Written by Heather Day
2020 has been a tumultuous year for us all. A year of uncertainty, isolation, and anger.
This new world we are living in does not appear to be going away any time soon, so how do people gather in groups in order to practice their spirituality? Church groups conduct Zoom sermons or other types of live streams, but witches either practice alone or with a group, large or small. Live streams and virtual meetings can still happen, but it’s nowhere near the same as feeling the energy through the hands of the witches next to you. How does a group raise physical energy without being together?
The solitary witches have probably not had too much of a shift in their regular practice during the pandemic. We are used to performing our spells and rituals alone. Energy is raised alone and the focus is primarily on your own practice. But what about materials? Many stores closed down and may or may not have reopened. How do you procure your incense, candles, and other ritual tools? How about creating your own? This guarantees that your energy alone is going into your tools, no cleansing needed. There are tons of DIY How-To’s and recipes online that can be adjusted and changed to suit your needs. Growing your own herbs can be challenging to start, but very gratifying! You put all your own energy into your herbs, which can then be used in ritual, homemade meals, and other tools such as sachets and incense. Candles can be created by melting soy wax and adding essential oils and herbs.
Our coven witches, however, face a different challenge. In a coven ritual, energy is often transmitted via connected hands, as well as by using drums, song, etc. This is hard to do when we aren’t supposed to be touching each other! So how do they cope? I have spoken to a number of coven witches and have gotten different answers.
Social Distancing: Participants are 6 feet apart (which means a smaller group or larger space is needed) and wearing masks. Focus is on inner and outer projection, emotional connection, and meditation. Physical energy is raised via music, voice, drums, etc.
Live Streams: Like the churches, live stream rituals/meetings. Although not physically together, group members can raise energy at home while still communicating with each other.
Facebook Groups: Coven leaders keep communication open through Facebook groups in order to keep a line of connection between members. Through this, members can host a live feed or simply talk through group threads. Leaders can also conduct any education through these groups.
And finally, temporary solitary practice: Obviously not ideal for someone used to being a part of a coven. But I have seen a number of coven members opt to do their own thing until they can physically be with their group again. Some hate it and some have found that they enjoy the solitary practice because it helps them focus within themselves more and the solitude encourages self discovery. Often those who have chosen this path are those who are at high risk for becoming sick.
There are lots of ways that witches are learning to cope in this new world, and there’s no right or wrong way to do so. It’s important to use the time productively, whether that means being more proactive in your spirituality or maybe you simply meditate for five minutes in the morning over a cup of tea or coffee before spending the rest of the day helping your children with their remote learning. Engaging in family and other relationships is more important now than ever, and it is the most important part of personal spirituality.