Is initiation and self- dedication the same thing? And is one a Wiccan, witch if one is not coven initiated ?

Question

Again, I am asking. I asked a similar question, and someone said, I am not a Wiccan, because I am not in a coven, nor am I coven initated.

Answer 1

Some people will say that, but many Wiccans are never a part of a coven their entire lives. They're called solitaries. There is a difference between self-dedication and initiation. Dedication simply means that you are dedicating yourself to the study of Wicca. Initiation is when you actually become a Wiccan practioner. If you want to be a solitary Wiccan, you can probably perform a self-initiation ritual. Good luck to you and blessed be, my sister. )O(

Answer 2

This is a very good question. I hope I can answer it well enough for you. They are the same, but yet different.
With self-dedication you are just dedicating your self to the god/goddess. You can do it with or without a long fancy ritual. Self dedication is used for those that do not belong in or do not wish to be in a coven and wish to show their god/goddess that they are ready to commit their life to walking the chosen path with their god/goddess. However, not all pagans feel the need to do a self-dedication. To me this is fine. That is their path choice, and I know there are some out there that will disagree with me on that.
As for Initiation it is a combonation of dedicating your self to your god/goddess AND to the coven. It is usaully in ritual form and depending on the coven, can be long or short. An Initian is usually done in a year and a day after started researching and learning under your Wiccan/coven teacher.
For both, it is also usually the time when the dedicatee shares with their god/goddess their spiritual name of choice. (and spiritual names is a whole other subject. lol)
AS for if they are Wiccan, well yes. Both are used in the Wiccan Path. Self-dedication for those that chose the Solitaire path, and Initiation for those who found a coven to learn from and get accepted into...BUT other pagan paths do use these terms too. Some Satinist have covens too and do an initation.. but theirs is done differently and its more for just joining the group. The solitares tho don't normally do a self-dedication. (Just a note on Satinist: They don't worship satan, The name is decieving, but they are more into self worship.)
I hope this answers you question.
Blessed Be,
Red Sapphire
HPS of the White Buffalo Woman
Vigil Circle of Mother Earth Coven

Answer 3

"Personally, I don't believe that being coven initiated means a darn thing. It's the same thing, to me, as walking into a church."

Er. Being coven-initiated is NOT like "walking into a church".

It's similar to being *confirmed* as a member of that church, with all that that means - profession of belief, establishment as a full member of a religious community, etc. One of the most important parts of this rite of passage is that it changes the relationship between the person being initiated and the community into which he or she is *being* initiated. It carries new responsibilities, both for the initiate towards the group and for the group towards the initiate. And confirmation, like initiation, is only done after you've shown that you have an adequate understanding of the religion to know what you're asking to be accepted into.

That doesn't happen by "walking into a church" any more than it happens by attending a public ritual.


Certainly there are Wiccans who are not covened. Wiccans who have been initiated into a Wiccan Tradition sometimes move away from their coven, or the coven dissolves, or any number of things. That doesn't make the initiated Wiccan less Wiccan.


Initiation and self-dedication are not the same thing at all, as prairiecrow explains. One cannot bring oneself into an established group - one need to be *brought in* by people who are already members of that group.

Answer 4

No, initiation and self-dedication are not the same thing.

Self-dedication is a promise, an oath you make between yourself and the Gods, declaring that you willingly choose to follow a certain path.

Initiation is a ritual wherein the members of a preexisting group bring you into it as one of their members.

Whether one is a Wiccan without being initiated is subject to who you ask, and their definition of what Wicca is.

I cannot speak for others, but for me the answer is no. I will not just accept someone is a Wiccan just because they say they are, no, not without knowing that they have more than a layman's idea of what Wicca is, and what it means to be Wiccan.

Answer 5

No initiation and self dedication are not the same thing. Initiation involves a group, self dedication is what it says...done by self.

Wicca was intended to be an oath bound religion...and to many still is. To me, if you do not practice Wicca as it was intended to be you are not Wiccan. You are neo-Wiccan.

I don't say this as an initiated Wiccan, I say this as someone who respects the beginnings of Wicca and those who practice it. To claim you are Wiccan without having been initiated in a coven, to me, is an insult to the coven bound.

Answer 6

initiation and self dedication are not the same thing.
i believe that initiation should be performed by a group or someone else and is a formal rite done to confirm that you are a member of an organization. self initiation is a grey area, but i believe that there are circumstances where it could be valid. those are rare though.
self dedication is a rite of declaring to yourself, your chosen gods or the universe that you are set on your path.
i don't think initiation is necessary to call yourself a wiccan or a witch. i don't think you have to be in a coven to call yourself a witch or a wiccan.
i do think that initiation is necessary if you want to call yourself a high priestess or high priest. i think you do have to be initiated to claim this or that degree. i think you should be initiated to claim to be an actual member of some traditions or orders.

Answer 7

Personally, I don't believe that being coven initiated means a darn thing. It's the same thing, to me, as walking into a church. That doesn't make you Christian. What makes you a Witch is your belief, your soul-deep connection with the Gods of your understanding, your dedication...not other people.

However, initiation and self-dedication aren't the same. You become a Witch/Wiccan the day you say you do. A self dedication is between you and your chosen Gods. An initiation is between yourself, your chosen Gods, and your coven. Simple as that. You don't need someone else to tell you you are a Witch.

(By the way, I am both Solitary, and a coven member...my spirituality is a personal thing - but I very much enjoy the fellowship of others. They do not decide or define my spirituality...I just enjoy sharing it with them.)

Answer 8

Initiation, by definition, brings you into a group. Therefore, one cannot initiate oneself.

Self-dedication, on the other hand, is entirely possible for the individual.

Wicca was originally an initiatory, oath-bound religion in which the members gathered in covens. To this day, members of initiatory Traditions claim that you cannot be Wiccan if you are not one of them. I do not believe that this is accurate any longer. Like any religion, Wicca has evolved, and today it is practiced in several forms that are geared toward individual worship.

Hope this helps.

Answer 9

You’ll get a lot of different opinions on this one. Here’s mine.
Self dedication is what you do to announce to the gods and yourself that this is the path you are dedicating yourself to this path. Initiation is what you do when you have already learned a lot and are ready for the next stage. Initiations are usually only done in degree systems. You finish first degree training and then you get initiated to first degree. So you’re an initiated first degree while you’re studying second degree.
There are degree courses online so you can still get initiated even if you don’t belong to a coven. I’m a initiated witch online and in person, but I still do a re-dedication ritual every year on my self dedication anniversary. In my rededication ritual I not only affirm my commitment to my path, but I talk to the gods about what I learned and what I want to learn the next year.
BB, Starlight

Answer 10

This has been said many times, and If I had a nickel everytime I had to answer this question, I'd be a very rich witch.


Ask youself this, How did the First witch become a witch in the first place?

And ask youself this one: Are you not a christian if you are not baptized.

One is wiccan because their hearts say it.

Let me get to the point, My answer to your question is


No.