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| We so often get emails from people just wondering who we are and what we're about, that we created this page as a simple explanation, though it by no means covers all we are or do. |
| Clann Caladvwlch is the 6th hived coven of a Celtic clan of covens originating in upstate NY over 30 years ago. We began on Samhain 1996 as the Circle Caladvwlch, and then hived from our mother coven as a clan coven, upholding their laws and structure, on Litha 1998. We have been consistently practicing ever since. We are a polarity based coven in the Triad of NC, led by our HPS RavenHarte and her husband, our Priest, Dominus. We revere and celebrate both the cycles of the Goddess and the God as equally as we can, giving no preference or deference to one over the other, and likewise expect our initiates to do the same. We follow the basic Celtic year wheel for celebration, and the Celtic pantheon and mythology for some of our understanding of the Divine Mysteries. However originating from an Alexandrian line, and because most of the hierarchy of our Elders are also supervisors and teachers within various esoteric schools, we adhere more closely to the Western Mystery school of thought. As such are much more ceremonial in our style. More of us identify as ceremonial witches, than as “Wiccan”. We also look to the Arthurian archetypes for greater understanding of not only the Divine Mysteries but of human behavior, AND as a model to understand and employ the codes of honor, loyalty and chivalry. Our coven is a hierarchal Degreed system, which means that as one learns more, understands more, does more “practically”, passes their required reading, work and tests, they naturally progress or ascend through the system, gaining more responsibility and thereby more "status" within the system. We are initiatory at the onset, beleiving initiations to be more about opening a door to another NEXT level, rather than as a celebration of work already achieved. In addition to our degreed system we have recently added an online Outer Court system. Any seeker wishing to become aspirant to our coven must first begin their journey there, allowing the members of our coven to correspond with them, exploring aspects of Self, and basically showing us they are serious about the work. Once initiated to our Clan, it is understood that that bond of loyalty is made for life. We do not charge our initiates for any teachings or services in any way, not even for classes, or workshops, goods or services normally charged to the public. However there is a basic "chop wood carry water" mentality in our clan, because something gotten for nothing is rarely valued; thus our initiates do tend to balance what they feel they are receiving in their own ways. We do not profess our way to be “the only way” and in fact teach many different ways in addition to our own, (Kabbalah, Buddhist thought/ideology, etc) as well as encourage our higher degrees to seek further. We are not afraid of someone finding their spirituality is centered elsewhere - we encourage every one to find where the Divine lives and grows for them. We are a group based on love not fear, use no devices to strong arm our people; and all our priesthood is thoroughly trained on the perils of transference... “hero worship” is not permitted or tolerated. Clann Caladvwlch also does not fear the darker sides of life, or our Selves. We embrace the ENTIRE year wheel, knowing that there is as much need for destruction and fallowtide as there is for planning, planting and reaping. We do not fear the cycles of nature, we revere and respect its wonder. We do not fear the Shadow side of human psychology, we use it as a tool to understand our Selves better. We do not fear sex, or sexuality, we respect and celebrate the sacredness of the act, and DO NOT engage in sexual practices with our people (“Relationships” between members is frowned upon, unless of course partnership pre-existed initiations). We live conscious lives as individuals moving through the wheel, rather than as automatons in a static world. We expect our people to look deep within themselves, dig themselves out and to consciously evolve their own souls. We are brothers and sisters who have found each other again in this lifetime, with the purpose of growing and learning together. Like the moon sometimes our time together is bright and full, and sometimes it is dark and quiet, relationships wax and wane…. but always we are steadfastly committed to each other, support and defend each other, our extended families, coven and Clan. We are a family, and look forward to finding more of you out there to join back with us. |
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| Copyright RavenHarte 2001-2008 |
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| Hearth~Home~Honor |