The Dangers of a Group

Commentary by Naelyan Wyvern, translated by Pythia Draco. 

Here is a text I consider essential as a guideline for assessing whether a coven or tradition is trustworthy and serious. I highly recommend referring to it when evaluating groups, as it helps determine if they uphold strong ethics and morals. This is especially crucial for groups engaged in the practice of magick and witchcraft.

Choosing the right coven or initiatory group is crucial for personal and spiritual growth. Unfortunately, not all groups operate with integrity, and some may exploit their members emotionally, financially, or even spiritually. This text serves as an essential guideline for evaluating the ethics and safety of any coven, tradition, or initiator. It is based on the Cult Danger Evaluation Table by Isaac Bonewits (1979) and remains a valuable tool for identifying potential risks within spiritual groups. The Pathways of Shadows Tradition has long used this resource to help seekers navigate their journey wisely, and we strongly encourage anyone considering joining a group to review it carefully.

The Cult Danger Evaluation Table (Version 2.6) by Isaac Bonewits

This table was created to assess the level of risk posed by any religious or non-religious group. It provides a structured way to analyze a group’s behavior and leadership based on 18 key factors. Scores range from 1 (low risk) to 10 (high risk), offering insight into a group’s ethical standing.

Evaluation Factors:

1. Internal Control – Extent of power leaders hold over members.

2. External Control – Degree of political or social influence sought.

3. Leaders’ Knowledge/Wisdom – Claimed infallibility or unverifiable credentials.

4. Followers’ Trust in Leaders – Degree of unquestioning obedience.

5. Dogma – Rigidity of teachings; hostility toward different viewpoints.

6. Recruitment – Pressure to recruit new members.

7. Front Groups – Use of hidden subsidiary organizations.

8. Wealth – Financial expectations and leaders’ lifestyle.

9. Sexual Manipulation – Control over members’ personal relationships.

10. Sexual Favoritism – Preferential treatment based on sexual relations with leaders.

11. Censorship – Control over access to external opinions and sources of knowledge.

12. Isolation – Prevention of contact with outsiders.

13. Control Over Exiting Members – Efforts to prevent or coerce members into staying.

14. Violence – Endorsement of aggressive or harmful actions.

15. Paranoia – Exaggerated fear of enemies or conspiracies.

16. Excessive Hierarchical Obsession – Intolerance for humor or questioning.

17. Loss of Free Will – Suppression of personal decision-making.

18. Hypocrisy – Double standards and contradictions between teachings and actions.

How to Use the Table: Assign each factor a score from 1 (low concern) to 10 (high concern). The higher the total, the greater the potential danger.

Recognizing Signs of Spiritual Abuse

Inexperienced seekers may struggle to identify when a leader is crossing ethical boundaries. Here’s a real-life case that we observed, just as an example. A group of initiates reached out for guidance after growing uneasy about their high priestess’s demands. They were:

• Required to give a portion of their income to her, despite her refusal to work.
• Obligated to buy her groceries and clean her home on a rotating schedule.
• Controlled in their friendships, reading materials, and personal choices—including intimate relationships.

Unfamiliar with how a serious coven should operate, they initially assumed this was normal. However, when they sought clarification, they realized they were being exploited. Upon attempting to leave, they faced emotional manipulation, threats, and even magical attacks. With legal and spiritual support, they ultimately freed themselves—but the experience left them hesitant to trust another group.

Such situations highlight the importance of discernment and vigilance when joining any tradition.

The Hidden Dangers of Initiatory Relationships:

Beyond financial and emotional manipulation, there are subtler risks, such as transference, where students develop deep attachments to their initiators—sometimes idealizing them or believing they are the only ones who truly understand them. This can escalate into obsession, blurring personal and spiritual boundaries. Conversely, some initiators become dependent on their students’ admiration and seek to control them under the guise of mentorship. When an initiator discourages contact with other groups, restricts access to outside knowledge, or demands you to serve them in extreme ways, they have crossed a dangerous line.

Red Flags to Watch For

• Intrusive control over personal decisions.

• Discouraging interactions with other initiators or groups.

• Restricting access to external sources of knowledge.

• Using loyalty as a tool for manipulation

People from various states and countries have been reaching out to the Pathways of Shadows Tradition for guidance. Some of them have shared their past experiences with other covens, and I must admit, we were deeply concerned by some of the things we read. For years, we have referred to the text below specifically to guide new seekers and help them recognize the dangers they may face at the hands of unscrupulous or unprepared individuals attempting to take on the challenging role of an Initiator. I share it here because it remains absolutely relevant and necessary today. No matter how well-trained someone may be as an initiator, they are not immune to the pitfalls of the path, and of their own ego. Just as the priesthood comes with its own challenges, so too does the path of an initiator—and these challenges are often even more difficult.

A few years ago, a fellow witch and I received a deeply troubling email from someone. This email was what prompted me to translate Bonewits’ text. In it, the person described their experiences in a coven led by a high priestess. They and other members were growing increasingly uneasy about certain things happening within the group. They wrote to us because they wanted to know if what they were experiencing was normal; they were genuinely scared. If what they were going through was indeed standard practice, they would try to adapt, but if not, they wanted to warn the other members and leave the group. Here’s what they told us:

• Every member was required to donate a portion of their salary to the high priestess, who did not work and lived entirely off their money.
• They took turns buying groceries for her, a task they were obligated to fulfill.
• Each member was assigned a day to clean the high priestess’s home, which was also mandatory.
• She controlled what books they could read, what movies they could watch, and whether or not they could go to the cinema.
• She dictated whom they could befriend and whom they had to cut ties with, forbidding them from visiting certain people.
• She even controlled the frequency of intimate relations among the couples within the group.

Since none of them had ever been part of a coven before, they had no way of knowing whether these practices were standard. They sought guidance. My witch friend was shocked, as was I, but her initial reaction was that they got what they deserved: “How could anyone be so naive as to fall for something like that?” But I saw things differently. How could someone who has never been part of a group or had an initiator possibly know when leaders or fellow members are crossing the line? How can they evaluate what is right or wrong when they have no prior experience to compare it to? This is why we believe this text is so necessary, so seekers can be empowered to make informed choices, avoiding problematic groups. This is why we always reinforce the importance of integrity within serious covens, so seekers can learn how to discern if a group is serious and trustworthy.

Knowledge should be freely shared, not used as a means of control. Especially not magickal knowledge, that is so inherently sacred and undeniably dangerous if wielded by deceitful and self-entitled leaders. If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these warning signs, seek assistance—whether from friends, legal authorities, or spiritual advisors. No one should be subjected to spiritual slavery.

Source: www.neopagan.net/ABCDEF.html