The Celtic Path
1. Celtic Druid or Roman Druid?
This short essay is an attempt to help define the difference between the two versions of the “Druid” path available today – the True Path of the Celtic Druid and the Confusion of the ‘Roman Druid’. I was asked once by a 22-year-old Irish woman “what does it mean to be a ‘Druid’?” I answered from my own personal perspective and said - “to see with different eyes, to hear with different ears and to feel with a different heart”. I thought that this was a short neat simple summary because it indicated (for me anyway) that I do not see, hear or feel the way I used to when I was not on the Path of the Celtic Druid. “Is that it?” she said. “More or less” said I, but I felt inclined to add “I am also an astrologer, psychic, healer, teacher and holder of ceremonies”. There was no further comment from the young Lady but I felt that I had not impressed her. I did not set out to impress her but I sensed that she felt let down. Looking back later that day I realised why she seemed so disappointed. I had not made any fantastic claims of direct descent from ancient druid lineage, mysterious priestly powers, ability to channel dictates from the other realms, or any other of the hoped for ‘high’ abilities. I realised that I was being measured against the ‘popular’ model of what I call the “Roman or Romantic Druid”.
I see the difference clearly - a Celtic Druid works with the Three Realms and the Roman Druid works with the Four Elements of Roman/Greek (classical) model. To those who don’t know much about the Three Realms - they may be summarised as Sky, Sea and Land and for the Roman Druid (and many Wiccans and Witches) the Four Elements are Fire, Air, Water and Earth. Full teachings about the Three Realms are available in the Druidschool Homestudy Course. There's also a far east system that uses five elements - fire, air, water, earth and steel.
The reality is that there never was nor could there ever have been any Roman Druids because the Romans have a completely different model of existence to the Celtic Women and Men and their Druids. The modern Romantic revival since the 1700’s took their ‘facts’ from the war propaganda that was created by Romans engaged in war with the Celtic world to gain extended support for the funding needed to wage war. The modern romantic druid revival since the 1700’s used these ‘facts’ to create a new religion with priests and other non-sense. In so doing they fooled themselves because the Roman spin-doctors created a completely false model of a Celtic Druid based on what would be acceptable back home in the knowledge that no one could or would challenge their false reports.
In 2005 I heard a “Druid Priest” call on St Patrick to guard the west as this man in a bleached white cotton smock held a public ceremony in Glasgow. I have met a group of five American Ladies at Tara in 2003 who had just been made into Druids at Stonehenge, a certificate, a touching on the shoulder with a sword and it only took one weekend and cost only $1400 each. I have seen an American Druid on Tara in 2004 as facilitator of a Public Ceremony call on the power of Air from the East when a very strong wind was blowing from the West. A well-known Wiccan told me in 2003 that a Witch in Ireland is called a Druid... Winston Churchill was a Free Mason Druid 1908.... A student druid of mine was asked when would she become a priest in 2006.... a certain fascist claiming to be a ‘druid’ was given his high title by an Irish DJ 1997… this ‘druid’ hates freely and loudly and is unable to show any tolerance at all as he claims to be a Catholic Druid... this is a short list of foolishness but it can be seen that the term Druid is often misused and misunderstood for many reasons, but mostly this foolishness is based on fantastic romantic images of power over others. A true Celtic Druid would not be able to have much exchange with foolishness as shown above.
I am going to suggest that the Roman Druid model can be summarised as “to see with romantic eyes, to hear with romantic ears and to feel with a romantic heart” because it is easy for them to do this. The fabricated romantic image is based on the spin that is easily or readily accessible and a sense of power can be felt by those who need it by saying ‘I am a Druid’. The surge in Druidry in the last 20 years or so has in many ways been based on a debased form of Cabbalism that was handed down in stages, each time becoming diluted even further from its original purity. I can also say that today’s Wicca once had its roots in the Cabbala but that so many branches from so many other traditions have been grafted on to the base stem that this method or path is or has become a version of Roman Druidry by accident.
For clarity - the Cabbala is a system of knowledge that came from the Hebrew tradition and had / has nothing to do with the pure expression of the Celtic Druid Path. Romantic Druidism began as a modern revival in the 1700’s in English Freemasonry, which many see as the ego club that wishes to dominate Nature and as such is the exact opposite of Celtic Druidism that seeks harmony with Nature. Wica (Wicca) as a ceremonial practice, was first declared in writing in 1949 to the public by Gerald Gardner (who was a mason and cabbalist) after Alistair Crowley had formally introduced him into magic ritual. Witchcraft is one name of the natural traditions of the common people. The Catholic Church has directed much time and energy to demonise Witchcraft. Its knowledge was and is used for good or bad purposes depending on the practitioner. Cabbala, Roman Druidism and Wicca are mostly seen as Religions and much of todays Witchcraft is fashioned as a Religion but its foundation is in the hedge and not in book or rules.
Celtic Druidism however, is a spiritual search for truth and inner happiness that brings great results to those who are brave enough to see, hear and feel differently. It is a spiritual path that is native to Ireland and its roots predate the religions mentioned above. Celtic Druidism as a spiritual path gives you a direct connection to source and by so doing you plug into truth. It’s a simple choice – if you are really interested in the natural spiritual path of the European and Irish tradition where you can connect to the Three Realms of Sky, Sea and Land – then you must awaken your Celtic Spirit and choose the Celtic and not the Roman version of what it means to be a Druid. It takes effort but the rewards are deeply satisfying.
I see the difference clearly - a Celtic Druid works with the Three Realms and the Roman Druid works with the Four Elements of Roman/Greek (classical) model. To those who don’t know much about the Three Realms - they may be summarised as Sky, Sea and Land and for the Roman Druid (and many Wiccans and Witches) the Four Elements are Fire, Air, Water and Earth. Full teachings about the Three Realms are available in the Druidschool Homestudy Course. There's also a far east system that uses five elements - fire, air, water, earth and steel.
The reality is that there never was nor could there ever have been any Roman Druids because the Romans have a completely different model of existence to the Celtic Women and Men and their Druids. The modern Romantic revival since the 1700’s took their ‘facts’ from the war propaganda that was created by Romans engaged in war with the Celtic world to gain extended support for the funding needed to wage war. The modern romantic druid revival since the 1700’s used these ‘facts’ to create a new religion with priests and other non-sense. In so doing they fooled themselves because the Roman spin-doctors created a completely false model of a Celtic Druid based on what would be acceptable back home in the knowledge that no one could or would challenge their false reports.
In 2005 I heard a “Druid Priest” call on St Patrick to guard the west as this man in a bleached white cotton smock held a public ceremony in Glasgow. I have met a group of five American Ladies at Tara in 2003 who had just been made into Druids at Stonehenge, a certificate, a touching on the shoulder with a sword and it only took one weekend and cost only $1400 each. I have seen an American Druid on Tara in 2004 as facilitator of a Public Ceremony call on the power of Air from the East when a very strong wind was blowing from the West. A well-known Wiccan told me in 2003 that a Witch in Ireland is called a Druid... Winston Churchill was a Free Mason Druid 1908.... A student druid of mine was asked when would she become a priest in 2006.... a certain fascist claiming to be a ‘druid’ was given his high title by an Irish DJ 1997… this ‘druid’ hates freely and loudly and is unable to show any tolerance at all as he claims to be a Catholic Druid... this is a short list of foolishness but it can be seen that the term Druid is often misused and misunderstood for many reasons, but mostly this foolishness is based on fantastic romantic images of power over others. A true Celtic Druid would not be able to have much exchange with foolishness as shown above.
I am going to suggest that the Roman Druid model can be summarised as “to see with romantic eyes, to hear with romantic ears and to feel with a romantic heart” because it is easy for them to do this. The fabricated romantic image is based on the spin that is easily or readily accessible and a sense of power can be felt by those who need it by saying ‘I am a Druid’. The surge in Druidry in the last 20 years or so has in many ways been based on a debased form of Cabbalism that was handed down in stages, each time becoming diluted even further from its original purity. I can also say that today’s Wicca once had its roots in the Cabbala but that so many branches from so many other traditions have been grafted on to the base stem that this method or path is or has become a version of Roman Druidry by accident.
For clarity - the Cabbala is a system of knowledge that came from the Hebrew tradition and had / has nothing to do with the pure expression of the Celtic Druid Path. Romantic Druidism began as a modern revival in the 1700’s in English Freemasonry, which many see as the ego club that wishes to dominate Nature and as such is the exact opposite of Celtic Druidism that seeks harmony with Nature. Wica (Wicca) as a ceremonial practice, was first declared in writing in 1949 to the public by Gerald Gardner (who was a mason and cabbalist) after Alistair Crowley had formally introduced him into magic ritual. Witchcraft is one name of the natural traditions of the common people. The Catholic Church has directed much time and energy to demonise Witchcraft. Its knowledge was and is used for good or bad purposes depending on the practitioner. Cabbala, Roman Druidism and Wicca are mostly seen as Religions and much of todays Witchcraft is fashioned as a Religion but its foundation is in the hedge and not in book or rules.
Celtic Druidism however, is a spiritual search for truth and inner happiness that brings great results to those who are brave enough to see, hear and feel differently. It is a spiritual path that is native to Ireland and its roots predate the religions mentioned above. Celtic Druidism as a spiritual path gives you a direct connection to source and by so doing you plug into truth. It’s a simple choice – if you are really interested in the natural spiritual path of the European and Irish tradition where you can connect to the Three Realms of Sky, Sea and Land – then you must awaken your Celtic Spirit and choose the Celtic and not the Roman version of what it means to be a Druid. It takes effort but the rewards are deeply satisfying.
2. Finding the Celtic Path in the Aquarian Age
Celtic Culture
The ancient and the modern Celt are bonded by their common use of symbol, religion, history, customs, art and culture and specially language. Being a Celt in name does not mean you come from a blood group or race or a place. Thousands of years ago, everyone could become a Celt by adopting the mannerisms, speaking Celtic, respecting the system and contributing to the community and being involved in 'Pagan prayer' and this is still true today.
Even though the northern lands above the Alps were controlled by ‘Celts’ for 500 years before the Roman Empire there was never an actual Celtic Empire in existence. It is very important to be aware of this. No Celtic Empire could exist because it was a way of life not a system of control. When the Roman Empire absorbed these “Celtic” lands, the Celtic Culture survived. Ireland was not invaded or conquered by Rome and it was in Ireland that the Celtic Culture blossomed and achieved its highly magical artistic expression during the European Dark Ages.
There are three main strands of research for discovering the ‘Celtic’ world – archaeology, language and written works. All three ‘strands’ need to be wrapped around each other to support and strengthen our understanding. It would not be a wise move to base your research on any culture by study on only one strand when three strands are available to you. Three is a particularly Celtic number.
Archaeology is a modern discipline that is largely uncontaminated by the prejudices of the Greco-Roman scribes who were the spin doctors of their times. Archaeology is a science and works with hard fact. This allows patterns in land use or pottery styles or technologies to be identified and shows / defines economic and trade contacts between cultures at various time periods. This complex science extends from laboratory analysis of pollen grains found in layers of earth (showing us the staple foods in region / time) to the composition of metals and to the development of the geometric patterns in their elaborate decoration. On its own, Archaeology can only supply part of the picture but the part it does supply can validate the discoveries in understanding languages and in deciphering the written word.
Celtic Languages are now seen as one branch of the Indo-European linguistic family. Philology is the complex study of languages and the development of words / concepts through time. Six distinct Celtic languages still exist (or existed until recently) and these are called
Q-Celtic –Irish, Scots Gaelic and Manx,
and
P-Celtic – Welsh, Breton and Cornish.
These six Celtic languages are from the edge of the Roman Empire and survive only because the lands that they were spoken in were never fully conquered by Rome. It is not just the language that survives but inside the language we can see the relationship of the individual to the universe.
A favourite example is in the Irish phrase – “Tá tuirse orm” which when properly translated means – ‘I have tiredness upon me’. Now it is very important to realise that the wrong translation is – ‘I am tired’ because it was not what was being said. To have tiredness upon you is not the same as to actually be tiredness. Having tiredness on you retains the reality of an independent you with something over or on you but being tiredness is akin to shape shifting because you have lost your individual identity and become tiredness.
Celtic literature has been found hidden in many strange places such as ancient books of law, calendars and texts on coins, stone inscriptions and of course – the writings of the Greek and Roman scribes. We are told that the Celts did not leave us any written records. But this is not completely true. The Celts believed in the magic power of the Word and wrote in Greek, Etruscan and Latin. There was a proscription on writing anything that may be considered Druid knowledge being written down in a Celtic language. But this seems to have changed when the conquered Celtic lands had a new language in which to write.
A ’Celtic Literary School’ emerged in the first century of the common era (CE) with authors from Cisalpine Gaul, Iberia, Provence and later from Gaul proper. The European Druids forbade writing of their knowledge in the Celtic language but this does not seem to have applied to Ireland. In the great Irish sagas we have the Druids reading and writing in a distinctly Irish alphabet called Ogham. Ogma was the god of eloquence and learning and was the inventor of the Ogham alphabet while also being the god of the Druids.
The Book of Rights written (it is said) in the 5th century CE by Benignus tells us that Patrick burnt 180 books of the Druids. In the 7th century CE book the ‘Life of Patrick’ and in the 9th century’ Tripartite Life’ both give us clean records of Patrick fighting the Druids before the High King Laoghaire where the king proposes that a Christian book and a Druidic book should be thrown into some water as an ordeal. These Christian sources demonstrate that Druidical books (i.e. Celtic books) existed in Ireland long before the arrival of Christianity who caused these Pagan works to be burnt. The Christians (and later the Catholics) repeated this crime against knowledge where ever they went. The world famous illuminated books of Catholic Ireland with their incredible ornamentation are a Celtic legacy.
The definition of a Celt from the past – is often given as one who spoke a Celtic language. Today, this has been revised to define a modern Celt as one who is respecting the system of nature and is contributing to the community while holding a firm belief in truth as the highest principle sustaining creation – The Truth before the World or as said in modern Irish – An Fhírinne in aghaidh an tSaoil.
The Celtic Path in the Aquarian Age
Many people claim Celtic identity these days. This is done mostly by the descendents of the emigrants who have been dispersed to the ends of the world. Various aspects of the ancient Celtic traditions survive in different parts of the world. Most people in Europe can claim to have Celtic language speakers as their ancestors. These ancestors shared a common language, seasonal customs, sacred geometry and a spiritual culture across a vast area that is now called Europe. There has been continual emigration from Europe since the times of the expansion of the Roman Empire so many people far away from Europe can also claim to have Celtic blood in their veins.
Today, it is said that Ireland is the only independent republic Celtic state where a Celtic language is still spoken and where this language carries political and cultural importance. But this independence exists only since 1921. Famous names such a W B Yates, Douglas De Hyde, Maud Gonne etc., energised national consciousness as Irishness with politics, magic and language revival initiatives while Pearse, Collins and De Valera called for the blood sacrifice of violent insurrection and between them they achieved a success that today is an independent republic. Unfortunately the model of society that prevails for the majority today in Ireland is mostly TV culture and consumerism. But there are many strands of the Celtic Path available to the diligent researcher - music, stories, monuments, traditions and an overall way of being - happy and free.
Underpinning the ancient and modern Celtic Culture is: a deep respect for the beauty and harmony of Nature; a wish to partake in the conscious dance of life; a deep need to connect to the ancestors; a strongly felt desire to do that which is right; to have and inspire real courage and harvest the knowledge of the ages to raise ones consciousness. You do not need a genetic or blood link to be on a Celtic Path - you just need to have the right mind-set. Ultimately, it’s all about making the right choices and our courses hope to show you some options to cause you to be looking in the right direction so that you regain your freedom of choice. By taking charge of your own life while holding the highest ethical values and giving and getting respect; then your Path can be recognized as the way of the Celt today.
The ancient and the modern Celt are bonded by their common use of symbol, religion, history, customs, art and culture and specially language. Being a Celt in name does not mean you come from a blood group or race or a place. Thousands of years ago, everyone could become a Celt by adopting the mannerisms, speaking Celtic, respecting the system and contributing to the community and being involved in 'Pagan prayer' and this is still true today.
Even though the northern lands above the Alps were controlled by ‘Celts’ for 500 years before the Roman Empire there was never an actual Celtic Empire in existence. It is very important to be aware of this. No Celtic Empire could exist because it was a way of life not a system of control. When the Roman Empire absorbed these “Celtic” lands, the Celtic Culture survived. Ireland was not invaded or conquered by Rome and it was in Ireland that the Celtic Culture blossomed and achieved its highly magical artistic expression during the European Dark Ages.
There are three main strands of research for discovering the ‘Celtic’ world – archaeology, language and written works. All three ‘strands’ need to be wrapped around each other to support and strengthen our understanding. It would not be a wise move to base your research on any culture by study on only one strand when three strands are available to you. Three is a particularly Celtic number.
Archaeology is a modern discipline that is largely uncontaminated by the prejudices of the Greco-Roman scribes who were the spin doctors of their times. Archaeology is a science and works with hard fact. This allows patterns in land use or pottery styles or technologies to be identified and shows / defines economic and trade contacts between cultures at various time periods. This complex science extends from laboratory analysis of pollen grains found in layers of earth (showing us the staple foods in region / time) to the composition of metals and to the development of the geometric patterns in their elaborate decoration. On its own, Archaeology can only supply part of the picture but the part it does supply can validate the discoveries in understanding languages and in deciphering the written word.
Celtic Languages are now seen as one branch of the Indo-European linguistic family. Philology is the complex study of languages and the development of words / concepts through time. Six distinct Celtic languages still exist (or existed until recently) and these are called
Q-Celtic –Irish, Scots Gaelic and Manx,
and
P-Celtic – Welsh, Breton and Cornish.
These six Celtic languages are from the edge of the Roman Empire and survive only because the lands that they were spoken in were never fully conquered by Rome. It is not just the language that survives but inside the language we can see the relationship of the individual to the universe.
A favourite example is in the Irish phrase – “Tá tuirse orm” which when properly translated means – ‘I have tiredness upon me’. Now it is very important to realise that the wrong translation is – ‘I am tired’ because it was not what was being said. To have tiredness upon you is not the same as to actually be tiredness. Having tiredness on you retains the reality of an independent you with something over or on you but being tiredness is akin to shape shifting because you have lost your individual identity and become tiredness.
Celtic literature has been found hidden in many strange places such as ancient books of law, calendars and texts on coins, stone inscriptions and of course – the writings of the Greek and Roman scribes. We are told that the Celts did not leave us any written records. But this is not completely true. The Celts believed in the magic power of the Word and wrote in Greek, Etruscan and Latin. There was a proscription on writing anything that may be considered Druid knowledge being written down in a Celtic language. But this seems to have changed when the conquered Celtic lands had a new language in which to write.
A ’Celtic Literary School’ emerged in the first century of the common era (CE) with authors from Cisalpine Gaul, Iberia, Provence and later from Gaul proper. The European Druids forbade writing of their knowledge in the Celtic language but this does not seem to have applied to Ireland. In the great Irish sagas we have the Druids reading and writing in a distinctly Irish alphabet called Ogham. Ogma was the god of eloquence and learning and was the inventor of the Ogham alphabet while also being the god of the Druids.
The Book of Rights written (it is said) in the 5th century CE by Benignus tells us that Patrick burnt 180 books of the Druids. In the 7th century CE book the ‘Life of Patrick’ and in the 9th century’ Tripartite Life’ both give us clean records of Patrick fighting the Druids before the High King Laoghaire where the king proposes that a Christian book and a Druidic book should be thrown into some water as an ordeal. These Christian sources demonstrate that Druidical books (i.e. Celtic books) existed in Ireland long before the arrival of Christianity who caused these Pagan works to be burnt. The Christians (and later the Catholics) repeated this crime against knowledge where ever they went. The world famous illuminated books of Catholic Ireland with their incredible ornamentation are a Celtic legacy.
The definition of a Celt from the past – is often given as one who spoke a Celtic language. Today, this has been revised to define a modern Celt as one who is respecting the system of nature and is contributing to the community while holding a firm belief in truth as the highest principle sustaining creation – The Truth before the World or as said in modern Irish – An Fhírinne in aghaidh an tSaoil.
The Celtic Path in the Aquarian Age
Many people claim Celtic identity these days. This is done mostly by the descendents of the emigrants who have been dispersed to the ends of the world. Various aspects of the ancient Celtic traditions survive in different parts of the world. Most people in Europe can claim to have Celtic language speakers as their ancestors. These ancestors shared a common language, seasonal customs, sacred geometry and a spiritual culture across a vast area that is now called Europe. There has been continual emigration from Europe since the times of the expansion of the Roman Empire so many people far away from Europe can also claim to have Celtic blood in their veins.
Today, it is said that Ireland is the only independent republic Celtic state where a Celtic language is still spoken and where this language carries political and cultural importance. But this independence exists only since 1921. Famous names such a W B Yates, Douglas De Hyde, Maud Gonne etc., energised national consciousness as Irishness with politics, magic and language revival initiatives while Pearse, Collins and De Valera called for the blood sacrifice of violent insurrection and between them they achieved a success that today is an independent republic. Unfortunately the model of society that prevails for the majority today in Ireland is mostly TV culture and consumerism. But there are many strands of the Celtic Path available to the diligent researcher - music, stories, monuments, traditions and an overall way of being - happy and free.
Underpinning the ancient and modern Celtic Culture is: a deep respect for the beauty and harmony of Nature; a wish to partake in the conscious dance of life; a deep need to connect to the ancestors; a strongly felt desire to do that which is right; to have and inspire real courage and harvest the knowledge of the ages to raise ones consciousness. You do not need a genetic or blood link to be on a Celtic Path - you just need to have the right mind-set. Ultimately, it’s all about making the right choices and our courses hope to show you some options to cause you to be looking in the right direction so that you regain your freedom of choice. By taking charge of your own life while holding the highest ethical values and giving and getting respect; then your Path can be recognized as the way of the Celt today.
3. The Celtic Triplicities
When we study the true Celtic expression of Paganism in the ancient law texts and other writings we find a moral and ethical code that includes ideas such as:
Respect (for Nature and all its creatures)
Honour (as defined by the community)
Truth (as simple purity)
Service to the Community (the greater common good)
Loyalty to friends, family, and local community (trusting each other)
Hospitality (sharing food and comforts)
Justice (the spirit of the Law)
Although we are repeatedly told that the Druids never wrote anything down - it was recorded by others that the Celts recognised Three Realms and that the Celtic Gods are divided into three groups:
Sky (the otherworld), the Upper Realm, Land (this world) the Middle Realm and
Sea (the underworld) the Lower Realm.
These are the three planes of existence and they were / are inhabited by different beings.
Respect (for Nature and all its creatures)
Honour (as defined by the community)
Truth (as simple purity)
Service to the Community (the greater common good)
Loyalty to friends, family, and local community (trusting each other)
Hospitality (sharing food and comforts)
Justice (the spirit of the Law)
Although we are repeatedly told that the Druids never wrote anything down - it was recorded by others that the Celts recognised Three Realms and that the Celtic Gods are divided into three groups:
Sky (the otherworld), the Upper Realm, Land (this world) the Middle Realm and
Sea (the underworld) the Lower Realm.
These are the three planes of existence and they were / are inhabited by different beings.
.... The above triple spiral image is to be found in the passage cairn at Newgrange (Brú na Boinne) pic by Ard Druí Red John) - it is shown the correct way up as found in the temple. Be wary of books showing versions of this potent pre-Celtic three spiral symbol shown rotated through 90* as their stories may have also been turned on their side ..... )
Three types of gods were honoured by the ancient Celts:
Personal (ones that provide special inspiration and guidance),
Tribal (when working in a groups) and
Spirits (genius loci / guardians) of the land they live on.
Ancestors (who were actual people that history has confused by turning them into gods) and land spirits (temple guardians) are honoured as separate entities but sometimes they were the land spirits or were attached to the land and the spirits of the land.
The Celtic way of spirituality shows us that sacred places are found and not created. This is why Celtic Druids would hold ritual ceremony in a natural setting. The Celtic Druids way knows that the Spirit or Source flows through everything and because of this any place is a good place to hold a ceremony. But when we look into this a bit further we see other deeper things such as some places even being too special to be used (i.e. modified) as a location for a ceremony. These would be the natural places of remoteness and wild beauty. At the same time there are places that are instantly recognised as highly suitable for a ceremony. The unique dignity of a place had / has to be seen in its own right - in the wilderness - just being there was a ceremony of connectivity. Today we might call this a Vision Quest.
Three types of gods were honoured by the ancient Celts:
Personal (ones that provide special inspiration and guidance),
Tribal (when working in a groups) and
Spirits (genius loci / guardians) of the land they live on.
Ancestors (who were actual people that history has confused by turning them into gods) and land spirits (temple guardians) are honoured as separate entities but sometimes they were the land spirits or were attached to the land and the spirits of the land.
The Celtic way of spirituality shows us that sacred places are found and not created. This is why Celtic Druids would hold ritual ceremony in a natural setting. The Celtic Druids way knows that the Spirit or Source flows through everything and because of this any place is a good place to hold a ceremony. But when we look into this a bit further we see other deeper things such as some places even being too special to be used (i.e. modified) as a location for a ceremony. These would be the natural places of remoteness and wild beauty. At the same time there are places that are instantly recognised as highly suitable for a ceremony. The unique dignity of a place had / has to be seen in its own right - in the wilderness - just being there was a ceremony of connectivity. Today we might call this a Vision Quest.
Locations for regular ritual would be identified and these sites would be annotated by a raised bank or a multiple circle of standing stones (please see the essay under Water - Divining Sacred Sites). The spirits of the place would have been contacted by waking dream (meditation) and an agreement or mutual acceptance would have been set up. By this method - the spirits of the place (genius loci) would be honoured and respected for their co-operation.
In the Celtic way of life that we today refer to as a path, we can see that the individual was very important, regardless of rank - each had real rights and could rise him or her self in status by deeds of honour or by developing a high connection to spirit. The importance of the individual was connected directly to their duty to family and to their tribe. Again we see the three-fold system. This may seem confusing to us today, but every tribe was made up from secure extended families and these were made up of many individuals and some of these individuals were very unique. It can be understood as a mutual dependency generating safety and comfort for everyone.
We have been sold a false history by the Roman army generals who presented the situation in the Celtic lands (they sought to conquer and own) purely in ways to get more support, money and soldiers. We have the image from the Romans that all Celts were wild and mad and wanted to die in battle and so on but in reality it was much different. Maybe only one in a thousand Celts was a “Warrior” by profession, maybe everyone else was just a happy citizen with a basic way of life such as farmer, leather worker, wife, weaver, husband and so on.
In the Celtic way of life that we today refer to as a path, we can see that the individual was very important, regardless of rank - each had real rights and could rise him or her self in status by deeds of honour or by developing a high connection to spirit. The importance of the individual was connected directly to their duty to family and to their tribe. Again we see the three-fold system. This may seem confusing to us today, but every tribe was made up from secure extended families and these were made up of many individuals and some of these individuals were very unique. It can be understood as a mutual dependency generating safety and comfort for everyone.
We have been sold a false history by the Roman army generals who presented the situation in the Celtic lands (they sought to conquer and own) purely in ways to get more support, money and soldiers. We have the image from the Romans that all Celts were wild and mad and wanted to die in battle and so on but in reality it was much different. Maybe only one in a thousand Celts was a “Warrior” by profession, maybe everyone else was just a happy citizen with a basic way of life such as farmer, leather worker, wife, weaver, husband and so on.
The fireplace or hearth was the centre of the home and the home was the centre of the tribe and the tribe was again the centre of the people. At the hearth you get fed, warmed and sleep, but maybe most importantly of all you hear the old stories. The lineage of your tribe, the deeds of great women and men, the fantastic stories of famous girls and boys and the excitement of things to come - these were all shared around the hearth or fire. The hearth was the central strength of the spirituality of the people.
When a wrong doer was caught and punished he or she still had rights to sit by the fire. The old Irish Celtic way did not have jails because it was considered wrong to have a good man locked up to mind a bad man. What often happened was a severe haircut and beard removal and this easily identified the wrong doer. He could still work for the tribe and eat well but he lost all rights to vote and so on. If this wrong doer ran away to join another tribe - he would have to wait until his beard and long hair grew back before his “prison shave” would be replaced by a respectable amount of growth. Even then he would not be easily accepted into another tribe. Each tribe had a couple of persons who would know the names and lineage of every tribe for a huge area and a stranger would have to be able to identify him or herself under rigorous scrutiny. This survives even today when say a visiting Dublin man to a village pub in Co Kerry would say he had relatives nearby - he would be questioned to a great depth and many trick questions would be placed in front of him. If he answers correctly - he gains a welcome like a long lost family member (tribal welcome).
From the hearth grows the sanctity of the home and from this we get the strength of the family. Family does not mean blood only because it also means people who have been adopted. This may be a child or a teenager or an adult who has lost his or her own family or tribe through war or natural disaster. If an adopted person worked to better the tribe and contributed to the spirit of the group need by deed, work, study or just total commitment to the best of his or her ability - then they were full members of the tribe.
The Celtic system did not need priests to work as go-between for the individual to the gods because everyone could connect with the gods directly. The excitement in the storyteller’s magic would inspire those who were ready to seek understanding of the mysteries. This system meant the highest truth was available to all who had a mind to seek it. The telling of the myths and the ancestor stories around the hearth was the main expression of the oral tradition of the Celtic culture.
It was through the myths and story-cycles that the high magic of the Celtic way was shared with the whole tribe. This was teaching each member to play their part in the tribe as best as they could and many of the stories contained core elements such as - you should fulfil your appointed duty, you must always be honourable and you must stand for the truth before the whole world. In a sense these were the rules of Celtic society.
When a wrong doer was caught and punished he or she still had rights to sit by the fire. The old Irish Celtic way did not have jails because it was considered wrong to have a good man locked up to mind a bad man. What often happened was a severe haircut and beard removal and this easily identified the wrong doer. He could still work for the tribe and eat well but he lost all rights to vote and so on. If this wrong doer ran away to join another tribe - he would have to wait until his beard and long hair grew back before his “prison shave” would be replaced by a respectable amount of growth. Even then he would not be easily accepted into another tribe. Each tribe had a couple of persons who would know the names and lineage of every tribe for a huge area and a stranger would have to be able to identify him or herself under rigorous scrutiny. This survives even today when say a visiting Dublin man to a village pub in Co Kerry would say he had relatives nearby - he would be questioned to a great depth and many trick questions would be placed in front of him. If he answers correctly - he gains a welcome like a long lost family member (tribal welcome).
From the hearth grows the sanctity of the home and from this we get the strength of the family. Family does not mean blood only because it also means people who have been adopted. This may be a child or a teenager or an adult who has lost his or her own family or tribe through war or natural disaster. If an adopted person worked to better the tribe and contributed to the spirit of the group need by deed, work, study or just total commitment to the best of his or her ability - then they were full members of the tribe.
The Celtic system did not need priests to work as go-between for the individual to the gods because everyone could connect with the gods directly. The excitement in the storyteller’s magic would inspire those who were ready to seek understanding of the mysteries. This system meant the highest truth was available to all who had a mind to seek it. The telling of the myths and the ancestor stories around the hearth was the main expression of the oral tradition of the Celtic culture.
It was through the myths and story-cycles that the high magic of the Celtic way was shared with the whole tribe. This was teaching each member to play their part in the tribe as best as they could and many of the stories contained core elements such as - you should fulfil your appointed duty, you must always be honourable and you must stand for the truth before the whole world. In a sense these were the rules of Celtic society.
The Celtic Path for the tribal member and the Druid contained basics such as meditation (guided dreaming), visualization, chanting, drumming, singing and fast dancing. The entire tribe would make special time to honour the tribal gods and ancestors at the appointed times. The intention would have been (and is today) about proper focusing of the individual, the family and the tribe with Nature so that we can realise who we are in the greater scheme of things. This is referred to today by Druidschool as the spiritual alchemy of self-transformation or simply “turning your lights on and up high”.
Ard Druí Con Connor Imbolg 2013
Ard Druí Con Connor Imbolg 2013
4. Opinions on Druids
Ancient Europe can be seen as having three major cultures: Greek, Celt and Roman. The Celts, through their intellectual class of druids did not write about themselves. However the Romans and the Greeks did write about themselves and Celtic Druidism. They provide us with two groups of opinions on the Druids of Europe and these opinions differ substantially. Those who the Romans and Greeks have called Druids may not have used the word druid, themselves. Most linguists see it as cognate with a Greek word meaning 'an oak'. Some Celtic linguists have derived its root as an intensive particle with a second part meaning 'to know', this together says - those whose knowledge is very great. Another translation is 'those familiar with the oak'. (The Druids, Nora K Chadwick, pg 12-16).
My own understanding is that the word druid was designed to be used as a putdown. The modern equivalent putdown that is used by today's politicos is the phrase 'tree hugger'. It is as if the Romans were saying that these "druids" were having sex with trees and doing other abominable practices and therefore they must be destroyed. Its like when today's governments dismiss the grass roots urge of pagans and wiccans to respect Nature and protect the environment as not being compatible with the desire of the majority for commercial progress by identifying the activists as 'eco-warriors involved in tree-hugging'. But this has now come full circle, those who hug trees and learn to know trees are 'druids' because trees are the terra-formers of this planet we live on. Trees make the Air, Water and Earth and to know this is to be awake to the connectedness of all that is.
In the written records from BC and AD the researcher faces a double challenge – the Celtic Druids created and passed on a "system of awareness" by oral teaching only. There are no known written records of what the Druids of Gaul taught their students. If modern understanding of the druids is based upon what was written by two cultures with traditions of learning that exclude the intuitive part of human awareness, then they must be limited to presenting a lop-sided view of something that they did not understand. Imagine a scientific report on Love.
The second challenge is that most writers from a later period were cherry picking from two sets of lopsided records to suit their own political agendas. Like being doubly lop-sided. History is His Story, that is to say it is the story of the winner and it is well known that the winners of battles wrote the records of those battles and then told false tales about the losers. Negative evidence indicates that the teachings of the druids were designed to accomplish something other than left-brain logic programming which the Romans and Greeks were so good at.
I suggest that the teaching of the Celtic Druids of Europe were designed to activate the right intuitive brain in balance with the left intellectual brain which in turn creates the over mind, aka higher consciousness / magical awareness / shining being. However, careful study can sieve useful information from the Roman and Greek stories. This is the way that most modern knowledge of the Druids comes to us today. But this system can have its own problems if the operator of the sieve is also lopsided. There are two areas of opinion that can be discerned from the written records. The older recorded opinion holds a respectful tone towards the Druids who were ranked among the philosophers of the great races of antiquity. Here we see Druids as officials controlling public affairs, making peace between armies, speaking at great gatherings, acting as judges and teaching higher awareness to their students by oral transmission. Both Roman and Greek records show that the Druids of Gaul were concerned with spiritual and intellectual matters. They were also the educators of the Gaulish Nobles. The main area of the Druids Teachings was about Nature and the Universe. The leading doctrine of the Druids was the Immortality of the Soul.
They were the philosophers of their people, not the priests. None of the Roman or Greek records apply the word priest to the druids, and there is not even a suggestion of a priesthood of druids. Priesthood is necessary for a religion to hold its members to fixed rigid dogma. In Celtic Druidism, there is no dogma because it is a spiritual path that requires freedom to grow and shine as one connects to all that is. Druids did not have a pyramid organisation with a pope type figurehead. The other opinion records secrecy and seclusion and the teachers have now moved into caves and groves. The only full-scale picture of a druid ceremony is from Pliny who belongs to this second opinion, his picture of a druid's ceremony is the only one we have and is quite bizarre to say the least. Pliny also gives magic and medicine more coverage than anyone else does. Here we see that the druids are not being given respect, or presented as a class of high status. This second opinion give us only a 'dark side' to Druidry, sacrifice/caves/magic etc. But there is a further challenge - none of the older recorded opinions are by eyewitnesses. They are the works of scholars (read as desk researchers) seeking to describe an exalted intellectual image for the Druids. The 'newer' opinion is tainted by political needs and may have been generated to support the military campaign of conquest. This is possibly similar to the lies told by the US and the UK to justify war against Iraq. Everybody knows that lies were told but nobody can do anything….The Greek and Roman opinions of the Druids may all be second hand and all our information may have come to us from sources tainted with political bias. There may in all actuality be very little truth in the His Story as given by the oppressors of the Druids of Gaul.
A third opinion for the modern Celtic Druid is - that by reading between the lines, seeing at the peripheral edge of vision, hearing the faintest whispers of spirit, feeling the truth of intuition, connecting with the Three realms of Sky, Sea and Land and the stars and planets that we may understand what Celtic Druids were in the past and are again now in the present time.
My own understanding is that the word druid was designed to be used as a putdown. The modern equivalent putdown that is used by today's politicos is the phrase 'tree hugger'. It is as if the Romans were saying that these "druids" were having sex with trees and doing other abominable practices and therefore they must be destroyed. Its like when today's governments dismiss the grass roots urge of pagans and wiccans to respect Nature and protect the environment as not being compatible with the desire of the majority for commercial progress by identifying the activists as 'eco-warriors involved in tree-hugging'. But this has now come full circle, those who hug trees and learn to know trees are 'druids' because trees are the terra-formers of this planet we live on. Trees make the Air, Water and Earth and to know this is to be awake to the connectedness of all that is.
In the written records from BC and AD the researcher faces a double challenge – the Celtic Druids created and passed on a "system of awareness" by oral teaching only. There are no known written records of what the Druids of Gaul taught their students. If modern understanding of the druids is based upon what was written by two cultures with traditions of learning that exclude the intuitive part of human awareness, then they must be limited to presenting a lop-sided view of something that they did not understand. Imagine a scientific report on Love.
The second challenge is that most writers from a later period were cherry picking from two sets of lopsided records to suit their own political agendas. Like being doubly lop-sided. History is His Story, that is to say it is the story of the winner and it is well known that the winners of battles wrote the records of those battles and then told false tales about the losers. Negative evidence indicates that the teachings of the druids were designed to accomplish something other than left-brain logic programming which the Romans and Greeks were so good at.
I suggest that the teaching of the Celtic Druids of Europe were designed to activate the right intuitive brain in balance with the left intellectual brain which in turn creates the over mind, aka higher consciousness / magical awareness / shining being. However, careful study can sieve useful information from the Roman and Greek stories. This is the way that most modern knowledge of the Druids comes to us today. But this system can have its own problems if the operator of the sieve is also lopsided. There are two areas of opinion that can be discerned from the written records. The older recorded opinion holds a respectful tone towards the Druids who were ranked among the philosophers of the great races of antiquity. Here we see Druids as officials controlling public affairs, making peace between armies, speaking at great gatherings, acting as judges and teaching higher awareness to their students by oral transmission. Both Roman and Greek records show that the Druids of Gaul were concerned with spiritual and intellectual matters. They were also the educators of the Gaulish Nobles. The main area of the Druids Teachings was about Nature and the Universe. The leading doctrine of the Druids was the Immortality of the Soul.
They were the philosophers of their people, not the priests. None of the Roman or Greek records apply the word priest to the druids, and there is not even a suggestion of a priesthood of druids. Priesthood is necessary for a religion to hold its members to fixed rigid dogma. In Celtic Druidism, there is no dogma because it is a spiritual path that requires freedom to grow and shine as one connects to all that is. Druids did not have a pyramid organisation with a pope type figurehead. The other opinion records secrecy and seclusion and the teachers have now moved into caves and groves. The only full-scale picture of a druid ceremony is from Pliny who belongs to this second opinion, his picture of a druid's ceremony is the only one we have and is quite bizarre to say the least. Pliny also gives magic and medicine more coverage than anyone else does. Here we see that the druids are not being given respect, or presented as a class of high status. This second opinion give us only a 'dark side' to Druidry, sacrifice/caves/magic etc. But there is a further challenge - none of the older recorded opinions are by eyewitnesses. They are the works of scholars (read as desk researchers) seeking to describe an exalted intellectual image for the Druids. The 'newer' opinion is tainted by political needs and may have been generated to support the military campaign of conquest. This is possibly similar to the lies told by the US and the UK to justify war against Iraq. Everybody knows that lies were told but nobody can do anything….The Greek and Roman opinions of the Druids may all be second hand and all our information may have come to us from sources tainted with political bias. There may in all actuality be very little truth in the His Story as given by the oppressors of the Druids of Gaul.
A third opinion for the modern Celtic Druid is - that by reading between the lines, seeing at the peripheral edge of vision, hearing the faintest whispers of spirit, feeling the truth of intuition, connecting with the Three realms of Sky, Sea and Land and the stars and planets that we may understand what Celtic Druids were in the past and are again now in the present time.