Covens vs. Solitaries

[silvrsnstr]

MM All,
Crimson StarRaven here. Most of you adults have probably been in or are in in a Coven, Circle, or Study Group. What is the pros and cons of coven life vs. the pros and cons of solitary. I have been in a Coven, and the experience was .... not profound. Maybe I was just in one that was poorly run. Thoughts, anyone?

[Mairwen]

I'm a group Elder and believe me, ther are times I wish I were solitary again. :rolleyes: But I love my Tuatha!! I really do!! :D

[Isis]

Hey there,


Well, I"m new to the life, and I"m a solitary. I do get outside help from a High Priestess, and I thrive on that. She's fabulous and helps me to find my way.

However, one of the reasons, among many, that I no longer practice xianity is my being able to be a solitary, and not be guilted into going to church! Or ritual, or whatever you want to call it.

I dont forsee that I'll ever want to actually join a coven, however I do believe that if things are run properly and rules and such are explained in detail at the beginning then you avoid a lot of crap. Now this is me speaking from pure speculation as I've never been part of a coven.

I like learning about me, by myself. For now, its great!

Isis

[Armitage]

I was never in an official coven, but me and a few friends worked together for a few months...I didn't like it, personally, because faith is such a private thing to me, and I'm a very private person to begin with...Maybe I just didn't find the right people, I dunno. I'd be willing to give it another shot to see how it would be now, what with me having changed a lot since then. ^_^

[silvrsnstr]

I understand completely. I myself have been to a few open rituals, which were ok, and in one teen coven, and it was horrendous. There was little organization, and nobody could agree on Who to invoke. I have so much more fun and time to honor the Gods,the ones I choose/ that have chosen me. Faith is more private now, and i don't have to honor those Gods that others have choose, which reminds me of my past. So, i'm more happy now as well.
Blessings,
Crimson StarRaven

[SeekerSandy]

After too many years in xianity, more than a few as a minister, the thought of joining anything organized such as a coven gives me full body shivers.....
Several of us Solitaries do practice together at times and enjoy the experience as no one leads or dares to hold such egotistical titles as high priest or priestess........

[BrigitCayenne]

i think u were just in one which was poorly run

[Myst]

Unfortunately often with titles seem to come politics and then hurt feelings and power issues. The entire reason, I think, my friends refuse to form a coven again.

[silvrsnstr]

The one coven that I do know of that is run good by teens is The Children of The Woods. They have no titles and have open rituals, and it is failry well run. They invoke the Goddess, w/o naming names, and there is a time when you can invoke your Gods, as well. They deserve alot of credit, i think. We could learn from them.
Blessings,
Crimson StarRaven

[stirata]

As of now I am Solitary although I think if I ever found a coven I liked I would join it. I am sure coven membership has its pros and cons and I know for sure being solitary does as well. I guess this is more about personal preference and no one answer will suit everyone. Just my opinion for what its worth. BB. :)

[silvrsnstr]

What are the pros and cons, in everyones opinion?

Blessings,
Crimson StarRaven

[Ravenhart]

Personally, I am an eclectic Wiccan who is looking for a coven or group to join.
There are benifits to both solitary and group practice.
The benefits of solitary are that you can go at your own pace and it won't be such a big deal if you change your mind about what you choose to worship. The benefits of group practice are that if you don't understand something you can ask someone, you can talk to other Wiccans, and you can be taught by people who have had years of experience in magick.

Silvrsnstr- Where in NJ is The Children of the Woods located?


Blessed Be!

[silvrsnstr]

And turnersville, west deptford, deptford, and washington township, depending on who you ask. In gloucester county. ;)
Blessings,
Crimson StarRaven

[Xois]

I don't play well with others! :D

The few that I have been too, were really just emulations of a Catholic mass, which is totally cool, but not for me... :D

Xois

[Mairwen]

Originally posted by silvrsnstr
There was little organization, and nobody could agree on Who to invoke.

Haven't these people eaver heard of "pre-planning"?? sheesh.

[SeekerSandy]

Originally posted by Mairwen


Haven't these people eaver heard of "pre-planning"?? sheesh.

works for us high desert solitaries.........

[silvrsnstr]

But those "old" ideas are to good for them i guess. Some of them. They had a ritual down, butpl said that they sould invoke Venus instead of Aphrodite or Freya, or some such stupidity. I hope there aren't any more like that around!!

[SeekerSandy]

a name is a name is a name.......
It's the deific personality behind the name being invoked that matters. Then again, some just do strange stuff because it's trendy, which is why they 'joined' the craft anyway.
I'll stick with solitary practice myself. Along with some solitary friends from time to time. We usually just do the old time religion thing and invoke the Lady Goddess and Horned Hunter of the sun.
If it's good enough for Artemis, it's good enuff for me.......