Druidism is a belief system that is perhaps the oldest in the world. While there have been beliefs and civilisations that predate Druidism, almost all of these have been lost to time, but even today, Druidism exists throughout the world, followed by countless people in all walks of life.
Being a Druid in today’s life can be a difficult way to live for some, but it also often comes with a certain degree of insight both into who we are as humans and how we interact with our environment.
This wasn’t always the case, however, and thousands of years ago the life of a druid was different in more ways than we can imagine.
Living in a world devoid of technology, cars, advertisements, real money slots, and even basic healthcare meant that it was already challenging for the average person.
But add to the fact that these druids often preferred to live away from society even then proves that it must have been a difficult life, but one that they travelled nonetheless.
The Ancient Druids
A big part of ancient Druidism was the belief of rebirth. It was the belief of pulling away from society and giving into the Earth, essentially becoming one with it.
There is evidence to suggest that as far back as 25000 years ago, druids were making trips to sacred caves to undergo a ritual of rebirth.
Paintings from the time indicate that these were people looking for something more than what the rest of humanity could offer them, and the only way to seek salvation was by entering the belly of Mother Earth and then being reborn.
It’s a belief that held for another 20000 years, as historians have found that the same practises of rebirth were still around in 3000 BC.
It wouldn’t be until the 17th century that the lives and philosophies of Druidism would start to become recorded, most notably by the Christian clerks of the time. They noted how the druids would practise their own kinds of magical and spiritual training, and how a goddess would eat them before being reborn as a great artist or poet.
Many today believe that it was a process of sensory deprivation, where druids would enter caves utterly devoid of light and sound for a few days at a time, allowing their minds to unlock more potential that they thought was possible.
While this may seem a little otherworldly to our modern, rational minds, there is some science behind it.
The Matter of Rebirth
The human brain, as we know it requires constant stimulation to function properly. Sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and even something as simple as a light breeze helps our brain to create a reality where we can interact safely.
Take this all away through a process called sensory deprivation, and the brain has nothing to work with. To counter this deprivation, the brain resorts to creating its own reality, which is often in the form of visual and auditory hallucinations.
Many have recounted as it being a deeply profound experience, enough to change someone’s perception of reality.
This may be what the druids of old sought, and through intense deprivation were unable to unlock parts of their brain that were otherwise totally unknown to them.
