|
|
Post by Sidhe Ravenwitch on May 26, 2003 16:51:39 GMT -5
Druidism is primarily a philosophy or spirituality that emerged from the pre-Celtic and Celtic religions. It lacks the dogmatic signature of most religions, which is important to keep in mind when discussing Druidism. Celtic spirituality relied entirely on Druidism, mixing the local Gods and Goddesses, heroes and heroines, together with traditional Druidic philosophy. The Celtic Druids communed with the Gods and Goddesses, without themselves, adopting divine authority.
The Druidic philosophy embodied all aspects of universal awareness (body, mind and spirit). R. J. Stewart, in his book Celtic Druids, Celtic Bards writes:
"Druidism might be likended to a "New Religious Philosophy" of the Celts, a set of dominant, highly refined beliefs and practices that was the culmination of wisdom and experience laid down over thousands of years by the Celts and pre Celtic peoples of Europe."
Druidism was not a single esoteric tradition, but a holism of many philosophies and religion.
Gotta dash...more in a bit.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sidhe Ravenwitch on May 26, 2003 17:07:14 GMT -5
In all Celtic languages today, the word Philosopher means "person of wisdom". The Welsh Athroniaeth is based on athrio meaning "teacher". In The Druids, Peter Ellis notes:
"But perhaps more interesting is the fact that in Old Irish are found other words for philosopher; "cailleoir," whose basis means auguring or star divination and which is used in Gaelic in the form "caileadar" to mean philosopher or star-gazer, while a further Old Irish term "feallsamhacht" survives in Manx as fallosgyssahgh," which means astrologer.
This is a rather long essay so it will be posted in bits today and tomorrow.....sorry guys....trying to cook dinner and post at same time.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sidhe Ravenwitch on May 28, 2003 9:09:20 GMT -5
Druids were associated with prophecy, judgement, truth, and virtue, and had a long established reputation as philosophers outside the Celtic world. The Druid order attended and advised chieftains, kings, queens, and other leaders who were responsible for the land, tribes, and clans. They keenly understood the need for certain strongholds throughout the Celtic countries establishing colleges and educating students from the many celtic lands. For example, Northwest Wales, because of its close proximity tothe sea and trade routes, was a focal point and center for the Druids, particularly the Druid college at Anglesey. Besides being a major port of sea, Anglesey (the Isle of Mona) was also a watchtower between Wales, Ireland , and Scotland.
A Greek writer in the third century A.D. Diogenes Laertius, nnoted that there were three philosophical Druidic ideals: to revere Divine Being, to live with courage, and to abstain from harmful actions. In his writing he also quotes Aristotle (384-322BC) and Sotion of Alexandria (200-170BC) on the Druids, which implies that their order was active and influential at that time.
Dualism of good and evil did not exist in Celtic Druidic philosophy. There was nothing fearful about life for the Druids, primarily becuase they had a deep understanding of spiritual energies. The Druids were spiritually conscious and connected. They were not seekers of heroic death or annilation like the Hindus or Egyptians. Instead, they were concerned with mirroring metaphysical ideals and the wisdom of nature in the social structure. They felt that there was a deeper reality beyond appearance.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sidhe Ravenwitch on May 28, 2003 13:20:40 GMT -5
This deeper reality is what the Druids called the Truth. To the Druids, Truth was the Word and was sacred. There was magick and power in words and often the very act of Truth had magickal power. The Old Irish word for truth is linked with holiness, faithfulness, and justice. To the Druids, the truth was the highest power and the sustaining force in creation. The word, or truth, was the ultimate cause of all being in the universe.
Metaphysical concerns and quests into dimensional space always excited the Celtic Druids. This was exemplified in the Druidic architecture, which could be perceived as Celtic feng shui. The spirits, energies, terrain, and orientation were all considered in the structure and placement of dwellings.
The Druids had a sacred and spiritual connection with the land and with the landscape which mirrored and held safe the spirits (sleeping or active) of the Goddess and God. Thre are numerous stories about how valleys, mountains, hills, and other natural features of the countryside got their names. Interestingly, one of the most positive things that has come out of the modern Druid traditions and practices is this reclaiming of our connection and active relationship with the sacred land, the Earth.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sidhe Ravenwitch on May 28, 2003 13:30:06 GMT -5
The Druids considered the physical, Earthly dimension as only one of the several dimensions a person could experience. This view of reality is repeatedly woven through Celtic myths and stories. This expanded view of what constitutes reality formed the core of Druidic philosophy, spirituality, and magick.
The mysterious connecting thread that wove the human (physical) world to the divine world and the Otherworlds was called "Nwywre", which is also the name of the Celtic God of the Firmament. Nwywre is symbolized by the serpent and is considered the creative power of the Earth, the ether, light, and energies that linked the mortal with the divine. This serpent energy is constantly moving and changing. The union of Nwywre and the other elements of the universe created life and spirit.
For the Druids, spirit resided in the head. One of the Bardic themes that goes back to Druid magick is that of the sacred prophetic head. The severed head is foundin many Irish stories, for example, the story of Bran the Blessed. The head is a bridge between the mortal and the Otherworld, where divine and human perception become one.
Bran is the king of the Isle of the Mighty (Britain). He gives Branwen, his sister, as wife to Matholwch and gives Matholwch the magick cauldron as a token of peace for insults by Bran's brother Efnissien to Matholwch. He then has to rescue Branwen from her servitude in the Irish kitchen by wading across the Irish sea with the British fleet. Bran defeats the Irish, who offer to make Gweern, Branwen's son, king. At the feast to celebrate Gwern's accession, Efnissien throws Gwern into the fire and kills him. Hostilities continue. Bran is mortally wounded in the heel and asks that his head be cut offr and buried at the White Tower of London.
The head of Bran continues conversing as his friends do as he asks. Tradition says that his head was buried under the White Hill to protect the country, but King Arthur dug it up, as he wanted to be the sole guardian of Britain.
The Druids felt that you could live on Earth, the Otherworld, or elsewhere and be reincarnated again and agian. There exised a constant exchange of souls between what could be considered parallel worlds. Upon death in the mortal worlds, the soul travelled to the Otherworld. Upon death in the Otherworld, the soul was reborn into the mortal world. The Druids acted as middlemen and middlewomen between themortal and Otherworlds. They could see into, move about in, and freely traverse the thread from one world to another. The believed that life in both worlds was essentially the same.
Death was seen as the middle of a long life, as the Druids believed in the immortality of the soul, conceived and empowered by an indestructible universal divinity. They asserted that the soul and the universe were indestructible, but at some time, fire and water would prevail.
---This is an excerpt from Celtic Traditions, by Sirona Knight.
|
|
