Hi yall, I've been a Neopagan witch since 2013, but as of the past few years, I've been really drawn to Wicca, and not the new age fluff that gets labelled Wicca. I know there's a difference between NeoWicca and BTW, and at the current moment my practice could be described as Solitary NeoWicca or Dedicatory Religious Witchcraft (if we wanna do some necromancy on old terms that aren't used widely anymore lol). There are no covens near where I live, so I will likely be solitary until I move unless I start an eclectic circle (I hesitate to use the term coven as a generic term for a group of witches, as I know Coven is a term with weight)
I'm making this thread in hopes for a smidge of guidance, as someone who aims to seek out a coven at some point, with a few questions below:
1 - How can I best deepen my relationship with The Goddess and Horned God? I know that many of their names are oathbound and vary based upon coven, and I do NOT, nor would I want, anyone to break their oaths. Names tend to be important in how I connect with deity, so what are some public/outer-court names I could use for them? Or is it best to use the names that seem to roll off my tongue naturally, even if there's not any mythos for them or if the names change pending the day or ritual? Alternatively, how can I best let go of this deeply held feeling of needing a name to call my gods?
2 - What tradition would you reccomend for someone whose dream/ideal coven fits the following descriptor (note: I'm open to NeoWiccan AND BTW Traditions, my main goal is to best serve my gods, and seek their priesthood, as I want to have a very intimate relationship with them): A Coven who practices robed and outdoors, with both private and public ritual. Uses specific deity names in circle, either oathbound, public, or both (as in two sets of names: one used in public ritual, one used in private ritual). This hypothetical coven would have a heavy focus on the worship of the gods and celebrating the wheel of the year and the mythos of the gods. Maybe this coven incorporates aspects of Non-Wiccan trads such as 1734 or Cochrane's Craft, but still is primarily Wiccan in nature, with the Gods seen as deities of fertility.
3 - What's the best way to meet other pagans in my area? We have some metaphysical shops around here but there's no actual pagan community. No moots, no festivals, no nothing. The shops are nice though and a great start, but it feels like pagan community events are far and few between.
Thank you all for your timeand advice, Blessed Be!