Witches Haven

Pagan Predators or Hyena in the Hyssop

Karen Rice-Leroux

Originally published in the PFPC newsletter,
August 2001

Predators - predator (noun)
1. Carnivorous animal or destructive organism.
2. Somebody who plunders or destroys.
3. Ruthlessly aggressive person.

This is the commonly held definition for a predator, but we have come to know a different type of definition. Perhaps predator is not the correct term; I prefer terms like scavenger or opportunistic pond scum.

These are the people who reside, hidden within our community. They use preference for discretion or secrecy if you prefer, as their shield and weapons of choice. The problem resides not with these predators but more with us and dangerous assumptions. People are free to proclaim themselves as High Priestesses/High Priests without challenge. Usually the audience is unaware that they have the right, or in fact the obligation to themselves and other potential coven members to validate the claims of the purported HPS/HP.

Secrecy with regard to coven workings should never compromise the individual sense of right and wrong. If a practice seems odd to you - if it feels wrong, then that is exactly what it is - wrong. Coven members should never feel forced into imbibing herbs or other consciousness raising practices/ substances and it goes without saying administering anything that will affect an individual's consciousness without telling them is not only unethical, immoral and completely un-Pagan, but it is against the law.

Potential coven members should be aware, well in advance, of what constitutes ethical Pagan/Wiccan practices. The Great Rite, for example, is never practiced between a High Priest and an initiate to the first levels, no matter what you are told by an alleged experienced practitioner.

The Great Rite is far more talked about than actually practiced, and where practiced? It is by people over 21 who have been in traditional covens (i.e., covens that have lineage that has been checked out by all participants). It is often misused by unscrupulous self-styled high priests and makes the woman involved a sucker, not a priestess. There is no fast-track to becoming a High Priestess, it requires years of practice and learning.

The number of years would be three or more of being involved with a legitimate, recognized coven.

When we are, presumably, mature enough to choose a Pagan path - it is also our obligation as adults to investigate the claims of anyone to whom we are entrusting our minds, bodies, and spirituality. This is, in all probability, the most important choice we will ever make in this life, but many of the members of our community put more thought into choosing the best tomato for a salad than their choice of spiritual leader.

Investigate the coven, investigate the teacher, the mentor, the club president, know the expectations. Find out if claims of lineage and legitimate initiations are just that, legitimate with lineage. If claims cannot be validated, then understand they are not for real.

The primrose path comes to mind.

The Pagan community in Montreal enjoys a very healthy networking system. Ethical and legitimate teachers, mentors and guest speakers are but a couple of keyboard clicks or a telephone call away.

Perhaps you are thinking of joining a hive-off from a Trad?

Then for your own sake and those of any potential coven members validate the claims of the High Priestess and/or Priest. If there is any reticence on the part of the HPS/HP to provide you with this information, run, don't walk, to the nearest exit.

Predators are out there; they operate in our community. They don't look nor behave like predators. They do not have neon signs over their heads. These people are practiced at their art; most times, the unwary don’t know what has hit them until it is too late. No one, and I mean, no one, is immune from a predator. This is who they are, this is what they do and most of them are masters or to be fair, mistresses, of deception.

Being Pagan is no protection from them

In Perfect Love and Perfect Trust is a wonderful ideal but there should be the unspoken codicil; common sense is still your best defense.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Canada License.