Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids
Encyclopedia
The Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids or OBOD is a Neo-Druidic organisation based in England
, but based in part on the Welsh Gorsedd of Bards. It has grown to become a dynamic druid
organisation, with members in all parts of the world.
The concept of the three roles of bards, ovates and druids originates from the writings of the ancient Greek historian and geographer Strabo
, who in his Geographica, written in the 20s CE, stated that amongst the Gaul
s, there were three types of honoured figures: the poets and singers known as bardoi, the diviners and specialists in the natural world known as o'vateis, and those who studied "moral philosophy", the druidai. Nonetheless, Strabo's accuracy has been called into question, as he was not actually well acquainted with Gaul and was likely relying on earlier sources whose accuracy is also disputed.
as its leader.
In 1988, after studying in the order and helping to further its reaches, Philip Carr-Gomm
was asked to lead the Order. Other notable members also hold somewhat senior positions in the order, often with the title of "Honourary Bard", a good example of this being Damh the Bard, who is involved mostly in the UK groves and running the podcast
.
, Ovate
and Druid
. Members meet at camps, at workshops and assemblies in various parts of the world, and a network of grove
s and seedgroups also exists. There are a number of internet forum
s, a private members’ website in addition to OBOD’s public-access site, a monthly journal ‘Touchstone’ and quarterly journals in Dutch and in English for Australasia.
. However, something about the Order that is considered atypical in that it is not practiced by many other Drudic orders is the acceptance of members regardless of religion, meaning that membership is open to those who may hold Christian beliefs and not necessarily conform to an otherwise "typical" Druidic belief, such as reincarnation
.
Many members of the Order prefer to learn at home, solitary, as opposed to recorded Druids of early pre-Christian Britain that would have congregated to share wisdom or meet for occasion. Members are sent course information and materials, and may be assigned a tutor if they wish to have someone to communicate with.
The pantheon
of which an individual Druid is also allowed to be decided by that individual and the group that they practice in. This means that the Order holds members of mostly Celtic pantheons, usually relating to the four, pre-Christian Celtic nations of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. This also evokes the beliefs of Paganism
and associated religions, such as the practice of Ancestral worship, Naturism
, Polytheism
and Spiritualism
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, but based in part on the Welsh Gorsedd of Bards. It has grown to become a dynamic druid
Druid
A druid was a member of the priestly class in Britain, Ireland, and Gaul, and possibly other parts of Celtic western Europe, during the Iron Age....
organisation, with members in all parts of the world.
The concept of the three roles of bards, ovates and druids originates from the writings of the ancient Greek historian and geographer Strabo
Strabo
Strabo, also written Strabon was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born to an affluent family from Amaseia in Pontus , a city which he said was situated the approximate equivalent of 75 km from the Black Sea...
, who in his Geographica, written in the 20s CE, stated that amongst the Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
s, there were three types of honoured figures: the poets and singers known as bardoi, the diviners and specialists in the natural world known as o'vateis, and those who studied "moral philosophy", the druidai. Nonetheless, Strabo's accuracy has been called into question, as he was not actually well acquainted with Gaul and was likely relying on earlier sources whose accuracy is also disputed.
Founding
It was founded in 1964 as a split from the Ancient Druid Order with Ross NicholsRoss Nichols
Ross Nichols was a Cambridge academic and published poet, artist and historian, who founded the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids in 1964. He wrote prolifically on the subjects of Druidism and Celtic mythology.- Work :...
as its leader.
In 1988, after studying in the order and helping to further its reaches, Philip Carr-Gomm
Philip Carr-Gomm
Philip Carr-Gomm is an author in the fields of psychology and Druidry, a psychologist, and one of the leaders of The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids.-Biography:...
was asked to lead the Order. Other notable members also hold somewhat senior positions in the order, often with the title of "Honourary Bard", a good example of this being Damh the Bard, who is involved mostly in the UK groves and running the podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
.
Dissemination
The teachings are arranged in the form of a distance-learning course mailed to members around the world. There is a network of tutors, many using email, to support the students’ progress through the grades of BardBard
In medieval Gaelic and British culture a bard was a professional poet, employed by a patron, such as a monarch or nobleman, to commemorate the patron's ancestors and to praise the patron's own activities.Originally a specific class of poet, contrasting with another class known as fili in Ireland...
, Ovate
Vates
The earliest Latin writers used vātēs to denote "prophets" and soothsayers in general; the word fell into disuse in Latin until it was revived by Virgil...
and Druid
Druid
A druid was a member of the priestly class in Britain, Ireland, and Gaul, and possibly other parts of Celtic western Europe, during the Iron Age....
. Members meet at camps, at workshops and assemblies in various parts of the world, and a network of grove
Sacred grove
A sacred grove is a grove of trees of special religious importance to a particular culture. Sacred groves were most prominent in the Ancient Near East and prehistoric Europe, but feature in various cultures throughout the world...
s and seedgroups also exists. There are a number of internet forum
Internet forum
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are at least temporarily archived...
s, a private members’ website in addition to OBOD’s public-access site, a monthly journal ‘Touchstone’ and quarterly journals in Dutch and in English for Australasia.
Teachings
The teachings of the Order could be seen as typical of Neo-druidism today, in that it teaches its followers the belief of the sanctity of nature and a belief in the OtherworldOtherworld
Otherworld, or the Celtic Otherworld, is a concept in Celtic mythology that refers to the home of the deities or spirits, or a realm of the dead.Otherworld may also refer to:In film and television:...
. However, something about the Order that is considered atypical in that it is not practiced by many other Drudic orders is the acceptance of members regardless of religion, meaning that membership is open to those who may hold Christian beliefs and not necessarily conform to an otherwise "typical" Druidic belief, such as reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
.
Many members of the Order prefer to learn at home, solitary, as opposed to recorded Druids of early pre-Christian Britain that would have congregated to share wisdom or meet for occasion. Members are sent course information and materials, and may be assigned a tutor if they wish to have someone to communicate with.
The pantheon
Pantheon (gods)
A pantheon is a set of all the gods of a particular polytheistic religion or mythology.Max Weber's 1922 opus, Economy and Society discusses the link between a...
of which an individual Druid is also allowed to be decided by that individual and the group that they practice in. This means that the Order holds members of mostly Celtic pantheons, usually relating to the four, pre-Christian Celtic nations of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. This also evokes the beliefs of Paganism
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
and associated religions, such as the practice of Ancestral worship, Naturism
Naturism
Naturism or nudism is a cultural and political movement practising, advocating and defending social nudity in private and in public. It may also refer to a lifestyle based on personal, family and/or social nudism....
, Polytheism
Polytheism
Polytheism is the belief of multiple deities also usually assembled into a pantheon of gods and goddesses, along with their own mythologies and rituals....
and Spiritualism
Spiritualism (beliefs)
Spiritualism is a dualist metaphysical belief that the world is made up of at least two fundamental substances, matter and spirit. This very broad metaphysical distinction is further developed into many and various forms by the inclusion of details about what spiritual entities exist such as a...
.