Solitary practitioner
This article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2013) |
Part of a series on |
Witchcraft |
---|
A solitary witch is one who chooses to practice their spiritual faith in the privacy of their home or other designated space, without the need to participate in a group such as that of a Wiccan
While formal training is not a necessary component of solitary practice as it is in more organized groups, it is nevertheless a supported recommendation and practitioners can find myriad workshops, seminars and classes, in their local communities and online, that help to provide a more well-rounded approach to their spiritual practice. In most cases books are the primary means of education of the solitary practitioner, along with CDs and instructional videos. Furthermore, the internet has provided for innumerable avenues of personal education in several spiritual faiths,
Decisions for choosing solitary practice over community gatherings are as individual as the practitioners themselves, but a few common reasons are often cited. The reason most often given is that of fear, in that the practitioner is concerned they might be the subject of harassment or abuse, whether physically, emotionally, and/or socially, should the individual publicly express their beliefs, especially when those beliefs are in direct contrast to those of their local community. This mentality is often referred to by those in the Neo-Pagan community by the slang phrase, “still in the broom closet.”[citation needed]
However, another reason is mere personal preference: the individual simply feels more comfortable practicing alone, rather than with others; entering into sacred communion with their deities on a one-to-one basis in private. There have been historically wise women, oracles, shamans and the like, who practised alone and offered essential services to their communities,[clarification needed][4] choosing a select few to inherit their knowledge (most often members of their family or people they were particularly close with). The claim could be made that such exclusivity contributed to the targeting of witches, genuine or not, whose secret arts caused fear and suspicion in the minds of the general public and jealousy[citation needed] in medieval doctors, whose practices were ineffective.[citation needed] (This last statement is inferred from historical premise and opinion and should not be treated as fact).[clarification needed]
Solitary practice has been the subject of scrutiny within the
References
- ISBN 978-0-7387-0222-3.
- ISBN 978-0-7387-0222-3.
- ISBN 978-0-7387-0222-3.
- ISBN 978-1-57174-618-4.
Further reading
- Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions by Joyce & River Higginbotham
- The Wiccan Path: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Rae Beth
- White Magic: A Book of Transformation, Spells and Mind Magic by Marian Green
- Solitary Wicca for Life: Complete Guide to Mastering the Craft on Your Own by Arin Murphy-Hiscock
- Self-Initiation for the Solitary Witch: Attaining Higher Spirituality Through a Five-Degree System by Shanddaramon
- Earth Power: Techniques of Natural Magic by Scott Cunningham