GALDRAHEIM COVEN

Rituals, ceremonies and 'Coven work'

Galdraheim holds regular circles- 

This isn't a fixed schedule as we all need to allow for the demands and necessities of our lives- work, families, etc., and depending on what is needed at any time, Full Moon Esbats generally incorporate a mix of training and development work as well as magickal work- spells to cause positive effects.

Sometimes also Esbats are organised between the new and Full Moon period, so as to work with the flowing, rising energy of that time. This depends on what else is going on in our lives, and we try to be as flexible as possible to allow for peoples needs and obligations.

We also have different requirements at different times- sometimes we do more magickal work, sometimes more development work. Again this depends on the needs of the time.

Festivals- Sabbats. There are eight of these in the year, and we celebrate all of them. With particular emphasis on the four major, Lunar, Celtic festivals of Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnassad and Samhain.

We also celebrate the four Solar festivals of the Solstices and Equinoxes.

At all of these we use our basic ritual forms, but weave in mythic and other elements so that these are as powerful and deep as possible.

Training and development circles. We organise these again according to need, and especially for those who are new to the Craft. These are friendly, informal sessions of questions and answers, and presentations of material on specific Craft and magickal themes to help those newly on this path find their way through the mass of information available, and to 'find their feet' within the craft with confidence and ease.

These aren't strict- the craft is for self-motivated adults, and we approach this from that awareness. However, if you want to learn we will provide all the resources, support, teachings and encouragement that you will need.

We also hold regular development circles for all coveners to attend. These include:-

Drumming, chanting, meditations, Shamanic Journeying, mask-work, visualisation practice, craft-work, and similar subjects.

In the Craft it is the tradition that each novice is apprenticed to a particular teacher and we work from this approach so that each individual receives all the individual help, teaching and support that they need- if you are training with Galdraheim you are our Sister or Brother, and we will help you all that we can.

Coven Work: This is Spells and magick. We are an active Coven that practices the magickal arts. This forms an intrinsic part of the Craft- there is a saying that all Witches are Pagans- followers of a Pagan religion, but not all Pagans are Witches- Witches also practise the magickal arts to cause positive effects in this world.

Witches are not victims, neither are we victimised.... at least not for long. We do not work "black magick", neither do we curse or 'blast' people who cross us or get in our way in life, but we do use all positive means to make life flow in positive ways for us, and for others.

We perform healing spells, empowering spells, shift-change spells. We do not perform "black magick".

"Where we're at": Though we use well but flexibly structured Wiccan rituals forms and principles within our circles, we're not stuck in that. Neither are we 'low-level' ceremonial magicians who just "witchify" bits lifted from ceremonial magick, or from a 'grab-bag' of images, icons, words, names and theories lifted indiscriminately from belief systems and practices world-wide. Our ritual forms enable us to create a framework through which to develop and experience our Craft:-

Witches have to be in tune with, and in resonance with the land in which they live. Our magick flows from that- wherever possible we celebrate and work our rituals outdoors in the countryside or on the sea shore, and we have developed and re-found forms of magick which grow out from that. 

We have a deep and empowering relationship with our local area: Its trees, its plants, birds and animals, its Spirits, its moods, weather and seasons. All that we do proceeds from that relationship. In this our magick blends art, crafts, poetry, song and dance together with nature and its forces.

We also have this relationship with our cultural heritage. Witches are the spiritual descendants of Shamans, Cunning folk, Wise-ones, Druids and Sorcerers who have worked with, focused and made manifest the power of the land for millennia here in Britain. We are their inheritors.

"Lady spin your circle bright, weave your web of dark and light, 
Earth, Air, Fire and Water, bound here as one
Rune and rock and blood and bone, 
power of sea and power of stone,
bound here as one"

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