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A reader writes in to ask, " After several years of training, I have decided to form my own Pagan coven. Source: Pagan/Wiccan News

Coven Pagan My

This quote is directly from the article above.

The first thing that was a red flag to me is the reader writes "After several years of training". That is a pretty wide area that I can fill in myself with all sorts of issues.

What sort of training are we talking about? How many years is several years? Why is the writer being so vague about that subject?

The person then goes directly into explaining how they left their coven and now want to start their own. To me that makes me think this person has trouble with authority or wants to be the center of attention.

I would say structure yourself and follow that for several more years. If you still feel you simply must start your own coven then give it a try. I am being a little harsh here but I am seeing train wreck written all over this.

Also I am wondering if you really can have a very structured wiccan coven. Part of the wiccan nature is being free and wild in my experience. It is pretty hard to force that energy into a schedule. It would be kind of like taking a wild tiger from a zoo, letting it free and telling it to go for a short walk, then come right back at 7:00.

Edited: Oliron on 4th Feb, 2011 - 6:39pm

My Own Pagan Coven Paranormal & Mystics Dreams Studies

Huh. I think I must know less about Wicca than I even thought I did. It is possible this person moved off from their coven, and if there isn't one in their new area, it would make sense they would want to start one, but they didn't explain it like that, so I would also be inclined to think they didn't like something and wanted to start their own, the least charitable possibility being Oliron's suggestion about being attention-seeking.

I was under the impression Wicca, true Wicca, like a lot of others, was a more personal religion, and while maybe you're a member of a coven, it wasn't like attending church or having a weekly congregation meeting, but I've never been a Wiccan so I don't know so many things. I would agree with the person's "high priestess" that people have to follow their heart, but then I wonder what kind of "training" they went through in the first place. A lot of things in the post don't make a whole lot of sense, on the surface, to me - I guess it is hard for those not directly familiar or involved to make very good judgments on things like this.

Regardless of what the activity is, I can see the personal style being one issue; this person prefers more structure and order, which is understandable; I'm like that with some things, but also prefer a laid back atmosphere and schedule - it seems to depend on exactly what parts of a project or activity it is that the "order" comes in on, for me. A weekly game night would be great, at 7pm, would be great, but anything past that I'd probably have a hard time with.

Coven Pagan My

Wicca as I know it can have a very strict structure.
To have your own Coven you must have Third Degree training and Initiation.
This can take a lifetime's work and many never achieve it, usually by choice.
It holds the status of an Elder in the Wiccan faith.
To run a Coven you need two people of this High Order who are usually partners, Magically at least.
A Coven needs eleven other like minded People who have the same commitment and a consistent Magical focus.
To run a successful Coven is very much a labour of Love and can be a massive challenge. To do so lightly after a few years training and mabe only after reading an off the shelf Manual is not just irresponsible it is almost impossible.
Solo practitioner don't have this problem.