All things Pagan. A Druid's guide.

Originally posted by Druid42
reply to post by Agarta

 

I have a simple question for you. Have your deep studies of 25 years been studies, or an embracement of the lifestyle? Just curious.

Yes, very much so, except its a lot more than the word "lifestyle" implies. I AM is a better statement.

I do fail to see your reluctance to share information, or participate in our conversation. If we are not being serious enough, then perhaps you and your friends can start a thread, and drop a link in here, so we can get a taste of what true knowledge is.

I began doing just that from the beginning, you even commented on them, but this thread went everywhere and I had "Family" things to deal with for a day, and when I returned to this chaos, I lost desire. Maybe, I will do a thread on the subject, we will have to wait and see.

reply to post by Druid42


A question. Do you you know the ingredients of the majik potion that the gauls used to drink to give them strength? I believe that it is similar to the potion that the vikings used? A friend of mine researched it but would never tell me the ingredients.

reply to post by autowrench


LOL I'll say the pentagram makes vehicles invisable to cops. I surrounded my husbands broken down van which cannot on its best day pass inspection. He has been driving it for months now with a bad sticker and the cops just look the other way when he drives by. He is not pagan but he knows the power and he laughs about this. Of course that same pentagram is protecting him from that bad bad van too.

To lay some groundwork for those new to Paganism, and desiring for more information, I'll post a few links to reading material. As some of you know, the history of the Druids, is patchy and vague in very early times. There are different schools of thought in many publications.

The Druids- A Brief Cultural History

by Christopher M. Nixon

The group of people known as the Druids, their practices, beliefs, and lives are shrouded in a great deal of mystery and misconception. Many people are fascinated by Druidism, and the tales of clandestine powerful wizards-quietly working their magick under the velvet cloak of night. Thus the truth is often overlooked, and not well understood. But who were they? Where did they come from? To truly understand them, it is imperative to examine what linguistic studies have taught us about their origins.

Virtually all languages spoken today and throughout time- save for Finnish- stem from early forms of dialect called Proto Indo-European (PIE) Languages. Though it is impossible to discern the exact date that these first forms of communication were created, Latin, Sanskrit, and Greek all owe their origins to this early form of dialect. These PIE's as they are called and the people who spoke them influenced culture and society the world over as they spread from their origins in the area that is now Southern Russia. It was these early tribes of people that we know as The Celts. They first appeared as migrants from the Eastern Mediterranean to Britain in two waves- the first around 2300B.C., and the next around 2000B.C. From their ranks, arose the Druids.

.

People such as Max Mueller- the creator of "The Science of Religion" during the 1880's, (Which later became what we now know as the field of Comparative Religion), were pioneers in discovering so much about how the Celtic and Druidic culture spread throughout Europe. Georges Dumezil's extensive research, which resulted similarly in the birth of Dumezilian Comparative Mythology, achieved similar ends. These men's work paved the way to later research by countless others who realized these early people served as key influences in the political and social development of Europe and other world cultures via language and religious custom- among these were the Romans, Christianity, and both Witchcraft and Wicca.

The Druids established themselves as a spiritual class of healers, teachers, and rulers. They were a group that observed and worshipped the patterns and elements of nature around them, viewing these patterns as reflections of themselves and Man's world. Ritual practices and beliefs were constructed that sought to bring Man into a closer harmony with nature, and build a relationship that assisted Him in living daily life, with everything
from herbalism and holistic medicine, to rites that celebrated birth, death, and marital unions.

Much more to read at: www.themystica.com...

As you can see, the Druids are a much older influence than previously thought by modern man. I find the history rich in the core of my beleifs and practice of Paganism.

And that kinda brings us full circle to this statement....

The Druids are responsible for many occult systems and religious symbolisms used today by practitioners of many beliefs and traditions- among them Christianity, Judaism, and Wicca. Among them are the uses of the number three, and of tripods or trinities as evidenced by one of the Druids' chief symbols, The Triscale, a swirling image of three lines coming together to a circle in balance. Also the use of the trees and their different energies and properties in folk magic practices that survive even to this day, as well as countless other ideologies on polarity, balance, meditation, and macro/microcosmic cycles within life. They have contributed immensely to the foundation of society in Europe, and the world over.

www.themystica.com...

reply to post by hudsonhawk69


If I remember correctly, and I'll try and find the reference for you ( maybe Hearn or Lindow ), part of the formula was fermented mare's milk and horse urine. The formula was very close to what later Medieval Alchemists called the Philosopher's Stone.

reply to post by Destinyone
Virtually all languages spoken today and throughout time- save for Finnish- stem from early forms of dialect called Proto Indo-European (PIE) Languages.

You can add Basque to Finnish. Basque has an relation to Finnish without PIE roots.

Originally posted by Open2Truth
reply to post by Druid42

 

As a reader and follower of this thread - but not having posted in it - I would like to add my comments to the discussion about its topics and direction.

I was very interested to learn more about the Druid history and practice as begun by the OP and subscribed to the thread as a result. As it was an area of personal interest, and some limited personal research years ago, I kept up with it for awhile.

But it can no longer be read as a body of work by those interested in learning more about the topic. Personally, I think this is a bit disrespectful to the original material and topic, one well worthy IMO of discussion.

Patience. The first few pages were simply a meet and greet. Pagans were visiting, and I was greeting them, after my OP. To be more specific, most pagans are cautious, sensitive, and wary. We do not like attacks, verbal assaults, or any sort of animosity. It goes against our ways.

I’m not sure this can be seen by the majority of the contributors - as it is now a hodge podge of so many different elements - and really seems much more to be a pagan community bulletin board with no effort to coherently share and educate on the original topic.

Facepalm. Paganism is a hodge-podge of different ideas. That's what makes us unique. ATS does happen to be a bulletin board. What else would you expect?
Chaos is all around us, and we will be working on a more coherent way to present information, however, you should note that this thread is in the OFF TOPIC: Religion, Faith, and Theology Forum. It's not in Ancient & Lost Civilizations. If it was there, I'd expect the rigors that ATS requires. I'd expect solid information, as I do when I visit the many threads here. Since it is the RF&T Forum, there will be many varying views presented here, and we need to keep an open mind when people present new information. We don't have to be so critical of each other here, because we are in an off-topic forum, our own little Henge, so I would expect any member who visits here to share whatever they so choose. I find it almost humorous, once I think about it, that Agarta had said in a previous post that certain things were off-topic. Nipples? FAQs? Folks, we are in an off-topic forum. Anyone can say anything and everything they like here, biding by the T&C's, as long as it's remotely related to Paganism. Get it?

So my question is - what is the primary objective here? Share, educate, inform and discuss?
Or bulletin board for a cyber Merry Meet?

I would like to think that our only objective is to have a Merry Meet, and share with others, educating (which we have been doing), informing (check), and discussing (also check). If you don't like the loosely knit nature of this thread, feel free to start your own. This one was created for people who thought it'd be a good idea to collaborate their beliefs on a minority religion (Paganism), and share information with others. That does take time. My OP specifically posted pictures, with no in-depth discussion about each aspect of my beliefs, as I wanted to add in more in depth information later on, and let people contribute what they have to share. IMO, this thread is only getting started. Feel free to visit back, and see how we progress. You may be surprised where this goes.

reply to post by Agarta

May I also ask what branch of Paganism you most closely follow?

I'm simply interested.

Originally posted by hudsonhawk69
reply to post by Druid42

 

A question. Do you you know the ingredients of the majik potion that the gauls used to drink to give them strength? I believe that it is similar to the potion that the vikings used? A friend of mine researched it but would never tell me the ingredients.

Your friend did not tell you for good reasons. The elixir would cause you to go into "berserkergang", a state in which you enter a mindless fury, attacking everything and anyone around you. Not good to imbibe in a modern society, good when you are fighting an army.

Berserkers (or berserks) were Norse warriors who are reported in the Old Norse literature to have fought in a nearly uncontrollable, trance-like fury, a characteristic which later gave rise to the English word berserk. Berserkers are attested in numerous Old Norse sources. Most historians believe that berserkers worked themselves into a rage before battle, but some think that they might have consumed drugged foods.

The actual fit of madness the berserker experienced was referred to as berserkergang ("going berserk"). This condition has been described as follows:
This fury, which was called berserkergang, occurred not only in the heat of battle, but also during laborious work. Men who were thus seized performed things which otherwise seemed impossible for human power. This condition is said to have begun with shivering, chattering of the teeth, and chill in the body, and then the face swelled and changed its colour. With this was connected a great hot-headedness, which at last gave over into a great rage, under which they howled as wild animals, bit the edge of their shields, and cut down everything they met without discriminating between friend or foe.

When this condition ceased, a great dulling of the mind and feebleness followed, which could last for one or several days.[8]

Theories about what caused berserker behaviour include ingestion of materials with psychoactive properties, psychological processes, and medical conditions. Modern scholars believe certain examples of berserker rage to have been induced voluntarily by the consumption of drugs such as the hallucinogenic mushroom Amanita muscaria, commonly known as the fly agaric or fly Amanita,[9] or massive amounts of alcohol.[10] While such practices would fit in with ritual usages, other explanations for the berserker's madness have been put forward, including self-induced hysteria, epilepsy, mental illness or genetic flaws.[11]

There is one ingredient to your potion. Amanita.

The genus Amanita contains about 600 species of agarics including some of the most toxic known mushrooms found worldwide. This genus is responsible for approximately 95% of the fatalities resulting from mushroom poisoning, with the death cap accounting for about 50% on its own. The most potent toxin present in these mushrooms is α-amanitin.

Read the above symptoms of a berserker rage. In metered dosages, say 1.5 grams per cauldron, that is what you would expect from Amanita poisoning. Capcaesin, the "heat" factor in peppers, is also a toxin. In small doses it makes your face red and your blood pressure increase. In higher doses, it will also kill you. I haven't gotten to the part about alcohol yet. They mixed the two. Yikes.

My point is, back in the day, the Pagans discovered these combinations. Imagine a WWF wrestler drinking one of those elixirs. Yep. Is that strength? No, that is insanity. Afterwards, a person would sleep for one to two days after coming out of their rage.

However, they were useful:

King Harald Fairhair's use of berserker "shock troops" broadened his sphere of influence. Other Scandinavian kings used berserkers as part of their army of hirdmen and sometimes ranked them as equivalent to a royal bodyguard. It may be that some of those warriors only adopted the organization or rituals of berserk männerbünde, or used the name as a deterrent or claim of their ferocity.

(source)

Vikings are another matter: They didn't drink the berserker potions. I'll get into that later.

reply to post by Druid42


NO.

After reading the last two posts by Destinyone I had thought maybe the thread might actually come back on track(thank you for your post Destinyone, starred) and had considered adding my knowledge, but because of your post to Open2Truth I am done with it and will be keeping my lessons to myself. First few pages of getting to know each other my backside 9 pages later and still talking BS like misusing symbols for personal gain and breaking the law to boot. Yah thats serious usage of the knowledge, or should I say lack there of. Paganism was never a hodge podge until uneducated people like you began twisting it to your own personal make believe new age pseudo beliefs then coming up with excuses and justifications of idiocy just shows why true seekers of knowledge are taken as a joke. So go ahead brand yourself and call it ritual for the sake of being cool. Maybe some day you will figure it out.

I will say not including myself there are 4 people here in this thread that do understand and that is not including you, nor have I included myself. Find those 4 and your lessons may begin.

Ní thuigeann an seach an seang.

Edit to say: Good Day

Originally posted by boomerdude
reply to post by hudsonhawk69

 

If I remember correctly, and I'll try and find the reference for you ( maybe Hearn or Lindow ), part of the formula was fermented mare's milk and horse urine. The formula was very close to what later Medieval Alchemists called the Philosopher's Stone.

The mare's milk was fermented with honey, as milk itself will curdle and make yogurt when yeast is added. The horse urine added in enough sodium and nitrite to put your blood pressure through the roof. To the whole concoction they added in mushrooms, Amanita variety, or whatever phycotrophic version they had available.

Strength was gained by a loss of self control.

Imagine a thick yellowish liquid with chunks in it. Drink it and you go crazy. Yum. Or not. A few sips however, would get you ready for battle.

Originally posted by Agarta
reply to post by Druid42

 

NO.

Which means you won't share your paganistic beliefs. Ok. No pressure. I only ask people to contribute what they want.

After reading the last two posts by Destinyone I had thought maybe the thread might actually come back on track(thank you for your post Destinyone, starred) and had considered adding my knowledge, but because of your post to Open2Truth I am done with it and will be keeping my lessons to myself.

That is YOUR choice. The full always forget the hungry. Think for a moment that others may want to learn what you know. You choose to keep it to yourself, and so, I see you for who you are. You refuse to feed the hungry. Knowledge is to be shared, not kept to oneself. Aye? What good is a seed, if not planted, and let to grow? .

I will say not including myself there are 4 people here in this thread that do understand and that is not including you, nor have I included myself. Find those 4 and your lessons may begin.

I got off of my pedestal years ago. I freely share what I know. If I am wrong about something, I always announce that I stand corrected, and learn from my mistakes. I do not use a condescending tone towards others, unless they truly deserve it, and I research continuously, to improve what I know. I seek, I gain, I learn.

You are quite a character, Agarta. I appreciate the fact that you are an individual, entitled to your own feelings, and now, having met, have peace on your path.

reply to post by Druid42


I want to thank you for your direct reply and response to my post. It certainly clarified not only your intentions for the thread, but your own background in the subject matter as well. As a result, I will take my desire to expand my earlier understanding of the subject elsewhere. Perhaps a further explanation of the following would help you to understand my reasons:

Ni thuigeann an seach an seang. Translation: The well fed person doesn’t understand the hungry one. Meaning: You can’t understand what you haven’t experienced. Source

If I want to get a taste for how the popular culture is dabbling, I will be back.

reply to post by Open2Truth

I am glad I was able to clarify that for you, and please feel free to visit back anytime.

Namaste.

Interesting twist the thread took, there. For my part, I would like to share and discuss without being pressured. The expression of exclusivity on the part of a few is a good example of the kinds of factions I observed within the local Pagan community, twenty years ago, which led me to withdraw from it.

I have studied under mentors and further, on my own, since withdrawing. It's a process and I am still learning, as I believe, we all are. I don't take anything too seriously, but at the same time, I do have my personal beliefs and know what works for me. Much of what I have learned came through direct experience rather than through books (as I said before, some of the books out there are useful, others not). Much came from activities that were not directly intended to be spiritually oriented, such as dancing and other disciplines. I do my own thing, and don't claim to have the answers on any branch of Paganism, but I have been around and I have observed a lot of self proclaimed experts.

Some people are giddy with crystals and May-pole dances and other folks are all about blood and sex magic and rituals requiring fifteen year initiations to observe. Still others will only imply that they are completely "in the know" but give no details. I feel there is something to be drawn from all. There is a lot to be said for caring for your karma and harming no one. There is much to be gained from patience and tending to responsibilities and study. Waiting for something often makes one build energy as one prepares for that thing.

Attending a Samhain with everyone expressing their farewells to their loved ones, followed by a lengthy drum circle is a powerful process. Blessing your own home and enclosing it in a circle of salt is healing. Sky clad wine soaked sex rituals are very heady, particularly for those in their younger years.

There is benefit in secrecy, as what is hidden has the power of stealth and surprise and there is also benefit to what is not secret as what is popularly known has the built up strength of many persons' belief behind it. Most Pagans are tied to the earth through their natural mentality, reinforced by ritual, and further reinforced through symbols.

I'm still here if the rest of you are. Thank you, Druid, for your gracious Thread hosting.

I was curios as to why you're branding your niple and not out in the open for others to see and recongize you by?

Originally posted by gwynnhwyfar

I'm still here if the rest of you are.

!

Originally posted by Doublemint
I was curios as to why you're branding your niple and not out in the open for others to see and recongize you by?

edit on 3-11-2011 by Doublemint because: (no reason given)

It's a personal thing. Think about tattoos. Some people get full arm sleeves, some little bitty hearts near their genetalia, whatever. The ink is permanent, and it is a statement for them. It's a personal preference. A brand only lasts for 3 years before it fades. This current one is my fourth.

There is no historical record requiring a druid to be branded. Initiation, perhaps, and since I am a solitaire, I create my own rituals from my own research.

I also work shirtless on occasion during the summer, and go swimming outdoors. Having a 75 % germanic heritage, my skin is fair, so I work gradually into a tan. After my tan sets in, my brand is quite visible, in fact, almost glows, because scarred skin accepts Vitamin D from sunshine at a much slower rate than healthy skin. At the beach, it's not hidden at all.

reply to post by galactix


If life is a lesson, yesterday's lesson would have been "A lesson in tolerance". I am off to work today soon, but will be adding in more information later. I have an idea to organize material a bit more coherently. Carry on.