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> Druidism, from Encarta
Shadows 
Posted: 05-Mar-2005, 04:05 PM
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Druidism, religious faith of ancient Celtic inhabitants of Gaul and the British Isles from the 2nd century bc until the 2nd century ad. In parts of Britain that the Romans did not invade, Druidism survived until it was supplanted by Christianity two or three centuries later. This religion included belief in the immortality of the soul, which at death was believed to pass into the body of a newborn child. According to Julius Caesar, drawing on a biased account of the cult written by Posidonius, a Stoic philosopher and historian, the Druids believed that they were descended from a supreme being.

The ancient accounts assert that the functions of priests, religious teachers, judges, and civil administrators were performed by Druids, with supreme power being vested in an archdruid. Three classes of Druids existed: prophets, bards, and priests. They were assisted by female prophets or sorcerers, who did not enjoy the powers and privileges of the Druids. The Druids were well versed in astrology, magic, and the mysterious powers of plants and animals; they held the oak tree and the mistletoe, especially when the latter grew on oak trees, in great reverence, and they customarily conducted their rituals in oak forests. Archaeologists believe that the Druids probably used as altars and temples the stone monuments known as dolmens (see Dolmen) that are found throughout the areas where Druidism flourished. Stonehenge in England antedates Druidism by many centuries.

The Druids led their people in resisting the Roman invasions, but their power was weakened by the rebelliousness of the Gallic warriors, who were envious of their political authority. The superior military strength of the Romans and the subsequent conversion of many followers of Druidism to Christianity led to the disappearance of the religion.



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Shadows 
Posted: 05-Mar-2005, 04:09 PM
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and here is part of the text from the link to magic:

I INTRODUCTION


Magic (sorcery), art of attaining objectives, acquiring knowledge, or performing works of wonder through supernatural or nonrational means. Techniques used in magic typically include chants and spells, gestures or actions that often have a symbolic relation to the desired result (for example, acting out a successful hunt of the past to make a future hunt successful), and the use of substances believed to have a special relationship with the powers needed to accomplish the intended purpose.

II TYPES OF MAGIC

Anthropologists distinguish three types of magical practice: homeopathic magic, or the use of small portions of a thing to represent and affect the whole; sympathetic magic, in which a symbolic action (for example, sticking pins into a doll) affects an object with which the symbol is in ?sympathy? or harmony; and contagious magic, the influencing of one thing through contact with another that is believed to be magically charged. The theoretical foundation for most magical practices is a belief in correspondences, or hidden relationships among entities within the universe?especially between human beings and the external world. According to this view, the application of the right colors, objects, sounds, or gestures in a given context can bring about the desired result. The theory of correspondences affirms the power of thought to confer reality on products of the imagination, particularly when these thoughts are expressed through significant symbols.

Magic is widely practiced in primal and traditional societies. In such contexts magic is not simply a prescientific way of attaining practical ends?it may also involve at least a partial symbolic recognition of the society?s spiritual world view and of its gods and myths. In this respect magic often merges with religion, and indeed the line between the two is frequently blurred. Religion, however, is usually regarded as the public acknowledgment of spirituality, while magic tends to be private and oriented toward power and gain by supernatural means rather than toward worship. A distinction can also be drawn between white and black magic: White magic is employed for benign ends, and black magic is used to harm others. Black magic is sometimes referred to as witchcraft or sorcery, even though many people who practice witchcraft do not seek to cause harm.

Magic in the supernatural sense is different from stage magic, in which apparent magical effects are produced for entertainment through such means as sleight of hand (see Magic). A distinction is also made between magic and divination, which is the art of foretelling the future course of events: Magic attempts to affect the future, not merely to predict it. By this definition, occult practices such as astrology, card-reading, and palmistry are not magical (see Occultism), whereas concocting love potions and casting spells are magical practices, as is the art of invoking spirits by means of chants and gestures (see Spiritualism). Many practitioners of magic also believe that these techniques must be combined with concentration of thought upon the desired objective.

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CelticRoz 
Posted: 05-Mar-2005, 06:15 PM
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QUOTE (Shadows @ 05-Mar-2005, 05:05 PM)
led to the disappearance of the religion.

Shadows, did I read this right? Because I know of many people today who are still practicing the religion, which is why I ask this question. Thanks. smile.gif
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Aaediwen 
Posted: 05-Mar-2005, 08:46 PM
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QUOTE (CelticRose @ 05-Mar-2005, 07:15 PM)
Shadows, did I read this right? Because I know of many people today who are still practicing the religion, which is why I ask this question. Thanks. smile.gif

Druidism in its original form is long gone. The neo-Druids of today are attempting an amiable and monumentous task of trying to revive the religon from what little knowedge has survived, but there are so many holes that we can't know how the old Druids believed and worshipped with any certainty. so modern Druidic practices won't be like they were all those years ago.


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CelticRoz 
Posted: 05-Mar-2005, 08:59 PM
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Oh! Thanks so much Aaediwen for explaining this to me. smile.gif I find this topic very interesting.
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Mailagnas maqqas Dunaidonas 
Posted: 06-Mar-2005, 07:40 PM
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A resource I highly recommend for those interested in ancient Druidism is "The Druids" by Peter Berresford Ellis. Mr. Ellis presents a persuasive argument that while the Druid class included the Celtic priesthood, Druids were essentially the intellectual class of the Celts. As such, the Druids included not only religious professionals, but also philosophers, judges, teachers, historians, political advisors, and even some kings, among other professions.
When the Druids becaome Chrisitians, they essentially continued doing what they had always done, with a few changes. For example, they started writing instead of committing everything to memory, which resulted in the the flowering of Irish literature. Thus, much of what we know of pre-Christian Ireland is the result of former Druids, who became Christian monks, writing down what they had previsously memorized, albeit with a Christian gloss on what had been a pagan oral tradition.
Arguably, those who claim to be "Druids" now have merely hijacked the name, but are in fact practicing something other than pre-Christian Druidism.


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CelticRoz 
Posted: 06-Mar-2005, 07:52 PM
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Thanks Mailagnus for that information. I have not read that book you have mentioned, but I have read some on Druidism and from what I have read it did state all those sames things your author mentions. The ancient Druids strongly believed in the Fae too, did they not?
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Mailagnas maqqas Dunaidonas 
Posted: 06-Mar-2005, 08:09 PM
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CelticRose,
I haven't really studied the Fae as such, but from what I recall they are derived from the Tuath de Danaan, a pre-Celtic Irish tribe, and so the pre-Christian Irish, including their Druids, would likely have believed in them. It seems to me that they were supposed to have been among the original inhabitants of Ireland who, following their defeat by the Milesians, went underground, so to speak.
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Aaediwen 
Posted: 07-Mar-2005, 01:54 PM
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Here, you are getting into where the line between real history and mythology is blurred to the point of non-existance. The Thutha de Danann were the original inhabitants of Ireland. It is they who became the Celtic gods and goddesses (Rhiannon, Brighid, Kerridwen, Bel, etc...). Where they came from is unknown. I've even heard it said that perhaps they were Atlantian evacuees. I would recommend reading the story of Brighid's Mantle at some point.

According to Celtic mythology, they were eventually replaced as a power in the isles, by the followers of Finn MacCoul (known as the Finnians). The Thutha de Danann, however, continued on. more likely known as na Sidhe, the fae. It is believed that the inhabitants of Ireland even today are descendants from the Thutha de Danann and the Finnians.

With the comming of Christianity, many of the Celtic deities became Catholic saints (St. Brigit). But what is real and what is no more than a bardic tale is unknown. I've read stories of Rhiannon where she is prtrayed as a goddess, and I've also read the first book of the Mabinogion where she is a very real person who is wife to Dyfed. Where she comes from is unknown, but he meets her when she passes on the road below while he is sitting on the hill of Tara. What I've heard of Lugh places him as a very skilled man. Daughter of an unwitting (and as of his birth very ticked off) Arianrhod.

There is more too wink.gif
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CelticRoz 
Posted: 08-Mar-2005, 06:17 PM
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Thanks guys! The little I have read on the subject of Druidism and the Fae is what you both have shared. And like Aaediwen says, there is that blur of mythology and history. I am still studying about it all, but you guys confirmed what I am read and taught me more!

Thanks Shadows for starting this thread! wink.gif
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Shadows 
Posted: 09-Mar-2005, 02:09 PM
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QUOTE (Aaediwen @ 07-Mar-2005, 02:54 PM)
"...were the original inhabitants of Ireland. It is they who became the Celtic gods and goddesses (Rhiannon, Brighid, Kerridwen, Bel, etc...). Where they came from is unknown.... "


"...I've read stories of Rhiannon where she is prtrayed as a goddess, and I've also read the first book of the Mabinogion where she is a very real person who is wife to Dyfed. Where she comes from is unknown,..." (There is more too wink.gif

Mabinogion is a Welsh name as well Rhiannon!

I researched this fully before I named one of my 3 girls after her!

I will have to see if I have the info still on my machine... after all it was 19 years ago I named her, and before that it was her 1st sister that was to have the name, but family pressure did not allow it to happen then, 27 years ago.. . I will look and see if I can find it!
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Aaediwen 
Posted: 09-Mar-2005, 06:37 PM
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Yes, the Mabinogion is Welsh lore. As with Rhiannon, Mabon, Culwich and Olwen, etc... wink.gif
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Eiric 
Posted: 11-May-2005, 09:17 AM
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Being what ye call Neo-Druid I have to tell you that we try to practise the sabbats etcetera in the Old traditoinal way, but as you say, much is gone and we have to sort of create a new druidism. I'm an ovate, the first step in becoming a druid, and therefor I cannot say that you're right or not, but being a neo-druid means studying Celtic history, culture, old Gaulish, the celtic languages, religion, mythology, and on and on and on...


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Tha gach uile dhuine air a bhreth saor agus co-ionnan ann an urram 's ann an còirichean. Tha iad air am breth le reusan is le cogais agus mar sin bu chòir dhaibh a bhith beò nam measg fhein ann an spiorad bràthaireil

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Druid_of_Ark 
Posted: 11-Dec-2007, 09:07 PM
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My Dear CelticRose, there are many that practice Modern Druidry but alas the Ancient forms of the faith were wiped out when the Christians invaded and used their Loving God to convert people...of course those that did not convert to their God of love were quickly tortured to death. Anyway the modern reconstruction of Druidism is in fact close to but not the true Druidism. I have been a Druid for many years but I never deceive my students into believing that Druidism today is the same as was practiced in the 2nd century BCE through the 2nd Century CE. To do so would be less than honest and as a Druid I honour Honesty above all else.


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Sìmeag 
Posted: 27-Feb-2009, 04:23 PM
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QUOTE (Mailagnas maqqas Dunaidonas @ 07-Mar-2005, 01:40 AM)
A resource I highly recommend for those interested in ancient Druidism is "The Druids" by Peter Berresford Ellis.

Professor Ronald Hutton has also written a book, easily digestible for non-academics, entitled "The Druids: A History", which will be followed by a more academic tome later.


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