and tribes across celtic europe sent some of their youngsters to Britain to be trained as Druids, most likely on the Island of Mona, or as it is now called, Anglsey.
In Masonic Druidry, the practitioners have followed the traditions of such people as Gerald Gardener, Alex Saunders and Alistar Crowley in that they have reconstructed a path from pieces of different traditions. This Masonic/Occult twist to Druidry has given a definite religiuos bias to Masonic Druidry and in recent years people such as Phillip and Stephanie Carr Gomm of OBOD have opened up a tradition called "Druidcraft" which blends Druidry with Witchcraft. In Masonic Druidry you can often find elements of Egyptian, Saxon, Norse, Greek, Roman, Alexandrian, Gnostic Christian and even Buddhist and Native American ceremonial and religious practices. This all adds up to make a heady, but inevitably powerful concoction that I'm sure many of our Druid ancestors would be proud of.
Back to TopPrevious Page