Faery Initiations: Stone, Sword, Spear & Cauldron

© 2005 Kisma Reidling. All Rights Reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 06/07/05

ISBN: 1-4208-3583-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4634-5736-5

Library of Congress Control Number: 2005904184

Printed in the United States of America

Bloomington, Indiana

UNDER THE NAME Kisma K. Stepanich

An Act of Woman Power

The Gaia Tradition: Celebrating the Earth in Her Seasons

Sister Moon Lodge: The Power and Mystery of Menstruation

Faery Wicca, Book One: Theory & Magic: A Book of Shadows & Light

Faery Wicca, Book Two: The Shamanic Practices of the Cunning Arts

Faery Wicca Tarot

UNDER THE NAME Kisma K. Stepanich~Reidling

The Druidic Clan of Dana: Inspired Grove of Usneach

The Beauty of Morrigu

The Art of Meditation, Book One: Soul Growth

The Art of Meditation, Book Two: The Journey of the Soul

The Love of Dana

The Truth of Brigid

NOVELS BY Kisma K. Stepanich~Reidling

Faery With Teeth: Book One of the Faery Chronicles

The Last Matriarch

UNDER THE NAME Kisma Reidling

Faery-Faith Traditional Wisdom, Codex 1: Irish Cosmology & Faery Glamoury

For Tristan

who shares in Faery with me.

CODEX 2

Faery Initiations

Contents

INTRODUCTION

The Order of Sacred Tara

The Origin of the Noble Order of Tara

INVOCATION OF TARA

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

Becoming A Candidate Of The Order

CHAPTER ONE

THE TIME OF THE LITTLE SUN

WINTER

CHAPTER TWO

The Beginning of Winter

Traditional Forms of Faery Divination

A Samhain Reading, 31 October

The Spirit Lesson Spread

CHAPTER THREE

The Droai Of Falias

Pathworking in Falias to meet Morfhis

Using Moonlight to Meditate with the Solar Gods and Goddesses

The Lunar Veneration’s

The Ancient Ones of Ireland

Magh Findargart ~ The Plain of White Silver Light

A Map of the Heavenly Realm

Magh Findargart Meditation

CHAPTER FOUR

The Celtic Division of the Day

The Celtic Divisions of the Year

Solar Ogham Wisdom

The First Solar Ogham ~ Ailm

The Sacred Elm

Ailm Wisdom

Ailm Ritual

CHAPTER FIVE

An Nulloig Festival

Earth Meditation

CHAPTER SIX

The Third Month of Winter ~ January

The Ordeal of Earth

SPRING

CHAPTER SEVEN

The Goddess Brigid

The Fire Festival of Imbolg

Imbolg Festival

CHAPTER EIGHT

The Powers of the Four Faery Cities

The Droai of Gorias

Pathworking in Gorias to meet Urias of the Noble Nature

Mystical Irish Cosmology

Magh Mell ~ The Plain of Delight & Abundance

Magh Mell Meditation

CHAPTER NINE

The Sacred Gorse

Ohn Wisdom

Ohn Ritual

CHAPTER TEN

An Féile Earrach

Air Meditation

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The Three States of Attention

The Image of a Knight

The Third Month of Spring ~ April

The Ordeal of Air

THE TIME OF THE BIG SUN

SUMMER

CHAPTER TWELVE

The Beginning of Summer

Ainé ~ Goddess of Love & Fertility

The Holy Trinity of Ireland

The Convocation of Usneach

Céadamh Oracle, 1 May

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The Five-Fifths of Mystical Ireland

The Hill of Tara

Arias ~The Droai of Findias

Pathworking in Findias to meet Arias the Fair-haired poet

Magh Ionganaidh ~ The Plain of Wonder & Happiness

Magh Ionganaidh Meditation

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The Sacred Heather

Ur Wisdom

Ur Ritual

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

La Fheile Eoin

Fire Meditation

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The Wisdom of Solar Power

Becoming the Will of Spirit

The Third Month of Summer ~ July

The Ordeal of Fire

AUTUMN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Lugh Lamfadha ~ The Illdanach

The Fire Festival of Lughnasadh

The Feast of Gracious Commemoration

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Earth’s Crystal Grid

The Droai of Muirias

Pathworking in Muirias to meet Senias

Mythological and Symbolic Archetypes

The Practice of Invoking the Ancient Ones

Sen Magh ~ The Old Plain

Sen Magh Meditation

CHAPTER NINTEEN

The Fourth Solar Ogham ~ Eadha

The Sacred White Poplar

Eadha Wisdom

Eadha Ritual

CHAPTER TWENTY

La Fheile Fomhar

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

The Cauldron of Inspiration

The Three Cauldrons of Amorgen

The Third Month of Autumn ~ October

The Ordeal of Water

ANNIR AGUS RIDIRE DE AN CRAOBH BÁN

ORDINATION

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

The Fifth Sacred Faery City ~ Serias

The Cessair

The Hidden Face of Goddess

Cessair’s Sphere of Wholeness

The Order of Sacred Tara Starlight Protection

Starlight Ritual of Protection

Aligning with Serias

Receiving the Accolade

CLOSING

APPENDIXES

APPENDIX A ~ THE FIDLANNA

APPENDIX B ~ THE OGHAM

APPENDIX C ~ BRANCH CUTTING RITUAL

APPENDIX D ~ FAERY RECIPES

APPENDIX E ~ DICHETAL DO CHENNAIB

APPENDIX F ~ A BRIEF HISTORY OF VISUALISATION & HEALING

APPENDIX G ~LORE OF THE GREAT TREES

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

INTRODUCTION

Come delve into the backbone of the Irish Celt and the glamoury of the Faery-Faith Tradition. You shall do so through the invisible and natural worlds as a candidate of the Heroic Faery. In doing so, you will become armed with four sacred talismans: a stone, a sword, a spear and a cauldron.

You will earn the right to claim these four tools of the invisible world, keys that they are, through the ordeals of earth, air, fire and water. By choosing to walk this path, you will undergo the challenge of the natural world and thus pass into Championhood, becoming ordained as a companion of the Tuatha De Danann, a Guardian or Warrior of the Order of Sacred Tara.

The Sidhe, the Shining Ones, first brought the four sacred talismans of Faery to Ireland. The realm of Faery consists of many different layers or dimensions. Admittance into the different dimensions can lead to a great city of elemental wonder and magic. Each city contains a powerful lesson on creation.

On this journey, I shall act as your Faery Companion and guide you through the dolmen into the other country. I shall act as your Faery Guardian by providing you with the mystery teachings of the OtherWorld Draoi or Faery Sages, who trained the Tuatha De Danann or children of the God Dana.

Through contact with the Faery Sages, with the secrets received from the Irish Solar Divinities, by the magic of the Solar Ogham and other sacred symbols, you will come to experience the world of Sidhe, the Land of Faery, and creation.

On this journey, passage through each of the four elemental ordeals will lead you into the center of the mystic spiral, a symbol so prevalent in Irish and Celtic art. There, the regaining of acute awareness and consciousness of what was before, but is no longer part of the memory of humankind will be ascertained.

Faery Initiations of Stone, Sword, Spear & Cauldron contains a wealth of information that will lead you back to your Authentic Self with the blessings of Sidhe. The content of this volume is the food-stuff on which Grove vows are taken. This is the knowledge of the Champion and, as we all very well know, information is power.

The Order of Sacred Tara

The Order of Sacred Tara is comprised of people from diverse cultural backgrounds. We are nature people, who stand on the side of green-ness. We are the ecoists of Gaia in the dawning of this twenty-first century.

Those of us who participate in the world of Faery are called into the Order of Sacred Tara to become Guardians and Warriors: defenders of Mother Earth -- No compromise. For that is the soul of the Faery-Faith.

As a candidate of the Order you shall (in theory) journey the path of will into the western Emerald Isle to find the gateway of the emotions in the south province of Ireland. There you will cross the threshold to become a Guardian of the Order of Sacred Tara, and thus connect intimately with the pure Irish spirit of Faery.

The Origin of the Noble Order of Tara

In 1996, I was made a Grand Dame Commander of the Noble Order of Tara, located in Enniscorthy, Ireland. I founded the California based, Priory of Brigid’s Hearth & Faery-Faith. My Priories’ special environmental project focused on clean water. I ordained dozens of Companions and helped to establish three other Priories in the United States.

The Noble Order of Tara (NOT) is a branch of the Fellowship of Isis, co-founded by Lawrence and Pamela Durdin-Robertson, and Olivia Robertson. In May 1989, a young American, Douglas Reagan, knocked at the castle door and asked Lawrence Durdin-Robertson to bestow on him the Accolade of Knighthood. Douglas explained that he wished to found an Order of Chivalry with the intention of conserving nature. His first aim was to help cleanse the Irish Sea of pollution from nuclear waste. Douglas asked: Why should the British have all the good things? Why shouldn’t ordinary people be Knights and Dames?

Lawrence Durdin Robertson and his sister, Olivia Robertson, considered the idea and agreed to become Chancellors of Douglas’ proposed Noble Order of Tara. The Chief Herald of Ireland had matriculated Lawrence as 21st Baron Strathloch in 1979, so he had the authority of bestowing Knighthood through his baronial court.

They arranged the first Tara ceremony and offered the motto "pro Dea et Natura alongside Douglas’ as an bhean O Tara. The name Tara" comes from the Goddess Tea or Tephi, who presides over Ireland’s royal mound and her Stone of Destiny known as the Lia Fail. The Robertson’s believed that the stone of Rulership could be found in every land and is the aegis of the Earth Goddess.

The ceremony began in the ruined Abbey of Dana and made its way to the gateway of Clonegal Castle (Lawrence & Olivia’s home), before which stood a Guardian (a Count of the Holy Roman Empire and a Knight of Malta), with his halberd, who barred the way. From there, the company processed into the Temple of Isis located within the dungeon of the castle, home of the Fellowship of Isis. The procession continued to the sacred Well of Brigid, a Druidic Well around which the castle was built.

During the course of the ceremony no vows were taken, but rather a dedication of Intention was made. The earthly elements were not conquered but absorbed. The Irish Deities were offered incense in honor of Their Divinity. Olivia channeled the spiritual power of Goddess through her hands into the candidate as an act of empowering his work.

Soon after the ceremony, the Order sprang into wider being. Olivia and Lawrence felt as if people had been waiting for it and thus, Priories were formed around the world.

In 2002, in a reformation within the Faery-Faith Tradition & Network, the Order of Sacred Tara was birthed to provide a focus for individuals dedicated to the spiritual pathway of the Faery-Faith, while preserving the integrity and intention of NOT. In our separation from FOI-NOT, we claim no connection to its organizational structure, however, out of respect, we do acknowledge it as the origin of our Order’s lineage.

Olivia Robertson tells us, When we are inspired by the Deities of the land, that which appears impossible may come to pass… To commune with the Earth Goddess is to love one’s Mother, and so share in her Divine Creation.

As individuals dedicated and personally linked to the land of Ireland, it is only natural for us to continue the NOT devotion through the specifically aligned Irish Order of Sacred Tara.

To delve deeply into the natural world is to commune on a very personal level with the OtherWorld, to align with those Beings, such as nature spirits or fairy allies, spirit guides and angels, found betwixt and between that other country and our world.

To stand as Guardian or Warrior of the Order, means to come to understand and know the soul of Ireland, the Divinities of the land, the Sidhe. In doing so, we share in Divine Creation and become part of a whole and healthy world on all dimensions.

INVOCATION OF TARA

~ In honor of our lineage origin, The Noble Order of Tara

…Beautiful Tara, in whose waving hair

Many-colored flowers gleam,

Whose robe is the ocean,

Whose seat is the rock of destiny,

Goddess of this earth,

Bless us.

All nature is Your robe of green and gold.

Our intent is the protection and preservation of Nature.

Pro Dea et Natura is our will.

As an bhean O Tara.

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

Becoming A Candidate Of The Order

Learn then of the Four Treasures of the Tuatha De Danann.

The Gods and Goddesses of Eiré,

Came on clouds out of the Heavens from Four Cities in the Sky.

For What Purpose Would You Seek These?

CHAPTER ONE

THE WHITE BRANCH OF FAERY

"When the trees were enchanted

There was hope for the trees,

That they should frustrate the intention

Of the surrounding fires."

~ Câd Goddeu

All beginnings originate in the un-manifest, in Bith, and here, on earth, in the Sphere of Cessair. In Faery glamoury we begin our yearly work at the Time of the Little Sun, the season of Geimhreadh (GEV-rah) -- winter, which begins at Samhain (SOW-an)-- 31 October.

During winter, we rest in the dark womb of the Earth Goddess, we rest in a state of wholeness; last year’s spiritual work has been harvested and we arrive at a new level of understanding.

At the Festival of Samhain, it is time to view the up-coming year, while consulting the Sidhe for a new spiritual direction that will be birthed as the new Winter Solstice sun kisses the land awake at dawn. The power of Cessair is upon the earth and life temporarily dwells in the sacred center of the Holy Trinity (discussed in Chapter Two).

Lighting a candle makes affirmations, for the new spiritual direction. The flame becomes symbolic of the personal dedication to necessary tasks ahead that will lead to the fulfillment of the new spiritual identity. If the work is properly planned and executed, the harvest promises abundance.

This book focuses on preparing oneself to become a Guardian or Warrior of the Order of Sacred Tara (OST). As a candidate, you are invited to prepare for one turning of the sacred wheel, thus, walking the path of each season, fully dedicated and focused on the this task. In essence, this book constitutes a year-long apprenticeship program and, while the following outline might present an ideal starting point, you could begin working on your new spiritual identity, at any time during the year. Faery Glamoury is timeless.

 The Time Of The Little Sun

The season of Geimhreadh (GEV-rah) -- winter, which begins at Samhain (SOW-an) -- 31 October, and Earrach (Are-uckh) -- spring, which begins at Imbolg (IM-bolk) --1 February.

Geimhreadh -- Winter Faery Glamoury

♣ Samhain reading

♣ Pathworking in Falias to meet Morfhis

♣ Meditation with the Solar Gods and Goddesses of Magh Findargart

♣ Ailm magic at An Nulloig

♣ The Stone of Destiny

♣ The Ordeal of Earth

Earrach -- Spring Faery Glamoury

♣ Imbolg Candle Magic

♣ Pathworking in Gorias to meet Urias of the Noble Nature

♣ Meditation with the Solar Gods and Goddesses of Magh Mell

♣ Ohn magic at An Earrach

♣ The Sword of Illumination

♣ The Ordeal of Air

 The Time Of The Big Sun

The season of Samhradh (SOUR-ah) -- summer, which begins at La Baal Tinne (Law BAL-tene) -- 1 May, and Fomhar (FOE-war) -- autumn, which begins at Lughnasadh (LOO-nassa) --1 August.

Samhradh -- Summer Faery Glamoury

♣ Céadamh Oracle

♣ Pathworking in Findias to meet Arias the Fair-haired poet

♣ Meditation with the Solar Gods and Goddesses of Magh Ionganaidh

♣ Ur magic at La Fheile Eoin

♣ The Spear of Destiny

♣ The Ordeal of Fire

Fomhar -- Autumn Faery Glamoury

♣ Lughnasadh

♣ Pathworking in Murias to meet Senias

♣ Meditation with the Solar Gods and Goddesses of Sen Magh

♣ Eadha magic at La Fheile Fomhar

♣ The Cauldron of Inspiration

♣ The Ordeal of Water

† Annir agus Ridire de an Craobh Bán

Receiving the Accolade

THE TIME OF THE LITTLE SUN

The Four Cities in the Sky were named

Falias, Gorias, Findias, and Murias.

This ancient knowledge has been preserved by the Megalithic Order,

Which we Bhairds gave only through the spoken word until the time

The Christian Monks committed some of the words in scripts

Written in Latin.

THE LEARNING BEGINS

WINTER

CHAPTER TWO

THE SEASON OF GEIMHREADH

"To the Christian Monks, the Deities were Kings and Queens,

Who later bore the names of the Dananns.

They reported that the Dananns brought the Lia Fail,

Stone of Destiny, from Falias.

Every hearth and Order has such a stone.

In Eire, the Stone of Destiny is presided over by the Goddess Tara

or Te-a.

Behold, our own Lia Fail,

The capstone of our altar!"

~ Olivia Robertson

Winter is the first season or first half of the Time of the Little Sun and contains the following months:

Samhna (SOW-nah) -- November

Nollag (NULL-ug) -- December

Eanair (ANN-irr) -- January

During the season of winter, the Great Festival of Samhain occurs on the 31st of October, the smaller event or seasonal holiday of An Nollaig, also known as the Winter Solstice, occurs between the 20th - 22nd of December.

There are certain types of spiritual working that are better performed annually during the season of winter. Each application or process has been designed to facilitate a deeper attunement with the Irish Faery-Faith Traditional theology and its cosmology, as well as clearly understanding in the spiritual foundation of the Order of Sacred Tara philosophy.

As a candidate of the Order of Sacred Tara the journey begins. As you undergo your ordeals may you experience the powers of the OtherWorld and receive the deep Eagnaíocht (wisdom) of the Sidhe.

The journey begins at the eve of winter, as the last day of summer wanes, with a celebration of the Great Festival of Samhain.

The Beginning of Winter

When summers ends, winter begins. This astronomical event always occurs on the eve of November, the 31st of October.

The doorway, leading betwixt and between this world and the Land of Faery is revealed. The natural world comes fully awake.

On this eve, the celebration of Samhain takes place.

In the Irish Faery-Faith Tradition this is the time to commune with the ancestors and the Shining Ones.

In Ireland it is not advised to go out and about on the heath, or Lough side, or lonely mountain top, or anywhere near a Faery Fort during this night. The two worlds have merged and many OtherWorld creatures are out and about, some of which a human would never want to encounter.

This is the night when the Bright Powers, the Dim Powers and the Dark Powers freely roam the land. Unless you have achieved a keen level of discernment, the prospects of meeting up with a creature of the Dark Powers and being fooled by such a Being into thinking it is of the Bright Powers can easily occur.

After sundown, Samhain is the time to gather with your family beside the fire and tell tales, enjoying the warmth of each other’s company. This is a night for remembering the ancestors.

As the night waxes into fullness it is time to perform a sacred Faery Divination by drawing tarot cards, casting the Fidlanna and ogham staves, or using other oracles. This night the voice of the Faery can be heard through acts of divination and, if the tool is interpreted properly, They will guide you into the next turning of the sacred wheel of your life.

Traditional Forms of Faery Divination

Before guiding you through the Samhain Divinatory Ritual, I want to introduce you to the different types of divination tools you might use, as mentioned above.

Tarot cards are tools that provide spiritual guidance and insight into many aspects of your life. My Faery Wicca Tarot (Llewellyn) is designed specifically for the Faery-Faith Tradition. Each card contains a mystery teaching and meditative practice to help unlock the ancestral wisdom of the Faery Realm. My Faery Wicca Tarot is your gateway to the four great Faery cities and all the spiritual lessons found within each city.

Each shining card represents a gift of wisdom from the Gods and Goddesses of the Irish pantheon. Many of the cards can be used as direct links to a specific energy or divine aspect of the Sidhe, as well as an alignment to one of the many powerful sacred sites throughout Ireland. The idea behind the Faery Wicca Tarot was conceived while in Ireland through a vision Goddess Dana gave. They are very magical and Faery blessed.

The Fidlanna is a very old form of divination that fell out of use and memory until 1995, when it was first published in my book Faery Wicca, Book Two (Llewellyn). I originally came across this system of divination in one of the ancient Irish annals. After meditating on these Faery "Lots," a comprehensive system was provided, along with the meaning of each possible cast. Appendix A ~ The Fidlanna contains instructions on creating the lots, how to cast them, and the possible interpretations for each. (When using the Fidlanna in the following Samhain Divinatory Ritual, only cast the lots once. ) This form of divination is also Faery inspired and is, therefore, Faery blessed.

Ogham staves are traditionally made from the wood of each tree. The most commonly acknowledged form of the ogham is the Irish Beth-Luis-Nion tree alphabet, which takes its name from the sacred trees whose initials are the sequence of its letters. The ogham was used in Ireland many centuries before the introduction of the Roman alphabet.

The ogham is an advanced study in Faery glamoury, as it usually takes individuals many years of study to acquire the deeper hidden Bhairdic teaching of each ogham. There are twenty-five ogham total (the fifteen consonants, the five vowels and the five diphthongs). However, in divination only the thirteen lunar ogham are used. Appendix B ~ The Ogham provides a brief explanation on creating a set of ogham staves, as well as the most commonly accepted interpretation for each of the lunar ogham.

The ogham were not original invented for divinatory use, but today, many individuals have begun turning to them for this more basic use.

A Samhain Reading, 31 October

To perform a Samhain Reading Ritual it is advised to create sacred