A new moon and the Pagan new year. Since Samhain is the Pagan new year, Open Coven is honoring this and committing to a specific issue for the coming wheel of the year. Our activism will therefore focus on outreach regarding the Equal Rights Amendment. 
Through partnerships local and national we have tons of ideas to get the word out. If you're not familiar with Equal Rights Amendment, Open Coven urges you to stream the excellent and harrowing documentary Equal Means Equal. 
Until we get this amendment ratified, women are fighting with one hand tied behind their back.
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I looked up at the full moon, its paths so bright and I was filled enormous gratitude that I could simply take a moment and stand in the parking lot at work and drink in that beautiful light. I thought about all those who cannot experience the joy of everyday, the small things that are blessed because they have to attend to the bigger things – grief, pain, poverty, fear, injustice.
The goddess guides my work and reminds me daily of my privilege. She sends me teachers, she sends me failures as well as successes and walks with me.

Esbats are a time where I can sit in peace, drink some wine, burn incense and pet my cat. I recharge. It is common at this time to do spell work. It is tempting, given the power at this time to choose spell work that will afford us something personally. Wealth or love. However, I humbly suggest this:

​If you are fortunate enough to live a life where you can hold space, burn incense, conduct a ritual in full joy, then you may have everything you need. You may even have more that you need. And if that is the case than you have so much power to turn to those who need you. Don’t ignore that power. This world is in pain, we are all responsible for healing it. The goddess is calling all of us. 
Blessed Be - LizW

Recently some Open Coven members were involved in a local event that invited the incredible activist Bree Newsome to talk. Her portrait is part of a  project called "Americans Who Tell the Truth". Before the talk took place there had been rumors that white supremacists might show up to cause trouble. So we Open Coveners decided to do a private but powerful action of our own to contribute to the safety of all involved.

The event was peaceful. Her talk was astounding in its breadth of knowledge and insight and a link to her talk is forthcoming. 

In the meantime, please use with our blessings this simple spell to protect yourselves as you seek to speak out against injustices everywhere. We used a protection oil from our local witchcraft shop, but you can use mix of dried herbs (rosemary is great protective one) or some water that was charged at a full moon ritual. If you use the spell we want to hear from you, how it went and what you used it for.
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