The following bylaws are established for the purpose of providing a secure foundation for the daily running of and perpetuation of Tangled Moon Coven of the Oak, Ash, and Thorn Tradition of the Wiccan religion.

Section One - Establishment and Purpose

A. Tangled Moon ("TM" or "the Coven") is hereby established as a member coven of the Oak, Ash, and Thorn Tradition (also referred to herein as "OATh" or "the Tradition,") of the Wiccan religion, dedicated to the worship of the Lady and the Lord as They exemplify the balance of the universe, meeting to worship at times appointed by the turning of the seasons and the phases of the moon, and guided by the Coven's Initiates' Council in accordance with these bylaws, the bylaws of the Oak, Ash, and Thorn Tradition, the advice of the Tradition's Heartwood Council, and the traditions of the Wiccan community.

B. Tangled Moon has been established for the following purposes:

1. To facilitate the practice of the Wiccan religion in the form and manner considered most suitable by the members of the Coven.

2. To provide a safe and supportive environment for free religious expression by Wiccans and other neo-pagans.

3. To identify, develop, and train caring and competent clergy and ritual leaders to serve the Wiccan community by means of the Oak, Ash, and Thorn Tradition's three-degree initiatory system.

Section Two - Organization and Structure of the Coven

In accordance with the Bylaws of the Tradition, Tangled Moon shall be structured and organized as follows: the Coven shall consist of the High Priestess and High Priest, the Coven Initiates' Council, and the general membership of the Coven. The offices of High Priest and High Priestess, and the Initiates' Council, are discussed below. Membership in the Coven is addressed in Section Three.

Article I - The High Priestess and High Priest

A. Ideally, both the High Priestess (HPS) and the High Priest (HP) of Tangled Moon shall be Third Degree initiates in the Oak, Ash, and Thorn Tradition. However, at a minimum, either the High Priestess or the High Priest of Tangled Moon must be a Third Degree initiate of the Tradition.

1. The High Priest/ess shall be responsible for overseeing rituals and meeting the spiritual needs of the Coven and its individual members as he or she sees fit.

2. The HPS/HP shall be responsible for establishing policies for Tangled Moon, and for making these known to the Founder or the High Priest/ess of the Tradition. These policies may be peculiar to the Coven, and may be either oral or written policies at the discretion of the HPS/HP of the Coven. Coven policies shall neither circumvent nor contradict the Bylaws of OATh. Where a conflict is found to exist between the Bylaws of the Tradition and the Bylaws or policies of the Coven, the Bylaws of the Tradition shall take precedence.

3. The HPS/HP shall be assisted in his or her duties by her or his HP/HPS. In the event that the office of HP or HPS is rendered vacant by the death, incapacitation, or retirement of the incumbent, the remaining incumbent shall select, with the advice and consent of the Founder or High Priest/ess of the Tradition and the Heartwood Council, another Third Degree initiate of the Tradition who celebrates with Tangled Moon on a regular basis to assume the office of HPS or HP.

4. If another Third Degree initiate of the Tradition is not available to serve in this office, the HPS/HP of the Coven shall choose, with the advice and consent of the Heartwood and the Founder or High Priest/ess of the Tradition, another initiate of the Tradition who celebrates on a regular basis with Tangled Moon to perform these duties until such time as a Third Degree initiate of the appropriate gender is available to assume the office.

5. In the unlikely event that the offices of High Priestess and High Priest shall by some mischance both become vacant at the same time, the Initiates' Council of Tangled Moon Coven shall convene, and shall elect, (with the advice and consent of the Heartwood Council and the Founder or High Priest/ess of the Tradition,) from among the Third Degree initiates of the Tradition who celebrate with Tangled Moon on a regular basis, some individual to assume the office of HPS or HP. If it should happen that there are at that time no other Third Degree initiates of the Tradition who celebrate with Tangled Moon on a regular basis, then the Initiates' Council shall petition the Heartwood Council for assistance in resolving the matter.

B. The Founding High Priestess and High Priest of the Coven

1. The High Priestess and High Priest of Tangled Moon at the time the Coven is formally recognized as a separate coven within the OATh Tradition shall be considered to be the Founding High Priestess and Founding High Priest of the Coven

2. The Founders shall have the authority to dissolve the Coven at any time, with the consent of the Heartwood Council and the Founder or High Priest/ess of the Tradition. In the event of the dissolution of the Coven, these bylaws shall become null and void, and no member of the Coven, with the exception of the Founders, shall use the name "Tangled Moon" in connection with any other Wiccan or neo-pagan organization.

3. The Founders shall have the authority to perpetuate the Coven in the event of their death, incapacitation, or retirement from the performance of their duties by designating successors from among the Third Degree initiates of the Tradition who celebrate with Tangled Moon on a regular basis.

Article II - The Initiates' Council

Tangled Moon shall have a Council consisting of all the initiates of the Tradition and those initiates in other Traditions whose initiations have been accepted by the Coven Initiates' Council, or by the Heartwood Council, as being equivalent to an OATh initiation (as provided for in the Bylaws of the Tradition,) who attend the rituals of the Coven at least once per quarter. This Initiates' Council shall advise the HPS/HP of the Coven concerning matters of Coven policy.

A. The HPS or HP may appoint subordinate officers from among the Initiates' Council to meet specific needs as she or he deems fit.

B. The HPS/HP shall convene meetings of the Initiates' Council on a regular basis, but no
less often than quarterly, and shall report on said meetings to the Founder or the High Priest/ess of the Tradition.

C. As a matter of courtesy, members of Tangled Moon who are initiates in Traditions other than Oak, Ash, and Thorn, and whose initiations have not been accepted as equivalent to an OATh initiation, may be permitted, at the sole discretion of Tangled Moon's HP or HPS, to attend meetings of the Coven's Initiates' Council in a non-voting status.

Article III - Circles

In accordance with the Bylaws of the Tradition, members of Tangled Moon may form Circles.

A. A Circle may consist of any members of Tangled Moon who meet together on a regular basis for a specific purpose other than the celebration of ritual. Circles may be established for any purpose in keeping with these Bylaws, the Bylaws of the Tradition, and the traditions of the Wiccan community.

B. The members of the Circle may choose to open membership to other persons not currently members of Tangled Moon or of OATh but who are legal adults.

C. The establishment of a Circle by members of Tangled Moon is subject to review by the High Priest or High Priestess of Tangled Moon, and the Founder or the High Priest/ess of the Tradition, but is not contingent on a formal recognition as is the establishment of a Coven.

D. Any Circle formed by members of Tangled Moon shall make regular reports of their activities to the High Priest/ess of Tangled Moon.

Section Three - Membership

Article I - Guests

Any person who wishes to attend a Tangled Moon ritual as a guest must convey that desire to an initiate of the Coven. The initiate will arrange for the prospective guest to meet with the HPS/HP of the Coven. (The HPS/HP may designate a member of the Coven's Initiates' Council to meet with the prospective guest in her or his place.)

A. The prospective guest must meet with the HP/HPS, or with his or her representative, at least 24 hours prior to the time of the ritual which they wish to attend.

B. The HPS/HP, or his or her representative, has the right to deny attendance as a guest at any Coven ritual or activity to any person who makes such a request.

C. No person who is not legally an adult shall be allowed to attend any Coven ritual or activity unless in the company of his or her parent(s) or legal guardian(s).

D. For rituals or events that are Tradition-wide in nature, as opposed to being sponsored or conducted by an individual Coven within the Tradition, the procedure for obtaining approval to attend as a guest shall be the same, except that the prospective guest must meet with a member of the Heartwood Council, rather than with the HPS/HP of the individual Coven. (Note: As all HPS/HP of Covens within the Tradition are ex officio members of the Heartwood, a meeting with a Coven HPS/HP will fulfill this requirement.)

Article II - Behavior of Members

All members of the Coven shall conduct themselves in a manner in keeping with the Wiccan Rede: "An it harm none, do as ye will"; and in accordance with the traditional stricture that Wiccans should deal with one another in a spirit of "perfect love and perfect trust".

A. All members of Tangled Moon are expected to conduct themselves in a manner in keeping with the these Bylaws, the Bylaws of OATh, and the traditions of the Wiccan community.

B. Furthermore, we hold that every individual has the right to be secure and respected in his or her own person: in body, in mind, and in spirit. Therefore, Tangled Moon will neither countenance nor tolerate the following on the part of any celebrant, student, or initiate:

1. The use of Baneful Magic. This shall include both the current practice and the teaching of baneful magic whether alone or in conjunction with another member of Tangled Moon or with any other person. Members are expected to disclose any past practice or teaching of baneful magic to an initiate of the Coven, and may doso without fear of reprisal. However, the willful failure to disclose such activity shall be subject to disciplinary action.

2. The use or possession of illegal drugs at or in connection with TM rituals or activities.

3. Forcing or coercing another individual to participate in sexual activity against his or her desires, or to consume mind-altering substances against his or her will; or requiring complete or partial nudity of any individual against his or her will; or obtaining consent to any of these by deception or misrepresentation, or under color of authority, regardless of the circumstances under which these actions take place.

4. Any deliberate action directed toward another individual that is calculated to cause injury, harm or pain; be it physical, mental or emotional, where it is clear that the member in doing so has acted inappropriately, out of proportion to the circumstances, or in abuse of his or her discretion.

C. Any member of Tangled Moon who violates the standards outlined above shall be subject to disciplinary action as set forth below under Section Four - Grievances & Disciplinary Actions, Articles II & III.

Article III - Celebrants

A celebrant shall be defined as anyone who regularly (i.e. at least quarterly) attends the Coven's rituals, including students and initiates of any degree.

A. All celebrants must be legally adult, unless they are in the company of their parent(s) or legal guardian(s).

B All celebrants are expected to pay a monthly tithe, as set by the High Priest and High Priestess, and approved by the Coven's Initiates' Council and the Founder or High Priest/ess of the Tradition. However, no person shall be prevented from attending ritual solely on the grounds that he or she has not paid his or her tithe.

1. Tithes shall be used by the Coven to fund the rent of ritual space, the purchase of ritual supplies, and the purchase of books or other materials for a Coven library. The High Priest and High Priestess will insure that an adequate record of monies received and expended on behalf of the Coven is kept. Any expenditures outside of the regular operating expenses of the Coven must be approved by the High Priest and High Priestess of the Coven and the Founder or High Priest/ess of the Tradition.

2. Celebrants who regularly attend rituals with more than one Coven may petition the Founder or High Priest/ess of the Tradition, or the High Priest/ess of all of the individual Covens which they attend to waive all or part of their tithes to any Coven other than the one which they attend primarily or on whose Initiates' Council they sit.

3. Tithes are not required of celebrants for attendance at the Coven's rituals but may be required for the use of the Coven's properties at the discretion of the HPS/HP of the Coven.

Article IV - Students

A student of Tangled Moon shall be defined as any celebrant who is actively studying for
Initiation within the Oak, Ash, and Thorn Tradition under the preceptorship of an initiate member of the Coven, as approved by the Coven Initiates' Council.

A. All students of Tangled Moon must be legally adult.

B. The procedure for becoming a student is as follows:

1. The celebrant shall make her or his intention to study for Initiation clearly known to an initiate of the Coven.

2. The initiate shall bring this information to the Initiates' Council of the Coven, who may then accept this celebrant as a student.

3. Upon acceptance the student shall be assigned a teacher from within the Initiates' Council of the Coven, who shall then supervise the student's training toward Initiation.

i. This teacher shall be opposite in gender to the student, and may be neither a member of the student's immediate family nor a person with whom the student is romantically involved.

ii. A review of the Bylaws of the Tradition and Coven, and the traditions of the Wiccan community, shall be covered during the first formal lesson unless the student already holds a degree within the Tradition.

iii. A student who does not live close enough to the Coven to make face-to-face instruction practical may be taught by correspondence.

a. A correspondence student must have at least one face-to-face meeting with his or her teacher prior to the student's OATh Initiation so the teacher may form an impression of the student's ritual competence. This meeting will be scheduled at the convenience of both the teacher and student.

b. The Initiation of the correspondence student must be performed at a ritual conducted by a member coven of the Tradition, or by the Tradition as a whole. This Initiation will be scheduled at the convenience of both the teacher and student.

iv. Celebrant members of Tangled Moon who are initiates in a Tradition other than OATh may act as preceptors to Tangled Moon students, provid ed that the initiate's degree has been accepted as equivalent to an OATh degree by the Heartwood Council, or the Coven Initiates' Council, in accordance with theTradition's Bylaws, and provided that the initiate agrees to follow the OATh curriculum and requirements.

v. Alternatively, a student may be provisionally accepted as a student of Tangled Moon by an initiate of the Tradition who is also a member of the Coven, pending approval of the Coven's Initiates' Council. If this approval is not forthcoming, he or she shall be considered a personal student of that initiate, but not a student of Tangled Moon.

Article V - Initiates

Within Tangled Moon, an initiate member shall be defined as any celebrant member of Tangled Moon who has received Initiation from an initiate of the Tradition during a ritual
conducted by a member coven of the Tradition, or by the Tradition as a whole; or whose initiation in another Tradition has been accepted as being equivalent to an OATh initiation by the Heartwood Council or the Coven Initiates' Council.

A. Initiate members of the Coven shall be responsible for conducting the business of the Coven, under the supervision of the High Priest/ ess, as follows:

1. Initiate members are encouraged to attend meetings of the Coven Initiates' Council to advise the High Priest/ess of the Coven.

2. Initiate members shall teach the methods, traditions, and customs of OATh to their students within the Tradition.

3. Initiate members are expected to regularly contribute to the teaching lore of the Tradition.

B. For a student to be initiated in the OATh Tradition, he or she must complete the curriculum prescribed by the Heartwood Council for the degree in which he or she seeks initiation, and must fulfill the following requirements:

1. The prospective initiate must demonstrate ritual competence during a ritual conducted by a member coven of the Tradition, or by the Tradition as a whole, to the satisfaction of those initiates of the Tradition (other than the student's preceptor,) present who hold a degree equal to or higher than that for which the person is studying.

2. The prospective initiate's name must be brought by his or her teacher before the Coven Initiates' Council, and receive, by a two-thirds majority of those initiates holding a degree equal to or higher than that for which the person is studying, the Council's approval for Initiation.

3. For Initiations in the Third Degree, the prospective initiate must also be approved by the Founder or the High Priest/ess of the Tradition.

C. Celebrant members of Tangled Moon who have been initiated in another Tradition may seek to have that initiation accepted by OATh as being equivalent to an OATh initiation as outlined in the Bylaws of the Tradition.

Section Four - Grievances & Disciplinary Actions

Article 1 - Grievances of Individuals

Any celebrant member of Tangled Moon who has a grievance which cannot be either set aside or resolved in accordance with the traditions of the Wiccan community, and which interferes with her or his participation in ritual may request that the grievance be resolved in the following manner. [NOTE: This procedure is not designed to interfere with matters outside of Tangled Moon; however, upon agreement of all parties involved, the Initiates' Council may advise and assist in the resolution of mundane grievances.]

A. If the celebrant has a grievance such that he or she feels unable to honor the traditions of the Wiccan community, (for example, if he or she is unable to stand in Circle in a spirit of "perfect love and perfect trust" because of the grievance, ) then that celebrant shall not attend rituals until the grievance is resolved.

B. The celebrant with the grievance shall first schedule a meeting with the person(s) with whom he or she has a grievance to attempt to find a resolution. The meeting shall take place on neutral ground. The participants may request the presence of an initiate who is not currently the teacher of any of the parties involved to act as a fair witness.

C. If the grievance cannot be resolved by the aforementioned method then the celebrant with the grievance shall schedule a meeting with an initiate to attempt to find a resolution. If the celebrant is a student, the initiate with whom he/she should meet shall be his or her teacher.

D. If a resolution cannot be reached by the aforementioned method, the celebrant with the grievance should schedule a meeting with the Coven's High Priestess or High Priest to attempt to resolve the grievance. Another initiate shall act as a fair witness to the proceedings.

E. If a resolution cannot be reached by any of the above steps, the grievance shall be brought before the Initiates' Council, who will reach a final decision on the matter. If the grievance should involve persons from more than one OATh Coven, then the matter will be decided by the Heartwood Council.

F. No records shall be kept of any of these meeting(s) save to record that the meeting(s)
took place, the Craft names of the persons attending, and any decisions which were made or actions which were taken.

Article II - Group Grievances

If the Initiates' Council collectively have a grievance with a celebrant(s) such that they feel unable to honor the traditions of the Wiccan community, the celebrant(s) involved may then be requested to refrain from attendance at rituals until the grievance is resolved.

A. A representative group of the Initiates' Council shall meet with the celebrant(s) in question in an attempt to resolve the grievance.

1. This group shall include, but is not limited to, the High Priest or High Priestess of the Coven, the teacher(s) of the celebrant(s) involved, and another initiate to act as a fair witness.

2. The celebrant(s) involved may choose to veto the Council choice for a fair witness and a location. In either case another choice must be provided to the celebrant(s). The celebrant(s) may use this veto no more than twice each for either the fair witness or the location. Alternatively, the celebrant(s) may suggest a fair witness or location to the Council, which need not accept the suggestion(s). In the event that the celebrant(s) and the Council cannot come to an agreement on a fair witness or a location, the resolution process shall proceed to the next level.

B. If a resolution cannot be achieved at the previous level then the celebrant(s) may meet with the full Initiates' Council. The celebrant(s) involved shall have the right to bring witnesses with them before the Council.

C. If a resolution cannot be achieved at the Coven level then the celebrant(s) may meet with the Heartwood Council to seek a resolution to the grievance. The celebrant(s) involved shall have the right to bring witnesses with them before the Heartwood. In all such cases, the decision of the Heartwood shall be final.

D. As in the case of individual grievances, no records shall be kept of any of these meeting(s) save to record that the meeting(s) took place, the Craft names of the persons attending, and any decisions which were made or actions which were taken.


Article III - Disciplinary Actions

Disciplinary actions may be imposed by teachers of the Tradition on their students, by the Initiates' Council of Tangled Moon on the celebrants of their Coven, or by the Heartwood Council of the Tradition on any celebrant of the OATh Tradition.

A. Celebrant(s) may be asked not to attend any OATh rituals until the grievance is resolved.

B. Student(s) and initiate(s) may be asked not to participate on any but the basic celebrant level until the grievance is resolved, or for a period of time determined to be appropriate by the Council.

C. Disciplinary actions may not include the removal of an initiate's degree in OATh or in any other Tradition. Initiation is a state which, once conferred, may not be rescinded.

D. Disciplinary actions imposed by a teacher on a student must be reported in full at the next meeting of the Coven's Initiates' Council. These actions may not include outcasting or banishment.

1. Any action imposed by a teacher on a student must be approved by the Council. If it is not approved, the action must be withdrawn.

2. The Council may choose to appoint a new teacher for the student should they consider it appropriate. The Council may also impose disciplinary action on the teacher in question should they feel that the measures imposed on the student were beyond the scope of the teacher/student relationship.

E. Disciplinary actions taken at the individual Coven's Initiates' Council level may not exceed the outcasting of the celebrant(s) involved. Outcasting shall only exclude the celebrant(s) in question from attending rituals or functions held by that individual Coven, and shall not affect the celebrant(s) right to attend any other OATh ritual or function.

F. Disciplinary actions taken at the Heartwood Council level may not exceed the banishment of the celebrant(s) involved. Banishment shall exclude the celebrant(s) from attending any OATh ritual or activity but shall not presume to exclude them from non-OATh Wiccan rituals or activities.

1. Any celebrant who has been banished may not claim current membership in OATh although he or she may continue to refer to himself or herself as an OATh initiate if such a degree has been conferred upon the individual.

2. Any person who contacts any member of OATh concerning any celebrant(s) who have been banished will be told only that the person in question is no longer a member of OATh in good standing by order of the Heartwood Council.

Section Five - Acceptance and Implementation

We, the undersigned members of the Initiates' Council of Tangled Moon Coven of the Oak, Ash, and Thorn Tradition of Wicca, acting for, and on behalf of the general membership of the Coven, do hereby declare that the foregoing Bylaws of Tangled Moon Coven are fit and suited to our purposes, and by the setting of our signatures hereunto, upon the occasion of our celebration of the ancient feast of Oestara, do further declare that these Bylaws shall be effective from this, the twenty-first day of March, in the one thousand, nine hundred and ninety-eighth year of the Common Era.

So Mote It Be!