eenTay itchWay

Starting a Coven
By Soggyowl

Before you think of the idea of whether or not you want to start your own coven, ask yourselves these questions....

1. If I were a Christian, would I feel qualified to run my own church as a licensed minister?

2. Do I have a background in mediation (not a typo....mediation, not meditation), counseling, group facilitation, business management, or strategic planning? If not, do I have people lined up to fulfill these roles?

3. Am I free enough that I can drop any commitments at a moment's notice as needed? (For teens, if I needed to leave the house at 3 AM for an emergency counseling session, could I do so without facing the ire of my parents and WITHOUT sneaking out of the house?)

4. Do I have enough ritual knowledge and skill (both book and practical experience) to effectively perform the duties that will be assigned to me?

5. Have I studied for sufficient time to feel ready to be responsible for the training AND any threefold backlash from the actions of my students? (Your students....your responsibility....your karma.)

6. Can I be open about my beliefs ("out of the broom closet") and be a good media and public relations representative for my faith?

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If you've answered no to any of those questions, it probably isn't a good idea to start your own coven. Here's why:

1. In the most simple of analogies, a coven is to a group of Pagans what a church is to a group of Christians. If you don't feel qualified to run a church, then you probably don't have the skills needed to run a coven.

2. Yes, the leader of a coven handles the ritual aspects of worship, but coven leadership entails much more than that. Any time you get people together, you're going to have infighting. A good leader can mediate situations to find workable solutions to situations as they arise. For teens especially, there can be significant issues that come up, because the teen years are so rough. From drug abuse to suicide to parents divorcing to relationship problems to violence at home or in school, the challenges faced by a coven leader for teens can be exceptional. If Suzie and Johnny are dating while in the coven together and decide to break up and refuse to participate in circle together, how can you resolve this for the good of both of them and the group? It happens....often.

Like it or hate it, a coven does have a business side to it as well. Someone needs to handle the paperwork and, if a suitable person can't be found within the group, that gets dropped squarely on the coven leadership.

3. Fulfilling a leadership role within a coven isn't a job with set hours. You can't simply "punch out" at the end of each sabbat celebration. Gods know, bad things can happen at any time, and as the leadership of the coven, you need to be able to respond when needed, even if it is inconvenient. For teens, this presents a more significant problem than for adults. How would your coven feel if you had to "cancel" Samhain because you got grounded for a bad report card?

4. The more one learns on this path, the more they realize how little they truly know. Still, it is important to have a firm grasp of the basics if you are planning to teach others. Various groups and traditions have differing ideas of how much is "enough", but if you find yourself constantly going to books to look up "the basics", you probably need to continue your studies before you take on leadership roles. You also should have practical experience working with energy, ideally both on your own AND in a group setting. There's a significant difference in each...

5. Your students will end up being your responsibility. There's a reason why joining a coven isn't as simple as signing a roster and doing a little dance. The teachers know that they are, in part, responsible for your actions based on what you do with their teachings. If this makes you feel more than a bit nervous, then it is time for some self-assessment. Can you honestly say that you are fully prepared to take on the role and responsibility of a teacher?

6. Being open about your beliefs doesn't mean running down the street wearing all black and a 10" pentacle while screaming "I am the witch!" On the other hand, coven leadership means that you may be put into the spotlight, since you are the public face of the coven. Here's a scenario... in your small town there have been a group of animal mutilations at graveyards. Suddenly, someone in the media hears about your coven and sets up an interview. Would you be able to handle the media scrutiny without resorting to cheezy soundbites? Could you handle any negative flack that being out of the broom closet might generate? (i.e. hatemongers camping out on your front doorstep, death threats, etc.) It may not be fair, but who said life was fair?

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So what's a beginner to do? There's many options open to someone who wants to explore the group dynamic without actually forming a coven.

1. Network, network, network. Many times I'll hear folks say "there are no covens in my area." The truth is, every state in the U.S. and many countries have covens....but you have to know where to look for them. One of the finest resources around is www.witchvox.com which has listings of people and groups from around the world. Even if you don't find one exactly in your area, contact someone close who might know someone who knows someone who knows someone who can help you out.

2. Form a study group. If you have like-minded people in your area (which you probably do, if you are considering starting a coven), then study with them. You can even celebrate sabbats and esbats together. Take turns. Share what you know and learn from each other. Explore and experience all that you can. No coven required to do that.

3. When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. That statement might sound like it is a way to put off providing training, but it is an axiom that so many find true.

And, most importantly,
4. Look to the Gods for guidance. After all, working with the Gods is why you are on this path, right?

Wherever your journey takes you, may it always be blessed.

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