What is Druidry?
Druidry is a living spiritual tradition that draws its inspiration from the ancient druids of the Celtic lands and from the ever-renewing wisdom of the natural world. It is a path that honours both the seen and the unseen — the physical realm of earth, stone, and sky, and the inner realm of imagination, meditation, and spirit.
At its heart, Druidry is about relationship: with the natural world, with the ancestors, with the turning seasons, and with the deepest parts of ourselves. It places strong emphasis on both the spiritual and physical realms — this is not a path of withdrawal from the world, but of deeper engagement with it. Druids are encouraged to be part of nature, to step outside, to listen to the land, and to find their place within the great web of life.
Through the celebration of seasonal festivals, study of the old lore, creative expression, and quiet contemplation, Druidry invites us to explore the inner and outer planes of existence — and to discover that they are not as far apart as we might think.
Druidry is not a dogma. There is no single creed or sacred text to follow. It is a path of personal exploration — creative, spiritual, and deeply rooted in the living world.
The Three Paths
The Ovate
The path of the Ovate is a liminal path. Ovates are the healers, herbalists, seers, diviners, and magicians of the tradition — those who work closely with both the natural and other worlds to understand their patterns and hidden wisdom. The Ovate grade develops an intimate relationship with the land, the plant and animal kingdoms, subtle energies, and other beings and realms.
The Druid
The path of the Druid is one of wisdom, service, and ceremony. Having walked the paths of Bard and Ovate, the Druid brings together creativity and nature-wisdom in service to community. Druids lead ceremonies, teach, counsel, and work to sustain and nurture the communities they serve. In the Celtic tradition, the Druids were the philosophers, teachers, judges, and spiritual leaders of their people.
Druidry in Aotearoa
Druidry has found a natural home in Aotearoa New Zealand — a land of ancient forests, dramatic coastlines, and volcanic landscapes where the call to connect with the natural world resonates deeply.
In the Southern Hemisphere, Druids celebrate the Wheel of the Year with seasons inverted from the tradition’s origins in the Celtic lands of the Northern Hemisphere. Our Winter Solstice falls in June, our Summer Solstice in December. Far from being a complication, this creates a unique and living relationship with the festivals — we experience directly how the tradition breathes and adapts when rooted in a new landscape, under different stars.
Druidry is alive and well in New Zealand. Druids—either as solo practitioners or meeting in Groves or Seed Groups—celebrate the turning of the year, study the old ways, and explore common interests. They share poetry, art, and song, and a reverence for the natural world.
The Wheel of the Year
The Druid year turns through eight festivals — four solar events (the solstices and equinoxes) and four fire festivals that mark the points between them. Together they form the Wheel of the Year, a cycle of celebration that connects us to the rhythms of the natural world. In the Southern Hemisphere, the dates are shifted six months from the Northern Hemisphere calendar.
The Celtic New Year. As darkness deepens, we honour our ancestors and those who have passed beyond the veil. The boundary between worlds grows thin.
The Winter Solstice. The longest night gives way to the returning light — a time of stillness, reflection, and the promise of renewal.
The first stirrings of spring. Sacred to Brigid, goddess of poetry, healing, and smithcraft. A time of purification and new beginnings.
The Spring Equinox. Day and night in balance, tipping toward the light. A time of growth, renewal, and planting seeds both literal and metaphorical.
The great fire festival of summer’s arrival. A celebration of vitality, joy, and the greening of the world. The light half of the year begins.
The Summer Solstice. The sun at its height, the longest day. We celebrate abundance and the fullness of the living world.
The first harvest. Named for the god Lugh. We give thanks for the gifts of the earth and share the fruits of the season.
The Autumn Equinox. Day and night in balance once more, turning toward the dark. A time of gratitude and gathering in.
Our Community
Grove of the Summer Stars
OBODThe Grove of the Summer Stars is a Druid community based in Pukerua Bay, Aotearoa New Zealand. We meet to celebrate the eight seasonal festivals of the Wheel of the Year, to study and practice Druidry together, and to support one another on the path.
Our home is The Woolshed — a retreat space that hosts our gatherings, workshops, and ceremonies.
Contact: Pamela Meekings-Stewart
Tōtara Seed Group
OBODThe Tōtara Seed Group is based in Waiuku, New Zealand. A Seed Group is a small Druid community — the beginning of something that may grow into a full Grove. The Tōtara group currently meets on the solar festivals and Samhain.
“We meet to celebrate seasonal festivals and to develop an inclusive, loving, supportive group. If you’d like to know more, please get in touch with Germana — she’d love to hear from you.”
Contact: Germana Nicklin
Our Member Portal
The Portal enables Druids across Aotearoa New Zealand — solo practitioners and those meeting in a Grove or Seed Group alike, including the Grove of the Summer Stars and the Tōtara Seed Group — to connect with one another, publish festival and event calendars, share writing and other content, and administer their Grove or Seed Group.
The portal is for members only — it isn’t part of the public site above. Members sign in with an email and password, or with their Google account. See our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions for how the portal handles your information and what using it involves.
Books & Reading
What Do Druids Believe?
A clear and welcoming introduction to Druidry by the former Chosen Chief of the Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids. Concise and thoughtful, this is an ideal starting point for anyone curious about what Druidry is and what it means to walk this path.
Druid Mysteries: Ancient Wisdom for the 21st Century
A comprehensive exploration of Druidry’s history, philosophy, and living practice. Carr-Gomm draws on scholarship, tradition, and personal experience to offer a rich guide for those ready to go deeper into the Druid path.
The Druidry Handbook
A practical and thorough guide to the study and practice of Druidry. Greer covers history, philosophy, meditation, ritual, and nature awareness in a structured programme suitable for both solitary practitioners and those working within a group.
The Druid Path
A companion to Greer’s broader work, offering a focused journey through the spiritual and philosophical dimensions of the Druid tradition.
Blood and Mistletoe: The History of the Druids in Britain
A definitive scholarly history of Druidry from antiquity to the modern revival. Hutton traces the full arc of the tradition — from the classical accounts of Caesar and Pliny, through the Romantic rediscovery, to the living orders of today. Rigorous, fair-minded, and deeply researched, this is essential reading for anyone wanting to understand where modern Druidry comes from and how it has evolved.
Living Treefully: An Inspiring Metaphor for Living and Learning
A thoughtful exploration of what trees can teach us about how we grow, learn, and connect. Drawing on the deep relationship between Druidry and the natural world, this book offers a rich metaphor for living with awareness, resilience, and rootedness.
Awakening the Wild Witch
Written by a member of the Grove of the Summer Stars, this book explores the wild, intuitive dimensions of magical practice — reconnecting with the instincts, the land, and the untamed wisdom that lives within us.
More recommendations to come.
Links
Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids (OBOD)
The world’s largest Druid order, offering a home-study programme in Druidry from the Bardic grade through Ovate to Druid.
British Druid Order (BDO)
A Druid order with a focus on direct connection to the land and experiential practice.
Druidry Australia
Connecting Druids across Australia and the Southern Hemisphere.
The Woolshed Retreats
Home of the Grove of the Summer Stars. Retreats, workshops, and gatherings in Aotearoa New Zealand.
SerpentSTAR
A journal of the Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids in the Southern Hemisphere.
Connect With Us
Interested in Druidry in Aotearoa? Whether you are an experienced Druid or simply curious about the path, we welcome your enquiry.
Grove of the Summer Stars (Pukerua Bay) — pamela@thewoolshed.com
Tōtara Seed Group (Waiuku) — germananicklin@gmail.com
Druidry Aotearoa — webmaster@druidry.org.nz