“We cannot change the ways of the wind. Nor should we wish to.
Listen to the song. Always listen.”
From Spirits of the Sacred Grove by Emma Restall Orr

This page, and its child, What is Druidry?, were both written some time ago. Since writing them I am struck how much my understanding has changed; and I am also struck by how the name ‘druid’ has become increasingly used by some folk to whom I find I have very little in common, whether it be their actions, their philosophy or their attitudes.  However, for now, these words will remain here, pending revision at some later and unspecified date alongside the video produced by The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids which contains much to agree with.

Many people I come into contact with ask me what Druidry is, and how I practice it. I find, as so many others have before me, it is an impossible question to answer. However, it set me thinking about what my Druidry and spirituality means to me, and how that is expressed in my practice of Druidcraft…… So on this page I give a few words on how I came to Druidry, how i came to study the Craft. If you would like to know more, then by following the link below I offer a personal view on what Druidry is to me here.

A number of years ago a series of synchronicities led me to a place and a path I dared never imagine. I had always questioned so much about my life, about my existence, my purpose, and my interaction with the world about me. And many years ago, my inquisitive and probing nature had led me into areas I found sometimes stimulating, sometimes disturbing.

Yet, over the years the need to achieve in the way our western culture and society measures success, and to do what others expected of me, had taken over. The pressures of the consumer society and of appearances resulted in a loss of faith, a loss of love, a loss of that sense of wonder that once pervaded all I experienced.

Then something happened. I cannot say it was a sudden flash of inspiration or a revelation as if struck by a thunderbolt from the gods but more a gentle change in outlook and energies. I became aware that there simply had to be more than I was experiencing. I knew that there was, deep within me, more to give, and around me there was more than I had been prepared to acknowledge. Finally, after some false starts, I found my way to that of paganism, and then, via Witchcraft, to Druidcraft.

To fully understand my path, to fully understand my faith and to fully understand my commitment I need to look even deeper within to pull out the essence of my beliefs.

I am a pagan. And by that I mean many things. It means I am a polytheist. To me the nature of Goddess and God, in all their forms, are real and separate entities. I perceive Brighid and The Morrigan, The Cailleach and Danu, Cernunnos and Bran as real separate identities and personifications. And the source of those personifications is nature itself – thus the gods are an attempt by humanity to anthropomorphize some force of nature into a form with we can make a relationship in some way. The energies of existence and my spirituality emanate from all around me. I am part of the divine spiritual force, and all of nature is part of that force too. I perceive the Universe as, in any sense we may try to understand it, totally non-judgmental. The nature of universal justice is one beyond our comprehension, and if not accepted for what it is, can be seen as unkind, unfeeling, even harsh and random. But that does not mean there is no meaning or pattern or ultimate purpose to our journey through this lifetime.

From a practical point of view, all of this means that I have chosen to follow my path by creating relationships with my chosen Deities, to work with them to better understand the joys and tears of existence. And this I do within my sacred circle, with my Grove and through ritual at the changing phases of the Moon, and at the eight festivals of the Wheel of the Year.

Beyond these celebrations, by honouring the Spirits of Place, wherever I may be, and undertaking every action, every task in my life, with a consciousness of where that action may lead – with purpose and thought – has led me to better focus on how best I can integrate my life with all that surrounds me. More and more I find that I am able to attune myself to my surroundings, to sense the spirits around me. When truly focused I can sense the moods and energies of the dryads of the sacred woodlands I love, and the ancient faeries and spirits of these magical islands. These energies can tell me so much about my surroundings and environment, and even more about myself.

My ancestors were of these islands. My father was of Irish ancestry, and his line can be traced back – with some imagination and assumptions! – to the 12th century and then beyond. My mother was English, with some Welsh within the line. The call of the spirits of these isles has been too strong to deny, even though I spent some time exploring other paths, other ways and other cultures. And so I have chosen to work with the Celtic pantheon of Gods and Goddesses. When discussing individual paths and spiritualities I have described myself as being ‘very Irish’ to a friend. My Irish heritage and my Irish ancestors are so very dear to me, yet I have never been exclusively Irish. The rich tapestry of all Celtic culture, no matter where its source is important to me, and is part of how I practice my Druidry.

Part of that practice, and part of my continued striving to understand myself, is the study of Celtic myth, and of finding the deeper meaning within the ancient tales that have survived until now from those far off days. This goes beyond simply ‘reading’ the tales, but to really seek the inner wisdoms hidden beneath the surface, to understand the allegory and spiritual guidelines contained within them. The Mabinogion, The Tain and the many other surviving tales from Ireland and Wales have made a huge and ongoing impact on my life, my thoughts and my understandings.

I am sure there is, in a very real and practical sense, some force at work in my life today. A force that seems to be showing my sub-conscious a path and direction beyond that which I am able to understand in the mundane world I inhabit. And that force I perceive as the Awen, the sacred flow of inspiration. I once found the conscious me trying to fight against this path, filling me with self doubt and worry, but no more. The more I have fought against it, the more things seemed to fall into place, pointing me along the path of Druidry that I now walk. And with each step I take on that path my connection with the web strengthens, my understanding deepens, and my dedication to Druidry grows.