When my graduation from Woolston-Steen Theological Seminary (WSTS) was fast approaching, I found myself experiencing mixed emotions. Don't get me wrong, I was over-the-moon excited to be graduating and earning my Bachelor's Degree in Wiccan Clergy/Ministry, but there was this strange sadness in me. I'm going to miss having classmates and teachers, and learning all the really amazing things in class. Now those who are closest to me know I've had senioritis since Junior year, and now that I'm done I feel envious of those new Freshman who walk into the virtual campus ( SIM ) of the school on Second Life called Sacred Cauldron and are all wide eyed and so eager to learn, learn, learn! I'm not jaded or have not lost that love for learning or the school, but so much has happened over the past 4 years I feel it is important to reflect upon the journey itself. So let's start at the beginning shall we?

I joined a coven that was affiliated with the ATC at the time and learned about Hekate’s Sickle Festival. One of my coven sisters invited me to go with her. This is where I met so many people that would play such an important part in the next 4 years of my life. First off, I acquired a post card that had information about WiccanSeminary.edu (WSTS) and I was fascinated that one could get an actual degree in Wiccan Clergy and Studies! I stuck it in my purse and enjoyed the rest of the festival. When I got home, it had been a few months before I even ventured into Second Life. (I got so frustrated the first couple days with navigating around in-world that I gave up and didn’t return ‘til a couple months later.) Yada, yada, yada, and poof… I arrived at Sacred Cauldron. What a beautiful SIM Sacred Cauldron was/still is! I roamed around like a kid in a candy store. I met amazing people, some were students, some just members of the virtual community. I attended all the events on the SIM, asked so many questions, even wanted to volunteer to help out on the SIM. I was an eager beaver indeed, and finally signed up for the school. My Goddess, it was happening... I was going to learn how to be a better Witch. Now mind you, yes you do learn how to be a better Witch, but mostly you learn so much about how to be a better YOU!

I had to learn how to “go with the flow” of Belladonna Laveau's teaching methods. I am a very organized learner. I need rhyme and reason, bullet points, things done in order, and well, that was not always the case. I'm a Capricorn, so go figure. Don't even get me started on what I learned from Bella. Not only did she teach me about change and transformation, but she became a mentor and a friend over the years. There were many times when I wanted to quit because let me tell you, this is not like Harry Potter - You don't get to play witch all day. You have homework that is intense and assignments that make you reflect upon yourself. Freshman year was about learning the basics like ritual work, Wiccan history, and Wiccan laws… the basic foundation of your Craft.

I then made it to Sophomore year. Everybody I knew who had been through Sophomore year “warned” me that it is a tough year. Of course I thought to myself, “how tough could it be?” (cue hysterical laughter) How can I explain Sophomore year? Well first off, a lot of people quit halfway through and have attempted to come back to re-take it several times. Why you ask? In my opinion and knowing now what I knew then, you have to have all your ducks in a row in your mundane life. You have to be ready for some shadow work and facing your true self. You have to be honest with why you do the things you do and what makes you tick. If you are unable to venture into those realms of your psyche, then Sophomore year is going to be a tough one for you. I learned so many things about myself. I learned that I actually have gifts and talents that people enjoy and are important to the community. I learned that my temper is from having my Mars in the sign of Aries in my birth chart. I learned how to be a better learner. I learned how to listen to Deity clearer and understand that the Goddess is within me always. I also learned really cool ways of working with Chakras and crystals and I took some great electives and re-discovered my passion for Greek Mythology, the list goes on. But the most important lesson I learned was how to love myself, warts and all! And that I am capable of having deeper relationships with myself and others when I am my true authentic self.

I finished Sophomore year and received my Associates Degree. Oh what a feeling! Oh what a headache! Was I prepared to go on? I felt I had no choice because I promised myself I would finish what I started and I learned that when I break promises to myself, I’m breaking promises to the Gods! Junior year I felt like I was a bit more relaxed and prepared, “I've got this!” but as I looked around I realized I started my first year with almost 20 students and only about 6 of us made it through to Junior year, (for various reasons like health issues, time constraints, etc.) so here we were - the dream team of 3rd year students! Lot's of ritual work to be done! And my favorite part? I got to write my own rituals! I loved that! But after awhile (and adding on top of all this) I was part of the staff and acquiring more responsibilities in school, and with my coven; which I was writing a lot of rituals for as well. SO MUCH WRITING! And then my Junior class began to dwindle down and soon, by the end of this 3rd year, it was me and just one other student. I was like...

“OMG! AM I GONNA MAKE IT?!”

Enter Senior Year. Let me tell ya a little bit about how this all started. I had started a new coven of my own, was a newly elevated 3rd degree High Priestess, and started the year off sick with the plague or bronchitis like I always do around that time of year; not to mention continuing my responsibilities at home being a stay at home mom of 2 very busy and nonstop energetic boys. Oh yeah, and it was just me and one other student that got to do ALL OF THE RITUAL WORK! I had moved up in the staff role with more responsibilities. I had a full plate, but I was okay with it because I had proved to myself over the past 3 years that I can handle this and I truly love it, so there is always that right? Well my fellow classmate had to leave school for personal reasons... AND THEN THERE WAS ONE! I know what you're thinking, “oh girl, you had a breakdown, didn’t you?” Believe it or not, I didn’t. I was strangely calm and almost excited to take on this year by myself. Was I medicated? Was I drunk? (that is a whole other article) No, I just applied the tools and skills I had learned from the school and approached it knowing that no matter what, I really could do this! Now don't get me wrong, there were times when I was overwhelmed and scared, but I had come so far and learned so many valuable skills and met so many wonderful people, I couldn’t just leave. It was my responsibility to myself, nobody else, but myself, to see this through.

And I did...

So here we are. Beginning of 2019. I have a coven that is a little over a year old. I have elevation rituals coming up to grant first degrees and second degrees to my coven mates. I have worked rituals online for each Sabbat, learning amazing lessons from a different perspective in my life compared to years prior. I have connected with my Goddess Hekate on so many deeper levels than ever before, thanks to my Hekate shrine assignments. I have become a more competent AND confident HPS, and I have made somewhat of a name for myself in my local community by putting myself out there and seeing what needs to be done to improve it and celebrate it. And the friendships! Oh my Goddess! The friendships I have made from this school , the online community, the ATC festivals , etc., they have all become my chosen family.

Before I end these reflections, I just want to give a shout out to the people in my life that made all of this possible for me and were a huge support system! Belladonna , you really took me by surprise. Your energy and support has helped me in so many ways, I can't even begin to list all the ways how. To my teachers at WSTS - thank you for putting up with my inappropriate sense of humor (how many times did you have to hear me say “That's what she said” during class!) To my husband who worked his butt off so I could stay home with our kids and focus full time on my Craft, to my coven, Children of the Crossroads - you are why I do all of this and you are my family! To my elders Greybeard and Maeve - you saw something in me and nurtured it and allowed me to fly free from the nest and spread my magickal wings!

So if you are a Freshman or thinking about starting your studies at WSTS and are reading this, here are some words of wisdom from this wise woman (okay maybe not so much words of wisdom, but something to think about). Be true to yourself when taking upon this journey. Know that you are joining a community of amazing people that want you to succeed. Be yourself! Ask questions! And most of all… have fun!

I am not leaving the SIM, so I will still be around as Assistant to the Dean of Ministry, (they can't get rid of me that quick!) so if you see me in-world say Hi to me! I promise I will be there to help you and tell some dirty jokes!

xXx Lola

Lola Stardust is the High Priestess of the Children of the Crossroads in Spokane, Wa.

Check out their YouTube Channel: COTC/Witches and Wine

Lola is also a tarot reader and healer. Please check out her FB page Lola's Tarot and Healing . She is the Assistant to the Dean of Ministries of Sacred Cauldron and the Events Coordinator.