Powerful traditions powerful occultists?

[Rubygirl]

I was watching a Tony robbins video and he said to pick people to model after and I do that for my career and I thought, bloody brilliant! Why don't I do that for magick!

Only problem is everything is so secretive it's hard to gage what feels boths sane and effective. Like I see groups that seem too ceremonial and worship based that don't seem like they will help members in a practical Magick way and then I see egocentric extremes. Then i see houses have no info about them at all. I'm inclined to go with that, but then they want me to fill out an application like I'm applying for a job. I don't know them so I don't feel comfortable giving my information out.

Then with role models the famous witches/psychics are long since dead and almost the same sounding as myths. Anyone have any tips on researching REAL historical witches without slanderous information.and how to approach houses/ covens? How to pick them. I do a lot on my own but group energy is much stranger and I think the right group can get me up to lightening speed. Santeria seems really powerful but I don't speak Spanish. I live on the west coast. Anyone go from solitary to coven and see a difference in their abilities or learn substantially more?