Welcome
You have found Clas Brython, the home of Brython. The main area of this site is accessible to members only. We have placed some general information about our organisation and the Brythonic traditions to serve as an introduction to our community. Our public site, Caer Feddwyd is open to all. There you will find articles on a broad range of subjects and a forum where you can ask questions, add to our discussions and find out more about Brython.
‘Clas’ means enclosure. 'Clas Myrddin' was said to be a name for the island of Britain, and to us it represents all that encompasses the Brythonic Tradition.People often ask if we are Welsh or ‘Celtic’. In truth, at one time all of the British mainland and Brittany were considered to be Brythonic, and we follow this same principle. Taliesin may have been born in Wales, but he was renowned as a bard in Cumbria (from the same root word as Cymru). Boudicca was from modern day Norfolk. Myrddin himself spent time in the Caledonian forests.
Who are we?
Brython aims to research, recover and redistribute to the best of our knowledge and wisdom the native British pre-Christian Spirituality, as evidenced by historical sources and personal experiences, to trace its influence and expression into later times and to explore its application and relevance to life in the modern world.
Brython is a tribal influenced community, with bonds formed through both face to face and online interaction. While Brython is completely free to join, we ask for something far more valuable: the responsibility of belonging to a community which values contribution. Broadly, we are polytheists, coming together to honour our gods and ancestors and to develop our relationship with the land we live upon. We place equal value upon experiential and academic work, recognising that each is worthless without the other.
Brython considers itself a 'clan', a group of people with a mutual bond and reliance. The mutual bond of Brython is the deep connection to the pre-Christian traditions of mainland Britain. Whilst we do not deny later influences upon these lands, it is the pre-Christian which draws our focus and forms the common purpose of our researches.
The concept of Brython has existed for a number of years as a mutual respect and understanding between the founder members, all of whom had been active in various areas of the 'neo-pagan' traditions. The decision to create a tangible manifestation of 'Brython' was a reaction against the increasingly eclectic nature of modern 'Celtic' based neo-paganisms and neo-Druidic groups which brought together aspects of many traditions in a form becoming increasingly detached from any inspiration they may have had in their naming. The exceedingly rich aspects of the Brythonic tradition were being eclipsed by the more immediate writings of the Irish and post-Christian.
We do not claim the title of 'Druid' so prevalent in the neo-pagan scene. While we might have priests among us, a community made only of priests and no laity is out of balance. In a thriving community a broad range of skills is necessary, with each being essential to the well being of those within it.
Joining Brython
The first step in becoming a part of the clan of Brython is to join the discussion board at Caer Feddwyd. Here you will have the opportunity to engage in discussion with the primary purpose of the understanding of the native traditions of Britain. This should help you decide if Brython is something which you would be willing and able to participate in.
Membership to Brython is then by invitation, based upon your commitment to the aims of our organisation and willingness to contribute. Brython members gain access to a members only area in which we discuss topics in more depth and share deeper wisdoms with each other.