The Sacredness of Nature – an article by Phil Ryder
Within Druidry, Nature is considered to be unconditionally sacred and an expression or manifestation of deity and divinity.
Before we can begin to explore what the above statement means it is necessary to understand how the term ‘Nature’ is understood within Druidry. In simple terms, it is everything. To a Druid, the term ‘supernatural’ has no meaning; nothing can be above Nature. Within our society it has become normal to think of nature as something linked to the countryside, or that which might be observed in a pastoral scene. But to a Druid it is so much more, even that which is beyond the physical is nature.
There are many ways in which you could reach this conclusion and below are just a few:
As a monotheist creationist you might consider that because God created the universe by the use of sound, for example ‘the Word’ or ‘Let there be Light’, that the matter of the universe came from the breath of God and is therefore manifest of God and sacred. A more scientific view might be that the universe was created from a singularity initiated by God. All energy may be thought of as ‘the Sprit of God’ and all physical matter is energy, therefore it is manifest of God and sacred. Yet another view would be that the universe had no beginning, it is a continuing, ever changing wonder that we can’t hope to fully comprehend.
The modern human mind tends to think of time as linear, but for the ancient people of this land, and this is increasingly becoming understood by modern science, time wasn’t considered linear. This was echoed in their myths and their art, a continuing cycle of birth, growth, release and re-birth. Their universe was one of eternal immense power, far beyond the comprehension of the human physical mind. This power is natural, is nature, is sacred.
In our attempts to try to understand this power, this energy that we feel and see all around us, we can view it as one source, we can view it as many, we can give it a name. Or we can simply accept that it is beyond our full comprehension whilst acknowledging its power over our lives, that it is deity, that it is sacred.
All of the above enshrine monotheism, polytheism, pantheism, panentheism and animism; yet all allow for considering nature as sacred and an expression of the divine. All allow for the diversity within Druidry.
In trying to explain how Druids might consider nature as sacred we have had to put into words, bring into the physical and intellectualise the various concepts of god. Some might say that this is profaning that which is sacred. Rather than relying on the written word, a stated system of belief, the Druid seeks to connect with nature. Through reverence, ritual and meditation they seek to deepen that connection. Their understanding of nature is personal, experiential, felt in their very core, spirit reaching to spirit. Through their religious practice they know that nature is sacred, they know that it is an expression of the divine, and they know that it is worthy of reverence.
It is often expressed that Druids worship that which has been created rather than the creator and therefore deity isn’t an objective reality outside of their physical being. This is to totally misunderstand Druidry. Druids do not worship nature; they give reverence to deity that is expressed within nature.