Sophia - Rite 12. Aquarius and Juno

Priestess: (Invocation) Divine Goddess Juno, Queen of Olympus and of the Heavens, Who presideth over the Milky Way and ruleth Aquarius: elevate us to Thy sublime spheres that we may enter the coming Space Age with clear minds and warm hearts! We long for the stars. Thy peacock spreadeth his lordly tail over the heavens with myriad eyes, that tell us of strange races and stranger visions. Thy flying goose with outspread wings forms the constellation of Cygnus, that some call the Swan: all tell us that the aspiring soul may grow wings, and like the children of Lir fly heavenwards, as a high singing woman's voice reaches Octave upon Octave. Teach us to fly!

Oracle: In the beginning the creatures of earth dwell shell encrusted, home-bound in primaeval slime. The embryo in the womb is thus: secure and still. Slowly the creatures moved and swam in the salty oceans, as does the unborn child lulled by the movements of the mother. Then bravely these voyagers in time and space moved to the shores, and some roamed the lands, some remained in the waters, and others grew wings and flew. So is it with the soul! There is no more greatness in flight than there is in gliding silently through dark waters in ocean forest: or in dwelling in deep jungles speckled with the golden sun. Nonetheless, I call upon those who seek to fly, for these seek My sovereignty. Those who soar, look down upon the round earth and its blue seas and green and yellow continents: And then they fly to the pale-faced moon over which My soul presides: and they wonder at craters and pinnacles and arid deserts. And they seek stars that blaze with the light of a million suns: and they long to transcend the Galaxy Herself, and see Her as a coiled serpent, like Her sister Andromeda. They dream of seeing the mega universe as a mighty Dragon, Inanna, and of watching stars and galaxies consumed by vortices of darkness, to be re-born to greater life. But knowledge and experience of stars and galaxies are not enough. You need beautiful minds to be one with the stars and kindly-hearts to feel their loving warmth. Seek the capacity to listen to the music of the spheres, and the rhythm to dance the maze path of the sun! Science without joy is a dead thing: and facts without wisdom are sterile. Look into a well and you will see a Black Hole in Space. See the sparkle of a little water-fall and you will appreciate a galaxy. Enjoy birds singing and you will be listening to the music of the spheres! In contemplation, with your eyes shut, you will spread your soul's wings, and fly with Me and join the maze dance of starry spirits.

Temple floor is marked with an inner triangle pointing Southeast and an outer 8 pointed star with 8 unlighted candles at the points. In the triangle’s centre, a blue draped altar. Upon it are: a pitcher of water and cup, a scroll with the star map of Aquarius, a peacock feather, burning incense, and 3 unlighted candles. Flaminica (Woman) of Juno wears gold tiara and blue robes, Flamen (Man) of Jupiter has gold headdress and blue robes. Priestess of Pingala wears gold tiara and yellow robes. Flamenica stands at top point of triangle, Flamen and Priestess at her left and right at remaining points. Women Companions are crowned with gold circles, men Companions wear gold headdresses and all Companions wear blue robes.

Flamen: Companions in the quest for greater consciousness, we are assembled to experience the mystical awakening bestowed by Juno through the constellation of Aquarius.

Flamenica: (offers incense at altar) I offer this incense, Juno, in honour of Thy Divinity, In the Hermean Zodiac Thou are the Wateress and from Thy streaming breasts pour the waters of Aquarius, source of life for generations of souls. The Gnostics proclaimed the silver streams from Thy breasts to be Sophia Above and Sophia Below, the manifest and the arcane Wisdom. Thy peacock and Thy goose preside over this constellation. Thy daughter Hebe, beautiful Ganymeda, bestows nectar from Her cup to the Olympian Deities. (Flamenica offers pitcher at altar) Bless this water that we may enjoy the Water of Life. (Flamenica fills cup and hands it round. All drink. Flaminica moves feather slightly in the air. Music.) Harken to the Orphic Hymn used in centuries long past.

1st Companion: (Southeast) "O royal Juno, of Majestic mien,

Aerial formed, divine, Jove's blessed Queen,

Throned in the bosom of cerulean air,

The race of mortals is Thy constant care;

The cooling gales, Thy power alone inspires,

Which nourish life, which every life desires;

Mother of showers and winds, from Thee alone

Producing all things, mortal life is known;

All natures show Thy temperament divine,

And universal sway alone is Thine.

With sounding blasts of wind, the swelling sea

And rolling rivers roar when shook by Thee."

Flamen: (offers incense at altar) I offer this incense to Thee, Mighty Jove the Thunderer, in honour of Thy Divinity. Thou art Guardian with Juno of the constellation of Aquarius. As Juno entrusted the cup of nectar to Her Daughter Hebe, so doth Ganymede Thy cup-bearer bring water to the thirsty. For the Deities give Their children the task of serving others.

2nd Companion: (Northwest) "Crystalline brother of the belt of heaven,

Aquarius! to whom King Jove has given

Two liquid pulse streams stead of feathered wings,

Two fan-like fountains - Thine illuminings,

For Dian play.

Jove for the prince of birds decreed.

And carrier of His thunder, too,

The bird whom golden Ganymede

Too well for trusty agent knew."

Flamen: Thus from the Source of life flowing from Juno's breasts do Her children, Hebe, Aquarius and Ganymede receive living water. And they bestow this nectar to others from an overflowing cup. May we ourselves learn likewise to accept and to give Living water.

Flamen circles temple sprinkling water from pitcher.

Priestess of Pingala: (offers incense at altar) Golden Pingala, I offer this incense honouring Thy Divinity. Thou art the Nadi of the Inner Sun, as is Thy Sister Ida, the Inner Moon. Thou art the Soorejnaree, Who doth preside over Aquarius, which leadeth the procession of the Zodiac. Who may describe Thy Beauty? Thou art like the Bird of Paradise, and curling fronds of golden feathers encircle Thee like a mesh to entrap the soul. Thou art the Golden Phoenix, and fire runs through Thy Crest and circles about Thy mighty Head through which are threaded golden suns. Thou doth stir humbly in the feet and grandly about the head. Streams of molten gold pour forth royally from the palms of Thy hands, bringing everlasting glory and life eternal. Entwined with Thy sister the Silver Swan, Ida, Thou doth bring Fire to intermingle with the Water of Aquarius.

"The Goddess is more subtle than the fibre of the lotus, and is coiled around the roots of the Tree of Life. She is curled three-and-a-half times round Herself. When the Mystic Sound is uttered and the flashing Light In the Darkness awakens the sleeping soul, She uncoils Herself, and raises Her Head, and enters the Raja Road of the tree trunk which is the spine. After Her long sleep She stretches Herself through the branches of the Tree as if these were Her arms and legs and from Her hands come forth the Apples of Life. They are many coloured and glorious. They are the spheres of bodies and suns and worlds and constellations: and they are the eleven luminaries of Aquarius, both Three and Eight. The Goddess gives Her nectar within Her fruit: to the wicked these are poisonous. To the virtuous they bring Divine Awakening into eternal life."

Priestess of Pingala lays her hands lightly upon the heads of all until a flow of electric-like power is felt.

Flamen: Let us name the 3 and the 8 luminaries of Aquarius that we may invoke their Divine Guardians.

Flamenica: (lights 1st candle in Southeast on altar) In the place of the South-East Winds of Aquarius, I dedicate this flame to Sadalmelil, the Fortunate Star of the Ruler.

Flamen: (lights 2nd candle in North on altar) I dedicate this flame to Sadalsuud, Star of mighty Destiny, Fortuna Fortunarum.

Priestess of Pingala: (lights 3rd candle in West on altar) I dedicate this flame to Sadachbia, the Fortunate Star of the Hidden Mysteries.

1st Companion: (Southeast, lights 4th candle round temple) I dedicate this flame to the star Scheat Edeleu, Granter of Wishes.

2nd Companion: (Northwest, lights 5th candle round temple) I dedicate this flame to Delta Aquarids, Bright Stream of Meteors.

3rd Companion: (South, lights 6th candle round temple) I dedicate this flame to the star Al Bali, the Good Fortune of those who graciously accept That which is offered.

4th Companion: (North, lights 7th candle round temple) I dedicate this flame to Niu, the Wise Woman Who presides over the Four Stars.

5th Companion: (Southwest, lights 8th candle round temple) I dedicate this flame to the Saturn Nebula, the Celestial Mist.

6th Companion: (Northeast, lights 9th candle round temple) I dedicate this flame to the Aquarian twins, two stars as one in the Constellation of Marriage.

7th Companion: (West, lights 10th candle round temple) I dedicate this flame to the Star Ancha, which was called by the Chinese Sages the Tear Drop, a star of gentle sorrow of the rainy season.

8th Companion: (East, lights 11th candle round temple) I dedicate this flame to the Star Situla, the Well Bucket, the Urn of out-pourinq wine, the eleventh star in the eleventh sign.

Flamenica: The Star Guardians are invoked. Let us weave their Rays.

Music. Strauss’s "Death and Transfiguration", Sibelius "Swan of Tuonela", Vaughan Williams’ "Antarctica" are relevant, or music offered by participants. The 3 of the Priesthood lightly touch hands and move round the altar, right to left. The outer circle move left to right. A silver power like a cook flow may be experience flowing from the head or a golden glow in the spine. Violet and blue-green and blue colours may be seen like a peacock’s tail.

Flaminica: Companions, let us contemplate the sphere of Aquarius and the presiding Deities of its rays; Juno, Jupiter and Pingala.

All sit. Flamen unrolls scroll showing the star pattern of Aquarius.

Flamen: Let us visualise the constellation called by the Ancients Aquarius. For to our forebears the dome of the sky was a picture of living hieroglyphs set there by the Deities. From their starry homes they deemed that their Teachers came to teach them through the language of symbols. So they offered the Deities their beautiful images, which they saw as they lay on desert sands or groves, gazing upon the sky at night. And they offered the Deities pictures that they painted through their visionary eyes. They imagined a great white winged horse, Pegasus, flying through the sky above a starry sea. Below him in the sea of heaven swam two intertwining fish, Pisces. And from a stream entering the sea they discerned a Maiden whom they called Hebe or Ganymeda, or a Youth, Ganymede drawing the stream's water into a pitcher and then pouring forth the water in bounty, in two starry streams.

Flamenica: Companions, let us receive inspiration from the Muses as did our ancestors, and receive the hidden wisdom of the stars. As we shut our eyes the pictures they saw come also to us! Below Aquarius in the sea of stars they spied a sea goat whom they called Capricornus. The Southern fish swam near him. Far in the heights floated the beautiful Princess Andromeda, rescued by Perseus, holding aloft Athena's shield with the Gorgon's Head. And the monster whale, Cetus, who so frightened Her, swims far below! They recognised a winding river of stars, Eridanus, which sprang from the cup of Aquarius, bright Juno's stream. No less than the white bull, Taurus, with His red eye, Aldebaran, was clearly seen rising from the sea, as once He did when, as Jupiter, He trod the Cretan shore to carry off lovely Europa.

And the Star Deities delighted in the rich imaginings of youthful humanity, springing as dreams do from their original genius. When Deities visited aspiring humans, They used these ever changing pictures crossing the starry skies as an unfolding scroll of symbols. They instructed humanity through these symbols, so unveiling Divine Truths. They taught that every star is linked to each and every creature by means of interweaving radiations from the auras of Star Deities. The greater contains the lesser, which is of its substance, and nothing is alien in the universe. The lessor is a microcosm of the greater. In this earth is buried our past, and our future extends to the stars!

Accept your greater being, touching upon the Eternal Now. Yet, when you have become aware of greater spheres of consciousness, return to our temple with wise humility. For this earth shines brightly when seen from her sister planets! Receive in silence that which shall be given to you from the over-flowing Aquarian Grael.