In most covens, the process leading to membership and initiation requires a period of study and practice, often a year and a day. Sometimes, to honor leaders of different covens or help establish friendly bonds between them, initiations will be given without such training. That is, a Witch of tradition 1 initiates into that tradition a Witch from tradition 2. In turn, the Witch from tradition 2 initiates into that tradition the Witch from tradition 1. Theologically, this allows covens to work with the specific deities of the other coven. It also allows a High Priest or High Priestess to officiate at another coven. This can be valuable if the person regularly working in this role becomes ill, leaves the coven, or dies.
Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Rick de Yampert, author of the new Crows and Ravens.
I was gobsmacked the time I looked out my living room window at the woods behind my Palm Coast, Florida, home and saw a crow hanging upside-down in...