Pagans tend to gather in small, close-knit, and deeply committed groups rather than mega-congregations. In our covens, groves, kindreds, and thiasoi,[1] every face is visible; every member matters. The better these groups function, the better they will nurture each member and contribute to the contemporary Pagan renaissance. My hope is to gather relevant and useful information from secular professionals regarding group dynamics and make that information available to Pagans.

Paganism is not a single religion; it is a cluster of closely related religions. Even within each major branch, there are major subdivisions: different Wiccan Traditions, reconstructionisms of several different historical Pagan religions, etc. Some groups exist within a lineage. They have a heritage of lore and elders to whom they can bring all sorts of questions. Others are self generated, people gathered around common beliefs who are creating their Path by their own exploration.

If the way we work and worship together should reflect and express our perceptions of the Sacred, and I believe it should, then all this Pagan diversity is a congruent and healthy expression of our polytheistic understanding of Deity. But it does make it confusing to think about effective group work. I urge readers to consider this information in terms of their own groups – the groups they hope to improve and the groups they hope to form – because these ideas will not apply in the same way to all Pagan groups. Please, take what you can use, adapt it to your own situation, and leave the rest!