Druid Network membership – the decision

As I posted about about trying to work out whether or not to renew my membership to the Druid Network I thought it only fair to post about my decision and the reasoning behind it.

My main concerns were over the last statement of being a positive expression of druidry and I’ve had feedback on this blog, on the Druid Network Forum and sent to me personally.  I’m grateful for all the comments received.

My decision has been to renew membership and these are my reasons in no particular order.

Dreamguardian asked me what I get out of being a member and what, if any, is the point of my membership.  Being a member of the Druid Network does give me a connection to a different aspect of the wider pagan community and it’s a community I have been a part of for a long time.  It’s also one that I have made friends in and learnt from.  I wouldn’t be at the place I am now in my personal path without the interactions I had on the Druid Network Forums.  I value that community and having learnt so much from the people within it I feel a responsibility to do what I can to continue to share my experiences and points of view with those within that community.  I’m also one of the few Scottish members of TDN and as I am also a member of the Pagan Federation Scotland Council I feel that my ongoing membership of both groups benefits members of each group and other pagans in Scotland because I can provide a communication link between these groups and individuals.

However, this alone was not enough for me to decide to renew.  My biggest question was still about being a positive expression of druidry and it was a comment on the Druid Network forum that helped me to look at this in another way.

I do not consider myself to be a druid or even following druidry as a path but I did once.  My previous experiences and learning can not be simply cast aside.

To use a metaphor if druidry is an orchard with tangled roots deep in the unseen earth and branches reaching out in many directions I’m one of the fruits that has dropped off, rolled down a hill and started sprouting with a bunch of other fruits.  I’m growing in a different orchard now, nourished by new soil and developing with others but my life began on another tree.

If I am a positive expression of what I am now then I think I must also be a positive expression of what I learnt in my past.

So I have renewed my membership to the Druid Network and I hope to continue to be a positive expression of all that I am and have been.