Nuit - Ritual 7. Realm of Libra: The Crossroads of Hecate

Nuit of the Milky Way,

Alchemical Journeys of the Questing Twins

Fellowship of Isis Liturgy by Olivia Robertson

Ritual 7. Realm of Libra: The Crossroads of Hecate

We Learn Discrimination through Balancing Opposites

ORACLE OF THE GODDESS ARTEMIS OF GREECE

Priestess: (Invocation) Divine Artemis of the Golden Bow, Whose silver arrows shoot into the brow of artist, poet and lover: under whose powerful protection live stags and hinds, bears and wolves; bestow on us Thy inspiration. Give us understanding of all living creatures: bring us in harmony with Thy glorious Nature: remember us, though we have neglected Thee.

Oracle: You have done well. You have heard My demands. At the eleventh hour you turn to My ways. Be confident and walk forth in hope. For thousands of long earth years which to the Deities is but the passing of a moment, you have turned away from Me in the pursuit of your own artifacts. And this was intended, that you should learn the skills of Hephaestus the Smith; and the high thoughts of My twin brother Phoebus Apollo. But now, sated with your own mechanical toys, frightened by the Nemesis of your own acts, you turn to Me.

In your wanton destruction of your fields and woods you destroy yourselves. In the death of wild creatures, you injure your own existences. In your proud separation from Nature, you alienate your souls. But you have turned to Me. Know that Nature also has a soul: that the earth is a living being too mighty for you to understand: that every creature, every stick, each atom, has its true being in the psychic realm over which I preside.

All the nature that you see is a mirage of My true nature. You gaze at that which is before your eyes: yet this is a phantasm of that which truly lies behind you. You would follow My ways? Shut your eyes that you may see. The future you will know when you gaze upon the past - and so walk backwards to the future. Use your right hand for the day and the left hand for the night. Turn to the right for the gifts of My brother Phoebus of the sun: turn to the left three times with your eyes closed if you would travel to My Moon.

For My Moon is not the moon you see. And My arrows are not only moon beams, but rather are the shining radiations of the Spirit. Treat My children of the Wild with care and respect: not as pets, but as your equals. So you will be the friends of bats and toads: of deer and wolves: of foxes and badgers: of owls and snakes: and of My ethereal creatures that exists in the sphere of My Moon, and are seen by your young children, who are not yet blinded and deafened by your ephemeral world. The key to My sphere is through reflection.

Priestess Alchemist: (to Aiden) Aiden, this is your chance to learn wise judgement, so that you can make choices for good.

Aiden: Easier said than done! I find it particularly difficult making up my mind. There is no word in the Gaelic tongue for "no" or "yes." This suits me. I say when I’m pressed for an answer: "by and by," or "maybe," or "it could be." Still, I’ll maybe learn a bit - possibly.

Priestess Alchemist: Once more we all sit in trance and you will give your report - possibly, if you can. * * * You find yourself once more climbing the hill to the Temple of the Zodiac. You mount the steps. You enter, and honour the Perpetual Flame in the centre. In the Southwest is the Portal of Libra. Pass through.

Aiden: This is quite unexpected! I thought that justice came through a blindfolded woman holding scales and a sword. Bu this portal has two Goddesses on either side. One is holding, not a straight sword, but a golden scythe. The other holds up a round mirror whose image is changing. I cannot make up my mind which is the Goddess I should follow. But I pass through, looking straight ahead. * * *

But what is this? I face cross-roads. One path on the left leads to some sort of Rave party! There is loud music with a heavy beat - and people in fancy dress - jesters - harlequins - ballet dancers - wizards. The other path leads up to a forum in which grave personages are engaged in some sort of debate. I think it is scientific because there are men in white coats and lots of diagrams of DNA and that sort of thing. I have great respect for science and read it up. The party is too noisy - I’ll join the conclave if they let me. I feel a bit flattered - they have a seat for me. There are some women but that is ok - they look professional in trouser suits and won’t distract me.

I’m really enjoying this! I did a year’s course in science and technology in our local tech and did quite well. I feel I’m keeping up with all these statistics and diagrams and theories. This is useful hard work. This is for me. I gather we are working on global control of the environment - including us. * * *

I’m getting an uneasy feeling. Butterflies up my scalp. There is something so horrible about this place that I wonder I did not notice before. * * * It is as if we were seated in a murky cloud with black and livid green shadows. I begin to realize what they are planning, as a pathetic piece of "pop" music floats through. They are planning to exterminate those at the party.

Why? What possible reason have they? They are saying that the people at the party are having a last celebration before they die slowly and painfully of a new virus impossible to cure. To stop the infection from spreading, these experts, under the guise of some new inoculation, intend to kill all who are even remotely connected with these people - even their children are to be "purged."

Then suddenly, in response to my call, my red-haired witch guide pushes her way through the door from the party and addresses the conclave.

"You fools," she says in quiet, even casual tone of voice. "It is you who created this virus through your dangerous and cruel experiments on our cousins, monkeys. You plan to kill all these people ‘at risk’, by some clandestine means - but you too are domed! Can not you see the virus’ presence? Your doom is within you already!"

She beckons to me and I follow her. "Well, which way do you choose? Inertia or violence - both leading to death?"

I find myself saying: "I choose the third way which is invisible to mortal eye, but which I can now see with the gift of true vision. This is a starry way to eternal life."

Many are moved by Aiden’s report which is at last sincere and from the heart. They agree he has won the degree. The Gift of True Vision of the Goddess Artemis is sent forth to all who seek it to see through the Mirror of Truth. Thanks are given to the Deities.

End of Rite.

Note: When working with the rituals in "Nuit of the Milky Way", a Priestess/Priest Alchemist has the following choices. They may:

(1) use the rites presented in the book, or,

(2) create their own rites based on the Oracles presented in the book.

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