To find a coven

[Mark Rewa]

I have been looking to start a small group of people that want to start a group that gets together for rituals, esbats, sabbats.
But everybody in the area wants to start a disscussion group.
How should I go about this do you think?:confused:
So anything that any have to say ,I will listen.......:D

[Earth Walker]

Whether you will have a coven or a grove is pretty much
determined by the size of the group and the inclinations of
the people involved.
A Dianic coven is composed of thirteen: twelve people and the
High Priestess. In an open coven, if one of the members cannot
be present, her place can be filled by any person whom another
coven member will vouch for. A closed coven is not open to
visitors. An inspiring witch must wait until there is a permanent
opening in the coven before she may join. A grove is a much
larger, more open group. In a grove, there is no limitation on numbers; the only requirement is that all people be like-minded
and seeking the path of the Goddess.
When the Susan B. Anthony Coven gathered for the first time,
there were six women present. No one suspected that in nine
short years, there would be over seven hundred initiated
members! So now, technically, we are a grove, not a coven.
Somehow the Goddess always organizes, and invariably there
is a magical number of women present at all the Sabbats --
either thirteen or twenty-six or thirty-nine.
Women often ask me how to find a coven. The answer is, if you
don't have one in your area, start one yourself. It isn't difficult,
and creating what you need empowers you.
Use your local women's bookstore for contacts. Write a notice
with your telephone number on it and stick it to the bulletin
board. Say something like, "I would like to start a Dianic coven.
Please contact...."
Then when you have a few interested people, begin with a
weekly study group, reading everything you can get your hands
on concerning the Goddess movement.
During these sessions, hold hands at the beginning and meditate
a few moments together, breathing, imagining the air filling up
your lungs like wings. Breath connects us to life. You can live
without food, or even water, but not for long without air.
Say a few words to the Goddess of Wisdom, such as, "Sophia,
allow us to learn from each other. Open our inner ears and
inner selves to Your knowledge." When your study group is
about to finish, repeat the beginning ritual. Hold hands, breathe
together, and say, "Thank you, Sophia, Goddess of Wisdom, for
the knowledge we received today. Help us to grow in your ways
and stay with us. Blessed Be."
In fact, whenever people gather together, for political meetings
or otherwise, holding hands in a circle focuses the group better
on the issues at hand. The touching and focusing bring diverse
people's spirits together as one.
Naming a High Priestess should not freak you out. This lofty title
belongs to our sacred past and therefore it should be maintained.
However, I found that the job of "HP" often resembles that of a
theatrical director. The HP watches the group's energy. She has
to be skilled in making sure the group raises energy and directs it properly, for healing, personal needs, etc. In other words, the
energy raised isn't just dispersed in an evening of hooting and
hollering. I have been in many circles where energy is hardly
ever raised.
People are sedated listening to somebody read from a book.
Nothing is happening. My big fear is that if we don't go beyond
books, we lose the magick. Magick is an organic experience.
It cannot be learned from books, only by creating it. Creating it
is real. Experience becomes knowing. I am sure you will feel the
difference.
How to raise energy...it essentially comes from spontaneous chanting, with or without words. This method of chanting comes
from the HP. I always hum first. Just hum, mouth closed, until
the mucus comes off the vocal chords and a nice rich sound is
floating about. Then we all open our mouths and make a nice "ah"
sound. After that encourage people to chant in harmony or
discord, but not to strain doing it.
When this energy is raised a bit, ask the priestesses of the four
corners to invoke their respective corners of the universe.
After that, raise the energy a little more. Then the people come
forward, lighting their candles and praying aloud, while we still
hum below each word.
This ensures that people are constantly active on many levels,
singing and listening at the same time.
When all the candles are lit, raise the energy again, this time
chanting at full force and possibly graduating into a dance,
circling the altar three times. Then bless the food and drink, still
humming; then feast. No humming then. After that, thank the four
corners of the universe after the program, and resume the
humming.
Never read in the circle. Memorize the lines if necessary. Improvise. Trust yourself.
Who is the High Priestess then? The woman who can raise the
group's energy. Somebody with a bit of theatrical background,
as well as Goddess background. The High Priestess is often the
one who started the group.
Next, we have the Maidens, the Nymphs and the Crones.
Traditionally, the Maidens do everything the HP does, like assistant directors and players as well, since they do invocations.
Maidens help with the altar, carrying the sacra up and down
the mountains, making sure everyone is heard, and protecting
the circle from disruptions.
Nymphs have a cultural role. Being the youngest in the group,
they are depended upon to make sure the Coven has fun.
Yes, fun! They collect appropriate songs, sing nicely, dance well,
and laugh easily.
The Crones of the coven are the eldest women. Crones are not
called on to work unless they want to. They can choose what
they want to do. They can sit down if they get tired, or just sit
in the middle and be revered as the Goddess in Her wisdom
aspect. Crones are often prophets. Oracular sayings might pass
their lips or they might be impish or more rambunctious than the
Nymphs. However, you never interfere with your Crones.
A coven is recognized if it has celebrated the holy days of the
Earth for at least one year and a day. A coven has more than
three people in it. In olden times, thirteen was a workable
number for a coven. It still is, but it shouldn't be a rigid rule.
Don't close a coven's ranks just because the membership has
reached thirteen. Let the coven breathe. Closed covens don't
last very long in my experience. They become like ingrown toe-
nails; they hurt at the end.
Today, the purpose of spirituality is not to imitate what went
before, but to facilitate the future by bonding as souls.


So you're scared and you're thinking
That maybe we ain't that young anymore
Show a little faith, there's magic in the night.
---Bruce Springstreen - "Thunder Road"

[Angel]

I have the same problem!! The only other Wiccan people I hve met in person just want to hve a study group. Sigh.

[Ari]

*raises an eyebrow* Mystique, given that the question was posed by a man (correct me if I'm wrong!) are you sure the quotation from Z. Budapest's The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries (pg 212 in the 1989 edition) is appropriate? ;)

[Vinga]

http://www.witchvox.com (Witches Voice) has 'local listings'. You can add yourself or just browse for people or groups in your area.

[Earth Walker]

Originally posted by Ari
*raises an eyebrow* Mystique, given that the question was posed by a man (correct me if I'm wrong!) are you sure the quotation from Z. Budapest's The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries (pg 212 in the 1989 edition) is appropriate? ;)

Z always mentions women, but men can be included in covens
and groves as well, but High Priestesses, etc., are women.

[Mark Rewa]

Originally posted by Angel
I have the same problem!! The only other Wiccan people I hve met in person just want to hve a study group. Sigh. I have done a lot of talking ,time to move on...

[dragondancer]

Does anyone here watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer, okay I have to admit that it is my favorite show, but that is not on the topic. What is, however, is that when Buffy's sidekick Willow was first exploring Wicca (she is now a very powerful witch and I think that the show has done a good job of not stereotyping her or making her seem silly as often happens when a Wiccan is portrayed on TV or in the movies) she joined a Wicca group on campus hoping to find a group where she could learn and grow and explore spells and the sort and she got a group of girls who were more interested in doing a bake sale to raise money for a dance or something. I thought it was cute and very realistic as I have tried to look into groups and have found that they often tend to be people who are more into the trendy aspect of Wicca because they thought the Craft or Charmed were really cool, but they don't really want to take the time to learn and grow on their own path.

Do I babble or what???

Anyway, just my thoughts!!

[Mairwen]

Originally posted by Mark Rewa
But everybody in the area wants to start a disscussion group.


You gotta start somewhere. The College of the Blue Butterfly was a discussion group for a long time before it became a "legal" College. :D

[Emy]

Thank you Mystique for what you wrote about starting a coven...

Well where I live I am not sure there are any witches at all, right now I am solitary. However I know there are covens and study groups and plenty of solitary witches around the country... well, maybe I should put up a note in the bookstore, or post on a mailinglist... =)

Blessings

[Mark Rewa]

I am very sorry that I have not been here as often as I would like , but work calls and I cannot pay the bills if I were to stay here all day.
And yes I am still looking for people that want to go out and get something going in the area.
I have found the CWPN (Connecticut Wiccan Pegan Network) and I am going to find out what they are all about.
Maybe I have found it

[Mairwen]

I have a Student who's a member of the CWPN ~ from what she's said, it's a cool place.

[MystyPines]

Merry Meet Mark Rewa!

I think a discussion group or study group is a great way to start off. Gives you a chance to get to know everyone and to see if your are compatible. A lot of study groups end up evolving into a coven. I work with a small group of 4, which are women I met from going to workshops at a local New Age/Occult shop. We ended up getting together to celebrate the Sabbats and before you knew it, we were a circle! I am in Stamford, Connecticut and am also a member of the Connecticut Wiccan/Pagan Network which you can get more info at CWPN.org. Also, out of the Bridgeport, CT area is the Pagan Community Church. Feel free to contact me if you need any information!

Bright Blessings!

[Talyn Wyzmaaj]

I have to completely disagree with the idea that closed covens don't last very long and are like "ingrown toenails". I have been a member of a closed coven for over 15 years. In my experience, closed covens have MORE longevity and LONGER lifespans than open groups, because they keep the trolls out! Closed covens also seem to be much more spiritual, and have much more magickal ability... due to the fact that they are a close-nit family that truely has the perfect love and trust that is almost impossible to have in open groups.