Druidry and Druidism for Beginners

[thalassa]

There is a great article on Witches Vox but it seems that I am not aloud to post links at this time. I will share it with you at a latter date. The only difference between "y" and "ism" is the difference between philosophy and religion. Usually "ism" defines a religion and "y" a philosoph"y" of life. Some people are turned off by religion and the ceremonial aspects of it. I believe in Druidry but it is a philosophy of life and not a religion.

Definition: An "ism" word usually denotes acceptance of some belief whereas a word formed with a "y" ending usually refers to a more generalized study of something.

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With that being said; in regard to the comment itself--John Michael Greer says the following on the matter:

The term “Druidry” was a creation of Ross Nichols, one of the major luminaries in the English Druid community in the mid-twentieth century. He wanted to stress that the Druid path was not an “ism,” an ideology or set of beliefs, but a craft, a set of practices and traditions sharing common principles. The English language gives the suffix “-ry” to any number of crafts, such as pottery and forestry; the example of Freemasonry was probably also in Nichols’ mind (nobody talks about “Masonism”). More recently the two words have become convenient labels for the two main approaches in the Druid community, with “Druidism” used most often by recent Celtic Reconstructionist groups [and certain Neo-pagan Druid groups] who base their versions of the Druid way on modern scholarship, while “Druidry” is used most often by older groups who work with the heritage of the Druid Revival.

[Tiger Phoenix]

That was exactly what I was trying to say. Great quote from John Michael Greer.

The term “Druidry” was a creation of Ross Nichols, one of the major luminaries in the English Druid community in the mid-twentieth century. He wanted to stress that the Druid path was not an “ism,” an ideology or set of beliefs, but a craft, a set of practices and traditions sharing common principles. The English language gives the suffix “-ry” to any number of crafts, such as pottery and forestry.

I refered to it as a philosophy of life but I agree "ry" would represent more a craft like archery or forestry.

Thank you for sharing Thalassa.

[WrachDrui]

Very interesting thread, thank you to all who have contributed.

[thalassa]

The Law of the Returning Tide says that whatever you cast into the sea of life returns to you – often changed, often in an unrecognizable form, but nevertheless what comes to you in your life is usually the direct result of what you have given out into the world. Most people are only vaguely aware of this law, or don’t fully accept it, but magicians use it all the time. They deliberately and consciously project positive ideas, energies, images, feelings, thoughts, prayers, chants and spells into the world, knowing fully that they will reap the benefits of these – sometimes quickly but sometimes not for years or even lifetimes…

…how we experience the world is made up of how we think, feel and act, and the result of those thoughts, feelings and actions as they play out in our lives. But if you believe that is all there is to reality, then you are accusing most of the people in the world of being responsible for their own suffering – all the adults and children dying of illness or starvation, all the people caught up in genocide and armed conflict, anyone who is suffering in whatever way. The fact is that not only do we create our own reality, but we create other peoples’ reality too.

Our experience, our lives, are made up of a mixture of influences and events that we have created, and influences and events that others have created as well. It is just too simple to say ‘we create our own reality’. We are social and active beings, and we have an effect on the world and the people around us, just as they have an effect on us. So the people in a famine, for example, however much they may be busy creating positive thoughts and feelings, are caught up in a current that is bigger than their own – they are in a group reality caused by the weather, and economic and political conditions.

We live in a sea of consciousness and experience, and we often have a great deal of influence over our immediate environment – the patch of sea around us – but sometimes deep ocean currents can sweep us away or change our lives forever…

…Once you understand that we create our own reality and are part of a collective reality too, that we each contribute to other people’s realities as well as our own, then you can understand the Law of the Returning Tide.

It is a law that is played out for us in the world of Nature around us all the time: we reap what we sow, and the harvest from the seeds we have sown is not just ours. This law has been expressed by different spiritual teachers for thousands of years. In the Egyptian Book of the Dead, the god Thoth says, “Truth is the harvest scythe. What is sown – love or anger or bitterness – that shall be your bread. The corn is no better than its seed, then let what you plant be good.” Thousands of years later, Jesus said, “As ye sow, so shall ye reap.” The Eastern idea of karma conveys the same idea: that, to a great extent, our present experience is the consequence of our past thoughts, feelings and actions…

…Once you realize that you help to create other peoples’ reality, you become socially and environmentally responsible – and you do magic not only for yourself, but also for others and the world…

…Remember a time someone touched you and you could feel the love and warmth in their hands or their embrace? It felt like an energy was coming into you, didn’t it? Magic says it is an energy and that you can consciously direct it! And in radiating this energy, somehow you don’t lose energy yourself. Instead, it comes to you in even greater quantities – the more you give the more you receive. This is the Law of the Returning Tide…

~~Excerpts from Druidcraft by Philip Carr-Gomm on the subject of “The Law of the Returning Tide.”. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in Wicca and Druidry both (its a book that works on reconciling the two into a cohesive synchronism, which isn't hard) or with experience in one and interest in the other…the quotes are part of a larger, quite excellent section of the book. But I just had to share it, as I find this take on the Law of Return extremely well expressed.

[B. de Corbin]

I like that. On my door at work I have aquote from Buddha:

With your thoughts you make the world.

One of the truths that's been scattered in the wind and then lost.

[Jembru]

~~Excerpts from Druidcraft by Philip Carr-Gomm on the subject of “The Law of the Returning Tide.”. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in Wicca and Druidry both (its a book that works on reconciling the two into a cohesive synchronism, which isn't hard) or with experience in one and interest in the other…the quotes are part of a larger, quite excellent section of the book. But I just had to share it, as I find this take on the Law of Return extremely well expressed.

Thank you so much for sharing that. I'm actually just about ready to start posting a few blogs around here in which I explain that I'm turning increasingly towards druidism. Having stripped back much of what was previously making me consider my path to be wiccan, I thought what was left was a path entirely of my own creation. Yet when I hear speakers on Druidcast discussing their practices and beliefs, I constantly find myself yelling 'that's what I believe too!'

I'm still not comfortable with the label of 'druid' though, and I don't like the idea of having to conform to a particular system. The concept of the awen and of the 3 cauldrons are interesting to me, and I started meditating on the cauldrons, but I find myself feeling a bit excluded because I am not creative, musical or artistic in any way. There's no outlet into which I can channel some kind of divine inspiration, and that leaves me a bit high and dry.

At the moot yesterday I began to explain my reasons for leaving paganism for a while and how I had come to despise the gods. I touched upon how shallow and unkind such notions of 'you create your own reality' actually sound to anyone other than those born into loving secure and wealthy homes, who will be supported both emotionally and financially through any of their pathetic endeavours to 'find themselves'. How unkind it is to suggest that the immense human suffering in the world is because those people didn't wish hard enough for security, religious freedom or a life free from war and poverty. To suggest that the reason someone didn't achieve their goals or dreams is because they 'did it wrong'. There is no love or spirituality in such bumper-sticker tripe.

It was even pointed out to me that my energy appeared to change and darken when I was recalling these feelings and I was reminded that I still have a lot of healing to do before I've fully recovered from the distress those thoughts had caused me.

It's uncanny timing then, that the very same day you should chose to share the above quote in which the author attempts to reconcile the balance between self-created reality and the reality, often unpleasant, that is forced upon us through no fault of our own!

After the moot I went to a bookstore to find some kind of druidry 101 or something. I became breathless and felt unwell (that I eventually identified as hunger; I don't always notice when I feel hungry) just as I reached the section with the books, so I ended up leaving without anything.

Imagine my surprise then when I checked PF on the way home and saw this post. A book exploring the common threads between a path I know very well, and a path I'm cautiously curious about seems like the ideal place to start!

Actually, I've already ordered it, along with a book called 'The Awen Alone' by Joanna van der Hoeven (originally just because I wanted the free delivery but then I did the maths and realised I could get both books for almost £2 less if I went to private vendors and just paid for the postage).

I'm looking forward to getting my teeth into both books. Thanks again for the strangely timely recommendation!

[thalassa]

*hugs* Jem!!

I really recommend Living Druidry and Ritual by Emma Restall Orr too, if you can get them!

[thalassa]

This is one of the "first lessons" from Penny Billington's The Path of Druidry.

Developing a mythopoetic view widens and enriches life, paradoxically resulting not in retreating into fantasy, but in embracing real life from a more mature and stable perspective.

But before going into the landscape, start with your immediate surroundings: your home. It is a first stage of the Druid journey to make your surroundings support your studies and reinforce your idea of yourself as the Druid, and this will require you to work with a right attitude. The ideal is to perform our household duties not reluctantly, but in the spirit of Druidry, symbolising our clarity and right attitude.

Creating a supportive space goes slightly deeper than dusting. We recognise the animate, mate, living nature of all things and this is reflected in our everyday habits. We give our possessions names, indicating our intuitive understanding of relationships. An example is the naming of houses.

Our homes nurture us. And we tend to name other possessions that have a huge psychological value to us-such as cars, boats, or guitars-which tars-which respectively give us godlike powers of speed, freedom, and creativity. When we find ourselves automatically saying "sorry" as we bump into a table, or stroking a favourite piece of furniture, we are really on the right Druidic lines. Our homes and possessions sessions must be sympathetic to our work and lives.

Stop, take a breath, and think for a moment of an old, treasured possession that you have named: your first car, or a favourite picture... Have you ever talked to a supposedly inanimate object in your home? Have you ever growled in frustration at a tap that soaks you or electrical goods when they go wrong? When you are ill and wrap a blanket round you, do you feel nurtured?

She goes on to talk about ensuring the purpose of our possessions....not so much minimalism , but simplicity. That part of "the way" (my words, not hers --sometime in my head, I call it the Tao te Tree) is look beyond the human inclination of collection and learn to let go. Keep the things of significance and when the "attention and energy goes, it goes, with thanks. She also has a nice little exercise that could be expanded into a meditation or ritual for really ,*thinking* about your home and it's meaning and thanking it...which I think might make an interesting topic on its own, if anyone is interested (this conversation has been split and moved here).



(I'll add that I am undecided as to whether or not I like this book, though I think that it is probably useful for people that are liking for a nature-centered contemporary PAH. I like some of her ideas and exercised, then I flip a page and am like "WTF". It's not a bad book, it's just a bit too much Scott Cunningham for Druids ...and this isn't really where I am, path-wise.)