What is a closed practice?
A closed practice is a spiritual or religious tradition that is restricted to people who belong to a particular culture, lineage or community, or who have been formally initiated into it. The opposite is an open practice, which welcomes anyone who wishes to learn and take part.
The label is not official. There is no governing body that decides what is closed. It comes from the communities themselves and from wider discussions about cultural respect, so people sometimes disagree about where the lines fall.
What defines a spiritual practice?
A spiritual practice is a regular activity through which a person seeks meaning, connection or transcendence. It might include prayer, meditation, ritual, fasting, pilgrimage, chanting or acts of service. A practice may or may not be linked to a formal religion, and may be personal or communal. Closed practices are those where the practice is tied to a specific community and its permissions.
Why closed practices exist
- Protection from harm. Some communities have experienced suppression, forced assimilation or ridicule of their religions, and want to control how their traditions are represented.
- Training and responsibility. Some ceremonies are considered dangerous or sacred to perform without proper training from an elder or teacher.
- Cultural continuity. Practices are often inseparable from language, ancestors and land, and are not simply techniques.
- Consent. Communities have the right to decide who participates in their sacred rites.
Examples, and where opinions differ
Commonly cited examples include:
- Many Native American and First Nations ceremonies, such as sun dances and some pipe or sweat lodge ceremonies, which many Indigenous leaders ask outsiders not to imitate.
- Aboriginal Australian sacred traditions.
- Initiation-based traditions such as Lukumí (often called Santería), Haitian Vodou and Candomblé, which are typically entered through initiation.
- Some Indigenous shamanic traditions.
Beyond these examples, opinions vary and individuals within the same community may disagree. Kabbalah, for instance, was traditionally restricted to prepared students but is now widely studied.
Is voodoo or hoodoo a closed practice?
These are different things. Haitian Vodou (often spelled “voodoo” in English) is a religion with priests, priestesses and initiation, and it is widely considered closed or at least initiation-based. Hoodoo is a form of African American folk magic that developed in the United States. Some Black practitioners regard it as part of their cultural heritage and ask others to approach it respectfully, while others teach it openly. There is no consensus, so a careful approach is to learn from practitioners and read their stated boundaries.
Is shamanism a closed practice?
Many Indigenous shamanic traditions are community-bound and considered closed by their members, while modern approaches built for general audiences are open. See our article on shamanism for the distinction. Witchcraft in the Pagan sense is generally open, though some traditions, such as certain Wiccan lineages, require initiation. For that, see witchcraft explained.
Examples of obscure religions
“Obscure” is subjective, but smaller or lesser-known religions include Yazidism, Mandaeism, the Druze faith and Cao Dai. Some of these have limited or no conversion, which is another reason people sometimes consider them closed. It is best to consult reliable sources, and ideally the communities themselves, before drawing conclusions.
Respectful alternatives
- Learn about the tradition without performing its rites.
- Support Indigenous and community-led teachers and organizations.
- Choose open practices, such as many forms of meditation, Paganism or eclectic witchcraft. (Even there, individual elements may have a cultural source, such as white sage smudging, which is a point of debate.)
- Look into your own ancestry, where you may find traditions you have a connection to.
- Ask, listen, and accept a “no”.
How to practice spirituality without religion
Many people describe themselves as spiritual but not religious. Options include meditation or mindfulness, time in nature, journaling, contemplative reading, creating personal rituals, volunteering, and exploring philosophy. These do not require joining a faith community. If you are drawn to ritual, see witchcraft practices and rituals, which describes open, flexible approaches.