Week Two: The First Oath

This week on the ADF Dedicant's Path, I've been asked to make a First Oath as a commitment to the Druid path.  The Oath is meant to be given in an ADF-style ritual as well, so this week will also be my first one of those.  It feels very overwhelming!  But I'm also glad to be making some progress.  This kind of challenge (and hopefully, growth!) is exactly what I signed up for.  And so, tomorrow or Friday, I'll be doing my first ADF ritual.

I had some trouble writing the Oath, so I borrowed the example given in Our Own Druidry and made some modifications for myself.  I haven't made any connections with deities thus far, so I chose to make my Oath before a nature spirit that I'm just getting to know a bit better - the beautiful oak in my backyard.  The three main components of the Oath are a vow of virtue, piety, and study; for myself I wanted to include dedication as well.  Though I may not always succeed, I will pursue my spiritual path and grow in it to the best of my abilities.

I, Aiwelin, before you my sacred tree,
name myself as a seeker of the Old Ways of communion with the Earth.
With this holy oath I set my foot upon the Path, the Druid's Way,
and I will make my dedication plain.
I will seek virtue in my life, doing right by those I love.
I vow to seek piety, to make my Paganism real.
I will seek knowledge and wisdom
in the ways of my Path through diligent study.
This I vow in the sight of the spirits, the ancestors, and the Gods and Goddesses.
So be it.
-modified from the First Oath in Our Own Druidry, cited below

Various Authors (2009). The First Oath, Our Own Druidry [kindle version]. Retrieved from http://adf.org