To all my brothers and sisters:

A forum for people who follow or are interested in the spiritual path of Druidry (whether neopagan, mesopagan, or reconstructionist), the ancient Druids, and Celtic culture.

Modern Druidry is a 300 year old path that focuses on nature spirituality and inner transformation founded on personal experience rather than dogmatic belief.
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WindWeaver

To all my brothers and sisters:

Post by WindWeaver »

Much of my story resides in my introduction thread, found here.
I suppose this rather untouched section of the site is the proper place to ask these questions, the first of which being where might someone who learned in an older and lesser known tract of Druidry learn what is commonly accepted and polite among my modernly taught friends? I find increasingly that in the days we live in the practice has changed a great deal. If anyone knows of a resource website or book perhaps that outlines the differences for those like myself to become acquainted with the newer way of things I'd be thankful to hear of it.

Secondly, I've noticed a great deal of interest but it would seem a smaller number of druids who practice frequent this site than Wiccan practitioners, if anyone is curious or has questions about the Dál Riata Druidic tradition I would be more than honoured to share with you what I know and am allowed to say. Being an only partially secretive group I can share much of our path, all but I believe the workings of the nine great ceremonies and some of the later, more dangerous spell work. It would give me a chance to give to the community for all I've learned about dwelling among my Wiccan brothers and sisters without difficulty or miscommunication. : )
siren

Re: To all my brothers and sisters:

Post by siren »

1.)When you say that you are out of touch, what do you mean? 2.)Can you explain to me the most basic components of Druidry? Are there any websites you suggest for beginning learners? I'd love to follow in your foot steps and absorb your knowledge as well. I just dont know how to go about it. Any suggestions? I dont have a proper mentor
WindWeaver

Re: To all my brothers and sisters:

Post by WindWeaver »

1. I feel out of touch as in I've never been among Wiccans and modern Druids, I have no idea what social norms are.
2. The mother goddess Danu and her husband, the great oak, are our guides. We serve them as best we can. The great oak, who's name we don't repeat out of respect but know, we called Draoi. Because of what we called him the name "Druid" stuck. When their children grew to adulthood, The Dagda and Brigid gave us magic and set us forth on our work. We are to protect our own, protect the young and provide for the weak. We must be versed in combat, magic, patience and be acquainted with all the arts. Should the gods have a request, we fulfill it with speed and excellence.

I'm not sure if that's the basics for you, but much more and the explaination becomes a long winded pamphlet, best to go about it in sections. :)
Can I clarify anything for you, Siren? More questions? :D
Victoria Mnemosyne
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Re: To all my brothers and sisters:

Post by Victoria Mnemosyne »

just two for now =)
1) I am aware there are many celtic gods and goddesses. How do you worship these, and how do your views towards them compare to the Danu and Draoi?
2) What would you say is the primary focus of your path? Nature in general, the deities, the fay folk, etc
WindWeaver

Re: To all my brothers and sisters:

Post by WindWeaver »

Victoria Mnemosyne wrote:just two for now =)
1. We believe Danu and the great oak put the gods here for a reason, each god aids us in their own way and we honour each during their festivals, on their birthdays and should we so choose, any time we wish. While we as druids answer to the gods, ALL of the gods and druids answer to Danu and Draoi. :)
2. The primary focus is that we better the world and the lives of those around us while doing as the gods would ask. Whatever they request we fulfill, and they bestow upon us their blessings and bounties. It can become taxing, but a group of 20 or more can ease most large jobs. :3
Victoria Mnemosyne
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Re: To all my brothers and sisters:

Post by Victoria Mnemosyne »

How do you discern what the Gods require? Do they speak to you directly? Can only elders or the most experienced among you know the Gods' will?
WindWeaver

Re: To all my brothers and sisters:

Post by WindWeaver »

Victoria Mnemosyne wrote:How do you discern what the Gods require?
It's not so much a matter of discernment as the proper ceremony. At each of the four great festivals the gods make requests or leave instruction. The most common way is by leaving a letter or note. Most times they go to great lengths so that we are without a doubt it is them, a wild animal bringing the letter and remaining calm among us as a messenger until we accept the letter and read it isn't uncommon. Of course if we visit them they tell us directly. :)

In our group if you're a druid, you're a druid. The elders are no more highly revered than the new druids, we all must complete the same tasks. There's a certain amount of respect among the elders and youths toward each other but we don't tend to make a big deal out of it. The gods don't play favorites with us unless someone has done something truly amazing, so we don't either. We take turns leading events and organizing, all is calm among our own. :3
Symandinome
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Re: To all my brothers and sisters:

Post by Symandinome »

i think these hand delivered notes are fascinating i would love to see one of them and more so would love to see one delivered to me. ;) What language do they write to you in? Ogham? English? Symbols? I have experienced some pretty amazing things in my life but never something so astounding as a written letter hand delivered by wild animals.
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illbehere
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Re: To all my brothers and sisters:

Post by illbehere »

i have a question, how do u become a druid? apart from the obvious being born into it. druidry is of great interest to me, my library does not have any books with paganism and wiccain so i learned what i learned from sites. its great that your willing to share your knowledge with us, im irish so anything celtic also intrigues me xD.
siren

Re: To all my brothers and sisters:

Post by siren »

So if I am correct there is a tree assigned to each month.... why is this?
Symandinome
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Re: To all my brothers and sisters:

Post by Symandinome »

LOL Wind I told you the people want to know....GET YOUR LESSON PLANS READY!!! I want a front row seat!
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illbehere
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Re: To all my brothers and sisters:

Post by illbehere »

i dibs sitting beside symandinome xD.
siren if u could just type ur question into google and dont be lazy im sure youll find the awnser. and a tree for every month is Celtic zodiac. and ireland is basically alot of plants and trees back in the old days i presume when the celts were here, only the greenary and makeshift houses were around. so i presume that they must have felt connections to the trees and therefore choose them as the months on their zodiac =).
im a hawthorn ^.^
WindWeaver

Re: To all my brothers and sisters:

Post by WindWeaver »

Symandinome wrote:What language do they write to you in? Ogham? English? Symbols?
Usually they write in the simplest language for us to understand. It's no trouble for the gods to learn a new language, they're so adept at things, aren't they? ;D Usually it's in Gaelic unless the majority of the group are younger and don't read Gaelic, then I would suppose what is a gesture of kindness they translate it to English for them.
illbehere wrote:i have a question, how do u become a druid?
You simply write your letter of intent, submit it to a druid of our group and we go about teaching you. Initially you're considered an "initiate", once you've learned all the songs, poems and basic spell construction and energy paths you're bumped up to "bard", where you learn more spells, longer songs, longer poems and more of the science behind energy flow and the manipulation of a new type of energy while learning with new tools and staves and stones of all sorts, then once you've memorized all that and been tested you're graduated to the rank of druid and you continue training in the college-level difficulty lessons. Because the teaching material is owned primarily by us, you'll learn from the person not the books. Since you're not in the family there's no need to spend ten plus years learning our family history. It's a long road.~
siren wrote:So if I am correct there is a tree assigned to each month.... why is this?
A good question, Siren. In truth, to we Dal Riata druids the trees associated with the months and lunar cycle are more a labeling system and tradition than spiritually groundbreaking. In a birth celebration we'll line a crib with foliage of the child's plants for the duration of the ceremony, we'll thank the trees with gifts of fertilizer for being dominant during the birth of the child and ask them to continue being strong for the life of the child, but after that they're mostly tags for the time of year. Other than that we also have a slightly different list than most folk today keep. It feels rather shoddy to be underplaying them, but I don't believe we find them as important as other druids these days.
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illbehere
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Re: To all my brothers and sisters:

Post by illbehere »

i have no problem with long roads xD. its just finding the RIGHT long road. i heard though that no television or electronics are allowed, could u private message me the basic rules, if i knew whats allowed ect i may have some thinking on what i want to be. i had allways wanted to be a catholic, and now that i am, i see the cracks and corruption inside, bascially i want out and need to weigh my options. when im interested in something its not a 1 day thing. ive never really beleived in 1 god alone, it seemed far fetched, ALOT of gods together seems more likely to me. and letter? what intent are u meant to write ? something like why u want to be a druid, will u be devout ect? am i far off haha xD. see im irish,
basica history of my family is wierd if u have time then here:
Butterly:
Variations of name:buttarley,butterleigh,betterlyand many more.
first found in devon where they held a family seat as lords of the manor. the saxon influence of english history diminished after the battle of hastings in 1066. the language of the courts was french for the next three centurys and the norman ambiance prevailed. but saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the year 1060 when edwin of butterleigh was allowed to retain his lands, including east butterleigh, after paying alleigence to the king after the norman conquest in 1066, a rare exeption to the rule.

also my first name:
Ryan:
meaning = King, kingly or little king or ( in Gaelic ) water
origins ect:Ryan \r-yan\ as a boy's name (also used as girl's name Ryan), is pronounced RYE-an. It is of Gaelic origin, and the meaning of Ryan is "king". Also possibly (Gaelic) "water". Actors Ryan O'Neal, Ryan Philippe; baseball player Ryne Sandberg.

Ryan has 6 variant forms: Rian, Rien, Rion, Ryen, Ryon and Ryun.

so yeah thats me =) im mostly irish but another site said the first ryans were from lognford, basically im a roundabout haha, but pure irish :P.
WindWeaver

Re: To all my brothers and sisters:

Post by WindWeaver »

illbehere wrote: i heard though that no television or electronics are allowed, could u private message me the basic rules, if i knew whats allowed ect i may have some thinking on what i want to be.
It confuses and bewilders me the things people assume about druids and druid life.
1. People assume we're all vegan or vegetarian, that's incorrect, we eat what we have a whim to eat.
2. We're quite the opposite of celibate, yet another baffling presumption.
3. We don't forsake technology or modern medicine, to do so would be foolhardy and worthless.
4. Television and movies, modern music and the like are all completely acceptable. The fact that we don't watch a lot is simply because it is mostly uninteresting or irrelevant to us. Personally, I love House M.D. ;3

But Ryan, you're still very young and needn't worry about locking yourself into a single path. Learn the names of the gods, listen to their tales and know them all, not just those of my pantheon. Know the gods and from there decide which you wish to serve, but even still you may decide you wish to practice magic never serving any of the gods, this is also entirely possible. Learn magic, learn spells, protect yourself and aid those around you. Nothing prevents you from learning some of my spells without being in the family, I've been spending some time considering and writing out lessons for the site so don't worry in the slightest about making final decisions. ^_~
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