Athena Chapter 3: Introduction: Hawaii, The Magic Wood

"The Blue Heaven" by Olivia Robertson

Fellowship of Isis Liturgy

By

Olivia Robertson

Athena - Arcadian Awakening

3. Hawaii, The Magic Wood

Introduction

When I was about five years old my sister Barbara, three years older, brought me every night to Fairyland. We were sleeping in the night-nursery of “Hatherlow,” in Reigate, in South England. It was a respectable, quiet environment, a gentle preface to my stormy transition to a haunted Irish castle. But my sister’s imagination prepared me for anything I might encounter later. She had me screaming in terror by night at “The Boiled Owl and the Guinea Pig.” When frequent thunderstorms raged, she explained it was a naughty boy stamping on his nursery floor, and the lightning was his wild hair.

This took place in our nursery. But it was her introduction to me of a land outside the nursery that brought magic and the Goddess into my orthodox suburban existence. For when we were tucked up in our bedroom, Nanny drew the blind. In those days we were expected to lie in total darkness. So she drew down an indigo coloured blind to remove any light. However, she believed in some fresh air, and so she pricked holes all over the blind.

It was those constellations of brilliant dots amidst a streaky blue-green blind that brought me to another and more wonderful world outside the window. The dark blind was a pretence hiding a dark wood with high straight trees. They made a barrier through which we had to find our way to reach Fairyland. We could see the sparkling lights of this land beyond the wood, if only we could reach it.

I was never afraid of the wood. It was so exciting to find my way through the trees, and seeing the lights grow larger and larger. Finally we would reach Fairyland! It was a beautiful and happy land ruled by no less than Queen Jupiter. We never spoke of this place – which was wise. We might have been told it did not exist – or worse, turned into a pretty story suitable for children. I learnt early in life that when you have something precious it is best not to talk of it, except to real friends.

My father introduced me to another sort of magic by playing the piano. This was what I liked best in life. I enjoyed this music during our stay in Reigate – while I was from five to eight years old. But my magical experience of Wagner’s “Ring” saga was no more nor less than I receive now at 94! I saw the story in my mind’s eye – Brynhilde sent to sleep and Valhalla and river maidens. I was able to visualise Wotan as somebody quite different that I remembered seeing bending over my pram, surrounded by blue light. He appeared when I was 3 months old.

I give an account of my own early enjoyment of the magical realm to share the knowledge that it is real.

I was pleased when someone said after a recent Fellowship celebration: “The Priestesses of Isis have smiles on their faces!” I always give trance adventures, whatever the ceremony, because it helps people to find their own personal path. I am careful to leave vision as much as I can to each participant’s own awareness. Thus people find their own voice, artistic gifts, and particular vocation.

The twentieth century was dominated by abstract ideals, the concept of the nation, the group and “the masses”. Individuality was denigrated. Religion was becoming de-personalised, spiritual, abstract. I was meant to be delighted at the prospect of “becoming a dewdrop absorbed into the shining sea.” Why? People had to force themselves to be One with everyone, whether they liked them or not.

It struck me that it was like a process endured by myself when a hygienic friend had the castle “industrially cleaned.” It was left smelling like a laboratory, each room and cushion having lost the smell of wood, fabric, scents – one man who had had “a make-over” said that he was so hygienic he could only attract a cabbage moth.

There was once a well-meaning endeavour to “clean up” the Fellowship of Isis by a Well-wisher. My brother and I were presented with a lengthy questionnaire to be submitted to all would-be members. We were assured it was used by some of the best Spiritual Orders. Among the queries given were “Have you been in prison?” “Are you an alcoholic?” “Do you use drugs?” “Are you Homosexual or Lesbian?” “Are you handicapped in your spine?” I was told that one’s psychic energy might flow crookedly. I pointed out that electric cables were pliable. “Have you had a nervous breakdown?” Did they refer to ‘occult blow-outs? Usual risks to be accepted. If you ticked a “Yes”, your application to FOI was to be rejected.

I pointed out that anyone wishing to join, yet having a “Yes” answer, would obviously lie. In any case I thanked the sender for the offer of help but declined the list for The Fellowship of Isis. Our membership would drop dramatically. We had a habit of telling the truth. “Yes” replies would abound. We would not be spiritually cleansed by immersion in a 'Shining Sea’.

Nothing is more reassuring to our rulers than people aiming to be dewdrops falling into the shining sea. Such folk could be of no possible danger of interfering in politics. They aim to sit quietly on their behinds, possibly in the lotus position if they can achieve that – and shut up.

There is truth in the axiom “For evil to prevail it only takes good people to do nothing.” And nobody does nothing better than the 3 Wise Masters who see no evil, hear no evil, do no evil. “Cover Up” is the golden rule.

What we are being guided to do is to hand over our individual souls into the charge of some Religion, Order or Ideology. We are told we have souls that need saving. The non-believers say we haven’t got any. Having surrendered our souls into the custody of a Faith, we are told we will achieve Enlightenment. We are usually asked to pay quite a bit as Enlightenment can cost a lot, like an electricity bill. If we run out of our subscription, the course may stop until we pay up. In the past we gave up our land, even our country, to the religion in power. Now we do it by E-mail.

How on earth or heaven, I asked Isis, can we avoid this carry-on in the Fellowship of Isis?

I received Guidance from Isis. Let us continue with the basic guide-lines as set forth in our F.O.I. Manifesto. Membership is free. People can leave us without question. Charges maybe made for books and courses. Every Centre has honour for each member, treated on equal terms. Honour is also given all human-beings and for animals and all creatures. When we awaken into Divine Reality we shall find our lost Heaven has been here all the time! The Truth is only hidden so that we may learn how to draw the Veil from Isis that we may see Her Face.

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