Druidism Books

Drawing Down the Moon : Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today

Margot Adler

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Subjects -> Health, Mind & Body -> Self-Help -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 123 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Alternative Theology 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I picked this book up in a local thrift store for $1.99, intrigued by the beautiful red and black cover design with a mysterious witch standing against the backdrop of an ocean expanse, within a circle of flames. The title of the book was equally enigmatic to me, not knowing the relevance or meaning of it within Pagan history or practice. Flicking through the pages I noticed that there was some discourse on the RDNA (Reformed Druids of North America), the ADF and Isaac Bonewitz, and I guess that this was the crucial factor in deciding to part with the best portion of two dollars in return for some practical knowledge.

Before I read this book I saw modern Pagans as crack-pots, foundationless cults, weirdo's and overgrown hippies. I was at a stage where I could accept the slightly eccentric but practical spirituality of `OBOD' and the AODA but found even the notion of polytheism beyond my understanding. My mind was absolutely closed to this book in the beginning, the 1 ½ inch's of solid paper suggested a good door-stop and I lay it down in a corner of the room where it gathered dust for several months. Visions of naked feminist witches haunted my dreams, strangely effeminate men on LSD staring into glass globes on a wayward camping trip whispered profanities behind my back. I secretly made private jokes about people with names like `Ferret-Raven Wolf Prancer' and `Moon-Swirler.' !!!!

This book actually scared the hell out of me, literally. I clearly saw the book for what it was; a genuine account of modern American Paganism and this frightened me, maybe because I didn't want to come to the realization that such a thing actually exists. I was too wrapped up in the comfort of a semi-gnostic, spiritual haven of abstract and unspecific wandering. I began reading with a heavy sigh, expecting complete penta-grammatic nonsense. After reading the three chapters of the first section; Paganism and prejudice, a religion without converts and the Pagan world-view I began to feel a sense of shame for my previously held beliefs.

This is a first hand experiential account of modern Paganism. The author didnt sit in a silent room of academia pondering the subjective and objective implications of alternative theology... she went out and got totally involved, met totally intriguing and often eccentric people, participated in rituals and 'walked the walk.' I am glad I forced myself into this, otherwise I would be a complete and utter ignoramus!

Editorial Review:

For nearly two decades, Drawing Down the Moon, the only detailed history of a little-known and widely misunderstood movement, has provided the most authoritative look at the religious beliefs, experiences, and lifestyles of the neopagan culture. "A healthy corrective."--The New York Times Book Review. of photos.

The Druidry Handbook: Spiritual Practice Rooted in the Living Earth

John Michael Greer

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Weiser Books Amazon Marketplace: 50 new & used starting at $8.44

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Subjects -> Religion & Spirituality -> Earth-Based Religions -> Celtic

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Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

A living tradition of nature spirituality rooted in Celtic antiquity and revived to meet the challenges of contemporary life, Druidry offers people a path of harmony through reconnection with the green Earth. The Druidry Handbook is the first hands-on manual of traditional British Druid practice that explores the Sun Path of seasonal celebration, the Moon Path of meditation, and the Earth Path of living in harmony with nature as tools for crafting an earth-honoring life here and now. From ritual and meditation to nature awareness and ecological action, John Michael Greer opens the door to a spirituality rooted in the living Earth.

Featuring a mix of philosophy, rituals, spiritual practice, and lifestyle issues, The Druidry Handbook is one-stop shopping for those seriously interested in practicing a traditional form of Druidry. It offers equal value to eclectics and solitary practitioners eager to incorporate more earth-spirituality into their own belief system; it also appeals to the merely curious

The Greener Shore: A Novel of the Druids of Hibernia (Unabridged)

Morgan Llywelyn

Amazon Price: $13.12 List Price: $24.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: audible.com

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Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

At last, the haunting sequel to Morgan Llywelyn’s phenomenal epic Druids. The Greener Shore unfurls the story of a brave and mystical people who learned to manipulate the forces of nature–in order to control magic.

As druids in Celtic Gaul, they had been the harmonious soul of their tribe, the Carnutes. But when Julius Caesar and his army invaded and conquered their homeland, the great druid Ainvar and his clan fled for their lives, taking with them the ancient knowledge. Guided by a strange destiny, they found themselves drawn to a green island at the very rim of the world: Hibernia, home of the Gael.

Here they would depend for survival on an embittered man who had lost his faith–and a remarkable woman who would find hers. Burning with hatred of the Romans, Ainvar can no longer command his magic. But his mantle falls on unexpected shoulders. In a beautiful, war-torn land of numerous kingdoms and belligerent tribes, Ainvar and his beloved wife, Briga, struggle toward an uncertain future. Their companions include the volatile Onuava, widow of their fallen chieftain; Lakutu, Ainvar’s dark and mysterious second wife; Ainvar’s son, Dara, who seems more drawn to poetry than to combat; and the “Red Wolf,” the young warrior who is as close as kin and is determined to find Ainvar’s missing daughter.

Other forces are at work in Hibernia as well–the spirits that haunt the island, forces older than even the magic of the druids. Through them Ainvar seeks his redemption . . . as Briga seeks her rendezvous with history.

Filled with the deep feeling, stunning detail, and rich characters that made Druids a masterwork, The Greener Shore is a superb saga of an amazing world and its wondrous ways–a much-awaited novel that will delight all the devotees of this admired author.

Don't Know Much About Mythology

Kenneth C. Davis

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Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The latest installment in the New York Times bestselling Don't Know Much About® series -- a magical journey into the timeless world of mythology

It has been fifteen years since Kenneth C. Davis first dazzled audiences with his instant classic Don't Know Much About® History, vividly bringing the past to life and proving that Americans don't hate history, they just hate the dull, textbook version they were fed in school. With humor, wit, and a knack for storytelling, Davis has been bringing readers of all ages up to speed on history, geography, and science ever since. Now, in the classic traditions of Edith Hamilton and Joseph Campbell, he turns his talents to the world of myth.

Where do we come from? Why do stars shine and the seasons change? What is evil? Since the beginning of time, people have answered such questions by crafting imaginative stories that have served as religion, science, philosophy, and popular literature. In his irreverent and popular question-and-answer style, Davis introduces and explains the great myths of the world, as well as the works of literature that have made them famous. In a single volume, he tackles Mesopotamia's Gilgamesh, the first hero in world mythology; Achilles and the Trojan War; Stonehenge and the Druids; Thor, the Nordic god of thunder; Chinese oracle bones; the use of peyote in ancient Native American rites; and the dramatic life and times of the man who would be Buddha.

Ever familiar and instructive, Davis shows why the ancient tales of gods and heroes -- from Mount Olympus to Machu Picchu, from ancient Rome to the icy land of the Norse -- continue to speak to us today, in our movies, art, language, and music. For mythology novices and buffs alike, and for anyone who loves a good story, Don't Know Much About® Mythology is a lively and insightful look into the greatest stories ever told.

Druid Animal Oracle

Philip Carr-Gomm, Stephanie Carr-Gomm

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 25 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Gorgeous cards! 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

I love these cards! As an animal oracle they bring clarity and inspire vision - the symbols within each image are subtle and lovely and I absolutely love reading with this deck. I'm not a huge fan of the cloth that comes with the deck and have never used the book, just the cards, but i've wrapped them in the cloth more for sentimentality sake than for a reading cloth. I highly recommend them!

Editorial Review:

Bring the Power of Ancient Druid Wisdom into Your Life

You are holding a source of great power and influence -- the wisdom of the animal world drawn from the wellspring of ancient Celtic tradition. The Druids, like the Native Americans, revered animals as sacred guides, guardians and protectors. Today, the book and beautiful card set of The Druid Animal Oracle can bring healing and will help you draw strength from its intuitive knowledge. From the interpretations of the card spreads and the animal lore given, you will gain powerful insights into your life-situation and receive positive guidance for the future. Authors Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, who live in England, are Chief and Scribe of the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids, one of the largest international Druid groups.

Druid Magic: The Practice of Celtic Wisdom

Nicholas R. Mann

Amazon Price: $11.53 List Price: $16.95 By: Llewellyn Publications Amazon Marketplace: 40 new & used starting at $2.98

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 34 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

  Perhaps the most mystical, magical people ever known were the Druids. They were wizards, storytellers, teachers and spiritual leaders. They were attuned to the Earth and the Sun. And they were very powerful.
ouldn''t it be amazing if you could be a Druid? Now you can with the secrets revealed in Druid Magick.
  This book presents everything you need to know to become a Druid and even start your own Druid "Grove" (the name of a Druid group). You''ll learn about the Druid''s tools - the sickle, wand, cord and more - and how to make and use them. You''ll discover all of the beliefs the Druids hold, including the emphasis on honor and ethics. You''ll learn how a Druid sees the Divine in everything and how even sex can be sacred.
 And of course you''ll learn the secrets of the magic of the Druids. You''ll learn how to do protection spells and how to use magic to find missing items. You''ll learn how you can visit other "worlds" or levels of reality. You''ll even learn how to do shapeshifting and experience the world as an animal!
  Are you having a mental block? With this book you''ll learn how to tap into the creativity that was a hallmark of the Druids. You''ll be able to write, draw, write or perform music with much greater ease and depth than ever before. Become a Druid can bring you all this and more!
  Druidry is far more than historic Celtic leadership. It is a living, growing, spiritual tradition that can bring you more self-assurance and self-development than you''ve ever had before. Jump out of the ordinary! Try something new to bring that spark back into your life. Discover the secrets of Druid Magic.

Winner of the 2001 Coalition of Visionary Resources (COVR) Award for best Magic Book

Bonewits's Essential Guide to Druidism

Isaac Bonewits

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Yes! 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

A number of years back, I sat there for a number of days comparing the flow of similarity between different basic words from a number of languages and compared that to what I knew from archaeology (ancient trade paths, some of which are discernable from space, archaeological finds turning up from cultures distant to their location, and so on). Naturally, I wondered if our ancestors traveled, mingled, and mated (exotic is sexy, trade means money/power, such things make such unions desirable, and then comes baby) far more than most of us were previously made aware so I truly enjoyed the description of the evolution and migration of the Proto-Indo-European peoples with their theologies and rituals (orthopraxy) and how that has led up to contemporary Druidry on both sides of the Atlantic.

Highly engaging, this type of scope and the author's attention to details, patterns, metapatterns, and probabilities are consistently and delightfully conveyed with such a carefully (!) and well articulated level of honesty - this is why I have a serious crush on this author's work. And how often do I see this caliber of work? Not nearly often enough and rarely when it comes to religion!

Enjoy. ;)

Editorial Review:

A book about Druids unlike any other, Bonewits’s Essential Guide to Druidism not only goes far behind the usual Celtic and Classical references by discussing the evolution and migration of the Proto-Indo-European peoples, from whom the Celts arose, but also discusses the beliefs and ritual practices of both the British and American streams of modern Druidry, as well as providing warnings about deceptive Druid organizations and authors. This is a book that belongs in the library of every modern Druid, regardless of their particular path or style of Druidism.

The Druid Plant Oracle

Philip Carr-Gomm, Stephanie Carr-Gomm

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Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

In the Druid tradition, many plants, herbs, flowers, and mushrooms are considered sacred and to have special meanings, and are prominent features of mythology and legend. The Druid Plant Oracle presents these stories and the virtues and qualities that have been traditionally ascribed to these plants, through an oracle that is able to offer unique guidance and inspiration.

 

The thirty-six cards each show a plant within its natural habitat and offers details within this 'miniature landscape' that are also described in the text. The book gives detailed descriptions of the meaning of each card, with keywords for upright and reversed positions, and information on the mythology and lore associated with each plant. Six ways of conducting a reading are offered, ranging from The Pentagram, a simple spread useful when exploring blockages to personal and spiritual development, to Ceridwen's Cauldron, recommended for issues concerning creative projects, and for those times when life seems to be in a state of flux.

A Brief History of the Druids (Brief History, The)

Peter Berresford Ellis

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 17 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Outstanding! 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Great book...but rather technical in terms of history and geography, so if you are looking for an "easy" or "light" reading, this is not the book for you. I found it to be incredibly informative. I have loaned it out many times and at this point have to beg it back (after 4 months) from the last person who borrowed it. It has been loved by all who have borrowed it (as a matter of fact I've had to work pretty hard to get it back from everyone!) It contradicts some theories I have heard before, but gives excellent support for the author's theories of culture development. Great for sociological discussion. Highly recommend for teaching situations involving Celtic culture and history.

Editorial Review:

Shrouded in legend, the mysterious cult of the ancient Druids continues to fascinate, inspiring latter-day imitators who often are only a poorly researched and romantic reflection of Druidic lore. In this compelling and readable history, respected Celtic scholar Peter Berresford Ellis explores who the Druids really were and what role they played in the Celtic world. Ellis provides a fresh and convincing interpretation of the facts, based on both archaeological and etymological findings. “Remarkable ... offers much for the academician as well as the general reader. Fascinating reading!”—Joseph A. King, author of Ireland to North America