Chapter 3: Finding Community

For a long time, even now, meeting another Pagan was a very big deal for me. In late September of 1998 I was chatting with a Pagan friend online who introduced me to store owner in my home town. I hadn't even known the store existed, and I visited it later that same day. I met WilloSnake and learned that she was starting a "Wicca 101" class in the beginning of October. Still anxious to immerse myself my fully in the local community, I joined. A good deal of what we learned was knowledge I already had, but we were taught the Norse ways. The day before Yule, me and my two classmates earned our First Degrees and were initiated into EarthSpirit Coven. The next day we had our first full coven ritual to celebrate Sabbat.

Without going into a lot of detail or placing blame, our coven disintegrated in July of 1998. We had had some absolutely wonderful times, including an open Beltane ritual that we hosted. My high priestess had told me more than once that I had "more Norse in me than I thought", but her words didn't feel right to me. I have fond memories of our time together, but a long-term group was not meant to be.

Six months or so later I learned that a good friend of mine from high school was also exploring the Pagan path. Zane and I began studying together and eventually decided to start our own coven. On Mabon, September 23, 1999 Coven of the Silver Moon Spirit was born. We decided first off that we were to be a teaching coven and that we were going to be an eclectic group. I didn't want to risk anyone else ever being persuaded onto a path they were not wholly comfortable with. Silver Moon Spirit never got very large, only six members at its peak, but we did see two members to their First Degrees, and Zane and I both gained invaluable experience in the running of a coven.

In late June of 2001, Zane and I loaded up his Dad's huge red truck and his aunt's trailer for the thirteen hour drive to Ohio for Pagan Spirit Gathering. We had been psyched up for MONTHS about this adventure - we'd only heard stories and had no idea exactly what to expect. As I'm writing this, it is December 15, 2001, and I still miss PSG - I still think about it on a regular basis and wish I was there again. I was supposed to marry my ex-fiance the following June and knew I would not be able to manage to finance a week long trip AND a wedding! The thought of not being back at PSG killed me.

Between seven and eight HUNDRED other Pagans in one place for an entire week! It was the most amazing experience of my life. Rituals and workshops everyday, vendors row with every Pagan ware imaginable … more importantly, no fear, no hiding, no worrying about what the person next to you would think if they knew your beliefs! Maybe veteran festival goers will scoff at my excitement, but this was a first for me. Meeting Selena Fox and Phyllis Curott were just some of the high points of the festival. I also felt that I found myself more fully there than I ever had felt before. I know that when I got home, I was an entirely different person than the woman who left.

Before we had left for PSG, I had begun leaning towards the Celtic ways. I had bought a book on Celtic Women's Spirituality (the exact name escapes me right now, but I will put it in here ASAP). While at PSG, I dedicated myself to Cerridwen and Cerrnunos.

The only difficult part of the week was the fact that Zane and I grew apart. We had been as close as brother and sister before the trip. During the ministers intensive training as well as our personal experiences, we realized that we had different goals for the coven and for ourselves. We began to see more clearly what was lacking with Silver Moon Spirit and it became apparent that our coven would cease to exist.

On 2 July 2001, Coven of the Silver Moon Spirit had its Parting Ritual.