The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum

Anyone here belong to OBOD? I've been circling around the idea of joining and doing their coursework for some time, but I'd like to get some opinions from regular folks who've done the work (and not just off the website, where of course they're going to sell themselves...)

Thanks!
Karen

 
Hi Karen!
I am currently taking an OBOD Bardic course and I enjoy it a lot. There is a lot of lore, exercises and materials included and they also have a big community where you can discuss your lessons. The only issue that you might consider is that so far I see that they are really "fluffy"and open-minded when it comes to practice, meaning you will find as much "authentic" stuff there as some beautiful additions, stories, poems and legend variations added by the course authors. The ritual structure is very Wiccan-influenced with casting the circle, opening the quarters and calling the guardians. I have no problem with that because I already have a background in a reconstructionist Druidic tradition and I'm fully enjoying the "soft" stuff there. So if you would like to have inspiring stuff to read and to join a vibrant community of nice people, you will love it! If you would like to go more traditional reconstructionist, sticking to the lore, I would recommend taking the ADF Dedicant Course. I'm actually taking both and they make a great combination - as they are so different, it gives me the opportunity of seeing the bigger picture and knowing both approaches, which broadens the view significantly . Another thing is if you are interested in joining the events, you might also consider the location - OBOD is UK-based, and ADF is American, so the communities are located accordingly.
Have a nice day!
Alisa

Anyone here belong to OBOD? I've been circling around the idea of joining and doing their coursework for some time, but I'd like to get some opinions from regular folks who've done the work (and not just off the website, where of course they're going to sell themselves...)

Thanks!
Karen

I'm so glad you're finally getting some replies!  I looked into the OBOD course myself before settling on ADF - honestly, mainly for financial reasons.  Hearing that the OBOD is very 'wiccish' makes me very glad I made that decision; I've been working in a 'wiccish' framework for years and have no desire to pay a great deal for introductory material I already know.

Another option you might be interested in is a group I'm working with, the New Order of Druids.  Their website is druidcircle.org.  They are a smaller organization based in Belgium that offers free Druid classes.  They are much more like the OBOD in their open, tolerant framework; they accept people of all faiths and their coursework can be fit into just about any worldview, as long as you like nature and Celtic cultures!  The ADF, as you probably know, has a much stronger opinion on the common things its members should believe.

ADF isn't intolerant, it's an orthopraxic religion and there are members who are Wiccan among other things. All that's strictly stipulated is the Core Order of Ritual and what constitutes an ADF rite vs. an ADF inspired rite. Many members have personal rites that aren't strictly ADF/CoOR it is understood that for a rite to be publically announced and held as an ADF rite it has to adhere to the CoOR but that's (generally speaking) about it.

 
Oh, I never meant to imply that ADF is intolerant, though in retrospect, my poor wording may have made it seem so.  I just think they're a lot more narrow in their focus - polytheistic hearth cultures - whereas one can join the OBOD or NOD and be completely at home as a Christian Druid, or some other unlikely-seeming combination.  I personally enjoy and appreciate both approaches, but ADF seems sort of built to have a narrower appeal.

Anyone here belong to OBOD? I've been circling around the idea of joining and doing their coursework for some time, but I'd like to get some opinions from regular folks who've done the work (and not just off the website, where of course they're going to sell themselves...)

Thanks!
Karen

IIRC, OBOD has an online forum where you can post questions and learn more about the program through existing members.  Of course, this will be a bit biased, but it's worth a shot.

O/T:  Asch, do you ever participate in the ADF email list/discussion forums?

 
Yup. I mostly lurk though.

I've joined ADF, and to be honest I would recommend them more. Their community seems more serious about their religion. There are some really creative minds and hard workers in ADF.

I've been an ADF member for several years, though I still haven't settled down to work on my DP. Maybe soon... I've decided I need to just work on practicing Druidry and finding a place to fit that alongside my Wiccan practices.

For the other ADF members here, if you see a Karen posting with an email address of witchturtle @ gmail, that's me.

Karen

I've nearly finished the Bardic course. It's been an experience. For the complete beginner it would be excellent - it's a very good introduction (with some caveats of course). It would also suit many eclectic, Wiccan-influenced (as has been mentioned above) and generally spiritual-but-not-religious people. I need structure in a very serious way, and I'm also a polytheist (not too common in OBOD from my experience), so I'm looking into ADF. I'll probably take the OBOD Ovate course at some point, unless I get focused on something else. There has been good stuff in the Bardic grade.

Another alternative people might want to consider is the British Druid Order course. It's a new course and really very good - plus it's all sent out online and is therefore a lot cheaper than OBOD. They lean a bit more towards reconstructionism than OBOD, and are quite scholarly and thoughtful. I started their Bardic course a couple of years ago, before getting distracted and then deciding OBOD would be a better fit (which was a mistake). I will go back and finish it at some point, now that I actually know what I'm looking for.

There's also a lot of stuff on the Druid Network site (I'm a member of theirs too - I seem to be collecting all the Orders). Some of their exercises and info on that website almost add up to an introductory course - and they're generally excellent. They're more about networking than training, hence the name. I like what they're doing.

My first reaction when I found out about OBOD and how widespread its influence was one of distrust.  I view OBOD as too monolithic a Druidic group an organisation to trust and I view the Pagan Federation in a similar manner.  I intend to begin the BDO's Bardic course when I can afford it.