March 28, 2014

Circle of Brigid


The note below was received today from Minette Quick regarding changes to the Circle of Brigid membership: 

"There have been a couple of further changes to the membership of the Circle of Brigid since those I sent only recently. Perhaps you would kindly update your website notices for us:

"The Rt. Rev. Pat Griffin wishes to retire at this stage of her life, having worked with Olivia for many years and run regular Fellowship meetings in her home in Dublin until just a couple of years ago. As she is not able to be with us on a regular basis any more, she is stepping down from the Circle of Brigid. However, we very much hope that she will come whenever she can, and, of course, for many years she was our most senior priestess together with one or two others whose association with the Fellowship went way back. We all love her gentle ways and genuine devotion to the Goddess which is so apparent when you are with her.

"Her retirement meant that there was a vacancy in our membership to be filled, and we are all delighted that Maire Doyle, one of our loyal and much liked priestesses, has accepted our invitation to assist in continuing to run the 8 Annual Festivals held in The Temple of Isis, which was created by the Co-Founders of the Fellowship, Olivia, Lawrence and Pamela Durdin-Robertson in the basement of their home in Clonegal Castle."

Many Blessings!
Minette Quick
(Hon. Sec., Circle of Brigid)


(Temple photo copyright Minette Quick, mirror painting by Olivia Robertson. Olivia wrote: "Brighid, Goddess and Saint, presides over the Holy Grael of the new aeon of Aquarius. At Her feet is the Holy Well in Her chapel that bestows healing and vision. The statue of a young girl on the altar with a cup of water for healing. Represents those loving people who care for others.)

Archival Link:  Circle of Brigid

March 26, 2014

Shrine of Aries

 
The Shrine of Aries at the Foundation Center Castle Temple.  Olivia Robertson described this shrine as follows:  "Above the Shrine of Aries, carved in bas-relief by David Durdin-Robertson, the Goddess Nepthys of Nature, blesses Africa. Facing the S.E. window on the left is Her Son Anubis, Jackal Guide of Souls. On the right is the Goddess Hathor of the Ka of the Soul."
 
 
 
(photo copyright Minette Quick)

March 24, 2014

Spring Equinox Festival at Clonegal Castle

 
VERNAL EQUINOX FESTIVAL AT CLONEGAL CASTLE 22.3.14
By:  Minette Quick
 
Members of the Circle of Brigid and all our regular FOI Members were delighted to welcome Cressida Pryor to preside at our Vernal Equinox Festival on Saturday 22nd March. We were also delighted that so many people came along to join us and we all took the opportunity to meet and greet everyone in the Theatre which was nice and warm on a cold but lovely bright day which was also extremely welcome after the monumental rains and winds we have had these last few months.
 
Having processed through the grounds of the Castle, where members of DCD and NOT invoked Deity at the Druid Grove and Abbey, Persephone's was also invoked at her Gate into the Temple and the company came into the Temple and gathered at the Well for Blessings. On this occasion it was lovely to have several newly Ordained priestesses present from The Three Mothers Lyceum, trained by Cait Branigan and Deirdre Wadding. So at Cressida's request two of them were invited to step forward and bless the water which they did with great beauty and dedication, and after the remaining priesthood had stepped forward to invoke, they also gave the individual blessings to everyone present.
 
At the High Altar, Cressida again welcomed everyone present and Invoked Isis. It was a great privilege to us to be able to have her with us when she is able to come over to Ireland, and get to know her on a personal as well as a ceremonial level. The Fellowship is in excellent hands for the future, of that we are assured.
 
We had a beautiful Oracle from the Goddess Lakshmi, and songs, poems and a deeply peaceful guided journey from Cait Branigan. This was followed by a Mystery Play enacted by members of the priesthood representing the Goddess Danu as the ancient mother of winter who having carried the burdens of that long cold season, hands on her task to the rising Goddess of Spring, Persephone. Olivia loved Mystery Plays and as we watch the seasons go by and honour her memory in continuing this tradition, it enriches our experience and brings them to life for us all, whether we are new to the Fellowship or have been members for longer.  
 
We completed the main ceremony with another excellent poem from a member of the priesthood. It should be mentioned that the poems that have been offered on these occasions are all the work of those offering them, and show a great depth of understanding which is wonderful and uplifting. After this a short chant to the words "Brigid light the Path for us, show us the Way!" was sung by everyone. Notices were given and thanks offered to Deity, after which the customary short healing and counselling sessions were offered to those who wished to receive them. We all then repaired to Osborne's for tea and good company amongst old and new friends. It had been an excellent day altogether.
 
Archived Link:  Vernal Equinox 2014
 
 
(photo of the High Altar of the Fellowship of Isis, Clonegal Castle Temple, by Minette Quick)

March 20, 2014

Audio: Olivia Robertson's Reflections Articles

 
To honor the founding of the FOI (see previous post), a new section has been added to our Audio Gallery - that of Olivia Robertson reading her "Reflections" articles.   We have uploaded eleven so far, and more will be added soon.  These audio files are in mp3 format and run between 5-10 minutes long.  You can find them by scrolling down to "Olivia Robertson - Reflections" from this link:
 
 
 
 
 
(photo taken by Dennis Murphy for the audio gallery, copyright reserved. Olivia brought out her gold microphone for the occasion!)

Happy Anniversary Fellowship of Isis!


Happy Equinox and Happy 38th anniversary to the Fellowship of Isis!  The FOI was founded at the Vernal Equinox of 1976 by Olivia Robertson, her brother and his wife, Lawrence and Pamela Durdin-Robertson.  (photo of FOI Foundation Center, Clonegal Castle, Enniscorthy, Ireland)
 
 

March 16, 2014

Highlighted Photo: Olivia Robertson


Olivia Robertson with one of her paintings in the Chapel of Harmony, Castle Temple.




(photo of Olivia by Dennis Murphy from the DVD "Olivia Robertson, Priestess of Isis," copyright reserved.)

March 14, 2014

 
"Sophia, Cosmic Consciousness of the Goddess" is now available in paperback and may be ordered through all Amazon outlets, as well as any other bookstore or library. 
 
Olivia Robertson writes in the introduction:
"The Divine Wisdom lightens the sky of the seeker for Truth as the Veiled Goddess Sophia. 'I am She who was, and is, and shall be. No man hath lifted my veil.' In verity no analysis, no intellectual piecing together of facts, can penetrate that veil. It is the Paroketh of white light that distinguishes sphere from sphere. The impious, the inquisitive, the falsely clever prisoners of the material brain cannot even realise the existence of spheres beyond the veil. Their lives are bounded by passing time and changing space, by the extent of the five senses. Hence there is no desire to reach that which is to them unreal! For such, there is no ultimate truth, no Deity. . . The present zodiac contemplative ceremonies introduce the seeker to the Higher Sophia of the Trino-Sophia, thrice holy gnosis of wisdom.  The aim of stellar contemplation is to centre oneself in the motionless hub of the passing wheel of the stars. In ordinary life we journey from day to night, from year to year. Yesterday is as lost to us as yesteryear or childhood: tomorrow is non-existent and so as remote as death. The aim of the contemplative is to experience all-time, all-space, in greater consciousness. From such a stillness, many lives are experienced again in present consciousness: and greater spheres may be known, in which life is so vivid that this 'normal' existence seems in comparison to be but a passing dream. This is where the ethical outlook of the neophyte is all-important. However dream-like any sphere may appear to be, the ethical and moral choices offered are real. Truth penetrates all realms, and free-will to choose the good is given, even in a dream. Judgement rules throughout the planes."
 
Related Links:
 

March 12, 2014

Across the Sea to Isis Video


Video from the late Pete McCarthy's UK series "Desperately Seeking Something".  Episode 3 - "Across the Sea to Isis" was filmed around 1996/7 and is a lighthearted, yet still respectful look at his initiation into the Druid Clan of Dana, featuring Olivia Robertson and other members of the Fellowship of Isis at Clonegal Castle.   Go to this link to view:

  


(copyright Peter McCarthy's heirs and Kudos Productions Ltd.)

March 8, 2014

Foundation Center Grounds


A glimpse of the Castle through the cypress trees.


(photo copyright Stacy S.)

March 4, 2014

The Ship of Isis


In celebration of the Isidis Navigium, "The Ship of Isis" painting by Olivia Robertson.  (Note also the ship on the altar above.)

Lawrence Durdin-Robertson writes in his book, Juno Covella : Egyptian: ISIS; The Ploiaphesia, Navigium Isidis, The Ship of Isis. (Seyffert, Diet.) "Isis . . the festival, held on the 5th of March is called the ship of Isis (Isidis Navigium), in recognition of her being the patron of navigation and inventress of the sail".

See March 5th for more information:  Juno Covella

(Photo copyright Minette Quick.)

March 3, 2014

Article on Foundation Center Castle


An article on "Irish Manor Houses" in the National Geographic features Clonegal/Huntington Castle:

 
 
 
(Photograph copyright Jace Rivers)

March 1, 2014

Fellowship of Isis Oracle for March


This month's Oracle features the Goddess Hertha, with audio of both Olivia and Lawrence Durdin-Robertson.  You may read and listen to it at this link:
 




(photo of Olivia by Dennis Murphy from the DVD "Olivia Robertson, Priestess of Isis," copyright reserved.)