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A review by laurareads87
The Druidry Handbook: Spiritual Practice Rooted in the Living Earth by John Michael Greer
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
There is so much that I appreciate about Greer's Druidry Handbook: Spiritual Practice Rooted in the Living Earth, which is the handbook for the first degree studies in the AODA. There is plenty of material in this book to get a new druidry practitioner started, but I believe an experienced druid practitioner would also find this text valuable. The text includes discussion of Druid history (particularly the Druid revival and the emergence of contemporary Revival Druidry) as well as a section on central concepts to Druidry (including symbols, myths, elements, the eightfold year, and Oghams). The last large section is dedicated to the first degree curriculum for AODA, with a full chapter on each of the three paths (the earth path of giving more and taking less from the earth, the sun path of celebrating seasonal holidays, and the moon path of meditation), a small section on the structure of the AODA as an organization, and the entirety of the first degree curriculum requirements (for each of the three paths and the seven spirals, of which a new candidate must choose at least one). Greer provides thorough annotated bibliographies for each book section, leaving the reader with plenty of suggestions for further reading with clear explanations of why each book is recommended, as well as a complete bibliography of sources (which is happens far too infrequently in many spirituality-related texts published these days). The text presents a vision of Druidry that is welcoming, inclusive, non-dogmatic, and adaptable to any practitioner's needs.
I will mention here that like some other reviewers, I do wholeheartedly disagree with Greer on a number of issues including, particularly, the idea that environmentalism can come down to individual lifestyle changes and be sufficient -- he really does not see much, if any, room for collective action here, and many of the proposed lifestyle changes presume that a practitioner has disposable income and the ability to access things like robust public transit networks which are, in many cases, the results of precisely the kinds of collective activism he dismisses. But, I knew I would hold these disagreements going in, and they did not prevent me from finding much of value in this book. Greer's tone throughout the book is one of offering guidance and suggestions, not insisting that the reader reproduce his path as their own, and encouraging finding one's own way. Similarly, his approach to ritual (he includes seasonal rituals of his own design) is not necessarily one that perfectly fits my path; however, he notes that one can practice Druidry rituals found elsewhere, modify his, create one's own -- whatever works -- and encourages engaging in rituals that you find meaningful, personally relevant, and accessible.
I will mention here that like some other reviewers, I do wholeheartedly disagree with Greer on a number of issues including, particularly, the idea that environmentalism can come down to individual lifestyle changes and be sufficient -- he really does not see much, if any, room for collective action here, and many of the proposed lifestyle changes presume that a practitioner has disposable income and the ability to access things like robust public transit networks which are, in many cases, the results of precisely the kinds of collective activism he dismisses. But, I knew I would hold these disagreements going in, and they did not prevent me from finding much of value in this book. Greer's tone throughout the book is one of offering guidance and suggestions, not insisting that the reader reproduce his path as their own, and encouraging finding one's own way. Similarly, his approach to ritual (he includes seasonal rituals of his own design) is not necessarily one that perfectly fits my path; however, he notes that one can practice Druidry rituals found elsewhere, modify his, create one's own -- whatever works -- and encourages engaging in rituals that you find meaningful, personally relevant, and accessible.