I’m currently a solitary crone. I’m 65 and have been involved in the Craft since I was 21. That’s a long time, but sometimes I feel as though I’ve just begun. I’ve never felt like I knew it all, I’ve always been eager to learn, I still am. I find something new every day.
I began my studies in a very large coven in Louisiana. Then I moved back to Texas when I was 24 and locked myself firmly into the broom closet when I realized just how conservative this area was. Magic was everywhere in Louisiana, but not in Texas. I finally found my way out of the closet after many years in 1998 when I was 38. That was a long time to hide who I was.
When I was 40 I found a lovely group of Pagans in a CUUPs group. I learned a lot from that group. I’m still in touch with a few of them even though the group disbanded. A couple of years later I began my first coven, although we didn’t call it that. We got together for esbats and sabbats. We studied together and did craft projects. We split apart but I kept the name and eventually began again.
We started with an online study group that eventually grew into a coven. Our membership fluctuated a lot over the years but I was happy with it. I had planned to eventually turn over the coven to my daughter in law but she didn’t have the confidence to formally lead the coven, although she was the one who kept us organized. She would have been a great High Priestess, and I hoped that some day my granddaughter would take over. But that hasn’t happened. Yet.
I finally gave up on having an active coven and returned to solitary practice. I still miss it though. I’d like to be in an active coven, but I have no desire to lead anymore. I’m too old and tired. I’d be happy to be the resident crone. Teach from the background. I’ve had people ask me to start another coven, but that would mean leading it, and I just can’t. I’d be happy to help put one together as long as someone else stepped up to be HPS.
Oops, that was probably an over long introduction!! I’m an Eclectic Witch who leans towards the Celtic pantheon. I enjoy doing rituals and reading tarot. I have a Gemini Sun, Sagittarius Rising and a Capricorn Moon.
I think I’m officially in the minority age group now. (I’m in my 30s lol.)
The closest thing I’ve had to a coven was my family’s ancestral practice (a style of occultism that doesn’t organize in covens). Otherwise, I’ve worked as a lone wolf for many years.
I’m also afraid that most western–styled covens aren’t likely to be compatible with my current path. Unless you want a random Buddhist-Hindu in there for some strange reason… That’s not to say I’m not interested in joining a group… I just don’t think I’m going to find it here, sadly.
I looked at the site out of curiosity and was shocked to see that there’s a coven just 20 miles from me! (This truly is shocking ‘cause I’m also in a very rural area.) Unfortunately the style of coven is Wiccan… but it’s good to know it’s there.
That must be nice. I feel like that kind of coven would possibly work. Why do you think it would be different for a Hindu? I mean Hinduism is essentially paganism, just the Vedic variety. Buddhism is famously very flexible - like Hinduism it’s more an umbrella of beliefs. I take from their oldest sect, which acknowledges the existence of all gods.
What the heck? lol! No… I looked and there are none in my state. There’s a couple of Buddhist ones, but they’re on the opposite side - like 200 miles away. Maybe one day I’ll finally move and pick a place that has at least ONE option for me.
Oh how I love this Christian country… (to be read with enormous sarcasm) lol
Truly! I’ve learned there are Buddhist Christians! It’s kind of crazy.
In that case, maybe I should try starting a Hindu topic here. I am still a beginner (I’ve been focusing my studies on Buddhism at the moment) but I could at least break the ice and answer some simple questions! Hm…
Yes, Texas is NOT a good place to NOT be Christian. I know. My g-grandmother settled in Denton in the 1920’s, I still have family all around there. I was Mrs. El Paso 1999. Yep, Texas is NOT the place to be if you are not a mainstream Baptist!!
A group is wonderful!! So many times they are too rigid in their “belief system” so I prefer to stay a solitary, with intermittent group contact. Here in Vegas, there are about 4 groups, but they are all too far away for me by bus. And some are WAY to rigid in their “program”. I do not think that witchcraft should feel like a cult. At least here, it is too “exclusive”. Yes we have a Unitarian Church that has a coven but they are too strict. (When they told me how to “greet” the syntax was wrong, so I used the grammatically correct usage, and was told that it was wrong, that I had to answer in the specific pre-formulated response so that others would know that “they” were the group who “taught” me.) I think that is just wrong! By adhering to that “rule” you automatically creat an “exclusion” to the group. I do not agree with that. That is why I refrain from coven groups in my area. They are too concerned with “who” taught you than “what” is being learned.
As soon as I hear “never, always” or “you have to”, I totally lose interest. Those are the words of close-minded authoritarians resistant if not opposed to change, and more concerned with power and control. Isn’t it disheartening how many groups that profess to be mostly concerned with your spiritual wellbeing start so many conversations with those words. I have an absolute disdain for authority figures, especially ones who presume to be enlightened.
This what I’d be worried about if I were to join even an “eclectic” Wiccan coven. I know they can be very rigid on their ritual practices, even judgmental of different beliefs, like you say. Especially when I’m trying to be more faithful to a specific ethnic tradition, I really don’t need that. This is what I’m hoping to avoid if I were just in a general Pagan “coven” like Sedim’s.
A lot of those more rigid trappings came up too with my family’s practice. The Theosophists have a sort of reputation among the other occult communities for being very syncretic in their beliefs and practices, but they too had a “rigidity” to their rituals that I didn’t like over time. Among other reasons, that’s why I left that community once I came of age…
That’s very cool! I’d love to pick her brain on how she goes about that, lol… my practice is still relatively new, but it’s more “pagan” than it is “witchy” if that makes sense.
That is so cool that your aide is able to incorporate both. I so understand this “mixing” of religious practices. It all comes down to, “we are all heading to the same place, just picking different routes to get there.” That is one of the things I LOVE about the craft. We are able to pick what resonates with our own self without judgements or recriminations from anyone here in the group.
I so understand you Wren, like I said above, “same destination, different paths.”
Having formed a coven in the past and had it destroyed from within ny power hungry morons, If i ever brought my coven out of hiatus, i would make it more of a circle to celebrate the sabats, to teach/learn and have community.
Also very unlikely to let just anyone join due to death threats.
I’m so sorry you had to go through that!! I, too, had a woman try to take over my successful coven. She and one other left together when I told her she couldn’t have my coven, she should just start her own. It caused quite a bit of drama. And they both tried to constantly cause trouble for me. I just asked the Gods to deal with her as They saw fit because I didn’t want to overreact. I did protection spells for myself and the coven. I heard rumors that they cast several negative and baneful spells against me. The woman who caused all the drama had to move away when her husband lost his job. Later I heard that she had cancer. I was accused of doing spells that caused all of it. I didn’t. I don’t think it was connected, I hope it wasn’t. She passed away and the woman still hates me and tries to cause problems for me in any way that she can. I’m sure she always will. I think she’s behind some of my current woes. I need to do yet another mirror spell to send magic back to the sender. I have to do them quite often. It gets exhausting. But I can’t change things now. And I don’t regret removing her from the coven. It had to be done. So I totally understand you. But death threats are not just a problem! Have you gone to the police? Have you asked the Gods to protect and defend you? Or do return to sender spells. Whatever it takes.
(I’m in my 30s lol.)
Laredo, Texas death threats by the nepotic police department, and even one drive-by shooting.