Brigid of the Rainbow Planets
Adventures of the Alchemical Twins
Fellowship of Isis Liturgy by Olivia Robertson
Realm of the Planet Mars: The Spear of Light
Ritual No. 1
To Control the Elements You Must Control Yourself
THE TEMPLE OF ALCHEMY
Priest Alchemist: (to Twin Apprentices) For your quest to learn courage through self-control, you need to receive the Oracle of the Goddess Brynhilde, Daughter of Frig and Odin, Leader of the Valkyrie, who control the elements of fire and air.
ORACLE OF THE GODDESS BRYNHILDE
Priestess Alchemist: Noble Goddess Brynhilde, You restored goodness to the earth by winning the golden Ring of Power with Your Spear of Light: You restored the ring to its true home with the innocent Rhine Maidens. Help us to have courage and compassion: Activity with peacefulness. So may we like You attain Heaven, the true Valhalla, by destroying its false image.
Oracle: Without conflict there is no progress. Each one of you in bodily form, whether human, animal or plant, have your divine essence derived from the Mother of All. You have consented to be born in this forum of learning which you call a planet. In verity what you know of your earth is only a shadow projection of its myriad forms, sped forth from the constellations of Light, Aries and Leo.
Treat this existence with its cycle of births and deaths as a Mystery Drama in which you act, while your true Self is ever the same - in Heaven. Each day you are given choice and every choice has a consequence, good or bad. Even a bad choice may bring greater reward than a just one, if it leads to wisdom won from experience.
Whatever happens, never forget to laugh! The ancient Hall of the Valiant, Valhalla, fell not only from greed and cruelty, but also from a creeping death of dogma! Humans progress through becoming lively, not deathly. You may choose to protect victims with the Spear of Light, as I did. Or you may lie asleep as I did, in mystic trance on a rock, protected by magic fire. Whichever way you travel on life’s journey, I call you to live richly, by achieving physical and moral courage. So shall you awaken as I did from my rock, to restore spiritual gold to all.
Priest Alchemist: We give thanks to the Goddess Brynhilde for Her Oracle.
Priestess Alchemist: (to Twins) Aiden and Elaine, you have successfully passed the initiation of the twelve sacred constellations of the zodiac, and so obtained those degrees of the Spiral of Alchemy. The Spiritual Light of the Stars gives us divine inspiration. But it is necessary to apply what we have discovered through the eight sacred planets, which receive their light and shadow from the stars. For we in physical embodiment have planetary bodies which we need to control. Planetary elements may be transmuted into spiritual gold. Thus your evolution is furthered through your own will and perseverance.
Priest Alchemist: The power of one planet is brought into harmony through polarity with another. And each planet has its point of contact through our psychic centres. You are required to unite the energy of the planet Mars with the peace of the planet Venus. Elaine, you have the nature of Venus, centered in brow and heart. You are asked to give your report on your experience, in trance, of a Martian initiation. Aiden and ourselves will accompany your journey.
Priestess Alchemist: We sit in contemplation with our eyes shut *** We leave our Temple of Alchemy through its crystal gateway *** At the end of a long avenue stands the octagonal Temple of the Sacred Planets. Enter by the South Portal *** In the centre is a golden orb sending forth shining rainbow colored lights. We see that there are eight walls, each one containing a portal, above which is the sign of a planet. We approach the portal of Mars, in the Northeast. Above the lintel is a red circle sending forth an arrow. Above this is a red heart with the arrow piercing it *** You need courage to draw aside the blood-red curtains and enter.
Trance
Priestess Alchemist: Let us slowly withdraw from trance. Elaine, when you have fully returned, give us your report.
Elaine: I expected to find a fiery rocky landscape with dangerous precipices. Instead, I was assured to find myself in a college campus! It is warm and sunny, and the students, obviously fresh from studies, are lounging on the grass, drinking minerals and using their mobile phones.
I am drawn to a group who look more serious. They have their heads together and sometimes cautiously look around. They seem to know me, for they make room on the grass for me. They are in the shade. At first I hardly heed what they are saying, for I am looking forward to joining listeners to a small concert in an open pavilion. I love classical music. At first their talk suits me, for they speak of a famous conductor who will be conducting the small college symphony orchestra. What a privilege to hear how he conducts Wagner! But then a feeling of cold terror fills me. I am shaking. The students castigate him as a follower of a tyrannous regime. They have planted a bomb that will not only kill him but also those in the orchestra and audience. They talk with such fanatical ardour that I know this is true. I am shaking in every limb. My mind and emotions are in such a state that I cannot control my horror and fear. I have no use for dictators and their followers - but none for cold-blooded murder either. But what I feel deep shame about is my fear for my own safety.
One of the young people notices that I am shaking. Very kindly as if talking to a child, he says I will be perfectly safe. I need not be implicated at all. Another of them suggests a retreat in a Buddhist monastery for the weekend. I had given all they needed with information about the concert, though not knowing what they intended. The concert was about to begin. I should pack and leave at once.
From now on I felt in a nightmare. I had a wretched impulse to flee. Or should I go at once to the authorities? That would mean my death as an informer. I had no doubt of that. But I did know where they had planted the bomb. I would risk my life but I had to remove it! I had not the slightest knowledge as to how to detonate it! Not part of my ladylike school curriculum.
Time seemed to slow down and my limbs felt like moving through water as I reached the hiding place of the bomb, concealed cruelly behind red roses on the platform. I wrapped it in my cape and rushed away - no one took notice of me. They were so busy preparing for the arrival of the Conductor. I ran and ran until I reached the bank of our shining river. I began to hear ticking. I am not much good at sport - but never was a heavy ball thrown so far by a young girl with shaking arms! The bomb hit the water and for a moment there was silence … I only heard the cawing of crows. Then there was a mighty explosion and water shot forth into the air in a golden ring, a cascade of fireworks. Amidst the fire, I heard women’s voices singing in music not of this earth *** then all became blank - dark - and I was back here.
The Alchemists decided that combined with her year’s work, Elaine had returned the Ring of Power to the River Isis. She had passed the Initiation of Mars. Rays of Strength and Peace are sent forth to all. Thanks are given to the Deities.
End of Rite
Sources: “The Prose Edda of Snorri Sturluson, Tales from Norse Mythology“, translation by Jean I. Young, University of California Press, Berkeley, 1964. “Gods and Myths of Northern Europe”, H. R. Ellis Davidson, first published by Pelican Books, London, 1964, reprinted and published by Penquin Group, 1990. “The Libretto of the Ring Cycle”, (Der Ring des Nibelungen) Wilhelm Richard Wagner. The libretto contains lyrics to the musical numbers, stage directions, pantomime and spoken passages from the set of four operas commonly referred to as the Ring Cycle. Wagner wrote both the operas and the libretto over the course of twenty-six years, from 1848 to 1874.
Back to Brigid of the Rainbow Planets
Back to Fellowship of Isis Liturgy