Bylaws & Structure

The Coven of the Veiled Moon is a learning circle, a working coven, and a fellowship of witches devoted to the thoughtful, ethical, and creative practice of the Craft. Our structure is simple but deliberate, designed to protect the integrity of our work while allowing the flexibility that modern, decentralized witchcraft requires. These bylaws are a living document—shaped through consensus, refined through ritual, and rooted in mutual respect.

Purpose and Ethos

Our purpose is to grow in knowledge, practice, and spiritual depth while honoring the web of relationships that sustains us. We uphold a foundation of consent, study, service, integrity, inclusivity, and accountability. We believe witchcraft carries responsibilities as well as freedoms. It is both art and discipline. Our work emphasizes intention, ethical alignment, and awareness of consequence. We honor the sources that guide us, understanding that wisdom is best shared, cited, and preserved for those who come after us.

We acknowledge that many of our members live openly as witches while others must remain discreet. Privacy, respect, and discretion are therefore fundamental values within our circle. We use our chosen craft names for public or external communications to protect privacy while honoring magical identity.

Membership Path and Circles

Membership in the Coven follows a gradual and meaningful process: application, welcome and initiation, oath, one full year of participation, and then confirmation as a voting member. The stages mirror the rhythm of the seasons and the waxing and waning of the Moon, allowing time for discernment on both sides.

At the heart of the Coven is the Founders’ Circle, the original stewards of our Grimoire and the ones who chair meetings, oversee records, and ensure that our actions align with the ethics and needs of the collective. They do not govern by decree but by facilitation, oversight, and care.

The Inner Coven consists of fully initiated members who have completed their first year of study and service. They are the voting body of the Coven, mentors to those entering the path, and keepers of our evolving ritual culture. The Inner Coven shares responsibility for teaching, ritual work, and community projects, and they vote on all matters of policy, membership, and coven business.

The Waxing Moon Dedicants—our term for those in their first year—are newly initiated members who are learning, observing, and finding their rhythm within the circle. The title “Waxing Moon” reflects growth and illumination rather than hierarchy. Dedicants participate in all learning and ritual activities but do not vote until the completion of their year and a day cycle. At that point, a simple majority vote from the Inner Coven confirms them as full members.

Finally, the Auxiliary Circle includes trusted collaborators who assist the Coven in specific capacities such as research, tool-making, paranormal investigation, or technical work. They are not voting members but are bound by the same ethics, confidentiality, and respect as all who serve the circle.

Application, Selection, and Initiation

Applications are gathered between Sabbats and reviewed by the Founders’ Circle in advance of the next Initiation Window. This process includes a brief interview or conversation to ensure that the candidate’s intentions and energy align with the Coven’s rhythm and purpose. Applicants are notified one month prior to the Initiation Sabbat. If an application is deferred, guidance may be given for reapplication in the next cycle.

Initiation includes a welcome ritual, review of the bylaws, acknowledgment of the Oath of Membership, and orientation to our shared platforms and ethics. The year that follows is a period of exploration and reflection, allowing the new member to discover whether this path—and this Coven—is the right shared spiritual home.

Responsibilities and Rights

The Founders’ Circle maintains the coven Grimoire, oversees meetings, ensures ethical adherence, and acts as a point of mediation in times of conflict. The Inner Coven exercises voting rights, proposes new projects, mentors Dedicants, and helps shape ritual and learning. Dedicants participate actively in learning, practice, and service but refrain from voting until confirmed. Auxiliary members contribute to specific projects or roles as invited and observe the same codes of privacy and conduct.

All members are expected to act in good faith, to respect the autonomy of others, and to remember that power in witchcraft is balanced by accountability. Participation is both a privilege and a responsibility.

Meetings, Quorum, and Voting

Because we are an international and decentralized coven, most meetings take place online. Sabbat and/or lunar check-ins serve as both ritual and business gatherings. A quorum requires at least half of all voting members to be present or participating asynchronously. Standard motions pass by a simple majority, while amendments to these bylaws or to the Grimoire require a two-thirds vote. Expulsion of a member requires a three-quarters vote of the full membership. Votes may be taken asynchronously through secure polls, with results archived alongside meeting notes.

The Grimoire and Knowledge Stewardship

The Coven’s Grimoire is both a record and a living document. It contains rituals, essays, research, and notes from our collective practice. The Founders maintain custodianship, ensuring that entries are clear, safe, and ethically sourced. Any member may propose additions, and all contributors are credited by their chosen name. Older versions of texts are preserved for historical record, and no material is shared publicly without the consent of its author or the approval of the Founders’ Council. The Grimoire reflects the voice of the Coven—not of any single witch.

Ethics, Safety, and Consent

Our ethical code is simple: act with awareness, consent, and compassion. All energy work, spirit contact, divination and rituals are sober, intentional spaces—tools, blades, and flame are used responsibly and with respect. Minors may not participate. We recognize that power, whether magical or social, must never be abused.

Privacy, Representation, and External Communication

Members are free to identify publicly as members of the Coven of the Veiled Moon, but no one may speak or act on behalf of the Coven without approval. Public interviews, collaborations, or statements that represent the Coven as an organization must be cleared in advance. Members may share personal reflections on their experiences, but they may not present their individual beliefs or workings as official Coven doctrine.

No photographs, recordings, or transcripts of rituals or meetings may be published without the consent of all participants. Privacy is sacred.

Conflict Resolution and Conduct

Conflict is approached as an opportunity for repair and learning rather than division. Members are encouraged to resolve differences through direct, respectful conversation. If additional support is needed, a facilitated dialogue may be requested. Should issues persist, the matter may advance to formal review by the Founders’ Circle.

Disciplinary action may be considered in cases of harassment, breach of privacy, unethical or unsafe conduct, misrepresentation of the Coven, or endangerment of others. Remedies follow a clear progression: guidance, formal warning, suspension, and—if necessary—expulsion by a three-quarters vote of the full membership.

In urgent or public matters, the Founders may represent the Coven to protect its integrity and reputation. Members are likewise encouraged to develop their own practice and creative expression, while remaining mindful that no individual speaks for the Coven without council consent.

Participation and Attendance

Active participation is essential to the health of the circle. Members are expected to attend or report in for Sabbat check-ins. If life demands a pause, a leave of absence is understood. Non-response for multiple meetings may trigger review of membership standing. The intention is not punishment, but clarity and communication.

Finances and Stewardship

The Coven of the Veiled Moon functions as a non-profit collective, sustained through shared effort and voluntary contribution. All donations and communal funds are recorded and managed by a fiscal custodian appointed by the Founders’ Council. No member may use the Coven’s name, symbols, or resources for personal financial gain.

Funds received are dedicated to the maintenance of the Coven, the preservation of our digital and ritual spaces, and the support of collective endeavors such as special purchases, gatherings, workshops, and retreats that enrich the spiritual and communal life of our circle.

Amendments and Living Process

These bylaws may be amended through a two-thirds vote of the voting membership. Our practices are reviewed periodically to ensure that it continues to reflect the realities of our shared path.

Closing Note

We use the term “Dedicant” rather than “novice” to emphasize that learning is a sacred phase, not a lesser one. Our structure—Founders, Inner Coven, Dedicants, and Auxiliary—reflects both tradition and adaptation, honoring the wisdom of the past while meeting the needs of the present.

May these bylaws serve as both foundation and compass, guiding us in harmony, respect, and shared purpose.

Blessed be.