Sacrifice re-envisioned

[Fox of the Oaks]

Question... what does sacrifice mean to us druids, today?

It would seem there is a lingering understanding or perhaps black rumour of ancient druids slaughtering animals and maybe even humans for sacrifice to their gods; how much of this is true or propaganda by Ancient Romans or Christians or modern writers remains to be lost in the mists...

So I wonder, what does sacrifice mean to us today as druids? I don't have much interest in the historical intellectual aspects of this, though they have their place. and certainly may relate to contemporary druidry. Here, I am more referring to how we can, or already do, re-envision sacrifice on our spiritual paths. Many religions have a range of ideas around this or related terms. What does it mean for us modern day Druids?

In wonder,
Whtyefox.

[Astrid]

What an interesting question! So let me give you my immediate before-morning-shower thoughts.
When you say sacrifice in relation to our druidic path I think of two things that would be relevant for my spiritual practice.

1. The physical sacrifice
I work a lot with the Egyptian panthenon and sacrifices of food, cosmetics and incense were a daily activity for them. So whenever I set out to ask for help, support or favor of my gods I always turn on a stick of incense right then or at the first appropriate opportunity. I like this concept of gratitude. I give something in return for what I know the gods will grant me. At this point I don’t do food sacrifices, I tried sacrificing part of my meals for a period but I felt no connection and no effect so I stopped and returned to incense.

2. The abstinence sacrifice
Druidry and my gods do not require me to abstain from anything in my life (The beauty of no-dogma). However it can be a benefit to me and the flow of Nwyfre within me to do so permanently or for shorter periods of time. Such a sacrifice could consist of classics like no alcohol, no meat, no tv, but in the larger sense it could be anything to which I hold an “addiction” that confines me. I refer to the sufi saying “All that produces longing in the heart, deprives it of its freedom”.
So let’s say I have an overwhelming habit and craving for eating lollipops. I can then choose to abstain from eating lollipops for maybe 6 months. Now by the end of that 6 months I’m going to be free of my craving and not have the habit anymore and I can then have a more balanced relationship with lollipops because I can decided objectively when to have them and when not have them unhindered by a craving. The truth is however that most people will actually do way more for others than they ever will for themselves. So if I’m only giving up the lollipops because I’m sick of driving to the only open gas station at 23 pm because I need to satisfy a craving, then I might succeed for a week and then I’ll eventually start again when the craving gets big enough. However if my sacrifices serves a divine purpose I might up my chance at success. So I might choose to dedicate my abstinence period to God X, so my 6 months of abstinence is a gift that I give to God X, it is a way I show my respect and appreciation for God X. Most of us will probably have a harder time at breaking a promise to the divine than to ourselves. The same principle as when we do a physical sacrifice comes into play if you ask me. I offer a gift of abstinence to god X and in return god X will help me in some sense maybe by easing the process of abstinence or by the eventual surplus of Nwyfre flow I’m going to experience once the period is over.

[skydove]

Sacrifice to me is giving up your time, attention and energy to a need other than your own.

[DaRC]

There are two types of sacrifice I offer :

1 - a libation, usually of home made Sloe Vodka, during Blot at each of ritual point on the Wheel of the Year

2 - a karmayoga ride, aka within mountain biking as a soul ride, where the goal is to ride to a significant ritual place. Their common thread is a sacrifice of blood, sweat & tears. This usually means riding further or on unknown trails to visit a place of significance. Obviously I could just drive up and visit these places but, I have found, that the land only starts to speak once the effort is put in. Normally I can only dedicate the time, energy & attention (thank you Skydove) for one per year.
Examples of significant ones have been the Ridgeway (http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/ridgeway/) which ends up in Avebury or from my house to Kingley Vale.

[mark the compost elf]

to me it is the dedication to destroying blissful ignorance. Questions appear at every thought and if i were to ignore them,i would not be walking the path today. Perhaps to me sacrifice, as a druid, means the death of the 'non-spiritual me' , the 'normal me' even.

[Fox of the Oaks]

to me it is the dedication to destroying blissful ignorance. Questions appear at every thought and if i were to ignore them,i would not be walking the path today. Perhaps to me sacrifice, as a druid, means the death of the 'non-spiritual me' , the 'normal me' even.

Wow, I like that, mark the compost elf.

The question for this topic came to me when a friend heard I was walking the Druid way, and she said 'does that mean you're going to cut me up into little pieces and sacrifice me to your gods.' - joking of course, but I have seen that idea drifting around like an old bad smell in various novels and so on.

Interesting to hear everyone's responses.
I like what you say mark the compost elf, because it seems to get to the root of things, and speaks of complete transformation.

For me sacrifice would have to lead eventually to complete self-dedication and transformation, which I would also be patient and understanding with myself towards.
This eventual complete transformation would be a code of the following nature: When faced with a choice, such as ignoble action or noble action, what is harmful or what is healthy, what is slavery or freedom, fear or love, sleepwalking or awakening, egoic indulgence or service to all life, I would say there really is no choice, the latter is the only option that I could live at peace with... that would be my sacrifice, to simply take the wise path regardless of difficulties, the consensus of others, or what must be sacrificed to go that way. Sacrifice, for me, is the way of druidry.

Peace,
Whytefox.

[Frog]

Question... what does sacrifice mean to us druids, today?

Hello Whytefox
Interesting question. I personally feel sacrifice is an old an archaic thing. Many of things that suggested in the posts here have been (in my mind) dedications to gods, ancestors etc. rather than a sacrifice. To my mind, a sacrifice is the killing (symbolic or otherwise) of a living thing as an offering.

frog

[DaRC]

I personally feel sacrifice is an old an archaic thing.

sac·ri·fice
noun
1. the offering of animal, plant, or human life or of some material possession to a deity, as in propitiation or homage.
2. the person, animal, or thing so offered.
3. the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.
4. the thing so surrendered or devoted.

So this begs the question on whether sacrifice is relevant to modern Druidry?

[mark the compost elf]

As the last point in the criteria, i think it is indeed still relevant. perhaps, not inm a sense surrendered to others, but surrendered from ourselves.

for those of us who travel the etheric world, the relinquishing of a form (animal or otherwise) to choose another, or develop in to another is a asacrifce of the past form in to an ever present now, leading us on a journey of service to the self and all that is. even, when on occassion, we are selfish.

[Fox of the Oaks]

So this begs the question on whether sacrifice is relevant to modern Druidry?

I wonder if in life we can ever avoid sacrifice? I don't think we can, we must sacrifice in order to live a happy life. Nature I believe makes it that way, and since Druidry is a natural 'way' (however we may walk it), then it must involve sacrifice in the same way nature does. I see a danger in abstracting Druidry philosophically from Nature.
Even those following other ways or no 'way' at all, must sacrifice, that is life. We can either do it willingly and joyfully or struggle and resist the flow of life.
Note here I am most probably referring to sacrifice in the 3rd and 4th points in your definition DaRC.

[Merlyn]

Sacrifice to me is giving up your time, attention and energy to a need other than your own.

Hiya,
Before we begin being concerned about sacrifice and the original Druids, remember genesis 22:10 http://kingjbible.com/genesis/22.htm
How sacrifice is looked upon and why is a question of the ages. No religion is really "free" from sacrifice, nor is any life. Reformation came to Abraham, just as it has to all. The test however is universal. Do we give our sons to war? Or do we learn to make our world a place of peace?

Any spiritual path is a sacrifice. It is a sacrifice of our confusion, ignorance and greed. To walk the next step, to embark on a journey and discover our own face of the divine is indeed just what even Jesus had to do. We are all the same, all living in the awe of our god(s) be they divine or science.
Druidism is very different from Judaism,
Perhaps in the Druid's prayer the word "justice" is that word that best describes sacrifice. To know it, and the love of it.
We must be willing to let go of the simple pre-fab ideas, and in doing so become who and what we really are as people, people who can help, care, see, give and understand.
This is an ultimate sacrifice. In doing so we take that leap of faith, live and give.

Definitions are difficult with such a word as sacrifice. A 'just' world requires us all to sacrifice. It helps if we use understandable terms, however in history, bad mistakes were made, poor understandings led to wrong ideas about what sacrifice is.

In Druidry, IMO it is our own willingness to become what is needed to our earth, life and all existences.
and that is no small task.

[Susanne]

Well said Merlyn!

[Fox of the Oaks]

In Druidry, IMO it is our own willingness to become what is needed to our earth, life and all existences.
and that is no small task.

Indeed.
And that is something which is unique for each of us, yet common also.
Love it!