Membership with COLS Coven:
From time to time we welcome new members to our coven in the following ways, and under the following circumstances:
Requirements:
Applicants to the Coven must be either:
- an initiated 1st degree student of COLS, (meaning you completed the Wiccan Fundamentals course and were initiated by COLS);
- an initiated 1st degree student (initiated by another coven or group) who has been screened and found qualified as a 1st degree according to COLS 1st degree criteria;
- an individual who’s life experience and personal practice in Paganism / Wicca is at least equivalent to COLS’s 1st degree criteria.
Apprenticeship:
A new member will be brought into the Coven on a trial basis for a period of 6 full moons and 2 Sabbats before being formally accepted into the Coven. After this period, members of the Coven will discuss the new member’s apprenticeship and determine if there is a good match with existing members. The new member must be voted in unanimously.
Men:
Men are welcome to join COLS and will be admitted under the above apprenticeship conditions. There is much debate in the community about having male members in a coven. Some have the concern that having men in a coven will shift the hierarchical structure of the coven from female to male; that a male apprentice may exercise his masculine power in a patriarchal or sexually aggressive way, or that he might unbalance the coven’s energies by moving women into subordinate roles. These concerns have been valid in certain circumstances within the greater community. But COLS believes that it is important to have a balance of female and male energies in Wiccan circle and actively seeks male members. Care will be taken to ensure a cooperative, respectful and balanced sharing of power between all members within the coven.
Managing your Physical and Mental Health in Circle of Light and Shadow’s (COLS) courses and events
Participants to any course presented by Circle of Light and Shadow must be of sound mind and body. It is important that you are responsible for your own personal health needs both physical and mental. Participating in COLS’s courses and activities requires your commitment to managing your personal well-being. If a situation arises that affects other participant’s experience and/or ability to fully participate in the course, you may be asked by COLS’s HPS for information on your well-being. If the situation can not be reasonably managed, you will be asked to leave the course.
Any sharing of information is held strictly confidential and allows COLS HPS to make appropriate arrangements or accommodations if needed, and if possible.
Like many covens, COLS’ covenstead is run in a private home, in a downstairs ritual space and is not handicap accessible.
Our goal is for all participants to be committed to their own mental and physical health allowing for a healthy and fully functional experience for all participants.
Blessed Be!