I am writing in because I am interested in joining a Druidic organization and going through the training. I am located in the US so naturally this one drew my attention, however it seems as though the activity in these public forums at least seems to be pretty old.
I was also looking at the Order of the Bards, so I am not really sure which way to go here. Any help and guidance would be much appreciated even though I am sure it will be difficult to be unbiased on your own forums.
Thank You
@Cyio The AODA is a healthy organization with ongoing activities and a diverse membership. Feel free and welcome to participate in our forum and talk to members about their experiences working with the Order’s Curriculum 
There are many members who are also a part of OBOD, so there’s precedence and a sense of the similarities and differences in both approaches to Druidry in many discussions here.
We of the forum staff can also help you with any other questions, let us know!
This may bring up a fair point. If somebody comes to the forum to take a look around, as a guest, all they will see is the “public” forum… which nobody posts in… and will appear that there are no posts aside from…3 or 4 threads spanning a 2 year period…
I can see how that might appear as a dead forum from the outside… as the forum member sections are not only locked… but invisible to guests…
Seems a fine setting for the AODA member sections… but perhaps not for the forum member sections?
Just food for thought.
Actually, there’s a clear explanation for this policy here, of why we require a little time and effort before opening the forum to newcomers. We start from the premise everyone reads the forum guidelines 
good point. Guess it’s been a while since I’ve read that!
Yes, very much so! Like mentioned earlier… the Members only sections have the most activity.
Thank you all for the responses and it is great news that the forum and membership is active.
Hi,
The organization is still active but the deeper one goes into Druidry, the less time one tends to spend on the computer. I am only looking at the forum today because I have a bad cold and cannot work in the garden or work on rasping down my bow.
The AODA has a strong magical bent and I find it very life enhancing. My family agrees I have been much changed for the better. I find I am less and less interested in the news, politics and vacations and more delighted by the birds and flowers on my little farm. I think I am experiencing life much more through my senses.
I am very interested in joining OBOD too as their focus is on the Bardic arts and not on magic. A lot of AODA are also members of OBOD. Their training package is more defined and you work through correspondence lessons where in the AODA you pick your own subjects of study.
Does this help?
Yours under the red cedars,
Max Rogers
Dear Cyio:
Yes, we are quite real. You might head over to the public forum for the start of a series I just uploaded a few minutes ago.
Gordon Cooper
Grand Archdruid AODA
I think you have a good point. Perhaps we should make some sort of regular news posts here . Maybe a link to the newsletters or something?
Good point. I recall when I first explored AODA years ago before we had this place, I asked that same question. I liked what I read on the web page about what AODA Druidry is though did not see anybody doing or talking about it. Before I wanted to take it seriously as a dispersed community, I wanted to know if there actually was a dispersed community.
It makes me realize that there is often more going on around us than any of us can readily find without knowing where or how to look, or if nothing else, having the ways opened for us to see.
Thank you all again for answering my question. I feel comfortable now taking the leap and learning more.
@Cyio I see a lot more and have much better communication now than when I was lurking and not even registered on the forums. This is a great place with all sorts of dialogue happening. Great group with great insight! Looking forward to seeing your contribution as well.
I like this idea. We can certainly do that and maybe post some other regular news?
There is also a fair amount of activity on the AODA Facebook page, which doesn’t get much input from the forums, either.
Hello, I am a member of 3 Druid organizations (including this one), 2 of them are nationally based in America and an American OBOD Grove but OBOD is nationally based in the UK. I’ll give you a brief overview of MY experience with each of them. I don’t speak for anyone else and as the saying goes, ask 3 Druids one question and you’ll get 9 answers. Also my experience is limited as I’ve only been with these organizations a few years so you’ll have to look to members who have been in longer. Sorry this is so long but I was where you were and posts like these really helped.
I’m still new to the AODA, but I like it for a number of reasons. The first is as far as Druidry goes AODA is more focused on “modern” Druidry such as learning science or modern day musical instruments for example. The training for AODA challenges us as Druids to incorporate Druidry into our lives in ways current with our time period. If that’s a challenge your looking for, then consider the AODA. Sadly, AODA is the smallest of the 3 so expect to be solitary unless your lucky to find a local Grove.
The next is Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship, and as far as American Druid organizations go it’s considered the largest (OBOD is larger but it’s not considered an American group because it’s in the UK). ADF at the lower levels is open to all but as you move up it differs from the AODA as it becomes more theistic pagan Druidry. ADF’s Training is more scholarly in the realm of how Druidry actually was (and no one knows for sure but ADF does really try to piece together what we know from historical record). ADF’s training for its Dedicant and Initiate program is like getting a degree specifically in ancient theistic pagan Druidry where AODA is like getting a degree in something that relates to the three Druid paths like a music degree for Bards, natural or earth science for Ovate, and philosophy for the Druid path. More importantly AODA offers more freedom in what you do, where as ADF is fairly strict that all Druids working within ADF’s framework all practice the same. Don’t get me wrong, if you truly love Druidry, you shouldn’t have a problem with the framework and outside of ADF you can do what you like.
Last but not least is the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids aka OBOD. This is the largest Druid group in the world (unless this has changed since I read it last) and as you probably already know they are based in the UK. The good news is OBOD has Groves all over America and theres a good chance there’s a Grove that’s a road trip away. The training for OBOD is very romanticized meaning it’s skewed to how they WANT to view the ancient Druids. The chief Phillip-Carr Gromm also incorporated a lot of psychology into the training to help people with mental issues that weren’t serious. Because of that I think that’s why while some Druids don’t like how they view the ancient Druids because it lacks scholarly research it does help people mentally. The other reason OBOD shines is because it’s the least restrictive of all 3 and builds communities faster than ADF or AODA.
So to sum up each organization:
AODA is somewhere in between ADF and OBOD overall, but is still unique and modern.
ADF is the most historically based Druid organization and the most religious.
OBOD is the least historically based and least restrictive but builds communities fast and has the most people.
Also I’ll also sum up pricing for each.
AODA is the most cost effective, you pay a one time fee for each level you achieve (a total of 4 levels) and you get a lifetime membership for each. I believe the fees are around $50-$150 per level but check the webpage for exact amounts. This doesn’t include Grove fees, becoming Clergy, this is only for a basic solitary membership with the National Organization.
ADF is a yearly fee of $30, you can pay an extra $20 for its quarterly magazine subscription but that’s up to you. Again that doesn’t include other fees like becoming Clergy or Grove fees.
OBOD is the most expensive of the 3 and the reason I included this extra section. Training for OBOD across its 3 levels, Bard, Ovate, and Druid is roughly $30 per month for a year for each level. I haven’t checked the exchange rate or the cost for OBOD in a while so I could be off as the price will vary often with the exchange rate. The good news is, even if you just buy one month your a lifetime member in OBOD, the bad news is it’s difficult for most people to afford a monthly subscription to OBOD. But once you finish the Druid level you can, with another Druid who has also completed the Druid level, start an OBOD grove. The great thing about OBOD is their Groves do tend to build communities fast. Also, this doesn’t include any Grove fees. OBOD doesn’t really have Clergy because they prefer for it to be more spiritually about everyone instead of an individual (like a priest).
So that’s my take on each but check out their websites, ask around, and learn for yourself. I’m a member of all 3 because I think each offers me something that helps me walk my Druid path.