chapter one
your folk is not a simple matter of looking through the Yellow Pages. It can be tempting to join the first group you encounter, especially if you have been looking for other like-minded people for a long time. Before agreeing to join with any Pagan group, you should ask yourself the following questions: • Does the group share your personal worldview? If not, how far are you willing to compromise your spiritual identity? What connects you to this tribe? • What are the tribe’s expectations of its members? Are these expectations clearly defined? • What is required to leave the tribe if you later choose to do so? If a membership oath is involved, is there a provision in the oath allowing you to leave the group honorably? (The wording of some oaths do not require this, but be sure that you understand exactly what you are promising.) • Does the group or its leaders take an undue interest in recruiting new members? This should raise a red flag. Pagan groups do not normally recruit. • Do the other members of the group share a lifestyle compatible with your own? If you are single and in your twenties, you may not fit well with a group of retired couples. Or maybe you would, but it is a factor to consider. If you are not completely satisfied with the answers to any of these questions, it is better to wait until you have found a group that you are sure of. An inhíred or demos or coven is not, or should not be, merely a social club. Member-
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