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Started by: Animal Sent: 08/01/2001 16:11 14 Replies
How many are Soitary/Eclectic pagans/witches and how many are in a Coven.

bit of a typing nightmare there, but I'm curious as to the above.

I am a Solitary/Eclectic pagan (reads witch to some people) studying the craft, I havn't self initiated yet as I don't feel the time is right.(Am I a witch although I havn't been unitiated?)

My wife is also studying the craft, especially handfasting (we were married in a church under another religion, we want to make our union vows before the Goddess and God).

Raising a young child (soon to be 2) and researching can be hard, but it's worth it.
We are also looking for information on how to approach schools on the subject of "Mummy & Daddy are witches" when Charlotte (and Ryan, when he's here) are older.

Looking forward to some interesting replys.

Blessed Be...

Chris

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From: seabhac Sent: 08/01/2001 17:09 1 of 14
Hello there Animal,
Well, I am mostly solitary but now and again do work with other individuals, particularly if there is an important issue to be tackled. But I am not part of a coven, though I am a member of a Druidic Order and occasionally celebrate with them as a large group. I find that I prefer to "work" alone due to the nature of what I do (a lot of journeying work), and prefer to celebrate the seasonal cycles with others, simply because celebrating on your own is not really fun!!! Though I do mark the seasonal festivals in private ritual as well. I just like any excuse for a party really!
As far as schooling is concerned, I have heard that it is a requirement for schools to set aside some time each week for children to receive religious guidance in their own religion (no matter what that be) from a nominated individual, be it pastor, priest or parent. The best thing to do IMHO is to raise the subject as early as possible when choosing schools for your children. I'm sure you will find most headteachers accomodating (unless you go for a Catholic/Christian Brothers school!). You don't have to be specific about your religion if you don't feel comfortable with it, you might prefer just to have the children taken out of any assemblies which may be oriented toward Christianity, I know members of other religions who have this arrangement for their own children - it is not really an issue in most urban schools where the children come from varying religious backgrounds. There are also books available specifically aimed at teachers on how to understand the pastoral needs of a pagan child. Sorry if this is a bit long!! I can ramble a lot sometimes....
Blessings of a dark afternoon
Seabhac

From: Fletch Sent: 09/01/2001 17:55 2 of 14
Well - I suppose I would also class myself as an Eclectic Pagan/Witch. I was a Christian for a large portion of my mid-late teens, but became disillusioned with a lot of the beliefs involved. I've had an interest in the Occult for as long as I can remember, this led to me getting involved in Tarot, and finally reading about Witchcraft - to start off with mostly in books that gave an evil kinda feeling to the religion, and throughout the next few months my Christian friends started to tell me of the dangers and evil involved. I soon starting doing reading for myself reading books written mainly by Witches and discovered a completely different 'religion' to what I first thought. I'm still reading now, and have recently started to practise a bit.
So there you go, sorry about the long reply!
Fletch

From: Farrah Sent: 09/01/2001 18:53 3 of 14
I'm a solitary but I wouldn't mind or would even 'gasp!' like to become part of a coven.
I was a Christian untill about a year ago when we had a dissagreement and fell out. I tried out other religions to see if they sounded right for me and strangely enough did not think about witchcraft untill I found a book about it in the shop about half a year ago. It was love at first sight 'aaah'
Do not, I repeat, do not send your kids to a catholic school with nuns in or anything like that. I have the unfortunateness to go to one of these and every day I am sickened at the amount of anti-other religion that gets thrown around. There are a good number of pagans and hindus and sikhs and muslims and it gets very old very fast. Anyway. They can pay for my therapy
Farrah

From: sleeper Sent: 09/01/2001 22:18 4 of 14
Hi Animal

I also am a parent of 2 small children, both go to school. It is a good school, but the headteacher ( who is great as a head) is a highly spirital man, but christian. The local vicar spend so much time at the school all the children know him on sight.

My 7 yr old daughter was NOT happy the otherday when she wanted to know why I would not let her stay after school for bible classes!

When I explained to her that she can practice ANY religion when she is old enough to understand ALL about that religion she seems to understand. I tryed to explain that a few hundred years ago please like her mummy would have been 'hurt'! by the church simply for being a woman with brain!, she was ok with my saying no.

Children understand more than we know! Just talk to your kids. Explain your beliefs and leave them be

From: GREYEYES_MO Sent: 12/01/2001 11:28 5 of 14
I was a christian for over 22 yrs, and bought my kids up to be, then i left the church, and a good thing too, lots of hypocrites! i was a pentecostalist, a borna gain baptist, a c of england, and did numerous bible courses, attended church every day, but it still didnt make me a good person! I have found more peace from the goddess, since becoming pagan, or seeker of the original witches... i AM NOT A WICCAN, so wont go by any redes, creeds, or laws of 3!I have my own pathway, basically shamanic, intuitive, hereditary, passed down, from my spiritualist parents.. based on nativeamerican spirituality of indians...I honour a mother goddess, who apears to me as an ancient, one of the old ones, she comes in indian costume...! I also have been on a corresp course, with MARIAN GREEN, called NATURAL MAGICK, based on her book, A WITCH ALONE...
I have two grown up daughters, who are really glad i left the church! some of those teaching were so wrong!
children, will lead their own lives, when older.. whatever you teach them..! MINE ARE 23 AND 26 NOW, and lovely young ladies!and none of us are chrisitians!
I beleive the real witchcraft, is from the heart..and this is why i now wont, touch anything from a coven... or anyone! ive been hurt by too many of them, by unkind words... and hexes, im a hedgewitch, for a want of another description! who has to live in an imperfect world!I prefer my witch spirits anyday!to people telling me im not a witch, as i dont belong to a coven...

From: Dionne Sent: 12/01/2001 15:21 6 of 14
Hiya!

I consider myself to be Eclectic/Solitary.....While I'd like to see how a coven works, I have no desire (for now anyway) to be part of one....not that I have anything against covens....I just don't feel it's for me at the minute..

My parents are both Christian, but never forced me into following the religion...they pretty much always let me follow my own path in whatever I wanted to do...

I always knew I wasn't Christian, but was never quite sure what I was until I found Wicca....& then it all just seemed to fall into place....I suppose you could say it's what I've been all my life...but without knowing it (If that makes sense!)...

Bright blessings...

...Dionne...

From: Shaiya Sent: 14/01/2001 21:35 7 of 14
I am Solitary too. I know of one Coven around my area, but I don't feel ready to join yet. I am still learning and enjoying practising alone. :)

Take care,
-Shaiya

From: Arora Zeut Sent: 22/01/2001 12:29 8 of 14
Hi
I'm not solitary and I'm not part of a coven. I work with a few different circles and groups, and I also work alone.
When you get down to defining what is a pagan, what is a witch etc, you usually get into lots of arguments, because everyone beleives different things.
So if you wanna call yourself a witch, go ahead! You don't have to be part of a coven or be initiated, but I suppose if you feel it nessesary, you could always do a self initiation or dedication rital.
I'm only 19 and know fuck all about kids, so I can't really help you there.
When I have kids, I think i'm gonna try and keep them open to all religious ideas, but I suppose its hard not to infulence people close to you with your own ideas.....

Love and blessings
Gini

From: Ebonyriver Sent: 22/01/2001 16:43 9 of 14
I'm a solitary eclectic wiccan - i'm quite happy being solitary coz i have strong opinions (or "bloody minded", if you ask my mum!) and i don't want to be tied down to any one way of thinking, if i joined a coven, eventually something would come up where we didn't quite see eye to eye. Having said that, i like to meet other wiccans/witches/pagans on a social basis, coz i enjoy talking - and argueing in a friendly manner! - about my beliefs. Explaining again and again the basics of paganism to non-pagans just isn't the same.
Remember, not all christians - and not all teachers - are as close minded as you make out. We are in danger of stereo-typing christians as much as they stereotype witches. I have many christian friends who accept me for who i am, as i'm sure a lot of you do.
Luv Eb xx

From: Shollo Sent: 22/01/2001 20:52 10 of 14
Hi, Well Im not a witch, so Im not in a coven but...

Im solitary again at the moment, although i still have loose ties to the old group i used to work with. Been in a few groups over the years, mostly informal groupings (but not all), and Ive worked as solitary for a while as well. Different things suit different people, and to be fair a lot of it has to do with the sort of people who are in the group. All it takes is one control freak and the entire thing goes belly up, For example look at the end of the golden dawn. Lots of control freaks, and no-one left to control.

Looks impressive though. heh.

shollo

From: freyarainbowtree Sent: 23/01/2001 20:21 11 of 14
Hiya,
I'm a hedgewitch, never been part of a coven, and don't particularly want to be, for now anyway. I have two daughters, aged two and a half and 18 months who I am bringing up pagan. For now, that basically involves showing them what happens in each season, showing them animals, plants, trees, the sun, the moon, the stars, that kind of stuff. I read them fairy stories, I sing and chant to them, I cook, make things, do the gardening with them, that kind of thing. My eldest daughter is just starting to become aware of energy. She senses spirits, (I think) and feels the energy between her hands, so I try to encourage her.
As for school, I'm really going to have to look into it. I wouldn't send them to a school which had any specific religious affiliation, as I don't feel it's the responsibility of a school to give spiritual guidance, although I think it's a good idea that children are taught about all religions in an unbiased way, to promote understanding.
Anyway, if any other parents want to chat about this and exchange ideas, I'm going to start another topic for it. I don't know many other pagan parents and it would be lovely to hear from you,
Blessings, Freya

From: freyarainbowtree Sent: 23/01/2001 20:25 12 of 14
PS - Animal, don't know whether you've seen it , but the Pagan Federation have a section on their website which is information for schools, i.e. kids doing projects on paganism. Might be worth a look. Maybe they even know of pagan friendly schools?

From: Katrina Sent: 28/01/2001 20:25 13 of 14
Hi Animal,
I'm a solitary witch, not through choice but because I'm a novice and haven't yet met any other witches in the flesh (only on the net). About schooling - I'm a teacher in a C of E school, and I can tell you that the remit is to teach about other religions, (Islam, Judaism and Hinduism - not Buddhism at my school), and to respect them, but always to promote Christianity. Most C of E schools have regular visits by the vicar, and daily worship is Christian. Living in a multi-cultural area may change things slightly, but as C of E schools are partly funded by the church, they do have a large say in religious matters. Many will only recruit teachers who are practising Christians. (of course some people lie!!). The feeling at my school about paganism and witchcraft is hysterical and totally unreasonable. I would imagine it's like this in many C of E schools - and DON'T EVEN THINK OF A CATHOLIC SCHOOL!! If you feel your children will get a good education at a particular school, but it's C of E, my advice would be to say you are atheist on the admissions form, and teach your children yourself about paganism. There are enough people interested in ecological issues to be able to allay suspicions about your interests in the seasons, the earth, etc. But if you are uncomfortable with these half truths, then go for a community school, where it would be quite acceptable to put "pagan" for religion . Sadly, many of the best schools are C of E. Sometimes we have to make compromises.
Sorry this is so long - but I know as a parent how important your children's education is.
Blessings, Katrina

From: freyarainbowtree Sent: 29/01/2001 21:12 14 of 14
Animal,
Just a thought, have you ever heard of Steiner schools? Their website address is www.steinerwalldorf.org.uk so check it out, they seem to have a much fluffier approach to education, although they don't say in their site where they stand on religion. They start at kindergarten and go up to 18 and I think they're all private, though it doesn't say how much it costs on the site. Worth a look though, I reckon.
Bright Blessings,
Freya