On rare occasions the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel tradition as a whole is moved to make a public statement concerning happenings and situations within the world. Those statements can be found here.
The coven also follows the Tradition’s Code Of Ethics, a document to aid one in making choices in life. The Code Of Ethics can be found here.
Coven Philosophy on Privacy and Confidentiality
A coven, when healthy, is a place where the evolution of the mind, soul, heart, body and spirit toward wisdom and maturity is sought and provoked. This kind of growth usually involves a great deal of risk, discomfort and, at times, pain. Members should be able to share their thoughts, feelings, intuitions, and perceptions freely within the coven and count on the safety of the coven’s sacred space to support the process. The coven provides context, challenge, validation, encouragement, correction, support, resources and much more for members who are seeking growth. The coven is also the first place in which the new growth/wisdom is enacted before it translates into other parts of our lives. It is the place in which is safe to be challenged and shaken to our foundation and where we risk building again.
In order to provide this space for one another, it is expected that each member will adhere to and enforce the following:
- What is said in coven space stays in coven space and between coven members, unless specific permission has been given by all involved to share it.
- Members will not communicate anything said as a personal sharing by another member to anyone outside the coven.
- All personal conflicts or concerns between coven members will first be addressed and resolved directly between the involved members.
- Any member being triangulated into a personal argument will encourage the involved parties to speak to one another or to the HP/HPS.
- Concerns about the coven in general will be addressed openly at a meeting or with the HP/HPS as soon as possible.
- Members who are uncomfortable addressing the concern directly in the coven or with the HP/HPS are encouraged to discuss it with the ASW Elders.
- A healthy coven does not tolerate an atmosphere of negative and hurtful gossip, innuendo, or avoidance of personal responsibility. If the concern is not important enough for the member to address within the coven, with the HP/HPS, or with the Elders, it will be dropped.
Any member who has (1) breached another member’s reasonable expectation of privacy and confidentiality within the coven, (2) has promoted gossip, innuendo or persistently caused unnecessary conflict and strife within the coven due to a lack of personal maturity or (3) has demonstrated an inability to refrain sharing sensitive coven matters with those outside the coven will be asked to have a personal meeting with leadership to discuss the matter and may be asked to leave the coven.
Exceptions made for the health of members or the coven as a whole:
- Any member that believes that another member of the coven presents a danger to themselves or others will contact the appropriate authorities/services and notify the HP/HPS immediately.
- Any member may bring any concern about themselves or any other member to the HP/HPS.
- The HP/HPS will share information freely between them and there will be no expectation that anything said to one will not be communicated to the other. If it is about the coven and it is important enough to bring to leadership, there is no such thing as ‘off-the-record’.
- The HP/HPS may seek guidance from other ASW leadership, including the Elders on any matter.
- It is, of course, reasonable for members to share the intimate details of their lives with their significant other, but use discretion. Are you sharing something important to you or gossiping about another in a way that could hurt them if it got back to them?