Order of the Shining Helmet of Athena: The Rainbow Lineage by Claudia Wehmeyer
The Rainbow Lineage of The Goddess
By Rt. Rev. Hamsadevi Claudia Wehmeyer, AU
Lyceum/Grove of Dana
Many spiritual traditions have rituals to honour the lineage of their teachers and spiritual guides. One reason for these rites is the honouring of teachers and the remembrance of the spiritual heritage they have given. Experience shows, that the right way of lineage honouring opens the perception and deepen spiritual experience, made on the path. It also is a very helpful way to find spiritual guidance, when working alone.
Part I
Opening: Priest/ess Hierophant of Lyceum / Archdruid/ess of Grove / GKC / GDC of Priory: Welcome, friends and companions at the Lyceum / grove of ... (name of Goddess / Goddess and God of lyceum / grove, etc.) Today we are assembled to honour the Goddess and to celebrate Her lineage of wise women and men, who inspired our dear spiritual teachers and founders of the FOI and her sister organizations, the Druid Clan of Dana, the Noble Order of Tara and the Order of the Golden Helmet of Pallas Athena.
Pr.H.: First let us create the sacred space of the goddess by building Her Rainbow Yantra.
Part II
Erecting the Yantra of The Goddess by prayer to The Goddess or The Goddess and Her Consort in the 8 directions, deosil, starting East, then SE, South, SW, West, NW, North, NE. Example Prs.H.: Om Shanti! Let the Yantra of the Goddess (and Her consort) be created that all beings may receive Their Blessing!
Participants may offer a prayer or an invocation in one of the directions.
East 1st P.: In the East I salute the Goddess Tara and Buddha Avalokiteshvara. May all sentient beings realize harmony and compassion!
South East 2nd P.: In the South-East I salute the boon giving Goddess Lakshmi and Ganapati, Shiva ́s elephant- headed, friendly son! May all obstacles be removed! May all sentient beings receive joy and abundance!
South 3rd P.: In the South I salute the lion-headed Goddess Sekhmet and Hoor, golden hawk of the sun! May all sentient beings realize their True Self.
South West 4th P.: In the South West I salute Ishtar of Babylon, who by the power of love alone relieved Her consort Tammuz, shepherd of the starry flock from the Underworld. May all sentient beings receive love and salvation!
West 5th P.: In the West I salute Dana, Mother of The Tuatha de Danaan, and Mananaan MacLir, Keeper of the secrets of the Deep. May the passage to Tir nan Og be open for us; may we receive true visions!
North West 6th P.: In the North West I salute the Morrigan, keeper of the secrets of life, and Dagda, the generous Chieftain of the Gods. May all sentient beings receive their blessing of health and creativity!
North *7th P.: In the North I salute Heartha -Tamfana, Lady of the nature-spirits of our forest, and Herne, the Guardian, the Hunter, the Shaman! May all sentient beings share the gifts of the earth in friendship!
* here you may like to invoke / salute the local / regional deities of where you live.
North East 8th P.: In the North East I salute Brighidh, honoured by the Bards of Eire, and Aengus Og, harper of Tir NanOg! May all beings receive inspiration and beauty!
Center Pr. or Prs. H / Archdruid/ess, GLC / GKC I salute ... Goddess / and God of Lyceum / Grove / Piory Pr. or Prs. H / Archdruid/ess, GLC / GKC ( making the fire blaze / shine extremely bright for a moment, either by your fire magick or if you cannot make a fire blaze for a moment visualization must do.): I consecrate this Holy fire to Them, that the yantra may become alive!
Pr. or Prs. H / Archdruid/ess, GLC / GKC
Tara’s visible glory is Tarini, shining at the zenith as guiding star for all on a quest for their true being. May all sentient beings find their path to the Land of Heart’s desire!
Part III
Invocation of FOI Goddesses / and Gods:
Invocation of Isis; Invocation of Dana; Invocation of Tara; Invocation of Athena.
Part IV
Invocation Lyceum / Grove/ Priory Goddess / and consort oracle of Lyceum / Grove/ Priory Goddess or : reading fitting oracle from liturgy
Part V (a.)
Honouring the lineage (Part IV a.) lineage of the F.O.I. and her sister organizations – those, who inspired our dear founders Olivia Roberston, Lawrence Durdin-Roberston and his wife Pamela.
Prs.H.: We honour the lineage of those wise women and men, spiritual guides and inspired artists, who inspired our dear spiritual teachers and founders of the FOI and her sister organizations, the Druid Clan of Dana, the Noble Order of Tara and the Order of the Shining Helmet of Pallas Athena: Sir Francis Bacon, W.B. Yeats, AE – William Russel, Fiona MacLeod – William Sharp, Ella Young, ...(study liturgy sources and lectures from Olivia Robetson, if you feel the necessity to put in more names here.)
Part V (b.)
Lineage of your Lyceum / Grove/ Priory This should always start with mentioning Olivia Robertson and her brother Lawrence as founders of the FOI and her sister organisations! Those, who are seen as spiritual teachers and inspiring artists for Lyceum / Grove/ Priory founders follow. The latter may imply teachers from Eastern as well as from Western path, incl. those, who have no affiliation with the FOI and her sister organisations: Buddhists may mention Buddha, HH the Dalai Lama; members, who feel drawn to the Hermetic path may mention GD founders MacGregor Mathers and his wife Moina; Thelemites may mention Aleister Crowley; for feminists Dion Fortune may be mentioned; Wiccas may want Doreen Valiente to be remembered here, etc.
Prs.H.: We honour the lineage of our spiritual teachers and of all, who gave inspiration through the arts: Olivia Roberston, Lawrence Durdin-Robertson ...
One may also summarize this part, as given in the following example:
Example:
Prs.H.: We honour the lineage of our spiritual teachers and of all artists, who are or were inspired by the Goddess and gave inspiration for our spiritual path: Olivia Roberston, Lawrence Durdin- Roberston, and all those who teach and guide us with hand and heart in spirit and art on our spiritual quest as rainbow pilgrims on the spiral path of The Goddess.
Pr.H.: Friends and companions in the Lyceum / Grove/ Priory of... / and ... let us contemplate in silence on the rich and colourful treasure, that has been handed down to us, guarded and passed on through the Aeons by trustworthy spiritual women and men. May we all receive divine inspiration and true wisdom. May all who seek always have wise, trustworthy and loving spiritual guides, teachers and friends to support them on their spiritual quest for the benefit of all sentient beings. May our eyes be always open and our spirits perceptive for divine beauty and precious wisdom teachings.
Part VI
Guided or silent meditation, according to Lyceum’s / Grove’s/ Priory’s general preferences Suggestions: Meditation with visualization as described in the liturgy book – “Dea, Rites and Mysteries of the Goddess”, Ritual 1, ‘Dedication of a Shrine to Isis’ or meditation on sacred symbol such as Ankh as Key of Isis, spiral and the 8rayed Star of the Goddess, as shown as Diagram of Isian / Danaan / Tara initiation path. Or meditation on a poem from an inspired artist as AE, Fiona Macleao, W.B. Yeats or on a work of art, a painting from Olivia Robertson or any piece of art, created by an artist, who was / is inspired by the Goddess.
Part VII
Participants share reports of thoughts, impressions or visions from their meditation.
Part VIII
Pr.H.: Friends and companions in the lyceum / grove / priory of ... we have met to honour artists and spiritual teachers, inspired by the Goddess and to enjoy in love, peace, freedom and beauty communion with Her; let us share the divine blessing with all sentient beings.
(Participants stand in circle arms stretched outwards in high of breast, visualizing white light radiating in all directions.) In Her Divine name may all sentient beings be blessed; may all sentient beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering.
All: So be it.
Part IX
Thanks are given to spiritual teachers and Goddess / Goddess and God of Lyceum. Thanks are given to Athena, Tara, Dana and Isis. Thanks are given to Goddesses and Gods of Mandala – now anti-clockwise.
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