Totally agree with you...I was told there would be lessons tonight but I look at the time I was supossed to and no one was teaching a thing...It ridiculous...It's not like where asking to be spoon fed anything...You should stick to your words though when you tell your coven there will be lessons. It's slightly irratating for those of us who are actually botherd to want to learn anything on here and arn't stuck up our own backside's in the sense that I've noticed some people with experience complain that they won't teach...It's totally selfish in a way...If you don't wanna teach why be part of a coven? Why not go solo instead of being arrogant and rude? I thought wiccan's were suppose to be gentle, helpful beings but I guess I may be wrong...If I'm not prove it >:(
Sorry for getting annoyed, but like I say...I'm here to be taught....not to be mucked around with lesson's and arrogant people (Yes, I do know this is the internet but that's still know excuse for rudeness so that excuse doesn't wash with me :P)
I see your point, WicceLorrie but, I know that I don't want to be in a coven online that teaches and has rules about being active because all the time that I am allowed to have on this site is dedicated to reading the forums, checking my horrorscope, occassionally using the dream interpretation part of the sate, and asking people questions about stuff I'm curious about through the forums. My opinion is, with the exception of a few topics you can learn anything you want through the forums. I'm not trying to be rude, or anything and I totally agree with you about the inactive priest/priestesses thing on the site. I think some of the more inactive covens should be deleted so it might clear the way for more active ones.
This is a issue that has been brought up many times before; and I do hope it is noticed. I cant really think of much to say on this issue, but in this there are faults as well as good ideas.
Usually the suggestions for this is finding a priest and/or priestess rated novice or above that is online often for the coven. This too, has a few faults. One being that bringing a new person into the coven that the others dont know- however, this is a good way to get to know somebody new. This may cause a little bit of trouble: council members of that coven may think they deserve to be priest/priestess in the coven due to their hard work and jealousy may be caused.
This is a post that was brought up on this subject a while ago. The flaw in Stoney's suggestion is that he suggests members rated knowledgeable/adept; which I understand. However we all know the ratings are not completely accurate.
For example, my coven, is led by two great priestesses. Nallius is rated as 'novice' but in my opinion she is knowledgeable on magic, as well as being a great leader for the coven- she is a fantastic priestess.
I just really don't want to see some random person made a priest or priestess based off their credentials on SoM rather than their use towards the coven.
I accept that we are all human, even the wonderful leaders of the site are, but human means we're flawed in our own individual ways. Whatever checks and balances Pet, kts, and the mods have set up, I hope are good ones. I want to see the dead covens flourish under leaders who know how to lead, know how to run a coven, know how to pick up a dead coven and turn it into something great.
It's just finding those leaders that is the issue.
Not to down size myself, but I am just a member. I accept that and that because of that whether my opinion matters or gets thrown to the wind is up to those in administration. I just hope that my personal expectations for who they choose as priests and priestesses isn't let down. I just hope they pick good leaders or have ways to weed out the bad after they are in leadership roles. If not, we'll have covens that are dead, coming to life for a few months if they are lucky, then dying all over again.
In my opinion, and based on experience I've witnessed from being in a successful online coven years ago (I left because I just didn't feel in sync with the coven), the only way to have and keep a strong, healthy VERY ACTIVE in participation (not just "checking-in") the leaders of the coven must have like-minded genuine friends to join as a base foundation.
I'm talking friends who chatter with you daily on, say, Twitter, or some other social network. Get these kind of friends in and the coven will be already active with very eager participants. Priestesses won't have to worry about trying to come up with incentives to make people participate or threatening to delete them from the coven if they don't participate. Participatating would be a natural given in the way many here can't wait to post on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Coven members NEED to have a deep passion to participate and all the incentives and threats in the world won't get people to participate much without hardcore real friendship as a base. What WILL get people to participate is having the love of friends to chat spellwork and witchy talk to in the coven. You need to make it so people can't wait to log in and chat to other fellow coven members, but it starts with people you already know and love personally.
Then people you don't know who are the type who sincerely want to not only join, but want to participate as well will eventually want to join in on the high activity of these friends in the coven.
So my advice for those who are applying to be priestesses for these inactive covens, make sure you get your chatty friends to join to, as that will be the solid thread that will keep your coven healthy and very active!
The coven I used to be in are all women, mostly over 30 but they do have a few teens. The priestess' best friend is in the coven, and she hangs out offline with other members of the coven too. Many live in the same state as others so whenever coven members travel, they visit other members. They mostly discuss witchcraft, spellwork, etc. on the online boards but also talk about very personal things going on in their lives (work, relationships, family life, etc. LOTS of personal advice is given as well which increases the bond)...Only members can read their posts, so all talk remains private within the coven members. So because the core members are so close, that coven is one of the rare few on the Internet that has remained active for many years, and although members do come and go, it never has threatened their livelihood as a coven because of the strong bond of real friendship being the base for the coven.
