The Druid Order Of Peacelovers, Healers And Philosophers (DOPHP)
Web site: www.educationaid.net DOPHP is a new initiative taken to advance the cause of peace worldwide, to help uncover the wisdom of the ancient world at its best, to help usher in an era of harmony between men and women, between science, spirituality and technology, and between humanity, nature and the divine worlds. Druidry is an open ended religious and spiritual faith which puts love, freedom, beauty, kindness, and an emphasis on oral teaching above the worship of scriptures, texts, liturgies, buildings, rituals etc. Druids tend to worship the Spirit of Wisdom out of doors surrounded by the mystery of the sun and the moon and the stars, and above all by the wisdom of the natural world of trees, plants, animals, landscape temples and stone circles. It is the ancient and eternal religion and philosophical teaching of the early inhabitants of the British Isles and the rest of Celtic Europe, which at various times has stretched throughout Gaul, Switzerland, Northern Italy, Central Europe, the Northern Balkans and as far as Anatolia. Later Druidry has spread worldwide with British, Irish and Celtic civilization. Celtic spiritual teachings concerned the nature of reincarnation, non violence, truth, honesty, loyalty, love for the beauty of nature, the celebration of life in the arts, in music and dance, feasting & the enjoyment of loving sacred sexuality. Druids were forbidden from serving in battle, or from carrying weapons or fighting or striking an enemy. They sought to use gentle means of persuasion, of song, or example, to turn people to righteous actions. Druids served as mediators, lawyers, judges and counselors to the Celtic Kings and nobles. Druidry lived on until the Roman conquest of Gaul and Britain all but extinguished it. The key Druid schools of Mona (Isle of Anglesey) were attacked and largely destroyed by the power of the sword. Druid teachings were enshrined in the Bardic schools of the Middle Ages and the legends of King Arthur and the search for the Holy Grail. It lived in the work of Feinius Farsaidh, Amergin, Bladud, Abaris, Pythagoras, Plato,Taliesin, Myrddin, Ossian, & played a role in the rebirth of philosophy and learning in the early renaissance: Abelard had Druid links. Many Druids accepted Christian esoteric teachings as a continuation and confirmation of their own sublime teachings on peace and non violence. Druidry always had at its core a strong commitment to healing. Druid philosophy largely went underground during the religious wars and tribulations of the Medieval and early modern period of history, but something resurfaced in the work of the great seers, poets and bards of Britain, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Cornwall, Brittany, France, Europe, Russia, America, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, India and elsewhere. Druids believe their views to be in harmony with universal theosophical and philosophical traditions at their best worldwide: Buddhism, Sufism, Kabbalah, Taoism, Vedanta, Tantra, Wicca, Magick, Slavic, Balkan, Baltic, Asian and Germanic spirituality, Amerindian traditions, classical philosophy, Bahaism, Zoroastrianism: all have an overlap with Druid teachings, which is not surprising since they all seem to derive from one ultimate source. DOPHP believes that ultimate source wants peace on earth and that the time for peace is now. In the Renaissance, Enlightenment, Romantic & Modern periods, Druidry resurfaced in the writings and life's work of figures such as Dee, Postel, Bacon, Fludd, Sidney, Aubrey, Selden, Lloyd, Locke, Hupay de Fuvea, Stukeley, Toland, Paine, Ramsay, Anderson, Ashmole, Moray, Wilkins, Jefferson, Blake, Nicholas Bonneville, Iolo Morganwg, Owen, Godfrey Higgins, Mathers, Gardner, Bailey, Gandhi; poets like Blake, Wordsworth, Shelley, Yeats; philosophers like Hegel, Herbert; Hume; esotericists & historians like Keating, Graves, Nichols, Hyde, Steiner, Gurdjieff, Bennett, Shah; scientists like Newton, Boyle, Faraday, Jung, Fleming, Marx, Bell; women mystics….. Such as Annie Besant, Anna Kingsford, Dion Fortune, Flora Tristan, B. Ensor & Doreen Valiente, ecologists such as Robert Hart, H.J. Masingham, Richard St Barbe Baker, Ruskin, Thoreau - all have contributed to the evolution of Druid philosophy. Freemasonry, alchemy and various schools of theosophy and esotericism have also contributed to the revival of Druidry but tended to become too secretive and restrictive in their practices. The revival of Druidry was accompanied at this time by a rejection of religious and social and economic corruption and a heartfelt appeal to peace, wisdom, the celebration of the beauties of nature, and a reaffirmation of the wisdom of the eternal feminine and masculine energies working in harmony. Women’s' rights were advanced by the return of the Goddess traditions and the campaigns for the emancipation of women, socialism & human rights was supported by Druids. Communism was also connected to Druidry but it left out the spiritual dimension, although wisely stressed poverty alleviation. DOPHP has been founded in the millennial year of 2000 in Wales to re-gather and focus the commitment of Druid traditions to the advancement of peace in our own troubled world. With the troubles in Ireland not yet completely solved, and many communities and individuals in Britain and Europe, the Commonwealth, the Americas and worldwide, continuing to experience violence in their lives, whether overt physical violence, or subtle mental and spiritual violence, DOPHP seeks nothing less than a non violent revolution in the way that our society functions. We urge the transmutation of our weapons of war into the tools of peace; the establishment of an Inter-Parliamentary Network for Peace and Reconciliation in Commonwealth and world parliamentary bodies and the strengthening and democratization of the United Nations. DOPHP looks forward to a time when the ancient wisdom of peace will shine again as a force for truth, freedom and nonviolence in the world. DOPHP also campaigns for a more spiritual and holistic approach to health and medical healing services and for the availability of spiritual healing, medical herbalism, naturopathy, therapeutic massage, hypnotherapy, past life regression and other ancient Druidic healing arts on the National Health Service and other equivalents worldwide. We advocate a reform of the world of work and the introduction of a citizen’s wage and the ending of unemployment and poverty, war and the arms race and the dedication of the peace dividend towards education, healing, social justice, alternative energies and an end to reliance on fossil fuels for energy. We urge a non-violent, ecological lifestyle based on love and social justice and an end to fear and an acceptance of an ethic of peace & pleasure. All good peace loving people, whether members of existing orders, and regardless of their other spiritual observances, and who are active in creative spirituality, healing, peacemaking and the work of the arts, sciences and education in the service of humanity are welcome to apply for membership. DOPHP also works in association with a number of other projects such as the Global Green University, The Truth and Reconciliation Commission for Stonehenge, Pagan and Druid Rights and Services, The Order of Wandering Peace Poets, The Pagan Academic Network, the International Institute for Peace Studies and Global Philosophy and The Council of British Druid Orders, etc. The Order relies on donations and voluntary assistance to advance its charitable, meta-religious and meta-political projects which include a series of research publications for peace, peace celebrations and rituals, prayer and meditation groups, music and dance events and study sessions. Please write enclosing a resume and SAE to: Druid Order of Peacelovers, Healers and Philosophers, Dr. Thomas Daffern, Founder, Rhos y Gallt, Llanerfyl, Powys, SY21 OER, or email: iipsgp@educationaid.net From: Thomas Clough Daffern, founder. Used with permission. |
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