Exploring Celtic Druidism (Exploring Series) [Paperback]

Sirona Knight (Author)

Book Description

Series: Exploring Series | Publication Date: May 21, 2008

An overflowing cauldron of information, magickal works, and Druid rituals, Exploring Celtic Druidism is the first book to present the authentic teachings of the modern Celtic Druid tradition to a popular audience. You'll learn what Druidism is and how to practice it to achieve a more positive and enriching life. Included are easy-to-use instructions for gathering your ritual tools, choosing a craft name, personal initiation, as well as doing magickal works and celebrating the eight Great Days of the year. Exploring Celtic Druidism opens the door to the world of the Druids, the group most closely associated with Stonehenge and the mysterious standing stones. This hands-on training guide can help readers discover the Merlin within them. Exploring Celtic Druidism explains how to attain a high degree of inner-vision through personal initiation.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The first time Sirona Knight came into contact with the teachings of Celtic Druidism at the age of 16, she felt as though she had come home. Many Western seekers feel a similar affinity with the ancient tribe that revered both male and female deities and lived in attunement with the natural world. Having studied and written about the Celtic Gwyddonic Druid tradition for more than 14 years (Dream Magic, Celtic Traditions), Knight has assembled Exploring Celtic Druidism, a guidebook of spells and traditions for modern-day dabblers as well as serious students. Before delving into the magic and rituals, Knight offers an overview of the history of Celtic Druidism and an introduction to the Celtic gods and goddesses. Time and again, she emphasizes the most inspiring belief of Druidism--that connecting with nature is the best way to connect with one's spirit. She then names the tools needed for modern Celtic Druid craftwork, including a cord, wand, athame (double-edged blade), chalice (sacred vessel), salt dish, and incense burner. Next comes the Initiation--the ceremonial way to begin working magic, such as taking a sacred oath, setting up an altar, and finally, how to conduct the magic. Knight has considerable strength as a writer, researcher, and teacher. Expect plenty of concise and easy-to-follow instructions. --Gail Hudson

From Publishers Weekly

Similarly, in Exploring Celtic Druidism: Ancient Magick and Rituals for Personal Empowerment, Sirona Knight (Dream Magick) reviews the history, beliefs and celebrations of the Celtic Gwyddonic Druid tradition, of which she has been a third-degree craftmaster for more than 13 years. She describes Druidism's eight Great Days of the year, offers instructions in performing the five magical Druid works and explains how readers can achieve a greater sense of self through this ancient religion. Druidism is based on a communion with nature and oneness with the universe. Moreover, it is a religion that honors both gods and goddesses, the latter a popular New Age subject among women in particular, which Knight credits as contributing to renewed enthusiasm for Druidism.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Career Press (May 21, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564144895
• ISBN-13: 978-1564144898
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,520,555 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Another author mistaking Wicca for Druidry!, June 10, 2003

By 

Andrea Acailawen (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Exploring Celtic Druidism (Exploring Series) (Paperback)

Unfortunately, Sirona Knight is yet another author to join the ranks of D.J. Conway, Edain McCoy and Douglas Monroe, in passing off grossly inaccurate fallacies as "Druidry." This text is a serious waste of your money!

It becomes painfully clear, almost instantly, that Ms. Knight's knowledge of *accurate* Celtic history and Druidic traditions is severely lacking. The majority of her claims are completely inaccurate and have absolutely nothing to do with Druidism at all. For example...

She lists what she calls "the five magical druid works," which includes the pentacle, binding, and a "cone of power" that have absolutely NO basis in Druidry or the Celtic tradition. She also implies that the number five is of some sort of significance to the Druids, when it is in fact a component of Wicca, not Druidry.

One should note that the Celts strongly reverenced triads, the number three (as well as it's multiples) being eternally sacred, but you won't find any mention of the triads in Druidism from Ms. Knight.

What's more, the author attempts to pass off Goddess-centered spirituality, pentacles, circle casting, the five Greek elements, and use of athames as core components of Druidic practice, which is grossly inaccurate! While these are Wiccan concepts, they have absolutely nothing to do with Druidism or Celtic spirituality!

Unfortunately, Ms. Knight continually overlooks key elements of Druidic tradition, replacing them with Wiccan concepts. I find this absurd! If readers are looking for information on Druidism, why would they want a book that tries to pass of something else, rather than giving you genuine information? This is what Ms. Knight has done! [Its like asking for an apple and someone giving you a banana, claiming its an apple. Unfortunately, if you've never seen an apple, you might not realize what you're being given is something very different.] Wicca and Druidism may both be Pagan spiritual paths, but they are very, very different!

Judging from some of Ms. Knight's other titles, such as the "Pocket Guide to Crystals and Gemstones" and "Celtic Traditions: Shamans, Fairies, Druids & Wiccan Rituals," I guess the best we can expect from this author is inaccuracy and misinformation that has nothing to do with real Druid traditions.

This material does not present any authentic information on the Druids or Druidic practice, and sadly, it's gross inaccuracy may be seriously misguiding to students wishing to learn what real Druidism is about. I highly recommend any reader serious about Druidism or Celtic traditions not waste his or her time and energy on material that encompass such drastically false claims about Druidism and Celtic tradition. Don't waste your time and money!

If you are interested in Druidism and Celtic studies, you will find the following reputable, intelligent authors have something genuine to offer: Anne Ross, Peter Berresford Ellis, Alwyn & Brinley Rees, Nora Chadwick, Miranda Greene, Stuart Piggot, Alexei Kondratiev.

/|\ Ceud Mìle Beannachdan
(A hundred thousand blessings)

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Wiccanized "Druidry" From Unreliable Sources, March 3, 2003

By 

E. M. Hodge "Cuindless" (Virginia Beach, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Exploring Celtic Druidism (Exploring Series) (Paperback)

This work, "Exploring Celtic Druidism", is yet another misleading book which attempts to pawn off Wiccan practices as being authentic Celtic religious practice. What little the modern world does know about the ancient Druids verifies that what is laid out in this book is not true. In this work, the author explains many practices commensurate with modern Wicca, such as the casting of circle, the use of pentacles and athames, etc... While magically sound and of value to practitioners of Wicca, it is a grievous fallacy to call these practices "Druidism". Furthermore, the old "Gwyddonic Order", from which most of this information is taken, has been exposed as a group of dabbling, erroneous control[lers](note: the modern Gwyddonic Order, which takes its name and little else from the now defunct order of the same name, practices a hybrid of several magical and religious styles). Anyone seriously interested in pursuing Celtic Druid Reconstructionalism should steer clear of this book and look at other works such as "The Druids" by Peter Berresford Ellis, "The Druids" by Jean Markale or "The Druids" by Stuart Piggott.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not enough content..., April 8, 2001

By 

nebel (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Exploring Celtic Druidism (Exploring Series) (Paperback)

When I purchased this book, I was disappointed to see that there wasnt much information on actual Druidism. The book was more based around Wicca.