Covens, do i need one? - LadyKelien

Witchcraft In The Media - Wildmoon

13 Goals Of A Witch - Wildmoon

Covens, do i need one?

By: LadyKelien

Covens, do I need one? This is a question often found being asked in chat rooms today, by someone who has just discovered paganism. It is a tricky question that is hard to answer. But, one that truly needs an answer before they can continue on with their journey into the path of paganism. First though for clarification let me say that Covens are considered by many to be strictly a Wiccan thing. That isnt completely true. There are those who refer to their groups as covens even though they do not follow Wicca. But, there are also temples; shrines and even camps out there that can be joined once you know which path you wish to travel.

Do you have to join one of these groups? No, for some people such as myself we are what is known as Solitary practitioners. There are enough of us to make the determination of who is pagan and who isnt very difficult. There are several questions you need to ask yourself before deciding if you want to join a coven.

1. Is there a group in my area I would feel comfortable with? Pagans do a lot of gut instinct types of work. You can find out if you think you would feel comfortable with a coven in a very easy fashion. Go over to http://www.witchvox.com. It is the biggest pagan listing service on the net today. Do a search for a Coven in your area. Once you find one or 20, check to see if they have a website, most will. Websites tell a lot about a coven. Look at how well put together it is. Have areas that need to be updated been updated recently? Do they have a list of activities they intend to participate in over the next few months? Do they offer a basic 101 course that would provide you with a way to get to know them without having to join? If they have pictures of members on their site do you think you would feel comfortable around the people in the images? If the website is well maintained, they have an introductory course and you dont feel uncomfortable looking around their site, then contact who ever is their contact person and ask for a brief get together. Talk to them and decide if you at least feel comfortable with the people you are meeting. They will have their own screening process for you, but you need to have your own as well. Though we are not happy about it there are a few groups out there that use Paganism as an excuse to do things they wouldnt do without the excuse. You cant always be sure you have found one of these groups until youve had a chance to get to know the people. That is why the introductory course is so important. You need to learn what it is they believe and teach. (Note: If it is a Wiccan Coven and they charge for more than the basic book fee to join their basic 101 course then do not even consider them. Wiccans traditionally have a negative connection to taking money for anything associated with the craft. Those who practice otherwise are just asking for trouble and probably do not have your best interest at heart but the lining of their pockets. The degree to which this belief is followed varies from coven to coven but for the most part outside of the Church of Wicca is followed extensively at least within the area of teaching. I will not for this article get into my opinion of the Church of Wicca.)

2. After determining the groups in your area and contacting a few about the path the groups as a whole follow you must now decide if your personal ideology would fit into their theology. At this point you cant really know for sure but you will know if something blatant stands out that seems very wrong to you.

3. Ok, youve found a group that seems nice enough; there is nothing that conflicts with your views and theirs so far. (This isnt to say that there shouldnt be conflicts. One learns through our differences. It is however to say that there is nothing that seems so wrong to you that you could never feel a part of the group.) This would be the point to join in on the 101 course. From here it is to a certain extent up to them as to whether or not they ask you to join the group. Not everyone who knocks gets entry into a group with the pagan path. Being in Circle or working a Magical rite connects people in a profound way. You must be careful that you want your energy forever linked with the energy of the people that would be with you and vice versa for them about you. If they dont ask you to join, then move on to your second choice. But, if you screen them well enough that shouldnt be a problem.

There are many ways in which to follow a pagan path. I myself march to my own drum. I am Solitary and I draw not from one tradition but many. My genetic heritage is that of a mutt. I am descended from the French, English, Scots, Irish, Cherokee and Arapaho. A lot of my traditions draw from those areas of life. My first Magical name was given to me by a Cherokee medicine woman. I have studied Gardenian Wicca, Ceremonial magick, Celtic and Druid traditions as well as the Norse and Greek Traditions. Throw in some things from my Christian raising I cant let go of and you have the makings for one really odd path. I probably will never join a coven. I have the makings of one within my own family. When the children get to be teens, if they choice to participate we would have a coven of 8. That is more than large enough to accomplish anything we need to do. We would be what is known as a Family Coven and my children could then decide if they wished to bring in their friends and have us grow into something that they could easily call a legacy or lineage.

If you dont find a coven dont feel bad. You wont just have something in common with me but with at least 1/3 to ½ of the pagan community. It isnt known how many pagans there are out there. We dont exactly respond to surveys the way most people do. Because of that there is no way to determine who is pagan and who isnt. Some believe that for every pagan who belongs to a group there are at least 2 who dont. Others believe it is the other way around. How many of us there are exactly is irrelevant. What is important is that you can find your path and walk it alone until you do find a group that you fit into or forever if you never do. That is the beauty of this path. It is what we make it. The only person we have to answer to for not following our hearts is the Divine.