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Author Topic: Community opinions/gossip about the AODA?  (Read 3709 times)

Amphibian

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Community opinions/gossip about the AODA?
« on: December 18, 2013, 01:25:09 pm »
So, as a bit of a backstory, I discovered modern Druidry as a thing through reading the blog of John Michael Greer (and, well, liked it a lot.)  As he's the Grand Archdruid of the AODA, I'd tentatively planned to follow a path that way, but most of the 'pick a path' discussions I've found here have focused on the differences between ADF and OBOD.  While I've purchased and read Greer's Druidry Handbook, and think I have a reasonable understanding of some of the starter points of AODA structure, I'm not at all sure how the organization is viewed in wider circles.

Relatedly, I've not had a whole lot of success in determining if there even is any sort of local druid group (not necessarily AODA); while I'm taking these first steps in solitary practice, I suspect it might be very useful to have a larger group to associate with.  Does anybody have any recommendations (or anti-recommendations) for groups in Boise?
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Re: Community opinions/gossip about the AODA?
« Reply #1 on: December 18, 2013, 01:49:09 pm »
Quote from: Amphibian;132939
So, as a bit of a backstory, I discovered modern Druidry as a thing through reading the blog of John Michael Greer (and, well, liked it a lot.)  As he's the Grand Archdruid of the AODA, I'd tentatively planned to follow a path that way, but most of the 'pick a path' discussions I've found here have focused on the differences between ADF and OBOD.  While I've purchased and read Greer's Druidry Handbook, and think I have a reasonable understanding of some of the starter points of AODA structure, I'm not at all sure how the organization is viewed in wider circles.

Relatedly, I've not had a whole lot of success in determining if there even is any sort of local druid group (not necessarily AODA); while I'm taking these first steps in solitary practice, I suspect it might be very useful to have a larger group to associate with.  Does anybody have any recommendations (or anti-recommendations) for groups in Boise?

 
I don't know much about AODA - but since the OBOD groves page is a bit tricky to find, here's the link: http://www.druidry.org/community/groups-groves/groves (The categories on the right hand side of the page will take you to your general area.)
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Aiwelin

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Re: Community opinions/gossip about the AODA?
« Reply #2 on: December 18, 2013, 04:22:20 pm »
Quote from: Amphibian;132939
So, as a bit of a backstory, I discovered modern Druidry as a thing through reading the blog of John Michael Greer (and, well, liked it a lot.)  As he's the Grand Archdruid of the AODA, I'd tentatively planned to follow a path that way, but most of the 'pick a path' discussions I've found here have focused on the differences between ADF and OBOD.  While I've purchased and read Greer's Druidry Handbook, and think I have a reasonable understanding of some of the starter points of AODA structure, I'm not at all sure how the organization is viewed in wider circles.

Relatedly, I've not had a whole lot of success in determining if there even is any sort of local druid group (not necessarily AODA); while I'm taking these first steps in solitary practice, I suspect it might be very useful to have a larger group to associate with.  Does anybody have any recommendations (or anti-recommendations) for groups in Boise?

 
I unfortunately don't know much about AODA, so I can't help you there.  The nearest ADF Grove in your area is unfortunately about 7 hours away :(, but here's a link if you're still interested.  There are a couple ADF members listed as living in Boise, but I can't give out their email addresses without asking first - let me know if you're interested in talking or meeting up with someone local, and I'll ask them if it's okay to share emails :).
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Amphibian

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Re: Community opinions/gossip about the AODA?
« Reply #3 on: December 18, 2013, 07:12:11 pm »
Quote from: Aiwelin;132964
I unfortunately don't know much about AODA, so I can't help you there.  The nearest ADF Grove in your area is unfortunately about 7 hours away :(, but here's a link if you're still interested.  There are a couple ADF members listed as living in Boise, but I can't give out their email addresses without asking first - let me know if you're interested in talking or meeting up with someone local, and I'll ask them if it's okay to share emails :).

 
Yeah...Seattle is a smidgen too long a journey for me to make on any sort of consistent basis.  Not that I'm exactly surprised about there being a grove there and not here; relative population density, social climate, and so on.

Not sure I'm ready to jump straight into a one-on-one conversation, though I appreciate the offer.
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Aiwelin

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Re: Community opinions/gossip about the AODA?
« Reply #4 on: December 18, 2013, 09:56:32 pm »
Quote from: Amphibian;132980
Yeah...Seattle is a smidgen too long a journey for me to make on any sort of consistent basis.  Not that I'm exactly surprised about there being a grove there and not here; relative population density, social climate, and so on.

Not sure I'm ready to jump straight into a one-on-one conversation, though I appreciate the offer.

 
Totally understood.  Sorry I couldn't be of more help!
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hraefngar

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Re: Community opinions/gossip about the AODA?
« Reply #5 on: December 27, 2014, 12:43:12 pm »
Quote from: Amphibian;132939
 While I've purchased and read Greer's Druidry Handbook, and think I have a reasonable understanding of some of the starter points of AODA structure, I'm not at all sure how the organization is viewed in wider circles.

 
Greer is generally well-respected in the Druid and occult community.  The man knows his stuff, and knows how to write.  I know several ADF members that double in AODA.  

The interesting thing about the AODA is that you have to go through several of their degree-structured training programs before you can even start a local group.   That means that growth at the local level takes a while, but there is a certain long-term quality assurance because the people putting themselves out there as local leaders theoretically know what they are doing.  By contrast, anyone in ADF who has been with the org for 6 months and can get a few personal references can start a protogrove, regardless of whether or not they know what they are doing (I believe this is why a significant number of protogroves fail).  I don't know how they do it in OBOD so I can't comment.  

I can't speak to the quality of any particular local group, but again, the local organizer has gone through some sort of internal training program and theoretically knows what he or she is doing.  

I would say AODA as a whole definitely has long term potential, provided that whenever Greer passes the torch of leadership, his successors don't bungle what he started.

Amphibian

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Re: Community opinions/gossip about the AODA?
« Reply #6 on: December 30, 2014, 01:30:13 pm »
Quote from: hraefngar;168197
Greer is generally well-respected in the Druid and occult community.  The man knows his stuff, and knows how to write.  I know several ADF members that double in AODA.  

The interesting thing about the AODA is that you have to go through several of their degree-structured training programs before you can even start a local group.   That means that growth at the local level takes a while, but there is a certain long-term quality assurance because the people putting themselves out there as local leaders theoretically know what they are doing.  By contrast, anyone in ADF who has been with the org for 6 months and can get a few personal references can start a protogrove, regardless of whether or not they know what they are doing (I believe this is why a significant number of protogroves fail).  I don't know how they do it in OBOD so I can't comment.  

I can't speak to the quality of any particular local group, but again, the local organizer has gone through some sort of internal training program and theoretically knows what he or she is doing.  

I would say AODA as a whole definitely has long term potential, provided that whenever Greer passes the torch of leadership, his successors don't bungle what he started.

Thanks! I've dug a little bit more into the stuff (and, erm, actually went through my Candidate initiation not too long ago) and it seems to be working fairly well so far.

Hadn't thought about the organizational-structure aspect of it, but yes. Makes sense from a long-term perspective and also probably explains a bit of why I couldn't find a grove nearby.  Who knows, maybe in a few years (or more) I'll be in a position to start one myself.
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