Hmmm....

[Merlyn]

Reading that blurb from the White Oak fellows, I guess I'm more CR than I even knew myself.

Looking over time, I can't claim to be all-OBOD. That was four years of very good study, however compared to the other 49 years, a short time. Putting it all in context, as we needed for the OP's quote of Emma, takes a few examples. Grasping what Celtic or Druid reconstruction is takes a bit of work, like anything.

Red Raven strikes on a point I have long held true. The land itself is the guide to Druidry if one wants to directly connect. And I am sure with the many Celtic tribes there were many differences within even the oldest druid ways.

That all is still far off the science and history, but then is it?
Depends on the view... History changes with each new discovery..

[Attila]

Hi Aemilius

I don't find that but I'm certainly open to correction.... Here's every surviving word written about them if you would like to review

Thanks for the link, maybe I got second hand info from somewhere ~ I’ll check it out.

Can you expand a little on why you think that's significant?

I meant that my interpretation was that she didn’t want Druidry to be stuck in science and history [especially as we don’t know so much historically] and perhaps more free-spirited.

Sounds like we should all be reading up on Pythagoras.

------------------------

All that aside, upon reflection I agree with where you are going with this, a bit more ‘hardcore Druidry’ -so to speak. Where we should be a lot stricter and inquire more thoroughly?

The only contention I have is that I think humanity has had enough of hardcore religionists throughout the ages.

[Aemilius]

Hello Attila....

Attila "I meant that my interpretation was that she didn’t want Druidry to be stuck in science and history [especially as we don’t know so much historically] and perhaps more free-spirited."

Understood, and thanks for that elaboration. Have we ever corresponded before?

This really strikes a chord.... Did you write it? Emile

the truth is naked.
once it is written it is lost.
what is life; life is not a question.
genius is the result of the entire product of man.
death cannot be experienced.
life is not brought to us in slices of unrealised perfection, we get the whole cake.

[Attila]

Understood, and thanks for that elaboration. Have we ever corresponded before?

Probably as I’ve been around a while though not for some time.

This really strikes a chord.... Did you write it? Emile

I don’t understand what you mean here? Glad you like my phrases though.

Imho I relate to your position here, that to me druid means; strong perceiver [oak + seer], and we should not be suffering fools gladly, there should be a challenge and a strong ethic towards understanding without taking any prisoners.

For me that’s how scientists and philosophers are these days and that comes from a tradition beyond words; Druidry [Pythagoras blended with general celtic and british traditional religion] > alchemy > philosophy/science.

[Aemilius]

"This really strikes a chord", in other words, I like it!

[Al Hakim]

But if people just come up with whatever they must in order to be able to perform ritual, doesn't that just turn the word "Druid" into the philosophical equivalent of a fashion accessory? I've been looking at this for a while now. What's the connection?

I like that statement.
We should not take the old sources too serious. Caesar did not write about the druids because he was extremely impressed by the Gaules but because he had to justify his war expense towards the Roman senate.

If you wish to perform a ritual you will usually use a background/pantheon that you like. It only exists in your head. Sometimes several persons like similar ideas. They form a group. They will give themselves rules to keep the group coharent and to exclude others. Such a group can be a fashion. But the existance for several decades already justifies to call it traditional. Disregarding doubtful roots.