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The Tweeny

The concept of the tweeny is a long standing feature in several witchcraft traditions, but it is usually associated with the water-witches. The same principles have however been used far wider including other training areas with no spirit content by non profit and commercial companies.

The concept is that a person gives themselves, body and mind to another for a period of a year and a day and the person who they give it to undertakes to return it in a better condition that it is given. Within this period they undertake to do what the person of choice tells them, and to live in the way instructed. With no exclusions, they are to do what they are instructed. 

Even if not a water witch there are advantages to undertaking this with the water witches as the donor person rather than giving themselves to an individual, theoretically donates themselves to the high king of the water witches, and therefore becomes a royal ward, and comes under their protection, both people involved therefore undertake solemn promises, and the whole project is supervised. To damage or remove a tweeny, may have grave consequences as they are the property of the High King, and any good or bad deed done to the high king is returned 27 times. Careful consideration therefore is essential before commitments are made.

There are two types of people who go in for becoming a tweeny, the person who wishes to give a period of their life for the service of others in return for learning a wider range of craft skills, and the person who has so far not made a success of their life, for those with problems, are unhappy, depressed, or just feel permanently unlucky having a pilot to successfully set them back to where they want to be has obvious advantages. The terms, and objectives are discussed with them before they undertake the commitment.

Some females think that they are offering sex for advancement, a sort of mistress deal, but the case is not so, as to have sex with a tweeny without the approval of the high king could be viewed as damaging his property, and therefore they are more likely to experience a shortage of sex for the period than an abundance. 

Where this has been used outside of the craft, such as with the Rising Stars project that allowed actors be get the training and be kept while they became screen stars,  it has been less successful as although people like the idea and make the commitment they tend to drop out as no real commitment has been made to the same degree, and in the case illustrated when they had the skills that they thought put them on a level skill level with existing stars.

The information below is extracted from the water witches web site, that the association recommends, and gives a better explanation of the way their tweeny system works. This is very successful, but has to be considered carefully before taking on such a commitment.

Extract from the water witches site at www.water-witches.com 

The Tweeny

If you were to go back a while in British history, you would find in the time of the great houses with large staff, that a tweeny was an under servant who assisted two others, sometimes thought of as a servants servant. Tween according to most dictionaries today means between.

In our tradition a Tweeny has two meanings, it can be a container used to transport religious articles or the property of the high king, or a witch who chooses to give their entire 'being' to a senior member of the order, for a period of a year and a day, after which time they have their 'being' returned. The objective being while in donation for them to serve the order and when returned to have benefited or been improved by the process.

In practical terms they give themselves completely, and for the year and a day are told what to do in all things, and are at the will of the senior member. In practice they have guidelines set and are given the responsibility immediately for the care of their own being, and seek help and advice when needed.

To the outsider this may seem a very peculiar practice however there are two types of people who generally choose to invoke this, the person who more than anything wishes to serve the order, and the person who has not so far made a success of their life or is unhappy or depressed, who in effect has the help and support on another, and the involvement and responsibility in looking after the property of the high king, even if this property is their own being.

To become a tweeny we expect people to have become a witch by choice, and to discuss fully the implications and solid commitment they are becoming involved in before taking it on. The senior member also has to be convinced that they will honor their undertaking fully, and appreciate what it entails to the full. Permission is required from the high king before anyone under 18 can become a tweeny. The tweeny chooses their master/mistress or can if they wish ask for another to assign one to them.

During the discussions before commitment they should have the chance to discuss what they are hoping to achieve, for example are they looking at it as an apprentice in craft skills, or are they more interested in having their social and personal skills improved. The contract they are entering however has no detailed arrangement, and the being is at the will of the order. 

After a year and a day they must have their freedom returned, but for the period they are in donation they serve both the senior member and the order, therefore being a servant to two other servants of the supreme power.

For a senior member to accept this gift is a great responsibility, as they swear to look after and protect this being with kindness, as if it was their own being, and to help it to progress, and return it happy, contented and well looked after after a year and a day. For the period it is in donation, the being is said to be the property of the high king of the water witches and entrusted to the senior member. The high king will want to be kept informed of progress and the activities of the tweeny. The senior member can turn over the being to the high king and ask for another to be assigned to look after it, however this should only occur under extreme circumstances.

Throughout the entire order, there will be very few tweeny at any time.

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