About the Black Mountain Druid Order
“Druid” is probably the Gaelic equivalent of the word “shaman.” Scholars theorize that it means “oak wisdom” or “one whose knowledge is great.” So Druids are those who seek wisdom. In the context of the rites and practices of Druidry as practiced by the Black Mountain Druid Order, this means practicing a form of Celtic shamanism.
What is now the Black Mountain Druid Order was founded in 1997 by former members of Emerald Coast Druid Grove in Pensacola, Florida. When we moved to the Western North Carolina mountains in 2000, we often met in the town of Black Mountain, North Carolina, near Asheville.
Our Mother Grove was then called the Black Mountain Druid Grove. The Grove became an Order in 2003 when it began training apprentices in the teachings of the Black Mountain Druid Grove. As we grew as an Order, we gradually found ourselves shifting to an emphasis on Celtic shamanism. This course is a new version of the old Black Mountain Druid Order Handbook, which was revised and greatly expanded to reflect the changes in the nature of our Order as we introduced more shamanic teachings. The Mother Grove of the Order now resides in Tacoma, Washington, but we kept the name Black Mountain Druid Order in honor of our heritage and history. In a metaphorical sense, the name “Black Mountain” also symbolizes the potential of the subconscious mind. Consciousness is just the tip of the iceberg. In the Black Mountain Druid Order we seek to tap into the powers of the unconscious mind through the tools of Celtic shamanism. To the uninitiated, the subconscious is truly a “Black Mountain” waiting to be climbed.
The primary mission of the Black Mountain Druid Order is to foster the growth and development of individual Druids and Druid Groves through the Black Mountain Druid Order’s educational programs, while helping our members to develop in mind, body spirit, and emotion through the Way of the Druid.