1. Is Druid College restricted to only people who follow the Druid path?
Absolutely not. You may follow any path you choose. Even among druids, there are different paths. A druid is by nature anarchistic, that is, we submit to no one. Therefore, great emphasis is placed on personal awakening, the development of authentic relationship, the building of personal consciousness, and a wakeful, ethical integrity, howsoever you discern that. We as teachers aren’t concerned with titles, labels or doctrines. We are interested in working with people who are sincere in learning to become a priest of Nature. We feel this program would be of great interest and benefit to anyone who walks a Nature-based spiritual path.
2. What is the difference between a Druid Apprentice and a Student of Druidry?
The college makes this distinction because we understand there to be two different intentions. A student is anyone who is interested in the subject of Druidry, its history, its philosophy, its differing schools, and the values of its presence in society. Students may study it as any student pursues a subject matter without making a personal commitment to Druidry as their spiritual path. The Druid College has such resources to assist students. An apprentice, on the other hand, is anyone who chooses to learn to do what Druid priests of Nature do, to work more closely with us, to learn our rituals, to become colleagues on this spiritual path, and to establish themselves on this lifelong path of listening, inspiration and service. The Druid College has a primary focus on its Apprentices and the evolving of priests of Nature.
3. Do I need to commit to three years before signing up for the program?
No. We expect that each year inaugurates a new commitment. Even if you complete only the first year, you will have sufficient growth to branch out in another way, if you choose. However, for those who really do intend to become priests of Nature, and who want to apprentice to one of us to learn the craft, we highly recommend you consider the commitment and at least seriously entertain the possibility of working all three years. The course will last you all of your life. You can, of course, always choose differently down the line.
4. Why now? Why do we need “priests of Nature”?
A priest of Nature, even in the best of circumstances, would be devoted to the well-being of their local, natural world. However, the earth is in critical condition and needs attending to by people who care about it enough to say so. In ancient Celtic tradition, Druids were always priests of nature, having been woven into the cycles of life and inspiration from birth. It was their birthright. The brokenness, the separation of the peoples from nature, from consciousness of the cycles of life and of inspiration are so pervasive a set of qualities in our culture that the College thinks it necessary to name us as “priests of Nature” as one act of restoration of an essential connection has been lost. We are needed. The College is aware of this task as a responsibility towards our natural home.
5. Why the heavy emphasis on being in service?
Druids are by nature in relationship. We seek it, we work with it, we explore our ethical boundaries with it. We are deepening all our relationships. And it follows, it is an ethical and awakened state that contributes to the health of those relationships. To take but not balance by giving back, is an entirely unethical path for anyone calling themselves a druid. We use the word service to mean any way by which you would endeavor to use your focused energy on behalf of the earth, the ancestors or your local community. Indeed, the highest achievement, the one thing by which druids are known by that name, is the dedication to some form of service, be it caring for a local park, teaching, becoming an artist, learning permaculture to enrich the well-being of your family and friends, or any of the many other things that emerge from being inspired. One way that is easily available with modern computers is to establish your own blog site, wherein you share your path as a druid. This keeps you in relationship with very many people, even if they do not live nearby. However, we would caution you not to substitute this for getting out and actually engaging one on one with the physical reality of the world. Service is engagement with intention for betterment.
6. Do you have facilities? Where can I stay if I enroll in the program?
Our current teaching format is to meet in person for several weekends per year. At this moment we do not have permanent facilities. However, we do our best to assist apprentices in finding affordable (and often free) comfortable places to stay that are nearby the retreat site. Camping may also be available in warmer months.
7. What if I have something I need help with in between the gatherings?
Half of the Apprenticeship equation is our commitment to you. The program has a strong emphasis on mentorship and smaller cohort connection. You are also welcome to reach out to facilitators and/or your mentor between sessions. We want apprentices to feel supported in your journey!
8. What if I need to miss one of the scheduled weekends?
We ask that you only miss weekends if absolutely necessary. In most of our programs, we are only meeting around 6 weekends per year, which means missing a weekend means missing a considerable amount of instruction time. When people are not present, it impacts the entire cohort and causes a lot of additional time and effort for makeup instruction. That said, we understand life happens, and situations can occur that are beyond our control (illness, travel impediments, etc). If you need to miss a session, please let your facilitators know ahead of time so that we can create a makeup plan. If apprentices miss more than 4 total days of instruction time (more than 1/6 of total instruction time), it may impact your ability to graduate or continue to the next year’s program. We take each absence on a case-by-case basis, and we will do our best to work with you and find a way.
9. What if I find this program isn’t for me. Can I get my tuition money back?
If after the first weekend you decide to leave, we will return your money, minus the cost of the first weekend. If you decide to leave in the middle of the year, tuition funds will have already been budgeted on the assumption of your presence and may have already been allocated and we may be able to honor a refund but will consider the request.
10. Are there age restrictions for your program?
We do not accept any apprentice under the age of 18. The material in our program is designed for adults who can consent to spiritual work like journeying, meditation, etc., and some of the subject matter is not necessarily appropriate for children (e.g., discussing things like shadow work, trauma, or death).
11. How much time for study and practice do I need to commit between weekends?
If you are fully intent on being an apprentice, then daily attending to your altar, meditations, and exercises are essential for making progress. Commitment to being a conscious, awakened person requires as much time as you will give it. For some of us, this accompanies everything we do. We make choices to pursue this path, sacrificing some things to grow in our Nature-based spiritual path, and then make ethical choices that reflect our commitment. This will be discussed in depth during the course of study.
12. Does Druid College incorporate any substances into its training or practice?
We do not, we are a strictly substance- and alcohol-free program. For more information, please read our substance policy.
13. Is Druid College an accredited college?
It is not. The word “college” is used here in an earlier sense as an institution of tertiary education, which is a course of studies that teaches specific capacities of higher learning and leads to some kind of vocational preparation. Early Druid training centers and colleges date back to Roman times, and were also functioning during the Medieval period. Such a college includes individuals, teachers, administrators that has its own traditions and rituals that set it apart from other colleges.
Accreditation, on the other hand, refers to gaining degrees or other credentials that are recognized by national accreditation associations. Druidry is not a theological program as are other theological schools. What we offer is a life commitment. For anyone who completes the three-year apprenticeship, we will have a ritual of transition.
There are theological seminaries that do accept and give professional degrees to enrolling pagans. If that is what you are seeking, we may be able to provide suggestions of where to seek information.