Of the Living Earth
The Ancient Order of Druids in America (AODA) was founded in 1912. As North America’s arm of the Ancient and Archaeological Order of Druids, their focus is on supporting the pursuit of Revival Druidry in the modern world. Where some organizations believe in a Druidry that is insular and restricted, AODA opens its doors to anyone willing to dig in to the traditions and values they espouse. Whatever gender, culture, background, or spiritual tradition you are, you are welcome.
The term “Druidry” stresses that the Druid path is not an “ism,” an ideology or set of beliefs, but a craft, a set of practices and traditions sharing common principles. — AODA About Us
The idea of a spirituality that is open to those who practice or are affiliated with other spiritualities is an unusual one, at least in my experience. In The Druidry Handbook, John Greer — AODA’s Grand Archdruid from 2003 to 2015 — acknowledges that there is some contention between different groups regarding this particular point. He argues ultimately that Druidry can function — and in fact, functions at its best — without dogmatic belief.
Experience, not belief, is central to Druid spirituality, and so it actually doesn’t matter that much to Druidry whether gods are objectively real individual divine beings, aspects or manifestations of some overarching unity, archetypal functions within the human mind, or something else entirely. — John Greer, The Druidry Handbook
In this openness there is a refreshing opportunity to welcome people of all stripes. This appeals to me greatly, and, I think, sits well with many conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts I know. Though the large majority of them would not say they subscribe to any particular spirituality, there an acknowledgement of nature’s je ne sais quoi — its ineffable allure and value to individuals from all walks of life. With that said, this openness can bring into question whether the group lacks a unified set of core values, but the AODA is quick to emphasize the important of a shared vision.
Ecological awareness and commitment to an earth-honoring lifestyle, celebration of the cycles of nature through seasonal ritual, and personal development through meditation and other spiritual exercises form the core of [druidry], and involvement in the arts, natural sciences, and traditional esoteric studies are among its applications and expressions. — AODA About Us
The aforementioned John Greer goes on in another one of his writings, A Green Way of Wisdom, to try and sum up his view on the shifting nature of Druidry in the modern world.
Above all else, Druidry means following a spiritual path rooted in the green Earth. It means participating in a living Western spiritual tradition drawn from many sources, including surviving legacies from Celtic wisdom teachings, but embracing the contributions of many peoples and times. It means learning from archaic traditions, from three centuries of modern Druid scholarship, and from the always changing lessons of the living Earth itself. It means embracing an experiential approach to religious questions, one that abandons rigid belief systems in favour of inner development and individual contact with the realms of nature and spirit.
A lot of the work I’ll be doing over the next year or so is from the AODA’s curriculum. The AODA asks for an interesting mixture of self-reflection, study, and meditation. Some of this is easy for me — I’ve always been an enthusiastic amateur birder—while other elements will demand a greater suspension of disbelief and an openness to exploring ideas that, at first blush, I am inclined to reject.
The following is taken directly from the AODA’s First Degree Curriculum and John Greer’s The Druidry Handbook. For a number of reasons, Druids are big fans of the number three, and so it comes as no surprise that the curriculum merges three “paths”, or areas of focus, into a singular set of requirements. I’ll be exploring the Earth Path today, the first of three paths I’ll be walking in the next year. I’m not too wrapped up just yet in what I will do afterwards — there is a lot that I have to do and learn before I get anywhere near deciding whether it is something I’ll continue with.
Most traditional Druid orders give novices a structured curriculum at first, but encourage more experienced students to take a progressively larger role in designing their own course of training, until finally, each one follows a unique path. This follows from the core principles of the Druid way. The point of Druid training, after all, isn’t the mass production of initiates with identical skills and opinions. Rather, it’s the awakening of the unique personal gifts and insights within each individual Druid. — John Greer, The Druidry Handbook
The Earth Path focuses on exploring a spirituality “based on reverence for nature and a life in harmony with the living Earth”. The requirements are as follows:
- At least once each week during your Candidate year, spend fifteen minutes or more in direct contact with the natural world.
The AODA’s definition of the natural world is broad, and they are quick to emphasize that anyone can find nature around them. They ask aspiring druids to spend time outdoors each week. This time is partially in the practice of stillness, keeping one’s mind empty but aware of the world around them, and partially in the practice of focus, finding a natural item and examining in detail each thing that makes it what it is. There are clear connections to a general practice of meditation here, which I have found immensely helpful in my own life.
2. Read at least nine books on the natural history of the local ecological region in which you live.
I love this. I have a deep and abiding love for life-long learning, and it is very, very exciting to me that as part of a spiritual pathway new druids are asked to learn about the world around them. The purpose of this exercise is to grow in understanding of the natural world, specifically the ecological region you reside in. I am so excited to learn more about local flora and fauna, weather patterns, hydrological/geological cycles, and movement or change of land over time in my region.
My goal here is to read at least three books that are directly related to the identification of local flora and fauna — in particular, birds, trees, and plants. On top of that, I’m looking for three books on regional hydrology, geology, and ecology, to develop my understanding of how these critical systems shape the land and regional environment as it is today. Finally, I’ll look for three books that focus specifically on the natural history of the region, and how our approach to land use, both practically and philosophically, has changed over time.
3. Make three changes in your lifestyle in order to take less from the Earth and give more back, and maintain those changes through your Candidate year.
This aligns wonderfully closely with my personal values. I already incorporate into my life a number of the recommended practices, and am looking forward to stretching myself a bit more in this area. I appreciate deeply the care with which this requirement is introduced by the AODA; there is substantial emphasis on different individuals leading fundamentally different lives. Rather than mandating a specific set of eco-friendly practices that each individual must introduce, the AODA asks each person to find practices that they can integrate into their life in a sustainable way. There is also a much-appreciated focus on self-reflection rather than outward evangelism.
Though the AODA does not limit a set of practices, suggestions include:
Using public transit, bicycling, or walking to work; decreasing your household energy use by, for instance, replacing an electric appliance with a hand-powered one; replacing toxic products with ecologically safe ones; composting kitchen scraps and yard waste; and so on. The Earth Path requires you to change your own life, rather than trying to make other people change theirs.
Love it. I will have to do some ruminating on what particular practices I think are sustainable ones to adopt. At this point, I’m leaning towards a focus on public and self-powered transit alongside an attempt at composting, if I can figure out a way to facilitate it in my building.
4. Plant at least one tree during your Candidate year, and water and tend it until it is well established.
This is a bit tricky for me, given that I don’t have a yard to work with. I’m hoping I can convince one of my many patient and loving friends to offer up some yard space in exchange for the long-term benefit of a lovely tree.
So, that’s it — one-third of the tasks I’ll be picking up when I start on this exploration. Though challenging, it all feels achievable, and I am excited for the opportunity to grow in a number of different ways. I’ll be looking at the next two paths over the next few weeks, and gearing up to integrate these changes into my life.
Further Reading
The Ancient Order of Druids in America’s website is a wonderful resource. I borrowed heavily from it here when reviewing the organization’s values and the curriculum requirements, particularly the following pages:
- Welcome
- About Us
- First Degree Curriculum
Greer, J. 2006. The Druidry Handbook. Red Wheel: Boston, MA
