Ishtar of the Starry Heavens: Book Introduction

Fellowship of Isis Liturgy

by

Olivia Robertson

Ishtar of the Starry Heavens

Shape-shifting of the Alchemical Twins

Introduction

“I manifest, I change, I become.”

“Whenever evil prevails over good,

I manifest, in changing form appearing."

- the Goddess Isis of Ten Thousand Names

"My heart my mother,

My heart my lover,

My heart of my becoming.”

- the Goddess Hathor

When my brother showed visitors round our Temple of Isis, he was particularly entertained by astonished reaction to our pictures of the Hindu Trinity! In our chapel of the Goddess Lakshmi, he introduced the Deities, Parvati, very glamorous, in a pink brassiere. By Her was Her Consort, Siva, with deep-blue skin, with a loving smile. The Third Member of the Trinity excited the most interest: this was Ganesh, a splendid large seated elephant, richly jewelled. Visitors were found surreptitiously rubbing a picture of Lakshmi to obtain love and riches. After all, as my brother would say to me, as a Rector of the Church of Ireland he had presented the Christian Trinity as a human Father with a beard, a Holy Lamb of God, and a White Dove. What was wrong with elephants?

Ah, there is! More and more since Ancient Egypt we have separated ourselves from other natural forms, only accepting the humans as having souls. Indeed, women are sometimes marginalised as having lesser souls than men: second-best creatures who may only attain 'Nirvana' by assuming masculine form. Goddesses in the West are banished altogether.

Now in this New Age we have at last broken this hierarchical ladder of status. We revere the Divine Spark within all that is. The Aten Sign shows each ray with an individual hand.

Ovid was exiled by Augustus for bringing the classical religion into disrepute in his "Metamorphoses". The book gives an hilarious account of the many loves of the God Jupiter, charming Europa as a White Bull, his wife Juno as a Cuckoo, and Leda as a Swan.

During the last two thousand years religion has become increasingly human and male oriented. Separated from our roots, we tend to regard ourselves not as offspring of Divine Fathers and Mothers, but creatures, created — so liable to be destroyed like a clay figure if we displease our Creator.

But now we are recovering our reverence for all life as divine born. We rejoice in the God Vishnu as Fish Avatar and the Biblical Cherubim — Bull, Lion, Eagle and Angel. In America we have White Buffalo Calf Woman recently reborn. Egypt presents us with Hathor, Cow Goddess, Horus the Hawk, and Taurt the Hippopotamus Goddess — Deities range from crocodiles to beetles. All have the Divine signature — DNA.

What psychics realise more and more is this. In "The Poltergeist Realm", — the etheric sphere, so close to the physical domain, these beings actually exist! After all, we come from the etheric sphere and go there before and after physical incarnations.

How do I know? Because in vision I experienced meeting the Dragon Form of the Creator Goddess Nu Kua, an early form of the Goddess Quan Yin. There are more statues of Her now that of the Buddha in Temples all over the world. I had no knowledge of this when in 1996 there came to me in vision the most magnificent Dragon: It had the friendly face of a giant iguana, was as vast and heavy as a small van, and above all its colour fascinated me — a delicate shade of smoky grey-green, I later knew as jade. Of course I felt extremely embarrassed by this apparition — it is proper in psychic circles to see Angels, Masters of the Wisdom and Goddesses. But a DRAGON?

I had the courage to describe this to my friend, Archdruidess Minette Quick, my neighbour. I myself thought this dragon might have been Melusina, the French Faery in her Dragon Form. No, thought Minette, this was probably the Dragon of Quan Yin. Had I any figures of Her? I had, and later a statue was donated by our newly ordained Priestess of Quan Yin, Antoinette.

It was Archdruidess Linda Iles who gave me information on Dragons and Quan Yin. I decided that I had seen 'Lung Nu', third daughter of the Dragon King of the Eastern Ocean. Later I bought a red Chinese dragon figure to represent her brother, also a companion of Quan Yin, Yu Lang.

To understand the evolution of life and form we need Spiritual Alchemy. Empathy brings Omni-Presence, the awareness and identification with all that is. We need not lose our own individual souls when we become One with All that is. The Divine Mother is within us all, and protects each soul, whether lamb or elephant, hawk or cow. Giving birth is a microcosm of the Birth of the Universe.

Visitation from the Goddess Pele

Some months before my visit to Hawaii, a young man told me: “Pele is running again!” This meant nothing to me. But when Loreon Vigné of Isis Oasis informed me that I was to include a visit to Big Island, there to stay on a Volcano’s rim, I protested! Why an extra plane trip? I did not at all like this stay by a volcano’s rim… Long ago I had decided never to go on any trip to Vesuvius or Etna. And this volcano was not only far bigger, but “running again.” Loreon simply stated: “You said you wished to visit Pele. So you shall!” My friend deTraci, also on our trip, felt as nervous as I was.

However, we both loved Big Island far more than the tourist filled Honolulu. Here were no tourists – only Back Packers. Volcano Village was inhabited by artists, sculptors, writers – our sort of people! I even enjoyed Volcano Hotel which was literally on the rim, and from Volcano Road we saw orange flames leaping into the sky from the new lava flow – too fierce for anyone to approach save by helicopter.

But it was not on my favourite Big Island that I had one of the most extraordinary and unexpected experiences I have had. We duly reached Paradise Island, Kuaui, to stay with our FOI Priestess, Catherine Stovell. On my first morning, in a cheerful bedroom overlooking a mountain, coconut palms and sea – Something happened – on this Wednesday, the 17th of October.

I was wakened by the appearance of a woman who had the power and presence of a Goddess. She had very dark hair, black touched with bronze, which surrounded her head with large rich curls. Her body was gold-bronze. I saw Her in profile which was strong, with fine nose and determined chin. Her eyebrows were thick and black, her eyes dark, and her lips were very full and indented at the corners. Here I feel, I should not give her message. She gave me a circular mirror of Prophecy – a gift from the Goddess Mahina of the Moon. However, what was particularly wonderful was that she brought a flow of diamond and crystal points of white light – in a dome shape on top of my head – thus opening my crown chakra. I had thought that this had happened already, but not in this brilliant and orderly way, resembling Far Eastern tiaras.

I received the word “Loa”. I can equate this with my experience of Yemaya of the Ocean, which I was given in 2005. What I understand is this. The Loas – Nature deities – do not punish us for wrong-doing. But the earth herself and all her elements are part of our own being. When we transgress the laws of love and goodness, this produces repercussions throughout earth. After various turbulences – possibly an axis shift – a new and nobler humanity will emerge from the old, as the veil between our physical earth and the etheric realm will dissolve. Hence there will be no “death” but soul transference. We only die because we identify with our physical bodies. So there is hope. And creativity will pour forth in rainbow beauty.

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