Blessings,
Courageous Ones!
This
is the Sisterhood of the Moon’s third year of celebrating the Full Moon
together. As our circle grows and as
time continues on, I have concluded that it necessary to develop a Code of
Ethics for our group. To this end, I
have begun taking a class called Ethics &
Professional Practice for Neopagan Clergy through the Wild Woman
Collective School (http://wildwomancollective.com/). This text for this class is Ethics & Professional Practice for
Neopagan Clergy by Dr. Katherine MacDowell.
I anticipate sharing many of my thought processes and findings with you
on this topic as I journey through this class during the next twelve weeks.
My
definition of ethics as a Leader of a spiritual group currently encompasses all
of these concepts: cultural ethics,
rules of conduct for the group, and my own personal moral principles.
What
are the ethics of the greater culture we are working within? Do we, as a spiritual group of women, agree
with these greater cultural ethics? As
the High Priestess of a Women’s Spirituality circle, there are several greater
cultural ethics that I do not agree with and do not believe have a place in our
group. I believe women are equal to men,
and should have equal opportunities in education and career choices. I believe women are Sovereign and have the
right to make any and all decisions for themselves regarding their bodies and
what happens to and within them. I believe
that each woman has the right and responsibility to define for herself what her
spirituality looks like, how it will be practiced, and with whom.
As
noted above, I am primarily exploring what a Code of Ethics would look like for
our circle, and how to implement this for its health and longevity. What are the Rules of Conduct for our group?
What are the Expectations? Why is it my
responsibility to create the Code of Ethics for our circle?
As
Founder, Leader, and Presiding Priestess, I am 100% responsible for the Realm
of the Sisterhood of the Moon. Because women make an intentional choice to
circle with our Sisterhood, I am invested with the authority necessary to do
what is best for our group. As our group
grows and as time goes on, it is imperative that all participants understand
the ethics of our circle and know what the Expectations are for participation.
I
have witnessed so many circles fail and when I look back, I have noticed that in
all cases it was primarily because of two things: 1) Questionable ethics of the group leader(s),
and 2) The lack of a Code of Ethics/Agreements that all in the group understood
and made the choice to embody. By
setting up a Code of Ethics now, while our circle is still young, women who
find us can decide before they come to the group if my personal ethics and the
group’s Code of Conduct align with their personal moral principles. This sets up a system that has a greater
chance of success, as all members are aware of who we are and what we stand
for.
When
I am strong and grounded in my own personal Code of Ethics, the proper women—those
who are aligned with my moral principles and the group’s vision—are called to
join the circle I lead, and all of our magick grows stronger. There are no questions about who we are and
why we are gathering together in this container. We can use our energy for our shared goals
and passions instead of leaking energy because we do not share a vision.
How
do you approach ethics in your own circles?
What type of Expectations do you have for those who circle with
you? Does your group have a written Code
of Ethics? I invite your feedback.
Blessed
be!
Lady
Jesamyn Angelica
High
Priestess, Sisterhood of the Moon
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