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?PL21??RM44? 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 intergrating 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 existance. 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.
Memberships in ADF are available for $25 per year in the USA. It's $35 per year for First Class mailing in the USA or Canadian and Mexican members. For all other countries, it's $45 per year (Overseas Airmail). This entitles you to receive the bimonthly "News From the Mother Grove", the annual "Membership Directory",and our semi-annual journal, "The Druid's Progress". Membership fees go for publication costs, postage, phone bills, office expenses, research costs, travel expenses, and the support of the Archdruid.
"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 a year 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 first edition is expect in the summer of 1990.
"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, critques, 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, however, donations are not yet tax deductable. 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 longrange approach is "as fast as an oak tree", we're growing more rapidly than any of us expected. So ask yourself - why not excellence?