Eons ago, humans dwelled in tribes for survival, spiritual enlightenment,
mating, comrederie and community. Today, we use these tribal social groups for spiritual guidance, congregating in the presence of the Divine, and to unravel the mysteries of life, death and rebirth.
Today, America is the most diverse culture on the planet. With this honor we have the most diverse form of witchcraft on the planet. ORG sets out to give a framework to unite all of the various Earth Religions that exist is this country and throughout the world. This is put together communities and strengthen them and make us all more resiliant to the evil forces that exist ion the mundane world.
The Order of the Red Grail is for Covens and other Spiritual Circles that are following a positive path of Earth Spirituality.
Statement of Being
To find out why we were born into this lifetime, planet and culture and to fulfill that discovery.
To find out why we have chosen the path of Earth Spirituality and live fully on that path.
To teach the Art of Magic responsibly to those souls who have forgotten so they may benefit from it once again.
To provide a safe, loving framework to experience fellowship, community and religious celebration.
To respect all paths that make up the community of ORG.
To ╥Do what ye will and harm ye none.╙
To use ones faculties to the fullest to seek the TRUTH.
The Initiation for the Order of the Red Grail is a symbol of the Members commitment to their path, the Divine, and the Community.
As a Member in the Order of the Red Grail, one agrees to follow the articles of this charter.
1. Responsibility - We are all responsible for ourselves. If we act irresponsible, then we must also accept responsibility for our actions along with the consequences.
"He had a bowl of Cannabis before the ritual! How irresponsible!!!" is a good example of responsibility/irresponsibility. A bowl of Cannabis cannot make you irresponsible. One beer has many times more toxicological effects than one bowl. Remember the US legal system is based on someone elses' morality, not every single citizens. Irresponsible would be that person had ingested so much that they were "OUT OF CONTROL" and THAT MUST BE DEALT WITH. A person that has extreme views on anything must be honored, whether it be that single bowl of cannabis or the proper color for west, but the Coven cannot bend to extreme views of singular opinions or we would become just another dysfunctional family.
2. Perfect Love - This phrase encompasses a lot of philosophy. For the community to flourish we must express this Perfect Love. If we are being treated badly by a member then we must express that with as much love as we can muster without being condescending, impolite and insulting to their lineage.
It is also a commitment to each other that if either one of us needs help then we can receive it without guilt or fear. We should also give it with out pressure or greed.
3. Perfect Trust - This phrase also encompasses lots of philosophy. Community success depends on mutual trust and respect. The fear of trust is a huge barrier for our culture to overcome, but to grow we must scale that wall and declare victory.
4. Commitment - Entrance into The Order of the Red Grail should not be taken lightly. That is one of the reasons for the Year and a Day wait an Initiate must endure. To be sure in their mind, body and soul that this is for them.
One must also be committed to the Divine in whatever manner rings true for the individual member. ORG is not a passive, coffee table, theocratic discussion group, but an active, ritual orientated religious order.
The Community is the centerpiece of ORG. Only through healthy fellowship can a Community come together. The Membership should feel a connection with each other. A group of unconnected people sinks back into the realms of a dysfunctional family.
5. Obligations - You are obligated to treat EVERYONE as you would want to be treated. Any members that become abusive must be counseled lovingly or firmly, whatever the situation dictates to keep the Member in the Community. If all else fails then the Member may be asked to leave for a period of time or, as a last resort, permanently.
2 - ORG Structure
ORG is without a hierarchy between the Members and The Divine. For nobody can judge one╒s level of enlightenment. There is, however, a hierarchial system for how the Coven is run. This is done for the purpose of exposing people to leadership positions, keeping new ideas within the group and not letting the job of High Witch fall on one person continuously.
The Degree System is different in many ways from many forms of ritualistic magickal religions. The similarities exist in the Degrees of Initiate and Witch where these are awarded for things learned and commitments that one is willing to make. The others however are awarded by the Order to the Member AFTER service has been satisfactorily given to the Order. The Order elects the High Witch for a year, but the Member is not awarded the Second Degree by the Order until after their year is ended. The Elder Witch (Third Degree) is awarded a year after the member has completed their term of High Witch if they have given good service to the coven during that year.
The level of participation is strictly up to the Member and The Divine as no blame or judgment is handed out to anyone.
Levels of Commitment
Initiate; Zero Degree (Witch In Training)
The Initiate is one of Gaia's lost children. They're new to the Art of Magick and are searching for knowledge, understanding and community. The new Initiates remain at this level for one year and a day. This gives them plenty of time to MASTER a system of Divination, become familiar with the Order and learn about the Art of Magick. This span of time also gives the Order a chance to evaluate the seriousness, performance, level of commitment and true intentions of the Initiate.
Those wishing to become an Initiate will seek us out, for the Order will not proselytize. The Order will decide if they can take on a new member. If so, the seeker will select a willing Mentor from the Membership. The Mentor will perform an "Eastern Gate" ritual in which the seeker will be brought into the group and officially proclaimed 'Initiate'. It is also the Mentors responsibility to teach the Initiate etiquette, ritual, divination, etc. The Mentor must keep in mind that the goal of the Initiate is to obtain the ability to successfully lead a Coven ritual. Therefore, whatever preparations that need to be made is up to the Mentor except for the Initiates first public ritual which must be completely done by themselves (planning, scripting, leading). It is probably good to make Initiates perform some functions at Coven workings during their first year to get them used to being in the spotlight.
When the Initiate is ready to perform their first public ritual, the Mentor will formally announce it to the Coven and request a date and function. After the Initiate has proved competence in a ritual performance, MASTERED a system of Divination and other skills that are deemed important, then the COVEN grants the initiate their First Degree.
Witch Priest/ess; First Degree
The Priest/ess is the last step toward your commitment to the Divine that the Order of the Red Grail can symbolize. The First Degree is the Members symbol of commitment to their path. ORG cannot guess, judge or pontificate on the Members closeness or awareness of the Divine.
The P/S can perform a variety of important functions within the Coven. Teaching, treasurer, scribe, counselor and ritual leader are examples of the duties that the P/S can fulfill.
High Witch; Second Degree (The Coven Leader and First Degree Duties)
THE leader of the coven. The buck stops with this person. All decisions and squabbles are finalized with them. They are responsible for gathering all members together for festivals and meetings, but more importantly, maintaining flow of Coven energy.
To become the HP/S, one must openly state that they are willing to perform the service on the New Moon after Imbolc. The COVEN will vote for the new COVEN leader on the following New Moon and the new HP/S will start leading the COVEN on the third New Moon after Imbolc.
The Second Degree is awarded to the HP/S on the third new moon after Imbolc the following year provided the COVEN feels that the HP/S has proven worthy and just to the coven.
One can only serve as HP/S for ONE year at a time. Unless there is an extreme emergency one must wait for a year to hold that position again. This gives others the chance to lead the coven and bring fresh ideas to the forefront.
One job that the HP/S must perform is to interpret Coven Rights and Coven Law the best they can while being nonjudgemental. When situations arise in which the HP/S must intervene or make difficult decisions, they must enter a complete description of the problem in the Coven Book of Shadows along with the rationale of how they came upon their decision. All decisions end with the HP/S and should be honored.
At the beginning of the reign of each HP/S, they shall begin a new Coven Book of Shadows and shall also have the honor of naming it. In it, the minutes of each meeting will be kept along with coven altercations and their outcomes, the Coven register, and any other relative information. Members can also put things into the Book of Shadows such as the thoughts of newly initiated Members. The reigning HP/S will keep the library of all the original Covens Books of Shadows. The HP/S can delegate a lot of the maintenance of the Covens Book of Shadows to the Coven Scribe if one exists.
Elder; Third Degree (Coven Elder, Second Degree Duties)
The Elder of the Coven teaches, counsels, advises the HP/S, leads rituals, and helps in whatever ways they can.
To become Elder one must complete a year of good service as HP/S and be awarded Second Degree by the Coven. The final step is to complete another year of good service to the coven and then be awarded Third degree by the Coven on the third New Moon after Imbolc.
This is the manager of the Order of the Red Grail at a national level. The responsibilities include coordinating national events (ORG Grail Fests, ORG Gang Bang, etc.), keeping the appropriate legal records, including but not exclusively, the 501(c) document and overseeing the national newsletter.
The Steward must be an Elder of one of the ORG Covens and a proven fair and just leader.
The ORG Steward is chosen by all of the current High Witches during one of the Grail events which can be held by mail, in person, or via computer network. and is done on a yearly basis. Due to the fact that this commitment will have a high degree of difficulty and stress, the position of Steward can be repeated on a yearly basis as long as all of the High Witches democratically elect them.
3 - Coven Rights
- Every Member, except Initiates has the right to examine or copy the entire library of the Covens Books of Shadows until that Member leaves the Order.
- All members may attend all rituals and functions except for Initiates, they cannot attend any First Degree Initiations unless it is their own.
- A Member can opt not to attend a function, as no Judgement will befall them.
- The Coven has the right to deny or accept the Membership Application of any prospective Initiates.
- An Initiate can partition the Coven to lift the year and a day requirement if they have tended their path for a substantial length of time, but such a lifting should not be taken likely as it is also a period for the Coven to review the prospective member.
4 - Coven Laws
Coven Laws are rather formless, for it would be impossible to write rules of conduct for all of the "situations" that can occur. However, you will find guidelines below for conduct for ALL members of ORG. The Order of the Red Grail has no sacred cows.
All of us make mistakes so ORG will not be a Hitler Youth Camp. But sometimes people act in horrible ways and they must be dealt with. If these horrible situations are not handled then the outcome could be very destructive to the community. We can't just say, "Oh, their just processing.". Sometimes adults act like children and all children demand guidance, a few of them scream for STERN guidance.
Instead of repeating good advice, Janet and Stewart Farrar have a good chapter on this subject in 'The Witches Bible". Use it for reference along with your personal experience.
Otherwise, review the 5 articles of the ORG charter and do use best to serve the Community as a whole, this includes the good and the bad.
5 - Some Red Grail Goals
Personal growth.
Growth of the Coven community instead of exposing everyone to the Art of Magick. We all teach spirituality in our own ways, but we shouldn't grow the Coven; we should grow ourselves so we can share with others.
Service to the community outside of ORG.
Network with those who lead secluded, solitary lives and give them the feeling of community that they feel safe with in a brutal, fearful society.
Healing and teaching the art of healing the mind, body and spirit to those who are in need and request it.
6 - Roles
Scribe
The Scribe keeps the Book of Shadows for the Coven, notes on meetings, outlines and scripts for rituals, the Coven registry, and other assorted bits of data. They also publish and print the Coven newsletter. This position is voluntary.
Treasurer
This person keeps track of all donations and keeps a stock of ritual supplies. Also, they distribute funds to members for reimbursement.
The International Address for the Order of the Red Grail is
