Celtic Druidry: Rituals, Techniques, and Magical Practices

by Ellen Evert Hopman, Kenneth Proefrock (Foreword)

A handbook for becoming a modern Druid

• Explains how to make and use the essential tools of a Celtic Druid and how to create Druid rituals for seasonal rites, blessings, and other sacred observances

• Details Druidic magical techniques and divination practices, as well as plant spells for performing magic with herbs

• Explores the Gods and Goddesses of the Celtic pantheon, Druidic cosmology, and the Druidic festivals that occur throughout the year

In this authentic handbook for the Celtic Druid path, Ellen Evert Hopman shares lessons, rituals, and magical techniques drawn from the ancient wisdom teachings of the Celts as well as a modern Druid Order created by the leading minds of 20th-century Celtic Reconstructionism.

Hopman begins by exploring what we know about the original ancient Druids, citing Druid-contemporary sources such as Caesar and Diodorus Siculus as well as transcriptions of Druid oral teachings. She explains the basic tools and clothing of a Celtic Druid, including instructions for making the essential tools of the craft, such a Crane Bag, the Serpent Staff, and the Apple Branch, the tool used to open a Druid rite. She explores meditation techniques based on ancient texts and discusses the Gods and Goddesses of the Celtic pantheon, Druidic cosmology, and the Druidic festivals that occur throughout the turning of the year. She shares hymns to the Moon and the Sun as well as invocations for connecting with specific deities and elements. She also outlines the basics of Druidic liturgy, enabling you to create Druid rituals for seasonal rites, baby blessings, house blessings, hand-fastings, funerals, and other sacred observances.

Detailing Druidic magical techniques, Hopman shares charms and incantations for abundance, protection, and healing as well as plant spells for performing magic with herbs. She discusses many forms of Druidic divination, including interpreting omens and divining with the ancient Irish alphabet, Ogham. Exploring the special connection between humans and Nature, a core component of Druidic practice, the author explains how to bond with Nature and the sacred land as well as examining the connection between Druids and trees.

Revealing how to become a modern Druid, this concise yet detailed guide presents everything you need to know to start your journey on the Druidic path.

Genres: Spirituality

256 pages, Paperback

Published May 7, 2024

About the author

Ellen Evert Hopman is a Master Herbalist and lay Homeopath who holds an
M.Ed. in Mental Health Counseling. She is a certified writing instructor
through Amherst Writers and Artists. She is Archdruid of Tribe of the Oak www.tribeoftheoak.com, a Druidic teaching Order, and was a former Co-chief
of the Whiteoak Druid Order (Ord na Darach Gile) and Vice President of
The Henge Of Keltria, an international Druid Fellowship, for nine years. She
is the founder of the Whiteoak internet mailing list, an on-line Druid ethics study
group, and a co-founder of The Order of the Whiteoak (Ord Na Darach Gile)
www.whiteoakdruids.org. She is also a co-founder of the North East Druid
Coalition

She is the author of a trilogy of Iron Age Druid novels; Priestess of the Forest: A Druid Journey, The Druid Isle and Priestess of the Fire Temple - a Druid's Tale.

Her books on trees include a revised and expanded new edition of Tree Medicine Tree Magic (Pendraig Publishing) and
A Druids Herbal of Sacred Tree Medicine (Destiny books/Inner Traditions Bear
and Company)

Her other books include;
Secret Medicines from your Garden (Healing Arts Press), Secret Medicines of your Kitchen (mPower Publishing), The Sacred Herbs of Samhain (Destiny Books) The Sacred Herbs of Beltaine (Destiny Books), Scottish Herbs and Fairy Lore (Pendraig Publishing), A Legacy of Druids (Moon Books),
A Druid's Herbal For the Sacred Earth Year ( Inner Traditions/Destiny Books ),
Being a Pagan (with Lawrence Bond)(Inner Traditions/Destiny Books), Walking
The World In Wonder - A Children's Herbal (Healing Arts Press), she is a
co-author of Grimoire For The Apprentice Wizard (Newpage Books).

She has released the
video/DVDs Gifts From the Healing Earth and Pagans -the Wheel of the Year ( From
Sawmill River Productions, http://www.sawmillriver.com/ )

She has released three audio tapes The Druid Path: Herbs And Festivals,
Celtic Gods and Goddesses, and The Herbal And Magical Powers Of Trees (from
Creative Seminars, POB 203, West Hurley, New York 12491).

She has been a teacher of Herbalism since 1983 and of Druidism since 1990 . Find her books, workshops and blog at www.elleneverthopman.com

Reviews

[Arawyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will admit, the book had me for a bit with what seemed like knowledgeable facts, until they mentioned claiming that Druids can not practice alone, and what really turned me away was by mentioning the new age divinity theory about “source” I was hoping to find a good book that didn’t carry this bs or the whole light, love, and peace stuff. Guess I will have to keep looking.

[WitchoftheSun · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author uses terms that are not from this practice incorrectly. Such as using smudging for the practice of saining with juniper (pg 181) as well as using smudging to refer to any form of smoke cleansing throughout the book. The author also inserts their personal beliefs without any clarification that this is not a Celtic belief. Such as stating the Wiccan 3 fold rule as universal fact (Pg 177). Issues like this can be misleading and harmful to the specific cultures that are being misconstrued

[Regan Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredibly well-researched and in-depth look at Celtic Druidism from someone who has been practicing for many years. This book will be an invaluable resource to me as I continue on my own path. It covers everything from history to modern reconstruction to herbalism. It’s a fantastic all around guide for the studious Druid.