#reformed druidry

[minnesotadruids]

The Order of Bradán Feasa (OBF)

Unit One of an RDNA Druid training program is finally in its first draft! I started writing this in 2020, and wrote a majority of it (114 pages) that year because I wanted to have created something before the feared perception of probably contracting Covid and dying therefrom. Then once I was vaccinated, I got complacent and set the draft aside, coming back to it perhaps once a month, re-reading and revising, not really adding any new content.

In an attempt to push forward with my list of proposed topics, I started to realize I was not qualified to create content for many of them, and that I needed to do a lot more reading and learning for my own sake before continuing. Thus 2021, 2022, and much of 2023 were dedicated to reading my stack of purchased but unread books, annotating, highlighting, and cross-referencing for veracity.

I still have a lot of reading and learning ahead of me, but much of that will align with Unit Three, which hasn't been started yet. Unit Two has actually been in a draft form since 2017, and there will be an exam to go with it. This will probably be the first modern Druid training program with an exam, and it will require a 90% score or higher to pass.

What is the OBF?

The Order of Bradán Feasa is a non-clerical side order made for the Reformed Druids of North America. The name means the "Salmon of Knowledge" in Irish Gaelic, and is a reference to the myth of Finn McCool gaining all the world's knowledge when he burns himself while cooking the salmon. Any person who completes Units One and Two will be inducted to OBF and given a digital certificate indicating completion of said training program. Units One and Two would be considered sufficient training for in-person candidates to be invited to Second Order initiation in the RDNA. The optional Unit Three is the RDNA Clergy Prep Course and Grove Governance Guide (GGG), and would be considered prerequisite to ordination to the Third Order: the RDNA priesthood, in addition to existing customary requirements such as the supervised All-Night Vigil.

Completing the First Draft

While some people write novels during November for N.A.N.O.M.I.R.O. or whatever, I was suddenly inspired to get Unit One done. Over the month of November I wrote 55 new pages and revised existing content again. No, that's no novel, but writing something of (hopefully) academic quality with APA citations is a bit more meticulous, especially with this being my first "college level" type of project in about 16 years.

Members of Oakdale Grove are in the process of reviewing and annotating the first draft already. I find it easier to spot needed revisions or typos when something is in print, plus I love writing directly on drafts with an ink pen because I'm an older millennial (roars in dinosaur, lol). And I get to review and mark it up for editing with a bit of a Dark Academia aesthetic. I'm a bit shocked that Unit 1 is 169 pages, and likely to grow. We've already identified some sections that don't exist yet that need to be here. Unit 2 is much smaller. I expect Unit 3 to be smaller, as well.

The goal is for Unit 1 to go live before Beltane 2024, for Unit 2 to go live by the Autumnal Equinox of 2024, and for Unit 3 to go live by the end of 2024. That last one has the greatest uncertainty though, because I still have two important books to read, and possibly more that I haven't found yet.

See also: OBF Program Syllabus

[greenmansgrove]

When the Morrigan Calls an Atheist

Originally published in The Connexus of Reformed Druidry, Midwinter 2023. Sharing to my personal blog for the purposes of reaching a wider audience.

I consider myself an atheist druid. I do not believe in the existence of any gods, and I have a strong aversion to organized religion in the face of cultural Christianity and the US’s modern political climate regarding the separation of church and state, or lack thereof. I won’t lie about my still holding those aversions, including to those who consider themselves Christian druids–identities that seem at odds, given Christianity’s historic colonialism and its methodical destruction of indigenous cultures worldwide. But I have Reformed Druidry to thank for my efforts at pluralistic acceptance. I thank, too, my involvement in the LGBTQ+ community. A quote within the Bisexual Manifesto from Anything That Moves: Beyond the Myths of Bisexuality (1990) sticks with me: “There are as many definitions of bisexuality as there are bisexuals.” For the bisexual community, this frame of mind is an important one in the face of historical, systemic, and even internalized biphobia, where one is continually told to “prove” their bi-ness, that having preferences means they aren’t “actually” bi, or that marrying someone who isn’t the same gender as you means it’s a “straight-passing” relationship. Using this understanding, I am able to move much more quickly past questioning one’s labels and into acceptance of and trust for the ways one understands themselves. If a druid can be a Christian, then maybe an atheist can devote themselves to a god…

And so what does an atheist druid do when the Morrigan calls? What does the call of The Morrigan sound like to someone who wants absolutely nothing to do with gods, nor to be associated with theolatry, even if the gods invoked in the RDNA can be interpreted as aspects of nature or Jungian archetypes in the collective unconscious of humanity? Can the gods call to an atheist in the first place? These are questions I ask even myself after having been initiated as an Acolyte of the Order of the Morrigan this past October.

I knew very firmly when I began my druidic studies in May of 2022 that I would be approaching my practice as an atheist. I sought plainly to learn about druidry, celebrate the High Days, and enjoy nature in ways that I used to growing up. Studying druidry, like some study Buddhist philosophy, was a way for me to integrate my desire for intellectual growth, my care for my health, and my political activism. Intertwining all three helps me to live my life holistically and intentionally. My druidic practice consists of learning about plants, animals, and various religions and their gods not as a way to collect knowledge, but to understand the worldviews and lessons that cultures both living and dead have to teach. As a result, I deepen my empathy for others and for myself. I find studying divination to be especially enjoyable, and I even find it useful as an atheist. I think that suspending disbelief is a healthy practice, if not a pleasant diversion. I also see it as an aid to a busy mind. Divination can be helpful in not only listening to one’s intuition, but finding focus where there is chaos. When I am feeling emotionally distraught or when I am struggling to make a choice, I love doing Ogham readings. Whether picking a singular stave or placing a full spread, my divinations help me surrender decision fatigue and cold logic in favor of the imagination, creativity, and serendipity.

Thus, I believe the Morrigan first began “calling” me when my Elder Ogham stave fell off my altar in October 2022. Without noticing, it snapped beneath my boot in my rush out the door. I struggled to attach meaning to what had happened – a fun exercise I set upon myself. Elder is associated with protection, healing, cycles of death and rebirth, and even sacrifice. Had my Elder stave “protected” me from something? Had I or would I sleight someone, causing the “death” of a relationship? What else might be dying and be reborn, or even interrupted in that process, as symbolized by the break? Was there a sacrifice I was being asked to make? I did not know, and no answer came. I replaced the stave in my collection and burned the broken, unfixable stave as part of my sacrifice later that Samhain. Things were quiet in the months ahead, but then over and over again, the names and their various spellings associated with the Morrigan would appear before me in reading, in passing, in meeting people. And in my nature walks, I kept spying plants that I would later discover to be associated the Morrigan, often in unexpected places or forms I did not immediately recognize until using an identification app.  Chiefly among those was Elder, both red and black varieties native to the US, as well as hawthorns and nightshades.

All the while, and since beginning my druidic studies in May 2022, I was dealing very strongly with some grief. I’d hit the point where existing in my grief was beginning to weigh on me and frustrate me. I did not know how to move on. I did not know how to stop wallowing or what actions to take to make a difference. I was ready to enter that big “acceptance” stage that everyone talked about, but which I’d only experienced fleetingly or only logically but not emotionally. Studying druidry was one of the ways I hoped to find some method of managing my grief and finding joy again. It was working, but the grief still held me quite tightly moving into 2023.

When I finally caught the pattern of the Morrigan’s names and plants appearing in my life, I began my research. What could those appearances mean? Why was my brain picking up on those patterns? What tied them together?

In the three dark moons since dawning my devotional pendant, I am, naturally, still seeking the answers to those questions. I find these exercises of logic and imagination more entertaining than anything serious to pursue, but I can at least describe what I’ve gotten out of the experience thus far. A simple start to an answer might be that I relate to the ideas, the images, the lore, and the messages of the Morrigan.  She is a peacemaker as much as She is a warmaker. Through Her many incarnations, She has survived and overcome adversity and grief of all kinds. She knows what it means to be more than how others perceive you. I can appreciate what She has come to mean for women, queer individuals, and survivors of all kinds in the modern era, and it is that mutability of Her image between the past and in the present that also draws me to Her. Transformation and change, including to those of the current times, seems right up Her alley. Hers are qualities I would like to see in myself.

When Elder appeared to me on my walks for the third time earlier this year, that’s when I decided I would do something out of character for how I viewed myself as an atheist druid – I would join The Order of the Morrigan. I was already familiar with the liturgy John the Verbose had composed a few years prior, and with that third, final sign, I felt that it was the push towards the threshold of change I was looking for in my grief. I would use my initiation as a right of passage beyond my grief, to work to make change, to fight to pull myself out of where I had been wallowing so I could move on. As serendipity would have it, the day of October’s new moon was also the day of the partial annular eclipse for Minnesota, and John the Verbose was kind enough to allow the ritual he planned to simply be my initiation that day. All around, it felt not only appropriate but auspicious to have my initiation take place during a time of introspection and new beginnings. I went into it not just hoping it would be the hallmark of change in my life, but with the intention of making it the moment of change.

I’d spent the month prior making my preparations. I strung my devotional pendant, I wove my sling from hemp, I collected three black sling stones from the orange agate-speckled shores of the Mississippi near my apartment, and collected the Waters of Death there, too. I procured some of my second-favorite elderberry wine that John would consecrate as the Waters of Life. And I fashioned the first iteration (of three – I’m bad at sewing) of my vestments if the Morrigan accepted me. I awoke the morning of the ritual to the calls of the crow family that had moved into the forest across the street, and it was taken to be a sign.

The day was a little chilly and overcast, occluding our views of the eclipse for a majority of the time, but it meant more to me that the grove officers were all there, standing in solidarity with me. But as serious as the mood of the ritual is meant to be, it is difficult not to laugh as you crush a tomato in your fist with your grovemates in the splash zone…

When John asked for a sign of the Morrigan’s acceptance, he made an acorn divination while the calls of bluejays (my favorite corvid) rang out in the distance, heralding new beginnings, commitments, and the responsibilities therein.

And I did, indeed, feel a renewed sense of purpose, per the liturgy’s closing admonitions. I can say with certainty that while I still have good and bad days with my grief, I feel resolute in efforts to curate a more hopeful future for myself in spite of my grief.

My first few months as an Acolyte have been devoted to my research of the Morrigan. As an Acolyte, I am seeking to deepen my relationship with Her and what She represents. I have learned a lot. Studying what She means to peoples of the past and present has allowed me to learn about myself, too. “Shadow work” or self-reflexivity seems to be an important part of devotion to The Morrigan. It is something that comes naturally to me, which doesn’t mean it’s easy, but it’s affirming to know that something I work hard to practice is also something well-practiced by the Morrigan’s devotees.

And to be sure, I am still an atheist. However, I would be remiss not to treat my studies and engagement with the Morrigan’s lore and community with the same level of respect and seriousness that Her believers do. As an Acolyte of the Morrigan, I see myself as a student to Her teachings, rather than a worshiper. And if I were to become a Priest to Her Order someday, I might be more likely to consider myself a representative of Her interests and values.

I’m certain that as I continue my studies and deepen my relationship with The Morrigan that I may come to new realizations, and they are something I welcome. I am in a continual state of learning and becoming. I think atheists get a bad rep for being killjoy skeptics, but I see myself as just being deeply rooted in reality, working to keep an open mind for things that cannot or have yet to be explained, and trying to have more than a little fun while I’m at it.

Peace to the heavens!

[thehazeldruid]

Druidry Masterpost

Below are some of my resources for information on Druidry (in general) if you know of any other, feel free to message me so I can add them to this post or reblog and add them in yourselves! OrganizationsOBOD

http://www.druidry.org/Ancient Order of Druids in America

https://www.aoda.org/Reformed Druids of North America

http://rdna.info/ADF

https://www.adf.org/Reformed Druids of Gaia

http://reformed-druids.org/New Order of Druids

(these are just the few that I am aware of, if you know others, inform me so I can add them to this list!) Books And Suggested Reading

Here’s a link to a website where I constantly buy books of all kinds, their prices aren’t bad, and they have a wonderful selection of witchcraft, druidry, paganism and any kind of books in general.

Reading List

The Book of Druidry- Ross Nichols

The Path of Druidry- Penny Billington

The Druidry Handbook- John Michael Greer

The Druid Way- Phillip Carr-Gomm

The Mist Filled Path- Frank MacEowen

Blood and Mistletoe- Ronald Hutton

Any books (the more historical the better) on Celtic Polythesim, or Celtic poetry, especially any involving the poems of Taliesin. Other Sources (podcasts, music, etc)

Druidcast- The official OBOD podcast.

Damh the Bard- Podcast of the pagan musician, Damh the Bard

Emerald Rose-Pagan music

Spiral Dance- Pagan Music

I will be adding to this list continuously as I have more free time to do so! Like I mentioned at the top, if you know of any resources, books, websites, anything, feel free to direct me to them so I may add them! My goal is to share wisdom, and knowledge and allow the growth of any who seek the path of Druidry!)

Best wishes in your growth, little acorns!

M.G.

/|\

The Hazel Druid

[sonofcernmagic]

On Gods and Spirits: My Own Celtic Animistic Pantheon + some random ramblings and thoughts

Edit Note 8/25/2019: This is an old post which may not totally reflect what I still think today but it’s still fairly close to my ideas and I think it still can be an interesting read nonetheless. I may or may not make a more updated post here in a few days. Note that I use the term “the Fey” as if to refer to all nature spirits. I personally would not do this anymore and would instead keep the term to refer specifically to the ideas of the fairies and the Irish and Scottish Sidhe of folklore instead as it should be. Other then this it should still stand up as a decent post nevertheless.

My overall relationship and theological position on the gods is a very complicated and ever-changing one, but it generally revolves around the idea that most if not all gods came from one of the following origins:

1) Once an ancestral spirit, whose importance rose to that of divinity and thus their true origin was, overtime, forgotten about. 2) A spirit of nature, personified by humanity and worshiped in a more personal, human form. 3) Neither of the above, but instead totally and completely formed out of the sheer belief of many people who became convinced of their existence, thus creating a “thought-form” that became its own deified, independent spirit.

This perspective leads to many natural assumptions and conclusions. For example, many people could worship the “same god” but if their beliefs and notions are significantly different from each other, then different versions of that god may begin to manifest. Moreover, by worshiping the “spirit” of a natural phenomenon in the form of a personified deity, different “aspects” of that spirit may form. This leads to some interesting questions, like did the collective “spirit” of thunder storms decide to make gods like Thor, Perun, Taranis, and Zeus, or did humanity make them up and thus spawn them into existence?

At any rate, the importance of the gods on the psychological level seems to be that of fulfilling the need for archetypal role models and guidance. To this end I have come to the conclusion that, at least for me, it does not matter what or how you worship, so long as you’re feeling that inner need for a spiritual connection being fulfilled. 

I myself am an animist, in that I believe nature is filled with spirits, all of which are to some extent connected with one another. As a result my belief centers around the worship of three main classifications of spirits, known in the ADF and other Druidic circles as the Three Kindred's.

These are: The Ancestors The “Fey” (Spirits of Nature)* The Gods

*Edit Note: This isn’t really what the ADF calls the Three Kindreds. To the ADF, they are: the Shining One’s (gods) the Mighty Ones (ancestors) and the Noble Ones (basically spirits of nature, which would include, among others, the Fey)

This post will focus on what I’ve come to view as the main “gods” of this world, who are all based on concepts and forces of nature, almost all of which I’ve chosen to view in their “Celtic” forms, as for one reason or another they always appeal to me the most. This may not be remotely a complete list but it should be a good overview and hopefully get all of the main “archetypes.”

*Just to clarify, even though I call these gods by “Celtic” names and use their Celtic personifications and imagery, I’m not really thinking of it as worshiping Celtic gods per-say, rather I’m worshiping the personified form of spirits of nature using their Celtic name.

The Gods and Goddesses

“The Creator” -”The Creator,” “Ba’al,” the Universal Spirit / Soul, etc, basically the spirit of the whole universe

The Two Divine Masculines and Feminines: Note: Think of these not as adversaries, but more like allies with opposing approaches who need each other to preserve the natural balance; don’t think Jedi vs Sith, think Yin and Yang.

The Lord and Lady of Order: -Bel, or Belenus - God of the Sun and Purification -Danu - The Earth Mother, and goddess of “pure” love

The Lord and Lady of Chaos: -Cernunnos - Horned God of the Hunt, the wild and untamed forests, animals, the Otherworld / Underworld, and liberation -Arianrhod, or Ariana - Goddess of the Moon, of emotions, wild and unrestrained love and sexuality, and divination The Gods and Goddesses of both Nature and Civilization: -Taranis - God of thunder, storms, and rain -Manannan Mac Lir - God of the Sea -Arawn (roughly pronounced “Are-on” I think) - God of the Underworld, possibly a more specialized aspect of Cernunnos -Sucellus or Sucellos - God of agriculture, alcohol, and revelry -Epona - Goddess of horses and travel -Brigid - Goddess of hearth and home, poetry, creativity, (controlled) fire, love and healing -Sirona - Goddess of spiritual healing and rebirth -Maponos - God of youth -Lugh or Lugus - God of many skills, and of justice, fairness, sportsmanship, and honor -Ogma or Ogmios - God of knowledge, language, persuasion, and wisdom -Andraste - Goddess of wrathful vengeance and revolution -Morrigan - Raven Goddess of war, fate, and death -Caturix - Boar God of warriors and brute strength and endurance -Artio - Mother Bear Goddess of guardianship The “Gatekeeper” For many in druidry there is a “gatekeeper” who “opens the gates” between the Otherworld and this one, thus facilitating our connection with the gods. For me this role is fulfilled by~ -Nemetona - Goddess of sacred groves, purification, peace, and serenity To me this goddess not only serves as an invaluable liaison between me and the divine, but also as a protector of me and my sacred space from any malicious spirits.

Conclusion

So that is the basic rundown of “my” pantheon. It may not be totally complete but it should cover all of the main bases. Anyway that’s about all for now. Thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings, and I hope you enjoyed it all. If you have any thoughts or questions on this feel free to comment or message me privately if you’d rather and I’ll try to get back to you as soon as I can. Again, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!

Further Reading

If you’re interested in reading more about druidry, I’d recommend starting with the official websites of some of the biggest neodruidic organisations, such as: ADF (A Druid Fellowship): https://www.adf.org/ OBOD (Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids):  http://www.druidry.org/

And for one of the least dogmatic and chillest religious groups ever, I’d suggest the RDNA (Reformed Druids of North America), however their site is outdated and seemingly abandoned, so instead I would recommend the YouTube channel of “John the Verbose”: https://www.youtube.com/user/brojoghost Or you can find him here on Tumblr @minnesotadruids

Unfortunately I do not live anywhere near Minnesota but if I did you’d better believe I’d be joining their grove, cause they is kewl. There are several other RDNA groves across North America however it’s just sadly none are within a reasonable travelling distance to me, so if you’re interested definitely check them out. Who knows, maybe you live near one of those many groves of theirs. 

Oh, and here’s a good side by side comparison of the aforementioned groups: https://www.danaan.net/druid-cat/druid-group-comparison/

[geopagan]

This Tumblr blog is initially set up to document my experience at the Suntree Retreat of 2022 in Colorado Springs organized by The AtheoPagan Society. This is done to encourage others to do likewise with the hashtag #suntree2022 across Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

After the retreat, it is intended to become a place to rant, goof around, and muse along side future writing about druidry and AtheoPaganism.

The larger Godless Druidry project is an exploration of modern druidry within the context of the AtheoPagan tradition founded by Mark Green. I seek inspiration through symbolism and iconography of reform druidry, revival druidry, and neo-pagan druidry without dieties or other concepts of a transcendent reality (often called "woo"). My intent is to ground druidic discipline through a scientific exploration of one's immediate environment and rooted in AtheoPagan values, principles and ritual structure.

In someways, this is a continuation of concepts I wrote about years ago on my own defunct blog, Post-Paganry. Some of those ideas are preserved on Naturalistic Paganism (formally Humanistic Paganism). You can also read my essay "Naturalism and the Gods" found on page 149 of the anthology Godless Paganism: voices of Non-Theisic Pagans published through Lulu.com by Humanistic Paganism (2016)

If you liked, let alone even remember, my past writing, stay tuned. I hope you'll enjoy what is to come next. . .

[aife-ffxiv]

The Emerald Enclave is recruiting

The Emerald Enclave <Druid> is a circle of druids and other nature-loving individuals who work outside of the jurisdiction of the Stillglade Fane and the Twin Adders as a vigilante organisation whose goal is to protect and maintain the balance of the Black Shroud. The druid circle of the enclave is the remnants of a now extinct Keeper of the Moon clan, reformed with a new mission to protect and preserve the balance of Black Shroud and the elementals. Deeply spiritual at the core, the druids are worshippers of the twelve, putting a special focus on Nophica, the elementals, and other spirits of nature.

However, The Emerald Enclave isn’t just a place for druids. Any nature lovers who are comfortable working outside the jurisdiction of the Stillglade Fane and the Twin adders to protect the Black Shroud are welcome to join the enclave. Likewise, the enclave offers healing and sanctuary to anyone in need as long as they obey the laws of the circle.

OOC, The Emerald Enclave is an 18+ Role-Playing Free Company in ffxiv on the world of Mateus on the crystal datacentre. We are a medium rp fc with an emphasis on the spiritual and environmental themes surrounding the Twelveswood while also taking inspiration from Druidry seen in fantasy settings. At the moment, the fc is newly formed and looking for dedicated members to help it grow as a community. However, due to the niche theme of the fc it is expected to stay small. Overall, the mood of the fc is chaotic good and while the fc does have vigilante themes, straight up evil characters who wish to harm the Black Shroud likely won’t be a good fit for the fc. The fc is mostly active during PST prime time up until the late hours of the morning. We have a small house in the lavender beds that icly located in the Emerald Enclaves grove deep in the East Shroud and the house serves as a temple to Nophica. RP nights will take place once a week to help members keep in contact and work on creating long-term bonds together.

Interested in learning more or joining us? Read on at our carrd here or contact Aife on discord at Aife#6195.

[themageiboline]

The Mageibo Line

If you’re interested in the occult or new age practices such as Wicca and Druidry, but are agnostic or atheistic and wish to take a rationalistic approach to your practice, this might be the blog for you.

Edit update: please see this post for an update on the direction of this dusty old blog and a couple suggestions on where to go for further information on the subject of it.

What’s Mageibo?

I decided to start this after an idea struck me as I considered the relationship between psychology, the placebo effect, and the occult - Magibo.

“Magibo," pronounced like "magic" but with “-bo” replacing the hard c, could be used to describe so-called magickal practices that seem to create placebo and nocebo effects. Mageibo, like "mage-ibo," could describe those that seek out these effects through practices like mediation, ritual, prayer, or self hypnosis. Thus, a mageibo is a magickal practitioner who believes in a rationalistic, agnostic or atheistic approach to the occult.

The name "The Mageibo Line" is in reference to two things. For one, it means the Mageibo Line, as in the mageibo’s way of doing things. It’s also a play on words with the Maginot Line, and while this was originally only thought up for the phonetic wordplay, I certainly do caution my readers against making exorbitantly expensive purchases involving the occult or new age practices (such as expensive rare crystals or pricey divinations or supposed protection charms), else you'll risk your magick becoming an ineffective Maginot Line of your own.

Things to expect from this blog:

-Periodical posts further detailing what it means to be mageibo, including a basic list of tenets which will be posted fairly soon.

-Posts developing a rationalistic magickal practice for Druidic Mageibo / Druibo inspired by the RDNA, ADF, and OBOD neodruid orders. I will call this Reformed Mageibo Druidry (RMD), or Reformed Druidic Mageibo (RDM).

-Reblogs dealing with relevant topics such as new age practices, meditation, hypnotherapy, psychology, and so on and so forth.

-Possibly an Instagram and Etsy store page for art and products related to the topics of this blog, as well as a possible webpage if this ever does well enough.

So that's the jest of it. If you’re interested hit the heart and follow buttons, and keep an eye out for my coming updates.

[the-belows-128375]

#39: BloodOath

Role: Duelist of the Ebonhides (former) Nickname: The Sink, The Honorable Gender: Male Pronouns: He/him Orientation: [annoyed grunt] Who’s asking? What’s it to you? You writing a book? Alignment: Neutral but honorable

Likes: A worthy opponent, appreciation, a big meal, payment Dislikes: Dishonorable opponents, public speaking

BloodOath is a large dragon, rather hulking in his regard. Like most members of the Ebonhide clan, he is silky obsidian, with brighter patches, though he has plenty of scars where most members of his family are shimmering clean.

He is the former primary champion of the Ebonhides, the dragon they hired to make a show of things when some dragon or other demanded a fight. More often than not it was duelist against duelist, and as a matter of course, BloodOath defeated them. Duelists understand how the game is played, and death or defeat is part of the job, and BloodOath was good at it. The best fighter in many years in the clan, the best of his three brothers.

Ah, yes, the brothers. BloodOath, BloodRising, and BloodFame, they are three brothers from the same clutch. BloodRising is no duelist, he is a druid, a dragon of the deep forests, or the tunnels and damp holes of the Belows. His garden is a beautiful thing, though BloodOath is not one who usually appreciates such things. The curve of true art, the whimsy of a hoodie, these hold no interest for BloodOath. But he can appreciate the way his brother has shaped his little world.

BloodFame, on the other claw, has set himself as a rival to his brother. While BloodOath is an honorable dragon, fighting with tooth and wing and claw, aided by the most practical and ordinary of armor, BloodFame has worked in the Ebonhide obsession with technology, and so has become the preferred duelist for the Ebonhides. With his electrified claws and long-reaching arc weapon, his bulked-up shoulder armor that can crush even a Snapper’s armor plating, he is a fighting machine that BloodOath will never approach or match.

Forced from his former profession, BloodOath has faced something of a crisis of faith. He has no mind for druidry, or any other kind of magic, he is a physical creature, outcast in a clan of backstabbing snakes who’d rather chase new ways of increasing their treasure or expand into technology than follow the honorable ways that made them great.

He must go about with a white flag draping along his haunches, showing that he is a surrendered dragon, one cast aside from the duelist’s art, and it is a great shame for him. Nor can he leave for the Rock, to serve under Bogart. You can’t just abandon your own clan, your family.

But perhaps, one of his extended relations understands what he is going through. BloodDebt, he is a fellow attempting to reform the clan back to the old ways, the roads that keep their breed safe. And while BloodOath can’t exactly be open with his support, let alone explain why he is doing it, but he has taken to wearing the similar grave-chain that BloodDebt encourages and their clan leader CuTar Ebonhide, BloodMoney, turns aside. Uncertain over its reaction, however, BloodOath does cover his chain with a thick red scarf, of which nobody has questioned him yet.

[hierophant-x]

RP Hook: Shan’do of Dusk!

Thinking about opening N’enia up for the position of a Shan’do. She’d be taking on only one to three students that wish to learn the Path of Dusk, and take on the darker aspect of druidry.

Joining @circleofdusk would -definitely not- be required but this may be a great opportunity to start the ball rolling for the guild!

[Hierophant N’enia Mossweaver, Archdruid of Dusk]

To learn more about Druids of Rot/Dusk check out my headcanon posts here: More Rot, From Rot to Dusk or @circleofdusk.

Quick Facts about N’enia:

She is the second Archdruid of Rot, after the first Archdruid passed on, the well-respected Ciren Greenpath, N’enia put her Grove through a reformation of sorts. She pulled the Circle from the shadows and even gave them a new name, The Druids of Dusk.

Though her magical healing capabilities have been diminished, N’enia is a gifted alchemist and grows her own herbs/sources her own reagents.

She has mastered the Dusk forms of her preferred totems. Her treant form is more akin to a Bog Beast, and her patrons, Ursoc and Ursol, have given their blessing to continue using the form of a bear, though with a more startling appearance. (see pics below for reference)

N’enia isn’t the most friendly of druids, preferring the seclusion of the Ashenvale thickets. However, once you get past the no-nonsense exterior she can be a loyal friend, even to the point of being a ‘mother bear’.

OOC:

-This is just an idea I’m tossing around, nothing is sent in stone yet pending interest in this RP Hook!

-Those with a talent of druidic magic (any degree) are welcome, though be aware, taking on the aspect of Dusk will cause lasting effects to a Druid’s healing capabilities and animal forms.

-Contact Me: PM me here on tumblr or hmu on discord for more info! hierophant#6079

[minnesotadruids]

Good afternoon, C.O.R.D. Biquarterly druidry newsletter readers!

At this time we are kindly requesting any multimedia content for our upcoming Oimelc issue that you have the rights or permission to share (exception for YouTube videos of druidic interest).

Oimelc is crafting season! What do you craft?

Experiencing any photogenic weather extremes this El Niño?

Devotee of Brigid? We'd love to hear about it!

Kind reminder you need to use the linked submission forms

Whether it's news of your Grove/Protogrove/solo practice, your poetry, seasonal photography, seasonal recipes, personal milestones, relevant product or book reviews, musings, meditations, devotionals, divinations, etc, we encourage you to share it in the next newsletter if you feel so inclined! Got an Etsy storefront for metaphysical supplies you provide? We even have some free promo space in the newsletter just for that. Please ensure that all content is "PG-13" or tamer.

The "liveline" (because deadline sounds so un-reformed!) is roughly: One week from the timestamp of this post (this time next Wednesday)

[greenmansgrove]

Part of me wonders if the experience I had in January was the Washer at the Ford and/or the Banshee and/or Badb. My cats passed in fairly quick succession thereafter, Nellie two months later, and Blue Jean two months after that. Pulling “the Cycles” out of my Morrigan oracle deck (with Blue Jean passing only days later) makes that feel all the more possible, given Badb’s influence over the cycles of death and the passing of spirits to the Otherworld and rebirth. Maybe finding the tourmaline that same day was a gift of reassurance and comfort for the events to come. Everything I read says that Badb, the Banshee, or the Washer aren’t particularly gentle or kind aspects of the Morrigan, and yet to others she is a source of comfort in times of loss.

Since becoming an Acolyte to the Morrigan, I often worry about my ability to forge relationships with her more violent or blood-hungry aspects, especially Badb or Nemain, considering the RDNA’s rejection of blood sacrifices. For how new the RDNA is in relation to other spiritual movements, it feels like I might have to do extra work to impress a war and death goddess like the Morrigan without such offerings. And with my oaths to her Order taken in the tradition of Reformed Druidry, I cannot in good conscience give her such offerings even privately. Thus, it is reassuring to know that maybe one of these aspects has chosen to make herself known to me in these ways. I have made a small shrine to Badb in my bedroom and placed my cats’ favorite toys with it. I offer Badb nightly prayers and return regularly to the shores of the Mississippi where she seemed to have called me that day. Though not under the best of circumstances (is there any such thing with Badb?), I am grateful for her presence.

[junkhaul-blog]

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[auntwendy23]

🌛🌝🌜 Witchcraft Wednesday 🌛🌝🌜 🌛🌝🌜 Witchcraft Wednesday 🌛🌝🌜 Wicca, continued: Wicca was founded in England between 1921 and 1950, representing what the historian Ronald Hutton called "the only full-formed religion which England can be said to have given the world". Characterised as an "invented tradition" by scholars, Wicca was created from the patchwork adoption of various older elements, many taken from pre-existing religious and esoteric movements. Wicca took as its basis the witch-cult hypothesis, the idea that those persecuted as witches during the early modern period in Europe were not, as the persecutors had claimed, followers of Satanism, but were instead adherents of a surviving pre-Christian pagan religion. This theory had been first expressed by the German Professor Karl Ernest Jarcke in 1828, before being endorsed by German Franz Josef Mone and then the French historian Jules Michelet. In the late 19th century it was then adopted by two Americans, Matilda Joslyn Gage and Charles Leland, the latter of whom promoted a variant of it in his 1899 book, Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches. The theory's most prominent advocate was the English Egyptologist Margaret Murray, who promoted it in a series of books – most notably 1921's The Witch-Cult in Western Europe and 1933's The God of the Witches – and in her entry on "witchcraft" for the Encyclopædia Britannica. The witch-cult theory represented "the historical narrative around which Wicca built itself", with the early Wiccans claiming to be the survivors of this ancient pagan religion. Other influences upon early Wicca included various Western esoteric traditions and practices, among them ceremonial magic, Aleister Crowley and his religion of Thelema, Freemasonry, Spiritualism, and Theosophy. To a lesser extent, Wicca also drew upon folk magic and the practices of cunning folk. It was further influenced both by scholarly works on folkloristics, particularly James Frazer's The Golden Bough, as well as romanticist writings like Robert Graves' The White Goddess, and pre-existing modern Pagan groups such as the Order of Woodcraft Chivalry and Druidism. It was during the 1930s that the first evidence appears for the practice of a pagan Witchcraft religion (what would be recognisable now as Wicca) in England. It seems that several groups around the country, in such places as Norfolk, Cheshire and the New Forest had set themselves up as continuing in the tradition of Murray's Witch-Cult, albeit with influences coming from disparate sources such as ceremonial magic, folk magic, Freemasonry, Theosophy, Romanticism, Druidry, classical mythology and Asian religions. Early development, 1936–1959 Edit The history of modern Wicca starts with Gerald Gardner (the "Father of Wicca") in the mid-20th century. Gardner was a retired British civil servant and amateur anthropologist, with a broad familiarity in paganism and occultism. He claimed to have been initiated into a witches' coven in New Forest, Hampshire, in the late 1930s. Intent on perpetuating this craft, Gardner founded the Bricket Wood coven with his wife Donna in the 1940s, after buying the Naturist Fiveacres Country Club. Much of the coven's early membership was drawn from the club's members and its meetings were held within the club grounds. Many notable figures of early Wicca were direct initiates of this coven, including Dafo, Doreen Valiente, Jack Bracelin, Frederic Lamond, Dayonis, Eleanor Bone and Lois Bourne. The Witchcraft religion became more prominent beginning in 1951, with the repeal of the Witchcraft Act of 1735, after which Gerald Gardner and then others such as Charles Cardell and Cecil Williamson began publicising their own versions of the Craft. Gardner and others never used the term "Wicca" as a religious identifier, simply referring to the "witch cult", "witchcraft", and the "Old Religion". However, Gardner did refer to witches as "the Wica". During the 1960s, the name of the religion normalised to "Wicca". Gardner's tradition, later termed Gardnerianism, soon became the dominant form in England and spread to other parts of the British Isles. Adaptation and spread, 1960–present Edit Following Gardner's death in 1964, the Craft continued to grow unabated despite sensationalism and negative portrayals in British tabloids, with new traditions being propagated by figures like Robert Cochrane, Sybil Leek and most importantly Alex Sanders, whose Alexandrian Wicca, which was predominantly based upon Gardnerian Wicca, albeit with an emphasis placed on ceremonial magic, spread quickly and gained much media attention. Around this time, the term "Wicca" began to be commonly adopted over "Witchcraft" and the faith was exported to countries like Australia and the United States. It was in the United States and in Australia that new, home-grown traditions, sometimes based upon earlier, regional folk-magical traditions and often mixed with the basic structure of Gardnerian Wicca, began to develop, including Victor Anderson's Feri Tradition, Joseph Wilson's 1734 Tradition, Aidan Kelly's New Reformed Orthodox Order of the Golden Dawn and eventually Zsuzsanna Budapest's Dianic Wicca, each of which emphasised different aspects of the faith. It was also around this time that books teaching people how to become Witches themselves without formal initiation or training began to emerge, among them Paul Huson's Mastering Witchcraft (1970) and Lady Sheba's Book of Shadows (1971). Similar books continued to be published throughout the 1980s and 1990s, fuelled by the writings of such authors as Doreen Valiente, Janet Farrar, Stewart Farrar and Scott Cunningham, who popularised the idea of self-initiation into the Craft. Among witches in Canada, anthropologist Dr. Heather Botting (nee Harden) of the University of Victoria has been one of the most prominent, having been the first recognized Wiccan chaplain of a public university. Original high priestess of Coven Celeste, she is one of the founders of the Canadian Aquarian Tabernacle Church. In the 1990s, amid ever-rising numbers of self-initiates, the popular media began to explore "witchcraft" in fictional films like The Craft (1996) and television series like Charmed (1998–2006), introducing numbers of young people to the idea of religious witchcraft. This growing demographic was soon catered to through the Internet and by authors like Silver RavenWolf, much to the criticism of traditional Wiccan groups and individuals. In response to the way that Wicca was increasingly portrayed as trendy, eclectic, and influenced by the New Age movement, many Witches turned to the pre-Gardnerian origins of the Craft, and to the traditions of his rivals like Cardell and Cochrane, describing themselves as following "Traditional Witchcraft". Prominent groups within this Traditional Witchcraft revival included Andrew Chumbley's Cultus Sabbati and the Cornish Ros an Bucca coven. Source: Wikipedia.com

[thepaganstudygrouppage]

I was scrolling through your Druidry tag, and noticed that the only two groups you really recommended are ADF and OBOD, which both cost money and those tight on it may be reluctant to join. The New Order of Druids is, from what I can tell, similar to OBOD in structure, however it is free (there is an upgraded course, but it is optional). I haven't done much with it yet, but I thought maybe some people would be interested? Thank you!

We had recommended those because those were the ones our mods and admins had been a part of. Thank you for the information though.

Sparrow

I would like to take this opportunity to shamelessly plug The Reformed Druids of Gaia, a order in which I have great love for. We come from the same roots as ADF but have less structured beliefs and ritual forms closer to our Reformed Druid roots. 

~>Wyrd

[lmichaelmcgrath13]

by Michael McGrath, Ard Drui Teamhair ‘Is Eire. _________________________________________________

The Archdruid of Dublin, Anrai O’Raghallaigh of the Liberties, insisted as far back as 1994, a quarter of a century ago on the Hill of tara, that Druidry is the religion of the Irish people, as well as having pure Welsh and Gaulish components in the present age.

Not only that, but Druidry is celebrated far and wide throughout England, Scotland, New Zealand, Australia , the USA and Canada as a belief system for the majority white inhabitants of those far-off lands today.

In Wales the Druid Order there is avowedly Welsh and does not take members of any other nationality. Here we have an account of a recent 21st century installation of n Archbishop of Canterbury as a white Welsh Druid:

Archbishop named ‘white druid’

By Associated Press  Aug 6, 2002, 12:00am MDT

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ST. DAVID’S, Wales — The newly nominated archbishop of Canterbury was installed Monday as an honorary white druid, alarming some conservative clergy in the Church of England.

Rowan Williams, currently archbishop of Wales, was inducted into the Gorsedd of Bards, an organization that promotes Welsh language and culture and is not a religion.

Druids, who were both priests and judges, were a ruling class in ancient Celtic society.

“I think the Archbishop of Canterbury-designate needs to consider what other people, non-Welsh members of the Anglican communion, think he is doing,” said the Rev. Angus Macleay of the Evangelical Reform Group.

Williams said that he was “very saddened that some people have reached the wrong conclusion about the ceremony.”

“If people had actually looked at the words of the hymns and text used, they would have seen a very Christian service,” said Williams.

The archbishop wore a white robe for the ceremony and chose the bardic name of ap Aneurin. That was a tribute both to a sixth-century Welsh poet and to Aneurin Bevan, a postwar Labor Party politician remembered as the founder of the National Health Service.

Elfyn Llwyd, a politician from Wales’ Plaid Cymru party and a member of the Gorsedd, said the ceremony was a “quaint induction” and the group was entirely dedicated to developing the Welsh language and culture.

“It is clearly not a pagan organization — I would not be a member of it if it were, and nor would many other people of all religious persuasions who are members,” Llwyd said.

“It is an old form of induction, there is no worshipping of any pagan gods of the kind. It is simply a rather quaint induction,” Llwyd said.

“From there on it’s a vehicle for assisting the development of the Welsh language and culture and nothing can be wrong with that.”

The ceremony was part of the National Eisteddfod, a celebration of Welsh culture.

Although the Gorsedd of Bards calls its members druids, the organization dates only as far back as 1792 — the brainchild of Welsh scholar Iolo Morganwg.

Past members included the actor Richard Burton and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

The Archdruid of Tara and Ireland has declared to the world on the Hill of Tara that the Irish Druid Order is for native Irish people only, as well as the diaspora of course. Archdruid O’Raghaillaigh of Dublin is on record as stating clearly that Druidry in Ireland is for the irish only and that one must be native Irish to qualify as an Irish druid here.

So Druidry is now the only white native Irish religion in Ireland and Irish druids proclaim Druidry as their heritage and belonging only to us here in Ireland and not to any of the Incomers.

There can be exceptions and in the case of the Irish Druid Order  there was such an honourable exception when the late Druid Michael Poynder, Druid author, was made an Honoured Druid of the irish Order.

At least the Irish still have our own native religion/belief system left when all else is done and gone.Beyo

nd (1)

  MODERN DRUIDRY A RELIGION FOR THE WHITE IRISH, BRITISH & GAULISH PEOPLE. by Michael McGrath, Ard Drui Teamhair 'Is Eire. _________________________________________________ The Archdruid of Dublin, Anrai O'Raghallaigh of the Liberties, insisted as far back as 1994, a quarter of a century ago on the Hill of tara, that Druidry is the religion of the Irish people, as well as having pure Welsh and Gaulish components in the present age.

[magiccalmeanderings]

Um, hi! I saw a post where someone coined a (Scottish word) Druid-based gender term, on the basis of a few things they listed, which led them to believe it was possible the inborn quality that seemed to be required for selection/eligibility might have been being trans/nb— and also it felt connected to their gender for them and wanted a term to reflect this,,, however a comment was made on it by a vERy ADAMant and *seemingly* informed person that there was no Proof and it was total bs... [1 of 2]

I’ve long wondered about the possibility of a historical Celtic/Irish gender spectrum — I know so much has been lost, and so seemingly can’t be confirmed, at least yet(maybe new sources will be found), but considering global history it seems incredibly likely that prior to Christian contact that they *had* a nonbinary gender ‘system’,, I thought I’d finally found my answer..... is it okay if I want to connect with/practice Druidism as a concept/role for trans/nb people? [2 of 2]

Hello, anon!

Just a quick notebefore I answer this: I myself am cisgender so my understanding oftransgender issues may not be as nuanced or informed as I would like. But I will answer this to the best of my ability.

While it is verytrue that a lot of sources are lost, based on what I have read theoriginal Druids had no gender bias in their system whatsoever; therole was split equitably between sexes.  However, as you pointed out,these sources are likely from the Romans who observed them, and theirperceptions are a little skewed, to put it lightly; often omittinginformation that they themselves did not agree with, or caricaturingtheir observations to make the people they were writing about seemmore “barbaric.”  So I would not be surprised in the slightest ifthe Pre-Christian Celtic peoples had accepted more genders beyond the“traditional two,” and that the Romans chose to omit thisinformation in their reports.

I must admit, I’venever heard the possibility that one was required to be trans/nb (atleast how we call it in the modern world) in order to be a Druid.  Icould see it as a possibility or something that was taken intoconsideration though: a lot of cultures looked for signs of“otherness” when choosing their priestly caste (extended illness,physical attributes, etc.).  So while I don’t think it would havebeen the deciding factor based on what we know, I do think that itcould have been an option when choosing who was to be a Druid(assuming, of course, that their society had a concept similar toours of being transgender or non-binary).

But, at the end ofthe day, we have no way to no for sure because so much informationhas been lost to time, and we can only draw conclusions from thesources we do have.

But what aboutModern Druidry?

Modern Druidry, asit is known today, is very much a path of introspection and aboutfiguring out who you are.  One of its main concepts is learning aboutyourself and how you fit in with the natural world around you.  It isalso very much a path that you adjust to your needs, by tellingyourself to look at what you need, and what you personally believe.

Most Modern Druidorganizations place an emphasis on respecting others, even if theydon’t agree with you.  This can extend to things as simple as “youdon’t like my favorite color” to clashing views on divinity orlack thereof.  Many of these organizations (usually in their FAQ’s)address the question of “Who Can Be A Druid?” and usually answerwith something along the lines of “Anyone!  Regardless of genderidentity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, or age.”  Thisacceptance of all is what seems to be one of the bigger draws toModern Druidry (with the biggest, imo, being the respect andreverence of nature.  These are what drew me in, after all).

The Reformed Druidsof Gaia has an explicit statement showing support for the LGBTQcommunity that is literally the second listing on their navigationmenu.

Obviously, one doesnot have to be in an organization to be a Druid, but I’m justshowing that many modern Druid organizations (and by extension,modern Druids) are accepting of the LGBTQ community, and thereby the“T” of LGBTQ.

(If they’re not, Iwill personally come and kick them in the shins if you’d like.)

Many Druidorganizations also use a system of three grades (the Bard, the Ovate,and the Druid), which is based on our knowledge of the ancient Druidsand how their system worked.  The first of these, the Bard, isliterally about finding a way to express yourself (usuallyartistically).  This involves a lot of introspection andself-awareness and figuring out who youare.  Gender expression and identity falls directly into thiscategory.  As I said before, it is about figuring out who you are andwhat your needs are.

And if anything inDruidry helps you to connect better with yourself and your genderidentity, then at the end of the day, I call that a success.

TL;DR: YES!! DRUIDRYIS ABOUT YOU!!! IF YOU WANT TO USE IT AS A WAY TO CONNECT THEN BY ALLMEANS GO FOR IT!!! :D

Thank you for yourquestion!  I hope I answered it, or at least helped a little.  And if I ever come across more information on this topic I’lltry to remember to make a post about it lol

In the meantime, I’mgoing to point you over to @worldofcelts.  The owner is one of themost knowledgeable people I have seen on this site in terms of theancient Celts, so perhaps they can help you learn more about genderin Pre-Christian Celtic society.