On July 9, 2023, I joined Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship and immediately began their Dedicant’s Path program—a series of 11 Essays. I wanted to eventually become a ADF Clergy member, to deepen my own Priestess Path and divine relationships. A program which was supposed to take a year. I’ve been a pagan and a witch since 1994-95, and I love to research and am a prolific writer, so I thought that I could do it by July 9, 2024.
However, between unclear criteria and my neurodivergencies, I struggled a little bit. I needed classroom style structure. I joined a Proto-Grove that had a Zoom “Support Group” meeting every week to help dedicants with problems, motivation, and accountability, which certainly helped significantly. (As of Jan of ‘25 I joined another group that was more structured, with weekly Discord meets—apparently this group was the ignition that I needed.) Through the Support Group, I learned that it was actually normal for the DP to take 2-5 years or more! That was discouraging.
Then my mom died in October ‘23. Although she and I had a lot of problems (she was an addict and I wasn’t an enabler), my mourning dealt more with Mother Wound healing work, than typical grief. So that was its own thing.
Eventually, essays starting rolling—notes, drafts, and lots of me standing in my own way and overthinking. I don’t think I actually turned in my first essay until February ‘24.
Earlier this year, Freyja told me that I wasn’t going to pass the DP—my path had changed. Confused, I told Her that I wanted to try anyway. In 2011, due to depression and burnout, I dropped out of university. It was really important to me that I at least try to pass the DP. I had already put so much time and energy into it. Even if I wasn’t meant to be an ADF Clergy member anymore, I had to prove to myself that I could follow through with it.
It wasn’t until May 30th, 2024 that I turned in an essay and realized that it was the 1 year anniversary of another essay. I also realized that I didn’t want to still be working on the DP next May 30th. So I set a deadline for myself: July 9, 2025, I would have all of my essays turned in.
During a frustrating re-write of an essay about Mental Discipline I had an epiphany—I do know what I’m doing. A switch was flipped and within 2 weeks, I wrote and submitted 6 essays. The following week, I wrote, oathed myself, and turned in the last essay.
YES, all turned in before my deadline—although a couple of those essays I was worried about rewrites, so I wasn’t out of the woods yet.
I got an email at the end of June saying that I’d passed three of the essays, but no word on the others.
On August 8th, I emailed the Reviewers to check in, and they said that I passed the DP back in June, but apparently I never got that email. I passed! I’m officially a Dedicant now. Let’s go!
The next program is the Initiate Path. After taking a look at it, it’s more in-depth and you have to be accepted before starting it. I’m going to take some time and just be a Dedicant, and really let the questions asked of the IP sink in. Who knows, maybe my Priestess Path has changed and I’m not meant to be an ADF Clergy? There are still some required and recommended authors that I have a huge issue with in ADF’s programs—still some changes that need to be made before I go deeper into this fellowship.
That being said, I am interested in joining a guild. Perhaps I’ll do some work within a guild, then the IP? I’m hoping to find a local inclusive Norse group, whether they’re affiliated with ADF or not. Maybe ADF can help?
Yes! I’ve passed the Dedicant’s Path, and I will be sharing 10 of the 11 essays, because number 11 is the Dedicant’s Oath, which is between me, my Kindreds, and ADF.
These essays are more of an introduction to paganism. There were also word count limits, so the essays are more like high school quality, not university quality. I also did not write/submit these in order:
Essay 1: Pagan Virtues - https://hearthfoxoracle.blogspot.com/2025/08/dedicant-path-essay-1-pagan-virtues.html
Essay 2: ADF High Days - https://hearthfoxoracle.blogspot.com/2025/09/dedicant-path-essay-2-high-days.html
Essay 3: Book Reviews -
Essay 4: Home Shrine -
https://hearthfoxoracle.substack.com/p/adf-dedicant-path-essay-4-home-shrine
Essay 5: 2 Powers Meditation
Essay 6: Mental Discipline
Essay 7: Nature Awareness
Essay 8: High Day Attendance
Essay 9: Your Relationship with the Kindreds
Essay 10: Personal Spiritual Practice
Thanks for all of the Hearts, Follows, Subscribing, Purchases, Bookings, and Recommendations. I really do appreciate the support.
Trust in Sunna. Trust in Joy. Follow the Bees…
~ Priestess Foxlyn