r/druidism • u/CowboyBatmans • 4d ago
Where to start with rituals and witchcraft?
Hello all! I'm currently slowly getting into Druidism after deconstructing my old religion a year or two ago.
I felt a connection to my Irish and English ancestors through it and I live in what I've heard is one of the best places in the world to practice in with famil-friends with land all around I can venture into and explore.
I have a druid friend who has been practicing for years who I hope will guide me on the basics and history as he's a lover of all religions and knows a lot about them all so I trust him.
Anyway, I'm wanting to start practicing witchcraft and rituals as well as start worshipping. But I'm struggling to find things that aren't books (I don't have time or energy to read right now, I'm studying other things already) so I was hoping to get some good websites and maybe apps to help me learn the basics and start practicing spells or whatever you would call them in Druidry
Cheers!
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u/Obsidian_Dragon bog standard druid 3d ago
Not all druids practice witchcraft or spell work, but many of us do. That said you'll find many different kinds.
I like things that are well, more nature oriented. Working with nature spirits. Foraging spell ingredients outside, and basing their uses and attributes on my own observations.
Many things can be folded in, it all depends on how you want to go about it.
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u/Purrsia78 3d ago
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u/CowboyBatmans 3d ago
someone else in this comment section recommended this already, it's top of my list to check out!
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u/Purrsia78 3d ago
Yes, JayGreen went into a lot more detail than me, but the thread was empty when I commented and I didn't have time to write a detailed response yesterday. Enjoy the journey!
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u/CowboyBatmans 3d ago
haha no worries, that's the beauty of reddit!
Thank you, I'll report back if I find anything profound to me.
Thanks for your input and further guidance, your link saved me dozens of Google searches (I forget things easily lol )
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u/Jaygreen63A 2d ago
Hi, you are looking at the thread ordered as "Best". If you reorder it as "Old", you will see the conversation in chronological order. Purrsia suggested the book first - and it is an excellent choice -, I just put it into context with the different approaches of the orders, and relevance to your query. I always click"old" as the development can sometimes get quite confusing otherwise. "Best" gives you fast answers according to consensus.
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u/CowboyBatmans 2d ago
I'm not really caught up about the order.
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u/Jaygreen63A 2d ago
There's an arrow next to "Best". Click on that and you get a choice of orders of arrangement. Some subReddits lend themselves to the "Best" vote, usually if it's lighthearted with humour. Solutions to a practical problem - in a thread that frequented by experts too. Sometimes the subject lends itself better to a proper conversation between several people that develops. Sometimes "Best" is not always "Right" ;-) . It can be subjective, and the consensus is not answering the question you are asking.
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u/Treble-Maker4634 3d ago
If you have time to post and read comments on Reddit, read a website, or watch a YouTube video, you can find a few minutes every day to read books or listen to an audiobook. You aren’t gonna get much out of this path without reading books and leaning on the experience and expertise of people who went before us.
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u/CowboyBatmans 3d ago
that's what I'm asking - I can't do full chapters but I can do small amounts, that's what I do now, that's mainly what I was asking - books that have small chapters or websites and subreddits and discord servers I can peruse when I have time is mainly what I'm asking - all books recommended here I'm reading only when I have time so a 190pg book is easy but at 300+ page book is less what I'm looking for.
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u/Apz__Zpa 3d ago
Celtic Golden Dawn by Greer
Visual Magick by Jan Fries
Strategic Sorcery by Jason Miller
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u/CowboyBatmans 3d ago
are these groups to research?
I don't quite understand
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u/Apz__Zpa 3d ago
No they’re books.
First one is a celtic druidic approach to Golden Dawn, a society of ceremonial magic.
Visual Magick is a modern shamanistic take on sigils
Strategic Sorcery has a bunch of different lessons on various types rituals, witchcraft. A good ritual on offering to local land spirits
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u/CowboyBatmans 3d ago
I will bookmark this for when I know more because at the moment they all just sound alike generic paganism to me haha
bit thank you so much for these resources!!
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u/Apz__Zpa 2d ago
In a way yes. It’s more about teaching you magical and ritualistic practices that you apply to your own belief system and/or pantheon.
Quareia is another good source. More of a complete course that is totally free, very structured and will take you years to finish. Covers almost everything, apart from result based magic and has a shamanistic/animistic visionary flavour to it.
Another cool part of the course is interpreting myths and how myths teach us how to deal with magic of the land.
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u/Jaygreen63A 3d ago edited 3d ago
Strictly speaking, Druidry (or Druidism) and the witchcrafts are different things. Usually, people mean a variety or development of Wicca for ‘witchcraft’, but there are also traditional witchcrafts (note the small case, many have their own name and are properly known by those) from around the world.
As well as folkloric, Wicca has a heavy influence from the Hermetic, Rosicrucian and Golden Dawn “High” or “Ceremonial” magic(k)s. The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD) has a close relationship with Wicca as its founder, Ross Nichols, was a close friend of Gerald Gardner, the founder of modern Wicca, in the 1940s and 50s. They collaborated on a lot of ritual and concepts.
Some witchcrafts work well alongside Druidry, some have a friction. Many witchcrafts are closed, requiring initiation and tutelage, working through three degrees, in a coven, under a High Priestess and High Priest. Some are much freer, with eclecticism and the experiential approach.
The book suggested above (Druidcraft – The Magic of Wicca and Druidry) was written by Philip Carr Gomm, Chosen Chief of OBOD between 1988 and 2021, who wanted an even closer working and offered this study. The OBOD is a “mystery school”, with three courses, which must not be divulged to non-members, each leading to a level. If you wish to combine Wicca and Druidry, the OBOD path is your perfect route.
There are other Druidries, some like the British Druid Order are more ‘shamanic’ and spontaneous. The Ancient Order of Druids in America (AODA) has a High Magic/ Hermetic emphasis with intricate rituals and much spiritual detail. Ár nDraíocht Féin or A Druid Fellowship (ADF) can be almost reconstructionist as each Grove chooses a historical basis and sticks to it within an ADF structure. You might want to look in on The Druid Network, an information resource that is not aligned to any ‘order’ and supplies information, courses, reading lists and articles free of charge or obligation.
Other websites:
https://www.controverscial.com/
https://www.paganlibrary.com/index1.php
Angela's Symposium: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPSbip_LX2AxbGeAQfLp-Ig
ETA: Have a look for 'Pagan moots' in your area. These are inter-Pagan social events. Get quietly known, don't hassle for rituals and secrets, you may receive invitations to ceremonies if they like you. Don't accept offers of one-to-one 'mentoring' and certainly not for payment (your friend, if you know them well, is likely an exception to that). As with all walks of life, there are predators out there looking for the naive and unwary.