Druidry

One aspect of this blog has been a religious journey. Two years ago, I wrote describing my religious beliefs, struggling to figure out if I fit any known category. It turned out that I didn't fit any known category, because at that time, pantheism was not known to me. Some months later, I found pantheism, and then I knew what label to put on myself.

But in time, I realized I was still looking for something. I have no doubt that I am a pantheist through and through, but pantheism is a theology. I still want a practice. I want to be part of a community. I want to work toward a better world with people who share my values. I want to get spiritual inspiration from rituals, lectures, readings, retreats, etc.

A couple weeks ago, I found druidry. Perhaps it is what I am looking for. I am still exploring.

There are many different druid groups. They are all different. Any statement I make about druidry will be true of some, but not true of others. I'll be focusing on the parts of druidry which I am thinking of embracing.

Some things I like about druidry:

• Druidry is open to monotheists, polytheists, pantheists, and atheists. It includes Christians, Pagans, Buddhists, and others.
• Druidry is an earth-centered spirituality.
• Druidry has roots in Celtic cultures. I value being able to do something that is in line with my own cultural heritage, rather than just borrowing other people's cultural heritages.
• Druidry provides a spiritual core which links my interests in music, sustainable living, being outdoors, and treating all people with respect.
• Druids were scholars, judges, diplomats, and healers. They were keepers of knowledge and wisdom. It is important to me to be part of a religion which is not just internally focused, but which seeks to heal the world.
• Druidry emphasizes sustainable living.
  
• Druidry encourages learning and reasoning.
• Druidry encourages a hands-on approach to life.
• Druidry celebrates music.
  

I still have some doubts. Which of the many druid groups are right for me? Some are more unstructured than what I'm looking for, while others seem more authoritarian than what I'm looking for. Some are more oriented toward the supernatural than I am. Some are more pagan than I am.

True, it's possible to be a druid in your own way, without connecting to any organization. But what I'm seeking is something more structured than what I've found in pantheism.