I often have trouble separating "open", "public", and "community" rituals in my mind, mostly for ideological reasons. I realize that Covens can have "open" rituals, where they invite guests. As opposed to the more typical "close" rituals, where only members are welcome. And I am aware that a "public" ritual, with advertising in the papers, is very different from a "private" ritual that is by invitation only. And to my mind a "community" ritual, where the community has some say in what goes on is a totally different thing from a "private" ritual, entirely controlled by one group even if the ritual is "open" and "public".
A "public" ritual is necessarily "open"; there is no point in advertising your ritual if you aren’t going to let people in. "Community" ritual has to be open to members, and if the "community" wants to grow it needs to welcome guests sometime. But it does not have to be open to the general “public”. “Public” and “private” are slippery words. “Community" and “public” are not the same thing but they are both the opposite of “private”.
To my mind a Coven that puts on an open, public, ritual but doesn’t allow the community any say in what goes on is no better than a theater company. They are not acting on the behalf of the community and they aren’t doing the community any favors. They are passing up the opportunity to build bonds within the community in favor of building up their own group.
There is also a difference between doing a "public" ritual and doing a ritual in "public". A "public" ritual is one that anyone can attend. It may be held on private property, in a private home, or of in a public space rented for the occasion. A ritual in a public place lick a park or a historic site my be a "private" ritual, not open to the participation of strangers. But it is in "public" and can legitimately be called a "public" ritual as well.
© Sheherazahde this page created 12/17/01last updated 05/21/02