Dear Friends,
A lot of people ask me if it is possible to be a solitary Wiccan. For whatever reason, they have limited access to local pagan groups and covens and wish to follow the path on their own. While there are no hard and fast rules for solitary witchcraft, in my opinion you can have a rich and full practice without having to be part of a coven.
Don’t get me wrong. Covens definitely have power and have their place. Wicca was created in the early 1950s by Gerald Gardener, and in its original form, coven membership was definitely required. This was because joining a coven was the only way to learn about Wicca. Today, many traditionalists feel that this is still the only way to learn about Wicca. They argue that this is how the religion is designed and that it needs to continue to be that way. They feel that a coven is a part of what defines the religion. It would be like practicing Catholicism without the church. The two are not mutually exclusive.
At least, that is one side of the argument. My opinion lies somewhere in between. While I feel that there is a lot of traditional Wicca that must be (and needs to be) practiced within the confines of a coven, solitary Wiccan practice is definitely possible. It is, in absolute definition, not technically Wicca. But it is personal witchcraft with heavily Wiccan elements.
Scott Cunningham’s Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner and Living Wicca: A Further Guide for the Solitary Practitioner have probably best popularized the idea of a solitary practice of Wicca. These books, along with similar titles from other authors, have encouraged individuals to explore a different form of Wicca than available with covens.
If you choose to become a solitary Wiccan, I encourage you to research as much as possible. Since you will be without the benefit of learning from a coven, you ll want to take the time to educate yourself with books and reputable websites. You may want to start with the Cunningham books as a guide. Raymond Buckland s Wicca for One is also a good choice. Buckland’s Complete Book of Witchcraft is also an essential book for solitary practitioners and coven members alike.
There are some differences between the traditional Wiccan and the solitary Wiccan. For example, much of the interplay between the male and female sides of the spirit that is shown through the High Priest and High Priestess of a coven is lost when you are a solitary practitioner. Also, as a solitary you are responsible for building up the energy in your ritual instead of relying on the power of the rest of the group. Some would argue that your spellcasting would, therefore, have less power. But I feel that the advantage of solitaries is that they are able to tailor their spells and rituals to their specific needs, wishes and feelings. This makes the whole experience very personal which can help add power to the spellcasting.
Another question associated with being a solitary Wiccan is one of initiation. If there is no coven, Priest or Priestess, how does one become initiated into Wicca? There are many self-initiation rituals that you can take part in where you personally dedicate yourself to the God and Goddess. These rituals allow you to state your intentions toward the deities and pledge yourself to them.
Just because you are a solitary Wiccan does not mean you have to be alone on your path. There are some online covens that work very well across distances, and provide the camaraderie, support and education of a traditional coven. You can also benefit from communicating with other Wiccans in a less formal way in online message boards and chat groups.
So don’t despair if you are drawn to Wicca and live in the Bible belt. There is still room for you and your personal practice within the framework of Wicca. Just educate yourself and take the time to learn what you need. The God and Goddess call is heard by those who are meant to be on this path, no matter what form their path takes.
Brightest Blessings,
Rose Ariadne, Your Warm And Caring “Resident Witch In Charge”
Oh my gosh Rose, you really hit home with that 1. It is sometimes overwhelming inner turmoil to be on a path that is considered taboo ….. in the Bible Belt. I battle with shame but I know what I feel in my heart and … To Thine Ownself Be True.
Many thanks for all of your teachings and Blessings to You.
Dear Rose, Your words have just given me an added support as in a way of encouragement on the path. You see i for one like to be unique and do my things in a special way as i would deem ok. Quite still a big thanks to the online community coven sort of. This will go a long way to ease off most of the difficulties encountered as a solitary wiccan:cool:
im a little scared to join a coven although i feel i would benifit more from being able to learn form more experienced people. i was thinking about starting my own coven if i can fing people is this possible please let me know thanks x
Hi. A friend of mine told me about Wicca, and I would like to become a part of it, though I don’t know much about it because I’ve never heard of it before now. I was wondering, should I join a coven or go my own way? Thanks.
Shadow.