Why Boundaries & Belonging Matter in Magical Communities

A Community Conversation Begins

On July 17th, we hosted a panel discussion in Penrith in Western Sydney (at The Cauldron of Wellbeing) exploring the importance of Boundaries and Belonging in the pagan, witchcraft, and occult communities in Sydney. 

A Panel of Diverse Traditions

Our goal was to spark an open and honest conversation across different traditions. We brought together three experienced practitioners; a Wiccan initiate and Witch, a Heathen Priestess and practitioner, and a Vodou Priest. 

The evening was designed almost as an interfaith-style dialogue, highlighting both the common ground and key differences in how these communities navigate group culture, consent, and expectations from Seekers and Teachers/Mentors alike. 

And whilst I cannot convey or capture the extremely rich conversation that we had as a group in a simple blog post, I can assure you, from some of the feedback I’ve heard, the evening was ‘eye-opening‘, ‘insightful‘, and ‘incredibly enriching‘.

What We Explored Together

I created this event to offer seekers and community members a framework to better understand:

• What different traditions and group structures look like,
• What kinds of behaviour are considered acceptable (or not),
• And how to spot red and green flags when engaging with covens, teachers and magical groups.

Tools for the Journey

The Boundaries & Belonging Resource Pack was created to accompany the event, giving attendees (and now you dear reader) some practical tools to explore your own path a little more mindfully. This forthcoming blog series will unpack each section of that resource pack, expanding on key themes and providing some ideas around each of the reflective prompts, community tools, and some additional thought-starters for your own journey.

What Comes Next

The July panel was just the beginning; I plan to host more of these discussions in the future. Stay tuned to the Pagan Fringe website for updates, consider adding yourself to our mailing list (you’ll get the first heads up for the limited seating tickets next time) and consider this blog series your invitation to join in the conversation here online. 

Maybe you have a burning question for the next panel? Perhaps you have a topic you’d like to hear more about? Drop me some feedback – I’d love to hear it!