Hello everyone! As we approach the Summer Solstice this will be the first time we will be doing our order-wide rituals for land healing and blessing (see this link for rituals and information: Order-wide Rituals for the Earth – Ancient Order of Druids in America). To help facilitate this, we have created a map that you can use to place where you have done the ritual.
To add yourself to the map, first go to the map and make sure you are logged into Google. From there, click “Edit map”. Then, click on the layer “Summer Solstice 2022” and then go to the small toolbar and click the “marker button” and then add yourself or your group and any other information you want to add. See the graphic below for more information on how to add to the map.
Are you supposed to add a location before you do it? I mean it hasn’t happened yet but states where we have done the ritual, implying afterward. I went to the link but no tools pop up for me to be able to add my location to the map. I had assumed we put the information in as soon as we want, but then thought when it wouldn’t allow me to add a location that meant we had to wait until after the Solstice. Any help would be much appreciated.
Thank you @DanaD I got myself added now. I hope it’s ok I put where I would be exactly on the map instead of where I live because they are two totally different places and since it was about the ritual and not myself, I did it that way. Thank you and it looks great seeing where everyone will be
I have a question about participation in the ritual (and hoping it’s okay to ask this in this thread; please move it to where it ought to go, if not!):
Is it okay to participate (add one’s pin to the map) if you’re not yet an AODA member, or not initiated?
Actually, I guess to back up a step, I have a corollary question, which is: when does one officially become a member of the AODA, and/or at what point is it appropriate—or is one eligible—to participate in this ritual? At membership submittal, at receipt of new membership materials, at (self-)initiation? I would love to participate but do not want to do so if I am jumping in before I should. I want to honor any closed practices the AODA has, and as I have applied for membership (via email/PayPal) but not yet received confirmation (I know it can take a while), I’m not sure whether I am already in or not.
You officially become a member of AODA as soon as you are accepted and pay your membership fee. There is no requirement to ever perform any initiation or any curriculum in order to be a member, only to advance in the degrees. The response can take a bit due to all of us being volunteers and the mass of applications we’ve been getting. I’m sure you will receive a response though.
You can absolutely participate. In fact, non-members could easily participate since the script is freely available on the website as well as the SOP instructions that someone would need to do it. This is not one of our closed practice, but group magical working to heal the Earth. The more people who take part, the better.
Thanks for the clarifications @RocasCearcall; I appreciate it! I think I misinterpreted the description of the term “order-wide” as just targeting official members. So, I kind of figured it didn’t apply to me, and was waiting to make sure that (hopefully) I’ll be accepted before looking into what it all entails. Glad I asked! But—ha! Now all of a sudden I’m feeling nervous and like I’d be jumping in the deep end, or like I’m getting ahead of myself. I’ve never done something like this before… Anyway, now that I know it’s okay, I’ll read the ritual and see how it feels. Thanks again!
And, I completely understand about processing membership apps taking time. I’m grateful for the care all the leadership puts in to everything here; it’s one of the reasons joining AODA appeals to me.
I got accepted into the Order today*—yay!!! However, even though it’s now moot for me, I imagine there might be others who will also find this info useful!
Congratulations and welcome again The great thing about posting questions is that there are always going to be people who could get information that is posted in response. I used to not like to ask questions until I found out how many people always ended up with the same questions I did and it helped them just as much as me. Many people feel “stupid” or they get embarrassed to ask questions. I’ve even asked questions on other people’s behalf before just so they felt comfortable and got the information that they needed. lol Us humans are fickle
Okay I DO have to ask this… In the summer Land Healing Ceremony, I read to perform the full SOP ceremony… does that include the Banishing as well? I think the answer is yes, but I’m not sure… Do the negative aspects of the elements ‘live’ in the tree?..
Thankx for your help. A beautiful 3 trunked Sitka Spruce called to me as I walked by with my intention to find a spirit willing to work with me today!
I assumed we face outwards for the SOP, that we are preforming it to purify the space. And then we engage in the blessing ritual which faces in and brings the blessing of each gate into the tree.
So I went back to read it and I would be entirely wrong .
Do the instructions for adding yourself to the map work on an iPad? Because I am having difficulty. Also, I’m feeling kind of paranoid about putting it out there for anyone to see who/where I am.
I’m on an iPad and at first it was confusing, then it started working and I couldn’t figure out why it had been so confusing, but in the mean time I had put myself in the middle of the bay, so I’m leaving it as is. I always put my pins in some general location in the area because I share your privacy concerns, but I also think it’s exciting to see the general distribution so I participate.
The great thing about posting questions is that there are always going to be people who could get information that is posted in response. I used to not like to ask questions until I found out how many people always ended up with the same questions I did and it helped them just as much as me. Many people feel “stupid” or they get embarrassed to ask questions. I’ve even asked questions on other people’s behalf before just so they felt comfortable and got the information that they needed. lol Us humans are fickle 