Virtual Coven Gatherings

The COVID-19 pandemic is currently dominating the news, industry, and every aspect of our lives.  Worldwide. As this article is being written, in late March 2020, vaccines are just now entering into the “hopeful” stage - they exist, but need to be tested, tested, and re-tested, approved for safety by the FDA and international health organizations, and then developed, marketed and distributed. Much of the world is isolated - either on lockdown as decreed by state and national governments, or under strong recommendation to enact social distancing and stay home if at all possible. More and more people are taking this seriously, and some who merely cut down on going to concerts and large events are realizing the seriousness of the situation and, little by little, going out less.

What does this mean for our gatherings of a spiritual nature? What does this mean amongst our covens - groups of practicing witches, magicians, and students of the occult who have spent hours upon hours learning how to interact with each other in a group space? Introverts and extroverts alike who have learned how to read each other’s body language, know when to pause to listen, and notice subtle clues in their covenmates in order to discern when one member is uncomfortable, hesitant to speak, or discontent? In a successful coven, the members know each other very well physically, and this being together in a physical space working magic is an important way to bond deeply with each other.  Also, activities such as holding hands in a circle, cooking and feasting together, and physically creating talismans, candles, good luck totems, etc. are very fortifying to the unity of a coven.

The strength of an effective coven, however, is not solely in the physical realm. It is important that we not allow the physical distancing to lead to distancing between each other in our coven.  Indeed, in times of stress and anxiety, of uncertainty and disease and dangerous situations for society, a coven can be a point of security, of solidarity. May our covens remind us of the togetherness we share that cannot be shaken by physical distancing. May our covens show us that teamwork, compassion, and magic can survive and thrive in difficult situations. Let’s explore how to bring our coven meetings out of the physical realm. We may find silver linings in the clouds that throw shadows over our lives. We may find we have strengths we aren’t even aware of. By exploring the ways to keep our covens alive and thriving, we may find ways to keep ourselves alive and striving as well.

A very important issue to be addressed within a magical group is the power of the mind. We are inundated by horrible statistics, information on how our governments are failing us, and doomsday scenarios every time we turn on the news or look at our social media platforms.  Though keeping informed is important, it can be crippling. One of the functions of the coven, though, can be as a vehicle of hope. Our thought processes affect our every movement, and our attitudes and thoughts can certainly affect our entire coven. Shifting one’s internal perspective and outlook is a time-honored magical technique, though it can be very difficult.

A group chat meditation amongst the entire coven can be very helpful in these times. To do this, the coven should decide on an application, such as Zoom, and have a brief “training session” wherein everyone makes sure they are comfortable using the app. It cannot be stressed enough that more tech savvy members of the coven need to be kind and patient here. In stressful times, it is incredibly important to treat each other with respect, and that includes respecting that people learn at different paces, and some people can be hesitant and unconfident around new technology. A strength of the coven is it’s diversity - here’s a time for the tech savvy members to shine as compassionate teachers! When the group meditation / chat happens, all members should lend their creativity and express what is advantageous about the social distancing / quarantine situation.

No work commute, but you still get a paycheck? More time at home with your loved ones? Are you suddenly making more phone calls to your elderly neighbors to see how they are doing? Have you increased your donation to local charities such as food banks and homeless shelters? More time for naps? The act of calling out the good, positive things - the silver linings - is an incredible bonding experience and will lead to smiling, laughter, and the sense of community a coven will need to survive in times of trouble.

In a time of crisis such as a pandemic, the majority of the focus of the coven should be on “keeping it together” - maintaining the unity and cooperation of the coven and maintaining the mental and spiritual health of the members. In addition to regular phone calls, hang outs on virtual platforms, and group meditations, time apart can be used to develop the more subtle, esoteric links between members. Imagine a coven so linked that they could enact an entire ritual from many different locations at once.

Social isolation is a good time to research astral projection and astral travel. From a deep meditative state, a magician steps out of their body and into their "body of light." With time and effort, one can do anything in this body of light. Enact rituals, travel to congregate with other coven members in their bodies of light, go on meditative journeys anywhere in the world in search of spirit guides and inspiration. The possibilities are endless, and development of the astral form would be an excellent project for a coven to do together.

Separately, each member should work on deepening meditation and visualization, and then together, members of the coven should, at a designated time, meet with each other on the astral plane. Such psychic adventures are difficult, and require a lot of imagination and perseverance, which is ideal in a situation where many of the usual activities that take up our time are suspended. There are hundreds of books on Astral Forms, Astral Projection, and Astral Travel. If members of the coven are skilled in instruction, they could even take turns on a group meeting, teaching the coven different techniques. The value of having an Astral Form with which to explore and travel cannot be underestimated.

The value of an entire coven which could meet, meditate, and travel together in their Astral Forms would be priceless. What a boon - to have a time thought of as mind-numbingly boring becoming a time for esoteric experimentation you may not have thought to try before - experimentation that could change the lives of the entire coven!

Another idea for both group cohesion and making sure each coven member feels connected is to resurrect the art of letter writing. A letter starts with one member writing down their thoughts - perhaps a bit about their daily meditation, or about their progress with studying astral travel, or just some thoughts on the coven itself. Or she or he could share a favorite poem or quote. The letter grows as each member of the coven receives it in the mail and adds to it. The result is a true treasure of magical thought - and it’s likely that each member will want a copy!

In addition to caring for each other, activities undertaken by the coven to care for members of the community and the world do not have to cease when physical meetings are suspended for a while. In fact, joining together in magical acts to help others can be a powerful tool to take away anxiety that you are feeling about your own circumstances.

One powerful use of a group chat / hangout via social media would be to brainstorm ways in which the coven can help the community. Involvement in the local pagan community is a beneficial activity for any coven, as it creates a feeling of being involved with others in non-traditional spiritual practices. This does not have to stop in a situation of social isolation.

Perhaps the members of the coven could contact leaders of other local pagan spiritual groups and arrange a virtual meeting together, where everyone can raise a glass to each other and discuss how they are adapting spiritually and magically to the new scenario of isolation and lock-down. Members of the coven could reach out to other groups to see if any senior members need help from someone in a lower category of risk - to pick up and deliver groceries or over-the-counter medications or basic household supplies they may need. Basically, any outreach by the coven to help take care of others in the magical community will not only be useful and appreciated but will strengthen the bond between members of the coven as you act as a team.

And finally, your coven could use this time to do rituals for healing the world. Virtual rituals that include a group meditation on healing of patients who have contracted the virus, and/or sending strength, fortitude, and courage to health care workers, or even just regular silent meditation to visualize successful development of a vaccine, people recovering from illness, and the healing of the world are all noble ways to use ritual for the good of all.

In these times of anxiety and trouble, be gentle and patient with each other. Invent new habits of checking in on each other. Remember that your coven is a blessing to you from the Universe and remember that your coven can be a blessing to the members, the communities around it, and the world. Blessed Be!