Making a (high) Priest/ess

[Kendrah]

I don't believe that any of the Priesthood are suddenly born or you wake up one day and there you are, a (high) Priestess (bada bing, bada boom.) I know it's something that takes time, practice, a mature knowledge of the material and world (beyond just an encycopedia (sp?)), Grace, and wisdom, but I've often wondered how people get to that point.

So, say you are a Priest/ess and you had a newbie (or maybe not) in front of you, asking what you need to be to be a Priest/ess. What would you tell them? What tips do you think are helpful to "grow" or "raise" a Priest/ess?

Please note, this isn't a discussion as to whether we all are priests in our own right or whether priests are needed or not. I just don't want to be side tracked.

[Sage Rainsong]

I suppose that becoming a priest/ess means having a certain level of skill so learning various energy raising and manipulating techniques. Skill isn't everything though. You could be and excellent witch and a crappy Priest/ess. I believe that one should probably learn something about councelling and psychology. That way they can think about their own life and eventually mature. The person may be then more fit to lead others (for the record leading others is how I define a preist/ess). They also have the advantage of possibly learning how to spot crazy people in their groups. Perhaps you can do some guided meditations for self reflection as well. Tarot Journeys by Yasmine Galenorn has some good ones.

[KEishin]

In my case I look or several key qualites, such as but not limited to :
A certain level of maturity (beyond the 'can I use magic to change a traffic light' sort)
Patience
Teaching ability
Knowledge of the religion and of several others(very key!)
Willing and able to pass along the traditions of the Craft
Humility
Compassion
Respect

And you're right - even the best of us had stuff to learn to get there and are still learning on the journey!

[kaosxmage]

I think in the act of becoming a priest or priestess one must go through changes. The first obvious step would be getting familiar with the diety you have devoted yourself to. Beyond studying myths, one must also build a relationship with the diety through intense personal journeys. I have found that when someone dedicates their life towards the path of clergy, a diety will begin challenging the aspirant in many ways. You will find yourslef humbled before other work really begins. You may even find yourself taking on aspects of your chosen diety. Ultimately, it is choosing a relationship that requires hard work.

--Kaos

[-Ember]

I don't believe that any of the Priesthood are suddenly born or you wake up one day and there you are, a (high) Priestess (bada bing, bada boom.)

Now I am going to have nightmares. *Wake up, yawn & such. Realize something feels wrong. Look down. I am a priestess?* Wake to real life, screaming ;) (jk)

I'm really not entirely sure, but something related I posted on another board when describing, within a tradition, what I understood about initiate levels.

Firsts dedicate what they are willing to give to the trad. Seconds dedicate what is needed/necessary. Thirds get past the conflict of the two states of being.

I can see it in a more general context as well. Priest/esses are those at the dedicated to what is needed/necessary stage of things or up. They do what is needed (and not just for themselves, but for their surroundings as well) and accept that and its results. Hp(s) is when it can be done with grace.

[BrigidMoon]

I would describe it like any other part of my life or job:

1. Studying about it.

2. Finding what you like about it and specializing in that area.

3. Experience doing it, practice with high success rate.

4. Having a mentor or someone you look up to to help.

These are key ingredients to learning how to do/become something.

[SacredWithin]

I think it's about wisdom, grace and being able to use both to help others. And I think such things as being around people and having an understanding that is both mundane and spiritual can help to bring these characteristics about. I see priests and priestesses as teachers and I think it would be wasteful to have knowledge and wisdom and not find a way to pass it on to others.

[Windsmith]

This is an interesting question for me, since I'm in priestess training right now.

Of course, as I know I've said elsewhere, the term "priestess" in our tradition doesn't mean what it does in a lot of others. Since it's a non-hierarchical tradition, a priestess isn't someone who stands in front of a group in ritual or meetings or wherever and "leads." We have "priestesses of the moment." The idea is that every person in a group has certain talents that make them the logical person to guide the rest of the group through specific tasks, and that, when the need for such a guide arises, the best person will be called do that guiding. So a lot of what we do in training is learning a whole range of skills, to help draw us to what we most enjoy doing and are most comfortable doing. We try to strengthen ourselves to have the courage to stand in front of a group (or in front of our gods) and lead without making others feel like they're being ordered around.

Of course, we also realize that there are times when no one really feels called, but the thing has to be done anyway. That's another reason we learn so many different skills, so that if no one steps forward out of the sheer joy of getting to do something, there will always be someone who knows enough about whatever's going on to bring people through it. But we work pretty carefully with that, too, to make sure we know our own limitations and don't take on a lot of work out of guilt that we have no interest in and are going to resent/burn out from having to do.

So, to Kendrah's hypothetical newbie (or, maybe better, new-to-wanting-priestesshood-bie), I would say something like, "Be as certain as you can about your potentials, and also about your limitations. Learn how to say a confident 'yes.' Learn how to say an equally confident 'no.' Learn how to lead a group while simultaneously staying out of their way. And always, always be open to the call of Mystery. There's a new class starting in September; you interested?" :reading:

[~Elise~]

Hmmm...what do I say to newbies. Take your time, read, learn, read some more, study and above all practice what you read. At some point this will become an integral part of your life, just not something you do. This will be something you can't not do. When that happens, come back and we'll finish this discussion.
I'll see if I can finish scaring you off then.

Elise

[Teresa]

For me I believe that a " high priest/priestess" is someone who has knowledge,wisdom,experience and skills, and are good counselors as well.They can see the needs of those around them and offer guidance and direction.They are giving people who like helping others along the way. They pull from their past experiences and knowledge when guiding and directing others.This is my personal belief that the " High Priest/Priestess" has many years of experience on the path and draws from the wisdom they have gained thru the experiences.They are naturally caring and giving people and do a great service within their community of fellow pagans.I believe that leadership skills can be developed but they take on the role of a leader and a guide and a mentor.The "high priest/priestess candidates should have a desire to serve or aide others .They should be active within the community. They should demonstrate their knowledge and skills and continue seeking to learn more. One can never learn enough and learning about other religions gives insight to certain things and helps with tolerance of diversity.

[yavanna]

I would suggest that they try to do the following things beyond learning the basics of their path:

*Live the spirituality, it is not enough to know the mechanics, rituals, correspondances and tradition of their path, they must apply these teachings to their life. In this way you will prepare yourselve for the counseler/healer aspect of the HPS duty. You will have moved beyond the "OK, I know how to do magic, but what good does that do me and how does this fit in with my life" stage of practice.

*Volunteer for causes you find worthwile. This will help you understand the mechaincs of participating in and organizing a group and dealing with people of clashing personalities who don't -have- to be there (unlike work where even if you don't get a long you can't leave because your paid to be there). This will help you deal with intergroup strife and solve conflicts. It will also help you organize large events and deal with trivial things like scheduling, making sure everyone is doing their job, etc...

*Learn about the ecology of your area. By doing this you can make sure that your group isn't doing unintentional harm to your ecosystem. For example, in my area there was a pagan group that helped out a community center by planting a hedge of Japanese honey suckle. Now Japanese honeysuckle is INCREDIBLY invasive and will literally destroy a woodland, exterpating hundreds of native species and forcing small mammals and birds to leave because they have only one food source and it isn't nutritious enough to sustain them. To make matters worse, this community center was right across from a public natural area, which was ironically the area where they held their outside rituals. If the HPS would have known about the ecology in her area she would have used the coven funds to pay for a native or non invasive shurb instead of using the funds to biologically pollute their
ritual grounds. I know this because I helped in the management of the park and the coven has come to our volunteer events many times to remove the newly sprouting honeysuckle.

*Study other religions. This will help you see where your path fits in with other paths and lead to a greater understanding and tollerance.

*Teach a class on the COT at Mystic Wicks. This will help you learn organizational and teaching skills as well as prepare you for mananging discussions and making sure you explain concepts at the correct level for your audience.

*Live your life. Life experience will help you deal with many a conflict.

[jcldragon]

I have yet to meet a High Priestess who could do what I consider the Basics: like Astral Projection, Spiritual Healing, or Channeling the Divine. What I have encountered are individuals who are mostly concerned with the prestige of being a High Priestess. As you might imagine, I'm rather disappointed.

Yes, I have high standards. I require those high standards from myself, because I was taught that it is all about the real deal. I have lots of book knowledge, but I only write from direct personal experience. I'm interested in things that can be applied & used & practiced. Results are very important to me.

I don't require that a High Priestess be Illuminated. A true Initiate of the Mysteries, with a working knowledge of the processes of Magick, and Spiritual unfoldment, would do quite nicely. Somebody tied up in the knots of their own Ego, simply won't...

[DebLipp]

First, I won't train someone to be a Priestess per se. They should learn to be a good Pagan & Witch first, and then keep going. Crawl before you walk & all that.

Things I am looking for:

1. Must be a GROWN-UP. This is so vitally important. Functional life, ability to communicate, etc.

2. Ritual skill & experience.

3. Book knowledge in several key areas. Must know all the Wicca 101 basics, must know something of a variety of deities, etc.

4. Developing some specialties. Varies per person. Tool-making, herbalism, healing, whatever. I need to see the direction a person is progressing into.

5. Some ability to divine.

6. Some ability with trance.

7. Self-knowledge and self-healing.

[semi]

I think that to attain this level it shouldn't really be all that important to you to attain it. If you avidly eagerly seek to have this level, you probably shouldn't have it. One of my favorite quotes is in a Carlos Castaneda book where the character Juan Matus says something like "A wise man does not seek to become as man of power. A wise man must be tricked into it." I think people need to spiritually progress without any interest in titles or ranks at all. They will be recognized by others when they have accumulated enough knowledge and wisdom to have a title bestowed on them, but the title is just a meaningless formality in my opinion. Many people who have titles like these shouldn't have them title. For example, I know of someone who is considered a high priest, but he is dangerously inept, gives incorrect info to his underlings regarding crucial matters such as properly identifying entities being worked with, and is causing the disintegration of his coven. People like that should not hold a position of authority.

[RainInanna]

I believe priesthood is serving both deity and the community, and tend to consider more of the practice aspects than the magic. Priesthood requires the ability to communicate well, organize, manage time/resources/people, and mentor/teach while still allowing freedom for others to teach themselves. A good priest/ess should be able to guide without pushing others, and lead without controlling. Said individual should be able to counsel others and therefore might have some background/experience/natural ability in therapy and counselling. Said individual should be a productive force within the community - perhaps organizing esbats and sabbats, volunteering, etc. However, this individual would be poised and humble - it is all too easy to become wrapped up in ego and drama rather than maintaining a sense of the sacred.

A priest/ess should also have several years of experience and (book) learning under the belt, but will certainly recognize there is so much more they have to learn. Certainly a priest/ess cannot lead a group ritual if they do not have solid skills in grounding and centering, energy raising, circle casting, visualization, etc. Also, as mentioned by DebLipp, I agree that a priest/ess would have or currently be developing various specialties, giving them a wide range of experience and knowledge to draw from.

DebLipp, you also mention self-knowledge and self-healing. I agree with you wholeheartedly there as well. Certainly everyone has their ups and downs, and cannot avoid the usual problems and worries, however in general I think a priest/ess will have spent a great deal of time on self-evaluation and personal growth before trying to help others do the same. One must balance self-evolution with serving the evolution of others.

[Kendrah]

I think that to attain this level it shouldn't really be all that important to you to attain it. If you avidly eagerly seek to have this level, you probably shouldn't have it.

All I'm interested in is the process that happens to change a "normal" person into a "priest/ess". It's a curiousity of mine lately.

[semi]

I believe that the process takes years or lifetimes of study, introspection, and sacrifice. There must be an accumulation of a certain amount of knowledge and understanding. Lesser parts of yourself have to be purged to make room for the greater you. This purging usually hurts a lot and is, in my opinion, the true meaning of sacrifice. You have to sacrifice your self to free your Self. After going through this little bit of spiritual evolution I think someone may be ready to have a title like High Priest/ess applied to them, but by then something like that wouldn't mean much to the person.