World Druidry

"World Druidry:
A Globalizing Path of Nature Spirituality"

What does it mean to be a Druid, circa 2020 c.e.?

Until now, very little scholarly attention has been paid to the group of Druids, alive today, who actively engage in some form of Druidry (or Druidism) as their primary religious or spiritual path. There are many Druidic authors and groups, each promoting a slightly different variation of Druidry, but little research has been done, as yet, to determine the extent to which what is written in their Druidry books and curricula is actually put into practice. What do modern-day Druids believe? What are their religious and spiritual practices? How do their beliefs and practices vary? What if anything do the Druids of the world hold in common?

“World Druidry: A Globalizing Path of Nature Spirituality”, presents the findings of the World Druidry Survey — a global, multi-lingual survey exploring the religious beliefs and spiritual practices of contemporary world Druids. The survey comprised 189 items, organized into 42 sets of questions, including 18 open-ended/essay questions, probing into the details of: Druids’ physical, social, and cultural environments; their social and cultural identities; their theological beliefs, ritual practices, and celebrated holidays; and the factors which had influenced their development as Druids.

Completed surveys were returned by 725 practicing Druids, representing 147 Druidry groups from around the world, as well as 131 unaffiliated, solitary practitioners. Surveys were returned from 34 nations, scattered across 6 continents, and represented a group of modern Druids highly diverse along lines of age, gender, ethnic identity, and level of experience with Druidry. The survey responses included both vast quantities of numeric data and thousands of pages of rich, narrative data, allowing for the use of robust, mixed-methods analysis tools to paint a vivid picture of the modern religious tradition that is World Druidry.

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Table of Contents

Pop Quiz
An Offering of Gratitude

Chapter 1: Concerning “Druids”

What does it mean to be a Druid, circa 2020 C.E.?

A Brief Review of Existing Literature

Chapter 2: The World Druidry Survey

Participant-Researcher Background & Motivations

Research Design

Questionnaire Development Process

Encouraging Global Participation

Protecting Participant Privacy and Data Security

The Unprecedented Response

Making Sense of the Stories

Chapter 3: A Geography of World Druidry

Modern Druids and their Natural Environments

Connections to Celtic Culture and the Lands of Ancient Druids

Modern Druids and their Local Communities

Privacy & Safety Concerns of Modern Druids

Modern Druids at Home

Druidry, with Children

Chapter 4: Crafting a Personal Path of Druidry

Factors Influencing Druids’ Spiritual Paths

The Impact of Druidry Groups & Curricula

Influential Authors, Books, and Media

The Role of Geography in the Evolution of Druidry

The Process of Becoming a Druid

Chapter 5: Themes & Variations in Druid Theology

Druid Perceptions of the Divine

The Role of Ancestors in Druidry Practice

Religions and Spiritual Traditions Practiced with Druidry

Spiritual Wildcrafting as a Form of Devotion

Cultivating Relationships with the Divine

Chapter 6: Druid Ritual & Devotional Practices

Common Ritual Practices Among Druids

Sacred Objects in Druid Ritual & Celebration

Places of Druid Ritual & Celebration

Social Contexts for Druid Ritual & Celebration

Sacred Activities in Everyday Life

Universal Themes in Druid Ritual & Devotional Practice

Chapter 7: Druid Festivals & Celebrations

The Traditional Druid “Wheel of the Year”

Seasonal Festivals in a Globalizing Tradition

Celebrating Cycles of Life, in Nature

Druidry’s Wildcrafted Wheels of the Year

Universal Themes in Druid Festivals & Celebrations

Chapter 8: Druidry’s Spiritual Common Core

Druidry Variations due to Druid Group Membership

Druidry Variations due to Geographical Location

How Druidry Traditions Have Evolved Over Time

Druidry's Spiritual Common Core, circa 2020 c.e.

Afterword
Appendix A: The Survey Instrument
Appendix B: Druid Population Estimates
Appendix C: Participating Druid Groups
Glossary
Bibliography
Index