We come now to a topic of vital interest to most seekers: that of early Avalon's Gods and "myth" of Creation. We must now leave our modern religious assumptions behind. What we will share here may or may not agree with what you have read or learned on other paths, or with your own prior definitions of similar spiritual concepts and terms; but it is the way of this Path and the belief shared by all who follow it. Therefore consider carefully and well. The lore shared on this page has (to our knowledge) never before been put in print, though other Faery Traditions doubtless hold similar beliefs. Also, we too are on a spiritual journey and the information shared here will evolve and change with our own experience(s) and understanding. We share these concepts in the interest of mutual understanding and scholarship, and for the benefit of new seekers hoping to discover their true spiritual homes: may it be a light to you in the soul's darkness ...

"Gods" & Creation in Avalonian Druidry

Native Avalonian spirituality had neither a "creation myth" in which something is made out of nothing by one supreme "creator", nor a conceived "end time". For the Braithion -- and for us -- Creation is an ongoing collaborative process in which we are all collectively engaged, moment by moment. It is continuous, without beginning and without end; thus there can be no "end times". That all things pass, is true; but they do not pass out of being. They wane as their time wanes, to be renewed and return in their season. Thus within our belief we are each co-Creators, each part of the "All Being" that is Creator, and what we believe shapes our present reality even as our actions shape events.

As we know all beings are co-Creators, so we have no belief in one Creator God. Our Gods do not share our faults nor do they naturally resemble us (though they may assume a similar form when necessary or expedient). They are neither 'aspects' of one God/dess, nor nor are they the 'sole' Creators or Originators; they are co-Creators like ourselves. Thus, the power of the "Creator God" exists within and flows through all things. In fact, neither we nor the beings we perceive as Gods are omnipotent or immortal in the usual sense. When removed from our accustomed spheres we may seem omnipotent and unchanging, but all things evolve and eventually transform. The phenomena arising from beings operating outside of their accustomed spheres are amply demonstrated in Faery lore and literature. What we perceive as 'death' is an illusion created when beings cross from one form or realm to another. It is only our own limited understanding that makes it seem otherwise. We see "the one Source" or Wellspring of Creation not as a "Supreme Being", but as a transformational matrix where the energy of Creation is constantly being recycled in and out of various forms; a process symbolized by the triple spiral or triskele. The beings we call "Gods" are aware, conscious forces, presences, with unique signature energies, who have taken an interest (or are willing to become involved) in human affairs; whose life spans seem infinite; who are willing to act as mentors or counselors, whose knowledge and powers seem to us supernatural or omnipotent, who ask only what is fair in exchange. Thus, we have no Gods as mainstream societies understand the term.

For the simplicity's sake, many members continue to refer to the beings identified in Celtic literature (and their forebears) as "our Gods". However, this extension of common practice is often a source of confusion to Tradition  outsiders, for if we are "Faery Druids" are not the Fae our Gods? The literature would seem to say so, yet the literature arises from modern scholarship, and modern scholarship has its own problems with definitions of terms. The literature on which academia depends was created not by native peoples, but by their conquerors; it is intended to obscure native culture and belief systems. We cannot expect illumination from such occluded sources; if we are to discover the truth, we must provide our own lamps. This will mean relying on rather different sources to those provided by conventional schooling. In our own case, the simplest way to illuminate the public about our beliefs is simply to share some of what has been passed down to us in the form it is remembered today. Let us begin by exploring the Orders of Being with which we are in closest spiritual relationship, some of whom are remembered as "Gods".

The Kindred

The Kindred are beings attuned to vibrational frequencies above or below our own, and whose physical bodies thus appear substantially different from ours. They are no more 'alien' than are we. They are races of beings with a wider perspective on life in our realm, who desire to work in partnership with us as part of their own spiritual growth, and with whom Avalon's far ancestors forged strong spiritual partnerships and hail from several different Orders of Being. By working in partnership, we are all able to enter into and experience something of one another's realms, which expands our understandings of the nature of reality and of our true places (and purposes) within it.

Ancestors (The Mighty Dead)

In Avalon, all beings are our kin. There is no order of being to which we are unrelated; but those we call "ancestors" are the specific beings (human or otherwise) that are our direct forebears in spiritual and/or blood lineage. The ancestors are all around us, for the Realms are not separate, but overlay one another. In terms of literature, they may be said to dwell in Annwn, in the Underworld or Upperworld realms, depending upon their soul's purpose and the tasks with which they are charged after the transformation we call "death". In ADO, we distinguish between several basic types of ancestors:

Nameless Ones

Those whose names, stories, and places of burial have been lost or forgotten. Our lore tells us that inviting ancestors to be reborn through living descendants was a common part of ancient Samhain observances; as rebirth occurred through only one's bloodlines, so to be forgotten meant passing from the living memory of one's kin. The resulting loss of spiritual identity or "namelessness" left one a spiritual orphan, barred from earthly rebirth. Appeasements are offered to assuage them and to elicit (if not their blessings) their tolerance toward any planned spiritual proceedings.

Newly Dead

Anciently, this referred to the spirits of people deceased within the previous two years, who had not yet arrived in the Otherworld and thus could be easily called back to the realms of the living. These are spirits who have not yet shed the heavy energy of their earthbound lives, and who may still  be in the grips of former addictions, grudges, and obsessions. The newly dead often lack the detachment to provide good counsel, and may try to fulfil their own unfinished agendas through us. In addition, the past two millennia of dead are often immersed in faiths and worldviews that are hostile to our own. Thus our relationship to them is limited to honoring, and (once they have "crossed the waters") to remembering them in story.

Mighty Ones

Heroes and Heroines of time long past, whose stories and burial sites are known, who once passionately shared our beliefs, who have evolved beyond their former human concerns and are now preparing to shift to new levels or forms of being. It is upon these ancestors that we traditionally call for spiritual counsel when working through ancestral soul debts.

The Fae (The People of Light)

The Fae are beings whose Realms are on "the inner planes", the primal lands at the heart of existence of which 'the Apple Isle' is but one. Fae society often seems to resemble our own and it is not uncommon to find accounts in the Common Era of its hierarchical structure; however, appearances can be deceiving and the old adage "the Fae are easily offended, but not easily appeased" is very true. Because the structure of their hierarchy is less familiar or obvious to us, it can sometimes be difficult to ascertain the 'rank' of High Kin one has encountered. A good rule of thumb is to always err on the side of caution and use a form of address appropriate to a rank higher than seems appropriate. Be polite, respectful, and make no assumptions. The Wise will gently remind their Fae acquaintances that our people do not remember their ways, and must rely on them to teach and remind us of Faery manners and customs. There are several 'orders' of Fae whom we might encounter in the course of following our spiritual path:

[Please note that here the term 'Fae' does not mean exactly the same thing as 'Fairy' or 'Faery'. We understand the term 'Fae' to refer to an ancient order of planetary being. In our belief 'fairies' do not exist (except as conjured beings springing from Victorian fancy). 'Faery' is one of the Otherworld Realms, and 'Faeries' are people with Fae bloodlines. Despite literary allusions to humans with "Faery bloodlines" (or vice versa), current attitudes, beliefs, and lifestyles make modern co-minglings extremely rare, if not impossible. Our minds and hearts are no longer open to them.]

Spirits of Place

A Spirit of Place is an aware presence whose 'seat' is usually the site's dominant feature. Such a being's scope of perceivable powers is limited by its essential life force being bound to one particular locality. Since all things have an aware, indwelling spirit, these beings exist in countless numbers and varieties in all places though, fortunately for us, usually only one or two will act as a site's gatekeepers. To these spirit guardians we address requests to work in a given location, and to them we offer our thanks and blessings at our work's conclusion.

Faery Companions

Faery Companions are not tied to one local feature or spot, as are Spirits of Place, but may range over great areas and even across continents. While it is true that not all Fae welcome contact with humans (some are even hostile to it), Companions are the solitary Fae most disposed to form lasting bonds with human beings. They are often remembered in folklore as Faery Wives, Lovers, Healers, Doctors, Wights, and 'Co-walkers'. In Avalon, Faery Companions come to walk the Path with us when our spiritual work reaches the point of readiness, and the need (both individual and Tribal) arises. For most, a basic knowledge of Courtesies and Guest Laws will be sufficient for any encounters you may have while exploring the Wild Wood.

The Faery Host

There are two kinds of Faery Hosts: the "Trooping Faeries" of literature (such as war bands), and the "hive-like" Faery Hosts. To assume mingled hosts of Fae and humans to be common ignores a large body of literature and lore. Such mingled hosts are a rarity in our lore, and only occur when the two peoples come into conflict or when both face a common challenge or enemy. Trooping Fae are most often observed while about their own work and may or may not take kindly to being interrupted. More commonly encountered are the Faery Hosts who are often attracted to Avalonian healing and ritual work. In the interest of verification we will not prejudice our members' expectations by describing these beings and encounters here. Suffice to say that they make an unforgettable presentation, one very different to what might commonly be assumed. Though their attendance is not the object of spiritual work or ceremony, we welcome the Fae as kin and honored guests at Avalon's rites.

The Sídhe (Síth or Síddi, "Nobles")*

The Sídhe are the most human-like of the Fae and so naturally folklore considers them 'nobles'. Of all of the People of Light they are the least often seen. Their aid is seldom given, but when offered it is utterly reliable. Within each of the three branches of Avalonian Tradition (Faery Druid, Celtic Sister/Brotherhood, and Arthurian), there are nine families said to be bound by blood kinship to Faery, and it is upon these nine families that the Sídhe are most likely to bestow their friendship. Though they may be seen on occasion observing Avalonian workings or may elect to partake of the renewing energies of our rituals, these encounters are more in the way of cordial visits than declarations of friendship, and should be received accordingly unless an overt invitation or overture is made. (Should our members be the recipients of such invitations, they should not hesitate to ask an Elder's advice on the possible consequences and the proper form of response.)

The High Kin (or "Shining Ones")*

In other traditions, the Faery Realms are generally lumped into one group belonging solely to planet Earth, and associated exclusively with its local sites and features. The High Kin they either ignore or define as something 'other'. This is not our view. We know the Shining Ones not  as 'ETs', but as denizens of the Upperworlds associated with celestial localities and features. Their function, society, and temperaments are similar to those of their earthly cousins, and we work with them in similar ways. Again, members should not hesitate to ask an Elder's advice and to share experiences within our community. Though we may not always hear what would best flatter us, we all learn much more by sharing than we do by hoarding our experiences. Each voice is vitally important. We each have our insights and gems to share.

"God" Types & Origins *

As we have seen, the Gods of Avalon have different origins. Some are beings whose antiquity is fathomless and who operate in realms far removed from our own ("the Gods behind the Gods"). Such beings are seldom personified because their scope exceeds the limits of the skin. They follow their own purposes and intentions and there is nothing human about them, unless one deems comprehension and the ability to act and interact to be exclusively human characteristics. Their "children" are the Elder Gods remembered as The Sídhe and the High Kin, whose stories arise from the oral traditions and are the focus of most surviving literature. The role of these various Gods within Avalonian Druidry is best understood by viewing them within the context of realms and functions.

Though modern people prefer to slip things tidily into separate, labeled boxes, things in Avalon are seldom easily categorizable. All of the deities listed below could also be listed in at least one other category, because their functions interweave and overlap. We list them here according to what we consider to be their primary functions. It is important to understand that some of these distinctions are very close calls, and that none of them is fixed. They all can and do change roles to best serve the highest good, moment to moment. This is merely where we are most likely to encounter them now; these designations are therefore subject to change as the worlds change.

Primal ("Creator") Gods

The Gods who are directly responsible for shaping our world are considered the primal Gods and were considered first ancestors by the ancient peoples. Like many native peoples worldwide, while Avalon's far ancestors saw life springing from sacred parents, they also envisioned form arising out of the primordial chaos much as musical structure arises out of the cacophony of sound. They saw Song as the primary or governing form for the generative act in all the worlds and framed their discussions of the ongoing process of making in these terms. By this definition, Primal Gods include: Abandinos, Anu, Bandua, Canaid, Ceridwen, Manogan, and possibly Meldius and Nwyffre, as well as many beings remembered as "giants" in literature and lore, such as Albion, (Ceridwen), Cimbri, Iberius, Enlli, etc. All of these beings are seen as dwelling within the land as well as the stars; hence their collective name, "the dwellers within the land".

Gods of the Three Realms ("Land, Sea & Sky"; Underworld, Middle Earth, Upperworld)*

As Faery Druids we do not base our work on the five Pythagorean Elements (as do Druids working from later historical templates), but upon a native nine element system that assigns three elements to each of Three Realms. The Gods that govern these Realms are charged with maintaining and refining the forms established (and inhabited) by the Primal Gods. Those we consider to be Gods of the Realms include Arawn/Havgan, Arianrhod/Olwen (Arwen), Bolgois, Borvo, Brigantia, Celi/Celeu, Dona/Domnu, Grannos, Gwynn ap Nudd/Gwythr ap Greidawl, Loucetios, Llyr, Matgen, Naf, (Nwyffre), Rhiannon, Sucellos, Suliviae.

Tribal Gods

Most indigenous spiritualities recognize two types of Tribal Gods: gods associated with specific tribal bloodlines (Titular deities); and gods that are Patrons of arts or crafts. In ADO, we work with both, but we work with them differently than might commonly be supposed.

Animal Gods

Anyone who has read Celtic literature or is familiar with the folklore of Western Europe knows that different ancient tribes were associated with different kinds of plants and animals. In modern times, these associations are often described as being "totemic", but we object to this term as being misleading. We use the term "totem" only when speaking of Amerindian beliefs. Those walking the native Faery paths generally recognize two kinds of  companion creatures, which Faery practitioner R.J. Stewart identifies as "companion creatures" and "inherent creatures". Our own native terms for them being now lost with the native languages, and our own path being closely related to that of Mr. Stewart's, we shall borrow his terms for the  purposes of this sharing.

  Ancestral creatures (e.g. tribe or clan plants and animals) are examples of creatures inherent in kin-groups. This
  concept is preserved in our language in phrases like, "it runs in the family." In the case of Avalon's tribes, the
  plant and animal "emblems" reflect the defining characters and energies of whole kin-groups.

These creatures are closely associated with certain gods, and literary and academic references to "horse goddesses", "bear gods" and other deities that appear to embody the spirit and gifts of specific animals are too numerous not to be familiar to most. Likewies, it is well known that devotees of animal gods often emulated their energies through ritual dances, carried amulets incorporating their physical energies, and carved their likenesses on stones and entryways. For the ancestors, the lines between human, creature, and gods were often blurred, for each was seen as reflected within the others.

In Avalonian Druidry, the energy patterns expressed in the land and those expressed in the Tribes' plants and animals are reflections of the same basic patterns. Naturally, people tend to be drawn to places where they feel comfortable -- places that are "like them". As they work the land they became even more attuned to it, and the energy patterns that the people and the land hold in common are amplified. It is only natural for them to identify with plants and animals that also reflect this energy. Over time, an association develops between specific lands, peoples, plants and animals, and it is this association that we remember when we speak of Tribes animals.

What is true in one realm is true in all of the others. Just as the land and its creatures share or mirror like energies, patterns, and characteristics, so these elements combine to make specific sites especially inviting to Titular and Patron gods sharing the same or similar qualities and characteristics. These include Andarta, Bran/Branwen, Blodeuwedd, Ceridwen, Damona, Elen, Kernunnos, Manawyddan, Melusine, Rhiannon, Satiada.

Archetypal Gods (Craft Patrons)

Celtic literature is replete with deities who are patrons of specific tasks, crafts, or arts. Archetypal Gods include Abna, Alator, Andrasta, Bareccis, Belatucadros, Camulos, Catubodua, Condatis, Crom Dubh, Devoris, Gobbanos, Manawyddan, Nodens, etc.

"Pantheons" Versus Spiritual Kindred

Our school study of the ancient Greeks and Romans has left most of us with the notion that all religions restrict their spiritual work either to one deity or a 'tribunal of gods' whose worship defines each faith for all eternity. Many Modern Avalonian groups have also adopted this model, but this was not the way of our far ancestors and (as with so many ancestral wisdoms) we find the older ways best-suited to serve the needs of Truth, and of constantly changing times. At its roots, Avalon has no 'pantheon' of omnipotent Gods; nor do we believe that the Gods we know best now are the only 'right' ones for all people and times -- or even for this Tradition. We choose the Gods we work with from amongst a multitude of Spiritual Kindred based on the story cycles whose lessons best serve the needs of the present Age. Each Age faces certain challenges in certain forms, and it is best to work directly with the stories that most clearly depict the nature of an Age's defining challenge and its remedy. The selection of story cycles follows a rotation of its own within the Great Cycle (or 'Cycle of Ages') that is mirrored in the turning stars. The choice for the passing Age and the one to follow were made by those who have gone before us -- and its accuracy is verified by the state of the world around us. Thus the Path is laid at our feet; we have only to follow it diligently to learn its secrets.

But are spiritual kindred really any different than having a Pantheon of Gods? Well, yes actually. Most Pantheons depict fixed personifications of non-human spirits whose powers are perceived as omnipotent. While this practice is common in later Avalonian practice, it was alien to the far ancestors, who saw their Gods as primal forces endowed with mind, conscious awareness, and intent. Thus the sea god Llŷr was not an "old man of the sea" but the mindful, aware presence of the sea itself. We see glimpses of these original, native/Faery god-forms in the Aspirant course. It is a perspective that can be difficult for the modern mind to grasp, but which it is essential that we reclaim and re-absorb fully into our instinctual awareness. It is useful to bear this in mind when reviewing any list of deities on offer and to consider how these beings might have been experienced by the far ancestors, rather than simply accepting someone else's perceptions or (more likely) assumptions.

Having said that, we'll now share with you just such a list. Our purpose in sharing this information is to illustrate one point: a typical Pantheon is comprised of no more than a dozen or so fixed deities. The list below is by no means comprehensive (literally thousands of gods and local spirits of place are missing); it represents merely the beings who seem to us most influential in shaping the course of Avalon's history. Elder gods are highlighted in yellow, early Celtic in green, and those holding keys to specific aspects of Avalon's Faery worldview appear in italics. Names are rendered in Common Celtic (the root language of the proto-Celtic peoples) where known.


A careful eye will yet find much of value here. The name etymologies and implied relationships between deities provide keys to a wealth of hidden lore that can be mined and verified over time. Viewed as a whole, the list illustrates the perceptual shift from native/Faery to later worldviews in which the Gods are personified and stripped of their true shapes and natures as primal forces. Some of these names may seem obscure today, but they are included because they were of importance to the earlier peoples, and their existence provides some verification for assertions we've made about the earlier Avalonian Tradition. Again, this list is intended as a tool for research and not as a 'tourist's checklist of stops' for invocation, so please exercise restraint and be judicious in the uses to which you put it.

The Modern Dilemma

So where does this leave us with regard to the study of the Gods and the practice of our ceremonies? We study the Gods first through stories in which their true natures have been distorted and diminished; but within these tales there remain important clues as to the real nature of these beings, and it is these clues that we must strive to uncover and then to experience in the world. It is not enough to read about Llŷr and think we understand his nature; we must go forth and meet Him on His own terms if we are to know Him. The same is true for all of our Spiritual Kindred. It is possible to spend a whole life in the intellectual analysis of other people's ideas about them and still never know them. To work with any being or power one must have a deep understand of, and relationship to it. Without this, all the ideas in the world are useless.

Even were we endowed with the ability to glean the Gods' natures from paper, mainstream 'authorities' have made such a hash of the remaining information by intellectualizing and theorizing without a shred of concrete observation (something usually required in science) that even a genius would be hard pressed to extract the truth from all the nonsense. Gods sharing the same (or similar) symbols or whose stories or names are superficially (though not etymologically) similar are lumped together as regional variants of one deity and referred to interchangeably, with some "lesser" deities being ignored on the assumption that their lore is covered in aggregate. In part, this is the result of widespread acceptance of monotheism and the assumption that since there can only be one God, any other claims to godhead must be false, leaving nothing 'real' to investigate -- or are merely reflections of one "original". But the assumption that all similar seeming gods are the same god is much like saying that all redheads are the same redhead because they all have red hair. The idea may sound reasonable if one has never seen red-headed people, but it's made ridiculous by even the most casual direct experience.

Of course, modern academics prefer not to sully their work by stepping into concrete experiential ('subjective') reality, despite that this is where all 'facts' supposedly reside. They see personal experience as biasing the observer and direct observation as useless. Were we to apply this idea to science most modern scientific discoveries would be deemed false, since the data which underlies them relies heavily upon direct, concrete observation and field work. Science, meanwhile, prefers to consider all spiritual matters as 'superstition'; since by definition superstition is not 'real', there can be nothing real to observe. Unfortunately for science, Physics seems to be proving that phenomena either  inherently possess conscious awareness or arise from a consciously aware source, however we choose to name it (see Particle Wave Theory for one example). This idea is heresy because it requires both science and the humanities to relinquish their superior roles, drop their omniscient facades, and open themselves to the experience of something far greater than our wildest imaginings -- something that is ultimately not quantifiable or human. The idea that we can conceive of deity in its true form is also heresy to mainstream religions, who need to keep the masses from direct communion with their gods in order to support enormous religious bureaucracies.

The far ancestors shared their spirituality ensemble through group Immrama, doorway, and the rite of evocation (in that order). Communing spiritually with other Orders of Being was part of communing with the natural world. Through this communion one shared in the foresight and foreknowledge that belongs not to one being, but to the entire Web of Creation. Modern religious clergy also perform the rite of invocation in order to merge with another spiritual entity; however their congregations do not enjoy the same benefit (or risk, as the case may be). This is because the method and purpose of invocation have changed in response to changing needs. Today, invocations are performed as a means for clergy to display the Gods to the 'common people' in a personified form that people can more easily accept. When humanity became intellectually, psychologically, and emotionally estranged from the rest of Creation it lost much of its spiritual sensitivity and perceptiveness (a loss well-documented wherever Western ways have been imposed on indigenous cultures). This estrangement, perpetuated through modern society's teachings (and methods of teaching), eradicates the ability to directly perceive Spirit and to open ourselves to experiences lying outside societal definitions of reality, leaving us largely unable to accept the Gods (or any other beings not acknowledged within Western definitions of reality) in their true forms. The process of becoming a Druid is the process of opening oneself to Truth gradually through direct experience, observation, intuitive investigation, and verification. As our definition of reality expands to encompass our growing perception of Truth, so does our ability to perceive and accept other forms of being as they actually are.

The spurious idea that we cannot fathom Spirit in its true form continues to pervade even Neopagan practices. Celtic and later Avalonian Ages still prefer to invoke the Gods for ceremony, a practice which invariably reduces them to human-like forms and diminishes our experience and understanding of them. For the far ancestors, invocation was neither a preferred form of public ceremony, nor was it performed for the same reasons it is today. Originally, invocation provided a method whereby the individual could merge with another spiritual entity (presumably for the benefit of both). When performed correctly, this spiritual immersion provided each being with a way to directly alter its own spiritual evolution by altering its own spiritual resonance or pitch. Modern invocation was a later rite performed for only two purposes: the transmigration of great souls (i.e. 'world teachers') into a shared body in which they might continue their spiritual work here beyond the span of one human lifetime; and the invocation of the Oracle or "Voice of the God(s)" for the people of the Tribes, when the ability to hear it for themselves was lost to them. In a different societal climate this practice might still be useful, but under the present conditions any real, public oracular invocation would be extremely dangerous. The chance of intrusion by hostile outsiders is too great, and even those with good intentions no longer remember the necessary protocols and would be unlikely to take direction from those who do. In addition, our changed worldview has caused actual changes in reality that make many past practices unsafe today. As a result, in ADO Druids seldom practice invocation and it is not the preferred method of spiritual communion.

In ADO, we address the loss of a primary method for experiencing Oneness and spiritual communion by adapting other common Traditional spiritual practices. Both individuals and circles use Immrama and doorway, and for public ceremonies and ritual we rely on various forms of the Rite of Evocation. A powerful evocation has a number of distinct advantages over invocation:
You may be asking yourself at this point, "If we're not going to invoke, why study the Gods at all?" Not hard: As Druids, we study and commune with different Orders of Being as part of gaining a greater understanding of reality and the laws that govern it. Without this understanding we cannot hope to live in harmony with Nature or maintain the inner balance that is prerequisite to attaining a state of Oneness, through which we may experience euphoric peace, insight, and inspiration.

A Cautionary Note

It would be easy after some initial research to adopt current academic assumptions that because some gods once assumed to be separate are actually the same, the same is universally true (i.e. "all horse goddesses are one horse goddess"); in fact this is rarely true, but without a profound understanding of the native culture out of which these stories arose any attempt to unravel its 'inner secrets' is doomed to failure. Please do not promulgate such theories amongst our members, but allow your ideas to simmer on a back burner until you have spent significant time exploring and working with Avalon's principle sites, followed Traditional spiritual practices, and intensively studied the Cycle exactly as taught in ADO for at least nine (9) years. In that time, we counsel you to evaluate your experiences as objectively as possible and to observe the Cycle for its own sake, and not as part of an effort to 'prove' or 'disprove' anything.

If after that time you feel confident about your ideas and would like to see them recognized within the Order or its teachings, we invite you to present your findings to ADO Elders for consideration. The unanimous agreement of all Elders in our membership and the consent of Elders in the Greater Tradition is required to approve such a change or addition. This occurs extremely rarely, but where approval is granted you will be given credit for your work; in the meanwhile, please do not let your enthusiasm and desire for answers run away with you! Patience is Wisdom's chief virtue. We must all be willing to allow the Truth to unfold if we wish to really know what truth lies at its end.

A Word on Avalon's Giants

(incl. Albion, Amathaon, Bendegeidfran, Brutus, Ceridwen & Celi, Cimbri, Cormelian & Cormoran, Enlli, Gog-Magog, Hu Gadarn, Idris, Iberius, Llŷr & company)

Titans and Giants are earthly or celestial spiritual beings. On Earth, their bodies comprise large continental zones or features such as islands, seas, and mountains. In the heavens, they are associated with storms and celestial bodies such as planets whose motions have a strong influence on earthly cycles and patterns. Tidal waves, earthquakes, eruptions, and storms, are traditionally attributed to them worldwide. Giant tales are of three basic kinds in Avalon:


In early Celtic tradition, the Gaels considered the Tuatha de Danann to be (or to be descended from) a race of titans. Their tales tell of spiritual forces that move within the earth and/or between the planets of the solar system, affecting life on earth and acting upon (and interacting with) oceans, continents, and the star-fire in the heart of Earth. Giants are the ultimate 'movers and shapers', associated with 'making', with development of life on Earth, and with transformative (or 'destructive') forces. Their myths teach us about the large forces that shape our planet and humanity, and illuminate our possible relationships with them.

Author Nicholas Mann, himself an Avalonian Druid, in his book Giants of Gaia (with Marcia Sutton, PhD.) observes that place stories of landscapes being made by giants are common throughout the world. The idea of the landscape itself as an enormous body is ingrained in the very bones of our language. We speak of the "mouths" of rivers, the "fingers" of lakes, the "elbows" of streams, "headlands", "foothills", and concept of "the heartland", images that are deeply embedded in the dreaming mind and remembered in the world's place names such as the Giant's Tooth atop Mont Blanc, and the Giant's Causeway of the Irish Sea (made when an Irish giant attempted to reach his Scottish lover). Many large chasms around the world are known as the Giant's Leap, Ditch or Canyon.

Gogmagog and Ysbadadden, the mythic leaders of their ancient British race, are as present in our world today as "fairy tales" giants such as Jack and the Beanstalk. The land remembers giants as helpful builders and mentors to humanity. Many Scottish monuments have the prefix 'giant', including:
European folk tradition remembers giants as being friendly if approached in the right way. The giant of Grabbist Hill in Britain helped fishermen and Gruagachs or Fachans (Wild Herdsmen) protected cattle if offerings were left to them. Although modernism has rendered giants in human terms, in fact giants are the elemental forces of the world; they are nature. Humans lived in harmony with these natural forces until the Christian war in heaven, which destroyed the unifying cosmology of the Great Goddess and defined "spirit" as being separate from "matter". As the idea of a compartmentalized reality spread, so Nature and natural forces began to be perceived as hostile and unpredictable. In response, modern life is based on an illusion of control -- specifically, man's control over Nature.

Because we do not know Nature, we do not trust Nature. Seeing the spirits of the living earth in their true guises as subtle, diverse, aware, colossal beings, reaching into every dimension of life, denies man control over Nature. In response, mankind sought to redefine the ancient spirits of place in more human terms; but this did not "tame" them. Since we could not control them we began to see them as malevolent forces. Eventually, reality itself was redefined in fixed, linear terms, and writing relieved the language we use to describe reality of the need for an active thinker. In this environment concepts achieved an illusory objectivity; thinking became more abstract, further estranging us from our instinctive and intuitive knowledge of the natural world. But giants communicate to us through the direct experiences of life. As Nicholas points out, these experiences can be enhanced through sympathetic magic based on the Law of Abundance and the Principle of Proportional Equivalence (the idea that something small can effect its greater likeness). Though difficult for the modern science-oriented mind to grasp, a holistic worldview was "native" to the far ancestors. It is our own notions that would be incomprehensible for the Tribes, whose native tongues were predisposed toward synchronicity and a holistic cosmos defined by sympathetic resonance and non-linear time and space.

A clue to the identity of some of Avalon's giants lies in the fact that the ancient world often described giants as having "the heads of men, but the bodies of serpents" (Hesiod, Theogony, 116-187, 616-23); an image familiar to us from the earliest story descriptions of Avalon's Ladies of the Lake! Verification for this may be found in the vast history of our time upon the earth that is stored in the DNA within each of our bodies. The giants of old and the body of the Great Goddess are literally remembered "in our bones"; in mountain ranges, rivers, plains, woods and forests. As Nicholas observes, "In the landscape itself is written a language which promises the restoration of a sacred world."

[NOTE: As is mentioned on the opening page, the Three Royal Houses of Wales correspond roughly to the three kindred Faery races of Celtic lore, though they do not retain precisely the same descriptions (Plant Dôn=de Danann; Plant Llŷr=Fir Bolg; Plant Ceridwen= Fomoire).]
Perspectives on Spirit in Early Avalonian Druidry
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