Technology changes everything! The world we live in today is so much bigger than the one of my childhood, some three decades ago. The internet has absolutely changed not only how we learn and share information, but also how we interact with others.
When I was first learning, it was hugely emphasized that you should join a coven. This was how you learned. You found a group that practiced near you, and applied to join. If that absolutely could not happen, then you hoped to find a book that would hold you over until you found actual people to learn from, but this was still considered an inferior way of learning.
It was seen as a sign of dedication to your craft to be willing to travel, sometimes hours one way, to meet with a group. Often groups would want to meet at least every month and a half (for Sabbats), but some had monthly Esbats or even weekly learning groups. And I have been flat out told that if you couldn't make that commitment then you obviously didn't want it bad enough (which in my opinion is a very horrible attitude and is very exclusive and discriminatory to people with lesser means or with a family).
Today, there are so many more options! There are tons of resources for learning, from books and websites to online schools (some which are free and open to all and some which charge and function more like a coven or college in structure). In fact, most of the newer Pagans I have met (newer as in only practicing for say five years or less) take book/online learning as the standard. Some have attended classes or workshops here and there, but the bulk of what they have learned comes from books.
I adore book learning. I definitely value face-to-face learning (and experiential!) also, but as someone with lots of personal time, having a book to learn from means I can advance along at my own pace, and that I can connect with other people who have read the same book and discuss anything within it and we have the same context to relate to. I also find books to be timeless. A book can be a hundred years old, I could have read it twenty years ago, and someone else could have just read it yesterday and still the information remains the same.
Websites to me are a lot more fleeting. I started keeping copies of really good information on my own computer many years ago, after several instances where I had tagged a website for reference or to read later only to have it disappear, never to be seen again. But, websites also offer voice to those who might not be heard otherwise. Things like this blog, where anyone can create content from their own perspective, and put it out for the world to see.
The internet also allows instant communication between people from all over the world. I can 'sit' down with people from anywhere in a chat room, on a forum or on social media, and have a discussion in real time. This really opens doors, not only for people in remote areas, but also for people who might not want their interests known to their family or work. People who might have otherwise never reached out to anyone out of fear, can now speak to people who they identify with! And, you can be exposed to ideas and practices that are common in other areas of the world that you might never have heard of otherwise...and from someone who practices them as part of their daily life instead of from a textbook or other reference/historical document.
Virtual covens are something I have seen for decades. And the concept is expanding today. There are lots of groups that cater to Pagans that offer different levels of community. There are huge groups open to anyone who wishes to join and small select groups of friends who wish to share private things. Virtual classrooms allow students to come together and share their studies, benefiting from the experiences of the other people taking the class as well as feedback from instructors.
And there are lots of options for virtual rituals! I have participated in some that are sent out by email, where the ritual structure is sent to everyone, and each participant does the ritual at the same time, but on their own. Or where everyone may even do the rituals at different times, but still tap into the group dynamic and energy through mutual focus.
I have also been a part of rituals done in chat rooms, where the ritual leader will type out descriptions of what they are doing, and then invite everyone else to join in, typing their own responses. This works best with smaller groups, and if everyone is very comfortable typing (it can easily become slow and clunky if there are too many long pauses as everyone is typing).
Another option is with video or phone chat. Often in this case, the ritual leader will be the one on video or the one who is speaking, while everyone else listens in. Sometimes there is a chat box where participants can type and be heard, or can key in and speak, but mostly it is one speaker leading the group, and the rest following along. While not quite as interactive as a traditional ritual, they can be absolutely lovely, and really immersive with a great leader. Plus, it can be less intimidating for people who are just starting out as there is nothing they have to do besides listen.
Finally, some people have utilized the potential of video games (especially mmo style ones where everyone can create a character, move about and even place objects) to host even more immersive virtual rituals. This may not appeal to some people, but with the technology breaking into 3-D gaming, there is the possibility of fully virtual rituals in the fairly near future.
There are a lot of pros and cons to virtual communities. It can sometimes be hard to connect as deeply to people you only know online. For all that they are used so much, many social networking sites or other virtual ways of interacting are quite clunky and not really great for true conversations. On the flip side, it can be a lot easier for many people to engage in a discussion online, at their own convenience, when they might never actually be able to make a physical meetup (or the physical meetup might only be able to accommodate half a group because of scheduling issues).
Ultimately, there are lots of tools for us modern Pagans to make use of. It all comes down to how you choose to use them!
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