So You Want To Be A Priestess

Last updated on: July 25, 2016 at 6:07 am by Phoenix LeFae

So You Want To Be A Priestess 2016-07-25T06:07:21-08:00 Phoenix LeFae

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The term Priestess, at least in the Reclaiming Tradition of Witchcraft, refers to anyone, of any gender, who steps forward and takes on leadership. We are a non-hierarchical tradition; anyone who has taken Elements of Magic has the opportunity to lead an invocation, hold a public ritual role, build an altar, or hold leadership in some capacity.

Often folks go through a series of the Reclaiming Core Classes (Elements of Magic, Iron Pentacle, Pearl Pentacle, and Rites of Passage) and then want to step into leadership. This is wonderful and highly encouraged, but there is a shadow side to being a Priestess that isn’t always talked about. There is a warning that a potential Priestess of any tradition needs to hear.

Being a Priestess will change your relationship to your tradition. This is because once you step into leadership you can’t ever fully step back out. Even when you want to and try to. It’s like losing your virginity. Once you’ve had sex you can never go back to a point of virginity.

Priestessing is thirsty work and often involves doing the dishes!

Whether you’ve done an Air invocation, lead a trance, taught a class, or taken donations at the door, the participants of that ritual will often see you as a leader in community; and community can project all sorts of things on to those they see as ‘leaders’. Even in Reclaiming, where we work hard to share power, where we don’t have High Priestesses, where anyone can step into leadership; there are all kinds of projections about what it means to hold a role in ritual. And because of these projections all kinds of assumptions about who you are as a witch, as a Pagan, and as a person, are made.

When you step into the circle of Priestessing you will be seen as a leader; whether you like it or not. Your Air invocation may have moved someone, your trance may have brought a revelation, your smile and welcoming nature when taking a donation may help give a new witch ease and comfort in their first public ritual. And you might always be connected to that feeling for that person forevermore. Let’s be honest, this is a pretty big responsibility. Plus, it’s fun, it’s awesome; it feels good, and if you let it go to your head, you are in for big trouble.

Big hats are good. Big egos not so much

There’s more to the shadow. Being seen, getting accolades, being appreciated for your skills is wonderful. But if you start to get lost in the desire to be seen, the need for accolades and appreciation, then you are doing it for the wrong reasons. Being in service has to be the first and foremost reason for doing the work, the appreciation is a lovely bonus.
If you are feeling the call; by all means, follow that call. But make sure that you stay right-sized. Make sure that you check in with your driving force for doing the work every so often. Ask for help. And most of all, take some time off. The most effective way to see if your desire for accolades is pushing you into public Priestessing is to take a ritual off and see how it feels. Is it nice to step into the role of participant? Does it feel good to have a ritual “off”? Do you feel panicked that you won’t be seen as someone of value because you aren’t in leadership this time? Your feelings will be able to provide you with a lot of information.

Community, public, coven and private priestessing can be a beautiful and fulfilling vocation, I know it has been for me. And there have been a few lessons I’ve had to learn along the way that about what leadership and priestessing actually entails. But give it a go. You might like it!

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