Degree System
   "Are there ranks in Wicca?"

Some traditions of Wicca use a ranking or "degree" system. The degrees are supposed to mark the level of training and skill demonstrated by a Witch working within the specific tradition. The specifics of the degree system will vary from tradition to tradition. Typically, this ranking goes something like this:

Seeker:

a person who is exploring Wicca as a possible expression of their spirituality;

Neophyte:

a person who has decided to follow Wicca, and is spending “a year and a day” in study before "initiation" (or commitment).

1^st Degree: or "Priest/ess:"

a person who has decided to commit themselves to Wicca, has spent at least a year and a day studying the Craft, and has undergone an initiation ritual.

2^nd Degree: or “Priest/ess:”

An initiated Priest/ess who continues to learn, grow, and study the craft, and has demonstrated an increased depth of knowledge and skill in the practice of the Craft.

3^rd Degree:or "High Priest/ess:"

has taken the further commitment to lead the Coven, teaching and leading rituals, and (within "traditional" covens) is now deemed sufficiently prepared to form their own Covens.

Witch Queen:

a High Priestess who has had trained a Witch who then successfully “hives off” (forms) a new Coven.

The traditional degree system can provide valuable support and training for those who prefer a well-defined structure for their learning. I don't believe that a degree system is necessary however. They can easily promote a feeling of false superiority and one-upmanship within a group. It’s difficult to judge "how far" a person has traveled on their path, and knowledge of facts and techniques does not equate with spiritual wisdom.

~Flame RavenHawk