A circling group is a group of Pagans or witches that gather for specific spiritual activities, which often take place in a circle.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Circling groups are informal gatherings of Pagans and witches, often held in a circular formation, focusing on spiritual activities.
Unlike covens or temples, circling groups typically lack formal clergy, oaths, or degrees, offering a more flexible and adaptable structure.
Circling groups can serve various purposes, such as study groups for spellwork and esbat/sabbat celebrations, family-oriented gatherings for child-friendly rituals, or eclectic groups uniting diverse Pagan paths for joint celebrations.
Circling groups tend to be considerably less formal and structured than covens or temples and do not usually have formal clergy or require oaths or offer degrees. The specific nature of a Circling group varies according to the needs of its members.
Some examples of Circling Groups may be:
- A study group that might also gather to practice spellwork or celebrate esbats and/or sabbats to further the skills and knowledge of its members.
- A family-oriented group that allows parents who may or may not be members of formal covens to gather in a child-friendly and informal environment to celebrate sabbats with their children where their presence may prove distracting in a more formal coven setting.
- An eclectic group of Pagans who follow paths that are much too different to combine into a coven format but who enjoy celebrating sabbats together anyway.
- A bunch of Witches from various backgrounds who gather periodically to perform spellwork, and perhaps also mundane actions aimed at a specific goal. Perhaps toward environmental action, social change, or to protect our troops or government representatives, or to knit or quilt enchanted blankets for people who need magical healing, etc.