Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Pagan
Seekers and Guides: A Coven Leader’s Primer

Seekers and Guides: A Coven Leader’s Primer

Last updated on: January 6, 2015 at 9:19 pm by Sable Aradia

Seekers and Guides: A Coven Leader’s Primer 2015-01-06T21:19:15+00:00 Sable Aradia

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

I started a new teaching coven a few days ago. I wasn’t going to for quite some time. Coven leadership is a lot of work, and it’s an incredible emotional and temporal investment. But the Lady sent a bunch of eager new people my way, and I realized that Diana was reminding me of the calling I agreed to undertake. As I settle into working with this new group, I find myself going over the basics of establishing a new coven, and thought I would share with you the things I wish someone had told me when I started out.

Establish a Safe Space

Magickal work requires you to face your subconscious personal issues. It is said that the gates above the doors of Eleusis read, “Know Thyself.” In many ways, it becomes a bit like a support group. It is important to establish that kind of safe environment so that your students can be comfortable with doing this necessary Work. First, make sure that everyone understands that anything said in coven is confidential. Second, once the group has established itself (within the first two or three meetings) don’t allow new coveners without very careful scrutiny and the mutual agreement of the rest of the coven. Third, when disputes inevitably arise between covenmates, encourage them to work it out much as siblings do, with you serving in a role of mediator/facilitator if necessary.

Outline Expectations

They say that “assuming” makes an “ass” out of “u” and “me.” I have learned that it is very important to delineate your expectations when the group is established, otherwise feelings will get hurt and someone (likely you) will feel as though you are being taken advantage of. I have a very firm policy: I will not bear any of the financial burdens of running a coven (such as cakes, ale, candles, incense, handouts, gas and travel) because my time and my instruction are already a significant contribution. But I don’t charge fees, either; I just expect people to do, and pay, their share. I have had students promise to pay my gas to drive for 2 hours and then not do it, demand rides from me to the meeting site, or expect me to give them an entire book’s worth of paper handouts for free. I also refuse to be the one who always has to arrive early to set up the altar and leave an hour later because I was left to clean up. It is not inappropriate to expect a certain level of adult responsibility from your students, and I believe it’s actually good for their training because it teaches them about the Wiccan Rede.

Group Structure

It’s important to be clear about the structure of your group. Do you make most decisions by consensus (in which case, your role is that of facilitator) or is your tradition hierarchical (in which case, your role is leader and organizer?) There are merits and flaws to both approaches. If members have grievances, how do they resolve them? How intimate is your group? Are you just a teaching circle (read: classroom,) or are you a group of friends, or do you embrace the deep emotional connections that often come with searching your subconscious and dealing with the issues found there? If your students object to your work as Guide, do they have the right to take over somehow or do they need to go and start their own group; and is there an established process for this? What are the expectations of each of the degrees of study, if your tradition acknowledges degrees? Whose job is it to host, whose is it to phone everyone, and whose is it to set up the altar?

Be Aware of Group Dynamics

A coven is a small, very intimate group. In many ways, it is like a family. Human nature often leads us to play out the dynamics of our family of origin in such small groups. This is going to create all kinds of interpersonal concerns. Your coveners will project elements of their families and histories upon you and their covenmates. I would like to say that it doesn’t always happen, but in my experience I would be lying. Understanding the circumstances your coveners come from might give you some clues as to how that might manifest when it does, and help you overcome the issues that are created, especially when they reach the equivalent of Second Degree. I’ll be writing a future column specifically on this issue.

Sometimes, however, differences are irreconcilable. There should be a process for expelling troublesome members. It should always be the last resort, but there are certain problem personalities and situations that are always bad news and will destroy your coven. I’ll be writing a future column specifically on the warning signs to watch out for.

Theology and Practice

A coven requires a consistent theology and practice in its workings to be magickally effective. This helps the coveners attune to the coven eggregor and the symbolism being used. I find it’s good to be specific. I tell my students, “This is not the only way to do Wicca, and all ways are valid; but this is the way that we are doing Wicca in this group. You are welcome to do whatever you want in your private practice, however.” And then I stick to it. Sometimes “because I said so,” really is a legitimate response.

When to Let Go

Eventually, all things come to an end. Your students will (at least if you’re doing your job) outgrow your teachings. Like being a parent, sometimes the hardest thing in the world to do is to release the apron strings. There are things you can do to ease the process. One is to encourage your more advanced students to aid with the teaching of newer students. Another is to allow them to lead ritual once in a while. A third is to insist upon participation (such as calling the quarters.)

Sometimes, students will decide to move on of their own accord. That’s their choice. Be satisfied that you have contributed to their magickal development and let it be.

And sometimes, a group just dissolves. My last coven ended when the majority of the students reached their second degree and decided to found their own coven. Ebb and flow applies to groups too.

Seekers and Guides is published on alternate Mondays. Follow it via RSS or e-mail!

Previous Post

March 29, 2013

Naturalistic Traditions: Evolution and the Way to Live

Next Post

April 2, 2013 The Busy Witch: Why I Am A Witch

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category A Lakeside Hearth Adventures in Wortcunning Alone In Her Presence Arts, Crafts & Cooking Birthing Hereditary Witchcraft Book of Blackbirds Book Reviews Born-Again Witch Cauldron, Sword, Spear, & Stone Cermony and Liturgy Columns Community Dandelion Seeds Dear Jasmine Druid Thoughts Editor's Picks Everyday Pagan Family & Household Practice Family Traditions Full Frontal Magic Gateway Goddess Guest Articles Happily Heathen Health and Wellness Hearth of Hellenism Heathen Woman Hills of the Horizon History Holidays Horse Goddesses Interfaith Interviews Irish-American Witchcraft Jewish Witch Lamp & Labyrinth Letters from Midgard Literature, Media, Film, Music Loop of Brighid Love, Sex & Relationships Magic or Magick Making Light Naturalistic Traditions Nature News Outside The Circle Pantheisticon Politics Prayers, Poems, Blessings & Stories Queer Femme Mystic Queer of Swords Recipes Ritual and Practice Science and Research Seekers and Guides Seeking the Grail Socially Responsible Magic Spear of Athena Star Made Witch Syncretic Electric Technology The Blooming Staff The Busy Witch The Cartomancer The Crow's Nest The Dance of Pagan Recovery The Hearth of Hellenism The Lady's Quill The Other Side of the Hedge The Path of She The Rantin' Raven The Witches Next Door The Zen Pagan Theology, Ethics, Philosophy Tree City Witch Urban Earthwitch Wayfaring Woman Witch on Fire Wyrd Words

Select a Month January 2026 March 2025 December 2024 June 2024 April 2024 March 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 August 2023 July 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What was primary method of land transfer?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Written deed Verbal agreement Oath Witness testimony