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About
What is ACOD?
ACOD the Australian College Of Druidry is an ambitious project designed to bring some of the perceived features & structures used by the early Celtic Druid colleges into the present day, and perhaps more specifically into Australia.
We hope by this work we can create the spirit of Celtia here in Australia. The basic structure of the college is intended to be akin to the structure of a tree! With various units the (roots) supporting the main body and branches of the college, see the diagram below:
Background
Contrary to popular perception, the Ancient Celtic nation was known to extended over much of Europe. Archaeological & historical evidence shows that they had a well established cultural basis including many educational Colleges. These collages were attended by those who aspired to the arts, music, culture, history, healing or law. They were primarily places to train bards healers or druids and were the origins of our collages & universities today. The English and Irish collages especially were held in very high esteem by other cultures in Europe and the middle east.
Many people have a romantic vision of students sitting about in ancient Oak groves while white bearded tutors taught them the ancient crafts. This vision would almost certainly have been true - during the fine weather of the summer months.
However given that the average druid training was said to span 19 years of full time study, we could reasonable expect, at least during the winter months, that much study would be done under shelter, ( incidentally the complete lunar cycle is 19 years).
We know of necessity that druids & shamans alike kept them selves segregated from the main comings and goings of normal tribal life. Therefor over time this would have given birth to purpose built College buildings. In fact many people believe that even in early Christian times nunneries and monasteries were druid Colleges under this guise.
Through to the present day
Sadly much of the Celtic culture was decimated by the Romans and successive invasions. Consequently much of their accumulated knowledge has been lost to us or at best fragmented and in subsequent years even more so.
Amazingly, some of the ancient wisdom has survived and the Celtic culture is presently undergoing a huge revival. However it is generally accepted that what we seem to have left in the present day in general, is two main paths or cults, that is: the solar cult and the lunar cult, with Adherents tending to stick firmly to there prescribed path.
Enter ACOD
Over the years the two paths of the Solar cult and the Lunar cult have undergone a multitude of changes and revivals. As the founding principle of the Australian collage of Druidry it is my firm belief that these two ÔpathsÕ were originally part of the same druid collage curriculum and if so would give students a more balanced magical & esoteric education.
ACOD aims to return to this more balanced magical & esoteric educational approach. Additionally ACOD aims to bring useful information & practical ways to encourage Shamanic, animistic & earth based spiritual traditions within Australia
So what do we do?
Many traditional esoteric and craft teachings maintain that seekers need to pursue a variety of skills as part of their training i.e.:
- Learn a Musical instrument
- Become an accomplished Story teller/writer
- Develop some skill in Poetry
- Become skilled in a craft i.e. woodcarving.
- Learn to sing or chant
- Specialize in a knowledge path i.e. Tree lore
- Learn healing crafts i.e. herbalist
- Become skilled at a martial art
- Develop a form of divination skill i.e. Runes
- Develop your natural magical talent
The Australian College of Druidry encourages students to develop their skill levels in all these paths and more, maintaining a true holistic approach to Druidry.
[About ACOD] [The Branches] [Workshops ] [Tutor Bio's]
[Correspondence Course] [Celtic Druid - Supplies ] [Links] [Home]
