Let's Talk About Druidry

[JustGeorge]

There seems to be 3 phases of Druidry:

The 'originals', about which not a lot is known.

The 'revival' period, between the 17-19th centuries. There is more fraternal influence during this time period.

Modern Druidry.

 

[River Sea]

I mentioned Christianity within the context of "rejection", following on from comments #8, 9, and 11 discussing Ross Nichols who "started it as a neopagan institute" as per @The Hammer .

It is certainly off topic, but more to the point is that there are also Christian druids.



Timeline is very important!

We are currently discussing circa 1960s and what is druidry, not Christianity.

@GoodAttention
@Bharat Jhunjhunwala @GoodAttention

I only read areas of light that began on page pdf 65

https://lukriss.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/john-michael-greer-druidry-handbook.pdf

The DRUIDRY
Handbook
Spiritual Practice Rooted in the Living Earth
John Michael Greer

 

[River Sea]

There seems to be 3 phases of Druidry:

The 'originals', about which not a lot is known.

The 'revival' period, between the 17-19th centuries. There is more fraternal influence during this time period.

Modern Druidry.

oh so the 17-19 centuries

The first fully Neopagan Druid order was OBOD, the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids; which was established in the mid 1960's.

Gerald Gardner and Ross Nichols knew each other

OBOD

The Order of Bards Ovates & Druids is a mystery school, a community around the world, who love nature and want to follow a magical, spiritual way that respects and protects the natural world in all its beauty. The Druid Tradition represents one of the wellsprings of inspiration of the Western...

www.youtube.com

 

[River Sea]

@The Hammer @GoodAttention
Your thoughts of Three rays of light this is from
The DRUIDRY Handbook
Invoking Tribann Evoking

I only read areas of light that began on page pdf 65

https://lukriss.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/john-michael-greer-druidry-handbook.pdf
The DRUIDRY
Handbook
Spiritual Practice Rooted in the Living Earth
John Michael Greer

 

[The Hammer]

It sounds, in my basic understanding, a universally personal belief system, stripping away but also adding to, if that makes sense.

It can be a very personal belief system, around a core set of ideas and symbols.

Make sense?
No .

But as long as it made sense to you! Lol

Oath taking. Definitely this one, if you don’t mind.

Well, this should be approached as a serious endeavor, while not necessarily a solemn one. When making an Oath you are creating an unbreakable bond between you and whatever it is you are taking the oath for or to.

So the rite should be one of honor and respect. And you should feel as if the Oath you are taking is ultimately the right thing to do long term. As there are usually consequences for not, such as being forsaken by ones chosen Gods.

You should leave the rite feeling accomplished, and whole. And heard by the powers present. It should feel like a coming home.

 

[The Hammer]

@The Hammer @GoodAttention
Your thoughts of Three rays of light this is from
The DRUIDRY Handbook
Invoking Tribann Evoking
View attachment 97471

These are the symbols for the three Rays of Awen. Inspiration.

An invoking form, a calling out. Evoking form, a bringing in.

And the Tribann, it's balanced/whole form.

 

[GoodAttention]

It can be a very personal belief system, around a core set of ideas and symbols.

Make sense?
No .

But as long as it made sense to you! Lol

Confluent > distinct.

Pragmatic > dogmatic.

Refined > defined.

Well, this should be approached as a serious endeavor, while not necessarily a solemn one. When making an Oath you are creating an unbreakable bond between you and whatever it is you are taking the oath for or to.

So the rite should be one of honor and respect. And you should feel as if the Oath you are taking is ultimately the right thing to do long term. As there are usually consequences for not, such as being forsaken by ones chosen Gods.

You should leave the rite feeling accomplished, and whole. And heard by the powers present. It should feel like a coming home

I have a fear of oath-taking, which is cultural and mostly I believe superstitious, but there is a difference between "swearing" upon one's or another's life and taking a personal oath.

For me, and perhaps others, what you have described is personal accountability witnessed by others.

This is like "public speaking" level of fear inducing, but being in a mindspace to be able to overcome first the fear, and then achieve the oath...coming home sounds like a person who has jumped out of a plane at least a 100 times!

 

[The Hammer]

I have a fear of oath-taking, which is cultural and mostly I believe superstitious, but there is a difference between "swearing" upon one's or another's life and taking a personal oath.

For me, and perhaps others, what you have described is personal accountability witnessed by others.

This is like "public speaking" level of fear inducing, but being in a mindspace to be able to overcome first the fear, and then achieve the oath...coming home sounds like a person who has jumped out of a plane at least a 100 times!

Words do tend to fail these sorts of things, as they are better experienced.

But here is the definition of Oath, and I am hoping this is what I had conveyed:

"a solemn promise, often invoking a divine witness, regarding one's future action or behavior."

 

[The Hammer]

I have a fear of oath-taking, which is cultural and mostly I believe superstitious...

What culture? Not sure I've noticed that superstition.

 

[GoodAttention]

What culture? Not sure I've noticed that superstition.

South Asian/Saivite

Specific example is "never swear upon your mother's head or she will die!"

Others include

"Never ask a person where they are going when they leave your home"
"Don't let your child laugh too much during the day otherwise they will cry at night"
"Always drive forward first when going on long trips" (meaning don't reverse out first, move forward just an inch even)
"Don't pay money/transfer cash to others after the sun goes down"
"Never say the plants or vegetables are growing well, and if you do you should (dry) spit 3 times on the ground"


None of these are oaths of course, but it the "vibe" of making one itself when you grow up in such a culture that I relate to fear.

 

[River Sea]

South Asian/Saivite

Specific example is "never swear upon your mother's head or she will die!"

Others include

"Never ask a person where they are going when they leave your home"
"Don't let your child laugh too much during the day otherwise they will cry at night"
"Always drive forward first when going on long trips" (meaning don't reverse out first, move forward just an inch even)
"Don't pay money/transfer cash to others after the sun goes down"
"Never say the plants or vegetables are growing well, and if you do you should (dry) spit 3 times on the ground"


None of these are oaths of course, but it the "vibe" of making one itself when you grow up in such a culture that I relate to fear.

@GoodAttention It must be difficult to deal with all of the superstitions around you; even if a person does not believe in them, being around people who do believe in them could be stressful, and if one believes in them, the fear one has. What makes some cultures more believing in superstition compared to others?

I never did oath-taking before.
What causes people to take oaths for?
What does oath-taking do to people?
Is there such a thing as doing Druid without oath-taking, or do people in Druids take oaths, and are they thankful that they did take oaths, or do they wish they hadn't taken oaths?

@The Hammer what are your thoughts about this, oath taking or not oath taking?

 

[GoodAttention]

@GoodAttention It must be difficult to deal with all of the superstitions around you; even if a person does not believe in them, being around people who do believe in them could be stressful, and if one believes in them, the fear one has. What makes some cultures more believing in superstition compared to others?

I never did oath-taking before.
What causes people to take oaths for?
What does oath-taking do to people?
Is there such a thing as doing Druid without oath-taking, or do people in Druids take oaths, and are they thankful that they did take oaths, or do they wish they hadn't taken oaths?

@The Hammer what are your thoughts about this, oath taking or not oath taking?

Yes it is, and the result is hesitation.

To me hesitation is a disruption or aberrance. It is negative energy, because it takes away time and opportunity, giving nothing in return.

Why do we hesitate? How can I overcome this? I need to be able to do this first before I could ever consider taking an oath.

 

[Quintessence]

Is there such a thing as doing Druid without oath-taking

Yes, absolutely. In fact I don't think it's been mentioned in either of the two grades I've done for OBOD.

 

[JustGeorge]

Yes, absolutely. In fact I don't think it's been mentioned in either of the two grades I've done for OBOD.

I don't recall it ever coming up for me in my Druid days, either.

 

[The Hammer]

Yes, absolutely. In fact I don't think it's been mentioned in either of the two grades I've done for OBOD.

I don't recall it ever coming up for me in my Druid days, either.

Yeah, it's certainly not a necessary thing. The one I've done is an ADF thing and it's as much an Initiation, as it is an Oath taking. It's just framed as such.