Ancient and Modern Druidism

Paganism; Past & Present

Neo-Druidism

There are many common links from Neo-Druidism to ancient Druidism. Whilst these links exist, modern Druids role in contemporary society has rapidly diminished. In modern times their role has been reduced to practicing rituals and sacrifices for their own benefit in comparison to ancient times where they stood as an learned and wise class, providing skills vital to their tribes survival. However there are many common threads which link ancient times to the present. These common links can be seen through the modern Druids sacrifices, rituals and their continued earth based and polytheistic nature.

Although some documentation and sources still exist revealing evidence of how the ancient Druids lived, what their rituals were and what they practiced, there is still a lot of gaps in the amount of knowledge that has been recovered, as much of it has been wiped out. Thus Neo-Druids have reconstructed what they could from past texts and documents, but have added many adaptations themselves which in some cases are diverse and dynamic personal beliefs which are directed into re-discovering the old ways and to act as a healing force to this world. Although there are many voids in what we know about ancient Druids, modern movements of Druidism cling to what they do know and simply adapt new ideas to older concepts. Although the Neo-Druids do not totally replicate what the ancient Druids practiced, they follow their hearts and practice things which they perceive to be good and true.

Neo-Druids are still an earth based culture, paying a high respect to nature and continuing to practice many rituals and sacrifices in forests, glens and other places where they can be immersed in nature. Modern Druids honour "Mother Earth", which is an adaptation attributed of Neo-Druids. Although this was a modern adaptation, modern Druids do not feel that this negates its importance. They see it as a way of re-establishing an interdependence of people to the earth. A form of worship that they do for to show their appreciation for the earth is to cast seeds or grains to the earth itself. Modern Druids also have a chant which goes with it "Earth Mother, giver of life we return to you a measure of the bounty you have provided may you be enriched and your wild things be preserved."

Modern Druids are still polytheistic in nature. Although they continue to worship one main God and Goddess, they also worship a number of lesser divinities. Also, they do not always use the same divine beings for worship. They feel that they could refer to as many different Gods, Goddesses and divinities as they see fit in one ritual. The Modern Druids felt that different Gods and Goddesses had different relationships with humans and each other. They worshiped different Gods as Patrons of differing precincts, as workers, or specific energies, as representatives of particular relationships on the earthly plane.

Modern Druids have a cosmos of three special elements; the sky, the sea and the land. These three elements converge to form what is known as the sacred fire, which is represented as the 'Presence of the Gods.' Another adaptation is that of the "Dragon". This is a concept similar to the Christian concept of the Holy Spirit. Neo-Druids believe that this "Dragon Energy" was all encompassing, genderless and it is projected by the Neo-Druids as a sacred being. They felt that this "Dragon energy" was beyond description and that it flowed through everything, it was seen to be immanent. Modern Druids believed that the "Dragon" could be seen in every aspect of nature, its breath in the wind and its scales in the bark of trees. This idea of an ever-present being is a common element which runs through most Neo-Pagan movements.

Another common factor that links modern and ancient Druidism is their similar patterns of worship and sacrifice. As ancient Druids sacrificed things to the Gods to please them, Modern Druids imitate this concept by worshipping such things as herbs, incense, flowers, oils, all believed to be wonderfully accepted by the Gods. Whilst the ancient Druids sacrificed animals, the Neo-Druid movements disagreed with the harm of any living being. Their greatest Pagan principal is based on that of no harm to any living being, thus they offer such things as plants and herbs.

Neo-Druids believed that all ground was sacred. This was a slight variation upon what the ancient Druids believed and they chose to have rites on pre-ordained or previously designated sacred ground. This ground may be on private land and includes amenities such as groves, sacred trees, special hedges or a structure similar to this. To begin the rites, the modern Druids have a pre-ritual briefing to organize individual thoughts and to set a tranquil atmosphere upon the sacred place.

Following this, everyone participates in a meditation to bring them into a sacred mindset and into harmony with the other participants. The meditation was then brought to a close with either a musical cue or a personal summoning. People then move to the organized ritual area and begin with the rituals. Whilst we do not know extensive details about the pre-ritualistic organizations of the ancient Druids, it is clear that Neo-Druids have a set and specific code of practice done to initiate their rituals.