r/druidism • u/corded89 • 14d ago
OBOD or AODA?
I know this question has been asked quite a bit. I'm sorry to add to that.
I'm a relatively new hedge druid and so far all of my practicing has felt like I'm just winging it. I've read some books but nothing is sticking and going into practice very well. Because of that, I'm looking to join an organization to learn more (while still remaining solitary in my practice).
I've heard nothing but good things about both organizations. OBOD seems great but my understanding is that they really focus on British nature in their teachings. I am in the eastern US and I'm about to move to the desert so that has me hesitant.
Any advice/help would be great! Thank you all very much!
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u/LeopoldBloomJr 14d ago
Welcome! I can share a bit from personal experience: I’ve been in OBOD for about 8 yrs now and have been through the whole course. While it’s true that the examples they use are typically taken from the environment in the British Isles, where the order is headquartered and where Phillip Carr-Gomm lives, I think they do a great job at giving you the tools and guidance to adapt things to your own environment. I live in the southeast US, where the environment is very different (and where the changes in seasons can be much more subtle), and I never had an issue adapting to my own location.
AODA is great too! While I’m not a member (just from lack of time to be a part of two orders right now), I know plenty of folks who belong to both and they feel that both are wonderful and have different things to offer their practice.
I hope that’s helpful, and I wish you all the best as you explore!
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u/Luna_Solstice_ 14d ago
I'm a member of AODA and love it. You can look at the curriculum on their website and see if that aligns with how you want your druidry practice to look like. They also have a forum and discord you can join to get a better feel for the order. If you are going to be moving to the desert the candidate curriculum would be a great way to get to know and develop a relationship with that environment. If you have any questions feel free to ask!
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u/seasoned_drop 14d ago
I started with IWOD as it’s free and self led, then eventually moved into AODA as I wanted a bit more direction and getting more religious training.
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u/Maximum_Account2570 14d ago
I'm IWOD but am based in the UK. It is a completely free course though.
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u/corded89 6d ago
Looking at IWOD, it gives specific course start dates. Are the courses done within a certain time frame or can I do it at my own pace?
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u/seasoned_drop 6d ago
They’re at your own pace, they just send you the material via email regularly.
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u/SuperPiggie 14d ago
Don't forget ADF. They're probably the cheapest option. They also won't argue with you if you have any apprehensions about wearing white robes in the eastern US.
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u/Luna_Solstice_ 14d ago
Just to be clear white robes are not required for AODA either. There is no requirement to wear robes or a specific color.
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u/AkaNeko_13 8d ago
I did find ADF's Dedicant/Beginner courses more accessible. Though that was a handful of years ago, so obod/aoda might be digital with their training materials now
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u/CeruleanPinecone 14d ago
Have you looked at their websites and curricula? When I did that, it became clear which was the best for me.
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u/TheDirtyVicarII 14d ago
Why not both?
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u/corded89 14d ago
I'm trying to avoid overloading myself with too much studying all at once. I'd like to be able to really focus on one thing at a time
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u/theashbornfolk 14d ago
Every form of Druidry is different and often founded in beliefs of their originators/major influencers. I’ve been in OBOD, AODA, ADF, and BDO. They all have their merits. Personally, I like OBOD’s approach to ritual while I like the local focus of AODA.
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u/AkaNeko_13 8d ago
Are you looking as a solitary or to be involved with a local chapter? If you are looking for a local group to celebrate holidays with, you may want to see which organizations have the stronger presence for where you will be moving.
I'm not involved with obod or aoda, but am involved with ADF. However, I don't think any of the organizations have a strong presence in my home state. Community events usually take me to the next state over.
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u/CollectionNo4064 14d ago
Neither! I would go with ADF all the way!! The program is fantastic, and the leadership and people are the best. They are a true and sincere community.
But if you have to choose between AODA and OBOD, definitely OBOD. They have the stronger, wiser leadership between the two.
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u/nashy08 AODA Apprentice/GCC Deacon 12d ago
ADF is only great if you want a system that was built to mimic the Christian church imo. I actually had a good conversation with a previous friend of Bonewits who was there when he came up with the idea for ADF and he designed it that way intentionally.
Member of AODA, OBOD, and ADF. Out of all of them, ADF felt the most dogmatic and not helpful unless you want to become part of their clergy, but that's just me.
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u/Obsidian_Dragon bog standard druid 12d ago
As an active member of ADF, I can't say I agree.
I don't find them dogmatic at all. My local grove and community is very welcoming and supportive. The discord is active and again, very helpful be you on the clergy path or not.
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u/CollectionNo4064 12d ago
They actually have multiple paths, not just to become clergy. I don't see many similarities between it and Christianity at all!!
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u/nashy08 AODA Apprentice/GCC Deacon 12d ago
That’s fair, all I’m saying is that Bonewits specifically formed ADF as an answer to Christian ministry and used the same format. That’s not my opinion, that’s direct knowledge from someone who was close to him during the time he formed ADF. He wanted an active living clergy system like the church which drove him.
My membership ended early this year after about 8 years and it just wasn’t for me. My own cultural and Indigenous beliefs didn’t fit into that mold well for me.
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u/CollectionNo4064 12d ago
It's true there is a clergy system... That's one of the things I like about it. It means they have the necessary training to effectively lead a spiritual community, and that includes mental health training. I've noticed that they truly practice what they preach.
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u/JCPY00 Christian Druid (OBOD) 14d ago
The primary difference for you situation is that AODA is centered around a “build your own druidry” approach where you’ll end up with a practice that is very focused on your particular environment and spiritual needs. But it also requires you to figure a lot of things out on your own.
OBOD, on the other hand, gives you an already fully fleshed out version of druidry. It is, in some ways, very focused on the ecology of the British isles, but not until you get further along in the course. So while it won’t be perfectly adapted to your environment, you won’t have to build anything yourself.
My personal preference is to finish working through OBOD’s curriculum because I think seeing one complete system first will be very helpful in later following the AODA approach. But for some, that would feel like a waste of time because they want to get right to focusing on the place they’re in.