“Your skin doesn’t separate you from the world;
Alan Watts
it’s a bridge through which the external world flows into you
and you flow into it.
What you are basically—
deep, deep down, far, far in—
is simply the fabric and structure of existence itself.”
Druidry means many things to many people. In the bronze age, Druidism was not a singularly-defined concept or lifestyle; it varied among regions, cultures, and even simply among different groups of people. The same holds true today. Modern Druidic paths take inspiration from the past (both the more recent past and the ancient past). The ancient cultures that created what we call Druidry kept oral histories rather than written ones. Cultures between then and now wrote down some histories, leaving their own inspirations and impressions in the material. We have to hunt and piece together information as best we can, but we are finding there is much more available than previously thought.
Reconstructionist groups aim to follow certain ancient ways as closely as possible, while modern mystery groups look to the past as inspiration for today. Many modern Druids pull from both concepts, as does Baird Point Druidry. We are a seed group of The Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids (OBOD). While our Druidry is informed from many different historic and modern resources, our ceremonies and points of view share common ground with OBOD, and our members are likewise members of OBOD.
Our Purpose and Promise: Our Druidry is a spirituality and philosophy that seeks to establish a balanced way of life where we fully recognize ourselves as an integral part of nature and its divinity; furthermore, we turn to the gifts of the natural world as an inspiration for creativity, a foundation for honoring our past and our ancestors, a vantage point to create a better world for tomorrow, and a center of peace within our present-day selves. Through our work, we aim to instill passion for egalitarian ethics and equity, celebrate the diversity life offers, challenge one another to grow, and find our place and balance with the rest of the natural living world.
Baird Point Druidry is based in the small rural Oregon town of Falls City, in the foothills of the coast range mountains. We rely on teachings from the past, including from the three traditional schools of studies: the bards (creativity), the ovates (spirit and spirituality), and the druids (philosophy). “Baird” comes from the Irish (and Scottish) surname Mac an Bhaird (and Mac an Baird), meaning “son of the bard.” Despite the namesake’s singular gender, please note we are an inclusive group. Diversity makes us all stronger, and we support the equality and inclusion of LGBTQ+ folk, diverse cultures/ethnicities, races, exceptionalities/disabilities, and more. We are a safe space for those who share this Druidic path.
Rather than acting as a church or club, we are a community. We come together to celebrate the eight-fold wheel of the year. We also gather for other occasions such as meditation, topic discussions, sharing our creations and inspirations, and encouraging each other to define and reach our goals. While we acknowledge the crucial aspects of seeking knowledge and learning, we also emphasize doing. When we’re not gathered together, we tend to the never-ending work of implementing our thoughts into practice. Just as a gardener nurtures their garden, we nurture our path of doing Druidry, not just merely being a Druid.
If this speaks to you and fits with your Druidic path, feel free to reach out. Take a look at our upcoming gatherings and see if you would like to walk this path a ways together. We also have a private Discord server for those who wish to join in occasional online discussions.