Druidry and the Hierarchy of the Divine
In embracing this worldview, we align ourselves with a timeless wisdom that speaks to the very essence of existence.
For centuries, academic and amateur Celtologists have worked in silos to attempt to find some sense of structure in the wild meadows of Celtic paganism. Unfortunately, the term “Celt” for a person is a misnomer. It’d be more accurate to call a daisy a sunflower… sure, daisies are in the sunflower family, but so are 32,000 other flowers. In reality, Celt refers to the language group that connected societies that had a vast presence, from as far as Iceland in the north, to Portugal in the Atlantic, and from as far east as the Baltic Sea to modern-day Turkey. Once that realization has been made, you can start to appreciate the magnitude of trying to formalize a structure that includes all those societal norms, mythologies, deities, and cultures.
Ultimately, we will never have a single and true picture of the Celtic people… but it won’t stop us trying! In an attempt to bring Celtic culture into the modern age, many have tried their hand at putting together a sort of quasi-reconstructed Druidic Philosophy. At its heart are some key tenets, like the unfathomable interconnectedness of all things, the collective goal of striving for cooperative harmony, and the concept of the three-fold rebirth. Another concept — modeling the metaphysical philosophies of Neoplatonism, Gnosticism, and even Lovecraft — is the idea of a ‘Hierarchical Structure’ which attempts to catalog planes of reality and divine entities. Through the lens of Druidry, this may seem challenging because of the sheer scope of standalone, comparative, and lost deities but the general structure is easier than it seems.
While the specifics of who sits in which category are uncertain, ‘The Hierarchy of the Fountains’ confirms the existence of four levels of divinity.
The First Fountain: The Cup
Don’t be misled by its simple name; the Cup is perhaps the most influential of all four fountains. The Cup, a pool of infinite potential, symbolizes what I call the ‘Demiurge,’ the wellspring from which all creation bursts forth. In Greek Philosophy, the Demiurge often lies at the center of all creation and is often referred to as the Monad, or the ultimate creator, however in Druidry, this refers more to those with the power of creation within the material realm… Us.
This fountainhead shapes and sustains everything through a harmonious frequency and contains everything in the physical universe, from a living person to a solitary grain of sand. Each material being, no matter how seemingly insignificant, contributes to this cosmic dance. This view not only empowers every part of the material world with a divine spark but also resonates with the Druidic belief in the interconnectedness and essential unity of all existence. The Cup thus symbolizes the transformative potential within all things, reflecting the core principles of Druidic thought.
It is also the most significant fountain as it is only those who have the power of influencing Comhoibriú [KUH-VREE-UH] (the cooperative and harmonious frequency of the cosmos) who have the Demiurgic ability of creation, from which all divinity encircles. Whether it is a poem, a building, or life itself, the act of creation is divine and the mode, or method, of creation, will either flow toward harmony or ebb us further away.
This Cup is also the strongest of the four fountains, with the current of water constantly moving and recycling. It is for this reason that Demiurgic entities within the first fountain are confined to the rule of the three-fold rebirth, where our mind, body, and soul are reincarnated after a brief moment of respite in the Summerlands.
Additionally, being in the first fountain presents a unique opportunity. For those who have achieved true Comhoibriú, they have an opportunity to move beyond the Cup in a process of apotheosis, breaking the three-fold rebirth and entering the Second Fountain.
The Second Fountain: The Wellsprings
After achieving Comhoibriú and ascending up the Hierarchy, you would find yourself at the Wellsprings. The Wellsprings are cosmic channels, gateways where the essence of the material world begins to flow upward. They are the connecting rivulets, nourished by the Cup and flowing towards the Third Fountain, a delicate confluence of earthly and ethereal which ripples closest to the material world that we live in. Because of this, we have often heard tales in folklore and mythology of portals opening to liminal places, which is the home of local deities.
There are two generally accepted variations of local deities: Ascended and Bestowed.
Ascended Deities are the traditional kind that has moved from the First Fountain to the Second Fountain through a harmonious apotheosis. These deities were originally part of the material realm but eventually transcended physical limitations, like the rising of the mists as they transformed from something earthly to something ethereal. Their strength is often associated with a specific place, artifact, or idea, and many of the Wellspring Gods are multi-named across various geographies on Earth.
Bestowed Deities are equally powerful but are not as common. Typically, a Bestowed Deity will be granted divinity through the actions of others and we typically see this in Wellspring Gods that are associated with specific places. An example could be the River Boyne in Ireland which by sheer proximity to people, the accumulative energy they bring, and the significance that local people placed on the river, achieved apotheosis and became the goddess known as Boann. Another example is Stonehenge which, while not currently associated with a deity, may one day achieve the same apotheosis and join the Wellspring.
Despite moving beyond the limitations that we find in the Cup, there are numerous boundaries that Wellspring Gods cannot cross. For example, once an association has been confirmed, it cannot be changed. While they are not bound by the rule of the three-fold rebirth, they are still confined by other rules of the material world, such as the passing of time which may erode their name from common knowledge, or from the actions of Cup Entities which may destroy a location that they were associated with, like a grove or a river.
A second apotheosis, or the ascension of a Wellspring Deity to the Third Fountain, is difficult to ascertain as it would be akin to explaining a 5-dimensional object to a 3-dimensional being such as ourselves. There are layers of the cosmos that we, within the material world, are not aware of and principles that guide the universe that we could not comprehend. That being said, it is understood that moving beyond the Wellspring requires a tremendous amount of sacrifice and transformation, creating a state of enlightenment that brings mastery of the fundamental principles of nature and aligning with a higher frequency of harmony.
The Third Fountain: The Streams
Imagine being powerful enough to stand upright in a raging rapid and feel nothing but the haze of water on your face. That is what lives beyond the Wellsprings in the Third Fountain. The Streams are celestial rivers, each governing a specific domain of the universe. Their currents reach across the cosmic landscape, branching out and intersecting, but remaining distinct. They symbolize an elevated layer of divinity, unaffected by earthly changes, their flow constant and timeless. The entities that reside here have power over large portions of the cosmos, each governing a specific domain of the universe, their streams reaching across celestial boundaries.
Little is known about the rules that govern the Stream Gods, but it is certain that they are no longer affected by the actions of the material world. If a Wellspring Deity becomes associated with a specific forest, and that forest is subsequently destroyed, the Wellspring Deity’s connection to divinity would be severed. In contrast, a Stream God, operating on a more cosmic level, would remain unaffected by such earthly changes, retaining their full divinity regardless of alterations in the physical world.
These are primordial entities like Cernunnos, whose influence is almost universal. Their roles can be seen as the guardians and regulators of cosmic principles. Though distinct, they connect to the Fourth Fountain, embodying certain universal truths. Their omnipresence allows them to transcend typical pantheons, forming a bridge between the infinite and the finite.
From these mighty Stream Gods, we ascend further into the cosmic hierarchy, approaching a realm that transcends all earthly comprehension. In this ethereal domain, the streams converge into a singular source, beckoning us to explore the final and most profound level of the Druidic divine structure.
The Fourth Fountain: The Eternal Spring
The Eternal Spring is the ultimate confluence, where all the streams merge into a ceaseless and ever-flowing fountainhead. From this eternal source, all existence springs forth, and at its center lies Danu, the cosmic creator. This supreme entity embodies the oneness of all existence, the Alpha and Omega. Like the Brahman in Hinduism, Danu transcends all forms and attributes, representing the pure essence of divinity where all waters return, the beginning and the end.
VI. Conclusion
The Hierarchy is not merely a system of categorization but a profound reflection of the universe’s structure. The journey through the Four Fountains in Druidic Philosophy is a reflection of our path through existence. From the bubbling source of the Cup to the far-reaching Streams, and finally the embrace of Danu’s Spring, this hierarchy guides us to see the divine flow within ourselves and all things. It invites us to see the divine in everything, recognizing the cosmic symphony in which we all play a part.
In embracing this worldview, we align ourselves with a timeless wisdom that speaks to the very essence of existence. It encourages us to live in harmony with the natural world, honoring the divine spark within ourselves and all things.
In the arms of the Druid, in the eyes of the seer,
A love for the universe, profound and clear,
Through Four Fountains flowing, a path to the divine,
A symbol of love, eternal and fine.
