Druidism and Druids. Ancient and modern Druids: mysterious rituals and magical abilities What could the Druids do?

Druids. Where to begin. How to become a Druid. Preparation and Initiation

This is your crucial moment when you accept Initiation. Get ready to change, become new... from this moment one of the most important events in your life will begin. Here and now you will find its new meaning. It is from this moment that you receive the legal right to be the owner, friend and brother of the forest. Only after initiation will you be able to fully manufacture your witchcraft working tool and perform rituals. As they say, everything is now only in your hands. If you came with a pure soul and an open heart, with love and respect, good luck to you.

Shopping and preparations.

What you'll need to get started:
1. Sage.
2. A piece of gauze. 20*20 cm folded in two.
3. White or green hoodie made of natural fabric
4. Salt, vegetable oil.
5. Dry birch and aspen leaves. (well, I think you’ll find this good thing; southerners can replace it with maple and oak leaves).
6. Blade. Fine grain church incense.
7. Iron jar. (Let's adapt it as a temporary censer. Coffee will also work.)
8. Matches.
9. Ring.
10. Colored paints, preferably oil paints. Brush.
11. Coniferous incense, vodka (250 grams - liter), black bread. A cup. Red wine.

2. Before initiation.
I advise you not to rush headlong forward and initiate yourself. Go to the forest for a month, spend time in your Sacred Place more often. Clean it if necessary, practice conversations and nature. Become one with it. And when you feel that you have a love for nature, and that this love is mutual, proceed to initiation. Let everything go slowly and for good, rather than quickly and for harm. Remember, the magic of the forest is based on love and respect, and not on anger and despotism, which only leads to personal degradation and self-destruction. I repeat once again, be with an open heart and a pure soul, then and only then will nature reveal its secrets, powers, and blessings to you.

Every time you enter the forest, try to feel, feel the mind that rules there. Do not begin initiation until you learn to feel this mind. But don't contact him yet.

Here are a few more practices that you can practice before initiation. Although they will be useful to you later.

2.1 Mother Earth and Moon/Sun.
Come to your Sacred Place, undress (The more, the better. Ideally, naked). Talk to the trees, get ready to work. Lie down on the ground and feel your unity with it. You have returned to your mother, and she happily accepts you into her arms. You lie down, and roots grow out of you, going somewhere to the center of the earth. All the dirt and negativity flows off of you along them, going into the abyss. A caring mother helps you. When the negativity drains away, you will feel how you are filled with the life-giving and beautiful energy of your mother. When you are clean, don't get up! If there is the sun or moon in the sky, feel their energies lowering the earth and also filling you. When you finish, you yourself will feel and understand. Thank the earth and the luminaries, bow deeply, get dressed and leave.
This is how you are cleansed and filled... use your energies for your needs and benefits, as well as for the benefits of others.

2.2 Brother Wind.
When the wind is blowing outside, do the same preparation in your Sacred Place as in the last exercise. Undress, stand up straight, stretch your arms to the sides, close your eyes and feel the breeze pleasantly blowing over you. Feel oneness with it and you will have the feeling that you have come into contact with some kind of intelligence. Ask him (politely!!!) to intensify and merge more and more with him. After a while, you will feel that the wind penetrates deep into you, spinning into vortices inside your body and sucking negativity and similar nastiness into vortices that leave the body and leave forever. He, like the earth, saves you from troubles and illnesses. By blowing out dirt, he fills you with himself, bringing goodness and life.
You will also understand when to finish. Thank the wind, bow deeply, get dressed and leave.

2.3 Fire.
When you arrive at your Sacred Place, light a fire. Collect branches for the fire while walking along the road. Instead of paper and similar flammable substances, use dry leaves and herbs. Undress and sit in front of the fire so that you can feel the obvious heat. Feel the kinship with fire. Look inside yourself and not far from your heart (well, this is mine) there is a small fire. Feel the kinship of your fire with the fire of the fire. Start kindling your flame until it completely captures your body and mind, then connect with the fire of the fire. 5 – 10 minutes in this state will be enough for you. Fire will burn away what the wind and earth did not remove. Let the fire burn out to the end and the coals go out on their own. Thank him and, after waiting for complete extinction, leave.

2.4 Water.
If your sacred place has a stream/river flowing through it or is located on the shore of a lake or other body of water, then carry out the operation on the spot. If not, then go to a pond away from places where people are. Make preparations as if you were at a Sacred Site. And sitting naked on the shore, meditate on the topic that water gives life to everything and washes away everything that could remain in you. When you feel that you are partly water, jump into it, plunge yourself into it three times and get out. Thank the water, bow and leave.

Do the exercises more than once... even 10, 20 times... for the rest of your days, but don’t rush.

2.5 cleansing by trees.
Come to the Sacred Place and ask the trees which of them is a vampire and which is a donor. If you still don’t understand their language well (although by the time of initiation you should be able to communicate with them fluently), I will give you the trees that I use myself. Take off your clothes and talk to the rowan tree (vampire). Hug the rowan tree and stand in the hug until you feel very tired and want to fall asleep. Now come or crawl, depending on how you choose, to the pine tree (the tree of the Magicians), talk to it and hug it in the same way. When you feel energized and more alert than ever, thank the trees, get dressed and leave.

3.Initiation.

Your actions will begin at home. Take a warm bath, wiping your body with a cloth containing salt and soaked in vegetable oil. Gather everything you need, first fumigating it with ground sage mixed with fine-grained incense, and go into the forest. You must leave so that you can be at your Sacred Place an hour before dawn.
When you approach the forest, stop and listen. Wait until everything comes back to life after your invasion and move forward. This time feel the living being that rules the forest, feel one with the forest. Along the way, collect firewood - fallen branches, leaves...
Arriving at the Sacred Place, change clothes, light a fire, draw a Celtic Cross on your forehead (you will find the drawing. I don’t know how to draw. They drew it for me before going into the forest). Place your cup filled with wine on the Altar Stone on the left, place the item of Power (ring or whatever you chose there) in the center, light the incense in the “censer” on the right.
Outside the circle of stones, place an offering to the Master of the Forest (pine incense, vodka and bread).
Tune in to the mind that rules the forest. To the one that unites him. And when you connect, quietly and politely begin to call him... throw birch and aspen leaves into the fire and continue to call the Master of the forest.
When the spirit comes, ask him for dedication, introduce yourself with your witch name (choose any one that will give you a feeling of unity with the forest), tell him what the gifts are, etc. As soon as the spirit agrees to give you initiation, leave the circle and cut your hand and the tree branch and mix your blood as a sign of brotherhood. Then ask the spirit to give some of the power to the ring during initiation. The Ring now gives you the Power of the Master of the Forest. Thank the spirit, thank the trees, put out the fire, put the items away, put on the ring, change your clothes and go home without looking back.
You have taken initiation. Now you have something that is not available to either people or other magicians.

Ritual of the Mists

(Note: a fairly simple, absolutely non-traditional ritual, but one that gives interesting results. First of all, it teaches the practicing druid to use his intuition and turn on his inner vision. You should not expect that spirits and ghosts will appear to you on your first journey. Just listen to your inner Self and walk along the border between the worlds. By performing this ritual, you can learn to better feel the line between ours and the Other world, which is very useful for the rituals of the annual circle. In general, try it. - approx.)

This ritual can be performed if there is frequent fog in your area. He should help you get closer to Manannan Mac Lir, Guardian of the Mist, Ruler of Tir Na Nog and the Well of Wisdom. Personally, during this ritual, I felt as if a fog was sucking me in, as if the Ancestors were calling me to join them. Someday I will meet them, but this time I did not dare to go on such a date. If possible, perform the ritual in an area surrounded by trees. Personally, I spent it in the park.

Required attributes:

• Staff
• Mantle
• Any object (stone, wood) with a double spiral applied to it
• Any item with a triskele applied to it
• Bread as a sacrifice to the Spirit of the Earth

The first necessary action is to feel how the fog is thickening around you. Remember that the Mists are a crack between worlds, no-sky, no-water. Focus on your sensations, realize that you are standing between worlds. Now you need to put on your robe.

You must now reach the center of the Three Realms (Earth, Sea and Sky).

Firmly grip the Triskele item in your hand and do the following:

Bend down and touch the ground, saying - "I have my feet firmly on the ground"

Stand up and stretch your arms to the sides - "The sea surrounds me."

Raise your hands above your head and say - "The sky is above me"

Place your hands on your heart and say: "I have known these three kingdoms."

Working with fog:

Take the staff and tap it on the ground three times. Then extend it in front of you so that it is parallel to the ground and wrap around yourself three times counterclockwise, as if you were dispersing fog.

Then draw a circle around your head with your staff three times. (These movements have their parallels in the original calling of the realms. The strike of the staff on the ground establishes contact between the druid and the earth, the next movement is contact with the sea (water), and the next is contact with the sky (air).

Then turn north (the direction the Tuatha de Dannan came from).

Take the staff and draw a double spiral in the air while saying the following words:

"Manannan Mac Lir, God of the Mist, Ruler of Tire is upon you,

Guardian of the double gates of the Other World.

I came here in search of knowledge of mists and other worlds.

I have come to offer sacrifices to the Spirit of the earth.

I merge in understanding and harmony with the three great kingdoms.

Watch me as I travel through the worlds of mists,

protect me from evil during my journey into the Interworld.

Grant me, O Manannan, knowledge from your well of wisdom,

from which five rivers flow, into which the nuts of knowledge fall,

in which the salmon of wisdom swims.

I praise the Shroud of Tumanov,

The mists that protect the Other World

Another World, where the Well of Wisdom stands

Well of Wisdom, which contains all knowledge

Knowledge that is the key to our lives

Our lives that are dedicated to the Gods

To the gods who live in the Other World

Another World, which is hidden by Mists

I praise the Shroud of Mists."

Make a sacrifice to the spirit of the Earth - break the bread and place it on the ground, mentally offering gratitude to the Earth.

The official part of the ritual ends here. What happens next depends on the practitioner. I usually walk around the ritual site, looking for places where the fog is most dense and listening to my feelings. I'm trying to understand how different the world shrouded in fog is from our everyday reality.

As I prepare to leave, I end the rite with a prayer to the Gods and Goddesses of the Tuatha Dé Danann for keeping me safe during my journey from the world of mists to my home world.

John Gibson

Birth ritual

This ritual was written for the Order of the White Oak. I am not claiming that it represents a “genuine ancient relic.” It was inspired by, but not based on, Carmina Gadelica (here, in particular, the original CG invocations were changed). It came to me from my ancestors through my own Immas.

The midwife or a member of the family must consecrate a cauldron filled with water or a well, nine consecrated chips or branches of nine sacred trees, and a staff or Tree of Peace are placed on the altar of fire.

Altar of Fire

The fire on the fire altar must be lit by the sun passing through a crystal, a "thunder stone" (flint), friction (using crushed mistletoe as tinder), or from "Wildlife", i.e. fire obtained from a lightning strike. A fire started in one of these ways is known as a sacred fire. The leader of the ceremony should walk around the fire altar three times clockwise, lowering offerings - ghee, butter or vegetable oil - into the fire, saying:

"Brigid! Great Goddess of healing and inspiration.

Spread out your Cloak of Protection, for the time of her torment has come.

Spread your Cloak also over the one

Who is preparing to travel from one world to another."

Sacred Cauldron

Then the leader of the ceremony goes to the cauldron or well and pours into it water collected in another sacred well, or water collected during a thunderstorm, or water blessed by the Full Moon or the Sun at a Sacred Festival (one of the four Festivals of Fire), or sea water , collected from the ninth wave. Water collected in one of these ways is known as Sacred Water.

The leader of the ceremony walks around the cauldron three times, pouring sacred water into it and visualizing the transition from one form of existence to another, from one Ocean of Existence to another, from Life to Life, and says:

"Like half the moon he/she is already out of one

world and not yet the next,

The spirit moves from the womb of one existence to the womb of another.

Make his/her transition smooth, O Manannan.

Make his/her path easy

while she/he dies in the Other World.

Open wide the Gates of this world for him/her,

so that we can see her/his face soon.

Blessed Manannan, do it!"

sacred tree

The leader of the ceremony should address the sacred tree, saying:

"Sister Tree!

A spirit that moves effortlessly between worlds,

From peaks to depths, from depths to peaks,

Root to branch, branch to root.

Help guide this child on his journey.

from one World to the next.

Send him/her strength and strengthen his/her Life."

After birth, the placenta can be offered to a tree and the umbilical cord wrapped around its branches. This tree will later be a special tree for the child and his family, so the choice of this tree must be made with special care.

Around 1500-1000. BC e. On the territory of Central and Western Europe, where Great Britain, France, Ireland, the Czech Republic and other countries are located today, the Celts, tribes close to each other in language and culture, ruled.

The Celts (the Romans called them “Gauls”) were considered one of the most warlike European peoples. Before the start of the battle, they uttered loud screams and blew carnyxes - wind instruments with a bell in the shape of an animal's head. With such a strong and not very pleasant noise they frightened the enemy before the battle.

Nowadays, literature and the film industry unfairly portray the Gauls as an ever-drinking barbarian tribe in horned helmets. A contemporary of the Celts, Aristotle, spoke of them as a “wise and skillful” people.

The words of the respected ancient Greek philosopher are confirmed by archaeological finds indicating that the Celts had well-developed pottery and metalworking, and they also built powerful defensive structures and beautiful architectural structures.

Many researchers believe that it was the Celts who, conquering new territories, brought advanced technologies with them to primitive European civilization.

Ancient Druids

The Druids, the priests in whose hands religion, education and judicial power were concentrated, enjoyed enormous influence among the Celtic tribes. The Druids were simultaneously clergy, healers and chroniclers. They were the driving force leading the Celtic people to fulfill their high mission.

Almost all the information about the Druids comes from ancient Greco-Roman works, including Julius Caesar’s Notes on the Gallic War, in which he tells how he conquered Gaul.

In the commander’s writings, the Druids are described not only as priests, but also as politicians, scientists, keepers of legends and poems, which they entrusted in secret to their students.

A couple of thousand years ago in Europe there were several hundred Druidic educational institutions, the best of which were considered Tara, Oxford, Iona and Anglesey.

Most often, capable youth from the upper strata of society became neophytes of the order. The Druids introduced the Gallic aristocrats to the secrets of nature, gave them deep knowledge in the field of astrology and astronomy, and instilled in them a sense of military patriotism. Despite the fact that the Druids themselves were not liable for military service, they skillfully cultivated a warlike spirit in young people.

They carefully guarded their knowledge, so they taught only orally, and the lessons themselves took place away from people: in caves, forests and rocky gorges.

Caesar in his Notes suggests that the main reason why students were forbidden to keep notes was the reluctance of the Druids to make secret knowledge publicly available, so as not to lose their influence. In addition, this is how the students developed and strengthened their memory.

It is known that getting into the caste of Druid priests was not at all easy: first, candidates passed the test of loneliness in the forest, then studied for at least 20 years in the sacred Celtic oak forests.

By the end of the training, each student had to know about 20 thousand poems by heart. According to university rules, children under 14 were prohibited from communicating with their parents.

Unity with nature and the ability to control its forces are the main aspects of the training of future druids. The powerful caste of Celtic priests also passed on knowledge of witchcraft and magic to their students.

Many Druid rituals were associated with the forest. The people believed that in the sacred groves the extraordinary abilities of the priests manifested themselves: there they transformed into animals, became invisible, predicted the future, and changed the weather.

The Druids treated trees as animate beings, comparing them to people. The tree occupied a special place in their cult practice: this tree was considered the bearer of knowledge and wisdom. Perhaps that is why the priests spent most of their time in oak groves.

Mistletoe in rituals

In Druidic rituals, a place of honor was given to mistletoe, which they considered a symbol of immortality, female fertility and male strength.

The process of collecting mistletoe was an important event for the Druids: first, they spent a long time choosing a suitable bush, then cut it with a golden sickle at a certain, astronomically calculated time - all this happened in the presence of a large number of people who had undergone purification and performed ritual dances.

To prevent the plant from losing its magical power, it should not touch the ground, so the Druids carefully picked up the cut mistletoe with a white scarf. The process of collecting mistletoe was accompanied by the slaughter of two white bulls and a prayer of praise to the deities.

Ritual of sacrifice

Caesar wrote in his writings that sacrifices were popular among the Gallic Druids. According to him, the Druids could count on the help of their gods only if they sacrificed a person. The victim was chosen from prisoners, convicts, or even innocent people.

The ancient Greek historian and geographer Strabo described the Druidic rite of human sacrifice during a prophetic ritual: the victim doomed to be sacrificed was stabbed in the back with a sword, and then the future was predicted during his death throes.

But still, most researchers believe that the Celts resorted to human sacrifices only in special cases - when their tribes were in danger. Just such a case was the invasion of the Romans into Celtic territory. That is why the Druids of that period often sacrificed people, trying to enlist the support of their gods in battles. This is confirmed by archaeological finds dating back to the period of the Roman conquest of Gaul.

For example, not long ago, the well-preserved body of a young man was found in a peat bog in north-west England. Scientists were able to find out that the victim was first given a heavy blow to the head with an ax, then a noose was tied around his neck and his throat was cut with a knife.

Mistletoe pollen was found on the man's body, so researchers linked the murder to Druids using the plant in sacrifices.

It is believed that the murdered man belonged to a wealthy class, as evidenced by his neat haircut, manicure and physique, typical of a person not engaged in physical labor.

By sacrificing a person from the Celtic nobility, the Druids most likely counted on the help of the gods in the most important battles during the period of active advance of Roman troops deep into Britain. One way or another, these sacrifices were in vain: in 60 AD. e. The Romans captured the island of Mona - the sacred citadel of the British Druids - killing all the defenders of the island and destroying the groves sacred to the Druids.

Cannibalism of the ancient Druids

The ancient Roman writer Pliny the Elder assured in his works that the Druids ate human flesh. This fact is confirmed by the recent shocking discovery of archaeologists in a cave in Gloucestershire in western England.

The bones of approximately 150 people were discovered there, killed, according to scientists, around the middle of the 1st century AD. e. heavy sharp weapons for sacrificial purposes. One of the femurs found was split - archaeologists suggest that this was done to extract bone marrow from it.

Traditions that have survived to this day

Surprisingly, some modern holidays, as well as actions we perform out of habit, are a continuation of the rituals of the ancient Druids. For example, the holiday of Samhain - the day when supernatural forces circle the earth - is considered the predecessor of Halloween, which is celebrated today.

The custom of kissing under the mistletoe at Christmas dates back to the Druids' celebration of the day of the god Yule. Easter symbols in the culture of some countries - colored eggs and the “Easter bunny” - are explained by traditional honors of the goddess Istara (her totem, meaning fertility, was the rabbit, and eggs served as a symbol of new life).

The tradition of awarding gold and silver stars to the most intelligent students is also considered one of the traces of Celtic culture that has survived to this day. Even the habit of knocking on wood, so as not to frighten away good luck, is quite possibly an echo of the Druids’ veneration of trees.

Modern Druids

Today there are several Druidic organizations in Europe. In Ireland there is an open order of Druids of Usneha, which also has a representative office in the Russian Federation.

In Britain there is the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (abbreviated OBOD). According to the first version, the community owes its origin to the Ancient Order of Druids, created in 1781 by G. Herl. According to other sources, the OBOD organization has its roots in a society founded by J. Toland in 1717.

The British Order of Druids also operates in England. The organization, founded in 1979 by F. Shallcrass and E. Restall Orr, has about 3 thousand members. The founders of the community are convinced that Druidic traditions must be constantly modified, taking into account the characteristics of new generations.

There are also Druid organizations in the USA and Canada. In North America, for example, their movement began as a joke: in 1963, the administration of Carleton College in Minnesota required students to attend church, in response to which the students came up with a community called the Reformed Druids of North America. Later the organization took on a more serious character, becoming a neo-pagan religion.

According to unconfirmed reports, this society today includes about 5 million people. They perform their rituals with elements of spiritualism on altars made of stones that have not been touched by humans before. From this organization came many others, including the Arn Draiocht Fein (translated as "our own Druidry"), founded by A. Bonewitz, and the Henge Keltria.

By the way, Druid communities also operate on the territory of our country. True, most of them are more like sects with wild dancing around the fire in a half-naked state and incomprehensible financial contributions.

Therefore, even if you very much desire to quickly set foot on the path of enlightenment, master witchcraft skills, in general, become a druid, still try to remain vigilant when choosing the organization whose ranks you decide to join.

All Indo-European peoples at the beginning of their development had a similar structure - a caste system, which included three main groups: priests, warriors and artisans (farmers). At the same time, initially it was the priests who stood at the head of the people - the wisest and fairest. History has brought to us evidence of Indian Brahmans, Slavic Magi, but perhaps the most famous today are the Druids - the priests of the Celtic people. It is believed that the power that the Celts possessed (judging by historical facts and legendary evidence) was due to the Druids. Druids were priests, teachers, healers, poets, musicians, and keepers of ancient knowledge. Not a single event in the life of the Celts took place without their participation. We know a lot about them, but even what we know does not answer the main question: what is their secret?

A bit of etymology

Pliny says that drus, the Greek word meaning "oak", is the etymological root of the word "druid". In literature you can often find the same connection, coming from the names of oak in other languages: dervo-(Galish), daur(Irish), derw(Welsh) derv(Breton). There are many other opinions regarding the origin of the word “druid”. Perhaps the person who came closest to this riddle was Françoise Leroux, who in her book about the Druids calls them dru-wid-es, “very learned.” Latin verb videre("to see"), Gothic witan and Germanic witan(“to know”) show the essence of the concept of “druid”. So, a druid is one who knows.

As the ancient wisdom repeated by Francis Bacon says, to know is to be able.

What could the Druids do?

They could, with their mere presence or a few words, pacify angry armed men ready to rush into battle.

This is what Diodorus Siculus, a Greek historian of the 1st century, says about this. BC: “They often come out between troops lined up in battle formation, threatening with swords, bristling with spears, and pacify them, as if taming some wild beasts.”

Another example from Irish legends: “In front of us, in the east, I saw another army outside. A calm, respectable man, white-haired, walked at his head. He is dressed in dazzling white robes, bordered with pure silver; on his body is a beautiful white tunic; the light silver hilt of his sword is visible under his cloak, and he carries a bronze staff on his shoulder. His voice is as gentle as music; his speech is strong and clear... The anger of all men in the world, from sunrise to sunset, he would humble with three kind words..."

It is believed that the Druids knew how to predict the future by signs and omens. Cicero, for example, wrote that the Galatian Druid king Deiotarus understood the signs given by birds. Legends often talk about the wonderful gift of the Druids to determine the outcome of battles by signs and see the future through the veil of time.

There is evidence (which, of course, may or may not be fiction) about the amazing power of the Druids over the elements: earth, water, air, fire. Legends say that the Druids could communicate with the souls of trees and collaborate with elves and gnomes. They could stop an earthquake and cause a storm.

They were doctors and healers. They knew the subtle properties of medicinal plants, they knew how to heal with music, words, touch and even presence. Pliny writes: “They called mistletoe by a name meaning ‘the one who heals everything’... They believe that mistletoe, if made into a drink, heals cattle from infertility and serves as a remedy against all poisons.” Olliach, “healer of all,” is what Welsh tradition calls mistletoe.

They believed in the healing properties of sleep, knew many healing spells and, as evidenced by the myth of the god Nuada, used surgery. One of the Irish legends says: “This man has the strength and wisdom of a healer, the art of healing wounds, the ability to defeat death and overcome any illness... He recognized a person’s illness by the smoke coming out of his house, or by his exhalations alone.” .

How to become a student of the Druids?

The Druids chose their disciples according to the qualities of their hearts and the signs that accompanied their destiny. Wisdom could only be accepted by a person with a noble soul, who was not able to use knowledge for his power and would not distort it, so writing down the teaching was forbidden. As a result, when the Druids disappeared from the radar of European civilization altogether around the 10th–11th centuries, they took with them both their wisdom and their magic.

The Druids may have had their own stages of training and initiation. Ancient Greek geographer and historian of the 1st century. AD Strabo writes: “Among all the Gallic tribes, generally speaking, there are three groups of people who are especially revered: bards, soothsayers and druids. Bards are singers and poets, soothsayers are in charge of sacred rites and study nature, while druids, in addition to studying nature, also deal with ethics...” There are sources that say that bards, soothsayers (who are sometimes called ovates) and druids are three stages dedication.

Bards, according to legend, had the power to remain silent and the power to speak. They studied rhythms, sounds and proportions. They learned the energy flows in nature, felt its music and had the ability to transmit this music. They knew the magic of sound, the magic of words and images. They learned from nature and absorbed its sound with their whole being.

The soothsayers, or ovates, could represent the second stage of initiation into the Druids. In addition to the mysteries of nature, they studied the great power of thought, which breaks through the boundaries of space and time, destroys obstacles and opens up new horizons. They predicted the future by signs and symbols, they could catch the smallest signs in the life and condition of man, in nature and the universe. We may laugh at ridiculous stories about the ability to predict the future, as the Romans did, but in the 1st century AD, the Celtic soothsayers, according to Cornelius Tacitus, predicted the end of Rome: “Obsessed with absurd superstitions, the Druids told them that ... a destructive fire had destroyed Capitol, and this clearly shows that the gods are angry with Rome and dominion over the world must pass to the peoples living on the other side of the Alps.”

The Druids themselves are the highest level that a person deserves after many years of study (according to various sources - at least 20).

They were advisors and mentors to kings. Various myths speak about this, the most famous and revered of which is the myth of the Great Merlin.

According to the legends of Britain and Gaul, according to the testimony of Geoffrey, the archdeacon of Monmouth, Merlin was a great druid - magician, clairvoyant and fortuneteller. He was the mentor of the legendary King Arthur, who became the symbol of the ruler carrying out the will of Heaven on earth.

Here is what Geoffrey of Monmouth writes in “History of the Britons” (beginning of the 12th century) about the origin of Merlin: “The amazed king ordered Maugantius to be summoned to him so that he could explain whether what the woman told about was possible. Maugantius, brought to Vortegirnu, after hearing everything in order, told him this: “From the books of our philosophers and many historical works, I learned that many people were born in this way. For, speaking about the deity of Socrates, Apuleius reports that between the moon and the earth there live disembodied spirits, which we call incubi. Partly they have the nature of humans, partly they have the nature of angels and, when they wish, they assume a human form and combine with our women. One of them, perhaps, appeared before this woman and gave birth to this young man in her.”

But Merlin's gift, as the legends say, was not based on personal ability or exercise. In one of the dialogues in the History of the Britons, Merlin speaks of the spirit that guides him through life for the sake of a great mission and great deeds: “Secrets of this kind cannot be revealed unless absolutely necessary. For if I had expounded them for fun or to please my vanity, the spirit that enlightens me would have fallen silent in me, and if the need for it had appeared, it would have left me.”

Have the Druids gone?

There are more legends about the Druids than truth, more fiction than facts, more fairy tales than scientific data. But when the Celtic New Year arrives and young people inspired by the fashion movement rush to light new lights, today, a thousand years after the departure of the last magicians of the Celtic people, it seems that invisible doors are opening from our world to the sacred world of the Druids. At such moments, we would like to ask Merlin and the great Druids of Armorica and Ulster to give us the strength to help those we love and defend what we believe in.

But the Druids are long gone...

These were probably great people, magicians and teachers. According to legends and tales, each of them reached Tula, the island of perfection, and could stay there, in the land of Bliss. But legends say they are back. For the sake of those remaining, ordinary people who walk, moving heavily, through the circle of Abred - a world where a person must go through all degrees of testing and reach Gwynwood, the circle of light.

Who are they, Druids? Where did they come to our “civilization” and why did they leave it ten centuries before us? Or maybe they didn’t leave? Maybe a man in white robes is now casting a sacred spell somewhere on a distant island, where no train, no ship, no plane can reach? Maybe he is waiting for a new student, a new bard and soothsayer? Maybe the Great Merlin is already waking up, and his harp is sounding and calling somewhere...

Saint Patrick - Heir to the Druids Patrick is the most revered saint, baptist and patron of Ireland. Irish sources, although much later, mark the beginning of Patrick's activity in 432, his death with two dates: 461 and 493. According to a long-standing legend, it was he who, using the example of a shamrock, explained to the Druids the meaning of the Trinity - God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. However, according to another interpretation, the shamrock explained the ancient Druid doctrine about the existence of three circles of the world - Sugant, Abred and Gwynwood. He came from a wealthy family in Gaul. At the age of seventeen he fell among robbers and was sold as a slave to Ireland. Fleeing Ireland, Patrick ended up in France, where, living in a monastery for 12 years, he studied religion under the guidance of the French bishop St. Germain. According to legend, upon returning to Ireland, he defeats the Druids of King Loegaire in a competition: “he is the first to light the sacred fire and defeats them in magical competitions, demonstrating his supreme power over the world of light and darkness, fire and water.” And, as it was said in the ancient manuscript, when the integrity of the faith was recognized by the people of Ireland, and when Loegaire and his Druids were amazed at the great miracles and marvels performed by Patrick, then they believed and began to fulfill the will of Patrick. One important mystery is connected with Patrick and the Celts: why on the island, where the strongest centers of Druidism and strong royal power existed, was the new faith accepted absolutely bloodlessly and without resistance? Irish Christianity in general became a special page in the history of both the Celtic and Christian worlds. “Christianity on the island took on its own form, which was in many ways different from the common one. The Irish monks had a special tonsure and calculated the Easter cycle differently from what was intended from Rome and was generally accepted. But the main difference was rooted in the very organization of the Irish church and believers, which, a short time after the adoption of Christianity, established itself on a single principle - monasteries and their communities, or, as the Irish said, “families.” St. Patrick was a star of the first magnitude in the brilliant galaxy of “strange Celtic saints,” so strange that, for example, St. Jerome calls the Irish schismatics, the popes often exhorted the English kings with bulls to exterminate “these wicked,” and their bishops did not receive investiture from Rome until the time of the English invasion” (T. Moore). The Irish monks were remarkably tolerant of the old faith; Moreover, they painstakingly recorded the legends and sagas of their people in their scriptoriums. If it were not for their work, then, probably, these legends would not have reached us. It is amazing that they maintained relations with the filids (Irish priests and storytellers), whose schools existed in parallel with these monasteries, and the monks recorded their songs for posterity. The conclusion suggests itself: in Ireland there was a conscious fusion of two traditions - the ancient and the late, and the organization of the island Druids took the form of a new religion in order to preserve truth and knowledge in the coming era. Many facts can be cited to confirm this: for example, all Irish monasteries arose on the sites of former Druid centers, and often the fire that burned in the name of the ancient deity was not even extinguished, but continued to be maintained by monks or nuns, and the deity acquired the status of “saint.” “In Ireland there was not a break, but a fusion, albeit a very peculiar one, of two traditions, the heritage of the oldest of which fit into the system of the newly emerged one, was curtailed and transformed, but not rejected and cursed. We are all accustomed to the fact that the deities of defeated paganism took the place of devils, demonic creatures and other evil spirits in the system of the new Christian worldview. In Ireland, they were destined for a different, much more honorable fate - they became saints along with Patrick himself.<...>On the site of pagan sanctuaries, the monasteries of Imbleh-Ibar, Bek-Eriu and others were located. It is important that in Ireland not only elements of the previous system were inherited, but also its entire model” (S. Shkunaev). Thanks to this step, the Druids were able to extend the life of the ancient tradition and transfer part of it to the new world. Thanks to them, myths appeared in Europe that became fundamental to European civilization, and in particular the myth of the Holy Grail, which Jung called the last of the great myths that rose to the surface from the depths of the collective unconscious, the myth that became fundamental to Western civilization.

The original article is on the website of the magazine "New Acropolis": www.newacropolis.ru

for the magazine "Man Without Borders"

About the Druids. Among the incredible number of different magical practices (and we call magic the art of controlling the energies of one of the countless parallel worlds), Druid Magic is the most natural for humans, and therefore it was the most effective and most revered for hundreds of centuries. And this is not surprising, because only the Druids controlled the energies of the real world, which means they did not violate the main law of human existence, which states: “You can move along the road of Great Knowledge as long as this knowledge does not change you so much that you cease to be a human being.” "

But this rarely stopped all sorts of adherents, especially black magic schools. And how could it be otherwise, if the “teaching” of black magic completely violated this law, setting before the student the only condition that destroys him as a bright human essence - you can receive knowledge, power, immortality and invincibility, provided that you allow in yourself ... Whom? A representative of one of the worlds, who after this will become you, leaving only greedy desires, lust, anger and other passions from you, completely blocking, and in most cases completely expelling your soul and mind from your body.

About the Druids. What you need to know.

The Druids knew about this, because for thousands and thousands of years they were the only protection of the Earth and its inhabitants from the endless attacks of evil coming from parallel worlds. And they also knew how important it was to preserve their human essence to the end. After all, as people we came into this world, and as people we must leave it in order to account for our words, actions and thoughts, and not for what some settler did on our behalf, controlling us like puppets. Here's what you need to know about Druids.

We will not talk about what punishments await such “magicians” after death - each of us will receive fair assessments for the life he lived when his time comes. We just want to say right away that practicing Druid Magic (and after reading all the materials that we will devote to this topic, you will be able to see for yourself that we are sincerely right) will not require any agreements from you, no “selling of the soul” and not a single promise, because The magic of the Druids is a union of equals with equals, in which on one side you are, and on the other, all the vast, incredible, wisest Living Nature that you have ever encountered that surrounds us all every day and hour.

But since we're not talking so much , how much of a union between equal, and therefore sincerely respecting, entities (if you are familiar with quantum physics, then you know that the energy of an atom is equal to the total energy of any of the planets, and that we are all primarily energy beings), then you must remember three The first rules that will allow you to enter the door leading to Druid Magic:

1. You must become as pure as Nature.

2. You must sincerely love what you want to devote your life to.

3. You will never be able to use Druid Magic for selfish purposes: you will not be able to get rich, take revenge, change the fate of people to please yourself, cause destruction and other misfortunes.

But you will be able to heal the suffering, help the worthy, protect the Earth from evil, give joy, wisdom and happiness. And at the same time, experience adventures that you won’t see in a movie, that you won’t read about in a book, and that you won’t experience even if you associate yourself with the hero of the coolest computer shooter.

What you don't know about Druids.

There is no specific age at which one can or should become a Druid. There is only your desire to know yourself and the true essence of things in the world, which you are used to calling reality, but about which you do not know even a thousandth of the truth. Therefore, you can start practicing Druid Magic at any age, although experienced masters will still give you one piece of advice: do not try to do this at too young an age, until you have finally decided whose side you are on. Decide whether you are evil or good, go through the tests associated with any of their choices, and then confirm your choice with how you begin to live. And only when you yourself understand that you are ready to move on to studying genuine knowledge, go to the mountains, fields or forests to get acquainted with the greatest of teachers - NATURE.