Oaths, Egregores, Coven Raiding, and Loyalties

Occasionally, someone on the Paths reaches out to those of another line, tradition, etc.  They may do this for any number of reasons.  Ultimately, any ethical teacher will eventually ask if that person has sworn any oaths.  When that question comes will vary by the situation.

The reason for such a question is two-fold:
1. An Oath is a pledge sworn before one's people and one's Divine source that has inherent within it a suspended curse.  So we respectfully interact with someone who has sworn an Oath to others with that in mind.
2. Oaths sworn to a coven, grove, hearth, harrow, and so forth bind the individual into that group's egregore (collective mind).  Someone choosing to leave a group for any reason will need time to dissolve those bonds, if possible over time, so that any practice with a new group is not unduly affected by that person's prior relationships. 

Not all spiritual/occult/magickal/Craft groups have such concerns with their membership.  But some DO. 

This Clan does NOT recruit members from the public at large and likewise does NOT engage in "coven raiding" (verb. meaning recruiting candidates from other groups).  Coven raiding can only bring disharmony at best and will harm the recruited person in any case.  We find friendships within our community at large to be far more beneficial as well as honoring of the Paths we all walk.

Honoring the loyalties of others is one of our Tradition's highest values. 

-Rath, HP CoBV