VAD 1. How much time and energy do you have to devote to ADF work? In particular, do you have confidence you are prepared to assume all the responsibilities of the Archdruid if you are called upon to do so unexpectedly?
I do currently devote a lot of time and energy into my work for ADF. When I became a member of the Mother Grove a few years ago, I paired down the number of positions I had within the organization in order to make sure that I had the appropriate amount of time to dedicate to my role. If I were to need to step into the ArchDruid position, I would resign from the few positions that I do have left on my plate. By leaving those positions, it would give me more available time and allow me to focus my attention and confidently take on the responsibilities of ArchDruid. VAD 2. How will your role as the Vice Archdruid be involved with the other officers of the Mother Grove in order to make sure that everyone is working together in a harmonious and productive manner that benefits the ADF community as a whole? Collaboration and communication are vital for the Mother Grove to be successful. I think one of the biggest advantages I in working with the other officers is that I have been a part of the Mother Grove for the past three years. This experience has allowed me to foster relationships with those who will be staying on the board this year. Building these types of relationships allows for people to work together more harmoniously because it’s easier to interpret tone and intent in text communication from someone you know. However, I also recognize that there will be new faces as well. My goal to make sure everyone is working together would be to host social Zoom meetings for informal interactions and team-building activities. As far as productivity goes, I believe that we have started to move in the right direction already. We have reduced the voting period for action items and started hosting Monthly Zoom meetings instead of Quarterly IRC meetings. All of these actions have allowed for better communication, faster decision making, and more productive interactions from the Mother Grove. While we’ve made progress, I also recognize that there are still improvements that can be made. Utilizing some sort of project planning application would help keep us on task and make sure that nothing gets missed. I’d also like to see a handbook created for the Mother Grove to help make sure everyone is on the same page and has an understanding of the expectations of their role and roles of other officers on the board. All of these things would make the Mother Grove a more unified group, which leads to a harmonious, productive Mother Grove. 1. What vision do you see for the future of ADF, and what efforts do you plan to do to make that happen? I see ADF as an organization that encourages right practice and reciprocity. My vision for ADF is that it can be a safe space for all of our members. My hope is that as an organization we can move toward communicating effectively without hostility or animosity. I want to see our focus return to building reciprocal relationships with hospitality. I want us move away from the perceived divisions within members and the related feeling that people have to “choose sides.” I truly believe that is the area that we most need to see repaired at this time. As part of the current Mother Grove, I know there have been missteps through the years, but I know we have tried to move in the right direction. We have tried to increase our transparency by sharing agendas and meetings notes. We have publicly posted our actions and asked for members to give feedback on decisions we need to make. We also plan to continue hosting quarterly MG zoom sessions to allow members to ask questions and get to know the people who are serving the organization. As part of the Mother Grove, I think we need to be examples of good hosts, and gracious guests in our communication. Ultimately, I know that there are still processes we can improve and changes that we need to make. I also recognize that those items will take time. The best thing I can do as a single member of the Mother Grove is to be willing to listen to our members, take the feedback, and do the best that I can for the organization as a whole. I can hold onto my own integrity and make sure that I am taking right action. 2. If you are elected to your position, what is the first change you want to work toward on behalf of our members? If I were elected to the Mother Grove, my first task to undertake would be to do a review of our organizational documents so that I can formally request that any gendered language to be updated or removed. There are numerous documents within our organization that reflect the gender binary. I think updating these references allows us to take one small step toward feeling more welcoming toward the LGBTQIA+ community, which is something that I feel is very important. I also want to continue our efforts with community outreach, producing more content for social media and our refreshed website to promote the amazing work our members are doing and sharing them with the general Pagan community. 3. Serving on the Mother Grove is a huge commitment of time and energy. How will you fit your potential Mother Grove role into your life? I have been a part of the Mother Grove for the past three years, so for me being on the board is already a part of my “normal.” I work in technology, so I have the advantage of sitting at a computer for hours nearly every day. I have also taken the time to categorize my Mother Grove email in a way that it is a priority in my inbox so that I can view and respond to those messages in a timely manner. 4. If elected, do you have a willingness to serve your entire term, or if you are not elected, do you intend to remain as a member? Absolutely. I have been in leadership roles within ADF for over a decade at this point and have never resigned from a position prior to my term ending. I am dedicated to this organization and I have no plans to leave, even if I were not elected as Vice ArchDruid 5. Given the position you are running for, what efforts are you planning to do to promote transparency in your work? I try to be a very open book. I have a blog where I discuss my personal practice and the activities that I am currently undertaking as an individual. I’m also happy to have conversations and answer questions people may have. As part of the Mother Grove, I will ensure that we continue to share agendas and meeting notes, and have discussions with members as we make important decisions. However, I also hope that people understand that there may be situations in the future where information must be kept confidential for the safety and wellness of those involved. 6. How quickly do you believe it reasonable to answer emails or some other form of messaging (not accounting for family emergencies, ritual prep, scheduled time away, or something else unexpected) on behalf of our membership? I believe that timely communication is very important to our organization, especially because so much of our interaction happens digitally. I try to maintain a 24-48 hour response time to most things. There may be situations that it takes longer than that, but I believe that is my personal goal for general communication. 7. Given the amount of qualified possible volunteers within our community, what thoughts do you have to more actively engage them? I think utilizing the newly created Volunteer Coordinator position to ask for members to fill roles will be a huge step forward in this area. As Social Media Manager, I also personally reach out to members to ask them to share their skills and creations which acts as outreach, but also allows their work to be appreciated and highlighted. I also believe that if we were to create a more harmonious organization that has more positive communication and interactions in general, more people would be willing to volunteer to take on leadership roles. 8. What are your thoughts on promoting outreach within the Pagan community? I think promoting outreach is vitally important to the Pagan community. Pagans in general are a minority in the world. I know from experience that it can be very lonely and isolating. By providing resources to the general community, we are aiding our peers. It may be a good form of membership recruitment, but I truly believe outreach is more than that. By reaching out to our fellow Pagans, we give them tools, knowledge and resources to people who may not have them otherwise, including non-Pagans who are trying to understand what we believe. Additionally, outreach is something that I think can help provide legitimacy to our religion, by allowing people of other faiths to see our practice and understand that we aren’t a danger or a threat, but people who believe differently than them. 9. There have been concerns raised related to sexist/misogynistic language, inappropriate behaviors, and challenges to inclusivity within ADF. What actions have you done within ADF or within other organizations to address these issues? Within ADF, I have strived to actively work against sexism and misogyny by being myself and taking on roles, and having a positive impact in them despite any negative commentary from others. I’ve actively tried to promote positive interactions. Within other organizations, including my professional career, I have taken part in diversity committees and pride events to better understand the concerns and issues related to other minorities that I may not understand as a cis-white-female. I’ve also taken courses about Diversity Awareness. I work diligently to try to build my own understanding and be sensitive to the ideas, expectations, and experiences of others. 10. How do you envision ensuring that that ADF members--whether those in a grove or solitary, within the United States or globally--are truly represented and their concerns addressed? I think the key here is to listen to the members and to act accordingly. An important part of that is recognizing that the loudest voices may not be the majority, so to seek opinions from a wide variety of people, including grove, solitary, and global members from across the many spectrums we see in our membership. By allowing those voices to be heard, I think that we can do what is best for our membership. However, it may require the extra effort to reach out to those members to find out where they stand on different issues. 11. What thoughts do you have to promote Mother Grove transparency for ADF members? I believe I have addressed this topic numerous times in my answers here, but I will reiterate it once again: We have worked to increase our transparency by sharing agendas and meetings notes and asking for direct feedback before decisions or changes are made. My goal will be to ensure that we continue these actions and make improvements or adjustments as needed along the way. 12. How have you already served ADF, and how do you envision those experiences will be helpful for the entire organization? I have worn many, many hats throughout the past 12 years in ADF, and I’m very proud of those efforts (you can see my history below) Ultimately, my experiences have given me a very deep understanding of the different subgroups, policies, and procedures. Reviewing and updating bylaws has given me familiarity with our groups and the processes they follow, and what things work well and what could be revamped. Leadership roles in a variety of subgroups has allowed me to see the wonderful gifts that each group truly is. Additionally, my experience as a member of the Mother Grove has set me up in a position that I will be able to hit the ground running. Here is a list of the positions I have held within ADF:
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Welcome to week 3 in our Learning Ogham series! What a time to try to learn something new, right? I'm going to continue, if for no other reason than appreciating the distraction. With that in mind, the third Ogham in the set is Fearn.
Fearn is the symbol of the alder tree. It symbolizes protection and easing fear and doubt. Fearn is also said to be representative of the evolving spirit. It also speaks of shielding and building foundations, and guidance received from divination. This ogham is tied to the mythology of Bran, king of the Celts. Below are a few attributes of this symbol:
Wow. I had no idea when this month began just what March (and April) had in store for us. We're now deeply invested in social distancing and keeping ourselves secluded and safe in the midst of all the chaos. This week's omen feels different but powerful. From deep inside the turmoil, I found a message of hope that I am forever grateful for.
This week's omen came from the Goddesses & Sirens Deck by Stacey Demarco & Jimmy Manton.
This omen hit me very hard today. Maat says that we are doing what is right for our communities, and that we must take responsibility for the actions we are taking. If we choose not follow the recommendations of professionals, we must live with the consequences of those actions. However, the card also gives a glimpse of hope, a reminder that eventually things will go back to normal, even if it is a new form of normal, and the chaos will dissipate. Oya reminds us again that this too will pass, but that we are protected and safe in this moment. And Qetesh reminds us that, even though we are scared and stressed and worried, we still need to find time for joy and pleasure in our lives. Ultimately, the omen to me says that we are taking the right actions, even though they are hard, but eventually this will pass. Find joy where we can for now, and eventually we will all be joyful once again. This week, I finished reading The Interfaith Prayer Book: New Expanded Edition by Ted Brownstein. This book does cover a lot of different religions, giving a very brief (1 paragraph) summary of the religion, and a list of prayers from that faith. It's short and sweet and if you knew what specific faith the group you were working with was, this could be a good resource. It contains prayers from a number of different religious paths including:
However, it definitely wasn't what I expected when I purchased an interfaith book. I'll start by saying that I probably should have read more reviews and dome some more research. I grabbed this book, hoping to be able to compare/contrast the prayers for different religions and get some tips on interfaith prayer. However, this book is simply a book of prayers that are divided up by religion with no interfaith prayers included. It doesn't have use for a diverse population. Additionally, some faiths, like Paganism, are left out completely. It is an interesting resource if you're looking for a specific faith's prayers.
My name is Rev. Amber Doty. I’ve spent three years on the Mother Grove as the Chief of the Council of Regional Druids and am honored to be nominated for the position of Vice Arch Druid. I am excited for the opportunity to continue serving this organization as a member of the Mother Grove.
My history in ADF: I first joined ADF in 2008, and quickly knew that I had found my spiritual home. I have spent time both as a member of a Grove and as a solitary practitioner, and know the importance and value of both options. ADF has given me so many gifts, so in an effort to give back to the organization I have held a number of leadership roles. These roles have allowed me to take part in projects like handbook creation, bylaw revisions, and subgroup reclassifications. These activities have been completed in an effort to improve internal processes and clarify expectations for both members and future leaders. As a solitary member I am physically separated from a majority of ADF membership, so I know how isolating and lonely the experience can feel. When I was approached about becoming the Coordinator for the Solitary SIG, I jumped at the opportunity. In this role I post weekly discussion questions to give people the opportunity to get to know other members and share their personal experiences. The members have also taken the initiative to host both weekly blessing rites and monthly video meetings. The efforts by the SIG members to build a community are exceptional! Another area that I am excited about is the digital and social media presence of ADF. As the Social Media Manager, I have attempted to boost our community outreach and online presence by highlighting the amazing work that is done by our members across the globe. I have edited and posted High Day Video Rituals on the ADF Youtube channel (https://www.youtube.com/adfdruidry) compiled from video submissions by our members. Our social media pages (Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram) now actively share prayers, photo, and artwork submitted by members. We have also setup a members only Discord server (https://discord.gg/3fd3Tkd) to provide additional opportunities for interaction and communication. For the past 8 years, I have been in the position of Central Regional Druid. I have loved the work involved in being Regional Druid, and getting to know the people who live in my part of the country. I am definitely sad to be leaving this role, but I am also looking forward to the opportunities the future holds as I move forward. I am also active in many of the subgroups ADF has to offer and love getting to know the people in this organization and their many skills and opinions. I am a Senior Priest and an Initiate. I have also completed several of the Study Programs that are offered through our Guilds & Orders, each of which has allowed me to explore and expand my own personal practice. The Study Programs have had a huge impact on my life, and I am eternally grateful to everyone who has taken the time and effort to create these courses, mentor others as they work through them, and review the finalized submissions. Outside of ADF: I live in Omaha, Nebraska with my family and our pets. I have a bachelor’s degree in Management & Information Systems. I work as a manager in educational technology, overseeing the team responsible for technical support and training for database, finance, and student information systems for 18 school districts. This position has allowed me to build skills in conflict resolution, team building, and project management. It also allows me the opportunity to communicate with a diverse population of individuals. Previously, I acted as the coordinator for our local Pagan Pride Day event, managing all volunteers, working with vendors, and establishing relationships within the community to allow for organized and positive events to be held. If you have questions about me, please feel free to contact me and I’ll be happy to have a conversation. Happy Monday everyone! I hope you've had a fantastic weekend. Spring is finally arriving this weekend, and I am SO excited. I've had spring fever for weeks and I was eager to see what this coming week has to hold for us. Below is the message I received:
Wunjo - Joy Wunjo is the symbol for joy and contentment. It expresses hope, optimism, and taking pride in the work that you do. Ansuz - Gods, Communication, Learning Ansuz is the rune that represents wisdom and comfort, communication, and the gods. It is the source of all language, and another symbol of blessings and joy. Tiwaz - Tyr, Law and Order, Success Tiwaz is the symbol of the god Tyr and represents order and success. It's a message of dependability and right action. It also speaks of victory and courage. This week's omen speaks of the joy and hope that spring brings with it. It's the optimism for a bright future and contentment. It says that it's a time of comfort and communication, and the blessings we can gain from wisdom and communication. It also speaks of the importance of finding order and dependability. However, it doesn't dictate what our actions should be, but only that we should try to maintain "right action" to be victorious. This seems like a good message for spring, the time of new growth and potential. My interpretations for this omen once again come from my favorite quick reference for Runes, the Runemantis app developed by Rev. Rob Henderson found here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=oracle.rune I hope you all have a wonderful week, and enjoy your first day of spring! Last week, I finished reading Persian Myths by Vesta Sarkhosh Curtis. I read this book as part of my continued exploration and study of the ancient Persian culture. The book was short, but I expected that. However, I enjoyed reading the myths of this culture that we still know so little about.
The book begins with a brief history of the Persian people, including where they lived and what the environment was like. It then moves on to explore the Avesta, holy book of Zoroastrianism, and its history. From there, the book goes on to actually dive into the mythology, beginning with the deities from their myths. This included:
The book then goes on to explore the creation myth from the Persian people. It held similarities to other Indo-European cultures, but was unique in other ways. I love reading different creation myths and trying to compare them to other cultures and understand why the myth may be what it is. It's told in a way that I really enjoyed in this book. From here, the book moves on to explore demons, creatures, and heroes. It explores the evil beings known as Yatu and Div. It also describes fabulous creatures, like Saena, the falcon who spreads all of the seeds in the world with their wings. The book then explores the life of the first man from his creation to his death, to the lives that came from his demise. It's a fascinating myth to describe the existence of humankind, but for me it definitely share some parallels with the biblical story of human creation, which was very interesting to see. Curtis then moves on to a dive into Ferdowsi's Shahnameh, the Book of Kings, where she highlights some of the myths that are told throughout the epic poem. It shares the tales of the ancient kings, their lives and battles. I originally read part of this poem during my research of evil in ancient Indo-European cultures and really find it absolutely enthralling. Next on the list was a brief dive into mythological creatures, like Ralesh, the horse friend of Rustam, and Simurgh, the King of the birds. Curtis then explores the different encounters with dragons that are found within Persian myths. It's fascinating to see the importance that dragons played in their mythology as the embodiment of greed & evil. The last set of myths covered are the myths around the lives of Zoroaster, Cyrus, and Alexander the great. It's interesting to consider that mythology was so important to their culture that even a conquerer like Alexander now has a place in the lore. The book ends by describing the continuation of these ancient traditions through the oral and written traditions of ancient priest and minstrels. They told the myths, sang the songs, and eventually wrote them done. They created fairy tales and passion plays and created beautiful stories along the way. This book was very interesting for me as someone who really enjoys reading about the mythology from different cultures. It was written in a way that was entertaining, educational, and approachable, even for someone like me who has no real experience with the Persian culture. It was something I enjoyed reading for sure. Welcome to week 2 in our Learning Ogham series! I'm still very new to this symbol set, but so far I'm enjoying the learning process greatly! The second Ogham in the set is Luis.
Luis is the symbol of the rowan tree. These trees grow small white flower clusters and bright red berries. They are often found high in the mountains, but they can grow anywhere. It symbolizes protection and insight. Luis is also said to represent protection against enchantment and being led astray. It also symbolizes the tree of life, with the bright red berries representing the life-blood of our ancestors. Below are a few attributes of this symbol:
Good morning everyone! It's time once again for our weekly divination. We are continuing to experiment with different decks, lots, symbols, and sets and I'm really enjoying my experiments so far. This week, we dive into Tarot again, but this time with a whole new art style and presentation. Spring is just around the corner, so it made sense to me to see some animals to start this week. Below is the message I received:
For me, this week's omen is essentially evidence of my own spring fever! It expresses the desire for new adventures and excitement and a wealth of new ideas, while also needing to find the balance between intellect and emotion, leadership and freedom. As the first few warm days of the year have peaked into view, my desire to DO THINGS has hit a high point, and it definitely shows in these cards. While that is exciting, it also acts as a bit of a cautionary tale, reminding me not to be ignorant or impulsive, but to think through my actions, even when I'm excited about new opportunities. These cards & interpretations come from the Otherkin Tarot by Siolo Thompson! If this message speaks to you, or if you have some other interpretation, I would love to hear from you! I hope you all have a wonderful week. Earlier this week, I finished reading Run Valdr: Rune Power/Authority by Rodney Cox. I read this book as part of my work in one of the ADF Order study programs, and I found it a very interesting read, especially as someone who is new to the Run Valdr system.
This book begins with defining what Run Valdr is, and by comparing it to other systems, like Reiki that are similar in some ways and different in others. Cox then dives into information about runes and the poems associated with those, taking the time to define each run and show the comparisons between Norwegian, Icelandic, and Anglo-Saxon rune poems and the definitions that come from those. As someone who isn't an expert in Runes, I appreciated this thorough explanation and deep dive into the information for each individual symbol. Someone who has a mastery over runes may find this section less useful. After runes are explained, the book moves on to the Run Valdr specific symbols, uses, color associations, and purposes. The symbols themselves are shared as well. Cox once again does a deep dive into each of these symbols, explaining where the knowledge for them came from, color associations he relates to each symbol, and how he has used them in his own practices. When each symbol has been thoroughly explained, you get to dive into the process of actually working with the Run Valdr system. Cox breaks the process down into 5 simple steps, which I think are detailed enough to be successfully approached by someone new to the system, as well as short enough to be easily remembered without needing a long script to guide you along the way. The book also describes attunements for the Run Valdr system and the different methods in which they can be obtained. Like Reiki, attunements are a necessary part of this system, but the single level of attunements and variety in which they can be obtained makes them more approachable to someone new to the system, at least in my personal opinion. After attunements, Cox explores different methods in which someone can build their experience and practice, essentially outlining how he would train someone if he were to do a course in person with a group of individuals. This detail again helps give new people options for how to build their skillset without feeling like they have to attend a course or rely on someone else to impart this skillset upon them. After the base skills and practices are established, Cox dives into the use of Run Valdr for magical practices. He discusses the role of authority in magic, and breaks out information on different types of magic, such as Seidh practice, sigils, and creation of magical objects. He explores methods to meet spirit guides, and builds a handy practice to make those introductions. He also gives though explanations for Resonance & Authority laws that can be applied to magical practices. Cox ends the book by exploring some more advanced techniques, such as finding and establishing deity symbols, creating automatic symbols, and combining 2 symbols to work together. The book ends with three appendices: A Run Valdr/Author history, information on Sif Qi Gong which contains photos for clarity, and a recommended reading list. This book takes an approach to working with this energy system that I think is very approachable and understandable to someone who is unfamiliar with this practice. It gives good step by step instructions that are both easy to understand to someone who may be new to magical systems, while also being thorough enough to be useful to someone with a more advanced skill level. Overall, I enjoyed the information it contained and am interested in how the practice works. I have actually obtained an attunement in this system myself so that I can now practice and familiarize myself with this methodology to see what I can learn next. If you're interested in energy systems, like Reiki and would like to learn more about a new or different approach to energy work, I'd recommend you check this out to see if it's something you're interested in. |
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