A Druid’s Call to Magick
Magick is not a common word for the Druids of today’s society. It seems to be hard pressed to be stereotyped as similar to Wiccan, Hermetic, or African traditions, it poses as a stereotype for Wizards, Illusionists, Magicians, Mages, and it does not truly give heed to what a Druid truly practices in terms of the Magickal world. In fact, most Druid cultures in today’s world stay away from Magick, they incorporate the elemental workings of Druidic or Celtic Magick into their topics on Shamanism, Divination, History and Philosophy, they mull over the topic and the word as though teaching it would just spawn forth another generation of egotistical magicians doing magick for themselves on the full moon. Perhaps the reason for the omittance of the word Magick from the newly formed Druid traditions of today is because there was no need to separate it from life itself. Perhaps all of Druid culture was in fact magickal, and that it’s only to the ever careful observer that would notice the magickal workings within the stories, the shamanism, the philosophy, the history, the divination and the culture.
The first rule of Druid Magick is this; Magick must never be used for personal ends. Personal goals are sought after, they are to be earned, worked for, and attained through means of mortality, not through corrupted necessity. Therefore, often times the need for magick in a Druid society was minimal, of course it existed, but with more practical ways of attaining goals, magick was often seen as a last resort. In the Disney Classic Tale, Sleeping Beauty, the three fairies live in the forest for almost 16 years without magick. They live with Princess Aurora in order to protect her, and as such, they live a normal non magickal life. Magick to them was seen as an easy way to obtain that which they wanted, they felt that the danger of doing Magick would force Maleficient to find them, and thus her curse upon Princess Aurora would be fulfilled. This philosophy of non magick is one that the Druids felt very strongly. No magick is better than magick upon magick to cause considerable irreparable damage. Perhaps the reason why magick is not taught in today’s Druid Orders is because it is not needed in today’s society where technology allows us all the comforts magick would have in an ancient world. Regardless of this perspective and what the ancient Druids did versus what today’s Druids teach, the first rule is that magick must never be done for oneself, and magick is a last resort to obtain one’s ends.
There are many pathways to corruption, but only one pathway to enlightenment, wisdom must first come before power, for without wisdom, power can cause corruption, the same way knowledge without wisdom, can cause corruption. The very understanding of magick takes an initiate years to learn, years of self discipline, respect and research.
The second rule of magick is to listen, first to listen, truly, and deeply to the universe, how to heed its warnings, how to read its signs and omens, and how to answer its call. Druid magick is not a game that is played with a set of tarot cards, candles, and a book of incantations. Banishing, Protecting, Cleansing, Conjuring, Invoking, Evoking, Casting, takes skill, but it also takes respect. The second rule is to listen and respect the powers of the universe; it is not the place of the individual, of the initiate, the apprentice, even the skilled to meddle with the powers of the universe itself. Listen to the universe, hear the voice of every tree, every rock, every flower, every sunrise, every sunset, feel the pounding of deer’s hooves on the ground, listen to the rustling of the winds around you, fully engross yourself in the speech of the stars, the music of the planets, get lost in a sycamore grove, talk to a mountain, learn the wisdoms of the universe, but most of all listen and respect the universe.
Therefore the third rule is to understand your soul. Druid magick isn’t about building up an ego of power and force; in fact it’s the opposite. It’s about drawing back everything you think you are, and instead of piling on label after label to yourself, strip down the labels, become the nth of what you think you are, reduce yourself so that all that is left is your soul. Magick cannot be done without corruption if it is done from the identity of the ego. This is where most traditions today lose their focus. They quickly strive to label a person a witch or a healer, a psychic, or a priestess, and they forget that everyone has a soul they must listen to. Listen to your soul first, once you have delved into the depths of your own soul, then you can begin to understand your place in the universe. The third rule is to understand your soul, which will lead you to your place in the universe.
The fourth rule is to build allies and friends. Magick is not done by forcing the elements to bend to your will; if it is corrupted results will occur. Magick is about asking with kindness for the gifts of the universe to come unto you and help you achieve your goals. You will soon realize that not everything in the universe will help you, that you cannot be a master of every domain. Some trees will deny you; some rivers and lakes will forbid you to drink from their waters. Do understand that in listening to the universe, you also listen to the voices of those things that would sooner curse you if you disrespected their wishes. Assuming the universal energies are there purely for your own benefit is naïve at best. Therefore, build your allies, be kind to the tree, visit the water everyday but do not drink from it, build a rapport and a friendship with the universe so that when it comes time to ask for help, the universe will glad rise up and offer its hand unto you.
The fifth rule is to embody your soul gifts. When your goals are unselfish, when you wish to use your inner strength and power to help others, and when the magick you wish to conjure is pure and uncorrupted, and when it will allow you to embody your soul gifts, this is the magick the universe will help you accomplish. Be warned however that not all soul gifts can be conjured within a day, many soul gifts take time to be worked on, processed, and so while the universe can set you on the right path, it cannot magickally hand your goal to you on a silver platter. Magickal workings that will not only help you embody your soul gifts, but will help others within the universe, take time to weave, often many years, therefore, embody your soul gifts, keep your eyes on the goal, and follow the path you have been given with your universal allies at your side, guiding you along the way. Eventually, the goal will be attained, and it will be subtle, like a gradual shift leading you ever closer to the goal.
The sixth rule is to work for the universe. This is a very important, and the last rule of Druid Magick. Though you have made allies in the universe that will help you, it is also up to you to learn how to help them. You cannot simply ignore it when a tree that will grant you access to its magickal abilities thirsts for water that you can provide. Nor can you fish from the river from which offers you sacred healing waters. The gift of being given access to the magickal forces of the universe means that you must always give back to the universe, otherwise the link will be broken, and the magick will cease. Therefore, work for the universe, allow the universe to call upon you in the middle of the night and tell you to gather chamomile, frankincense, and juniper, allow it to tell you to light a sacred fire in your candle jar, and to add the herbs and to recite an incantation that they will provide which will allow the magick to flow through your body, magick that will feel ancient, magick that will allow you to be a conduit for the universe, magick that far super cedes your mind’s intelligence. Allow yourself to become a conduit for the magickal practices of the universe itself.
So let us recap the six rules of Druid Magick.
1) Do not use magick for personal ends
2) Listen and Respect the Universe
3) Understand Your Soul
4) Build Allies in the Universe
5) Embody Your Soul Gifts
6) Work for the Universe
Following these guidelines will allow any Druid practitioner the wisdom to awaken the powerful seeds of magick both within themselves and within the universe. Unfortunately, the common theory that secret sacred symbols, incantations in other languages, correspondences, ingredients, and sacred items will open the doors to magick is somewhat incorrect, while these formulas do form the basis of magickal workings, without the respect of the universe, and without knowledge of who you are, no magickal working is possible. Follow the guidelines above, and open the doors.
