The deepest part of winter has set in, and the Tribe huddles around the fire for warmth and companionship. The bard picks up her instrument, and lightly strums the strings, singing a quiet and hopeful hymn to the Maiden of Hearth, Forge, and Song, Brighid. As her voice carries upward, it is as clear as the winter sky overhead.

Her words ask the Tribe to remember that, while many weeks of winter lie ahead of them, Brighid's fires of inspiration will burn deep within every beating heart. Together, members of the Tribe will endure the coming cold. Together they will make ready for the coming spring, and together they will share the light from their inner fires, spreading hope where there is none. As the bard's voice begins the familiar chorus, the others around the fire join their voices to hers, remembering the difficult seasons behind them, and looking forward to new and better times ahead. Brighid's light passes from one heart to another, and grows stronger.

Ár nDraíocht Féin ("our own druidry" in modern Irish) started in 1983 as an offshoot of the Reformed Druids of North America (RDNA). ADF from its founding has committed itself to conducting all High Days as open, public events. NeoPagan Druids typically follow the same Wheel of the Year as other NeoPagan faiths (Equinoxes, Solstices, and four cross-quarter festivals), although the names of the rites may differ according to the focus of the particular ADF Grove and its declared Hearth Culture.

Wild Onion Grove has been conducting eight public High Day rites since 1993, and, since we are an eclectic Grove, we tailor the cultural focus according to the Gods and Goddesses Grove members feel called to work with for that holy day. As an example, Wild Onion celebrates the February Feast as Imbolc, and dedicates it to Brighid with an Irish-Celtic focus, but we have also conducted full Roman rites at the Autumnal Equinox and dedicated it to Sylvanus. Despite its Irish name, ADF encompasses a wide cultural focus.

ADF Druidry may not be familiar to many, but it shares quite a few beliefs and philosophies with other NeoPagan faiths. We revere the Earth, worship Gods and Goddesses, believe in magic, and we don't proselytize - all of these should be very familiar to adherents of modern NeoPaganism. The differences are few, but important - we are strict Polytheists rather than Aspectarians (i.e., all Gods/Goddesses are one God/Goddess), we don't create circles as part of our rite (although we do recognize the space as sacred), we worship a Triad that includes the Gods, Ancestors, and Nature Spirits, and work solely within the Indo-European cultural/linguistic framework (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indoeuropean). ADF also follows a Core Order of Ritual (http://www.adf.org/rituals/explanations/core-order.html) in all our rites, which serves as a common thread regardless of the rite's cultural focus. Some of this may confuse guests at our rites the first time, but we always give a pre-rite briefing for newcomers so that they know what to expect.

Wild Onion Grove is also very dedicated to establishing and maintaining a strong connection to the local Chicago community. In 2009 the Grove began collecting food donations for the Greater Chicago Food Depository at each of our rites, and will continue to find ways to help our local community survive and thrive. The Grove is celebrating its 17th year in Chicago, and hopes to help the city's NeoPagan faiths grow and thrive in the coming years. We may not all worship the same way, but, as a community of faith, we can all stand together to ensure that all can worship freely.

We at Wild Onion Grove would like to invite you to "Sharing the Light," a celebration of Imbolc honoring Brighid. The rite will begin at 5:30 p.m., Sunday, February 7, in Life Force Arts Center's main area. We ask that attendees please bring a donation of nonperishable food (no glass, please) to benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Donations to the Grove are welcome but never necessary.

Links for more information about...
...Ár nDraíocht Féin - www.adf.org and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%81r_nDra%C3%ADocht_F%C3%A9in

...Wild Onion Grove (including dates and times of future rites in Chicago): wildoniongrovechicago.ning.com or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

...NeoPagan Druidry - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-druidism

Jack Cole is Senior Druid of Ár nDraíocht Féin's Chicago Grove, Wild Onion. He has been a committed Pagan for nearly 30 years, working primarily with the Norse and Roman pantheons. A native of North Carolina, Jack has lived in Atlanta, St. Louis, Cologne, Berlin, and Hannover before moving to Chicago in 2002. He and his partner, Chris, live in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood, and will celebrate 11 happy years together this May.