What
was Druidry?
The Druids were the educated elite of what is now called the "Celtic"
race. Many historians and archaeologists now argue that there never was an
actual Celtic race but for the sake of clarity and to give a sense of
familiarity, I will use the term throughout this booklet. The Celts were a
tribal people, with each tribe having its own chieftain. They were often at war
with one another, raiding nearby tribal villages and stealing their neighbors'
cattle. They were a warrior race who, in one of those strange historical
paradoxes, created the most beautiful art and inspired a religion which had a
deep respect for Nature.
The Roman invasion of the Celtic
regions was made easier because Celtic society was so fragmented. The Romans
systematically conquered one tribe at a time. The only common link between the
Celtic tribes was Druidry. The Druids were the prophets, magicians, seers,
healers, royal advisors and judges. Druids could move in complete safety
between tribes as their murder was punishable by death. Very quickly the Druids
began to unite the tribes and give them the focus they needed against the
invaders. This move did not go unnoticed and it was in the year 61CE that two
crushing blows were dealt against the British. The first was the sacking of
Ynys Mon, the Isle of Anglesey, off the north coast of Wales, which was a major
centre of Druidic learning. As the Romans conquered Britain, the Druids
retreated to Ynys Mon and became trapped. It was written by Tacitus that the
Druidesses were like screaming furies who spat curses across the bay at the
assembling Roman armies. Although this chilled the blood of the Centurions,
they attacked and won the battle. All of the Druid Groves (sacred clearings
within the forests) were destroyed and all Druids, Druidesses and their
children were slaughtered. The other blow was the defeat of the Iceni Queen
Boudicca whose revolt very nearly put an end to the entire Roman occupation.
However, the massacre of the Druids did not destroy the religion. It continued
in smaller groups and gradually the Druid was seen as little more than a
wandering magician. A far cry from the high status previously held.
The ancient Druids consisted of three "grades", or divisions - Bards,
Ovates and Druids.
Bards:
This was the first of the Druid
Grades and introduced the student to the stories and traditions of the Tribe.
The Bard learned all of the tales of the chieftain's victories and the secret
lore of sacred poetry. A Bard was an honoured member of the Tribe who was welcome
wherever he or she travelled. They were trained in the Art of Magic using the
power of poetry in either praise or satire. Their Lore supplied the foundation
to the religious and magical practice of Druidry, telling the nature of the
Gods, the deeds of the Ancestors and the sacred places of the land. Through the
power of the sacred word, expressed through poetry, storytelling and song, they
invoked the blessings of the Spirit of Place, and of the Gods and ancestors of
the people.
Ovates:
These were the prophets and seers.
They worked with the three realms of past, present and future and entered into
trance states, foreseeing the future fortunes of the Tribe. The Ovate was the
Druid Shaman.
If the ancient Druids performed sacrifice (there is no hard evidence of this
other than Caesar's account, which could well have been propaganda) then the
Ovates would have been the people who oversaw such events. When considering the
act of ritual sacrifice we must try to understand that the Celtic tribes lived
and died by their crops. If the crops failed, then a hard winter of starvation
and disease was inevitable. A whole village could be wiped out through lack of
food; therefore, when such a catastrophe occurred, the ancients felt they had
to offer a gift to their Gods. The true nature of sacrifice was to give
somebody who came willingly. To offer themselves as such placed them with their
Gods and the Tribe revered them as heroes.
To view ancient civilizations from
the standpoint of modern ethics is a mistake. We have supermarkets and world
trade, which keeps us supplied with wonderful food throughout the year. Now
imagine growing all of the food you eat yourself, without the use of pesticides
to protect the crop from blight and insect diseases. Then imagine your crop
fails and you face a winter of unimaginable pain and suffering. Now imagine it
happened for a second year....
Druids:
Having traveled through the realms
of poetry, the Word, the trees and the spirits, the student finally became a
Druid - the wise one who had passed through madness and survived. This brought
great wisdom and peace; the Druid's role was therefore that of advisor, teacher
and judge. In Celtic mythology tribal chieftains each had their Druid to whom
they turned for advice during limes of need.
Between 5OOCE and the late middle ages the Druid tradition was kept alive in
the tales and songs of the storyteller and wandering minstrel. During this lime
two of the grades, namely Bard and Ovate, became merged and it is here we see
such characters as Merlin and Taliesin emerging as seer-poets, living on the
edge of sanity and completely accepted by the spirits of Nature. Much of the
modern Druidic teaching stems from the words of the ancient Bardic tales and
the poetry of Taliesin and Merlin.
The Bardic colleges continued to operate in Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, for
many centuries, but eventually the last one was closed in the 17th century.
However, the pull of this tradition was too strong and soon poets such as
William Blake rediscovered the voice of the Bard. These Bardic revivalists, who
revelled in the beauty of nature, met in the quieter rooms of public houses at
the end of the 18th century, and thus the thread spins on....
What is Druidry today?
With the growing awareness many people have towards the environment, there is
an understandable interest in the Nature, or Pagan, religions. Druidry means
different things to different people. There are those who take their
spirituality from Druidry and blend it with their own tradition, be that Pagan
or Christian. And there are others who try to follow a rediscovered
"Druidism", ie the Druid faith.
To give an insight into modem Druidry we must start with exploring the symbol
and Druidic "sacred mantra" known as the Awen.
[
se
Central to
Druid philosophy is the force known as the Awen. Literally Awen means
"flowing spirit" and it is this flowing spirit that guides us through
the Druid work and, because the force of the Awen is described thus, it can be
seen as many different things. The force of divine poetic inspiration, which is
held within the three drops of potion brewed in the Cauldron of the Goddess
Ceridwen, to the Christian Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Ghost, both could be
described as the Awen.
The symbol of the Awen is the "Three Rays of Light" shining from
three single points surrounded by three circles. The three points represent the
directions of the sunrises of the Soistices and Equinoxes. On the Summer and
Winter Solstices the Sun rises east-north-east and east-south-east
respectively, whilst on the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes it rises due east. The
Awen also symbolises the three drops of inspiration from the Cauldron of
Ceridwen. The three circles represent the three Circles of Creation in Welsh
cosmology, ie Abred, Gwynvid and Ceugant. The central blackness represents the
realm of Annwn.
During a Druid ritual, the Awen can be intoned as a single monotone note using
three syllables "Ah-oo-en"(some Druid Orders intone the three letters
I. A. U. in a similar way). The power held within the Awen mantra can be used
in many ways - from initiating poetic inspiration, to drawing down the blessing
of the God and Goddess or evoking a change in the atmosphere of a ritual
circle. It is truly a sacred word.
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The Three Grades
The three grades of Druidry are Bards, Ovates and Druids. The word
"grade" conjures up a hierarchy of learning and importance, implying
that the Bard is the infant and the Druid the university graduate. However,
this is not the case. A better way of considering the grades would be to view
them as three parts of the same journey - the Ovate (or Druid) is still a Bard
and always will be. The three grades teach very different techniques, which can
be seen as a range of skills usable in different situations - there will be
times when the healing techniques learned during the Ovate grade will be more
useful than Bardic storytelling.
The Bards:
The Bardic grade is concerned with the Arts, with giving a voice to the child
spirit that lives within us all. It is a wholly open tradition which forms the
public face of Druidry. Most open, public Druid ceremonies are conducted from
the Bardic grade and are therefore open to all. It encourages the personal
growth of the individual by working with the four elements of Earth, Air, Fire
and Water. Experiencing the individual elements, and learning to integrate and
weave them into our awareness, we move towards a greater wholeness.
Once the work with the elements has begun, the Bardic tradition starts to
explore the poet/ storyteller within us all. Bards are encouraged, through
ritual and meditation, to get in touch with their creative selves. There are
some who are drawn to the sacred myths of Britain and Ireland, learning them
and revelling in the fireside performances to which they lend themselves so
well. Some go as far as being inspired to become harpers or to learn other folk
instruments which can be used in Bardic performances. But the majority do not,
for the wonderful gift of the modern Bardic tradition is to encourage the
hidden creativity that lies within everyone. Whether that is painting, poetry,
music, raising children, or following a profession, the direction and focus
encouraged by working with the Bard Within helps any creativity to flourish and
blossom.
The Bardic tradition is one of complete openness and freedom. There are no
oaths of secrecy or binding promises, other than any that the individual
chooses to make for his or her own personal spiritual growth. It is a sharing
grade, where time during ritual can be dedicated to the Arts. The name given to
Bardic performances held during a Druid ritual, or gathering (Gorsedd), is the
"Eisteddfod". This literally means "a festival of sitting"
but has become a "gathering of Bards". It is this openness, and focus
on creativity that is probably Druidry's most important gift to the Pagan
world.
The spiritual work of the Bard is done mainly in the physical world - allowing
the individual to further understand how Druidry and the elements interact
within the actual world in which we live, before delving into the inner planes.
The Ovates:
Once the Bard has an understanding of the elements and their correspondences,
and the Awen, and the way it helps with everyday life, he or she is ready to
work at deeper levels, which require a different quality of commitment and
responsibility. The Ovate works very much with the unseen world, both within
and without.
The historical Ovates were the tribal Shamans, and this element is still the
inspiration behind the work of modem Ovates. During the Ovate work the student
can work with both elemental and inner healing; divination using the Ogham
(tree alphabet); the wealth of Druid tree lore; the elemental and faerie realm;
leylines; and the three realms of past present and future. It is no surprise
that it once took 19 years to complete a Druid's training. All teaching was
done orally; students, after working with establishing Bardic memory, would
have to remember the words of their teachers. Now we have writing and books
that can help us in our progress.
The Ovate's main festival is Samhain, and here the work of the Ovate is used
for divination.
Some people feel more with the Ovate work than with the Bardic studies and
become healers and diviners, putting the Ovate training to the service of their
communities. Others work more with the inner planes and develop the mediumistic/
Shamanic side of themselves, whilst others incorporate the Ovate studies and
work them deeper into their understanding of the natural world.
The Druids:
During this grade the Bardic and Ovate work is consolidated. After learning the
power of the word as a Bard, and working with the deeper levels of
consciousness as an Ovate, a new spiral of the Journey is taken, as the Druid
begins to understand the relationship between human and Otherworldly beings.
The Deities whose stories were learnt as a Bard might become actual Spiritual
advisors as the Druid steps into the Bardic realm once more, but with the
benefit of the lessons learnt over several years of study. And so the spiral
continues....
The
Ogham
The one thing that becomes increasingly obvious to the student of Druidry is
that Druids love trees. They are an integral part of the Druidic magical system
known as the Ogham (pronounced oh-am). The letters of the Ogham (or tree
alphabet) are formed by scratch marks along a horizontal or vertical line. They
are linked not only with the wealth of Druid tree lore but also with birds,
stones, colours and many other things -but what are their origins?
A theory popularised by Robert Graves in his book "The White Goddess"
is that they come from the poem attributed to the Bard Taliesin, called the
"Cad Goddeu" or "The Battle of the Trees". The poem is too
long to quote here, but is given in full in Graves' book. Chapters ten and
eleven specifically deal with the Ogham. The Ogham can be found inscribed on
stones from Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland.
The Festivals
The Agricultural Cycle
Samhain:
This festival is celebrated as the
Druidic new year. As the old year passes, the veil between the realms of the
living and the realms of the dead becomes thin. At this time the spirits move
within our world and, with proper training, we can travel to theirs. Samhain is
a time to honour the Ancestors who play an integral part in the Druid's
training. We take our personalities not only from our physical parents, but
also from our own Spirit's journey through past lives. So, at Samhain Druids
can explore their past and commune with their own past Selves, and with their
Ancestors. Loved ones who have moved into the Otherworld are invited into the
Circle to join with the living in a symbolic feast. In the natural world the
earth is bare. Leaves are being stripped from the trees and returned to nourish
the new growth which will arrive with the Spring. Seeds lie dormant in the
earth. It is a time of renewal and the time of the Cailleach (the Crone aspect
of the Goddess) who, as the Raven, picks the dead flesh from the trees and
brings the Winter.
Imbolc:
This festival is sometimes
symbolised by the arrival of the first snowdrops on or around 1st February and
is a festival of Fire and Water. It is the feast of the Goddess Brigantia, also
known as Brighid, Briget and by many other names. Brigantia is the Triple
Goddess of Smiths, Poets and Healers. The art of the Smith was seen as a
magical one. Metal was an essential material in the Iron Age and the Smiths
could obtain this by working with the four elements - Fire in the forge, Air
from the bellows to feed the flames, metal ore from the Earth and Water to cool
the heated metal. One can understand why the Smiths were regarded with such
honour.
Imbolc is also a time to work with healing, not only the healing of our own
Selves and friends, but also the healing of the Earth. Brigantia, as the
Patroness of Poetry, is offered her gift by the Bards during the Eisteddfod
part of the Imbolc celebration.
Beltane:
Beltane is sometimes symbolised by
the arrival of May blossom on the Hawthorn trees. In Druid tree lore the
Hawthorn is not only a Faery tree but also a tree of fertility. The Spring has
arrived and with it comes new life. The ground and trees are covered with fresh
green leaves and the animals and birds are choosing their mates. This is a time
to celebrate such union and to build the twin Beltane fires, through which
cattle were once driven to bring good luck and to destroy infections. Now we
walk between the fires to bring luck and fertility into our lives. The Green
Man/Lord of the Wildwood and the Goddess watch our celebrations from the
twisted branches of the Oak tree; they smile, for there are some who still show
them honour and respect. In times past most children were conceived in May -
not only because the weather made people feel like making love but because the
child conceived in May was born in February, which was after the harshest
Winter weeks. Therefore, it had a better chance of survival.
Lughnasadh:
The Druidic Harvest Festival is
symbolised by the harvested fields of Corn. The Spirit of the Corn can be seen
as the God who each year offers himself as a sacrifice to feed the people of
the land. The corn holds not only the life of the old God, but also the seed of
the Mabon (young God) who will be reborn at the time of Alban Arthuan (the
Winter Solstice). This is the mystery of Lughnasadh, for the sacrifice of the
Corn Spirit is a willing one, and he makes way for the new Child of the
following year. As the last sheaf of corn is cut so the old God returns to the
Otherworld alone and waits to be joined by the Goddess. This is a time to
really feel the turning Wheel of the Year, for it can be seen as the cycle of
the seasons, our lives, the sacred circle within which we celebrate and the
motion of the Earth in her journey around the Sun.
Alban Arthuan (Winter Solstice):
Alban Arthuan means the Light of
Arthur. Some Druid Orders believe this means the Light of the hero King Arthur
Pendragon who is symbolically reborn as the Sun Child ("The Mabon"')
at the time of the Solstice. Others see the Light belonging to the star
constellation known as the Great Bear (or the Plough) - Arthur, or Art, being
Gaelic for Bear. This contstellation shines out in the sky and can symbolise
the rebirth of the Sun. At this point the Sun is at its southernmost point
almost disappearing beyond the horizon, and the days are at their shortest.
This was a time of dread for the ancient peoples as they saw the days getting
shorter and shorter. A great ritual was needed to revert the course of the sun.
This was probably calculated by the great circles of stone and burial grounds
which are aligned to this festival, such as Newgrange in Co. Meath, Eire. Sure
enough, the next day the Sun began to move higher into the sky, showing that it
had been reborn.
This time of year is very cold and bleak, which is why so many celebrations are
needed to help people get through the Winter months. It is significant that
many civilisations welcomed their Solar Gods at the time of greatest darkness -
including Mithras (the bull-headed Warrior God), the Egyptian God Horus and,
more recently, Jesus Christ.
Alban Eiler (Spring Equinox):
Alban Eiler means the Light of the
Earth. As the Sun grows warmer so life begins to show through the soil. Small
signs at first - the daffodils and crocuses - then more green as the bluebells
and wood anemones spread through the woodland. Plants are seen by some as
inanimate greenery with no actual feelings and life force. But Druids see life
in all living things, from rocks and stones, to rivers and springs, plants and
trees - all life is sacred. Have you ever thought about how you recognise the
beginning of Spring? Is it the plant life? The weather? How does a plant know
when it is time to grow? It cannot tell the time or see a calendar. Yet it
knows. If it has senses then it has consciousness, if it has consciousness then
it is more than an inanimate life form. So it is the return of life to the
Earth that is celebrated at Alban Eiler, the time of balance.
One of the inner mysteries of Druidry is the Druid's egg. Life-giving, it is
the egg protected by the hare, which is the symbol of Alban Eiler - still
celebrated by the giving of Easter eggs by the Baster bunny.
Alban Heruin (Summer Solstice):
Alban Heruin means the Light of the
Shore. Druidry has a great respect and reverence for places that are "in
between" worlds. The seashore is one such place, where the three realms of
Earth, Sea and Sky meet. There is great power in places such as these. It is
the time of greatest light when the Solar God is crowned, by the Goddess, as
the King of Summer. It also brings some sadness because from now until Alban
Arthuan the Sun's strength is declining and we have entered the waning year. At
this time the Dark Twin, or Holly King, is born - he will take his crown at
Alban Arthuan. Of all the festivals Druidry is mostly associated with Alban
Heruin. The wonderful white-robed figures filmed at the dawn rituals at
Stonehenge are testament to this. However, to many Druids it is the turning
seasons and the cycle of life, death and rebirth - reflected in the Wheel of
the Year in its completeness - which are significant.
Alban Elued (Autumn Equinox):
Alban Elued means the Light of the
Water. The Wheel turns and the lime of balance returns. Alban Elued marks the
balance of day and night before the darkness overtakes the light. It is also
the time of the last harvests, usually of the fruit which has stayed on the
trees and plants to ripen under the Summer Sun. It is this final harvest which
can take the central theme of the Alban Elued ceremony. Thanking the Earth, in
her full abundance as Mother and Giver, for the great harvest. It is the end of
Summer and the beginning of Autumn.
Druid ritual takes many forms and has many functions. Druids draw on various
sources for ritual - including mediaeval and later Celtic literature, previous
generations of Druid revivalists, archaeology, poetry, and other traditions.
But they draw mainly on their own judgement, and experience, of what is right
for a given moment.
Most rituals begin with the call for peace for, as is said within Druid
teaching, "without peace can no work be". The Druid will approach
each quarter and say "May there be peace in the (direction)." Then
the Sacred Circle is cast, followed by calls to the Spirits of the four
directions. Rituals are frequently composed for a particular combination of
time, place and people. They vary from the open celebration of the Bardic
Gorsedd to the intimacy of personal Rites of Passage.
They may take place anywhere - from great Stone Circles to private rooms. Most
take place outdoors, since contact with the Earth, Sea and Sky is very
important to the practice of Druidry. Group rituals commonly celebrate the
eight major festivals. Rites of Passage include the naming or blessing of
children, the onset of puberty, Druid weddings (handfastings), and passing on.
Rituals may also be directed towards healing or spiritual growth.
Most of the common elements of Druid ritual are those associated with the
Bardic tradition. These include the Gorsedd Prayer, written by lolo Morganwg:
Grant, God/dess, 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 God/dess and all goodness.
Although this prayer occurs widely
in Modern Druidry, there are many who do not use it.
Another widespread element of Druid ritual is the Oath of Peace:
We swear by peace and love to stand,
Heart
to heart, and hand in hand,
Mark,
0 Spirit, and hear us now,
Confirming
this, our Sacred Vow.
Druid ritual brings the participants into contact with the Spiritual. Thus our
lives are touched with the deep sources of inspiration, creativity, wisdom and
healing.
The Circles of Existence
A discussion of modern Druidry would not be complete without reference to
Edward Williams, whose Bardic name was lolo Morganwg. He lived in the 17th
century and is now seen as an inspiration to some, a forger to others. However,
it is difficult to deny his influence over the direction of what is now termed
the "revivalist" period of Druidry. lolo presented the world with
several "authentic" documents, which he claimed were the ways of the
ancient Druids, in a book called the "Barddas". These gifts included
the Circles of Existence. There is little doubt that some of the Iolo material
is authentic; however, he was such a good forger that it is almost impossible
to discern the bogus from the credible.
The Barddas is now 200 years old which makes it an ancient document by modern
standards. It contains much visionary material, but it is the Three Circles of
Existence- Abred, Gwynvid and Ceugant - that we shall explore here. The central
space represents the cauldron of Annwn.
he three circles represent the
journey of the Spirit/Soul.
Annwn: All life begins in Annwn. This is the home of the Cauldron of rebirth -
the smelting pot of Spirit. Once born the Spirit is within the Circle of Abred
(physical).
Abred: Abred is the Circle of the physical - of mineral, plant, animal and
human. It is the Spirit's journey of enlightenment through the four realms
which is taking place in the world around us. There are many roads we can
travel during our lives, and the realm of Abred is our learning ground on the
way to oneness with Spirit. If our lives have been lived with an awareness of
all existences then the cycle continues; others may slip back into the Cauldron
to be reborn again, retaining the lessons learnt. Some may find peace within
the shape of animals, or the running Spirit of a river.
Gwynvid: Once the physical journey is complete and that oneness with Spirit has
been attained the Journey moves into the Circle of Gwynvid. Here we find the
Enlightened Ones who have gone before - spirits who have greatly affected the
spiritual direction of Abred with their teachings. Merlin, Christ, Buddha and
other great prophets contact the living within the Circle of Abred through
dreams and spirit vision which teaches us on our Journey. It is possible
(nobody will truly know until they get there) that our personal Spirit
Guides/Helpers teach us from the Circle of Gwynvid. At the time of Samhain it
is possible for Druids to enter Gwynvid and Annwn to seek guidance on their
Journey.
Ceugant: This is said to be the Circle of the Spirit / Goddess/God alone - the
one governing force of the universe and nature which watches over us all. It is
the ultimate space of creation from which all came and into which all will
return.
Some see the Circles as a spiral which takes us on our inward (rather that
outward) Journey to the Source . It is important to state that the three
Circles do not form a dogma. It is true that they influence many on the Druid
path, but it is equally true that others find them too constricting and have
their own ways of understanding the Spirit and its relationship with God/
Goddess. What has been discussed here is only the beginning of the symbolism of
the three Circles.
Frequently Asked Questions
1.Do you have to be Welsh, Cornish, Breton, Scottish or Irish to follow the
Druid tradition?
No. All though the Path takes its
inspiration from the "Celtic" countries, the spirituality and
philosophy taught by Druidry is not constrained by your ancestry or where you
live.
2. Did the Druids build Stonehenge?
Some historians now say that the
Celtic race (if there ever was such a thing) never reached the British Isles in
any great number. The British were British until the invasion of the Romans
and, later, the Saxons. If Caesar's statement that the Druids from Gaul were
sent to Britain to be trained, then Ancient Druidry already existed on this
island. These ancient people have been called "proto-Druids" or early
Druids. If this is true, then Stonehenge was built by Druids, long before the
religion reached its height during the iron age. However, other historians
dispute this. So, the answer has to be an absolute, positive, maybe....
3. Do I have to wear a white robe?
No. Many people feel uncomfortable
wearing robes. Others will wear a robe linked with the colour associated with
their grade, for example: Blue for Bards, Green for Ovates and white for
Druids.
4.Do I have to be able to write poetry, tell stories and play an instrument?
It is not necessary to have any
artistic talents to begin to tread the Druid Path. These are things that can be
learnt along the way as the Awen inspires you.
5. Do Druids worship the Sun and always perform their rituals during the day?
There are no fixed rules as to when
Druids perform their ceremonies; however, the public rituals are often held
"in the eye of the Sun".
6. Is Druidry patriarchal?
The 18th century revivalists were
mainly men so Druidry did get the reputation of being a patriarchal tradition.
This was mainly because the early revivalist Druid groups bore more similarity
to freemasonry than to historic Druidism. In recent years the balance has been
achieved and membership of many Druid orders is divided equally between men and
women.
I have found this information on
http://www.be.paganfederation.org/druidry.htm
For more
information see links below
Obod
http://druidry.org/
BDO
http://www.druidorder.demon.co.uk/index.htm
http://www.druidnetwork.org/about/index.html
http://www.druidry.org/obod/druid-path/index.shtml
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