How to Become a Witch by Amber K. (large ebook reader txt) 📗

would either hive when you are a second degree and lead the new coven under the guidance of your original high priest and high priestess until you are initiated to the third degree, or you would wait to hive until after you have received your third degree.

It’s a fine system, when it works. But what if you can’t find a local and compatible coven to teach you? Or what if you join a coven, and several years later the leaders are still saying, “No, I don’t think you’re quite ready yet…” It has been known to happen: sometimes the leaders are right, but sometimes they just can’t bring themselves to let a fledgling fly from the nest. Witchcraft teachers should be working to empower you and help you operate ethically, responsibly, and independently—but not all of them remember this.

If all else fails, you can begin your own coven without the years of experience and training that you ideally should have, and even without the encouragement of your teachers. But make the transition as smooth, courteous, and respectful as you possibly can, and maintain the best relationships possible with your former covenmates.

You can begin by reading some books on this specific subject:

Coven Craft: Witchcraft for Three or More by Amber K (Llewellyn, 1998)

Wicca Covens: How to Start and Organize Your Own by Judy Harrow (Citadel, 2000)

Inside a Witches’ Coven by Edain McCoy (Llewellyn, 1997)

All three are written by experienced Craft leaders, yet they have very different perspectives. Comparing and contrasting their approaches will be extremely valuable when you create your own coven.

You should invest time thinking about the kind of coven you would like to have, as far as the cultural context and pantheon, program focus, degree system, decision-making process, and all the things you would consider if you were shopping for a coven to join. Start a journal and write it all down, then organize it as you would a charter or bylaws.

Please don’t make the mistake of simply gathering a bunch of people who have an interest in Witchcraft, then opening the floor to everyone’s wants, needs, and fantasies. If you reach agreement at all, you will end up with a hodge-podge compromise that doesn’t serve anyone well. Remember, if you are the organizer and first leader, you have a right to create the coven according to your dream, then seek like-minded people who share that dream. In that way, the coven will be more clear and focused from the beginning.

There is often wisdom in beginning with a study group or Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS) chapter, as described later, and getting to know several Paganfolk in that setting before you attempt a coven. When the time is right, you can contact selected people with whom you felt a connection and explain the kind of coven you have in mind. Some people whom you like and respect won’t share your particular dream or want to join a coven at all. That’s all right; it has to be all right. They can still be your friends. If you can find three or more people you would want for coven sisters and brothers, and who are interested in your coven project, invite them to a quiet meeting for further discussion.

At the meeting, explain again what you have in mind. Share the core concepts in your written vision, charter, or bylaws. Be clear on what parts are negotiable and which parts are not. Invite their input on the pieces where you are flexible. The point is to get everyone participating as full-fledged members of the team from day one, while you still hold the core principles intact.

It may help you to have a list, with issues that are “carved in stone” and issues that are “sketched in pencil.” Here’s a fictional example; yours may be very different:

Coven Firefox Issues and Decisions

Name: It has a name that’s meaningful to us, for reasons I’ll be happy to explain. When you hive off and start your own coven, you can pick the name.

Tradition: Eclectic, no particular brand. Negotiable as long as coven independence is preserved and the tradition is not too rigid.

Membership: Adults aged eighteen and over; both women and men are welcome. Not negotiable, due to legal issues with minors. Also, Rolf and I (Miriam) want to join together, so it will be a mixed coven. If we have public or family celebrations of sabbats, they can be open to pretty much anyone.

Cultural Context: Eclectic or Celtic emphasis. Celtic fine if we can include other cultures and pantheons occasionally. Negotiable to a point, except that we don’t want to imitate Native American religions, and we don’t want to always be confined to one pantheon.

Program Focus: Celebration, mutual support in spiritual growth, teaching and learning magick, community service. The mix is negotiable. Things we won’t support: party paganism (indiscriminate sex, heavy drinking, illegal drugs), rivalry with other covens.

Ethics: The Wiccan Rede, the Law of Return, and the New Wiccan Book of the Law will guide our actions. The last is pretty extensive, and we are open to discussing it and creating our own version, as long as it’s based on the Rede.

Leadership and Decision Making: For the first year and a day, my partner Rolf and I will be acting high priest and high priestess, then the coven will have an election. In any case, major decisions will be made by the whole membership. Minor decisions will be made by whoever holds the relevant office for the coven.

Degree System: We need some kind of structured program for learning and recognition. It could be a three-degree system, a five-degree (elemental) system, or something else. I think working that out together would be fun.

Legal Status: Right now we see no need for incorporation or tax-exempt status, but it’s negotiable.

Meeting Schedule: Must include eight major sabbats and full moon esbats. Apart from that, negotiable; probably averaging one meeting each week would be good.

Meeting Place: We prefer to have the covenstead at our home, unless someone has a