Hi there! My name is Rowan, I'm a dedicated Sister of Cerridwen, Priestess aspirant, goddess-lover, word-weaver, lived experience practitioner, activist, change-maker, village weirdo, witchy woman, crazy cat lady, and so much more. I use she/her and they/them pronouns - whichever you like. Thank you so much for being here! If you'd like to read more information about me and my journey, you can visit my 'About' page :)

I am based in Surrey, in the UK! ​ I can travel to you, however I will require travel expenses to be compensated. I am of course happy to facilitate online where possible and have experience doing so, and can set up a Google Meet call for any discussions you would like to have. I am also willing to meet in central Woking or Guildford for an in-person discussion if you wish, without further cost to you. Please contact me to arrange this.

Currently I am in training and will not be charging for my services, aside from expenses, but be aware that I will be using them as anonymised case studies for my accreditations. ​ Going forward, I will always endeavour to have free and low-cost options for anybody who wants to connect with me. For example, I work with the Temple of Cerridwen in Avalon and help facilitate some of their rituals for free. ​​ If you've enjoyed one of my offerings and want to leave a tip, you can do so through Ko-Fi! ​ As a point of principle, I will not charge anything but expenses for last rites or funeral celebrancy for anyone under 18. ​ I also intend to offer a 15% discount on my services for anyone in receipt of means-tested benefits. ​ I will hold a few free spaces for my services each year. If you feel particularly in need of a service I offer but you genuinely cannot afford it, please drop me an email explaining your situation, and I will see what I can do. ​​ I reserve the right to revise my pricing or revoke discounts (although any valid invoices will be upheld) at any time.

Thanks so much for asking!​ There are lots of ways. You can use the chat function here on the website. I also have a dedicated form. You can email me as well! ​ If you would prefer a phone call, please contact me first and I am happy to set this up. You can request a call or Google Meet through my dedicated form.

When you hear someone say they are a priestess it can sometimes be confusing. Like 'therapist' it is not a protected title, meaning that anybody can call themselves a priestess and there is legally no training or qualification you need to do so.​ ​ As priestesses there are two key forms that our work takes. ​ Priestessing the Inner Temples To priestess the inner temples is a constant journey of shadow work, reflection, and connection with Goddess. We must learn this to be able to priestess in the wider world, as otherwise we simply cannot do the work, it would not be authentic without that foundation. A solid tether to our Goddess is the backbone of all that we do as Priestesses. ​ As a Sister of Cerridwen, this is the cycle that I have undertaken and completed. I am still learning the following: ​ Priestessing the Outer Temples To priestess the outer temples is bringing the light of Goddess into the world. Leading ritual and ceremony and providing healing and support are all part of the skillset of a public Priestess, though the form that this will take depends on the training they have received, the tradition they follow, and their personal alignment and connection with Goddess. For example, my personal alignment is with skills that centre around the voice and through word, which includes sacred counsel and ceremonial work. However, my calling is to the shadow places as a Priestess Aspirant of Cerridwen, which has shaped my career path, and is why I do death and grief work, as well as priestessing disability and chronic illness. ​ While I would consider a Priestess to be a role that you train for, there are those who self-initiate, and that is absolutely fine. As Pagans and Goddess-loving people, many of the deities we work with have been lost to time and their worship is not a continuous unbroken tradition, which means that somewhere, their worship had to be reconstructed and reinvented. We live in a different world to our ancestors: one with a new challenge, pace, dynamic and culture, and holding its own need for our priestesses. As our society becomes fast-moving and increasingly secular, the religious and spiritual needs of our world change. We must respond to that and contextualise our work. ​Thus, priestessing does not look the way it did 2000 years ago. The Priestesses of Cerridwen maintain a living tradition, one grounded and centred in the world as it is today.​ ​ You can read more about our tradition at cerridwen.co.uk! As a Sister of Cerridwen, I am part of an Avalonian tradition, specifically the one re-birthed by the Glastonbury Goddess Temple, that which intends to bring forward the lineage of the Priestesses of Avalon. This is not the only priestess lineage - there are Wiccan priestesses and high priestesses, for example. My priestess path is based in multiple lineages, and has a magic of its own - that created by the Temple of Cerridwen, and of course, my own sprinkles and flourishes.

Every person needs something different from us as priestesses, and in turn, every priestess has their own unique style, cadence, and connection to Goddess. I may not be the right priestess for you, and that is absolutely fine. However, I caution you that not every person who calls themselves a Priestess is reputable. The spiritual world can be profitable, and it attracts people looking for a quick buck who do not truly believe in what they are doing, or who do not have good intentions. I ask that you are discerning with whom you place your trust - not all are deserving of it. Here are some of the things I encourage you to think about, ask, or look for when choosing a Priestess. ​ Safety - Are they qualified? Have they undertaken a training process under a registered place of education, and can they show you evidence of this? (n.b. this does not have to be limited to their priestesshood, if they are properly trained in any spiritual or healing practice then this counts towards their reputability) - Do they have the required insurance for their services? Do they show an understanding of wellbeing and safeguarding and/or have training that evidences this? A Priestess' work can bring up difficult emotions, and funerary/death work can take us into protected spaces with vulnerable people, so it is important they know how to manage this safely. - Are they DBS checked (or the equivalent in your local area?) I would never purport that those with a criminal history are not allowed to be Priestesses, and I understand that criminality is often a result of social circumstance, peer pressure, and poverty. Everyone deserves the chance to do better, to be better. But you need to be able to trust your Priestess, and an undeclared criminal history could violate that trust. Of course, depending on the nature of that crime, it could even mean that you are at risk of harm. - Do they practice ethically: is there pressure for you to buy from them, or do you feel free to choose? Have they contacted you unsolicited to offer their services, or made you feel that you are in some kind of spiritual danger and only their services can help you? All these things are signs of someone who is not ethical and could be scamming you. ​ Suitability - How does this person feel to you? Do you feel safe and comfortable around them? Trust your instincts. - ​Do you align with their spiritual path and religious beliefs? Are they understanding and respectful of any differences? - Are you able to differentiate between them as a person and them as a Priestess, if you already know them? - Do they seem like they know what they're talking about? When they speak, does what they say make sense to you, does it teach you something new? - What are their reviews and testimonials like? Even better, do you know someone who has worked with them and recommends them to you? ​ - Is their pricing easily available? Is it within your budget? Do you think the price is fair? - Do they have any free offerings - if you try them, what do you think of these?

Becoming a Priestess is a lifelong commitment, and should not be taken lightly. It is not another certificate to add to your list, it is a dedication to a God or Goddess that you will bear the responsibility of for a lifetime. We make vows and we are expected to keep them - are you willing to do that? ​ It is said that those who train as a Priestess in this age are not doing so for the first time - that we have, quite literally, walked this path before. So, if it is right for you, you will know, or at the very least you will find out once you undertake the journey. Please know that being a Priestess is not for everyone and that is absolutely fine. There are endless ways to connect with the divine and the title is a responsibility rather than a show of power, it means we will live our lives in divine service, it doesn't make us some kind of prophet, guru, or make us superior in any way. Let me say this clearly: There is no paywall or subscription service for Goddess, or for the divine. She is everywhere, she is in me, and she is in you. There are many offerings in the world that help bring you closer, but they are not compulsory in any way. Many paths, many choices, many blessings. ​​ Nobody can tell you whether this is right for you, it comes from a deep inner knowing, from your gut. ​ To be honest, the only way to find out, if you truly feel called, is to try. You may not complete the full cycle and become a full-fledged Priestess, you may well stop after the inner work part and be perfectly happy with that. That would not be a failure of any kind - that may be the gift and the work that you need, and therefore, there is no need to progress further. Your path may lay elsewhere.

Route 1: Courses A note on what makes a 'good course'... There are a variety of courses run across the country, all of varying quality, theme, and reputability. From my experience, it takes a full year to learn how to priestess the inner temples - you need to experience a whole year alongside your Goddess and get to know her in all her faces, so you can really solidify that connection. It will then take probably another year to learn the skills needed to become a public Priestess. Consequently, any course that is less than a year, I personally would not recommend. Any course that claims to make you a public Priestess in less than two years (unless it's a 'builder course' for someone who is already a Priestess and is teaching a specific skill), I would be cautious of. ​​ I would expect you to pay anything from £600-£1500 for each year of training. ​ Please understand, this doesn't come from a place of snobbery or exclusion. Rather, I want you to have the foundation and grounding that you need in order to bear the responsibility and carry out the work that the world so desperately needs right now. If I may speak frankly, it does not need more people waving a certificate from a weekend course and using that for the basis of a life's work, with no further self-development. Below are some of the Priestess Courses I have come across. Please note that listing them is not an endorsement from me. ​​If you know of one that is listed here, please feel free to contact me and request that it is added. Glastonbury Goddess Temple Priestess of Avalon with Kit Crowther, Patricia Sutherland, and Kathy Jones Priestess of the Underworld with Sally Pullinger Star Priestess with Maria Jones Priestess of Gaia with Patricia Sutherland Priestess Oracle (builder course) with Sally Pullinger Temple College of Avalon Priestess of Cerridwen with Bee Helygen Priestess of the Dark Goddess with Bee Helygen Priestess of the Moon with Janet Boudicca Parfitt Others Priestess of Rhiannon with Katinka Soetens, Path of Love Mystery School Priestess of Brighde-Brigantia with Marion Brigantia Priestess of Andraste with East Anglia Goddess Temple Priestess of Isis with Fellowship of Isis Priestess of Stone, Stream and Sky (of the Cotswolds) with Stroud Goddess Temple ​​​​​ Priestess of Cornwall with Temple of Cornwall ​ Priestess of Sacred Sound (builder course) with Elsa Field, Myrtle Grove Mystery School Route 2: Self-initiation I would be cautious taking this path unless you are a relatively experienced and self-motivated individual who has a clear idea of what you want. It may take years of preparation to be in a space where you're skilled enough to even undertake a journey of this nature. It is not a path I'm personally familiar with so it's hard for me to advise on - but know it is a valid one, just one that can be tricky to do properly. Do what feels right for you and seek advice from those who have done it!