September 27, 2015

Lunar Eclipse

 
Blessings of the Full Moon and eclipse! You can hear Olivia Robertson speak on the mystery of the occulted Moon in this historic recording:

The Occulted Moon Audio
(mp3/1:50min./ 431kb)
 
Audio transcript:
"The Moon is the mirror both of the polarized rays of the Sun, and of Earth, when its shadow blackens the Moon. So those who fear the occulted Moon reject their own shadow! The Moon symbolizes duality. . . the Moon is our sister planet and her influence moves both the tides of the sea and our own souls. In her darkness she shows us our own black image, the earth's shadow.. . So she is an enigma that conceals the truth. For everything in this physical world is but a reflection of greater spheres. Harken to the Mystery of the Occulted Moon: 'And I beheld a mighty Goddess and Her head with its dark waving hair reached the heavens, and Her feet stood within the abyss and a black panther with blazing golden eyes was coiled about them. Her naked body was black as night and the only light therein were two white crescents about her majestic dark eyes. In Her hands She bore a rough rock of quartz. And I knew that She held the Moon and that She was Ngame'!"
 
 
("Triple Moon Goddess Ngame" artwork by Olivia Robertson)

September 23, 2015

Sun in Libra

 
Blessings of the Equinox and the Sun in Libra!  Listen to Olivia speaking of the Constellation of Libra in this historic audio clip:
 
Audio - The Constellation of Libra
(mp3 / 2:34 mins / 605kb)
 
Audio transcript:
"You say, I may not be born under the constellation of Libra, what are the stars to do with me? The stars are the mystical body of the Goddess. We have stars, atoms within ourselves, and we are atoms within the body of our galaxy, and the Ancients taught us of the wonder of the stars, taking our own humble names. A Lady, a bright Being from the stars would come to a simple person and point to an area of the sky where certain radiations came and would say: 'what do you call that?'  'We call it the scales' - man - 'it looks like scales'. And the Lady would pause and go into a contemplation and then say:  'my friend, get your family and the elders of the village together. And I will tell them about the meaning of the scales and of balance between violence and gentleness, love and truth.' And so were the mysteries brought forth to our ancestors who could not read, but to whom the picturebook of the sky was a revelation.

"Each man and each woman - each creature - has two forces, complimentary: positive and receptive. You are receptive now, to my voice, but when you give a person directions, of any sort, even the way, you are being positive in relationship. So no human being is either all positive or all receptive - there's a beautiful flow and harmony between both. Now magical ritual helps attune us to the stars. . .and this is the time of the Atumnal Equinox, when day and night are equally long. It is the time of harmony, of Libra of the Scales."
 
(Photo copyright M. Quick who included the following:  "Shrine to Sun sign of Libra: Presided over by Niamh who brought spiritual knowledge of Atlantis, the Sidhe and Dana. To Oisin a human Irish hero. Dedicated to The College of Isis, wooden plaque of Coat of Arms of Magdalen College, Oxford, where family scholars studied under the auspices of Magdalen as spiritual teacher. The continuation of this takes place in the Old Mill House, which houses lectures, exhibitions and events of various kinds.")

September 22, 2015

Vessel of the Seer Announcement


Cait Branigan of the Circle of Brigid, Foundation Center, announces the Vessel of the Seer:

 
 
 
(Pallas Athena, Medusa Altar. Members' Shrine, Foundation Center Temple. photo copyright  M. Quick)

September 21, 2015

Autumn Letter from Cressida Pryor

 
FOI Autumn Equinox letter

Dear Friends,

At this time of balance in the year’s turning...

Recently I watched the beginning of ‘Question Time’ on the BBC which followed a busy evening’s AGM where I handed the leadership mantle of ‘my’ Morris side over to another member of the group. This was a side I had founded seven years ago. I felt like a mum at the school gate waving ‘my baby’ off to their first day at school to inevitably develop a new allegiance to their class teacher thereby transplanting my centrality. I knew it was the healthy thing to do but still feel the loss. Such transitions happen all the time but each has potential for pain as well as growth.

But back to the BBC programme...there a politician actually apologised for a past blunder ‘from the bottom of my heart’ and it did sound genuine...and was even commented on as unusual by the political colleague sitting next to him. Perhaps what marked these two out was that they were both new to political front line debate. Not yet cynical and word-slick; they were still able to be ‘real’ and in the new phrase from Nicola Sturgeon’s lauded campaign, they were being refreshingly ‘authentic’.

The reason I picked this out is that I feel this is something that balance can bring...balancing between head and heart; balancing between strategic needs and the pragmatic; between the transcendent and imminent...not either or but both and. Emphasising the huge need to move away from the easy black and white solution that further entrenches the differences without bringing arguing parties to the table. Part of finding some sort of workable solution to a problem is the need for both parties to listen to each other, which again requires balance. Apology and its bed fellow forgiveness are both part of the balance equation. One does happen without the other but attempts to move to a coherent whole are aided when both are present.

Perhaps we should look to the story of Isis herself gathering the fragmented parts of her beloved to form a coherent whole again; all but the ‘vital’ bit which is refashioned to serve current mutually accepted needs.

Divine Mother; may we too find balance and peace in our lives,
Find ways through difficulties when paths seem over grown and impenetrable;
Hold the flame of hope true when it gutters and wanes.
May we feel the warmth of your love and protection in these shorter days;
As we prepare for the dark, quiet and rest of your eternal holding.

Blessed Be All in the Love, Truth and Beauty of Divine Being.
From Cressida, this September Equinox 2015.


Archival Link:
Fellowship of Isis Letters and Announcements

September 18, 2015

Shrine to Lakshmi



Olivia Robertson wrote in "Sophia":  "I offer this incense to Thee, Lakshmi, Goddess of the Cow, who produced the turning Universe from the churning of Thy Sea of Milk! Yet Thou canst appear as any of Thy children, disguised Avatar. 'And the pilgrim asked in his wanderings: whence doth that wind blow, the sweetest-scented I ever inhaled? And it seemed to him as if his own conscience were advancing to him in that wind, in the shape of a maiden fair, bright, white-armed, strong, tall-formed, beautiful of body, noble, of a glorious seed, of the size of a maiden in her fifteenth year, as fair as the fairest things in the world. And the soul of the faithful one addressed her, asking: ‘What maid are thou, who are the fairest maid I have seen?’ And she answered him: ‘Oh youth, of good thoughts, good words, and good deeds, of good religion! I am Thine own conscience. I was lovely, and thou madest me lovelier; I was fair, and thou madest me still fairer; I was desirable, and thou madest me still more desirable. I was sitting in a forward place, and thou madest me sit in the foremost place, through good thought, good speech, and through the good deeds of thine.’"
 
From the "Guide to Clonegal Castle" by Lawrence Durdin-Robertson:  "The South angle of the temple leads into the Hindu chapel, on the N.W. wall just inside the door is a picture of Lakshmi, Goddess of wealth or prosperity (Shree), with the Elephant God Gayanana on one side of her. At the far side of her is an Indian picture of Shiva and Parvati, the Third Persons of the Hindu Trinity."

(Photo by Minette Quick, all rights reserved.)

September 14, 2015

Autumn Festival at Foundation Center

 
"Lakshmi, Goddess of Kindness and Compassion spoke in
Her Oracle of the abundance still of summer flowers and fruits
from Nature’s Garden which in its generosity
provides more than enough in plenty for all."
 
Click below to read the report on the festival at Clonegal Castle this past weekend:
 

 

(Lakshmi Moon, copyright Val Young)

September 10, 2015

Artwork: The Morrigan


Painting by Olivia Robertson entitled
"The Morrigan, Great Queen of all Rivers".
Foundation Center Temple, Ireland.


September 1, 2015

Sept. Oracle: The Morrigan


"Embrace My Mysteries with courage and you will find
greater life in ever increasing spirals of Being."

 September's Oracle is from The Morrigan.  You may read it in full and listen to an audio file of Olivia Robertson giving the Invocation and Oracle by clicking below:
 
 
 
(photo of Olivia Robertson, copyright Alice Smeets.)