Meditations on the
7-Pointed Star of Druidism
Seren Derwydd Series
Part 3: Rhyddfrydwr – Liberalness

Continuing on in our interpretation of the Seren Derwydd, we have established that each point stands for a particular attribute that Druids either develop over time or exhibit when they are first drawn towards Druidry. To review, these attributes are:

Point #1: Doethiweb – Wisdom
Point #2: Eluseugan - - Compassion
Point #3: Rhyddfrydwr – Liberalness
Point #4: Wmbredd – Abundance
Point #5: Ymnellltuaeth – Noncomformity
Point #6: Dysg – Learning
Point #7: Delfrydwr – Idealism

Last time we discussed Eluseugan or Compassion in English. Point #3 then naturally flows from this sense of compassion. Rhyddfrydwr, or Liberalness (or liberality) in English is not the British sense of the word but rather the American ideal often derided as “left wing liberalism.”

Druids, if politically oriented at all, are mostly to be found in the Socialist, Green or the far left wing of the Democratic Parties. A good example of someone who thinks like a Druid (though I doubt he is) is Noam Chompsky. Another one is Dennis Kucinich. These people, like Druids, understand that the humanity is one people and that harm to one person or class ultimately harms the whole. Druids favor an economic system that balances capitalism with socialism (the yin and yang of economics) and understands that in order for one person to enjoy Liberty, everyone else must be empowered Equally in order to fully enjoy the Fraternity of all mankind. So the very rich freely give of their taxes so as to benefit the very poor, and raise their standard of living. Likewise, by giving freely, the very rich stop over-consuming, and thus are free to focus more on the spiritual, and less on the mundane.

Ultimately, a Druidic economic system would be cashless and based on the principles of sharing all. The concept of ownership would simply cease to exist, and goods and services would be shared equally amongst all. Ultimately poverty, disease, hunger, homelessness, war and violence would be faint memories of a dark age. Likewise, selfishness, greed, possessiveness and mean-spiritedness would also be attitudes of the past.

Human rights and the upholding of the Bill of Rights are of the utmost concern. “Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness” are principles that must be available to everyone, regardless of race, creed, sexual orientation, age or gender. Economic opportunities must be available for everyone, and equal access to the marketplace must be guaranteed. Education is paramount, and the Druid works for equal educational opportunities for all, from Pre-School to Graduate School, in an egalitarian and secular environment. Healthcare is also a right that all should enjoy, and in fact should be totally and utterly free as it is in all of the advanced countries. Free expression is also a right, and monotheistic moralistic laws restricting behavior need to be struck down. Likewise, laws that criminalize soft drugs (such as marijuana, LSD, peyote, etc.) need to be wiped off the books. But all this is just the tip of the iceberg.

The environment is the number one concern for the Druid, as we are the stewards of the Earth Mother. And the number one environmental issue for the Druid is putting an end to deforestation. We’ve come to a point technologically where we can stop using lumber to build with. There’s really no longer a point to the entire lumber industry. Likewise, we can recycle most paper, and new paper could be made from industrial hemp.

There’s simply no logical or moral need to cut another tree down. And for that matter, there is a moral imperative to plant more trees. An example is in the Middle East. Prior to the arrival of the Jewish people to Palestine, that area was more or less a desert, and even today much of it still is. But the Jewish people began a program of reforestation, the result of which today there are vast forests growing on the hills surrounding Jerusalem and in northern Israel. Orange and grapefruit groves grow all along the Mediterranean coast; on land that the former owners believed was worthless.

Urban-based Druids can especially be effective in promoting the acquisition, preservation and development of “green belts” and “urban forests” in our cities.

I could go on and on, but I’m remembering that the Pagan music group, Gypsy, on their album “Enchantress”, summarized the spirit of the attribute of Rhyddfrydwr in the song, “We Want To Live”:

We want to live
in a world that survives
On the planet of life
with light in our lives

By the power of the moon
and the strength of the sun
We are one on the Earth

We want a world where there is love for everybody
We want a world where there is no more war....
We want a world where there is hope for everybody
We want a world that’s better than before

Give us a world where there is food for everybody
Water is pure; the air is fresh and clean
We want a world that is good for everybody
We want a world where everyone is free

We want a world
(oh, say can you see...)
We want a world
(there’s a change in the wind)
We want a world
(so proudly we hail)
We want a world
(the new age, is dawning....)

We want a world where there is peace for everybody
We want a world where there is no more war
We want a world where there is truth for everybody
We want a world that better than before

We need a world where there is food for everybody
Flowers that bloom with trees green and tall.
We want a world that is good for everybody
We want a world with joy and peace for all

We want a world
(The time has now come...)
We want a world
(to heal....)
We want a world
(the wounds of the world)
We want a world
(Earth Mother is calling....)

We want a world that is good for everybody
We want a world where there is no more war
We want a world with food for everybody
We want a world that’s better than before....

Io Evoe...save the world
Love is the key.....
Io Evoe....bring us peace
So Mote It Be....

We want to live in a world that survives
On the planet of life with light in our eyes
By the power of the moon and the strength of the sun
We are one on the Earth....

We want to live in a world that survives
With love in our hearts and light in our eyes
So our children can sing when all battles are done
We are one on the earth.......