Oak, Ash, and Hawthorn: The Path of the Druids (1/6)

Fair warning: If 6 parts doesn't already look long to you, let me tell you right off the bat: all the parts are pretty long. I got excited and perhaps a bit carried away. Anyway, take your time in reading through these, and enjoy!


When you hear the word "Druid" at least one of three things probably comes to mind: Old men in white cloaks, Stonehenge, or World of Warcraft. For this discussion, only two of those images are relevant, the wizened cloak-guys and Stonehenge; I'm sorry, but I'm not going to talk about the religion of WoW.


What I'd actually like to discuss is Druidry or Druidism, more specifically Neo-Druidy/ism. But before we jump into anything, let's get a little bit of history under our belts.


Who were the Druids?

Druids were mostly of Celtic heritage, whose lands and territories included Ireland, Scotland, England, Cornwall, Wales, the Isle of Man, and even into France, Germany, parts of Spain, and some Slavic countries. Generally, the Druids are connected with Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Most of what is known about the Celts and Druids was recorded by the Romans, because the Celts did not have much in the way of a writing system, and therefore what's been written about them must be taken with a grain of salt because the Romans did not write without bias. The Druids are often credited with one of the oldest spiritual/religious (it's not absolutely clear whether they really had religion or not) groups, with a great connection to the Earth, Sun, Moon, and seasons, as well as seeming to have some belief in a sort of Mother Goddess. People often think that the Druids were the ones who built Stonehenge, but this has not been proven, and likely cannot be. They were split into three different groups: The Bards, who were poets and songwriters; the Ovates, who were "seers" and healers; and the Druids, who were the philosophers. Let me be clear, before we move on, that these people and their traditions are extinct because we really cannot know what they were like or what they did, but their bloodlines and inspiration goes on.


Ok, but who are these "Neo-Druids"?
Neo-Druidy/ism, which is often just called Druidy or Druidism, is a Neo-Pagan religion of relatively recent origins. You may have heard of other Neo-Pagan (which are often just called "Pagan" even if this use of the term isn't historically correct) religions such as Wicca, which is perhaps the most well-known and fast-growing of the Neo-Pagan religions, or one of the more esoteric paths which fueled Wicca, such as the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Neither of these faiths are the same as Druidry (especially the Order of the Golden Dawn), but all share some similarities. Neo-Druidry can trace its roots back to the 1800s when a cultural movement was taking place in Britain which glorified the Celts and the historical peoples of Ireland and the UK with groups such as The Druid Circle of the Universal Bond rising up somewhere around 1909. In 1964, a man named Ross Nichols branched off from the previously mentioned group and formed another group called the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids (OBOD). He developed the group while collaborating with his good friend Gerald Gardener, who is often hailed as the "Father of Wicca." OBOD is still one of the most prominent Druidic groups in the world, closely followed by the American Druid group Ár nDraíocht Féin (ADF).


Druidry is an Nature-based faith and has been described as, "a group of religions, philosophies and ways of live, rooted in ancient soil yet reaching for the stars." (ADF website). Many people describe Druidry as a religion, while others say that it is a way of life, or a philosophy which they incorporate into their own religious practices and spiritual beliefs. For example, there are plenty of Buddhist, Christian, and Jewish Druids.


I realise that this is just a bunch of history and not much about what the Druids really believe or do, but I hope that through the analyzation of a few prominent markers of Druidry, I will be able to show you what they believe.


Symbols
That being said, I've chosen a very things about Druidry which I think make up it's essence as I understand it. These symbols of Druidry are as follows:
- Reverence of Nature
- The Three Realms and the Afterlife
- The Awen
- The Wheel of the Year


And with that, let us move on to our next topic: The Druids' reverence of Nature!

Oak, Ash, and Hawthorn: The Path of the Druids (2/6)

The Reverence of Nature
If there is one thing that you must understand about Druidry, it is there connection to and reverence for Nature. This is the common theme that connects all Neo-Pagan religions, but without grasping the magnitude of this, you will not be able to learn anything more about Druidry. I think that understanding this reverence for Nature is key because it is part of the key to Druidry: Druids are seeking a greater connection to Nature and their roots in a time of great technological advancement, ecological devastation, self-isolation, and greed. This is not the only important part of Druidry, but I believe that this is a major reason why Neo-Paganism came around, and I think that it can be clearly seen through their connection to Nature. Luckily, this shouldn't be a very difficult concept to wrap your mind around, but it is important because all Druidic  philosophies and practices are based around this connection to Nature.


Druids base all of their holidays, celebrations, and philosophies on this connection that they feel to Nature, and the reverence that they feel for it. Many Druids are avid environmentalists and stress eco-friendly approaches to life in their own lives as well as encouraging others to do so. Most Druids try to spend as much time out-of-doors as possible, and generally seem to take delight in the company of other animals.

The Druids see all of life as a web, i.e. the Web of Life. This is not an uncommon view, and perhaps the only possible difference is that the Druids not only see this web as connecting humankind, but also every creature, stone, river, tree, cloud, etc. They see this web as connecting every natural thing. They believe that with everything that you do, whether good or bad, it affects everything else in the world and/or universe. It also a common view that this web connects everything to divinity, in whatever way each Druid sees it.

This engraving found on the Gundestrup Cauldron (discovered
in Denmark) depicts an ancient Celtic/Gaulic deity often
called Cernunnos (kair-NOO-nus), and is a very popular God in
both Druidry and Wicca. 

Ideas about divinity are extremely diverse in Druidry, although most Druids share some sort of belief in pantheism (the idea that divinity is immanent in the Earth) or panentheism (the same as pantheism, except that distinct Gods and Goddesses are also included and are generally seen as somewhat transcendent). There are monotheistic Druids who believe in only on God or Goddess, or one deity who encompasses both masculine and feminine attributes, duotheistic Druids who believe in two distinct deities, generally one masculine God and one feminine Goddess, and polytheistic Druids who believe in many Gods and Goddesses. There are Druids who believe in no sentient God or Goddess, but some other sort of divine source (often a pantheistic view), and it's possible to even have a Druid who does not believe in any sort of divinity, but still holds a lot of the Druidic teachings close. Many Druids will take on a combination of the aforementioned views.

Aine of Knockaine is a Celtic
deity often revered as both
a Goddess and the Queen of
the Faeries. 

Another commonly held view is a belief in nature spirits, whom they call by many names, but the most commonly mentioned type of  nature spirits are the Sidhe (shee), also known as the Wee Folk, the Fair Folk, the Fae, or Faeries. These are not the romanticized, Victorian version of fairies, but are often described as mischievous and even dangerous if not respected. Sometimes, though, they are spoken of a great and powerful beings, seemingly similar to a Tolkein-esque elf, and some Celtic deities are, in fact, Fae. There are even a number of Neo-Pagan traditions based solely on communion with these little sprites, however it should be clear that not all Pagans or Druids believe in the Sidhe, and plenty of Christians (especially in Ireland) do.


What I want you to walk away with here is an understanding that the Druids build their entire life and set of philosophies around Nature. It affects the what they believe and the way that they see the world around them.


The Earth is a very spiritual realm for the Druids, but there are two other realms which are also extremely important: The Three Realms.

Oak, Ash, and Hawthorn: The Path of the Druids (3/6)

The Three Realms
Besides just revering the physical world around them, Druids also draw strength and spirituality from two other realms. Altogether, the three realms are Sky, Land, and Sea. These three realms are both physical areas as well as spiritual grounds. The idea of these three realms is drawn from an old Irish tradition of reverence for the the sky, the land, and the sea.


First, I want to explain a little bit about each Realm.

The Celtic or solar cross
is seen as a summary of the
Tree of Life and represents
not only the Sun and the
four seasons, but also the
connection between the
Realms.

Sky is seen as the land of the "Shining Ones" or the Gods. It's similar to the idea of the Judeo-Christian God who resides in Heaven. The sky also represents the spirit and truth. Sky is also where the Sun is, and the Sun was a major deity for the Celts, just like in many other cultures, and is today for the Druids.

The Tree of Life, although more
commonly associated with
Jewish mysticism (kabbalah) or the
Norse yggdrasil, is viewed as
connecting all three Realms.

Land is seen as the place of mortal life. This is where humans and all living things dwell. It's the bridge between the two other Realms, but is also seen as sort of the body of the divine, as many Druids work with a number of powerful Earth deities, especially Goddesses. It is also seen as the body in general, as well as encompassing the idea of "love."

A triskelion is seen as a representation
of all three Realms, and a triskelion
with feet rather than swirls is the
symbol of the Isle of Man (the name of
which does not derive from a human)

Last is Sea, which is connected with the afterlife and the Otherworld. The sea is thought of as the mind, and the essence of wisdom. Many Druids believe that when a person dies, their body goes back to the Earth, and their souls goes to a land under the sea, or an island somewhere in the mists. Besides souls, some Gods are believed to live here, as well as many other mystical and magical spirits. Wells have a very special connotation in much of the UK and Ireland, both with ancient inhabitants and modern, Druid or non-Druid, because they are thought to be a direct connection to the Otherworld. The Otherworld, as mentioned before, is the land of the dead, and has many names, such as "Tír na nÓg", "The Summerlands", "The Land of Eternal Youth", or "The Land Beneath the Mists". The afterlife is important to mention because many Druids believe in some sort of reincarnation process, as well as the possibility of connection to the Otherworld through certain techniques or on certain days of the year.


Now, I want to look as some music by a Druid musician who goes by the name Damh ("Dav" or "Dave") the Bard.

You are the rock, and you are the stone,
Rivers your blood, mountains your bone.
You are the Source, of all I’ll ever know,
Forever my Mother, forever my home.


(Chorus)
Oh this town is so cold,
Neon magicians they offer the fools their gold.
For there is a place I’d rather be,
In your wild places with the Land and the Sky and the Sea


Every step, follows those gone before,
Mystics and Saints, down to the shore,
Echoing waves, and the curlew’s cry,
A call out your name, and hear your reply.


Cynical thoughts, and lies that distort,
All that is true, all that is true,
They disappear, when I feel that you’re near,
When I’m with you, when I’m with you.

Not only does this song show a spiritual connection to nature ("Your are the rock" "Rivers your blood" "You are the Source" "Forever my Mother") it also explicitly relates to the Three Realms in expressing a longing to be in a place where he can feel connected to all three places at once. It also clearly displays the author's displeasure with some aspects of modernity ("Neon magicians they offer the fools their gold" seems to directly be calling out advertisers, big businesses, and perhaps large, flashing cities).

Next, we'll move to the Awen (and I'll try to be quick).

Oak, Ash, and Hawthorn: The Path of the Druids (4/6)

The Awen
The Awen is what I consider to be one of the most beautiful and unique parts of Druidry. "Awen" is Welsh for "muse" but is often translated as "inspiration." Originally, it was associated with poets and a Goddess named Cerridwen. Today, many Druids still like to tell the story of Cerridwen and her cauldron of inspiration, which you are more than free to read, but it's not what I want to focus on.

The Goddess Cerridwen

Many Druids see the Awen as a gift from the Gods, or from Cerridwen specifically (the Patroness of Bards). They see it, as I said, as a source of inspiration, but also as so much more than that. The best definition I've heard is that the Awen  "is the energy of divine inspiration, the flow of spirit, the essence of life in motion. It is the exquisite power of sacred relationship, the power that floods through the body and soul when spirit touches spirit, life is acknowledged, a moment's experience shared, divine energy exchanged. Awen is the focus of the deep inner quest; it is what we all seek as we stumble through life, that which brings us wisdoms, clarity, freedom, ecstasy, the joy of being alive, simply being, peaceful, presence. It is fire in the head, poetic frenzy, lust for breath, complete purpose in perfect serenity." (Druidnetwork.org) Damh the Bard also has another great song about the Awen, which I will link here.


The Awen has had a major impact on Druidry in terms of some of it's practices and emphases. Druidry encourages and emphasizes creativity like I've never seen. They won't make you do anything you can't, but one of their goals is to have all people connect with that Awen in some way, whether through poetry or knitting, baking or teaching; anything that makes you feel creatively fulfilled. Also, you've probably noticed the term "Bard" floating around quite a bit in here, but don't fret, I'm about to explain it.

Damh the Bard

No, the Bards that I've been referring to here are not the same as the ones that you find in Fire Emblem nor are they people who dance around with a tiny harp singing into the ear of whoever will listen to them, but that's kind of close. As you may remember, in some traditions there are three levels: Bard, Ovate, and Druid. Bards are considered to be on the first rung of the ladder of Druidry. In this tradition (which is mostly perpetuated by OBOD) are encouraged to start their spiritual journeys through cultivating their creativity and mastering the art of story-telling, in other words, becoming a Bard. The whole tradition is based off of this connection to creativity and inspiration; the Awen.


You might be thinking, "If this is such an important idea, does it have a symbol?" The answer is, "Yes."

This symbol was created by 19th century Druidic history buff, Iolo Morganwg. The three circles often represent the three positions of the Sun (sunrise, noon, sunset), the three visible phases of the Moon (waxing, full, waning), as well as the three droplets that fell from Cerridwen's cauldron (see story above). The lines, often called the "Rays of the Awen," represent male (R), female (L), and the balance between them, as well as Land, Sea, and Sky. The three rings represent the Upper-, Middle-, and Otherworlds. The three teachings of the Awen are said to be, "To understand truth, to Love truth, and to maintain truth;" Truth, Love, and Wisdom.


As you can see, the Awen has a profound effect on Druidry and is often featured and emphasized heavily in their rituals and celebrations, but we'll get to that in the next section on the Wheel of the Year.

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  The Wheel of the Year
The last point that we'll look at before tying things up is the Wheel of the Year. Essentially, the Wheel of the Year is the calender of holidays that Druids, and many Pagans follow. The Wheel was created by Gerald Gardener ("Father of Wicca") and Ross Nichols (prominent figure in Druidic history and originator of the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids), but was based off of ancient Celtic festivals and similar holidays found around the world, as well as the natural cycle of the seasons and the positions of the Sun, Moon, and Stars. The Wheel is not unique to Druidry, and not all Druids use it, but it is more commonly than not used as a guideline for celebrations, and is often very prominent within the lives of Druids. Each high day is called a Sabbat, drawn from words like "sabbath" or "shabbat."
You might find some of these holidays sounding very similar to ones that you celebrate today, so just remember that these are not the same holidays and are actually very old.

• Samhain: (sao-in) approx. October 31-November 1. Also called All Hallows Eve or Halloween. This has since ancient times been considered the Celtic new year and a major fire festival. Many Druids and Pagans today see it rather as a spiritual new year and as the start of the dark part of the year, rather than the actual new year. It is a time to honour the dead and is said to be the night when the veil between our world and the Otherworld is at it's thinnest, thus allowing the sprits of the dead to walk among us. It's a time of remembrance  but also represents rebirth and is seen as an excellent time to shed old, unneeded habits. A lot of Druids throw a big bonfire party and dress up.
• Yule: approx. December 21 or 22. Also called Midwinter, Modronacht, and the Winter Solstice. The name is drawn from an old Norse tradition, but the solstice has been celebrated all over the world for many years. In the Druidic tradition, there is a celebration to welcome the Sun back, as until this point the Sun's power had been waning and it will finally start waxing again. It is essentially the rebirth of the Sun, who is sometimes seen as a newborn child at this point.
• Imbolc: approx. February 1-2. Also called St. Bridgit's Day or Candlemas. Imbolc is another traditional Celtic fire festival, and was usually celebrated when the first lambs were born or the first flowers poked their heads out of the snow. It is often celebrated as a time to start setting goals that you want to come to fruition later, and also celebrates the Goddess Brighid who is hailed as the Goddess of the hearth and home, among other things. Druids often use candles to represent the fire of this celebration, and get the family together to tell stories and enjoy each other's company in the last stretch of winter.
• Ostara: approx. March 20 or 21. Also called Eostra and the Vernal/Spring Equinox. Ostara is named after the Norse fertility Goddess Eostre, and is a celebration of the coming of spring in all of it's abundance and new life. Eggs and rabbits are associated with Eostre, and many Druids celebrate this time as a time when night and day are equal, and the Sun will finally start becoming truly powerful in the sky.
• Beltaine: approx. April 30-May 1. Also called Mayday. This is a major Celtic fire festival and Druidic festival as it celebrates the beginning of the light part of the year. This celebration is all about celebrating youth and potency (essentially, this is a celebration of the sexual nature of... everything), but also celebrates family and Love. The Druids often celebrate with huge bonfires and big parties, often asking for good luck in the coming months.
• Litha: approx. June 20 or 21. Also called Midsummer or the Summer Solstice. This is often a major holiday for Druids as it celebrates the Sun at it's strongest point. There also seems to be a lot of faery lore associated with this holiday. Some Druids even stay up from Midsummer's eve until the next morning to welcome the Sun back into power.
• Lughnasadh: (loo-nah-sah) approx. July 31-August 1. Also called Lammas. The last major Celtic fire festival which celebrates the first harvest of the year and the God Lugh who is seen as a Sun God and also a God of smith-craft and healing. It's one of the first major feasting festivals.
• Mabon: (mah-bon) approx. September 22 or 23. Also called the Autumnal Equinox. This is the last harvest festival and is often thought of as a thanksgiving festival. Druids may celebrate by giving thanks for the harvest, and also acknowledging the Sun's descent from power after this point.

As you can see, there's a lot to celebrate. Many Druids celebrate with a ritual gathering, and instead of trying to describe it to you, I'm going to give you a video of an OBOD Midsummer celebration.

Just to break it down a bit and take a look at some familiar symbols, we have a Celtic cross at 0:07 to represent the Sun and the Wheel of the Year. At about 0:53 they start to chant/sing the sounds of the Awen, invoking it's power. At about 1:38 you can see a man speaking, presumably some sort of poetry, a practice which is often encouraged during Druid rituals, and it continues throughout the video. At 2:08 you can clearly see a man with the symbol of the Awen embroidered on his robe. At 2:19, a woman seeming to be speaking some lyric or poetry looks as though she hails the Sun, celebrating it's highest point. To finish the video, there is footage of the Druids lifting their arms and voices in celebration of the Sun.

Finally, it's time to end this journey in our last segment of conclusion.

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This is the end of this analyzation of some parts of Druidry, but I hope that it's opened at least some new door or perspective for you. I realize that this was long, and if you stuck with me through the whole thing, I applaud you.


Let's summarize a bit. Druidry is a Nature-based religion and all of it's practices and philosophies revolve around this connection to what is natural. They draw spiritual strength from the three Realms of Sky, Land, and Sea, and believe in an afterlife centered around the idea of rebirth. They draw inspiration from the Awen, one of the most unique parts of Druidry, which creates some very specific traditions and philosophies, such as the emphasis on the cultivation of creativity. Finally, their connection to the cycles of Nature, the cosmos, and their ancestors directly influences their holidays and celebrations. If we fit this into Geertz's definition of religion ("A system of symbol which acts to establish powerful, pervasive, and long-lasting moods and motivations in men by formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and clothing these conceptions with such an aura of factuality that the moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic" ) it's easy to see the way that the symbols explored in this blog establish the "powerful, pervasive, and long-lasting moods and motivations" mentioned, and how they help to formulate the ways in which Druids tend to see the world.


The reason that I chose to look at the Druids for this project is because I am a Pagan, and although I do not tack on a more specific label if I had to it would be "Druid." I find a lot of truth and power in their philosophies and way of life. I also appreciate the flexibility that the Druidic path allows; there are no set Gods you have to worship, there is no dogma, there is no real hierarchy. The Druid path is about being in tune with Nature, celebrating and appreciating Life and the people in it, and always seeking new knowledge and inspiration. 


Before I end this, I want to make myself available to any questions that you might have on Druidry or any other Neo-Pagan path, such as Wicca, Witchcraft, Asatru, Kemetcism, Hellenism, Celtic Reconstructionism, or even Satanism (which is not generally considered a Neo-Pagan religion). Feel free to drop me an e-mail or come talk to me, if you like.


Some helpful links:
- OBOD
- ADF
- Druid Network
- Witchvox (one of the most extensive archives of different Pagan traditions)


Finally, I leave you with a video. It's essentially a promotional video for OBOD, but it might be fun to see now that you know a bit more about Druidry.

Brightest Blessings, friends.

The Book of... Who, Now?

Q: For the week 10 blog post, read the Book of Abraham passed out in class (which you could also find online I'm sure). Then discuss how you might go about assessing a document like this. Are there any fine points in this text that lead you to think it is not from the supposed time of Abraham (2000BC?). In studying religion we have been surrounded by all kinds of claims about the world, and I am curious if there is any kind of critical approach that you can define through a discussion of this text.


A: Well, readers, I profess myself confused. Since beginning my adventures in the realm of religious studies, I've read some pretty puzzling texts, but this one definitely feels like it takes the cake. Maybe it's just because it all feels so far-fetched that feel like I can't really make heads or tails of it, but I will try.


I think what really got me was that at first it just sounded like another retelling of Abraham's life, but suddenly it turned into an affair with not only Yahweh, but also other unnamed Gods (perhaps Egyptian?). Then Yahweh is telling Abraham about the stars through the Urim and Thummim (which are some sort of divinatory device as far as I can tell, and can be found throughout the Bible, perhaps most clearly in 1 Sam 14:41), and it is revealed that the stars are actually souls, and that Abraham is one of the chosen ones. What Yahweh says here ("Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born." Ab 2:23) reminded me greatly of one of the Psalms. I don't think that I found the exact one which I was thinking of, but it did remind me of Psalm 2, "He said to me: 'You are My son. I Myself today did beget you.'" (Ps 2:7). What really threw me for a loop was Chapter 4, when we are supposedly transported back in time, as is Abraham, as far as I understand it. Perhaps this is supposed to be some sort of vision that Yahweh is giving Abraham through the Urim and Thummim, but it's not clear. What is also unclear is who these other Gods are, because they were not mentioned in the Bible and yet they are telling almost exactly the same story as the creation story in the Bible, the only difference is that it's a bit condensed.


While I can't find anything contextually or textually to absolutely dispel the claim of this being written in 2000 BCE, the fact that this was translated by Joseph Smith does not ease my suspicions any (I'm sorry, but I don't trust his historical dating skills). This text is dubious, to say the least, but I am really interested in hearing more about these other Gods that are mentioned. Generally, in the Hebrew Bible, if other Gods are mentioned, it is in the earlier texts, namely the Torah (by the end of the Bible, they've become "false Gods"), so I'm curious as to which Gods these are, and why they are mentioned without a second thought.