Druid's Tale

by Cat Treadwell

What do people think of when they hear the word Druidry? The real questions, not questions about the old men in white robes stereotypes. What makes a Druid? What do they do? Having been a practising Druid for over ten years, Cat Treadwell wondered too. Asked to present a talk at a national Pagan Festival, and unsure exactly what the audience would want to hear, she started a blog, asking friends and colleagues (Muggle and Pagan) what they would like to know about the Druid Path. Two years later, they are still asking. This book answers some of those questions. Cat has compiled and expanded on the common queries (So, do you worship the sun?) as well as the day-to-day aspects of Druidry as a lived path. She reveals how Druidry is constantly evolving to be relevant and accessible in the modern world. ,

Genres: Spirituality, Paganism, Nonfiction

189 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 29, 2012

About the author

With over twenty years' experience as a practising Pagan, since January 2012 I've been a full-time Priest and Chaplain. I work in the community on a consultancy basis to provide workshops, one-to-one teaching, multifaith talks at public and business institutions, and generally represent Paganism in the wider world.

I’ve been a regular speaker on BBC Radio Derby and Nottingham, and have appeared on BBC News, Radios 2 and 5 Live and in the national Press. My first book, 'A Druid's Tale', was published in June 2012, with the second, 'Facing the Darkness' in October 2013. I'm also contributing to a new anthology by Llewellyn Publishing later this year.

I've always been a voracious reader and love sharing books that I've enjoyed - hence taking up the role of reviewer recently! I'm active across most social media and contribute on a freelance basis to several review websites, including The Fantasy Hive and The Ginger Nuts of Horror.

Reviews

[Peter Wilkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite the author's recommendation that A Druid's Tale be "consumed slowly ... in small bites", I initially swallowed it whole! Purely because I found it to be such an addictive read. However, the book is so incredibly rich in content that it's impossible to digest in one sitting. Each page is so full of tasty morsels that it needs to be read through several times and reflected upon in order to assimilate the words into your bloodstream.
Cat Treadwell is a Druid Priest and, by dint of that fact, she is well qualified to write about Druidry and explain exactly what it is. Thankfully, she does not do that. Instead, she shares with us her own lived experiences: real experiences that paint infinitely more colourful and detailed illustrations than any academically driven text could.
Very aware of the absolute folly of trying to impress her readers, Cat keeps it real from the very first page to the last as she describes her fears, her agonies and some of her epiphanies, all explained and related to her Druidic beliefs and practice. I felt myself connecting with her, even journeying with her as I made my own way through her story. And connection, she demonstrates, is at the very heart of her practice. True connection is a communion with otherness: to other living beings, to the inanimate, to the forces of nature, to our ancestors and to the whole of creation.
Guided by Awen, Cat lays out her pages in this gem of a book in a way that both informs & inspires the reader. I read her chapter on `Public Ritual' and learned about responsibility and honour. I read about `Dark Mythology' and emerged bathed in the light of the beauty of darkness. And I read of Celebration, after which I promised myself a whole new and more honest way of being with others as I mark not just certain dates in the calendar but each day as an opportunity to give of myself to others whilst rejoicing in the never-ending wonders of this spinning planet.
Yet as I completed my first read of A Druid's Tale, I felt to `know' nothing more about Druidry as a concept. I had learned about Cat and how she interprets her role and lives her life as a Druid Priest ... but I didn't understand the term `Druidry' any more than I did before. I sat, reflected ... and then it struck me. Druidry is not one `thing' that can be neatly categorised and boxed. Nor should it ever be. Druidry, it seems to me after reading Cat's book, is a certain way of being and becoming and learning how to discover and accept your True Self. It is a way of `being with' the world in what Martin Buber describes as an `I-Thou' relationship: blissfully unaware of one's ego's restraints and bound together in the glory of the other, be it a person, a creature, a rock, a star or a goddess.
After these insights and still stirred by the author's passions and honesty, I gazed out of my window at the rain-lashed moors on the horizon and listened to the howling wind as it grabbed at piles of leaves and flung them around the garden. `Perhaps this is druidry,' I thought as the unpredictable chaos of a gale-blown afternoon suddenly filled me with energy and the most reassuring feeling that I was not alone.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

People often say " this book changed my life"...well..it hasn't...it has re-affirmed my faith in MY life. As one little mote in the universe I am now connected to an unimaginable number of other "motes" and will grow as a human being as a result of this. If you can read this ...read the book! I had recently become interested in Druidry after meeting a lot of people I seemed to have a great deal in common with, this book is excellent for anyone with an open mind willing to have some of the myths they have heard de-bunked whilst feeling better about themselves in the process. It is a book to pick up, read a bit ...think or share your thoughts and pick up again.A Druid's Tale Thank you Cat.

[Rae Gee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read many a pagan book. Heck, I publish some of them. And this is one that I'd loved to have had on my list! No shade to some of the writers out there, but we need more books that are less “how to” and more books that are “life of a pagan with some helpful advice thrown in”.

A Druid's Tale is absolutely beautiful and a soothing read in these troubled times. The words are a reminder of the earth that we come from and which we will, at come point, return to. Cat is an incredible writer with a great gift for words and an obvious empathy for her world and her fellow man. I've not really read a lot on Druidry and A Druid's Tale is a perfect springboard. If you're looking for something a little different from the world of pagan books, or just something to help calm frazzled nerves in an overstimulated world, this book may be the one for you.

[Tommy /|\ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its really difficult to sit back and just give this book five stars. But since that's the only choice I have for a top-score...I'll have to settle with that.

Before I start on how Cat's book was for me - I find it a little necessary to elaborate on who I am (trust me, this figures into part of how the book was for me). At this moment, I am on the path of Druidry myself - in the Bardic Grade lessons for the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD). I have been on a Pagan path for nearly thirty years of my own life - and I share some similar background to what Cat shares in terms of personal Life. Thus, this book really spoke to who I am, as well as what I believe. Cat's style of writing comes across as a pleasant, warm conversation shared between you (the reader) and her while sitting at a campfire in the middle of the night. At least that's my impression of it. Sharing cups of hot chocolate and talking about how Druidry has impacted and addressed aspects of our lives. There are questions at the end of each section that Cat seems to be asking of the reader. I took the opportunity to set the book down from time to time and answer these questions in my own personal journal. I wrote until I felt that I had answered the question. Sometimes it was a couple of lines, and for others it took a few paragraphs. Its not a requirement for reading the book - but Cat does state in the very beginning that the book is intended to be digested in smaller chunks, rather than read straight through.

Perhaps the most interesting part in reading the book, I found a perspective that mirrors my own. Rituals, spellwork, robes, staves, wands, crystals, etc etc...all are nice items to have in one's toolset...but in the end, its about embracing your beliefs and living them. Respect for others, accentuating the positive aspects of the day, and embracing the fact that Life isn't always that ray of sunshine you hope for. The key isn't all the aspects of a toolkit as I mentioned previously - its about the relationships one has with others, with the environment, and with yourself. Cat discusses how she approaches all of this (and more) -- and I honestly wish I had read her book long before I had started down the path of Druidry. Not because it would have warded me off the Path - because it would not have. However, I would have had a much different approach in the beginnings. I can't change how I started down the Path, but I can apply a lot of what I read in a more meaningful walk down the Path for me.

Do I recommend this book to someone investigating the path of Druidry? Wholeheartedly, YES! The book, along with the questions contained within each section, will provide a lot of self-answers for people, in my opinion. More so, I would also recommend that you read her excellent blog - the Catbox - as well. ( Located at: http://druidcat.wordpress.com/ ) You will find a witty, charming individual who is not only willing to talk about how she has and continues to walk her Path, but also is willing to talk with you about yours. When you have finished the book, you will literally feel like it would be the most natural thing in the world to just flop down next to her on a grassy hill on a Summer afternoon - and talk, talk, talk. (grin) And in my opinion, its that particular feeling that makes this book a cherished item in my own collection. Get it. Give it a try. See if you feel the same way when you're finished.

--Tommy /|\

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely book, easy to read yet informative. Not a 'How to..' book, more a 'How I live...'. I particularly like the short chapters and the snippets of experiential writing. I read this book in less than 24 hours, I struggled to put it down. Highly recommended and will be taking pride of place on the bookshelf. I have no doubt that I will be dipping into this one time after time.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book!!! Agree or disagree with Cat, this is well worth the read. Cat's ability to take the reader on a tour that involves walking that mile in another's shoes is remarkable. I would recommend this to novices as well as old salts.

Very nice job, Cat. Damn near purrfect!!

[Gaby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really, really goood. It's truly inspiring.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Refreshingly direct, sincere, and inspirational. Not so much about Druidry per se but about opening oneself to natural perspectives and experiences to fulfill one's potential and impact.

[Penelope · Rating 4 out of 5]

An accessible, inspirational and elegantly written book about what it means to the author to be a Druid. Not a 'how to' guide but a thoughtful and enlightening book which looks at what it means to bring spirituality and Awen into everyday life and the challenges and rewards this can bring. Drawing back the robe with refreshing candour Cat draws you into her world by sharing her memories and experiences and offering heartfelt wisdom and advice. An excellent book for anyone interested in or following a pagan path.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this read.
Definitely not a 'how to' book, which is refreshing but rather an insight on how to navigate the Western world and it's obsession with labels, societal norms and worrying what others will think.
A simple collection of chapters, written as thoughts rather than instructions, telling the story of Cats development as a Druid, how she handles questions from the public (and media!) and the stripping away of everything that is materialistic and vain about Paganism.

[M.K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever wonder what a Druid does? What are their beliefs? Can women be Druids too? These are some of the questions answered in Cat Treadwell’s The Druid’s Tale. The impetus of this lyrical tale happened when a request came for Ms. Treadwell to present a talk about Druid Beliefs at the National Pagan Festival. To prepare, she asked friends what they wanted to know about Druids. Then she constructed the answers, but it is so much more than a guidebook to your local Druid.

The Druid’s Tale encompassed the spirit of the faith while explaining how a modern Druid functions in an everyday world. Ms. Treadwell’s readable style makes the book a joy to read while still being informative. The book doesn’t have a defensive quality present in some spirituality books. The narrative flows like a stream moving gently over on the chapter topics. It has a natural, organic quality similar to a calming walk in the woods. As a writer, I can’t help but be awed by the imagery and the beauty of the words. Although, I was sent an ebook for an honest review. I chose to purchase the paperback for my own reference library.

I would highly recommend this book for those who want to find out more about Druids. A concise book that is a relatively quick read and would be useful for broadening a spiritual knowledge base. Two thumbs for The Druid’s Tale.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given the title, I thought this book would be more of a tale or narrative (a memoir, perhaps?) and less of a collection of blog posts, which is what it actually seems to be. I was in the mood for a narrative.

I did leave the book with a sense I'd love to sit down with Cat and chat over a cup of tea, and the chapters/essays/blog posts in this book were a bit like a conversation with her (albeit one-sided).