Why Fireside Wicca is open to first timers and noninitiates

 When I was recently informed that I was far too dangerous to be allowed to perform open-to-public Wiccan (pagan) ritual, I thought about labelling all my future events—Ceremonialist Initiates Only.

In other words, I thought about leaving the public Wiccan community completely—to protect others.

Then She Who Must Rule declared that she was going to undo the damage to the community that Maggie Moonstone inflicted upon it with her “leave your differences at the door” event policy.

Starting off with banning individuals who should have never been allowed past the door.

In other words, there is already a Gatekeeper of All Things Magical and Mystical here in Denver.

Given the universe requires balance, there needs to be an organization that truly believes in building community, teaching people to be their best selves, and allows lookie-loos (religion-of-month club) in.

I may not have fifty Righteous years of community service under my belt, like the hand chosen successor of Maggie Moonstone does. I entered this community in summer of 1984, and you missed my entry. The time to Purity Test me out was . . . the day of my birth in Small Town America in 1965. Sorry, my bad.

Honestly, the idea that a community church’s long term service to the religion allows them complete micromanagement—not only over their own event, but all events happening in Denver—chills my blood. Yes, you are the oldest, best trained witch in Denver . . . so You Must Rule . . . Catholic were you?

In light of the laundry list of people and conditions (no kids, no fun rituals, no unapproved lineages) that Maggie’s successor wants to drive out of “her community,” can I do anything other than open my gates?

It should be noted that the first OFM (Open Full Moon ritual) that me and Bibi Alhazred did in 1985 were about attracting new members to our little coven. Yes, I was unworthy of being an OFM host for advertising my own projects—so where were you at the time? If you have always been the Sole Voice of Denver Wicca, then you should have been there to stop that first public witchcraft that Bibi and me did.

Oh, for those who like a good joke—me and Bibi had never seen an actual open-to-public ritual before.

We just grabbed the idea from some pagan magazine—the West Coast, I think—and ran with it.

If a newbie performs the OFM, does that mean that newbies are allowed to attend?

Quite simply, I allow newbies to attend my rituals—even the ones I label advanced—because I (being safety minded) have already figured out what the radioactive bits look like. I can child-safe fast, can you?

It is no problem for me to lower the target Grade-Degree (Tier of Initiation and Training) of my rituals.

We all started out as newbies. The quicker that such get exposed to all the levels of the esoteric traditions, seeing what leaders can actually raise and control magical power, the better. One should start out one’s esoteric experience with the knowledge that they are not alone, that more advanced students trully exist (not just empty claims), and that there are fraudulent manipulators out there. If you only know one teacher, they have an unfair monopoly. And in my case, I am kinda proud of the wide range of energies that I can safely work with. Just because someone else can’t cope, does not stop me.

As much as it disturbs some, I understand that all Neophytes are potential Adepts and Priestesses. LVX.