A Brief History

Modern Druidism is one of the Neo-pagan families of religion, which include Wicca, Asatru, Shamanism, and recreations of other various Pagan religions such as Egyptian, Greek, Norse, and Roman. Today’s Druidism is a reconstruction of the beliefs and practices of the ancient Celtic priesthood. The ancient Druids, were first known to exist in approximately 4,000 BCE and is believed to date far beyond written history. The ancient Druids are most widely connected with the British Isles; however, history shows evidence that the British Isles were only the last strong hold of the Druids. Most commonly referenced are the islands of Iona and Mona, (Anglesey as it is called today). The Ancients built sacred sites out of stone and these stone formations and monuments have been found all over the world. The ancient Druids were also abundant in areas of Brittany and France, where their monuments are still scattered across acres of land in geometric formations.

The ancient Druids were the most learned of men in their time and are known to perform the functions of modern day priests, teachers, legislators, astronomers, chemists, musicians, poets, theologians, philosophers, and judges. They were also specialists in healing, herbalism and divination. They were revered by all to the point that kings and social hierarchy would send their children to them to be schooled. In matters of religion, law, and scholastics, their authority was absolute. The Druids main focus was, "The Belief in Supreme Power of the Universe, and the Belief of Immortality of the Soul." The Druids underwent a lengthy three phase scholastic, artisan, and spiritual training, which is mentioned in Romantic text to have been as long as 20 years. Druids led all public rituals, which were normally held within sacred groves of trees. Due to the intellect of the Druids, the Romans feared them. It was the common folks reverence towards the Druids that interfered with Caesars’ attempt to overcome the Britons in 55 BCE, where Druidism was the prevailing philosophy in Briton at the time. Caesar found the Druids to be a threat to his authority and he ordered their demise. He nearly accomplished completely exterminating the Druids at the Isle of Mona, now Anglesey. After the invasions by Rome, the few Druids that were left converted to Christianity through persuasion or genocide.

The Christian Church adsorbed much of the Celtic religion. Pagan Gods and Goddesses became Christian saints, sacred springs and wells were preserved and associated with saints and used for baptism. Many sites of spiritual antiquity became the location of cathedrals. There are those who believe that the Christian Monks erased those things of religious conflict during the early Celtic Christian Era. By the 7th Century CE, Druidism was destroyed throughout most of the former Celtic lands or was hidden deeply underground for fear of persecution. Druidism reemerged in the 17th century in London England as the Mount Haemus Grove. In 1858, the California Grove No.1 was instituted in what is now known as Placerville. There has been found some evidence that traditional Paganism did survive into the 20th Century among isolated areas of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.