Floodlights: Greenhaven in Depth
The Greenhaven Tradition, and Fieldhaven Coven, follow a consistent set of goals. (For a quick overview, see "Highlights: Greenhaven in Brief.") These include Pagan education, magical research, and socialization with like-minded people. We observe sabbats and esbats, use magic for personal growth, and explore ecological and sociological issues. We are eclectic within reason. We consort with the followers of other traditions in tolerance. Members and guests are expected to abide by these parameters while associating with our Tradition.
Coven Structure
The Greenhaven Tradition uses a tiered structure of coven membership based on people's experience and desire for involvement. Inner Circle members provide leadership, teach classes, organize events, and otherwise guide the coven. Outer Circle members attend activities, may volunteer for active roles in ritual, and help support the coven with their time and other resources. Affiliate members have the right to attend activities and act in rituals when present, but don't commit to frequent attendance. People in the wider Pagan community, spiritual seekers, and Pagan-friendly folks may attend open events as guests without belonging to the Greenhaven Tradition or a specific coven within it.
This structure allows everyone to participate at a level where they feel comfortable, without being pushed ahead or held back. People are welcome to shift their level of participation, but not required to do so.
Member Benefits & Responsibilities
The Inner Circle is responsible for establishing the Coven’s expectations of its members and making sure those are met. Individual members are responsible for their own behavior and for following the guidelines of their Coven and Tradition. Members are also expected to make coven activities a priority: to give notice whether or not they can attend, and to attend whenever possible. We understand that such things as job schedule conflicts or family emergencies must take precedence, but we expect coven activities to take precedence over recreational activities and things that can be flexibly scheduled.
Members of Fieldhaven Coven enjoy a number of benefits in return for their commitment and support. They may:
Interactions
The Greenhaven Tradition supports participatory decision-making. All members are encouraged to attend their coven meetings, or if they cannot attend, to share their thoughts at another time. We use a mixture of methods to make decisions, with a preference toward consensus. The Inner Circle consists of experienced practitioners who are responsible for making plans and final decisions about coven activities and other matters.
Our approach to conflict resolution within the group is on a person-to-person basis, with mediation available only if necessary. If you have a problem with someone else’s behavior, please arrange to discuss it with them personally and in private, rather than allowing it to spill over into group space. Anyone who cannot work and play well with others may be sent away until or unless their people skills improve. Coven activities are intended to be safe and sane space for everyone present.
Fieldhaven Coven is currently open to new members. Membership in the coven is not required for attendance at Year-and-a-Day Classes or most sabbat rituals; membership is mandatory for attendance at most esbats. Other events may be deemed open or closed based on then-current circumstances. Some networking with other Pagan groups and individuals is available.
Contact Us
If you're interested in networking with Illinois Pagans, feel free to get in touch. You can email us:
greenhaventradition (at) yahoo (dot) com
Our most "out of the broom closet" member is Elizabeth Barrette, active on LiveJournal and elsewhere as Ysabetwordsmith; her Pagan credentials include publication in various Llewellyn annuals since 2001, plus the how-to book Composing Magic. If you're outside our area, try WitchVox, which offers a variety of content and networking options, including search functions to find stuff near you.
Coven Structure
The Greenhaven Tradition uses a tiered structure of coven membership based on people's experience and desire for involvement. Inner Circle members provide leadership, teach classes, organize events, and otherwise guide the coven. Outer Circle members attend activities, may volunteer for active roles in ritual, and help support the coven with their time and other resources. Affiliate members have the right to attend activities and act in rituals when present, but don't commit to frequent attendance. People in the wider Pagan community, spiritual seekers, and Pagan-friendly folks may attend open events as guests without belonging to the Greenhaven Tradition or a specific coven within it.
- Inner Circle members are responsible for running the coven; they are the most experienced members who have demonstrated a high level of Pagan knowledge, spiritual connection, and practicality. They commit to more responsibility and activity. In order to join the Inner Circle, members must complete the Year-and-a-Day Class with all homework, or show equivalent knowledge from elsewhere. They must also undertake an initiation ritual, which is pass/fail. This assures that the coven has capable leaders who share a common base of information.
- Outer Circle members are regular attendees, expected to show up at more than half of the coven's activities per quarter. They are encouraged but not required to take the Year-and-a-Day Class. They are not currently ready for and/or interested in coven leadership (although they may work in that direction if they wish). In order to join the Outer Circle, people start with a three-month incubation period to determine to our mutual satisfaction whether there is a good fit; during this time they function as coven members for the purpose of activities. Then they go through a simple Welcoming Ceremony, which is an acknowledgement rather than an initiation so it's not a challenge to be passed.
- Affiliate members are people who live too far away and/or are too busy to attend frequently, but wish to support the coven and to enjoy member status when they can be present. They have access to events which are coven-only, such as esbats. This provides an option for members who move out of the local area, and for long-distance friends who have attended multiple events with us. Also members of one coven may attend another coven's events as Affiliate members, based on belonging to the same tradition, for instance while traveling. There is no specific attendance requirement, and Affiliate members join with the same simple Welcoming Ceremony as Outer Circle members.
This structure allows everyone to participate at a level where they feel comfortable, without being pushed ahead or held back. People are welcome to shift their level of participation, but not required to do so.
Member Benefits & Responsibilities
The Inner Circle is responsible for establishing the Coven’s expectations of its members and making sure those are met. Individual members are responsible for their own behavior and for following the guidelines of their Coven and Tradition. Members are also expected to make coven activities a priority: to give notice whether or not they can attend, and to attend whenever possible. We understand that such things as job schedule conflicts or family emergencies must take precedence, but we expect coven activities to take precedence over recreational activities and things that can be flexibly scheduled.
Members of Fieldhaven Coven enjoy a number of benefits in return for their commitment and support. They may:
- check out books from the Coven bookshelf.
- receive a Coven robe and cord.
- take first choice of ritual roles when volunteers are needed, before the remaining roles are offered to other people.
- request magical assistance from the Coven, with a higher chance of receiving it than unaffiliated people would have.
Interactions
The Greenhaven Tradition supports participatory decision-making. All members are encouraged to attend their coven meetings, or if they cannot attend, to share their thoughts at another time. We use a mixture of methods to make decisions, with a preference toward consensus. The Inner Circle consists of experienced practitioners who are responsible for making plans and final decisions about coven activities and other matters.
Our approach to conflict resolution within the group is on a person-to-person basis, with mediation available only if necessary. If you have a problem with someone else’s behavior, please arrange to discuss it with them personally and in private, rather than allowing it to spill over into group space. Anyone who cannot work and play well with others may be sent away until or unless their people skills improve. Coven activities are intended to be safe and sane space for everyone present.
Fieldhaven Coven is currently open to new members. Membership in the coven is not required for attendance at Year-and-a-Day Classes or most sabbat rituals; membership is mandatory for attendance at most esbats. Other events may be deemed open or closed based on then-current circumstances. Some networking with other Pagan groups and individuals is available.
Contact Us
If you're interested in networking with Illinois Pagans, feel free to get in touch. You can email us:
greenhaventradition (at) yahoo (dot) com
Our most "out of the broom closet" member is Elizabeth Barrette, active on LiveJournal and elsewhere as Ysabetwordsmith; her Pagan credentials include publication in various Llewellyn annuals since 2001, plus the how-to book Composing Magic. If you're outside our area, try WitchVox, which offers a variety of content and networking options, including search functions to find stuff near you.
Things We Don't Do Here
The following concepts, while laudable within the proper context, are not among the aims and practices of Fieldhaven Coven at this time: personal therapy, feminist spirituality, and/or providing magical services to a congregation or the general public. We also do not practice blood magic, sex in circle, or work with chemically-induced altered states of consciousness.
If these aspects of Pagandom are important roadmarkers on your personal spiritual path, please seek to follow that route on your own or with a different group, rather than attempting to persuade this one to change its directions for the sake of meeting your needs. You may find it helpful to search on WitchVox for traditions or organizations that offer what you seek. Not sure exactly what you want? Try the Religion Selector Quiz to compare your current beliefs or desired explorations with those of numerous religions (both alternative and mainstream).
If these aspects of Pagandom are important roadmarkers on your personal spiritual path, please seek to follow that route on your own or with a different group, rather than attempting to persuade this one to change its directions for the sake of meeting your needs. You may find it helpful to search on WitchVox for traditions or organizations that offer what you seek. Not sure exactly what you want? Try the Religion Selector Quiz to compare your current beliefs or desired explorations with those of numerous religions (both alternative and mainstream).
Photos used under Creative Commons from steveczajka, Just some dust
