High control covens

There’s a new article from Storm Faerywolf on The Wild Hunt today talking about the warning signs of high control groups and covens.

Members of these damaged covens are often instructed not to socialize with others outside the group, or lineage, or are otherwise told certain individuals to avoid. Information is often restricted; leadership oftentimes telling congregants that certain books or materials are forbidden, especially those that challenge the teachings or politics of group leadership.

I’ve written similar articles and lists before too.

And my book Changing Paths is about how to extricate yourself from high control groups and find a healthy group or tradition.

Review: An Apostate’s Guide to Witchcraft

Once upon a time, Christendom labelled the Emperor Julian “the Apostate” because he reverted to Paganism. Nowadays, the title is applied to people who leave the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Moss Matthey left the JWs in order to live his truth as a gay man—as many others have left high control religious groups for the same reason.

Not long after he left, he discovered witchcraft, as well as a loving relationship and a community of Pagans and witches and occultists.

This joyous and life-affirming book is the account of his journey from fear and despair to the joy of living as his authentic self, as a gay man and as a witch.

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Deconstruction story: Richard Swan

A friend shared a Facebook post by Richard Swan (in the fun group Dull Men’s Club) today, talking about how vanishingly few people are tone deaf, and most people can sing.

Richard Swan

I take the view that singing is an outpouring of the soul and one of the cruellest things a person can do is to tell someone else that they can’t sing, so this is a topic that is very close to my heart.

My interest was piqued so I went searching to find out more about Richard Swan. He’s also written a book for people who think they can’t sing, which looks very worthwhile. And in my travels I found this podcast about his deconstruction journey and wanted to share it.

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Just visiting

I’ve often referenced these posts by Annika Mongan, which present a fascinating account of what’s happening energetically at evangelical churches, and at Pagan gatherings. I also got independent confirmation of this by speaking to another Wiccan who sees energy as colours (I experience it as changes in temperature) who confirmed that she saw a lot of orange energy around an evangelical campground.

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Books

Changing Paths challenge day 25: books 📚

I love reading books. I love writing books. I love talking about books. I love having a to-be-read pile. I love rereading books that I have enjoyed.

A book is a little world and its characters are mirrors you can hold up, and try identifying with them to make sense of who you are.

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Music

Changing Paths challenge day 24: Music

I love music, especially any piece where the artist really put their soul into it. This is often the case with the music of oppressed, displaced, and marginalized peoples.

I have very diverse tastes in music but some of my favourite genres are Cajun, klezmer, zydeco, blues, baroque, medieval and renaissance music, and protest songs.

I have recently been listening to Palestinian music and it is beautiful. Check out this list of Palestinian artists by Christina Hazboun from 2021.

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