On December 28th 2020, I was officially initiated as a Priestess, after graduating from a yearlong Pillars of Priestessing Program called Soul Shift. This deep healing work awakened the innate magick of my soul…
…the magick that was lying dormant within, waiting to be unleashed.
Long before I earned the title of “Priestess”, I knew that many who came before me had walked this path before. It is not an easy path by any means, and one that would have gotten me killed in another era.
We all possess this magick; it is our birthright. But it is those who are called to walk the path of spiritual leadership… to create peace, harmony, and healing on this planet… who have a lifelong duty to uphold the universal truths of creation itself.
The magick that unfortunately, has been suppressed as a result of fear, the ego’s desire for control, and the rise of patriarchy.
Women all over the world were hunted, burned, drown, and killed for harnessing their abilities to heal the sick, commune with nature, and listen to their intuition.
What is a Priestess?
A Priestess can have different meaning based on different areas of study, historical perspective, cultural traditions, or rites of initiation.
The Priestess-ship that I studied is based on the notion of spiritual leadership. The High Priestess can be understood as an archetype or a stream of energy.
When my initiation and graduation took place, I was amazed at the words that came up from my cohort when our teacher, Dr. Athena Perrakis, asked us, “What does Priestessing mean to you?”. I wrote down some of the phrases that I feel represent our area of study the most:
A Priestess is,
- Spiritual leadership
- The voice of reason
- Volunteerism
- Walks the middle path – watching, learning, and helping
- Remains neutral in the face of conflict, stress, or pressure
- An alchemist
- Doesn’t make assumptions about the whole
- Believes each individual is unique
- Believes in the interconnectivity of all living things
- Is one with the universe
- Helps others connect with the Divine
- Magick
In short, a priestess can be defined as a woman who leads ritual. However, she is much more than that.
A priestess is a woman of many names and may come from many walks of life: shaman, healer, witch, oracle, diviner, spiritual medium, intuitive, empath, wise-one, or medicine woman to name a few. Priestesses are global and cannot be defined by a single cultural origin, yet we are all connected across space/time, leylines, and perceived boundaries, united by a common purpose.
In my branch of Priestess-ship study, she/he isn’t identified as an individual and isn’t gender-specific. I was taught that a Priestess is an energy stream. Rather than labels and focusing on the “what” we focused on the “how”.
A Priestess embodies the characteristics of a leader. She/he is the first one to ceremony and the last one to leave. She is non-judgmental and doesn’t make assumptions. She surrenders to change and moves freely with the ebbs and flows of life.
She’s a seer.
A diviner.
She’s the medicine woman.
The wise-one.
And she lives within you too.
The Priestess communes with nature and leads with the 5 elements: Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and Ether/Spirit.
She trusts herself fully and utilizes her inner guidance system to enter the darkest parts of her soul, illuminating her being from the inside out. And as a result, empowers others to activate their inner guidance and awaken the power within; the Creator; the Spirit; the Cosmic Mother.
The Historical Origins of the Priestess
According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, a Priestess is a “woman who officiates in sacred rites”. There are many historical cultures who recognized woman leaders as Priestesses, dating back to ancient times.
Perhaps one of the most well-known cultures whose women embodied the Priestess is that of Ancient Greece. Although the earliest High Priestess dates back to one of the earliest known civilizations: Sumer.
Enheduanna, Sumerian High Priestess
Enheduanna was the High Priestess to the goddess Innana or the moon goddess Sin, also identified as Ishtar and Aphrodite. Enheduanna is one of the earliest known poets and writers of her time. Born to King Sargon of Akkad and Queen Tashlultum, her name translates to “High Priestess of An, the god of sky or heaven” (1)
She is known for writing a collection of devotional hymns to goddess Innana called “The Sumerian Temple Hymns” on stone tablets. Innana was the Sumerian deity of fertility and vegetation.
Enheduanna’s role was to reconcile the gods of the Akkadians with the gods of the Sumerians so that her father Sargon could obtain rulership of the Sumerian City of Ur (2). A city that lay at the mouth of the Euphrates river and was an important route for trade, travel, and transportation (2).
She is an important figure in the origin story of the High Priestess because she is one of the first documented poets and writers, and an influential political figure in one of the earliest civilizations; responsible for the entire Sumerian Temple! That is one POWERFUL woman.
She represents the goddess, female power, creativity, divinity, and the HERstory. She birthed the paradigm of creative expression in forms we still use today, including poetry, psalms, hymns, prayer, and spiritual and creative writing.
Here is one of her beautiful famous hymns, translated into English: Exaltation of Innana (1)
Mistress of the divine, resplendent light,
Woman of radiance, righteous and beloved,
Of An an Urac, – Heavan’s Mistress! – breasts
Bejeweled; cherishing the headdress of your priestess –
She who grasps the seven sacred powers!
Goddess, protector of powers, and giver –
Behold your necklaced hand and fingers. Yours,
The gathering of your powers and yours to clasp
Against your breast. In foreign lands your breath
Is like the dragon’s venom. When like Ickur
The earth receives your roar, neither loaf nor wood
Withstand you. You are as a mighty flood
To foreign lands, the might of earth and heaven, you
Are their Innana.
Isn’t that BEAUTIFUL!? The fact that a woman High Priestess was one of the first known poets is SO incredbily inspiring. Her words resonate within our matriarchial lineage and the creativity she birthed lives within our bones.
Pythia, the Oracle of Delphi
In times of Ancient Greece, dating back to as old as 393 BC, it was common that women held religious office alongside or in the same capacity as men. The evidence of this can be found in ancient texts, sculptures, and artifacts depicting women as revered, respected, and integral parts of Greek society.
Religion and ritual were at the forefront of Ancient Greek culture, often led by Priestesses who would lead sacred ritual for the populace.
One of the Greek goddesses that stands as tribute to the Priestesses of Ancient Greek is Pythia, the Oracle of Delphi. She was the High Priestess of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi who served as the Oracle, known for her prophetic visions and divinations. Although, the Pythia wasn’t a single woman. There were many women who were chosen and served as the High Priestess for thousands of years.
Pythia was one of the most powerful women of her time, emerging around the 7th Century BC. The High Priestess’ role was to serve the spiritual needs of the community.
Pagan High Priestess
The Pagan High Priestess evolved from the Wicca religion, whose practices are based on witchcraft, communing with nature, and pre-Christian traditions of Northern and Western Europe. The founder of modern Wicca is said to be Gerald Brousseau Gardner (1884-1964), whose practices are often termed Gardnerian Witchcraft.
Wicca has covens, or members that group together in numbers of 10-15 who are entered in via initiation. The purpose of a coven is to master magickal practices and ritual.
There are three degrees of initiation, with the third being Priesthood. The Gardnerian system gives authority to the Priestess, who is the leader of the coven.
Other Forms of Priestess-ship
The above is only a brief glimpse into the origins of the Priestess and is by no means exhaustive. I recognize that it is limited as a result of my own knowledge and understanding of other cultures, historical narratives, practices and traditions, who may also identify women leaders as the Priestess or High Priestess.
There are many other forms of Priesthood from various religions and practices such as Voodoo, Hoodoo, Santeria, as well as Egyptian, Aztec, and Mayan civilizations.
The beauty of this energy stream is that we are all powerful beings, connected by the universal Cosmic Mother… powerful in our own unique ways, yet carry the name and magick within our bones of those who came before us… we are Spiritual Leaders facilitating the healing of ourselves, our communities, and the planet as a whole.
The Divine in me recognizes the Divine in you.
How to Become a Priestess
A Priestess can be self-initiated, initiated via a coven or religion such as Wicca or Voodoo, or initiated after a program of study, typically a year long (which is what I did).
Whichever path calls to you, it is essential that you understand the Priestess path and what it means to call yourself such.
In my opinion, none of these paths have a hierarchy. The self-initiated have often undergone years of self-study, developed ritual practice, and done the inner work necessary to embody spiritual leadership and facilitate the healing of others.
Whereas initiation in a religion or formal course of study provides a more structured approach to becoming a Priestess.
Conclusion
Overall, Priestessing is not something you do from time to time, it is a lifestyle; a way of being. And it isn’t always glamorous. As my teacher Dr. Athena Perrakis taught me,
Priestessing is “Making the mundane magical…” and “…is both a blessing and a responsibility”.
To call yourself a Priestess is to commit to serving others, stepping fully into your power, and living the full expression of your authentic self.
If you’ve read this far, know that you are MAGIC. There is a reason you were attracted to this message. Perhaps you have a priestess within you. Perhaps you’re ready to embody your inner Goddess. Grab your FREE workbook below and begin to treat your body and mind like the beautiful, powerful, and unstoppable Goddess you are! Give yourself the gift of self-care, you deserve it!
References
Mark, J.J. (12 Oct 2010). Enheduanna – Poet, priestess, empire builder. Ancient History Encyclopedia. https://www.ancient.eu/article/190/enheduanna—poet-priestess-empire-builder/
Sullivan, K. (25 Jun 2019). Enheduanna: High priestess of the moon and the first known author. Ancient Origins: Reconstructing the Story of Humanity’s Past. https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/enheduanna-high-priestess-moon-and-first-known-author-world-007259
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