Weaving the Web: Initiation

Join us in-person or online for our weekly Community Night: an open, cross-tradition discussion space where we learn, share, and build community together. We gather every Wednesday evening for discussion, meditation, ritual nights, and more, with time to socialize before and after.

We start at 6:00pm for casual social time, then at 6:30pm we begin the main discussion (and stream it live on YouTube). After the formal portion ends, we usually keep the Zoom call open a bit longer for chatting as folks head out.

Initiation is a threshold moment, the point where the change that has been building becomes real. It can be formal (as in a tradition welcoming you in) on informal (life crowning you with a new role whether you asked for it or not). Either way, it marks a new beginning and a new you.

In pagan spaces, initiation often means induction into a coven or tradition, usually involving a meaningful challenge that proves readiness—not in the sense of hazing, but as a rite to mark your transition into something bigger. And sometimes it's kept private or "oathbound", not for bragging rights or secrecy, but because expectations can warp the experience and consent matters.

We'll explore:

• What initiation is: a doorway, the marker of death of the old self and birth of the new, a commitment point
• Initiation vs. dedication vs. rite of passage (and why all three can be valid along the same path)
• Secrecy, lineage, and legitimacy: when privacy is healthy and when it's a red flag
• Real-world examples from both early Wiccan history and modern initiatory degree systems (including our own WISE-ATC path)
• Solitary and cross-tradition paths: self-initiation, mentorship, and how we mark transitions for ourselves

Format: discussion. You're welcome to participate as a skeptic, a mystic, or a "I have no idea what I believe but I'm curious" person.

Join options (hybrid):

• In-person: Weavers of the Web, ATC (Lansing)
• Online: Join via Zoom for interaction, or via YouTube to watch

Secure recordings of discussions are available to Patreon subscribers at the Bobbin level and above (ritual recordings at the Balanced level and above.)

What to bring (optional but helpful): a notebook, water, and a grounded body. If you're joining from home, set up a cozy ritual space (with candles, incense, etc.) so you can drop into the practice more easily.

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Host or Publisher Weavers of the Web, ATC