Merry Meet my lovelies,
Have you ever wondered why there are so many solitary witches out there now? Whereas traditionally a witch would always be part of a coven, as together you can perform bigger more powerful spells.
I have recently read a comment on reddit about a lady who is very self-conscious about her craft, which got me thinking….is this why so many witches are solitary witches?
Yes, this is a bit of a psychological post, but bare with me! It’s written from a mix of my thoughts and of other witches I know. I’ve broken down this blog into five common problems which answer the above question as to why so many now don’t join covens, I then offer advice to each problem, to help fellow witches understand these normal thoughts which occur when practicing the craft. So let’s get real, and explore this common witch dilemma further!
⇨ Problem One: Uncomfortable Sharing Magickal Workings
In some parts of the world, it is still seen as taboo to practice witchcraft, the practitioner can feel vulnerable when starting to practice in a group. There are some things people are happy to practice and share, as they are more widely accepted, such as tarot readings or rune readings. But get out the wand and start chanting and all confidence goes!
Do you ever doubt your practice? Or feel self-conscious, especially when in a group setting?
Advice: Taking into account all of the above feelings, it is commonly known that with time, practice and experience these can be overcome, as you grow more confident in yourself and how to practice the craft. These thoughts mainly relate to baby witches, new witches coming to the craft who have not found themselves yet but it can also be a deep root to any practicing witch who has experienced a lack of acceptance in their craft and who has hidden their true selves from the world.
A note on self-consciousness, it is human nature to be unsure of yourself, especially in front of people you do not know. I find that in a coven, there is often a transition period where you get to know each coven member individually, rather than it being daunting and throwing yourself into a big group of strangers and performing a big complex ritual. The bond between coven members needs to first be developed so that the magick performed together has a stronger connection and combined energy as one.
⇨ Problem Two: The Fear of Coming Out
Do you worship the devil? Witchcraft is wrong. Did you put a spell on me? Magick isn’t real.
These are just some of the things that you will come across when starting as a witch, a lot of people do not understand witchcraft, they only compare it to what they see on TV or on traditional beliefs and the past. The world is changing and so is witchcraft, it is extremely flexible and not one witch practices the same as another.
This fear is something I have personally struggled with, in the early years of practicing, still, now people do not like, understand or accept my path. But I soon learnt that you have to accept differences of opinion, no matter what they think or yours, it is part of you, just because you have different beliefs it doesn’t mean that you don’t still have other things in common. You’ll be amazed how much you do, learning to be open about other people’s beliefs is a valuable lesson here, you may not agree with it but you can accept that it is one part of them and important to them.
It is so much easier to stay in that broom closet and not have to face any of the feelings mentioned in this blog, or judgement of others for your beliefs. But you will need to be out of the crystal cupboard before joining a coven, remember that many members in the coven have been where you are now, they can help.
Advice: This is who you are at your core, you are a witch, no matter how much you hide it, it is still who you are. You have to be true to yourself and fully embrace it, no matter what others think or say. You will grow more, feel free and gain confidence if you first accept this and who you truly are. It is hard to be in a coven when you only have one foot in the water, you need to be fully present and open, for yourself and your other coven members. They will not hide who they are, so you cannot expect them to help hide who you are. You need to take that big scary step and shout it out on the rooftops! You do you!
Image by Rondell Melling from Pixabay
⇨ Problem Three- The Inexperienced
Have you ever felt embarrassed to make a mistake or that you will do something wrong? It seems many feel that it is best to have a wide knowledge before joining a coven, so that you have more experience practicing and are a master in a certain area. Some common thoughts are that inexperienced or new witches should not be in a coven until they have learnt the basics of the craft.
Advice: A few words of wisdom about witchcraft is messy and beautiful, there is no right way to practice, no mistakes made. You are a witch regardless of if you know every way to cast a healing spell, it is all a learning process. That is the joy of covens, you can share the knowledge you have and develop quicker if you are in one. Covens are meant to help teach and nurture your talents to grow, experienced witches are happy to pass on knowledge to new witches, it’s great to have a mentor. And let’s not forget that no matter how hard you try, you may never master a certain skill or topic, just know the basics about it. So inexperience of the craft is no excuse not to join one! This fear is holding you back from being in an amazing coven and becoming a respected member, even if you are inexperienced.
⇨ Problem Four: The Unmatchable
Finding like-minded witches or a coven can be hard. As the craft is so vast in the different areas you can practice and learn about, this is a major problem to finding a coven to suit you.
Advice: You may never find a traditional coven, thirteen witches who meet up once a week in-person to create wonderful magick together to change the world for the better! Covens come in many different forms, as long as there are two or more people it can be a coven!
The most active covens out there are actually online covens, whether it’s a Facebook group, skype group or a group of friends who are spread across the world, online covens can be great too! You have much more choice of choosing an online coven with people from all around the world with different experiences and knowledge of witchcraft, due to the different cultural aspects. You just need to put in the work to find these like-minded witches to suit your own unique beliefs and type of practice you perform.
I personally love this idea for sharing knowledge but to me, casting spells should be done more together in one place, yes I know I’m more traditional when it comes to covens! But I like to be in the moment, feeling the energy we share, and building it together. I don’t feel it is as effective through digital portals, to me it’s got to be in person. I guess that would make another good blog post to write about! But the popularity of online covens are growing immensely in the witching community, many witches love joining a coven this way, so go check it out, your perfect match could be waiting!
⇨ Problem Five – Your Inner Most Thoughts
Many new to the craft see it as a way of personal growth, the popular way to do this is through shadow work, as this is a very intimate and personal journey, this can only be achieved alone.
Advice: On the flip side, this is only one part of practicing, you can also work on yourself and practice in a coven, who knows you may find answers through other people’s perspectives! I challenge you to try both! You’ll see the overlap and how being in a coven will raise thought-provoking ideas about your personal perspective and inner work. You will learn from others what they see in you, the skills and strengths you never noticed in yourself before. Covens can be used to enhance and delve deeper into your personal shadow work.
⇨ Problem Six: Negative Vibes Sister
Some just prefer working alone! This is so that they can fully focus on their magick and spells they are casting, solely on their own personal energy. As sometimes you can pick up on others’ negative energy when there is more than one person in the area or judgement from nonwitches. The need to work alone can also stem from being self-conscious when practicing the craft, doubting their craft or even just a dislike to being watched when practicing. The previous problems and advice may help you overcome these thoughts, but it’s good to also remember that some do just prefer working alone!
Advice: This is more a choice than a problem, working alone can give you more freedom to express yourself, be yourself, practice how you wish, improvise, modify and impromptu magick. If you are a fly by the seat of your pants kinda witch, then this may be the only route for you!
So what are you waiting for, blow out all those fears in one swoop and give a coven a try! What is there to lose? Yet there is so much to gain! If it’s not for you, at least you’ve given it a go.
Do you practice alone? I’d love to hear your reasons for why you do, comment below!
Be Free, Faithy xx
Main Photo by Cisco p.a. from FreeImages.
