WHAT IS ‘CRAFT’.....NOT?

 

Not Acceptable

 

1.  Any leader who manipulates., however smoothly, to gain power over you, or who uses sex as a requirement or ‘come on’ for you to be accepted into the group.

 

2.  Any physical abuse within the group.  Any oaths of secrecy concerning physical or sexual abuse …

 

3.  Though Gardnerian Wicca says, your must suffer to learn, the word suffer should not be taken literally.  Perhaps a better words would be discipline  or endure.  No group has the right to divvy out their brand of suffering in order for you to learn or grow.  This includes physical or mental abuse, duties or tasks outside the group for individual members, unreasonable fasts or sexual abstinence, drugs, etc.

 

4.  The required used of hallucinogens or any other drugs for magickal development.

 

5.  Any leader whose claim to fame comes from some ‘non verifiable’ source.  These may included invented grandmother stories, ancient hereditary traditions, dreams and visions, drug-trips, UFO or outer-space contact, foreign study and initiation (possible, but uncommon).  Instant leaders who claim vague and/or mysterious origins.  A leader who is evasive, inconsistent, or defensive when responding to questions about his/her background, training or origin of tradition.  A leader with much charisma and charm, but little verifiable training.  There are unwritten features, folklore and superstitions handed down in many families but  usually for only a few generations.  Most American families immigrated here in he last century or so and then broke apart.  Others broke apart before they immigrated.  Such transient oral folklore has likely been synthesized many times.

 

6.  Groups who proselytize or evangelize, and encourage you to do so.

 

7.  Groups who accept minors.

 

8.  Any tradition which does not offer instruction along with, or preceding any formal ritual work.  If you are being pushed ahead too rapidly or held back for no apparent reason, think twice.

 

9.  Leaders in Craft should not be mistake for counselors or therapists unless they have accredited degrees from accredited colleges.  (That is not to say that one who has studied intensely for many years may not have the same scholarship and wisdom as a counselor.)  In the esoteric arts,  use discretion when diplomas or degrees such as Reverend, and lots of epithets appear after a name.  They may be valid, but teachers can obtain these easily through mail order services.  In such cases, backgrounds and/or studies are never checked, and many of these certificates cost next to nothing.  Often these fake certifications are displayed in study rooms or carried around in wallets.  Many of them are made by the teachers themselves.

 

10.  Everyone has issues and agendas, but sometimes Craft is chosen as a path by troubled individuals who lack valid self esteem and are in search of  control.  Craft must be a path for the balanced personality because of the responsibility intrinsic to the nature of such a personal spiritual path.  If your instructor always seem to be having major problems, temper tantrums, emotional outbursts or do not lead reasonably well-balanced lives themselves, that should be a warning signal to you.  Be cautious of leaders who seek to be titled or highly revered in some special way or who never share their authority with the rest of the group.

 

11.  Any teacher who is charging large amounts of money (or asking for donations) to teach a tradition they learned in a couple of seminars.  This sort of thing has been flagrantly violated in the ‘New Age’ by channelers, healers, and so called shamans in past years.  It is rare in the Craft.  Ask questions!  Find out where they got their expertise and how fast.  Buyer beware.

 

12.  Any tradition in which more energy is spent on politics and fund raising than on religious and magickal development.  Any tradition which is vague or secretive about the funds they collect.  Any leader ‘living’ off the funds of the group.

 

13.  Anyone, or any group which seems to use subliminal techniques, however subtly, to control, influence or make you feel submissive, dependent or fearful.  Also be cautious of anyone who tries to overwhelm you with kindness or impress you by alluding to their hidden powers, psychic abilities or magickal feats.  A mystical, mysterious, magnetic or seductive personality does not necessarily reflect a well grounded or sincere person, just a clever one.  Do not lose sight of the fact that certain unscrupulous people may be very adept at subliminal manipulation.  No so-called elder, high priest or priestess, evangelist, leader, psychic, channeler, etc.  Has the right to make you his/her puppet.  Loyalty does not imply subjugation or servitude.  (Listen to your own intuition, and use your common sense.)

 

14.  Any group that seems to spend much time counseling students and members with emotional, marital, alcohol or drug problems.  Such a group will very likely be unstable.

 

15.  Groups whose teachers and leaders have little group experience or have not studied formally for several years.  Instructors who resent questions about their  idea of Craft, or become markedly provoked if you take issue with them.  Instruction should teach you how to empower yourself, how to think, not what to believe — or  how to feel.

 

16.  If you think a teacher is not being straight with you because they wish to appear mysterious, be careful!  (Teacher sometimes notice that same attitude from students.)

 

17.  Craft, most of all implies free will.  But that does not  mean one takes without giving back, or that structure and self-discipline isn’t necessary to have successful group dynamics.

 

18.  Students have responsibilities too.  Curiosity, spell casting, loneliness, power trips, looking for a mate are not the right reasons to get involved in metaphysical groups or dabble in group magick.  In addition, dramatic highly emotional or overly sensitive students can tear a group apart — very quickly.  Ethic and temperament is not only the teacher’s responsibility, it is also the student’s.