Margot Adler, Drawing Down the Moon (Beacon Press) 1979, pgs 106, 120, 130-131:
"A coven simply means a group of people who convene for religious or magical or psychic purposes. Not all witches form covens...many scholars would argue that the idea of covens was an invention of the Inquisition that was later adopted by the revival. Among the Gardnerians and Alexandrian Craft laws is one that states, 'Ye may not be a witch alone.' So, one would think that at least there are no solitary Gardnerian or Alexandrian Witches, but even that isn't true -- many Gardnerians and Alexandrians have decided to function without covens. (In this religion there is an exception to everything.)

...Decentralism and individualism in the Craft seem to overshadow any 'tradition' or 'ritual'. One cannot begin to understand any coven without first understanding this fundamental independence...
...Dianic covens worship the Goddess more or less monotheistically...the female as Creatrix is primary. Dianics also see the Goddess symbolized in nature...

Mark Roberts tole me that Dianics are also pantheistic, since they recognize the sacredness of all that exists. But, he said, 'The Goddess is the touchstone to this planet and this life cycle...'
[quoting from C. A. Burland]: 'A great many modern witches feel that they have brought back the ancient religion of pre-Christian times. In so far as they have retained the love of nature and followed the festivals of the turning sky they have an argument in their favor. Those were the essentials of the ancient belief.

In this environment of growing threats to human existence there is a surge towards the works of life. Hence the growth of witches of the old greenwood type, the dancers of the gods. Nakedness, sex, song and dance are their marks, and their hearts are mostly innocent and happy. The newly invented groups have a validity which springs from the emotional needs which created them. Often without any conscious planning they throw up from within themselves echoes of ancient ceremonies...

Witchcraft is in its essence the worship of the powers of this world, terrible or beautiful, but all in a circle under the turning sky above which is the One."