The Druid Way Made Easy | a book review

I quite enjoyed the Druid Way Made Easy by Graeme K. Talboys and published by Moon Books. Druidry is not something of which I am that familiar but I became interested in learning a bit about it after reading the novel Saint Brigid’s Bones where the main character is a bard. This book could be considered an introduction to Druid ways as it talks briefly about the history of the Druids, their beliefs and lifestyles. I’d say it fits my beliefs and lifestyle the most, if I were to choose, but alas, there are only two groups/groves in Canada and nowhere near me.

I love quoting authors, as you will know if you’ve read any of my other reviews, and I will so do again to give you an idea of what the Druid way is all about according to Talboys. (The authors always say it best!)

Celtic culture reflects the idea that the universe is ensouled and therefore sacred. There may have been differences in emphasis, but Celts lived in a sacred environment, their whole lives being an act of communion with spirit and with deity. And true to the way in which they viewed the world, their perspective was very personal. The sacred was in the everyday, in the tasks of ordinary life, in relationships with other people and the land. This was reflected even in their great religious festivals, with the everyday transactions of the market place and personal relationships being given special force at these times of year. Yet the high days and holy days marked the public face of their belief. At the personal level, they believed that if they acted honourably and responsibly in the everyday things, the cycles of their lives would eventually bring them to an understanding of the greater things that were currently beyond their comprehension.

This more intimate approach is often accomplished through prayer. Prayer is the daily conversation a Druid has with the sacred. It is the way in which Druids attune themselves to the everyday, for it is in the everyday that Druids believe true magic is to be found – in such things as the growing of food, cooking, companionship, and all the other basic sights, sounds, and experiences of our lives.

The Druid Way is a spiritual path that accepts that we have a material existence, accepts that the material is essential to our wellbeing. It is not a path of deprivation where one must give up all possessions and become parasitic on others in order to find personal salvation. Indeed, it is not even a path of personal salvation. The Druid Way is a path of balance between, and integration of, the material and the spiritual in order to effect healing. Failure to integrate the material and the spiritual means they cannot be kept in balance. Without balance, we end up with extremism. Go too far down the material road and the spirit withers, along with compassion and love. Go too far or too obses- sively with the spiritual and we deny our material nature.

If you are curious about the history of the Druids, the lifestyle or how practices today differ from those hundreds of years ago I suggest giving The Druid Way Made Easy a read. 😉

Happy creating!

Moongirl xx

(and yes, I am still creating and will get to posting some art soon!)