Carpe Diem #1009 druids

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

This is the penultimate episode of this month in which we discovered / explored the mysteries of nature through the Ogham alphabet. Yesterday I told you a little bit more about the Ogham alphabet and today I love to tell you a little bit more about druids and druidism. 

Druids occur in many mystical tales. In one, a Druid, Figol, threatened to bring fire to rage on his enemies and prevent the men and their steeds from going to the toilet! Their bodies would fill with urine! Of course, from our knowledge of the world today we know that this is impossible, but so many accounts of druids are riddled with mysticism, magic and possible exaggeration.

The origin of the word ‘Druid’’ is unclear, but the most popular view is that it comes from ‘doire’, an Irish-Gaelic word for oak tree (often a symbol of knowledge), also meaning ‘wisdom’. Druids were concerned with the natural world and its powers, and considered trees sacred, particularly the oak.

Druidism can be described as a shamanic religion, as it relied on a combination of contact with the spirit world and holistic medicines to treat (and sometimes cause) illnesses. They were said to have induced insanity in people and been accurate fortune tellers. Some of their knowledge of the earth and space may have come from megalithic times.

druid

There is a lot of mystery shrouding the actual history of the Druids, as our knowledge is based on limited records. Druidism is thought to have been a part of Celtic and Gaulish culture and to have originated in Britain, with the first classical reference to them in the 2nd century BC.

Their practices were similar to those of priests today, connecting the people with the gods, but their role was also varied and wide-ranging, acting as teachers, scientists, judges and philosophers. They were incredibly powerful and respected, able to banish people from society for breaking the sacred laws, and even able to come between two opposing armies and prevent warfare! They did not have to pay taxes or serve in battle. Druid women were also considered equal to men in many respects, unusual for an ancient community. (source: UK History)

ancient wisdom
comes alive again
healing nature

© Chèvrefeuille

Druidism is very similar with shamanism and with haiku. All are one with nature and that makes us, haiku poets, in  a way ... druids too.

This episode is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until August 3rd at noon (CET). I will try to post our last episode of this month, fairies, later on.