A coven is a community or gathering of witches or Wiccans similar to how you have a congregation of Christians. It is a group of people who come together to practice witchcraft and for ceremonies like the Sabbats. The number of members is supposed to be thirteen at most and can be as few as three. The group is managed by a High Priest and a High Priestess but some covens may be led by just one of them. Recently, neopagan covens are said to have leaders in rotation so everybody gets a chance to lead the coven.

Over the years, you find that there is plenty said about joining a coven or not. A lot of people who choose to be the lone witch do so after a bad experience with a coven.  It could be that they weren’t lucky enough to find a coven that was nice or they might have been put off by the practices and ethics of the other coven members.

There are good covens as well as bad ones. Bad covens can be classified into three categories. The first category is referred to as the “Look at me” coven. These coven members, more so the leaders spend so much of their time appearing at public events that they do not have time for spiritual exploration. They host as many public events as they do private ones, if not more. And they welcome newcomers with open arms as the size of the coven is a status symbol.

The second category or the “Wanna-Be” coven is one where the level of understanding and knowledge is very superficial and rituals are mere reproductions of how it was done in the olden days. They do not possess in-depth knowledge or any formal training so their focus is mainly on the rites rather than the wisdom that should reside as a living flame within the ritual frame.

The third category can be said to be more of a cult rather than a coven. Harshly prohibited, they are inclined to be the “one and only true way” type.  They are often an unorthodox derivative of a reputable tradition and follow their leader’s individual understanding of the tradition. They are said to be difficult to join and even more to difficult to leave.

But sometimes even if there are signs that are not liked by everyone, it doesn’t mean that it is a bad coven. For example, a coven which does not let in just about everyone who wants to enroll is not inevitably being elitist. It is extremely important that new members fit in with the existing members; so a compatibility check is in order.  Some covens do it in a straightforward manner. Others let more people in as dedicants and filter out the misfits before they arrive at initiation. Becoming a witch or embracing Wicca is not meant for everyone just like Buddhism, Christianity or any other religion. If you don’t reverberate to the path, then it is not for you.

There are some covens that are pretty good at some things; however, they might be lacking in others. Some are great at providing basic training at how to become an effective witch. Still other covens can be a great place for experienced witches to get together and investigate even more intense mysteries.

Often people think that a coven is a commitment for life but actually it is committing to a path not to a group of people. Although there is a bond of initiation in a coven, it is actually a bunch of lone witches whose paths cross for some time. All witches must practice their craft on their own whether they belong to a coven or not.

Not all covens are good but not all of them are bad either. A lot of witches profit from coven interaction but some may be better off as the lone witch. Covens can be very advantageous provided all the members get along fairly well.  As in all groups, there will certainly be times when not everybody agrees with something. So the coven should be right for the members involved and at the same time the individuals should be right for the coven.

Being the lone witch can be pretty difficult. You have to get your own information from unfailing sources. Celebrating Sabbats by yourself can be quite lonely unless you have someone who can join in. But then you have all the freedom that you would never have if you were in a coven. You can practice whenever you please the way you want to. And you don’t have to put up with politics which is found in any group conceived.

The good side about joining a coven is that it provides you with some discipline while practicing your craft. You will celebrate the Sabbat without fail every year and do your daily devotions. Meeting other like-minded people can be an extremely rewarding experience. And then you have the High priest and High priestess to guide you. So it’s up to you to make a choice whether to be the lone witch or to join a coven.