A Priestess is a title within witchcraft and paganism (as well as some other religious denominations, but as this is a pagan blog, we will just be focusing on that). Priests and Priestesses have been around for thousands of years, and each culture and civilization has had its own version of what we call a Priest or Priestess. Most of us will be familiar with the more formal Wiccan role of the High Priest/High Priestess;
this is usually a formal, three tiered system that coven members work towards with the support of their coven and their own High Priestess.

For those outside of the Wiccan framework, there is no formal path per se. Some are given the title Priest/Priestess working through various traditions, and some choose to take on the role themselves. Others are given the label of Priestess, often because of the role that they play within the community. Being a Priestess in witchcraft is a role of leadership, spiritual guidance, and deep wisdom. It’s not just a title; it reflects someone’s experience, dedication, and connection to their magical practice and community. But what exactly makes a Priestess? Despite the many different ways to get there, there are some traits which are present, and activities performed, that all who hold this role have in common. Below are my thoughts and observations on what the role of the Priestess typically entails:

1. Leadership in Rituals and Ceremonies:
The Priestess often leads rituals, sabbat celebrations, and esbats (moon rituals) within a coven or group. She’s responsible for guiding energy, ensuring the ritual flows smoothly, and helping participants connect with the divine. She is also responsible for making sure the chatterboxes at the back keep focused, and that all participants feel comfortable with the proceedings.

2. Guardian of Sacred Knowledge:
A High Priestess is seen as a keeper of ancient wisdom and traditions. She deeply understands magical practices, symbolism, correspondences, and mythology. In a more structured coven, this knowledge is often passed down from teacher to student. It can also obtained and expanded through personal study and experience. You will usually find that this person goes to great lengths to gather this knowledge; pouring over translations of ancient texts to interpret their meaning rather than rely on others interpretations of the script, for example. One main difference that sets a Priestess apart from more casual practitioners (and I don't mean 'casual' as an insult) is that their knowledge and wisdom will often be a combination of personal experience and that which they have learned and studied.

3. Teacher and Mentor:
She plays the role of a mentor, guiding others on their spiritual journeys. This involves teaching magical techniques, ethics, spellwork, and ritual structure to less experienced witches or initiates within the coven. Outside of the coven, she may be active in the general community, offering guidance, talks, and courses, keen to share her knowledge with others. She doesn't hoard her knowledge, and is keen to share it wherever she can. She may occasionally charge for this knowlegde - even Priestesses have to make money! But often she will make this information as accessible as possible, wanting to guide those who need it.

4. Connection to the Divine:
In many traditions, especially Wicca, the Priestess embodies the Goddess or the Divine Feminine in rituals. Other times she may be a devotee of a particular deity, spirit, or energy. She channels this energy during ceremonies, acting as a bridge between the physical and spiritual realms. She works with this divine force on a regular basis, making offerings, and using their teachings to enrich her life and the lives of those around her.

5. Balancing Power with the High Priest (if present):
In covens that have both a High Priest and High Priestess, they work together to balance masculine and feminine energies. This dynamic reflects the duality of nature—sun and moon, earth and sky, life and death. Due to the lack of male presence within paganism, working with a Priest is not a requirement for being a Priestess, but it can be expected depending on the tradition.

6. Spiritual Counsellor and Healer:
The High Priestess often provides emotional support, guidance, and healing to coven members or those in her spiritual community. This might involve tarot readings, energy work, herbal remedies, or simply offering a listening ear. She uses her gifts to help and support others.

7. Personal Development and Responsibility:
A Priestess is expected to continuously work on her own spiritual growth. She embodies integrity, humility, and wisdom, understanding that her role isn’t about control but serving the greater good of her community and her deities/spirits/the land/etc. She owns her path, confident in her journey and her beliefs, and takes responsibility for her actions.

8. Initiating New Members:
In traditions that involve initiation rituals, the Priestess oversees and conducts these ceremonies, welcoming new members into the coven and guiding them through different stages of learning and growth.

9. Living as a Spiritual Role Model:
Her life reflects her spiritual path—not just during rituals but in everyday actions. She honours the natural world, walks her path with conviction, and maintains a strong connection to the divine. There is a huge difference between being a spiriual role model, and a spiritual influencer (thanks social media). If you follow someone for long enough, it can be easy enough to tell those who are using social media to share knowledge and wisdom because they genuinely enjoy being a part of the community and supporting others, and those who just want clicks, follows, fame, and money.


Becoming a High Priestess isn’t something that happens overnight. It requires years of dedication, learning, and personal growth. Some witches may never take on the title of Priestess, for it requires a lot of devotion, often putting your dedication to your beliefs, your deities, and the community before your own needs and desires. For some, however, it is something to aspire to, and can provide a positive framework in which to walk our paths within.

When we think of ‘herbs’, a lot of us tend to think about ones such as lavender, chamomile, basil, etc. All herbs that are grown abundantly in the UK, but it is very rarely that you will see them growing naturally. However, there are a wealth of ‘weeds’ that grow naturally all across the UK that can be easily found, and can be used in our workings. So today I’m going to look at some of the most common one, and how they can be used.

1. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

Associations: Wishes, transformation, and clarity

Dandelions symbolize hope and new beginnings. Blowing dandelion seeds is a classic way to make a wish. They are also associated with divination and spirit communication, as they connect the earth with the air.



2. Nettle (Urtica dioica)

Associations: Protection, strength, and resilience

Though nettles sting, they’re powerful protectors against negative energy. Historically, they were placed around the home to ward off evil spirits. Nettle is also linked to courage and overcoming obstacles.



3. Clover (Trifolium spp.)

Associations: Luck, prosperity, and balance

The four-leaf clover is a universal symbol of good luck, but even the common three-leaf clover represents faith, hope, and love. It’s used in spells for abundance and harmony.



4. Plantain (Plantago major)

Associations: Healing, grounding, and protection

A very underrated weed in my opinion! Plantain is often seen as a healer’s herb, symbolizing physical and emotional healing. It’s also used for grounding energy and protecting travelers from harm on their journeys.



5. Ivy (Hedera helix)

Associations: Fidelity, growth, and eternal life

Ivy represents connection and endurance, often symbolizing everlasting love and friendship. Its ability to cling and climb also makes it a symbol of resilience and determination.



6. Chickweed (Stellaria media)

Associations: Love, harmony, and self-nurturing

Chickweed is associated with self-care and nurturing love, both for oneself and others. It can be used in spells to encourage harmony in relationships and promote inner peace. Just a warning, chickweed can often be confused with milkweed, and milkweed is very toxic - it brings me out in a horrible rash! So again, make sure you do your research to help you identify between the two.



7. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Associations: Courage, protection, and divination

Yarrow has been used since ancient times for protection against harm and illness. It’s also linked to psychic abilities and divination—yarrow stalks were traditionally used in I Ching readings. It helps strengthen boundaries and encourages emotional resilience.



8. Shepherd’s Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)

Associations: Abundance, prosperity, and grounding

Named for its heart-shaped seed pods resembling a purse, this plant symbolizes wealth and abundance. It’s often used in money spells or to attract financial stability.



9. Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)

Associations: Persistence, entanglement, and control

While often seen as a pesky invader, bindweed represents persistence and tenacity. Spiritually, it can symbolize the need to break free from entanglements or limiting beliefs. It’s a plant of control and release.



10. Mugwort (Artemisia Vulgaris)

Associations: Dream work, protection, intuition, and transformation

Mugwort is one of my favourites! It can gift us with prophetic dreams and visions and aid us in divination and connecting with our intuition. It's protective properties keep us safe from negative energies, especially when we are travelling between worlds.

It is no secret that a lot of what makes our workings so successful is our intention. Intention is a powerful thing; it is through this we program the energy we put out into the world to bring us our desires. So crafting a strong intent is crucial to our ability to work our will.

Crafting that intention is not as simple as it might seem. I’m sure we are all aware of the monkey paw effect; we ask for something but forget to put the necessary stipulations on it and end up with something we didn’t ask for. For example, you may wish to come into money, but that money comes to you in the form of an inheritance after the loss of a loved one. Or, maybe we are too vague in our intention and so we end up with only half of what we want. Or, on the other end of the spectrum, we are so rigid with our intention that there is no way that the universe can fulfil it!

Below are some tips, based on my own experience, which could help you to craft your own meaningful intention.

1. Try and keep it short and sweet: As I have mentioned, the intention is what we program energy with. It can be difficult to focus on an overly-complex intention, so try to keep it short and to the point.

2. Set a time frame: If you need that extra money by the end of the month, then make sure you include that when crafting your intent.

3. Ensure you state ‘with harm to none’ (unless you are cursing): As with our example above, if gaining a large amount of money means losing a loved one, many of us are unlikely to want it. Ensure that the universe knows that your gain shouldn’t be through someone else’s loss.

4. Focus on why you need this - in what way will it improve your life? What will happen if you don’t get it? You don’t need to include this in your statement of intent, but this emotional investment can help power the intent as you focus on it.

5. Are there any potential consequences you would like to avoid if you receive what you are asking for (again, think of the monkey paw effect)? Maybe you live in a flat and are wanting the monthly payments to be reduced. If your landlord does reduce the payment, could this also mean the service he offers you reduces? Or he finds some other way to make up for the reduction in some other sort of fee? Again, make sure you account for these when crafting your intention.

6. Frame it positively: Always try and frame your intention positively. For example, if you are looking to craft an intention to help you better focus, rather than saying ‘I won’t let distractions bother me’, say ‘I will stay present and focused on what truly matters’. This helps us keep a positive and proactive mindset, which means we are more likely to achieve our goals.

7. Use strong, empowering language: Rather than saying ‘I hope to achieve X’, say ‘I will achieve this’.

8.Visualise it in action: When stating your intent, make sure you visualise yourself having already achieved it - what it looks like, how it makes you feel now you have it, etc.


A lot of this may seem simple, but it can be easy to forget the basics, so hopefully by trying some of these they can help you in crafting your own intentions!