Neo Druidism by: Kwarmaine Council
Neo-Druidism is commonly referred to as Druidry by those who practice the religion. It is a modern form of spirituality promoting harmony, worshipping nature, and overall holding respect for all beings, whether they are human or not as well as the environment itself.
There are many forms of Druidry that are recognized as religions, while some others are considered to be more along the lines of philosophy that are not seen as having any form of religious dogma within it expressing that it may not be entirely, if at all, religious in nature. It's origins can be traced back to the 18th century Britain, where it was originally conceived as a cultural movement which had not received any religious or spiritual connotations until the 19th century. At it's core, Druidry holds such high regards for nature that it has often participated in the environmental movement as an influential force. Modern Druids are also known for their belief in veneration of ancestors from pre-historic societies.
In light of the 18th century's Romanticist movement in Britain, a movement which was based on glorifying the ancient Celtic people of the iron age, early Druids initially aimed to imitate the Iron Age priest who were also known as Druids. There wasn't much accurate information on the ancient priests at that time, but some modern Druids claim there is a direct connection between the two groups despite there being no actual evidence to support this claim.
At the start of the twentieth century, modern Druids had developed fraternal organizations, which they modeled after Freemasonry which employed a romantic figure of British Druids and Bards as a symbol of indigenous British spirituality. Their set of beliefs vary with no belief system to which all choose to adhere to as a whole. In fact, Druids do not believe in living by a strict dogma and proclaim there should not be any strict dogmas, which is a major key component; There are no central religious texts that they teach from or adhere to. In addition to their refraining from religious texts, modern druids choose not to have a man or woman hold a position of authority over any other members in favor of seeing each other as equals. Many of the core ideas modern Druids share is the honoring of their ancestors and the honoring of the land. Emma Restall Orr, founder of the Druid Network, stated: "Druidry connects with all the other Earth-ancestor traditions around the globe, such as the Native American, the Maor and Huna, the Aboriginal, the Romany and the indigenous spirituality's of Africa and Asia".
A large part of Druidry revolves around the veneration of nature. Phil Ryder, a member of the Druid Network who also holds the position, Chair Of Trustees, has stated: Druidry largely revolves around the veneration of nature. Phil Ryder stated: "within Druidry, Nature is considered to be unconditionally sacred and an expression or manifestation of deity and divinity". Most Druids view all aspects of nature as something filled with soul or spirit, literally or metaphorically speaking. Because of this, many Druids are said to be Animists; people who believe that all forms of nature have a spirit or soul.
Modern Druids generally hold their practices outside during the daytime, in what they call "The Eye Of The Sun". Sometimes their rituals are held indoors or at night. Many Druids hold their ceremonies in a circle around an alter or center of fire. Neo-Druids mostly meet and practice in groups known as "Groves" or "Henge's". Sometimes they would also meet at stone circles as well as other megaliths which are pre-Celtic. A Neo-Druidic ritual at the Summer Solstice is notable for being held at Stonehenge in England. Glastonbury, another sacred place in England, is also one where they practice. When performing said rituals, some modern Druids wear ceemonial cloaks and robes, some of which imitate the Iron Age style of the Celts. In some other orders of Druidry, robes of different colors are considered to be a way of indicating the grade of Druid within the order. The Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids, an order based in England, asign the colors, blue, green, and white as their grades. A ceremony in Druidry known as Eisteddfod, is a specific ceremony which is dedicated to reciting poetry along with musical performances. Those who are skilled in their recitation of poetry or their performance of music are referred to as "Bards". a term based upon the word bardoi, which the ancient Greek historian Strabo claimed was the term for poets in Iron Age Gaul. Bards generally perform at Eisteddfod on various occasions ranging from formal rituals to pub get-togethers camps and environmental protests. Instruments include: bagpipes, flutes, and whistles.
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