How old is an Elder?
I was wondering what people consider an Elder. For me I am 41 and consider myself one. I have been maiden, mother, and now crone. What are your thoughts?
Thanks
Mystikal Summer Starr
Thanks
Mystikal Summer Starr
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kixs on -
well in our Trad. we don't have Elders. We have Teachers. Which is so much more and age has nothing to do with the title.
I had a very wise Teacher that told me that wisdom comes to thoughs that seek it. It's not a gift to be given. That still makes sence to me.
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Permalink Reply by d'Arqstar on -
ELDER...hmmm...that would be someone OLDER than me...and by at least 15 years. Elder in the Craft? Don't know! I don't much subsribe to such as that. I try to be respectful of most everyone, older or younger, more learned or less, so the term Elder just doesn't seem necessary to me. Each to his own of course. (and yes, I've known those who CLAIM that title through what THEY consider the sweat of their brow...hey! It was THEIR sweat...if they used it merely so they can parade around with such a title that's fine by me. Just don't expect me to genuflect!LOL! I'm basically a skeptic, therefore the LAST person I'd consider an Elder would be one claiming that title. LOL! But that's just me!)
And for the record? I don't ever expect to be an Elder, nor do I have any desire to do so.
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Permalink Reply by Wolven Witch on -
I believe it's a level of knowledge. I'm a scribe, and because of how much information I know, I'm the one people go to for answers. Not really moral answers, but book answers - like correspondences, and general questions. Because of how much knowledge I know, and willing to share - I've been considered an Elder, but many of the people who I have given answers to, can be nearly twice my age.
I am but 22 years of age, but I've already devoted my life to my passion of study and thought.
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Permalink Reply by Red on -
IMHO as a solitary I have no elder, but that could be based on having people call themselves elders, and though having the experience, yet still act like idiots.
To me an elder would be someone who shows wisdom and experience through actions and not words. IMHO an elder is someone who shows they have the wisdom and experience to help other people. Just because you were brought up in the craft, no matter the tradition or path, and you teach many different classes, does not make you an elder. Talk is very cheap....you can call yourself an elder, but you had better be able to prove it through actions and not words.
And true elders don't go around calling themselves such. Usually other people will label them elders.
Age is not necessarily an indicator of elder. I'm way older than some people who give themselves the title of elder and I don't consider myself and elder. Though I would help anyone who needed help or guidance, but that's because I know what it is like to be fooled and misled. I know what it feels like to have questions that no one will answer because you are "not ready".
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Permalink Reply by Carey Moore on -
I might have an unpopular opinion here.
I think there is no "magic number" for becoming "an Elder" if by "Elder" we mean something along the lines of "wise, experienced, respected leader".
Physical age does not necessarily equate to wisdom...
Number of years in the craft does not necessarily equate to knowledge...
It depends on how those years were spent.
If someone is 60 years old, but is a dysfunctional alcoholic who read one Silver RavenWolf book two years ago... I don't consider them to be "An Elder in the Craft"
But a 35-year-old who has master's degrees in Classics and Divinity, who has 15 years of experience leading public ritual and 10 years experience leading a coven and is sober, healthy, stable, and virtuous... @#$% yes I consider them "an Elder".
I also think that the title of "Elder" is something that is conferred by one's community, not something one just decides they have a right to.
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Permalink Reply by Greywolfespirit on -
proberly you would have to be elected as a leader in your group of people to be an elder of them ,someone they all respect and listen to ,someone who listens to them also,and someone who has something they want and would like to get to know a wise person .doesnt matter what age ,like the dala lahmi is chosen as a child /reborn etc hes a leader from the start .
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Permalink Reply by Ananta Androscoggin on -
I would have to opine that anybody who is accorded the status of Elder by any of our more established traditions should be given the benefit of the doubt (for at least long enough to let them display whether or not it's a title deserved). A true Elder has wisdom inside them, whether it was gained in Trad A or in Trad B, both those trads and a major library, or in 20-40 years of wild solitary spiritual experiences of the world and the Goddesses and the Gods.
I do suspect that if presented with anybody claiming to be an Elder of anything overtly labelled New Age, I would be tempted to bend a buick over their heads rather than let my local communities of co-religionists of whatever trads suffer at their hands.
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Permalink Reply by SoulFire on -
IMHO, age should not be the only consideration, nor whether one has experienced all phases of the moon Goddess. I've met some pretty ignorant old farts. ;) I'm not saying you're one of them. Just trying to make a point. I think wisdom has to be considered also. To me, an elder is one who is at least 45-50 and has had at least 10-20 years of practical Craft experience. Just my .02.
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Permalink Reply by Ananta Androscoggin on
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56 and about 39 in my case right now
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Permalink Reply by Ananta Androscoggin on
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I should also note that I do not consider myself to be a Pagan Elder, nor would I undertake to teach anybody as openly disrespectful and derisive (and I suspect, neither would most of those who actually are Elders) as that one. And I doubt any of them would wish to spend any time in his presence in order to "earn it with him." What would be the point?
It would be about as useful as trying to be a Pagan teacher to Pat Robertson or Dick Cheney.
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Permalink Reply by Gary ~The Buck Naked~ on -
41 and about 29 years for me. Longer but I only count the time I actually understood what it was that I did.
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Permalink Reply by The Handle FormerlyKnownAs~Beat on -
Well 34 and 13 years in this life...but before that I was the high priest of so and so and before that the grand puba of so and so....and before that christ said hi...
so I win.
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