
Homework: Start by going back to your original set of questions from Week 1. There, we asked a lot of questions about what you expected. Look over the answers, and get a feel for what they implied back then and what they mean to you now. Now, we’re going to look at what you found, and what you expect now that you have finished your Dedicant studies. |
Looking at all the things you’ve done, what was the hardest requirement to you?
Was it one you expected? Do you feel that you fully understand the requirement, or is there room for improvement?
The meditation sessions were the hardest, and the essays about the Two Powers. I’m sure I understand the requirement, and I know this is important, but I had a hard time concentrating at first. I must admit than my meditation sessions are way better now with a year of practice behind me. There is room for improvement and my goal would be to meditate every day instead of once every 2-3 days.
What was the easiest requirement for you? Do you feel that you learned something from it? Describe the value of the requirement in a way that has meaning to you.
I’m tempted to say the High Days study and the ritual recaps. It was easy to write about these, however, it was rather hard to respect the word count! I had to edit the texts many times to be sure to not go over the limit, and this is the reason why all of them are between 373-375 words! If I learned something it would not really be on the text themselves, but how to summarize my ideas! I had to focus on Celtic and Norse cultures, because there is no enough room to speak about everything else! My preferred size would have been 200-600 words. The value of this requirement is to make sure that we know the differences in focus and themes for eight High Days. I probably learned some trivia here and there, but most of it were already common knowledge for me.
Which requirement surprised you the most?
The one about Nature Awareness (Week 21)! I had to make serious researches about my city’s policies on garbage, recycling and compost. I also learned more about the natural surroundings near my home.
What things did you learn that you would most like to continue with?
Meditation, for sure, as it makes me calmer and it grounds me. It was not specifically learned through the Dedicant path program, but I will certainly go deeper with divination and omen readings. ADF is strong on Ogham and Runes, but I connect a lot with the Rider-Waite Tarot and the Tarot of Marseilles. The ancient Celts were known to do omen readings through Augury or Anthropomancy, and they used Ogham for writing, not really for divination. If Ogham is accepted in ADF, I truly hope that Tarot is also welcomed. Tarot cards come from later versions of the Etteilla deck, but the Tarot of Marseilles was commonly produced for fortune telling, which makes the Tarot a very powerful tool. I studied a lot about Tarot lately and I’m now able to do readings without any books since a month now! I also want to study older Tarot or playing cards traditions, like the Piquet, the Eteilla, the Lenormand, the Visconti-Sforza Tarot, and even modern decks like the Thoth Tarot or the Golden Dawn Tarots.
Now that you have given your Dedicant Oath before your gods and your community, how do you see yourself living that Oath daily? What sort of things will you do to fulfill the Oath you took?
I’m Pagan since 2013 and I now naturally live my spirituality everyday in all facets of my life, whether I am home or at work. I fulfill my oath by honoring the High Days, the moon phases and I also do devotional rites daily.
Have you considered starting a Grove (or helping to lead your current one)? Is there a leadership position in a Guild or a SIG that you’re interested in? Would you like to run for an office in ADF?
No! I’m a member of an ADF Grove in Ottawa, Canada, and all is very well like this for now! Maybe, with more experience, and in some years, if older members want to pass the torch to newer members for any kind of leadership in rituals, maybe then I would be interested. For now, I want to concentrate on my study with the Seer Guild, starting as soon my Dedicant Path work is accepted and approved. I for sure, would like to do the omens in rituals once I’m comfortable enough with Ogham and Runes castings and interpretations.
Where do you see the skills you learned as a Dedicant being the most useful? Will they primarily be useful to you, your community, to ADF, or to other Dedicants?
The skills I learned will be more useful to me, and this is meditation practices. My personality somewhat remained the same through the year, but the dedicant program only strengthened my will to help in my community with the environment issues.
What are the next goals you wish to set for yourself, either personally, spiritually, or within ADF?
Personally: To learn the most I can before crossing over, and to collect books and metaphysical items.
Spiritually: To be able to meditate in a level where I can travel in the Akashic Records.
Within ADF: To become a knowledgeable seer.
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