What is a Moot?

A Pub Moot in Progress

While a Lodge is formal and a Coven is private, a moot is a social gathering — usually held in a public space like the back room of a pub or a café — where practitioners of all paths meet to talk, network, and debate.

A moot, an old word for meeting, is the ‘Exoteric’ (outer) skin of the magical community. It serves as the primary entry point for seekers and the ‘social glue’ that connects disparate traditions.

The Neutral Ground

The primary function of the moot is to provide a safe, neutral space and allow discussions of all subjects in peace. My wife runs a local moot that is specifically Pagan, and the discussions often lean in that direction, as do the activities undertaken.  As an entry point towards those with experience and those who are completely new, the moot can often function as an entryway towards many different paths. Our moot differs from a lot of other moots as there are frequently group activities that are fun and prompt discussion.

The moot is a great leveller; the ‘High Priest’ of the local coven sits with a pint in his hand next to the lady who does the flowers in her local church. The Fresh Seeker is not pressured in any way and can ask those questions that they are unable to ask in any other situation. Formal ritual, indeed, much of what we have discussed in these books, is often hierarchical in nature, but the barriers between the ‘moot-ers’ fall when trust is gained by the fact that there are no silly questions.

Moots are where the ‘occult grapevine’ lives. It’s where you hear about which local woods are good for ritual, which shops are overpricing their herbs, and who is currently forming a new study group or drum circle.

The Structure of a Meeting

Moots are essentially social time, but they often have a loose structure. Ours has a subject for discussion, which often has an associated activity, such as Tarot card reading, that will take place in the second half after the break. The break is called for between half past eight and nine o’clock, allowing at least 15 minutes to give people time to refresh their drinks, pop to the loo and attend to similar needs. After the break, less formal chats are encouraged, or the practical activity takes place.

At times, my wife will arrange a guest speaker to talk about a subject of interest to the moot. Most moots meet at the local pub, but ours is a little different in that we hire a large room in one of our seafront hotels.

Towards the end of the evening, there is often time for announcements, such as forthcoming Open Rituals, workshops, or calls for aid. After the moot ends, there is time for discussion among the moot members, where the most important work is undertaken, and the real work of community building takes place.

An Occult Safety Net

The moot represents the ‘Discernment’ phase (see the first book, Keys to the Portals of Magic, for a discussion of the importance of Discernment) of a magician's journey. Because magic can be an isolating and highly subjective path, the moot provides a ‘sanity check’, always making sure you trust the other moot members before recounting any magical results. Hearing others talk about their experiences helps the individual distinguish between genuine spiritual contact and pure imagination. It allows seekers to observe the personality and ethics of a group before committing to a private ritual space.

Modern 'Pub Moot' Culture

The archetypal Pub moot is a staple of British and European occultism. In years gone by, the community would gather in long hall houses and huddle together around the hearth fire. The pub acts as a modern-day village hearth. Gathering over a pint and a bag of pork scratchings grounds the high-minded concepts of magic into everyday reality. In addition, by meeting in public, the moot acts as a form of ‘Quiet Activism.’ It demystifies the Craft, showing the public that practitioners are simply people with a different philosophical framework, rather than ‘scary’ or ‘fringe’ characters.

Moot 'Etiquette'

In a space where many different traditions (Wiccan, Heathen, Druid, Chaos Mage) collide, a specific ‘moot Law’ usually prevails. Rules that are either unspoken or deliberately gone through with new members may look like these:

• Respect the Path: Never disparage another’s tradition; the moot is for finding common ground, not winning theological arguments.

• No Unsolicited Proselytising: You are there to share, not to convert.

• Privacy/The Law of Silence: Even though it’s a public meeting, the 'names and faces' of those attending should remain private to protect those who are not 'out of the broom closet' in their professional lives.