Introduction

We are Witches, and experienced coven leaders. These notes are based on our own experience and study. Still, they are only what we have learned up until now -- they are hardly the final word on the subject. We hope they will be helpful to other coven leaders as well as leaders of all other kinds of Pagan groups, people who are intending to start groups soon, and those in advanced training. They are not intended to become the basis for the next Pagan fad, nor do they replace the rituals of your own Pagan tradition or the guidance of your own Elders.

As usual with us, this is a work in progress. We hope to receive advice, corrections, inspirations, great ideas, criticisms and manifestos concerning this book from our colleagues in the Pagan clergy. Please let us know how you think these notes might be improved.

About the authors

Judy is High Priestess of Proteus Coven, a liberal Gardnerian Wiccan congregation located in the New York metropolitan area, and devoted Grandmother to several covens in that lineage. As a retired civil servant in the best Gardnerian tradition, she is now a full-time writer, teacher and priestess, also maintaining a small private counselling practice. Judy holds an M.S. degree in counselling from City University of New York, and is chair of the Pastoral Counseling  program at Cherry Hill Seminary.

            Gwyneth commutes between the very westernmost West Coast and New Jersey. She holds an advanced degree in an utterly unrelated field from an obscure provincial university. For fun, she edits religious texts, including little books like this.

            We have been collaborating on writing projects, and happily married, since 1994. However, Anglo-American inconsistencies in spelling continue to plague us, so you will find Americanisms and Anglicisms both within these pages.

These notes were originally created as handouts for an elders' workshop. As traditional elders, we are glad to offer this workshop as a free service to the Pagan community, under the sponsorship of any non-profit Pagan group, asking only that you cover our travel and other expenses.

Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to our colleagues who shared their wisdom with us: Susan for her comments on psychological issues and contra-indications, Isaac Bonewits for his Cult Danger Evaluation Frame, and to the Ladies Morvoren, Theos and Deirdre, who have been unstinting in their aid and counsel to us over the years.

Copyright

All authors, as identified in each article comprising these notes, retain copyright of their work. We claim right of authorship and copyright on our work only. The works of other authors have been quoted and excerpted in these notes with due permission, for purposes of private study and teaching, subject to the fair use provisions of Canadian and American copyright legislation. You may not incorporate these notes or portions thereof in a work for commercial sale or distribution via any means electronic or otherwise.

You may, however, use these notes as the basis for teaching your own students, or for in-service education of your coveners.You may freely make copies of this entire notebook for use with your own students and colleagues, provided that this book may not be reproduced for commercial gain.

We would very much appreciate news about how you're using these notes, feedback, suggestions for improvement, etc. Please contact Judy Harrow for this, or to request permission for any commercial use. 

Thank you! 
 

Disclaimer

Opinions expressed within these notes are solely those of the authors and are not to be construed as being the opinions or positions of the organizations to which we belong, or any particular Tradition of our Craft.

May these words, and the manner of their sharing, bring good to many, harm to none, and glory to the Ancient Gods!

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    Last revision: May 15, 2004