Path to Ordination

The path to becoming a Priestess in the Temple of Isis, Fellowship of Isis, or both, is a very serious undertaking, and it cannot be taken lightly. Your life will never be the same again. You are opening a pathway that leads to the divine; an ongoing conversation and attunement with ancient Gods and Goddesses.

In the Fellowship of Isis, any Fellow may ordain a person, but the initiate must complete a path of study in accordance with the Liturgies and FOI Manifesto, as set forth by Lady Olivia Robertson, co-founder of the FOI. An overview of coursework and policies may be found in this link. A detailed overview of the FOI ordination itself may be found here.

To become a Priestess or Priest in the Temple of Isis in the United States, headquartered in Geyserville, California, you must complete one year of study with a sponsor who is an ordained Priestess or Priest in the TOI. Coursework must be in accordance with the principles of Lady Loreon Vigne's 42 Ideals of Ma'at, The TOI Manifesto, and intensive training that will ready you for your ordination and subsequent service to the Goddess Isis of 10,000 names. You may choose one to three Goddesses to devote your service to, however, your first and foremost Goddess must be Isis. This tradition was set by Lady Olivia in her many years of ordaining at Isis Oasis, and Clonegal Castle.

Once you have a sponsor who has agreed to teach and initiate you into the Isis Mysteries, you sponsor must contact the TOI for appropriate forms and requirements that must be completed prior to ordination. These include, but are not limited to, contact information, legal ID, questionnaire, and spiritual biography. Two photos must be included; one that goes into our Temple records, and the second must be a passport size photo for your ID Card. There is a $25 processing fee for filing the legal papers for you. Checks are made out to the Temple of Isis, which is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. While members of the Temple of Isis become legal clergy, those in the Fellowship of Isis are not recognized as such by law. You do not have to be ordained into both organizations, but you may do so if you wish.

You will be required to have a wand, stole or shawl, and a crown for your ordination rite. You will be ordained by the Elders of the TOI and FOI in a formal ceremony during the annual Convocation, which is always held in October over Columbus Day Weekend at Isis Oasis in the USA. Subsequently, your course of study should always begin in October of the year prior to Ordination, if you choose to study with the Lyceum and Iseum of the Awakened Ab.

The requirements of the Lyceum and Iseum of the Awakened Ab for the initiate are:

1. A year-long commitment, beginning with a public intention initiation and blessing, usually held at Convocation. This marks your dedication to the sacred path in front of the community you are pledged to become a part of and in service to your Goddess.

2. You will be given a required reading list to begin your studies; these books must be purchased by you. FOI liturgies are also available online for free, though you may purchase them in nicely bound, inexpensive volumes for specific rites as keepsakes (they are around $7 each). It is important to know the organizations you are joining, and their founding roots. The biographies of Lady Olivia Robertson, Lady Loreon Vigne, and deTraci Regula are a good place to start before tackling the rest of the list. The list will be given upon acceptance by your High Priestess and Sponsor. In the Iseum of the Awakened Ab, that person is Rev. and High Priestess, Rain Graves.

3. You will be asked to attend and assist in public and private rites in San Francisco, Oakland, or Geyserville.

4. You will be required to assemble a basic ritual wardrobe according to your Goddess(es), beginning with High Holy Whites, and traditional Ancient Egyptian Ceremonial dress. As mentioned above, the wand, circlet or crown, and stole are additional accessories required for ordination specifically by the TOI and FOI; these do not need to be purchased right away.

5. A one-time enrollment fee of $50 for printed materials that will be distributed for coursework (this goes towards toner and paper).

6. Attendance and participation at the Inner Sanctum Symposium on Infinite Possibilities is required, and satisfies a portion of your curriculum requirements.

7. You must have a positive, can-do attitude, and not be afraid to ask questions.

Lastly, the High Priestess does not take on many initiates. When a person seeks initiation, she meditates and communes with the Goddess to see if the Goddess accepts her as your guide into the Mysteries of Isis. The current of Isis is very strong, and very opinionated. Not everyone is in the right time and/or place in their lives to accept the long process of study that initiation demands. This is not to say others may not be the right teachers for you, or that you'll one day be in that point in your life. It is simply to say that not everyone is called at the exact time they want to be, and in the exact way they want to be. You must be in this for the right reasons. Those reasons can never be selfish.

Similarly, we warn against other people who might take advantage of your calling, or wish to be of service, by charging you large premiums to learn. While it is true that teaching initiates takes an enormous amount of energy, time, patience, and devotion to the task, it is not always with pure intention that people ask for large sums to guide people in a vulnerable state. The Lyceum and Iseum of the Awakened Ab respects your journey, and does not require your life's savings to guide you, nor anything other than the $50 materials fee for the year. We do not take. We give. We do no harm.

That said, may Isis bless you on your sacred journey, and we welcome you with open arms.