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Subscribe to this list via RSS Blog posts tagged in coven

Posted by on in Paths Blogs

When my wife and I started the Oak Court (for those of you new to the column, that's the name of our coven, and the street we live on) we weren't setting out to start a coven. Heck, our little gathering didn't even have a name in those early days and certainly wasn't called "The Oak Court." We simply invited a few friends over who weren't involved in any other small-circles or covens and grew from there.  

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  • Ian Phanes
    Ian Phanes says #
    First, I should say that I totally agree with your understanding of coven as chosen family. I tell people that to be in coven with

Posted by on in Paths Blogs

I first came across the term covenstead in Uncle Bucky's Raymond Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft. In the Big Blue Book Buckland describes the covenstead as "the name given to the home of the coven (the place where it always, or most often, meets).  Within the Covenstead,* of course, is found the Temple."  I've been a part of several covens over the years, but most of those situations seemed to lack a true covenstead.  Rituals were undertaken in several different locations: a few houses, maybe a park, etc.  Those places were all nice, and my house numbered among them, but they didn't feel like a covenstead.  

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My Coven was tired.

We had been busy--for years, actually. Between leading public rituals and attending festivals, there was a mess of parties thrown by other Coveners. Several members were performers of different kinds and had shows. A couple of people started teaching locally. Then there was our standard working group time. Like "good" Coveners, we traveled to the festivals together, attended the parties, formed cheering sections at the shows and dutifully attended the classes our members led. We somehow still found the time to offer rituals and work as a group, but not a lot. I felt badly offering Coven homework when we were already such a busy group.

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  • Philipp Kessler
    Philipp Kessler says #
    Two things. First, I just received a copy of your book from the publisher. Looking forward to reading it. Second, an earlier art
  • Courtney Weber
    Courtney Weber says #
    Hi Phillipp! The earlier article you mentioned was not written by me, but by Hilary Parry. Thanks for stopping by!
  • Philipp Kessler
    Philipp Kessler says #
    Ah, my apologies. I had misremembered who wrote it. I do hope that you get a chance to read what I write anyway. And looking forw
How I Started a Coven, and lost my sole

 

Really, how could I resist that title?

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  • Byron Ballard
    Byron Ballard says #
    What a wonderful story. I wonder how many other folks will chime in with stories of their list soles. Thanks for commenting! And
  • Annika Mongan
    Annika Mongan says #
    I love this! I am a Witch working at a Christian church (fully out and supported!) and I bike to work every day. One morning I was

Posted by on in Culture Blogs
Nutshell

“So, what's your coven like?”

Seeing the expression on my face—a group that's been around for 35 years takes a deal of telling—she laughs and adds, “In the nutshell.”

I think.

“Well, we don't really have a Book of Shadows,” I begin.

“You don't?” she says, surprised.

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  • Steven Posch
    Steven Posch says #
    Aw, shucks. (Looks bashful, shuffles feet.) Thanks, Sarah. Funny, I'm still looking for a title for my book of poetry: those wor
  • Sarah Avery
    Sarah Avery says #
    You've got a knack for titles. I can tell by the subject lines in my email which posts are yours. Hardly ever guess wrong. Yours a
Why Can't We Be Friends? The role of friendship in a coven

What is the role of friendship in a coven? What is a coven’s purpose? Must you be friends with the members of your coven for it to function properly?

A few months ago, we released a member of our coven and resolidified/unified our coven in preparation for the coming year, and to reassert our group mind without gaps or division in it. Things were brought up (things always are) when a member chooses to leave a magickal group, and this was no different. In it, it was said that this person was looking for friendship instead of a coven... that they didn’t want a coven in the first place. Which begs the question: is friendship/fellowship a requirement for coven life? MUST you be friends with your covenmates? Is this the role that the coven is supposed to take on?

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Posted by on in Paths Blogs

 

Next week my coven will be celebrating the Winter Solstice and instead of writing this blog post I should be writing our sabbat ritual. I'm sure the inspiration will come, eventually, but for now I'm going to continue to procrastinate (and perhaps daydream about an Oak King/Holly King scenario).

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