There is always a conversation somewhere on Covens. From the ideas around their purpose, the positive and negative aspects of them, how to find or how to create one. Often when we hear the word Coven, we think of a specific group of people, coming together, teaching each other, exploring/experimenting together, and doing magical works together. By definition a Coven is a group or meeting of Witches (I would say magical practitioners in general for those who like to use other terms).
Covens can be difficult to find, especially in more rural parts of the country (US), in smaller towns, and in bible country. I listen to people often, longing for others to practice with, hang out with, and just share their experiences with (with people who “get it”). Due to the rise in technology and new ways of connecting, some Covens have popped up online. Not the large teaching groups or chat groups, but small tight knit groups who resemble the more traditional perspectives of Covens. But even those can be hard to find or find the right fit in – we all practice differently and have our own connections.
Each of us has a Coven though, because we are magical and spiritual practitioners. It is not a Coven of living people – it is what I am calling a Soul Coven…
The Idea
I am blessed to be part of a physical world Coven, and have that kind of group with my Sisters. It isn’t in person because we live states (and countries) apart – but it doesn’t diminish the energy or the work. Over the time we have been a Coven, we have watched our energy blend and the synchronicities flow between our paths, as well as, the results of the work we do together. We are small but mighty, lol.
I am currently in the middle of a large, multi-day spell, and as I finished yesterday’s part, a thought started brewing… There is another type of Coven, we all build and are a part of, that we don’t talk about, and maybe do not even see it from that perspective – our Soul Coven. The spirits, energy, Ancestors, Deities, and other Guides that we have built bonds and relationships with, to do the magical work we do. The ones who lend their part, their energy, their domains – weaving them into the magical working. It’s not all of them, but the core group you work with.
Would this not be the Soul’s Coven? Each one of them teaches us something. Each one has Guided us in how to work with them and when to bring them into the work. Each one gives a part of themselves to the work. We share with them and experience with them. Is this not a Coven?
In My Practice
So, as I sat pondering this, I started looking at the ones connected to this particular spell work. Most of the common players were involved. Then I looked at my sacred space, my altars, the representations there – realizing, the room re-do this week was showcasing my Soul Coven. Definitely not intentional, but also not surprising anymore.
The Lady of the Bones, the Divine Mother, would be like my High Priestess. Everything begins and ends with Her. She is at the center of everything. She is nature itself, the cycles and patterns of all living things, connecting all things together, the energy that animates life and the Mother of all Souls. In magical work, She is the designing the right path, moving the strings on the web/in cycles and patterns, creating new outcomes and possibilities for the intention to manifest in the physical.
The Father of Worlds, Ushar, is over the human created world – the societal and cultural structures – cycles and patterns that people create within the Mother’s natural world. He is like the bridge between the spiritual/ natural world and the societal world. He takes the path/ blueprint from Her and shifts, reshapes, or breaks, the human world structures so the path/ intention can manifest in the physical world – what we call reality.
The Temple Guardians are both Elementals from an energy aspect, and a spirit that moves in the physical world. They are guided by Her energy and act upon His. Each one contributing their own magic and energy to the intention and holding the space until it is ready to be released.
I have a specific grouping of Ancestors who love to be involved in my spell work, teaching me spells, and helping guide me along the way. It is only a few of my Ancestors, but they are my core few for magical work.
All of these different Spirits/ Energies – all working together, specifically on my magical and spiritual endeavors, make up my Soul Coven.
Changes Over Time
My Soul Coven has changed over time, just as living Covens do. As I grow and change, my needs and skills change, as my magic changes – so does the make-up of my Coven. Some go deeper and change form, like the Mother – many faces, each needed for that stage, but all one core energy. Some get added over time, and sometimes one may go from being in the Coven to move to being just in my community. All of this is much like a people Coven – As you grow, as it grows, both change.
Not every spirit or energy I have worked with is part of my Soul Coven. It is like the difference between a community and a family. For example: Herbs, specific animals, stones, spirit of the dead, different representations of elements and nature are all parts of my community. My community of energies/spirits I can work with or that can aid me is vast. It changes depending on the work being done and what is needed for that particular task. My Soul Coven are the core group that directs and is part of everything, everyday.
Pantheon vs Coven
I used to consider this grouping my personal Pantheon. A Pantheon though feels more specific to just the Deity side of things, not others spirits such as Ancestors. So I feel this idea of a Soul Coven fits much better for this concept. A small change in words can have a huge impact on perception, and this does for me.
Not all Witches or magical users connect with Deities either. They work from a more Animistic space or different perspective of what Deity is than more traditional concepts. They generally have some specific element or elements that they are more deeply connected to and that are a deep part of their work, such as water or fire, that perhaps is the center for them. Then certain plants, animals, and stones that are at the center of their workings/ commonly used, filling out the Coven.
There are many ways this could be viewed from, just depending on your own personal practices and path.
The Invitation
I invite you to ponder this idea of a Soul Coven. Look at your bonds, connections, and magical practices.
Who would make up your own Soul Coven? Is there a hierarchy to it, or is it different spirits for different domains that are equal in the work?
Does looking at them through the lens of a Coven give you some new ideas on how to work with them as a team? What magical experiments can you do with this kind of concept in mind to see how they may work differently and yield different results overall? Maybe nothing would change. Maybe everything would change.
Perhaps you already see it like this and work this way. Perhaps, like me, it has given another depth to how they work and move together as a cohesive unit instead of different parts of it.
No matter which way that goes, I just wanted to share this experience with you, and to hear some of your thoughts and perspectives.
One last thought: This could be seen as another interesting way to view local vs global – the ones you are consistently working with, engaging with, and part of your daily life – and those who a part of the larger scope and connections but their direct impact on our personal life is less.
If you are interested in the room-redo:
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In