Transformation in ADF

How Does Our Work Transform the Participant?          

  I have found this question quite challenging to answer, because, as the question indicates, we are an orthopractic organization.  This means that the transformation one person experiences within ADF may be completely different than transformation experiences of another member.  However, I do feel that we give people numerous opportunities for transformation within both our public and private work, beginning with the Core Order of Ritual.  By giving people a framework for their public rituals, we are building a community-level experience, so someone who attends ADF rituals in multiple locations can have a sense of comfort and familiarity with the ritual structure no matter the location.  The COoR also encourages people to build relationships with specific beings, including the Earth Mother, Gatekeeper, and the Three Kindred.  The establishment and continual fostering of these relationships can be transformational on many different levels.
           We also give people the opportunities to practice their faith in whatever way works best for them in their personal practices.  We provide numerous subgroups and that will allow people to dig into that spirituality and find transformation in our own path.  The Clergy Council introduces Priests to new pieces of the inner world, transforming their experiences.  The Initiate Program teaches Initiates to work with a magical current, which is also a transformational skill.  The Orders and Guilds offer study programs that each teach the students a new set of skills that transform their spiritual path in one way or another. Ultimately, our orthopraxy allows for members to find their own ways to transformation. 

Transformation in Ancient Religions       

    ADF bases many of our practices on the lore and practices of ancient Indo-European religions, including the transformational experiences.  This is easily seen in our Orders, where the focus and study programs are often directly adapted from these ancient practices.  For example, in the Demeter and Eleusinian Order, the study program and practices are built around the Eleusinian Mysteries of ancient Greece.  The study program asks the participant to explore the lore of the Mysteries and walks them through the transformation practices of them.  In the Order of Raven and Falcon, the focus is on the practices of the ancient Norse religion.  Not only do they explore the mythology and beliefs tied to the northern pantheon, they also explore the mystical practice of Seidh and the transformation someone undergoes in that work. 

Conclusion         

​   As an orthopractic organization, we provide numerous opportunities for transformation, many of which were adopted from ancient Indo-European lore and practices.  This diversity can make it hard to find a uniform idea of transformation, but it also provides many opportunities for people to be transformed in the way that best works for them in their own spiritual path.