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I\u2019m blown away by today\u2019s book, \u201cA Practical Guide to Pagan Priesthood: Community Leadership and Vocation\u201d by Rev. Lora O\u2019Brien. With O\u2019Brien\u2019s experience she could have written any number of \u201csexy\u201d books about Celtic\/Irish religious and magical traditions, however she took up the far less sensational, but far more noble, topic of what it takes to be a valuable spiritual leader.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m always curious how new religious groups form and organize. I highly doubt most Pagan groups come together with as much forethought as Rev. O\u2019Brien advises for their leaders. However, they should. While being respectful of each practitioner\u2019s individuality, O\u2019Brien provides heaps of useful suggestions and guidance for those who would want to become leaders in their Pagan communities.<\/p>\n
She begins with the duties of a priest, which is divided into the pastoral and sacerdotal. The pastoral covers things such as self-discipline, counseling, holding yourself to high standards, keeping tabs on the community, and how to learn from mistakes. The sacerdotal includes subjects like designing rituals, handling initiation and ordination, facilitating life rites, and more spiritually oriented topics.<\/p>\n
This leads to developing pastoral skills, such as group dynamics, accountability and ethics, leadership development, mentoring, teaching classes, and crisis care. Then it\u2019s on to developing sacerdotal skills like connecting to deities, magical skills and the ethics of magic, etc. O\u2019Brien concludes with an interesting, informal survey of leaders of religious communities about their practices and a wonderful list of online resources.<\/p>\n
\u201cA Practical Guide to Pagan Priesthood\u201d by Rev. Lora O\u2019Brien is a must read for anyone who considers themselves a leader and for any who aspire to lead.<\/p>\n