Degrees and Titles in Wicca
© Christy Huelsenbeck
The degree system, when used correctly is a very valuable part of our Craft heritage. Because of this heritage it used to be very easy to know someone who used these titles actually had earned and deserved them. But in this day of easy initiation and 'fad' witches we are seeing a rise in the use of titles and claims of leadership ability, which is exactly what one does when one uses the title High Priestess or Priest or even the title of Lady/Lord. But title and experience go hand in hand. Do you have them?
The title of High Priestess is given (in many trads, but not all) to a woman who is competant to lead and run a circle on her own, with little or no help from her previous coven leaders. Unfortunately, any person who wants to sound good can use this title, but it does tote with it an expectation of knowledge and ability, and if you don't show it, people will figure you out. But as far as being an HPs goes, I have been one for several years now,and have led different types of group structure. We have currently settled on our comfortable mix of tradition and eclecticism, which does include using the degree system and titles to recognize these degrees. If someone comes to our group to learn, they do 'begin at the beginning' so to speak, but with the understanding that they will not be 'held' back because they were not originally taught by us.
Starting as an apprentice until you show you have the knowledge that is required to progress is important. Anyone can claim to be Lord High Muckity Muck and not know anything. But you must also recognize that when you come into a new group, they will probably have certain things that every group member should know, such as their Opening and Closing ritual, certain chants, how they view history, the Wheel of the Year, possibly even a coven God and Goddess that one must research and learn to work with. That is why we require everyone to 'begin at the
