The Benefits of a Witch’s Coven

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Deborah Blake, author of several books, including her new Everyday Witch’s Coven.

I have always been a fairly solitary person. Most of my activities, like writing or gardening, are things I do by myself, and I’m not terribly social by nature. So when a friend invited me to come to her witchy events, I resisted for a long time. It sounded interesting, but the idea of hanging out with a bunch of people I didn’t know, doing who knows what…well, it didn’t seem like something that would appeal to me.

When I finally went to one, a Samhain ritual (in 1997, I think, but it was so long ago, the dates are foggy), it changed my life. Not only did I discover that I was a witch, and had been one for my entire life without knowing it, but I also discovered I loved doing magical work with others. It turned out that even though I was a relatively solitary person, I was also a group witch. Go figure!

Not everyone wants to be part of a coven or practice magic with other witches. Some would like to do so, but don’t have access to fellow witches because of where they live or a need to keep their practice a secret. Others just prefer to be solitaries, and that’s just fine. (Even witches who belong to covens usually do some magical work on their own.) There are, however, a few benefits to group practice, if you’re thinking about trying it out.

1. 1. Community: Most of us are surrounded by other people who don’t share our spiritual path or beliefs. It is a wonderful feeling to be amongst people who do, even if your approach is a little different from theirs.
   2. Raising Energy: Any witch on their own can be powerful, never doubt that. But I have been in some group rituals where the amount of energy we raised together, all focused on the same goal, was truly amazing and empowering. Even if you don’t want to belong to a coven, it might be worth going to an occasional event or convention, just to see what it feels like.
   3. Shared Celebration: Besides the magical energy generated by a group of witches, there is also the joy that comes from sharing an occasion with others, whether it is worshiping the Goddess under a full moon or a seasonal ritual at one of the sabbats. If there is a feast afterwards, even better!

There are plenty of other reasons to practice with others, but you can see my point. Even if you are a person who likes to do most things on their own, you might want to consider trying a group ritual if you can. Who knows, you may discover a new love for covens, and decide to join one or start your own. I did!

Our thanks to Deborah for her guest post! For more from Deborah Blake, read her article “The Modern Witch’s Coven.”