Groves & Groups

It is customary for Druids to meet from time to time, sharing their experiences and discoveries. We come together as colleagues and friends, performing ceremony, and celebrating festivals of the year together. As Wiccans have covens, Christians have congregations, Druids have Groves. The Grove is a name chosen in honour of the trees, great beings of nature, friends, teachers, and providers of life.
Ivan Mcbeth

There are over 200 Groves and Seed Groups of the Order around the world. Any member may start a Seed Group, which in time may grow to become a Grove. Each Seed Group is likely to be different, and they are designed to be informal and relaxed - giving members the opportunity to meet and meditate together, and to discuss the course, Druidry, and topics of mutual interest.

A grove is a term which denotes not only a sacred clearing in the forest but also a group of Druids. Two members in the Druid Grade are needed to start a Grove. A Grove may meet in a member’s house or garden, but more often than not they will try to meet out of doors – in a garden, forest clearing or local park. In addition to celebrating the eight seasonal festivals, they may come together to perform rites of passage, for example when a Grove member wants to name their child, or when members marry or pass over. Some Groves will also meet regularly aside from these special times – perhaps once or twice a month. And at these Grove meetings there may be initiations of new members, ceremonies enacted or teachings explored. More often than not the meeting will become a social gathering – with impromptu story-telling and music-making, and with everyone bringing food and drink to share.

Full details of how to start a Grove or Seed Group see our guidelines ‘Treasures of the Tribe’.