Magickal Connections: Creating a Lasting and Healthy Spiritual Group
253
Magickal Connections: Creating a Lasting and Healthy Spiritual Group
253Paperback
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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781564149329 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Red Wheel/Weiser |
| Publication date: | 02/16/2007 |
| Pages: | 253 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x (d) |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
WHAT IS A GROUP?
Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.
— St. Francis of Assisi
My fascination with groups and their participants began in my undergrad days when I majored in psychology and minored in sociology. As a witch in a culture of partying and middle-class norms, I found myself in the uncomfortable position of interacting with large, amorphous, mundane groups that had rules and expectations I could understand, but never belonged to. That feeling of disassociation persisted until I found a traditionally based coven a decade ago.
When I began my own coven, I also began a process of trial and error in learning how to participate in various situations. I learned what works, when, and what doesn't. As I looked for sources of help in the larger magickal community I began to realize that we lack consistent formal training in group leadership. If we are lucky, we have an opportunity to work with a longtime leader who is skilled in handling many aspects of group dynamics. There aren't many of those leaders around. Most of us receive training the way I did: from a highly knowledgeable, magickally skilled person who lacked more than basic leadership abilities.
Group dynamics is the art of relationships, of making connections, a system that describes skills to use in various situations. We relate to one another because we must: We are fundamentally social creatures. Life demands it; life itself is a relationship. These situations range from your everyday encounters with near or total strangers to those where you are engaging in profound acts of intimacy. From the moment we enter the world we are forming relationships and being formed by them. My desire is to share with you what I have learned about working in and with a group. Otherwise, I fear that all of the pain, self-doubt, fear, failures, joy, and success I have experienced will only benefit myself.
For centuries, sages and scholars have been fascinated by groups: the way they form, change over time, dissipate unexpectedly, achieve great goals, and sometimes commit great wrongs. Humans are social animals: We naturally gravitate away from isolated circumstances into groups. But what, precisely, is a group? Is it all women in Seattle with blue eyes? An assistant talking with a manager by telephone? People waiting in silence at a bus stop? Spectators at a football game? Worshipers at a religious service?
Almost all of our time is spent interacting in groups; we are educated in groups, we work in groups, we worship in groups, and we play in groups. But even though we live our lives in groups, we often take them for granted. A group of people working in the same room, or on a common project, does not necessarily invoke the group dynamic. If the group is managed in a totally autocratic manner, there may be little opportunity for interaction relating to the work. If there are cliques and factions within the group, a cohesive process may never evolve. On the other hand, the group process may be utilized by distant individuals working on different areas; for instance, in a cyber magickal group.
When people work in groups, there are two separate factors involved. The first is the task and the problems involved in getting the job done. For example: teaching a class, holding a ritual, or doing community outreach. Frequently, the task at hand is the only issue that the group considers. The second is the process of the group work itself: the mechanisms by which the group acts as a unit and not as a loose rabble. For example: How will we teach the class, what is involved, and who will do it? Without due attention to this process the value of the group can be diminished or even destroyed; yet with a little explicit management of the process, it can enhance the worth of the group to be many times the sum of the worth of its individuals. It is this synergy that makes group attractive despite the possible problems (and time spent).
In simple terms, a healthy, functioning magickal group leads to a spirit of cooperation, coordination, and commonly understood procedures and mores. If this is present within a group of people, their cohesion is enhanced by their mutual support (both practical and moral). Magickal groups can be particularly good at combining talents and providing innovative solutions to unfamiliar situations. The wider skill set and knowledge base found within a magickal group is a distinct advantage over that of a solitary practitioner. They are excellent environments for transmitting data across generations and keeping that information intact, while adding the wider experiences of its members.
Magickal groups are similar to relationships: You have to work at them. The responsibility for communication and development cannot rest on a single individual; it is an interactive flow between the leader(s) and participants. By making the group itself responsible for its own support, that responsibility becomes an accelerator for the overall group dynamic. What is vital is that these needs are recognized and explicitly dealt with by the group. Time and resources must be allocated by the entire group.
Groups and Their Influence
CONSIDER THE INFLUENCE PARTICIPATING IN VARIOUS GROUPS HAS ON YOU BY LISTING THE GROUPS TO WHICH YOU BELONG, AS WELL AS THOSE THAT INFLUENCE YOU.
1. MAKE A LIST OF ALL THE GROUPS YOU BELONG TO NOW. DON'T FORGET FAMILY, CLUBS, SPORT TEAMS, CLASSES, SOCIAL GROUPS, FRIENDS, WORK TEAMS, AND SOCIAL CATEGORIES THAT ARE MEANINGFUL TO YOU (AMERICAN, WOMAN, WITCH, FALCONS FAN, AND SO ON).
2. DO ANY OF THE GROUPS YOU BELONG TO TRANSFORM MEMBERS INTO A UNIT THAT IS GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS?
3. WHICH GROUP HAS CHANGED THE MOST OVER TIME? DESCRIBE THIS CHANGE BRIEFLY.
4. WHICH GROUP HAS INFLUENCED YOU, AS AN INDIVIDUAL, THE MOST? HOW SO?
5. IDENTIFY FIVE GROUPS THAT YOU DO NOT BELONG TO, BUT THAT INFLUENCE YOU IN SOME WAY (FOR EXAMPLE, REPUBLICAN). OF THESE GROUPS, WHICH ONES INFLUENCE YOU — YOUR BEHAVIORS, EMOTIONS, OR DECISIONS — THE MOST?
An adequate definition of "group" must strike a balance between being sufficiently broad to include most social collectives that are true groups and being sufficiently narrow to exclude the collectives that are not true groups. A formal definition meets this criteria: "A group is (a) two or more individuals (b) who influence each other (c) through social interaction." Some theorists add a fourth element, that of having common goals, but that makes the definition too narrow. Can something so scientific be applied to magickal groups, those fluid, changing, fantastical creations that seem to exist without rules, or even despite them? Yes. (It is worth pointing out here that being a group is not necessarily something to strive for; it's a useful definition and label.)
We humans are social creatures, and it is inevitable that when we come together in groups we will encounter conflict. For most of us, the word conflict conjures images of shouting, tense muscles, and often fear. But conflict can be valuable, and there are many group situations that benefit from disagreements, if handled well. Together we will look at forms of conflict, root causes, and skills to manage the tensions to produce a positive outcome.
Magickal Group Structures
Things which matter most should never be at the mercy of things which matter least.
— Johann von Goethe
I practiced as a solitary for years. In the beginning, it was because I lived at home and had no freedom to find like-minded Pagans. Through the years, I found myself going to public circles with increasing frequency until I eventually joined a large "open" circle in Sacramento. The lack of organization frustrated me, and when a five-week Shamanic workshop I was in looked to recombine as a closed circle I jumped at the opportunity. We began as a hierarchical group, but transmuted into a circle of equals and worked together, deepening our skills for several years. I found working with others to be an exhilarating and occasionally exasperating experience. For example, when we spent a month working with Faeries, I was bored (sorry, but I was) because it felt too fluffy. Yet when Otterwoman led us in a concentrated exploration of our power animals during her month I learned many new things and wanted it to continue for months longer. Eventually I moved from the area and returned to my solitary practice once again.
In the mid-90s I joined ShadowMoon coven and began to study Wicca on a formal basis. My teacher, Lady Mystara, made no bones about the fact that she thought I would make an excellent High Priestess one day, and that day would come sooner than I thought. Frankly, I thought she was being sweet and supportive, but wrong. As a solitaire, the idea of becoming the leader of a group never occurred to me. Although in my time with the group I took my turn at leading rituals and designing lessons, the role of leader never seemed to "fit" me very well. But the Initiations I underwent opened up aspects of my Self that I previously thought were pipe dreams and a child's fantasies. I moved deeper into my core being, and found new Paths opening up for me the deeper in that I journeyed. And when I first conceived the fact of my magickal group, I believed that I would be leading it alone, forming it with members entirely unknown to me (because that was the Tradition). As a result, much of my early planning was based on the idea that I had to "go it alone."
But the God/dess willed differently. Two former coven siblings and my best friend all contacted me within a few months to tell me they wished to be a part of creating a new magickal group. We talked online, and over the phone, in conference, and singly. These conversations turned into concrete goals and commitments as we each identified roles we would take and skills we would use to support the magickal group in the best way possible. I may have been the birthing mother, but the four of us were the parents of the new entity. It may have been un-Traditional, but this process is now a part of my own Tradition.
Within the Craft there are a range of group structures, from freeform to strictly hierarchical, with several variations in between. Each type of structure has its own requirements, and choosing which style best suits your personality and vision is crucial to creating or participating in a successful magickal group. The key question to ask is: How much structure do I/we need? Think about where your strengths draw you. You may prefer the clear authority of the hierarchy, the intuitive, flowing feeling of a freeform group, or perhaps something in between.
For the sake of discussion, I have divided the myriad types of magickal groups into four basic structures: hierarchical, circle, wheel, and freeform. These labels are not intended to be anything other than guideposts, terms that allow me to discuss the pros and cons of these different styles. Throughout my years as a witch I have personally witnessed the positive and negative aspects of each kind of group.
Hierarchical
A hierarchical group is one in which structure and codified knowledge plays an important role, even if it seems to be "made up" as the magickal group members go along. Generally speaking, no matter how small the group is, there is one person in the role of High Priestess, a single leader responsible for most, if not all, decision-making within the group. There may or may not be a co-leader (either the High Priest or Maiden). In a large group, these roles could be expanded to include Elders, a Scribe, a Knight (the male equivalent of a Maiden), a Treasurer, and other such titles of authority (see Creating a Supportive Magickal Group, page 30). These roles are assigned to individuals and, in most cases, are not rotated through the membership. Most certainly, the role of the High Priestess does not shift to different individuals, except on rare occasions when the Maiden or High Priest performs a ritual. The image associated with this structure is that of a triangle.
Hierarchical magickal groups generally have specific definitions for each member's level of learning. Most often these are expressed as:
* Seeker — completely new to the Craft. *
Dedicant — has some Craft learning, but wishes to study specifically within the magickal group's tradition.
* Degree(d) — initiated, and at some level of priesthood.
Hierarchical magickal groups tend not to advertise actively for new members and are fairly specific about what kind of person they feel is most appropriate as a candidate to join. They frequently ask for a commitment of a year and a day as a Seeker or Dedicant before considering the candidate to be a member of the magickal group. Hierarchical groups will either view advancement through the Degrees or continual (measurable) improvement of the Self as the primary reason for participation in the magickal group. Degrees are only granted after specific types of knowledge and magickal mastery are demonstrated.
The model for this type of group most closely resembles a traditional (Abrahamic) Church although the belief that a Priest/ ess's authority is derived from being "closer" to the God/dess than other members is not the same. Decisions flow from the top downward, with communication (and, particularly, change) flowing more easily through the lower levels than upward. It takes a particularly even-handed and open-minded leader to function well in this structure. The triangle easily leads to an extremely authoritarian model in which the leader has power over the other members, rather than sharing power with them. The triangle, however, provides clear lines of authority and decision-making. The triangle is a very stable structure, as the late Buckminster Fuller noted. (He applied pressure to both a rectangle and a triangle. The rectangle folded up and became unstable, but the triangle withstood the pressure and was twice as strong.) Hierarchy is a common form of dynamic in today's society, one that often feels comfortable. We know it well.
Deity is often conceptualized as a parental figure, particularly in the early stages of our coming to Paganism. It is a byproduct of our understanding of deity as something not to be questioned, an authority to please. As we grow, we develop more meaningful relationships with our Deities in an ongoing process that reflects our own growth.
From this perspective, it is not too hard to see why a newcomer might prefer a hierarchical group to work with. The structure is easily seen, the lines of communication seemingly clear, and the process of evolution through the degrees, obvious. This is not to say that a hierarchical structure is less "evolved" than another organization. However, it feels safe and comfortable. Hierarchy is a structure most of us live within in most aspects of our lives; looking for it in our spiritual life is reflecting the structure we know. Training in such a magickal group provides a solid background in ritual writing, participation, and leading, as well as a thorough grounding in the Mysteries. After such training, members feel confident in their knowledge and are able to pass that knowledge on to others.
As I said earlier, all structures have potential problems. A hierarchical concept of Deity and priesthood can leave too much room for authorities to interpret what Deity wants. Usually this is unquestioning obedience, but sometimes it is the donation of resources (time or money) to the authorities' control. When hierarchy is an inherent part of religious belief, there is a system in place that allows the priesthood to claim to speak for Deity, and in doing so claim special privileges for itself. The triangle's downside is that negative politics and dynamics may prevent members from growing in self-knowledge and/or advancing through the Degrees. Some may be "promoted" although they have less knowledge, because they are "popular," or because they please the leader(s) in some fashion. Speaking against authority figures may be discouraged, although lip-service paid to all being equal. Members in positions of authority may enjoy the power gained too much and misuse it for personal pleasure, rather than for the good of the group. Hierarchies can breed stagnation, with new ideas and beliefs seen as "wrong" or "bad," and not accepted. The triangle is where one finds members saying that theirs is the One True Way, even if it is only by implication rather than an outright statement.
That said, my own magickal group began as a hierarchy, and often reverts to one during times of clearing/fire (see Chapter 7). When a group is just getting started, the triangle can be the most efficient, convenient, and powerful one to work within. The force of will of a single person is sufficient to found a new magickal group; when a group is small (or just starting), lines of communication are easy to create and maintain without the dynamic feeling such as one of hierarchy.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Magickal Connections"
by .
Copyright © 2007 Lisa Mc Sherry.
Excerpted by permission of Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC.
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Table of Contents
Title Page,
Copyright Page,
Dedication,
Introduction,
CHAPTER 1 - WHAT IS A GROUP?,
CHAPTER 2 - MAKING CONTACT,
CHAPTER 3 - LEADERSHIP: REALITY CHECK,
CHAPTER 4 - BECOMING A LEADER,
CHAPTER 5 - BASIC GROUP DYNAMICS,
CHAPTER 6 - MENTORING,
CHAPTER 7 - MAGICKAL GROUP LIFE-CYCLE,
CHAPTER 8 - MAINTAINING COHESIVENESS,
CHAPTER 9 - CONFRONTING CONFLICT,
CHAPTER 10 - CREATING CONTINUITY,
APPENDIX A - ART OF RITUAL CLASS APPLICATION,
APPENDIX B - ART OF RITUAL CLASS AGREEMENT,
APPENDIX C - JAGUARMOON COMPACT,
APPENDIX D - JAGUARMOON DEDICANT AGREEMENT,
APPENDIX E - TAKING A PHYSICAL GROUP ONLINE,
APPENDIX F - POSITIVE COMMUNICATION ONLINE,
APPENDIX G - A BASIC CURRICULUM OF WICCAN STUDIES,
APPENDIX H - ADVANCED STUDENT LESSON PLAN FOR JAGUARMOON,
NOTES,
BIBLIOGRAPHY,
ABOUT THE AUTHOR,