A Mix-and-Match Coven

[Seira Relur]

I've been a solitary Pagan for five years. My best friend is a Buddhist and her cousin (also a good friend of mine) is Wiccan. Well we were talking about how we are studying our own beliefs alone and how it'd be nice to be in a group. My Wiccan friend then suggested that we become a coven. We could all help each other learn more about our own beliefs, and we'd help eachother out in group rituals and celebrate everyone's holidays. (We're still trying to find an appropriate coven name sweatdrop )

I'm just wondering what people think of the idea of our mix-and-match coven.  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

That sounds like an interesting idea. Allthough I think that unless you all end up swearing some voew, it would be more of a circle.

But sounds good. Just make sure that you stay close. Drawing apart can ruin a coven easily.  

[Jishin]

I recommend that you all take a look at Coven Craft by Amber K. Although it is certainly Wicca-slanted, it has a lot of really good information about how to construct a coven, what roles there are, how to work with people in such a setting, things like that.

I picked it up because I started a very small coven very recently, and it has been tremendously helpful.

I think you are on the right track, and wish you the best of luck. ^_^ Work hard. In any group of that nature, each person has to give at least 60%.  

[FireonYce]

The idea is a great one. Just make sure that if it is something you decide to do make sure you decide what the group is for. It is a challenge to mesh everyones religion to one. Just make sure the group has a purpose. That will bring all of you closer in a way, but if things aren't done right it could really hurt your friendship.  

[Nihilistic Seraph]

Another good coven book is A Witches Coven by Edain McCoy(I think i got the last name wrong though) Her info on magic is a little splotchy and fluffy, but she has good advice for covens.

And The Spiral Dance by Starhawk, but everyone should have that, and not just for covens.  

[Siofra Da`Halbria]

I think it would work, but only if you guys make a formal agreement not to get into big arguements over things. One big arguement could break the whole thing up if you let others join.  

[WebenBanu]

I think that "coven" would be the wrong word to use in this situation- I think that simply "friends" would be perfect.^_^ A coven is a group of people who are spiritually bound together in the study and practice of a single tradition of witchcraft- primarily Wicca, from what I've seen. A "coven" of people who don't even follow the same religion would be like a "caravan" of cars all headed in different directions, on different roads.^_^' It just isn't an appropriate term for what you're describing, although this would be a wonderful exercise of friendship. You can still support each other- just like people in different cars can talk to one another on the phone, or even give each other directions, you can support your friends in their religious lives by attending ritual with them.

I had a very good friend back in my hometown with whom I used to do this, and it was a wonderful experience. He's a Hellenic reconstructionist, and I'm Kemetic recon- I attended his rituals and poured libations with him, and he attended my rituals and read the liturgies with me. With a third friend of ours, we formed a ancient languages study support group where we learned Latin, Greek, and Middle Egyptian- each of us were interested in one of those languages and agreed to learn something about the others in order to have the other people study our language with us. I don't remember much Latin, and almost nothing about Greek, but it was the start of my studies in Middle Egyptian and it was a big help to me.^_^

Now as far as ritual itself went, it was up to each of us to research our own faiths and write up our own rituals- the other would happily help out in celebrating them if available, but I wasn't Hellenic and he wasn't Kemetic, and we both had plenty of work to do in reconstructing our own religions. Your mileage may vary.

Whatever you decide to do, good luck with it! Stuff like this can be a lot of fun, and very enriching and fulfilling if done correctly.^_~  

[blukattt]

Hmm, if you want to start out safely, might I suggest trying out a learning circle before jumping into a coven? That way, you get to know each others smaller quirks, and have a chance to see incompatibility issues if any exist between you, before you get spiritually bound to them.

My friend and I (I was Wiccan at the time, he was Gardnerian) used to have a jehovah's Witness come over every Wednesday night. We would discuss not only biblical topics, but some pagan ones as well; it was a lot of fun, and I learned much. 3nodding