A Typical Druid? pt2: “With a rebel yell”*

Because we are unable to define a “typical Druid” by looking at the confusing modern use of ‘Druid’ as a title, or by looking at the vast array of beliefs and practices that come under the umbrella term of ‘Druid’. Perhaps we can gain a clearer picture by looking at the kind of people who walked the Druid path in the pre-Roman , early Druid renaissance, and in our modern eras.

From the few contemporary historical account that we have, and from the surviving myths and folktales, we can surmise that in pre-Roman Britain the Druids were a select social caste with a special place within their society. This is extremely significant in a highly structured, labour intensive, tribal dynamic where everyone must fulfil a vital role to ensure the survival and prosperity of the overall clan. For someone to become a Druid was to separate that person from “core” activities of society (hunting, farming, building etc) to pursue more intellectual, religious and mystical, less materialistic, goals. The office of Druid was held to be so ‘special’ that many of the normal society rules didn’t apply to them as demonstrated by the ability to walk through battle fields unmolested. Being a Druid carried a certain amount of respect, but it no doubt also carried with it an amount of awe, fear, mistrust and mystery. Druids as magicians, healers and intermediaries of the Gods would be considered a vital part of the survival of the tribe, but, by the very nature of the role, they would be slightly distanced from it as well dwelling on the fringe separate from the mainstream of society.

In its first flush the Druid Renaissance was populated by ‘beneficent societies’ organisations, similar to the Freemasons. They sponsored schools, hospitals and other public charitable works. They were an accepted and acceptable part of ‘decent’ mainstream society. However, from it earliest beginnings, modern Renaissance Druidry has held more than its fair share of radical, eccentric and notable characters in its membership. People who steered and influenced the shape of ‘Neo-Druidry’ that we practice today. 

Arguably the founding father of Renaissance Druidry, Iolo Morganwg (Edward Williams 1737-1826) was a leading Welsh antiquarian and visionary who actively pursued and promoted his version of the Welsh Bardic and Druidic tradition. As it turned out Iolo was also a prolific literary forger, depressive and opium (laudanum) addict. 

There was William Price (1800 – 1893) the anti-vivisection, vegetarian physician who was a campaigner for the abolition of marriage (it enslaves women), an advocate of ‘free love’and the champion of the legality of cremation, amongst many other things. A staunch proponent of Neo-Druidry and Welsh nationalism, Dr William Price is regarded as “one of the greatest Welshmen of all time” [Dean Powell ] and “one of the most colourful characters in Welsh history, and one of the most remarkable in Victorian Britain” [Prof. Ronald Hutton].

As Iolo Morganwg is seen as the father of renaissance druidry, George Watson ‘Macgregor’ Reid (1850-1946) can be seen as the father of “modern druidry”. Reid was the founder of ‘The Universal Bond of the Sons of Men’ a group that blended and explored world religions, spirituality and magic. The Universal Bond became the Ancient Druid Order, which became the foundation of all modern Druid orders. Reid was a flamboyant, bombastic and charismatic Scot, who delighted at being one of the “peculiar people” as he put it. He had close affiliations with principle members of the original Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, was a keen cabalist with Universalist leanings. A life long socialist with anarchist sympathies, a political agitator, a vegetarian and a campaigner for health reforms, natural cures, natural foods, the anti-vivisection movement, and many other non-conformist ideals. As Dr Adam Stout remarks in his Mt. Haemus lecture “They were the ideals of the counter-culture, and George Watson Reid was right in the thick of it.” [Universal Majesty, Verity and Love Infinite – A Life of George Watson Macgregor Reid]

As is obvious, these people did not conform to mainstream or normal society. They were freethinkers who weren’t afraid to stand out from the crowd. Like their historical counterparts, they were part of society but held a certain degree of separation from it.

In our modern era Paganism is a tiny minority ‘religion’ (for want of a better word) and as such is populated by those who’s ideas don’t always conform with the majority of society. Until the fairly recent upsurge in interest, Druidry was even a fringe group within the Pagan community, and to find out about Druidry, let alone practice it, you had to actively seek it out.

 Today we have a diverse multicultural and multi-faithed society where people in general are a lot more accepting and tolerant of a wide range of spiritual practices, belief systems, “alternative” lifestyles and subcultures. Paganism and Druidry, mainly because of the internet, are more popular and accessible than ever. However, they are still along way from mainstream public acceptance or understanding. Thankfully the days of the 1980’s “satanic panic” are behind us and slowly fading from the public consciousness, in the UK at least, and in my experience the reactions you’re most likely to face when someone discovers you are a “Druid” is general indifference or degrees of ridicule (the most frequently asked question or assumption being: “does that mean you dance around naked on the hill for the solstice?”). Following a Druidic path, especially openly, is still a decision that will mark you out as different to the public “norm”. 

So, as we take this quick look at three stages in Druidic history we can start to see a pattern emerging, some shared characteristics that are common to those drawn to explore the Druid path . Whilst not every Druid needs to be a political radical, a visionary reformer, or an out spoken “eccentric”. To follow the Druid path you must have to have a certain disregard for popular mainstream opinions, an independence of thought, an open and enquiring mind, a strong sense of self determination and a willingness to abandon the safety and comfort of social conformity to pursue your own spiritual needs.

These freethinking, independent, open minded, questioning and self-determined characteristics are just some of what I think are essential in the psychological make up of a modern “Typical Druid”. Combined they provide the drive to question the assumptions of mainstream society, to explore a spiritual path that rejects the teachings and social control of the acceptable major religions, to risk being ostracised or ridiculed by society to follow what ‘feels’ right., to stand out from the crowd and follow the ‘less trodden path’. 

These are just some of the initial characteristics of a modern “Druid”, I will attempt to look at some more in part 3: the Secret of the Druids prayer”**

*ok, you’re right, this isn’t what I promised at the end of part 1

**no, honestly I mean it this time…

Gotham and Arkham

*A little something from my files I thought was lost!*

Non Druidic fact of the day….

In DC comics “Batman” universe two iconic locations are Gotham City and the Arkham Asylum. 

Arkham, as many of you will know, was a town invented by weird fiction and horror writer HP Lovecraft. 

However, the name “Gotham” is a nickname for New York City – in particular Manhatten. Gotham, as relating to New York City, was first introduced by seminal American writer Washington Irving (“Legend of sleepy hollow”, “Rip Van Winkle” etc.) Irving used the name Gotham in his satirical magazine “Salmagundi” (1807) to ridicule the people of New York. Irving took the name Gotham from the village in South Nottinghamshire where the people were renowned for being particularly stupid. 

According to legend, King John (1166-1206) was travelling through Nottinghamshire and the village of Gotham was on route. As was the custom at that time, any road the king travelled on became a public highway. The people of Gotham not wanting a public highway to run through their village decided to act very strange, backwards and stupid, so that when the kings heralds came in advance of the King they saw how bizarre the village was and diverted the royal party around it. The stories soon spread about the village of Gotham and it became a byword for stupidity or nonsense.

Washington Irving corresponded with, and encouraged, many younger writers including Edgar Allen Poe. Poe went on to become a famous satirist, poet and gothic horror writer. He also became one of the two main literary influences of weird fiction and horror writer HP Lovecraft, who invented a town called Arkham…..