WITCH 101 : Solitary Witchcraft VS Coven Magick
(Written during the Waxing Moon in Cancer)
A while ago, someone asked me the question, “Do you think a solitary witch is really most powerful, why or why not” and “could you have someone in your coven who doesn’t really consider themselves a witch in your coven?” (I didn’t edit the questions for grammar)
On a personal level, I used to have a lot of internal debates around the topic of SOLITARY VS COVEN. This idea has drifted away, and now I’m a lot more comfortable with just being a solitary witch, while still surrounding myself with other witches and magical practitioners, almost like little pocket covens of relatable beings. Even if you don’t call it a coven, it is important to find your people, and find your tribe. Once you are true to yourself, to your craft, your people will find you. In this age, our covens are our tribes; our groups of like-minded people that can inspire us, feed our minds and hearts, make us feel like a part of something. This is not to say that you should segregate yourself from the rest of the world (remember: separation from the world and creation of echo-chambers is a dangerous game). It simply means that you can be solitary, but you shouldn’t feel alone.
Being a solitary witch, even just to start off, can give you space to learn, to study, to practice, and to identify your strengths. Being alone, being solitary (even temporarily) simply means more space. You can practice predominantly as a solitary witch, but still be part of a coven. I like the idea of a coven because I do like the idea of a support system, of a team, of a group of people who are going to take care of each other. In the Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft by Rosemary Ellen Guiley, there’s an excerpt that comes across as a little condescending but it’s reasonably accurate to now; “In the 1960s and 1970s, it was faddish in America to start or belong to a coven. Some were based on solid foundations, but many were little more than social groups.”
To this, I ask… what’s wrong with that? We’ve kind of cycled back to this. A lot of modern covens won’t necessarily cast spells together, but they’ll gather, discuss magick, and simply support each other (even in a digital space). That’s what a coven should be. “A coven is not a congregation.” I wrote this quote down in my notebook, and to be honest, I have no idea where this comes from. Underneath the quote was some semblance of an attribution; “an old swarmy white guy”. Regardless of who it came from, this sentiment is true. A coven shouldn’t be a space for preaching or controlling or telling others how to live their lives. A coven should have no concept of beneath or above in terms of the members. A coven should be equal, and ethical in its treatment of all members. The relationships we form where we discuss magick and share magick are a nexus towards covenhood. The traditional ideas of covens involve being initiated into a group. If you read any books about initiation or the practices of covens, it can feel like a really elaborate hobbyist’s club with more nudity and magickal tools. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s not for everyone. And, not to get divisive and radical, but maybe it shouldn’t be for everyone.
To be clear, I’m not against the ideas of covens. I love calling my groups of friends my coven, or saying “hello coven!” to my internet followers and peers. Heck, I’m one of the founders of a feminist witch market called Coven Collective. The idea of a coven is powerful AF. It’s just that… a lot of covens don’t feel that way. Too many women and femmes have shared their less-than-savoury coven experiences with me, and it paints a picture of what we have come to expect from any cis het man in power; manipulation, abuse of trust, and so forth. Not chill. It’s unfortunate that there seems to be an inevitability that when anyone is in a position of power, that the power will be abused.
Probably the greatest benefit to being in a coven is that there is power in numbers. More people, more power, more magick. Still, it’s not really essential to have all of that power. And it’s not like you need to be part of a coven to do a group spell or do collective magick (shout to all of the collective rituals and spells I see on social media).
Before joining a coven or assigning yourself to a particular path of witchcraft (and, fun fact, you don’t have to do either), ask yourself, “Does this group / path / school of thought have my best interests in mind?” Not all paths will. Witchcraft is meant to be empowering. If your path is not empowering you, stop. Re-evaluate. Shift. Be okay with changing. Your craft should always have your best interest in mind. That’s one of the strongest aspects to starting off as a solitary witch. To re-iterate some ideas from above, being solo can give you some much needed space, allowing growth, and allowing room for change. In our current age of witchcraft, there are so many resources and groups online. We live in a digital world, and our craft can also exist in that space. Witches are taking over and breaking the internet. Magical practitioners and mystics are embracing the void of the internet to conjure, to gather, to cast spells. Within this digital space, within these digital covens, we are all connected. If something doesn’t work for you, if something doesn’t align, you have the freedom and flexibility to say “thank you” and move along (and you don’t even have to say thank you or exit quietly if it really doesn’t align).
You don’t have to be in a coven.
You don’t have to work with the phases of the moon.
You don’t have to define your craft.
You don’t have to do what anyone before you has done.
Ultimately, solitary witch or a part of a coven, that’s up to you. Neither is really better than the other, as long as you’re finding your magick and your power as a witch. At the end of the day, develop your own magick. Heed your gut feelings, and do what you feel connected to on a soul level. Be courageous to venture out on your own, and try new things. Question things that don’t sit right with you. Read everything, even if you don’t agree with it.
A couple of helpful notes (for the solitary witches and coven witches alike)
- do not police others
- do not become involved with or accept white saviorism or the delusion of white supremacy
- do not allow corporations to profit off of others’ cultures, or your craft
- be accountable
- remember that we are all connected
- remember that our souls come from the same place
- do not think that you are better than anyone else
- give space and listen to marginalized people
- most will say “do what thou will, harm none.” I will say “do what you want. Be a witch, not an asshole”
A quote for today that I like: “contemporary witchcraft is fluid”
(From the before quoted Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft)
