Reddit mentions: The best celtic religion books

I'm going to answer at length... Sorry if it's too long. I like to talk.

> Why magick? What brought you to occult studies?

I had a broad interest in alternative spirituality going back to my high school days. I studied Zen Buddhism and attempted zazen (poorly), studied Wicca a bit... I had the idea that I could combine the two for a while, but I lost interest after I discovered things including alcohol and radical politics. For a while in college I was interested in "psychonautical" explorations-- that ended after a terrifying (but in retrospect, fascinating) mushroom trip.

Over time I got more into politics (and beer), and less into spirituality of any kind. A few things changed that. I had a powerful revelation while on a long wilderness trip. And I discovered the work of John Michael Greer, who is the head of the Ancient Order of Druids in America and also a blogger on topics related to peak oil, the environment, and organic gardening. He talks about magick quite a bit (indeed, his first two books are very interesting explorations of the Kaballah), and I became interested. I started reading about Druid magick. Not much came of it, at first, but later my life changed quite a bit (a story in itself; among other things I stopped drinking and lost half my friends), and suddenly I felt ready. I stumbled onto Donald Michael Kraig's Modern Magick, and started following the lessons he presents there. My first entry in my journal is dated January 26th of this year.

> What constitutes your daily practice?

Learning magick is part of a larger process of personal renewal for me, and it all started at the same time. (Actually on the same day). So I include some not-explicitly-magickal things I do every day, specifically running and zazen.

Every day, I perform, in sequence, the LBRP, the Banishing Ritual of the Hexagram, the Middle Pillar and Circulation of the Body of Light, and the Tarot Contemplation described in Modern Magick. I also follow other practices from that book: I write down my dreams every morning, and I perform the 4 Solar Adorations except when I forget to. For the last few months I've been working with the elements-- right now I'm on water.

Recently I came across an interesting practice in John Michael Greer's book Paths of Wisdom. Every night, before you go to sleep, you take a few minutes to recall in sequence all the events of the day. I've tried it the last 3 nights while lying in bed, and on every occasion I've fallen asleep before noon.

> What specific books or programs are you following? How much progress have you made?

I'm at Lesson 5 of Modern Magick. My progress has been smooth but also... I mean it's had its fits and starts. There are some aspects of some rituals that persistently give me trouble-- for instance, I have an incredibly hard time seeing the earth hexagram in the BRH. I don't know why. I also have a hard time picturing that shape during the lines "...And within me shines the 6-rayed star" in the LBRP. It's very strange.

> What do you hope to get out of being part of the Emerald Council? What do you want to learn and what do you feel you can contribute?

I don't know a single person in real life that's into this stuff... and given where I live right now, I'm not likely to meet anyone. My partner thinks it's cool (she's a practicing herbalist and massage therapist, into esoteric stuff) but it's not her path, and most of my friends are supportive. But I don't have anyone to compare notes with, you know?

So my hope is that we can learn together, and create a supportive environment for one another. And do some cool stuff.

> Do you have any concerns about or for the group or about your own involvement?

My hope is that we can be more than "just a subreddit." You know what I mean?

I have another concern, related to myself, and the odd position I find myself in. My own life is in a process of change. It's exciting and wonderful, but it also puts me in a position I haven't been in in a long time-- that of a beginner! I hope I can remember that, and approach this group with humility.

> Are there any particularly interesting stories from your practice that you'd like to share?

Here's something odd that I've been hoping someone would comment on.

DMK describes the Circulation of Light like so: You perform the Middle Pillar. Then you focus on the sphere of light at your crown, representing your yechida. You begin to visualize a wave of light circulating from the crown of your head down the left side of your body to G'Uph at your feet as you inhale, and then back up to your crown as you exhale. After 6 or 10 of these, you visualize the light coming down the front of your body and going back up the back. Finally, you visualize the light spiraling up from your feet, wrapping around your body as you inhale and exploding in a fountain from your crown as you exhale.

The first time I did this ritual was intense. I didn't remember the part about the light following the breath... so I just visualized it while breathing rythmically. At the end, during the spiraling-up phase, things became difficult. I had to force the light around and around my body. It became thicker and thicker and more solid, and by the time it reached the crown of my head I wasn't breathing at all. At times the light seemed to take the form of a serpent, and every time it "fountained" from my head was powerful and dizzying. By the end of the ritual I could barely speak.

The day after this I woke up incredibly sick. I don't get sick very often, and when I do I usually recover quickly. But this was an extremely bad illness and it lingered for weeks, during which I did none of my usual work, either in magick or anything else.

And then it passed. I returned to my daily practice, and the Circulation of Light went smoothly from there on out.

Has anyone encountered anything like this, either in the Middle Pillar/Circulation of Light or any other magickal work?

> Is there anything else you'd like to add? Any questions you think are important-- that you'd like everyone to answer-- that I left out?

Well, I asked this question, so I don't feel qualified to answer it. Anyone else?

Welcome welcome! As this other fella pointed out the longship is great but there are some other books you could get as well. Here's my recommendations for starting material.

This book is mainly about Saxton Pagans. It's a great introduction to alot if the general ideas of Norse Mythology. It's also short, and very easily worded. Super light and easy read.

Travels Through Middle Earth. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0738715360?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

This book is quite a bit of fiction. Neil is an outstanding an accomplished writer and as such even if he makes some stuff up reading the myths through his eyes is amazing and a great way to get your feet wet.

Norse Mythology https://www.amazon.com/dp/0393356183?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Now some people hate McCoy. He sometimes likes to assert his personal opinions as fact. I happen to agree with alot of what he says. This is a more scholarly approach to the myths. Once you have the basic ideas down this can be a great introduction to archaeology and the actual historical fact.

The Viking Spirit: An... https://www.amazon.com/dp/1533393036?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

> I'm so new to Druidry every topic is interesting to me.

I'm not new to Druidry, and every topic is still interesting to me lol. I hope you find Druidry to be as passionate and enriching as I have.

> what does a typical day, week, month and year look like in their lives specifically as it relates to Druidry.

This is definitely something I'll have to address, as multiple people ask for it. Role models are so important, and they're difficult to find. But it's what a lot of newcomers really need.

> So learning about what magic really means - you know really, really means.

I highly recommend reading John Michael Greer's books, especially The Druid Magic Handbook. I also highly recommend checking out his blog about magic, The Well of Galabes. His writing is what got me past the Hollywood preconceptions about magic and made me truly understand its nature.

His order, AODA, also has information about the Sphere of Protection ritual on their website and incorporates magical study as part of its curriculum. You may be interested in joining if you want to follow a magical path.

Having said that, Greer and AODA focus on ceremonial magic that descends from Hermeticism. I have personally found it very vital and enriching. In fact, it is what turned me into a polytheist. But, although it has been Celtified, it's not historical to the Celts. We believe the druids practiced a magic that is almost entirely lost to us today, unfortunately, so many neopagan Druids fill in the gap with this style of magic. I think it has its place and purpose, but it's not the whole story. We can also try to reconstruct magical practices from history as well as adopt folk magic from the recent Celtic past.

> If a blog is well organized and has good navigation tools, like a list of topics with subtopics and perhaps topic tags, these make it so much easier to navigate to an interesting topic. Also varying degrees of depth on the articles. I mean there are times I want a quick read and other times I want to dive deeper.

All very true and insightful observations. I go nuts with tagging/categorizing (I hate people who don't use any metadata! It makes it so hard to locate relevant information), so you can definitely expect to see that in any blogging that I do :)

Thank you for your feedback and I wish you well on your spiritual journey.

>no one has offered anything new since I asked

You seem to have missed the many explanations from various members here about archelogical and historical absence of proof of yogic practices within Druidry, you missed the book recommendations to help you understand more of Druid history, and in fact it seems you've only taken interest in the posts that cater well to your own responses rather than information.

Here, let me help.

The Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids is one of the most populous Druid orders around. They're most famous for their 3-grade correspondence course. They hold international festivals and host a very entertaining, informative podcast, Druidcast. Their website will answer a lot of your questions on Druidry.

Ár nDraíocht Féin is another very popular Druid order.

Ancient Order of Druids in America is another one.

Blood and Mistletoe by Ronald Hutton is an amazing book detailing the history of Druids.

The Druidry Handbook by John Michael Greer is highly praised.

The Druid Ways by Philip Carr-Gomm is a great, short introduction to modern Druidry.

Celtic mythology is prevalent in Druidic practices.

This should mostly be new information to you, since you came here asking to learn about Druidry. Please, browse through a couple of the sites and come back with any questions. I'll be happy to help you sort through some of the admittedly jumbled info and answer any honest question.

Welcome to the sub, DM mentioned the ADF but I don't think they'd be the organization for you if you're more on the athiest/agnostic spectrum as the ADF takes a more religious, polytheistic approach. I'd look into the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids (OBOD) and the Ancient Order of Druids in America (AODA) if you're looking into an organization to join. Many druids are solitary though and never join an organization, though there are advantages to doing so. They're a good source of guidance.

Most people start by reading books though, I'd also suggest reading the first two links in the side bar. One is a sort of 'summary' of the modern druid movement, the second is a comprehensive history of how it came about.

Some good 'starter' books are:

The Path of Druidry by Penny Billington

The Druidry Handbook by John Michael Greer

Druidry and Meditation by Nimue Brown

A Brief History of the Druids by Peter Berresford Ellis

Several of the above authors also have blogs that a lot of people read and follow.

I tend to suggest the above because it covers a few different approaches to things, I feel like it's important as druids today to understand the past and where we get our influence from, which A Brief History of the Druids provides, both the Druidry Handbook and the Path of Druidry offer a good introduction to modern druidry, and Druidry and Meditation provides some instruction and guidance on meditation, which a lot of druids practice, and also I think does a good job of displaying the mentality and energy of many modern druids.

The thing about modern druidry though is there really isn't a right or wrong way as long as you adhere to the very basic beliefs of respecting all life (this doesn't mean necessarily being a pacifistic) and revering nature. You can be an atheist, a pantheist, a monotheist, a polytheist, Christian, Pagan, Buddhist, whatever. Which means it can be a little intimidating to new people, since you're kind of just tossed into this big forest and told to figure out your own way through it, but you learn a lot.

I think it's also good to note that modern druidry is not an attempt at recreation, if you read a Brief History of the Druids, you'll figure out that we actually know very little about the ancient druids, so it'd be very difficult to recreate their order.

The Following list is taken from the Witches & Warlocks FB page. (This is Christian Day's group)

Witches and Warlocks Recommended Reading List
This is a collection of books recommended by our admins and participants in the group. Books must be approved by the admins so if you'd like to see one added to the last, please post it in the comments at the bottom of this list and, if it's something we think is appropriate, we'll add it! We provide links to Amazon so folks can read more about the book but we encourage you to shop at your local occult shop whenever possible! :)


BEGINNER'S WITCHCRAFT BOOKS

Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
by Raymond Buckland
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0875420508

Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America
by Margot Adler
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0143038192

Grimoire of the Thorn-Blooded Witch: Mastering the Five Arts of Old World Witchery
by Raven Grimassi
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1578635500

The Inner Temple of Witchcraft: Magick, Meditation and Psychic Development
by Christopher Penczak
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0738702765

The Kybalion: The Definitive Edition
by William Walker Atkinson (Three Initiates)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1585428744

Lid Off the Cauldron: A Wicca Handbook
by Patricia Crowther
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1861630328

Mastering Witchcraft
by Paul Huson
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0595420060

Natural Magic
by Doreen Valiente
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0919345808

Natural Witchery: Intuitive, Personal & Practical Magick
by Ellen Dugan
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0738709220

Old World Witchcraft: Ancient Ways for Modern Days
by Raven Grimassi
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1578635055

The Outer Temple of Witchcraft: Circles, Spells and Rituals
by Christopher Penczak
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0738705314

Power of the Witch: The Earth, the Moon, and the Magical Path to Enlightenment
by Laurie Cabot
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0385301898

Solitary Witch: The Ultimate Book of Shadows for the New Generation
by Silver RavenWolf
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0738703192

Spirit of the Witch: Religion & Spirituality in Contemporary Witchcraft
by Raven Grimassi
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0738703389

Witch: A Magickal Journey
by Fiona Horne
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0007121326

Witchcraft for Tomorrow
by Doreen Valiente
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0709052448

Witchcraft Today
by Gerald Gardner
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0806525932
The Witches' Craft: The Roots of Witchcraft & Magical Transformation
by Raven Grimassi
http://www.amazon.com/dp/073870265X
The Witching Way of the Hollow Hill
by Robin Artisson
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0982031882

WITCHCRAFT HISTORY AND RESOURCE BOOKS

Aradia or The Gospel of the Witches
by Charles Godfrey Leland
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0982432356

Encyclopedia of Mystics, Saints & Sages: A Guide to Asking for Protection, Wealth, Happiness, and Everything Else!
by Judika Illes
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0062009575

The Encyclopedia of Witches, Witchcraft and Wicca
by Rosemary Ellen Guiley
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0816071047

Etruscan Roman Remains
by Charles Godfrey Leland
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1494302519

The God of the Witches
by Margaret Murray
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0195012704

The Weiser Field Guide to Witches, The: From Hexes to Hermione Granger, From Salem to the Land of Oz
by Judika Illes
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1578634792

ADVANCED BOOKS ON WITCHCRAFT AND MAGIC

Blood Sorcery Bible Volume 1: Rituals in Necromancy
by Sorceress Cagliastro
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1935150812

The Deep Heart of Witchcraft: Expanding the Core of Magickal Practice
by David Salisbury
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1780999208

Teen Spirit Wicca
by David Salisbury
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1782790594

Enchantment: The Witch's Art of Manipulation by Gesture, Gaze and Glamour
by Peter Paddon
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1936922517

Initiation into Hermetics
by Franz Bardon
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1885928122

Letters from the Devil's Forest: An Anthology of Writings on Traditional Witchcraft, Spiritual Ecology and Provenance Traditionalism
by Robin Artisson
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1500796360

Magical Use of Thought Forms: A Proven System of Mental & Spiritual Empowerment
by Dolores Ashcroft-Nowick and J.H. Brennan
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1567180841

Magick in Theory and Practice
by Aleister Crowley
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1500380679

The Plant Spirit Familiar
by Christopher Penczak
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0982774311

Protection and Reversal Magick
by Jason Miller
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1564148793
Psychic Self-Defense
by Dion Fortune
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1578635098
The Ritual Magic Workbook: A Practical Course of Self-Initiation
by Dolores Ashcroft-Norwicki
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1578630452
The Roebuck in the Thicket: An Anthology of the Robert Cochrane Witchcraft Tradition
by Evan John Jones, Robert Cochrane and Michael Howard
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1861631553

The Satanic Witch
by Anton Szandor LaVey
http://www.amazon.com/Satanic-Witch-Anton-Szandor-LaVey/dp/0922915849
Shadow Magick Compendium: Exploring Darker Aspects of Magickal Spirituality
by Raven Digitalis
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003VS0N5K
The Tree of Enchantment: Ancient Wisdom and Magic Practices of the Faery Tradition
by Orion Foxwood
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1578634075
The Underworld Initiation: A journey towards psychic transformation
by R.J. Stewart
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1892137038

HERBALISM, CANDLES, INCENSE, OILS, FORMULARIES, AND STONES

A Compendium of Herbal Magic
by Paul Beyerl
http://www.amazon.com/dp/091934545X

Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs
by Scott Cunningham
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0875421229

The Enchanted Candle: Crafting and Casting Magickal Light
by Lady Rhea
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0806525789

The Enchanted Formulary: Blending Magickal Oils for Love, Prosperity, and Healing
by Lady Maeve Rhea
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0806527048

Incense: Crafting and Use of Magickal Scents
by Carl F. Neal
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0738703362

Magickal Formulary Spellbook Book 1
by Herman Slater
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0939708000

Magickal Formulary Spellbook: Book II
by Herman Slater
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0939708108


SPELLCASTING AND SPELLBOOKS
Crone's Book of Charms & Spells
by Valerie Worth
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1567188117

Crone's Book of Magical Words
by Valerie Worth
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1567188257

Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells
by Judika Illes
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0061711233

Everyday Magic: Spells & Rituals for Modern Living
by Dorothy Morrison
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1567184693

Pure Magic: A Complete Course in Spellcasting
by Judika Illes
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1578633915
Utterly Wicked: Curses, Hexes & Other Unsavory Notions
by Dorothy Morrison
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0979453313
The Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook
by Denise Alvarado
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1578635136

The Voodoo Doll Spellbook: A Compendium of Ancient and Contemporary Spells and Rituals
by Denise Alvarado
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1578635543


THE ANCESTORS AND WORKING WITH THE DEAD
The Cauldron of Memory: Retrieving Ancestral Knowledge & Wisdom
by Raven Grimassi
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0738715751

The Mighty Dead
by Christopher Penczak
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0982774370

Speak with the Dead: Seven Methods for Spirit Communication
by Konstantinos
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0738705225
The Witches' Book of the Dead
by Christian Day
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1578635063
_____
TAROT

78 Degrees of Wisdom
by Rachel Pollack
http://www.amazon.com/dp/157863408

I'd say in terms of nature-oriented Pagan "faiths" you've got Druidry/Druidism, Wicca, Traditional Witchcraft, and Heathenry (i.e., Asatru, Vanatru, Rokkatru, Northern Tradition, what have you) immediately jumping to mind, but those are also the ones I'm most familiar with. There's a ton of other ones, and they may or may not be as nature oriented as those are; I'm sure someone else'll bring them up in time.

Druidry's probably the most nature oriented of the lot but depending on the practitioner and what they're doing members of the other ones can be just as nature centered in their practice. A good book for that is The Druidry Handbook by John Michael Greer, which is where I'd start (and where I started with Paganism, to be honest, though I'm Heathen now).

John Beckett, another druid, wrote The Path of Paganism recently; I haven't finished going through it but it looks like an excellent introductory text for anyone who doesn't know much to anyone who wants to explore new areas of Paganism. Actually now that I'm thinking of it, that's where I'd start, and I'd pivot to the Druidry Handbook if Druidry seemed appropriate afterwards.

Look into those, maybe find intro texts to the other subsets that interest you, talk to people, and if you want you can message me and I'll help as I'm able to.

I absolutely believe cards (or whatever speaks through the cards) know things.

I just googled, and wow what a beautiful deck! I love how you keep special items in their bag, too.

One thing I like about oracle decks (as compared to tarot) is that you can really choose a theme and message that speaks to you. I have the Wisdom of Trees Oracle that DEMANDED that I pick it up when I was shopping for something else. I love it.

I think oracle is particular nice for daily draws, too. It’s nice to have something like that to reflect on each day.

I'm not personally in the Henge of Keltria, but some of my closest Druid friends are. The way they describe it, its a bit like ADF but with a very clear focus on Irish sources and myths. I don't know much about the structure and organization of the Henge, and my friends have moved away from their grove so they aren't as connected as they once were. I do know the Book of Keltria is a good source and one they recommended recently.
As for meeting people, on the Henge of Keltria site they have many links to other sites, so maybe try some of these. Also try Witchvox, it has worked for me several times.

The altar can be arranged however you like, but I always hate it when people are super vague about it. I mean I get why we are, we want to convey the idea that the way I do things may not be the same way you end up doing it, and it’s a very personal thing. But just to give a couple very generic examples for an idea of what you can do, it can be two candles, one for the god and goddess and some incense. It could also be as simple as something representing each element. Or it could be momentos that mean a whole lot to you. Could be a bunch of rocks and flowers you find comforting. Or a bowl of water and a statue of a goddess you like.

It really doesn’t matter unless you are in a specific tradition that gives you instructions that are important to them specifically. There are also no specific words that have to be said in prayer, which is also a little annoying because how are you supposed to know if the only advice is “I dunno do what you like”?

Personally I’ve always liked scripted prayers because I am not very poetic and somewhat trash at coming up with them on the spot so I use this book, https://www.amazon.com/Celtic-Devotional-Daily-Prayers-Blessings/dp/1592330436 which is more of a general paganism book of devotions rather than specifically Wiccan again, your mileage and taste may very but I hope that gives at least some direction.

I've started my interest into druidism when I first bought my wildwood tarot deck and the druid animal oracle deck. I'm still a beginner into this, but I've realised that you can use both of them when playing, they go hand in hand. At least, this is what I've discovered. May be different for other users.

I also have: The Healing Power of Trees: Spiritual Journeys Through the Celtic Tree Calendar and A Druid's Herbal of Sacred Tree Medicine. If you're interested, you should check them out!

Again, I don't necessarily think it's one of them. Corvids are fairly common symbols of different divine beings. Cathubodua, Eponá, Cath Badb (which is Cathubodua's interpretatio Hibernia), Bran, Odin, Woden, Lugus etc.

Shapeshifting too honestly.

HOWEVER, sure I can be wrong so I'll give you a few things to help you out.

The Great Queen by Morpheus Ravena has really good research done on the Morrigna (or Morrigan if you believe they are one entity).

There is this site by many priests of "The Morrigan", Coru Cathubodua, which includes Morpheus.

A few things to maybe help.

This would be the best late, late, late birthday present of all time if you could help.
The Tree of Enchantment

Tao Te Ching

Sikhism

Grimoire of Crowley

Angel Tech

The Upanishads

And any of the Vedas pretty, pretty please? Much and thanks!!! ALSO Your link of Angels, Demons by Lon Milo DuQuette is broken, I think.

You should check out The Rebirth of Druidry by Philip Carr-Gomm, Chosen Chief of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids. It outlines the history of contemporary druidry and speaks to some of the issues others have pointed out (prejudice from outside, lack of primary sources, discontinuity in the community). It would be an excellent source for you. Some ideas:

• There is prejudice against Druidry as being seen as "not a real practice" or "not a real religion" (although many Druids do not practice Druidry as a religion). The reasons given are the lack of primary sources (first hand accounts, histories and interviews with historic Druids), lack of religious canon (Bible, Qur'an, etc), and lack of a unified organization (hierarchical church, administrative structure, central organizing body).

• Druid traditions are generally built on the idea that it is the indigenous tradition of the Celtic peoples. As such, there is sometimes a perception that it is only for people of a certain northern European ancestry. Heathenry & Asatru have been much worse plagued by this issue, but Druidry has had to defend itself as an all-inclusive tradition.

• Since Druidry comes from a largely conquered people (Rome systematically destroyed Celtic peoples, Christianity mopped up mythologically), many Druids incorporate other traditions and borrow practices from other belief systems to supplement their practice. Many embrace Universalism or Syncretism. This has led to criticism of Druid practitioners co-opting other cultures and beliefs in their spiritual pursuits. Although there is archaeological evidence for the Celtic use of structures like sweat-lodges, didjeridoo-like instruments, and entheogen use, there are some who see this as appropriation. I want to stress that these are broad statements - Druidry is complex and every practitioner is a bit different. Not everyone incorporates or even endorses these practices. But I do see and hear this conflict come up from time to time.

• As far as modern issues that affect Druidry (which is a different question, but may be what you were asking), I would say the primary one is Environmentalism. One thing nearly every Druid will tell you is that their practice is rooted in nature spirituality, or is a nature-based religion. The connection to, and rooting in, nature is central to nearly every practice. Some Druids forgo belief in "the Gods" altogether and merely seek communion with nature directly. Druids have a long history of environmental activism, tree-planting and preservation, what we might today call permaculture practices, and natural living (a useful, albeit broad term).

I hope this was helpful! If you have specific questions or follow-ups, please post them and I'll do my best to provide a balanced answer or try to point you to a contemporary source you can use!

You completely missed the point of what I'm trying to say. Keeping an open mind means that you don't believe or not believe in something. It means that you believe in the possibility of such thing.

But for you to choose to disregard a source just because it seems like a bucket of shit isn't fair! In our current society/culture, the idea of giants roaming the Earth at any point in time already sounds like a bucket of shit. Does it not?

Now, I'll go find some of the best sources I can just because you truly seem interested. Whether you investigate them or not is your choice. But REMEMBER - I believe in the possibility of giants -not that they're real. Don't get it mixed up again.

Books:

[Ancient Giants of the Americas: Suppressed Evidence and the Hidden History of a Lost Race](Ancient Giants of the Americas: Suppressed Evidence and the Hidden History of a Lost Race https://www.amazon.com/dp/163265069X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_HS8HybAX21BMJ)

[The Encyclopedia of Ancient Giants in North America](The Encyclopedia of Ancient Giants in North America https://www.amazon.com/dp/1516851986/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_2X8HybKR075WB)

[Giants on Record: America's Hidden History, Secrets in the Mounds and the Smithsonian Files](Giants on Record: America's Hidden History, Secrets in the Mounds and the Smithsonian Files https://www.amazon.com/dp/0956786510/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_.Y8HybX4DSGVZ)

[The Ancient Giants Who Ruled America: The Missing Skeletons and the Great Smithsonian Cover-Up](Giants on Record: America's Hidden History, Secrets in the Mounds and the Smithsonian Files https://www.amazon.com/dp/0956786510/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_.Y8HybX4DSGVZ)

[Lost Race of the Giants: The Mystery of Their Culture, Influence, and Decline throughout the World](Lost Race of the Giants: The Mystery of Their Culture, Influence, and Decline throughout the World https://www.amazon.com/dp/1591431484/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Q08HybXE7WB6V)

Videos:

I have to say, after searching for a while it was difficult for me to find a video that could directly inform you about this stuff. Therefore, I'll expand.

My prior knowledge about these said "giants" stems from my knowledge regarding the "Anunnaki" who supposedly built the pyramids and have played a crucial role in our history as a species.

I'm going to assume that you don't know much about them so I'll provide links telling you all about the Anunnaki - which will also eventually intertwine with "giants" called the Igigi.

Heres a video that wraps a whole fuckload of information into a roughly half-hour documentary.

Anunnaki - Summarized

The reason I know about this stuff is because my older brother is best friends with a guy named Matt Lacroix. He has written his own book regarding the supposed suppression of human consciousness which intertwines with the Anunnaki.

Here's his book:
[The Illusion of Us: The Suppression and Evolution of Human Consciousness](The Illusion of Us: The Suppression and Evolution of Human Consciousness https://www.amazon.com/dp/1518671063/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_cC-HybC3YBBA4)

Now, this guy Matt also makes his own videos on YouTube regarding the Anunnaki with another guy named Gerald Clark who has written some books on the subject and he too, makes his own YouTube videos.

Matt's Channel

Gerald's Channel

Gerald's Books:

[The Anunnaki of Nibiru: Mankind's Forgotten Creators, Enslavers, Saviors, and Hidden Architects of the New World Order](The Anunnaki of Nibiru: Mankind's Forgotten Creators, Enslavers, Saviors, and Hidden Architects of the New World Order https://www.amazon.com/dp/1491211229/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_7K-Hyb3ARHR91)

[The 7th Planet, Mercury Rising](The 7th Planet, Mercury Rising https://www.amazon.com/dp/1505531888/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_aM-HybYR23ZM5)

If you do some research and are intrigued, I suggest reading Zecharia Sitchin's books as well. They go much further into detail and he was pretty much the guy to start making possible connections between the supposed Anunnaki, and us.

My mentor's friend, Orion Foxwood, has a book called The Tree of Enchantment that has a few sections dealing with death and letting go.

Excerpt:

>Excercise 14: Invocation to the Silent Ones

>Another form of working with the ancestral spirits is the invocation to the Silent Ones. Write a specific wish or boon on a small piece of parchment or paper. Then speak theis invocation with intesity and feeling while holding the parchment before a lit candle.

>By the blood and by the bone;
By the soil that is your home;
By the thirteen bells of midnight's ring;
By the banshees voice that wails and sings;
By the blood that remembers and bones that tell;
By the hands that reach from the Faery well;
By the voices that call from beyond the mold; and
By the voices of the new and memories of the old
I call the blessed shades of the dead
By the haunted hand and speaking head.
With ink and paper and voice of wind;
I call to you my blessed kin.
Ancestral shades and sellie folk
Come on a path of fire and smoke
Hearken and hallow this work tonight.
Take what's wrong and set it right
By the secrets of the grave and glory of the Moon
Grant to me a magic boon.
By witch's spell and witch's trance,
Join me in the magic dance.
For when we fly and dance no more,
all shall be as it was before.
Now at this time when the door swings wide,
Rush to me on Eddys tide
I write your name on the wings of the wind,
Come to me my blessed kin.


Its geared toward an especially Faery-Tradition-based pagan, especially around Samhain. Fiddle with it so it works for your situation. I've found it to be one of the most moving things I've worked with. I hope this helps you.

I can think of several that focus on many goddesses from around the world. All these books present these goddesses as being aspects of The Goddess which is not my own theology, so I sift through some of the text with saltshakers handy.

• A trio of books by Michelle Skye focused on many different goddesses from around the world: Goddess Alive!, Goddess Aloud!, and Goddess Afoot!
  
• Stephanie Woodfield's Drawing Down the Sun
  
  If you'd like books on working with specific goddesses, I can offer suggestions for the Morrigan and Brighid. I've contributed content to a Brighid devotional and another text for Brighidine Paganism. Devotionals might be helpful if you're looking for a specific Lady; I can think of several titles for Kemetic and Norse goddesses.

Sounds like it could be worth your while to look into Druidry. There are different forms, they lean from reconstructionist to more new age with a bit of ceremonial magic.

The Druidry Handbook by John Michael Greer would be a good starter book. The three best known druidry organizations are Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship (ADF), Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD), and Ancient Order of Druids in America (AODA).

I recommend to get the following book and read it: The Book of The Great Queen: The Many Faces of the Morrigan from Ancient Legends to Modern Devotions https://www.amazon.com/dp/0990392716/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_W8ZtDbHEJK9PY

Ah, I see. Have you read Travels Through Middle Earth: The Path of a Saxon Pagan? Great read on the topic.

The Sphere of Protection is described thoroughly in John Michael Greer's The Druid Magic Handbook. The Kindle version should be easy enough to keep private. It's also available on Scribd if you subscribe to it.

It can be used on its own, but is also a companion book to JMG's The Druidry Handbook, which is suitable to someone practicing alone but is also the AODA's primary text.

There are plenty of other druid organizations and druidry authors, with different styles, but I would suggest the books mentioned above because I think highly of JMG as an author, and because, of the other two most prominent druid organizations, ADF is very much about engaging Druidry as a polytheistic pagan religion and might not suit you, and OBOD mails you course materials that are 1) kind of expensive for a college student, and 2) difficult to keep private since you're getting physical materials mailed to you.

The Druidry Handbook by John Michael Greer

This might be a good start. John Michael Greer is a former Archdruid for AODA, and this was one of the first books on druidry I read, myself.

You might try reading The Druid Handbook https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007L4SUPU/

I'm sure the OP has a more defined answer but if I had to guess given the Celtic design on their wings it's probably in reference to The Morrigan, a trio of/triple-goddess in Celtic paganism. She is sometimes likened akin to Odin in that they are both war gods and deal with conflict and the battlefield slain, and there is some overlap in worship in Celtic-Germanic syncretism. Unlike Odin, who is typically symbolized with his 2 ravens, the Morrigan is symbolized with 3 crows. I'm not well read on her but her devotees have quite a bit to say if you want to know more.