April 27, 2015

Beltane Letter from Cressida Pryor

Dear Friends at Beltane,

“The sheep’s in the meadow, the cow’s in the corn,
Now is the time for a child to be born....”


My opening words are from Sydney Carter’s gentle beginning to his chilling song, the Crow on the Cradle. They tell how warfare kills and therein reminding us that every casualty has been some woman’s baby. These words sadly so relevant now as war torn refugees flee North Africa, drowning in the turbulent waters surrounding our landmass.

I start with these words as they have been my constant companions over the past month while I attempt to capture them to memory. Those of you who endeavour to learn by heart might find it an easy task...sadly I do not have a natural capacity to absorb that level of detail and have to repeat, repeat and repeat them. In the shower, as I walk into town and as I cook supper. And in my efforts I pay homage to those from previous oral cultures who committed so much to memory; yes their brains grew extra memory tracts but it is still an amazing achievement.

And in the last few days the meadow opposite has welcomed back its four legged bovine companions from their winter confinement. After initial jubilation; free running and general friskiness, the whole herd walked around the perimeter of their new summer territory. It seems a solemn process and the heeding to an inner calling. These wise creatures, full of curiosity and timidity, in equal measure, will come to bless the fields with their slow munching and regularly delivered dollops of manure.

These beasts sadly exemplify the old concept of service...they certainly serve the needs of a meat eating agrarian society...

I have recently read a piece by William Meader on the esoteric understanding of ‘service’...perhaps one that we need to be reconnected with so we move away from the old patriarchal, status dependant concept that may well, quite rightly, repel many.

He writes: ‘Service to humanity is the hallmark of life when the soul is sensed deep within. Experienced as an inner call or prompting, availing oneself in service is an inescapable necessity when walking the spiritual path’...I have used the words ‘to serve’ in my past letters as a call to this deep inner connection through the Sacred Feminine and the divine soul within. Meader reminds us of the need to connect with our ‘being’ rather than our ‘doing’...which gives a different quality of wholesome service rather than the drive to rescue through our own aggrandisement, need to please or assuage other discomfort.

At this wonderful time of year may our interconnection through the sacred feminine open the expression of her through our loving service in the world; both of our being and thereby our doing.

All hail Isis in Hathor. May we, through her, recapture our inherent connection with the greening; the soul of nature and of the spirit calling within and be her expression on this beautiful earth.

Blessed be, dear Friends,
Cressida




Archival Link:  Letters from Cressida Pryor


April 22, 2015

Earth Day

 
Happy Earth Day Aset Shemsu!  In honor of the day, as well as for the upcoming Beltane, we are sharing this writing by Olivia Robertson:

"At last I have found this, in relationship with the beings we call Faeries – Devas – Nature Spirits – The Sidhe – Genie. Human interaction with these spirits has been as cruel as our relationship with indigenous races – a fatal impact for both “civilized” nations and those living nearer to untechnological nature. There is fear and exploitation.
 
Relating this to the psychic spheres, I note that magicians claim to practice total power over elemental spirits. They order them around. . . We are busy destroying our planet and thus injuring nature spirits. In the past occultists claimed a sovereignty over every creature, animal or spirit by obtaining the favour of some greater spirit – whether celestial (good – white) or infernal (black – bad.) This leads to the most savage of all wars – religious fear, leading to violence. We have turned from universal Divine Harmony to good God fighting bad god (devil). This leads to paranoia, madness, even suicide. There is the ultimate horror of being trapped by such delusions after physical death.
 
My own understanding is this. We humans courageously choose to follow our own biological evolution, gaining the experience of gaining an individual soul through many lives throughout the evolutionary span.
 
However, the spirits of the elements have their own evolution as they advance through the psychic elements of consciousness. If a faery starts with air – mind, it adds earth – practicality, fire – vitality, water – emotion, and the fifth element, ether – spirit. As the faery progresses, it grows in size. But what delights me is that when the Sidhe – Devas – Faeries – win the fifth element, they are our equals. For though humans have individual souls gained through ages of struggle, these friends have a spiritual quality that brings joy, laughter and friendship. We can share a joke, harder to do with a Goddess! . . .
 
Now the veil between the faery realm and ours is thinning, and a new Humanity is being born, some are permitted to see Isis Unveiled. . . Deities, faeries and humans are all part of the family of the Mother Goddess of countless species, which includes spirits and bioforms; stars and crystals; galaxies and atoms. We all matter."
 
 
("The Faery Fates" artwork and article by Olivia Robertson, copyright reserved.)

April 20, 2015

Shrine of Taurus

 
Blessings of the Sun in Taurus!  This photo is of the Shrine of Taurus at the Foundation Center Temple in Ireland, honoring many Native American Deities. The painting above the altar is of the Goddess Maya, by the late Olivia Robertson.  The Kachinas were donated by Hopi elders and the Golden Eagle was carved by the late David Durdin-Robertson.

April 16, 2015

Garden Walk

 
Garden walk on Castle grounds, Foundation Center, Ireland.



(photo by Stacy S., copyright reserved)

April 12, 2015

Remembering Olivia's Birthday


Please take a moment to join us in remembering and honoring the late Olivia Robertson, who was born on April 13th, 1917.   To hear Olivia speak of the Vocation that led to her co-founding the Fellowship of Isis, click on the audio file below:

 
Audio transcript: 
"It was direct spiritual experience, as with my brother, that I had a direct spiritual Vocation to do this from God - the feminine aspect of God - God who is also feminine to emphasize this, because the world is threatened by destruction, through pollution, through misuse of nature - often through stupidity and greed.  We're destroying the planet.  And the Divine Plan appears to be to emphasize the feminine: charity, kindness, care for nature, nurturing, motherhood - all that side.  Not to get rid of the male aspect, but to balance male aggression and materialism and this linear-logical, mental thought:  always analysis, analysis - we're more for healing and synthesis."
 

(Photo of Olivia from the DVD "Olivia, Priestess of Isis", copyright Logic Reality.)

April 10, 2015

Isis and Osiris


From the book "Panthea" by Olivia Robertson:

"I offer incense to the compassionate Isis who wipes the tears from the eyes of those who mourn. Thou who didst weep for Thy dead husband Osiris, Who searched for Him through many spheres of being, help us to be faithful to those we love! May we never forget them, but seek for them as Thou didst, and like thee find them! Thou who art reunited with Thy Twin Soul Osiris, and live in love and harmony with the Holy Deities of every faith, bring us from loneliness to the company of Blessed Spirits! As thou didst bring Osiris to everlasting life, bring us to remembrance of our immortality!"


(Painting by Olivia Robertson at the Foundation Center Temple, Ireland, photo copyright Minette Quick.)

Archival Link:
Fellowship of Isis Online Liturgy

April 4, 2015

Highlighted Artwork


"To explore one’s own psychic centres not only may bring us spiritual awareness, but a relationship with our planets. Each is a power-house reflecting a harmonic of the Central Sun. The Alchemy of the Goddess Brigid extends one’s consciousness through the colour spectrum and musical octaves beyond this material world – yet embraces it. 'As Above, so Below.' Earth is a reflection of Heaven."

Olivia Robertson, from the book "Brigid of the Rainbow Planets"




("The Spiral of Planets" artwork by Olivia Robertson, copyright reserved.)

April 1, 2015

April Oracle of the Month


"That which was true is forever the truth,
but knowledge manifests in different ways in the course of cycles."

The Goddesses Demeter and Persephone give the Oracles this month. Please click on the link below to read them:




(photo of Olivia Robertson by the Foundation Center Temple High Altar, copyright Cathryn Anne Rogers.)