The North Door

The North Door is a Study and Exploration group or “circle”. We meet four times a year to go on fun learning adventures such as full moon crystal mining, plant identification hikes, and craft workshops. You can meet other solitary practitioners, members of other nearby covens and groups, and members of the North Door coven.

If you are sincerely interested in meeting in real life around the Lake Ouachita area of Arkansas, you are welcome to join the North Door SE invitation list! We meet primarily in Montgomery, or sometimes Garland, Polk, or Yell Counties.

1. In order to receive invitations to meetings, you must fill out the application.
2. To continue receiving invitations, you must attend at least ONE meeting a year (there are only four).
3. You must also agree to abide by the code of conduct outlined below.

What is the North Door SE?
The North Door Study and Explore Circle is a small, very private study group consisting of Pagans and Witches in the conservative areas surrounding Mount Ida, Mena, Glenwood, and Hot Springs. This Study Circle is an educational outreach (outer court) of a closed coven. Members of the Study Circle may be invited to closed coven rituals, festivals, and Sabbats after a year or so of attending meetings.

The Study Circle meets FOUR times a year for intensive learning and “field trips”. Field trips in the past have been to dig quartz crystals, take plant identification hikes, observe meteor showers and identify constellations, canoe down the Caddo River, practice psychic skill exercises in public areas, etc. Intensive classes have covered herbs, foraging, magical paper making, tinctures & potions, tarot, healing, gardening, sigils & symbols, runes, and many other skills.

WHAT IS A MEETING LIKE?
Most meetings consist of semi-formal instruction for an hour, followed by informal discussion for another 30 minutes to an hour, naturally blending into a very informal celebration, chatting, music, feasting, dancing, whatever for another hour or even a few hours. Meetings end when everyone eventually drifts off to tend to life’s obligations. The average meeting length is 2 1/2 to 4 hours, field trips and campouts are, of course, sometimes longer. Because we are in a rural area, membership is spread out and there may be only 3 people at one meeting, and then 28 at the next. Carpooling is sometimes available and snacks are usually available.

OUR GOALS
Our primary purpose is to connect with other open-minded Witches and Pagans in the community to exchange a vast wealth of knowledge and experiences. Our secondary goal is to provide everyone a private network of trusted people you can call upon when you need officiant, priest/priestess, or clergy services (weddings, handfastings, Wiccanings, requiem rites, blessings, cleansings, etc.) or other spiritual services, or just a sympathetic ear.

WHAT PATH DO WE TRAVEL?
All paths are welcome. Please keep in mind that our emphasis is on Witchcraft, general Paganism, and Wicca. Members have backgrounds in Dianic, Alexandrian, Gardnerian and eclectic Wicca, Norse Paganism, and non-denominational Witchcraft. The group is organized by the noted author of the Practical Witch’s Almanac, Friday Gladheart.

CODE OF CONDUCT

**** Positive, life-affirming paths only.
**** Gender norms are not required, but a respect for what is considered “feminine” or for the Goddess is required.
**** What happens at Study Circle stays at Study Circle.
**** Any written materials shared are for your personal use only, are copyrighted, and may not be copied, shared, or distributed.
**** Do not reveal the identity of any other Members.
**** Do not collect the contact information of other Members without express permission from both the member and the organizer.
**** Do not discuss politics.
**** Cell phones must have a visible band-aid covering the camera lens. Pictures taken during field trips must not contain any other members without their permission.
**** Members may not extend invitations. Your single invitation is YOURS and contains a PLUS ONE. Your ONE guest must also abide by all of the requirements and is considered to be “under your house” meaning that if they get booted, so do you.
**** The Code of Conduct “Please Don’t Even Bother” Category: Those who do not agree with Declaration 127, are into “Dark” paths, or worship Satan are not going to enjoy the Study Circle. Anyone showing predatory behavior will be promptly uninvited. Constantly begging for money or energy work will get you uninvited.
More Declaration 127 Info: http://www.declaration127.com/

DRESS CODE & ATTIRE
The Study Circle is a collection of solitary practitioners, members of nearby groups and covens, and members from the ND closed coven. Most members are in the broom closet and risk their lives and livelihoods if their spiritual paths are revealed. Due to living in VERY conservative areas within a conservative state, we are not a flamboyant group in public but do have 10 acres of private ritual land where we let loose. Study circles are NOT skyclad and although sexuality and sensuality have a place in spirituality, the Study Group is not an appropriate setting. In other words, this isn’t a dating or hook-up resource. Field trip invitations will included recommendations if necessary such as “wear old clothes as the red dirt at the crystal mines stains badly” or “we are starting our meeting in a conservative town where two members are well known to locals but are in the broom closet, please do not wear visible pentacles or Witchy attire while in town”. When meeting at private locations, we’ll let you know you can get all Witchy with it!

SOCIAL MEETINGS
At least once a year we have a social gathering at a public place, usually a restaurant in Hot Spring, occasionally it is pot luck on Lake Ouachita (party barge!). This is the best circle to attend to meet others and get a feel for the group to see if it fits what you are looking for.

REQUIREMENTS:

***** You must be 18 years or older to attend the Study Circles (and yes we will check your ID). We are not involved in illicit “adult” stuff, we just don’t need the hassle of disapproving parents and guardians lighting us on fire. *****You must be a sincere seeker. We are not interested in an audience for our study circles, you must be a participant. If you are a student writing a paper – or an open-minded but devout Christian, that is wonderful, but there are open groups in Hot Springs, Cabot, Fayetteville, and Little Rock that can offer you interviews and public rituals which will better suit your needs. *****Except for special circumstances discussed with the organizer(s), you must attend at least one study circle a year to continue to receive invitations to future events. If you miss 4 circles and have not discussed it with the organizer(s), your information is dropped and we do not keep your record. In this case, contact Friday to re-commence invitations.

WHY REQUIRED ATTENDANCE?
We use our own money orchestrate wonderful study circles like no other.

This involves reserving crystal mines (yes, the entire mine!), planetariums, restaurants, park pavilions, party barges, etc. Hiring speakers such as plant specialists and forestry guides, and we also invest in training supplies such as candles, books, herbs, tarot decks, even silver! When no one shows, we are out the $ and it becomes more difficult for us to make reservations again. Every person in the group has at least one job, and most have several. Events are planned over 45 days in advance to give everyone a good deal of time to arrange schedules. If you cannot make time for ND at least once a year, then ND does not have time for you.

DATING & SEXUALITY
This is not a wild skyclad coven with 50 shades of the Great Rite. This is a STUDY & EXPLORATION GROUP. Any relationships that may or may not develop naturally through socializing are welcome, but this is NOT the focus of the study group.

HOW TO BE INVITED
If you would like to be invited to the next Study Circle, copy the Invitation Request Form below into an email, answer all the questions and send it to us. You may not receive an immediate reply, but you will receive an invitation to the next ND meeting.

PRIVACY
Our record-keeping is by paper only, and we keep only one copy of our members. This single written copy is encrypted in such a way as to be unusable by anyone other than the organizer(s). Your record will only contain your nickname and the contact method you provide. Privacy is a high priority at the North Door!

We send invitations by email, text message, phone call, or snail mail, whichever you prefer. You are not added to any mailing lists, email is sent out one invitation at a time and your information is not shared with anyone other than the group organizer (Friday G.). You are welcome to network with other members during study circles, but always respect their privacy preferences and NEVER create a contact list of any kind that includes all the North Door members.

INVITATION REQUEST FORM

? What name do you go by? _________________

? How would you like invitations to be sent? Pick one:

¦ Phone:
A) Phone Call (do not leave voice mail/message)
B) Phone Call (voice mail/message is okay)
C) Text Message

Number with area code ____________________

¦ Email:

Email address: _________________________

¦ Snail Mail:

Mailing Address ________________________

---

City______________________ State_________ Zip_________

?1. Do you have a path? In other words are you a Witch, Pagan, or Wiccan? Is there a different label that describes you?

?2. What is your educational background in the Craft? What books have you READ (not just own), have you been part of a coven?

?3. Do you have any dietary restrictions or food allergies? (We often have treats available, let us know if you are gluten-free, vegan, allergic to anything, etc.)

?4. What are your interests in classes? Tarot and Divination? Herbalism & Gardening? Spells, Healing & Energy Work? Rites, Rituals & Deities? Etc.