Any and all questions about Druidry and/or vegetarianism/veganism.

[Druidus]

If anyone has any questions at all about Druidy and/or vegetarianism/veganism, please ask here. I would really love to get some replies so please post. Also I would like to set some ground-rules, that I hope the mods will enforce :

1. There will be no religion bashing here. No derogatory statements towards any religion at all.

2. No insulting personal choices.

3. No saying things like *waves meat in front of Druidus' face*, or *waves tofu in front of meat eaters face*. Please don't as this is very inulting.

4. Generally, just be nice. I would very much appreciate that. Try not to hurt others feelings.

Thank you!

 

[Green Gaia]

All your ground rules are covered in the forum rules, so no worries.

 

[painted wolf]

ok, this one is more of a logistics question... but, here it goes.

Living in Nunavut (yeah Nunavut by the way!), so close to the Acrtic circle (or are you on it? just curious) how do you as a vegitarian deal with the long winters and the short growing season? Do you grow any of you own food and if so how much?

Thanks for any help on these questions

wa:do

 

[Druidus]

Living in Nunavut (yeah Nunavut by the way!), so close to the Acrtic circle (or are you on it? just curious) how do you as a vegitarian deal with the long winters and the short growing season? Do you grow any of you own food and if so how much?

I believe we are within the arctic circle. We get our fruits and vegetables flown up, although I do collect raspberries, blueberries and other small berries in the summer. I have grown tomatoes and watermelon. Home-grown food is not a significant portion of my diet, as it's hard to grow anything up here.

 

[painted wolf]

What if such shipments stoped for some reason? Would you include meat into your diet or would you move to a more temperate environment?

Just curious...

wa:do

 

[Druidus]

I've never been in a hypothetical situation, but I'll try to answer.

First of all, they wouldn't stop. It is impossible to live on only meat, you would die. The government would keep the shipments running.

Secondly, I would move on. My motto is "Let no one die, so that I may eat.", so I would not even consider eating meat.

 

[painted wolf]

Thanks for the answer...

I apreciate your conviction, though I do not nessisarily share it

wa:do

 

[spirit]

Druidus,i'm currently researching Druidry in order to become a practising druid and perhaps join a "grove" is it? I am also vegan and would like to know if gatherings at imbolc etc. would take this into account, for example, i have heard certain foods are meant to be eaten such as food from seeds at imbolc,but also lamb and pork at this time. Would a grove allow me to eat only vegan foods or would i be forbidden from joining because of this?
Do druids believe that being vegan promotes a closer relationship to Awen and how do they see their meat eating as being in-keeping with druidry since druids respect the animals as much as the forest?
Could you give me a list of druidic rituals so that i can be sure that my veganism is in-keeping wth druidry?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I haven't seen Dru in awhile, but I can answer the question.

In Druidism, for an apprentice, eating only vegetables is mandated by some paths. And even after you've reached higher levels, it's still generally a good thing to eat very little meat. Some traditions explain it as the "you are what you eat" phrase. You eat the plants, and you grow. Eat the animals, and you become one.

 

[Zephyr]

While I'm the kind of guy that would punch a cow to death and eat it on the spot (if that were more socially acceptable, I can certainly understand the vegetarian diet. However, veganism has always confused me. Why not eat things like Cheese, Milk, and eggs? As far as I know the cow doesn't die when you milk it.



Also, about Druidry. Is it based on old reconstructions (like Asatru or various other forms of Paganism) or is it more of a blend of old and new (more like Wicca)?

EDIT: Somewhat unrelated, but is there some correlation between Metalheads and Paganism? I say yes.

EDITEDIT: Whoa! I remember you dude! Welcome back.

 

[Awen]

However, veganism has always confused me. Why not eat things like Cheese, Milk, and eggs? As far as I know the cow doesn't die when you milk it.

I am not vegan myself, and so have also wondered this for a while. It’s something I can’t quite get my head around.

Also, about Druidry. Is it based on old reconstructions (like Asatru or various other forms of Paganism) or is it more of a blend of old and new (more like Wicca)?

I am not Druidus, obviously, but perhaps I can give you my personal opinion/experience…I’m sure Druidus has heard the saying “Ask ten druids the same question, and you’ll get fifty different answers!” so I’d be interested in his opinion too when he has the time.

I wouldn't say that Druidry was "like" Wicca, though the similarites between the two have been argued for what seems like an age. In my opinion, Druidry is a path of continual evolution. It is not confined to one time, one people, nor one understanding. Like the land, each new generation shapes and forms it, bringing in new ideas and opening it’s traditions to further development and interpretation.

Having said that, our path can be compared with the physical make-up of a tree ~ as the roots of a tree run deep into the ground, our spiritual roots have grown from the wisdom set in place by our ancestors. The tree gathers nutrients from the ground via its roots, in order for it to grow. We gather knowledge from the practices of our ancient ancestors, from the land itself, the old tales, the skies, and the trees ~ nature as a whole ~ in order that we may grow, spiritually.

There are those that believe Celtic ancestry is a necessity to walk the Druid path. There are those that form their own path of Druidry, perhaps blending it with Christianity or Wicca. There are those who would say that Druidry relies purely on what once was, and so they try to reconstruct it as such. However, it is my opinion that no matter how hard they try, there will always be discrepancies among recons, neos, mesos and the like…simply because somewhere along the line, we seem to have misplaced the two-thousand year old Druid to whom we would field any questions to! In short, we’re ALL modern Druids, because we are in the here-and-now.


As you can see, it is a very individual path, but with one common connection throughout ~ the seeking of Truth.

Hope that helps some.

 

[Lyra]

hey im honestly not well versed with this whole druid thing....wot bout medicines which are prepared using animals? would u refrain from using them just coz animalls were harmed in makin them?

 

[d.]

While I'm the kind of guy that would punch a cow to death and eat it on the spot (if that were more socially acceptable, I can certainly understand the vegetarian diet. However, veganism has always confused me. Why not eat things like Cheese, Milk, and eggs? As far as I know the cow doesn't die when you milk it.

for me, ethics are always dependant on context. i have a problem with industrialized production of animal-based foods - that's why i'm a vegan. it's not a general thing. if i could keep my own chickens, i would certainly eat their eggs.

i don't eat fish, but i have no problem with you going out on a boat, on some lake that hasn't been over-fished, fishing and eating your catch. i have a problem with over-fishing and industrial fishing.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Also, about Druidry. Is it based on old reconstructions (like Asatru or various other forms of Paganism) or is it more of a blend of old and new (more like Wicca)?

Druidry is a very old religion. It's roots are based in ancient religions, thrived in the European areas when man started to settle thier, and was nearly wipped off the map when the Medieval church saw them as a problem and forced who they didn't kill underground.

 

[wicca_woman]

I have looked up druidry(wording:spelling)on the net and can not seem to get to a lot of what I am looking for . It is either basic or they are referring me to books that I do not have and do not have access to right now...I need to know WHAT it is and WHAT it is about...I am beyond a nature lover and love the thought of getting even closer to nature but is druidry what I am looking for ?
I am reading on wicca now but I want to know about ALL of my options before I settle on one...
Thanks for "listening"

 

[Gentoo]

I have looked up druidry(wording:spelling)on the net and can not seem to get to a lot of what I am looking for . It is either basic or they are referring me to books that I do not have and do not have access to right now...I need to know WHAT it is and WHAT it is about...I am beyond a nature lover and love the thought of getting even closer to nature but is druidry what I am looking for ?
I am reading on wicca now but I want to know about ALL of my options before I settle on one...
Thanks for "listening"

I'm not sure how accurate this is, but here: http://www.avaloncollege.org/DRUIDRY.HTML

It has links too that could help.

 

[Radio Frequency X]

I have looked up druidry(wording:spelling)on the net and can not seem to get to a lot of what I am looking for . It is either basic or they are referring me to books that I do not have and do not have access to right now...I need to know WHAT it is and WHAT it is about...I am beyond a nature lover and love the thought of getting even closer to nature but is druidry what I am looking for ?
I am reading on wicca now but I want to know about ALL of my options before I settle on one...
Thanks for "listening"

Modern druidry is basically an offshoot of Wicca and the revival of the old religious paths. Very little is known about the old Druid religions, but, like most reconstructed religions, followers do the best they can to form a new religion from the old.

 

[MaddLlama]

Is the Druid path a type of Celtic Reconstructionalism, or is it a more modern Wicca-based path?

 

[wicca_woman]

Radio frequency X...could you tell me a little more ? Are they more parallel (wicca and druidry?) is there a "dark" side to druidry? I have heard some people refer to a "dark" side of it. Yes , I am very curious about every aspect...any help you can give is great !!

 

[wicca_woman]

Thank you , too , Gentoo !! I will definately bookmark that link !!