Zooming Circles

I understand.

Important announcement

As many of you know this has been a very difficult 18 months. So much to cope with and understand. I would like you all to know I have really done my very best to consider everyone’s situations, choices and feelings.

As we come into the winter months it looks like things could be even more challenging. Currently New Paltz has 698 active cases of the covid variant and is number 2 in Ulster County, just behind Kingston. The number of positive cases is on the rise again and new mandates are being put out.

I usually don’t explain how I come to my decisions, but since this is a very unusual time, I thought it best to share how I have come to what I am announcing.

I will remind everyone that one of the core tenets of the Craft is “Do as thou will an it harm none.” Those of you who have taken Craft of the Wise know that AN means if. So, we as witches must take other members of the community into consideration as we make our choices and decisions.

Around 20% of our regular circle attendees remain unvaccinated, so, it is even more important that we all work together to do no harm. I am realistic and I know I cannot make everyone happy. Honestly, no matter what I do, someone will be disappointed, afraid, pressured, angry or hurt.

After dealing with this on my own for as long as I could, and then understanding that over the winter would bring even more pressure, I decided to seek the counsel of Craft Elders. I am not at liberty to say who said what, but I will say I spoke to Kate West, Ashley Mortimer, Janet & Gavin in the UK and the Gardnerian East Coast scribe. After taking that all in I had an ah-ha moment.

Here are some quotes – “Non-vaxers have been given a sabbatical”
“We are not gathering and everyone is operating as a solitary. I’m afraid it does not matter who you are death out-ranks everyone.”
“You are required by your oath to return safely home the same number of witches you have taken out”.
“No circles are being offered of any kind at this time. Very few meetings with only vaccinated members, outdoors masked and distanced by household. We are strongly of the opinion that no compulsion to serve handed down from our tradition would include an obligation to compromise any members health and safety. We will not zoom a ritual!”

AH-HA ! You know what, we have really done very well to continue to offer support and circles.
I have refused to only allow vaccinated people to gather, because I don’t want to lose unvaccinated people. I feel very uncomfortable allowing mixed people to gather, even if they are ok with it, I’m not - not on my watch if you understand. “An it harm none”.

So, on to the announcement. I have decided to make covid the enemy and shut it out of Circles.
There is nothing I can do about it other than that. I cannot control numbers, mandates, people’s choices, etc. Nor can I have it weigh on me weekly with people asking to be in each other’s company. I get it, I would love to have my life back too, but I cannot risk killing someone in the process.

Thank you for your time and efforts and know we really have done well. I would like to continue to offer the community a place. So, going forward until Spring or a miracle happens, we will all be Zoom only from home. This way my heart ache can heal and we can still be together.