Meeting Persephone

I guess, as a solitary, I'm at a certain disadvantage because I cannot turn to the person next to me at a ritual or ceremony and say, "am I a Druid even if.....?". And so, because I consider everyone's paths to be personal and because this blog is about my personal journey (among other things), I will be working this all out before your very eyes and my own. For those of you who thought I had my proverbial 'shit together' you're in for a rude awakening. I am just as willing to learn and re-learn and admit to my uncertainty on certain matters as one just beginning a brand new religious journey. And so, without further adieu, here we go.....

Beliefs

1. In Spirit, or God/dess - in something more than just matter

Among Druids there are those who view Druidry as a philosophy or way of life. There are also those who are polytheists, monotheists, duotheists, pantheists, panentheists, and animists. And then there are those, who like me, choose not to define the Divine but acknowledge that It is very really and beyond our understanding. One of the other key qualities of Druidry is the tolerance of other beliefs as well as other interpretations and expressions of those beliefs whatever they might be. Another important thing that I'd like to point out in this definition is that a belief in the Celtic pantheon is not assumed nor required in Druidry. This is an important note for me to make as this is one of my struggles. Not that I do not respect the Celitic Gods but that still seem to have a hard time in forming an attachment to the pantheon.

2. In the Otherworld - in something more than just the world of appearances

This one tends to be a fine line for many, but yes, I do believe in the Otherworld. Some see this as kooky or fluffy belief induced by a lack of seriousness or a flighty personality. I see this place as one where I can communicate with ancestors or those seeking to offer guidance. I still have a bit of a fear of shamanistic exploration of the Otherworld as I do not have someone who would be with me to ensure the safety of the experience and I do not feel that anyone should embark on those journeys without those certain safeguards in place. Of course experiences of the Otherworld can also occur in sleep during dreams and those I don't consider to be risky in the same way as ecstatic journey. I've had many of those sort of experiences.

3. In Rebirth - in life after death in some form

I believe the opposite of this to be a cruelty that I cannot imagine. The idea that a child born without a fully deveoloped brain confined to a wheelchair their entire life with no ability to express themselves has experienced all that they ever will is unimaginable to me. That the blind will never experience sight or the deaf will never hear. That those who were unable to live this life fully for whatever the reason are doomed to never have another experience of it is just an idea of life that I cannot reconcile in my own mind. And that those who have made mistakes in this life will also never have a chance to redeem themselves in another is just inconceivable to me. So I certainly do believe in some sort of life after death even if I cannot define it precisely for someone else.

4. In the Web of Life - in the interconnectedness of all life

I feel like a hole has been punched through my chest when I see a dead deer on the side of the road run over by a motorist in too much of a hurry who likely complained about the damage done to their vehicle and gave not a thought to the life they just took. My heart aches when I see the clear cutting of trees for the sake of more "progress" and then that "progress" is put on hold despite having cut those lives short for now no apparent reason. I cry with the mother halfway around the world who suffers the loss of her child in natural disaster or cruelty of another human being - whatever the cause. I believe that I breathe the same air that someone breathes in Prague and that knowledge makes me more responsible for how I live in this world. That we can influence positively or negatively just by the way we feel at any given moment can be felt undeniably by another. So, yes, I believe that we are all interconnected and that another brought in or taken out affects the current of spirit that flows through us all.

5. In the Law of the Harvest - in the law of cause and effect, that we harvest what we sow

Probably the most common sense of all of the beliefs and not hard to believe nor in need of further explanation.



We have here-by completed a brief look at the beliefs of Druidry and my positions within those beliefs. So far I'm off to a good start. It's not that I haven't looked at all of this before, but never in one shot in a continuing process to come to a conclusion because I finally feel the need to once again place a label on myself.

At any rate, it's my blog and you simply have to humor me or not read! Deal with it! :o)

Next - The Gifts of Druidry.....