Hey Newbies-

It may be harsh but when it comes to studying paganism, if you have been reading or practicing for under a year, you don't REALLY know as much as you think you do. You may know a lot, you may be extremely studious and know more out of a book than others but without the wisdom of years, your knowledge should just incubate for a later time.

That was a very difficult concept for me to accept years ago. I thought since I had spent a year of my life reading article after article, book after book, that I knew it all...However, we are all learning and in one year you are just a baby. Right now, I feel like a teenager in my knowledge. I know I don't know everything, despite that I know a lot, and I'm always eagar to learn more. I also ask my elders questions.

Questions are very important for both the young and the old, for the young they can expand and learn from the knowledge of their elder and the elders have to reflect on a smaller, more intimate scale. Under two years, you avoid guiding others unless it's showing them what you have built up to but try to remember that even if you know more than another newbie, you are still new yourself and should act accordingly.

On a harsher note, at no point (in my view) should you create a coven of newbies and call yourself the priest/ess if you don't truly understand what that entitles. It's one thing to create a coven of complete equals with some more knowledgeable than the others to spread the wealth of knowledge, it's another when you are assigning ranking that normally takes years of study to acquire should you join a more legitimate coven.
More specifically, when taking on the responsibility of a priest/ess, you have certain obligations that you should familiarize yourself with such as Devotion rituals, coming-of-age, initiations of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and etc. degree.

Let me go on to state that the idea within Wicca that you are your own priest/ess is one thing as a solitary but if you want my opinion, I don't like the idea of being your own priest or priestess because it leads to the idea in beginners that they can lead others because only the God and Goddess need to legitimize you which then you become a force of impression on the masses and providing knowledge to those not far behind you can lead to a chain of misinformation which is a growing problem in out pagan community today as well as the fluffy bunny problem as a tie in.

With time and training working your way up to priest status through the several degrees you gain patience, are more calm, and more humble about your knowledge.

So newbies out there- take your time, there's no rush. You'd be surprised what you can learn from others who have gone down your same path. Enjoy being a student and absorbing knowledge.