Issued to address concerns surrounding the current status and future operation of the FOI Foundation Union Triad and certain other key points within the legacy of the FOI Co-Founders. This statement was published January 15, 2015.
The Star of Tara
The Star of Tara, an advisory boardof the Fellowship of Isis, consists of the following members: Hamsa Devi, David de Roeck, Arthur Freeheart, Maury White-Hereford, Daniel Campbell, Christine Rhone, Johannes Nugroho Onggo Sanusi, Kasey Conder, Carolina A. Amor, Maire Doyle and Linda Iles. The Star of Tara has issued the following:
Statement- Star of Tara
The Star of Tara, an Advisory Board of the Fellowship of Isis, is committed to upholding the vision of Olivia Robertson and Lawrence and Pamela Durdin-Robertson. We honor and safeguard the legacy of the work of the three Fellowship of Isis co-founders;continuing their legacy unchanged. We uphold the Fellowship of Isis as initiated by the three co-founders; to resurrect a tenant of vocation to the Divine, be it God or Goddess, furthering awareness of the Goddess, and initiation into Her mysteries. This is as true now as it has always been.
The Star of Tara is for that New Aeon. We still recognize in full the Druid Clan of Dana, Noble Order of Tara, College of Isis, Muses Symposium and types of centers, whether iseums, solar iseums, lyceums, groves and priories under the Sacred FOI Foundation Union Triad. The triad consists of the ArchPriesthood Union, the ArchDruidUnion and the Grand Commander Union. We are here to guide assist and walk with all those who have been called to vocation to the Divine.
The three FOI Co-Founders,Lawrence and Pamela Durdin-Robertson and Olivia Robertson created the following methods and practices of the Fellowship of Isis. They were written down by Olivia Robertson and published by Cesara Publications, the private publishing house of the FOI Co-Founders. Each numbered section is an exact quote extracted from the source cited in parentheses.
1. “The Fellowship is dedicated to spreading the religion of all the Goddesses throughout this planet. The Gods are also venerated. The Goddess is seen as Deity, the Divine Mother of all beings, as well as the embodiment of Truth and Beauty.” (Original Version of the FOI Manifesto, 1976)
2. “Creativity comes from the harmony of the psychic and earthly spheres. The Goddess needs our help,that She may bring Her era of happiness, wisdom and creativity to this earth.Each member who chooses to join the Fellowship dedicated to the Goddess may give a unique contribution. Every talent is needed.” (Original Version of the FOI Manifesto, 1976)
3. “The Priesthood of the Fellowship of Isis is hereditary in source through the Robertsons of Strathloch, and is passed to priestesses and priests of the Fellowship through the Rite of Ordination, also through touch and oil. Vocation is essential. The Priestesses and Priests may in turn ordain others, either through ceremony or through oil and touch, as was the custom in Ancient Egypt. The ceremony may be conducted at a distance through mutual arrangement.” (Original Handbook of the Fellowship of Isis, 1992)
4. a. “Vocation from the Goddess is essential for candidates for the Priesthood. When this Vocation is experienced, the would-be candidate should apply to a member of the Priesthood.Preparation varies according to the ways of each Iseum [or lyceum], but an initiatory period of a year would be the minimum time needed. The candidate chooses the Goddess or Goddess and God she/he wishes to serve in order to helpthe Deity in the Divine Plan. Ordination by Attunement is only used when the applicant is in an isolated position. Preparation may be made through a Correspondence Course.” (Original Handbook of the Fellowship of Isis, 1992)
b. Ordination is bestowed by the F.O.I.Priesthood through the ceremony “Ordination of Priestesses and Priests”, the Rite inspired by Isis for the F.O.I. Liturgy. The same Ordination ceremony conveyed through Telepathic Attunement is as effective as the physical Rite.Telepathy is the language of the New Aeon. (Handbook of the Fellowship of Isis,second edition, 1995)
5. “The College of Isis has been revived after its suppression 1,500 years ago. Like Aset Shemsu, the F.O.I. itself, it has always been alive in the Inner Planes. It is from these Inner Planes that its return has been inspired. As the College of Isis is part of the Fellowship, the ideal of the Manifesto also apply. The qualities of Goodness, Harmony and Wisdom are manifested through a multi-religious, multi-racial and multi-cultural Fellowship which honours the good in all faiths. Magi degrees may be conferred through Lyceums of the College.Correspondence courses are offered. There are no vows nor secrecy.” (Original Handbook of the Fellowship of Isis, 1992, Second Version of the FOI Manifesto,1992)
6. “The Goddess Isis alone is Head of Her Fellowship. Within Her Family - Shemsu - all members will still have equal privileges. Membership will continue to be free. F.O.I. is not a Patriarchal Hierarchy, so no member can have spiritual authority over another. Iseums, Lyceums, Groves and Priories will remain on equal footing. Titles describe work undertaken, and are not a badge of authority over people or beliefs.” (Original Handbook of the Fellowship of Isis, 1992)
7. “Each Lyceum, through its Dedication, is twinned with an initial Iseum, thus bringing the College into close communion with the wider network of Iseums. The Dedicatory Divine Names of Power of Goddess, or Goddess and God manifest particular attributes of the Deities concerned in the Iseum - Lyceum. Therefore there can be no set curriculum for the College. Deity in its eternal Being contains all aspects mirrored forth through the whole Company of Heaven, from Deities to birds. Thus Hierophants, through inspiration from their particular Deity or Deities,produce their own training Course. This reflects the democratic character of the Fellowship …” (Original College of Isis Manual, 1992)
8. (a.) “The Liturgy of the Fellowship of Isis has been inspired by She whose name it bears; She who is crowned with the stars, is robed by the sun and standeth upon the moon. It deals with earthly, psychic and spiritual spheres.” (Original College of Isis Manual, 1992)
(b.) “All the Arts strengthen Ritual and bring about purposeful changes. When ancient liturgies are recited and words of Power uttered, sound reverberates through the centuries, note calling to note. Words are uttered, even in translation, they reiterate those used in temples for thousands of years. In these Rites for the Fellowship of Isis, ancient invocations, hymns and dialogues are used from ancient liturgies from many religions. For the time has come when Iris, the rainbow messenger, is forming a pattern of beauty from many faiths. … So in these Rites prayers and hymns are used from Karnak, Babylon, Africa, the Norselands, India, China, Japan, the Celtic countries. For all are relevant, and without one faith the planetary symphony is deficient.” (Introduction,"Dea, Rites and Mysteries of the Goddess" FOI liturgy book, written by Olivia Robertson, 1988)
9. "As the Goddess Isis inspired the ArchPriesthood Union, so the GoddessDana and the Goddess Tara have inspired the foundation of the ArchDruid Union of the Druid Clan of Dana and the Grand Commander Union of the Noble Order of Tara. This triad brings into harmony the Priesthood, the Mysteries and Philosophy, and Environmental Activity. The inspired guidance came through Rt.Rev. Olivia Robertson at Isis Oasis, USA. The three Unions form a triad of equal importance, they are on the same level, share the same format and same scope of work. All three Foundation Unions are protected by the Wings of Isis,inspired by the Holy Grael of Dana and strengthened by the Sacred Mounds of Tara." (Announcement by Olivia Robertson, published in Isian News, Issue no. 134, Samhain, 2009; Isis-Seshat Journal, Issue no. 24, December, 2009)
The above statement is supported by the following, who are pledged to honor and safeguard the legacy of the work of the three Fellowship of Isis co-founders; continuing their legacy unchanged, which also includes all the FOI centres and communities they represent in perpetuity:
Star of Tara Advisory Board
Circle of Isis Advisory Board
Circle of the Sacred Cauldron Advisory Board
FOI Germany
Fellowship of Isis Central
Fellowship of Isis Utah
Circulo de Isis
FOI Chicago
FOI London
Irmandadede Isis
Compagniade Iside
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