Druidry...........Really?

 

Hello fellow travellers of the old ways

This, you might think, is a strange title for someone walking the earth as a Druid, however, I am writing this blog because of something that happened to me earlier this week.

My day to day job sees me working on various different sites, one particular site I visited is where we had just finished a big extension for a University in West London. I met a colleague on site and while we were waiting to get on with our stuff we decided to have a cup of coffee and enjoy the sun.

I have to point out that my colleague is originally from Ghana as this has a great deal to do with how this all went. We were sitting there, outside in the sun enjoying the lack of students as they have all finished, when he looked at me and asked what I was wearing around my neck. Well I have a necklace/pendant depicting the green man, which my lovely wife had just given me. I explained to him it was the green man and this lead into a long and interesting theological discussion. My colleague, being from Ghana, was trying to get his head around paganism as he is a devout christian, that being said he doesn't dismiss everything else in fact he showed great interest in what we were discussing.

We talked about my journey as a Druid and he was relating it to how way back in the history of his country they had people in the village that would heal the sick using herbs etc. and we talked about how all of this was so similar to the way a Druid works. I explained to him about the Bard being the story teller, the Ovate being the healer and the seer and the Druid being the priest, shapeshifter etc. It turned out to be a very interesting afternoon, however, the best was yet to come hence the title of my blog.

We talked all around the different things about how Christianity had set scriptures that related to all the things that happened both past and present and laws were made based on the 10 commandments, we also spoke about how, when I was a Buddhist and now I am a Druid I dont have set scriptures so therefore how can they be classed as religions or beliefs. I talked to him about all of the aspects as I see them, explaining that these are very spiritual beliefs pertaining to nature and the land around us and all living beings, how we seek guidance and help from Mother Nature and from the gods and goddesses of old. Without going too deeply into it we spoke for quite a while and he began to understand where I was coming from and how and why I follow the path I do. I was never in the mind of converting him that is not how I see this, your faith and your path is found in your own way and I would never preach to anyone that they should change their ways as that would be disrespectful, but I will talk and discuss my beliefs if I am asked.

Well time eventually crept up on us and we had to get back to work, as we stood up this lady approached us both, she was very polite and said to my colleague and myself that she couldn't help but hear what we were talking about and found it very interesting. She too was a lady of African descent, she looked at my colleague, took his hand and no word of a lie she said to him, "Alot of what your friend was saying was very interesting, but it is all myth and shouldn't be believed". I looked at her and asked what she meant by that as I found her words to be quite disrespectful, at which point she started telling me that Druids didn't exist, they were a made up group of people to justify the lack of religion in the dark ages. I, after taking a deep breath, asked her what made her think this as she was being offensive to other peoples beliefs, she then pointed out that there is only one true god at that he wouldn't allow this sort of thing to go on in the land that he created. I discussed with her the battles fought between the Druids and the Romans when they tried to invade Anglesey, I spoke to her about Pliny and Tacitus, who's accounts of Druids from old Roman writings, although mostly used as propoganda and a way to try to discredit them, did mention Druids as a group of people that were amongst other things, leaders and holders of the laws. I explained that to talk about something disrespectfully without any research into the subject was wrong and that I would happily sit with her and tell her all I know of the Path that I follow.

Well needless to say some people will never change their views, listen to other people or expand their knowledge, that is entirely up to them but it should not be dismissed just because it is not their thing. I said to her that we will never agree and that it isn't a bad thing but I hoped that she had a better understanding of another persons path.

I guess the moral of my story, if there is one, is that we should never pass an opportunity to talk about who we are and why we are. If everyone sat down and talked the way we all did that day, regardless of the outcome, it makes people aware of what they are saying, and who knows eventually people will respect people for who they are and not what they are or what they believe in, there is enough room on this wonderful planet of ours for everyone to have their own paths and they shouldn't be made to feel guilty or oppressed by others with differing views.

Oh my word, that got a little heavier than I was expecting, I felt though that I needed to share this with you all.

I am a Druid and I am happy with my life and my journey, we should all be happy and smile more often, we follow a path, whether you be Druid, Pagan, Wicca or Heathen that was felt deep within our very beings and we should be proud of who we are and what we are achieving in our lives.

Thank you all for listening to me again and I hope that this didn't put you off my blog, I promise that I will keep it a lot lighter in the future where ever I can.

Here we are again that time when I share with you one of my poems, this one came to me one day as I was walking through the woods, there was a breeze in the air and as I listened I felt the earth talking to me, this is called "Natures Music"

 

Natures music

I hear the music of the trees

Of creaking bark and rustling leaves

That plays to the sun and to the moon

Each day they play a different tune

I hear the whispers of the trees

That chant with timeless melodies

The birds on high dance to its sound

As does the grass upon the ground

I hear the singing of the trees

Like the gentle humming of the bees

that’s passed along each waking hour

as they journey on from flower to flower

I hear the calling of the trees

That’s carried on the morning breeze

And from within the forest deep

It wakes me from my restful sleep

I feel the calming of the trees

That helps to set my mind at ease

A feeling in my heart so deep

All through the day and when I sleep

As mother nature talks to me

From her voice within the trees

I feel a sense of being one

Amongst the trees I am her son.

 

Well thats me for another week

Stay safe and keep smiling

Blessed Be /|\