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Real Druids - Page 6

Very interesting topic. I notice several members within this same organization have different opinions. I would like Tully to answer this question based on this reply:

Since Druids seem to believe in plants and animals being equal. Are they vegetarians/Vegans? What do they think of the cruelty of slaughtering animals for the purpose of consumption?

Druids Real

Before I reply to either part of this, I must state that what I write here is merely my own oppinion of the matters. Quite a few of us joke that if you ask three Druids the same question, you will wind up with at least nine different answers.

I know some that are, some that are not. Personally, I just can't discriminate against a food group, I love them all!

Okay, I personally feel that there is two separate issues there;

#1) The cruel treatment of animals kept in some (mind you, not all) of the commercial "farms" for the raising, slaughtering, and processing of animals for the market.

and...

#2) Whether humans are better off as Omnivores or Herbivores.

As to subject #1, I feel that the methods used in some commercial situations are quite cruel and I support reform for their abolishment (such as how calves are raised to produce tender veal, or chickens being raised for slaughter in stack upon stack of tiny crate on top of one another allowing all the effulva from the uppermost chickens to cascade down upon the lower ones). There are better methods for any job.

As to subject #2, I am a dyed-in-the-wool, card carrying, lifetime, wholly committed, completely proud of it, Omnivore. I will gladly sacrifice a fully loaded garden salad right along side a perfectly grilled Porterhouse steak. Human, bovine, or Iceberg Lettuce head, we all are part of a continuous cycle of life, death, and rebirth (and not necessarily in a wholly spiritual way as in reincarnation). We are all, or create, food for something else on this planet. It is a matter of not losing connection to the land, and honoring that connection that I feel is important. If you are Vegan, the land provides sustinance for the plants you consume. If you are more carnivorous in your nature, the land provides sustinance for the animals you consume. Either way, it's the Land that matters most.

Anyhow, those are a bit of my thoughts on the matter.

Real Druids Paranormal & Mystics Dreams Studies

Tully, maybe you missed my last Post? I was asking:

Page 6 Druids Real

According to the time stamps, both our posts went up at the same time. Sorry, I did miss that!

As to that being an actual ceremony among Druids, perhaps in their Order/Grove, but none that I am a part of or know people from. But, just because I'm not aware of anyone performing such a ceremony does not rule it out entirely. Ceremonies and Rituals will vary between the different Organizations, Orders, Independent Groves, and even Solitaries, just as you'll find Sunday Mass differing between Baptist, Catholic, Mennonite, Episcopalian, etcetera and all. With the United Ancient Order of Druids being one of the early organizations formed during the Druid Revival, there could be some Masonic-style Rituals still in use by them.

(FYI, in a previous post I meant to say "Pre" Victorian era, as the Druid Revival was about 100 years prior)

Druids Real

What I do not understand based on the information you have supplied within this Thread is what separates a REAL Druid from a fake. It seems that most Pagans could consider themselves Druids, maybe even some gypsies, in other words, because there is no one clear path or authority or standard any group of people could congregate and declare themselves Druids, not so?

Real Druids

I find it quite fortunate that I am not in a position to make such a decision!

Many Pagans do consider themselves Druids. I'm quite limited in my contact with Gypsies, but I'd make a bet that some of them do as well.

But, within the various Groups, Organizations, Groves, Lodges, etcetera and all, there are clear paths, authorities, and standards to be a Druid within each of the various Groups, Organizations, Groves, Lodges, etcetera and all. Most do have some commonalities.

One of the main commonalities you'll find with just about all of the major Organizations (and even amongst the smaller groups) is coursework to advance between the different grades within the group. ADF has what they call their Dedicant Program, the AODA has it's Degree Curriculum to work through its three Degrees, the OBOD has their training courses to advance between their grades of Bard, Ovate, and Druid(which are seen by some as the classical Druidic grades). I know many of the smaller Groups have similar systems in place.

Another thing you will find in most groups are Rituals (sometimes based on or incorporating elements of what we do know of the Ancient Druids and Celts, sometimes not). Rituals to advance between Grades and positions within the Organization and Rituals to celebrate specific "festivals" throughout the year (amongst other possible Rituals).

A main commonality are these festivals and from what I've seen, these are based off of Celebrations that were said to be held by the Ancient Celts no matter what Group one is with. Some Orders hold these "Grove Rituals" based off the modern calendar, some try to use more arcane methods, some hold all eight, some hold four based on the Solar cycle, some hold four based on the Lunar cycle.

Of course, you also have solitaries. But, if a person picks up Robert Lee Ellison's book "The Solitary Druid", they're learning the ADF's style of Druidry, the same with several of Isaac Bonewits' books. If one begins to work from John Michael Greer's "The Druidry Handbook", they are working with AODA's style of Druidry. Ross Nichols and Phillip Carr-Gomm's books are OBOD oriented. Then you have Scholars/historians such as Alexi Kondratiev who have compiled information from their research and written their own methods.

The common ground between these various parties is greater than it seems at first glance.

Granted, there is no "one set and true doctrine" nor is there a Druidic "Pope", and in some Orders (such as the RDNA) one merely has to hold to the simple premise that "nature is good". But, life itself is diverse. Why shouldn't Druidry be as well?

Edited: Tully on 11th Feb, 2008 - 9:54pm

Real Druids - Page 6

Alrightie this may be way off base but I just had to ask if real druids also like to play rpgs as druids, no I'm really seriously asking.

Real Druids Studies Dreams Mystics & Paranormal - Page 6

Well, I don't know about any other ones, but I've not done any RPG'ing in over 25 years. At that time, you really only had two choices...D&D or Traveller, and I preferred Traveller (futuristic sci-fi, no Druid characters). Just really don't have time for it nowdays.

Message Edited... JB: No need for Off Topic tags.