A Druid's Handbook to the Spiritual Power of Plants: Spagyrics in Magical and Sexual Rituals - Jon G. Hughes 2014
Druid or Alchemist? A Conclusion
Workings and Rituals
From the very first sentence of this book we have undertaken a journey of exploration and discovery. By comparing the ancient and arcane traditions of Druidism and alchemy we have discovered a common, underlying thread—thread that history tells us could not have developed through mutual discussion or by the sharing of the knowledge of the ancients, as we must acknowledge that there was little, if no contact between the civilizations involved in nurturing the two traditions.
The origins of both traditions are unknown, lost in myth and fable. Druidism evolved within the Celtic nations while the various schools of alchemy developed in Egypt, India, China, and later in Europe. It is fair to say that, due in part to their varying histories, Druidism and alchemy have evolved in different directions, each taking the course determined for it by nature. Alchemy has its inner and outer elixirs; Druidism has its physical and spiritual/magical attributes. The wording is different, but the meaning is very much the same. Druidism works with its complexes while alchemy has its quintessence and philosopher’s stone. In both cases we are referring to the same sublime elixir, the ultimate essence of the power and balance of nature.
There are also some remarkable differences. The Druidic tradition, for example, has no equivalent to the alchemist’s elevation of materials, the Greater Circulation, the quest to turn base metals into gold. But even this pursuit, which has been ridiculed and reduced to a caricature of the true alchemist, when translated into the metaphorical elevation of the impure body into the refined spiritual being has its equivalent philosophy within Druidic lore.
The methods of work and the techniques employed by both traditions vary considerably. Druidism has little mention of distillation in its workings, while this is the main technique of the alchemist. Similarly, many of the spiritual/magical elements of alchemy have been understandably abandoned, while they are always the fundamental element of all Druidic plant lore.
When we look at the Lesser Circulation of alchemy and the work of the spagyric practitioner in particular, we see so much in common with Druidic plant lore that it is difficult to imagine that both traditions developed totally independent of each other, but this is surely the case. Many of the same plants are used for the same purposes, and both traditions extend the use of plants beyond the sphere of the herbalist and homeopathic practitioner. But once again there are also profound differences. The species of plants used by the spagyric are much more exotic, reflecting no doubt the countries of origin of the various schools of the tradition. The techniques of the Lesser Circulation are much harsher, and again we see the use of repeated distillation. And finally, once again the spiritual/magical aspect has been all but abandoned.
So then, as a lifelong Druidic practitioner, what have I gained from this exploration? How will it help me (and the reader) to become a better Druid?
The answer is not a simple one.
By repeating many of the alchemical experiments I have learned about, I have without doubt gained a greater understanding of the work I undertake day by day in my own workshop. My research and experimentation has also revealed to me a number of “missing links,” gaps in Druidic plant lore theory that have grown, generation upon generation, or have been distorted by well-meaning Druidic tutors who, because of the times they lived in, had no scientific understanding of how or why what they were doing worked so well.
By comparing these traditions I have come to understand that they all embrace the true nature of humankind. They each reflect and address the needs of humanity within our natural environment, and they all hold us responsible, not only for our own well-being but also for that of our environment and planet.
For me, the journey has also redefined the legitimacy of my Druidic beliefs and practices, proving that the Druidic tradition has a fundamental role to play in the life and nature of humankind.
Researching and writing this book has been a watershed in my relationship with my belief system. It has given me moments of despair on the one hand and blinding revelations and insights on the other.
The Druidic tradition has a built-in “self-evaluation” system, taught by Druidic masters and tutors to their new initiates over the millennia. Every seven years all Druids are required to stand outside themselves and look at their relationships with their belief system, their community, and the Gatherings with which they work. It is an opportunity for each individual to revisit all of his or her work, motives, and beliefs in a way that few other belief systems provide.
This undertaking is called myfi fy hun in Welsh, which loosely translates as simply “myself” in English, and that is exactly what it is: an opportunity to define what I think and know about myself.
The process is a long one, using a number of self-facilitated rituals, meditation techniques, and complexes. It is a time for what may be called “soul-searching” or the exploration of one’s inner energies. The results of this process are intended to inform one’s activities and learning for the following seven years, until the tradition demands the process to be undertaken once more.
Over the forty or so years of my involvement as a practicing Druid I have undertaken this process at least five times (if my math is correct), and on most of these occasions it has proven to be a difficult and exhausting task.
It is not my intention to give a detailed account of the process—there is insufficient room to do so, nor is it directly related to the subject matter of this book. I mention it only to underscore the profound effect that researching and writing this book has had upon “myself.”
The decision to write this book came from myfi fy hun, as part of a larger decision to explore the validity of Druidic plant lore and to expose myself to the knowledge and experience of other traditions.
The decision has led me to more “how’s” and “why’s” than I ever imagined it would, and the journey has given me a greater insight and understanding of the Druidic tradition. It has been a more revealing and rewarding experience than any myfi fy hun I have ever undertaken. It in fact has been a continuous two-year myfi fy hun, as the process has continued from the start to the finish of the book-writing period.
As to whether Druids are also alchemists, I believe they are—maybe more so in some areas than others, but we definitely have more in common than that which separates us. Does the combining of the traditions offer any improvement to one or the other? From the Druidic viewpoint, again my answer is yes. Alchemical writings fill in the missing gaps in the Druidic lore. Some alchemical uses of plants expand the Druidic theory and practice. The ancient alchemical relationships with Eastern belief systems provide knowledge and experience that may certainly inform the practices and theories of Celtic sex magic, and I would have to admit that my Druidic imagination, my byd y breuddwyd, remains intrigued by the theories of the Greater Circulation.
The concept of elevating, or in the Druidic tradition “refining,” the base human to a sublime spiritual being, of stimulating the basic internal energy of a person to the point of spiritual perfection, is worthy of further investigation. One of the main areas of Druidic practice that supports and employs this notion is sex magic, and, by now, having read this book, you will see that this is also very close to the Lesser Circulation of alchemy. Maybe further work to integrate the Greater Circulation of alchemy with the inherent potency of Celtic sex magic will provide us with the sublime spiritual refinement: the Golden Orgasm.
About the Author
Jon G. Hughes, author of Celtic Sex Magic, is part of a lineage of druids that has been practicing for five generations in a remote area of Wales. He is now teaching the tradition at his home in western Ireland and gives workshops and seminars throughout Europe under his Welsh name of Cynon. He is the director of the Irish Centre for Druidic Practices.