Antiquity
115-449: Druidry , sometimes termed Druidism , is a modern spiritual or religious movement that promotes the cultivation of honorable relationships with the physical landscapes, flora, fauna, and diverse peoples of the world, as well as with nature deities, and spirits of nature and place. Theological beliefs among modern Druids are diverse; however, all modern Druids venerate the divine essence of nature. While there are significant variations in
230-531: A supernatural realm beyond the ordinarily observable world, personal growth , a quest for an ultimate or sacred meaning , religious experience , or an encounter with one's own "inner dimension". The term spirit means "animating or vital principle in man and animals". It is derived from the Old French espirit , which comes from the Latin word spiritus ( soul , ghost, courage, vigor, breath) and
345-405: A "calling of the quarters", in which a participant draws a circle in the air in a deosil direction to hail the north, south, east, and west, marking out the space in which the ceremony will take place. Libations may be poured onto the ground while a chalice of drink is passed around the assembled participants, again in a deosil direction. Food, often in the form of bread or cake, is also passed around
460-516: A "revival" of genuine pre-Christian druidic practices, others see it a creative and respectful borrowing from one "native spirituality" into another, and a third school of thought regards it as a form of cultural theft. Native Americans who preserve the sweat lodge ceremonies for their communities have protested the appropriation of the ceremony by non-Natives, increasingly so now that people have been injured, and some have died , in fraudulent sweat lodge ceremonies performed by non-Natives. In Druidry,
575-582: A Druidic baby-naming ceremony which took place at Kent's Chestnuts Long Barrow . Attitudes to land and environmental conservation are important to the Druidic world-view. In 2003, Druids performed a ritual at the Hill of Tara to heal the location after road construction took place in the adjacent landscape. Others have carried out rituals at Coldrum Long Barrow to oppose fracking in the landscape. Druids have also involved themselves in tree planting projects. In
690-532: A fixed ceremonial framework unique to the Druid group, and a central ritual activity that varies with the season. Druids residing in the traditionally Celtic regions of Europe are significantly more likely than Druids residing in other parts of the world to perform their ceremonies and rituals in groups. In the British Isles, Druid group rituals often involve the participants standing in a circle and begin with
805-492: A form of contemporary Paganism, and on the contemporary Pagan spectrum between reconstructionism and eclecticism, Druidry sits on the latter end. Various Druidic groups also display New Age and neo-shamanic influences. The Druidic community has been characterised as a neo-tribe , for it is disembedded and its membership is elective. Druidry has been described as a form of Celtic spirituality , or "Celtic-Based Spirituality". Scholar of religion Marion Bowman described Druidry as
920-401: A full sensory and spiritual awareness of whatever or whoever may be near by. Environmental stewardship work extends this connection through acts of reciprocity. Druids regularly participate in activities such as restoring native ecosystems, creating wildlife habitats, growing organic food crops, composting, installing solar or wind power systems, and changing personal consumption habits to protect
1035-555: A neo-Druid called Paul Davies requested that the Alexander Keiller Museum in Avebury , Wiltshire rebury their human remains, and he said that storing and displaying those human remains was "immoral and disrespectful". Criticism of such demands has come from the archaeological community, with statements like "no single modern ethnic group or cult should be allowed to appropriate our ancestors for their own agendas. It
1150-580: A perpetrator of the Highland Clearances : Mr James Macpherson of Ossianic fame, who acquired Phoiness, Etterish, and Invernahaven, began this wretched business and did it so thoroughly that not much remained for his successors ... Every place James Macpherson acquired was cleared, and he also had a craze for changing and obliterating the old names ... [including] ... Raitts into Belville. Upon this point it may be noticed that Mac Ossian, in making an entail and calling four of his numerous bastards in
1265-432: A predominantly vegetarian lifestyle. Parasparopagraho jīvānām (the function of souls is to help one another) is the faith's motto and the Ṇamōkāra mantra is its most common and basic prayer. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through a succession of twenty-four leaders or Tirthankaras , with the first in the current time cycle being Rishabhadeva , whom the tradition holds to have lived millions of years ago;
SECTION 10
#17327985979771380-401: A social and psychological meaning. Socially it denoted the territory of the clergy: "the ecclesiastical against the temporary possessions, the ecclesiastical against the secular authority, the clerical class against the secular class". Psychologically, it denoted the realm of the inner life: "the purity of motives, affections, intentions, inner dispositions, the psychology of the spiritual life,
1495-622: A specific ceremony takes place known as an Eisteddfod , which is dedicated to the recitation of poetry and musical performances. Within the Druidic community, practitioners who are particularly skilled in their recitation of poetry or their performance of music are referred to as Bards. Although bardism can also be found in other Pagan traditions such as Eco-Paganism , it is of particular importance within Druidry. Bards perform at Eisteddfod at various occasions, from formal rituals to pub get-togethers and summer camps and environmental protests. Among
1610-470: A supernatural realm or afterlife, or to make sense of one's own "inner dimension". Bergomi detects "an enlightened form of non-religious spirituality" in late antiquity . Words translatable as "spirituality" first began to arise in the 5th century and only entered common use toward the end of the Middle Ages . In a Biblical context the term means being animated by God. The New Testament offers
1725-426: A term reflects the movement's association with trees, and references the idea that Iron Age druids performed their rituals within tree groves. Larger Druidic organisations are usually termed orders , and those that lead them are often termed Chosen Chiefs or Arch Druids . Some British Druid orders divide membership into three grades, referred to as "bards", "ovates", and then "Druids". This three-tier system mirrors
1840-571: A time Macpherson had desired a seat in Parliament and he finally received it in the 1780 general election. On 11 September 1780, he became junior member for Camelford . Later he became the senior member in the results of the April 1784 election. He stayed in this position until his death. Although there is not a lot recorded about his time in parliament, his name is in a list of confidential parliamentary pensions which suggest that his undocumented work
1955-435: A way of living that they regard as being more "natural". Through seeking a connection with nature, neo-Druids pursue a sense of "cosmic belonging". "Grant, O God, Thy protection; And in protection, strength; And in strength, understanding; And in understanding, knowledge; And in knowledge, the knowledge of justice; And in the knowledge of justice, the love of it; And in that love, the love of all existences; And in
2070-468: A wistful Macpherson seeking to recreate the oral traditions of Scotland. Everything presently known about the Iron Age druids derives from archaeological evidence and Greco-Roman textual sources, rather than material produced by these druids themselves. Due to the scarcity of knowledge about the Iron Age druids, their belief system cannot be accurately reconstructed. Some Druids incorporate everything that
2185-561: Is a blend of humanistic psychology, mystical and esoteric traditions, and Eastern religions. In modern times the emphasis is on subjective experience and the "deepest values and meanings by which people live", incorporating personal growth or transformation, usually in a context separate from organized religious institutions. Spirituality can be defined generally as an individual's search for ultimate or sacred meaning, and purpose in life. Additionally it can mean to seek out or search for personal growth, religious experience , belief in
2300-523: Is also derived from Latin spiritualis . There is no single, widely agreed-upon definition of spirituality. Surveys of the definition of the term, as used in scholarly research, show a broad range of definitions with limited overlap. A survey of reviews by McCarroll, each dealing with the topic of spirituality, gave twenty-seven explicit definitions among which "there was little agreement". This causes some difficulty in trying to study spirituality systematically; i.e., it impedes both understanding and
2415-581: Is an esoteric method, discipline and school of thought of Judaism. Kabbalah is a set of esoteric teachings meant to explain the relationship between an unchanging, eternal and mysterious Ein Sof (no end) and the mortal and finite universe (his creation). Interpretations of Kabbalistic spirituality are found within Hasidic Judaism , a branch of Orthodox Judaism founded in 18th-century Eastern Europe by Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov . Hasidism often emphasizes
SECTION 20
#17327985979772530-492: Is an important concept in Buddhist praxis ( Patipatti ). The word bhavana normally appears in conjunction with another word forming a compound phrase such as citta-bhavana (the development or cultivation of the heart/mind) or metta-bhavana (the development/cultivation of loving kindness). When used on its own bhavana signifies 'spiritual cultivation' generally. Various Buddhist paths to liberation developed throughout
2645-414: Is an individual experience, and referred to as ksaitrajña ( Sanskrit : क्षैत्रज्ञ ). It defines spiritual practice as one's journey towards moksha , awareness of self, the discovery of higher truths, Ultimate reality, and a consciousness that is liberated and content. Traditionally, Hinduism identifies three mārga (ways) of spiritual practice, namely Jñāna (ज्ञान), the way of knowledge; Bhakti ,
2760-649: Is for the international scientific community to curate such remains." The World Druidry Survey of 2018–2020 identified 147 active Druid groups internationally. The six largest and most influential of which were the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (including 57% of world Druids), Ár nDraíocht Féin (12%), the Ancient Order of Druids in America (8%), the British Druid Order (6%), The Druid Network (4%),
2875-414: Is known about Iron Age druids into their practices. However, as noted by Irish contemporary paganism scholar Jenny Butler, the historical realities of Iron Age religion are often overlooked by Druids in favour of "a highly romanticised version". Many Druids believe that the practices of the Iron Age druids should be revived and modified to meet current needs. In Ireland, some Druids have claimed that because
2990-507: Is no set dogma or belief system followed by all adherents. Druid perceptions of the divine tend to be complex, and subject to change as the individual Druid learns and grows. Most Druids identify with more than one theological category: 64% of Druids identify as animists ; 49% of Druids identify as soft polytheists , 37% of Druids identify as pantheists , 15% of Druids identify as hard polytheists, 7% of Druids identify as monotheists ; 7% are agnostic ; and 2% identify as atheists . Druidry
3105-547: Is referred to a religious process of re-formation which "aims to recover the original shape of man", oriented at "the image of God " as exemplified by the founders and sacred texts of the religions of the world. The term was used within early Christianity to refer to a life oriented toward the Holy Spirit and broadened during the Late Middle Ages to include mental aspects of life. In modern times,
3220-604: Is related to spirare (to breathe). In the Vulgate , the Latin word spiritus is used to translate the Greek pneuma and Hebrew ruach . The term "spiritual", meaning "concerning the spirit", is derived from Old French spirituel (12c.), which is derived from Latin spiritualis , which comes by spiritus or "spirit". The term "spirituality" is derived from Middle French spiritualité , from Late Latin spiritualitatem (nominative spiritualitas ), which
3335-531: Is sometimes associated today with philosophical, social, or political movements such as liberalism , feminist theology , and green politics . Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) was a pioneer of the idea of spirituality as a distinct field. He was one of the major figures in Transcendentalism , an early 19th-century liberal Protestant movement, which was rooted in English and German Romanticism ,
3450-631: Is stressed by both Muslim and non-Muslim authors. Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi , an 11th-century Islamic scholar, referenced a statement by the companion of Muhammad , Jabir ibn Abd-Allah : The Prophet ... returned from one of his battles, and thereupon told us, 'You have arrived with an excellent arrival, you have come from the Lesser Jihad to the Greater Jihad ;– the striving of a servant (of Allah ) against his desires (holy war)." The best known form of Islamic mystic spirituality
3565-441: Is studied and practiced are varied and range from ecstatic visions of the soul's mystical union with God to simple prayerful contemplation of Holy Scripture (i.e., Lectio Divina ). Progressive Christianity is a contemporary movement which seeks to remove the supernatural claims of the faith and replace them with a post-critical understanding of biblical spirituality based on historical and scientific research. It focuses on
Druidry (modern) - Misplaced Pages Continue
3680-497: Is the Fragments of Ancient Poetry , which was published by James Macpherson between 1760 and 1763. The poems were hugely popular; they were read by many of the notable figures of the period, including Voltaire , Napoleon , and Thomas Jefferson , and the quality of the poetry inspired contemporary comparisons with Homer . Though attributed to the ancient semi-legendary poet Ossian , the works are believed to have been composed by
3795-627: Is the Sufi tradition (famous through Rumi and Hafiz ) in which a Sheikh or pir transmits spiritual discipline to students. Sufism or taṣawwuf ( Arabic : تصوّف ) is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam . A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a ṣūfī ( صُوفِيّ ). Sufis believe they are practicing ihsan (perfection of worship) as revealed by Gabriel to Muhammad , Worship and serve Allah as you are seeing Him and while you see Him not yet truly He sees you. Sufis consider themselves as
3910-429: Is the path of cultivating necessary virtues, self-discipline, tapas (meditation), contemplation and self-reflection sometimes with isolation and renunciation of the world, to a pinnacle state called samādhi . This state of samādhi has been compared to peak experience. James Macpherson James Macpherson ( Gaelic : Seumas MacMhuirich or Seumas Mac a' Phearsain ; 27 October 1736 – 17 February 1796)
4025-957: Is the reparation of the heart and turning it away from all else but God". Alternatively, in the words of the Darqawi Sufi teacher Ahmad ibn Ajiba , "a science through which one can know how to travel into the presence of the Divine , purify one's inner self from filth, and beautify it with a variety of praiseworthy traits". Jainism , traditionally known as Jain Dharma, is an ancient Indian religion . The three main pillars of Jainism are ahiṃsā (non-violence), anekāntavāda (non-absolutism), and aparigraha (non-attachment). Jains take five main vows: ahiṃsā (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya (not stealing), brahmacharya (sexual continence), and aparigraha (non-possessiveness). These principles have affected Jain culture in many ways, such as leading to
4140-558: Is the sole religious or spiritual path for 54% of world Druids; the other 46% practice Druidry concurrently with one or more other religions traditions. The most common, concurrently practiced religious traditions reported among Druids were Buddhism, Christianity, shamanistic traditions, Witchcraft/Wicca, northern traditions, Hinduism, Native American traditions, and Unitarian Universalism. 63% of world Druids identify as either Pagan or Heathen, in addition to identifying as Druids; 37% of Druids reject both of these labels. Some Druids draw upon
4255-533: Is the spiritual practice of living out a personal faith. Pope Francis offers several ways in which the calling of Christian spirituality can be considered: The terminology of the Catholic Church refers to an act of faith ( fides qua creditur ) following the acceptance of faith ( fides quae creditur ). Although all Catholics are expected to pray together at Mass , there are many different forms of spirituality and private prayer which have developed over
4370-670: The Carmina Gadelica . Most use some form of Morganwg's Gorsedd Prayer. Some Druids also involve themselves in spell-casting, although this is usually regarded as a secondary feature among their practices. The two most common locations for Druid rituals are indoors, at home, at a home altar or shrine (92% of Druids), or outdoors in a private garden or wild space (90% of Druids). Only 48% of world Druids regularly participate in rituals held in publicly viewable spaces, and 18% attend rituals at public monuments or popular tourist destinations such as Stonehenge or Avebury, however, Druids in
4485-766: The Coldrum Long Barrow in Kent . In Ireland, Druids perform ceremonies at one of the island's best known prehistoric sites, the Hill of Tara . In 2000, scholar of religion Amy Hale noted that Druidic rituals at such prehistoric sites were "increasingly more common". She regarded the stone circle as "a symbol of an imagined Celtic past" shared by both Druids and Gorseth Bards. As well as performing group rituals at sites, Druids also visit them alone to meditate, pray, and provide offerings. Aside from seasonal celebrations, rites of passage can also take place at such sites, such as
4600-697: The Cornish Gorsedd for example has publicly disassociated any links to Paganism. Some Druids identify as Pagan, others as Christian. Some practitioners merge Pagan and Christian elements in their own personal practice, in at least one case identifying as a "Christodruid". Other practitioners adopt additional elements; for instance there are self-described " Zen Druids" and " Hasidic Druids". The Berengia Order of Druids drew upon elements from science fiction television shows like Star Trek and Babylon 5 . The earliest modern Druids aligned themselves with Christianity. The writer William Stukeley regarded
4715-543: The Immanent Divine presence and focuses on emotion, fervour , and the figure of the Tzadik . This movement included an elite ideal of nullification to paradoxical Divine Panentheism . The Musar movement is a Jewish spiritual movement that has focused on developing character traits such as faith , humility , and love . The Musar movement, first founded in the 19th century by Israel Salanter and developed in
Druidry (modern) - Misplaced Pages Continue
4830-595: The Isle of Mull , where he claimed to obtain other manuscripts. In 1761, Macpherson announced the discovery of an epic on the subject of Fingal supposedly written by Ossian , which he published in December. Like the 1760 Fragments of Ancient Poetry , it was written in musical measured prose . The full title of the work was Fingal, an Ancient Epic Poem in Six Books, together with Several Other Poems composed by Ossian,
4945-683: The Jacobite uprising of 1715 . Macpherson's uncle, Ewen Macpherson joined the Jacobite army in the 1745 march south, when Macpherson was nine years old and after the Battle of Culloden , had had to remain in hiding for nine years. In the 1752-3 session, Macpherson was sent to King's College, Aberdeen , moving two years later to Marischal College (the two institutions later became the University of Aberdeen ), reading Caesar's Commentaries on
5060-684: The Scottish Gaelic , despite his limitations in that tongue, which he was induced to publish at Edinburgh in 1760, including the Death of Oscar, in a pamphlet: Fragments of Ancient Poetry collected in the Highlands of Scotland . Extracts were then published in The Scots Magazine and The Gentleman's Magazine which were popular and the notion of these fragments as glimpses of an unrecorded Gaelic epic began. Hugh Blair , who
5175-455: The ogham alphabet, which is employed in divination by Druids. Rather than ogham, some practitioners favour coelbren —an alphabet likely devised by Iolo Morganwg —for their divinatory practices. Spirituality Medieval Early modern Modern Iran India East-Asia The meaning of spirituality has developed and expanded over time, and various meanings can be found alongside each other. Traditionally, spirituality
5290-510: The spiritual science of Martinus was an influence, especially in Scandinavia. The influence of Asian traditions on Western modern spirituality was also furthered by the perennial philosophy , whose main proponent Aldous Huxley was deeply influenced by Swami Vivekananda's Neo-Vedanta and universalism , and the spread of social welfare, education and mass travel after World War II . An important influence on western spirituality
5405-478: The "Celtic spirituality" par excellence . Some practitioners regard Druidry as a form of "native spirituality", and it displays an affinity with folk religions . In defining Druidry as a "native spirituality", some Druids seek to draw elements from other native religions , such as the belief systems of Australian Aboriginal and Native American communities. Practitioners differ in the levels of formality and seriousness that they bring to their adherence. Some groups use
5520-520: The 18th century Romanticist movement in Britain, which glorified the ancient Celtic peoples of the Iron Age , the early neo-Druids aimed to imitate the Iron Age priests who were also known as druids . At the time, little accurate information was known about these ancient priests, and the modern Druidic movement has no direct connection to them, despite contrary claims made by some modern Druids. In
5635-507: The 1990s and early 2000s, the use of a ritual based on the sweat lodge became increasingly popular among some Neo-druids in Ireland and the U.K. Some Druids regard these sweat lodges as "initiatory and regenerative opportunities to rededicate oneself to honouring the Earth and the community of life." This practice is regarded differently by different individuals. Some practitioners regard it as
5750-445: The 21st century by Alan Morinis and Ira F. Stone , has encouraged spiritual practices of Jewish meditation, Jewish prayer, Jewish ethics , tzedakah , teshuvah, and the study of musar (ethical) literature . Reform Judaism and Conservative Judaism have often emphasized the spirituality of Jewish ethics and tikkun olam , feminist spirituality , Jewish prayer, Torah study, ritual, and musar. Christian spirituality
5865-488: The Biblical criticism of Johann Gottfried Herder and Friedrich Schleiermacher , the skepticism of Hume , and Neoplatonism . The Transcendentalists emphasized an intuitive, experiential approach to religion. Following Schleiermacher, an individual's intuition of truth was taken as the criterion for truth. In the late 18th and early 19th century, the first translations of Hindu texts appeared, which were also read by
SECTION 50
#17327985979775980-675: The British Isles are significantly more likely to do so. Public rituals in the British Isles frequently take place at formations in the natural landscape or at prehistoric sites, among them megalithic constructions from the Neolithic and Bronze Age or earthworks from the Iron Age. Druids often believe that, even if the Iron Age druids did not build these monuments, they did use them for their rites. Performing rituals at said sites allows many Druids to feel that they are getting close to their ancestors. Druids regard them as sacred sites in part as recognition that prehistoric societies would have done
6095-540: The Druidic community, it is often believed that bards should be divinely inspired in producing their work. Storytelling is important within Druidry, with stories often following themes from the literary traditions of Celtic nations and Arthurian legend. Musical performances typically draw from the folk traditions of Ireland , Scotland , England , France , and Brittany . Groups like the British Druid Order have established their own gorseddau . Unlike
6210-477: The Druids and consumed. This may be followed by a period of meditation among those assembled. A form of earth energy is then visualised, with participants believing that it is sent for a designated healing purpose. This may be designed to help the victims of a particular event, such as a war or an epidemic, or it might be directed to assist individuals known to the group who are ill or requiring emotional support. After
6325-502: The Fianna owe you anything?" In reply, MacCodrum quipped, "Cha n-eil agus ge do bhiodh cha ruiginn a leas iarraidh a nis" , or in English, "No, and if they did it would be useless to ask for it now." According to Campbell, this, "dialogue... illustrates at once Macpherson's imperfect Gaelic and MacCodrum's quickness of reply." Encouraged by Home and others, Macpherson produced 15 pieces, all laments for fallen warriors, translated from
6440-614: The House of Hanover , to which are prefixed Extracts from the Life of James II , as written by himself (1775). He enjoyed a salary for defending the policy of Lord North 's government, and held the lucrative post of London agent to the Nawab of Arcot . He entered parliament in 1780, as Member of Parliament for Camelford and continued to sit for the remainder of his life. Despite his Jacobite roots, and in line with his Hanovarian sympathies, for
6555-657: The Iron Age and there is no evidence that it was ever used by Iron Age druids, many modern Druids believe that their ancient namesakes did indeed use it for their ceremonies. Druids also use many other prehistoric sites as spaces for their rituals, including stone circles like that at Avebury in Wiltshire. Some Druids have erected their own, modern stone circles in which to perform their ceremonies. Druidic practices have also taken place at Early Neolithic chambered long barrows such as Wayland's Smithy in Oxfordshire , and
6670-469: The Iron Age druids as monotheist proto-Christians who worshipped the Christian god. In a similar vein, some modern Druids believe that ancient druidic wisdom was preserved through a distinct Celtic Christianity . Over the course of the twentieth century, and particularly since the early 1960s, Druidry increasingly came to be associated with the modern pagan movement. Druidic beliefs vary widely, and there
6785-584: The Iron Age druids. By 2020, modern Druidry had spread to 34 nations, across 6 continents, and had taken root in 17 diverse biomes. The importance that modern Druids attributed to Celtic language and culture, circa 2020, varied depending upon the physical and cultural environments in which the individual Druid lived. By 2020, roughly 92% of world Druids were living outside the British Isles . Based on 2011–2013 census data from Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland, and 2008 ARIS Report data from
6900-601: The New Order of Druids (2%), each of which offers either Druidry curriculum materials or online reference materials about how to practice contemporary Druidry. Survey results indicated that 25% of world Druids belong to multiple Druid groups; 57% belong to just one group, and 18% are unaffiliated, solitary practitioners. Despite these Druid group affiliations, 92% of world Druids report that most of their devotional practices and rituals are celebrated alone, as solitary practitioners. Druidic groups are usually known as groves . Such
7015-543: The Second World War, spirituality and theistic religion became increasingly disconnected, and spirituality became more oriented on subjective experience, instead of "attempts to place the self within a broader ontological context". A new discourse developed, in which (humanistic) psychology, mystical and esoteric traditions and eastern religions are being blended, to reach the true self by self-disclosure , free expression, and meditation. The distinction between
SECTION 60
#17327985979777130-602: The Son of Fingal, translated from the Gaelic Language . The narrative was related to the Irish mythological character Fionn mac Cumhaill /Finn McCool. The figure of Ossian was based on Fionn's son Oisín . Fingal takes his name from Fionnghall , meaning "white stranger". Another related poem, Temora , followed in 1763, and a collected edition, The Works of Ossian , in 1765. The authenticity of these translations from
7245-709: The Transcendentalists, and influenced their thinking. They also endorsed universalist and Unitarianist ideas, leading to Unitarian Universalism , the idea that there must be truth in other religions as well since a loving God would redeem all living beings, not just Christians. A major influence on modern spirituality was the Theosophical Society , which searched for 'secret teachings' in Asian religions. It has been influential on modernist streams in several Asian religions, notably Neo-Vedanta ,
7360-473: The United States, the population of Druids residing in anglophone nations was estimated at 59,299. The current global population of Druids is likely to significantly exceed this number, as many countries with resident Druids do not allow for the existence of Druidry within their census instruments. Pagan faith surveys are also likely to undercount Druids, as only 63% of world Druids identify with either of
7475-648: The Welsh cultural gorseddau, these Druidic events often allow anyone to perform as a bard if they are inspired to do so. Druids have participated in other musical genres and with more technological instruments, including the blues and rave music, and one British club, Megatripolis, opened with the performance of a Druidic ritual. Among many Druids, there is a system of tree lore, through which different associations are attributed to different species of tree, including particular moods, actions, phases of life, deities and ancestors. Different species of trees are often linked to
7590-529: The Western Islands of Scotland , 1775) that Macpherson had found fragments of poems and stories, and then woven them into a romance of his own composition. Further challenges and defences were made well into the nineteenth century, but the issue was moot by then. Macpherson's manuscript Gaelic "originals" were published posthumously in 1807; Ludwig Christian Stern was sure they were in fact back-translations from his English version. In 1764 Macpherson
7705-612: The ages. Best-known is the Noble Eightfold Path , but others include the Bodhisattva Path and Lamrim . Hinduism has no traditional ecclesiastical order, no centralized religious authorities, no governing body, no prophets nor any binding holy book; Hindus can choose to be polytheistic, henotheistic, pantheistic, monotheistic, or atheistic. Within this diffuse and open structure, spirituality in Hindu philosophy
7820-623: The analysis of the feelings". In the 17th and 18th centuries, a distinction was made between higher and lower forms of spirituality: "A spiritual man is one who is Christian 'more abundantly and deeper than others'." The word was also associated with mysticism and quietism , and acquired a negative meaning. Modern notions of spirituality developed throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, mixing Christian ideas with Western esoteric traditions and elements of Asian, especially Indian, religions. Spirituality became increasingly disconnected from traditional religious organizations and institutions. It
7935-471: The anthropologist Thorsten Gieser, Druidic rituals are best seen not as a set of formalised actions but as "a stance, an attitude, a particular mode of experience and perception which gives rise to a feeling of being-in-the-world, of being part of Nature." The practices of modern Druids typically take place outside, in the daylight, in what is described as "the eye of the sun", meaning around midday. In some cases, they instead perform their rites indoors, or during
8050-711: The capacity to communicate findings in a meaningful fashion. According to Kees Waaijman, the traditional meaning of spirituality is a process of re-formation that "aims to recover the original shape of man, the image of God. To accomplish this, the re-formation is oriented at a mold, which represents the original shape: in Judaism the Torah , in Christianity there is Christ , for Buddhism , Buddha , and in Islam , Muhammad ." Houtman and Aupers suggest that modern spirituality
8165-475: The categories Pagan or Heathen . In addition, 74% of world Druids report having significant privacy and safety concerns, due to discrimination and persecution within their local communities, and so are likely to be underreported in the census data that does exist. While modern Druidry has spread rapidly across the globe, Druids do not proselytize, and 74% of world Druids actively work to keep their spiritual practices private. Modern Druidry derives its name from
8280-460: The celtic magico-religious specialists of Iron Age Western Europe who were known as druids . There is no real historical continuity between the druids of Iron Age Europe and modern Druids. However, some Druids nevertheless regard modern Druidry as a genuine continuation of the practices of the Iron Age druids. The 18th-century figure Iolo Morganwg fabricated what he claimed were early Welsh literary sources and traditions that supposedly dated to
8395-663: The centuries. Each of the major religious orders of the Catholic Church and other lay groupings have their own unique spirituality – its own way of approaching God in prayer and in living out the Gospel . Christian mysticism refers to the development of mystical practices and theory within Christianity . It has often been connected to mystical theology , especially in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions. The attributes and means by which Christian mysticism
8510-414: The concept of being driven by the Holy Spirit , as opposed to living a life in which one rejects this influence. In the 11th century, this meaning of "Spirituality" changed. Instead, the word began to denote the mental aspect of life, as opposed to the material and sensual aspects of life, "the ecclesiastical sphere of light against the dark world of matter". In the 13th century "spirituality" acquired
8625-402: The early 20th century, merged with contemporary movements such as the physical culture movement and naturism . Since the 1980s, some modern druid groups have adopted similar methodologies to those of Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism in an effort to create a more historically accurate practice. However, there is still controversy over how much resemblance modern Druidism may or may not have to
8740-494: The end of the ceremony, the Druids may remain together to take part in a meal, or visit a nearby pub . There is no specific dress code for ritual within the Druidic movement; some participants wear ordinary clothes, others wear robes. Some groups favour earth-coloured robes, believing that this links them to the natural world and that it aids them in traveling unnoticed when going about at night. Celtic languages are often employed during ceremonies, as are quotations and material from
8855-433: The expression and practice of modern Druidry, a core set of spiritual and devotional practices may be observed, including: meditation; prayer/conversation with deities and spirits; the use of extra-sensory methods of seeking wisdom and guidance; the use of nature-based spiritual frameworks to structure devotional practices and rituals; and a regular practice of nature connection and environmental stewardship work. Arising from
8970-595: The first instance to the succession, declares an irritancy if any of the heirs uses any other designation than that of Macpherson of Belville. Fraser-Mackintosh then asserts that Macpherson bought the right to be buried in Westminster Abbey. A recent commentator suggests Macpherson has become known as "a descendant of a Jacobite clan who became a sycophantic Hanovarian [sic] toady, a man for the main chance". After Macpherson's death, Malcolm Laing , in an appendix to his History of Scotland (1800), concluded that
9085-400: The folkloric belief that such spirits are repelled by iron, and thus they avoid bringing iron to their rituals, so as not to scare those spirits away. Awen is a concept of spirit or divinity in Druidry, which inspires poetry and art, and is believed to be a "flowing spirit" that is given by the deity, which can be invoked by the Druid. In many Druidic rituals, Awen is invoked by either chanting
9200-651: The growth of secularism in the western world have given rise to this broader view of spirituality. The term "spiritual" is now frequently used in contexts in which the term "religious" was formerly employed. Both theists and atheists have criticized this development. Spirituality in Judaism ( Hebrew : רוחניות , romanized : ruhniyut ) may involve practices of Jewish ethics , Jewish prayer , Jewish meditation , Shabbat and holiday observance, Torah study , dietary laws , teshuvah , and other practices. It may involve practices ordained by halakhah or other practices. Kabbalah (literally "receiving")
9315-488: The island was never conquered by the Roman Empire , the Iron Age druids survived here and their teachings were passed down hereditarily until modern times, at which modern Druids can reclaim them. Some Druids claim that they can channel information about the Iron Age druids. Druidry has been described as a religion, a new religious movement , a "spiritual movement", and as a nature religion . It has been described as
9430-545: The land", rather than the "ancestors of the blood" venerated by some Heathen groups; they perceive a spiritual connection, rather than a genetic one, as being important. Emphasising ancestors gives practitioners a sense of an identity which has been passed down from the past over the course of many centuries. Ancestor-veneration leads many neo-druids to object to the archaeological excavation of human remains and their subsequent display in museums. Many neo-druids have organized campaigns for their reburial . For example, in 2006,
9545-571: The late 18th century, modern Druids developed fraternal organizations modeled on Freemasonry that employed the romantic figure of the British Druids and Bards as symbols of the indigenous spirituality of Prehistoric Britain . Some of these groups were purely fraternal and cultural, such as the oldest one that remains, the Ancient Order of Druids founded in 1781, creating traditions from the national imagination of Britain. Others, in
9660-676: The legends surrounding King Arthur . One of the clearest links between Arthuriana and Druidry is through the Loyal Arthurian Warband, a Druidic group in Britain that employs Arthurian symbolism as part of its environmental campaigns. Neo-Druidry has been described as a nature-venerating movement. Neo-druids conceive of the natural world as being imbued with spirit, and thus regard it as being alive and dynamic. 89% of world Druids practice nature-connection, along with some form of environmental stewardship work. Nature-connection involves spending time alone in nature, while maintaining
9775-542: The lived experience of spirituality over historical dogmatic claims, and accepts that the faith is both true and a human construction, and that spiritual experiences are psychologically and neurally real and useful. An inner spiritual struggle and an outer physical struggle are two commonly accepted meanings of the Arabic word jihad : The "greater jihad" is the inner struggle by a believer to fulfill his religious duties and fight against one's ego . This non-violent meaning
9890-518: The love of all existences, the love of God. God and all goodness." Iolo Morganwg, The Gorsedd Prayer. By the end of the 19th century, Druidry was described as a "monotheistic philosophical tradition". Druidry is now often described as polytheistic , although there is no set pantheon of deities to which all Druids adhere. Emphasis is placed upon the idea that these deities predate Christianity. These deities are usually regarded as being immanent rather than transcendent. Some practitioners say that
10005-486: The name Belville or Balavil, in his native Inverness-shire, where he died at the age of 59. Macpherson's remains were carried from Scotland and interred in Westminster Abbey . The Crofters Party MP and antiquarian Charles Fraser-Mackintosh commented on the success of James Macpherson in his second series of Antiquarian Notes (Inverness 1897, pp 369 et seq, public domain), accusing the famous poet of being
10120-406: The natural environment from damage. Many Druids are also involved in environmental activism, acting to protect areas of the natural landscape that are under threat from development or pollution. Druids are generally critical of mainstream society, regarding it as being "governed by consumerism, environmental exploitation, and the supremacy of technology". In contrast to this, Druids seek to establish
10235-420: The night. Druidic rituals usually reflect on the time of year and the changing of the seasons. The most common form of ritual used for seasonal celebrations is a solitary nature ramble to observe and connect with nature, combined with a personal meditation on the meaning of the season at hand. When larger, group rituals are organized among Druids, the rituals tend to be more elaborate and formally structured, with
10350-595: The official Bard to the Chief of Clan MacDonald of Sleat . As a result of their encounter, MacCodrum made, according to John Lorne Campbell , "a brief appearance in the Ossianic controversy which is not without its humorous side." When Macpherson met MacCodrum, he asked, "A bheil dad agaibh air an Fheinne?" Macpherson believed himself to have asked, "Do you know anything of the Fianna ?" He had actually said, however, "Do
10465-573: The original true proponents of this pure original form of Islam. They are strong adherents to the principal of tolerance, peace and against any form of violence. The Sufi have suffered severe persecution by more rigid and fundamentalist groups such as the Wahhabi and Salafi movement . In 1843 the Senussi Sufi were forced to flee Mecca and Medina and head to Sudan and Libya. Classical Sufi scholars have defined Sufism as "a science whose objective
10580-479: The prehistoric druids. Gorsedd , one of the 18th century traditions that were founded by Morganwg, became part of the National Eisteddfod of Wales festival. The concerns of modern Druidry, which include healing the planet, and seeking connections with the natural world, are likely very different from those of the Iron Age societies in which the original druids lived. Another 18th-century fabrication
10695-419: The real existence of these deities is less important to them than the impact that the belief therein has upon their lives. A central prayer in modern Druidic traditions is " The Druid's Prayer ", which was written in the 18th century by Druid Iolo Morganwg and originally addressed to a monotheistic god. In modern times, with the increase in polytheistic Druidry, and the widespread acceptance of goddess-worship,
10810-503: The relationships between the 'primitive' Germanic tribes and the 'enlightened' Roman imperial army; it is also believed that he attended classes at the University of Edinburgh as a divinity student in 1755–56. During his years as a student, he ostensibly wrote over 4,000 lines of verse, some of which was later published, notably The Highlander (1758), a six-canto epic poem, which he attempted to suppress sometime after its publication. On leaving college, he returned to Ruthven to teach in
10925-511: The revival of Theravada Buddhism , and Buddhist modernism , which have taken over modern western notions of personal experience and universalism and integrated them in their religious concepts. A second, related influence was Anthroposophy , whose founder, Rudolf Steiner , was particularly interested in developing a genuine Western spirituality, and in the ways that such a spirituality could transform practical institutions such as education , agriculture , and medicine . More independently,
11040-618: The same. Druids in various parts of Ireland and Britain have reported such sites being home to a "Spirit of the Place" residing there. Many Druids also believe that such sites are centres of earth energy and lie along ley lines in the landscape. These are ideas that have been adopted from Earth mysteries writers like John Michell . In the popular imagination, Druids are closely linked with Stonehenge —a Neolithic and Bronze Age site in Wiltshire , southern England. Although Stonehenge predates
11155-537: The school there, and then became a private tutor. At Moffat he met John Home , the author of Douglas , for whom he recited some Gaelic verses from memory. He also showed him manuscripts of Gaelic poetry, supposed to have been picked up in the Scottish Highlands and the Western Isles ; one was called The Death of Oscar . In 1760, Macpherson visited North Uist and met with John MacCodrum ,
11270-570: The so-called Ossianic poems were altogether modern in origin, and that Macpherson's authorities were practically non-existent. Despite the above, some critics claim that Macpherson nonetheless produced a work of art which by its deep appreciation of natural beauty and the melancholy tenderness of its treatment of the ancient legend did more than any single work to bring about the romantic movement in European, and especially in German, literature. It
11385-629: The spiritual and the religious became more common in the popular mind during the late 20th century with the rise of secularism and the advent of the New Age movement. Authors such as Chris Griscom and Shirley MacLaine explored it in numerous ways in their books. Paul Heelas noted the development within New Age circles of what he called "seminar spirituality": structured offerings complementing consumer choice with spiritual options. Among other factors, declining membership of organized religions and
11500-455: The spiritual practice often includes chanting, singing and music – such as in kirtans – in front of idols, or images of one or more deity, or a devotional symbol of the holy. Karma marga is the path of one's work, where diligent practical work or vartta ( Sanskrit : वार्त्ता , profession) becomes in itself a spiritual practice, and work in daily life is perfected as a form of spiritual liberation and not for its material rewards. Rāja marga
11615-405: The term both spread to other religious traditions and broadened to refer to a wider range of experiences, including a range of esoteric and religious traditions. Modern usages tend to refer to a subjective experience of a sacred dimension , and the "deepest values and meanings by which people live", often in a context separate from organized religious institutions . This may involve belief in
11730-483: The three degrees found in British Traditional Wicca . Other groups eschew any division into bard, ovate, and druid. OBOD primarily educates its members in its form of Druidry through a correspondence course. Every solitary Druid and Druidic grove conducts its rituals and ceremonies in a unique way. Druidic rituals are designed to align their participants with the spirit imbuing nature. According to
11845-429: The twenty-third tirthankara Parshvanatha , whom historians date to 9th century BCE; and the twenty-fourth tirthankara, Mahavira around 600 BCE. Jainism is considered to be an eternal dharma with the tirthankaras guiding every time cycle of the cosmology . Buddhist practices are known as Bhavana , which literally means "development" or "cultivating" or "producing" in the sense of "calling into existence". It
11960-409: The way of devotion; and Karma yoga , the way of selfless action. In the 19th century Vivekananda , in his neo-Vedanta synthesis of Hinduism, added Rāja yoga , the way of contemplation and meditation, as a fourth way, calling all of them "yoga". Jñāna marga is a path often assisted by a guru (teacher) in one's spiritual practice. Bhakti marga is a path of faith and devotion to deity or deities;
12075-450: The western world and Asia, which also influenced western religiosity. Unitarianism, and the idea of Universalism, was brought to India by missionaries, and had a major influence on neo-Hinduism via Ram Mohan Roy 's Brahmo Samaj and Brahmoism . Roy attempted to modernise and reform Hinduism, from the idea of Universalism. This universalism was further popularised, and brought back to the west as neo-Vedanta, by Swami Vivekananda . After
12190-801: The word Druid for both male and female practitioners, eschewing the term Druidess for female followers. Following terms devised by the Druid Philip Carr-Gomm , a distinction has been drawn between "cultural" Druids, who adopt the term as part of their Welsh and Cornish cultural activities, and "esoteric" Druids who pursue the movement as a religion. The scholar of religion Marion Bowman suggested "believing" as an alternative term to "esoteric". There are also individuals who cross these two categories, involving themselves in cultural Druidic events while also holding to modern Pagan beliefs. Some cultural Druids nevertheless go to efforts to disassociate themselves from their esoteric and Pagan counterpart;
12305-416: The word "Awen" or "A-I-O" three times, in order to shift the consciousness of the participants involved. The word "Awen" derives from the Welsh and Cornish terms for "inspiration". A connection with ancestors is important in Druidry. In some recorded examples, Druids regard the "ancestors" as an amorphous group, rather than as a set of named individuals. The Druidic concept of ancestry is that of "ancestors of
12420-541: The word "Goddess" has largely replaced the word "God" in The Druid's Prayer; other variants include "God and Goddess" and "Spirit". Some Druids regard it as possible to communicate with various spirits during rituals. For example, certain Druids in Ireland have adopted belief in the Sí , which are spirits from Irish folklore, into their Druidic system, and they believe that those spirits are elementals . Those druids have adopted
12535-404: The works of a 3rd-century bard was immediately challenged by Irish historians, especially Charles O'Conor , who noted technical errors in chronology and in the forming of Gaelic names, and commented on the implausibility of many of Macpherson's claims, none of which Macpherson was able to substantiate. More forceful denunciations were later made by Samuel Johnson , who asserted (in A Journey to
12650-424: Was Neo-Vedanta , also called neo-Hinduism and Hindu Universalism , a modern interpretation of Hinduism which developed in response to western colonialism and orientalism . It aims to present Hinduism as a "homogenized ideal of Hinduism" with Advaita Vedanta as its central doctrine. Due to the colonisation of Asia by the western world, since the 19th century an exchange of ideas has been taking place between
12765-672: Was a Scottish writer, poet, literary collector, and politician. He is known for the Ossian cycle of epic poems, which he claimed to have discovered and translated from Gaelic. Macpherson was born at Ruthven in the parish of Kingussie in Badenoch , Inverness-shire . This was a Scottish Gaelic -speaking area but near the Ruthven Barracks of the British Army , established in 1719 to enforce Whig rule from London after
12880-531: Was a firm believer in the authenticity of the poems, raised a subscription to allow Macpherson to pursue his Gaelic researches. In the autumn,1760, Macpherson set out to visit western Inverness-shire, the islands of Skye , North Uist , South Uist and Benbecula . Allegedly, Macpherson obtained manuscripts which he translated with the assistance of a Captain Morrison and the Rev. Gallie. Later he made an expedition to
12995-595: Was made secretary to the colonial governor George Johnstone at Pensacola, Florida . He returned to Great Britain two years later, and, despite a quarrel with Johnstone, was allowed to retain his salary as a pension. Macpherson went on to write several historical works, the most important of which was Original Papers, containing the Secret History of Great Britain from the Restoration to the Accession of
13110-454: Was more of an under-the-table government scheme. This suggestion is more or less backed by letters corresponding with other suggested government scammers of the time such as Paul Benfield. In 1783 he also held a position as an agent working with Sir Nathaniel Wraxall , and was noted since this time for being very wealthy, probably from his secret parliamentary pensions he was receiving. In his later years he bought an estate, to which he gave
13225-405: Was quickly translated into many European languages, and Herder and Goethe (in his earlier period) were among its profound admirers. Goethe incorporated his translation of a part of the work into his novel The Sorrows of Young Werther . Melchiore Cesarotti 's Italian translation was reputedly a favourite of Napoleon . Macpherson's legacy indirectly includes the naming of Fingal's Cave on
#976023