General Rules for Any Group

General Rules for Any Group

For the most part, Witchcraft as a spiritual path doesn’t have nearly as many rules as most other religions. We’re not all that big on the “shalt nots,” as it were, and even the most basic of rules, such as “harm none,” isn’t agreed on by everyone. That being said, there are a few general rules that you should expect to follow if you are part of a coven. Plus, of course, any rules that your group in particular agrees on in addition to these. (Some covens, for instance, are very strict about not speaking about the coven to outsiders. Others aren’t.)

If you are new to practicing magic together or if you add new people to your coven, it is probably a good idea to make sure that everyone involved understands these few basic guidelines:

b Everyone in the group should be treated with respect and kindness. You wouldn’t think this needs to be spelled out, but sometimes that’s necessary.

It is said that we enter the ritual circle “in perfect love and perfect trust.” This doesn’t mean you have to love everyone in your coven, but you have to at least like them and be willing to accept them with an open heart, no matter their imperfections, at least during the time you are sharing ritual or a group practice. Criticism and judgmental comments have no place in circle.

b What is said in circle stays in circle. This is where the trust part comes in. People often speak about very private things when they are in sacred space. The members of your coven need to know that anything they say within the confines of group practice, both in and out of the ritual circle, will be held in strict confidence.

b Never “out” someone as a witch if you aren’t certain this is common knowledge. As the published author of many books on Witchcraft, I am obviously firmly out of the broom closet. Anyone who doesn’t know that I’m a witch simply hasn’t been paying attention. But that isn’t true for everyone. Over the years,

Blue Moon Circle has included a number of people who weren’t free to be public about their spiritual path because of their jobs (including a nurse, a library professional who worked with children, and a teacher). There were others who simply felt it was no one else’s business and didn’t choose to tell anyone other than those closest to them. It can be easy to forget this and greet someone in your coven with a hearty “Merry meet!” or ask if they are coming to this month’s sabbat ritual when there are others within earshot. Take care to protect your group members’ privacy unless you are told otherwise.

b Accept the people in your coven as who they are and respect their personal choices and preferences. This is more important now than ever, as our society struggles with equality and acceptance on a much larger scale. There are many who come to

Witchcraft because they feel they cannot be accepted by religion or culture they were raised within. LGBTQ+ people in particular have found a home in the Pagan community. People of color sometimes still struggle to do so. If someone in your group asks to be addressed as

“they” instead of “he” or “she,” do your best to respect their wishes. If someone does not act or dress in a