Energy Work: Groups or Solitarily?

6th · 13-12-2006 11:09am #1

I am very familiar with working with energy both on my own and as part of a development circle but I have been thinking.

I understand that working as part of a group has many benefits but also its drawbacks. Working on your own can be quicker because it takes time to building up trust (among other things) with a group but working with a group has the advantage of building up a collective energy.

My reason for asking about this in the Paganism forum is because the Circle I am involved in is non-denominational (for want of a better term) and due to that it is more of a case that we are working as a group of individuals as opposedto working towards and common goal or task.

From what little I know pagans & wiccans (among others), when working as part of a coven or grove, would be working towards a single goal - be that a ritual or whatever.

So one question I have is, other than covens & groves, are there groups of wiccans & pagans who come together for energy work?

*Again I add in my apology for my ignorance & another for any incorrect terminology.

Nevyn · 13-12-2006 12:28pm

Ok while it maybe possible to at times speculate the number of grove and covens ( electic or otherwise ) that are working at any given time
and that would be only specuation as many people keep thier practice private
so private infact that no one knows the are pagan or currently working
in a group formal or otherwise.

Many workings infact work better if they are not public knowledge.

Many people will only do workings when one is needed, sometimes on thier own sometimes with people they know and trust.

Groups do form bonds and a group mind and once the right people are found and they are working they don't tend admit just anyone and certainly not tourists.

It seems that you are asking after public rituals and engery working.
These can be fraught with issues and prolly for most of those reasons we don't have a big come one come all party pagan electic engery workings in this country.

They just don't tend to work in my honest opinion.

There have been collective workings as in a call for everyone to do thier own thing at a certain time on a certain day for a certain goal.

The closest thing to what you seem to be looking for is either private groups or public rites and the only public one sI know about are the stuff that has been running up at Tara.

6th · 13-12-2006 1:00pm

I am not looking to findout about private groups with the aim of 'trying' to join one but just enquiring as to whether practices of energy work are carried out in a group setting without the need for a coven or grove system to but put in place.

I supoose I mean is there something similar to a development circle but with the difference of there beings a singular goal or collective purpose.

I dont think I am explaining things as well as i should be.

Nevyn · 13-12-2006 1:21pm

What is a coven or grove then. why to your mind would it differ from a group working to gether for a common goal and to learn from each other ?

Most covens are training and teaching covens, those in it learn from each other.
The purpose being that, the offering devotion to gods and serving on thier path and any engery workings that are chosen to be done or needs doing.

6th · 13-12-2006 1:33pm

Thaedydal wrote:

What is a coven or grove then. why to your mind would it differ from a group working to gether for a common goal and to learn from each other ?

I'm sure it wouldnt be different, but that was my question: do these groups exist?

*Edit: sorry I understand what you are saying, why not a vcoven or a grove? I suppose there is no reaso why not but at this early stage for me the idea of being involved in either is so far from where I am that it is not an option.

I know from the Circle I am involved with there is (at this early stage) no common goal as there is not set belief system for the people involved and it is about personal developemnt. I am sure the development of the group as a whole will come in time but I can not presume we are all there for the same purpose and hold the same beliefs.

Thaedydal wrote:

Most covens are training and teaching covens, those in it learn from each other.
The purpose being that, the offering devotion to gods and serving on thier path and any engery workings that are chosen to be done or needs doing.

Its the idea of a common path and working as one that appeals to me. So much mre can be achieved when working as a group for a common purpose.

Nevyn · 13-12-2006 2:20pm

A public pagan engery working group that does good meaningful work with out any care or commitment to any of the people invovled but are still postive and spiritually meaning full and fullfilling. Good luck finding that type I reckon you would have better luck finding hens teeth.

or a group that functions like a coven or a grove but that is not as scarey/intimidating so you can have all the benefits but one of what you see as duties or drawback.

They are what would be called eclectic covens or magical working groups.
Some are listed on witchvox.
Each set it's critea and rules ( like a real coven )
Each has a slection and meet and greet process ( like a real coven )
Each expects a commeitment to attend esp for training reasons ( like a real coven ).

You know in Gerald Gardners time the first circle you hever got to attend was your initation,
you were either in or out.

All working groups of any ilk take thier time in take in new people,
any that don't and take people on at first meeting them would notbe worth joining.
It is ment to be difficult to find a group to work with and easy to leave one that is not right for you.

There isn't currently in Ireland public pagan worship to a lot of people that is an oxymoron as thier
spirituality and worship is such a intensely personal and private thing.

Because of the nature of engery work and the trust levels needed for any meaningful work most people
will not go and take part in a group working with people they don't know or trust or have just meet,
unless they know a lot about it and trust those running it to do a competent job.
Still all it can take is one unknow person to spoil the event and sour the engery which is why such things
are for the most part not done in this country.

It would be nice if there were pagan celebration gatherings to get to know people and to foster a sense
of community and connectivity but currently we don't have anything on that scale
events tend to be for certain agendas or classes and workshops or talks for people to pay to attend or
debating moots.

But with two new pagan get togethers having started up in Dublin who knows this might change.

6th · 13-12-2006 3:04pm

Thaedydal wrote:

A public pagan engery working group that does good meaningful work with out any care or commitment to any of the people invovled but are still postive and spiritually meaning full and fullfilling. Good luck finding that type I reckon you would have better luck finding hens teeth.

I dont mean to suggest for a second that a group could work well without a level of trust and a stronge bond. I also wouldnt like to be involved in such a group.

Thaedydal wrote:

or a group that functions like a coven or a grove but that is not as scarey/intimidating so you can have all the benefits but one of what you see as duties or drawback.

I suppose for me it is a case of finding the idea of a coven or grove intimidating. This has lessened due to the great experience I had at the Pagans in the Pub.

Thaedydal wrote:

They are what would be called eclectic covens or magical working groups.
Some are listed on witchvox.
Each set it's critea and rules ( like a real coven )
Each has a slection and meet and greet process ( like a real coven )
Each expects a commeitment to attend esp for training reasons ( like a real coven ).

I can see the benefits of an eclectic coven, especially when some people would have connections to different deity than others.

Thaedydal wrote:

You know in Gerald Gardners time the first circle you hever got to attend was your initation, you were either in or out.

Yep, I know that.

Thaedydal wrote:

Because of the nature of engery work and the trust levels needed for any meaningful work most people will not go and take part in a group working with people they don't know or trust or have just meet,
unless they know a lot about it and trust those running it to do a competent job.
Still all it can take is one unknow person to spoil the event and sour the engery which is why such things
are for the most part not done in this country.

As I said above I understand that trust is needed and my experiences with the Circle I am involved in have shown me just how important that is.

Thaedydal wrote:

It would be nice if there were pagan celebration gatherings to get to know people and to foster a sense
of community and connectivity but currently we don't have anything on that scale
events tend to be for certain agendas or classes and workshops or talks for people to pay to attend or
debating moots.

But with two new pagan get togethers having started up in Dublin who knows this might change.

Yes it would be great, but like you say the new get togethers are working well towards that and as someone on the outside looking it is was a very positive experience for me.

All my questions on this have been aswered but if people want to add more i'll keep reading

Nevyn · 13-12-2006 3:17pm

6th wrote:

I can see the benefits of an eclectic coven, especially when some people would have connections to different deity than others.

What makes you think that those in traditional Wican lineaged covens would not have connections to differing patron deity ?

You know what they say about assumptions.

6th · 13-12-2006 3:30pm

Oh I am sure they do, the chance of finding a few people who's deity match 100% I would say is impossible. Some deity compliment others and I have found this to really be the case when looking at my own and those of people I have come in contact with.

But is is not a case that some groups work with a particular pantheon? I (obviously) have no idea how the intermingles of these can affect the workings of a group?

To me all these pantheons are tapping into the same energy so there would be no reason why they can not work together but I'm sure not everyone holds the same views as myself.

Nevyn · 13-12-2006 4:17pm

Well finding a group that works with diety you can work with is part of the right group.

What Gods may not get a long and work with each other would ba a topic for a different thread.

6th · 13-12-2006 4:25pm

Thaedydal wrote:

Haha, excellent. That explains it perfectly

Nevyn · 13-12-2006 4:29pm

Actually that is an example of a bad idea done by fluffies who clearly don't understand the Gods they are invoking.

6th · 13-12-2006 4:39pm

I was enjoying the humor of it, the fluffiness of that is even obvious to me!

Nevyn · 13-12-2006 4:49pm

/me pokes 6th in the belly to make him laugh and see if any fluff comes out.

6th · 13-12-2006 5:06pm

Only belly button fluff!

Dontico · 19-12-2006 3:38pm

when is the next pagans in the pub meeting? i've sent an email but got no reply.

Energy Work: Groups or Solitarily?

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