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More on The Druids Past, Present ,and Future:
It is historically accurate that in the ancient days ,the Celtic nations Spread across Europe From scotland , as far east as Asia Minor. These celtic Nations Were seperated by distance , Language , terrain, and Theology.
And yet they were banded together by many things: they had a generalized Pantheon of Gods, that stretched across the nations, and yet allowing for each individual, family and community to still have their own gods, THey had the Caste system which was universal through out the Natons.
The King or ruler of the area being at the top, the Druids, the warriors, the craftsman, and then the regular folk who did many different things.
They also had enough in common with each other linguistically that they could converse with each other and be understood.
Our scope here is on the Druids.
IN the Days of the Celtic Nations, Thousands of years ago, The people lived very close to the land, as they had very little else, they had to work the soil and hunt for food, their homes came from the land, and their very lives were governed by the forces of nature.
Many Gods came into being to help the peoples deal with their lives and with nature. The Druid Classe Were mainly male oriented, though women were aloowed in to help with healing and spiritual rituals.
The Women were allowed a lesser priestess title, and station . The Druids were the priestly class. They were called by many names through out history, by those that saw or knew them and their power. " Priests of Nature", "Walkers between worlds"," he who has walked though insanity and emerged on the other side", "magican", "sorcerer" ,"Healer", "Naturist", and many others.
They had an intimate knowledge of nature and the natural forces, and were said to be able to manipulate the forces at will. The Druids could Traverse the realms as easily as walking from one house to another, From the green realm to the divine realms to the realm of the fairies and many others. WHile there, they would get insight and wisdom from the inhabitants within, an make friends and gather help . They believed in one all encompassing force , the creator of all things, the one GOD, and yet they knew that this god encompassed everything in all the realms and was so vast that it was incomprehensible to man's mind.
They were healers, Philosophers, scientists of the time , SPiritual advisors and leaders, Astronomers, Judges, lawyers,law makers ,Advisor to the king, Historians for the communities, and wisemen. amongst other things.
And they were travelers, Every party that went out whether for trade or war, brought along at least one druid to assist them, and so they traveled far and wide across Europe and beyond.
They had a written language, but prefered to keep everything in an oral tradition.
Being the wise man and the learned of the societies , when traveling they would meet with the other priests , shamans, etc in the new lands, to discuss such pertinant matters and trade information, theology, philososphy and wisdom.
And so their wisdom and knowledge grew, and they kept what they had learned , and traded it back with the other druids when they returned. Ever seeking, ever Growing in wisdom, knowledge and power, and always evolving to a new level.
When the Romans invaded and brought christianity ( the new religion) to the celtic nations the Druids were the first to be eliminated, as they held the main power in the nations, A few did survive though and went into different forms of hiding to preserve their lives and their wisdom. But much was lost in the dark ages of the wars and the centuries to follow.
In Modern day, that of today, The druids re-emerged with the "druid revival movement".
Having very little written record to go by, they had to reconstruct the beliefs and rituals and techniques of their ancestors. From archiological evidence, written records of outside observers, and from our own legends and stories, the ways of old once again came into focus.
And Druid groups once again emerged into mainstream society. Many druids are solitary practioners, going out into the communty and aiding the populous when needed, with their healing powers and their teaching of the true path and ecology.
Some banded together to form spiritual, religious or research groups, and called their group a Grove - fasioned after the ancient days when groves were held sacred to the druid classe and most meetings were held within a sacred grove.
In the modern Age the Druid groups are split as to what they believe and how they should partake of the rituals, ceremonies, highdays, etc.. Some are free, and some cost an entry fee.
Each having their own veiwpoint of what they should concentrate on, and how they should act.
This is not contrary to the old ways, in truth it is very similar to what happened, as the Druid classe held certain structures and beliefs true across the nations, each nation, community, and Druid, was an individual, and was allowed to conduct their affairs, as they saw fit. Very similar to the Doctors, lawyers, judges, etc of today, they are taught the basics, and when they get into the field to work they put in their own slant on things , and do their jobs in their own fashion.
Keeping the base structure and rules, but personalizing it to theier own ways.
Today, some Druids are magically inclined,and some are not,, Some are scientificaly inclined, and some are spiritually inclined. As in the days of old they hold the place in their communities that best fits them and the need of the community.
Some are druids today as a spiritual or religious path, and some are learning the ways of the old religion and some are born to be druids and carry on the ways of their ancestors.
And there are the "True Druids","The Born Druids" Those that hold that they were druids before and will be druids again, remembering the ways of the ancient ones, and continuing along the same paths as they did in a previous life time, some become priests, and some healers, and some just live doing what comes naturaly to them.
These individuals Are normally solitares, preferring to commune with nature, the elements, and the realms alone, helping the communities in their own way, appearing when needed, and dissapearing when the need is no longer, to continue their path of exploration and study. Some of these " born druids" know that they are such, and know that they will not fit in anywhere else, and would not be happy anywhere else.
And some just know that they have to live this way and do these things, as a matter of their lives, going for years without ever being able to give a label to it.
They have their own grove, and set it up as they see fit, offering up to the ancient gods ,the the fairy folk, and others living offerings of plants and animals, caring for nature, and all that is within it. And will at times band together with others of like mind or spirit for purposes of study, ceremony, and play time, or just to discuss matters of pertinance and trade information, knowledge and wisdom.
IN america a new group has sprouted out of the ashes of the past to renew the base ways of the old druids, They are called " the Reformed Druids of North America" - RDNA. THis group works druidism into their lives and their spirituality, a free and open community, allowing people to find their own paths to spiritual truth, free of mainstream dogma, they are the most closely related to the ways of the old druids, individual and yet together, always searching, trying new philosophies, sciences, theologies, techniques, etc and allowing each individual to accept those parts that are true for them.
Holding always true to the base tenets of nature, and personal /group advancement. bulking against "organized religion" and coming together for purposes of ceremonies, information trade and interpersonal help, to each other in their quest for the ultimate truth of the universe and life itself. They may incorporate different gods, techniques, rituals, etc that they find along their search, much as the ancients did in their travels. Not exactly "newagers" for they do have a focus, but not witches nor christian either.
They are the researchers, historians, spititual advisors, craftsmen, allowed to make their own tools, meditations, rituals etc, allowed to advance beyond the 4th century, the 21st century and beyond, always concerned with nature, and learning, keeping the gods, the fairy folk, the ancestor, the spirits, and the green world in focus, and yet going beyond what was, forging ahead to the new threshold of life.
Some are priests, and some are not, some showup to all meetings and take part and some do not, having a loose association amongst the members but banded together by commonalities, and focus, any member may speak his or her mind freely and is allowed to talk or conduct the ritual as they see fit.
THis may be the future of the druids. as it was before it may be again. each druid , afer having learned the ways of the old venturing out to help the community in the ways that are required at the time, banding together in groves for general purposes of trade, growth, and ritual, and yet solitares in their own rite, each having thier own personal grove ( or place of power). exceeding what was available in the past and utilizing all the advances of today and tomarrow, and helping to forge a new dawn where mankind can once again be free to worship, study, and speak freely, and advance in their own path, yet assisting each other in their needs.
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