Egyptian Underworld Initiation – 10/22/2016
Saturday, October 22 – Marlborough/Hudson UU Church – Doors open at 6pm
The initiation of the deceased to the mysteries of the underworld and the purifications and investment of pharaoh and higher order priests shared a common ritual, rooted in Egypt’s mythic past. Performed upon the living, these rites are an initiation in every sense of the word. The physical body is hallowed and the spiritual bodies are vitalized and integrated. Participants will experience a genuinely Egyptian ritual, reconstructed from the various books of the afterlife and temple texts. No experience necessary, just an open mind.
Doors open at 6pm, doors will close and the pre-ritual discussion will begin at 7pm.
There will be a potluck supper following the Ritual so please bring a dish to share. We’ll supply cups, plates, eating utensils, and beverages. (No alcohol please).
All adults are welcome, and no experience is necessary. For families with kids under 14, we suggest the Pagan Family Connection Samhain celebration on October 30 in Grafton.
Is Your Idol Idle?
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When one hears the word idol (in connection with religion), associations include the Hebrew commandment concerning graven images, Christian writers condemning idol worship, iconoclasts destroyed images of their own faith, and so forth.
Given that cultural background, where does that leave us, as modern neopagans? We all have an abundance of images, statues, etc sitting around our homes, some on altars. What do we do with them? How do we regard them?
On the Shabaka stone, dedicated by the Kushite pharaoh Neferkare (711-697BC), Ptah is said to have:
… made their (the God’s) bodies according to their wishes.
Thus the Gods entered into their bodies,
Of every wood, every stone, every clay,…
Thus, in ancient Egypt, idols were not idle. Images of the Gods, particularly statues, various symbols and objects, structures, and temples were held to be dwelling places of aspects of the Gods’ Spirits. As such, an image was regarded as a body of manifestation for a God/dess, an avatar of sorts. This was particularly true if the image had been consecrated and the God/dess invited to inhabit it. The indwelling Deity was adored, not the image per se.
When asked how best I could draw closer to the Goddess, Michael, my teacher, advised me to stand in front of an image of Her and invoke for five minutes per day. After experimentation, this invocation took the form of an offering rite, and later in a reconstruction of Egyptian temple ceremonies. The result was the same as in ancient times, the growing sense of divine Presence within the image and the joy of intimate communion with that Presence.
It makes sense. Energy follows thought. Venerating an image of the Divine opens one’s subtle senses to the Divine and focuses the mind. Perhaps descendant from ancient belief, the western esoteric tradition teaches that if a thought form is sufficiently well formed, one of the Powers may take interest and ensoul it.
The end result is the same, a sense of Presence, the Gods palpably drawn closer.
The Society of Elder Faiths will be performing the Consecration Ceremony at this year’s Lammas Faire. If you would like to begin or augment a devotional practice, this is a unique opportunity to forge a link with the divine. We invite you to bring an image of your chosen God/dess and join us August 7th at the Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.
samhain 2014
Saturday Nov. 1, 2014, Hayes Lodge, Metrowest YMCA Outdoor Center, Hopkinton, MA.
$5 members / $10 non-members
Doors open at 6 PM; Orientation at 7
To the Celts, the Morrigan appeared in many guises: Macha, the Horse Mother; Nemhain, the Battle-frenzy; the Washer at the Ford, who foretold death; Badb, the Raven, who escorted the Dead to the Otherworld. And though she is considered a Goddess of battle and of Death, at Samhain the Morrigan was mated with Dagda, the Earth-Father and God of Life, reminding us that life and death are part of one cycle.
In our ritual, we offer our blessings to our own Beloved Dead. Then we also look back on the changes and losses that have taken place this year and in our own past. Even changes that we know are beneficial can seem like “little deaths” — a casting away of parts of ourselves. Just as the Goddess will lead us to the Otherworld when our time comes, She also eases these transitions that can feel like little deaths.
There will be a simple potluck supper after the Ritual. Please note that we will not be able to heat food onsite, but we will be able to set up some crockpots. If you wish to bring a potluck dish, please bring items that will not need to be heated OR bring something in a crockpot, fully prepared and cooked, along with any necessary serving utensils. We’ll supply cups, plates, eating utensils, and some hot beverages. (Alcohol is not allowed at the YMCA.) Soups, breads, and desserts will make a hearty autumn feast!
Please be prompt! To allow us to start on time, there will be no admittance after 7 PM. This will be serious magickal working for all attending, and as such is not suitable for children.
Please note: Alcohol and pets are not permitted at the YMCA.
Click here for directions to the YMCA.
Spirituali-TEA 2014
Sunday, October 19, 2014 3 – 5 PM
Located at the Metrowest YMCA Outdoor Center in Hopkinton. Event will be held in Hayes Lodge.
Admission is free, although we ask for voluntary donations to cover site rental, tea and cookies.
How do I find a coven? How do we find new students?
Both are questions we often hear at SEF gatherings. Spirituali-TEA is a casual event designed to bring these two groups together.
There will be an overview / orientation at 3 PM. After introductions, individuals will have the opportunity to sequentially chat with each coven, rather like speed dating, followed by unstructured conversation.
This is a great opportunity to meet other members of the community, and to find the coven or student you have been looking for.
Covens must register in advance, so that a program may be prepared. Please contact Shawn Berry by October 12th.
Click here for directions to the YMCA.
spring retreat 2015
Autumn Retreat 2014: Finding the Divine in Nature
October 3 – October 5
Our annual Autumn Retreat is held in October each year. The Journey into Spirit Retreat is a magickal intensive, focusing on ritual, advanced magickal learning, and pushing our boundaries spiritually.
Finding the Divine in Nature
As Pagans, we recognize that our practices revolve around the natural world. Bot how much time have you taken lately to be immersed in nature? When was the last time you reflected on your spiritual practice – your relationship to the divine as it connects to your relationship with the Earth?
Join us at the Society of Elder Faith’s fall retreat, where we will explore our spiritual practice in the outdoors. We’ll work with the energies of the natural world and learn new ways of seeing and observing our natural surroundings in the beautiful Berkshire mountains.
Blending natural history teachings, solitary time in nature and an exploration of the divine in nature, we hope to help bring the natural world into your spiritual practice in a real and tangible way.
One registration from required per person. Payment is required in advance. Non-members are welcome! If you have questions or concerns, email Cynthia.