Welcome to OakShade Coven's domain on the Web. This website has been created to allow the public to become familiar with our coven. From its creation, we hope to assist those seeking the Craft and to network with other fellow Wiccans and Pagans.
About Us. . .
OakShade was created on Ostara in 1999. It was created with the intent that the Old Ways would still live through us, continue to evolve and bear new growth in this modern world. To us, the old ways are the celebrations of the seasonal cycles of nature just as our ancestors did, not so very long ago. To them it meant either life or death by knowing the land, the cycle of nature, being one with the Earth. It is in that spirit of that initial undertaking that we have strived to keep the Old Ways alive. What has always been at the core of OakShade and all modern Earth based spirituality was so aptly described in the preface of the revised edition of the book "Drawing Down the Moon" by Margot Adler. In it she stated that the basic thoughts of all Pagans are thus:
"The world is holy. Nature is holy. The body is holy. Sexuality is holy. The mind is holy. The imagination is holy. You are holy. A spiritual path that is not stagnant ultimately leads one to the understanding of one's own divine nature. Thou art Goddess. Thou art God. Divinity is imminent in all Nature. It is as much within you as without."
It is to that purpose that OakShade came to be. So we of like mind and desire could come together and express those concepts in the spirit of the Old Ways. The roots of our practices stem back to the groups that brought Neo-Paganism into the lime-light in England some 50 odd years ago. Just like those groups and in the spirit of the "Old Ways" who took the knowledge gained from those before them. We have taken that work as a base and while not abandoning it, have built upon it, molding that great body of work to represent who and what we are.
To further define us one could say we are Celtic based, though we value the many pantheons and mythologies throughout the world. We are priests and priestesses that try and follow in the ancient footsteps of our European brother's and sisters in honoring the Great Mother and her consort. We value tradition and have traditionalist practices at our core. We hold that the divine is within all things and as such respected, with our goal being the realization of that inner divinity and its spiritual growth. We hold with the three fold law and with the rede "If ye harm none do what ye will". We aim to enact our laws with purpose and reasoning, not with blind faith in the traditions of our lineage. We are not afraid of change and as we learn from experience will not hesitate to do so when warranted. With a solid foundation built by members past and present we continue to evolve and grow as the gods guide us.
Our Goal and Focus. . .
Our main goal is the spiritual development of our inner divinity. To accomplish this we know it takes more than just our scholarly approach. Today's society works long and hard to suppress the ideas listed above. It takes a true desire and discipline to set free what is inside those of us who find truth in those words by Margot Adler. To quote Thales when asked what is the hardest obstacle for man, Thales answered "To know thyself". So the first step is not only to learn but to heal thy self. It is only then that one can begin to open up ones mind to all the possibilities. That healing of oneself, has lead us to decide and focus our energies on the healing arts.
We also know it is just not us who needs healing, it is the land as well. That is why we have established a covenstead on 22 acres. It is a place to gather, exchange ideas, be with the land, re-charge oneself with the energy of the land and return some of yours back to the land as well. After all we are a part of nature and nature a part of us. It is this contact with the land that is at the heart of our path. We get to see and feel the changes of the seasons, the turning of the wheel first hand and this is what we celebrate together and thus keep alive the spirit of the Old Ways.
For more information you can contact our summoner at treegrove1@yahoo.com
The following pictures are of our 22 acre covenstead in South Carolina. This is raw land with much work ahead for our members and friends. We will keep you updated on its development.
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