Creating coven ethics

Starting any coven can be a difficult thing for any pagan but for the true eclectic it can be very difficult.

The reason for this is an eclectic understands that things that should not work together do! Having mixed mythologies and practices are personal so it can be difficult to explain to others the significance, this is one of the main reasons the eclectic remains solitary.

Although over the years I have run eclectic covens, which are more like working groups and moots which developed.

I have found that when these groups meet and connect and share information the group dynamic changes from a coven that meets for worship or feasting to a group where practices merge and learning is shared in an inclusive enviroment.

These covens does not work like a Wiccan coven there is no high priestess or priest no elder keeping things in check it works more as a council where the leader for next meeting is chosen leaders would be chosen in rota new members being added to the list.

Whoever is in charge for that meeting chooses the topic of discussion they will either give a talk or write a ritual that includes everyone. For the main Sabbats (and not all paths follow the Wiccan wheel of the year so some groups have other main rites added to the wheel.) meeting are normally a few days before or after the event to allow member to have their own personal rites. These Sabbat meetings would normally follow a simple outline a basic elemental blessing followed by a feast where members would share poetry or mythology connected to the Sabbat it was very rare to do any spell or formal ritual during this time.

As a working group, spell work and ritual work did take place but with a mix of paths the leader for that �spell working� or �ritual� would explain to everyone their part and placement. We would meet to discuss ritual run through any tricky parts make any adjustments if needed then prepared for ritual then preformed it, after grounding and over a drink and some food we would share our feelings and experiences. Now not every ritual would work the way we wanted to but we got the desired result.

Now if your going to create a coven you need to think of your motives why do you want a coven? If it for power or ego then don�t do it!

Unlike paths like wicca which have rules that have been handed down Eclectics have to borrow adapt and develop a set of ethics which are personal. And the key word is personal so it difficult to get others to believe in all you believe. As eclectics, some will say you cant or you should not because that is what they believe while for you know that it can and it does! (friction)

As eclectic we can be spiritual leaders and followers but it better to be guides and seekers of the truth. So with that in mind if you plan on setting up a coven start with people who you can learn from and share your interest don�t try to start with a coven of 13 start with 2 or three and grow with it adding 1 or 2 members when it feels right. All the time becoming a strong central core adding rituals and spell working once you have found the common ground.

Once you have found the common ground you can start to create a set of ethics, which will add to the core of the group a set of rules to cover admission and removal from group sharing the costs etc.

Now its not easy to create and maintain a coven from scratch but it is possible the worst issues you will have to face is ego the new and old to the craft often believe them self important after get a few spells right this can cause friction in fact I have had groups that have split up because a new be thinks the are the second coming of Merlin and conflict created factions but you will live and learn

Now for those that was thinking that this was going to be a list of coven ethics I am sorry but I hope I have given a little insight to running an eclectic coven so you will think about what you want to create and what you need in order to maintain your ideal.