Absent Healing

There are many forms of healing practiced by Witches and others. Among them is absent healing. As its name implies, it is a form of healing in which the patient need not be present. Within this category are a number of methods of directing the healing energies. Some are done in the coven situation, with a number of people combining their energies, and some are done by individual, or Solitary, Witches.

In modern Wicca, all healings start with obtaining the permission of the patient. Wiccans will not interfere with another's free will in any way whatsoever. They believe that each has his or her lessons to learn in life, and that a particular illness may be part of a lesson that needs to be experienced. If the patient feels strongly that the suffering is part of a learning process, then he or she may well not seek magical relief. The Witches will not, therefore, attempt to heal someone unless that person has told them they may do so. Also, Wiccans believe that the medical profession should be consulted first, since they are professionally trained in healing.

Looking first at the coven, a typical healing circle starts with all coven members being apprised of the complete situation: the name and location of the patient; what is wrong with him or her; how the situation came about; the patient's circumstances; and the medical prognosis, if there is one.

The members discuss which method should be used to raise the necessary power, and exactly which role each coven member will play. In some covens, the Witches will raise their Cone of Power and direct it individually toward the patient. In other groups, the power is channeled to the High Priestess or another coven leader, and that leader is the one who actually directs it to the recipient. In healing magic, as in all forms of magic, the focus is on the result. In other words, the Witches center on seeing the patient completely well, rather than simply getting better.

Much the same thing takes place with the Solitary Witch. First comes the complete assessment of the situation, followed by a decision about which method to use to raise power. If a long-term illness is being dealt with, then the Witch or Witches will repeat their distant healing regularly over a period of days, weeks, months, or even years.

In both coven and solitary practice, the actual type of healing is another decision to be reached. It is possible to simply project healing energies, but it is also possible to work through Poppets, Candle magic, color projection, and other methods. Covens are more likely to direct their energies directly or through color projection, while Solitaries are more likely to indulge in candle manipulation and poppet magic, although all methods are open to everyone.