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The Druid Path: A Modern Tradition of Nature Spirituality
Acclaimed author and Archdruid John Michael Greer provides an in-depth beginner’s guide to Druidry—a modern tradition of nature spirituality with ancient roots in Celtic traditions.
Although we know little about the ancient Druids, their reputation for wisdom and harmony with nature lives on. Today, Druidry is a vibrant, diverse movement with groups and practitioners on every continent but Antarctica. Spiritual rather than religious—more an attitude than an ideology—it can be embraced by people from different faiths and backgrounds. Archdruid John Michael Greer explores the history and basics of Druidry; how to perform Druidic rituals, meditation, and divination; elements of the lifestyle; and advice for placing less of a burden on the Earth. Includes a simple self-initiation ritual for starting on the Druid path, as well as exercises to help you tap into the elements and learn to pay attention to the natural world.
Although we know little about the ancient Druids, their reputation for wisdom and harmony with nature lives on. Today, Druidry is a vibrant, diverse movement with groups and practitioners on every continent but Antarctica. Spiritual rather than religious—more an attitude than an ideology—it can be embraced by people from different faiths and backgrounds. Archdruid John Michael Greer explores the history and basics of Druidry; how to perform Druidic rituals, meditation, and divination; elements of the lifestyle; and advice for placing less of a burden on the Earth. Includes a simple self-initiation ritual for starting on the Druid path, as well as exercises to help you tap into the elements and learn to pay attention to the natural world.
224 pages, Hardcover
Published March 1, 2022
140 people are currently reading
602 people want to read
About the author
John Michael Greer
212 books512 followersJohn Michael Greer is an author of over thirty books and the blogger behind The Archdruid Report. He served as Grand Archdruid of the Ancient Order of Druids in America. His work addresses a range of subjects, including climate change, peak oil, the future of industrial society, and the occult. He also writes science fiction and fantasy. He lives in Rhode Island with his wife.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
February 11, 2022
I enjoyed this. I’ve read a fair bit on Neo-Paganism and wanted something specific to the Druids, and after finishing I think this was a good entrance. He goes over the history of the modern druid movement, and dives a little bit into the philosophy of it. You’re also left with a few rituals you can perform, culminating in an initiation ritual.
It’s also gorgeous, which rates highly for me, and beautifully laid out. He also includes a lot of source material and further reading from other authors at the end, which rates SUPER highly for me.
It’s also gorgeous, which rates highly for me, and beautifully laid out. He also includes a lot of source material and further reading from other authors at the end, which rates SUPER highly for me.
December 18, 2022
This book was recommended by a friend and is now one of my favourite books. I had first encountered Druids over a decade ago when I saw them gathering in the English countryside. I've also played as a druid in video games and always felt a strong connection to their nature-loving ways. I had been expecting Druidry to be somewhat religious and out-of-date in modern society, but was pleasantly surprised that the author continuously brought up its connections to the scientific world. He insisted that one can be an atheist Druid or a Buddhist Druid or Christian Druid, etc. A Druid is not so much something you become (though it does have an initiation you can complete solo or as part of an organization), but Druidry is something you practice. So as long as you care about nature and practice some form of Druidry, you may call yourself a Druid. I was also glad to learn about meditation. Druidic meditation is much more calming than other forms of meditation I've tried.
May 30, 2022
A wonderful explanation of modern Druidry.
June 8, 2025
I came very close to giving this just three stars, since I didn't care for the very copy/paste style employed throughout the divination section - you know, what the signs and symbols and whatever mean. Like Hermione Granger sitting smugly back in Professor Trelawney's classroom, I just don't have time for that shit. I'm a very busy and important person, etc, etc.
I guess that I kind of liked the way Greer does not sugarcoat the druid symbols. Often in popular forms of tarot and other occult practices, you get these very striking, sinister images and things like death, the devil, thrown at you. But as in most things that have been adopted by well-meaning, gentle-fingered white women of the progressive West, it's all been sanitised so as not to trigger anyone. You draw the demon and the hanged man cards: it just means you need to look more inward, face your inner critic and start living your best life. Not that you're fucked and maybe going to Hell.
I also appreciated - as I always find myself compelled to in such cases cause I'm a bit of a stickler for mutual respect - that Greer explains Druidry in a way that does not rule out, and perhaps even embraces, any other religions. Not that something like Christianity or Islam is actually compatible with Druidry and its pagan cousin-religions - at least, not if you're talking about orthodoxy and theological consistency. But the live-and-let-live sentiment is never not going to be a good, though unfortunately neither Christianity nor Islam have the cleanest history of following that.
There was a section that was far too long that basically just amounted to a terminology guide. This is the kind of thing I'd find at the front or back of the book and just skip past. But listening to this book on audio, I had no choice. But otherwise, this was a nice and very informative book. Greer does a good job selling the merits of Druidry, without ever outright preaching. So, it was a fine little book for what it was.
I guess that I kind of liked the way Greer does not sugarcoat the druid symbols. Often in popular forms of tarot and other occult practices, you get these very striking, sinister images and things like death, the devil, thrown at you. But as in most things that have been adopted by well-meaning, gentle-fingered white women of the progressive West, it's all been sanitised so as not to trigger anyone. You draw the demon and the hanged man cards: it just means you need to look more inward, face your inner critic and start living your best life. Not that you're fucked and maybe going to Hell.
I also appreciated - as I always find myself compelled to in such cases cause I'm a bit of a stickler for mutual respect - that Greer explains Druidry in a way that does not rule out, and perhaps even embraces, any other religions. Not that something like Christianity or Islam is actually compatible with Druidry and its pagan cousin-religions - at least, not if you're talking about orthodoxy and theological consistency. But the live-and-let-live sentiment is never not going to be a good, though unfortunately neither Christianity nor Islam have the cleanest history of following that.
There was a section that was far too long that basically just amounted to a terminology guide. This is the kind of thing I'd find at the front or back of the book and just skip past. But listening to this book on audio, I had no choice. But otherwise, this was a nice and very informative book. Greer does a good job selling the merits of Druidry, without ever outright preaching. So, it was a fine little book for what it was.
December 31, 2024
Overall, a great book that offers readers, much in keeping with Greer's books, an introductory work on modern Druidry. While a relatively small group, there is a lot of information in this work that gives those interested a good starting point.
August 21, 2024
very in depth, probably answers any question you could possibly have lol. quality hard cover with beautiful artwork.
March 15, 2022
I admit I bought this book because of the wonderful visual presentation. I figured it would be just a collectible book, not unlike many other pagan books with pretty covers but no decent information that I own. This book differs from those, however, in that it not only has a pretty cover and interesting illustrations. It also is well written and has very good information.
I'm not sure I consider myself a druid. I'm definitely a Celtic pagan, and so druidry does have an appeal just for that reason if not for many other reasons I personally have. I suppose in some ways this book suggests that, yes, I always was a druid, I just didn't have a word for it before.
The book is somewhat short and a fast read. But it's packed with good content for all that it lacks in length. There is even a chapter for a divination alphabet I hadn't heard of before! I'm considering making some Coelbren cards to use in divination because of this book!
Overall, I recommend this book. If you're into Celtic paganism, especially anything to do with druids, this is an excellent book for your library.
I'm not sure I consider myself a druid. I'm definitely a Celtic pagan, and so druidry does have an appeal just for that reason if not for many other reasons I personally have. I suppose in some ways this book suggests that, yes, I always was a druid, I just didn't have a word for it before.
The book is somewhat short and a fast read. But it's packed with good content for all that it lacks in length. There is even a chapter for a divination alphabet I hadn't heard of before! I'm considering making some Coelbren cards to use in divination because of this book!
Overall, I recommend this book. If you're into Celtic paganism, especially anything to do with druids, this is an excellent book for your library.
August 3, 2022
A great introduction to the topic in a stylish little package.
January 19, 2023
This is the best resource I've found on understanding what it is to be a Druid. Internet research is limited to reporting the minimal details from Roman sources, and other books have failed to help me imagine what it was like to be a Druid. This book gets to the heart of Druidism in order to extrapolate that into its ideas, practices, and rituals and reimagines the path of cultivating awareness of the energy of life in the modern world.
We can all understand and appreciate the religions that are based on literate cultures because the form the framework of our cultural history. In fact, it's hard to divorce religion from such a cultural setting that produced the Abrahamic religions and those from the East. The extinct polytheism of Greek, Roman, and Nordic religions can also be understood with a little study by the stories that survived. However, Druidism was a memory-based tradition that involved direct knowledge of the physical world. Once it fell out of practice, there was no way to maintain the tradition.
Still, the germ of its idea survives, and with a little care and help from resources like this, continues to grow. Its focus on the natural world and your place in it brings an amoral approach to living at peace with the tides of life. Its nature as a contemplative, non-hierarchical path for learning about how to live give it insufficient structure to take over the world, but its ideas permeate everywhere..
We can all understand and appreciate the religions that are based on literate cultures because the form the framework of our cultural history. In fact, it's hard to divorce religion from such a cultural setting that produced the Abrahamic religions and those from the East. The extinct polytheism of Greek, Roman, and Nordic religions can also be understood with a little study by the stories that survived. However, Druidism was a memory-based tradition that involved direct knowledge of the physical world. Once it fell out of practice, there was no way to maintain the tradition.
Still, the germ of its idea survives, and with a little care and help from resources like this, continues to grow. Its focus on the natural world and your place in it brings an amoral approach to living at peace with the tides of life. Its nature as a contemplative, non-hierarchical path for learning about how to live give it insufficient structure to take over the world, but its ideas permeate everywhere..
February 28, 2023
This one offered an interesting overview of the Druid Revival and its ancient roots and offers the practical steps necessary if one wants to formally enter into the Druid lifestyle. I found much of it fascinating but not something that I necessarily want in my life right now. There are a couple of passages I want to remember.
"If you look around yourself you'll quickly see that almost everything you see falls between blinding light and total darkness. Even the things that are well-lit have shadows, and even the things that are in shadow have some light present. Light and darkness are the two extreme ends of visual experience, and they have something in common that isn't shared by the states between them; you can't see clearly in blinding light any more than you can see in total darkness."
"Ross Nichols, the most influential Druid thinker of the twentieth century, defines the art of ritual crisply in a single sentence: 'Ritual is poetry in the world of acts'. Poems are a symbolic form of language - they mean more than they say, and they communicate things that ordinary language cannot. In exactly the same way, rituals are a symbolic form of action. What they mean is far more important than what they do, and they can communicate in ways that go far beyond ordinary action."
"If you look around yourself you'll quickly see that almost everything you see falls between blinding light and total darkness. Even the things that are well-lit have shadows, and even the things that are in shadow have some light present. Light and darkness are the two extreme ends of visual experience, and they have something in common that isn't shared by the states between them; you can't see clearly in blinding light any more than you can see in total darkness."
"Ross Nichols, the most influential Druid thinker of the twentieth century, defines the art of ritual crisply in a single sentence: 'Ritual is poetry in the world of acts'. Poems are a symbolic form of language - they mean more than they say, and they communicate things that ordinary language cannot. In exactly the same way, rituals are a symbolic form of action. What they mean is far more important than what they do, and they can communicate in ways that go far beyond ordinary action."
December 18, 2024
I found the first few chapters of this book to be a very good introduction to the historical context of the Druid Revival, though an entire book could be written on just that aspect of Druidry. It also did a fair job of explaining what modern Druidy was and was not - again, a good introduction but there was very little depth to the information presented. It felt more like a lengthy article than a book.
And while some of the tips on teaching yourself to meditate were helpful, much of the latter half of the book was dedicated to instructions on rituals. There was no time given to explain the origins of these rituals, save for the occasional and vague mention of 'druid lore'.
For someone starting out on a path, being told to do something without delving deep into the 'why' is a recipe for a very shallow, surface-level practice. I can't bring myself to stand in my room and do a ritual just because John Michael Greer told me it I'm supposed to.
TLDR: A good intro read if you want to learn the basics about the Druid Revival, but information on ritual and exploring the ideas behind modern druidry lacks depth.
And while some of the tips on teaching yourself to meditate were helpful, much of the latter half of the book was dedicated to instructions on rituals. There was no time given to explain the origins of these rituals, save for the occasional and vague mention of 'druid lore'.
For someone starting out on a path, being told to do something without delving deep into the 'why' is a recipe for a very shallow, surface-level practice. I can't bring myself to stand in my room and do a ritual just because John Michael Greer told me it I'm supposed to.
TLDR: A good intro read if you want to learn the basics about the Druid Revival, but information on ritual and exploring the ideas behind modern druidry lacks depth.
September 12, 2025
So, this book is good. I picked up more for the history of Druids to delve into some picture of what pre-roman/pre-christian UK would look like. TBH, I did enjoy the concepts presented in terms of mindfullness and a calling back to nature but it does verge on the whole "neo" concept of Druidic practise, which is really apparent. However, the author did a VERY good job with this, firstly the detailed classical artwork painting the Druidic way of life as some fairy-tale path to be followed in hushed tones, was simply fitting to the modern thought of a druid. Personally, it also added a flavour of what people prior to "us" (ie the internet and everything else connected beyond the confines of a christian church and household) thought of druids.
Personally, this was a sweet book and enjoyed the mindfulness take in a way that felt fresh and gave easy access to a new found peace. However, the original reason I picked up the book wasn't soley for this. : )
A beatiful read though and such a captive format with the artwork and font and chosen process of publication.
Personally, this was a sweet book and enjoyed the mindfulness take in a way that felt fresh and gave easy access to a new found peace. However, the original reason I picked up the book wasn't soley for this. : )
A beatiful read though and such a captive format with the artwork and font and chosen process of publication.
July 11, 2025
I’ve been doing research on different ways of thinking about nature and conservation, and after learning a bit about the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids, I was recommended this book. It’s pretty short, very accessible, and covered everything I wanted to learn about and more. The subtitle of “modern nature spirituality” is what really hooked me, and I learned a lot about what we do and don’t know about ancient druidry, as well as the druid revival and modern practices. I was especially fascinated by the ideas of the One Life, the Two Currents, and the Three Rays as a worldview and a way of conceiving of nature. The book also goes into some basic druid rituals, including information on the initiation process. This was a great place to start learning more about something that I didn’t know really anything about beforehand.
June 26, 2024
A very quick read and introductory foray into the practice of Druidry.
Greer definitely has the chops to lay things out in layman’s terms while still keeping his words worthwhile. The feeling crept up on me often that parts of this book could be (and probably are) expanded on thoroughly in other books, including some of Greer’s own.
The latter half was also a good place to start on the ritualistic, traditional side of things, and a good grounding point for someone seeking an anchor for structure in their personal practice.
I’m sure in time, the rituals and meditations presented in The Druid Path will become more meaningful to me and be performed with absolute sincerity, but first, it’s time for a hike. 🍃
Greer definitely has the chops to lay things out in layman’s terms while still keeping his words worthwhile. The feeling crept up on me often that parts of this book could be (and probably are) expanded on thoroughly in other books, including some of Greer’s own.
The latter half was also a good place to start on the ritualistic, traditional side of things, and a good grounding point for someone seeking an anchor for structure in their personal practice.
I’m sure in time, the rituals and meditations presented in The Druid Path will become more meaningful to me and be performed with absolute sincerity, but first, it’s time for a hike. 🍃
October 10, 2025
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5 stars)
Secret Agent Gargoyle by Ava Ross is a fun and lighthearted paranormal romance that blends spy antics with supernatural charm. The concept of a gargoyle as a secret agent is delightfully unique, and the story delivers plenty of humor and flirtation along the way. The chemistry between the main characters is entertaining, and the plot moves quickly enough to keep you turning the pages.
While it doesn’t dive too deeply into world-building or emotional layers, it’s a great pick if you’re in the mood for something quirky and imaginative. Overall, it’s a cute, escapist read with a creative twist that makes it stand out from your usual paranormal romance.
Secret Agent Gargoyle by Ava Ross is a fun and lighthearted paranormal romance that blends spy antics with supernatural charm. The concept of a gargoyle as a secret agent is delightfully unique, and the story delivers plenty of humor and flirtation along the way. The chemistry between the main characters is entertaining, and the plot moves quickly enough to keep you turning the pages.
While it doesn’t dive too deeply into world-building or emotional layers, it’s a great pick if you’re in the mood for something quirky and imaginative. Overall, it’s a cute, escapist read with a creative twist that makes it stand out from your usual paranormal romance.
September 8, 2025
I found this book to be a little disappointing. It is truly for beginners. Very basics are shared on history, meditation ideas, divination meanings, and ritual. While it's written well I had been looking for something that dove more deeply into the nuances of the history of the druids through time and found the brief overview disappointing. I think it's a good place for beginners to start who don't know how to build an awareness practice but it was boring for me overall and I often found myself listening to the audio book on 2x speed.
July 28, 2022
I loved this book. The author I feel does an excellent job in the exploration of nature spirituality. I think anyone who is interested in Druidism would like this book. The author does talk about the history and the basics of Druidism. The part I connected with the more is the exercises. There are exercises include the elements, meditation, divination….. etc. This would be such a great book to do with friends.
August 30, 2022
Really interesting introduction to Druidry. I would have liked more details about the history of Druidry (especially about the Druids themselves) instead of the focus on rituals, however, the rituals did give a good indication of what Druidry is like today.
Overall, it is an incredibly gorgeous book that is written very accessibly and has some interesting points. I really appreciate the resource list at the end too. This has been a good starting point for me to read other books on the topic.
Overall, it is an incredibly gorgeous book that is written very accessibly and has some interesting points. I really appreciate the resource list at the end too. This has been a good starting point for me to read other books on the topic.
October 12, 2024
I enjoyed the history parts of this book. But one of my favourite parts was talking about the long standing practice of meditation. It was really interesting to learn about. I really liked the different mental exercises given. Very interesting.
There was an interesting section on runes as well. As well as different rituals. I really enjoyed the stuff around the power of imagination.
I listened to the audio version of this book. I found the narration a little dry but easy to follow.
There was an interesting section on runes as well. As well as different rituals. I really enjoyed the stuff around the power of imagination.
I listened to the audio version of this book. I found the narration a little dry but easy to follow.
April 16, 2025
I had always wondered about druids and how that may fit in with my beliefs. I was educated and enlightened while reading this wonderfully laid out and easy to follow book. It is a wonderful introduction to the world of druidry and how we can incorporate this way of living into our lives. I found I was already doing this but the guidance and better understanding provided by this book helped me with clarity.
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January 4, 2023This was a good overview of Druidry and the tradition of nature spirituality. Like most of my spirituality, I will likely incorporate parts of Druidry into my life and feel right for me. Like the author of this book says multiple times, many of us are already on the Druid Path and Druidry offers some additional tools to help on that path.
November 2, 2023
Good educational source
I liked the amount of things covered and the method that they were covered. I do wonder why when mentioning other methods or terms other authors/organizations use there wasn't more info on the differences. I think that would have allowed for a more rounded education on the topic of druidry.
I liked the amount of things covered and the method that they were covered. I do wonder why when mentioning other methods or terms other authors/organizations use there wasn't more info on the differences. I think that would have allowed for a more rounded education on the topic of druidry.
November 15, 2023
Greer explains modern Druidry in a way that is so easy to comprehend. I flew through this book and was excited to pick it up again the next day. “I have never known anyone who converted to Druidry. What happens instead is that people realize that they have been Druids all along.” Highly recommend for nature lovers.
February 14, 2024
This is a nice quick book about the history and some basics of the Druid path and spirituality. I have been curious about Druidry and I feel that this book gave me a nice glimpse into it. I feel that more detail could have been added, but I guess the Druid path is about learning, so I will have to delve deeper on my own.
October 29, 2025
I've read a LOT of JMG and this doesn't really cover anything new. It hits the same notes a little differently and I appreciated it, but if you've got a lot of JMG's Druidry books under your belt you probably don't need this unless you're a completist. If you're a beginner, it's a great place to start.
November 16, 2023
This was a beautiful book, the cover is lovely. A condensed read of a Druid Path, easy for someone who has never read this kind of book. Was it informative, yes. If you are just starting it's a good first book.
November 24, 2023
- English is not my first language. I apologize for possible spelling mistakes. -
The book is beautiful. I love the illustrations. I think the book is a great introduction to moderm druidism, but as always there could be more information.
The book is beautiful. I love the illustrations. I think the book is a great introduction to moderm druidism, but as always there could be more information.
April 4, 2025
This book gave me insight to a belief that I really knew nothing about. I likely won’t be initiating myself as a Druid but i learned a lot and took away some valuable perspectives about nature based spirituality.
May 7, 2025
This is my first introduction to Druidism. It is more of a modern take on practicing Druidism than a deep dive into Druid history.
I’m not interested in becoming a Druid but finished the book with a lot of questions and desire to keep learning about Druid history.
I’m not interested in becoming a Druid but finished the book with a lot of questions and desire to keep learning about Druid history.
June 15, 2022
Some interesting stuff in here, but I really wanted more of the history/philosophy and less on the rituals.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews