Guest Author - Deanna Joseph

Ever wondered what it means to be a druid? Is it wearing a long robe and carrying a staff? Is it reciting poetry in a powerful voice while meeting in secret in the darkest places of the forest? What comes to mind when you think of a druid? Merlin, the great sorcerer and advisor to King Arthur? Or better yet, the wizard Gandalf from Lord of the Rings?

Well, I myself have wondered what it really takes to become a druid. Unfortunately most books I’ve read on the subject seem to just want to paint a pretty (and fluffy) picture of what being a true druid really is.

Then I received a copy of Brendan Cathbad Myers’ book “The Mysteries of Druidry.” I have to be honest here and say that one of the first things that drew me to this book was the forward written by Isaac Bonewits, who I know has a reputation for getting to the facts and avoiding the “fluff.”

But as I started reading the book I found that I didn’t want to put it down.

Myers covers everything in this book concerning druidry that I can think of, and much more. He talks about the celts and their history along with their mythology, holidays, the nine druidic mysteries, the Ogham, the Great Marriage, ceremonies and rituals and offers an excellent commentary on the importance of forging communities in our world today.

This book is filled with Myers' personal experiences, exercises and suggestions for creating rituals that complement the celtic mythologies. The book itself is laced with beautiful pictures (some actual photographs of sacred places in the celtic world) and poetry.

Becoming a practicing druid is much more than flowing robes and mistletoe. Unfortunately there is not much historical data that gives us details of the life of an ancient druid other than what was written by Julius Caesar (who wanted to portray druids as blood sacrificing pagans). But Myers offers historical and scholarly data and doesn’t try to paint the druids in a perfect light. He has just as much to say about the shadowy aspects of druidry as he does the more romanticized theories that are so well known to us today. He also offers a very impressive bibliography for those interested in seeing where he came up with his own views on the subject.

The Mysteries of Druidry is a very enjoyable and educational read. It is well written, easy to read and understand, and I would highly recommend it to both the beginning and advanced students of this ancient art.