| Coven Vs. Solitary |
| In the past, basically the only way of learning the beliefs and practises of Wicca was to be a coven member. Wicca was originally meant to be a coven-based religion and some Wiccans today even frown upon the idea of considering oneself an "eclectic" or "solitary" Wiccan. There has been some dispute concerning the subject of solitary Wiccans and some believe that you really aren't a true Wiccan unless you are in a coven and/or practising one of the established Wiccan traditions (i.e. Dianic, Gardnerian Wicca, etc.). I do have respect for covens and for those who follow specific Wiccan traditions. I think it's a fascinating concept and I admire the idea of it. But coven practise was never for me. I am not comfortable establishing and following certain ways of practise for myself and a group of people. I am also not interested in using a collective, group effort to raise energy and create magick. I love people and love interacting with friends, meeting new people, and so on. But as far as my spirituality is concerned, I am most comfortable practising alone, in my own way, and on my own time. Most aspects of my life include other people- I spend the majority of my time with friends. But I have never been comfortable with practising magick with others. I'm also not a Wiccan and I'm not a traditional witch. So family tradition and coven practise are of no interest to me. Here, I list a few differences between coven and solitary practise: Covens establish, as a group, what tools are to be used in practise and normally use a full range of tools. A solitary practitioner will use whatever tools he or she wishes to use, or may not use any tools at all. Covens establish Priests and Priestesses to perform many parts of rituals, and the rituals are performed by a group. A solitary performs all aspects of rituals him or herself. Covens must meet and practise when it is convenient for the entire group. A solitary can perform a ritual basically whenever he or she wishes. Covens can rely on group knowledge and efforts of all members. A solitary relies, for the most part, on his or her own personal knowledge. Coven rituals are often very elaborate and involved. A solitary can make a ritual as short and to the point as he or she wishes and can personalize each aspect. Covens rely on the group as a whole to raise energy, or the cone of power. A solitary relies on him or herself to raise energy. Covens are generally set in their ways and establish rules that are rarely changed unless to suit the entire group. A solitary can change his or her practise as needed- with age, maturity, location change, personality change, etc. These are some differences between coven and solitary practise and they can help you to decide what is best for you and what you are comfortable with. Remember that when you are in a coven, you are also trusting each member to do his or her part, to be loyal to the coven, to be positive and not disruptive, to be quiet about the coven if that is agreed upon, etc. It can be difficult to find a group of people who not only want to practise like you do, but who are also completely trustworthy. Just one disruptive person can destroy a coven. I might sound as if I am being a bit negative about coven practise. I don't intend to be, I am just hoping to let anyone know that joining a coven or assembling your own coven should not be taken lightly. Think it over and be sure it is what you want. Covens can be very difficult to find today. But if you are truly searching for others to connect with in this way, I believe you will find them- or they will find you. I believe that the decision you make- to be a member of a coven or a solitary practitioner- is a very important one. We are lucky to be able to be free to practise as we wish and establish our own beliefs. We are fortunate in that we can learn our craft on our own time and in our own way. But we are also fortunate to have the choice to share our beliefs with others who wish to practise as we do. Good luck in making your choice. If you choose to be a solitary practitioner, enjoy personalizing your path. And if you decide that coven practise is for you, I pray that you are successful in finding a group that suits you and embraces you. |