Natural Witchery (13 page)

Learning and Growing in the Craft

While you learn and grow in the Craft, you are surely weaving your own web of magick and creating your own practices and individual traditions. You will also be making some important personal and ethical decisions. In the Craft, your right to be an individual and your decision as to how you will practice your magick is completely up to you, no matter what title or name you give yourself. There are many wise practitioners who believe the Craft isn't just about titles and degrees—those only encompass one level. If you look deeper, you discover that the Craft is, by its very nature, all about personal development and personal power.

In truth, nontraditional, eclectic practitioners and traditionalists all rely on their own integrity, sense of responsibility, and personal codes of honor. They must (and do) take responsibility for their own actions, and they make their choices based on what they consider to be moral and ethical. They do this because they believe it is the correct and ethical thing to do for themselves, no matter what their magickal practice.

This means a self-taught Witch has much more in common with a traditional Witch than they may realize. There's an interesting thought, and one that I recently learned firsthand when I had a chance to visit with a formally trained Gardnerian High Priestess, who had been practicing and teaching her craft and tradition for over thirty years. I sat in awe at her kindness, wisdom, sense of humor, and interest in my own magickal practices. I was blown away to discover that we had much in common. She was just as anxious to learn from me as I was from her. Well, can you beat that? I never would have imagined such a scenario, and it was an important personal lesson for me to learn.

Focus on your personal development, and see how you express yourself as a Witch. Whether you prefer to stay a solitary practitioner or choose to venture out in the community to find like-minded folks, always seek out the opportunities to study, grow, and experience the magick however you can. Personal development is just another way of improving or advancing your magickal skills. So get motivated, keep your eyes open for new opportunities, and see what you can learn.

Chapter 5

If you have form'd a circle to go into,

go into it yourself and see how you would do.

William Blake

Starting a Circle

While I imagine that most people would visualize a natural Witch's path to be a solitary one, that is not necessarily true. There are options, and sometimes there is just no substitute for working with a group. Yes, there are plenty of Witches who prefer to work in a solitary fashion, but there are also plenty of Witches who enjoy working with others.

Benefits to working with a magickal group include the opportunity to build friendships and to learn new techniques from the other members. When you work with a group, you get the chance to stretch your wings a bit, to share your own expertise and to experience different magickal styles and methods from the other individuals. In a group setting there is a sense of fellowship and companionship, and of course when you get several people all focusing on the same goal, the magickal power and positive change they can generate is phenomenal.

So now you are all fired up and enthusiastic about the idea. And I bet you are wondering what it really does take to find a good coven or circle. Is it sheer luck that you stumble across one, or does it take more than chance? Sure, we all have an idea in mind of the “perfect” group for ourselves: a place where we are accepted without question, where everyone not only gets along but enjoys each other's company, a place where there is the atmosphere of learning, enjoyment, magick, and spiritual reverence. But how in the world do you locate such a coven, circle, or group? We can't just flip open the phone book and find a handy listing. Where's the fun in that? This presents us with yet another question to mull over: have you ever considered building your own magickal group?

What we have to do ... is to find a way to celebrate
our diversity and debate our differences
without fracturing our communities.

Hillary Rodham Clinton

Circle or Coven:
What's the Difference?

If a circle is not the same as a coven, then what is it exactly? Well, frankly, a circle is not unlike a coven. However, they are subtly different. The terms “coven” and “circle” are sometimes used interchangeably, and just to keep things interesting, they can refer to two completely separate things. One is not better or more desirable than the other; they are simply different, and they each have their place within the magickal community.

Historically a coven is a group of twelve Witches that is led by a priest or priestess, bringing their number to thirteen. (To be fair, these days the number of members can vary widely.) A coven tends to be a formal affair, with a chain of command and ranks. The members may be all male, all female, or a mixture of both. Also, a coven can be a training or teaching group with students that learn and others who teach as they all work toward personal advancement and a degree or degrees within their own tradition. For example, you may meet folks from the Cabot, Georgian, Gardnerian, or Alexandrian traditions. (This is just a thumbnail sketch; explaining the dynamics of a coven could fill an entire book on its own.)

A circle, on the other hand, is a much less formal group. The members of a circle may not all practice the same flavor of the Craft (such as Eclectic, Celtic, Norse, Strega, or even a kitchen Witch). They can be a mixed group or all the same gender. Even so, any positive path is welcome in a circle. This way, they can all share information and ideas, and best of all, they learn from each other. In a circle, all of the members are considered equal to one another. How do they pull that off without dissension among the ranks, you may wonder? Well, a circle is about building a magickal family and about the bonds of friendship. Yes, some circle mates may have more experience than other members, but what keeps the group together is a the chance to study, learn, and to grow together in that spirit of friendship.

Now that you have an idea of what a circle is, what points should you keep in mind if you feel you would like the opportunity to work with a group of other Witches? To start, I would recommend that you keep working on your intuition and learning to sense psychic energy. This comes in very handy when you work with a group. Solid magickal development and personal power are also bonuses, which is exactly why we have been working on all those points so far. These traits are important because you have to have your personal power centered before you do group work. It is a very good idea to have a handle on your strengths and weaknesses and to know who you are, magickally speaking, before you jump in the magickal sandbox with all the other kids.

Here is a big secret I'm going to let you in on; consider it one of the “mysteries” of the Craft. Group work is not a crutch for individuals who feel they cannot perform magick on their own. No, indeed. Instead, group work is about being confident in your own magickal personality, style, and talents to the point that you are willing to combine your own skills with others. In turn, this gives you another opportunity for growth and personal advancement, should you wish it.

The endearing elegance of female friendship …

Samuel Johnson

Magickal Friends are Like Family

There is a special sort of psychic energy and vibe to a good circle, which is interesting since Witches tend to be very individual people. The personalities and backgrounds of the members of the circle vary widely; however, there is something about them that makes them all click together. The members of a circle all share the same wavelength, so to speak. Some will be outgoing and others will be more laid-back, yet they all bring something unique to the group, and their energies complement each other. In other words, they may all be singing their own tune, but together it somehow creates a fabulous multi-part harmony.

For example, in my circle, while we may share many things in common, such as herbalism and a love for gardening, we also bring our own unique experiences to the group's energy. A few of us are more soft-spoken and serious, and a few are outgoing and funny. A few members of the group get really enthusiastic and excited at circle get-togethers and have a hard time settling down, and of course there is a person or two who you have to poke just to get them up and moving. Some ladies are casual and go with the flow, and others are more organized and serious.

Out of the ten of us, five are married. A few are happily divorced and living the single life, while another few are living in committed relationships. About half of the group have children. The ages of our children range from just-out-of-the-nest twenties to college-aged kids, high-school age, middle school, elementary, and brand-new babies.

We range in ages from our late forties to our twenties. All live within a forty-five-mile radius of each other. Some members live in the city, while others live across the river in the suburbs or even farther out in the country. Professionally we are also a diverse group. Half of the group have college degrees; a few of us went back to school to take continuing education classes. In this group we have an artist, a physical therapist, a couple of writers, a full-time new mom, and a graduate student who has just received her degree in forestry. Two other women work at different area colleges, one in the student development department of a large technical school and the other in the science department at a community college. We have a paralegal who is also an aromatherapist, a pharmacy technician, and one of the members works at a major university in cancer research and treatment. How's that for variety?

So with this type of group, what do you suppose we could all have in common? Witchcraft and magick. We share a reverence for the natural world and an appreciation for nature. There is a bond of friendship and a sense of respect for each other's experiences and magickal knowledge. We have fun, and we honestly enjoy each other's company. And that is what makes for a successful circle.

Start with a Study Group

To start your own circle, keep it simple. I would begin with a few magickal friends. Try setting aside a convenient time, once a month, to get together and to then study together. Pick a topic ahead of time. Take turns hosting the study group, and each of you should take a turn at choosing your subject, which is an opportunity to share with the others what you know best. For example, if one of you is into crystals, they could bring along a few favorite books and personal notes or handouts and share this information with the others. Ironically, one of the best ways to learn more about a personal favorite topic is to offer to teach it. Then you get the chance to consider the information you have and how to present it so that your friends will enjoy learning about it. Or if you don't feel like you are up to that, another good starting idea is to choose a magickal book to discuss.

You should each acquire a copy of the book, and then give each other a month to read and study it. Put together an informal book report, and then when you get together you can discuss it and share notes. This leads to a lively discussion on what you learned, how the information helped you, and, last but not least, whether the spells worked—that type of thing. What is interesting about this is that I have rarely met two people who took away the same information out of a book. Finding out what another person's thoughts are can give you a perspective you hadn't considered before, as well as give you plenty to discuss and to share.

Another option is to take a class together. Sign up for a class at the local magickal shop, or perhaps attend a free gardening lecture at a nursery. Most importantly of all, take your time and get to know each other. You are better off starting out with a core group of two or three friends before you dive into the dynamics of working with a large group of acquaintances. So don't rush things, and see how things develop over time. You are much better off building that friendship and comfort level with each other gradually than tossing a bunch of strangers together and wondering why everyone is stiff and uncomfortable.

Usually, after a few months, someone has a friend who is interested in coming to your study get-togethers, and then you can all meet and see how you get along with the new person. Invite them as a guest and see how you all interact with each other. Some of these new people may wish to stay and continue working with your group, and others may only be curious. So give it time and see what happens. Then later, if everyone agrees, you can invite them to join. Before you know it, someone else has a friend or relative, and then your study group jumps from two or three to five or six.