Going Deeper

Lesson 3 of 12 ยท 9 min

Solitary & coven practice

Modern Wiccan practice

What's out there

A coven is a small committed group, often with training and initiation. An open circle is a public ritual anyone may attend. A moot is a Pagan social meeting, usually in a pub, with nothing ritual about it. Camps and festivals run over days. Plenty of people practise in informal groups of two or three friends, or entirely online.

Traditions vary

Roles, degrees and oaths

Initiatory traditions typically use three degrees, with a High Priestess and High Priest leading. Some material is oathbound: initiates undertake not to share it. That is a legitimate feature of an initiatory religion, and it is also, sometimes, a cover. The difference is whether the secrecy protects ritual material or protects a person's behaviour.

Solitary practice is complete

Solitary Wicca is not a waiting room for a coven. Most Wiccans today practise alone, and have done for decades. Joining a group is a preference about how you like to worship, not a promotion.

Worth knowing

Red flags

Sexual pressure of any kind, including ritual nudity or sexual rites presented as required. Money that escalates, or fees framed as removing a curse. Isolation from friends, family or other groups. Secrecy used to prevent you discussing a leader's conduct. 'Only we are real Wiccans.' Leaders who cannot be questioned, or who punish questions. Pressure to decide quickly. Anything involving under-eighteens beyond open family-friendly events.

Reasonable expectations

A decent group will let you attend something open first, answer questions plainly, tell you what is expected before you commit, accept 'no', and expect nothing sexual. Meet in public first, tell someone where you're going, and leave if you want to. You never owe a group an explanation for leaving.

In plain English

Groups can be excellent. None of them are compulsory, and you can always walk out.

Worth remembering

Coven, moot, open circle or alone: all are ordinary Wicca. Judge a group by how it handles consent, money and questions.

Next: Traditional Wiccan concepts

Where historians disagree, this app says so. Where traditions differ, no single one is presented as the correct Wicca. Our approach

Back to all lessons