The Elements of Druid Ritual

This is perhaps the most important part of the Rites and Rituals area. For in Druidry there is a great resistence to liturgy.

We talk of Druidry as an oral tradition, yet both words are equally powerful and that can provoke a paradox. Our distant Druid ancestors, we believe, committed nothing of their religion to writing. What is not written remains vibrant and relevant, adjusted appropriately to each new day, each and every relationship. It is also less likely that deep mysteries will be misused or misconstrued by those without the necessary loyalties, wisdom or wit. Nowadays, we write a great deal, but these essential values of the oral tradition are still acknowledged.

Our religious practice is also deeply blessed by its long ancestry. Some actions, prayers or words have been used for many years, and in some cases centuries or longer. They hum with the experience of continuity, with ancestral voices. So do we talk of the value of tradition, holding on to the importance of 'doing it the way our ancestors did'.

Instead of laying out the key parts of Druid ritual as if I know what they are, these pages invite members of the Druid community as a whole to contribute, to say what to them is important and why. The links below are a guide for the subject of each page, but more can be added. This project is just beginning. Please add your own words (either keep it to 150 words or less, or send a full article): go ahead and email us.

The Point of Ritual - The Call for Peace - Creating a Space for Ritual - The Three Worlds - The Four Directions - Working with the Awen - Honouring the Ancestors - The Gods in Ritual - Direct or Symbolic Action - The Sacred Feast - Closing a Rite