The link I shared at the very bottom of this post is a permanent link. And is the same link I shared privately - it should work fine 
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Hi! I am a first year candidate and am wondering how to use the forums. I am currently working on learning the SOP and reading the books. My partner and I are both very ecologically minded. We have rewilded a portion of our 5 achers into a pollinator garden and have planted 5 trees.
I would like to be able to access more areas of the forums, especially the land healing sections, I feel strongly called to this practice and actually lead a workshop on reconnecting to the Earth Mother called Earth Church.
Blessings!
Rocky Rains (Mykel Emrys)
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Iāll send you a PM since this topic is for our Discord server
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Hey there. Can I please get the new discord invite link? Iāve been on hiatus and am looking to ease my way back. Thank you!
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Here you go!
Just curious as to what qualifies as a comment for Discord rather than the Forum.
Discord gives me a headache. I rarely visit it, but I feel as if Iām missing quite a bit. Itās almost like we have two different organizations within AODA. Love the Forum!
Brenda
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Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!
Itās more about what kind of online community jives with you the best.
There was a big call for a real time hang out space. Thatās where Discord comes in. Its a space where people sort of show up, hang out, and conversations change organically in real time.
The forums are slower, its easier to track topics of conversation, or locate old ones. Things rarely change quickly, conversations generally always stay on one specific topic since we make a post for that one thing.
Discord is more conversational. Information or conversations can buried under the flow of conversation, and changes in topic. Topics change quickly and dramatically, much like they would with in person conversations. Discordās Member areas share a similar structure as the forums for topics(channels), but it also has its own needs in order to function smoothly.
So they are very different in atmosphere and pace. They are set up different, I donāt think one system is better or worse, they simply do different things. Some people prefer one over another, some do both.
Outside of that, a lot of people outside the AODA, find the server. They spend time in that space before joining the order, much like people do in the forums occasionally. Itās another point of contact, and community space. (This is also why we focus on server, and member security.)
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I am like yourself. I prefer to use the forum, but I have limited time to be online. I have sat in Discord for hours before back when they first started it and nobody was there. I didnāt get anything done in there where in here I got a lot more done. Iām sure thereās more people now though. Still, my days of chatrooms are kind of behind me. I prefer the forum because I can post something and leave it and everyone has a chance to answer in their own time and take plenty of time to do it. Chatrooms are more natural, organic if you will, but you must be present to be a part of it. Everyoneās lifestyles are very different and their preferences will be too. Nobody looks down on someone who prefers one over the other 
Itās all good. There are benefits and drawbacks to both! 
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Since I donāt have a smartphone, I have to be on the laptop to access community space. The forum is better for that, as I can check, respond, and go on to the next thing Iām doing. Also, the slowness of the forum appeals to me.
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I never used discord on my phone, only on the PC. It was a pain. Most apps are now set up for use on phones, not computers. I find that using apps on the computer (other than streaming services or banking) is always better on the phone. I wish I didnāt have a smartphone. I cannot stand my phone around me. I leave it behind a lot, or in another room. People get frustrated with me not answering them immediately lol Family knows and most friends do, but everyone else gets annoyed lol I think that is another reason I prefer the forum. It works best on the computer. Plus, I can see it better. I can take my time and write everything out better than if I had to use my phone.
Some of us are just not meant to have smart devices as our intelligence is supposed to be within 
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We could be twins. My cell phone is often either in the bottom my purse where I donāt hear it or the battery is dead. Yep. Drives friends and family crazy, but they have grown to expect it. I do try to take it with me when I venture out - just for emergencies.
Brenda
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I take mine out most of the time, but it sits on the bottom of my purse where I donāt hear it lol Twinsies 
I have had to call a tow truck before, so I know itās smart to take it, but sometimes I inadvertently forget to take it
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Ditto on the phone usageā¦ I admit there are things I like it about, but using less not more is my philosophy. I have to remind people that I use it for my convenience not theirs. Those are oddly harsh words for people to hear in an age where the expectation is to be constantly accessible and accountable.
Iām very bad at checking messages and callsā¦I can go a whole day without looking at itā¦the horror.
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I lose my phone in the house and if I have no appointments with others, and I may not notice for a day or two 
lol. Especially if Iāve turned the ringer off. Lol. So Sorry!
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