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What is Druidry?
First of all, I’d like to make a distinction here between the ancient druids and modern Druids. Not much is known today about the ancient practice of druidry, or the druids themselves, due to their history being largely passed down by word of mouth. Any written accounts of the ancient druids were written by outsiders. Modern Druidry draws much of its inspiration from the ancient druids, but it’s definitely its own thing. In this blog, I will mainly be referring to modern Druidry.
The answer to the question “what is Druidry?” will vary greatly from person to person. A well-researched book, compiling information from a worldwide survey of 725 Druids, has even been written about what it means to be a Druid today. If you want to check it out, it’s called World Druidry: A Globalizing Path of Nature Spirituality by Larisa A White.
The subject of what modern Druidry is is discussed in more detail in an article on the OBOD website (Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids) titled What is Druidry?:
“Druidry, or Druidism as it is also known, manifests today in three usually separate ways: as a cultural enterprise to foster the Welsh, Cornish and Breton languages; as a fraternal pursuit to provide mutual support and to raise funds for good causes; and as a spiritual path.”
OBOD
To me personally, Druidry is a nature-based spirituality. It’s a way of connecting with the Divine within nature and the Earth. It’s about self-evolution and improvement. It’s about honoring and protecting the Earth. And it’s about knowledge and creativity. My personal practice of Druidry is still being developed as I progress in my studies, and I imagine that it will be a lifelong learning experience.
Is Druidry a Religion?
The answer to that also depends on who you ask. For many, it’s completely separate from religion. There are Druids from every religion and even atheist Druids. Some of the Druid orders practice Druidry as a religion, and some are more open and use it only as a spiritual path and/or lifestyle. For me, Druidry is my main spirituality.
Further Reading
I highly recommend checking out druidry.org if you’re interested in learning more about modern Druidry. However, this is only one website from one of the many Druid orders. This blog is not meant to be an exhaustive resource of information about Druidry, but I will list some Druid orders and networks that I know of and their website links below:
- OBOD – Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids
- AODA – Ancient Order of Druids in America
- ADF – Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship
- BDO – The British Druid Order
- Isle of Wight Order of Druids
- AOD – Ancient Order of Druids
- The Druid Order – An Druidh Uileach Braithreachas
- DANA – Druid Alliance of North America
- TDN – The Druid Network
- The Order of the Oak
Joining an order or network is also not required to be a Druid. You can practice Druidry on your own however you like! There are many books about practicing Druidry on your own, but one that I particularly liked was The Book of Hedge Druidry: A Complete Guide for the Solitary Seeker by Joanna van der Hoeven. I’m sure I’ll also be adding more book recommendations to this page as I read and learn more.