Children Know the Magical World of Druids

On a piece of charred, hardened paper, I had drawn a map of the entire forest—from the weir to the cornfield, from west to east. From the cottage to the forbidden quarry, where a dangerous 50-meter cliff loomed, from south to north. I had buried the map in a secret hiding place under a rock in the middle of this magical forest. I was the only one who knew about it. Alongside the map, other treasures of a young warrior and wizard lay hidden forever—remnants of candles, matches wrapped in plastic, colorful glass shards, polished agates, glass vials, and coins that were of immense value to me. This was my magical forest, and just as it took care of me, I took care of it and protected it from enemies.

As a true forest boy, I had built my own castle—a hut made of spruce and birch branches. A true boy’s world.

Guys, admit it. You had similar adventures, didn’t you? I hope you won’t hide behind your adult selves now, thinking, "Wow, this guy’s crazy—running around the forest like that." I believe you won’t 🙂 Because I trust that most of us have had these magical forest experiences. "But when?" you might ask.

When We Were Children

When we were children, our consciousness was on the level of wise shamans and druids. But why druids, specifically? Think back to your little son or daughter, so small and, in their own way, fearless. When they rushed into new explorations, eager to see what was around the corner, or touched a hot stove just to confirm that it really burned. "I told you, sweetheart," still echoes in your mind. Or when boys fearlessly waded into a stream, boots submerged up to their waists, all while chasing butterflies. "Who’s going to wash all these clothes?" or "When will you finally come to your senses?"

Shamans from nomadic tribes in Central Asia must have felt something similar. They were the vanguard of great migrations to Europe. These shamans set out on long and dangerous journeys through impenetrable forests into the unknown. Some went mad from solitude, some died from injuries or starvation. But many survived and attuned themselves to the ancient, magical world of the primordial forest. The forest changed them, and over years—perhaps decades—it spoke to them. It revealed some of its secrets, its magic, its medicine, and its knowledge. They became druids.

When the migrating tribes moving westward eventually found them, these druids became tribal teachers, passing on all the wisdom that the forest, trees, and nature had given them. They became the Druvid—those who see far and know much. They became the priests of the Celts.

Do You Remember the Last Time You Saw and Knew?

Try searching your memory—can you recall a childhood moment when the forest spoke to you in a similar way? When you saw and knew? I certainly can. A moment, a mission, a boyhood adventure—when I undoubtedly became a druid with magical power that day.

I Want to Be as Brave as I Was as a Little Boy

Recently, I discovered an incredible and wise book by Michael Vescoli, The Celtic Tree Calendar. The subtitle reads: About People, Time, and Trees. I highly recommend it to everyone. And as often happens, the book found me at exactly the right time. I had been searching the internet for sources to describe individual trees according to the Celtic tree calendar, and suddenly, there it was. It was only available on an online book marketplace—after all, it’s quite an old book. A little treasure, at least for me.

I’d like to quote Vescoli directly, because I doubt I could put it better myself:

"If we knew more about the consciousness of our children, we would better understand what the magical world of the druids looked like. In any case, they managed to preserve their childlike ability to learn creatively, which is far more effective than the abilities of an adult. Likewise, they retained their gift of foresight, clairvoyance, and a spontaneous readiness to face any form of fear with courage."

I keep reading this passage over and over, feeling the immense power in these words. I want to be a boy again—the boy who knew how to talk to the tree behind the cottage with the wisdom of the druids. I want to dream of flying, of wielding an oak staff and casting spells. I almost envy my son, Luky, who has an entire basket of sticks on our terrace—sticks that mean the world to him. Each one was found in a different place, each has unique abilities and properties. It’s practically a sacred collection. And whenever my wife and I sort through them, he immediately notices if one weapon or magical artifact is missing. I’ve even reached the point where, if I find an interesting stick during my forest wanderings, I have to bring it home and tell him exactly where I found it. Instantly, he knows its purpose.

"Thanks, Dad! This stick was the one I was missing. Now I can finally build invisible walls." Of course, I understand 🙂

Our children, Míša and Luky, have our utmost respect. We allow their imagination and natural curiosity to flourish. We let them explore. I hope I can say that. I know that sometimes I slip back into my adult, system-driven mindset, wanting everything to be structured and organized. But I believe that, for the most part, the part of me that doesn’t want to destroy the magic in my children prevails. The school system already does that in many ways—education today, unfortunately, doesn’t support creative learning, simply because it doesn’t know how.

So us parents are left with only one option—to create a home environment where our children feel comfortable. A place where they don’t feel ashamed, where they can continue to explore and discover the world in a magical way, just as the druids did. Let your children create mystical symbols that protect your home. Let them use magic, and encourage them in doing so. It will repay you many times over.

And if you ever feel the urge to learn how to do magic like your children—don’t be afraid. Ask them.

They will teach you with love.