For me, these are the factors that make a good coven to stay in:
Religion/beliefs
Many covens are associated with a specific religion, or at least some sort of spiritual genre (such as being generically neo-pagan). All will tend to ask that you be open to and agreeable with their beliefs, but some covens will not require that you actually be a member of any particular faith. Even those that do not have a set religion will usually have certain beliefs. They may not necessarily be written down or made official, but that makes little difference if every person in the coven believes a certain thing (such as, "vampires do not exist").
Ethics
Magick, like any power, has certain ethical considerations, and whatever your ethical beliefs may be, I'm sure you don't want to be part of a coven that views your behaviors as evil (and to be frank, I'm sure they don't want you either). Ethics usually relate to any religious or spiritual belief held by the coven, but they are not quite the same thing and it is entirely possible to find two Gardnerian covens with very different views on sexuality or hexing.
Accessibility
How much work does it take to spend time with this coven and how much time can you actually spend with them? I don't know if you want an in-person coven or a coven here on SoM or what, but the same basic principles apply. How often does the coven meet (or post in their forum or whatever), and how often would you like to meet (or discuss) with your coveners? If you only want to meet every few weeks you'll miss out in a very active group, and if you want to meet frequently you will feel very unfulfilled with a group that meets only on full moons. Also think about how hard it is to actually meet with them.
Specific activities
We know you want a magically active coven, but in what way? Do you want big group rituals, or small workshops on specific things? Or would you like classes on solitary magick? Or perhaps you seek a coven that likes to practice spellcasting upon members. And what about other things covens do? What about things which are not magick, but which are magick related (like yoga and meditation)? And would you prefer one type of magick over another (New age magick over Hermeticism, for example)?
In a real setting a coven is your family. They are designed to learn together, lend each other power, support each other, build each other. It is a circle of trust. That is first. Common beliefs comes with the territory since covens are usually tradition based. If they are open then that is diffrent. I have been in a Lodge where everybody had their own beliefs and systems and it worked just fine. Above all it should not be a place of power for the self. If you see a coven where the members like to lord it over others and use it just to be in control and feel big then stay away. I prefer the coven setting to the solatary path because of the experience levels and the family aspect. The same applies for covens here and online elsewhere. Use your head and above all don't jump into the first one you come across take your time and figure out what you want in your path.
Re: What makes a good coven? By: Nekoshema / Novice
Post # 5 Sep 27, 2012
similar views help, myself though you should feel comfortable. like don't join a coven because they study natural magic as well do you, but they practice sky-clad and you don't like that. online i more picky than offline. my coven gets together for sabbats only because of how busy and how far away we are from each other. online, i look of knowledge, i'll join a coven to learn or to teach depending on the coven.
a leader helps. i've been in online covens with active leaders, and some with no leader. the ones without someone telling people 'today, let's talk about psi balls' i feel drive me a little mad. yes, everyone can make choices for themselves, but a coven of people saying whatever and passing on information without proof they actually know what they're saying ends up in chaos. at the same time, a coven run by people who demand you must learn about psi balls or you can't continue on, myself, isn't a good coven. there's should be a middle ground. say for those who don't want to learn about it, they could tell the high priest/ess what they would like to learn about at the next meeting.
a coven should speak for everyone, so one should look for a coven with similar views. i can see though why so many are solitary witches, each member of my coven has a different belief system, so we do a generic ritual for the Lord and Lady, but we focus more on meditation, and helping individuals with things, like if one needs a job spell, or someone is having trouble with energy work.
Re: What makes a good coven? By: WitchyKid / Knowledgeable
Post # 6 Sep 27, 2012
All very valid points, I tend to look for accessibility and similar ethics more than anything. I also prefer a coven that has a fair system of leadership and contains members who are serious about what they are doing in the terms of witchcraft. I could live with a coven with different beliefs, provided they aren't drastically different to my own.
A group of members that work well together while pursuing a positive goal is critical.
In this, that group needs a specified and trusted manner to get things done thus pursuing that goal in a fashion intended to be beneficial to the members and any affiliates.
Here,on SoM what I look for in a coven is mainly information,since good spells and rituals often mean active members capable of delivering and understanding magic in a more profound way.
The coven must suit my interests and have active leaders that don't just accept members for the sake of having a bigger coven,which is quite hard to find,since in most of them,members don't contribute or simply don't really have anything to do with the type of magic that the coven is meant for.
Another important thing is to really be able to make a connection with a few members of the coven,thus making the experience on SoM much more pleasant.Besides you may find good friends and trusty guides that are able to help you develop your powers.
And finally,a coven is the family that you must feel draw to just like you are drawn to a certain type of magic or a person.
Here's a question, do you all think that to be a good coven those from the outside looking in have to be satisfied?
The whole thing is that a coven is a very personal and familial type of institution which can often be esoteric. Descriptions of a good coven starting with, "What I look for in a coven..." suggests that your opinion matters to a group of people with already similar interests. What if the coven doesn't want a lot of information? What if the coven does everything elsewhere? What if the coven members actually know each other in person? What if they have no interest in learning, "the basics" or the field you're looking for?
Are they a bad coven if they are not what you expect and/or interested in?