Despite the information contained here not being necessary to gain a firm footing as a Druid under the never-setting Sun, it is nevertheless of interest to those wishing to discover what being a Druid entails, or for those who are already Initiates of the Seven Circles wondering exactly why certain things are done as they are. We might know how to remain neutral as regards combat, but why is it such a necessary attribute for a Druid to be so? (The answer to this, given cryptically amidst the information below, is that neutrality will not turn you against another living thing, and as all living things are sacred, you must remain impartial to all - complicated, but sensible.) It is, of course, designed more as a source of knowledge for those who are merely interested in the correct historical reasons for the behaviour of select Celtic peoples and their religion. Acquire wisdom, and read on.
Purpose And Ritual In Druidic Circles
If you have already tried to find out about the Druids under the Midnight Sun, or perhaps had the (mis)fortune to meet one of us on your travels, you will know for sure of our talkative nature. So it should be, as all Druids have handed down their learning and knowledge from generation to generation orally, and only orally. Stories, ballads, rites and rituals, initiation, warnings have never been written down - perhaps for fear the information should fall into evil hands - but preserved in memory among the living, and circulated in memory of the dead. Druids also have a strong desire to teach, as they understand the benefit of the wisdom they seek and have acquired in various ways. But it is not just a case of wisdom: the Four Elements of the Druidic Universe (see below), and their recognition of all things living as being not only earthly and creaturely but also bearing something of the Divine, contributes to their regard for humans on the whole, whether they be Druids or not, and are often more than willing to help by showing what kindness they can. This actually makes Druids a kind of aristocratic Priesthood, with an initiation period of twenty years or more.
Druids are split into three categories, depending on which way they are best suited to helping fellow men and beasts. Firstly, Judges were appointed, in order to preserve the Druidic laws, and enable the Four Elements to co-exist in stability. Druidic Judges were often favoured by Kings and Courts of the regions, due to their neutrality, morality, and fairness. Prophets and Seers were Druids whose wisdom often exceeded that which was to be learned in the present and on the land, and extended to the future and to the stars. Many rituals existed to improve the chances of fortune-telling in particular circumstances, for example, to foretell of the heir to a throne. Finally, bards and poets were elected on the basis of their eloquence of speech, knowledge of adventure, and power of memory. These would be responsible for preserving the Druidic way by passing on their own history, legends of specific interest to tribes, and instilling wisdom into the younger initiates. Thus, a Druid's purpose can be seen as sustaining that way of life which extols all things living and enables its members to live in harmony with each other. Their ceremonies (other than seership rituals) were held to reinforce the atmosphere of brotherhood within a Druidic college or sanctuary.
The Druidic Universe And Its Elements
A quick note on the principles of the Druidic Universe would not go amiss in understanding the basics of a Druid's beliefs. It consists of four elements: of life, of love, of light and of law, with the all-important presence of a fifth element, balance.
All known religions revolve at some point around a God or Son of Light, in the same way that many of them advocate sharing love for one another as recognition of the benefits of a society that helps itself (by the components within helping each other). Druidism is no different: Druids extend friendship to all around them in recognition of the sanctity of all that is alive. Everything in nature is sacrosanct to them, and it is their will to protect this, and love it completely with a full heart, whether it be human, animal or plant. It also recognises (as did all Celts) that without light, there can be no life, hence the parallels so often drawn upon between Gods and the Sun and other stars. Finally, law keeps all in order, necessary in all levels of life, so that responsibility can be taken for all living things. The fifth principle, balance, helps to keep the four elements in their own order, and demands each element to interplay with the other four. Therefore, in the Druidic Universe, there should be no good nor bad - all should strive to remain neutral and honour the Four Elements of the world in which they exist.
The Three Levels Of Devotion
As the basis of all Celtic legend was from the oral tradition of the Druids, we also see these components as a sound basis of the wisdom required during the Druid's twenty-year-long initiation: devotion to the stars, to nature and to a questing intellect. For those of you wishing to expand your Druidic wisdom in these areas, you may click on the links included below.
Thorough study of the Celestial Spheres and a sound knowledge of the
stars and the patterns which they create, along with an idea of the legends associated with the characters portrayed as constellations, was seen as certain homage to the heroes of the past. In addition, the movement of the Sun through the sky (together with planetary motion and alignments) was, and still is, seen as an obvious source of information for fortune-telling. The heavens have ever been regarded as the most obvious source of poetry, prophecy and priesthood by all cultures worldwide, and the gods and goddesses of nature are supposedly mere reflections of the stellar figures. Connections between Greek and Celtic myths reinforce this: Orion bears a strong relationship to Bendigeidfran of the Mabinogion, and many Celtic myths involve stars as sentinels of natural change, for example, the changing seasons.
Similarly, Druids believe in the sanctity of the land, a reflection of the strong relationships between pagan gods and mythological heroes (many of whom can lay claim to both titles!). A merging with Celtic Christianity is also proven by the Druidic dedication to all things living, and the welfare and preservation of the environment. Pliny, for example, associated Druids with Tree Worship:
"Nothing is more sacred to the druids than the mistletoe and the tree on which it grows, especially if it be an oak. They seek the oak tree for their sacred groves, and no ceremony is complete without its branches. Whatever grows on the tree is sent from heaven, a sign that the tree has been chosen by God."
Bulls were also regarded as rather special to the prophetic Druids: Seership rituals exist which involve being wrapped in the hide of a freshly-slain bull; and the slaying, flaying and eating of a bull formed part of a prophetic ceremony to gain a vision of the future King. These, however, are not specific to the Druids, as similar practises can be found among non-druidic Irish Celts and American Indians alike. Finally, Druids committed themselves to the power of Birdsong, which can, in the correct circumstances, both wake the dead and lull the living to sleep.
The oral tradition on which a Druid's training was based, ensuring a competent and agile memory, was an ideal vessel in which to capture the spirit of adventure, in addition to the links between the heroes and the gods. What better way to gain insight into the ways of the Divine? Add to that the Druids' taste for poetry, and we find ourselves overwhelmed with the volume of folk tales and ballads about such figures as King Arthur, and the stories of the Mabinogion. Knowledge and understanding of the heroic deeds and impossible tasks of the characters portrayed within, and the ingenious ways in which our heroes find ways around them (or otherwise), help to build common sense and an awareness of human fallibility. Of course, Druids are all too keen to associate themselves with Ancient Druids making cameo appearances in such tales. Amairgen, for example, charmed the stormy fairy seas around Ireland. Yet time and again Druids are to find themselves being ignored by heroes and fools alike: in this case by Eber Donn, who by arousing the sea's temper and breaking the Druid magic which had calmed it, appropriately met his watery grave therein. The Druid should gain a sense of not only wisdom and common sense from a study of adventure such as this, but also a great patience, humility and wariness, especially when attempting such quests themselves. Remember that Druidic spells are a subtle art and therefore can easily be broken. Take time to familiarise yourself with the age-old truths that surround you in the mythology of the ancients, and the heroic deeds portrayed within.
| Start Page | History | Astronomy | Nature | Heroism | Guild | Stories | Credits |