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    Celtic Paganism/Druidism?

    For some time I have been researching into different pagan beliefs and practices, and I started looking into my own background (I'm Scottish, English, Irish and German), and I came across Celtic paganism and Druidism and they sound very interesting. I have watched some videos and read some articles but it seems to be all over the place. I am looking for a practice that involves nature worship and spirituality. If any of you are currently following Celtic Paganism and/or Druidism could you tell me a bit about it or some books or reading material that would give me a good idea if this practice is for me? Thank you!

    #2
    Re: Celtic Paganism/Druidism?

    I have passed through the seven-year training of the Druid. If you have any questions, need any help or just want to talk, feel free to FPM me. I do not currently consider myself a Druid, though I am so-initiated. Most of the knowledge I gathered was through old texts found at the library, 21 lessons of merlyn and other mrlyn-esque books and overall, information on English/Scottish/Irish magick is just about anywhere. Druid information, however, is sparse at best. I believe their history keeping was mostly verbal. Though I'd take the book with a grain of salt, forgive the pun, 21 Lessons of Merlyn is a good read that'll give you a good idea t start with. A seed o grow on, as it were. Of Druidry, I can tell you this much offhand:

    1. Information is sparse. Most druid lore is bound up in poetry.
    2. Druid magic focuses greatly on trees, plants and cycles of seasons.
    3. Druids do not cast circles as most Wiccans do.
    4. Druids focused on unchaining the mind, and the magic.
    5. Typical Druidic initiation/apprenticeship takes a customary seven years.

    Good luck in your quest.

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      #3
      Re: Celtic Paganism/Druidism?

      Hey Aldersees,

      I can try to help out where it comes to Druid related practices though sadly it's really not that simple. I'm sure in your research you had learned that there are no Druid written records lying around anywhere only accounts of Druids from a similar time period. So we can know how they thought (somewhat), and some speculate to know what they did.

      Ritualistically I've always found "unchaining the mind" and becoming more connected with the world around me has naturally led me to rituals.

      I don't want to go plugging books on the forums but if you'd like some suggestions shoot me a P.M, if not just be careful. A lot of what is written about Druids is just complete fiction disguising itself as fact, and even sometimes books of fiction can be rooted in what we do know as facts. So just keep up the research, and most important practice your spirituality.

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        #4
        Re: Celtic Paganism/Druidism?

        Well, thanks! Now I just need some advice from some Celtic pagans!

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          #5
          Re: Celtic Paganism/Druidism?

          21 lessons of Merlyn? I read that one until they started talking about how the Druids came from Atlantis, and the author demonstrated his lack of awareness that pumpkins are from the new world. As for accurate historical Druidism, I am no expert (Arguably, nobody is.) but I'm just voicing the skepticism I know my ADF Druid friends would voice if they were here. Careful who you listen to.
          If you want to be thought intelligent, just agree with everyone.

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            #6
            Re: Celtic Paganism/Druidism?

            I'm far from being an expert but I've looking into the basics of Celtic Paganism and Druidry. I tend more toward the Celtic Paganism as there isn't a whole lot that is known about the Druids. This stems from the fact that anything we do have was written down by Romans who were known for twisting facts to favor their decisions in war and expanding territory. Generally this comes from what Caesar wrote about during the time he took over the Celtic area of Gaul. The rest of what we know is pieced together from legends that were written down after St. Patrick came through Ireland and convert the people to Christianity. When he did so most of the Irish Druids converted over to become the Christian bishops and priests of Ireland. They all had to learn to write in latin and this lead to them writing down some of their old lore down - though not all of it. Most of the mythology of the Celts was also written down by Christian monks who for some unknown reason recorded down their stories of Celtic gods.

            Okay, so with the history lesson being done - you can see that what we have is broken and most likely incorrect. So any book you find unless it sources really old texts, is gonna be guess work. Most of the books I've found on Druidry and Celtic magick are mixes of modern Wicca with heavy influences on the little facts we do know of the Celts. For example, this will include the addition of the Greater Sabbats found in Wicca (Celtic in origin - the other four in Wicca are not), Ogham (Celtic alphabet), Tree lore, and the lunar calendar believed to have been followed by the Celtics which relates to a old tablet found in Gaul. So you end up with more a Celtic Wicca than a religion of the Druids - which took 20 years to become traditionally, not seven.

            Therefore, my advice is to search more for a method of general Celtic Paganism that fits you. This is more flexible as it isn't so bent on exact knowledge of what it means to be a Druid and etc. It's more about bringing in any Celtic beliefs and practices that fit you into your Pagan spirituality. For me this includes working with my Matron deity of the Goddess Danu (Celtic Mother Goddess), giving offers to the fey, celebrating the Wiccan holidays with a Celtic theme, honoring my Celtic heritage, working with different magickal tools than standard Wiccans and much more. It really becomes a personalized path as you might not connect to everything Celtic. You are just gonna have to read everything you can and use your brain to figure out what you think is legit and what is guess work, then decide what you want to add to your practices.

            Good luck.

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Celtic Paganism/Druidism?

              Originally posted by Yazichestvo View Post
              21 lessons of Merlyn?
              , perhaps should make sure to stop by sometime and we can compare notes. I <3 skeptics. Especially the spiritual kind.

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Celtic Paganism/Druidism?

                Originally posted by callmeclemens View Post

                Ritualistically I've always found "unchaining the mind" and becoming more connected with the world around me has naturally led me to rituals....So just keep up the research, and most important practice your spirituality.
                What is ment by unchaining the mind and how do you do it?

                And practising the spirituality is spot on. Lately, I've just been practising what little I know and deeper understanding evolved from the doing. Can't agree with this more.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Celtic Paganism/Druidism?

                  Originally posted by Aldersees View Post
                  For some time I have been researching into different pagan beliefs and practices, and I started looking into my own background (I'm Scottish, English, Irish and German), and I came across Celtic paganism and Druidism and they sound very interesting. I have watched some videos and read some articles but it seems to be all over the place. I am looking for a practice that involves nature worship and spirituality. If any of you are currently following Celtic Paganism and/or Druidism could you tell me a bit about it or some books or reading material that would give me a good idea if this practice is for me? Thank you!
                  As many have noted, there is a bit of a distinction between Druidism and Celtic Neopaganism, and then there's another distinction between those and Celtic Reconstructionism.
                  Celtic Neopaganism generally attempts to revive worship of the Celtic pantheons (there are several) in the context of modernity. It's a bit broad and covers a variety of personal practices and groups. Regardless, its focus is always on the Celtic cultures ancient and modern, and on the Celtic gods. It derives mainly from the early 20th century Celtic revival and has somewhat of the same origin as Neodruidism. It is somewhat eclectic, as it modifies itself considerably to fit in the modern world, but is generally less so than Druidry. General Celtic Neopagans do attempt some historical accuracy with their mythology and deities, though sometimes drawing from Celtic literature like the Arthurian myths.
                  Druidry, or more specifically Neodruidry, takes a slightly different approach. While it too can trace of the Celtic revival, and even earlier, the form we usually think of it as having developed in the period between the 1950s and the 1970s. It takes the ancient Celtic idea of the Druids as a shamanic priesthood, and applies it to modernity. And while it normally focuses on the Celtic gods and culture (for obvious reasons), modern Druidry can also be refocused on other pantheons and cultures in a manner similar to "Core Shamanism". This approach is very anachronistic and eclectic, and distinguishes itself from purely Celtic pagan revivalism. Modern Druidism had a lot of cross-communication with Wicca early in both paths' historical development, and they can be seen to have several similarities.

                  Celtic Reconstructionism, on the other hand, is a strongly historically-linked path. Unlike most of forms of Polytheistic Reconstruction, it generally does identify as Pagan. It tries its best to reconstruct the day-to-day religion of the ancient Celts, which did include nature worship and animism. The trouble comes with the dearth of historical sources for ancient Celtic paganism. Irish gods and religious practices are the most heavily recorded, and are popular. But increasing study is being done on Continental Celtic religion.

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