the Insular Order of Druids
Initiation at Stonehenge
1995
At dawn on Sunday February 26th IOD held an initiation ritual at Stonehenge.
Although the government were adamant that no druids or worshippers of
any kind were to be allowed near the stones at the solsices or other
holy days, it was a little-known fact that English Heritage would allow
small groups of worshippers to pay for access to the stones outside of
tourist hours. Each of us paid about twelve quid, and we were allowed
there between 6:45 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. It was made clear that we must be
gone before 9 a.m.
IOD Arch-Druid Dylan Ap Thuin brought seven of his druids to be
initiated, and five druids from other orders performed the initiation,
including King Arthur, Rollo Maughling of The Glastonbury Order
Of Druids, Carloyn Wise and Steve Wilson of The Fellowship Of Isis and
John Merrin of The Druid Clan Of Dana. There were thirteen of us in all.
The seven initiates met in the car park in darkness. Besides myself we
were Nick Branson and Sonja, Dave Harris, Roger Palmer, Orc and Phil.
Our eyes were blindfolded and our hands were bound. Over the long hour
that it took for the sky to lighten we were led very slowly by the
initiating druids out of the car park and through the tunnel under the
road. As we approached the stone entrance to the circle we were all
stopped by the initiating druids. Each of us was questioned according
to the ritual and gave the replies we had learned in our preparation.
As we entered the circle our bonds were removed but not our blindfolds.
At the moment the sun rose and shone its light across the Salisbury
Plain, through the stone arches and into the circle we were turned to
face it and our blindfolds were removed. It had been a bitterly cold
night in February but the sky was clear and the rising sun was the
first thing we saw and felt as druids. Each of us was then asked for the name
that we chose to use in our new life as druids, and I answered "Lugodoc".
Lugh was the sun-god of the ancient Irish celts.
The moment was captured for posterity in the photograph below.
From left to right: Sonja (IOD initiate), Nick Branson (IOD initiate),
John Merrin of The Druid Clan Of Dana, Dave Harris (IOD initiate), Phil
(IOD initiate), Lugodoc (IOD initiate), Dylan Ap Thuin (IOD
Arch-Druid), Roger Palmer (IOD initiate), Carloyn Wise and Steve Wilson
of The Fellowship Of Isis, King Arthur, Rollo Maughling of The
Glastonbury Order Of Druids, Orc (IOD initiate and LAW).
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