October 16, 2008

Olivia & Lawrence recordings

For those of you who have never heard the late Lawrence Durdin-Robertson, we have uploaded two recordings to the Homepage. Click on the blue icons to hear the recordings on these pages:

Welcome from Lawrence:
http://www.fellowshipofisis.com/

Lawrence speaking on his spiritual background:
http://www.fellowshipofisis.com/ldrbio.html

There is also a new recording of Olivia Robertson on the introduction page, invoking the Goddess Isis:
http://www.fellowshipofisis.com/intro.html

And you can always hear her version of the FOI prayers and invocations on this page:
http://www.fellowshipofisis.com/prayers.html

Olivia also wishes to thank everyone for their kind comments to her here and on the other blogs that we manage - she finds them encouraging!

September 22, 2008

Olivia's Autumn Tour of the U.S.

Olivia Robertson is once again visiting the U.S. for the next month. Please see this link for her schedule and contacts: http://www.fellowshipofisis.com/events.html

July 29, 2008

Ishtar of the Starry Heavens

Olivia Robertson's latest booklet, "Ishtar of the Starry Heavens" is available to be read in full in the Liturgy section, and now includes all Olivia's added introductions and illustrations. It has also been included on the FOI Publications List for direct ordering from the Foundation Center:

Ishtar of the Starry Heavens
FOI Publications List

July 21, 2008

Well Initiation

From Olivia Robertson, Co-Founder, FOI
Written By: Archdruidess Minette Quick
July 21, 2008

Yesterday Olivia and I sat together in the sunshine down by the river in Bunclody behind one of her favourite restaurants, having spent a splendid day with the camera crew who had come over from Liverpool a second time to film her for a documentary they are doing at present. Together we ruminated over the events of the weekend, starting with the marvellous time we had at our Festival of the Twin Stars of Sirius, Isis the Bright Star, Osiris the Dark Star, the Union of Binary Energies - Activities & Stillness, Day and Night - the Uachat and the Horus.

I began to doubt my ability to remember all this and asked her please to jot it down on a little notepad I usually keep with me... We had an Investment of a Knight of the Noble Order of Tara, one of the earliest members of the Fellowship, who wished to keep his identity private. Olivia was delighted at her latest artwork in the Temple, she had painted the figures of Isis and Osiris, in profile, in white, with blue blue eyes, on the windows on either side of Dana in the Star Chapel, which of course can be seen just as clearly, from the High Altar, on either side of the Mother Isis - Hathor, who is twinned now with the Father Osiris in the Healing Chapel where Olivia prays every day for those in trouble. The profiles are exquisite - she had already painted Isis and Osiris, a little smaller, on the window which lights the stairs down to the Temple. Somehow, I had thought that they also looked like Olivia and Derry (her brother Lawrence, of course)! I loved them too! She is so brilliant at this, isn't she?

Anyway, suddenly Olivia announced that now was the time to let you all know about something which happened to her at the end of March, shortly before her 91st Birthday. I happened to phone her niece one morning to be told that Olivia had had an 'accident', she had been down in the Temple, arranging things, as she so loves to do, and she had stepped back onto the wooden cover over the well, only to have it completely give way under her... The wood was quite rotten...and crashed below her, lodging far down. The Well is 17 feet deep and she plunged right in - the water was well up over her chest and she could barely reach the upper rim with the tips of her fingers, and she hung on there in shock under ground level, for about ten minutes before deciding what she could do. She knew that she would have to get herself out, nobody would even hear her shout. And she did it!! Her nephew had always said that if anybody were to fall in, they could never get themselves out, but Olivia did it. It was quite extraordinary.

She was shaken obviously, and the family certainly gave her brandy and hot drinks and helped her up to a hot bath and bed when she finally appeared in their quarters. But Olivia says now that amongst her family, local friends and neighbours, it has turned out to be the most 'popular', if you can call it that, of all her exploits over the years, and the story has been told and retold with amazement. They just cannot imagine how she did it. Can you? She says actually that even she doesn't know quite how she did it, but as she 'clung on, she says that the Goddess Statue gazed down with 'stone-cold eyes', reminding her in those immortal words of the Liturgy, that "We are with you, but cannot help you" She says: "I gather the message is that the Inner Sun helps you to help yourself..."

She naturally did not want to worry you about all this, and indeed she has totally recovered and is in terrific form and full of life as ever. However, as the story has been spreading like wildfire and she will be travelling to the US before too long, she felt it would be good to let you know all about it. And, as her niece said to me when first she told me.. "You'll never believe what Olivia said when she had got out and came in to us... (Honestly in my heart, for an instant before she told me, I knew what it would be!!!):

"I had always been told that you cannot be a true Druid,
unless you have been initiated by total immersion in a well!!!"


Old Well Cover pictured first - New Well Cover second
1st photo © O. Robertson - 2nd photo © M.Q.

Additional note & photo from Olivia:
"Our Well is associated with St. Bridget (the Goddess Brigid) and its outlet is by our ancient healing Bullawn Stone that heals warts. Local visitors use the water for Healing. Our members find anointing it on the brow helps to activate the 3rd eye. I use it always for this purpose in ceremonies. I was told by a Wise Man that to be a true Druid the candidate had to be immersed in a Well.

"I noticed my unexpected Well Initiation was described by myself well in advance in the 127 Isian News Brigantia issue, page 8. Elaine is being advised by a Wise Woman. . . 'Why not stop thinking, shut your eyes and walk backwards?” How absurd! I burst out laughing, yet without thinking I shut my eyes and walk backwards *** I fall heavily and hit my head on the ground. But there is no ground. I am falling down a shaft. I scream and struggle. It is hopeless. So I let it happen ***'

Elaine and I both got out! So all is well!"


New Well Cover - The Eye of Vision

June 19, 2008

Further Photos

More new photos have been included in the various areas of the Photo Gallery, including the new Mirrors & Windows section. There is also a brand new section in the "Clonegal Castle" area entitled: "Olivia's Drawing Room," in which she shares a glimpse of her personal living area.

http://www.fellowshipofisis.com/gallery.html

June 18, 2008

New Photo Section


To celebrate the Solstice, Olivia has provided further photos with instructions for a new section in the online Photo Gallery - that of "Mirrors & Windows" found in the Temple. This is made up of two parts, and may be found under the "Temple Themes" section:

http://www.fellowshipofisis.com/gallery.html

You are invited to visit when you can, and also take a look at the other themes as well: "Batiks & Tapestries", "Paintings", and the newly expanded sections for "Passageways & Doors."

Happy Solstice everyone!

April 30, 2008

The Risen Osiris from Olivia Robertson

THE RISEN OSIRIS
Chapel of the Anthrosphinx
Egyptian zodiac double sign
LEO & VIRGO

Inner sanctum of The Risen Osiris for Healing Prayers
Large circular lunar mirror
Greek plaque of the Mourning Athena
At the grave of the fallen

Praying in the Chapel one day, I felt I did not wish to see my own face close-up, so veiled the mirror with fine cloth printed with a large sun, and a maze at the centre. Working with white and green, I wished to paint the cloth over the mirror with a face, expressing compassion. However what happened surprised me. From early March up until 13th April 2008, the image slowly changed through the following metamorphoses. The first three characters that came through “did not DO compassion.”

(1) A pig with the maze as snout
(2) Lion
(3) Neanderthal man
(4) Athena
(5) Medusa with sun snakes (Compassion? Possibly not)
(6) Orpheus who had loved Eurydice
(7) Osiris Enshrouded


(7) Osiris Enshrouded


One day I decided to look at my own face in the mirror, for a change. I lifted the painted veil – and had a real shock! Before me was a beautiful spirit face, impressed on the mirror itself. I had always wished to rescue Osiris from being a mummy and having to sit and judge people in the Underworld.

At last, here he was (8) Osiris Unbound. No longer a mummy but a living God!


(8) The Risen God Osiris


I added small pictures of Isis, Venus & Brigid, Goddesses of compassion.

Olivia Robertson

**********

Additional note from Minette Quick:
Amongst other witnesses, it is interesting to note that Johnny Merron, who visited Clonegal over Easter, saw successive images on the veil, as had I myself. Many people had felt the powerful energy arising from the earth at the Equinox, as one stood before it. However, as I arrived later the same day that Olivia lifted the veil for the first time, she greeted me in total amazement, and without explaining further, urged me to go and see what had happened. In the darkened Chapel, before my eyes, the formerly masculine image on the veil, became fleetingly but truly feminine, as the deeply compassionate gaze of the God on the mirror beneath revealed itself. God and Goddess united in two aspects of the One!

Both photos © 2008 Minette Quick
We convey our thanks as always to Archdruidess Minette Quick, for her continual encouragement and support of Olivia's work and the Fellowship of Isis.



Olivia's Letters:
http://www.fellowshipofisis.com/olivialetters.html



March 19, 2008

Olivia Robertson's USA Schedule

Olivia Robertson's schedule of her 2008 fall tour of the USA has been posted in the Events section.

March 16, 2008

Happy 32nd Anniversary!

The Fellowship of Isis was founded at the Spring Equinox of 1976 at Clonegal Castle in Ireland, by Olivia Robertson, her brother Lawrence, and his wife, Pamela Durdin-Robertson. To review various documents, booklets, manuals and photos from the early years, please see the History section. Happy anniversary Fellowship of Isis!