The word.....

[Maggie]

When you hear the word 'druid' what is the first image that comes to mind?

Regards,

Maggie

[Mairwen]

The cotton-pickin-frickin-frackin-yosemite-sam-name-calling Lore book I've been tangling with since last Lughnassad! AUGH!:crazy:

[Maggie]

Originally posted by Mairwen
The cotton-pickin-frickin-frackin-yosemite-sam-name-calling Lore book I've been tangling with since last Lughnassad! AUGH!:crazy:

I don't think we'll go there.....my senior druid wants me to look at chaos magic and my eyes are crossing......

:crazy:

Regards,

Maggie

[widukind]

Hi.

I guess the first image that comes up in my mind when hearing the word druid would be a man overlooking a plain from a hilltop, with his back towards 'the camera', wearing a dark brown hooded robe. There's a slight wind on the plain that makes the grass, which is about a foot long, move.

If you want to know why I get the feeling it's a man when his back is towards me, I guess that would be because I am one myself. :p

Nevertheless, the very first image I ever had of a druid would have to be the druid from the Asterix comics, if you know those.
I read a lot of those when I was young.

Brightest Blessings!

Widukind

[Maggie]

Originally posted by widukind
Hi.

I guess the first image that comes up in my mind when hearing the word druid would be a man overlooking a plain from a hilltop, with his back towards 'the camera', wearing a dark brown hooded robe. There's a slight wind on the plain that makes the grass, which is about a foot long, move.

If you want to know why I get the feeling it's a man when his back is towards me, I guess that would be because I am one myself. :p

Nevertheless, the very first image I ever had of a druid would have to be the druid from the Asterix comics, if you know those.
I read a lot of those when I was young.

Brightest Blessings!

Widukind


Yes, I've read a few Asterix!

That's an interesting image you have, particularly the grassy plain. That's not usually associated with druids here, trees are--not to mention the brown robe! The druids in the UK are known for white robes. Do you think this person is solitary or part of a group?

Regards,

Maggie

[Daniel]

The first thing I think of is a robed figure walking into the United States Supreme Court of today.

Druids, I believe, are lawyers first and foremost, as per their historical obligations. Aside from that, they're jacks of all trades.

And, while I realize that not everything the Druids used to do would be acceptable behavior in today's world, I do believe that certain types of criminals bear sacrificing.

[Mairwen]

Originally posted by Maggie
I don't think we'll go there.....my senior druid wants me to look at chaos magic and my eyes are crossing......:crazy:

Wanna trade?! 8O

[Mairwen]

Originally posted by Daniel
I do believe that certain types of criminals bear sacrificing.

This is probably a whole nuther thread, but. Wasn't it proven that it was the "continental" Druids who practiced human sacrifice? Or am I mistaken?

[widukind]

Hi !

About the robes: they are not white in my image of the Druid, is because they are burlap robes... cotton must not have been al that frequent in the Druid days.

And to your question about the grassy plain... I have a feeling mine is travelling, overlooking the plain from the hill because he needs to orientate himself... and I don't think he belongs to a community. That's what he's searching.

Not to seem the egocentric, here, but the image is the man I feel I would be if I were living a few centuries ago... since I am still looking for a religious community, but know more or less I feel a Druid. It's only a gut feeling, but I trust in it, my instincts have never betrayed me before.

Brightest Blessings,

Widukind

[Maggie]

Originally posted by Daniel
The first thing I think of is a robed figure walking into the United States Supreme Court of today.

Druids, I believe, are lawyers first and foremost, as per their historical obligations. Aside from that, they're jacks of all trades.

And, while I realize that not everything the Druids used to do would be acceptable behavior in today's world, I do believe that certain types of criminals bear sacrificing.

You're one of the very, very few people to mention this, I'm really impressed! :D The druids *were* the law keepers, involved in politics and advisors to the chiefs and rulers, very active in the society. The executions they may have supervised were in that role of law keeper.......

Regards,

Maggie

[Maggie]

Originally posted by Mairwen


Wanna trade?! 8O

It's a thought........lore is not unfamiliar, but chaos magic is brand new...........:D

Regards,

Maggie

[Maggie]

Originally posted by Mairwen


This is probably a whole nuther thread, but. Wasn't it proven that it was the "continental" Druids who practiced human sacrifice? Or am I mistaken?

I *think* most of the accounts come from Caesar and the continental Celts, or bog body discoveries--most of which are from the continent also. Lindow Man was found in England, though.

Regards,

Maggie

[Maggie]

Originally posted by widukind
Hi !

About the robes: they are not white in my image of the Druid, is because they are burlap robes... cotton must not have been al that frequent in the Druid days.

And to your question about the grassy plain... I have a feeling mine is travelling, overlooking the plain from the hill because he needs to orientate himself... and I don't think he belongs to a community. That's what he's searching.

Not to seem the egocentric, here, but the image is the man I feel I would be if I were living a few centuries ago... since I am still looking for a religious community, but know more or less I feel a Druid. It's only a gut feeling, but I trust in it, my instincts have never betrayed me before.

Brightest Blessings,


Re the cotton, I don't remember exactly when cotton made it to Europe, but you're right, the druids would have worn linen, hemp or wool clothing.

I don't think your image is egocentric, it sounds as if it's a pretty accurate picture of your feelings. If you learn to hear and pay attention to those inner feelings they'll help you a great deal in your search.

Regards,

Maggie

Widukind

[widukind]

Thanks ! :D

Brightest Blessings,

Widukind

[Kiya]

Being English, my first thought is Stonehenge. I always assumed Druids were great scholars, and well respected, though apart from the general community in times gone by.

Funny, I always thought of them wearing rough, sackcloth like material - but not frayed or worn or uncared for (some how this is important!) - and not white robes!

BB

Kiya :sunny:

[Maggie]

Originally posted by Kiya
Being English, my first thought is Stonehenge. I always assumed Druids were great scholars, and well respected, though apart from the general community in times gone by.

Funny, I always thought of them wearing rough, sackcloth like material - but not frayed or worn or uncared for (some how this is important!) - and not white robes!

BB

Kiya :sunny:

A lot of people think of Stonehenge, but that monument actually predates the Celts, and certainly the Druids!

I doubt the druids wore ragged robes either! There is a series of Irish laws that, among other things, dictate who can wear how many colors, and I think the druids were right below the king in number of colors allowed. :D

Regards,

Maggie

[Phrater]

The picture in my head when you say Druid is a middle aged man
sitting in a leather recliner in the middle of his home called "Bachelor's Hall". He is smoking a cigar and drinking Rum with Ice. And He is giving me a lesson on the Wheel of the Year and How it's pattern is visible in all things in life. I picture my teacher Mike showing me how to plant and harvest Wormwood
to make his secret "Dr Doom's Absynthe". I guess we all form our pictures from the first or most common experience with a Druid. Maybe someday I will have made enough of a difference in a person that they will think of me. :-) one can hope.

[Maggie]

Originally posted by Phrater
The picture in my head when you say Druid is a middle aged man
sitting in a leather recliner in the middle of his home called "Bachelor's Hall". He is smoking a cigar and drinking Rum with Ice. And He is giving me a lesson on the Wheel of the Year and How it's pattern is visible in all things in life. I picture my teacher Mike showing me how to plant and harvest Wormwood
to make his secret "Dr Doom's Absynthe". I guess we all form our pictures from the first or most common experience with a Druid. Maybe someday I will have made enough of a difference in a person that they will think of me. :-) one can hope.

Like your picture! An ordinary person with perhaps extradinary knowledge and/or experience. Yet another facet......


"Dr. Doom's Absynthe"? :eek:

Regards,

Maggie

[Twig]

As I walk along the forest trail I breath in the pungent smell of oak and pine in full bloom. Though unseen, the birds are everywhere in the trees, challenging my very presence in their domain. I think that this is how it must have looked everywhere very long ago.

Although far from any town, I feel alone no more. There is something watching me. After a mile, I spy him.

Sitting on the side of the trail is a man of non-descript age, neither young nor old. His clothing make him out as one who has traveled far and seen much. I stop and watch from a distance as he sits and flips a coin over and over again. deciding he is harmless, I walk past. As I do, I hear him whisper;

"This is your life."

"Excuse me sir, were you addressing me?"

"Yes Twig, this coin is your life."

"I don't understand stranger. How can a small coin be my life?"

With a heavy sigh the man struggles to his feet, revealing the old age under the facade of youthful eyes. After a long gaze at the coin he flips it to me and says, "YOU decide."

And walks away.

The End

[Daniel]

Wisdom, hell. If that doesn't sum up the experience, whether you're talking about being a Druid or speaking with a Druid, then ... well, it does.

Avoiding untruth at all costs seems to be part of the job description. The collolary appears to be that either speaking in riddles or simply dancing around the question are acceptable alternatives.

Speaking in riddles, of course, being the practice whereby you shed light on a subject in such a manner that the recipient of that light understands it only when they've learned enough to shed that light themselves. This is probably why Druids are good at driving people crazy.

Don't misunderstand: this is not how a Druid must respond to a question, or even how they usually respond to a question, necessarily. These are simply tricks of the trade, useful only if one is not interested in answering a question or answering it truthfully, for whatever reason.

After all, sometimes it is best not to tell the truth outright; best because people often don't want to hear it, or because people aren't ready to hear it.

[Phrater]

After having been taught for most of my life and then picking up
the task and teaching others, I think I can clear that up a little.

When we teach and avoid a direct answer it is not because we are masking the truth or completely avoiding it. Things are simply best remembered when earned for ones self. It is a firm belief within the groves I have had the pleasure of meeting that nothing given is ever deserved, we must take the knowledge for ourselves. So to provoke this learning we give a student enough information to reason the truth out for him or herself. (attempting pc) I hope this has helped you some.

[Twig]

this is not how a Druid must respond to a question, or even how they usually respond to a question, necessarily. These are simply tricks of the trade, useful only if one is not interested in answering a question or answering it truthfully, for whatever reason.

Greetings Brother Danial :)

Perhaps I should clarify my story because, from your words above it sounds like you think I might be disinterested in the question or see fit not to answer it truthfully. :confused: The question is VERY valid as it gives insight as to the perception of how people view those who call themselves druids and to lie in response to valid queries goes against everything I've learned.

I started out to give a cute little story of how I would percieve a druid if I was in the woods and as often happens my guide had other ideas. The story you see is the result.

Parables [not riddles;) ] are excellent teaching tools as they make one think a little harder to get the answer and, are more interesting than textbook reading. True, if the person is not ready for the lesson, they won't "get" it. My thinking is, that way we aren't given more than we can handle mentally.

The moral of the story is a study on choices that one makes in their lives . The coin represents your number of options to most every situation you come upon in your life. Like the 2 sides of the coin you only have 2 options available to most any given situation...yes or no or some variation of it. Even given 50 possible answers to something, in the end you will have 49 nos' and 1 yes. If you go one deeper in this line of thinking it becomes apparent how much one should think about the consequences of their actions and the ramifications of each, in the end."Maybe" is just a word to stall and ultamitely it
becomes either yes or no.

Is this making sense to anyone else???:confused: :crazy:
Peace,
Twig

[Phrater]

I agree with most of what you have said Sir. But I also must disagree with one point in particular.

The Point that I refer to is:

"The coin represents your number of options to most every situation you come upon in your life. Like the 2 sides of the coin you only have 2 options available to most any given situation..."

In my experience there are many wrong choices to be had and a few right choices. I am a firm believer of finding the second right answer. The path less traveled but no less correct. See where I am coming from?

By the way, whilst I hold your attention.... What tree are you a twig of? Yew? Oak? Alder? Birch? Maple? Dogwood? lol. I'm just kidding... since we are all twigs... I think someday I'll have to post a new subject to the Druid Channel on the Topic of John or Jack or whichever name you call it by. :elf:

[Daniel]

Hey, brother Twig.


Originally posted by Twig

Perhaps I should clarify my story because, from your words above it sounds like you think I might be disinterested in the question or see fit not to answer it truthfully. The question is VERY valid as it gives insight as to the perception of how people view those who call themselves druids and to lie in response to valid queries goes against everything I've learned.


Before this goes any further, I'd like to make it clear that my last post, while it may seem like a followup directed at you, actually had little to do with anything of your person, parable or post. My comments were brought forth, in reality, but a combination of two things:

1) The way in which the older gentleman addressed you after giving you the coin.
2) My own personal experience.

#1 reminded me of some observations I've drawn from #2, and that was why I said what I said. It was not in any way a reflection on anything of yours that I have read. Given that the subject was a response to the name of your parable, I see where my point was misunderstood.



Parables [not riddles;) ] are excellent teaching tools as they make one think a little harder to get the answer and, are more interesting than textbook reading. True, if the person is not ready for the lesson, they won't "get" it. My thinking is, that way we aren't given more than we can handle mentally.


You are correct, parables are excellent teaching tools. I've found, despite contradictions with some of my personal convictions, the Bible is a reasonable example of such a tool. I often communicate best when I use metaphor to make an otherwise abstract and elusive point.

Parables, as I understand them, involve the use of a story to make a point; the idea is to draw from images familliar to the student in order to make the information related understandable and digestible. Riddles, I believe, involve the relation of information in a manner cryptic enough that the student is able to make use of it only when they are able to figure it out for themselves.

I was not trying to suggest that what you had written was a riddle. My post was drawn from my own experience.



The moral of the story is a study on choices that one makes in their lives . The coin represents your number of options to most every situation you come upon in your life. Like the 2 sides of the coin you only have 2 options available to most any given situation...yes or no or some variation of it. Even given 50 possible answers to something, in the end you will have 49 nos' and 1 yes. If you go one deeper in this line of thinking it becomes apparent how much one should think about the consequences of their actions and the ramifications of each, in the end."Maybe" is just a word to stall and ultamitely it
becomes either yes or no.


I will have to agree with Phrater here: I do not believe that there is only one correct answer to even a majority of life's problems and questions. There are oodles and oodles of cut-and-dry situations with only one correct answer, yes. These situations are neither the rule nor the exception.

As to the use of the word "maybe," I've found that a similar word, "depends," is just as viable an answer to what looks like a yes-or-no question, and is not at all a stall word. For the longest time, I used the question, "Is it wrong to kill?" as a litmus test when meeting new people. Many said, "yes," and I nodded and smiled. A few said, "no," and I either shook my head at their silliness or made it a point to avoid them in the future.

Those with whom I've chosen to lay my alliegance all said, "depends," and they were right. It does depend on the situation to which you apply the question.

Now, you could return with the comment that, in any given situation to which this question is applied, you must either respond "yes" or "no." I would tend to disagree; sometimes, neither response is applicable, or strong arguments can be made on either side.



Is this making sense to anyone else???:confused: :crazy:
Peace,
Twig

You made plenty of sense. It is I who failed to make myself clear.

[mol]

Originally posted by Maggie
When you hear the word 'druid' what is the first image that comes to mind?

Regards,

Maggie

I see a color. Green.

[widukind]

Various tones of green, or one? :D

No trees, no leaves, only green? :eek: Okay.

Brightest Blessings,

Widukind

[Maggie]

Originally posted by mol


I see a color. Green.

Ah, but what color green? The green of new grass, the green of oak leaves, the dark green of ivy, the mid green of honey suckle, the shiny green of rose leaves..........

Maggie

[Mairwen]

It's not easy being green ...

[Rævyn Cigány]

Believe it or not, the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Druid is Joseph of Arimathaea. Upon reading the Mists of Avalon, he seemed to be the only follower of the Nazarene who saw no wrong in the Old Religion, and although M.O.A is a work of fiction, I believe that feeling to be true. I think, if he were a Druid, he would have been the most enlightened and wise individual in existence. He had both the knowledge of the Ancients (why else would he have brought the Holy Grail to England?) and the wisdom of Christianity (there IS wisdom in Christianity, or at least there was before it was corrupted by the fundamentalist sector). Any thoughts on this? I could just be talking out of my A**, but hey, better out and aired than keeping it in, right? Aaaaaand, I'm babbling so I'll close now :p

BB

Rae )0(

[Twig]

Now, you could return with the comment that, in any given situation to which this question is applied, you must either respond "yes" or "no." I would tend to disagree; sometimes, neither response is applicable, or strong arguments can be made on either side.

But by responding maybe, you are saying no until it becomes a yes or vise versa. I've had this debate until the wee hours of the morning. I guess it's one of those philisophical questions that goes on and on.

I still maintain man is binary by nature. But i may be full of it! Hehehe.

Peace!
Twig
:elf:

[Maggie]

Originally posted by Rævyn Cigány
Believe it or not, the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Druid is Joseph of Arimathaea. Upon reading the Mists of Avalon, he seemed to be the only follower of the Nazarene who saw no wrong in the Old Religion, and although M.O.A is a work of fiction, I believe that feeling to be true. I think, if he were a Druid, he would have been the most enlightened and wise individual in existence. He had both the knowledge of the Ancients (why else would he have brought the Holy Grail to England?) and the wisdom of Christianity (there IS wisdom in Christianity, or at least there was before it was corrupted by the fundamentalist sector). Any thoughts on this? I could just be talking out of my A**, but hey, better out and aired than keeping it in, right? Aaaaaand, I'm babbling so I'll close now :p

BB

Rae )0(

Oddly enough, when Christianity first came to Ireland, it did apparently co-exist with the old ways too. Perhaps not off the mark at all! :)

Maggie

[Maggie]

Originally posted by Twig



I still maintain man is binary by nature. But i may be full of it! Hehehe.

Peace!
Twig
:elf:


Maybe that's your problem, Twig! MAN may be binary by nature, but I can always find way more than yes/no answers! :D

Maggie

[Shy Hawk]

Gosh, I guess my first thought is dark robes and a circle of candles...lol My bias inserted here. lol Sorry
Shy Hawk

[dom_inion2000]

I decided to look back and check out the latest threads of conversation,and this one piqued my own feelings on this very thing.I would be one to agree with widukind about this image.I have always seen a wise old man (though I'm a woman...think it's because of my grandpa) wearing a long brown sort of unisex dress,but with a forest green cloak and hood.I have quite a detailed discription in my mind in fact.The inside of the cloak is lined with crow feathers,making it reversable,warm,and very dark when needed.Not much more thab sandles on his feet,but he has boots for winter.He has a belt around his waist of black chord,and several purse type bags hang from it.He also carries a shouldered bag,and a staff light enough for hiking,but strong enough for battle.

I beleive the image i see is of the nomad kind,traveling from place to place,carrying news,new stories,and always learning something at every stop.He knows many languages,customs,geneologies and peoples,and he is the gaurdian of their tales.He is the one who teaches me,guides me,pushes me to look for more.He has seen many lands,kings and battles,and he carries them in his soul for eternity.He has no wand,for his staff is true.He has no altar but the earth.He has no room for gidgets and gadgets,but he is at one with his creator.

I strive to be such an excellent creature.
/l\ dom

[Maggie]

Originally posted by dom_inion2000
I decided to look back and check out the latest threads of conversation,and this one piqued my own feelings on this very thing.I would be one to agree with widukind about this image.I have always seen a wise old man (though I'm a woman...think it's because of my grandpa) wearing a long brown sort of unisex dress,but with a forest green cloak and hood.I have quite a detailed discription in my mind in fact.The inside of the cloak is lined with crow feathers,making it reversable,warm,and very dark when needed.Not much more thab sandles on his feet,but he has boots for winter.He has a belt around his waist of black chord,and several purse type bags hang from it.He also carries a shouldered bag,and a staff light enough for hiking,but strong enough for battle.

I beleive the image i see is of the nomad kind,traveling from place to place,carrying news,new stories,and always learning something at every stop.He knows many languages,customs,geneologies and peoples,and he is the gaurdian of their tales.He is the one who teaches me,guides me,pushes me to look for more.He has seen many lands,kings and battles,and he carries them in his soul for eternity.He has no wand,for his staff is true.He has no altar but the earth.He has no room for gidgets and gadgets,but he is at one with his creator.

I strive to be such an excellent creature./l\ dom

Like yours too--both you and Widukind seem to have the image I think of when I consider the word 'druid', I never was much for the mesodruid types. However, that is what I see when I look 'out'--I don't see myself as that type. More the mother type living near the edge of a village. perhaps even married and involved in village matters even while at a distance.

Regards,

Maggie

[dom_inion2000]

Aye,personally,knowing what I do know of the Druids of old,I could never imagine them being dressed in white.Too hard to keep clean with thier lifestyle.However,knowing what I do about where that imformation came from,for one I can't trust it,and for two,if he's going by hearsay from a discription from a celts mouth,theyused (and still do) much symbolism when discribing something or someone,so it would stand to reason for one to say they are clothed in white would mean they were pure/excellent,or holy.Now this would be a propper discription.The only picture I've ever seen of a Druid that was before the rennisance period,was shown as an older man wearing no cloak and just the long brown dress type clothing.This is in the book of Kells,and though it is very Christianised,it was done during the time of Christian and traditional ways coexisting in peace,and much tradition was put into the book,including celtic artwork,sacred symbols etc,so why not a true depiction of a Druid eh?At least I think that was the book I saw it in?Hmmmm now I'm wondering....

/l\ dom

"Call me chaotic,but the universe was born from chaos"

[Twig]

it was done during the time of Christian and traditional ways coexisting in peace

You mean there WAS actually a time we weren't thought of as the enemy??? Heheheeh 8O

That is why I always sign off in...
Peace,
Twig
:elf: