Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family:
Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.”
–Jane Howard —
The pagan community is growing by leaps and bounds. Many covens have open events that welcome those who are curious, novice or long time practicing solitary witches.
Large festivals and conferences offering varied and multiple workshops provide the seeker with opportunities not only to learn, but to also make new friends and create their own listing of those teachers whom they would like to learn more from.
The suggestions I’ve listed below are just the tip of a very large web of options. One suggestion I would give to someone not sure who is who and where the reputable and trustworthy sources are is to not only look at festival or conference listings with the intent of attending, but use these as research tools. Become a detective and advocate for finding the very best options for yourself.
There are some teachers whose names you will see at many of the gatherings. Some have websites which offer more information about them, their practice and the things important to them. Look at the founders and teachers of the Mystery Schools that may be mentioned in their biographies. Who were their teachers? Many of the highly respected pagan practitioners are authors. Look at reviews of their books, read from some of them.
This may seem like lots of extra work, but remember what I said about “charity beginning at home”. Do for yourself what you lovingly and carefully do if asked by a loved one.
Let’s begin the search with learning by example:
Respected Teachers and Authors:
Ivo Dominguez, Jr., Elder, Author, Astrologer, Ritualist
Assembly of the Sacred Wheel Tradition
T Thorn Coyle, Author. Magic Worker
Morningstar Mystery School
Katrina Messenger, Poet, Priestess, Warrior and Witch
Reflections Mystery School
Dolores Ashcroft Nowicki, Esoteric Practitioner, Cosmic mediator
Servants of the Light Mystery School
Starhawk, Earth Activist, Co-Founder of the Reclaiming Community, Author
Reclaiming Collective
Selena Fox, Teacher, Writer, Priestess, Artist
Circle Sanctuary
Web Newsworthy:
Witchvox
The Witches’ Voice is a proactive educational network providing news, information services and resources for and about Pagans, Heathens, Witches and Wiccans.
The Pagan Experience
The Pagan Experience is on online community of Pagan Bloggers. Each week there is a themed prompt and the opportunity to share practices, beliefs and more.
The Pagan Pride Project
The Pagan Pride Project sponsors Pagan public Equinox rituals and charity drives every September. Select a link below to find out the who, what, when, and where in your area!
The Wild Hunt
The Wild Hunt is a community-supported, daily online news journal. It has become the primary destination for those interested in following news and commentary relating to modern Paganism, Heathenry, Polytheism and other minority religions. Since its founding in 2004, The Wild Hunt has grown to become one of the most-visited and popular destinations exploring these topics.
Annual Events/Festivals:
Pagan Pride Days are held throughout the USA, Canada and Internationally. See Link above for the Pagan Pride Project
Sacred Space Conference
The Sacred Space Conference is the premier annual esoteric conference on the East Coast for intermediate to advanced practitioners. Meeting in March in the Washington, DC/Baltimore area, each year our featured teachers and a host of highly qualified regional teachers offer a wide variety of workshops and rituals developed for a more advanced audience. Our attendees tell us that they are particularly grateful for the opportunity to pursue their continuous development in the company of their peers across many magickal traditions
The Assembly of the Sacred Wheel
Spring and Autumn Magick Workshop Weekends
Between the Worlds Grand Magickal Congress (March 2015) and workshops throughout the year. Between the Worlds Grand Magickal Congress was held this year as a joint event with Sacred Space. Read a review of the BTW 2015:
Between the Worlds and Sacred Space Conference 2015 by Caroline Kenner
Free Spirit Pagan Gathering
An annual multi day festival held in Darlington, MD.
Pantheacon
PantheaCon is one of the largest, if not THE largest indoor Pagan conferences in the country. It attracts over 2000 people from all across the United States, as well as international participants. While many of the attendees are Pagan, this is not a requirement for attending this event. If you have an interest in alternative spiritualities or alternative lifestyles…you might enjoy PantheaCon. If you have an interest in Earth-Based Spirituality, Goddess-Focused Spirituality, or Women’s Spirituality…you might enjoy PantheaCon. If you have an interest in topics such as tarot and other forms of divination; natural healing; yoga; meditation; raising energy and practicing magick; ecology; mythology; and other similar subjects…you might enjoy PantheaCon. If you have an interest in sitting around with other like-minded individuals and engaging in some intelligent discussion; or drumming away in a drum circle; or participating in a ritual…you might enjoy PantheaCon.
Held in San Jose , Ca.
Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions Conference
The Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions was created to cultivate harmony among the world’s religious and spiritual communities and foster their engagement with the world and its guiding institutions in order to achieve a just, peaceful and sustainable world. To accomplish this, we invite individuals and communities who are equally invested in attaining this goal.
Distance Education:
Our Mission: Cherry Hill Seminary provides quality higher education and practical training in Pagan ministry.
Our Vision: Cherry Hill Seminary supports Pagans and their communities by:
Providing an extensive education in diverse aspects of Pagan philosophy, practice, and skilled ministry; Supplementing existing ritual and magical skills with training for professional ministry and counseling; Serving as an ongoing resource for individual continuing education; and Providing a forum for scholarship and community
Our Values: Cherry Hill Seminary:
Honors the sacredness of the Earth
Values scholarship
Respects diversity
Encourages individual and spiritual autonomy
Values community
Promotes service
Foundations of Practice:
Meditation: A Heart of Light
Next Week
Foundational Practice:Cultivating Awareness of Service
A Witch's Sacred Journey 