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Qualifications of a High Priestess?
Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2015 3:18 pm
by emeraldstar
How do you know if a high priestess is a high priestess? I'm new to everything and I'm supposed to be a part of this "coven" (I don't really think they are a coven but I don't know) She supposed to be teaching me but isn't.
Re: High Pristess
Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2015 4:27 pm
by springsgrace
Most respectable covens follow similar rules, such as only accepting witches who are over 18. If your high priestess is younger than 18 she is not experienced enough to be a high priestess.
Another way you can tell is just by asking questions and seeing how much she knows.
In the end, if your coven is making you uncomfortable or restricting you, or you've got a bad feeling about something, leave. Some covens are run as cash-grabs or by people who just want power and the title of a high priestess. Be very wary!
Re: High Pristess
Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2015 4:40 pm
by YanaKhan
Hello, emeraldstar

This forum is an excellent place to learn new things and ask questions. We would also like to get to know you better, so why don't you go make an introduction in the top section of the forum? Thanks.
Re: High Priestess
Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2015 10:27 am
by Xiao Rong
Emerald Star,
There are a couple of different ways one can use the term High Priestess (HPs). An HPs can mean someone who has undergone a certain amount of training to be recognized as a spiritual leader of a community. Like Springsgrace said, most covens will not accept anyone for training who is under 18, and many covens require a minimum of 3 years of training (as well as just general life experience). You can ask about her lineage or how she came by her degree if you like. Although bear in mind -- what one tradition considers priestess-level training may be very different from another tradition's. There's no standardization among Pagan groups or certification process, either, so her degree can be anything from a piece of paper she wrote herself, to decades' worth of leadership experience in a Pagan community.
The other possible meaning of a High Priestess is simply someone who facilitates ritual and meetings. In my coven, no one has received official training, but whoever is planning on leading the ritual is more or less High Priestess for the night. In which case, the title of HPs is fluid and interchangeable and refers to a temporary designation within a ritual, rather than a permanent one within a coven.