We often hear about Druidism and Druidry, but what is the difference and why does it matter?
Druidry is the
modern philosophy of the various types of Druids.
Followers of Druidry can worship almost any deities, not just Celtic. A good example of this is
Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship,Inc. ("ADF").
Most of the people who practice Druidry are
Meso-Druids or
Neo-Druids. The various paths of
Meso-Druidry originated (for the most part) in the "occult renaissance" of the 1700's and 1800's. They were Druidic orders set up for the study of Druidry, with a fraternal structure similar to Masonic orders. There are several of these orders still around, mostly in England, although there are a couple of groups in North America that may have similar lineage.
Neo-Druidry is strongly influenced by Wicca and Ceremonial Magick and is probably the most eclectic and common type of Druid. Neo-Druidry is a very intuitive path, and Neo-Druids may even go so far as to include none Celtic deities in their personal pantheons. Some even go as far as describing themselves as "Druidic Wiccans" or "Celtic Wiccans". (Although Wicca is in no way Celtic in origin.)
Druidism is the
Celtic based religion and can be further broken down into:
Hereditary / Family Tradition: These traditions are passed down from family member to family member. They may have various sources, including Meso-Druidism and the remnants of more ancient Druidic paths. In every case the path has been handed down longer than any family member can remember. A Hereditary / Family Tradition isn't just something granddad or granny cooked up, but instead has a long lineage. A good example of this is
An Rian Faisneach Celtic Reconstructionist: These traditions tend to vary in name, ie. Gallic Recon, Ivernian Recon. etc. depending on which Celtic peoples they have an affinity to. They believe that there are no surviving Druidic traditions and try to reconstruct them from academic resources. More information can be found
here.
Celtic Heathen Revivalism: Thee traditions combine what was handed down through family traditions with academic resources to revive what is known of Druidism. A good example of this is
GARRÁN BUILG™ a form of
Ivernian Heathen Revivalism (often called "
an Rian Sinnsearach," that is, "
the Ancestral Way" or "
the Elder Way").
All types of Druids practice some form of Druidry, however not all Druids practice Druidism. This is analogous to saying that Wicca is a type of Witchcraft, but not all Witchcraft is Wiccan. Also much like Witches, Druids can be offended if you assume that they are one type if they are another.
I hope that this article clears up some of the confusion as to what is meant when someone refers do Druidry or Druidism. At the least I hope it enables one to ask more informed questions.
the Fluid Druid
Project X13 By Pagans, For Pagans 
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