Coven or Solitary?

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Twisted_Pixie
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Postby Twisted_Pixie » Mon Jan 11, 2010 7:53 pm

Yes!! And i also noticed that the rituals didnt seem as .... well 'magical' for me when i was in ritual with my coven. I mean when we used to do chanting to raise energy, my goddess that nearly sent me to another planet, but the rituals themselves, i duno, i feel much more connected when i write my own and do them on my own.

Pix

Sallydreams
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Postby Sallydreams » Tue Jan 12, 2010 5:32 am

Exactly! And I think the experience would be completely different if a punch of solitaries got together every once n' awhile to cast a circle. Because it'd feel more like bringing charged energies together to make one big one, and no one has major obligations or drama... instead of feeling like one person is controlling everything you do.

Twisted_Pixie
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Postby Twisted_Pixie » Tue Jan 12, 2010 6:21 am

YES!! I think that is kinda what my coven sorta was like, only we met up every esbat and every sabbat... so kinda in between a coven and solitary haha

Sallydreams
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Postby Sallydreams » Tue Jan 12, 2010 7:16 am

I wouldn't mind that so much.

Did they get mad if you couldn't make it to one?

Radiance
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Postby Radiance » Tue Jan 12, 2010 1:15 pm

YES!! I think that is kinda what my coven sorta was like, only we met up every esbat and every sabbat... so kinda in between a coven and solitary haha
This is very much like the circle that I'm a part of. Very laid back, if people can't make it they can't make it. We entirely missed a group ritual for the last couple of moons as everyone was so busy, it's sort of nice to have a solitary one once in a while. Or a couple's one :wink: .
Brightest Blessings
Radiance

Twisted_Pixie
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Postby Twisted_Pixie » Tue Jan 12, 2010 7:27 pm

No they didnt get angry, we were free to do whatever we wanted =)

Syndica
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Postby Syndica » Thu Jan 14, 2010 4:09 am

hi all hugs,

i rather be Solitary witch because i don't have to deal with other bitching witches in the coven. i am not a big crowd person, i rather do things alonne and i have all my internet friends. this forum changed my life and it's in so possive way and finely made me see the light. why i love this forum and all the people in it.


blessed be :D

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Lark
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Postby Lark » Thu Jan 14, 2010 10:20 am

I've been part of a coven since 1990 and I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. I initially trained within a coven until 1996 when I received my 3rd Degree and formed a coven of my own. I led that coven of nearly 30 members until Midsummer 2008 when I stepped down into Elder status and became HPS of the Tradition with four daughter covens. I am most recently initiated into a Gardnerian coven.

I think covens are sort of a mystery to those who have never been in one and I think there are a lot of misconceptions about them. Sure there are some unhealthy covens out there that will try to manipulate their members and control their lives. But those are by far the minority in the greater coven community.

First of all, a good coven will not require that you practice according to coven teachings at all times. Certainly during a ritual with the coven there will be a way that the coven has decided rituals should be conducted. But hey, you only go to those rituals a couple of times during the month. The rest of the time you can practice as a solitary in whatever fashion suits you. For instance, when I am in a Gardnerian circle I honor the Lord and Lady of that Tradition. In my personal practice I work with Egyptian Deities and in quite a different format.

There is a good reason why covens prefer that members come to circle as often as possible. When you are in a group you become a part of that group's energy, the egregore of the group. If you are frequently absent it upsets the overall group energy. In addition, a coven is more than a social group or an occasional circle. A good coven is a tightly knit magic family. If you're never at ritual you can't form the sort of ties that a family needs to have. You remain forever the "outsider".

That being said, any good coven leader knows that people have attacks of real life when coming to circle is simply not an option. In my own coven the requirement to stay on active membership was that you attend at least one ritual each quarter..a whole four rituals over the course of a year!! That shouldn't be impossible for very many people. And for our soldiers who were deployed we waived that requirement as well.

A good coven won't tell you what to think or what to believe. They will offer you their vision of how the world and magic work. If their vision and your vision seem to mesh that's great. If not you can always vote with your feet and go on your way. No harm, no foul.

But really, this idea that covens are all-controlling over their members is simply not the case. Don't let that idea scare you off of exploring coven membership if you think you might be interested.

-Lark-

Syndica
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Postby Syndica » Thu Jan 14, 2010 1:42 pm

i woundn't know where a coven in my city.

Ginger Faith!
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Postby Ginger Faith! » Thu Jan 14, 2010 4:29 pm

OH YEA1
High FIVE internet buddy!

Blessed Be,

[wind_wolf]
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Postby [wind_wolf] » Mon Mar 22, 2010 5:58 pm

im a hedge wictch but i have my own lil coven(im teaching them and when they learn enough im going to basicly set em loose but still be willing to help em :P) find other sloitary witches most are willing to teach those new to the path, n if they dont u probaly dont want to learn from them anyways
with our breath out we give life with our breath in we take life

may the light watch over you
and shadow be blind to you


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