From about.com: Finding a Pagan Teacher

A great article on finding a Pagan teacher: http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/PaganCommunity/a/Finding-A-Pagan-Teacher.htm

From about.com: Warning Signs in Prospective Covens

Note: Though the title designates "coven", this ideas in this article can be applied to any group.  A great list to take note of for safeties sake.

From the article: "Members that don't seem to get along with each other.  If you have a group of eight people, and four of them are snarking at one another constantly, it may not be the coven you want to be a part of."

Read the entire article by clicking here.

Inexpensive Group Activities

So you've meeting for coffee and are thinking of throwing in something else to mix it up?  Here are a few ideas of things to do at regular meetings that are simple and inexpensive.

• Have a "Show and Tell": Bring in your book of shadows, grimoires, favorite divination items, favorite magical tool, ect..
• Have a divination exchange/practice: Everyone brings in their favorite divination tool (or one that they are working to learn) and buddies up to read for each other.  Set a time limit, then switch partners.  This not only gives everyone a little practice with their tools, it also gives everyone a chance to get a few minutes of one-on-one time with other members to get to know them better.
• Have an herb (or deity) research day.  Pick a subject and assign (or draw from a hat) different subjects for each person to research and share with the group at the next meeting.  For example, if your herb for the month is basil, one person finds as many magical uses as they can for it, another brings an edible recipe, another brings a magical recipe, someone finds any deities connected with the herb, someone is in charge of bringing a drawing or photo (and so on).  Each person brings enough copies of their information for everyone in the group, shares their info and passes out their pages.  
• If a member has any special education or knowledge, such as training in Reiki or having taken herbalism classes, get them to share the info with the group.  It can be as simple as just explaining what it is and tips for learning more or taking the group out to show them how to identify useful plants in your neighborhood and passing out informational sheets.
• Start a book club.  Not every member might be interesting in taking the time to read the book, so count hands and decide if you want this to take place during regular meetings.  If only part of the group is interested, consider having the book discussion happen right before or right after the regular meeting.   Decide on a book, giving members ample time to get their hands on it.  Decide how long to give for getting through the whole book, or do it chapter by chapter to break up the discussion and cut it into smaller, doable parts.
• Start working on a charitable cause.  Decide together what charity you'd like to support.  Consider making it local, to help enforce positive views of Pagans in the local community.  Collect food for the local food bank; adopt a park or roadway to keep clean; collect for the local pet shelter; ask the local school system or library what supplies they are in short supply of and find a way to help them get them; volunteer at a home for the elderly to put in blooming plants or bird feeders on their property.  Alternately, do something "national" such as raising money for a national charity or adopting a Pagan soldier. 
• Have a park foraging day.  Find a nice-sized park and see what sort of natural items that you can find to use as magical tools.  Look for interesting rocks, acorns, fallen leaves or twigs.  Before you begin, make sure that there is no policy that prevents you from taking any items out of the park.  Don't dig, pull or cut anything up on public (or private for that matter!) property unless you have permission.  And always be aware that being in possession of certain migratory bird feather is illegal.  If you don't know which are or aren't, best not to pick them up.

Please share your own ideas in comments!

Starting a Broom & Brew

Thinking about starting a meet up group in your area?  Here's some information to get you started:

Each Broom & Brew group is a completely individually run group.  It answers only to itself and it's members as far as it's day-to-day operations.  No group shall be responsible for the dealings of any other. 

Requirements of starting a Broom & Brew

• No members under the age of 18 that are not accompanied by a parent or guardian.  
• No members should be charged for joining.  There should be no fees involved for meet-ups. When holding classes, workshops, field trips, etc., payments should be made directly to the business, teacher or guide.
• Broom & Brew groups are not meant to be covens.  Groups should focus on fellowship, chat and support - just getting together as friends who enjoy spending time together and have a similar path.  If members want to form a separate sister group for ritual work that is always an option.  This doesn't mean that there can never be any type of ritual work as a group if there is a special need, but that should not be the focus of the group.
• The Monmouth County Broom & Brew holds the copyright and trademarks to the name "Broom & Brew" and all graphics it has developed.  These are shared freely with all groups in good standing.  No other group may lay claim to ownership of the term "Broom & Brew" or original graphics put out by the Monmouth County group.
• Broom & Brew websites should be aware of copyright and plagiarism issues, to protect their sites. If you didn't write it, please don't publish it on your website.  Sharing links to information is the way to share with your group and keep the site from being shut down by (rightfully) complaining authors or publishers.  Limited use of copyrighted material is generally okay for educational purposes, such as sharing a recipe in your group's setting.  It's always advisable to attempt to get permission from an author or publisher to do so ahead of time if possible, and always add credit to the author on handouts.

Tips for starting a Broom & Brew

• Decide what area you want to cover.  This might be a state in general (with the acknowledgment that more local groups can form as well),  several small counties, one individual county, a town, or one area of a large city.  
• Once you've settled on your area, create (for privacy's sake) an email account using a free email service such as gmail or hotmail.
• Decide who will be included in this group.  Anyone?  Just women?  Just men?  Are children to be allowed to join their parents in the group?
• Create an event or new group listing on Witchvox.com.  See an example here.
• Create a Facebook.com page.  See an example here.
• Email for inclusion on the National Broom & Brew page by contacting broomandbrew@gmail.com.
• Announce the group's formation on any appropriate internet groups.
• Create flyers and ask local metaphysical shops to hang them up or pass them out.
• Review rules of internet safety.
• Pick a date and a public place for your first meeting and let those who start to contact you know the details of when and where.  Coffee shops make a great choice.
• Decide how often you'll meet to start with.  This will likely change as people get to know each other and different activities are added to the mix.
• Decide what types of activities you'd like to have, if any.  Trips to local happenings (see Field Trip Ideas) are a great way to get out as a group.  Ask members what areas of interest they have and who might have a special interest that they'd like to share with the group.
• Encourage a drama free environment.  Never feel as a group leader/founder that you can't step in and say "I don't think that this is the appropriate forum for that conversation" - then switch to a new topic.  Let group members know that if they have an issue with another member, to keep it away from the group.  If it can't be worked out privately, offer to mediate to solve the problem.  If someone just cannot stop "bringing the drama" you have every right to ask the person to not return to the group.  The Broom & Brew should be a place for people to come and feel comfortable, and if one person ruins that, and trying to work with them to change the issue doesn't work, for the sake of the group they may be asked to leave.
• HAVE FUN!

"Field Trip" Ideas

One of the most fun activities a Broom & Brew can plan is a "field trip".  Here's a list of possible places to visit to get you started!

• Pagan Pride events
• Local "pick your own" farms
• Metaphysical shops
• Local psychics
• Ghost tours
• Herb farms
• Check the local libraries for interesting (free or cheap) classes.  We were lucky enough to find one on the history of cemeteries and undertaking!
• Open circles held by local Pagan groups
• The local UU church
• Local historical sites: Tours are often free or very inexpensive - and many are considered haunted!

Got an idea?  Share!

Safety on the Internet

Broom & Brew groups were established to bring Pagans (and Pagan adjacent) people together.  Many of the groups got/are getting their start via the internet, so please be smart and be safe.

Rules for safety:

1. Never give out your personal information online to anyone.  Broom & Brew leaders are encouraged to create a separate email (example: alabamabroomandbrew@gmail.com) to pass out to potential members.
2. Don't post your regular meeting place information online.  Hopefully it will never happen, but there are those out there that could show up to give you trouble.  Keep the place you frequent between you and your members.  Add "Contact (email address) for further information" to your postings and make them email you for the place and time.  If an email feels hinky, you have the right to refuse them the information.  Let members know to only give general information out to anyone who is not a closer personal friend.
3. Always pick a public meeting place where there will be other people: a restaurant, coffee house, public library, etc..
4. Always let someone know where you will be going and when you should return.
5. Never ride-share with someone you don't know.