Psyche, Magical Journeys of the Goddess
Fellowship of Isis Liturgy by Olivia Robertson
Part II. The Rays of Ishtar
Magical Journey to
Ursa Major. Ray V
Ritual no. 10
ORACLE OF THE GODDESS ELOHA
Priestess: (Invocation) Come to us, beautiful Eloha, Who with Thy twin brother Eli shinest from the stars of Elo Mona! In this dark world of grief and evil we struggle to keep the light of goodness within ourselves. Yet we lack both faith and hope when we see the plight of our mother earth.
Oracle: You will never find Me in the dream world of passing fantasies you call the world. For you yourselves are under the spell of your own desires and enact them in daily life! You dream of fighting evil and you join in battles with those who deem you to be evil. You long for love yet you trample on those who love you, and you wantonly steal the loves of your friends, destroying their homes. Though you deplore the greed that despoils the earth, leaving it a charnel house of felled forests and dying creatures, yet you blame others for such deeds, though you participate in the fruits of destruction in luxuriant living.
Yet if you turn away from the passing nightmare of the world and come to Innua, the Great Spirit, all will be made clear to you! You place yourself in the centre of the wheel of the world, in the place of the Pole Star, and now you see that all revolves round the Inner Essence that is the life within. By experiencing the Divine Spirit within yourself you become attuned to the same Spirit within each person, animal, bird, tree, stream.
However, my friends, do not make the mistake of trying to alter the dark dream twins of those you recognise as beings of light! For every person, every creature, has its shadow, its wild twin manifesting on earth. And this twin it is who fights, and is passionate, cruel, loving, greedy, even bored. And the mistake of those on the winding path of the serpent, that leads to the Great Awakening, is to try and alter other people! As you yourselves awaken each in your own individual way, on your own path through the ordeals of worldly existence, so it is with all beings. My friends, do not waste your energies in railing at the shortcomings of others! These very faults are an expression of their own way of learning through experience. You cannot in any case deprive the warrior of his gun, the hunter of his knife, the greedy man of his stolen land. Rather pity these, for they are caught in the spider web of the world, and can only escape as you shall, by turning away from the world and accepting the Great Spirit within.
Rejoice! When all the world seems evil to you, it is the time of your Awakening! Leave others to progress at their own pace.
Priestesses and Priests wear copper circlets and wear yellow robes. They carry staffs. Companions wear red, yellow and brown headbands and robes. On yellow draped altar is a vessel of smouldering herbs and a bowl of water.
1st Priest: Companions on the quest for Wisdom and Harmony, we are assembled to make a Shaman Journey to Ursa Major. We venerate the Seven Shining Guardians of the Pole Star upon the Black Mound of Space. The constellation of the Great Bear that circles yearly around Polaris has been known as a bear by peoples of many lands, among these the indigenous Indians of Turtle Island - North America. The Narragansetts and the Illinois visualised the starry bear fleeing from hunters with their dogs. The Housatonic Indians believed that the bear was hunted from Spring to Autumn, when it was slain by the hunters, and the blood from its wounds coloured the leaves of the mighty forests.
1st Priestess: There is a hidden meaning given through Shaman teachings. The She-Bear distributes the Seven Powers which emanate from the Great Spirit of the Cosmos. This may be imagined as Centre, and therefore as Polaris. It is named variously as Waxcpini, Xedera, Ha Wen Neyu, Maho Peneta, Isakakate and Innua. This creative Spirit animates all things, singly, originally. Thus every creature, every tree and river is sacred, however diseased or polluted may be its shadow counterpart, its transient twin on earth.
1st Priest: We who are together within our Medicine Wheel of this Temple have reached the stage when we seek Innua, the Great Spirit, within ourselves and others, through initiation. To attain expansion of consciousness we need to work with our own Spirit Guides. The great Spiritualist Movement has for a hundred and fifty years brought knowledge of Spirit World to millions of Europeans and Americans. Native North American Spirit Guides have helped those very people who were destroying their own tribal way of life on earth. In these latter days, as we approach the Great Cleansing, the Spirit Guides reveal themselves to us as men and women shamans, who guide us along the sacred Journey to discover the Cosmic Spirit.
2nd Priestess: (raises staff. She offers smoking herbs.) We salute the Brightly Shining One, the Goddess Eloha. Thou Who with Thy Body of copper coloured light illumines the hearts of all beings with rainbow rays of harmony, inspire us! Bring us to the Land of Elo Mona of wisdom and Love. So may we learn to transform our earth to the natural beauty which once she displayed, before mankind brought upon her creatures and forests and rivers the poison of the five hells. Thou comest amongst us, O Divine Goddess, as the drum-beats quicken the heart, and a new earth is born!
1st Priest: (holds staff aloft and offers herbs.) We salute Thee, Eli the wise God, Thou Who bringeth order to the stars and planets, and teacheth just laws. Thy time has come. The corn is ready to break forth through the hard ground. After destruction shall come new life. Help us to restore Heaven upon earth.
2nd Priest: That we may make our shaman journey to Okuari, the Great Bear, we need to form a Kayak, an etheric canoe.
2nd Priestess: (anoints each brow with water) May you attain etheric vision and power to create.
Music. Northern Native American.
3rd Priest: The form of the starry Kayak is that of a shining sphere like a smoky pearl. To create it, we need the aid of Tlanuwa, the magical hawk! Let us chant his name. (all chant) "Tlanuwa." May we make the Magical Hawk Dance to create the kayak-sphere around us! (All dance, creating sphere around temple with arm movements.)
3rd Priestess: To obtain power for our journey, let us call upon Heloha, the Female Thunderbird, she whose metal wings produce thunder, and whose feathers flash lightning! (all chant:) "Heloha!" May we form a Totem Pole of Power in the centre of our kayak-sphere! (All create pole of power in centre.)
1st Companion: Surely we need a Spirit Guide to teach us!
1st Priest: Assuredly. Behold, our Shaman, Ockabewis, Messenger of the Gods! He materialises before us, eight feet tall, and his copper coloured body is aureoled with feathers of rainbow- coloured light. We greet Ockabewis! (all greet Shaman:) "Greetings, Ockabewis!" He signals us to sit in a circle in the sphere, our eyes closed. (All do so.)
3rd Priest: The floor slips below us. Our kayak-sphere is rising elegantly into the sky! It moves so gracefully that at first we are not aware that we are rising above countries and oceans. We have left the polluted atmosphere of First World, the Earth. Venus and Mercury glide by us, followed by the Sun. We begin to hear what sounds like double drum-beats, and it is the heart beats of our galaxy as we approach the pole stars. We feel peace and harmony, and tears and anxieties are no more.
3rd Priestess: And why not? We have entered the Ocean of Space around the polar pyramid of power. This is the Second World, Domain of Sedna, the Sea Mother. In Spirit Land we may find our lost beloved, for here dwell the Siudleratuin, souls of the dead. Here the Mother wipes their tears away and heals their wounds.
KOKKSAUT ADLIDEN. THE WORLD OF SPIRITS
3rd Priest: In this ocean of space we see Ursa Major, Cassiopeia, the Lynx and Leo Minor. Draco the Dragon coils around the Little Bear, who holds Polaris, hub of the Northern Medicine Wheel. Our sphere has slowed down and is hanging like a dewdrop before a Star Gate. Ockabewis is telling me of Sedna's realm, in the cosmic language of thought-feeling. Sedna, he says, is the space between the stars, the vortex from which creation is born. She brings forth those whom She has devoured. The Eskimos, he says, see Sedna's hairs as weeds and every part of Her body gives forth creatures: her fingers and toes are humans and animals and fish. The Mother gives Herself totally with generous love.
3rd Priestess: Ockabewis is chanting Sedna's poem:
"Come My lovers to My sea-caves
Where there is no sorrow.
Come to My land of bright birds
Whence cometh My Lover the Bird Man.
Rest your weary bodies upon warm bear-skins,
In My beautiful caves, hung with brightly coloured pictures.
My pot is always filled for the hungry souls,
Those who receive no offerings of love from earth.
I was tormented, I was torn asunder.
From My very Body I gave birth to all beings
And I rejoiced. Come, My Lovers, to my caves of love."
Ockabewis tells us of Bird Man:
"In a bright dome above Sedna's caves
Reigns Atasak, God in Heaven.
He looks like a Sphere of Light and bringeth joy.
Here are the forms awaiting souls,
Humans and birds and beasts and trees.
Here are the Angakoks, Sorcerors wise in magic.
They make the forms to be brought to life by Innua.
And here is the joy of Sedna's heart,
The Rainbow Bird Man of love and happiness."
Let us enter the World of Spirits.
Silence
Companions, let us return from Kokksaut Adliden, our hearts filled with love and joy. We enter our kayak-sphere and it darts through the constellations towards Okuari, the Great Bear herself! We feel a warm glow of vitality in our spines. We are within the aura of Awahokshu, Abode of Spiritual Power.
AWAHOKSHU. ABODE OF SPIRITUAL POWER
2nd Priest: Ockabewis tells us that this Third World is ruled by the Goddess Estanatlehi, She Who re-creates Herself. With her is Yebitsai, the Talking God, the Creator. Here we learn how to make forms to be animated by Innua. Our sphere floats before a mighty Star Gate. Through this we glimpse the seven stars of the Great Bear, hard to look upon in their brilliance. Ockabewis chants to us of the abodes of the Seven powers:
"The Golden Twins of the star Dubhe are Eloha and Eli,
They Who bestow Wilolane, lightning of Life.
Rhpisunt is the Bear Mother who bore them,
She who leaves her footprints upon the star Mirak.
Utset and Bowutset, the First Mothers,
Cradle the star Phaed upon their backs.
Gitche Manitou the All Father Spirit reigns in Megrez,
Star of Heavenly Authority.
The star Alioth is the abode
Of Ohoyo Osh Chishba the Corn Mother.
The sisters Iatiku and Nautsiti, who create humans,
Dwell in peace within the two stars of Mizar.
And following them is Betsune Yeneca,
The Old Woman's grandchild, magic boy of the stars.
He holds the white star Alkaid in his small hands."
2nd Priestess: Ockabewis chants of the Ursids, meteors that holds the forms of those about to receive their souls from Innua.
"Ketq Skwaye, Grandmother Toad
Watches Koti the water frog
Courting the proud frog princess, Tsects.
He is teased into this folly by Pasikola, the Rabbit Trickster!
Kannuck the wolf, not having yet the use of his teeth
Permits Grandmother White Mouse to run over his paws.
Old Man Coyote has no fear of Utsanati the Rattlesnake.
Neither man nor bear steals the honey of Momo the honey bee.
These creatures are led by Yebaad and Yeba Ka,
Female and male Leaders of the Gods,
Before the Great Spirit, Innua,
There to receive their souls.
And all of them in turn become Innuas."
Ockabewis tells us to enter the Abode of the Seven Powers, there to receive from Innua the Breath of Life.
Silence
We return from Awahokshu, alive with creative power. We sit in our sphere which rises and glides towards the binary golden star Dubhe of the Great Bear.
1st Priest: Our kayak begins to slow down and is floating before a beautiful Star Gate. Through it we see a soft light. Ockabewis tells us that we have reached the Fourth World of Elo Mona, the Heaven of All-Spreading Light.
ELO MONA. HEAVEN OF ALL-SPREADING LIGHT
1st Priestess: Ockabewis is chanting of Elo Mona.
"Elo Mona is the Heaven of the Star People, the Mikake.
Those who ascend the Sacred Mound achieve enlightenment.
Beware ascending the Sacred Mound by the path of the arrow.
Rather tread gently by the winding way of the Great Water Serpent,
Ukteni the snake who twines round the Mound.
From thence descended the first ancestors,
Kanati and Selu, man and woman.
From thence descended the twelve tribes of humans.
Now is the time for humans to return to the Mound.
Ascend by the path of the Water Serpent Ukteni.
Heed not the pearls and topazes and crystals at your feet.
Burdened with jewels you cannot ascend.
Jewels will be given to you when you return.
Rather keep your eyes fixed upon the Golden Eagle,
Awahili, who with outspread wings,
Circles about the summit guarding its secret,
Golden eyes shining like twin suns.
Here dwell the Star Maiden, Eloha, Bestower of Harmony,
And Eli, the Star Youth, Bringer of Wisdom."
Companions, may we enter this fourth World and so acquire that harmony and wisdom which is the goal of our journey.
Silence
We return from the Heaven of Elo Mona with gifts of jewels bestowed upon us. But stay! We are outside our sphere, and Ockabewis is pointing above us. He tells us to gaze upon Fifth World, which we may not enter. The Sacred mound of Elo Mona is dwarfed by a mighty black mountain which blots out the stars. Round it is coiled a Rainbow Serpent in ascending coils, its head reared at the summit, aureoled with rays of coloured light. Each coil is iridescent with stars. As this pyramid and serpent expand and fill the heavens, the stars become constellations which turn to spiral galaxies. Mounds are revealed as dark vortices. We are rising above the mountain and look down at mighty wheels of light and upon black cones within cones, forming intricate patterns of harmony. Suddenly we realise that these spirals and cones of light and darkness are being woven into a divine work of art by the skillful fingers of a woman! Each part of this cosmic pattern is never repeated, but each part is essential to the beautiful whole. We behold the artist: She is Hahai Wugte, Spider Woman! She is weaving the Cosmic Web. Her face is veiled with her flowing black hair of space, and we can only watch Her fingers, like darting copper-coloured rays of Light. In this web of living Innuas is our own soul. Here is our Destiny.
1st Priestess: The Goddess is dissolving into the Infinity from which She has emerged. We descend and once more see the mountain and the serpent and the sacred mound, and these in turn become constellations and stars. We recognise the seven stars of the Great Bear. And Ockabewis instructs us to turn our back on the stars and return to our own little earth which has need of us. We enter our kayak-sphere and our souls are infused with glory. Wisdom is in our minds, and harmony in our hearts. And our sphere like a gliding pearl drops from Third World, The Abode of Power * * * and from thence to Sedna's realm * * * we slip past our sun and Mercury and Venus and the Moon * * * and we return to Earth. * * * And people gaze at the sky and wonder at our lovely sphere of light! And now the light is also within ourselves.
2nd Priest: Lightly our kayak-sphere falls upon our Temple floor. Ockabewis tells us to dissolve the sphere through dance in reverse form. We thank him and he bids us farewell and fades from our sight. We open our eyes.
Reports are given and rays of wisdom and harmony are sent forth to all beings. The Priesthood give thanks to the deities.
Sources: "North American Indian Mythology," the late Cottie Burland, F.O.I. member, published by Hamlyn. "New Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology", Intro. by R. Graves, Hamlyn.
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