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A review by rhoadesd20
The Path of Druidry: Walking the Ancient Green Way by Penny Billington
3.0
In current druidic recreations there are constant reminders that the historical information presented by the Romans is often times biased. While there is truth to this, it has lead to many present druids forming their own biasness against the Romans.
This seems to be very present in this book, as the author cites many Roman sources from a historical inaccurate, and ultimately biased side. She sites Julius Caesar's writings as trying to change the beliefs of those in the British Isles. However, the source she cites is from the Commentarii De Bello Gallico. Gallico, being Gaul (modern day France/Belgium), and the writings being his account of his travels around the landscape while leading the Roman Legions during the Gaulic Wars. Although he did launch two campaigns into the British Isles, which he references in his writings, ultimate comparisons of deities was more oriented to those encountered in Gaul.
It should also be mentioned that Rome did not often try to overthrow the gods of regions. The Romans envisioned deities as being certain beings that may go by different names in different areas. Thereby calling Lugh by the Roman name Mercury is not to devalue the God in the area. Rather, the god as presented to the Romans had many similarities to the god they knew as Mercury, so they used their name for him. If the Romans encountered a deity they did not have represented in their pantheon, often they would adopt that deity. See the cult of Isis, Mithras, etc. In fact, the Romans were very fearful of the divine. Before attacking Carthage, the entire army prayed to the Carthegenian deities asking for their blessing, in so far that even though they are attacking, to they do not wish to anger the local deities.
Another instance is describing the Medusa-like depiction of a goddess present at the British town of Bath, and how it must be a sinister goddess. The Goddess is Minerva (see Greek Athena), anything but sinister. The curses she cites being present in the area is true, but not related to Minerva. In Roman practice, curses were dedicated to gods of the underworld and left in dark places, a symbol of the underworld. Cracks in stone, thrown in caves, sunk to the bottom of lakes. The curses are not necessarily done in the name of a god/dess that may be featured there, rather because it had a feature that was dark, a feature that might be a gateway to the underworld.
However, since Rome conquered the celtic lands, many recreationist groups have this certain antagonism towards the culture. Some certainly merited, some taken a little out of hand.
As someone who has extensively studied Roman culture from previous curiosities, it then creates a problem for me. Whether other information present in the book that I'm not as well versed in is factual, or if there may be bias presented in those sections as well.
The meat of the book does contain very good information, but it is very slow to get going. It is constantly recommended as one of the better books to get started in learning about Druidism from a modern approach. But the first 1/3rd of the book is presented as more hypothetical. Daily walks of inner reflection. But what is the reader reflecting on? What were the druids? What did they do? Little anecdotes are presented, but far from in informative approach. The book also stresses for the reader to take their time. Often recommending taking a few weeks of continuing your walks before proceeding to the next chapter.
If someone was, such as I, looking for a book to get a basis on what a druidic "faith" might be. A down and dirty reading of: what we know, how we interpret it, what they did, important aspects of daily function/ritual, etc. This book would be a poor choice. After weeks of reading guidelines, practicing what the book asks you to (mostly walking and reflecting), when the information is finally presented you might find it doesn't resonate at all.
The author cites magical intent of the rays, seasons, elements. With no clear idea what the "magic" is, or how it is practiced, how you might practice it. Personally, I'm not interested in the "magical" aspects, yet. However, others might be, and all they will see are references, with no guidelines on "doing".
It's a very slow burn book, focused more on inner reflection and getting to a certain state of mind, than an actual book on practice and "doings".
This seems to be very present in this book, as the author cites many Roman sources from a historical inaccurate, and ultimately biased side. She sites Julius Caesar's writings as trying to change the beliefs of those in the British Isles. However, the source she cites is from the Commentarii De Bello Gallico. Gallico, being Gaul (modern day France/Belgium), and the writings being his account of his travels around the landscape while leading the Roman Legions during the Gaulic Wars. Although he did launch two campaigns into the British Isles, which he references in his writings, ultimate comparisons of deities was more oriented to those encountered in Gaul.
It should also be mentioned that Rome did not often try to overthrow the gods of regions. The Romans envisioned deities as being certain beings that may go by different names in different areas. Thereby calling Lugh by the Roman name Mercury is not to devalue the God in the area. Rather, the god as presented to the Romans had many similarities to the god they knew as Mercury, so they used their name for him. If the Romans encountered a deity they did not have represented in their pantheon, often they would adopt that deity. See the cult of Isis, Mithras, etc. In fact, the Romans were very fearful of the divine. Before attacking Carthage, the entire army prayed to the Carthegenian deities asking for their blessing, in so far that even though they are attacking, to they do not wish to anger the local deities.
Another instance is describing the Medusa-like depiction of a goddess present at the British town of Bath, and how it must be a sinister goddess. The Goddess is Minerva (see Greek Athena), anything but sinister. The curses she cites being present in the area is true, but not related to Minerva. In Roman practice, curses were dedicated to gods of the underworld and left in dark places, a symbol of the underworld. Cracks in stone, thrown in caves, sunk to the bottom of lakes. The curses are not necessarily done in the name of a god/dess that may be featured there, rather because it had a feature that was dark, a feature that might be a gateway to the underworld.
However, since Rome conquered the celtic lands, many recreationist groups have this certain antagonism towards the culture. Some certainly merited, some taken a little out of hand.
As someone who has extensively studied Roman culture from previous curiosities, it then creates a problem for me. Whether other information present in the book that I'm not as well versed in is factual, or if there may be bias presented in those sections as well.
The meat of the book does contain very good information, but it is very slow to get going. It is constantly recommended as one of the better books to get started in learning about Druidism from a modern approach. But the first 1/3rd of the book is presented as more hypothetical. Daily walks of inner reflection. But what is the reader reflecting on? What were the druids? What did they do? Little anecdotes are presented, but far from in informative approach. The book also stresses for the reader to take their time. Often recommending taking a few weeks of continuing your walks before proceeding to the next chapter.
If someone was, such as I, looking for a book to get a basis on what a druidic "faith" might be. A down and dirty reading of: what we know, how we interpret it, what they did, important aspects of daily function/ritual, etc. This book would be a poor choice. After weeks of reading guidelines, practicing what the book asks you to (mostly walking and reflecting), when the information is finally presented you might find it doesn't resonate at all.
The author cites magical intent of the rays, seasons, elements. With no clear idea what the "magic" is, or how it is practiced, how you might practice it. Personally, I'm not interested in the "magical" aspects, yet. However, others might be, and all they will see are references, with no guidelines on "doing".
It's a very slow burn book, focused more on inner reflection and getting to a certain state of mind, than an actual book on practice and "doings".