anyone a witch that belongs to a coven?

[loopylou6]

i am a witch in training and there is something reeeeally bothering me,just wondering if its normal practice

Try me.

Not in a coven now but have been in the past. My sister is in one at the moment.

ok lol, ive just joined with a coven and i also go to the same lady for phychic and reiki lessons, thing is her husband gives me the creeps, hes forever grabbing me slyly innapropriatly eg round the waist and squeezing when he walks past me etc. anyway the woman who gives lessons is a high priestess and her husband is a high priest, now sh said in order for me to become an "official" witch i need to take part in aceremony which will include me being naked blindfolded with my hands tied behind my back and this ceremony will be carried out by him i do know that alot of coven meetings do require nakedness, but to this extent??

Don't do anything you ar not comfortable with. While some covens do demand things of new members you don't hav to belong to a coven to be a witch or do anything to be an 'official' witch. Mind you I am very much lapsed!

that is what i was thinking, i suppose its just te same as marriage isnt it, u can still get the benifits of a relationship without needing a marriage certificate to say u are "officially" married, just like i can continue to be a witch without "officially" being one lol, i just think her husband is very freaky though, plus i am supposed to be going to a beach on the 1st of may with the coven for a ceremony of beltane, but its a 40 min drive away with them and im a bit bothered bout spending all that time with him

If you are uncomforatble with anything or anyone, then get out - you need perfect trust (imo) for anything like this.

i hear ya flame, but im so torn because i dont know any other covens round where i am, grrrrr its so difficult, im very intrsted to know if the description i have been given ( my original message) is the normal practice for witches.

I have only been in online groups, so don't know - I know from what I have read that some of the more extreme covens do do things like that.

But I still feel that if you aren't comfortable with it then it is not the right coven for you - better to be working solitary than in a group that isn't right for you.

I was given a good piece of advice by a very wise woman. she said "always listen to your inner voice - if something feels wrong/ makes you uneasy or uncomfortable, then don't do it". That is a good rule of thumb for life generally I think. I know nothing about witches or covens, but this man sounds like a creep.

Absolutely not. You'd be putting yourself in the power of a man you don't like or trust.

Message withdrawn

thank u for ur replys frogs and swizzler, icod, at the risk of sounding thick lol, what is a ruse??

Message withdrawn

oh lol thanks.

Sorry was offline but everyone else has answered you

Steer well clear of these people. If they are demanding that form of ceremony for your initiation then they are merely in it for the power trip and the opportunities.

No coven meeting requires nakedness.

As for 'officially' being a witch.

Some people feel that you need to live the life and ways of a witch for the traditional 'year and a day' and then have an initiation ceremony when you dedicate yourself to the Goddess & Lord.

It is not essential but I did choose to have an initiation, although it was actually a lot more than a year and a day!

thank u saint george, if u dont mind me asking what did ur initiation ceremony involve? also in your coven where u given your "witch" name?

I chose my own name (and don't ask, 'cos I'm not telling ). Not everyone has a name, I resisted for a long time because I just didn't feel the need and even now I don't always use it.

I don't want to tell you everything about my initiation because essentially it was a private thing but I spent some time out alone in the country, fasting, there was some ritual work involved and a lot of meditation and contemplation.

Certainly no nakedness, blindfolding or binding of hands.

ok thanks,ive decided im deffo not gonna have this initiation, i may continue with the witch craft lessons as she said i can do them even without an initiation plus i also have spiritual classes with her, i am still considering if i should go to the beltane thing with them but apparently it is held on a beach so im a bit scared of being somewhere that private with them, also i dont drive so my transport will depend on them, there will be other witches there aswll, but to be honest im not sure what happens at these things as im still new to wicca, what do u think and can u enlighten me on what would happen on this beltane?? (sorry to be a pain

I have never done an official initiation, for me I have always known in my heart what I am, and that is enough.

My name found me (and is no secret to anyone ) - its who I am though. I read Ravenwolf's bit about names (I won't go into my feelings on her in general ) and thought she was a bit odd telling me to create a name for myself... so I refused to! It then found me when I least expected it.

And yes StG, I know you want me with a fiestier bird

As a general rule I wouldn't want to go anywhere that I might not be able to get back from under my own steam (does that make sense?)

From what you have said about the naked initiation, and the fertility aspects of Beltane, I am very very wary for you

omg flame, what do u mean fertility?? im sorry to sound stupid but like i say i havnt a clue bout this

I'm coming round to flamesparrow - although I think of you more as a phoenix

I felt the same as you about both my name and my initiation. I really didn't expect the initiation to change anything but was quite surprised at the emotions it raised in me. I'm glad I did it now.

Beltane is a bit of an iffy event to be going to with people you feel uncomfortable with, especially this guy who sounds very predatory. Personally, I would be running a mile in the other direction in your shoes.

Beltane is the major fertility festival of the year. This couple sound very much the 'hands on' type so I suspect they might expect some sort of sexual activity, although lots of covens are more symbolic, prefering to use the cup and athame to represent the sex.

Beltane in wikipedia

Maypoles, the Oss in Padstow etc - all linked to fertility and conception (maypoles being sperm and blood irrc) and they are all part of Beltane.

more here

It is the handfasting and union of the Goddess and God.

right that settles it. i am soooooo NOT going. i am sooooo glad i posted this otherwise i dread to think what would of happened. what is opening a circle btw?

The word phoenix has always been one I have loved, even from an age of having heard the word and not knowing what one was. Maybe it is what Flamesparrow will grow into when she goes through a change at some point in the future.