Solitary Practice, Covens, and How to Decide How to Practice
- Kael Marie Spencer
- Sep 23, 2019
- 2 min read
Solitary Practice
I like most how it is defined by Wise Witches and Witchcraft. " In modern Neo-Paganism, a person who practices Witchcraft by himself or herself as opposed to being part of a group (traditionally called a Coven). The Solitary Witch, also known as a Solitary, practices this way out of choice, out of the necessity of keeping their practices private, or having no other Witches in the area with which to practice. A Solitary Witch may have learned his or her practices with the help of a Coven, but more often learns from books, websites, etc."
I am one of the many witches who participates in solitary practice. That means exactly what it sounds like, but many of us solitary witches still thrive off of knowing and surrounding ourselves with people who either support our practices or other witches. One of the big reasons that I personally am solitary in my practice is due to my anxiety and the fact that being around people I'm not familiar tends to scare me away from coven practice. This doesn't mean I am against joining one. I just haven't really sought one out yet.
Most of us prefer the privacy of this type of practice but another reason to be mainly solitary is due to the lack of covens in an area that you may reside in but don't let that stop you from finding one, or even creating one yourself!
Covens: What Are They?
Simply put, a coven is a gathering group of witches that traditionally practice together.
You would be surprised how many of these groups actually exist in the modern world and there is even entire websites dedicated to helping witches today find covens that exist near them that they can join.
Why Would I Want to Join One?
What would be the reasoning to joining a coven besides being about to cast spells with your friends? Well, that isn't all that they do but it is a pretty cool perk of joining one.
The social aspect of witchcraft helps us to bond and grow in so many ways that, as a solitary witch, I don't always get to experience. I know I said I like being solitary but sometimes it's nice to have friends who like to do the same things as you do.
While not all covens are based on becoming friends with all of the members, it is still a good way to develop new skills and even learn things you didn't know about not only the craft but also about yourself.
Not to compare religions and such, but I see it as kind of like how my grandma likes going to church. It's a community of people who share your practices and beliefs and they support you when you need it.
Sometimes others really do bring out the best in us.
Where Do I Go From Here?
Whether you are a member of a coven or you just decide to go it alone, it is nice to know that there are others out there that hold the same beliefs as you do. If you ever have questions about covens or where one near you might be, WitchVox is a great place to start your research!
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