What do the Druids do?

The Reformed Druids do a number of other activities besides ritual;

Nature walks, candle-making parties, field trips, tea parties, meditative& massage sessions, individual research, herbal workshops, sweatlodges, bonfires, music, dancing, gardening, story telling, and lots o' home made food.

Ritual

The Original Reformed Druids set down a basic set of rituals largely based on the service of the rituals of the Episcopalian Church with a number of twists. These basics have been added onto and changed to fit those taking part. For a examples of the liturgy you can check out part three of A Reformed Druid Anthology.

The current incarnation of the Reformed Druids at Carleton only rarely use these rituals (though they still can be fun). Mostly they are used on some of the important festival days (see below).

Festivals

Druid festivals mainly correspond to the important dates of the old Druid year as far as it has come down to us. Celebration always begins at sundown the previous evening, and includes bonfires and revelry appropriate to the season. Because we find one type of inspiration through Nature's cycles, we hold periodic ceremonies to honor the passing of the seasons. The names are taken from public holidays in Ireland that were similarly practiced in most of Europe up until W.W.II. Each of these four holidays is usually accompanied by a campfire.

Samhain (Pron. Sa-veen or Sawin) Nov. 1st. Known in Christian calendars today as All Saints Day Remembrance of our ancestors and honoring the beginning of the Winter half of the Druidical year.

Imbolc (Pron. Eem-bolluck or im-wolac) Feb 1st. Known in Christian calendars as "Candlemass". At this time of the year, the first signs of spring are revealed through pussy willows, ewes bearing lambs and a slow warming of temperatures (that is, if you live anywhere besides Minnesota).

Beltane (Pron. Bell-tain or Bel-tin-uh) May 1st. Known to many as "May Day". It is the celebration of the fertility in the Earth and the beginning of the Summer half of the Druidical year. May-pole dances and flower-gathering are common activities.

Lughnasadh (Pron. Loo-na-sa) Aug. 1st. This is a harvest festival, celebrating the pinnacle of the Earth's productive bounty and the realization that winter is slowly coming and that we must prepare for upcoming hardships.

The phases of the moon also ought to be followed closely. A new venture should be begun only when the moon is waxing, an old one consummated only when it is waning. The night of the full moon is a time of rejoicing; while the night of the new moon is a solemn occasion, calling for vigils and meditation.

It is also common to celebrate the solstices and equinoxes, another sign of the passing of the seasons.

Sweatlodges

One of our more popular activities. This is a purification ritual borrowed from the Lakota tribe and subsequently altered as it has been passed down through groups of students. Many ancient cultures apparently had a sweatlodge or similar ritual. But that's not why we practice it. Like all of our activities we only do sweat lodges because they can be of some use in our spiritual growth.

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The Carleton Grove has recently rediscovered this ancient and hallowed ‘Wels’h holiday which just so happens to stand, in English, for Mess With Forces You Do Not Fully Understand Day. This holiday falls some time between January and the Middle of March (i.e. Winter Term) and consists of experimenting with various forms divination and magick.

And Much Much More.

I can only give a limited selection of all the activities we do here. We are also welcome for any suggestions of events that you think might be appropriate and that you would like to see done. If you do have any ideas email crimmins<at>carleton.edu or troostc<at>carleton.edu.