Frequently
Asked
Questions:
This section reflects the questions that I have gotten over the years on the subject of Wicca in general and my Coven in particular. Click on a question to be taken directly to the answer, or read the entire FAQ.
In simplest terms, Wicca is a modern religion based on ancient Pagan beliefs. Those beliefs include the worship of a Goddess and a God, our Mother Earth and Father Sun who are manifest in many forms and called by many names around the world.
We follow the tenet set down in the Wiccan Rede, “An’ it harms none, do as ye will.” We take this to mean that each person is ultimately responsible for their own actions and their own honor. We also adhere to the “laws of the land” (i.e. the country, state and city in which we live.)
We do not worship the "Devil" (we don't even believe in the Devil, per se), practice human sacrifice or any of the other silly things one sees in movies or on television (by the way, that includes The Craft and Practiacl Magic, although most of us quite enjoyed both films for what they were: FICTION -- and a pretty good lesson in morality.)
We often get asked what books someone should read to learn more about Wicca. To answer that question, we have compiled a list of about 30 good books that we feel present excellent beginner and intermediate level material. Please feel free to take a moment to browse our Our Recommended Reading Page. You can order from Amazon, directly from our Recommended Reading Page, or just browse titles and reviews and hit up your favorite bookstore. (We LOVE John K. King Books downtown!)
Wicca is first and foremost a religion of worship. While we do practice magic, it is not our focus.
We do NOT give out spells or teach "outsiders" spellwork; teaching spells and magic implies assuming some measure of responsibility or Karma for how those spells are used. We prefer to only be responsible for our own Karma. There are any number of good books on the subject of magic. We respectfully suggest you go read a few.
What Gods do you worship?
We do not have set Coven deities, but rather choose to work with a variety of Gods and Goddesses through out the year. These include deities from the Celtic, Greek/Roman, Russian/Slavic and Egyptian pantheons. For more information, check our Wheel of the Year page.
Do you practice animal sacrifice?
Yes... but let me explain. This question was once asked by a co-worker of our High Priestess and she loves telling the story. Her co-worker wasn't trying to be rude, she honestly thought we sacrificed live animals -- never mind that we live in the suburbs where keeping and slaughtering goats and chickens in our back gardens would be both impractical and illegal.
However, even in the suburbs, we recognize the sacrifice of the animals and plants that we must eat in order to live. In that respect, we do indeed practice animal sacrifice... but the animals question come from the meat and deli counter of the super market. Their sacrifice is no less sacred.
How do I get invited to a ritual?
Unless you are coming as someone’s guest or we met you at a festival, we ask that you meet with one of us for coffee some time before the next open Sabbat.
Where do you hold your rituals?
In the home of our High Priestess, in southern Oakland County, Michigan.
What should I bring to a ritual?
If you have one, bring your robe. If not, please wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing. Also bring a dish to pass for feast. Please leave all illicit substances at home.
Can I bring my parent/child/partner?
We are a family friendly group, welcoming parents, siblings, children, partners, etc., to any of our open Sabbats. We hold seven open Sabbats per year (Imbolc is for Coven members only.)
Can I come and just watch?
Wicca is a participatory religion. If you wish to circle with us, we expect you to actively take part in ritual.
If you bring a guest who is uncomfortable participating, they are welcome to “hang out” in another room.
Everyone is welcome to share in the after ritual feast.
What should I expect if I come to an open ritual?
A lot of laughter! The Gods delight in both mirth and reverence and while we strive for the latter quite often the former is what we end up with.
You should also come expecting to be greeted by the High Priestess' xoloitzcuintle (that's the real name for the Mexican Hairless dog.) He barks at strangers (and just about everything else), but he is very good with children and quite nice once he gets to know you. After all, everybody knows that forty pounds isn't too big to be a lap dog, right? Sometimes we have other dogs on site, too.
Check our our Ritual Etiquette page for more of what to expect (and what we expect out of guests to our Covenstead.)
Also have a look at our Finding a Teacher page for some general advice on what to do when you meet a prospective teacher or group (us or somebody else) for the first time.
Do you teach public classes?
Not at this time. Teaching is done one on one, and only after someone has been with us for a while.
We do, however, participate in public events such as ConVocation and Pagan Pride Day. These are excellent places to meet us and see what we’re all about.
Do you meet for the Full/New Moons?
Full/New Moon rituals (esbats) are reserved for Coven members only.
How do I join your Coven?
We will only consider someone for Coven membership after they have circled with us for a full year. That means not only attending the majority of our open Sabbats but actively participating in those rituals as well. One must do more than just "show up" or "hang out".
In addition, we will only consider someone for Coven membership after they have reached the age of majority (18 years of age.) Other considerations aside, anyone under 18 should be concentrating on graduating from high school and getting into a good college. Being in a Coven requires a great deal of dedication and takes up a great deal of time.
Nobody is perfect, but all candidates for Coven membership will be expected to exhibit a certain level of basic stability in their personal lives. In this economy that may not necessarily mean financial stability -- what matters is how you are dealing with it. As the saying goes "Attitude is everything!"
Also remember that not every Coven is for every person. Even if we like each other, you may find that you are not a good "fit", or that you simply don't have the time to invest in belonging to a Coven as active as Silver Skein. That's ok. We love to have guests for our open rituals, even if they aren't full Coven members!
Why is there so much secrecy in Wiccan Covens? If you're not doing anything bad, why not let everybody in on the Big Secret?
Simply put, Wicca is a Mystery Religion. That means that there ARE things we will not tell you and material that you must promise to keep secret, should you decide to join us. We take these Oaths very seriously. Just the same, we WILL give you enough information so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not you would like to be a part of Silver Skein.
If secrecy makes you uncomfortable, there are plenty of open Circles in the area. What is important is that you are comfortable and happy in the enviroment where you chose to practice your religion.
How do I become Initiated?
The short answer is that you work your butt off.
The long answer is that Silver Skein uses a four tier system of Initiations to acknowledge a student's achievements along the Path; we do not take (or give) Initiation lightly. One can reasonably expect to spend several years before being acknowledged as a priest or priestess.
To make this page a little neater, we shuffled information about Initiatory levels off to its own page, HERE. You can also use the tabs at the side (you'll have to scroll back to the top.)
We often circle outdoors so please dress accordingly.
We do serve wine and/or beer at our Sabbats. Anyone under 21 is expected to take responsibility for themselves. Anyone that we feel has had too much to drink will be expected take a cab home, call a friend, etc.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to ask!
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