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Paganism: Mysteries Revealed From http://library.thinkquest.org/28111/ |
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Paganism: Mysteries Revealed
Paganism is the broad term used to describe any religion or belief that is not Christian, Jewish or Muslim. Paganism can be traced back to Neolithic times and survived up until the middle ages when Christianity became powerful enough to erase it from existence. Paganism is an earth based religion which lays emphasis on the worship of all aspects of nature. Paganism appeared very early on in the history of the world. Examples of early paganism, can be seen in ancient Greek and Roman religions, as well as in ancient Goddess worship and Druidic religions.
Ancient people believed that everything had a spirit and were polytheistic and they placed great importance on the worship of many Gods, Goddesses and Deities. Gods were a part of everyday life and great emphasis was placed on placating them through worship and ritual. Pagans believed that the Gods were immanent and entered every aspect of their society, influencing everything from laws and customs to the general workings of their community.
As Pagans were polytheistic they had gods and goddesses of the forests, the sea and of all aspects of nature. Pagans began to personify the energies of the land, sky and other elements by giving specific responsibilities to individual Gods. As ancient civilizations began to develop and change, the Gods grew and changed with the people. New Gods appeared, one's which were relevant to village life, for example, gods of milling and smithcraft. The old gods remained, but aspects of them changed to conform to the changing people. For example, as war became more prominent, so too did the gods of war, such as Ares and Mars.
Pagans held no belief in heaven and hell as Christians do, rather they believed in reincarnation. They believed that when the body could be re-incarnated in another form. There are many varying beliefs relating to re-incarnation, however the theme remains the same in most forms of Paganism.
Some of the more prominent forms of Paganism include; Ancient Roman Religion and Ancient Greek Religion (see below). In recent years there has been an upsurgence in the practice of paganism. The name given to this new movement is Neo Paganism. There are several forms of neo-pagan traditions which have taken their roots from ancient pagan practices, these include Neo- Druidism and Wicca.
Ancient Roman Religion
Pagan religions believed in many gods and generally worshipped the earth, sea, sun, sky and various other elements of nature. The Romans were polytheistic and much of their lives were spent in a fervent effort to please their gods. This was because ancient Romans believed that their gods had great influence over their daily lives and fates. In order to placate the gods, the Romans believed that certain rituals and rites must be performed in appreciation of the gods works. As the religion progressed, so too did the rituals, this made it necessary to form priesthood’s with specific rituals and traditions. In keeping with the Pagan tradition the Romans had a deep respect for the earth and her cycles. The ancient Roman religion is one of the better known pagan religions.
Early Roman religion was based on spirits. The Romans did not build great mythologies like the Greeks, rather they believed everything had a spirit. These spirits were thought to influence for good or evil, daily life. The Romans therefore had to keep them happy through worship and sacrifice. If the rituals and sacrifices were performed properly the Romans believed the gods would be happy and help them.
Romans believed each God had a specific "field" of expertise. There was a god of the sun, Apollo, a god of the sea, a god of the sky and many others. As Roman life had many different aspects there were many different Gods. If a Roman wanted a good crop he would pray to Ceres, the goddess of agriculture. The most important of all the spirits was Vesta the goddess of the hearth and home and the center of Roman family life. Each household had a small shrine dedicated to the household spirits. The Romans were great copiers. They borrowed many of their gods from the Greeks, but unlike Greek gods, theirs did not have the same definitely conceived personality, they were more cold and formal. The Romans lived under the gods and constantly tried to please them.
The Romans has a well defined state pantheon of gods. These were the official gods led by Jupiter, the father of the gods. Others included;
Mars; god of war, Ceres; Goddess of agriculture, Diana; moon goddess, Juno; goddess of women and childbirth, Minerva; goddess of wisdom and healing in war
The Roman religion was based on rituals and sacred rites. These rituals had become very complex over the years and needed special people to perform them. This is where the priests came in. The chief priesthood’s were usually filled by distinguished statesmen or generals. Roman religion and politics were intermeshed. There were two types of priests;
- priests for the general supervision of religion
- priests of particular deities
As the Roman empire expanded it came into contact with new and different religions. Many were absorbed into the state religion. Religious tolerance was a policy among the emperors. They introduced a policy of syncretism designed to encourage the merging of pagan religions to unite people and effect greater political stability. This cemented and united the empire. So it came to pass that Romans could worship whoever they liked as long as it didn’t interfere with others.
The ancient Roman religion is one of the most well known pagan religions. It was worshipped not only by the Romans, but by the various communities which were absorbed into the Roman Empire. These communities added to the state religion with their own specific beliefs until it was a truly diverse and all encompassing religion. Throughout the modern world, the ancient roman religion is known as one of the world’s first and most famous pagan religions. It is the Roman and the Greek religions which are the basic from modern pagans take their beliefs.
Ancient Greek Religion
Greek religion was a predominant form of early Paganism and as a result their religion reflected many central ideas and concepts of earlier forms of Paganism, such as Druidism, both ancient and Modern and Witchcraft and Wicca. It was polytheistic, consisting of the worship of many Gods. The Greeks believed that the Gods would offer protection and guide their city-states. This belief was identical to other earlier forms of Paganism.
Divinities were the most important element of Greek religion and much emphasis was placed on pleasing the Gods in order to live a life free of oppression and hardship. Like all Pagans, the Greeks believed that they had to worship and please the Gods in order to have good fortune. The Greeks participated in a number of rituals, rites, ceremonies and sacrifices in order to impress and placate the Gods. Temples, shrines and statues were erected as a designated place to offer sacrifices to the Gods.
Religion was a very important aspect of Greek society and culture, with the sacrifices and regular worships of Gods serving to unify the people in a common goal to please the Gods. The Greeks also placed an immense faith in the idea that an afterlife awaited them after their death. They firmly believed that this life was not the only reality in which the soul lives, but after this lifetime, a whole new and different one awaited them.
The origins of Greek history has been lost in pre-history, the only knowledge that has remained is that the Greeks assimilated cults of pre-Greek inhabitants of the Peninsula. An example of this can be seen when the Greeks encountered the Flourishing society of the Minoan civilization whose central divinities influenced characteristics of later Greek Goddesses.
Greek religion was ritual based, practicing a flexible set of beliefs. It was unlike many modern religions, because it made no claims of universality, they did not proselytize, they did not participate in regular clergies, no hierarchical system, no sacred texts or moral code that is backed by religious beliefs. Scholars of the Renaissance believed that Greek religion simply consisted of an abundant treasury of legendary tales told by Greek authors. However Greek religion was not simply legendary tales and fictitious myths, it was a complex organization with each city-state containing its own divinities, which acted to cement the body of citizens into a true community. The Divine played an integral part in Greek religion and their society. The Divine entered all parts of Greek society, domestic affairs, civic organization, gender, agriculture and war. This belief is also reflected in many other earlier forms of Paganism. The Greeks attempted to please the Gods, fearing that they could upset them with insolence and impiety. The Greeks placed great importance on Twelve Pantheon Gods. They also worshipped other deities such as oracles, lesser divinities, demi Gods and Heroes.
The Greeks worshipped many Gods, creating a polytheistic society. The Gods were admired and feared, being distinguished from man by their immortality. The Greeks believed that the Gods controlled natural and social forces and resided on Mount Olympus. The Greeks were an earth based culture as were most early forms of Paganism, holding a high respect for nature and the earth. To reflect this love of nature, the Greeks placed different Gods in charge of different aspects of life.
They had Gods of the countryside; Nymphs, the Goat- God Pan, Naead ( dwelling in springs), dryads (dwelling in trees), Nereids ( dwelling in the sea) and Satyrs, showing their respect for nature. The twelve main Gods were: Hades; God of the underworld, Aphrodite; Goddess of love, Apollo; God of light, purity, guidance, healing and music, Zeus; King of Gods, thunder, lightning, gold and kings, Athere; Goddess of Athens, war, handicrafts and wisdom, Demeter; Goddess of harvest, Hera, Hermes, Hestia, Hephaistos, Poseidon, Artemis and Ares.
Although these twelve Gods were the most important, facets of their personalities were altered by sporadically adding new Gods. The Greeks believed that the Gods were pre-eminently social beings, upholding an organized universe. The Gods were often depicted as humans as the Romans and other early forms of Paganism did. The Gods also occasionally assumed animal guise. Another interesting factor was that each God assumed and represented a different aspect and function of Greek life. Sometimes Gods can be worshipped under different names, for example Zeus can be worshipped under the name Omrios. The Greeks used the Gods to explain the occurrence of things, which they could not understand through lack of scientific proof. For example they thought that the Gods controlled the rising and setting of the sun and created great myths about such events.
Although the Greeks heavily depended on their Gods to uphold their society, it is evident that they relied on other deities as well. This can be seen through the Greeks faith in a deity, which they called an Oracle. An oracles primary function was to offer guidance and advice. In archaic times, the Greeks sought out the Oracles advice in relation to religious and political aspects of life. They were also used as a mean to seek out the will of the Gods. Sanctuaries were dedicated to the Oracles to indicate their importance. Shrines were also erected for the Oracles and became places of international prestige. Oracles controlled many human decisions about health, sickness, peace, war, colonization, migration, crime and punishment.
In order to show their appreciation to the Gods and Oracles, the Greeks would perform a series of rituals, ceremonies, sacrifices and offerings as other forms of Paganism did. Sacrifices of animals; sheep, cows, goats, pigs and bulls were made, as well as the occasional human sacrifice as a present to the Gods. Chosen animals for sacrifice formed a procession, they were crowned, adorned, purified with water and sprinkled with barley. Many temples and shrines were also erected as a mark of respect and for a place to offer their sacrifices. It is obvious that the Greeks placed a lot of pride in their temples and shrines, for extensive time was taken to re-build, preserve and beautify them. Further evidence of the Greeks desire to please the Gods can be seen through their offerings. The Greeks offered such things as stone freezes, "gold vessels, wheat, wine and honey, milk, water and firstfruits." Prayers and hymns accompanied sacrifices and sometimes performances and other ritual acts followed such as dances or early forms of drama.
The function of these sacrifices aside from pleasing the Gods was to unite the people in a common and regular pattern and to intergrade them into the city. It is clear that many similarities can be drawn between other forms of Paganism and Greek religion, through their similar worshiping techniques, their desire to please the Gods and their polytheistic nature.
The after life was also very important to the Greeks, as they believed that their souls were carried on to another dimension and lived on after death. This ideology about death was a direct contrast to other forms of Paganism. Other Pagan religions believed that there was no Heaven or Hell, rather they believed in re-incarnation. They believed that the soul was passed on to another body at the time of death. This is one of the only aspects that distinguishes Greek religion from other forms of Paganism.
The Greeks held a strong belief that your body needed to be buried with the goods and wealth that you had accumulated in this lifetime in order to carry them through into the next life. Gravesites recovered have shown that people have been buried with food, cloths and jeweled ornaments. Kings were buried with bronze weapons, chariots and their horses. In some cases the wives and slaves were killed and buried beside the dead so that the person could take their family with them into the next lifetime. Their bodies are well preserved and embalmed so that they are not ruined for the next life.
It is obvious that the Greeks shared many common aspects with other forms of Paganism. Both held the Gods in high esteem, and attempted to placate them with rites, worships and sacrifices. Another common theme was the fact that both Greek religion and other forms of Paganism were earth based cultures, placing a high respect upon nature. Another link between Greek religion and other forms of Paganism can be seen by their polytheistic nature. The worship of many Gods is linked throughout all of the Pagan religions; Wicca, Druidism, Witchcraft and Neo-Paganism. The only contrast between Greek religion and other forms of Paganism can be seen through their differing beliefs about the after-life. Whilst most Pagan religions hold the belief that their spirit was passed on from one body to the other, Greek religion centered on the belief that the soul moved onto another life, such as Heaven or Hell.
Ancient Drudism
The Druids were an ancient people, originating from Celtic tribes at a time when people had to live close to nature to survive. It is the "revival of the ancient Celtic religions which holds the earth and the environment sacred and promotes a morality based on true honour, strength and justice." As Druidism was a form of Paganism, it was also earth based, placing an emphasis on the worship of all aspects of nature. The Druids were members of a learned class among the Celts and were an important cohesive force skilled in areas which most people were not. They were marked as a priestly upper class in charge of ritualistic religion. "These priests worshiped some Gods similar to those of the Greek’s and Romans, but under different names." (The world book dictionary) They were members of a religious order of priests, prophets and poets. Druids were members of a professional class in Celtic nations, or West Europe and the British Isles.
Druids possessed both political and legal powers and responsibilities to their communities and tribes. They were also capable of magical powers such as divination, prophesizing, controlling the weather, levitation, shape-shifting and they possessed healing abilities. The Druids learned to forecast events by interpreting the flight of birds, by reading the markings on livers and other entrails of sacrificed animals. They also held the position of judge, doctor, mage, mystique, clerical scholar and they held the religious insignia of their culture. Druids provided much needed skills and specialties to their tribe. Through holding these positions, Druids were to be available to people whose "scope of vision was not as wide as theirs." By nature, Druids were watchful and mindful of different aspects of life. Druids possessed a comprehensive knowledge on such things as poetry, architecture, literature, mythology, languages and folklore. In this fashion, they were incredibly learned, having gone through a rigorous education and were able to provide cultural and intellectual impute to their communities for the mutual benefit of all.
Traits of paganism can be seen through the ancient Druids beliefs about death, worshiping and rites. Although there is little known of the rites that they held, what we do know is that they were held in clearings in the forests, as most Pagan worship was practiced outdoors. Although the Druids believed in one main God, believing that it possessed the life force of everything, they also worshipped a number of lesser divinities, making them polytheistic in nature.
Druidism differed from Greek and Roman religion because they did not have clearly defined images to represent the object of their worship and they did not meet in temples or any other form of building to hold their rites. Instead, Druids had a sacred place consisting of a circle of stones, usually near a stream, under a grove or situated near a widespread oak. They met in woods and glens because they held a high respect for nature, believing that their spirits emerged from the tides, the sea, light, wind, the sun and the oak tree. They participated in two main festivals each year. The first one was named Beltane (Fire God) and the second one was named Samhin (Fire of peace), celebrated on hallow’s Eve. The Druids also worshiped Gods such as the Gods of: sun, animals, war, fertility, the river, smithcraft and sovereignty, as Pagans did.
The Druids had strong belief’s about sacrifice and the idea of death. As Pagans, they did not believe in Heaven or Hell as Christians did. Rather they believed in re-incarnation of the soul into another form. They held a principal doctrine stating that the soul was immortal and passed at death from one person to another, thus they did not fear the idea of death. The Druids differed in one aspect in their sacrifices from what the later Pagans did. Similar to Pagans, the Druids held animal sacrifices in order to please the Gods. However, the Druids also sacrificed humans as well. Some sources suggest that the human sacrifices were voluntary, but the main reason was to punish a criminal.
Neo Paganism
Paganism is a broad, eclectic, contemporary religious movement that encompasses ecstatic, polytheistic and magical religions. Today, it is termed ‘Neo-paganism’ to illustrate its connection to and difference from the pre-Christian pagan religions. There are several forms of Neo-paganism, including Wicca, Neo-Drudism and Astrau. Neo-paganism is a broad term which encompasses many diverse and differing religions, but most have several common themes which identifies them as Neo-pagan.
Neo-pagans are usually polytheistic or duotheistic. That is, they believe in two or many gods. Wiccans are duotheistic and worship the Goddess and the God, also known as the 'huntress' and the 'horned one.' The Druids, on the other hand, are polytheistic and worship aspects of nature such ‘the river’, ‘the sky’, and ‘the sun.’ Most are nature centered worshipping pre-Christian deities. Many of these pre-Christian religions have been changed and revived so that they have a greater relevance to contemporary lifestyles. Neo-pagans have introduced various new concepts to these ancient religions as well as changing and modifying pre existing traditions. New concepts include; dynamic and diverse personal beliefs, lack of institutionalization, a search for spiritual fulfillment and encouragement and acceptance of diversity.
Many Neo-pagan religions have previously been wiped out and have been reconstructed from ancient sources. Neo-pagans (like ancient pagans) have a deep respect for nature. This stems from their belief that The Gods are immanent. Neo-pagans believe that the Divine is everywhere, not only above us, but all around us and within us. Their religion centers around the earth and her seasonal cycles.
The most prevalent Neo-pagan religion is Wicca.. This is a revived form of pre-Christian Goddess worship. Wiccans, as do most Neo-pagans observe four main seasonal days which celebrate the miracle of nature and give thanks to the Goddess for her gifts. As a result of their love of nature Wiccans, and many other Neo-pagans, prefer to worship whilst they are immersed in nature, so they are closer to the Goddess.
Many Neo-pagans such as Wiccans and Druids practice magic. Magic played an important role in these religions and was seen as a conscious direction of ones will to create change. Wiccans practice magic in ‘magic circles’ during certain powerful phases of the moon. Many Neo-pagans believe in and are governed by the ‘Wiccan Rede,’ that is, "An it harm none, do what thou wilt." This Rede, was in essence a code of practice, which effectively prevents practitioners of magic from harming anyone.
The recent resurgence in Neo-pagan religions can be attributed to several factors. With the major upheavals of the 1960s many people found themselves becoming disillusioned with the present mainstream religions. Through reviving the basic practices of Paganism [ now called Neo- paganism], many people found a spiritual outlet by returning to nature based religions. These ancient religions had sustained the world for centuries before the appearance of Christianity and with the world becoming increasingly complicated and stressful, modern people found a much needed and sought after spiritual path.
Ancient pagan religions provided simple folk with a release from pressures and today it provides a tolerant setting, which encourages diversity and a quest for spiritual fulfillment, that the materialistic twentieth century lacks.
Witchcraft & Wicca
Witchcraft is one of the more well known ancient pagan religions which has its roots in ancient folk ways and beliefs, usually following the seasonal cycle. Witchcraft is an earth based religion which worships the life force of nature on the planet and in the skies. Many forms of ancient Goddess worship were polytheistic. A "witch" meant different things in different societies. In some cultures they were tribal "witch doctors" or healers. The form of witchcraft we are looking at is the ancient pagan religion, sometimes called the "Old Religion."
There are several forms of worship in witchcraft. These vary from elaborate rituals to simple meditation. Wicca is a modern, revived and updated form of pre-Christian religions concerned with Goddess worship, primarily witchcraft. There are, however, several variations between modern and ancient witchcraft which will be explored in this essay. As a result of the persecutions of witches in the middle ages, much of the religion was lost. Thus any revival of the ancient religion is imperfect and fragmented. As a result of the changing needs and requirements of modern people modifications and reforms were made to the Old Religion. To understand these differences we must first look at the ancient pagan religion of witchcraft.
Witchcraft was an ancient religion based on a fertility cult practiced by peasants. Its origins have been traced to Neolithic cave paintings. Witchcraft means "Craft of the Wise Ones" and is also known as the "Old Religion." Witchcraft (or aspects of it) seems to have survived alongside Christianity up until the middle ages where the Church became powerful enough to almost completely wipe it out through propaganda, torture and genocide. Whomever remained of the religion were forced to go into hiding or risk death. Both modern and ancient Witches believe are monotheistic. They believe in one God and one Goddess but worship them as many gods. This is because they believe that all gods are aspects of the Goddess and the God. There are many different names and forms to the God and the Goddess.
The Goddess is the mother of all things, of nature and of earth. She is also known as the Huntress, Gaia (mother earth), Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Ceridwen, Diana, Arionrhod and Brigid. She is represented by the moon, and is seen to be a symbol of fertility and life. Her power is greatest during the fertile months of May to October. An important Wiccan belief is "The Charge of the Goddess,"which is the word of the Goddess commanding all believers to worship her and respect all life on earth.
The God is symbolised in the woodlands, in the sun and in the hunt. The God is known as the consort of the Goddess and the horned one as the ancient people hunted horned animals. This represents his majesty, skill and strength. His power is at it’s peak in the ‘dark half’ of the year, from October to May.
Witches, (as all pagans do) believe that the gods are immanent. They believe that the gods not only live above us, but, more importantly they live all around us and inside us. Witches believe that the divine is in all things, from the smallest pebble to the tallest tree. This beliefs partly explains Witches deep respect and affinity with nature.
Unlike Christians, Witches do not build churches or temples, rather, they worship outdoors, in gods creation. Witches worship through meditation and prayer. Witches worship and celebrate within a ritual 'circle.' Within the circle worship and the practice of magic occurs. Magic is performed at certain times which coincide with the phases of the moon. They believe that the moon is very powerful as it symbolizes the goddess. Both modern and ancient Witches use certain tools to aid in the performance of magic. These include; spells, visualization, chants, candles, amulets and meditation. Much of the ancient forms and practices of magic have been lost over the centuries, therefore modern magic is slightly different to ancient as Wiccans have been forced to change and adapt their worship to a modern setting.
Magic is a conscious direction of one’s will to cause change, for good or bad. However, Witches are prevented from using ‘black’ or evil magic through their belief in the Wiccan Rede and the three fold law. The Wiccan Rede. is; "An thou harm none, do what thou wilt." Witches believe that whatever they do will come back to them three fold, therefore they are prevented from harming anyone. They also celebrate their oneness with life and the earth and the passing of the tides and the seasons.
Witches do not believe in the after life as such, rather they believe in re-incarnation. Witches accept that they keep coming back to purify themselves and attain perfection, when they have reached a certain level of attainment, they are absorbed into the godhead and do not return.
Wicca appeared in the 60s and 70s led by a man called Gerald Gardner. It was a modern spiritual movement, based on witchcraft but with modern themes and issues. Wiccans were generally disillusioned with the mainstream religions and turned to Witchcraft in the hopes of finding spiritual fulfillment which they thought to be lacking in the materialistic, fast paced modern world. By returning to nature and ancient practices Wiccans have found an outlet for their spiritual and emotional needs. Although the modern form of Witchcraft is not an exact replica of ancient Witchcraft, it fulfills the same needs and longings ancient people felt and modern people feel. Wicca symbolizes a return to the old way of life which sustained the people of the earth for so many thousands of years and proves that one may try and stamp out and ridicule others beliefs but if they satisfy a basic human necessity they will survive.
Charge of the Goddess
"Whenever you have need of anything, once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full, you shall assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of Me who is Queen of all the Wise. You shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that you be free you shall be naked in your rites. Sing, feast, dance, make music and love, all in My presence, for Mine is the ecstasy of the spirit, and Mine also is joy on earth. For My law is love unto all beings. Mine is the secret that opens the door of youth, and Mine is the cup of wine of life that is the Cauldron of Ceridwen that is the holy grail of immortality. I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal and beyond death I give peace and freedom and reunion with those that have gone before. Nor do I demand aught of sacrifice, for behold, I am the mother of all things, and My love is poured upon the earth."
Hear the words of the Star Goddess, the dust whose feet are the host of heaven, whose body encircles the universe: "I who am the beauty of the green earth and the white moon among the stars and the mysteries of the waters, I call upon your soul to arise and come unto me. For I am the soul of nature that gives life to the universe. From Me all things proceed and unto Me they must return. Let My worship be in the heart that rejoices, for behold -- all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals. Let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you. And you who seek to know Me, know that your seeking and yearning will avail you not, unless you know the Mystery: for if that which you seek, you find not within yourself, you will never find it without. For behold, I have been with you from the beginning, and I am that which is attained at the end of desire."
Doreen Valiente, Book of Shadows
Neo-Druidism
There are many common links from Neo-Druidism to ancient Druidism. Whilst these links exist, modern Druids role in contemporary society has rapidly diminished. In modern times their role has been reduced to practicing rituals and sacrifices for their own benefit in comparison to ancient times where they stood as an learned and wise class, providing skills vital to their tribes survival. However there are many common threads which link ancient times to the present. These common links can be seen through the modern Druids sacrifices, rituals and their continued earth based and polytheistic nature.
Although some documentation and sources still exist revealing evidence of how the ancient Druids lived, what their rituals were and what they practiced, there is still a lot of gaps in the amount of knowledge that has been recovered, as much of it has been wiped out. Thus Neo-Druids have reconstructed what they could from past texts and documents, but have added many adaptations themselves which in some cases are diverse and dynamic personal beliefs which are directed into re-discovering the old ways and to act as a healing force to this world. Although there are many voids in what we know about ancient Druids, modern movements of Druidism cling to what they do know and simply adapt new ideas to older concepts. Although the Neo-Druids do not totally replicate what the ancient Druids practiced, they follow their hearts and practice things which they perceive to be good and true.
Neo-Druids are still an earth based culture, paying a high respect to nature and continuing to practice many rituals and sacrifices in forests, glens and other places where they can be immersed in nature. Modern Druids honour "Mother Earth", which is an adaptation attributed of Neo-Druids. Although this was a modern adaptation, modern Druids do not feel that this negates its importance. They see it as a way of re-establishing an interdependence of people to the earth. A form of worship that they do for to show their appreciation for the earth is to cast seeds or grains to the earth itself. Modern Druids also have a chant which goes with it "Earth Mother, giver of life we return to you a measure of the bounty you have provided may you be enriched and your wild things be preserved."
Modern Druids are still polytheistic in nature. Although they continue to worship one main God and Goddess, they also worship a number of lesser divinities. Also, they do not always use the same divine beings for worship. They feel that they could refer to as many different Gods, Goddesses and divinities as they see fit in one ritual. The Modern Druids felt that different Gods and Goddesses had different relationships with humans and each other. They worshiped different Gods as Patrons of differing precincts, as workers, or specific energies, as representatives of particular relationships on the earthly plane.
Modern Druids have a cosmos of three special elements; the sky, the sea and the land. These three elements converge to form what is known as the sacred fire, which is represented as the 'Presence of the Gods.' Another adaptation is that of the "Dragon". This is a concept similar to the Christian concept of the Holy Spirit. Neo-Druids believe that this "Dragon Energy" was all encompassing, genderless and it is projected by the Neo-Druids as a sacred being. They felt that this "Dragon energy" was beyond description and that it flowed through everything, it was seen to be immanent. Modern Druids believed that the "Dragon" could be seen in every aspect of nature, its breath in the wind and its scales in the bark of trees. This idea of an ever-present being is a common element which runs through most Neo-Pagan movements.
Another common factor that links modern and ancient Druidism is their similar patterns of worship and sacrifice. As ancient Druids sacrificed things to the Gods to please them, Modern Druids imitate this concept by worshipping such things as herbs, incense, flowers, oils, all believed to be wonderfully accepted by the Gods. Whilst the ancient Druids sacrificed animals, the Neo-Druid movements disagreed with the harm of any living being. Their greatest Pagan principal is based on that of no harm to any living being, thus they offer such things as plants and herbs.
Neo-Druids believed that all ground was sacred. This was a slight variation upon what the ancient Druids believed and they chose to have rites on pre-ordained or previously designated sacred ground. This ground may be on private land and includes amenities such as groves, sacred trees, special hedges or a structure similar to this. To begin the rites, the modern Druids have a pre-ritual briefing to organize individual thoughts and to set a tranquil atmosphere upon the sacred place.
Following this, everyone participates in a meditation to bring them into a sacred mindset and into harmony with the other participants. The meditation was then brought to a close with either a musical cue or a personal summoning. People then move to the organized ritual area and begin with the rituals. Whilst we do not know extensive details about the pre-ritualistic organizations of the ancient Druids, it is clear that Neo-Druids have a set and specific code of practice done to initiate their rituals.
Page of sources, permissons and references
Permissions
1) General permission for 'Ritual,' ' Drawing down the Moon' and Worship. http://www.myfreeoffice.com/silverdawn. Silverdawn, John Harvey. Feb 99. Electronic Sources
Web Pages
1) Thorn, Michael "The Pagan Federation online?" 06/10/99 (http://www.paganfed.demon.co.uk .) 10/05/99
2) Dancer, Sean "Minot Pagan alliance" 09/07/99 (http://mpa.minot.com/faqs/index.html)20/05/99.
3) Belfield, Andy "Ceridwen’s Cauldron" 06/02/99 (http://www.ceridwen.demon.co.uk/) 14/6/99.
4) Robinson B.A "Neo-Pagan Traditions" 08/04/99 (http://www.religioustolerance.org/neo-pagan.html) 10/04/99
5)Ronewits, Isaac "What Neo-Pagan believe 5.5" 08/02/99 (http://wwwneopagan.net/neopagansbelieve.html) 07/08/99.
6) Rilborn, Bill " Academic computing service; Paganism/ Neo-Paganism."05/07/99.(http://eagle.ce.ukans.edu/) 05/07/99.
7) Brightsword, Dagonet "Neo-Paganism- The Divine in all Creations" 09/09/94 (http://geocities.datacellar.net/sthens/98os/neopaganinfo.html) 20/07/99
8) McDonald, A. " Druids and Paganism" 06/05/99 (http://www.goodnet.com/~merlyn/druid.html.) 12/07/99
Printed Materials
Entire Book
1) Arnaldo, N "On Pagans, Jews and Christians" Weslegan university press: USA, 1987.
2) Pross, A "The Pagan Cult." Barnes and Noble books, USA, 1970.
3) Bowersooh, G.W. "Hellenism in late Antiquity" University of Michigan Press, USA; 1990.
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