all Articles

Is Indo-European Religion Possible?

Is Indo-European Religion Possible?

(Originally published in Druid's Progress 14)

Ivostoves: Gaulish Holidays within ADF

Ivostoves: Gaulish Holidays within ADF

By Trebomâros Auigani

Introduction

Just What is Equinox

Just What is Equinox

Let's not waste any time. I've worked on this definition , for years so here it is:

Kids

Kids

The following pages are taken from sections of our quarterly journal Oak Leaves which are called "Kids Pages".

Language Resources

Language Resources

This page lists some resources we have found useful for learning ancient and modern Indo-European languages.

Law, Policy, Tradition, and Custom within A.D.F.

Law, Policy, Tradition, and Custom within A.D.F.

Originally published in Druid's Progress #14

Leaders of ADF International

Leaders of ADF International

Our backgrounds and visions.

Learning from the Trees

Learning from the Trees

What's a Druid without trees? For that matter, what's a world without trees? Yet most of us take trees for granted. When I was teaching honors and Advanced Placement English to gifted high school students, I gave the same assignment at the beginning of each school year.

Liturgy and Rituals

Liturgy and Rituals

Honoring the Gods, the Nature Spirits, and our Ancestors.

Local Nature Spirits

Local Nature Spirits

I am an Amateur Ethnobotanist, which basically means that the world is my salad bar. Basically ethnobotanists study the complex relationship between plants and cultures.

Loving Our Mother

Loving Our Mother

Caring for the Huron River is a wonderful experience.

Magical Skills in Druidic Ritual

Magical Skills in Druidic Ritual

In the Druidic tradition the obligation to perform public ritual has always been strong. The ancient druids were the administrators of ceremony and acted as sacrificers, diviners and counselors for their folk.

Major Holidays of Rome April to June

Major Holidays of Rome April to June

One of the most daunting tasks I have procrastinated undertaking with respect to my writing on the Religio Romana is the Roman "Wheel of the Year." Depending on which version of the calendar one consults, somewhere from two thirds to three-quarters of the year in the Roman cal

Hearth Culture:

Making a Natural Connection Though Breath

Mokosh and Other Ladies of Land and Fate

Mokosh and Other Ladies of Land and Fate

Dear ADF Readers,

Hearth Culture:

More Details on Our Training Systems

More Details on Our Training Systems

Due to a restructuring of ADF's Study Programs that took place in early 2003, ADF now has several components of its training programs, consisting of the following four categories of study:

Morrigan Invocation

Morrigan Invocation

As the Earth falls into sleep the Queen of Spirits is choosing those who will go to the Cauldron of Rebirth. She is Morrigan, the Great Queen of Phantoms, the Chooser of the Slain. She is the Battle Raven, the Red Woman, Mistress of the Cauldron.

Mother Grove

Mother Grove

As defined in the ADF Bylaws, the Mother Grove is the Board of Directors for ADF.

Mythology Books

Mythology Books

The following books are decent and fairly readable retellings of classic mythological tales. The list includes books for adults and children.

Nature Spirits Articles

Nature Spirits Articles

The following articles are about the spirits of the land (aka Nature Spirits):

Neopagan Druidism Today: Concepts and Organization

Nerthus

Nerthus

"They (several of the celto-germanic tribes of northern Germany) have in common the worship of Nerthus, that is Mother Earth. They believe She is interested in humanity's affairs and drives about among them.
Hearth Culture:

New Complexities in Indo-European Caste Systems and Cosmologies

New Complexities in Indo-European Caste Systems and Cosmologies

Originally published in Druid's Progress #8

Nine Central Tenets of Druidic Ritual

Nine Central Tenets of Druidic Ritual

In order to fully explain why we do the things we do, it's important for us to look at the entire vision of the cosmos: what are the assumptions we make about ritual, and how do they play into the eventual development of a "core

Norse Gods and Spirits

Norse Gods and Spirits

The following pages are about Norse (aka Teutonic) gods and spirits:

Hearth Culture:

Oak Leaves 1: Calling the Hunter

Oh Earth Mother, We Praise Thee!

Oh Earth Mother, We Praise Thee!

O Earth-Mother, we praise Thee!

OL3 Lughnasadh Kids Pages

OL3 Lughnasadh Kids Pages

Resource Books

OL4 Samhain Kids Pages

OL4 Samhain Kids Pages

Straw and Twine Mask

OL5 Imbolc Kids Pages

OL5 Imbolc Kids Pages

Feed the Birds!

Old Eastern Religions

Old Eastern Religions

(The following is a short paper I wrote as an undergraduate on the topic of the Slavic Paganism. Specifically, it focuses on one author and his application of linguistics and comparative mythology to the question of an "Old East Slavic Pantheon".

Hearth Culture:

On the Solitary Path

On the Solitary Path

While tools are not absolutely necessary to being a Druid- (I have always proclaimed loudly and insistently that worship and magick can be created anywhere and with nothing as long as one knows what she's doing), they are certainly pleasant to have and a pleasure to acquire.

On the Solitary Path

On the Solitary Path

Where does the solitary gather the energy to maintain his religious fervor? Though there are as many methods as there are solitaries, one sure way is to maintain a steady and daily connection with the natural world.

On the Spiritual Path . . . Footnotes to a Spiritual Life

On the Spiritual Path . . . Footnotes to a Spiritual Life

I am Druid. I am neither wealthy nor wise, neither beautiful nor famous. I have not traveled the world nor sat at the feet of the celebrated. I have not been toasted for my achievements nor have I experienced an illustrious career.

On the Symbols of Druid Identity

On the Symbols of Druid Identity

Originally published in Druid's Progress #3
Revisions by Anthony Thompson

On the Value of Polytheism

On the Value of Polytheism

From its founding, Ar nDraiocht Fein has chosen to approach divinity and spirit through the traditional models of Indo-European polytheism.

Other Approved Recommended Reading Sources

Other Approved Recommended Reading Sources

While the books listed on the Primary Recommended Reading List are preferred, there are occasions where Dedicant's can and have requested to review alternative books.

Other People's Myths

Other People's Myths

I have stolen my title from Wendy Doniger O'Flaherty's marvelous study of what can be learned from studying the myths of and about others (and a good thing it is that titles can't be copyrighted).

Other Recommended Reading

Other Recommended Reading

Below is a list of books which compliments our standard suggested reading list.

Our Poetry

Our Poetry

The following poems were, like many of our creative works, inspired by our connection with the Gods, Ancestors, and Nature Spirits.

Out of Print Book Sources

Out of Print Book Sources

The following are some sources for out-of-print books our members have found useful:

Out of Print Books

Out of Print Books

The following is a list of recommended books which are unfortunately out of print. They are listed here so that you can pursue these excellent works if you have the time and money to do so.

PaganFest in Prison

PaganFest in Prison

On Saturday, June 11, 2011, a small group got together in Connell, WA to bring a Pagan/Heathen festival into a state prison for the men incarcerated there.

Pagans in Recovery

Pagans in Recovery

(Editor's note: This article was written in 1990, so many of the resources it recommends may be out-of-date. Be sure to verify that any newsletters or organizations still exist before sending any funds!)

Pan Visits New Jersey

Pan Visits New Jersey

(Originally published in Druid's Progress 13)

Hearth Culture:

Podcasts and Videos by ADF Members

Podcasts and Videos by ADF Members

Join our communities and share *ghosti with your fellow Druids!

In addition to our official channels, there are a wide range of amazing content created by various A

Poetic License

Poetic License

Summer Storm
By: Phoenix, Mugwort Grove

Preparing for a Druid Ritual

Preparing for a Druid Ritual

© Isaac Bonewits
Originally published in Druid's Progress #4

Primary Source Material

Primary Source Material

The following books are primary source translations for the Indo-European cultures ADF draws its inspiration from, including Celtic, Hellenic, Norse, Roman, Slavic, an

Questions and Answers about ADF

Questions and Answers about ADF

Where did ADF come from?

ADF started in 1983 as a network of independent scholars interested in legitimate research about the ancient Druids and their Indo-European colleagues.

Ratri

Ratri

A Day In The Life Of An Indo-European Deity

Hearth Culture:

Raven

Raven

by Jessica Sanchez

(Originally published in Druid's Progress 11)

Reclaiming the Indo-European Sky Father

Reclaiming the Indo-European Sky Father

By Raven and Carrion Mann

Recommended Gaulish Sources

Recommended Gaulish Sources

Books: Gaulish Celtic Studies:

    Recommended Gaulish Sources

    Books: Gaulish Celtic Studies:

      Reflections on being an Urban Pagan

      Reflections on being an Urban Pagan

      Deciding to follow a nature-based religion if you live in the midst of a city can be a challenge. Druids who live on farms or in woods, or even in the midst of suburban greenery can often step outside and immediately be in contact with the Earth.

      Reintroducing Solitary Work Into Your Life

      Reintroducing Solitary Work Into Your Life

      Many times, I have heard solitaries in ADF react with envy to the ease in which Grove-affiliated members can find community in their worship, especially if said solitaries are geographically isolated and not solitary by choice.

      Rethinking Imbolc

      Rethinking Imbolc

      Imbolc marks the midpoint between the winter solstice and spring equinox, and is held as the beginning of spring itself. Certainly the days are growing perceptively longer so that the power of night is moving, however slowly, towards its eventual defeat during summer.

      Roman Gods and Deities

      Roman Gods and Deities

      The following pages are about Roman gods and spirits:

      Hearth Culture:

      Sacred Space, an Exploration of the Triple Center

      Sacred Space, an Exploration of the Triple Center

      There are three great gates that are central to Druid rites: The Well is the Deep Gate, The Fire is the Bright Gate, The Tree is the All-Reaching Gate.

      Sacred Water Flow in Me: A System for Using Consecrated Water in Ritual

      Sacred Water Flow in Me: A System for Using Consecrated Water in Ritual

      Water- it not only covers 70% of the Earth's surface, but makes up 90% of our bodies as well. We can live for over a week without food, but without water we would die very quickly.

      Sacred Work, Sacred Life

      Sacred Work, Sacred Life

      I've been thinking.

      Sacrifice, the Indo-Europeans, and ADF

      Sacrifice, the Indo-Europeans, and ADF

      Many scholars have shed much ink trying to decide what the meaning of sacrifice is. Their efforts were doomed from the start. They were trying to find the one thing that lay behind all sacrifices. There simply isn't one.

      Saturnus

      Saturnus

      The story of Saturn is older than Rome itself. Saturn reigned during the Golden Age of Latium, when all people were equal -- there was no class distinction and there were no slaves. Everyone prospered and no one -- even kings -- set themselves above others.

      Hearth Culture:

      Seeking the Wisdom of the Ancestors: A Form of Indo-European Divination

      Seeking the Wisdom of the Ancestors: A Form of Indo-European Divination

      In the Irish tale Serglige Con Culainn a ritual is described in which a white bull is killed. A man eats his fill of its meat, drinks its broth, and goes to sleep after a prayer is spoken over him by four druids.

      Sexual Misconduct Policy

      Sexual Misconduct Policy

      Adopted by the Mother Grove on 15 February, 2012. Last modified on July 15, 2020

      ADF Inc. opposes any form of sexual misconduct by clergy, staff, employees, volunteers, and members, and this policy applies equally to all of the above.

      Slavic Gods and Spirits

      Slavic Gods and Spirits

      The following pages are about Slavic gods and spirits:

      Hearth Culture:

      Snow Turtles

      Snow Turtles

      I saw a picture of some newly-hatched sea turtles, spread-eagled and waving their tiny, green sea wings in a slow flight across the beach. Having left the relative safely of their nest, they were making their way — unerringly as turtles always seem to do — to the sea.

      Solitary

      Solitary

      Solitary Path

      Solitary Path

      The following articles are all written by or for solitaries on the path of Our Druidry.

      Some Notes on Initiation

      Some Notes on Initiation

      © Isaac Bonewits
      Originally published in Druid's Progress #2

      Standard Liturgical Outline

      Standard Liturgical Outline

      This ritual outline is an historical outline from Our Drudiry prior to 2006. Our current outline can be found in our Order of Ritual.

      (Items in italics represent optional steps)

      Starting a Grove: SLG's Story

      Starting a Grove: SLG's Story

      There is no one right or wrong way to develop a Grove. There are probably things that work better in one part of the country than in another, and things that suit one Grove Organizer better than another.

      Step by Step through A Druid Worship Ceremony

      Step by Step through A Druid Worship Ceremony

      © Isaac Bonewits
      Originally published in Druid's Progress #4
      This document reflects our early ritual step-by-step, prior to 2006. Our current outline can be found in our Order of Ritual.

      Stories

      Stories

      The following are original stories written by our members:

      Study Program FAQs

      Study Program FAQs

      ADF has always been committed to comprehensive training of its members.

      Taking It All Home

      Taking It All Home

      Making the gods part of our everyday lives is simpler than we often think.

      Taking the Waters— An Essay on the Connections Between the Nature Spirits and the Ancestors

      Taking the Waters— An Essay on the Connections Between the Nature Spirits and the Ancestors

      Since our inception in 1997, the 6th Night Grove has used the waters from the Yellow Spring, a local landmark in our area, as the waters for our Sacred Well.

      TEST Page

      TEST Page

      Testing Site

      The Afterlife, The Heroes, and The Dead

      The Afterlife, The Heroes, and The Dead

      What is known about the afterlife beliefs of the Celtic peoples is sketchy and often contradictory. The classical authors are unanimous in declaring that the Celts held an unshakable belief in a happy life after death.

      The Ancient Celtic Otherworld

      The Ancient Celtic Otherworld

      First Appeared in Ripples, The Quarterly Journal of Shining Lakes Grove, Yule, 1995.

      The Aquarian Manifesto

      The Aquarian Manifesto

      All intelligent beings have the right to worship who, what, where, when, why, and how they wish; provided that they do not violate the similar rights of others.

      The Basic Principles of Liturgical Design

      The Basic Principles of Liturgical Design

      © Isaac Bonewits
      Originally published in Druid's Progress #4

      The Beginning of Ár nDraíocht Féin

      The Beginning of Ár nDraíocht Féin

      Originally published in Druid's Progress #1

      The Case for Choosing a Pantheon

      The Case for Choosing a Pantheon

      From the beginning of ADF's work, we have sought to base our Neo-pagan work on the actual ways of Indo-European Pagan cultures. We know that the religious we are making are, and must be, modern.

      The Core Cult in Druidic Rites

      The Core Cult in Druidic Rites

      Our Druidry has, until now, focused on the business of providing meaningful, powerful rituals for large and medium sized groups. Often this takes us toward viewing spiritual ceremony as a series of tasks - speech, thought, movement; set up, presentation and take-down.

      The Death Song

      The Death Song

      (Originally published in Druid's Progress 11;
      Repaganized from the Carmina Gadelica)

      The Death Song

      The Death Song

      (Repaganized from the Carmina Gadelica)

      The Dedicant Path

      The Dedicant Path

      The Dedicant Path (DP) is ADF's beginning training program that serves as a year-long introduction to the beliefs and practices of Our Druidry. It is also the prerequisite for other ADF training systems such as guild study programs.

      The Dedicant Path – A Milestone on a Wondrous Journey

      The Dedicant Path – A Milestone on a Wondrous Journey

      When Ian Corrigan created the Dedicant Program for ADF, he created a jewel of spiritual growth and learning.

      The Dirt on the Jack-in-the-Green

      The Dirt on the Jack-in-the-Green

      (Originally published in Druid's Progress 13)

      When most Pagans hear of a Jack-in-the-Green, they almost always imagine either a Green Man or Robin Hood. I was one those Pagans. Now I know better and here's why...

      The Eve Before Yuletide

      The Eve Before Yuletide

      Author's note: Although technically a piece of satiric poetry, this was originally submitted as part of my storytelling work. Since I am now working on a Rindile (Satirist) concentration, too, I intend to re-submit it as such. Who knows?

      The Field of Heroes

      The Field of Heroes

      (Originally published in Oak Leaves #2)

      by Richard MacKelley

      The Queen Of Ravens walked with me
      and showed me all that I might be
      when I was slain She took me home
      to rise again to flesh and bone.

      The Goals of Group Ritual

      The Goals of Group Ritual

      A Ritual always has more than one goal. There may be many goals or only a few. How many goals a ritual has does not affect how complex a ritual is. The goals of a ritual will affect what is said and done, but not the difficulty of the ritual.

      The Healing

      The Healing

      Sean McCory was doing about 90 when the bright flash of light on the road ahead caused him to slam on the brakes and skid to a halt on the shoulder.

      The Intentions of Drudic Ritual

      The Intentions of Drudic Ritual

      We begin our exposition of the ways of Our Druidry with the intentions of our rites.

      The Lore of Tyr

      The Lore of Tyr

      Tyr is a god misunderstood and in large part forgotten by today's neo-pagans. When most of us think of Norse warrior gods, visions of Thorr and his hammer flash before our eyes, and when one thinks of leadership or kingship we see Odinn and maybe Freyr.

      Hearth Culture:

      The Nature of Sacrifice

      The Necessity of Doing Public Ritual

      The Necessity of Doing Public Ritual

      (Originally published in Druid's Progress 9)


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