Dancing Lights Grove, ADF is a local congregation of Ár nDraíocht Féin, an international Neopagan Druidry organisation. We are based in Durham Region, Ontario. We celebrate eight High Days a year and additional rituals, participate in charity events, host classes, meet for fellowship, and support our community.
Druidry is an earth-based Neopagan religion. We are polytheistic, meaning we worship many gods. The Earth and Nature are important to us, and we see them being worthy of reverence. We use both academic scholarship and personal gnosis to shape our practices and rituals. Druidry is a living religion, and we find our inspiration in all areas of life — the family and hearth, bardic and visual arts, healing, nurturing gardens, magic, as well as research and liturgy.
Dancing Lights Grove primarily celebrates in a Celtic hearth culture, honouring and worshipping the gods and goddesses of Ireland. We celebrate eight High Days a year — Samhain, Winter Solstice, Imbolc, Vernal Equinox, Bealtaine, Summer Solstice, Lughnasadh, Autumnal Equinox. We elect three of our members to serve on the Leadership Council, who are responsible for overseeing the spiritual and mundane business of the Grove.
Our History
Dancing Lights Grove started to come into existence when Rod MacPherson started a Yahoo group to discuss the need for an ADF Grove in the Toronto area. We became an official protogrove of ADF on April 23, 2002. Our first ritual was conducted at Presqu’ile Provincial Park in June 2002 to celebrate the Summer Solstice.
Over the years, our membership grew and changed, and we became established in Durham Region, with the majority of our events and members in Oshawa. After much hard work, we became a provisionally chartered Grove of ADF on August 23, 2007.
