Druidry (The Druids path)
The Druids were an ancient people, originating
from Celtic tribes at a time when people had to live close to nature to
survive. It is the "revival of the ancient Celtic religions which holds the
earth and the environment sacred and promotes a morality based on true honour,
strength and justice." As Druidism was a form of Paganism, it was also earth
based, placing an emphasis on the worship of all aspects of nature. The Druids
were members of a learned class among the Celts and were an important cohesive
force skilled in areas which most people were not. They were marked as a
priestly upper class in charge of ritualistic religion. "These priests
worshiped some Gods similar to those of the Greek’s and Romans, but under
different names." (The world book dictionary) They were members of a
religious order of priests, prophets and poets. Druids were members of a
professional class in Celtic nations, or West Europe and the British Isles.
Druids possessed both political and legal powers
and responsibilities to their communities and tribes. They were also capable of
magical powers such as divination, prophesizing, controlling the weather,
levitation, shape-shifting and they possessed healing abilities. The Druids
learned to forecast events by interpreting the flight of birds, by reading the
markings on livers and other entrails of sacrificed animals. They also held the
position of judge, doctor, mage, mystique, clerical scholar and they held the
religious insignia of their culture. Druids provided much needed skills and
specialties to their tribe. Through holding these positions, Druids were to be
available to people whose "scope of vision was not as wide as theirs." By
nature, Druids were watchful and mindful of different aspects of life. Druids
possessed a comprehensive knowledge on such things as poetry, architecture,
literature, mythology, languages and folklore. In this fashion, they were
incredibly learned, having gone through a rigorous education and were able to
provide cultural and intellectual impute to their communities for the mutual
benefit of all.
Traits of paganism can be seen through the
ancient Druids beliefs about death, worshiping and rites. Although there is
little known of the rites that they held, what we do know is that they were
held in clearings in the forests, as most Pagan worship was practiced outdoors.
Although the Druids believed in one main God, believing that it possessed the
life force of everything, they also worshipped a number of lesser divinities,
making them polytheistic in nature.
Druidism differed from Greek and Roman religion
because they did not have clearly defined images to represent the object of
their worship and they did not meet in temples or any other form of building to
hold their rites. Instead, Druids had a sacred place consisting of a circle of
stones, usually near a stream, under a grove or situated near a widespread oak.
They met in woods and glens because they held a high respect for nature,
believing that their spirits emerged from the tides, the sea, light, wind, the
sun and the oak tree. They participated in two main festivals each year. The
first one was named Beltane (Fire God) and the second one was named Samhin
(Fire of peace), celebrated on hallow’s Eve. The Druids also worshiped Gods
such as the Gods of: sun, animals, war, fertility, the river, smithcraft and
sovereignty, as Pagans did.
The Druids had strong belief’s about sacrifice
and the idea of death. As Pagans, they did not believe in Heaven or Hell as
Christians did. Rather they believed in re-incarnation of the soul into
another form. They held a principal doctrine stating that the soul was immortal
and passed at death from one person to another, thus they did not fear the idea
of death. The Druids differed in one aspect in their sacrifices from what the
later Pagans did. Similar to Pagans, the Druids held animal sacrifices in order
to please the Gods. However, the Druids also sacrificed humans as well. Some
sources suggest that the human sacrifices were voluntary, but the main reason
was to punish a criminal.
from Celtic tribes at a time when people had to live close to nature to
survive. It is the "revival of the ancient Celtic religions which holds the
earth and the environment sacred and promotes a morality based on true honour,
strength and justice." As Druidism was a form of Paganism, it was also earth
based, placing an emphasis on the worship of all aspects of nature. The Druids
were members of a learned class among the Celts and were an important cohesive
force skilled in areas which most people were not. They were marked as a
priestly upper class in charge of ritualistic religion. "These priests
worshiped some Gods similar to those of the Greek’s and Romans, but under
different names." (The world book dictionary) They were members of a
religious order of priests, prophets and poets. Druids were members of a
professional class in Celtic nations, or West Europe and the British Isles.
Druids possessed both political and legal powers
and responsibilities to their communities and tribes. They were also capable of
magical powers such as divination, prophesizing, controlling the weather,
levitation, shape-shifting and they possessed healing abilities. The Druids
learned to forecast events by interpreting the flight of birds, by reading the
markings on livers and other entrails of sacrificed animals. They also held the
position of judge, doctor, mage, mystique, clerical scholar and they held the
religious insignia of their culture. Druids provided much needed skills and
specialties to their tribe. Through holding these positions, Druids were to be
available to people whose "scope of vision was not as wide as theirs." By
nature, Druids were watchful and mindful of different aspects of life. Druids
possessed a comprehensive knowledge on such things as poetry, architecture,
literature, mythology, languages and folklore. In this fashion, they were
incredibly learned, having gone through a rigorous education and were able to
provide cultural and intellectual impute to their communities for the mutual
benefit of all.
Traits of paganism can be seen through the
ancient Druids beliefs about death, worshiping and rites. Although there is
little known of the rites that they held, what we do know is that they were
held in clearings in the forests, as most Pagan worship was practiced outdoors.
Although the Druids believed in one main God, believing that it possessed the
life force of everything, they also worshipped a number of lesser divinities,
making them polytheistic in nature.
Druidism differed from Greek and Roman religion
because they did not have clearly defined images to represent the object of
their worship and they did not meet in temples or any other form of building to
hold their rites. Instead, Druids had a sacred place consisting of a circle of
stones, usually near a stream, under a grove or situated near a widespread oak.
They met in woods and glens because they held a high respect for nature,
believing that their spirits emerged from the tides, the sea, light, wind, the
sun and the oak tree. They participated in two main festivals each year. The
first one was named Beltane (Fire God) and the second one was named Samhin
(Fire of peace), celebrated on hallow’s Eve. The Druids also worshiped Gods
such as the Gods of: sun, animals, war, fertility, the river, smithcraft and
sovereignty, as Pagans did.
The Druids had strong belief’s about sacrifice
and the idea of death. As Pagans, they did not believe in Heaven or Hell as
Christians did. Rather they believed in re-incarnation of the soul into
another form. They held a principal doctrine stating that the soul was immortal
and passed at death from one person to another, thus they did not fear the idea
of death. The Druids differed in one aspect in their sacrifices from what the
later Pagans did. Similar to Pagans, the Druids held animal sacrifices in order
to please the Gods. However, the Druids also sacrificed humans as well. Some
sources suggest that the human sacrifices were voluntary, but the main reason
was to punish a criminal.