A new pagan group has been together for several months and things just seem to be getting more disorganized. Instead of diligently getting started on time at rituals and classes, the members chat and joke around. A sign that the group is degrading? No. It’s a sign that it has moved out of the first stage and into the second phase of group development. In honor of this flightiness, I offer you some of my favorite songs about birds, all suitable for a wild flight of a ritual when the group is in stage two: the storming stage. Let’s explore this feature of group dynamics.
Stage two is called storming because of the tendency toward conflict, which I described in a previous post. As initial uncertainty breaks down and members become more comfortable, they seek more power, especially if they have strong needs for social dominance. The same increased comfort that allows members to act independently also allows them to relax. Relationships begin to grow. The need to explore these relationships is often stronger than the need to get things done.
As a leader (or member interested in fostering group growth), you might as well plan for this behavior. Allow time before activities start for socializing. During classes, expect breaks to be boisterous. Don’t take it personally if you have to try several times to get the group back to work. They’re just doing what a stage two group needs to do: learn to enjoy one another. This is a good time in group development to plan purely social meetings, like a monthly ‘pagan night out’ at a bar.
The tendency to get off topic is called ‘flight’. In addition to being the result of social needs, flight is a response to tension. If there are interpersonal struggles, some members will be uncomfortable. They may react to discomfort by making jokes or changing the subject to something ‘light’. Even the growing closeness can be uncomfortable and lead to jokes to displace the tension. Why not be ready with a dozen pagan light bulb jokes?
- How many Wiccans does it take to change a light bulb? Answer: What do you want it changed into?
- How many years does it take a Gardnerian witch to change a light bulb? Answer: A year and a day in an Outer Grove, a year and a day at first level, a year and a day at second level, but only third levels actually change light bulbs.
- How many Druids does it take to change a lightbulb? Answer: One to hold the bulb and 12 to drink enough to make the room spin.
- How many years does it take for a solitary witch to change a light bulb? Answer: How long does it take to get one out of the closet?
- How many Golden Dawners does it take to change a light bulb? Answer: One to hold the ladder, one to hold the bulb, three to decipher the Light Bulb Ritual from the Secret Chiefs, one to publish it, and one to sue all the others.
- How many Sex Magicians does it take to screw in a light bulb? Answer: Only two, but they have to be very small!
During the storming stage, the leadership pattern of the group is unstable. People may be trying to grasp or avoid responsibility and this takes energy away from the formal goals of the group. Be patient. This flighty, unfocused stage will pass in time.
Instead of fighting the tendency toward flight, you can work it into ritual life. How about a wild hunt, where exuberant, unpredictable energy can be honored? An earth ritual involving messy play with mud or clay may fit well into the chaotic energy of a stage two group. Just like children needing recess, a group in stage two can use loud, funny or pushy activities to work off some steam. It’s time to dance hard and sing loud. Use that exuberant energy in a joy ritual.
There are lots of songs about birds, feathers and flight in the pagan repertoire. The five I have included here are more upbeat ones. Play the recordings and dance around. Pretend to be birds! Learn some of these songs and sing them exuberantly. Your group has lots of energy right now. Go with it!
In the next post in this series, we forge onward into the 3rd stage of group development, “norming”. Come read it here.
cover photo of birds by Barth Bailey on Unsplash
For more information about the Crow Women pagan choir, and access to all the blog posts by Alane and the other 9 crowsingers who have written for Pagan Song, you can visit the Crow Women author page here on Pagan Song.
Please subscribe to the Pagan Song blog, to receive our blog post each week. Don’t miss any of the musical magic!
Visit our homepage to see the full list of the musicians who write for the Pagan Song blog.
Pagan Song has a fan club on Patreon. Join for as little as $3 a month for exclusive features! Click for info.