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morningmist
Registered: Sept 14, 2009
Posts: 4

Sept 16, 2009 at 10:02 PM

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I am reading through this website and some other Wicca websites but often I find I can sit and read a book quicker than looking at webpages. This is because this screen can, at times , bother my eyes.
So the very first book I am just beginning to read is by Scott Cunningham called Wicca A guide for the Solitary Practioner. I would like to know what others here think of someone learning of Wicca and themselves within this alone, by themselves? Is it possible to be a lone practioner ?
Thank you for any opinions .
morning mist

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Luthaneal

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Registered: Sept 23, 2008
Posts: 23

Sept 18, 2009 at 09:16 AM

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A lot of people get into the Craft as solitaries these days and that book (for all its ills) is a common "intro book" for many people.

A lot of what is said in it is, simply put, quite naff. It is more a portrayal of what Scott Cunningham wanted Wicca to be. However, it does have some reasonable basic information in it about modern Witchcraft.

As to the subject of actually being solitary:
Can a person be a solitary witch? Most definitely! You can certainly work magic, celebrate the Sabbats and have a wonderful relationship with the God and Goddess, without any need for anyone else.
Can a person be a solitary Wiccan? No - at least, not in the way that we recognise Wicca.
Wicca is a Mystery religion and so it absolutely requires that the person undergo certain experiences in the coven setting and receive access to the Mysteries and all the written and oral lore that is passed down within the priesthood. That is another important thing to bear in mind: Wicca (pronounced 'Wi-ka'), in the original sense of the word, is the name of a priesthood and a Wiccan is a member of that priesthood.
The religion that the priesthood practices cannot be learnt from books, though it can be learnt about.

Technically speaking, because Wicca is intended to be a Mystery Religion, if a person is not practicing it in this way (for example, is practicing solitary ala Cunningham), then they are not actually practicing the same religion.
There is a very substantial difference between the two. In fact, it is not really unreasonable to say that the two are completely different. In a (very) loose way you could compare it to Judaism, Christianity and Islam - they all follow the same God, share many of the same beliefs and the majority of their mythology is identical, but that doesn't make them the same religion.
In the case of Wicca it is a little more complicated than that, but the point is that the superficial similarities hide huge differences in what the religions are and how they work.

But just because you cannot be a solitary "Wiccan" in this sense, does not mean that you cannot be a Solitary Witch. In fact, there are a great many systems and Traditions of Witchcraft out there that specifically allow for solitary practitioners, such as Ray Buckland's 'Seax Wica'.

My advice would be to find your comfort zone, but be willing to network with other Witches and Pagans, preferably at open events. You may find that a coven Craft is for you or you may find that you are happier working alone. But don't let anyone tell you that one is in some way better than the other - they aren't! They are just different and each has it's fair share of advantages and set-backs, and each also has the potential to bring the practitioner a great sense of spiritual joy, accomplishment and growth.

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morningmist
Registered: Sept 14, 2009
Posts: 4

Sept 19, 2009 at 01:13 PM

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Luthaneal, Thank you for your response. I have gone from Cunninghams book to Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler. Just began this book but I am pretty sure it will be of great interest and help to me.
I know this may be getting way ahead of myself but in your opinion, for the beginner that I am, what tools are the first ones I should think about getting? I know I have a lot of studying to do , lots to learn yet and getting any tools may not be before 2010 but I would just like to get your opinion.
Many thanks and take care
Morning mist

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Tamsin

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Registered: Sept 23, 2008
Posts: 5

Sept 20, 2009 at 09:34 AM

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Hi Morningmist, welcome to the forums!

Luthaneal has given you a very good explanation of why Cunningham (or indeed any book on Wicca) doesn't teach you Wicca and doesn't give access to the path. Just to echo his comments, Wicca is a Mystery religion and a priesthood, which can only be learned and experienced within a Wiccan coven. Many books claiming to be about Wicca actually aren't at all (Cunningham being a prime example) and it can even take someone with a lot of experience with Wicca a lot of time to pick out actual Wiccan information from these books.

Your best bet with them is to view them as a good way to pick up information on solitary witchcraft as opposed to Wicca, to use what works for you and discard what doesn't and when you gain in experience, to begin creating your own rites, rituals and magical workings based on your own personal knowledge and experiences.

With regard to your question on tools, there is no right or wrong answer on this one. However, one thing I would say is that you don't actually need anything because everything you need to work magic and to honour the Gods comes from within you. You may find it useful to have these things as a focus, and certainly they do add a certain ceremony when you are doing rituals, but they aren't a necessity.

However, if you really do want some tools of your own then remember that the Gods really don't care if you're using the most ornate wand that money can buy or if you are using a lovely bit of wood you found yourself and painted or varnished. In fact, more often than not you will find you have a greater connection and sense of energy from something you've done yourself than from something that someone else has made and then sold you for a ridiculous price. Certainly, things like candles and incense are usually better bought (though even these can be hand made) and are useful and inexpensive items, but wands can be found, athames can come from your kitchen, as can cups and so on.

I hope that helps.

BB

Tamsin

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morningmist
Registered: Sept 14, 2009
Posts: 4

Sept 20, 2009 at 11:46 AM

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Thank you Tamsin, As I am a beginner these books, websites etc are a good way for me to begin to learn and understand what Wicca "could" mean to other people. But just like when I attended school nothing beat hands on experience.
I like to paint ceramics so, after you mentioned making your own tools, I began to look at catalogues to see if I could, perhaps, at the very least clean, fire and paint a few of my own.
Again thanks for your opinion and sharing your knowledge. Most helpful.
Morning mist

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morning mist

Luthaneal

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Registered: Sept 23, 2008
Posts: 23

Sept 20, 2009 at 06:36 PM

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That is a wonderful attitude to have. The very heart of Wicca is in the experience of it. A person can read all the books ever written on Wicca and still be totally clueless until they begin to actually experience the reality behind the words.

Though, I certainly wouldn't say that the Craft is for "dabblers". Anyone truly wanting to get into it should really be willing to put all their heart into it. Until a person is at that point, then it is most probably best to take the research route for now, otherwise they're attempts in the Craft may be anything from totally ineffectual and disappointing, to genuinely dangerous. As an extension to that, it is also a good idea for the solitaire to do their research and go slow with everything, just sot hat they will (hopefully) be better prepared should things actually not go according to plan.
In that vein, beginning simply is the best bet. Before trying acts of high magic (or indeed, any magic) one is probably best served by honouring the Goddess and God, attuning themselves to the cycles of the earth and the seasons, meditating and it never hurts to spend some quiet time in nature.
Magic will come in its own time.

But when the time does come that you feel you are ready to gather together your tools as a witch, it is best to remember - as Tamsin said, that you need not spend large quantities of money in obtaining your tools. The very nature of the "core" witches' tools (at least as they pertain to Wicca and related forms of Witchcraft) is that they are all things that you can find around your house anyway and that as such the casual observer may not think twice if they happen to see them.
These "basic tools" are the chalice (cup), athame (knife), wand (a rod or stick) and the pentacle (a board of some sort with a pentagram upon it). As examples, your athame (pronounced 'a-tha-may') could be knife from your kitchen and your pentacle can simply be a piece of paper with a pentagram drawn upon it. Alternatively they could be a highly ornate blade and a specially carved "altar board" bought from a shop.

The magic, of course, is not in the items. It is in you. These tools (and others, such as cauldrons, brooms, swords, etc.) are merely keys to help you unlock that magic within. This is because in the mystic setting, they are not merely objects, but are instead an entire language that pieces through the mundane and directly to the subconscious. Over time you may find that you are better able to unlock these parts of yourself without the tools, but it is still valuable in its own way to learn their language.

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