Every living being is considered sacred within Druidry. Just as every plant, tree, and blade of grass is cherished, so is every animal, fish, and bird.
However, just as certain trees receive special veneration in Druidry such as mistletoe and the oak, so do certain animals such as the hind, salmon, and the raven.
In Druidry it is suggested that each animal carries a different energy and healing potential and that we are able to connect with these energies in both the real and the Otherworld – in our dreams and meditations.
Inner Awareness, Energy, Healing
Each creature offers gifts of inner awareness, energy, and healing to its willing recipients. Anyone who has kept and loved animals will know of the astonishing bonds that form between us and the animals we love.
Many people have reported telepathic connections with their animals and studies have shown that keeping animals extends life and promotes good health, all of which shows us that animals truly do possess gifts of vitality and healing.
These gifts are available to us by physically connecting with an animal, but of course this isn’t always practical – it isn’t advised that you attempt to pet a lion or snake for example.
However, we can also connect with these animals in the spiritual world, or Otherworld, through our meditations and dreams.
The hind, a female red deer, enjoys special veneration within Druidry and is considered to be especially sacred – much like AFL Premiership betting is sacred to sports bettors.
Hinds are known as ‘fairy cattle’ in Scotland and elders tell stories of seeing these magnificent creatures being milked by fairies on the mountaintops and some even believe that hinds are women who have shape-shifted into these beautiful beings.
To have a hind appear to you either in life or in your dreams and meditations, generally means that you will soon experience great happiness and that your life is on the verge of changing in positive ways.
The salmon represents the goal of each Druid – the Salmon of Wisdom. The salmon is usually considered as the most sacred of all animals in Druidic traditions as it is known as the ‘Oldest Animal’ and the fish as symbolism within spiritual tradition is pervasive in Hinduism, Buddhism, the Vedas, Babylonian and Sumerian mythology, and Christianity.
Today, when the modern Druid seeks the Salmon of Wisdom they connect not only with the traditions of the ancient Druids, but also to the knowledge that is deeply rooted in the collective consciousness of all of humanity.
Druidic of old were often referred to as ‘adders’ in ancient texts and were said to possess ‘serpent knowledge’ or ‘raven knowledge’.
Within Druidry, ravens are said to possess prophetic knowledge, meditative healing, protection, and antecedent power.
Seen as the messenger between the two worlds, the raven is often found buried at the bottom of ancient ritual pits – such as at Danebury in Hampshire – as these pits symbolised the passage between this world and the Otherworld.