Druidry Interview w/ GreywoodGrimoire

Druid, member of the learned class among the ancient Celts. They acted as priests, teachers, and judges. According to Julius Caesar, who is the principal source of information about the Druids. The Druids of old were of the Celtic peoples – yet today one can be called a Druid without any Celtic ancestry. Within Druidry, they honor the ancestors in a triad – ancestors of blood, of land and of tradition.

The earliest known records of the Druids come from the 3rd century BCE. Their name may have come from a Celtic word meaning “knower of the oak tree.” Very little is known for certain about the Druids, who kept no records of their own. However, modern druids honor the land upon which they live, work to live in tune with the natural cycles of life, and live a life that is filled with honor, integrity and truth. These latter three haven’t changed much over the course of millennia; they are still pretty much the same as they always were.

Honour is living with great respect for yourself and for the world, for living a life filled with integrity and truth. Integrity is having the will to stand for what you believe in, even though the darkest nights of the soul. It is standing strong though buffeted by high winds; it is living your soul truth. Truth is living in accordance with the natural principle of life; it is finding your place in life and not working out of the bounds that our own bodies and souls are bound to in this life. It is living in accordance with the natural world.

Today, Druids seek to sacrifice ignorance and to learn all that they can about their place in the world. A Druid might be inspired to heal with herbs and learn all that he can about that path. Another might be a park ranger, working to protect wildlife. Honestly the possibilities are endless. But what do they all have in common? Easy they all are constantly learning.

When I was looking up things to write this I didn't find much. I reached out to a few groups I am in and to no avail I was unable to find someone following the path. So, if you, or someone you know, happens to be following this path for several years allow me to pick your brain on the topic. I am a rather curious soul.

Interview:

What is the path like?

~ It is, at least my experience in the OBOD, is a very myth based, self-driven path that you walk at your own pace. You’re given a set of coursework to read, with stories and history and whatnot to draw from and then practical work today. Mostly meditations and journaling with themes from the reading.

What are some of the key learning points?

~ While I can’t divulge the actual coursework itself, it is all based in Celtic myth and legend, history, practical work as well as other mystical ideologies (the elements, the idea of deities, magic, learning from myths and legends)

What sets it apart from other paths?

~ for me, is that the base idea resonates with me. That we are constantly growing and changing and ever becoming. To call myself a Druid is true to a point. But I am always working toward becoming a Druid, a better Druid. The work at my own pace is also nice as I have a busy life, and the Themes and myths the OBOD work with also vibe very well with me.

How did you get into it?

~ I’ve always had a very eclectic practice. And one day a friend and I were talking about our practices, and she said, “that sounds a lot like Druidry!” So, I had no idea at the time, but I looked it up, looked into it, and it was basically what I’d been doing all along.

How did it help you?

~ I’ve found a great deal of the introspection from the practical prompts to be extremely helpful. I’ve learned about the world. About myself. About other people. And all the connections between those things.

How can someone else get into it?

~ Well there are several Druidry organizations out there. From the ADF to the OBOD to the Canadian order. It’s all about finding which one vibe well with you. Though a good starting point for anyone would be John Greer’s book “the Druidry handbook”

One of the most important questions. Is Druidry a closed practice?

~ Yes and no. The OBOD asks that we don’t share detailed info about the coursework with non-members. But that isn’t a true closed practice. What Druidry is today is extremely different from what it once was. As it was an oral tradition and most of not all of the true druids were killed off. So, what we have is what is remembered through stories and Myths and other cultures memories of the druids. Anyone can be a Druid, though.

Thanks to @greywoodgrimoire for letting me throw a bunch of questions at him about Druidry.

Key:

OBOD, The Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids or OBOD is a Neo-Druidic organization based in England but based in part on the Welsh Gorsedd of Bards.

ADF, Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship, Inc. is a non-profit religious organization dedicated to the study and further development of modern Druidry. In Modern Irish, Ár nDraíocht Féin means "our own magic". "ADF" is also used to represent the phrase A Druid Fellowship.

You can check out the AODA (Ancient Order of Druids in America) site for lots of other resources.

Written By: Reine Alicis