Group Practice

[TeaDidikai]

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[TatteredAngel]

I'd love to have a group where beliefs were a uniting factor- not necessarily for the purpose of group worship, but other things too. I've seen religious groups do great things in communities, and I like that. That said, I don't know if I could stand trying to go to group worship or a ritual without something just... grating. And perhaps the problem is, a lot of pagan groups I've seen seem to be more about "let's get together and do witchcraft with a side of drama" than about the things I would want from a group- teaching and learning, examining texts, and being a real community, not a "ritual o'the month" club.  

[TeaDidikai]

TatteredAngel

I'd love to have a group where beliefs were a uniting factor- not necessarily for the purpose of group worship, but other things too. I've seen religious groups do great things in communities, and I like that. That said, I don't know if I could stand trying to go to group worship or a ritual without something just... grating. And perhaps the problem is, a lot of pagan groups I've seen seem to be more about "let's get together and do witchcraft with a side of drama" than about the things I would want from a group- teaching and learning, examining texts, and being a real community, not a "ritual o'the month" club.

Ooooooo... "Ritual o'the Month club" I like that. May I steal it?  

[Sivirs]

I don't like the idea of a coven either. I have trust issues, so that is my own problem, but the trust issues come from years of running a lot of non-Pagan groups that were about covensized, and those developed enough painful problems and catty politics. I'd rather not tie my religion in with people I'll probably part ways with in under a few years.

I do miss out on the knowledge-sharing and mentorship aspects of things, though, and that does make me sad. I have a lot of unanswered questions, and I make a lot of mistakes and have more than enough doubts at times. The few times I've had mentors, they've flaked out on me. I do very often wish I had someone I could go to and say "Hey, has this happened to you before? What did you do that fixed it?" who's at least close to my way of doing things. It's that feeling of continuity, and of the knowledge being there, whereas sometimes working alone feels like trying to reinvent the wheel. You know someone somewhere must've already done it, but you don't know who to ask for the instruction manual.

I prefer to work alone. I've tried group work all of twice, and I was extremely uncomfortable and would rather not do it again. But I do sometimes wish there were a group I could casually get together with and share and try stuff out. My closest practicing Pagan friend is a Hellenic recon, and while I love hearing about the stuff she does, it's not as helpful to me, it's just intellectual interest in other peoples' experiences.  

[TeaDidikai]

Amber K's book on Covens suggests a group of three or more is enough to be considered a coven.

To that extent, five close friends working together for a goal is a very resaonable thing for me... even if I can't remember the last time when I had such a group to work with.  

[TatteredAngel]

TeaDidikai

Ooooooo... "Ritual o'the Month club" I like that. May I steal it?

*snicker* But of course.  

[maenad nuri]

I'm apphrensive myself. I'm not adverse to getting a few like-minded people together for a nice potluck and discussion, but all the organized groups I've been a part of are drama-riffic and I usually end up not participating, because they stifle that same curiosity you talk about.

back in my younger days, when I was at camp, there were a few of us that were pagan. And camp always ran over some celebration or other. I usually led some sort of group ritual. I enjoyed that, and we mixed together well.

I have never found any group that rivaled that one, except for dinner parties.  

[MST3Kakalina]

I have NO experience with pagan group work.

I don't like the idea of religious groups at all, really. Based on my experiences with Christian groups, the purpose of doing anything as a religion-focused group was "OH MAN LOOK AT OUR RELIGION WOOHOO." A sort of...wanking about how great and good their faith was. Services were more worship and less wanking, to be sure, but a lot of it is still there for me. Even so, for paganism-not-Wicca, why is there a need for group worship? Is there necessarily one? I can understand why you'd want some extra "oomph" during a spell, sure, but surely that doesn't happen all that often.

Of course, I've bumbled through life wearing a "does not play well with others" tag on my shirt, so...  

[dark_reki]

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[BookWhore]

I've never been a fan of the coven idea because, as Tea stated, politics will arise. It is inevetiable when you have any group of people, no matter who they are. That's why I've never searched out any of the groups in my area, though I know they are around. My best friend, her daughter (who is the one that got me hooked on Gaia) and I get together once a month, usually for the full moon and have a very simple ritual. We also may get together for the solstice/equinox but we don't have very much ceremony and pomp. We like to keep it simple and heartfelt. We also share much of the same ideas and values and I don't know that I would be able to find that kind of kinship with a larger group. Added to that is the fact that it's hard being new in any kind of situation and when it involves your spirituality you don't want to be distracted by whether your doing things "correctly" or what the other members may think of you.  

[Alarias]

Sivirs

sometimes working alone feels like trying to reinvent the wheel. You know someone somewhere must've already done it, but you don't know who to ask for the instruction manual.

you read my mind...me personally, well, im still a little bit uncertain as to what i believe exactly and part of me would love to find a group that i could have discussions with about their beliefs and experiences. but at the same time, i'd feel very uncomfortable asking a bunch of strangers these kinds of questions because to me, this is a personal matter. i know there are groups in my area that i could find, but i think i would be very out of place if i were to try and interact with any of their members. so, i guess until ive come to a decision about what to believe, im on my own.  

[Neko_Bast]

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[tanwyn_llewellyn]

I am part of a closed circle, and we work together on an almost daily basis... but we also consider each other family, and we are all partners in the pagan shop that I work at. Sooo... I enjoy working with that group, but it is a family circle, not a coven. I really dont like the idea of a heirarchal coven. Everyone brings there own strengths and weaknesses to circle.

But, working in circle CAN be a very powerful thing... if you are all united in the same purpose.  

[LadyEladrin]

*reappears after a bit of absence* Gods I hope I spelled that right... sweatdrop

Moving on: Group work can be extremely satifying for me, but at the same time, there's only one or two people that I trust enough and feel comfortable enough to talk to about my actual faith and ideas. In my hometown, we've recently (about a year ago) started up a local pagan networking group, and yes, we invite others to public rituals (ritual of the month club *snerk*), but we also do workshops, breakfasts and other fun things. We're not a coven, or a working circle, but a group of like-minded individuals who like to get together and talk about our interests. Nobody's required to show up to the rituals or workshops, they're just available. We understand that people's 'real lives' are hectic and very full, and that unfortunately, the spiritual often gets shunted to the side. We never hold that against them, and try to schedule workshops, etc, for when the most people are available. Ok, now I'm just rambling. Sorry!  

[Pelta]

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