Paganism has grown tremendously with Wicca pioneering the way in the last half of the 20th century. However, gaining momentum as an emerging spirituality for the 21st century is that of modern Druidry. This emergence has been spurred on in part by an interest in something different than ceremonial magic and initiation based paths.

Robert Ellison in his book The Solitary Druid: Walking the Path of Wisdom and Spirit provides a solid starting point for those interested in learning the basics of one of the strands of thought in Druidry.

He is a leading member of the Ar nDraiocht Fein (pronounced arn ree-ocht fane, which means our own Druidism and referred to as ADF throughout the rest of this article). He has been the Archdruid for that organization for several years.

The author begins by giving definitions of the ancient and modern druids, most notably what they are not. He addresses such myths as the Druids building Stonehenge and coming from Atlantis.

He explains that there is no unbroken record of Druid religious practice or belief. For this reason, he cites remnants from history that have helped shape the image of Druids and given modern followers a springboard to work from. He also very frankly discusses Celtic sexuality including their purported liberal views of homosexual and polyamorous relationships.

The ADF style of ritual includes devotional elements and is distinctly different from Wicca. Mr. Ellison is very honest that he is presenting rituals according to this style. He explains the importance of daily devotionals and offerings with an example of how to perform them as well as advice for setting up your personal altar.

He also introduces the wheel of the year which follows the eight holy days of the general neopagan calendar. He begins with the history behind the holidays and provides a sample ritual in the ADF format for each one. He includes rituals for other purposes such as protecting your home and creating a sacred space on your land also known as a Nemeton.

As this work is so heavily influenced by the ADF, it is not for everyone. This book does not provide details for a more free-form, shamanic, or Wiccan flavored approach to your Druidry. There is also only a very short chapter on magic and spells. However, he does touch upon two popular divination systems used by modern Druids, the runes and the ogham, with references to use for further research into these systems.

What Solitary Druid does provide is a framework to begin to incorporate the lore and history of these ancient priests and priestesses into modern practice. There is also a great deal of information for networking if you wish to later join with others on this path. He provides many internet resources for the ADF as well as groves of other traditions along with internet-only groups.

As mentioned, this is an ADF-centric work, but Robert Ellison emphasizes a uniting principle within Druidry, that of reverence for nature and Mother Earth. This is a good introduction to begin your devotional Druidic practice.

*(In the interest of disclosure, I am also a member of the ADF.)