Proto-Groves are a beginning form designed to give new members a framework on which to build into a full-fledged Grove. At least one person must an RDG member, and they must get together at least once a month. Proto-Groves may become chartered Groves when they have been in existence for a year and a day, have at least 2 1st Order Druids and, 1 Third Order Druid.

The details of functioning, emphasis and orientation will always vary somewhat from Grove to Grove and we encourage this. The Reformed Druids live up to their name, evolving in diverse directions. We offer here a general program that works well in many different situations:

Meetings. You might start out with getting together at new and/or full moons and expand from there. Our old Grants Pass Grove met every Friday night (for Star Gate SG1), and held dinners, classes, work parties and discussion groups on other nights.

Meetings may be held in members' homes until your Grove grows too large, as long as you have reasonable privacy and freedom. We recommend rotating to avoid burn-out and to give everyone a chance to host a meeting. Hold some meetings outdoors, preferably in some remote place where no outsiders are likely to be about. A Druid is truly a child of the natural world, and can commune better with the powerful Nature-forces when out in the open, even better in some place of wilderness.

Work out your own programs for these meetings, whether singing and playing music, simple rituals, disseminating information, playing sensitivity games, or whatever the season or times of your lives suggest. As in Stranger in a Strange Land , we have found that nudity promotes openness and closeness (see Phillip Carr-Gomm's articles on "naturism").

A spiral of love (a tight-packed spiral group embrace) with chanting can be very moving, as can simple ceremonies, such a water sharing, breaking bread, candle lighting, etc. Follow your own feelings. and refer to some of the books listed in the member's bibliography for specific rites. At each meeting, make it an order of business to decide when and where you will meet the next few times, and themes of meetings (see "Suggested Grove Topics").

Outings. Plan special group activities, such as dinners, theme parties (one of our favorites is the Pirate Party...Aahrr!), concerts, movie parties, camp outs, excursions ("Magical Mystery Tours"), presentations, study groups, book discussions, video showings, special guests, and Bardics (in which everyone brings music, poetry, short stories, etc. that they have written, and all take turns sharing in a circle). Your Grove mates should be the people you most enjoy hanging out with, so party on!

Name your Grove. Come up with a clever name for your Grove (Welsh Breizh, Gaelic, Cornish etc., names get extra points). Consider doing a one-or-two page newsletter that summarizes what happened at the last meeting and gives times, places and themes for the next few meetings. Send it to everyone on your list, as well as to all other Groves and The Mother Grove. Solicit enough donations at each meeting to cover printing and mailing costs.

Expand by members inviting a sympathetic friend occasionally. The best way we've found to allow growth without interrupting the intimacy of the group, is to allow only one new person to be invited by each member at a time. Then, after these new people have been to a couple of meetings, they may wish to join RDG and your grove and in turn invite some one. We encourage diversity and are non discriminatory regarding race, sex, sexual orientation/practice, age, etc. At each meeting record names, addresses and phone numbers of all those who attend. When you have a couple dozen names, distribute the list to everyone, including the Mother Grove.

A model for an introductory meeting: People have been told what to expect, and have been asked to bring munchies or drinks. After everyone arrives, they are assembled into a circle around a small altar.

On the altar is placed a large chalice of water, candles, and a potted plant.

Water sharing: After a few introductory remarks by the leader on the symbolic significance of water-sharing, the chalice is passed around clockwise with ritual phrases taken from Stranger in a Strange Land, such as "May you never thirst," "Thou art God (or Goddess)," "Water shared is Life shared." As the chalice passes from each person to the next, hands are joined. When it is returned to the host/ess, he/she then empties the final drops into the potted plant (once your group is more advanced, you may want to begin doing the actual "Rite of the Waters of Life", or the less formal OMS "Rite-Lite").

This simple ritual can be followed by many other forms of sharing. For an introductory gathering, pass a sea-shell and as it comes to each person, they tell the tale of how they came to be here. At other times, candles, crystals, feathers, or other objects selected for their associations may be used, as people free-associate the thoughts that come to mind upon holding these objects.

After such sharing, the chalice may refilled with wine, fruit juice, or more water, and passed around again, followed by cookies. The most common phrases to accompany the passing of food are: "May you never hunger," or "May you always have sufficiency." Other snacks and drinks may also be shared at this time.

The Sacred Bullshit Session: Eating together stimulates conversation and camaraderie. Business is discussed, plans are made for the next meeting, donations are collected, etc. Finally, a mirror is passed around, and each person looks into it, saying "Thou art God (or Goddess)" into their reflection. When it is time for the first people to leave, the circle is opened with a group hug. Ritual words of parting are said ("Peace, peace, peace" “Keep coming back it works!”) and farewells are made.

Tailor your rituals to suit your own needs, bearing in mind that it is always the intent rather than the word which really counts. Put in your own ideas, and honor the Goddesses and Gods as you feel deep within your heart that they should be honored.

Naturally, one important aspect of your meetings will involve discussions of the philosophies of Paganism and the RDG. The Mother Grove will respond to your personal inquiries with letters, tracts and recommended reading (please include SASE!). An important reason for your continuing study and progression is that people will expect you to know what it's all about if you take on Grove planting. Add to the Pagan lore which you now possess, drawing from all sources. Make your own small enclave of Paganism a place of mystery and magic. As your group expands, you may start widening your range of activities. You might set up workshops and seminars, promote and sponsor public events such as music festivals, run a recycling center, throw great feasts and festivals, publish a newspaper or magazine, promote and sponsor conservation and reforestation projects, start a wilderness sanctuary or retreat center, open a coffee-house, put on benefits for appropriate causes, and countless other projects, limited only by the scope of your imagination, interests and talents.

If, after reading this, you still want to work towards setting up a Grove in your area, let us know at The Mother Grove. When you are ready to have your first open meeting, contact The Mother Grove and we will send you a list of all the people in our database in your area to send flyers to.

Keep in close communication with us here, and we'll try to help you along with suggestions, ideas, etc. If there are problems or questions, write OMS/RDG (at P.O. Box 8004; Eureka, CA USA) or email.