How do you become a wiccan ? Do I NEED to be initiated into a coven ?

Answer 1

Yes you do need to be initiated to become Wicca.

Wicca is a religion without laity, meaning it is a priesthood within its own rights, not only this but because Wicca is oath-bound it means that the 'inner-court' teachings of Wicca are only taught to those who are initiated and these are teachings that have been passed down from Gardner and the New forest Coven.

Without initiation there is no way for you to know the beliefs, practices, doctrines, mysteries or even the identities of the gods that Wicca follow, these are not only things that are kept within Wicca but it requires someone who is Wicca to guide you along that path.

For a person to become Wicca they have to be able to take on new information and have an open mind, as well as the drive to study seriously, and study is the main point because Wicca is a constant learning experience and with so much misinformation it is important to carry on studying, as well as important to practice skills required. When a person is ready a teacher finds them, Wicca often keep under the radar to avoid people constantly asking to be initiated, but they keep a foot in the local pagan communities and if they require a new coven member it helps if they can find a person ready and able to take on training – when you are ready, they find you. A person studies with the coven, conventionally for a year and a day, also requiring often the Seeker to be over 18 years old, initiation then follows.

There are many people who follow the outer-court teachings of Wicca, often these outer-court teachings are placeholders and simplified way of explaining their belief to those outside of their religion to others or as a way to teach Seekers or new initiates. Because so many people appreciate what Wicca is, however are not able or willing to join a coven many people simply build up their own personal belief system based on this outer-court teaching – these people are known as Neo-wicca.

The idea that one does not have to be initiated is nonsense, if not initiated not only is a person not of Wicca but does not know what it is Wicca do follow so unable to follow it themselves, that would be illogical. Wicca is about keeping the integrity of their beliefs and mysteries, they keep their religion oath-bound as a way to protect their path from bastardization.

People can call themselves Wicca all they like, however those who are Wicca do not consider them as such and would not break oaths by talking about the inner-court teachings of Wicca with these people – often we call people who call themselves Wicca and refuse to accept otherwise 'Fluffy Bunnies' this means someone who is wilfully ignorant of Wicca or chooses Wicca for it's fad value.

Wicca carry on no matter what happens outside of their religion, the teachings are passed down from generation to generation, some would even say that all this misinformation on Wicca helps to protect Wicca in that only people dedicated to the path would put in the effort to work through the misinformation and open their minds to new learning to find their way to Wicca.

Wicca is not something that a person makes up as they go along, it is a religion with specific beliefs, those beliefs are rooted in initiation not just because they believe I initiation but only through initiation can you learn about Wicca and become Wicca.

Answer 2

It depends on who you're asking. There are some Wiccans who believe that you have to be initiated into a coven to be a Wiccan. Then there are others (myself included) that feel the initiation is between the individual and the gods.

If you know of a coven that you would join and feel comfortable with it, go ahead. It's a good thing to be able to be around like-minded people who can teach you. But finding a coven can be difficult, especially if one is unfortunate and happens to live in the accursed Bible Belt. If that's the case, solitary's the way to go. There are a few books that I have found helpful, but my favorite is "Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner" by Scott Cunningham. You can also enter Solitary Wicca into a search engine and find some helpful sites.

Good luck with all your endeavors!

Answer 3

Wicca has been commercialised for years. Take a look at Silver Ravenwolf, Charmed, Buffy and all the young adult fiction series like SWEEP. It's unfortunate, but it's been happening for ages. Honestly though, I think we might be getting a little better about it. Certainly there are a lot more common sense books and websites out there then there have been previously, even if the incredibly bad stuff is creeping up in numbers as well. In short, I agree with you completely and it's a sad fact. If it makes you feel any better, at least there are no Wiccan televangelists (that I know of).

Answer 4

I am not Wiccan, but from what I understand about the religion it is very non-centralized and belonging to or not belonging to depends on the particular type of Wicca you wish to follow. Some groups may require you to join a coven, but I believe most do not. Regardless, it may be a good idea to talk to a Wiccan first and see if you are comfortable with the religion before pursuing it to far, and you would probably get more out of it if you actually do join a group.

Answer 5

No, you do not need to be initiated into a coven to become a solitary practioner. Although some Tradionalists will never consider you Wiccan, but Neo-Wiccan, until you are intiated into a coven. (to me its one in the same) But most Wiccans are very open and accepting and will welcome you with open arms. I suggest Scott Cunningham as a good start. Here are a couple of websites that may be helpfull:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/witchcra.htm
http://www.witchvox.com/
http://www.modernwiccan.com/
http://paganlife.19.forumer.com/index.php?sid=81e3626020558d733bea75ce93613fa4
http://www.llewellyn.com/ - for books
http://www.geraldgardner.com/ - for some history on Gerald Gardner
Make sure you take everything with a grain of salt. Just because it is in print or on the web doesn't make it accurate.

Answer 6

You do NOT need to be initiated into a coven to be a Wiccan. You don't even need another person to initiate you. You can initiate yourself if you want to. Just do your studying and practice and you'll be fine. Just stay away from books by Silver RavenWolf. Reading her garbage will make anyone even dumber. You can message me if you have questions. Good luck to you and blessed be.

Edit: I have to add that while you're free to do as you please, I would advise against a coven until you at least know more about the Craft. Covens are okay, but they definitely have their share of bad apples. I speak from personaly experience here. I really wish I had steered clear of the first coven I got involved with.

Answer 7

Yes, you do need to be initiated into a coven to truly be wiccan. There are many other pagan religions that don't require initiation, but there's no such thing as a solitary wiccan. Wicca is a religion invented by Gerald Gardner, and one of the things mentioned in the Ardanes is that you must be initiated. So in order to 100% truthfully call yourself wiccan, initiation is necessary. So is complete secrecy about the craft, and having all pentacles being made of wax so they can be broken easily to avoid having others see them. If you want to be a solitary practitioner, I suggest you do some research to find a more appropriate label.

Answer 8

Merry Meet my friend. No you do not need to be initiated into a coven. I'm a solitary practitioner as is my husband. We keep it all here in the family :). If you are interested in the path then I suggest two authors to start with Scott Cunningham and D.J. Conway. Both are very good authors and very informative. I agree stay way from Silver Ravenwolf. Blessed be.

Answer 9

Get a book on practice for the solitary wiccan from library / bookstore. no you don't need a coven (though it might help).

e.g. Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner
by Scott Cunningham

Answer 10

To practice traditional Wicca, yes.
To practice Neo-Wicca, no.
Definition of Neo-Wicca:
http://www.witches-tutorial.com/paths/neowicca.html