Pagan Priest(ess)hood Options

I'm curious, how does one exactly go about becoming a priest or priestess? Do you have to be initiated by someone else? It's just difficult because there are so many different paths that the pagan religious encompasses. Has anyone gone down this path who would like to share their experiences?

dangerous topic lol - traditional versus eclectic versus solitary

i've seen fistfights over this topic!

can a witch really be a witch if they were not initiated by a witch? - as in is there a power or authority or whatever transmitted via some hand-me-down technique similar to that done by the apostles and magical traditions galore, or can someone just pop up and say they're suddenly a witch (even after long study, but without an initiation/setting-up/tranferrence/whatever)

i've seen powerful versions of both, and am both myself, although the formal bit came much later than the witch bit, imoho

good topic for fight club if the mods will go for it

Well, claiming to be a witch is a bit different than claiming to be a priestess I think, because a priestess has a degree of authority over others. They can perform handfastings and weddings and such, for one thing, which your average broomstick rider could not. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/13.gif)

I, for one, am very cautious about taking on a title before I'm sure I'm worthy of it. I certainly was not one who called myself a witch after flipping through one silver ravenwolf book, for instance. Anywayyy, becoming a priest or priestess seems like it would take a deal more authoritive ceremony seeing as how the position implies a sort of leader, figurehead of that path, yes?

It seems to me that whatever authority is invested in a priest or priestess is only in the minds of those investing the authority. If you call yourself a priestess and some people accept it and want you to perform a wedding, it'd be perfectly valid. Legally, you might have to jump through a few hoops, but I'm sure it's not difficult.

or you could pick an deity, determine (with their help) a suitable gift that you could give them (as a honor gift, showing your devotion to them), what their sacred number is, and what their voice is and how it shows up

then become a priest/priestess of that deity - the heck with handfasting and earthly stuff (imoho), i want a deeper relationship with the deity, not some stupid power over followers, or even followers (i am a hermit for a reason)