Post by Senbecc on Feb 10, 2007 19:58:07 GMT -5
This subject is one that has been on my mind allot lately, with topics, happenings, and sites on the subject which I have come across. I see such colorful subjects as the "Celtic connection" "Wicca is a Druidic/Celtic religion" I've even had it suggested to me that I myself have said Wicca is rooted in Celtic Cultures...Well no, I said that Wicca might be rooted in several ancient cultures...I certainly never said it was Celtic in any way, or rooted in one ancient practice. Allot of people seem to feel the terms Wicca and Druid are somehow interchangeable. Some of the arguments I have heard to this end would follow somewhere along the lines of "but...The Sabbats are in Gaelic". Well no, half of the Sabbats are in Gaelic, the other half I believe are in Roman or Latin, which once again shows that "Wica" is an eclectic tradition where as Druidry and indeed any Celtic system of spirituality is not. The Celts according to the texts celebrated four fire festivals as opposed to Sabbats, after the Ulster Cycle I believe, and before that it was three according to some texts which would support their belief in threes.
Wicca is through and through an eclectic tradition, another example of this fact, as well as further proof that the two paths are not related would be the elemental systems employed by both paths. Wicca uses the elements as given by classical Greek practice and tradition, these being Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Where as Druidry and other systems of Celtic practice employ the three Druidic elements of Land, Sea and Sky. These three being further separated into nine elements or qualities of being known as the Dúile. These would be listed as follows:
1. Bones/Stone
2. Flesh/Earth
3. Hair/Plant life/Tree
4. Blood/Sea/Loch/River
5. Breath/Wind/Air
6. Mind/Moon
7. Face/Sun
8. Brain/Clouds
9. Head/Heaven
When we stop and truly examine the two paths in detail how similar do they look at all? Which brings us to my final comparison. The Celts, as well as the Greeks and Romans did not in any way worship a Goddess and God, or Lord and Lady. This is an exclusively Wiccan belief and is further proof that Wicca is in no way some ancient mystery Celtic (or any other culture) tradition. There was no philosophy in Celtic beliefs that all Gods and Goddesses were one "Lord and Lady" aspect. The Gods to a Celt were a bloodline, and each were distinct individuals in and of themselves. There was no belief further that the gods were the ambassadors to a greater Divine power. You would no more worship a Celtic god than you would worship your own Grandmother! The Celts simply would not have seperated themselves from the creative forces within creation by giving it "worship" Deep respect? Yes...Worship? No.
It is my hope that this post/blog will help to dispel some of the fantasy going around myspace, as well as the websites I will be posting this work on. I have seen people here on myspace get their undies in a wad, and just completely get the sniffles when when people speak of Neo-Wiccans calling themselves Wicca, "don't call it something its not" then turn around and do the exact same thing with the term Druid. Well if you are mixing Celtic/Druidic philosophy with that of Wicca, then you are flaming people for that which you are the most guilty..I don't know how to say it any more plainly, though I have said before and maintain that it isn't the initiated who are doing the flaming...Why would they? If you are mix-matching these two paths then don't call it Druidry, Druid inspired perhaps but "DruidCraft" isn't Celtic, I see this as exactly the same as walking into a ritual and saying your going to call on Macha and Zeus, God and Goddess of two different pantheons...Just a new way to mass produce the masses of insta-Druids to my mind. In short don't call it something it isn't, especially if your going to flame and troll those who do the same with Wicca.
The term Druid seems to be shrouded in the mists of time, made mysterious by peoples own imagination and kept out of reach by their own self-imposed exile and blindness to what it is that makes a Druid. If you are a Druid for example, you have more important things to do with your time than flame the un-initiated, and with that I will leave you with this quote from a Pictish Druid.
"We, the most distant dwellers upon the earth, the last of the free, have been shielded...by our remoteness and by the obscurity which has shrouded our name...Beyond us lies no nation, nothing but waves and rocks"
Senbecc, resident Druid, Filidh, and Ollamh
Wicca is through and through an eclectic tradition, another example of this fact, as well as further proof that the two paths are not related would be the elemental systems employed by both paths. Wicca uses the elements as given by classical Greek practice and tradition, these being Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Where as Druidry and other systems of Celtic practice employ the three Druidic elements of Land, Sea and Sky. These three being further separated into nine elements or qualities of being known as the Dúile. These would be listed as follows:
1. Bones/Stone
2. Flesh/Earth
3. Hair/Plant life/Tree
4. Blood/Sea/Loch/River
5. Breath/Wind/Air
6. Mind/Moon
7. Face/Sun
8. Brain/Clouds
9. Head/Heaven
When we stop and truly examine the two paths in detail how similar do they look at all? Which brings us to my final comparison. The Celts, as well as the Greeks and Romans did not in any way worship a Goddess and God, or Lord and Lady. This is an exclusively Wiccan belief and is further proof that Wicca is in no way some ancient mystery Celtic (or any other culture) tradition. There was no philosophy in Celtic beliefs that all Gods and Goddesses were one "Lord and Lady" aspect. The Gods to a Celt were a bloodline, and each were distinct individuals in and of themselves. There was no belief further that the gods were the ambassadors to a greater Divine power. You would no more worship a Celtic god than you would worship your own Grandmother! The Celts simply would not have seperated themselves from the creative forces within creation by giving it "worship" Deep respect? Yes...Worship? No.
It is my hope that this post/blog will help to dispel some of the fantasy going around myspace, as well as the websites I will be posting this work on. I have seen people here on myspace get their undies in a wad, and just completely get the sniffles when when people speak of Neo-Wiccans calling themselves Wicca, "don't call it something its not" then turn around and do the exact same thing with the term Druid. Well if you are mixing Celtic/Druidic philosophy with that of Wicca, then you are flaming people for that which you are the most guilty..I don't know how to say it any more plainly, though I have said before and maintain that it isn't the initiated who are doing the flaming...Why would they? If you are mix-matching these two paths then don't call it Druidry, Druid inspired perhaps but "DruidCraft" isn't Celtic, I see this as exactly the same as walking into a ritual and saying your going to call on Macha and Zeus, God and Goddess of two different pantheons...Just a new way to mass produce the masses of insta-Druids to my mind. In short don't call it something it isn't, especially if your going to flame and troll those who do the same with Wicca.
The term Druid seems to be shrouded in the mists of time, made mysterious by peoples own imagination and kept out of reach by their own self-imposed exile and blindness to what it is that makes a Druid. If you are a Druid for example, you have more important things to do with your time than flame the un-initiated, and with that I will leave you with this quote from a Pictish Druid.
"We, the most distant dwellers upon the earth, the last of the free, have been shielded...by our remoteness and by the obscurity which has shrouded our name...Beyond us lies no nation, nothing but waves and rocks"
Senbecc, resident Druid, Filidh, and Ollamh
