ABOUT COVENHow does the Coven work? We are witches, plain and simple and so belong to a Coven. In our Coven, we teach newly initiated witches about Wicca and all it stands for. We teach magick and spell casting. Applications for membership are welcome from RL Wiccans as well as those wishing to learn about the Wicca faith. Membership of the Coven is available to anyone who wishes to practice witchcraft. Through our rituals and teachings, we hope to give you what it takes to be a competent witch. If joining Coven, you will start as an Apprentice and will move up in status …over time and with experience. Members are encouraged to discuss our Coven with new people and to answer their questions. Anyone who is interested in joining, you must bring to the attention of the High Priest Ieuan Karillion and High Priestess SexySarah Streeter. THE
DEGREE SYSTEM
Many traditions that share the same spirit, core principles and guiding rationale as we do, have a system of three degrees. In a broad sense, initiation to the first degree is open to all Witches, governed by what is expressed below. However the second and third degree criteria are quite demanding, and essentially anyone who seeks and becomes 2nd or 3rd degree is responding to a deep inner calling. Higher degrees aren't only about levels of magickal prowess, power or learning: That is involved, but 2nd and 3rd degree Witches have people skills, management skills, communication and teaching skills as well as magickal skills. Those who aren't well balanced emotionally, psychologically and socially; and who don't have the appropriate skills; wouldn't be able to successfully lead a Coven, nor would they be able to fulfill all the requirements that would be needed of them. Let's first take a look at the basics of this in a simple way: First degree:
Is for
those newly coming into the Craft. As you will see elsewhere in the
information about Initiation, this brings the new Witch into the Coven,
connects them with the Coven group-mind, connects them to the Inner
Plane power sources which that Coven and Tradition works with, and
Initiates - starts them on their path in a powerful and guided way.Second
degree:
Marks the beginning of a
deeper path within the Craft, and
acknowledges the commitment, work and effort that the 2nd degree
candidate has made following their first degree initiation.Third
degree:
This degree is granted to
those of long Craft experience. and
who may expect to be responsible to High Priestess and High Priest for
training of less experienced members.That's the basics, please see the individual role description to study this in greater depth. The following
are titles in the Coven of the Wise Owl
Wise Owl High Priest/High Priestess Wise Owl Assistant High Priest/High Priestess Wise Owl Elder (Senior, trained witch in the third degree) Wise Owl Adept (experienced witch in the second degree) Wise Owl Neophyte (initiated witch in the first degree) Wise Owl Apprentice (Those not yet initiated) Wise Owl Student (Those who wish to learn about Wicca but have not yet decided to become witches or those that know they do not wish to be witches) You start at the bottom and work your way up in ranks. Promotions are awarded by the High Priest and Priestess. ADVANCING
Assist in a ceremony Perform a ceremony acting as High Priest/Priestess Write a ritual Complete Basic classes Advancing from Adept to Elder requires: Mentoring Neophytes who wish to advance to Adept status. Completing Intermediate classes Rules set forth according to degreeAll Apprentices - prior to initiation IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT AN APPRENTICE IS NOT YET A WITCH. However, he/she may already be a witch, if transferring from another coven. Apprentices are required to work to gain at least some basic knowledge and understanding of Wicca, circle principles and Coven etiquette. Initiation is a privilege not a right, and will only be conferred once the High Priest and High Priestess are convinced that the Apprentice has satisfied the requirements listed above. Wise Owl Neophyte -
First Degree Witch
There are a number of approaches to this. Some Covens and some traditions take rather a "Bring 'em in and let the Goddess sort them out" type of approach, by initiating people very quickly, and before they have gained much knowledge and experience of the Craft and it's principles. On the basis that they can and will learn all they need to know thereafter. Others; including our Coven; require that before anyone is initiated first degree that they have gained at least some basic knowledge and understanding of Wicca, circle principles and Coven. Wise Owl
Adept - experienced witch in the Second Degree
Many people never move beyond 1st degree- which is fine, but some who do want to deepen their knowledge and extend their Craft skills into such areas as craft-work, herbalism, incense making, practical magick, ritual and ceremony, and who want to be much more actively involved in rituals, the running of the Coven and its circles, training and helping new initiates and candidates, and other more challenging areas; do aspire to 2nd degree. It must be stressed before we go any further that 2nd and 3rd degrees bring responsibility- there is a saying that "Rank brings its privileges", but in the Craft that shifts to "Rank brings responsibilities". '2nd degrees within most Covens are usually involved in mustering up the 1st degrees to get organised, and in the delegation of necessary tasks such as cleaning and setting up the temple, laying out food and similar tasks, but that's never an excuse for anyone 'throwing their weight around'. Wise Owl
Elder-senior, trained witch in
the third degree
This degree is granted to those of long Craft experience. and who may expect to be responsible to High Priest and Priestess for training of less experienced members. In order to receive this degree, candidates must be 2nd degrees of good experience, and with the necessary people, organisational, social, magickal and ritual skills to be able to assist in the running of a working Coven in a good way that benefits, empowers and nourishes all members thereof. High Priest/High Priestess
Well experienced 3rd degree witches with excellent administrative, management, teaching, counseling as well as magickal skills. Excellent communicators, needing to deal with coven members, initiates, possible new recruits still deciding whether or not to be initiated. The Coven of the Wise Owl -- Rules for membership
1) Everyone in Coven has a responsibility to the Coven and this includes regular attendance at ceremonies, training classes and incidental meetings. 2) The Wise Owl Coven Training programme's Basic and Intermediate classes have been set up. They will start in September 2010 and from then on the successful completion of mandatory subjects will form part of the requirements needed to progress through the degrees. 3) AHPs is in charge of who mentors whom. If you are unsure how to mentor, please ask HP or HPs. We are happy to help, but we presume that things are going smoothly if no-one asks for help. We will also be assessing Adepts' mentoring performances. 4) There are 4 requirements that a Neophyte must complete to advance to Adept. a) They must assist with a ritual b) They must write a ritual c) They must perform as HPs, or HP if male, during a ritual. d) They must attend and successfully complete the following mandatory classes in the Coven Training programme: * Introduction to Wiccan beliefs * Wiccan Year * Wiccan tools * Basic Ritual Construction 5) There are 2 requirements that an Adept must complete to advance to Elder. a) They must mentor at least one Neophyte, as chosen by Assistant High Priestess, from Initiation onward. When mentoring, help that person who has been assigned with all of the tasks, guide and teach, but do NOT do the work on behalf of the Neophyte. b) They must attend and successfully complete the following mandatory classes in the Coven Training programme: * Gods and Goddesses * Intermediate Ritual construction * Spell Crafting * Looking into the future (including Divination, Astrology, Tarot, Scrying) 6) Any Adept who is having trouble getting attention of his/her assigned Neophyte who they are supposed to be mentoring, or a Neophyte is not getting support of mentor, HP and HPs want and need to know 7) When Adepts are mentoring Neophytes, Adepts will create NCs of training, even if Neophyte does not respond. This is so we can monitor who is doing what and who is and is not responding. 8) We realise that your lives outside of SL have to come first, but need you to support the Coven by coming online to take part in rituals, training or other meetings. If you are already online at the appropriate times, we expect you to be with us-without HP or HPs having to remind you individually, before we begin. This applies whenever you are online, unless you have a very good reason for not being able to be there and, in this case, you need to tell HP or HPs in advance. Finally, it is not acceptable for Coven members to log off just before a Coven event begins. Of course, you may have a genuine real life or technical difficulty but, in that case, you must make HP or HPs aware of that at the very earliest opportunity. 9) If anyone is: a) unresponsive b) blows hot and cold re: Coven. c) proves not to be a good member d) does not take coven responsibilities seriously. will, after an initial warning, be invited to leave the Coven. We are a RL Coven in a virtual world and we expect You to complete your tasks. 10) We want to make this Coven the best in SL and will need everyone's help. 11) If, at any time, you decide that you do not wish to be in Coven, please let us know. There will be no hard feelings. 12)
Always be aware of those who seek possible initiation into the coven. Such recruits
must be
interested in Wicca and witchcraft. Assistant High Priestesses' responsibilities Progression: (summernights Sabra - also tutor for Wiccan Beliefs course) 1 Decide on mentor for Neophyte 2 Make initial contact with Neophyte 3 Tell mentor to contact Neophyte - Follow up with mentor/Neophyte to make sure that they are in contact with each other. If they have not been, make another attempt to get them together. If second attempt does not work, refer to HP or HPs. 4 Make sure that mentor has copies of basic ritual construction and ritual construction for Adepts 5 Explain to mentor that he/she will be mentoring Neophyte all the way through Elder and that mentor will be answering questions for Neophyte. Also explain that if mentor does not have the answer, he/she will ask summer, Jeanie, HP or HPs 6 Tell mentor to help Neophyte decide which ritual he/she will be writing. If mentor is not sure which ones are available, he/she should contact summer, Jeanie, HP or HPs. 7 Have mentor find links to websites for chosen ritual 8 Let mentor know that Neophyte will also need to complete the following requirements to advance: a) Assist with ritual b) Write ritual c) Act as HP/HPs during ritual d) Complete all required courses (provide a copy of coven rules) 9 Let mentor and Neophyte know that they will not be left alone to do any of this work. HP, HPs or any AHPs will all be able to answer questions or get the answer and get back to mentor or Neophyte. 10 Pass mentor and Neophyte to Ritual AHPs for ritual construction Rituals: (Also tutor for both Ritual Construction modules) 1 Contact mentor to let him/her know that you will be assisting with ritual construction 2 Contact Neophyte and tell him/her that you will be giving instruction on how to write a proper ritual. 3 Make sure they have links to rituals and have them read the websites provided to make certain he/she has a basic understanding of the ritual he/she will be writing. 4 Give no more than 5 days for Neophyte to read this material. 5 Keep in contact with both Adept and Neophyte 6 Contact Neophyte at the end of 5 days and have him/her explain what this chosen Sabbat/Esbat means to Wicca as well as himself/herself. 7 Have Neophyte send copy of ritual in its stages to his/her mentor for review. 8 Ask Adept to forward completed ritual to you when he/she thinks it is satisfactory. 9 Look over completed ritual and make suggestions for improvement to Adept, so he/she can make those suggestions to Neophyte. 10 Pass Neophyte on to Education AHPs (Jeanie Feiri) to begin required courses. Education: (Jeanie Feiri - tutor for Wiccan Tools and Tarot) 1 Contact Adept - Inform him/her which courses they will need to complete to advance Elder in Coven. Ask if he/she would like to continue his/her education at this time. If not, let him/her know to contact you when he/she is ready. 2 Contact Neophyte - Tell him/her the courses that need to be completed in order to advance to Adept in Coven. 3 If Neophyte is ready for his/her studies, start off with Beliefs 101 notecard as well as the test for 101. In case they have already finished that course, go to the next one that has not yet been completed. (You will receive info for each member where they stand in way of courses as of 13th October 2010) 4 Give no more than 5 days to complete and contact Neophyte/Adept again if he/she has not given his/her test questions back to you. 5 For courses that have no test questions, contact HPs prior to giving out notecard. HPs will try to make sure that AHPs will have all notecards including test questions. This is in case she has missed any. 6 Collect test from Student/Neophyte/Adept and pass to HPs for grading. 7 Inform Student/Neophyte/Adept that there will be an Elder available to tutor him/her for each course. Any questions can be directed to this tutor and tutor will answer questions or find the answer and get back to him/her. 8 HP or HPs will inform you of new Student/Neophyte/Adept. Contact new students as they come in to Coven and make them aware of available courses and that they will start with Beliefs when they are ready to begin studying. 9 When you receive test back, pass to HPs for grading. Make sure that Student's name is on notecard. 10 When course is completed, congratulate Student/Neophyte/Adept and ask if they are ready to continue with studies. Course Programme BASIC Circle Etiquette There are many paths of Wicca and many ways to cast a circle. Coven of the Wise Owl does each ceremony the following way: 1 All rituals except handfastings (Wiccan weddings) are done 'skyclad' (naked) 2 Circle is cast with athame or sword starting in the North and returning to north, moving deosil (clockwise) 3 We then call the guardians, spirits or whatever they are called in your chosen path. 4 We begin in north and light candle as each quarter is evoked to join circle and protect it (invocation is calling the God or Goddess into oneself) 5 Once circle is cast and quarters are called, the only safe way to leave is for HPs to cut an opening in the circle and re-draw it immediately after. This keeps out unwanted spirits. 6 As the quarters are called, please face that quarter with HPs 7 HP usually evokes the God and Goddess and the white center candle is lit 8 When ending the circle and thanking the spirits, we begin in the west, moving widdershins (anti-clockwise) 9 HP says closing prayer and thanks the Gods and Goddesses for being in circle. Candles are snuffed. 10 The North quarter is Earth; colour is green 11 The East quarter is Air; colour is yellow 12 The South quarter is Fire; colour is red 13 The West quarter is Water; colour is blue 14 Private rituals (initiations and elevations) are for Coven members who have been through that ritual already. Those that have not, may not attend until they are going through that ritual themselves. 15 Public rituals (sabbats and esbats) are open to everyone. Those within Coven and those who are not may attend. 16 Handfastings (Wiccan weddings) are usually by invitation from bride and groom. Translate This Page |
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