In this interview I am once again joined by Dr Thomas Clough Daffern philosopher, educator, peace activist, and peace officer for the Council of British Druid Orders. In this episode, Thomas shares his lifetime of research into the druid tradition of the British Isles and Europe, including his historical research and personal contact with druids today. Thomas reveals why most modern day druid groups are reconstructionists, and probes the possibility of a living druid lineage in certain areas of Ireland. Thomas explains why he believes Jesus was an initiate of the mystery schools of his day, discusses the connections between Celtic culture and mystical Christianity, and shares his current research into the Gnostic Gospels and the Gospel of Mary Magdalene. Thomas also considers the guru disciple relationship, what ‘enlightenment’ means in different traditions, the dangers of prematurely declaring one’s enlightenment, and offers warning signs for recognising guru and cult figures. … Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep181-druidic-enlightenment-and-european-mysticism 
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’. … Topics Include: 00:00 - Intro 01:10 - Discovering the druids 02:06 - Researching the occultist Dr John Dee 03:07 - Meeting a druid 04:28 - Advocacy for access to British sacred sites 09:42 - Druid spread across Europe 12:08 - History of the druids 16:26 - Was Jesus Christ an initiate of the mysteries? 18:54 - Gnostic gospels and the inner disciples 20:56 - Love and wisdom confronting false power and ignorance 22:06 - Celtic-Christian connections 23:42 - Thomas’ current research into the Gospel of Mary Magdalene 25:55 - Are current druid groups reconstructions or part of a living lineage? 31:44 - Advocacy for Irish culture 32:37 - Druidry should be taught in schools 33:36 - Druids and enlightenment 37:32 - Buddhism vs the druid path 42:16 - What is enlightenment? 42:59 - Common root of Vedic, Kabbalist, and Druid teachings 49:31 - Druid revolutionaries 54:27 - The Judas mystery 58:47 - Great teachers and bad disciples 01:00:47 - Keats’ school for souls 01:01:24 - Planetary enlightenment or bust 01:03:31 - Golden Gate Project 01:04:47 - The Eastern gate of Jerusalem 01:08:51 - Transcending revenge consciousness … Previous episodes with Dr Daffern: - https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=daffern … To find our more about Dr Daffern, visit: - http://www.educationaid.net/ - https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/iipsgp - https://interfaithpeacetreaty.wordpress.com/ … For more interviews, videos, and more visit: - www.guruviking.com Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James