One of the biggest advantages of being a solitary Wiccan is the freedom to practice our spirituality in the way that fits us best, in lifestyle and our own inner guidance.  I have talked to literally hundreds of solitary practioners over the years and I have found some common traits running through us all.  The very first thing I recognized was a strong independent nature.  Once a student has learned the basics, that student tends to continue to study and adopt those things that are true for her/him.  It takes a lot of strength and a strong sense of self to stand for what one believes in a society that is not yet ready to embrace us (to be truthful, religious intolerance seems to be growing in this country).  Often times the solitary witch has to practice in secret in order to keep a job, or avoid family problems, and in some cases to keep their children.  In cases such as these she/he must have a strong inner spiritual strength, otherwise it might not seem worth the effort.  For all of you who are having to walk this tightrope, I give you my prayers and hope that soon your life situation will allow you to shine as brightly on the outside as you do on the inside.

Solitary Wiccans rarely follow any spiritual leader or practice without looking into it more deeply.  They also have a strong knowing of what is right within themselves.  I am not speaking about the novice witch here, but the one who has spent some time studying and developing her/his inner awareness. 

I have also observed that most solitary witches are happy to lend a hand and share energy with others when the need arises. 

I may live in the "woods" of Arkansas, but I have a network of solitary witches and when one of us is in need of help we come together as a group.  We don't consider ourselves a coven, but a sisterhood.  We also come together for certain Sabbats or special events.  If you can develop a network like this you will be able to participate and share while still retaining your independence.  Of course you should be cautious when developing your network.  Take the time to get to know the people that you wish to share your inner self with.  This should be a "sharing network", not a "dependency network".  Everyone should feel free to choose whether to participate or not at any given time.

There is a lot of freedom in the choice to be a solitary witch, but with that freedom comes to responsibility of keeping yourself motivated enough to be an active practioner.  Sometimes we can get in a rut and we become "lazy witches" in as much as we just don't have the impetus to do an esbat this month, or spend some time working on our psychic abilities, etc.  When we find ourselves in this place we are the only ones who can pull ourselves out.

On the positive side of this freedom, we can choose when, where, and how we will exercise our spirituality.  We determine what type of ritual, spell, or celebration that we are going to use.  This encourages our own creativity and by creating it ourselves, we are far more connected on an energy level. 

From time to time I will be sharing some of my own rituals and other things on this blog.  If any of you would like to share, please send me an email or leave a comment.

Blessed Be!