AODA Membership

Who may join?

The Ancient Order of Druids in America welcomes applications for membership from men and women of all spiritual, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds who wish to create and follow a personal path of nature spirituality in the traditions of the Druid Revival. AODA teaches a creative and experiential approach to spirituality and does not require members to believe in a specific set of doctrines; however, we recommend that prospective members read our FAQ page, our First Degree curriculum, and at least a few of the articles in our archive of articles, before applying for membership, to be sure that the form of Druidry taught and practiced in AODA is compatible with their beliefs and interests.

What happens when I join?

New members begin as Candidates, receive the Candidate initiation, and work with the First Degree training program for a minimum of one year. The Candidate initiation may be received from an AODA Grove or Study Group, if there's one in your area, or performed as a ritual self-initiation. As the revival of the Order continues we hope to establish enough Groves that most new members have the opportunity to experience full ritual initiation. The training program that follows is designed for self-directed study, and all the instructional material currently in existence is available on this website; a book covering the First Degree program, The Druidry Handbook by John Michael Greer, will be published by Weiser in March of 2006.

What does membership cost?

To simplify matters and avoid the clerical costs of collecting annual dues, the AODA charges a one-time lifetime membership fee for each level. For membership and enrollment as a Candidate, the fee is US$50.

Are fees waived in cases of financial hardship, incarceration, etc.?

We have set the membership fee at a very modest level, and made it a one-time-only payment, in order to put membership within reach of anyone who wants to join. Since all income received from fees goes to support present and future AODA programs to benefit all members - the officers of the Grand Grove receive no income from the Order, and in fact have long paid its expenses out of their own pockets - we feel it's unfair to the rest of the membership to allow people to join without making the contribution we ask of everyone else.

What's beyond the Candidate level?

After a minimum of one year as a Candidate and the completion of the First Degree training program, Candidates may apply for initiation into the First Degree, the degree of Druid Apprentice. After two more years and the completion of a more extensive course of study, Druid Apprentices may apply for initiation into the Second Degree, the degree of Druid Companion. A minimum of three years of membership as a Druid Companion and the completion of an individually designed program of advanced Druid training and practice is normally required before a member may be proposed for the Third Degree. These requirements may be suspended in specific cases by decision of the Grand Grove.

Does the AODA ordain priests and priestesses, and at what level of initiation?

As a Druid church, the AODA has its own priesthood, and any member who has received the degree of Druid Companion is eligible for ordination as a Druid Priest or Priestess. Any member who has received the degree of Druid Adept is eligible for consecration as a Druid Archpriest or Archpriestess, a position with functions more or less equivalent to those of bishops in other churches.

What do these higher degrees cost?

The lifetime membership fee for the First Degree is US$100. For the Second Degree, the fee is US$100, and for the Third Degree, US$50. There is no additional fee for ordination to the priesthood or consecration to the archpriesthood.

I've studied Druidry extensively in another Druid organization. Do I still have to start over at the beginning in the AODA?

Not necessarily. AODA's Grand Grove has established a "transfer credit" policy, by which work done in other Druid organizations or on your own can count toward your AODA degrees. Those who qualify for degrees in this way don't have to pay the usual lifetime membership fee for those degrees - we figure you've already paid your dues! Please look over our transfer credit page for more details.

I used to be a member of the AODA years ago. What's my status now?

During the recent period of inactivity, the AODA Grand Grove lost contact with a large number of its initiates. If you have been a member in the past, and haven't formally resigned, you're still a member, and whatever degrees you received from AODA are still fully valid. Please contact Grand Archdruid John Michael Greer via the Contact page if you would like to renew your involvement in the Order.

How do I join?

By Mail:

Send a letter of application to AODA, PO Box 1181, Ashland, OR 97520 USA. The letter should include your legal name, Druid name (if you have one), postal and email addresses, date of birth, an outline of your previous Druid studies, and anything you may want to say about why you wish to join AODA and what you hope to get out of it. Include a check or money order for US$50, payable to AODA.

Electronically:

Please send a letter of application via email by way of the Contact page. The email should include your legal name, Druid name (if you have one), postal and email addresses, date of birth, an outline of your previous Druid studies, and anything you may want to say about why you wish to join AODA and what you hope to get out of it. Your membership fee of US$50 may be paid via PayPal; please have payment made to payment@aoda.org.

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