About the Grove

About the Grove

Midlands Grove is a Pagan Grove and Traditional Wiccan Training Circle. We are open to speaking with seekers and happy to advise them on their path. The Grove is located in the Midlands of South Carolina, in Aiken County, and we meet one or two Saturday nights per month in person. We celebrate and worship at the eight seasonal festivals of the year and on full moons. All Grove events are private and provide a deeply mystical, beginner-to-intermediate level, nature-based spirituality experience—as well as kick-up-your-heels good fun!

The purpose of the Grove, in general, is to provide Pagan community to the Aiken County area. The Grove offers a safe space to become familiar with the Pagan path, to learn basic ritual skills, and to celebrate seasonal festivals in a loving environment with like-minded people. One benefit of the Grove is that our members always have a place to Circle with fellowship. The Pagan Grove is Level One of the MidlandsCraft© experience. 

For those who wish to continue on the Wiccan path, we offer Level Two: the Outer Court Training Circle. The purpose of the Training Circle is to become familiar with the British Traditional Wiccan path, to learn traditional Wiccan ritual skills, and to see if becoming an initiate is right for you. 

The goal of the MidlandsCraft© program is to provide full-service training and rituals in both paganism and traditional Wicca to the Aiken County area. To learn more about Paganism, Wicca, and British Traditional Wicca, visit our Paganism & Wicca page.

Midlands Grove has a finely tuned, two-tiered training program. Each level is a beautiful, rewarding practice on its own.

Our Two-Tiered Training Program

Level One is Pagan/Wicca-based Paganism: Attire guide: comfortable street clothes; barefoot or minimalist shoes. 

Level Two is British Traditional Wicca: Attire guide: kaftan required; barefoot or minimalist shoes. 

While attending Grove rituals, students learn about Paganism and Witchcraft, ancient and modern, the Divine as Goddess and God, veneration of Nature, creating ritual, psychic development, healing, divination, magic, and spellcraft. Students prepare in advance for rituals at home so that they can fully participate. The Grove also has a recommended reading list for each level.

After completing Level One, a student has options. If the student wants to progress towards the next level and compatibility is evident, the student may continue with Level Two training, as discussed below. The student also has the option to remain a Level One Grove member, search among other Pagan traditions, or work as a Solitary. If a student wants to search among other traditions, the Priestess can advise them and make referrals. If the student decides to remain in the Grove, a ceremony called “Dedication” may be performed, if desired. The purpose of this rite is for the student to dedicate themselves to the Old Ways of Paganism and to membership in Midlands Grove. They will strive to honor the holy days and work to achieve balance within, while being a continuous member of the Grove with full access to our seasonal events and community all year round. 

If a student is found to be suitable and wants to work toward admission into our Coven (or see if becoming an initiate is right for them), they may Dedicate and continue to Level Two with more training, specifically in traditional Wicca. If a student completes both tiers of training, experiencing the Wheel of the Year at both levels, and feels dedicated to the path, they may ask to be initiated into the Inner Court (the Coven). Satisfactory completion of the training may lead to Initiation into the Mysteries for those compatible with our Coven and line. To learn more about our Coven's tradition and spiritual path, visit the New York WICA subpage. 

The Inner Court, or Coven, is the advanced level of traditional Craft practice. Initiates participate in higher levels of ritual to deepen their practice and connection with the group. Advanced Coven members​ may have the opportunity to function as a teacher and role model in the Outer Court for those that come behind them.​ To learn more about the benefits of Coven membership, visit our Coven subpage.

The Grove offers different educational pathways to help the seeker find the place that is right for them in the Craft. To recap: Some members prefer to remain in the Outer Court indefinitely because they enjoy the Grove practice. Students are not required to initiate, and upon completion of either tier of training they may choose instead to remain a permanent Dedicated member of the Grove, leave the Grove to search among other traditions, or leave to work as a Solitary. Some students who complete training want to be an initiated Coven member so they can experience the Mysteries with their Craft family. A few others may feel called to train further in the service of the Priesthood, which requires greater time commitment and more responsibility. There are many places of peace, contentment, and joy on the path. 

Confidentiality and Anonymity

We prioritize the privacy of our members. Confidentiality ensures that members can speak from the heart at meetings, because everything said and done at the meeting stays at the meeting. Similar to any reputable Twelve Step group, members are requested to maintain the confidentiality and anonymity of the membership, and to keep the meetings confidential.

About the Facilitator

Welcome to a new website, from an old witch, with over 35 years of experience in six initiatory spiritual traditions.[1]  After kissing a few toads, I was fortunate to find my wonderful Craft teacher (who I've known for almost 40 years) and to have the honor of facilitating three Covens to date—one in Texas, and two in South Carolina when I first moved here over 20 years ago. My initiating Gardnerian Coven has a verifiable lineage back to Gerald Gardner’s Coven via the New York Coven, which was the first established in the U.S.[2]  I'm also an author and ordained Interfaith Minister. For several years I was in retirement from teaching American Traditionalist and Gardnerian Craft, but I recently hung up my “shingle” again to teach a more inclusive, user-friendly tradition: New York WICA. As time goes by, it becomes more important to me to pass on my Craft to the next generation. I look forward to building a new Grove and Coven and to serving the SC Midlands community. For more information about my community and ministerial services, visit the Services subpage. ~Rev. Lady Kyrbis🖤

Forms of Address

In keeping with tradition, the Priestess of the Outer Court is referred to as “Lady.” This term of endearment and respect marks the many years of training a Priestess undergoes, the many years of service she has given to the Craft and signifies her connection with the Goddess.

[1] Gardnerian Witchcraft, New York WICA, The Rosicrucian Order AMORC, Transcendental Meditation, Benedicaria, and The American Tradition of the Craft. 

[2]  "Gardnerian history in America begins with Raymond and Rosemary Buckland...Ray Buckland was the person who recognized how important the Gardnerian movement was going to be, and who went over to Britain to be initiated and to bring the Craft to America...Buckland finally met Gardner in 1963, when he and Rosemary journeyed to Perth, Scotland, where...they underwent training by Lady Olwen and were initiated...They then brought the Gardnerian Book of Shadows back to New York, where they founded the New York Coven in Bay Shore, Long Island, which became the center of the Gardnerian movement and the Neopagan movement in America for the next twenty years. Almost all the 'official' Gardnerians in America are descendants of that coven" (Kelly).