David Durdin-Robertson, Dulce Domum

The death has occurred of David DURDIN-ROBERTSON of Huntington Castle, Clonegal, Carlow

Funeral at St Fiaac's, Clonegal, Saturday, April 18, at 3pm.

Family and friends welcome at the house 7pm - 10pm on Friday, April 17.

Date published: Friday, April 17, 2009 on RIP.ie

Date of death: Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Karena Karras Art Exhibition

Gallery Exhibition Opening: "From What Are Dreams"

A 2- and 3-dimensional art exhibition by Surrealist Karena A Karras opens at Eyeporium Gallery on Friday, April 3, 2009.

CHICAGO, Illinois – March 23, 2009 – Eyeporium Gallery presents “From What Are Dreams”, an exhibition of surrealist works by internationally collected artist and FOI member Karena A Karras This event is free and open to the public.

When Karras was a little girl, her teacher asked her what she wanted to be. She replied, “A swan.” Given the anthropomorphic birds in Karras’ surrealist paintings, I believe she has accomplished her goal! Alchemy, metamorphosis and mythology richly inform much of Karras’ work. Karras is a Chicago native and a graduate of the Sch,ool of the Art Institute. She found her “voice” early and has produced surrealistic work throughout her career. Karras is considered the inheritor of the mantle of surrealist painter Leonora Carrington, with whom she had a close friendship, and, in turn, Max Ernst.

WHEN:
Opening Reception (public invited) - Friday, April 3, 2009 from 7pm to 10pm
Exhibition - Through Friday, May 1, 2009 .

WHERE:
Eyeporium Gallery (inside Eye Want)
1543 N. Milwaukee Ave , Chicago , IL 60622
Between North Ave. and Honore St, in the heart of Wicker Park
One block from the “Damen” Blue Line El stop.

ABOUT EYEPORIUM GALLERY:
Annette Sollars, creator of Chicago's fine eyewear icon, Eye Want, recently launched Eyeporium, a fine art gallery in Wicker Park. Representing exceptional artists of regional and national prominence, Eyeporium Gallery will feature contemporary creators of paint, print, photographic and sculptural works from the realistic to the surreal to the abstract. With the location of Eyeporium inside Eye Want, Annette has created a single destination for you to procure fine eyewear and fine art “for your face and your space”.

CONTACT:
Annette Sollars
Owner, Eyeporium Gallery
Phone: 773.782.1744
Email: eyewant@sbcglobal.net

Meditations You Can Download

Free Downloadable Meditations are at Karen Tate's website. Choose from Spring Meditation: Traveling to the Temple of Isis or Sekhmet: Egyptian Goddess of Personal Empowerment.

In a spirit of reciprocity, they share their blessings and boons! Credit goes to Marion Watermoondragon of All Things Pagan Radio for helping to record and add music to the meditations.

Oracle of the Month

Crossroads Lyceum sends out an oracle written by Lady Olivia Robertson every month.

Each month a different oracle is selected from one of the Fellowship of Isis liturgies.

To subscribe to the Oracle email list, visit the Fellowship of Isis Oracles page at Yahoo.com, or send a blank email to Fellowship_of_Isis_Oracles-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

Voices of the Goddess: Women Clergy in East-West Perspective

This paper, "Voices of the Goddess: Women Clergy in East-Weat Perspective" by Chandra Alexandre will be discussed on Karen Tate's radio show in the near future.

Karen Tate and Ava Park from the Goddess Temple of Orange County were two of the priestesses whose voices were presented at the American Academy of Religion on the topic of Goddess Clergy.

Star of the Wayshower

Star of the Wayshower Iseum produces a lovely informative newsletter, which contains timely information about events, workshops, and other things that areavailable through the Iseum. To subscribe, contact Nancy Fanara-Berrian at starofthewayshower@yahoo.com .

Nancy's site offers services that provider perspectives to help achieve higher states ofg clarity, peace, and centeredness and personal empowerment. Various techniques, such as Golden Isis Sekhmet Secheim, are taught. There is also an Isis Temple.

Planetary Alchemy

Planetary Alchemy is 21st century astrology for the modern mystic. This beautiful and informative website is created by Sarolta DeFaltay of the Lyceum of Sekhmet the Awakener.

Sarolta is an ordained Priestess Hierophant of the Fellowship of Isis, and offers in-depth classes for spiritual and magical growth, as well as a more general class for those not ready to make a major commitment. She is currently qualified to teach the Adepti and Magi degrees in a specialized curriculum based on the Fellowship of Isis liturgies.

Planetary Alchemy shows daily magical astrology and candle magic, daily sky, and much more.

Avalonia Books

Avalonia Books is owned by FOI member Sorita d'Este. They publish books by and for members of the Fellowship of Isis. Thety have a most fascinating catalog of works. There is also a newsletter to which you can subscribe.

Voices of the Sacred Feminine

"Voices Of The Sacred Feminine" Radio Show is hosted by Karen Tate.

Tune in Every Wednesday, 6PM Pacific/9PM Eastern, or from The Archives, Anytime at Your Convenience

Heartsongs by Ishari

Ishani Arndt is a member of FOI who makes crowns, wands, and other things of beauty which can be seen at her website, Heartsongs by Ishari. You can contact Ishari at heartsongs8@yahoo.com

When she met Lady Olivia Robertson in Arizona, Ishari made a wand that Lady Olivia liked, and which she offered on the alter of Isis. Lady Olivia received an awesome visit from the Goddess Brigit, who activated the crystal. Lady Olivia painted Ishari a wonderful picture of this event.

Ishari has for years wanted to make a crown for Lady Olivia. In 2008, she fashioned a crown for Lady Olivia that was presented to her at the Goddess Festival in Chicago.

Send Books to Incarcerated Pagans

This comes from Rev. Karen Tate:

Back in November we tried to answer the pleas of some Pagans incarcerated in Tennessee by sending new and used books. We ran into some problems because the prisoners couldn't receive books directly from individuals, and due to the deep rooted prejudice against Wiccans and Pagans in this Tennessee prison, we fear that some books never reached the prisoners.

However, books sent to Prisoners via a third party recognized as a Church, can insure books reach the prisoners. So...

...In steps Summerland Grove Church. Minister Patti Cerea Sims and her husband ( also the Local Coordinators for the Memphis Pagan Pride) have stepped up as sponsors for this Pagan group. They are working with Chaplain Petersen and with the Director of Religious services for the Tennessee Department of Corrections to see that items that are legally allowed *will be* *delivered to these men* as they are allowed to receive religious books, etc...If the return address is a recognized "church", as is Summerland Grove Church.

Minister Patti says their church has little to no funds though they have tried to provide what they can. And they're asking for help from the Pagan community. I don't have an email address for Minister Patti, so if you have any questions about what can be sent beyond books or tarot decks, contact her directly at the address below.

If you would like to help these fellows in their search for spirituality and to know the Lord and Lady, please send news and used books to:Minister Patti "Cerea" SimsSummerland Grove Church8027 Carat CircleBartlett, TN 38133

Ploiaphesia

Ploiaphesia (Ploo-E-A-Fees- E-Ah)Presented by The Temple of Isis-Utah

Join us Saturday March 14th, 2009 at the Sandy Utah Odd Fellows (Murray #33 IOOF) Lodge Located at 8698 Center Street at 4:30 p.m. for a ritual to honor Isis of 10,000 Names and the Ancient Greco-Roman Ploiaphesia.

(Ploiaphesia means, "The Festival")

We will invoke Isis' many names as composed in Apuleius' The Golden Ass, and also give tribute to Apuleius' great work The Golden Ass with a trance journey similar to the mysteries Lucius underwent surroundinPloiaphesia.

MINERVA...USDIANA...PROSERPINE...CERES...JUNO...BELLONA...HECATE...RHAMNUSIA...QUEEN ISIS...
-We Invoke Thy Grace-

*****Please bring a potluck dish....Also, Isis loves red roses for Ploiaphesia.Contact: 801.755.4419 or rainbowwaters1982@yahoo.com

Iseum of Black Isis

The Iseum of Black Isis has a new website.

This Iseum is dedicated to Black Isis. Enchantress. Oracle. Trickster. Magician. Goddess of love, sex, beauty, death, mystery, chaos and fate.The Iseum of Black Isis places a strong emphasis on Sacred Arts (including poetry, music, dance, storytelling, theater arts, visual arts and ritual) as gateways to ecstatic experience, healing, deep wisdom and personal power.The founder of the Iseum of Black Isis, Szmeralda Shanel, is an ordained priestess of Isis with The Fellowship of Isis and The Temple of Isis.

contact the Iseum of Black Isis at szmeralda@yahoo.com

Emerald Flame Iseum

The Witchmoot blog is maintained by Rev. Merrie Hutchins (Boudicca Andarta), a licensed Spiritual Counselor, who has been Wiccan for the past twenty-four years and lives in Northern Michigan where she cares for abused and neglected animals. Receiving her training through the Fellowship of Isis, she has founded the Iseum of the Emerald Flame (IseumOfTheEmeraldFlame@lycos.com). Also called to healing, she founded Our Lady of the Lake Healing Sanctuary (OurLadyOfTheLakeHealingSanctuary@lycos.com).

There are some lovely spells and other things here.

Shrinecrafts Blog

Shrinecrafts is a lovely blog produced by FOI Priestess Rosie Weaver.

Isian News - #122 Samhain 2006

Olivia Robertson's cover drawing is of "The Raven Speaks" and her Reflections article is entitled "The Democratic Grael." Included are two more rituals from the next Liturgy booklet, "Ishtar of the Starry Heavens, Shape-Shifting of the Alchemical Twins," as well as FOI-related news.

Access the latest Isian News at this link: Isian News

Goddess Art of Olivia Robertson

For those members who enjoy Lady Olivia's artwork, we are pleased to announce her latest booklet, "Goddess Art of Olivia Robertson."

Lady Olivia writes: "My writing expresses my mind and spirit: art for me shows forth my intuition and heart."

This 7 x 8.5" booklet is made up of 40 illustrations (17 in full color) that this FOI co-founder has created for the Fellowship over the years. Each page highlights a different drawing. Also includes a preface and introduction by the author.

To order this booklet:
http://www.fellowshipofisis.com/generalpubs.html

Isian News #121

In this issue, Olivia Robertson introduces two new rituals for her next Liturgy booklet, entitled "Ishtar of the Starry Heavens." Her Reflections article is on the "Fractal Woman" and her cover drawing, "Bride Ad Infinitum" is a 7-fold fractal. The FOI announcements also include Lady Olivia's upcoming tour dates.

You can access the latest Isian News at this link:
http://www.fellowshipofisis.com/isiannews.html

In the Beginning- a Holistic Model of Creation

In the Beginning- a Holistic Model of Creation

Naomi Ozaniec

It was in a world out of time, for there was neither sun nor moon and nothing to mark the night from day until Temu reached down into the abyss and uplifted Ra. The sun shone on Temu's bright face, day began and Ra lived with him from the beginning of time. That was the first day of the world. In gratitude, the sun raised itself and marked the day's flow.
Normandi Ellis, Awakening Osiris

Who has not wondered about creation at some time? This is surely the greatest mystery of all. The Egyptians wondered a great deal about it and produced not one but several mythical creators in the place of a simple linear model. Why should we expect the processes of creation to be described with ease and simplicity? Surely we should expect complexity and ultimately paradox!

Patriarchy still holds a global sway and offers a creator god in male guise. The feminist rebellion has dethroned the creator god and replaced History with Herstory. The Egyptians however included both the divine male and the divine female within their mythic view of creation. Where we have come to expect 'either/or ' solutions, Egyptian mindset remained open to paradox. This desire for a logical and therefore mutually exclusive conclusion is deeply ingrained in our way of thinking and style of language. We are deeply uncomfortable when asked to simultaneously hold mutually opposing solutions. It confronts the very purpose of linear logic which has so long underpinned our thinking But the Egyptian mind was not schooled in this way; Egyptian language was deeply and deliberately symbolic, the very antithesis of deductive thinking. We cannot approach Egyptian thinking via our own contemporary projections. The Egyptologist C.W. Bleeker understands the mental shift we need to make.' The only useful guiding principle in Egyptology is: one must learn to think Egyptian to be able to penetrate the religion of Ancient Egypt.' Frankfort described the Egyptian world view as, 'a multiplicity of approaches' and a, 'multiplicity of answers.' The Egyptians remained comfortable with multiplicity, logical contradictions and paradox.

Where a monolithic explanation of creation tends towards a linear model; the first act of creation alone sustains everything that follows, a multi-faceted mythic model does not slip into sequential thinking. It is capable of rendering the simultaneous, the paradoxical even the contradictory. It is capable of indicating the complexity of relationship between the one and the many. 'The mythic perspective does not recognise plurality as contradictory to unity, nor androgyny as distinct from sexual differentiation. Plurality is found in unity and in turn encompasses plurality.' The Egyptians never lost sight of the living dynamic of creation itself. Its various aspects were woven into a pattern of unity, duality and plurality in constant recombination. In contrast to a monolithic explanation, the mythic multi-dimensional model is not confined to a single level of interpretation. Its openness and symbolic richness provide universally applicable meaning at both macrocosmic and microcosmic levels. The mythic pattern is repeated on all levels of existence. If the explanation of creation is to have any validity is must also be capable of being applied to the life of the individual and the world at large as well as the processes within creation at its most cosmic and universal levels. For how can the greater be separated from the lesser?

Father and Mothers of the World
Androgyny is an archaic and universal formula for the expression of wholeness and the co-existence of the contraries, or coincidentia oppositorum.
Mircea Eliade

The Egyptian creator divinities were often described in androgynous terms. Their qualities are likened to human creativity through a bi-polar sexual function. The terms 'uterine' and 'phallic' are used to describe these two modes by Lana Troy. In her Study of Egyptian Queenship she defines the use of these terms. 'We should not misunderstand the function of this symbolism. 'The uterine and phallic modes are symbolic expressions and thus are not necessarily a direct association with sexual function, but rather are used to indicate opposition in even its most abstract form.' This purpose should alert us to the possibility of identifying highly abstracted uterine and phallic symbolism. The feminine powers are described through images of enclosure and containment: swallowing, the mouth, the circle, the disc and the watery mass among other images. The masculine powers are described through images of expulsion and ejection, spitting and the rays of the sun or moon. These two modes are combined and crossed with deliberation to convey the continuous marriage of oppositions. Both modes are linked often simultaneously to the same deity. The creator god Ptah is ascribed the functions of both mother and father. In the Memphite theology Ptah is called 'Ptah Nun, 'the father who begat Atum' and 'Ptah Naunet, the mother who gave birth to Atum.' He is often depicted wearing the menat associated with Hathor and her cult. By contrast the goddess Neith is described as, 'the male who acts in the role of the female.' Neith's androgyny is well documented. It is most commonly supported by allusion to her symbol, namely the hunting bows and arrow which she carries. These are taken to be predominantly masculine weapons of war but it is of significance that the bow and arrow together represent another version of the phallic ejaculating mode. The same verb meaning, 'to shoot' is used with reference to the orgasm of Atum and the pulling of the bow. The act of releasing the arrow is one representation of the first creative impulse, the projection of creation from within the creator. The double arrows of Neith may even signify the dual androgynous nature. To mesh the web of interlocking and contrasting elements even further, uterine motifs are sometimes identified with gods and phallic modes are related to the goddess figures. Sekhmet is often shown complete with phallus to emphasise her power. Egyptian creation theology is rich with images of cross fertilisation. The creation stories connected with Atum reveals both uterine and phallic modes. Atum spills his own seed. Atum swallows his own seed. Shu and Tefnut are created.

I am Atum who created the great ones. I am he who gives birth to Shu I am the he-she.
Coffin Texts, 11

These two modes of creation are not intended to be mutually exclusive but complementary. The name Atum is derived from tm meaning both 'being' and 'non being.' We find the same root in the names, Tem, Tum, Temu or Atem which were later manifestations of the first creative principle. Tem was regarded as the father of the human race, a function clearly borrowed from Atum who said: Men and women come forth from the tears which came forth from my eye Additionally Tem also incorporated aspects from both Ra and Osiris. The figure of Tem also took over Iuasset and Nebt-Hetep, two female figures who were added to the cult of Atum. Iuasset means, 'she comes and she grows.' Both names are related to the Hand of Atum and thereby to Hathor. The elements of the brief original story were given a life of their own. Each was elevated into a cult status and woven over and over into more complex and greater themes with the passage of time. Eventually 'the Hand of God' became a cult title taken by wife royal wives as in their mediating role as the Hathoric presence. This brief reference exemplifies the way in which the Egyptians incorporated and endowed the seemingly minor details with cultic activity. Having come into being, nothing could be ignored or passed over but was deemed worthy of independent attention. Atum seeded his mythic and cultic progeny.

The Egyptian proliferation of both names and cults is confusing to us; identities become blurred and boundaries shift as divinities absorb older cults. Triple titles are not unusual: Osiris is addressed as Ptah-Seker-Tem for instance. Moreover the creative function is attributed to almost every god or goddess. This typifies the 'multiplicity of approaches,' which as we have seen characterised the Egyptian theological mindset. The very multiplicity itself seems to serve as a reflecting mirror for creation itself which is expressed through multiplicity. The interrelationships between divinities which so confuses the rational mind, are designed to show the deeper more complex intertwining of cause and effect. Typically Iuasset is regarded as wife, mother and daughter of Tem. She is also regarded as the mother of Shu and Tefnut despite the fact that this role had been earlier assigned to Atum. The Egyptian mind saw no conflict here, logical contradiction was embraced through the transcendent.

The Cycle of Becoming

The substance of the creator is repeated in each new manifestation of his generative powers.
Lana Troy, A Study in Egyptian Queenship

At the heart of Egyptian creation theology we find a deep absorption with the idea of 'becoming.' This is quite different from the internal dynamics of a linear model which envisages a starting point and looks towards a closing moment. To the Egyptians creation was a continuous cycle of becoming. This state of becoming was constantly represented by simple processes from the natural world such as the unfolding lotus or the activities of the dung beetle. The fourth century writer Horappollo remarked on an underlying connection between the names of the creator divinities Ptah and Neith through the scarab and the vulture. The scarab carries the phonetic values of t and vulture n. The combination, tn, or when reversed nt provides a deep insight into these two creative divinities. The combination tn is close to the name Tatenen, an early creator god who remained intertwined with Ptah as Ptah-Tanen. Brugsch records the inscription, 'the father of the fathers, the mother of the mothers, it is the scarab and the vulture.' The creative functions of scarab and vulture, so beloved by the Egyptians was embedded in the names of the gods themselves.
In the Egyptian mindset, creation was not confined to the world of the gods or closed with the first act of creation. Accordingly each product of creation was imbued with its own creative power and became a participant in the unfolding creation. Simple observation shows us nature's implicit creativity but the Egyptians also extended creative power into objects of their own creation such as staffs, crowns, shrines and statues. These sacred objects were never viewed as inanimate but were always seen to be imbued with life. As such these objects were active players in creation, each charged with a numinous power. To the Egyptians sacred objects were not merely symbolic of divine presence but carriers of the divine presence itself. In this mindset everything belongs to, partakes of and is actively engaged with the heart of creation itself. Though the Egyptians envisaged a primal creative act, the First Time or the First Occasion, this power was understood to be ever present. Enactment of the mythic creation themes ensured human participation and inclusion in the great cosmic dance of life.
Egyptian cosmology appears complex from our standpoint. We see only contradiction in multiplicity. We cannot reconcile the one and the many except by denying the one in favour of the other. To add to our confusion we find four cosmological themes, that of Heliopolis, Memphis, Hermopolis and Thebes. Schwaller de Lubicz offers the fullest explanation of these centres in Her Bak, The Living Face of Ancient Egypt. Each centre represents the teachings of a stage in a greater whole. There is no contradiction but a continuous revelation which was unfolded through time. In the same way the interconnections between various cults also expressed the interconnectedness of life. This cosmic interrelationship is most often expressed in familial terms. Typically Hathor is both mother, daughter and wife to the sun god Re. She is also called Temt and Nebt-Hetepet. These names identify her with the primal creative acts. It is commonplace for the essential functions of one divinity to become shared with another so that the boundaries between them become blurred. This approach yet again confounds our sense of a rational order. Mutually exclusive terms are given equal value; in what way can Hathor be called simultaneously mother, daughter and wife? Perhaps we should view this logical contradiction in the same light as the Zen mind breaker, the koan. Perhaps ultimate reality is bizarre, complex, paradoxical, interconnected, puzzling and antithetical to human common-sense.
The Net of all Life
Do you know the name of that great and mighty net? The 'All Embracing' is its name.
Chapters of Coming Forth by Day, spell 152b
The new frontier of physics and its quantum revelation has taken us ever closer to a holistic paradigm. The new model embraces both unity and plurality for beneath the familiar everyday world of appearance lies the unfamiliar subatomic ocean which we never see. In this extraordinary realm of wave and particle, different laws are operative. It is a realm where the common sense of everyday logic has no value. This is truly a realm of mystery wonder and paradox. The more we discover, the more we find there is to discover. The more mystery we identify, the greater the mystery becomes. A new finding engages surely engages our sense of wonder. Particles can be intimately connected over distance of at least ten kilometres. These pairs can be described as entangled so that the property of one, spin or position is linked with the second particle. An experimental team generated photon pairs in entangled states and set each along separate optical detectors 10 kilometres apart. Measuring one photon instantly affected its twin particle. Such links were first detected 15 years ago but the effect was only noted over a few metres, now a thousandfold increase has been recorded. Imagine for a moment that you have been given the task of describing these bizarre interactions in the language of poetry, metaphor, symbol, and allegory!! Holism requires that we convey individually and interrelationship, unity and plurality, separation and connection. A simple linear metaphor will not suffice.
As we move towards a more holistic philosophy, change takes place in institutions and organisations. A new spirit touches begins to gently touch all social forms, We are moving from an Age of Separation towards an Age of Unity. The Egyptian model never fell into the schism. Beginning with creation at the First Time, the theme of endless becoming was reflected into Egypt's social organisation. Themes of cosmic regeneration and renewal were enacted through rituals great and small. Continuous creation was affirmed through participation in the cosmic dramas of creation. The powers of creation were kept alive in sacred trust generation after generation. Cultic rites renewed the relationship between the individual, the community and the greater world. A deep schism has come to exist at the very heart of Western civilisation. Its devastating consequences has ruptured the very fabric of the one life. For the Egyptians matter and spirit were never rent asunder but continued to dwell together in a divine marriage. Perhaps we have something to learn from a model which affirms holism at its heart.

Isian News & New Online Art Gallery

Warm greetings members,

The Beltaine issue of the Isian News has now been uploaded. Lady Olivia's Reflections article is on "The Faery Clan of Melusina", and accompanies her cover drawing, "The Faery Fates." The next two rituals in "Brigid of the Rainbow Planets, Adventures of the Alchemical Twins" are also included, as well as various FOI announcements.

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

With this issue, we are experimenting by offering a webpage (html) version, as well as the traditional pdf. If you prefer the webpage/html version, please let us know. Your response will help determine if there is a need to continue this format in the future.

We also recently added past issues 2-5 of the Isian News to the History section. A big thank you to Deena for providing the missing pages/issue! ;)

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

And last but not least, for those who admire Lady Olivia’s artwork as much as we do, please see the link below for her new online art gallery. There you will find over 40 illustrations, both in color and black and white, that she has drawn for the Fellowship over the years. (You can also click on the Homepage “Galleries” link in the left column.)

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

With Her Many Blessings,

Connia Silver