joining the clergy

[astrokaiju]

so...i've been feeling very strongly drawn to join the clergy. i mean, sometimes i can't get to sleep at night thinking about it, or concentrate on something i'm trying to do.

the problem is that, even though i've been calling myself a pagan for over ten years, i have always been completely solitary, and i don't really know much of anything about how covens work and who the clergy is in wicca and so forth. i have my background in Correlian Wicca (although i know a lot about other traditions as well as non-wiccan religions), and i know how the structure of my tradition works, but...for some reason i don't feel specifically drawn to become a Correlian Wiccan priestess or even a priestess at all (if that makes any sense)-although that might be what i'm looking for. i just don't know. and furthermore, i don't really know what it takes to become a priestess, and how a priestess acquires a flock, especially when i don't belong to a coven.

this is all very confusing to me...could anyone offer any advice, or tell me where i could get some information on this topic?

[CopyrightPolice]

Can you explain more preceisely wha tyou feel your calling is? Most people who feel a calling to enter the clergy have a specific "agenda" (for lack of a better word) that they want to accomplish--whether that is encouraging community outreach, religious education, counseling, preaching, etc. What is it you are looking to do, exactly? That might begin to set you in a certain direction. It will also ehlp you decide if a clerical claling is actually what you're experiencing.

I'm somewhat putt off by your not knowing what manner of cleric you are looking to be. I don't think it's probably a good idea to look to "enter the clergy" without first knowing 1. who you intend to minister to and 2. what system you plan to be working under. Are you going to be Unitarian Universalist? Wiccan? Christian? These three groups, for example, have differing ideas on what a cleric is and should be, what his or her duties are, what training is required, etc.

It sounds like you've got some fundamental soul searching to do before you jump headlong into studying on how to minister.

I think a lot of people who embrace spirituality more fully into their lives have this moment of revelation where they want to share all their knowledge and insight with the world. However, that doesn't mean that everyone has a calling to be a cleric. Make sure that that's really what you wnat to do, and that your exuberance is not merely the by-product of a divine "Aha!" moment.

[Illuminatus]

This has happened to me a few times.

Once, I was compelled to become a Flight Officer with the Navy. Another month, I was obsessed with becomming a cryptography expert for the NSA. Then, I thought I would die if I didn't get a job in fiber optical networking. Another time I thought Technical Law was the field with my name on it. Turns out, I became a controls automation engineer, and now I'm a voice over ip validation specialist. And, I plan to be something else next year (dont' tell my boss).

What I've come to experience is that a lot of soul-searching is just a reflection of your own feelings of doubt. My obsessions with various careers were rooted in my own insecurities, partially about picking the wrong one, or not get to choose one at all. My grades sucked, and all of my friends had job offers but me. I wasn't even sure I would graduate, and with the dot-com bubble imploding short months after my graduation, I was left with the horrible sinking feeling that I would be left holding the bag. And anywhere is better than somewhere. Mostly, it was from the haunting fear that I would go NOWHERE.

The key is to sit down and rationally figure out where you want to go. Find people who have done it (other people who have become clergy, joined covens, lead rituals, what not), and talk to them about the road they took. Then, ascertain whether this road is right for you. You won't be able to rest until you look into it, so look into it! There's no harm in doing a little research.

Which I see you are doing, by posting here. While we have mostly solitary practicioners here at Mysticwicks, I'm sure we can direct you to someone who's walked the path you are drawn to.

- Ill

[Xander67]

I agree with Illuminatis.

Good advice. :thumbsup:

I wish you luck and I hope you find what you seek,
we will be here if you need us :)

You are always welcome here no matter what path you walk.

We may walk differnt paths, but we all share the same destination :)

[astrokaiju]

wull...the thing is that i've had the same vocation in mind since i was two years old, and i still plan to pursue that. see, that's another problem. i don't know if my career would interfere with me being a cleric...



Originally posted by Illuminatus
This has happened to me a few times.

Once, I was compelled to become a Flight Officer with the Navy. Another month, I was obsessed with becomming a cryptography expert for the NSA. Then, I thought I would die if I didn't get a job in fiber optical networking. Another time I thought Technical Law was the field with my name on it. Turns out, I became a controls automation engineer, and now I'm a voice over ip validation specialist. And, I plan to be something else next year (dont' tell my boss).

What I've come to experience is that a lot of soul-searching is just a reflection of your own feelings of doubt. My obsessions with various careers were rooted in my own insecurities, partially about picking the wrong one, or not get to choose one at all. My grades sucked, and all of my friends had job offers but me. I wasn't even sure I would graduate, and with the dot-com bubble imploding short months after my graduation, I was left with the horrible sinking feeling that I would be left holding the bag. And anywhere is better than somewhere. Mostly, it was from the haunting fear that I would go NOWHERE.

The key is to sit down and rationally figure out where you want to go. Find people who have done it (other people who have become clergy, joined covens, lead rituals, what not), and talk to them about the road they took. Then, ascertain whether this road is right for you. You won't be able to rest until you look into it, so look into it! There's no harm in doing a little research.

Which I see you are doing, by posting here. While we have mostly solitary practicioners here at Mysticwicks, I'm sure we can direct you to someone who's walked the path you are drawn to.

- Ill

[astrokaiju]

Originally posted by CopyrightPolice
Can you explain more preceisely wha tyou feel your calling is? Most people who feel a calling to enter the clergy have a specific "agenda" (for lack of a better word) that they want to accomplish--whether that is encouraging community outreach, religious education, counseling, preaching, etc. What is it you are looking to do, exactly? That might begin to set you in a certain direction. It will also ehlp you decide if a clerical claling is actually what you're experiencing.

I'm somewhat putt off by your not knowing what manner of cleric you are looking to be. I don't think it's probably a good idea to look to "enter the clergy" without first knowing 1. who you intend to minister to and 2. what system you plan to be working under. Are you going to be Unitarian Universalist? Wiccan? Christian? These three groups, for example, have differing ideas on what a cleric is and should be, what his or her duties are, what training is required, etc.

It sounds like you've got some fundamental soul searching to do before you jump headlong into studying on how to minister.

I think a lot of people who embrace spirituality more fully into their lives have this moment of revelation where they want to share all their knowledge and insight with the world. However, that doesn't mean that everyone has a calling to be a cleric. Make sure that that's really what you wnat to do, and that your exuberance is not merely the by-product of a divine "Aha!" moment.

okay...in regards to the system i am going to work under, i am definitely a Wiccan, so i don't plan to become, say, a rabbi or a Christian minister. the thing is that i don't really understand that much about Wiccan clergy. also, i've seen people who minister at Unitarian Universalists who claim to be Wiccan or another pagan religion, so that's confusing to me.

when i say that i want to be a cleric, well...it's just really hard to explain. i just keep seeing it in my head. it's not that i want to share my knowledge so much as...i don't know. i see myself in my head helping people, making them happy and helping them work through spiritual issues. i know i can do that as it is, but...i mean, i could also read a bunch of books on dentistry and learn how to do it, but if i don't have a degree, no one would come to me for dental work, right?

and i really want to serve the God and Goddess. i've felt some special leaning toward the religious life for as long as i can remember, even though i never decided i wanted to be a cleric before. but right now i just feel a very strong pull and i just...i don't know what to do about it.

[Myst]

Just a sidenote, people do that here everyday - give and teach and support. There's no title, but there's still fulfillment and learning and helping others.

Also, there's a belief that every Wiccan is a priest and priestess, and we can all serve deity. It may not come with cool robes or a neat title, but you can do that without any special training or group.

[CopyrightPolice]

Ok. There's so much I want to say to you, because I think I've been right where you are right now. But I'm finding it very difficult to articulate what I want to say without sounding condescending or flippant. I'm going to try my best, though, so bear with me.

First: your confusion regarding UU folks is probably well-founded. By my own standards, I don't see UU as a religion, per se. That is, I don't usually think you can be any two religions at once--at least, not any two religions that have any kind of dogma or theology, even as sketchy as the dogma may be. That said, however, the UU folk don't really have their own theology, s you can be a UU and just about anything else. Basically, their ideology is "Whatever works for you". Christians, Jews, pagans, whatever can all be UU.

More importantly, they can all become UU ministers.

As to your specific quandry, this kind of struck a chord with me:


and i really want to serve the God and Goddess. i've felt some special leaning toward the religious life for as long as i can remember, even though i never decided i wanted to be a cleric before. but right now i just feel a very strong pull and i just...i don't know what to do about it.

Firstly, at 16/17 years old, there's probably not a whole lot you *can* do about it right now. Never stop studying and growing, of course, but generally speaking we (western society at large) don't bestow the title of 'cleric" upon teenagers, at least not outside of D&D or Everquest. That's a benefit to you at the present moment, I think. It means you have plenty of time, probably another 10 or so years, to work out the specifics of what you want to do, and how you want to go about doing it.

You mentioned eariler that you don't know if you want to be a "priestess". That's a valid uncertainty--and again, you have time to work that out. LOTS of time. So, you're not in a coven now. Doesn't mean that in another 5 or so years you won't be. There are many opportunities for you to learn clerical skills--but believe me, it doesn't happen over night. Even if you don't adopt the ministry as a primary career, being a *good* minister requires study, dedication, and *time*.

Also, as you yourself pointed out, you don't have to be a "cleric" to work the will of the Goddess. *smile* We go about doing that in many ways. Some of us teach classes. Some of us hold workshops. Others write books. STill others volunteer in the community, or mentor, or create music...any number of things I can't even begin to list. Mol and Semele provide Mysticwicks. Fritz and Wren provide Witchvox. All of us (and I include myself in the fray because of what I do) work the will of the Goddess--yet are we all clerics? No, not all of us.

I think, in all honesty, that the best answer to your question is this: Time and education will guide you where you need to go. The more you study the world around you and the various entries into the ministry, answers will be presented to you--sometimes without your even having to look. The older you get and the more involved in the community that you become, opportunities will be presented to you which will help you make your decision about what is right for you. You know that saying, "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear?" Well, it works in other ways, too. When you are ready, the avenues will appear. So in short--don't look so hard right now. Study. Learn. Think. Ask questions. Reach out. Discover your talents. When you are ready, your Deity will let you know what to do.

[astrokaiju]

Originally posted by CopyrightPolice
Ok. There's so much I want to say to you, because I think I've been right where you are right now. But I'm finding it very difficult to articulate what I want to say without sounding condescending or flippant. I'm going to try my best, though, so bear with me.

First: your confusion regarding UU folks is probably well-founded. By my own standards, I don't see UU as a religion, per se. That is, I don't usually think you can be any two religions at once--at least, not any two religions that have any kind of dogma or theology, even as sketchy as the dogma may be. That said, however, the UU folk don't really have their own theology, s you can be a UU and just about anything else. Basically, their ideology is "Whatever works for you". Christians, Jews, pagans, whatever can all be UU.

More importantly, they can all become UU ministers.

As to your specific quandry, this kind of struck a chord with me:



Firstly, at 16/17 years old, there's probably not a whole lot you *can* do about it right now. Never stop studying and growing, of course, but generally speaking we (western society at large) don't bestow the title of 'cleric" upon teenagers, at least not outside of D&D or Everquest. That's a benefit to you at the present moment, I think. It means you have plenty of time, probably another 10 or so years, to work out the specifics of what you want to do, and how you want to go about doing it.

You mentioned eariler that you don't know if you want to be a "priestess". That's a valid uncertainty--and again, you have time to work that out. LOTS of time. So, you're not in a coven now. Doesn't mean that in another 5 or so years you won't be. There are many opportunities for you to learn clerical skills--but believe me, it doesn't happen over night. Even if you don't adopt the ministry as a primary career, being a *good* minister requires study, dedication, and *time*.

Also, as you yourself pointed out, you don't have to be a "cleric" to work the will of the Goddess. *smile* We go about doing that in many ways. Some of us teach classes. Some of us hold workshops. Others write books. STill others volunteer in the community, or mentor, or create music...any number of things I can't even begin to list. Mol and Semele provide Mysticwicks. Fritz and Wren provide Witchvox. All of us (and I include myself in the fray because of what I do) work the will of the Goddess--yet are we all clerics? No, not all of us.

I think, in all honesty, that the best answer to your question is this: Time and education will guide you where you need to go. The more you study the world around you and the various entries into the ministry, answers will be presented to you--sometimes without your even having to look. The older you get and the more involved in the community that you become, opportunities will be presented to you which will help you make your decision about what is right for you. You know that saying, "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear?" Well, it works in other ways, too. When you are ready, the avenues will appear. So in short--don't look so hard right now. Study. Learn. Think. Ask questions. Reach out. Discover your talents. When you are ready, your Deity will let you know what to do.


i'm not 16/17. i'm almost 19. and i didn't mean that i thought i was going to get a title right now. i assumed that becoming a cleric in my religion would be a long process and i wanted to know what i had to do to work toward it.

i'm pretty aware of my talents and just about everything else. i'm not one of the typical "i'm confused about everything in my life right now" teenagers. i'm not confused about ANYTHING right now except for this. i'm pursuing the same career i wanted when i was two, going to the same school i've wanted to go to since elementary school, following the same religion that i've been since i was eight, dating the same person i've liked since i was 12, and feeling absolutely confident about every single aspect of my life except for this one thing. and that's part of the problem. when my life is so well thought out and everything, i feel like this is almost...an invader or something. should i attack it or welcome it? i don't know.

anyway, thank you for taking the time and giving me so much good advice. ^_^

[Lavender]

Twig, our Druid Moderator, is an ordained clergy. Maybe giving him a shout & see if he has any other advice too? :)

Twig! Where are you??? Wake up! :D

[HallsOfAvalon]

astrokaiju, I have an idea for you. Why don't you try and find a "circle" around where you live (many different ways to find one, Internet, newspapper, or just calling up a local magick shop and asking if they know of any good ones..... Or you might even go into one of those Unitarian (spelling sucks) Churches and asking if they have a circle).

The nice thing about a circle, is alot of them share the role of High Priest and Priestess..... but even if they don't there a alot of other things you could do within that circle.

The circle that I go to, has alot of leadership roles within it, heck they even have a leadership retreat each year to help you learn more about the exact thing you are talking about.

Anyways, just a thought.