Article 2

Solitary... Priestess?
by
StormIsis
(c) 2003

There are many conflicting opinions regarding the legitimacy of the ranking system of the many pagan spiritual paths.

Too much emphasis seems to be placed on the requirement to be a member of a heirachial group, or coven, in order to legitimately work their way to Priestesshood (or Priesthood) and beyond.

So what of the solitary pagan who aspires to also serve their chosen Deity in an official role? Is it legitimate or even necessary for a Solitary to become a Priestess? Most believe that you can only be initiated into this role by someone of a higher rank.

If this is the case, then who initiated the first Priest or Priestess?

There could only be one answer – Deity-inspired self initiation.

In the scramble to reach the top, have too many forgotten that, essentially, your spiritual path is a personal one. You cultivate a very close relationship with your chosen Deity, and even if you do share your experiences and rituals with friends and members of a coven, in essence, these experiences are still personal.

What is a Priest/ess anyway?

The ancient role of the Priestess seems to be one of, primarily, a sacred prostitute!

However, in modern day times, and in a group situation, it is recognition of your achievements, and carries with it a responsibility. Each coven will have its own list of requirements regarding this. At the least, you can be expected to do some teaching or even be responsible for one or more of the ‘neophytes’. You would be expected to perform the role of Priestess in a ritual. You may even have to take on some sort of community service work, such as volunteering, or dedicating to some cause. You would also be expected to remain committed to working on your inner self.

Can these attributes apply also to the solitary practitioner? Of course! This does not mean you can immediately run outside and declare yourself a Priestess. Indeed, if that thought crossed your mind, then perhaps you need to reconsider your motivation for such a title.

You will need to work at it. You will need to have at least some period of official dedication to your chosen path previous to making the BIG decision.

At least two to three years would be a good all round figure – even covens have certain rules regarding this. It makes sense. You want to be certain this is the right path for you. You also need a good working knowledge in the basics – elements, symbols, rituals, inner workings, offerings, etc. Allow a couple of years to learn, although depending on other commitments, and your level of dedication, be prepared for it to take longer.

By this time, you would need to have a good idea as to which Deity you wish to be of service to, and you should learn everything you can about them.

It is a big decision, because once you take the higher purpose path, you will be challenged like you’ve never been challenged before. Be very sure about it.

When you are ready, you will know it – or, it will be made known to you. Below are some suggestions and ideas which you may chose to incorporate into a Priestess Self Initiation Ritual. (You should be at a level by this stage whereby you can compose your own personalised rituals, hence, one is not being supplied for you).

	Make a special offering – such as a piece of your own creative work (poetry, painting, sculpture, song, etc)
	Generally you dedicate to a Matron goddess, but you can chose another one or two as secondaries (make sure you learn about them first!). Offer a gift to each of your chosen, something representative that can fit upon your altar.
	Offer a gift to yourself to mark the occasion.
	Write a list of personal achievements.
	Write a statement of what you have learnt on your spiritual journey so far.
	Write a list of attributes of your chosen Deity/ies that you’d like to assimilate and work with.
	Dedicate yourself to some kind of unpaid work /service such as: volunteering; making regular donations to a favorite charity; etc.).
	Acknowledge dedication to your personal spiritual growth (and work at it)!!

There are many ways to ritualise and celebrate this occasion… and you have plenty of time to learn, research and incorporate elements into a ritual that is both beautiful and personal.

Journey Well!