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Degrees of the Order

Recommendations For Degrees

• Seeker
• Practitioner
• Priest or Priestess
• High Priest or High Priestess
• Ordained Minister
• Elder
• Ancient
• Knight
• Honorary Knight
• Ancestor

The Order has three degrees for children and youth and five degrees for adults. You must be at least 18 years of age to apply for the adult degrees. There are also three Degrees of Distinction.

This page describes the requirements for each degree and includes lesson outlines for study.

Degrees for youth involve reaching the minimum age, being active in children and youth Academies, classes or study with a Mentor (which can be the child’s adult or guardian), completing Achievement Awards, and completing a service project either singly or with a group.

The degrees for youth are:

Descriptions of Youth Degrees may be found on the Youth page.

The degrees for adults are:

There are also three special degrees of distinction for men and women who have displayed exemplary service to the Order or to the practice of Wicca in general and a third special degree to honor those active in the Order who have died.

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The following are recommendations for adult degrees. Youth degrees can be found on the Youth page. Mentors and students work together to determine individual study plans. We urge students to use the recommendations and to substitute or add to them to create an individiualized course of study. Academies are also encouraged to use these recommendations.

The goal of the degree of seeker is to make a commitment to study and practice.

• enact a ritual of dedication to study and practice to the Order.

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PRACTITIONER

The goal of the degree of practitioner is to develop knowledge of the Craft.

Preparation:

• Complete the requirements for Seeker.
• Find a Mentor or Academy that teach Practitioner classes.
• Announce your intention to continue study
• Start a Book of Days (a journal)
• Start a Book of Whimsy (collection of notes)
• have a minimum of 10 hours of Pagan spiritual direction
• Be active in all sabbats, esbats, and astors either privately or in groups

Study:

1. Introduction to the Order/ The Five Precepts
2. The Thirteen Principles of the Order/ Ethics
3. The Elements
4. The Wheel of the Year
5. Pagan Symbols
6. Deities
7. Neo-Pagan History
8. Developing A Personal Ritual Practice
9. Meditation
10. Spells and Magic
11. Candle Magick
12. Other Types of Magick
13. Divination
14. Numerology
15. The Tarot, Part One
16. The Tarot, Part Two
17. The Runes
18. Astrology
19. The Pendulum
20. Spiritual Healing
21. The Aura and Chakras
22. Healing With Hands
23. Herbalism
24. Mythology
25. Hinduism and Paganism
26. Taoism and Paganism
27. Christianity and Paganism
28. Islam and Paganism
29. Judaism and Paganism
30. Confucianism and Paganism
31. Buddhism and Paganism
32. Magickal Alphabets

Additional activities:

• Have a degree review with your mentor
• Participate in a Practitioner Degree initiation
• Choose a Pagan Path

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PRIEST OR PRIESTESS

The goal of the degree of Priest or Priestess is to develop knowledge of the Craft into a personal practice.

Preparation:

• Complete the requirements for Practitioner.
• Find a Mentor or Academy.
• Declare that you are willing to begin work toward the second degree.
• Begin a new journal.
• Organize Book of Whimsy into Book of Shadows.
• Mentor a Seeker.
• Help a Practitioner meet the goal of providing spiritual direction.
• Be active in all sabbats, esbats, and astors either privately or in groups.

Study:

1. Introduction to Second Degree work
2. Developing the Inner Temple
3. Meditation on Air
4. Meditation on Fire
5. Meditation on Water
6. Meditation on Earth
7. Meditation on the Root Chakra
8. Meditation on the Center Chakra
9. Meditation on the Solar Plexus Chakra
10. Meditation on the Heart Chakra
11. Meditation on the Throat Chakra
12. Meditation on the Third Eye Chakra
13. Meditation on the Crown Chakra
14. Meditation on God
15. Meditations on Goddess
16. Meditations on Child
17. The Tarot Labyrinth
18. Rune Meditations
19. Raising Energy
20. Psychic Awareness
21. Psychometry
22. Scrying
23. Dreamwork/ Clairvoyance

Additional activities:

• Have a degree review with your mentor.
• Participate in a Priest or Priestess Degree initiation.

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HIGH PRIEST OR PRIESTESS

The goal of the degree of High Priest or High Priestess is to expand your personal practice to the aid and betterment of yourself and others.

Preparation:

• Complete the requirements for Priest or Priestess.
• Find a Mentor or Academy.
• Declare that you are willing to begin work toward the third degree.
• Begin a new journal.
• Mentor a Priest or Priestess or begin a study group.
• Separate Book of Shadows into separate books.
• Be active in all sabbats, esbats, and astors either privately or in groups.

Study:

1. Introduction to the Third Degree
2. Meditation on Father Sky
3. Meditation on Mother Earth
4. Meditation on Spirit
5. Advanced Energy Raising
6. Aspecting Deity
7. Group Development
8. Group Conflict Techniques
9. Group Ritual Techniques
10. Music and Dance in Ritual
11. Drumming in Ritual
12. Theater Techniques
13. Effective Public Speaking
14. Effective Teaching
15. Community Service
16. Forming A Legal Group

Additional Activities:

• Lead at least two rituals.
• Practice healing and divination techniques and record results
• Assist in a service project.
• Have a degree review with your mentor.
• Participate in a High Priest or High Priestess Degree initiation.

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ORDAINED MINISTER

Ministers are granted special status from the Council of Elders of a Circle. This status is earned by completing the requirements of the third degree, completing the requirements for ministry, and completing a review by the Council.

Preparation for Ministry:

1. Complete the requirements for the Degree of High Priest/ess;

Study:

1. Introduction to Ministry
2. Techniques for Pastoral Listening
3. Techniques of Pastoral Counseling
4. Techniques of Divinatory Counseling
5. Spiritual Direction
6. Techniques and legalities of leading special rituals (marriages, handfastings, memorials, etc.)

Additional Activities:

• Log a minimum of 20 hours of application of above techniques
• be succesfully reviewed by mentor and the local Council of Elders

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ELDER

The goal of the degree of Elder is to be reborn into a new spiritual person.

Preparation:

• Complete the requirements for High Priest or High Priestess.
• Declare that you are willing to begin work toward the fourth degree.
• Begin a new journal.
• Mentor a High Priest or High Priestess.
• Create separate and beautiful grimoires.
• Start a new Academy, Circle, or group within the Order.
• Be active in all sabbats, esbats, and astors either privately or in groups.

Study:

1. Introduction to the Fourth Degree
2. Seeking Wholeness
3. Ritual of Forgiveness
4. Meditation on Death
5. End of Cycle Preparations
6. Community Service
7. Purification
8. The Ritual of Rebirth
9. The Life of an Ancient

Additional Activities:

• Prepare and enact a three day Ritual of Rebirth.
• express your learning to others.
• Create and direct a major service project.
• Have a degree review with your mentor.
• Participate in an Elder degree initiation.

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ANCIENT

The goal of the degree of Ancient is to honor a commitment to the Order and the Craft.

Activities:

• Complete the requirements for Elder.
• Begin a new journal.
• Assist an Elder in a Ritual of Rebirth.
• Establish a method in which you maintain a deep and connected Pagan practice for a minimim of ten years.
• Maintain an active and supportive relationship with the Order.
• Be reviewed by a local Council of Elders.
• Participate in an Ancient Degree initiation.

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