Order of the Shining Helmet of Athena
From the Members of the Three Unions of the Fellowship of Isis
I. Sacred Landscape
On October 22 of 2013, a few weeks before Olivia Robertson passed away, a copy of an outline for a “Samhain Mystery Play” was sent via e-mail on behalf of Olivia Robertson. It was to have been enacted at the castle on November 9, 2013. But sadly, this did not happen because Olivia became very ill, and passed away on November 14.
The mystery play contains the following passage:
Act 3
The Temple of Isis, Clonegal Castle
Olivia will announce the revival of "The Order of the Helmet" which was begun by Sir Francis Bacon, inspired by Pallas Athena, to protect people’s personal integrity and conscience. We invoke the Goddess Pallas Athena. Olivia will invoke significant ancestors, including Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Frances Bacon. People who wish can invoke ancestors significant to them. We are hoping for the gift of the Helmet which is the Halo of Light, and comes through the head. We hope to receive the enlightenment of the Inner Sun of Medusa which comes through the heart. We are blessed by the water from the Well of Truth of the Goddess Brigid.
You can find the outline for this play at the following link:
The outline for Olivia's Samhain Mystery Play contains this sentence:
"The idea is for people all over the world to write their own story in their own language and culture. The Mystery is Universal."
The four passages in Olivia’s announcement that are presented in bold above delineate the four pathways of the Order of the Shining Helmet of Athena.
1. … to protect people’s personal integrity and conscience.
2. Olivia will invoke significant ancestors … People who wish can invoke ancestors significant to them
3. … the gift of the Helmet which is the Halo of Light, and comes through the head
4. … the enlightenment of the Inner Sun of Medusa which comes through the heart.
This mystery play was to have been the showcase for the inauguration of a new manner of pathworking for FOI members. Members may use the outline provided by Olivia and write their own mystery play based on their own language and culture. In some ways this was a continuation of the “Unscripted Rites” that Olivia had performed at Clonegal Castle in Ireland, then in Glastonbury and in London in 2010. These were called rites of “Deities of the Land” by Olivia as they were basically the same rite, but performed each time with different deities, connected to the land upon which the rites were enacted.
You can read about these rituals here:
Unscripted Rites: Deities of the Land
II. Ancestors
Part of the work of the Order of the Shining Helmet of Athena is to be in contact with the dead, or more importantly the Beloved Dead, as in those we hold dear in life whether spiritual teachers, mentors or ancestors.
Olivia had written in the Samhain Mystery Play as noted above: “Olivia will invoke significant ancestors, including Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Frances Bacon. People who wish can invoke ancestors significant to them.”
III. The Goddess Athena
Olivia spoke about the Order of the Shining Helmet of Athena with various members, in particular with the late Laura Janesdaughter, David de Roeck, Caroline Wise, Linda Iles and Kasey Conder. She had been sharing her views and experiences of the Goddess Athena with FOI members both within and outside of Ireland for some time - especially after she started work on the FOI liturgy book "Athena: Arcadian Awakening". Linda Iles had received over the years an abundance of materials on the subject of working with Athena from Olivia. They had a common interest in this Goddess. Olivia had been having significant experiences with Athena. Linda shared with Olivia that her initial experience of Goddess energy was through illustrating articles for a magazine called SageWoman back in the late 1990s. One of these had been an article on Athena. Linda's work on the illustrations was accompanied by a series of synchronicities. Olivia was very enthusiastic, because Linda had made contact through the use of art; a manner of working that was very dear to Olivia and one she herself often employed.
IV. Pathworking
The book of rites that Olivia was working on at the time of her passing was “Athena: Arcadian Awakening” in which she explored the idea of sacred landscapes all over the world. Of this book she wrote: “These Rites may be used for meetings of the Muses Symposium and the Arcadians." The Muses Symposium was created by Olivia as a venue for FOI members to meet and interact in ritual, drumming, song, and all manner of arts. The Muses Symposium does not entail study courses or conferring of degrees or titles. Therefore no degrees or titles are connected with the work of the Order of the Shining Helmet of Athena.
David de Roeck offered what Olivia Robertson had directly shared with him concerning the Order of the Shining Helmet of Athena. Olivia had wanted the Order to be open to all FOI members, no degrees are offered. Members who do not have “technicolour” visions may need guidance and advice. Other members can offer to help them, but also these members, who maybe have not yet developed a strong psychic or intuitive sense of working with Deity, need to learn to find their way. Pallas Athena will be their protector and guide.
The pathworking is:
1. Shield and Earth
Protection, Personal Integrity, Conscience, Nature, Nature Spirits, Sacred Sites
2. Spear and Moon
Seeking Direction, Honoring the Ancestors
3. Aegis and Sun
The Awakened Heart, The Arts
4. Helmet and Stars
Halo of Light, the Oracles
The information shared by Olivia is confirmed in her previous writings. This order of pathworking coincides with the pathworking outlined in Olivia Robertson’s spiritual autobiography “The Call of Isis” which progresses in the following order: Moon, Sun and Stars; an order evidenced in other places within the FOI liturgy - such as in "Psyche: Magical Journeys of the Goddess" and the Star of Ishtar correspondences listed in "Gaea: Initiations of the Earth". A fifth part "The World: Earthing the Mysteries: Bringing Our Spiritual Vision to Earth" completes the cycle of work. This too, follows the guidelines for pathworking as laid out by Olivia in "The Call of Isis."
Materials for the Order of the Shining Helmet of Athena include several beautiful entries for each of the four paths and the fifth entry, all written by Olivia Robertson. These materials have never before been published - except for the second part of the fifth entry which comes from "The Call of Isis". We had an abundance of materials from Olivia: (1) her letters and notes on the Goddess Athena and (2) her thoughts on the Order of the Shining Helmet of Athena. Olivia was very excited about this project. She freely shared her views, ideas and writings on the Order of the Shining Helmet of Athena with members worldwide, extending back to at least 2011. She began introducing her ideas surrounding the working of the Order of the Shining Helmet of Athena with the first rite and reflections article for "Athena: Arcadian Awakening" in Isian News, Issue No. 140, Beltane, 2011 . She began sharing information about her ancestors publicly to FOI members in 2012, (see Olivia Robertson's Online Log 2012) as her ideas continued to formulate. Her work with Athena of course, extends back much further than that.
Work was begun to collate notes and materials from Olivia Robertson in March, 2015. The Order of the Shining Helmet of Athena was proposed to the Archpriesthood Union on June 22, 2015; and to the Archdruid Union and Grand Commander Union on July 9, 2015. The Order of the Shining Helmet of Athena was passed by a clear majority vote in all three unions. A final tally of votes was completed August 26, 2015. The Order of the Shining Helmet was passed by a clear majority vote in all three unions. It was decided at that time to wait and announce the inauguration just before Samhain in accordance with Olivia’s original plan.
We have also included some brilliant commentaries/pathworkings created by members. Several members of the Three Unions (Archdruid, Archpriesthood, Grand Commander) helped to collate materials and review carefully what Olivia wanted. It came together easily - marked with many Goddess Synchronicities - the types of experiences Olivia herself said would help to point the way. Heartfelt thanks to all members who helped and contributed to this work.
On this day in 2015, August 29, which FOI Co-Founder Lawrence Durdin-Robertson attributed as the Festival of Thoth and the beginning of the Ancient Egyptian New Year, and the Nativity of the Goddess Hathor in his book "Juno Covella", this work is dedicated to the memory of our beloved FOI Co-Founder Olivia Robertson.
Olivia, May you walk in peace, may you walk in beauty, now and always.
We Remember.
Return to Order of the Shining Helmet of Athena
Return to An Index to This Website