Re: Druids are to unite fhionamacg fhionamacg@yahoo.com Sat May 17 14:22:23 2003 TomCaT wrote,*br*: If druidry is going to develop,*br*: druids are to be united. If druids are*br*: to be united, they have to meet some-*br*: where in a sacred place. If they have*br*: to meet, they will.*br*: Would be glad to hear or read at*br*: least messages and propositions on that*br*: question.*br*: *p*Dear TomCaT*p*I am not sure I am understanding your post. *br*In reading it, I understand that you are suggesting that druids need to become a unified force...to what end?*p*From my perspective, I find it difficult to believe that the ancient druids were united, as some sort of "brotherhood". We need to consider some of the following factors based on what we think we definatively know about them, if in fact we can say we know anything at all about them...*br*A factor that is often overlooked...the druids were tribal intelligentsia.Key word being tribal. They may have had ambassadorial type of privileges, ie being able to cross tribal borders and boundaries with freedom, and sort of a sacrosanct air about them, enabling them to go about intertribal business. This is not to say that they were united at all. There are many examples in myth, where druid was pitted against druid, usually in the cases of intertribal warfare.*br*There is some mention in the texts of druid colleges or schools...these were most likely provincial, or regional schools, and again tribally associated. We do know that the ppl then had no concept of national identity, or even provincial identity...they were just the ppl of whatever clan or tribe.Thus, their concept of unity, most definately was not our concept of unity.*p*I think a Druid today, is very much like the ancestral druids, or our concept of them, based upon what we can cautiously say we know...in that, we still strive to serve the ppl, but the ppl in our area.In that sense, we are still very regionally or locally based. And usually, there are enough issues and needs within our own areas which keep us fairly occupied.*p*The type of druid path you practice, or that any person practices on this list and within the Summerland community can vary widely from what another practices...chances are, if one tries to introduce some kind of uniformity in an effort toward unity, then things will go to Tech Duinn in a handbasket pretty quick... simply because of the vast and enormous diversity between and among practitioners. *p*Usually, if one is advocating unity, there is some kind of need, or perceived threat which calls for a united stand, and personally, I see no such need at this time...perhaps I am missing something, but then, I am also in the far reaches of the north country, and so fairly insulated. A situation which may demand unity in your region, may have no effect on my region...if you see what I am saying. *p*I am also not so sure that the Gods expect this type of unity. Again, for instance, most of the TDD ( Tuatha De Danann) whom we have deified, were tribal entities, not pan-tribal. Tribal spiritual entities, if they have agendas, would have differing agendas than pan-tribal ones. Tribal deities by virtue of animistic projection ( ie putting human emotions, thoughts,reasoning, desires upon them...)would be concerned with tribal concerns, which may not be the concerns of another tribe. *p*But I am wondering what prompted your call for unity, and why you think it is necessary? There already is, in some ways a loose-knit type of unity, in that there seems to be a cross-organizational unspoken understanding in that as a broad generalized group, Druids strive for excellence, they still try to be repositories of learning, they teach those who are seeking- and for the most part, draw upon the extant primary source documents and excellence of scholarship to do so-seeking historical and cultural truth, but more importantly, takeing the principles there that they find and making them applicable today in the here and now. And perhaps, that is enough unity. Some groups focus on individual spiritual growth and understanding, others focus on community- some are political, and some are eco groups...each fills a need, and in that service, there is a unity. *p*Personally, I think we already are united. We are developed...and continue to evolve and grow, for a faith path or lifestyle of faith which fails to meet the spiritual and mundane needs of the ppl, will die. *p*In one way or another, ie folk practices and oral traditions, certain parts of Celtic/Gaelic indigenous spirituality has survived into our times- cultural groups have survived, which still speak Gaelic- many in the Atlantic provinces of Canada, and some in Ontario...where these communities have survived, the culture survives- albeit adapting and changing to suit the times, but still surviving. We were, we are, we shall be. Thats how I see it anyway.*p*Blessings*br*F/|\*p**p* Druids are to unite TomCaT 1135 Sat - Apr 26 - 6:25pm 24.71.223.140