Collected on this page are resources about groups in practice.
Conscious Awareness of Religious Environment (CARE)
The link above will take you to the CARE pages index. These are my attempt to highlight areas where people considering a group (and those in a group) should pay particular attention, as they can tell you a lot about how healthy the group function is. Start with the introduction and then choose the level of detail you’d like.
Initial stages:
- Finding others (where to start looking) : A detailed overview of starting the search.
- Questions when looking for a group : Things to ask yourself, first.
- Using Witchvox: The Witches’ Voice is one of the oldest Pagan networking sites out there. However, navigating it can be a little confusing. Here’s a step by step guide to finding group options.
- Learning about a group : different places to look and what you might find.
- We are here, right here among you : On looking for what’s out there.
- Email communication : why covens often start with email, and what I (at least) hope to get out of it.
- Cliques and open rituals : People sometimes think that open rituals are full of cliques. The reality is a bit more complicated, as I look at in this post.
- Making a habit of community : entering a new community can be scary, this post has ideas on making it go better.
- What do you bring? One common question of groups is ‘what do you have to offer us’. I got thinking about that.
Practical issues
- My take on the question of guests at ritual
- The costs of group work : a breakdown of some financial costs for group work (and a discussion of some likely variations. This isn’t meant to be a perfect number, just an idea of things to consider.)
- The time costs of group work : Costs aren’t just about money – here’re thoughts about the time and energy involved in getting to events and participating.
- Glasses and the Priestess : My thoughts on glasses in ritual, on getting my first regular pair.
- On Pets and Limits: What do you do if you really like a group, but you have allergies? What do you do if you’re the group leader?
- Handling ritual text : do you memorise? Read from a script? Something else?
- Food in ritual : My preferences and some other options.
- Food and allergies : Dealing with food allergies or limitations in the post-ritual feast.
- The Question of Safety: Individuals and The Question of Safety: Groups are two posts brought on by the deaths in a deadly sweat lodge. Both look at a range of practical issues and questions.
- I’ve got asthma, and this affects some of my ritual choices.Check out an Introduction to the Issues and Incense and alternatives
- Advertising events : How to reach people in a useful way.
Philosophy and theory:
- The Role of the High Priestess : my take on the role, and what I want to give to it.
- Why do group work? Some of my reasons.
- Experiencing the Song : A few memorable group rituals I’ve been a part of.
- What does Pagan Unity mean, and is it realistic? A look at some considerations.
- The question of gossip: Gossip can cause problems, but is it always bad?
- Interfaith conversation : My thoughts on applying some ideas from the interfaith community to the Pagan community
- Why Pagan Pride events (and where might we go from here?)
Technology thoughts:
- On websites and covens : my thoughts on small group web design.
- Technology and the Coven: Different technology tools that might be of use.