I have been wondering if you can truly be a wiccan outside of a coven. Jadea if you are reading this please help me become a true wiccan. I am not just some kid trying to "fit in". I want to practice the true religion of wicca (not neo-wicca) and will do whatever it takes! Is there anyone there who will help me???
2006-08-31 16:11:37 · 17 answers · asked by Seeker 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
No. You don't have to be in a Coven. Many, many Wiccans, and Pagans are solitary practitioners. It's perfectly acceptable to either be in a coven or solitary. True Wicca is in your heart and actions, not who you practice with.
2006-08-31 16:15:22 · answer #1 · answered by Spookshow Baby 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
You do not have to be in a coven. There is no "true" Wicca as opposed to "Neo" - just different aspects of it - Gardnerian, Traditional, Hellenistic, etc. Some are more formalized with covens but it isn't necessary at all. As far as "Neo" - Wicca is a very young religion itself so really it is all neo. Just figure out what you believe - is it goddess based or a pantheon, do you use majick or not - and then if you want to join a coven pick one that fits your beliefs and not one where you have to work to fit in.
I'm a solitary who walks her own path - Email me if you have questions.
2006-08-31 23:52:32 · answer #2 · answered by Sage Bluestorm 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've said it twice to you before, but I will state it again – you cannot be Wicca without initiation, it is impossible as Wicca is not only a priesthood but as it is lineage, initiate-only, and oath-bound it means without initiation you do not know the beliefs, practices, doctrines, gods or mysteries of Wicca – if you don't follow the basics of Wicca, you cannot be Wicca by very definition.
Simply, if you want to become Wicca study, you have at least 7 years before you are old enough to join a coven, take that time to study, look through links you have been given and read more books – even if you read nonsense from the likes of Ravenwolf and Buckland you are still likely to find some reliable information in there somewhere and the more you study the easier it will be to determine the reliable information from the misinformation. We all start somewhere.
There are solitary Wicca, however without initiation to begin with a person cannot be Wicca – once initiated into Wicca you are always considered Wicca, there are people who are in-between covens who are known as solitary Wicca – Gardner himself was solitary for a while.
LMAO – sorry but it also amuses me the number of fluffy bunnies who reply to your posts, in particular the ones who confuse 'solitary' with the card game 'solitaire'.
The questions to post to them are thus;
If you do not follow the beliefs of Wicca, how can you be Wicca?
If you do not follow the beliefs of Wicca, how can you be Wicca?
If you do not follow the doctrines of Wicca, how can you be Wicca?
If you do not follow the gods of Wicca, how can you be Wicca?
If you do not know the mysteries of Wicca, how can you be Wicca?
If you do not know the core beliefs of Wicca, how can you be Wicca?
If you are not a member of the priesthood that is Wicca, how can you be Wicca?
Fact is – You can't be. Wicca is a title, people can call themselves Wicca all they want but that does not make it so, and certainly they are missing out on a very beautiful religion by refusing to learn about what Wicca is.
2006-09-01 14:54:51 · answer #3 · answered by Kasha 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes, indeed you can be a Wiccan without a coven. They're termed "solitaries". For instruction, go to the "new age" section in your local Barnes & Noble bookstore - you'll find several good books on the topic. Keep an open mind -many are turned off by Wicca once they discover that "spells" are not attempts to compel women to engage in promiscuous behavior or to entrap a desireable guy, and that Magick is not a variation of the guy pulling rabbits out of his hat.
2006-08-31 23:18:37 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
"Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner" by Scott Cunningham gives you all the information you need to start as a solitaire. You do not have to join a coven. Although I think you should be in contact with some local groups to learn and grow with. You don't have to be initiated to participate in ritual. don't let anyone tell you this.
If you are under 18 you will not be allowed into any groups without parents consent. They may have to be present at ritual and meetings but do not have to participate. This site gives you some basics on different pagan traditions along with websites and books for further study http://www.witchvox.com/_x.html?c=trads. You can also look for groups on this site.
This is a start in the right direction. The book I suggested have others by the same author for intermediate study. Have Fun!!!
p.s. A true Wicca lives the religion everyday. They don't do only when it suits them. Wicca is a part of their life.
2006-09-01 13:01:23 · answer #5 · answered by Nelly 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
You can be a solitary Wiccan, there are many. Or you can join a coven. If you want to be a True Wiccan (hehe) go straight to the source and read Gardner's books and those of his followers.
2006-09-01 10:33:09 · answer #6 · answered by kaplah 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, you don't have to be in a coven to be Wiccan. There are plenty of solitaries out here. As far as being a "true Wiccan", just follow your heart and do your research.
2006-08-31 23:19:58 · answer #7 · answered by ravencadwell 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like you are asking about traditional wicca rather than eclectic. I know of some BTW's and they follow a beautiful path. This is a good Yahoo group geared towards beginners that can answer some of your questions regarding traditional Wicca and give you guidance for recommended books:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wiccan_collegium/
And this is one of my favorite recommended reading lists:
http://www.tangledmoon.org/reading_list.htm
Also, I liked some of the answers to this question:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Avl6u_o8uZuF6hCId1IVIMXsy6IX?qid=20060828130946AAoBx00
We each follow our own path. Some enjoy the freedom of an eclectic path while others prefer a more traditional path. I hope you find what you are looking for.
Good luck and best wishes!
2006-09-01 06:45:40 · answer #8 · answered by Witchy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
wicca is simply a name. you can be whatever you want. in the world of paganism I have found that everyone has an opinion on the "right" way to do things. how to do "spells" and all that other stuff.
Be your own person. take other peoples opinions read a lot of books Also dont shy away from something because you think its either to evil or to fluffy. But most importantly find your own definition of peace, happiness, reality.
Good Luck.
2006-08-31 23:23:27 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
No you do not have to be in a coven to be Wiccan. Wiccans come in many flavors.
There is a huge difference between initiation and Initiation. Do not let others discourage you in your quest.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/witchcra.htm
http://groups.msn.com/TeenWiccansUnited
http://groups.msn.com/eclecticteenwiccans/
http://home.att.net/~ladykaat/teens/10things.html
Blessings to you Young One )O(
I am not a Silver Ravenwolf fan but I do recommend her book "Teen Witch".
2006-08-31 23:19:42 · answer #10 · answered by Epona Willow 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋