ADF / Druidry files, part 1 of 2 parts, containing: (1) Cover letter from Jaguar (2) Recommended Sources for Further Info (Jaguar) (3) Indo-European Paleopaganism & Clergy (Bonewits) (4) What is ADF? (Bonewits) (5) A New Tradition of Neopagan Druidism (Bonewits) ________________________________________________________________________ Please do write to Jaguar to establish contact with ADF; she is trying to collect demographics and help folks network. Please tell her where you are and where you saw these files. Thank you! ________________________________________________________________________ Thanks so much for requesting information about Druidism! There are several Druid paths, and several Druid organizations. The information which follows is primarily about Ar nDraiocht Fein - A Druid Fellowship (ADF), but if you are interested in another group, please let me know and I can provide some other contacts. ADF is the largest, fastest growing neopagan Druid organization in the world, and is creating an open, publicly accessible, neopagan Druid path based on a sensible blend of ancient practices and modern realities. As the Archdruid, Isaac Bonewits, is fond of saying, we want to 'paganize mainstream religion by mainstreaming paganism.' Below are some suggestions for additional resources to pursue, and following are some emails with introductory information, articles about Druidism, and other bits and pieces you may find interesting. Be sure to pay attention to the copyright dates on the various articles, as they will be a clue to the timing of the information. Incidentally, ADF has developed pretty much as Isaac foresaw. If you have any questions about any of this material, please feel free to contact me at kithoward@delphi.com, or write me at Shining Lakes Grove, P.O. Box 15585, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-5585. I hope you enjoy your exploration, and may your grove be ever peaceful. Walking a druid path, Jaguar =^^= ________________________________________________________________________ 1) Read 'The Druids' by Stuart Piggott for a good background in 'druids as they really were' as opposed to 'druids as we wish they had been'. 2) Read 'Real Magic' by Isaac Bonewits for a good intro to his view of how magic works - he uses it as a basis for ADF. It's quite a scientific approach to it all, if that appeals to you. 3) For folks with FTP Internet access, check out ftp site ftp.lysator.liu.se, in subdirectories pub/religion/neopagan/Druidism and pub/religion/neopagan/Community/Druidism. There are some files of general interest there. The ftp site funet.fi - also has some related files. 4) For folks with BBS access, check out your local board to see if it carries PODS. PODS is an international pagan echo which carries a number of ADF echoes. Folks following other Druid paths also often post. Several of the ADF groves are accessible via PODS, and you can find their node numbers in the grove listing in one of the attached files. If your local BBS does not carry PODS, you can pick it up from Shining Lakes Grove's BBS, which can be reached at (313)665-0552. Shining Lakes also has copies for downloading of the accompanying articles, as well as several more. 5) Call 1-800-druidry. This is ADF's hotline, and they can send you some literature (this *is* for real ). Or write them at ADF, POBox 516, East Syracuse, NY 13057-0516 USA. Please allow four to six weeks for delivery, as the folks on the other end are volunteers with limited time ;-) 6) Depending upon how in-depth you want to get, you might want to join ADF's study program, or at least get the study program guide - it has an excellent recommended reading list on a great many topics, Druids included. Ask about it when you call the hotline or write. 7) Go to the annual Starwood gathering (third week in July) in Sherman, NY. ADF is well represented, there are usually at least a few workshops on Druidry as well as a couple of ADF-style rituals (and it's an all-round good time anyway.) More information is available from the organizers by calling (216)932-5421. You might also consider attending WellSpring (held in May,) which is the ADF annual gathering, sponsored by Stone Creed Grove. It's also held in Sherman, NY. 8) Post on alt.pagan asking if there are any druid-types in your area 9) If there's an ADF grove or protogrove (starting-up grove) near you, get hold of them and attend some events. You'll find a list of the groves currently in existence in one of the accompanying messages. If there isn't one near you, think about joining and starting one - any member can start a grove, and it's easier than you think! 10) Read any of the following books by Morgan Llewellyn - they are fiction, but well researched, and she really brings the ancient Celts and their lifestyle alive - they are exciting too! 'Red Branch' (retelling of the Ulster Cycle) 'The Druids'(chronicles the last stands of the Celts against the Romans in Gaul) 'The Horse Goddess' (story of Epona, who became the horse goddess) I gather 'The Bards' and 'The Last Prince of Ireland' are also very good, though I have not yet read them. 11) Subscribe to "Druids' Progress", a quarterly ADF journal which features articles (like the ones attached), artwork, poetry, and the latest on the hottest topics in Druidism. Send a check for $15, payable to 'ADF', to ADF, P.O.Box 3495, Jersey City, NJ, 07303. ________________________________________________________________________ Some Notes on Indo-European Paleopaganism and its Clergy (c) 1984 P. E. I. Bonewits Reprinted from "The Druids' Progress" #1 The term "Pagan" comes from the Latin paganus, which appears to have originally meant "country dweller," "villager," or "hick." The members of the Roman army seem to have used it to mean "civilian." When Christianity took over the Empire and continued it under new management, the word took on the idea of "one who is not a soldier of Christ." Today, the word means "atheist" or "devil worshipper" to many devout monotheists. But those who call themselves Pagan use it differently; as a general term for native, natural and polytheistic religions, and their members. The following definitions have been coined in recent years in order to keep the various polytheological and historical distinctions clear: "Paleopaganism" refers to the original tribal faiths of Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas, Oceania and Australia, where and when they were (or are) still practiced as intact belief systems. Of the so-called "Great Religions of the World," Hinduism, Taoism and Shinto fall under this category. "Mesopaganism" is the word used for those religions founded as attempts to recreate, revive or continue what their founders thought of as the (usually European) Paleo- pagan ways of their ancestors (or predecessors), but which were heavily influenced (accidentally, deliberately or involuntarily) by the monotheistic and/or dualistic world views of Judaism, Christianity and/or Islam. Examples of Mesopagan belief systems would include the Masonic Druids, Rosicrucianism, Spiritualism, Crowleyianity, and the many Afro-American faiths (Voudoun, Macumba, etc.) "Neopaganism" refers to those religions created since 1940 or so that have attempted to blend what their founders perceived as the best aspects of different types of Paleo- paganism with modern "Aquarian Age" ideals, while eliminating as much as possible of the traditional western dualism. The title of this section should now make a great deal more sense. So let's look at the state of Paleo- paganism in Europe prior to the arrival of Christianity. It's important to remember that a lot of history happened in Europe before anyone got around to writing it down. Around 4000 B.C.E. ("Before the Common Era") the tribes that spoke Proto-Indo-European began to migrate away from their original homeland, which was probably the territory around the northwest shores of the Black Sea. Some went southeast and founded the Armenian, Iranian and Indic cultures. Others went south to Anatolia and Palestine, and became known as Hittites and Mitanni. Those who went southwest to the Balkans became Thracians and Greeks. Others who went west and north established the Celtic, Slavic, Germanic, and Baltic cultures. All this migrating around took many centuries and involved a lot of bloodshed. Previous inhabitants of a given piece of territory had to be persuaded, usually at swordpoint, to let the newcomers in -- and there went the neighborhood! The pre-Indo-European cultures in Europe (which were not necessarily "peaceful matriarchies") were all still in the late Neolithic ("New Stone Age") cultural era, with only stone axes, spears and knives with which to defend themselves. The invaders had bronze weapons and armor with which to fight, plus bronze axes with which to clear the great forests that covered the continent, bronze plows to till the soil, etc. The impact of this superior technology can be judged by the fact that, by the time of the Roman Empire, nearly every language spoken in Europe (except Basque, Lappish and Finnish) was a member of the Western branch of Indo- European. Everything west of the Urals was pretty much dominated by a loosely interlinked conglomeration of related cultures, each of which was a mixture of the PIE culture and that of the previous holders of its territory. The largest group of cultures north of the Roman borders was that of the Celts, and the second largest that of the Germans (some scholars consider the Germans to be so closely related culturally to the Celts as to be practically a subset, at least in archeological terms). Thanks to the work of Georges Dumezil, James Duran and others, we are beginning to have a clear idea of the social, political, magical and religious functions of the priestly "class" in Indo-European Paleopaganism. I use the word "class" deliberately, for the Western Indo- European cultures seem to have been built on the same fundamental social pattern as that with which we are familiar in Vedic India: clergy, warriors, and providers (farmers, craftspeople, traders, herders, etc.) In fact, it appears that a close to exact correspondence can be made between the religious, political and social functions originally performed by a Latin flamen, a Celtic draoi, or a Vedic brahman. The Indo-European clergy basically included the entire intelligentsia of their cultures: poets, musicians, historians, astronomers, genealogists, judges, diviners, and of course, leaders and supervisors of religious rituals. Officially, they ranked immediately below the local tribal chieftains or "kings" and above the warriors. However, since the kings were quasi-religious figures, usually inaugurated by the clergy, and often dominated by them, it was frequently a tossup as to who was in charge in any given tribe. The clergy were exempt from taxation and military service, and in some cultures are said to have spent decades in specialized training. They seem to have been responsible for all public religious rituals (private ones were run by the heads of each household). Public ceremonies were most often held in fenced groves of sacred trees. These were usually of birch, yew, and oak (or ash where oaks were rare), depending upon the subset of deities or ancestors being addressed, as well as the specific occasion. Various members of the priestly caste would be responsible for music, recitation of prayers, sacrificing of animals (or occasionally human criminals or prisoners of war), divination from the flames of the ritual fire or the entrails of the sacrificial victim, and other minor ritual duties. Senior members of the caste ("the" Druids, "the" brahmans or "the" flamens as such) would be responsible for making sure that the rites were done exactly according to tradition. Without such supervision, public rituals were generally impossible; thus Caesar's comment that all public Gaulish sacrifices required a Druid to be present. There are definite indications that the Indo-European clergy held certain polytheological and mystical opinions in common, although only the vaguest outlines are known at this point. There was a belief in reincarnation (with time spent between lives in an Other World very similar to the Earthly one), in the sacredness of particular trees, in the continuing relationship between mortals, ancestors and deities, and naturally in the standard laws of magic (see Real Magic.) There was an ascetic tradition of the sort that developed into the various types of yoga in India, complete with the Pagan equivalent of monasteries and convents. There was also, I believe, a European "tantric" tradition of sex and drug magic, although it's possible that this was mostly the native shamanic traditions being absorbed and transmuted. Only the western Celtic clergy (the Druids) seem to have had any sort of organized inter-tribal communications network. Most of the rest of the IE clergy seem to have kept to their own local tribes. Among the Germanic peoples, the priestly class had weakened by the early centuries of the Common Era to the point where the majority of ritual work was done by the heads of households. We don't know whether or not any but the highest ranking clergy were full-time priests and priestesses. At the height of the Celtic cultures, training for the clergy was said to take twenty years of hard work, which would not have left much time or energy for developing other careers. Among the Scandinavians, there seem to have been priests and priestesses (godar, gydjur) who lived in small temples and occasionally toured the countryside with statues of their patron/matron deities, whom they were considered to be "married" to. In the rest of the Germanic, Slavic and Baltic cultures, however, many of the clergy may have worked part-time, a common custom in many tribal societies. It's also common for such cultures to have full- or part-time healers, who may use herbs, hypnosis, psychology, massage, magic and other techniques. Frequently they will also have diviners and weather predictors (or con- trollers). Midwives, almost always female, are also standard and, as mentioned above, there is usually a priestess or priest working at least part-time. What causes confusion, especially when dealing with extinct cultures, is that different tribes combine these offices into different people. At the opening of the Common Era, European Paleo- paganism consisted of three interwoven layers: firstly, the original pre-Indo-European religions (which were of course also the results of several millennia of religious evolution and cultural conquests); secondly, the proto- Indo-European belief system held by the PIE speakers before they began their migrations; and thirdly, the full scale "high religions" of the developed Indo-European cultures. Disentangling these various layers is going to take a very long time, if indeed it will ever be actually possible. The successful genocide campaigns waged against the Druids and their colleagues are complex enough to warrant a separate discussion. Suffice it to say that by the time of the seventh century C.E., Druidism had been either destroyed or driven completely underground throughout Europe. In parts of Wales and Ireland, fragments of Druidism seem to have survived in disguise through the institutions of the Celtic Church and of the Bards and Poets. Some of these survivals, along with a great deal of speculation and a few outright forgeries, combined to inspire the ("Mesopagan") Masonic/Rosicrucian Druid fraternities of the 1700's. These groups have perpetuated these fragments (and speculations and forgeries) to this very day, augmenting them with a great deal of folkloric and other research. These would seem to most Americans to be the only sources of information about Paleopagan Druidism. However, research done by Russian and Eastern European folklorists, anthropologists and musicologists among the Baltic peoples of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia indicates that Paleopagan traditions may have survived in small villages, hidden in the woods and swamps, even into the current century! Some of these villages still had people dressing up in long white robes and going out to sacred groves to do ceremonies, as recently as World War One! Iron Curtain social scientists interviewed the local clergy, recorded the ceremonies and songs, and otherwise made a thorough study of their "quaint traditions" preparatory to turning them all into good Marxists. Ironically enough, some of the oldest "fossils" of preserved Indo-European traditions (along with bits of vocabulary from Proto-German and other early IE tongues) seem to have been kept by Finno-Ugric peoples such as the Cheremis. Most of this research has been published in a variety of Soviet academic books and journals, and has never been translated into English. This material, when combined with the Vedic and Old Irish sources, may give us most of the missing links necessary to reconstruct Paleo-pagan European Druidism. The translation of this material, along with some of the writings of Dumezil (and others)that are not yet in English, is going to be an important part of the research work of ADF for the first few years. And we're going to see if we can get copies of some of the films... But there are some definite "nonfacts" about the ancient Druids that need to be mentioned: there are no real indications that they used stone altars (at Stonehenge or anywhere else); that they were better philosophers than the classical Greeks or Egyptians; that they had anything to do with the mythical continents of Atlantis or Mu; or that they wore gold Masonic regalia or used Rosicrucian passwords. They were not the architects of (a) Stonehenge, (b)the megalithic circles and lines of Northwestern Europe, (c)the Pyramids of Egypt, (d) the Pyramids of the Americas, (e)the statues of Easter Island, or (f) anything other than wooden barns and stone houses. There is no proof that any of them were monotheists, or "Prechristian Christians," that they understood or invented either Pythagorean or Gnostic or Cabalistic mysticism; or that they all had long white beards and golden sickles. Separating the sense from the nonsense, and the probabilities from the absurdities, about the Paleopagan clergy of Europe is going to take a great deal of work. But the results should be worth it, since we will wind up with a much clearer image of the real "Old Religions" than Neopagans have ever had available before. This will have liturgical, philosophical and political consequences, some of which we'll be discussing in future issues of "The Druids' Progress". *********************************************************** This article has been reprinted from "The Druids' Progress", issue #1, and is copyright 1984 by P. E. I. Bonewits. "DP" is the irregular journal of a Neopagan Druid group called "Ar nDraiocht Fein", founded by Bonewits (author of "Real Magic"). For more data, send US$3 to: POBox 516, Dept Delphi, East Syracuse, NY USA 13057-0516. Permission to distribute vi the entire article, including this notice, is kept intact. *********************************************************** ________________________________________________________________________ WHAT IS ADF? The Irish words, pronounced "arn ree-ocht fane", mean "Our Own Druidism", and that's just what ADF is - a completely independent tradition of Neopagan Druidism. Like our sisters and brothers in the other Neopagan movements, we're polytheistic Nature worshipers, attempting to revive the best aspects of the Paleopagan faiths of our ancestors within a modern scientific, artistic, ecological, and wholistic context. Like our predecessors and namesakes the Druids, we're people who believe in excellence - physically, intellectually, artistically, and spiritually. We're researching and expanding sound modern scholarship about the ancient Celts and other Indo-European peoples, in order to reconstruct what the Old Religions of Europe really were. We're working on the development of genuine artistic skills in composition and presentation. We're designing and performing competent magical and religious ceremonies to change ourselves and the world we live in. We're adapting the polytheologies and customs of both the Indo-European Paleopagans and the Neopagan traditions that have been created over the last fifty years. We're creating a nonsexist, nonracist, organic, and open religion to practice as a way of life and to hand on to our grandchildren. We're integrating ecological awareness, alternative healing arts, and psychic development into our daily activities. Together, we're sparking the next major phase in the evolution of Neopaganism and planting seeds for generations to come. ADF was started by P.E.I. (Isaac) Bonewits, known in the Neopagan community as an author (Real Magic, The Druid Chronicles Evolved, Authentic Thaumaturgy), editor, teacher, polytheologian, activist, priest and bard. He has been a Neopagan Druid for nearly twenty years and has dedicated his life to reviving Druidism as a modern, healthy, "Third Wave" religion capable of protecting and preserving Mother Nature and all Her children. As a member of ADF, you'll be able to communicate with hundreds of others interested in Druidism, join local congregations (called "groves") of fellow Druids, attend regional gatherings, and enroll (if you wish) in the toughest Neopagan clergy training program in existence. The Membership and Networking Form that you'll fill out will give you the chance to list all the research areas, arts, skills and interests you have that you'd enjoy sharing with other members. You'll also be able to tell us what your concerns and priorities are, and how you think ADF should focus energies. "News From the Mother Grove" comes out every other month and announces ADF policies, local grove activities, lectures and other appearances by the Archdruid, modifications to the study program, etc. It's kept very short and news oriented. "The ADF Membership Directory" comes out once every couple of years and lists the names and mailing addresses of every member who has given us permission to publish his/her information. It also includes data on who is interested in what activities, research fields, and arts, so that the members can form guilds, research networks, and special interest groups of all kinds. "The Druid's Progress" comes out twice a year (Gods willing). Part of every issue is articles, essays, songs, and rituals by the Archdruid, and the rest is similar materials produced by the members, including comments on preceding issues, plus occasional items of special value reprinted from other publications. Any member can submit from two to eight pages of camera-ready copy, following the rules printed in each issue. At this point issues are running 70-120 pages each. Back issues are available and are highly recommended if you want to understand the continuing conversations, critiques, and debates between the members in each issue. "The Grove Organizer's Handbook" is available to all members wishing to organize a grove in their area. It contains legal information, organizational rules and advice, sample ads and notices you can use to attract new members, etc. More than 400 people have joined ADF, making us the largest Neopagan Druid organization in the world. We have legal status as a Nonprofit Religious Association, and donations to the Mother Grove are tax deductible. Groves and protogroves are being organized all over the USA. Songbooks, informational pamphlets, a polytheological dictionary, and other Druidic publications are in the works. Regional gatherings are being held at the solstices and equinoxes. In short, although our long range approach is "as fast as an oak tree", we're growing more rapidly than any of us expected. So ask yourself - why not excellence? An application for membership and further information can be obtained by sending US$3 with your request to: ADF PO Box 516 E. Syracuse, NY 13057-0516 ************************************************************ This article may be freely distributed via electronic and print media provided this notice remains attached. Information last updated August 1994. ************************************************************ ________________________________________________________________________ A New Tradition of Neopagan Druidism (c) 1984 P. E. I. Bonewits Reprinted from "The Druids' Progress" #1 As many of you may know (perhaps from reading my book "Real Magic" or Margot Adler's "Drawing Down the Moon"), I've been a priest of the Reformed Druids of North America ("RDNA") since 1969. I've led groves (congregations) in Berkeley and Minneapolis, and founded others elsewhere; published newsletters (both Druidic and general Neopagan); and wrote most of, edited and produced "The Druid Chronicles Evolved", (the closest thing to official scriptures the RDNA has). I'm also a priest and elder of the Craft, and I've been a Neopagan magician and occultist for nearly twenty years. I've studied, practiced and written about many different forms of magic and religion over the years, yet always I find myself going back to Druidism. Many people have written to me to tell of similar spiritual histories, of their knowledge that they are meant to walk a Druid path. Yet what can we, who wish to worship and to grow as Neopagan Druids, do for fellowship? The Masonic Druids have much to teach us, yet they are not Neopagan. The "Druidic" traditions of Wicca are interesting, but they're not really very Druidic. The members of the RDNA have no interest at all in being organized by anyone, nor in recruiting and training would-be Neopagan Druids. There doesn't seem to be any organized group of people trying to reconstruct what the Paleopagan Druids actually believed and did, nor trying to apply such knowledge to creating a Neopagan religion fit for the Space Age. What can we do? We can do it ourselves! Thanks to the work of such scholars as Dumezil, Ross, Piggott, Duran and others, we now have a sizable amount of realistic data about Indo-European Paleopaganism and its clergy. But how do we apply this knowledge to creating a modern Neopagan religion? What does it mean to be a Druid in the 1980's? Using accurate information as a starting point, how do we create rituals and fellowship, art and music, polytheologies and lifestyles that will give meaning to our lives and those of others? Well, of course, I have my own vision of Neopagan Druidism. I see Druids as artists and intellectuals, magicians and clergy, holders of the highest wisdom their cultures (or subcultures)have to offer. This is what they used to be, and what (with sufficient hard work and dedication) they could be again. A number of people have told me that they share my vision and approve of the ways in which I think it could be accomplished. So, after a great deal of soul-searching, I've decided to try once again to see what I can do to create a form of reconstructionist" Neopagan Druidism. This is an announcement of, and an invitation for your participation in, the creation of: Ar nDraiocht Fein. The Irish words (pronounced "arn ree-ocht fane") mean "Our own Druidism," and that's what I have in mind -- a brand new form of Druidism, not just Pan-Celtic, but Pan-European. By this latter term, I mean to include all of the European branches of the Indo-European culture and language tree -- Celtic, Germanic, Slavic, Baltic, even the pre-Classical Greek & Roman. Paradoxically, this would resemble the original Paleopagan Druidism far more than any efforts of the last thousand years. It would be based on the best scholarly research available, combined with what has been learned (about art, psychology, small group politics and economics) through the theory and practice of modern Neopaganism, and my own knowledge of the polytheological and practical details of magical and religious phenomena. I've already started this project, through the organizing of my notes and the beginning of a new book. The purpose of "The Druid Handbook" will be to enable anyone who has a copy to start up their own Druidic grove, or to practice as a solitary Druid. Everything necessary will be included: history, polytheology, liturgy, legal structures, art and music, calendars and customs, etc. ADF is an idea I have been wrestling with for years: a Neopagan Druid Order whose members would not be ashamed to honestly compare themselves with the original Druids. This requires mature, dedicated and talented people who are willing to invest both time and energy over a long period (remember, the original Druids took up to twenty years each to be fully trained, and they had an intact tradition). At this point in the birthing process, details are in short supply, but the general outlines are becoming increasingly clear. I can at least give you some specific ideas as to what Ar nDraiocht Fein will and won't be: ADF will be a Neopagan religion based on solid (but imaginative) scholarship in the fields of linguistics, Indo-European studies, comparative religion, archeology, anthropology, Celtic & Norse & Baltic & Slavic studies, history, musicology and polytheology. The scholars we will be basing our research on include Georges Dumezil, Mircea Eliade, Anne Ross, Stuart Piggott, G. S. Littleton, Marie-Louise Sjoestedt, Proinsias MacCana, Myles Dillon, Nora Chadwick, etc. We will not be accepting Lewis Spence, Margaret Murray, Robert Graves, Merlin Stone, H. P. Blavatsky or Iolo Morganwg as scholarly authorities (although some of them may provide poetic inspiration now and then). If we have to fill in gaps in our knowledge with our own imagination, spiritual visions and/or borrowings from non-IE sources, we will go ahead and do so, but always in full awareness of what we are doing (and with full documentation of the process). ADF will be developing a slow, careful and steady system of training for Druidic clergy, equivalent to that gone through by professional clergy in other religions. We will not be in any hurry to initiate people (though we may create and publish self-dedication rituals for the first level of participation), since an obsession with rank and titles is usually counterproductive to actual spiritual, artistic and scholarly growth. A correspondence course has been suggested and I'm willing to give it serious consideration, once we have the basics figured out. Although our primary focus will be on the beliefs and practices of our Indo-European ancestors, and on how these can be adapted to modern circumstances, we will not tolerate racism or nonsense about "Aryan blood." The Indo-Europeans were a motley assortment of tribes speaking related languages -- not a "race." All of our ancestors are of mixed blood, and most of the black people in America have (however involuntarily) some European genes. So anybody, regardless of their race or color, who is sincerely interested in participating in ADF will be made welcome. Similarly, the IE peoples are known to have had both male and female clergy, and those tribes influenced by shamanistic practices frequently had clergy who were ambiguous in their gender identification. For these historical reasons, as well as the fact that ADF is a Neopagan religion, we will not tolerate sexism nor restrict membership or rank on the basis of gender or affectional preferences. Having said all that, let me add that I have no intentions of letting extremists of any persuasion use ADF for purposes not in keeping with our original goals. We will have a carefully structured hierarchy, based on actual skills and knowledge obtained and demonstrated, with both upward and downward mobility. The training system will involve the setting of specific standards in all the areas necessary for functioning at the different levels, and these standards will be published in the Handbook and widely disseminated throughout the Neopagan media, in order to prevent false claims of rank. Our primary approach is going to be the attainment not just of competency, but of excellence. Democratic safeguards will be built in, but we do not expect everyone in ADF to be qualified for (or even interested in) attaining the rank of clergy. After all, the original Druids were only a small percentage of their Paleopagan communities, and not everyone has (or needs) a clerical vocation. Nor will rank in other Neopagan organizations guarantee equivalent rank in ADF, since we have no way of knowing what standards other groups are using, nor how strictly enforced they are. The Ancient Druids were polytheists rather than mono- or duotheists; so our main approach will be a pluralistic one. We are not going to promote any One True Right and Only Way of Druidism, merely whatever happens to work for us. This means, among other things, that we intend to maintain friendly relations with as many other Druid organizations as possible, and will encourage our members to investigate these alternate Druid paths. We are going to take our time putting the whole system together. Based on solid research and a knowledge of the mistakes made by other Neopagan groups in the past, we can create something magnificent. But like an oak tree, it will take time to become strong, and we have no intentions of trying to force its growth. Within two to three years we should get the primary seeds planted. Then the results will be up to the individuals who have heard the trees whispering in their ears, and who know that they are meant to walk a Druid way. ***************************************************** This article has been reprinted from "The Druids' Progress", issue #1,and is copyright 1984 by P. E. I. Bonewits. "DP" is the irregular journal of a Neopagan Druid group called "Ar nDraiocht Fein", founded by Bonewits (author of "Real Magic"). For more data, send US$3 to: POBox 516, Dept Delphi, East Syracuse, NY 13057-0516 USA Permission to distribute via BBS's is hereby granted, provided that the entire article, including this notice, is kept intact. ************************************************ Subject: ADF.2 : ADF files, part 2 of 2 ADF / Druidry files, part 2 of 2 parts, containing: (6) Neopagan Druidism Today (Bonewits) (7) What do Neopagan Druids Believe? (Bonewits) (8) ADF Groves/Protogroves/SIGs, 11/94 (Jaguar) (9) Other Druidic Organizations (ADF) (10) The Circle System of ADF (Bonewits) ________________________________________________________________________ NEOPAGAN DRUIDISM TODAY -- ATTITUDES & ORGANIZATION What "Neopagan Druidism" is Neopagan Druidism is a religion, a philosophy and a way of life, rooted in ancient soil yet reaching for the stars. Like other new religions throughout history, we are responding to the crises of our times -- philosophical, environmental and spiritual. Like many other members of what has come to call itself the "Neopagan" community, we are polytheistic Nature worshippers, attempting to revive the best aspects of the Paleopagan (original) faiths of our predecessors within a modern scientific, artistic, ecological, and wholistic context, taking a nondogmatic, pluralistic approach. Like our namesakes, the original Druids, we're people who believe in excellence -- physically, intellectually, artistically, and spiritually. What ADF is The full name of our organization is A'r nDrai'ocht Fe'in: A Druid Fellowship, Inc. The first half, pronounced "arn REE-ocht fane," is Modern Irish for "Our Own Druidism" (or "Druidry" or "Magic"), and that's what we are -- an independent tradition ("denomination") of Neopagan Druidism. But since many people have trouble pronouncing and spelling the long name, we usually just call it "ADF". What ADF does We're designing and performing powerful magical and religious ceremonies to change ourselves and the world we live in, including regular public worship of the Old Gods and Goddesses, as well as rites of passage (weddings, child blessings, etc.). We're adapting the polytheologies and customs of both the Indo-European Paleopagans and the Neopagan traditions that have been created over the last fifty years. We're researching and expanding sound modern scholarship (instead of romantic fantasies) about the ancient Celts, Norse, Slavs, Balts, Greeks, Romans, Vedics, and other Indo-European peoples, in order to reconstruct as much as possible of what the Old Religions really were. We're working on the development of genuine skills in composition and presentation in the musical, dramatic, graphic, textile, and other arts. We're creating a non-sexist, non-racist, organic, flexible and publicly- accessible religion to practice as a way of life and to hand on to our grandchildren. We're integrating ecological awareness, alternate healing arts, and psychic development into our daily activities. We're holding regional festivals to help our members meet, study, pray, and play together with other like-minded folks. We're actively preparing for the day when Neopagan religions will be part of the mainstream global culture, with large congregations meeting at temples and sacred groves throughout the Western world. Who runs ADF ADF is led by a board of directors, known as the "Mother Grove." The major officers are the Archdruid (President), the Vice-Archdruid (Vice-President), the Purse-warden (Treasurer), Scribe (Secretary), Preceptor (Dean), the Registrar (Mailing List Keeper), Chronicler (Head of Publications), and Members' Advocate (Ombuds-person). Over the years, the Mother Grove has included many educated professionals as well as gifted amateurs. The Archdruid is Philip Emmons "Isaac" Bonewits, known in the Neopagan community as an author (Real Magic, The Druid Chronicles Evolved, Authentic Thaumaturgy), editor, teacher, polytheologian, activist, priest, and bard. He has been a Neopagan Druid for over twenty years, having been ordained a priest in the Reformed Druids of North America in 1969. What you can do as a member of ADF As a member, you'll be able to communicate with hundreds of others interested in Druidism, organize or join local congregations (known as "groves"), attend regional gatherings, and enroll (if you wish) in the toughest Neopagan leadership training program in existence. The Membership, Networking & Subscription Form that you'll fill out will give you the chance to list all the research areas, arts, skills, and interests you have that you'd enjoy sharing with other members. You'll also be able to tell us what your personal priorities are, how you think ADF should focus its energies, and what sorts of related volunteer work you're ready to perform (no passive observers, please). Becoming a Druid You join by filling out our MN&S Form, giving us the information we need to put you in touch with other Druids who share your interests, and enclosing an appropriate donation. We have several membership categories, with different requested donation levels: Regular (publications sent Bulk Mail) $20 year Regular (First Class, Canada/Mexico) $25 year Regular (Other Foreign, Airmail) $30 year Family (no duplicate pubs) $10 year Exchange Editor (no duplicate pubs) $10 year Prisoner $10 year Supporting $100 year Sustaining $250 year Lifetime Individual $750 Lifetime Family (no duplicate pubs) $250 Subscriptions to "The Druids' Progress" are now separate from memberships, and cost $15 per year (USA Bulk Rate), $20 per year (FC,Can./Mex.), or $25 per year (Other Foreign, Airmail). Prisoners may subscribe for $10 per year ($15 for FC,Can./Mex.; $20 Foreign/Airmail). Regular, Supporting, Sustaining, or Lifetime Membership entitles you to receive News from the Mother Grove, the ADF Membership Directory, discounts at various ADF sponsored events, and frequent urgings to engage in hard work. Prisoners do not receive the ADF Membership Directory, though they are listed in it and may place notices in the News and form their own groves. Family Members (whether Regular or Lifetime), and members who are editors of publications with which we exchange subscriptions, do not receive additional mailings of our regular publications, in order to save postage and trees. Once you've joined ADF, we encourage you to study the books listed in our Members' Guide and Study Manual, join any local grove activities available (or start your own!), and to eventually consider a self-dedication into the First Circle of Druidism. Where the money goes Non-earmarked donations go into the General Fund. From there, regular percentages are transferred into special funds to pay for publication costs, postage, phone bills, office equipment and supplies, research costs, charitable works, travel expenses, regalia inventory, etc. A Land Fund exists to save money to eventually purchase land and buildings for our own College of Druidism. You can, of course, send us an earmarked donation for the support of any activity or office you wish to give particular assistance to. ADF is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service of the United States as a "501(c)(3)" tax-exempt organization. Memberships and general donations are fully tax deductible in the USA. Subscriptions to DP, donations for regalia items, donations for attendance at ADF events, or anything else for which you receive a tangible benefit are only partially tax deductible, as explained in the IRS instruction booklets that come with your tax forms. If you would be interested in mentioning us in your will or making a large donation for tax purposes, our Pursewarden would be delighted to hear from you. No Officer of ADF currently receives a salary, though the Preceptor and the Archdruid may eventually. Financial reports are published regularly. Any member willing to travel to Madison, WI may make an appointment with the Pursewarden to see our financial records. X X X X X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X X X X X X X (c) 1993, 1994 c.e. by A.D.F. Contents may be freely reprinted by Neopagan media, including BBS's, provided no editing is done and this copyright notice is included. 9306.02 For more information about ADF, contact: P.O. Box 516, Dept Delphi, E. Syracuse, NY, USA 13057-0516. ********************************* ________________________________________________________________________ WHAT DO NEOPAGAN DRUIDS BELIEVE? Many of the members of A'r nDrai'ocht Fe'in: A Druid Fellowship,Inc. ("ADF") have come to accept most of the following beliefs. However, it's important to remember that not everyone would use the term "belief" in reference to these concepts, and that every concept mentioned has a wide variety of accepted interpretations within the organization. Thou Art God/dess We believe that divinity is both immanent (internal) and transcendent (external), with immanence being far more important for us to pay attention to at this crucial phase of human history. Deities can manifest at any point in space or time which They might choose, including within human beings (through the processes known as "inspiration," "channeling," and "possession"). Goddesses and Gods We believe that divinity is as likely to manifest in a female form as it is in a male form, and that the word "Goddess" makes just as much sense as "God." Women and men are spiritually equal, and "masculine" and "feminine" attitudes, values, and roles are of equal importance. Polytheism We believe in a multiplicity of gods and goddesses, as well as lesser beings, many of Whom are worthy of respect, love and worship. We have a wide variety of nonexclusive concepts as to the nature of these entities. While some of us believe in a "Supreme Being," Neopagan Druidism is emphatically polytheistic. We have no figure of ultimate Evil. Nature Worship We believe that it is necessary to have respect and love for Nature as divine in Her own right, and to accept ourselves as part of Nature and not Her "rulers." Many of us accept what has come to be known as "the Gaia hypothesis," that the biosphere of our planet is a living being, Who is due all the love and support that we, Her children, can give Her. We consider ecological awareness and activism to be sacred duties. Cautious Technophilia We believe in accepting the positive aspects of Western science and technology, but in maintaining an attitude of wariness towards the supposed ethical neutrality of that science and technology. We also consider it important that scientists (like everyone else) pay as much attention to their means as they do to their goals. Religious Freedom We believe that monolithic religious organizations and would-be messiahs and supergurus are a hinderance to spiritual growth. We believe that healthy religions should have a minimum amount of dogma and a maximum amount of eclecticism and flexibility. Neopagan Druidism is an organic religion, and like all other organisms is growing, changing, and producing offshoots. Positive Ethics We believe that ethics and morality should be based upon joy, love, self-esteem, mutual respect, the avoidance of actual harm to ourselves and others, and the increase of public benefit. We try to balance people's needs for personal autonomy and growth with the necessity of paying attention to the impact of each individual's actions on the lives and welfare of others. Religious Toleration We believe that it's difficult for ordinary humans to commit offenses against the Gods and Goddesses, short of major crimes such as ecocide or genocide. Our deities are perfectly capable of defending Their own honor without any need for us to punish people for "blasphemy" or "heresy." The Good Life We believe that human beings were meant to lead lives filled with joy, love, pleasure, beauty and humor. Most Neopagans are fond of food, drink, music, sex, and bad puns, and consider all of these (except possibly the puns) to be of spiritual value. However, we do not approve of addictive or compulsive behavior and we support people with dysfunctional histories who have entered appropriate recovery programs. Magic and Mystery We believe that with proper training, art, discipline and intent, human minds and hearts are fully capable of performing most of the magic and miracles they are ever likely to need. Magical/miraculous acts are done through the use of what most of us perceive as natural (some say "divinely granted") psychic talents. Liturgical Art and Science We believe that there is an art and a science to creating, preparing and performing worship rituals. Our worship celebrations are continually evolving as we search for the most intellectually satisfying, artistically beautiful, spiritually powerful, and magically effective rites possible. Connecting to the Cosmos We believe in the importance of celebrating the solar, lunar and other cycles of our lives. We consciously observe the solstices, equinoxes and the points in between, as well as the phases of the moon. Such "rites of intensification" are human universals, as are the various ceremonies known as "rites of passage" -- celebrations of birth, puberty, personal dedication to a given deity or group, marriage, ordination, death, etc. Together these various sorts of observations help us to find ourselves in space and time. Born Again Paganism Many of us believe in some sort of afterlife, usually involving rest and recovery in the Otherworld before reincarnating. We have no concept of "eternal" punishment, refusing to worship deities who could be that cruel. Hope and Action We believe that people have the ability to solve their current problems, both personal and public, and to create a better world. Our utopian vision, tempered with common sense, leads us to a strong commitment to personal and global growth, evolution and balance. Mystic Vision We believe that people can progress far towards achieving personal growth, evolution and balance through the carefully planned alteration of their "normal" states of consciousness. We use both ancient and modern methods of concentration, meditation, reprogramming and ecstasy. Community Responsibility We believe that human interdependence implies community service. Some of us are active in political, social, ecological and charitable organizations, while others prefer to work for the public good primarily through spiritual means (and many insist on doing both). Authenticity We believe that if we are to achieve any of our goals, we must practice what we preach. Neopagan Druidism, like any other religion, should be a way of life, not merely a weekly or monthly social function. So we must always strive to make our lives consistent with our proclaimed beliefs. Cooperation and Defense We believe in cooperation and ecumenical activities with those members of other faiths who share all or most of these beliefs. We also believe in resisting efforts by members of dysfunctional religions who seek to persecute us or suppress our human rights. There's more to our beliefs than these few details, of course, and a great deal of variation in how these beliefs are extended to cover other topics. Some of our members are pacifists and others are in the military; some are animal rights activists and vegetarians, others are carnivorous hunters; some are committed to conservative and others to alternative life styles. We actively encourage everyone to apply these principles to the practical questions of their daily lives. X X X X X XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX X X X X X X X (c) 1993 c.e. by A.D.F. Contents may be freely reprinted by Neopagan media, including BBS's, provided no editing is done and this copyright notice is included. 9306.02 For more information about ADF, contact: P.O. Box 516,Dept Delphi, E. Syracuse, NY, USA 13057-0516. ________________________________________________________________________ Please find below the current listing of ADF Groves, Protogroves and SIGs, including information about how to access them. If you are represented on this list, please check your listing carefully and send any additions, corrections and other pertinent information to Jaguar at any of the following addresses: Jaguar at Shining Lakes Grove BBS (1-313-665-0552) internet: kithoward@delphi.com Snail Mail c/o Shining Lakes Grove POBox 15585, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-5585 Changes: Box 23431 Phoenix, AZ 85063 #Colorado Springs Protogrove GO: Soltahr Box 3087 Colorado Springs, CO 80934 #Iron Hill Protogrove GO: Nisza Zeron Box 9765 Newark, DE 19714 #Mystic Willow Protogrove GO: Janet Berres Box 1475 Morton Grove, IL 60653 #Garran na bPreachain Naomh: Grove of the Sacred Crows SD: Gwynne Green P.O. Box 388 East Bridgewater, MA 02333 #Cedar Lights Grove Box 21723 Baltimore, MD 21222 #Mugwort Grove SD: Bob Knox Box 835 Greenbelt, MD 20768-0385 PODS: 93:9810/11 (Nathair) #Garran Lochanna Gealla: Shining Lakes Grove SD: Fox Box 15585 Ann Arbor, MI 48106-5585 Contact: (313) 665-8428 PODS: 93:9720/12 (Fox) BBS: (313)665-0552 Internet: kithoward@delphi.com #Kalamazoo Protogrove GO: Chris Sherbak Box 3021 Kalamazoo, MI 49002-3021 #Garran Slat Glas: Green Wand Grove SD: Ragnar Arneson Box 27 Goffstown, NH 03045 #Bergen/Rockland Protogrove GO: Isaac Bonewits Box 72 Dumont, NJ 07628 #Green Man Grove SD: Veronica Skowronsky Box 3495 Jersey City, NJ 07303 #Avalon of Riverdale ProtoGrove SD: Nancy Thalblum Box 358 Bronx, NY 10463 #Muin Mound Grove SD: Skip Ellison Box 592 East Syracuse, NY 13057 #Brushwood ProtoGrove GO: Frank Barney #1 Bailey Hill Rd., Box 154 Sherman, NY 14781 #Stone Creed Grove SD: Anastasia Brightfox Box 18727 Cleveland Hts., OH 44118 #Sassafras Grove SD: Erreach Canali Box 100091 Pittsburgh, PA 15233 #World Tree Grove SD: Paul Maurice Box 10036 Cranston, RI 02910 #Memphis Protogrove GO: Dragon PO Box 40312 Memphis, TN 38174 #Bri Leith Grove SD: Robert Barton Box 205 Kemah, TX 77565 Internet:blktiger@brewich.com #El Paso Protogrove GO: U.T.E.P. Box 68590 El Paso, TX 79968 #Little Acorn Protogrove GO: Robert Holbrook Box 36 Unionville, VA 22567 #Seusayers' Protogrove GO: Elizabeth Croyden Box 19425 Alexandria, VA 22320 #Grove of the Ancient Green Mountains SD: Charles Delaney Box 5862 Burlington, VT 05402 #Garran Mea Mil: Honey Mead Grove SD: Mary Huston Box 10282 Olympia, WA 98502-0999 Info Line: (206) 705-8773 PODS: 93:9706/0 (Ellianna) #Garran Siorghlas: Evergreen Grove SD: Sarafina Box 66311 Seattle, WA 98166 PODS: 93:9400/1734 (Herb) FIDO: 1:343/216 #Sun Raven ProtoGrove GO: Beket-Asar Edithsdatter Box 8212 Madison, WI 53708 PODS: 93:9306/0 (Beket) #Chinook Arch Protogrove Box 23090 Connaught PO Calgary, Alberta, T2S 3B1 Canada #Silver Fox Protogrove GO: Linda Demissy 2624 Jeanne d'Arc Montreal, Quebec H1W 3V9 Canada >>>Guilds and SIG's: #Alternative Gender and Alternative Sexuality SIG RavenWolfe (c/o ADF, Box 592, E. Syracuse, NY,13057) #Archeo-Anthropology SIG Cypress Knee (Wakulla Folklore Center, 154 Elena Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32310) #Arts Guild Samildinach, Bryan Perrin (Green Man Grove) #Bardic Guilds Richard ap Morgan (Stone Creed Grove), and Gwynne Green (Grove of the Sacred Crows) #Druid Corps of Engineers Niszsa Zeron (Iron Hill Protogrove #Fire and Ice Kindred Paul Maurice (World Tree Grove) #Healers Guild Ann Socolofsky (Box 3322, Kansas City, KS, 66103) #Indo Studies SIG Erica Friedman & Pattie Lawler (Green Man Grove) #Polyrelationship SIG Deborah Lipp (Box 72, Dumont, NJ 07628) #Prisoner Relations Committee and Prisoners SIG Camille Grant (Bri Leith Grove) #Solitaires' SIG Chris Sherbak (Kalamazoo ProtoGrove) #TechnoDruids Guild Jaguar (Shining Lakes Grove) and Elric (c/o Shining Lakes Grove) ********************************* SD = Senior Druid GO = Grove Organizer Last Updated 11/12/94 ________________________________________________________________________ =FFWPC=8F=01a Tibbles,=20 Box 2642, Fontana, CA 92334, U.S.A. Ar nDraiocht Fein: A Druid Fellowship -- "ADF" -- Skip Ellison, Box 516, East Syracuse, NY 13057, U.S.A. Bardic Order Group -- "BOG" -- Alex Gunningham, Flat 2, 20 The Common, Ealing, London, W5 3JB, England. British Druid Order -- "BDO" -- Box 29, St. Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN37 7YP, England. Council of British Druid Orders -- "COBDO" -- Elizabeth Murray, 76 Antrobus Road, London W4 5NQ, England. Druid Clan of Dana -- "DCD" -- Lady Olivia Robertson, Clonegal Castle, Enniscorthy, Ireland. Ecole Druidique des Gaules -- "EDG" -- Bernard Jacquelin,=20 Villa Montmorency 75016, Paris, 45 27 74 79, France. Glastonbury Order of Druids -- "GOD" -- R. Maughfling & J. Paterson, Dove House, Barton-St. David, Somerset, TA11 6DF, England.=20 Henge of Keltria -- "HK" -- Donald Tony Taylor, Box 33284, Minneapolis, MN 55433, U.S.A. London Druid Group -- "LDG" -- Gordon Gentry, 74 Riversmeet, Hertford, SG14 1LE, England. New Reformed Druids of North America -- "NRDNA" -- Stephen Abbott, Box 6775, San Jose, CA 95150, U.S.A. Ollotouta Druidique des Gaules -- `ODG' -- Pierre de la Crau, B.P. 13, 93301, Aubervilliers, Ce'dex, France. Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids -- "OBOD" -- Philip Carr-Gomm, Box 1333, Lewes, E. Sussex, BN7 32G, England. Reformed Druids of North America -- "RDNA" -- Michael Sharding, Carleton College, Northfield, MN 55057, U.S.A. Uxellos Druidiacto -- `UD' -- M.G. Boutet, 32 Fourth Ave. South, Roxboro, PQ, H2I 3W3, Canada. Local Branches in North America: Phoenix Protogrove, ADF; GO: Vicki Mieth, Box 23431, Phoenix, AZ=20 85063 Colorado Springs Protogrove, ADF; GO: Soltahr, Box 3087, Colorado Springs, CO 80934 Iron Hill Protogrove, ADF; GO: Nisza Zeron, Box 9765, Newark, DE,= =8C 19714 Mystic Willow Protogrove, ADF; GO: Janet Berres, Box 1475, Morton Grove, IL 60653 Garran na bPreachain Naomh: Grove of the Sacred Crows, ADF; SD: Gwynne Green, P.O. Box 388, East Bridgewater, MA 02333 Cedar Lights Grove, ADF; Box 21723, Baltimore, MD 21222 =20 Mugwort Grove, ADF; SD: Bob Knox, Box 835, Greenbelt, MD 20768-0385 Garran Lochanna Gealla: Shining Lakes Grove, ADF; SD: Fox,=20 Box 15585, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-5585 Kalamazoo Protogrove, ADF; Box 3021, Kalamazoo, MI 49002-3021 Garran Slat Glas: Green Wand Grove, ADF; SD: Ragnar Arneson,=20 Box 27, Goffstown, NH 03045 =20 Bergen/Rockland Protogrove, ADF; GO: Isaac Bonewits, Box 72 Dumont, NJ 07628 Green Man Grove, ADF; SD: Veronica Skowronsky, Box 3495, Jersey City, NJ 07303 =20 Avalon of Riverdale ProtoGrove, ADF; GO: Nancy Thalblum, Box 358, Bronx, NY 10463 Muin Mound Grove, ADF; SD: Skip Ellison, Box 592, East Syracuse, NY 13057 =20 Brushwood ProtoGrove, ADF; GO: Frank Barney, #1 Bailey Hill Rd., Box 154 Sherman, NY 14781 =20 Stone Creed Grove, ADF; SD: Anastasia Brightfox, Box 18727, Cleveland Hts., OH 44118 Sassafras Grove, ADF; SD: Erreach Canali, Box 100091, Pittsburgh, PA 15233 =20 World Tree Grove, ADF; SD: Paul Maurice, Box 10036, Cranston, RI 02910 =20 Memphis Protogrove, ADF; GO: Dragon, PO Box 40312, Memphis, TN=20 38174 Bri Leith Grove, ADF; SD: Robert Barton, Box 205,Kemah, TX 77565 El Paso Protogrove, ADF; GO: U.T.E.P., Box 68590, El Paso, TX =20 79968 Little Acorn Protogrove, ADF; GO: Robert Holbrook, Box 36, Unionville, VA 22567 Seusayers' Protogrove, ADF; GO: Elizabeth Croyden, Box 19425, Alexandria, VA 22320 Grove of the Ancient Green Mountains, ADF; SD: Charles Delaney, Box 5862, Burlington, VT 05402=20 Garran Mea Mil: Honey Mead Grove, ADF; SD: Mary Huston,=20 Box 10282, Olympia, WA 98502-0999 Garran Siorghlas: Evergreen Grove, ADF; SD: Sarafina, Box 66311, Seattle, WA 98166 Sun Raven ProtoGrove, ADF; GO: Beket-Asar Edithsdattar, Box 8212, Madison, WI 53708 Chinook Arch Protogrove, ADF; Box 23090 Connaught PO, Calgary, Alberta, T2S 3B1, Canada Silver Fox Protogrove, ADF; GO: Linda Demissy, 2624 Jeanne d'Arc, Montreal, Quebec H1W 3V9, Canada Tuatha De Danaan Grove, NRDNA; Jeff Sommer, Box 20855, Castro Valley, CA 94546. Greenwood Grove, NRDNA; Cyndie Sallee, 10031 Mary Avenue Northwest, Seattle, WA 98177.=8CHingham Seed Group, OBOD; Linda Co= stello, 223 Womatuck Road, Hingham, MA 02043. Boston Seed Group, OBOD; Sarah Fuhro, 51 St. Paul Street, Brookline, MA 02146. Washington Seed Group, OBOD; Stefan W. Duncan, 319 E 2nd St., Washington, NC 27889. Montevallo Seed Group, OBOD; Jesse D. Sierke, UM#2206, Montevallo, AL 35115. Redwood Empire Seed Group, OBOD; Morrigan Conway-Mucha, Box 413, Arcata, CA 95521. Local Branches in England: Grove of the Four Elements, DCD; BM Grasshopper, London, WC1N 3XX. Brigantia Grove, OBOD; Chris and Bill Worthington, Hall Croft, Worston Nr. Clitheroe, Lancs., BB71QA. Derby Grove, OBOD; Bill Ramsbottom, 24 Stocker Avenue, Alvaston, Derby, DE2 0QS East London (Hackney) Seed Group, OBOD; Biljana Harling, Flat 4, 57 Clapton Common, London, E59AA. Hampshire Seed Group, OBOD; Jonathan Howe, 1 Phillips Heath Cottages, Heath House Estate, Stockbridge, Hampshire. Hertfordshire Seed Group, OBOD; Liam McMeekin, 18 Frampton Road, Little Heath, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6 IJU. Iceni Grove, OBOD; Paul Davies, 6 Henly Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 3NL. Nemeton Seed Group, OBOD; Emma Restall Orr, Bobcat, 23 Grimmet Way, Woodcote, S. Oxfordshire, RGS OSN. Northumbrian Grove, OBOD; Dave & Kate Tully, 2 Bonchester Pl., Eastfield Grange, Cramlington, Northumberland, NE23 9SQ. South London Seed Group, OBOD; Lawrence Brightman, 130 Davidson Road, East Croydon, Surrey, CRO 6DE. South Manchester Seed Group, OBOD; Pam Hilton, 29 Camborne Street, Rusholme, Manchester, M14 7PH. Spirit of Ruadh Rofhessa Seed Group, OBOD; Joe Toomy & Chris Mills, 62 Royal Sovereign Ave., Chatham, Kent, ME4 4UR. Temple of Dreams Seed Group, OBOD; Andy Beale & Maureen Leonard, Flat 4, 93 Bath St.North, Southport, Lancs., PR9 ODJ. West London Seed Group, OBOD; Jackie Huxter-Freer, BM Stargrove, = =20 London, WClN 3XX. Wolverhampton Seed Group, OBOD; Paul Pritchard, 35 Bhylls Crescent, Merry Hill, Wolverhampton, WV38DX. Local Branches Elsewhere: Grove of Sinaan, DCD; Chris & lawrence, Teach Shinanna, Sean Rath, Keshkarrigan, Co. Leitrim, Ireland. Beak Seed Group, OBOD; Keith Mac Nider, 4/7 Hampden St., Firle, SA, 5070, Australia. North-East Arbor Seed Group, OBOD; Akkadia Ford & Rozan Hammerton, Lot 3 Ballina Road, Bangalow, NSW, 2479, Australia.= =8CCornwall Seed Group, OBOD; Alan Jones, 23 Penrose Court,=20 Tolvaddon, Camborne, TR14 OEN, Cornwall. Utrecht Seed Group, OBOD; Else Boog, Atlasdreef 203, Utrecht, 3561 AJ, Netherlands. Western Lowland Grove, OBOD; Jan & Wilma Borchers, V. Brakelstr. 15, Den Haag, 2518 VV, Netherlands. Bride & Manan Seed Group, OBOD; W. & V. Bollen, 2 Woodlea Park, Sauchie Alloa, Clackmannanshire, KK10 3BG, Scotland. Belfast Seed Group, OBOD; Ian C. Long, 15 Dundela Avenue, Belfast, BAT4 3BQ, N. Ireland. Glamorgan Seed Group, OBOD; Gafin Morgan, 7 Hanover Street, Merthyr Tudful, Mid Glamorgan, CF47 8ST, Wales. Silurian Grove, OBOD; Cheryl Summers, 17 Castle Street, Cwmparc, Rhondda, Mid Glamorgan, Wales. Vale of Glamorgan Seed Group, OBOD; Robert Gardner, 140 Barry Road, Barry, S. Glamorgan, Wales. Provided as a public service by ADF. For more information about Neopagan Druidism as practiced by ADF, call 1-800-DRUIDRY or send send $US3.00 ($Can/Aus4.00,L1.00) to: ADF Info, Box 516, E. Syracuse, NY,13057 USA. ________________________________________________________________________ The Circle System of A.D.F. (c) 1984 P. E. I. Bonewits Reprinted from "The Druids' Progress" #2 Some Thoughts on the Training of Neopagan Clergy: The overwhelming majority of religions on this planet require many years of hard study and training before a woman or a man is admitted into the ranks of the clergy. This study and training usually includes not only the acquisition of magical and religious knowledge, but also the mastering of skills in such diverse areas as counseling, teaching, art, music, drama, dance and the basics of what each culture has in the way of science and technology. Among the Paleopagan Druids, this training may have taken as long as twenty years. In the modern western world, outside of a few fundamentalist denominations, this training is done through several years (as many as ten or twelve in some groups) of college level classes and experiences. However, for several reasons, there is no universally (or even commonly) accepted system of qualifications for Neopagan clergyhood. Most Neopagan magical/religious groups are outgrowths of the 60's counterculture, and they thus have strong egalitarian dogmas. The idea that clergy could be "better" than the members of their congregations, in any way at all, has been repugnant enough to be nearly "heretical." The Protestant Christian ideal of every person (or at least every man) being their own minister has been accepted by many Neopagans without examination of the historical or magical causes behind the creation of that ideal. As I have mentioned before, Neopagans have a tendency to be strong individualists and are often extremely distrustful of both leaders and organized political structures. Most Neopagan groups prefer to stress informal collective decision making. Such factors are especially prevalent in the more self-consciously feminist Neopagan groups, such as those now calling themselves the "Dianic Craft." This is understandable, since the overwhelming majority of mainstream religious hierarchies have been grossly male-chauvinistic, at least insofar as the extent of overt power has been concerned. (Oddly enough, the religious groups that have been run by the worst MCPs are often the ones most dependent upon the support of and covert power manipulations by their women members!) In any event, thanks to these and other factors, the very concepts of religious organizational structure and of specialized qualifications for clergyhood have been discarded by many people as male plots against women. Most Neopagan groups, because they tend to be supportive of the feminist movement, have gone unquestioningly along with this assessment. Most Neopagans who become priests or priestesses do not attain their positions because they have studied, mastered and then demonstrated specific skills relevant to their chosen roles. Rather, they become members of the clergy because (a) they have belonged to the group for a minimum length of time, (b) their house is the one everyone meets at, (c) they are so nice that nobody wants to hurt their feelings by denying them a higher rank than they really deserve, and/or (d) they have gotten =very= close to the High Priest/ess. Although individual organizations occasionally have clearly defined and strictly enforced standards for their own clergy, those standards are seldom applied outside of such groups. And having any kind of standards at all is the exception, not the rule. Does it matter? For nondruidic groups, perhaps not. Many Neopagan traditions seem to get along just fine (or think they do) without a highly trained clergy at all. A surprisingly large number of Neopagan clergy have become competent through sheer experience (the old "sink or swim" method). Yet being a priestess or priest is not an easy task, as most of us have found out. In order to keep up with the demands made upon us, we wind up needing the skills and knowledge of magicians, psychics, polytheologians, therapists, scientists, artists, dramatists, politicians, public relations experts and healers. Juggling all these activities, when our training was haphazard at best, makes for a frustrating and difficult "career" in the Neopagan clergyhood. Now add in the fact that Neopagans currently have a strong prejudice against paying their clergy any money at all, let alone enough money to allow them to function as fulltime religious workers. This forces us to study and practice our clergyhood on a part-time basis, usually while holding down fulltime jobs in the mundane world. Put it all together, and you have a splendid recipe for creating frazzled, scattered, incompetent, but very sincere priests and priestesses who, if they take their responsibilities at all seriously, suffer professional burnout after only a few years. They then leave the community, taking with them what knowledge and training they =have= managed to accumulate. I've suffered this sort of burnout myself, and seen several of my fellow clergy go down in flames. I would rather this did not happen with ADF. It's a topic I've been thinking about for many years and which I've discussed at great length with my sibling clergyfolk. Now here's my plan..... Going around in Circles: To begin with, I'm stealing the idea of using "Circles" of development and commitment from the old Church of All Worlds, who in turn got it from Heinlein's _Stranger in a Strange Land_ (see Margot Adler's _Drawing Down the Moon_ for details). Everyone's familiar with the idea of "inner circles" that secretly run supposedly democratic groups. In point of fact, every large organization is actually run by a small number of people, regardless of what they may tell the general public. This is due to factors involving human communication capabilities and varying degrees of dedication, as well as with the commonly mentioned (and less ethical) motives of greed and power-hunger. With ADF, I want everything to be as open and aboveboard as possible. We're starting out by stating that our structure is one of circles within circles. The more hard work, dedication and time a person is willing to put into ADF, the further they will progress towards the inner circles where increasing power and responsibility will be wielded. But we will never put pressure upon anyone to go further or faster than they are ready to go. I could have chosen other symbols for this system. Ladders, for example, or even climbing a tree (that's both Druidic and Shamanistic!), would provide an image that would be very hierarchical. But such climbing images also imply (a) that people "on top" are spiritually better than those "below" them, and (b) that only a few people can be on any given level at a time. Or we could use a pyramidal structure, which allows more people to be on the lower levels, with fewer and fewer near the top. But that symbolism would make some folks think we were running an imitation of the Catholic Church, or even (Danu forbid!) a "pyramid scheme." The advantage of using the images of circles within circles is that =all of the circles can be viewed as being on the same horizontal plane.= As mortals, we all stand upon the same Earth, and no matter how high a tree or building we might climb, the stars are just as far above us as they always have been. It's probable that many people in the inner circles will be more "spiritually evolved" than those in the outer circles, at least if our training system is doing what it's supposed to do. But it's also entirely likely that some people will choose to stay in the outer circles for personal reasons that have nothing to do with their spiritual development. For this reason, we're going to try to avoid referring to "higher" and "lower" circles, even if we do use a numbering system for them. Instead, we'll call them "inner" and "outer" circles, and talk about "inward" and "outward" movement between circles. Currently I'm thinking in terms of five Circles, the Fourth and Fifth of which are now unpopulated. The Circles indicate particular degrees of commitment, of knowledge acquired, of experience gained, and of skills mastered. The First Circle is composed of people who have dedicated themselves to learning about Paganism in general and Druidism in particular. Most of them do not intend to study for the clergyhood, but they do desire both Neopagan fellowship and a course of Druidic study. This is the Circle that, ten or twenty years from now, will constitute the bulk of our congregations. The Second Circle is for those who have decided that they want to take a greater role in the affairs of a local grove, or to organize one if none exists in their area. Some of the members of this Circle will be preparing themselves to become priests and priestesses through studying for the Third Circle. Membership in the Third Circle will be a rough equivalent of having gained a Bachelor's Degree at a good university, and will also be the minimum Circle for holding clergy credentials from ADF. Third Circle members will be running local groves and performing all the duties of the clergy, including training members of the outer circles. Preparation for the Fourth and Fifth Circles will parallel studies for Master's and Doctoral Degrees. Further Circles will correspond to "post-doctoral" work. (Where do I fit into this system? As an individual Druid, I consider myself to be in the Third Circle, with the Fourth still a couple of years away. As the Archdruid of ADF, I'm in the unnumbered "innermost Circle" -- but not at the Center. That spot is reserved for the More-than- Mortal.) Now it's time for some further details on the training system. We'll look first from the direction of further defining the Circles themselves, and then examine the Study Tracks that run through every Circle. Details on the Circles: First Circle: Entry Requirements: There are no special requirements for joining the First Circle, other than a commitment to working with your advisor (for the time being, that's me), a desire to learn, and a willingness to work hard. Folks who wish to function in the First Circle should notify me, and perform some sort of self-dedication ritual (see elsewhere in this issue). Study Program: consists of (a) keeping a journal; (b) reading and discussing introductory books and attending introductory classes in the various Tracks; and (c) beginning practical work in some of the Tracks. Minimum Duration & Testing: People are expected to normally remain in this Circle for at least one year, and there is no regular testing period for remaining in this Circle. Graduation Requirements: (a) achieving satisfactory results on testing for all 13 Tracks; (b) making an oral or written report on your First Circle experiences, with a self-evaluation of your progress; (c) showing and discussing your journal; (d) making a formal request for advancement; and (e) working with your advisor(s) and group (if any) to create an appropriate Second Circle initiation. Second Circle: Study Program: (a) more advanced exploration in the various Tracks; (b) continuing your journal; (c) assisting any First Circle members in your geographical area. You may choose a Specialty while in this Circle, such as healing, teaching, counseling, leading worship, divination, movement awareness, etc. Minimum Duration & Testing: Members would normally stay in the Second Circle for at least two years. After two years, you must either retake the tests that got you into the Second Circle, or else take those for the Third. You can try for the Third at any time after this, but if you choose to stay in the Second Circle, you must requalify every other year. Graduation Requirements: (a) achieving satisfactory results on testing for all 13 Tracks; (b) making a written or oral report on your Second Circle experiences, with a self-evaluation of your progress; (c) showing and discussing your journal; (d) making a formal request for advancement; and (e) working with your advisor(s) and group (if any) to create an appropriate Third Circle initiation. Third Circle: Study Program: (a) advanced study and skill gaining in the various Tracks; (b) continuing your journal; (c) assisting First & Second Circle members in your area; (d) teaching at least one class -- on the topic of your choice -- every year you stay in this Circle; (e) leading private and public ceremonies, including general worship celebrations and rites of passage; (f) changing your life's pattern dramatically -- going on the road if you've been settled, settling if you've been a wanderer, a drastic change of occupation, etc.; (g) choosing a Specialty if you haven't already. Minimum Duration & Testing: Members would normally stay in this Circle for at least three years. After three years, you must either retake the tests that got you into the Third Circle, or else take those for the Fourth. You can try for Fourth at any time after this, but if you choose to stay in the Third Circle, you must requalify every three years. Graduation Requirements: (a) achieving satisfactory results on testing for all 13 Tracks; (b) making a written or oral report on your Third Circle experiences, with a self-evaluation of your progress; (c) showing and discussing your journal; (d) having successfully run a healthy congregation and having performed all the routine duties of a priest/ess for at least two years; (e) making a formal request for advancement; and (f) creating an appropriate Fourth Circle initiation. Fourth Circle: Study Program: (a) continuing advanced study and skills training; (b) assisting outer Circle members in their work; (c) spending at least one month in residency with your advisor; (d) teaching at least one class in your specialty on a continuing basis, and one other class every year you stay in this Circle; (e) continuing to perform the usual clerical duties; (f) intensive practice of your Specialty on a professional basis; and (g) helping to run the national activities of ADF, as well as leading and advising one or more groves throughout their time in this Circle. Minimum Duration & Testing: Members would normally stay in this Circle for at least four years. After four years, you must either retake the tests that got you into the Fourth Circle, or else take those for the Fifth. You can try for the Fifth at any time after this, but if you choose to stay in the Fourth Circle, you must requalify every four years. Graduation Requirements: (a) achieving satisfactory results on tests for all 13 Tracks; (b) making a report on your Fourth Circle experiences and self-evaluation; (c) writing or producing a thesis on your Specialty; (d) having trained at least one fully qualified successor for your grove(s) into the Third Circle; (e) making a formal petition for advancement; and (f) creating your ordination rite for the Fifth Circle. Fifth Circle: Study Program: (a) writing or producing a thesis that ties together all your studies, in all 13 Tracks; (b) assisting outer Circle members; (c) practicing your Specialty professionally; (d) supervising the activities of several groves; (e) helping to run ADF's international activities; and (f) continuing to grow. There are no minimum duration, testing or graduation requirements for the Fifth Circle, since the Circles that would be inner ones to this are not yet defined. Details on the Study Tracks: Here are the Tracks as I currently conceive of them: (1) Survival and Physical Health, (2) Therapy and Counseling, (3) Communication, (4) Psi, (5) Social Sciences, (6) Physical and Biological Sciences, (7) Movement Awareness and Discipline, (8) Art and Music, (9) Drama and Liturgy, (10) Philosophy and Metaphysics, (11) Comparative Religion and Mythology, (12) Mysticism and Altered States of Consciousness, and (13) Interdisciplinary Studies. Be aware that, although I'll say "you" throughout this description, and talk about the needs of clergypeople, not all of these references will be relevant to every one of you reading this, since some of you may choose to remain in First or Second Circles. Right now, and throughout the early years of ADF, a majority of you are at least interested in studying for the clergy. Those of you who want to stay in the First and Second Circles will become a higher proportion of the total membership as time goes by. You should also note that as I use the term herein, "exploration" can consist of reading books, attending classes, having an apprenticeship, etc. Track 1 -- Survival and Physical Health: First Circle: you explore your own physical environment (urban, rural or wilderness), in at least two fields of study. You could learn how to do simple plumbing, or repair bicycles, or grow a garden, or find edible wild plants. You analyze your personal work habits and interests, and explore available opportunities for developing marketable job skills. Also, you analyze your health and nutritional patterns, and begin some form of regular physical exercise (which can be from Track 7). Second Circle: you explore a different environment than the one you usually live in. You begin efforts to use your job skills to find satisfying, ethical and growth-oriented employment (working for yourself or others). Also, you begin to get rid of harmful physical addictions, and continue to exercise and practice good nutrition. Third Circle: you visit a brand new environment and learn its survival skills. You earn enough money through right livelihood to take care of your needs, without interfering with the rest of your life. You continue your exercise and nutritional work, and rid yourself of any remaining physical addictions. Fourth Circle: you learn total adaptation to a foreign environment (through programs such as "Outward Bound," for example). You develop sufficient economic prosperity to be able to devote most of your time and energy to noneconomic activities. Fifth Circle: you take full responsibility for the safety and training of others in an environment new to them. Purpose: to make you confident and competent in dealing with the "Earth Plane" levels of reality, whether you are fixing machines, living off the land, programming computers, or raising hogs. Clergypeople should be healthy, well "grounded" and practical, if they expect to be of any value to those who ask for help.