Human Sacrifice Gives Modern Druids a Bright Future.
Dark history can't be ignored
Everyone has a dark history.
It can be personal, as a people, or as a specific group.
Ancient human sacrifice is the dark history of Modern Druids.
The documentary "Secrets of the Druids" mentions the possibility of human sacrifice by Druids. The Romans first wrote these accounts of human sacrifice.
Julius Caesar wrote:
"[Native Celts] believed that the gods delight in the slaughter of prisoners and criminals, and when the supply of captives runs short, they sacrifice even the innocent."
The Romans tried to invade the Celts. They were not very successful. They did make it to Great Britain but never to Ireland or Scotland. These accounts have been taken lightly because the culture of the invaders was so different from the culture of the indigenous population.
There isn’t much direct written history of the Druids. Most accounts of the Druids come from other sources that encountered them. According to these other sources, the Druids were the seers and judges of their culture. They settled disputes and were the priests and advisors to the nobility.
We were told of the great schools in Druidry. They studied for decades to become the top class of the Celtic people. It was an oral tradition, hence why there were no written records. Everything was memorized.
Bog Bodies Human Sacrifice Victims?
According to the documentary, several bodies have been found in bogs, which could suggest they were human sacrifices. Specifically among these was the Clonycavan Man, found in Clonycavan, Ballivor, County Meath, Ireland, in 2003.
The preserved torso found in the bog was the only part found. (The body was found in a harvesting machine, which could have severed the lower half of the body). His diet was rich in vegetables and protein, and he was in his early 20s at the time of his death.
This suggests that he was from the upper class.
There are only theories surrounding the reason for his death.
One theory that captured my imagination suggested that he was a king and was sacrificed because of drought or other problems in the land. People could have been starving.
Kings were tied to the land. If things went wrong with the land, a new king was needed.
What made this interesting was that the hill behind the bog holds the Lia Fáil, which is the Stone of Destiny. It was the inauguration mound for the High Kings of Ireland until 500 AD.
He was killed viewing the very site where he was coronated. He knew that a new king would be crowned there. Ironic.
Modern Druids Are Everywhere
I am a Modern Druid.
We practice a deep love of the land, our ancestors, and our gods. We abhor any live sacrifice and revere life.
Even to modern standards, human or animal sacrifice is barbaric.
There was a time when human sacrifice made sense. If the land wasn’t producing, then changes needed to be made quickly, or lots of people would starve. A new king was appointed and hoped for the better for the land and the people. It was about survival.
Modern-day Druids can not deny their past. Although there may only be theories of human sacrifice, the fact that the sacrifices were possible can not be denied. It’s part of the history of being Druids.
The dark part of Druidry must be claimed to have a balanced practice. There are going to be dark parts of the practice. Just like in ourselves that are dark. Denying this history is to deny the people that lived it. We honor our ancestors for the sacrifices that they made. Without them, we wouldn’t be here today.
Everyone Has a Dark History
This is even broader than the Druids. Everyone has a dark history. There isn’t a person alive not affected by dark history.
The dark history of the United States resides in the slavery of African Americans and the genocide of the Native Americans. There is also the Holocaust and countless other examples where people have died.
This history needs to be told, the stories heard, the people acknowledged, and feelings felt and understood.
There can be no healing until this is done. Pretending that it didn’t happen is like committing atrocities all over again. Ignorance isn’t an excuse, either.
The people to whom these cruel acts have been done are not responsible for educating us. We need to seek out and educate ourselves. If we burden them to educate us, then we ask them to relive it all over again. The shameless cycle continues.
Stories Need To Be Told
The earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it.
-Chief Joesph
A great example of breaking the cycle is the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa, established in 1995. It was founded by Nelson Mandela and chaired by Reverend Desmond Tutu. The commission invited individuals identified as victims of human rights violations to have their stories heard.
Perpetrators of the human rights violation were also invited to tell their stories and request amnesty. This is part of a practice called restorative justice.
Restorative justice aims to help victims and give perpetrators a chance to make amends. It is a controversial topic, and its success is still debated.
However, this is an example of the possibilities of healing.
Love is the only force of transforming an enemy to a friend.
-Martin Luther King Jr.
Our Own Dark History
This goes even deeper, though.
We need to acknowledge our dark stories and bring them to the light. The wounds need to be exposed so that healing, in whatever form that takes, can happen. If we deny our dark stories, then we will keep reliving them and hurting ourselves in an endless cycle.
We need to create a safe space for the stories to be heard. Only then can the healing happen. There is no judgment—just kindness and caring.
I acknowledged my own dark stories. There was incest, rape, and persecution for being a woman and deaf. I brought my stories out and have healed many of the wounds and don’t relive them or re-abuse myself anymore.
So, bring your dark history out.
Whatever it may be.
How A Bright Future Is Possible
Hiding the stories of what happens to us, or our ancestors, keeps us separate with secrets. Divisions of hatred develop.
We hide dark emotions such as shame, blame, and anger. We deny ourselves if we ignore this. Having these secrets can make us feel alone because letting anyone close means that they can know what is inside of us.
By acknowledging the dark stories, we can have a bright future. Remember the stories so that they don’t happen again, or tell the stories so that they don’t happen to others.
We acknowledge what happened to ourselves, the people around us, and our ancestors. This cracks the heart wide open and brings compassion and love to the surface. This will bond us stronger than anything because of what we share.
Bring the dark history out of the past and share it. Let the healing begin. Then we can stand together as one people.
We can have a beautiful future that is shared and not to be repeated. We can have a bright future of standing as a community of support.
Thanks for this Linda. I am feeling the darkness particularly strongly today, but it helps to know that others are feeling it, and thinking, writing, and sharing about it too. Sending love and light your way.