Grove Rules
Ratified December 1999

MISSION STATEMENT

The Grove of the Golden Horse (Garrán an Eich Órbhuí) is a gathering of like-minded individuals seeking to follow and to share the path of the Druids in a manner appropriate to our time and to our individual beliefs in order to better the expression and experience of our dignity and that of all people.

STATEMENT OF GOALS

In order to achieve our purpose, the members of The Grove of the Golden Horse agree to strive toward the following goals:

--1--
To implement the bylaws and rituals of a Keltrian Grove.

--2--
To study the history and culture of the ancient Druids and Celts.

--3--
To constantly strive toward our human potential in all its facets, and to assist one another in this task.

STATEMENT OF POLICY

--1--

Initiation is not a requisite for full membership: members of the Grove include those who have achieved the privelege of initiation, those who are actively seeking initiation, and those who prefer not to seek initiation at the present time.

--2--

The Grove, being a community of persons directed to the exploration of universal mysteries, cannot be expected to serve as a proxy for any individual's responsibilities and, therefore, cannot be held liable for the actions of its members or former members. Since the spiritual journey is one which reveals the relationship between the individual and others, each member should be prepared to recognize the consequences of his or her actions and behavior, and be sensitive to their effect on others, including the Grove. Although a single member may not represent the Grove as a whole in a legal sense, one must still understand that he or she will be perceived to represent the Grove by others -- positively for good deeds and negatively for poor ones.

--3--

Since many rituals, gatherings, and meetings of the Grove occur on the Internet, these events sometimes require a certain flexibility in the celebration of calendrical rituals and feasts in order to permit the participation of at least a majority of its members. The same events occuring in person require that members show respect for one another's time and schedules by being punctual.

--4--

Personal revelation, visions, inspired thoughts and messages, channeling, and other psycho-spiritual manifestations are often meant for the benefit of the individual alone who experiences them and must never be shared during rituals, meetings, or gatherings without the prior approval of the Grove Leader.

--5--

Personal matters must be presented only in the appropriate forums and not during rituals, meetings, or gatherings unless the individual has been invited to do so by the leader of the ritual or by the Grove Leader speaking for the majority of members present.

--6--

Attention should be paid to one's psychic, emotional, and spiritual energies at all times, but especially prior to rituals, meetings, and gatherings so that an individual may decide to request to be excused by the Grove Leader when such energies may be detrimental to the energies required by said ritual, meeting, or gathering.

--7--

The matter and emotion that is naturally shared among the members of any community require the utmost respect for the privacy that is due to any person by virtue of his or her human dignity. Such information includes, but is not exclusive to, information about a member's identity and other personal information, as well as the business of the Grove in general; such items must be held by all members in the strictest confidence.

--8--

Members and candidates choose a "Grove- (or 'Druid'-) Name" by which they are known to other members.

--9--

The sacred use of the tools and paraphenalia of an individual's spiritual practice bestow upon these items the sacred dignity of their owner. This dignity demands the utmost respect of others, including Grove members, who must refrain from handling such items without permission. Such respect is also demanded of the individual's body, particularly during ritual and other spiritual exercises.

--10--

Our Grove works robed. Ritual vestments, representing the unique experience of ritual, require the same respect due to other tools of spiritual practice, and must be properly cared for and kept clean by their owner. The owner may choose any color or pattern for their personal robe, but those who may be interested in initiation at a later time would do well to choose one of the colors representing the Keltrian disciplines of Bard, the color blue, or Seer, the color green. White is the color of the Druid and should be reserved for Grove Leaders and/or Elders.

--11--

In order to fulfill the need of any community for both informal fellowship and formal, directed activity, each of these will be done in its own time, in a manner agreed upon by the members which respects the need for both and the dignity of either. Therefore, members are asked to respect the formality of rituals and meetings, knowing that time will always be provided before and/or after for informal fellowship, conversation, and the less-structured pleasures of community.

--12--

While there is no monetary requirement for membership, the Grove may ask members for compensation for materials used by the community and agreed to in advance by the membership; donations of material goods for ritual are always welcomed.

--13--

Whenever members of the Grove meet in person, every effort should be made to share a meal in the spirit of community and mutual hospitality.

--14--

The use of illegal drugs and substances, and the excessive consumption of alchohol, is not condoned by the Grove. In particular, the Grove has the right to expect that all members participating in ritual are doing so with the full and clear use of their human will, so as to provide the fullest expression and experience of the purpose and effect of ritual. A member who feels unduly and negatively influenced in mind and spirit should ask to be excused from ritual (see #6). The Grove Leader may also request that a member so impaired not participate in a planned ritual or meeting if he or she feels that such participation would be detrimental to the purpose of the ritual or meeting.

--15--

The ideals of hospitality, tolerance, understanding, and courtesy are to be striven for at all times by members, but especially in their communication with each other.

--16--

The Grove Leader serves as the primary model and teacher of the Grove, and as such must be willing to most fully embody the qualities outlined in item 15, as well as to make the sacrifices which permit him or her to practice the utmost availability and confidentiality.



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