By Susan Goundrey-Kruse (Crow Woman)
Having just read through the testimonials and statements of members of the Order
of the Yew, I find myself very moved by the spirituality and thoughtfulness therein. It gives me
much joy to think of these beacons of light scattered throughout Britain and the world. However, I
feel very strongly that I must share with you all my personal concern at the constant references
to the word Peace used in many of the statements.
My concern is twofold, firstly I wish to explore Peace in relation to the
Christian faith and its concerns with spirit over matter; and secondly I wish to explore the notion
of the Druid as (non-violent) warrior and protector.
Firstly, I would like to bring your attention to the notion of Peace and our
implicit twenty first century understanding of it as the highest attainable ideal. I cannot imagine
anyone in the west arguing that peace is a bad thing. I’m sure that the vast majority of the
population, if asked, would put the attainment of peace at the top of the list of desirable states
of being. Any human being wishes to be in a peaceful state without conflict, distress or war to
contend with. However, the notion of Peace as a spiritual goal came, I believe, with the teachings
of the Christ. With the Christ came the blueprint for a god that sought harmony and love between
enemies. A god hung on a tree not in the pursuit of greater wisdom, but to take on the sins of the
world, a god of sacrifice. However, I believe that the teachings of the Christ had one major flaw;
they denied the power of the turbulent flesh. At least, the interpretation of the Nazarene’s
message by his priests encouraged the denial of the flesh. Their insistence that his mother was
virgin, their constant exhortations to their people to overcome life on this earth for the apparent
greater good of a life of spirit has caused untold damage to the psyche of humanity and further
visible damage to the world of nature.
What do we mean when we talk about peace, particularly in relation to ourselves as
spiritual people? It is obvious that when writing about ourselves we mean more than peace as a state
of non war. Or do we? Are we saying that we will be like the Nazarene, at peace within ourselves,
loving and forgiving towards all of humanity? Do we really mean that? Because that is the Christian
ideal and if that is what we mean then should we not be swelling their ranks with the committed
spirituality we are now bringing to Druidry? If this Christian ideal is actually attainable, why
after 1800 years of Christianity in Britain are we turning our backs and trying to find a different
spirituality? Is it not rather a cruel notion fostered by the priesthood onto the congregation to
keep them always under the yoke of the Church? How many human beings have truly attained peace in
life?
At this point I would like to turn to the notion of Druid as warrior and
protector. We have very good, albeit Roman, evidence that our Druidical ancestors were protectors of
knowledge and upholders of the peace. They were credited with the power to stop warfare, on the
actual field of battle. They were also dispensers of justice who bought down the death penalty on
thieves and murderers; they were accused by the Romans of human sacrifice. Today, we are trying to
find a new Druidry, one that must pursue truth, knowledge, creativity and spirituality within a
modern context. Many of us are believers in non-violence and are vegetarians, prepared to sacrifice
neither human nor animal. However, I would argue for a metaphorical call to arms for all modern
Druids. Let us be dispensers of justice once again, let us turn away from the notion of peace to one
of war.
The world, “stands on the edge of a knife.” The saddest statement
within the Order comes from a druid who connects to the World amongst a grove of small trees
surrounded by an urban conglomeration. This tiny oasis is this Druid’s only daily connection
with the ‘real’ world, with our Middle Earth. Where are the great forests? The wolves
and bears? Where is the free wilderness? How many of us hear the cuckoo each spring, owl call in the
night, see dolphin leaping off our coast? Who has seen an otter in the wild? Salmon leaping? When
did you last see the Milky Way under a black sky untainted by orange glow?
This is why I ask, can we really be at peace? We are Druid; we feel the passion of
the wild within, the sap rise at spring, the wild fire rites at midsummer, the struggle against
death at Samhain. We know death and some of us are privileged enough to midwife it for others. With
death comes pain and grief and as Druids we don’t turn away. This life of Druid is a life of
love; love of land, love of music, of sex, food, good companionship. It is a life lived with
passion, where the blood is stirred, lively and engaged. And while our land is being threatened on
every side, while the passion and wonder and terror of life is being daily eroded by a culture that
is in denial of life I say that we must not be at Peace. We are at War. We are fighting for the very
life and soul of our own country and for the Earth our Mother.
I believe that not one of us has the right to peace this side of death, whilst the
planet is labouring so desperately. Not one of us has the right to peace whilst there is so much
human injustice. We may choose to act on the world stage or focus on our own small communities but
act we must if the word Druid is to mean anything at all. I know that it is within us to show
kindness, compassion, imagination and intelligence, I have read it in your statements. I hope too
that we can show rage against waste, intolerance against cruelty, commitment to fight for Mother
Earth, non-violence against all living beings. This is a fight that will have to be waged for
generations to come. None of us will see the Earth safe in our lifetime. So I end with this
Blessing: May you be Druid, and aim to find peace only at the last, after the fight is done.
Susan Goundrey-Kruse. (Crow Woman)
January 2006
