ADF’s Study Programs offer a main advantage to the student seeking training: members are not tied to the same track as everyone else for advancement. As the Druids of old were not only priests, neither are our members. To that end, we seek to provide training to those who wish to specialize in a variety of directions.
Each member can choose a path that plays to their personal strengths and interests. We understand that not everyone is a linguist, nor will every person lead public ritual. Some people are primarily attracted to Druidism because it has a strong nature-based component, some to the bardic aspects of poetry and storytelling, while others are drawn to the magic inherent in the cosmos they participate in.
The Guild Study Programs are designed by ADF’s Guilds to meet these special interests and needs. Currently there are eight Guilds with approved Study Programs accepting students, and the other Guilds are developing programs for approval. Here is a listing of the approved Study Programs:
- Artisans Guild Study Program – The AGSP requires learning the different types of art and the corresponding culture. The student will begin searching for a connection between the Kindreds and their own creative skills. They will learn to recognize their abilities and how to best offer their services to their community.
- Bardic Guild Study Program – The ADF Bardic Guild has designed a study program to promote the production and performance of bardic arts for the benefit of ADF.
- Brewers Guild Study Program – The ADF Brewers guild encompasses those interested in the art of beverage fermentation as part of an Indo-European spiritual practice. It strives to teach its members the art, history, and spiritual significance of brewing so that they may create quality brews for the folk and the Gods we honor. By the time one completes the study program the student will be familiar with the law and history. They will also proficient in the use of the equipment, various methods of brewing beer, wine, and mead and have produced many batches of quality beverages.
- Liturgists Guild Study Program – The study program of the Liturgists’ Guild has been designed to help the student learn the background and skills necessary in order to write, direct and perform effective rituals in an ADF context. Coursework, organized in three Circles, will include exposure to the basic skills of composition and poetics as well as a regular, systematic practice of personal and group ritual. The First Circle work covers ADF’s approach to Neo-Pagan Druidism, with emphasis on private ritual practice. The Second Circle will concentrate on group ritual and the Third Circle will cover special liturgies, such as Rites of Passage.
- Magicians Guild Study Program – The MGSP courses include history, theory, the practice of magic, ethics, and magical self-development. The coursework involves both theoretical study of magic and hands-on application of those theories.
- Naturalists Guild Study Program – The ADF Naturalists Guild exists to learn more about the land on which we live so that we may educate our groves and communities, to work in whatever way we are called for the protection and healing of this land and the Earth, to deepen our understanding of and relationship to the Nature Spirits, and to facilitate the spiritual connection of our folk to the land.
- Scholars Guild Study Program – The ADF Scholars Guild Study Program is designed to prepare ADF members, as an integral part of our faith, to participate in scientific and scholarly research, and debate, about the ancient Druids, the Indo-Europeans, comparative religion, folklore, and every other relevant field of human knowledge.
- Seers Guild Study Program – The ADF Seer’s Guild study program is designed to provide the student with two things. A background in IE concepts that are so important to ADF and an opportunity to begin studying the art/science of divination.
- Warriors Guild Study Program – The Warriors Guild Study program will challenge those interested in learning the basic skills such as campcraft, wilderness survival, basic self defense, and physical conditioning; to simple strategies; to the more advanced skills of self defense, urban survival, strategy & tactics, warrior PSI, and above all lifestyle balance, where a warrior will strive to improve in all aspects of mind, body, spirit.
Members can view the individual Guild Study Programs directly. If you are not a member, please consider joining ADF and becoming a part of Our Fellowship!
