Sophia - Rite 7. Virgo and Dana

Priestess: (Invocation) Divine Dana, Star Goddess of Atlantis, Mother of the Gods and Goddesses of Ireland, inspiring the magical Arts and bestowing bounty throughout the whole earth, we invoke Thy aid, that in this hard age of fear we may know Thy Many-coloured Land!

Oracle: Know that the Many Coloured Land of Tir na nOg is with all who know the future with visionary eyes, for Tir na nOg, Hy Brasil, Emhain, exist in All Time. The beauties of that place is seen by small children who play on dappled lawns, and gaze with wondering eyes at flower and butterfly and many-hued insects. Through the present come to Me! For the present is your Gate to Heaven. When worldly cares veil true vision, the passions clog the bright Fireblood that courses through the spiritual body, when evil emotions of anger, envy and jealousy corrode the soul, then not even the present is noticed or enjoyed! Life for the dulled soul imprisoned in foolish preoccupations and unhealthy feelings is no life but rather an existence, that flees by in passing time; yet to the depleted soul it is a long drawn-out waste land of boredom, excited only by transient stimulation. Thus a whole life-time may be wasted by those with eyes that cannot see, ears that cannot hear, and a spiritual will unused.

Awaken! The glories of past civilisations, the dawn of consciousness, the memories of lives spent through a myriad of forms are all there for the initiate who, through total awareness of the present, attains experience of the past. Through understanding the past of the earth, the wonderful creatures, the human race, the soul gains understanding, and through understanding, wisdom. Thus the soul is prepared for the Second Birth, the return to the innocence of angel childhood. In this state, the intellect is put aside, and the traveller in time enters into a new realm that for most of humanity is still the future! Ideal beings and trees and plants and animals are seen transposed, as it were, over dark cities with their ugly factories. The Golden Age shines for those who have, through awareness and the practice of the virtues, regained the use of psychic eyes and ears and feelings. This new awakening brings with it the fruit of past experience, so the wisdom of the sage is combined with childlike innocence. The harvest is reaped from the reenacting of past lives, and the growing of the seeds therefrom is the task of the present, that the glorious future gardens of delight may be manifested.

On an orange draped altar let there be 6 white candles, burning incense, a cup of water and a star map of Virgo. Before altar is a cauldron filled with sheaves of grain and fruit. 2 Priestesses wear copper crowns, white gowns and blue and gold cloaks. 2 Priests wear gold headdresses and blue and gold cloaks. Women Companions wear copper circlets, men, orange headdresses; all wear blue and orange cloaks.

1st Priest: (East) Companions who seek the mystical awakening of Virgo and Dana, know that the Gods and Goddesses of Ireland, Sons and Daughters of the Goddess Dana, journeyed to Ireland in ancient times. Among these Deities were the Goddesses Brighid, the Poetess, Morrigan the Enchantress, Airmid the Healer, Badbh, Bestower of Abundance, Fleachta the Druidess, and Eire the Generous. The Gods had amongst them Manannan of the Sea, Oengus, Bringer of Love, Cairbre the Poet, loarbonel the prophet, Giobnu the Great Smith and Luchne, maker of The Roarer, the Wheel of Manannan. Hear of Their descent, as recorded in "The Lebor Gabala Erenn!" 'They came without vessels or barks, in dark clouds over the air, by the might of Druidry. For three days and three nights They caused a fog to be over the face of the sun, for They were expert in Pagan wizardry, and learned in prophecy and magic.’

2nd Priest: They had learned these arts in the four Magical Cities beyond the mists of the air and these were Failias, Gorias, Findias and Murias, places of science and magic. From Failias the Deities carried the great Lia Fail, Stone of Destiny. From Gorias They brought the Spear of Destiny, and from Findias they bore the Sword of Light. The great Cauldron of Plenty They carried from Murias: no company would go from that cauldron unsatisfied!" But after the enjoyment of a Golden Age, foes rejected the ways of the Tuatha De Danann and made battle with Them. Thus did mankind lose the Four Great Treasures, which the Danann Deities took with Them, concealed in their shining palaces within the golden heart of the earth. From thence the Danann’s shall return to those who love Them, at the end of this age, bearing with Them the treasures of Love and Wisdom, Joy and Abundance.

1st Priestess: (offers incense, West) I offer incense to the Goddess Dana. She sitteth upon the stone of Destiny that is the earth, and in Her Left Hand is a sheaf of wheat which she taketh from Her Cauldron of Plenty, that Her Son the God Dagda and those who follow Him may feed all creatures upon the earth. And in Her Right Hand she holdeth the Sword of Light, which She giveth to Her Son the God Nuadh of the Silver Arm, and those who stand by Him to defend the weak and the suffering. The Spear of Destiny by Her side She trusteth to Her Son the God Lugh of the Fiery Wheel, and all who work with Him to create a noble future through Will and Magical Arts.

2nd Priestess: Harken to the Voice of the Goddess Dana speaking to the God Nuadh, as recorded by the Bard of Eire, Aeon:

"I am the tender voice calling away,

Whispering between the beatings of the heart,

And inaccessible in dewy eyes

I dwell, and all unkissed on lovely lips,

Lingering between white breasts inviolate,

And fleeting ever from the passionate touch,

I shine afar till men may not divine

Whether it is the stars or the beloved

They follow with rapt spirit. And I weave

My spells at evening, folding with dim caress

Aerial arms and twilight drooping hair,

The lonely wanderer by wood or shore,

Till, filled with some past tenderness he yields,

Feeling in dreams for the dear mother heart

He knew ere he forsook the starry way,

And clings there, pillowed far above the smoke

And the dim murmur from the Duns of men."

1st Priestess: "I can enchant the trees and rocks, and fill

The dumb brown lips of earth with mystery.

Make them reveal or hide the God, Myself

Mother of all, but without hands to heal

Too vast and vague, they know Me not, but yet,

I am the heartbreak over fallen things,

The sudden gentleness that stays the blow,

And I am in the Kiss the foemen give

Pausing in battle, and in the tears that fall

Over the vanquished foe, and in the highest,

Among the Danaan Gods, I am the last

Council of mercy in their hearts where

They mete justice from a thousand Starry Thrones.

My heart shall be in thine when thine forgives."

1st Priest: (offers incense, East) I offer incense to Lugh of the long White Arm, who in the eventime of life bringeth His autumn Light to illumine Tir na nOg, Land of Youth. Some may visit the Land while living on earth as did Tadhg and his warriors: "Lovely and fruitful is this land to which we have come," said Tadhg, "and happy the man whose natural lot is to live in it." The smell of the scented bright purple trees of that country was sufficient food for them. They went forward and found an orchard with lovely purple-crested apple-trees and leafy oaks of beautiful colour and hazels with yellow-clustered nuts. "It is wonderful to me, my men," said Tadgh; "I notice that it is winter with us in our land now, and it is summer here!"

2nd Priest: "The loveliness of the land was unbounded. They came upon a beautiful bright wood with great purple berries on the trees. There was a beautiful brilliant flock of birds feeding on these grapes, and they were white birds with purple heads and beaks of gold. They sang music and minstrelsy as they fed on the berries, and that music was plaintive and matchless, for even the sick and the wounded would have fallen asleep to it." Companions, may we attain the spring of Tir na nOg in the autumn of our lives!

1st Priest: The God Quetzalcoatl, known to the Mayans as Kulkulcan, is Son of the Mighty Goddess Maya. He flyeth swift as the Quetzal Bird and from Him flow waves of Light and Fire like unto a Plumed Serpent. Beyond the First Heaven of simple delights is the Second Heaven, Tlillan-Tlapallan, Land of the Black and the Red, West and South. Here the Great God Quetzalcoatl teacheth Wisdom to Initiates: it is a land celebrated by poets and greatly to be desired. Wise and good is the Son of Maya!

2nd Priestess: (offers incense, North) I offer incense to the Goddess Maya Mother of the Gods and Goddesses of South America, I intone Thy song, I intone Thy song that Thou mayest descend to our Magical House! I intone Thy song in the Hall of flames, I offer Thee incense that Thou mayest intone Thy Song in the Hall of flames! Let us serve in the Hall of Flames of the mighty magic of the copper shining Goddess Maya! In the centre of the palm of Thy hand are we, Thy children.

1st Priestess: Maya is our Mother. She astoundeth my heart. She astoundeth my heart. She hath not finished Her Great Work. The Priest knoweth of Her. Yet She is to be seen where the merchants sell earrings of jade. In the Place of Wonders is She to be seen. Her Lower Part formeth the Three Heavens and Her upper part, the earth. Her hair is the long grass and trees and flowers; Her skin, lawns studded with little blossoms. Her eyes are little caverns, wells and fountains. Her many mouths are great caves and Her nose, hills and valleys. She hath given birth to a Son, Precious Flower. From His hair groweth cotton; from His ears, seed-bearing plants; from His nostrils, a herb that heals; from His fingers, sweet potatoes, and from His finger-nails, maize: from His every part cometh forth a thousand sorts of fruits and grain to feed all creatures!

2nd Priest: (offers incense, South) I offer incense to the God of Compassion, Quetzalcoatl. This God made the journey to the House the Sun from which all life comes, that He might make a bridge from the Sun to Earth. And from the Sun He gained the gift of music for the earth. "Harken to the tale", said the God Tezcatlipoca: "Wind, the earth is sick from silence. Though We possess light and colour and fruit, yet We have no music. We must bestow music upon all creation! To the awakening dawn, to the dreaming man, to the waiting mother, to the passing water and the flying bird, life should be all music! Go, Quetzalcoatl, through the boundless sadness between the blue smoke and the spaces to the High House of the Sun. There the bright sun is surrounded by makers of music who blow their flutes sweetly and with their burning choir, scatter light abroad. Go, bring back to earth a cluster - the most flowering - of those musicians and singers". And after much trial Quetzalcoatl, bearing the musicians gently, lest He should harm their tender melodies, a tumult of happiness in His arms, set out on His return journey, generous and contented. Below, Earth raised Her wide dark eyes to heaven and Her great face shone, and She smiled."

1st Priest: By the Will of Maya, Quetzalcoatl was born on earth through Coatlicue, the Five aspected Moon Goddess of the Quincunx during the era of the Fifth Sun of Rain. As a mortal man, Quetzalcoatl taught compassion for all creatures. As he grew up, evil magicians tried to tempt Him to perform sacrifices, but He would have none of this, being so filled with love toward all living things, that He could not even be persuaded to kill a forest bear or to pick a flower. But enemies of His teachings prevailed and He was forced to flee from mankind. So Quetzalcoatl lay in a stone casket for four days and nights. After this He donned His feathered robes and His turquoise mask. Then He threw Himself upon a great funeral pyre. After four days He rose from His own ashes and gathered arrows of Light. He ascended to the planet Venus, the Second Heaven, from whence He had descended. From Venus He rose to the Third Heaven of the Sun and reigned there evermore as the Sun God Huitzilopochtli. May we all be found worthy when He returns to us with Power and Splendour.

1st Priest: Let us form the Hexagram of Virgo.

1st Companion: (West) I hail the Guardians of the White-flushed Star Spica, the Ear of Wheat. Let the truth planted in our souls grow through understanding to Wisdom!

2nd Companion: (North) I hail the two white stars, Antevorta and Postvorta, stars of the two Goddesses of Prophecy. By foreseeing the future may we direct our lives with wisdom.

3rd Companion: (Southeast) I hail the Guardians of Zaniah, Heaven's Gate. May we find the Gate of Heaven and enter therein.

4th Companion: (Northwest) I hail the Guardians of the pale yellow Star Zavijava, Kennel of the Hounds. Give us strength and loyalty to follow Deity.

5th Companion: (Northeast) I hail the Guardians of the bright yellow star Vindemiatrix, the Grape-Gatherer, Star of Vintage. May we transmute adversity into the wine of experience.

6th Companion: (Southwest) I hail the Guardians of Syrma, star on the Virgin's Robe. Let us have humility when we wonder at many stars.

Music, Poulenc, DeBussy, Cyril Scott, Bax, works are relevant.

1st Priestess: (blesses grains and fruit and hands round to Companions with these words) In the Name of Dana partake of Her Bounty with joy and thanksgiving!

As all partake, 1st Priest: Companions, let us hear of the Vision of Dana vouchsafed to the Irish Healer, Sean Dairan: "I find myself in waking trance in a grassy place and around me are spotted deer. There is a hill and upon it, a Woman Who is surrounded by Light. The way is rocky but I climb the hill. Her hands are outstretched to me. By Her is a white hound. She has snake bracelets on Her upper arms and jewelled snakes on Her gold dress. Over the dress She wears a white robe lined with silver. Her fair hair is braided with jewels. She is beautiful, with a long pale face. On Her head is a coronet of white and pink-white roses. She has earrings and on Her right hand is a ring with a great crystal, held in Her palm. Her cloak is held by a diamond brooch and She wears a lunula. Her face is so bright I can scarcely see it. She has a lovely smile. I see now the letters DANA. She shows me a scroll and on it are inscribed the words: "Go on. Do well. Preach My Name."

1st Priestess: Companions, let us contemplate the Mystery of Virgo and Dana.

Soft Music.

2nd Priestess: (blesses water and anoints each brow with these words) Receive true Vision! (cold silver power may be felt and seen)

1st Priestess: (displays star map of Virgo) Behold the Virgin holding Her wheat ear, the star Spica! Above Her, Bootes drives the wain around the Pole Star and by him are Virgo's loyal hounds, the Canes Venatici. Centaurus, half man, half horse, is below her hand, tamed by Her gentleness. The Virgin shines above the sea monster Hydra, who bears on his mighty coils Corvus, the Prophetic Crew and Crater, the Mystic Cup. The Libran Goddess stands nearby, weighing Virgo's golden grain on Her scales, while the harvest is protected by the rampant lion, Leo.