Druids: Celtic Priests of Nature

A comprehensive and revealing look at the druids and their fundamental role in Celtic society that dispels many of the misconceptions about these important religious figures and their doctrine • Written by the world's leading authority on Celtic culture Druidism was one of the greatest and most exalting adventures of the human spirit, attempting to reconcile the unreconcilable, the individual and the collective, creator and created, good and evil, day and night, past and future, and life and death. Because of the oral nature of Celtic civilization our understanding of its spiritual truths and rituals is necessarily incomplete. Yet evidence exists that can provide the modern reader with a better understanding of the doctrine that took druidic apprentices 20 years to learn in the remote forests of the British Isles and Gaul. Using the descriptions of the druids and their beliefs provided by the historians and chroniclers of classic antiquity--as well as those recorded by the insular Celts themselves when compelled, under Christianity's influence, to utilize writing to preserve their ancestral traditions--Jean Markale painstakingly pieces together all that is known for certain about them. The druids were more than simply the priests of the Celtic people; their influence extended to all aspects of Celtic life. The Druids covers everything concerning the Celtic religious domain, intellectual speculations, cultural or magical practices, various beliefs, and the so-called profane sciences that have come down from the Celtic priesthood.

Table of Contents:
The Druids Celtic Priests of Nature Foreword Part One: The Druids 1 The Druids' Name 2 The Druidic Hierarchy 3 The Druids and Society Part Two: The Beginning Times 4 Where Did Druidism Come From? 5 Gods and Men 6 The God Above the Gods 7 The Physician and the Sun 8 The Warrior Deity 9 The Father of All 10 The Three-Faced Goddess 11 In the Depths of the Sanctuary Part Three: Initiations and Rituals 12 The Druidic Sanctuary 13 Mistletoe and Plant Ritual 14 The Four Elements 15 The Sacrifices 16 Festivals and Holidays 17 The Power of the Word 18 Totemism and Shamanism 19 Neodruidism Part Four: Druidic Thought 20 A False Polytheism 21 Druidic Monism 22 Mind and Matter 23 The Otherworld 24 The Quest Conclusion Notes Index

About the Author :
Jean Markale (1928-2008), was a poet, philosopher, historian, and storyteller, who spent a lifetime researching pre-Christian and medieval culture and spirituality. He was a former specialist in Celtic studies at the Sorbonne and author of more than 40 books, including The Celts, Merlin, Women of the Celts, and King of the Celts.

Review :
"There is no better spokesman for the ancient Celts than Jean Markale." " . . a very fascinating and informative book (no fluff here), definitely not to be missed." "Do yourself a favor and expand your view of Druids and Celtic culture. Buy this book and read it. Decide for yourself if you agree with the author's premise. Then take the time to think about it in depth and see if your opinions change."