Druid Mysteries Read online

  CONTENTS

  About the Author

  Also by Philip Carr-Gomm

  Title page

  Dedication

  Chapter One – The Heart’s Dream

  Chapter Two – The Seven Gifts of Druidry and its Origins in the World of Time

  Chapter Three – The Bridge of a Thousand Years: How Druidry Survived the Coming of Christianity

  Chapter Four – Renaissance: The Rebirth of Druidry in Modem Times

  Chapter Five – Druidism Today: A Modern Mystery School

  Chapter Six – Bards, Ovates and Druids

  Chapter Seven – The Turning Year: Druid Seasonal Ceremonies and Rites of Passage

  Chapter Eight – Spirits of the Circle: The Mystery of Our Identity

  Chapter Nine – Circles and Stones, Trackways and Stars

  Chapter Ten – Druid Tree Lore

  Chapter Eleven – Druid Animal Lore

  Chapter Twelve – Druidry, Wicca and the Craft of Magic

  Chapter Thirteen – The Heart of the Mystery

  Resources and Recommended Reading

  Glossary

  Notes

  Acknowledgements

  Copyright

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Philip Carr-Gomm is a writer and psychologist living in Sussex. He is the author of The Druid Way and Druidcraft, and the co-author of The Druid Animal Oracle and editor of the Book of Druidry, The Druid Renaissance and In the Grove of Druids. In 1988 he was asked to lead The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, one of the largest international Druid groups. He combines his role as Chief Druid with a private practice in psychotherapy, writing and giving workshops worldwide. Since his first book appeared in 1991 he has been increasingly in demand worldwide for radio, television and newspaper interviews, and for lecturing. (A full listing can be found at his author’s website at http://druidry.org/pcg)

  BY THE SAME AUTHOR

  Druidcraft – The Magic of Wicca and Druidry

  In the Grove of Druids – the Druid Teachings of Ross Nichols

  The Druid Way

  The Druid Animal Oracle (with Stephanie Carr-Gomm)

  The Book of Druidry (editor)

  The Druid Renaissance (editor)

  DRUID MYSTERIES

  ANCIENT WISDOM FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

  Philip Carr-Gomm

  This book is dedicated to Nuinn

  and to Charlotte, Sophia, Lawrence and Matthew

  CHAPTER ONE

  THE HEART’S DREAM

  The journey we begin as we answer the call is long, and filled with all that we have been and all that we will become.

  Cairistiona Worthington, Druids – A Beginner’s Guide

  SOMEWHERE IN EVERYONE’S heart there is a dream trying to be born. But when we look at the world around us it often seems as if collectively we have created a nightmare – we see appalling poverty and suffering, the devastation of terrorism, war and industrialisation. And yet we also find extraordinary beauty – we can walk into green valleys, climb hills that look out across forests and towards oceans, and we can close our eyes and feel the sun and the wind on our faces and bodies, and remember our dreams. For each of us those dreams will be different, and yet – deep down – I believe there is also a common dream, a hope shared by most of humanity, that our lives, and the lives of all beings, become filled with purpose and meaning, rich in experience and freedom, wisdom and creativity.

  This book is about a way of life that can help us to find this universal dream in our hearts, and that can also help us to live it – so that, in however small a way, we can contribute to changing the world around us.

  Thirty-five years ago, when I first heard about this way of life, I had no idea how important it would become to me, as it is to countless people the world over. My father worked as a teacher for a man who ran a private college in London, and who was also a Chief Druid. This intrigued me – how could anyone be a Druid, let alone a ‘Chief Druid’, in twentieth-century London? He invited me to attend a Druid ceremony, and at that moment began the long journey I have travelled ever since, and which eventually led to my taking on his role as leader of the Druid group he founded: the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids.

  Since that time, which seems so long ago now, Druidry (or Druidism, which means the same thing) has evolved to become one of the major ‘alternative’ spiritualities of the modern world. In this book we will explore the origins of Druidry in remote antiquity, and its modern manifestations – but all the time I shall be holding in mind two questions:

  What is there of value in Druidism for the present-day?

  How can we use the ideas of Druidism to benefit ourselves and make the world a better place?’

  OPENING THE DOOR

  * * *

  The word ‘Druid’ provides us with our first key to answering these questions and to understanding the Druid Mysteries. It’s as if the sign on the front door can tell us a great deal, if we will only pause to read it before trying to get the door open.

  There are two kinds of words – connotative and denotative. When we go to the dentist or have surgery we hope they will use denotative words: ‘Drill! Scalpel!’ These are words that denote specific objects and everyone agrees about what they mean. When we listen to the lyrics of a song or the words of a poem, we hear connotative words – words that connote and hence evoke a host of associated ideas and images, sometimes smells and sounds and feelings too. Agreement isn’t so necessary or so prevalent with connotative words.

  ‘Druid’ is such a word. Even without knowing its etymology it evokes images of wizards and sages, of Gandalf- or Merlin-like figures, ideas of ancient wisdom and arcane knowledge, and when we consider the various theories of the word’s origin, it becomes even more evocative.

  Some modern scholars agree with the classical Roman and Greek authors that the most likely derivation is from the Celtic word for oak – dru – combined with the Indo-European root wid – to know – giving their translation of the word Druid as ‘One with knowledge of the oak’ or ‘Wise person of the oak’. Support for this derivation comes from the words for oak in Irish, Welsh and Greek:

  Irish: daur (drui = druid)

  Welsh: derw (derwydd = druid)

  Greek: drus (druidai = druids)

  Although it may at first sight seem odd that the Druids’ knowledge should be limited to one tree, obviously the oak stands symbolically for all trees, since it was one of the oldest, most prevalent and most revered members of the forest. Those who possessed knowledge of the oak possessed knowledge of all the trees. Further support for the idea that the word Druid connects both knowledge and trees is found in the fact that in Irish trees are fid and knowledge fios, while in Welsh trees are gwydd and gwyddon is a ‘knowledgeable one’, from which we can suggest that the Druid was one with ‘knowledge of the trees’ or was indeed a ‘forest sage’. The forest is synonymous with the wild, the sage embodies wisdom. Placed together, these two words suggest that Druidry offers us a path of ‘wild wisdom’.

  Further possible sources or influences upon the term Druid are: draoi – Gaelic for ‘magician’; dryad – Greek for ‘tree or wood nymph’; and druaight – Manx for ‘enchantment’. Even though we cannot be sure whether these were etymologically involved in the creation of the term, they act as intriguing associations, giving us the image of a Druid as a ‘knower of the tree-spirits, knower of magic, knower of enchantment’.

  Other scholars suggest that the word is derived from the pre-Indo-European root deru, which means firm, solid, strong or steadfast, combined with the root weid, which means to see, creating a term that could translate as ‘strong seer’.

  To get a sense of how it might feel to be a Druid, try saying this: ‘I am strong – a steadfast
seer, a knower of magic and enchantment. I am a sage of the forest. I know the secrets of the oak and the wildwood.’ Say it several times over, with as little inhibition and as much conviction as you can muster. It’s important to say it out loud, because the voice has magical properties, which we shall explore soon when we look at the work of the Bards. If you’re reading this in a public place, astonish those around you or wait till you get home!

  If the exercise works for you, you will have experienced something of what it means to be a Druid – a man or a woman who even today can feel the pulse of life in the earth beneath them and the trees around them. Admittedly this is heady stuff, and we risk being seduced and deluded by the ‘glamour’ and romance of it all, but if we can keep our feet on the ground and try to be as sensible and as clear-seeing as we can, there exists the very real possibility that one day we will become knowers of magic and enchantment, and that we will be able to give birth to the dream in our hearts.

  DRUIDS AND DRUIDESSES

  * * *

  Gaine daughter of pure Gumor, nurse of mead-loving Mide, surpassed all women though she was silent; she was learned and a seer and a Druid.

  (The Metrical Dindsenchas)

  But why all this talk of only Druids? Where are the Druidesses? Some people think that Druidry is patriarchal, but this is not true. It is true that with the seventeenth- and eighteenth-century revival of interest in Druidism, groups were dominated by male members, but this is no longer the case, and today most Druid groups have equal numbers of women and men. Classical and Celtic accounts show that both male and female Druids existed, and Celtic laws offered greater privileges to women than most cultures of the time. Just as it is literally and politically correct to use such terms as actor and waiter when referring to either gender, so in this book the word Druid applies to either gender also.

  DRUIDRY CELEBRATES LIFE, SEXUALITY, NATURE AND THE EARTH

  Until recently Druidry was little understood by most people, and was hardly considered by scholars and historians. But over the last twenty years or so a great change has taken place. Druidry has moved from the very fringes of alternative spirituality to occupy a position almost on a par with the established religions, even though many within Druidry do not consider it a religion at all – preferring to see it as a philosophy and a way of life. Today you can send an email greetings card for a Druid festival from the BBC’s religious programming website; Druids take part in interfaith conferences; people the world over practise Druidry, and there are books, magazines, websites and groups devoted to its study and pursuit.

  The reason for this change is clear. As the twentieth century drew to a close more and more people became aware of the extent to which we were destroying the earth, and sought spiritual ways which reverenced the earth and nature. Druidry celebrates the natural world, and rather than focusing on how to transcend our physical existence, it focuses on celebrating our life on earth and on encouraging our creativity, helping the Bard within us to sing the song of our hearts and souls.

  This focus on cherishing the earth and on encouraging our individual creativity means that Druidry appeals to many of those who are tired of the way conventional religions, both Western and Eastern, can stifle individual joy and creativity with their focus on suffering, detachment and self-denial. Even when joy is offered it often seems only available through a person – a saviour or a guru – rather than through life itself and the astounding beauties of the natural world.

  Druidry has an entirely different vision that celebrates and revels in life-as-it-is-now – not life as it might be in the hereafter or as it could be if we were able to break the cycle of death and rebirth. In addition, Druidry accepts and enjoys the means through which life comes into being – the inherently sexual nature of all life – and offers an approach that is based upon being fully involved in the world – on celebrating its beauties and joys, and on engaging its difficulties rather than trying to ‘rise above them’. It suggests that we are meant to be here, not somewhere else.

  A bardic story from Irish tradition of King Cormac’s encounter with the sea-god Manannan mac Lir describes perfectly this type of sensuous spirituality. In the story, Cormac is shown a pool with five streams running from it. Manannan explains to Cormac that those who are wise drink from each of the five streams and from the pool itself, and that each of the streams represents one of the senses, while the pool represents Spirit – the deep centre within each of us.

  Celebrating life, the body and its pleasures, as this story shows, does not mean sinking into a purely materialistic and hedonist lifestyle. The sensual spirituality of Druidry does not reject pleasure and surface beauty, but it doesn’t reject Spirit and depth either. It is inclusive. A critic might say that such an approach leads to selfishness or indulgence, but in reality it leads to a far greater sense of responsibility – in particular for the environment. If, deep down, you feel your purpose is to escape being born on earth, or that humanity is fundamentally sinful and that you only ‘pass through’ here on your way to heaven, or possibly hell, then caring for the planet may well not be a priority for you.

  Unlike the revealed religions that have scriptures which can then be argued and fought over, there are no sacred texts or even dogmas within Druidry. So in this book, for example, you will read of one approach to the subject, but it represents only one of many possible ways to understand a spirituality that is continually evolving. Each book and group expresses different ideas, and yet there are common themes and threads. One such theme is a deep love of the land, the earth that is our home. When it comes to love, modern Western culture focuses only on romantic erotic love, condemning all those who are not paired up in bliss to feelings of failure and unhappiness. Most, if not all, of those who follow Druidry as a spiritual path today see love in a much wider context.

  In the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids we believe that one of the central aims of Druidry today is to encourage us to broaden our understanding of love – so that we love widely and deeply. We see Druidry fostering:

  Love of the Land, the Earth, the Wild

  – with a reverence for Nature.

  Love of Peace

  Druids were traditionally peace-makers, and still are: each ceremony begins with Peace to the Quarters, there is a Druid’s Peace Prayer, and Druids plant peace groves.

  Love of Beauty

  The Druid path cultivates the Bard, the artist within, and fosters creativity.

  Love of Justice

  Druids were judges, and law-makers. Traditionally Druids are interested in restorative, not punitive, justice.

  Love of Story and Myth

  Druidry recognises and uses the power of mythology and stories.

  Love of History and Reverence for the Ancestors

  Druidry recognises the forming power of the past.

  Love of Trees

  Druids today plant trees and sacred groves, and study tree lore.

  Love of Stones

  Druids today build stone circles,

  collect stones and work with crystals.

  Love of Truth

  Druid philosophy is a quest for wisdom.

  Love of Animals

  Druidry sees animals as sacred, and teaches sacred animal lore.

  Love of the Body

  Druidry sees the body and sexuality as sacred.

  Love of the Sun, Moon, Stars and Sky

  Druid star lore, embodied in the old stories and in the stone circles, teaches love for the Universe.

  Love of Each Other

  Druidry fosters the magic of relationship, of community.

  Love of Life

  Druidry encourages celebration and full commitment to life – it is not a spirituality that wants us to escape from life

  People are drawn to Druidry not only because they are looking for a spirituality that cherishes the natural world – they might also be fascinated by Celtic history, or by the old sacred sites, or by the old stories. They might be drawn to it because of their a
ncestry, or simply because it calls to them from the Otherworld or from the world of memory. They may consider themselves Pagan or Christian or Buddhist or of no particular faith, but all these approaches are possible within Druidry, which seems able to become one’s sole spiritual path or to enhance whatever path one is treading already.

  Some groups follow the pattern reported by the classical authors of having three separate but related groupings of Bards, Ovates and Druids, while others just see themselves as a Druid group. Some people only call themselves Druids or Bards, or Ovates once they have been initiated and trained within a group, while others feel empowered to use these terms more liberally, and nowadays someone could well say ‘I am a Druid’ just as someone else might say ‘I am a Christian’ or ‘I am a Hindu’.

  Druidry can be practised alone or with others. Those who prefer the solitary approach sometimes call themselves ‘Hedge Druids’ just as some solitary Wiccans use the term ‘Hedge Witch’. Others prefer to meet regularly within a local grove – a term which denotes not only a sacred clearing in the forest but also a group of Druids. A grove of Druids is similar to a coven of Witches or the congregation of a church.

  A grove may meet in a member’s house or garden, but more often than not they will try to meet out of doors – in a forest clearing or even a local park. In addition to celebrating the eight seasonal festivals described in a later chapter, they may come together to perform rites of passage when a grove member wants to name a child, or when members marry or die. Some groves will also meet regularly aside from these special times – perhaps once or twice a month. And at these grove meetings there may be initiations of new members, ceremonies enacted or teaching given. More often than not the meeting will become a social gathering – with impromptu story-telling and music-making, and with everyone bringing food and drink to share. To maintain a sense of safety and intimacy, grove meetings are private, but they are not secret in the way that a Masonic meeting, for example, is secret – taking place behind guarded doors and with special passwords and handshakes being needed to gain access. Druidry works with mysteries, not secrets. Just as love, when we try to understand it with our rational mind, is more of a mystery than a secret, so Druidry itself is a mystery that – like love – can reveal itself only slowly and with care.