Druidism and Shamanism

Shamanism is very native and tribal in nature. We know the Druids evolved from the Proto-Indo and Indo-European culture, which was known to have shamanic priests, who served as their link between the tribe and the Gods. Shamanism and Druidism are therefore, very much alike in concept and theology.  One might say almost impossible to distinguish in their most root form.

The magics, holistics, and herbal medicines said to have been performed by the Ancient Druids and Shaman are very similar in nature. The Celts, however, had very specific words for their secular religious clergy or spiritual leaders and Shaman was not one of them. The term Shaman is most commonly related to those of religious function who were among the lower social class of peoples and/or among the more nomadic outlands.

Druids were a firm part of the noble social order and ruling class, rather than being at the fringes of society. Druids were a part of the political and judicial structure and Shamans were mainly healers and visionaries; however, not so unlike Vates. Druids conducted formal training for many years in a well structured scholastic system. Shamanism is most commonly taught under a single master with only one or very few students.

Many Celtic "otherworld" journeys are told about people who have gone there unwillingly and without any control over the experience. Shamans are masters of controlling there trips into the "otherworld" and always decide when and where they will go.

So, were Druids Shaman? In a sense of the word, yes, very much so. However, Druids were much more involved in literacy, physics, mathematics, and astrology than that of their more primitive brothers, the Shaman.

More to follow...