Celtic Women's Spirituality: Accessing the Cauldron of Life - Edain McCoy 1998
Becoming Priestess
Of all the roles women have played throughout history, none was so vigilantly and violently attacked as our position as priestesses among our people. As the patriarchy closed ranks with the church in Europe, the attack on all things feminine took a paranoid turn. Women who were spiritual leaders and teachers were feared as being too powerful to be safe. That some men still fear women’s power today is evident by their continuing efforts to fight the Pagan revival. They have good reason to fear. When any disenfranchised group of people have their innermost expressions of the self routinely repressed, they find other ways to express themselves outside of the status quo, and they forge new paths to power that lie outside the boundaries of current law and custom.
When misogynists and other detractors of women’s right to worship as they choose say that restoring women to their role as priestess would overturn life as we know it, they are right. Women who recognize that they have the power to contact and work with deity on their own, and who realize they are in control of themselves, cannot be controlled by others, especially by faceless authoritarian organizations like the church. The power of the divine is much stronger than that of any institution seeking to block people out. Pagan history has shown us over and over that the old ways find a way to survive no matter what is thrown against them.
That women have fought and died for their right to serve as spiritual leaders is well recorded in many parts of the world. In Celtic records it is sketchier, but still present. This is one of the hardest areas of Celtic studies to delve into, because the chroniclers of history were men. It is a fact that history is written by the winners, the conquerors; they place their view of events before us with no one to refute them or provide another point of view. Thus it should not be surprising that when priestesses are mentioned at all in Celtic literature, it is usually in a story about how they abused their powers and met their down, falls.238 One such legend surrounds three hundred Irish women, presumably priestesses, who were slain at Tara by a king to whom they refused to swear their allegiance. Author Mary Condren239 hypothesizes that these women may have been temple priestesses, similar to the Vestal Virgins of Rome, who re, fused to mate with the sacred king, thereby denying him the legitimacy of his kingship under the old Celtic laws. By killing them, the king severed his ties with the sacred spirit of the land personified by the Goddess of sovereignty, and the unbroken chain of sacred kingship that extended back thousands of years was severed for good. Kings no longer needed queens to be whole.
The expectations of a priestess within a religious setting have likely not altered drastically over many thousands of years. When her position is accepted by those she serves, we can surmise that her role remains the same simply because the basic functions of spiritual leadership have not changed much over time.
The Modern Pagan Priestess
Do you want to serve as priestess?
Think about the phrasing of that question. Whenever we refer to someone who functions as a religious leader, we almost always refer to their role as one of a servant. This semantic truth cuts across all religious lines, and remains true whether that leader is male or female.
Simply defined, a priestess is one who serves both her people and her deities. It is not a managerial position in which you get to give orders toothers, and it is not an ego-enhancing office designed to allow you to feel set above the others in your circle. A priestess is a mediator, a facilitator, and a teacher. Pagan priestesshood is a life-long commitment to service, one that requires humility, good judgment, and self, responsibility to fulfill.
The concept of service is echoed in ancient mythology. That the cauldron or grail is symbolic of the divine feminine, especially in the Celtic traditions, is a given. They also symbolize the priestess as the Goddess incarnate. In the grail legends of the Arthurian myths, we have three questions being posed to those who seek the sacred grail. The first is, “Who does the grail serve?” The answer, of course, turns out to be, “It serves humanity.”240 Therefore, a priestess who has accepted the earthly mantle of the Goddess must serve humanity as she would the Goddess.
In Paganism, a priestess does not have exclusive rights to the divine, nor is she the only one who can successfully contact the deities, cast spells, or reach out to the Pagan community. Once anyone—male or female—is initiated into Pagan life, he or she is looked upon as a type of priest or priestess, able to con nect with the divine and needing no intermediary.
A modern priestess is likely a woman of sound judgment, even tempera ment, good at working with others, and at home with the energies of the cir cle and of nature. She is someone who has put time and effort into her stud ies, and who realizes that this initiation into priestesshood is a new beginning, not an ending. Her learning will always continue. When she allows it to stop, the Goddess is likely to try to take back that honor that she bestowed—that of the priestess as her connection to nature rituals.
The precise route a modern woman takes to priestesshood, and the duties of this role, vary from tradition to tradition. There are two basic tradition structures: the hierarchical and the priestly. Which style a woman follows, or prefers, often determines her route to priestesshood and the title she is re ferred to by others.
Hierarchical traditions are those that have degree systems, or a hierarchy of initiations one must undergo in order to progress from one level to another. These types of groups, or covens as they are sometimes called, are popular among those who practice in Celtic traditions, though they are clearly less popular in women’s spirituality settings. Usually priestesshood is granted with a second degree in a three degree granted upon completion of third degree studies. In hierarchical traditions, usually only those who have achieved a third degree permitted to lead rituals and teach newcomers. Those who achieve the high priestess rank are often referred to by others in their traditions by the courtesy title, Lady.
In a priestly tradition, there are no degrees to work through and no hierarchical ladders to climb. Everyone within the group is encouraged to achieve priestesshood for herself. No ritual is ever leaderless, but leadership roles are usually passed around or shared among members. A newcomer is generally initiated after at least a year and day of study. This is a term of magickal time mentioned frequently in Celtic myths and legends, and it has come into western Paganism as an accepted time frame in which a newcomer can study and prepare herself for dedication to the Pagan path. In my tradition, new initiates are encouraged to begin a study that leads them to initiation as priestess (or as priest, since this is not a women-only tradition) after a year and a day has passed. In this time the new initiate is expected to learn to deepen her connection with deity, hone her magickal and shamanic skills, and to take on leadership roles within the circle. I was initiated into an Irish-based priestly tradition in 1986, and as a priestess in 1987, a year and a day later.
Though a specific tradition might have other specific duties outlined for priestesses, they all share three common functions. Women’s spirituality groups, no matter how eclectic, share these as well. The three functions are:
Facilitator
Mediator
Teacher
The Priestess as Facilitator
Even in the most egalitarian of circles, someone who knows something about what they are doing must lead. There must be a plan of action and a common purpose or the ritual disintegrates into a stage show-all image, but no substance. A priestess is the facilitator of ritual. In the hierarchical traditions she may work only with one or two others on these matters and then announce them to the others as a fait accompli, while in a priestly tradition she may work with the entire group, serving as a moderator and coordinator rather than making all the key decisions herself.
Once the circle has been cast, the priestess is the primary leader. Even though everyone else may have large parts to play—maybe even larger than the role of the priestess—it is she who cues participants to what is coming. She decides when raised magickal energy has reached its peak, she decides when the deities have come to the circle, and she watches carefully for breaks in the energy patterns of the circle and repairs them as needed.
If your coven is actively seeking to expand, it is likely the priestess who will be asked to meet first with the prospective new member to assess if her energies and interests match those of the group.
Priestesses were also facilitators who safely brought newcomers into the spiritual community of the Celts, both by adoption and by birth. Until well into the nineteenth century “knee-women,” or midwives, routinely “baptized” newborn babies. Unlike the Christian baptisms that would take place at a later date, the women’s baptisms offered a child protection from faeries and other ill-meaning spirits.241 The power of three was evoked in as many ways as possible: three sprinklings of water, blessings of three elements, triple deity (of old or new religion), and so on. This type of birth blessing has ancient roots, and was once the function of Celtic priestesses.
Today, Celtic priestesses are still the ones most likely to offer newcomers a way into the Pagan spiritual community through their teaching and initiation rituals.
The Priestess as Mediator
Pagans have always rejected the idea that specifically ordained persons are the only ones who can contact the divine. We firmly believe that we all have the ability to pray and be heard, to call upon the divine, and even to bring the divine essence within ourselves. But we also recognize that doing so successfully takes study and practice. A link with the divine must be formed before ritual can succeed on the deeper level we all presumably aspire to, which is why we often ask an experienced woman to serve as priestess within a group. The whole purpose of religion is to link ourselves with the divine. A priestess who has learned to view the divine both inside and outside of herself (“as above, so below”) can easily act as a channel for the Goddess within ritual, and can teach others to be one as well.
Our belief that the outer and inner world reflect each other was also a Celtic concept. The Celts saw no difference between inner and outer worlds. They believed each had its areas of separation, but that they also blended and overlapped. Where they met, great reservoirs of power waited to be tapped. Again, we see the acceptance of places “in between” as being sacred and powerful. In ritual, the priestess becomes that place in between as she provides a meeting point between deity and humanity, between the Otherworld and the physical realm.
The popular Wiccan ritual known as Drawing Down the Moon is one in which the full moon as mother Goddess is brought into the body of a priestess for the duration of a lunar-centered ritual. The priestess then becomes the Goddess incarnate. Less is heard about the ritual of Drawing Down the Sun, which is a similar ritual, except that it is solar-based and almost always involves pulling the sun as God into a priest. There has always been less emphasis placed on this solar ritual, perhaps because women have always been seen as the natural shapeshifters. This ability is almost exclusive to women in Celtic myths, including initiation themes, transmigration themes, and magickal and Otherworldly adventures. This is not to say that men cannot draw in the moon, and women the sun. It is merely that these are not yet widespread practices within our collective priesthood.
A priestess may also be a mediator among the larger community. She can apply to her government (state, provincial, or other) to be legally recognized as someone who can perform civil ceremonies like marriages, known among modern Pagans as handfasting.
The Priestess as Teacher
Many covens enjoy teaching Paganism/Wicca to newcomers. Some teach general Pagan/Wiccan ways and expect the student to strike out on her own afterwards. Others teach newcomers their own tradition, and may or may not expect the student to join their group when they have finished a specific course of study.
I was once part of a very good teaching coven, and know from experience how well organized this type of group must be. Someone has to coordinate the efforts, make sure every student is getting the attention she needs, and that no one who shows great skill in a particular area is left with a teacher who cannot help fully develop that talent. After all, we cannot all be talented in every Pagan art. It is usually the priestess who is expected to make sure the teaching group runs smoothly, and that each student is paired with the best possible teacher for her.
The priestess’ role as teacher may also make the priestess a counselor, an arbitrator of disputes among members, and a contact person in community relations. More and more often, schools and law enforcement agencies are asking for accurate information about Paganism.
What a priestess is not is a know-it-all. If she is to be an effective teacher, she must understand her limitations and not be afraid to say, “I don’t know,” if the need arises. Unfortunately, those who look to you as their personal guru get very upset when you don’t have all the answers; but it is best that they learn this now and not later, when they are the teachers struggling for answers they do not have. The best teachers are also students, who recognize that Paganism is a never-ending path of study, and that there is always something new to learn and to ponder.
The Solitary Priestess
Pagans don’t expect others to carry their ritual burden for them. Part of what many of us found attractive about Paganism in the first place was the fact that we were all we needed to have a satisfying and personal relationship with the divine. This has been especially important for women, who have been kept on the outside of the mainstream religions, where our function has often been to serve as brood mares for creating more followers of the faith, rather than as thinking beings created in the image of the divine.
The solitary priestess may obtain her title through others or through self-initiation. In the Pagan world as a whole, either way is valid. Be aware that your self-initiation will not be accepted among all traditions. Many traditions require that you work within their framework, and take their initiations, in order to be considered a member of that particular tradition. Many of these traditionalists still recognize the validity of those on other paths, including the solitary one. Those who don’t are not worth worrying over.
Always remember that any time someone argues about the validity of your solitary initiation as a Pagan/Wiccan or a priestess, they are likely operating with an ulterior motive. A few traditionalists balk at the idea that someone can be solitary at all, much less a priestess. Usually issues of ego are involved. These people fear an erosion of their power base in the same way the main-stream churches do. These are battles I have never understood. Certainly in the heart of the Goddess there is room for all of us who wish to serve her.
I have a friend who has been a self-initiated Wiccan priestess for nearly eight years. Her knowledge and skills are extensive, and she is often complimented on the excellence of the rituals in her small, eclectic circle. A few months ago she was called to question by a large Pagan group in another part of our state who wanted to know on whose authority she was priestess and if she had been “properly trained and ordained.” They insisted they weren’t trying to be ugly about it, they just wanted to “help” her. She had not asked for any help, and told them in no uncertain terms that the running of her circle was none of their business, and I applauded her stand.
Group work can be tiring for a priestess, especially if she is burdened with running the show month after month. Many times this happens when others shirk their duties or do not want to be leaders. This burden can make the solitary path look very attractive. A priestess will often choose a solitary path if she feels it will benefit her spiritual growth to do so. A solitary priestess can still petition her government for legal recognition to perform hand-fastings, she can still teach others, and she can still be a part of the larger Pagan community. She can serve both others and her Goddess without the pressures of operating a coven on a daily basis. For those of you who have done it, I don’t have to tell you what a big job it is.
As a solitary priestess, you will feel an enhancement of your ritual, a connection with the Goddess that runs much deeper than before. You may even find yourself choosing or being chosen by a deity who will become your patron. This is a very common occurrence, especially among solitaries and in non-hierarchical traditions.
The Priestess as Shaman
Another function of the priestess is as shaman, and though shamanistic events are often thought of as being for the benefit of the community, they have their solitary aspects as well. Even when the results of the effort are for the community, the actual working is a solitary experience.
Shamanism is probably the oldest spiritual discipline on earth. It is not part of any one religion or culture, but was found at the heart of them all. A shaman is sometimes referred to as a medicine man or woman. This person was someone described as a “walker between the worlds,” who could trance journey in an instant into other realms to heal, divine the future, correct the past, repatriate a shattered soul, retrieve dreams, or seek out information of importance to the tribe (see Chapter 13 ).
Celtic shamanism has become a popular area of study in recent years, and several good books devoted to the topic have been published.242 Women have been attracted to the shamanic arts because, once mastered, they can increase feelings of personal power in situations where one can feel very impotent. They also directly connect the practitioner to the Otherworld, the realm of deity and the spirits. Shamanism can be practiced almost without anyone else knowing it is taking place, and requires no assistance from others. No wonder it was an art that the church viciously sought to stamp out.
Shamanism requires a priestess skilled in meditative arts, someone who is balanced and whole, whose intentions are not harmful (if they are, then the visions they seek out will eventually become tormenting), and who can read symbolic language with little trouble. These are skills and attributes most priestesses seek, but only the sincere fully succeed.243
Choosing or Being Chosen by a Patron Goddess
In many traditions, a priestess is expected to dedicate herself as the priestess of a certain Goddess, who functions as her patron. This practice is ancient and, though it is not known if it was Celtic, it has a traceable history throughout other parts of the world. For example, in the Middle East priestesses lost their birth names and were called by the name of the patron to whom they were dedicated.244
A patron Goddess is one who actively becomes a part of you, who links you to the Otherworld and the other deities, and with whom you can align your energies for more successful magick and ritual. She is also someone who hears your prayerful petitions and can show you the way to achieve your desires.
There are some who argue that you cannot choose a Celtic deity as a patron, but that they must choose you. I once argued vociferously with this stance, but have since softened in my vehemence. In my tradition, a priest or priestess is always dedicated as the servant of his or her patron. When I began my study for the priestesshood, I was convinced that I would have Maeve as my patron. I love that lady! She is fiery, resolute, arrogant, and wholly independent. In short, she was too much like the part of me that I had worked hard to overcome. I did not need a patron who embodied what I knew were the worst tendencies of a Leonine nature. Try as I might, the inner-clicking that would have told me she wanted to be my patron never happened.
In the meantime, I was being gently courted by another Goddess, though I tried hard to ignore the fact. This Goddess was Brighid, the primary Goddess of my tradition and the patron of the majority of those in my tradition. I wanted to be different, unique, so I fought her. I was lucky she didn’t just smack me down and forget me.
During this time I found my skills and talents beginning to wane. These were not just my magickal talents, but mundane ones as well. I was having trouble studying, I was having trouble writing, my fingers faltered over the piano keys where before they had flown with confidence. Recognizing Brighid as a deity of wisdom and creative inspiration, I was forced to petition her for help. When I allowed myself to flow with her energies, everything was fine.
At this point I still did not recognize what she was saying to me, and I continued my quest for Maeve. I soon found I was being bombarded by symbols of Brighid, particularly her equal-armed cross. I also found that I was dreaming images of her and that I was most at ease with my life when in our coven’s circle to which Brighid had been evoked. Our coven developed an elaborate set of ritual dramas using invocation, a process by which deity is brought into the self. I soon found that the role of Brighid was being assigned to me because everyone thought it felt right. When I insisted on being Maeve, or someone else, things did not work out as they were supposed to.
Dense as I was, it finally occurred to me that Brighid was reaching out and telling me that she wanted to be my patron. When I stopped fighting her I found a fulfilling relationship of patron and servant, one I have been delighted with for many years. I still use Maeve when I want to work with my warrior aspect, and for this she obliges me, but for day-to-day living, I serve Brighid and she patrons me.
When you are looking for your patron, whether as a priestess or an initiate of Celtic women’s ways, allow yourself to be open to her overtures.
✵ Be aware of symbols that might give you clues as to the Goddess who is offering her patronage. These can come in sleep, while walking outdoors, in meditation, or through books or art you feel drawn to.
✵ Keep a dream diary in which you record unusual symbolism.
✵ Be aware of any entities who approach you while you are astral project ing or meditating. These may be your patron Goddess or her emissaries.
✵ Study as many Celtic myths as you can get hold of, and read not just with your mind, but with your heart. Who interests you most? Who calls out to you?
✵ Meditate on those Goddesses who seem to be reaching out to you. Make notes afterwards on those who seemed to be in sync with your own energy patterns.
✵ Make a list of your positive and negative qualities. If you find you cannot be objective about these, consult an astrology book that lists the negative and positive qualities of each sun sign, and work with those. You may dis cover, as I did, that the Goddesses who are most like you in terms of your solar self
When your patron has found you, you will know it pretty quickly. This is also one of the signs that you are being offered the mantle of priestesshood by a specific Goddess. Any ritual you do from this point on to confirm your acceptance of priestesshood is merely an outward affirmation of what the Goddess has al ready bestowed upon you. No human being can make you a priestess; only the Goddess can do this. Therefore, no human can ever take away your title.
Over time, other patrons may seek you out, and some of these may be Gods as well as Goddesses. If you are like me, you were taught that some pretty silly gender divisions exist in terms of the divine, and that women cannot have male patrons or successfully invoke a God. While it may be true that, while in a woman’s body, you cannot fully comprehend maleness, you can connect with this part of your inner self and integrate it into your wholeness of being.
Accepting Priestesshood
If you have studied and worked and dedicated yourself to a Pagan path, it will probably only be a matter of time before you recognize your inner priestess. Once you become a part of any Pagan path, you are automatically accepted as someone who can commune with the deities, whether or not they or you are comfortable yet with your functioning in leadership roles. When you feel ready to make an official dedication of yourself as priestess, let no one sway you otherwise or attempt to invalidate your efforts by telling you that your self initiation priestess as it is to initiate yourself as a Pagan. Both are gifts from the Goddess, not something that can be conferred by humanity. An initiation ritual into priestesshood, whether done by yourself or others, is no more than an outward statement of what has already taken place inside you. What the Goddess has bestowed upon you no human can take away.
If you were harshly tested by the deities upon your initiation into Paganism or into the Celtic women’s tradition, think long and seriously about your commitment to your oath and your Goddess before committing yourself to her service as priestess. When you take on more responsibility, such as that of a priestess, you will get more challenges.
Questions for the Potential Celtic Priestess
The following questions address the priestesshood as it applies to you. As with the other questions that have been presented in this text, there are no right or wrong answers, only those that will help you see the issue more clearly and make the right choices as they apply to you. Answer them honestly, and any others that come to mind, before making your formal dedication as priestess.
How do I define the term priestess, and what do I see as her role in modem Paganism?
Why do I want to be a priestess?
Have many members of the clergy have I known well, both in and out of Paganism?
What do I know about the day-to-day life of clergy?
What do I see as the greatest benefit to me of being a priestess?
What do I see as the greatest benefit to others of my being a priestess? What do I expect from the Pagan community in return for my service? What can I give to the Pagan community in return?
Do I feel I can effectively minister to men, children, the elderly, gays, lesbians, polyamorous people, conservatives, liberals, and others, as well as to women like myself?
How long have I been Pagan? A Celtic Pagan? How long involved in women’s spirituality? Is it long enough that my skills can be of value to others?
What things do I still feel I need to learn? What things do I feel secure in teaching? Do others look up to me?
Is my ego healthy? Is it inflated? Do I suffer from low self-esteem?
Do I feel I need others to look up to me in order to validate my chosen spiritual path?
How well do I know the women’s mysteries? Do I feel I can effectively lead others to seek them?
How many times have I been challenged by the guardians of the threshold? What has happened each time? How can this experience help me as a priestess?
If I choose not to dedicate myself as a priestess at this time, how will this affect my spirituality?
If I do choose to dedicate myself at this time, how will it affect my spirituality?
Do I have a patron Goddess/God? How will this help/harm my ministry? Do I wish to seek the status of legal minister in my state or province?
Why or why not?
Do I plan to study other Pagan or Celtic Pagan paths and pursue priestesshood through them as well?
238. Condren, Mary. The Serpent and the Goddess: Women, Religion and Power in Celtic Ireland (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1989), 70.
239. Ibid, 179.
240. Shuttle, Penelope and Peter Redgrove. The Wise Wound : Myths , Realities, and Meanings of Menstruation (New York: Bantam Books, 1990), 221.
241. Jones, Norah. Power of Raven, Wisdom of Serpent: Celtic Women’s Spirituality (Edinburgh: Floris Books, 1994), 22.
242. An entire discussion of Celtic shamanism lies far beyond the scope of this work. Some of the concepts are touched upon in Chapter 14 and CHAPTER 15, but if you are interested in exploring this further I recommend starting with D. J. Conway’s By Oak, Ash and Thorn: Modern Celtic Shamanism (St. Paul, Minn.: Llewellyn, 1995) or John Matthews’ The Celtic Shaman (Longmeade, Dorset, UK: Element Books).
243. Conway, D. J., 239.
244. Conway, D. J. Falcon Feather and Valkyrie Sword: Feminine Shamanism, Witchcraft and Magick (St. Paul, Minn.: Llewellyn, 1995).