Fellowship of Isis Liturgy
By
Olivia Robertson
Athena - Arcadian Awakening
Alchemical Rite
5. Bohemia: Where is Bohemia?
Part II. The Revelation: The Land of Macaria of the Mystic Rose
“Truth rules all: Love is within all.”
Hostess in Bohemia: Sophia Dorothea
Visitants:
Path Guide: Aiden, Priest of Alchemy
Helper: Elaine, Priestess of Alchemy
HOLY TEMPLE OF ISIS OF THE VESTAL FLAME –BOHEMIA
Aiden: “We are in your Holy Temple of Isis of The Vestal Flame. For us to help you, we have invoked the Goddess Vesta. She has been with you during your Temple sleep during the night. Are you willing to face the Maze that brings the Heart’s Desire? It is an ordeal of the soul.”
Sophia: “It is an Initiation that I have been searching for all my life. I am practiced in soul journeys. I am prepared. I have slept with a lighted candle dedicated to Vesta of Enlightenment.”
Elaine: “Preparation involves a determination to face the Truth, however painful – the truth facing oneself, without transferring wrong to others! I am here as Helper.”
Trance Journey
Sophia lies on a couch, arms folded, eyes shut. She is herself entering trance state. She gives her report:
“The desire of my heart is to find the magical land of Macaria. I have longed to find it since I read of it in Moore’s “Utopia” and Bacon’s “New Atlantis.” I am sure that it exists somewhere in all its perfection of Art and Nature. It may be an astral land – or a secret occult centre – or a retreat of Initiates of a spiritual Order. Or, more marvellous, extra-terrestrial visitants have it as a sane place where they can study and meditate in peace, away from earthly tumult.”
Aiden: “You know too clearly what you want – so this blocks your actual adventure! You need the imagination of a child, not the schedule of an alumni! Try not to expect the unexpected. You find yourself before a doorway above which is a symbol of a rampant lion. Try and enter.”
Sophia: “This is quite easy. I go through. Then I hastily turn back. I face a real lion! Aiden, this is pretty obvious. He looks somewhat aggressive…did you create him? Or did Elaine? ….I am shocked. The lion is addressing me in my native tongue. I will translate into English. It’s very clear…
Lion: “I am myself and need no Creator. Nor do you. You are arrogant, to hide your fear of being controlled. You would prefer me to be a lioness – say, Sekhmet!”
Sophia: I feel annoyed. I say: “I never asked for you so what are you doing here interrupting my trance?” He answers: “Aiden is your earthly Path Guide. I am your Spirit Teacher. Do you accept me, or would you prefer some human Professor?” I say hastily that I do accept him. Otherwise I should have failed in my first test.
* * * Everything goes misty. I experience a change of state. It’s hard to report in English but I’ll try. You see I am in the dreamland of my childhood, where I used to find refuge from my father’s lessons. I found it when I refused to blow up a useless “drop-out” instead of the Golden Gate Bridge. I had pictured the man as a Romany. My father on our Council had just evicted a Romany camp. They were obstructing the building of steel works necessary for our State. They had to move into our forest where I found them – in my dreams. I dreamt I was taught the Bohemian Tarot and how to create animated friends from my toys. I admit I did have a toy lion called Leo. I used to cry into his mane when I found my physics lesson too hard.
The lion is saying that he had come to me as Leo and took me on magical journeys to the gypsy camp. Now he would take me there again. I would meet their King!
I am entering deeper into trance. It is now as real as everyday life… I will try and describe this place – I love it! There is a magnificent log fire and I realise it is in our Bohemian Wood. Men and women are busy preparing for some celebration. The women are rolling out some peculiar looking grey flat bread, and the men are decanting what looks like some beer or wine. It is a funny colour – greeny-brown with a strong rather pleasant odour – I wonder what they make it of?
I love the music. It is stringed, with drum beats. Suddenly there is a hush. From a hidden grove a young man is led forward. Despite the cold weather – some snow is still lying on tree branches – he is only wearing a shirt and denims. There are questions and answers from Elders, both men and women, and he appears to have answered successfully. I realise he has passed varied trials for courage and loyalty.
* * * Now I am witnessing a ritual that would have fascinated Queen Marie of Romania, my ancestor, who honoured Romanies, and wrote a book about them. This was the Crowning of their King!
Now the scene is attaining a new depth. The company are not only with their ancestors, who show themselves, but with their descendants, now not born!
What I am witnessing is the Ceremonial and spiritual crowning of a King who has been chosen by the ancestors and acclaimed by the people. I won’t describe this… it is holy and private. I am in an altered state of consciousness. The lion is shining with golden light. We are surrounded by rainbow colours. My happiness is suddenly interrupted by the lion.
“Sophia,” he says. “Have you any wish?” I was about to say that I wanted for nothing – I was in bliss – when suddenly the image of my father came before me. “I would like my father to be here,” I said. Just for an instant I have a glimpse of my father’s state – melancholia giving way to amazement as he tries to see despite such strong light. He reaches out his hands to the company…then I lose the connection. I am in darkness, floating ... I have never known a trance like this.
Aiden: “That is because you are not in an unreal world but an alternative reality. Do you wish to return or stay?”
Sophia: “I love being here! But where am I? * * * I find myself of all places, in a deserted chapel! There is a stone altar and some broken statues of mediaeval saints. I like the weeds growing through the floor. Outside are the most remarkable gargoyles! Plainly they depict unpopular clerics amidst demons acting as water outlets. Then I observe a heap of black clothing in the porch. To my surprise the heap moves and a human being sits up! She is conventionally dressed and her voluminous black cloak has an astrakhan collar. She speaks in my native tongue: “So you have come to join me in my Protest?”
“I would,” I reply, “if I knew what you were protesting about. She looks at me with bright grey eyes. “I am protesting against folly,” she says. “I am surrounded by fools in the Government, in the church, in my school. I am a Headmistress by the way, so I can only get here at weekends and during the holidays. My Inspiration is Erasmus – You know his “Praise of Folly” illustrated by Holbein?
I look around. “But where are the others?” I ask. “The Press – the police – other protesters?” “They are the fools against whom I protest,” she says. “I am a heretic Hermit. Admittedly I have to cook my husband’s lunch shortly, and my children will be back from a nature walk – but I’ve been here for my usual night’s vigil. I feel I am more sane in the peace of nature here. I’ve only got forty minutes for you to join me. It’s cold but you may share my cloak.”
This is the strangest meditation I have ever experienced! This is not for forty minutes. Suddenly I am in a changed state of consciousness. The heavens open to reveal innumerable stars. Above all there is the sound of celestial music that transports my soul. The Light of Vesta is revealed to me … I am in the Land of Macaria, and I sit within the cloak of its Queen. But even as I awaken spiritually, the lion draws me back: “Sophia, have you any request?”
Once more I feel like replying that I am in a state of divine awakening, and need nothing. But suddenly, I think of The Lover with his terrible companions in the wretched basement. I say: “I would like the man I called The Lover to be here.” From far away I see the form of The Lover looking young and cheerful as he used to be. I strain to hear his words. “I learn from you, Sophia Dorothea, I shall be a Hermit.”
I try to bring all this beauty with me as I return from my journey. Then I understand. The lion presents me with a Rose with luminous petals that fly far and wide.”
End of Trance
All give their reports and send out rays of harmony. Thanks are given to the Deities. A feast is enjoyed in a hut in the wood with a candle lighted to Vesta.
Recommended Reading: “The New Atlantis,” Francis Bacon. “A Description of the Famous Kingdom of Macaria.” Samuel Hartlib, as presented to the Long Parliament during the English Commonwealth. It was well received, but the ideal State has yet to materialise. “The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz,” Johann Valentin Andreae. “Viatorum,” Michael Maier. “The Rosicrucian Enlightenment,” Frances A. Yates published by Ark. “The Tempest,” Shakespeare. “The Magic Flute Libretto,” Amadeus Mozart. “Rosa Alchemica”, W.B.Yeats. “Isis in Bohemia,” Annals of the USA political club, 20th Century. “The Vault of Hermes Trismegistus as found by Apollonius of Tyana.”
Note: These Rites may be used for meetings of the Muses Symposium and the Arcadians.
Back to Athena: Arcadian Awakening
Back to Fellowship of Isis Liturgy