What's the Difference?

My husband once asked me, “What is the difference between a Wiccan ‘coven’ and a Wiccan ‘group’?” Good question! Well, actually there are a couple of differences between the two. First of all, groups like our Old Path Enlightener’s Circle are not nearly as rigid as traditional covens tend to be. For example, we don’t necessarily celebrate our sabbats on the actual date. Since all of our adult members work full time jobs and some also have family obligations due to children, etc., it is extremely difficult most of the time to get everyone together at the same time on the exact sabbat or esbat date. It simply is not realistic with all of our busy, everyday schedules!

Instead, we choose to hold our celebrations as close to the actual date as possible. Although if we can, we do celebrate the sabbats on the exact day, I think of the sabbats as more of an honoring of the Goddess and God than anything else. Therefore, unless there is a specific reason such as spell work we may wish to perform during the ceremony, I do not feel that we necessarily need to perform all rituals on the actual date. Naturally, sabbats such as Samhain and Beltane are best celebrated on their actual days due to the fact that they are the only times during the year in which the veil between the worlds is thin. For the most part, I don’t feel that “when” is of such a great importance so long as we “do” in fact honor our Deities.

Samhain -2010

Our esbats; however, are only performed if they happen to fall on a night when we can all get together. The main reason for this is obvious. With the exception of a Blue Moon, we are blessed by the Goddess with only one Full Moon a month. Full Moons are very powerful indeed and are generally accompanied by some type of magical working such as healing spells, Drawing Down the Moon rituals or any sort of work which can not be done at any other time of the month.

Another difference is that, since we are an Eclectic group, we like to incorporate various traditions into our rituals from time to time. This allows us room for both growth and learning. We also do not limit ourselves to working only with one another. When needed, we gladly help each other for a common goal – healing spells and the like. But we also work with others whom we implicitly trust outside of our solitary group.

With Lady Sabrina Rhiannon and some of her coven members - Yule 2009

What I love so much about Lady Sabrina Rhiannons’s coven, The Coven of the Silver Moon Circle, is that even though I don’t always participate in their circles due to the fact that they only perform their sabbat ceremonies on the actual nights, they are still an Eclectic coven. I am very grateful that I have always had the chance to surround myself with such awesome, like-minded individuals. I am growing spiritually as a person and so there are times when being a solitary isn’t quite enough. Being part of a group gives me the feeling of unity that I sometimes feel that I need. For me, it is a wonderful feeling!