Meeting Persephone

Does it make any difference that I've spelled out the beliefs, gifts and ethics of Druidry? Do I suddenly know something now that I didn't know before? Can I come to a decision about only myself as a member of a particular path? Can I represent that path in a way that does not cause negative impressions of it for someone outside of the path? Am I on my way to being a Druid or am I still in need of time and study? Can I finally put down my bags, so to speak, because finally I've found home?

I'd stated early on in this series that I finally feel ready to put a label back on myself. My goal was to look at myself and Druidry honestly and consistently until I could come to a decision. Whether or not I could bring something to this path and whether this path offered the space that I know I need in a religious choice.

I'd received a comment in my 'Druidry - pt. 2' entry from someone I don't think I'd never met before. 'Bocan' left behind this particularly helpful "definition":

In this series I've spelled out what Druidry is according to OBOD. I've spoken about where I came from and through this exploration I've also stated what it is that I believe now and what kind of person I am. I am in need of a label (because the generic is not satisfactory to me anymore thanks to the growing population of Pagans that do not in any way shape or form represent my religion) that is affiliated with a religious group of sorts that tends to permit the independent workings of my own mind with the latitude to express it in an honourable but decidedly "feral" way. From what I've read, Druids tend to be that sort of people - at least a large enough part of the population to make me feel comfortable not only aligning myself with them but also believing that I can do no harm to them by doing so.

I've seriously considered the Druid path for quite awhile now. My hope was that while going through this most recent process I would be able to come to the conclusion that not only was it right for me, but that I was also right for it. While I don't have the arrogance to claim unequivocally that I'm a great representation of Druidry, I don't think that I'd hurt the path with my own affiliation with it. I also believe that with the breadth of Druidry's own definitions that I would have the room I still need to grow and sort out my thoughts, feelings, actions, and beliefs without growing right out of Druidry itself. I'm not sure that it would be possible for me to conceive of a way to do that and it certainly doesn't seem to be a risk now or in the foreseeable future.

So what changes? Not much. I still have plenty to learn, but I think I can safely say now that I follow the Druid path exclusively. I can study for years quite happily and continue learning and growing. I'm still a solitary. I do not intend to influence others with my ways unless they find themselves influenced by reading a blog written by an unknown (in which case I'd wonder about them a bit! lol). I've not so much made a conscious choice to be Druid at this point, but to acknowledge what has always been within me has a label associated with an already existing group of people and that I can place that label on myself.

So as dull as this process might have been to anyone who was reading along, it certainly helped achieve the intended goal for me. I thank anyone who was reading for their patience and now will be moving on to other thoughts that tried to permeate my thinking during this process.