This is something I’ve been thinking about for a while now, with consideration to the acceptance of such a position if ever it was offered or even suggested to me. Well, today it was suggested to me and although I was very honoured — quite chuffed actually 😀 — my immediate “gut reaction” was to shy away and decline, feeling that deep down I’m not adequately qualified for such a position. Still, a hard and fast decision doesn’t need to made just yet, and when the right person is chosen for the office of HPs it will be with the blessing of the Clan Council …an agreement among a number of people, including the High Priest and myself as Advisor. Although this HPs position is with an online Dragon Magick Clan, I take the whole idea as seriously as if it was with my “real life” face-to-face Pagan Circle. I know very well that the position of HPs, to do the office and my Clan justice, would require a lot of extra time and effort on top of what I am already doing there and with my local Pagan Circle and I’m not sure I’m prepared to take on any more at this stage.
Even though I have a very good idea of what it takes to be a HPs, being in a “real life” Pagan Circle and also being their Website Manager for nearly 10 years now, I decided to do a bit of research into what would generally be required of a High Priestess and came across the following article which I thought listed the qualities of a HPs rather well. Obviously some modifications would be in order to accommodate the online nature of this particular office and also the fact that it’s for a Draconic Paganism Clan rather than a Wiccan Coven, but overall I think that what’s outlined in the article pretty much sums up what I already had in mind. However, having said that, I don’t really know how the “job description” below fits with the expectations of my Clan …it’s all rather new and still very much in the early stages of redevelopment, having just survived the loss of our previous online home due to a HPs who didn’t really think things through before exercising her “power” and pulling the plug on the website …needless to say we’ve learned a lot from that experience and hope to grow and thrive once more.
Perhaps I am better off remaining in the Clan in my current roles as Admin, Advisor and Elder …HPs might just be the straw that breaks this ol’ dragon’s back, lol. But then again …just maybe I could do this? Hmmm… maybe not. Or perhaps the Dragons will decide for me, one way or the other. 😉
I just remembered too that today is Imbolc here in the southern hemisphere. Imbolc is the time of the beginning of beginnings, the time to consider carefully what you will do with the year stretching before you. Gotta love synchronicity!
What Makes A High Priestess?
Leading By Example
by Erin Dragonsong
A High Priestess is a woman who leads a Coven or a Wiccan ritual. So she will obviously be very knowledgeable about Wicca / Witchcraft.
But there’s a lot more to it.
In Wicca, every practitioner is a Priestess or Priest.
The basic difference between a priestess and a HPs is the knowledge, experience, desire, and ability to give of herself in Wicca and to be of service to others and to the Divine.
The Role of a HPs
High Priestesses have responsibilities. You become a HPs by the performance of these duties, not by choosing the title.
In order to fulfill the responsibilities of a HPs, you will need to be familiar with not only the basics of the Craft, but skilled in…
- Advanced Wicca
- Magick and energy work
- Organisation
- Planning Wiccan rituals
- Event coordination
- Management
- People skills
- Conflict Resolution
- Ritual etiquette
- Teaching others
- Channelling and Aspecting the Divine
The Personality of a HPs
There are also personality requirements for the role. Not everyone is cut out to be a HPs, and — just like being president or prime minister — often the people most qualified for the job don’t want it, and the unqualified people are eager for it.
Most novices notice only the glamour and (apparent) power of the position. They don’t notice the hard work and tireless dedication that comes with the job. They also don’t notice that the leader is the one who is serving the Coven or Circle, not the one wielding power.
So a prospective HPs also needs to have certain personal qualifications…
- Self-awareness
- Solid self-esteem
- Emotional balance
- Respect for others, and the Divine within everyone
- Generosity of spirit
- Vast patience
- Extreme kindness
- Psychological maturity
- Humility
- A certain amount of social charisma
- Ongoing personal intimacy with the Divine
- The desire to be the Divine’s Handmaiden (rather than, say, always asking the Gods for things, she appreciates the gifts they give her — even the painful ones)
Lest we imagine it’s all honour and glamour, the HPs is also the one in charge of setting up, taking down, and cleaning after a ritual!
Traditional Variations
Now, there are some differences between traditions.
In British Traditional Wicca, a High Priestess is the female leader of a Coven. This will be the same woman, year after year.
In the New Wicca, a High Priestess is the woman who is leading a ritual, and every ritual can have a different High Priestess.
HPs is not a title that’s normally used among non-BTW or solitary Witches, but technically it can be used by Priestesses with experience in leading Wiccan rituals.
The one thing that is common in every tradition is that a High Priestess is a position of service, not an opportunity for power games.
Article from wicca-spirituality.com/high-priestess.html
Edit: The following night… Tonight I met with my Dark Moon group and we did a guided meditation in which I was shown the name of the person who will become HPs of the Dragon Magick Clan …it will not be me, not this time around anyway. I was shown that this person will retire from the position after a relatively short time and it will be offered to me once more, after which I am to consult my various Dragon Tarot cards for guidance as to whether it is right for me to take up the position at that time. Hmm… interesting. 🙂
Dragon Dreaming 
I think Guided Meditations are great for opening gateways you yourself may not open on your own for whatever reason. However in being guided information could become projected in a sense of being suggested. Whether purposefully or unintentionally, therefore a gut instinct is needed to interpret.
In the past such decisions were made in haste, un-thought out, and almost absolutely impulsive. Which added to the downfall of the second Clan. But given recent events, a person in the position of power is able to see past their tunnel vision, and has been offered a second chance of sorts to revisit their original vision of creating an online Clan based on the same structure and enriching environment as the family tradition they grew up with. And in given such a chance, one would be asininely insane to continue with choices and behaviors that have proven to corrupt and hinder the growth of such a diverse and ever changing group.
So my suggestion is to consult those tarot or oracle cards now on how you should proceed as High Priestess of a Group/Clan that you already lead from behind the scenes. And know that acceptance of such a position is indeed taken with honor and the expectations of a live physical Coven/Clan. However with a High Priest that will not only stand by your side but will also compromise and share the workload equally. And if a day comes that you become overwhelmed with your duties in such a station, will help carry more of the weight so that you may enjoy your home life, moments of relaxation, and your original stations and obligations to previous commitments as a High Priest should.
The Clan will await your decision, and if its not in its favor it will wait however long it takes. An HPS doesn’t have to have all the answers however she should have all the character traits you possess and show all the time. 😉
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Hmm!
High-Priestess? That means that someone or “someones” had faith in your experience and abilities, and your competence to help guide the group. You are quite correct in that it IS a big responsibility.
I believe you made a very mature decision, and it was very “right-minded” of you to take so cautious an approach in regards to deferring your acceptance until you felt that you were ready. How many times is it, that so many would jump at the chance, thinking only of the “glory” and fame that they believed would follow. How many covens, hearths, circles, clans, etc. have been led to ruin because of the rash decisions made by those who did not carefully think about the level of responsibility that comes with such appointments?
I have seen so many power-trips, and “wars” over “who was to be this and who was to do that” over the course of my years. This is why I have pretty much gone “solo” as some of my friends and associates have also done. When one is to be chosen to fulfill such a role, it always must be taken, with great care, that the role is to serve the group and the members, not direct and wield power over them. Too many of these “new age” groups have fallen into the same internal politics that most (if not ALL) of today’s churches and other religious organizations have.
These have been things I have tried to consider very carefully with any idea of establishing anything like a temple. The priesthood has a very important role, which first and foremost, is to set a visible example for which the membership is to be inspired by. Just too bad that we couldn’t have a government operate with the same level caution in the presence of any perceived “power”. The world would have been so much better off!
My hat’s off to you, Mi-Lady! THAT was perhaps one of the hardest decisions to make. There is absolutely NOTHING dishonorable about deferring acceptance to a position of great responsibility, for having personal concerns of whether you feel “right” for the “job”. Kudos to you!
May the Great Dragons see your growing wisdom as a great asset that will someday benefit the clan. Surely there will be a time when it is “right” and you will be ready.
– Rev. Dragon’s Eye
PS: Finally decided to make my WordPress (dot) com account do something constructive! ” Through The Eyes of a Dragon ” I look forward to hearing from you, “soon-to-be High-Priestess”.
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Thank you Rev. Dragon’s eye for your comments (on this and my Draconity page) …they are much appreciated! 🙂 I have to admit that a part of me was a little bedazzled by the “glory” aspect of the HPS position — it is very tempting — but thankfully the mature, sensible me thought more responsibly on the matter. 😉 At the moment I suppose I am essentially filling the role of HPS even without the official title, but that feels “safer” at the moment. I can see there will probably come a time in the not-too-distant future when I will eventually accept the position, unless in the meantime someone better qualified comes along, but for now I feel happier “still deciding”.
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I was told I was a high priestess, and a conduit stop many other things I already knew. Someone please help me understand how I can help others, I use my energy and soul for spells, it comes from within me, I never used spells in books or studied. They work well, but I feel these surges of energy sometimes too where I can move things or change the out come of it.
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I am Thy preistess has rise and as all saints blood line..she is to powerful for her family she spoke of me but they where lost in thought..i am queen and here is my add..5052 maffitt ave st.louis mo,63113…she is ready to serve…her rights are saints..
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Um, okaaaay??
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