Druids and Druidry FAQ
Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 5:16 am
What is Druidry?
Modern Druidry is an Earth-based path that observes the same eight holidays as Wiccans - although usually under different names. In fact, it was Ross Nichols (a modern Druid) and his friend Gerald Gardner (also a Druid... betcha didn't know that!) who originally instituted the eight holidays as a neopagan practice prior to Gardner's formation of Wicca.
Unlike witches, Druids do not observe the full moons. (This is not to say that they can't; it's just not officially part of any purely-Druidic path that I know of.)
Do Druids practice magic?
Although there is no set magical path associated with modern Druidry, many modern Druids practice magic in the form(s) of their choosing. A lot of modern Druids practice witchcraft as well as Druidry; some are involved in shamanism. Author John Michael Greer has a book on mixing western ceremonial magic with Druidry entitled The Druid Magick Handbook, and Phillip Carr-Gomm writes about mixing Wicca and Druidry in his book Druidcraft.
Who were the ancient Druids?
The ancient Druids were the priests of the Celtic people. "Celtic" is a modern term used to describe any of the European peoples who spoke, or speak, a Celtic language. The historical Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age Europe. By the later Iron Age, the Celts had expanded over a wide range of lands: as far west as Ireland and the Iberian Peninsula, as far east as Galatia (central Anatolia), and as far north as Scotland.
Whatever the religion of the ancient Celts was called, we know that the Druids were its priests. They had formal training - for twenty years! - in order to earn the title, and their roles extended far beyond that of what we'd currently consider a "priest". They were judges, advisors, astrologers, diviners, poets, and musicians... and that's not a complete list.
Druidry was outlawed by the Romans after they invaded the British Isles. The druids who weren't killed off probably went underground, passing their teachings along to their children. Those teachings may well have been the Celtic contribution to what we later came to know as "witchcraft" in England.
What is a modern Druid?
A little more than 300 years ago, in England, people saw the "writing on the wall" with regard to the industrial revolution; people living in cities, away from nature, and focused on materialistic pursuits. They knew that many - even then - had become disillusioned with the Christian church, so they decided to create a spiritual path to answer the needs of the time. Drawing upon the ancient Druids for inspiration, they started a movement that exists to this day.
Modern Druids can choose to work solitary or with a grove, just as Wiccans do. In addition, modern Druids have the option of joining organizations like the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids (http://www.druidry.org) or Ãr nDraÃocht Féin (http://www.adf.org). Such organizations charge for membership, but it's usually not a lot; in return they provide training and a sense of community.
Why Druidry, as opposed to Wicca?
Well, first off... there's no need to choose between the two, as plenty of people do both. My group practices Strega (Italian witchcraft) and I find that the study of Druidry enhances that.
To me, the biggest benefit to modern Druidry is the support system; for solitary practitioners, organizations the like aforementioned OBOD and ADF provide a way to learn from structured training programs and be associated with other people who are following the same path. Such organizations have an approval process for local groves, so they can help you find one that matches with your course of study if one is available in your area. And for those who wish to run their own grove, these organizations can provide support for the challenging task of running a spiritual group.
Modern Druidry is an Earth-based path that observes the same eight holidays as Wiccans - although usually under different names. In fact, it was Ross Nichols (a modern Druid) and his friend Gerald Gardner (also a Druid... betcha didn't know that!) who originally instituted the eight holidays as a neopagan practice prior to Gardner's formation of Wicca.
Unlike witches, Druids do not observe the full moons. (This is not to say that they can't; it's just not officially part of any purely-Druidic path that I know of.)
Do Druids practice magic?
Although there is no set magical path associated with modern Druidry, many modern Druids practice magic in the form(s) of their choosing. A lot of modern Druids practice witchcraft as well as Druidry; some are involved in shamanism. Author John Michael Greer has a book on mixing western ceremonial magic with Druidry entitled The Druid Magick Handbook, and Phillip Carr-Gomm writes about mixing Wicca and Druidry in his book Druidcraft.
Who were the ancient Druids?
The ancient Druids were the priests of the Celtic people. "Celtic" is a modern term used to describe any of the European peoples who spoke, or speak, a Celtic language. The historical Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age Europe. By the later Iron Age, the Celts had expanded over a wide range of lands: as far west as Ireland and the Iberian Peninsula, as far east as Galatia (central Anatolia), and as far north as Scotland.
Whatever the religion of the ancient Celts was called, we know that the Druids were its priests. They had formal training - for twenty years! - in order to earn the title, and their roles extended far beyond that of what we'd currently consider a "priest". They were judges, advisors, astrologers, diviners, poets, and musicians... and that's not a complete list.
Druidry was outlawed by the Romans after they invaded the British Isles. The druids who weren't killed off probably went underground, passing their teachings along to their children. Those teachings may well have been the Celtic contribution to what we later came to know as "witchcraft" in England.
What is a modern Druid?
A little more than 300 years ago, in England, people saw the "writing on the wall" with regard to the industrial revolution; people living in cities, away from nature, and focused on materialistic pursuits. They knew that many - even then - had become disillusioned with the Christian church, so they decided to create a spiritual path to answer the needs of the time. Drawing upon the ancient Druids for inspiration, they started a movement that exists to this day.
Modern Druids can choose to work solitary or with a grove, just as Wiccans do. In addition, modern Druids have the option of joining organizations like the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids (http://www.druidry.org) or Ãr nDraÃocht Féin (http://www.adf.org). Such organizations charge for membership, but it's usually not a lot; in return they provide training and a sense of community.
Why Druidry, as opposed to Wicca?
Well, first off... there's no need to choose between the two, as plenty of people do both. My group practices Strega (Italian witchcraft) and I find that the study of Druidry enhances that.
To me, the biggest benefit to modern Druidry is the support system; for solitary practitioners, organizations the like aforementioned OBOD and ADF provide a way to learn from structured training programs and be associated with other people who are following the same path. Such organizations have an approval process for local groves, so they can help you find one that matches with your course of study if one is available in your area. And for those who wish to run their own grove, these organizations can provide support for the challenging task of running a spiritual group.