The Aspen Tradition

🔮 Opening Invocation

When we enter the circle, we do so to align our energies, our intent, and our purpose. The circle has no beginning and no ending. Like the round table, no one sits at the head—we are all equal. So where do we turn for leadership?

In Wicca, leadership must be cultivated, chosen, and voluntarily offered. It is not imposed, inherited, or demanded. It arises from devotion, from the willingness to serve, and from the courage to guide others through mystery and transformation.

🌿 Sacred Sovereignty and the Spiral Path

In modern Wicca, leadership is seen in those who are willing to serve—to teach and mentor, to create and facilitate group rites, to hold space with integrity and care. Our leaders are those who give of their time and energy to share their knowledge, to uplift others, and to tend the sacred flame of community.

The best High Priests are weavers and guides, whose authority flows from devotion—not dominance. They do not command; they co-create. They do not elevate themselves; they elevate the circle.

🐍 The Ouroboros and the Cycle of Leadership

The Ouroboros, a serpent consuming its own tail, reminds us that leadership is cyclical. It must renew itself through mentorship, not stagnate in self-reference. Each leader holds an obligation: to train the next generation, to pass the torch to those who show willingness, maturity, a strong moral compass, and a devotion to lifelong learning.

If we do not cultivate leadership, we risk two outcomes: no one steps forward, or those who do are pure of heart but ill-equipped. Our survival as a tradition depends on teaching our history, sharing our tools, and preparing others to lead with wisdom and care.

📚 Honoring Our Teachers and Training Paths

We honor those who teach. As the Council of American Witches affirmed:

“We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of themselves in leadership.”

We extend this honor to those who champion balance—who give of themselves in time, money, knowledge, and care so that others may rise.

Formal training offers preparation for this sacred work. The Aspen Tradition recognizes and uplifts:

• 🏛️ Cherry Hill Seminary
• 🕯️ Wolsten-Steen Theological Seminary
• 🌕 Aquarian Tabernacle Church
• 🌿 Temple of Witchcraft

These institutions provide grounding, mentorship, and community. What other places have helped you on your Spiral Path? Let us name and celebrate them.

🚩 Red Flags in Spiritual Leadership

Even in decentralized traditions, harm can take root. Here are common red flags to watch for:

• A single figure elevated above all others
• Isolation tactics: “You can only trust me”
• Coerced intimacy disguised as sacred connection
• Control of information or emotional dependence
• Arrogance or refusal to be held accountable
• Cliques or favoritism that exclude others
• Lack of transparency in decision-making or finances
• Overreliance on charisma without spiritual depth
• Dismissal of outside help or peer collaboration
• Exploiting spiritual gifts for personal gain

Leadership must be transparent, consensual, and accountable. The circle must remain open to emergence.

💸 Sacred Service and the Ethics of Exchange

Many professional witches offer services that deserve compensation:

• 📖 Authoring books and teaching courses
• 🎤 Public speaking and workshops
• 🔮 Tarot readings, rune casting, astrology charts
• 🕯️ Creating altar tools, ritual garb, sacred oils and jewelry

Charging for these offerings is ethical when done with clarity, fairness, and care. Selling membership in a coven or group may include a nominal fee to cover mailings or expenses. Public rites—such as Samhain celebrations—may also carry a fee, but these should never be exorbitant and should be waived for those in economic hardship.

Money is one form of sacred exchange. Let it be offered with integrity, not exploitation.

🧓 Honoring Our Elders

We rightfully honor those who have dedicated years of service to teaching, mentoring, and ritual leadership. We honor those who craft our tools, cast our runes, sing our songs, and make our art.

Let us lift up the bards, the builders, the guides, and the quiet keepers of tradition.

♒ Decentralization as Devotional Practice

The best leaders serve and lift others up. They help others see their worth, include them in the crafting of ritual, encourage participation, and build confidence. Decentralization is trust in collective wisdom.

Leadership in Wicca is a devotional act. It is the art of empowering others, not controlling them.

🔥 Closing Charge: Priesthood as Liberatory Practice

Toni Morrison reminds us:

“If you are free, you need to free somebody else. If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else.”

Let this be our charge:

• Learn what you can
• Share what you’ve learned with ethically aligned seekers
• Lift those who have little
• Humbly share your blessings if you’ve been gifted with more

🕯️ Closing Ritual: A Meditation of Gratitude and Continuity

Sit quietly. Light a candle. Close your eyes.

Bring to mind someone who believed in you before you believed in yourself. A teacher. A parent. A friend. A mentor. A guide.

Feel their presence. Recall their words, their gestures, their support. Let gratitude rise in your chest. Let it warm your heart.

Now, speak their name aloud. Whisper a blessing for them. And ask yourself: Who can I uplift in turn?

Visualize passing the torch—your wisdom, your care, your encouragement— to someone who needs it. Someone who is ready to rise.

When you’re ready, open your eyes. Write their name. Reach out. Begin the cycle anew.