As modern day spirituality grows in popularity, many people are beginning to seek its roots in the ancient practices of Druidism and Shamanism. The question is, what were they? Are Druidism and Shamanism one and the same? And what impact do they have on today’s spiritual practices?

Druidism

            Druidism refers to the spiritual practices of the ancient Druids, priests and learned me in the ancient Celtic societies of Western Europe, Britain and Ireland. These Druids were priests, arbitrators, healers, scholars and magistrates in their communities, and their priesthood represented one of the only bonds between the Celtic tribes of their time. The Druids had authority over every tribal chief, and their word could settle disputes and stop battles unquestioningly-in theory, anyway.

A group of polytheistic believers, the Druids revered the natural elements of the air, sea and sky, and nature through trees and groves, streams, lakes, fire and plants. (It was the Druids who first attributed mistletoe with its miraculous properties.) The Druids are represented as a peaceful people, and it comes as a surprise to most scholars that ritual killing and human sacrifice were essential elements of their culture. They believed, and taught to their followers, that the soul was immortal, and because of that the death of the body was considered to be of little significance.

It is important to note that ancient Druidism is not the same as the Neo-Druidism of today.

Shamanism

            Shamanism originated among the ancient people of Siberia and was used to describe their holy men (and women) who were believed to be able to interact with the spirit world. They did not hold a simple reverence for nature and the spirits; it was believed that Shamans could separate their spirits from their bodies to make a mystical “trance-journey”, and while on this journey they were able to interact directly with the spirits to request healing and wisdom.

            Shamans, like Druids, fulfilled many roles in their society. They were spiritual leaders, wise men, healers, counselors and judges. Unlike Druidism, however, Shamanism was in no way a collective practice among the Native Americans, nor did Shamans have any kind of authority over the tribes as a whole. It is believed among some tribes, however, that the protective spirit of the Shaman would be reincarnated in another family member after death.

Were they the same?

            Although Shamanism and Druidism share many common features that would lead many scholars and theologists to wonder if they might not share the same roots, the two ancient practices are not one and the same. Both, however, have strongly impacted today’s spiritualists by forming in them a deep respect for the spirits of nature and the ability of man’s spirit to interact with these spirits (or energy, or whatever term applies to an individual’s spiritual beliefs.)

It is also through Shamanism and Druidism that the separation from soul and body becomes strongly apparent, giving birth to the power of the spirit as a separate entity and laying the foundation for the roots of all spirituality.