Still continuing in most commonly asked questions... I do get an awful lot of emails from seekers asking me to put them in touch with a coven near them... I am afraid this is not really a service I offer, unless you are a regular student and we know each other, in which case I might put you in touch with someone I know if I think you might be a good fit.
Instead, I would encourage you to read my earlier post about Covens here, as you need to be really clear about what you are asking for. My second piece of advice is then to go to Facebook and seek out one or two groups:
Both groups contain a mixture of people - both existing Initiates, and also Seekers, and you will be able to access lists of existing covens there.
Please note there are a few things to bear in mind, ahead of time:
Covens are like family groups - we are therefore very cautious about adding new members. It would be like taking on a new family member. Some groups don't take on new members at all, while others may go through phases of growth where they are seeking new trainees. Those are the ones you want to look for.
Wiccans dont proselytise - a bit like the Jewish faith, we are not really out there recruiting dedicants, as we aren't a faith group that is interetsed in converting others. This means people tend to join us only when they feel a vocation to do so. Don't be surprised if you get a knock back to begin with. You might need to persevere. Or you might need to look elsewhere.
Group leaders will be facing a heavy investment of time over a period of years in terms of your proposed training, so don't be surprised if they are asking for some sense of dedication on your part. We don't invest our time lightly.
Nobody is paying us to do this, and we all have jobs and families (and other coven members) we are responsible for. This is not a paid service, so don't expect top notch customer service. That's not the field we are in.
You may need to travel. We don't have covens in every town. I have known initiates have to move countries in order to find the right group, or at least take on hefty journeys (I used to have to drive for six hours to attend coven gatherings).
You are not entitled to an immediate response, or to a guarantee of a place in a coven, or to receiving training. Please remember you are the petitioner. Please be polite, respectful and inclusive when you contact us.
You are expected to have done a certain level of reading about Wicca before you get in touch. Please make sure you have done a bit of homework...
And in the meantime, good luck with your seeking...
