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Avalonian Spirituality

2/26/2024

Avalonian Spirituality - an article by Frater the Revd Gwydd Morgan KSJA

“Two traditions meet in Avalon, the ancient faith of the Britons and the creed of Christ”.

According to legend, it was to Avalon, Glastonbury, that the first Christian mission to Britain occurred with St Joseph of Arimathea reputedly bringing firstly the infant Jesus to Avalon and then later after Christ’s death he brought the “Holy Grail” to the island. The grail is reputed to be either the chalice used at the last supper, or the bowl used to catch Christ's blood from the cross, or it being both of these things. There has existed and exists to this day a Christian presence in Glastonbury, from the medieval abbey and its predecessors, to the many different churches that make Glastonbury their home.

Glastonbury is also of course the home of the Holy Thorn, said to be a remnant of St Joseph’s staff, which flowers twice a year and of which a sprig is sent to the British monarch every Christmas.

This story of Christ and St Joseph in Avalon raises the intriguing possibility that somewhere deep at the heart of Christianity there lies the influence of the ancient Druidic faith, and also that in return at the heart of the ancient faith of Albion there is an influence and blessing from Christ himself. A wonderful mutual cross fertilisation that even if there is doubt about the historical facts , certainly exists in the heart of all who personally follow both traditions. Seen in this light Christianity and Druidry are not separate traditions, but only different ways of expressing that deep mystery at the centre.

And perhaps this mystery could be called the Graal.

Whether the holy grail is a real object or not, is of much less importance than the individual and personal quest to find it. A quest that even if it does not lead us to find an actual historical object, nevertheless holds great rewards in itself and perhaps even a glimpse of the truth the graal contains. After all, even in the Arthurian legends the Knights never actually possessed the grail, blinded by the vision of it Galahad dies and Percival becomes a monk.

Which brings us to the third aspect of Avalon, that of Arthurian tradition, Glastonbury being the traditional place Arthur was taken at the time of his Death, and the medieval abbey claiming to have his grave. Again as with the grail, the literal truth of the story is less important than its spiritual truth. Arthur is the king who unites. Unites the tribes of the Britons, but also unites the influence of the old religion of these lands with the Christian stories of the graal. He is the figure who stands at the junction between the mysteries of the Druidic religion, with the influence of Merlyn and the growing strength of the new religion of Christianity, which inspires ideals of knighthood, or chivalry, of bravery and of honour.

And this is the figurative and spiritual truth of it all.

As Knights of St Joseph and Dames of St Mary Magdalene, our duty is to hold in creative tension these different strands, much like the Arthur of legend did. To embrace the old religion, the Druid path, honouring this land of Albion, its powerful history and its supernatural forces, to guard them and perhaps wake them as necessary. This was named the green strand by Dion Fortune. To embrace Christianity, the religion which completes the yearnings of the ancient druids and shows the truth of the divine to which they were moving. The purple strand, woven into our mantles and reflecting the new monasticism of the Holy Celtic Order of the Temple. For although not cloistered we nevertheless stand committed to one another and are brothers and sisters, honouring in our own way St Benedict's call to stability. The third strand, the orange strand is to embrace the knightly virtue of Arthur’s round table, inspired by our faith to protect the true believers in the old and the new, to spiritually protect the land from invasion and from those who do not follow the creeds of chivalry, mercy, kindness and truth. To embrace the quest for the grail, ever moving closer to that revelation of all that we truly need. Moving from one challenge to another, using learning, skill and wisdom to overcome each obstacle, following the clues given, to wherever they may lead us.

The Universalism of Memphis+Misraim

11/14/2023

"The Universalism of Memphis+Misraim" by Tau Blaise

Several times in previous pastoral letters and articles I have referred to the Liberal Catholic Acts of Faith and to the universalism inherent therein, especially apparent in the sentence “that all His sons shall one day reach His feet, however far they stray.” Here the Liberal Catholic tradition presents our conviction that through the working out of karma, over many lifetimes all people will in the end achieve salvation through enlightenment. So, in this sense “universalism” refers to universal salvation. The wider implication however, is that salvation does not depend on adherence to any particular belief system. Ones religious tradition in a particular incarnation is, ideally, an aid on the path towards eventual reintegration, no more and no less. This leaves us free to explore many different religions and spiritualities as the Spirit may move us.

Tracing Board for the 56° - Sublime Magus

The freedom to explore various spiritual paths, however, comes with several potential pitfalls. We may, for example, fail to give a particular system the commitment it deserves for the achievement of maximum success. This may certainly be the case if one is trying to acheive spiritual proficiency as a Yogi or a monk, however, in today’s global marketplace where all the major spiritual traditions display their wares, it is possible and maybe even desirable to sample a few differents paths before commiting to working in depth with one or two - or more if you happen to have the time and the ability to hold them together. I have found it helpful to visualise the “Interior Castle” (inspired by St Teresa of Avila) with a Liberal Catholic room - in my case the largest in the house - along with a Druid hall and Buddhist and Hindu salons. There is no limit to the number of rooms you can explore in your own interior castle! In whichever room you happen to be working you are still You. The experiences that each room offers may be different in some ways and similar in others, but in all cases you yourself are the one who experiences and integrates the various coloured threads being woven into the fabric of your life.

TB 35° - Knight of the Temple, Knight of Sirius

I know from many years experience in trying to steer my attraction to various spiritualities into a single direction that this is no easy task. Sometimes one is simply “spoilt for choice” and ends up choosing nothing! I am fortunate, however, to have a foundation in Spiritualism and its older sibling Shamanism, both of which are compatible with most other spiritual systems, which leads me nicely to the main point of this article and that is to share with you a unifying system that encompasses most of the main religious traditions of the earth, namely the Ancient and Primitive Rite of Memphis+Misraim.

Of all the Masonic rites, the 18th century Rites of Memphis and Misraim, based on the Egyptian Masonry of the martyr, Count Alessandro Cagliostro, are the most mystical and the most magical. Among the 100° are some degrees dedicated to ancient Egyptian workings as well as those inspired by a plethora of spiritual traditions including Roman, Greek, Hebrew, Templar, Rosicrucian, Martinist, Druidic, Norse, Hindu and Buddhist traditions, all moving towards the eventual goal of union with the Great Architect of the Universe. This alone would be useful enough for one who seeks a unifying system for all of the most important mystical paths, however our particular branch of Free Illuminist Memphis-Misraim has a particularly interesting history, having evolved in Haiti.

Tau Ogdoade-Orfeo III, Papa Hector

The reorganiser of the rite in Haiti (in 1921), Bishop Lucien-Francois Jean-Maine (Tau Ogdoade-Orfeo I) was descended from slaves who were, allegedly, owned by the famous masonic mystic and founder, Martines Pasqually. Ⲧ Lucien-Francois was a Houngan as well as a Gnostic Bishop and so blended elements of Afro-Atlantean magic with Memphis+Misraim. This unique endeavour was further developed by his son Hector-Francois, also a Houngan and Gnostic Bishop (Tau Ogdoade-Orfeo III), who in turn passed the baton on to Bishop Michael Paul Bertiaux (Tau Ogdoade-Orfeo IV) through whom we are blessed to have inherited Jean-Maine lines of Apostolic Succession.

We are also particularly grateful to Tau Allen Greenfield and Tau Palamas who have done so much to make this particular form of the Ancient and Primitive Rite of Memphis+Misraim known and accessible throughout the world and very grateful also to our brothers and sisters in Serbia, particularly Tau Qadosh, Tau Nuctemeron & Suor Naunet who have so generously shared with us and initiated us into this beautiful and potent magical order. We now have working lodges in both Serbia and Spain, where individuals may apply for initiation, but it should also be said that unlike most other masonic systems, the APRM+M is particularly suited for solitary and small group workings, which for many of us is a great advantage.

"When man is no longer a slave, we must appeal to his heart and intellect, if we would bring about the reign of peace, harmony and science." (from APRM+M ritual)

TB 36° - Sublime Negociant

TB 82° - Grand Elect of the Temple of Midgard

"Of Monks, Mystics and Magic" by the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA (Tau Blaise)

10/2/2023

"Of Monks, Mystics and Magic" by the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA (Tau Blaise)

“All rituals and ceremonies, whatever explanations of their efficacy may be offered by their official apologists have, and must have, as the rationale of their existence, a magical, i.e. a hypnotic, character, and all persons who are naturally drawn towards ceremonial religion are in this respect really devotees of magic.” Evelyn Underhill

For the average 21st century Christian the idea that monasticism and magic can be meanfully connected is fairly absurd. Of course evangelicals assume that Romish superstitions and occult superstitions are much the same sort of thing, and in a sense they are correct, as we shall see, however, the majority of Christians, if they can admit that magic exists at all, probably still think of it as the antithesis and opponent of Christianity.

Firstly, let me say that I know from personal experience that magic, both good and bad, is very real. There are those who consciously work against the Light as Black Magicians and many more people who unconsciously and unwittingly do the same. In fact, the powers of darkness at this present time are as strong, yet just as elusive, as ever they were. Recently in Europe, a traditionalist Old Catholic bishop died, with whom I had crossed swords about a decade ago. For me, the world feels like a safer place without him, for he was in fact, at least at one point in his life, a practising Satanist. I know of a few others who lean in the same sinister direction, all of whom bring the the Old Catholic, Esoteric Catholic and Gnostic communities into disrepute. It is hard to fathom the attraction for such pursuits, but sometimes an individual is compelled towards the left hand path by a demonic infestation and sometimes he may be a casualty of fundamentalist Christianity, who then turns to the dark side in the misguided hope of finding relief for his psychological wounds. Such, I believe, was the case with Aleister Crowley, who struggling to process his Plymouth Brethren upbringing, rebelliously immersed himself in occultism and the pursuit of supernatural power for its own sake (Grey or Black Magic) rather than for the ultimate goal of reintegration with the Divine (White Magic).

Fr Basil Valentine - Monk & Alchemist

White Magicians, like the Blacks and Greys, have always been around, from the earliest times, and right through the middle ages. At that time monastic libraries were, of course, the repositories of ancient classical magical texts and many notable monks also contributed to the evolution of high magic with the study of astrology, alchemy, occult herbalism and the Kabbala. On the more mundane level, operative magic usually required a knowledge of Latin and the power to sacramentally bless people and objects, therefore the role of operative magician was often also embraced by monks, who were both literate and had the time and space for such arcane pursuits. In Britain, after the dissolution of the monasteries, much of this monastic magical tradition passed from the forcibly retired monks into the hands of the village cunning men and women, where it has survived, in part, to this day.

The stated purpose of monasticism, as the Rule of St Benedict tells us, has always been to “seek God” and when He is found to unite with him for all eternity, a foretaste of heaven here on earth. This trajectory, from a sense of separation from God as a result of our fallen (i.e. imperfect) human nature, through the mystical stages of Purification and Illumination, leading to eventual Union, is theoretically achieved by the monk through a disciplined prayer life, meditation/contemplation and participation in the rituals of the church. In its own way, all of these too may be considered magical, for as Brother ADA writes in “Ritual Magic for Conservative Christians”, “By your baptism you have already been initiated into one of the greatest magical orders in history” and “Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy are pretty much pre-packaged magical systems in a state of denial”.

Happily we Liberal Catholics, coming from Theosophy as we do, have never been in a state of denial about the magical nature of our sacramental system, and for the last hundred years have actively engaged in magical pursuits alongside our more apparently conventional Liberal Catholicism.

Abbé Julio (Ernest Houssay, 1844 - 1912)

It would be a mistake to assume that monastic and clerical interest in magic ebbed at the dawn of the modern era. The revival of Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism and Druidism in the 17th and 18th centuries, each with their own clerical initiates, would suggest otherwise, whilst in the 19th century we have the example of the renowned ceremonial magician and author, Eliphas Levi, who was a Roman Catholic cleric before devoting himself permanently to the occult. Amongst the 19th century French Gnostics, I must also mention the Abbé Julio, a fine magician, from whom I have lines of apostolic succession. His “True Pentacles and Prayers” are immensely useful for various operations of White Magic, as indeed are the 18th and 19th century Theurgical Operations we have inherited from the Elus Cohen/Martinist tradition.

Magicians turn up in the most unlikely of places. For instance, who today could ever imagine that several members of the Community of the Resurrection (the "Mirfield Fathers" - an Anglican monastic community) were also members of the Order of the Golden Dawn, but such we now know to be the case, through the ground breaking research of Dr Anthony Fuller. (see "Anglo-Catholic Clergy and the Golden Dawn: The Ritual Revival and Modern Magical Orders 1887 - 1940" by Anthony Charles Fuller)

Photos above: left - Walter Frere CR, Bishop of Truro, & right, Timothy Rees CR, Bishop of Llandaff, both sometime members of the Order of the Golden Dawn

Personally, I look to the great 20th century magician Dion Fortune, for inspiration in blending the monastic with the mystical and magical. In her beautiful little book “Glastonbury: Avalon of the Heart” DF wrote chapters on the Abbey, Chalice Well, and the Tor, amongst other themes and places, and anyone who has read the book can be in no doubt that she believed and taught that the Christian tradition is just as inherently and potentially magical as the Druidism which preceded it. For DF Glastonbury (Avalon) is always the place where “Two traditions meet .........., the ancient faith of the Britons and the creed of Christ” and her magical workings reflected these two threads, as well as a third thread, drawn from the Hermetic magical tradition.

In my own inner planes landscape, therefore, the Benedictine monastic charism symbolised by Glastonbury Abbey, lives in a creative tension with the virile Druid energy of the Tor, the two coming together harmoniously through the reconciling energy of Chalice Well, which looks to the Grail as both the ancient cauldron of regeneration and the salvific cup of Christ. (I am indebted to James North for this particular insight.)

I would even venture to suggest, though neo-pagans for the most part are loathe to hear it, that to be a true Avalonian magician, the monastic devotional aspect is as essential as the Divine Feminine energy of the Wells and the Old God energy of the Tor. It is one of the challenges of contempory religion to reconcile the mystical Christian and magical Pagan as different sides of the same coin, and for this task we may draw inspiration from the precedent set by those monastic occultists who have pioneered the way. Deo Gratias!

"Mystic Avalon" by Kate Ballis

Foe further reflections on the Avalonian tradition please see this page and follow the links.

BIBLICAL AND SCRIPTURAL BASIS FOR THE SPIRITUAL MOTHERHOOD OF OUR LADY AND HER HEAVENLY COUNTERPART "SOPHIA".

8/27/2023

BIBLICAL AND SCRIPTURAL BASIS FOR THE SPIRITUAL MOTHERHOOD OF OUR LADY AND HER HEAVENLY COUNTERPART "SOPHIA". by Frater the Very Revd Francisco Javier Alonso-Rebollo KSJA

Sophia by Nicholas Roerich

Nuestra Señora de Covadonga

We will present three Gospel texts that make explicit reference to this truth: Specifically two pericopes from the Gospel of St. John and one from the Apocalypse, and we will progressively move towards a deeper and more accurate understanding of the role of Our Lady and the heavenly counterpart Sophia. Gospel texts:

1. Jn 2:1 ff. This whole episode of the wedding feast at Cana is framed in the perspective of Mary as mother - four times Our Lady appears in this scene with the title of mother of Jesus. As mother she also acts before the Son and before the servants. We see, then, a double motherhood: the physical one towards her Son and the spiritual one towards men, manifested in the phrase "Do whatever he tells you" (Jn 2,5).

2. Jn 19:25-27. Because of the whole context - of a clear messianic and ecclesiological flavour - Jesus' words give Mary a mission that is intimately connected with the redemptive work, which the Lord accomplishes at that moment: Mary is Mother of the followers of her Son.

3. Rev 12:1-18. This scene, from a Christological and canonical perspective, sees the Woman clothed with the sun as the physical Mother of Jesus. The Son, who is born, is attacked by the dragon, but God protects him from his attacks, and then, the serpent being scornful of the Woman, goes off to make war on the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and maintain the testimony of Jesus. Thus, in this vision Mary appears as the physical Mother of Christ and as the spiritual Mother of his disciples. It is in this passage that Sophia is relegated to the role of Mary. The "Woman clothed with the sun" is, in this case, Sophia.

From the Liberal Catholic perspective a distinction must be made between Sophia, an elevated Aeon of the Plenitude (Pleroma), whose meaning is "Wisdom" and who is of a feminine character, and the Virgin Mary, "the Mother of the Lord according to matter", who is an honourable figure of Gnosis, but is a human woman, whereas Sophia is celestial. Although she is known to the Gnostics in a very special way, Sophia was known to certain Biblical authors who wrote the Wisdom Literature (Book of Wisdom, Ecclesiastes, Ecclesiasticus and Proverbs, and also the Song of Songs), to ancient philosophers such as Philo, and to certain theologians known as "Sophiologists". However, we should not confuse them.

The Bishop of Hippo, basing himself on the Pauline doctrine of the Mystical Body, affirms that Mary is the mother of the Total Christ, although he clearly distinguishes between her physical or bodily maternity with respect to Jesus and her spiritual maternity with respect to the men incorporated into the Body (De sancta virginitate,). Our Lady and Sophia complement each other in helping the Soul to evolve.

Sophia has a commitment to creation and to the end (eschatology) of human history. One can be seen in Her rebuke to the Demiurge when She declared that "He is the only God and there are no other gods before Him". Another is His gift of the spirit of higher life to Adam, who was created an disabled fool by the Demiurge. She also inspired Eve and the serpent in order to facilitate the exit of the first human pair from the paradise of ignorance where they were confined. She continues to help humanity. The canonical Scriptures declare that She "penetrates into holy souls and makes them friends of God". There is much evidence of Her helpful presence among us to this day. There is a profound relationship in contemporary teachings on the Virgin Mary (Mariology) with Sophia. Teachings such as the Assumption of Mary, and her role as co-redeemer (CO-REDEMPTRIX) and mediator between God and man (MEDIATRIX) can easily be applied to Sophia. The exoteric (read that right, with an "x") Western Church has suppressed and forgotten the figure of Sophia and only the figure of Mary to whom all feminine mysteries and sanctity are now attributed was left.

Vladimir Sergeyevich Solovyov

Our Lady of Light or Celestial, Sophia, has appeared and communicates also with some human beings. She did so, for example, with the Russian philosopher Vladimir Sergeyevich Solovyov, also known by the transcription of his name as Vladimir Solovyov, at the end of the 19th century. In 1875, Solovyov undertook a study trip that took him via Warsaw and Berlin to London and from there to Cairo; then, in 1876, he went to Sorrento (Italy), where he wrote the esoteric dialogue Sophia. After a brief stay in Paris, he returned to Moscow, where he rejoined the university. This trip is important because it was then, during the days of research at the British Museum in London, that he experienced "the great vision of wisdom (Sophia)" which would so definitively mark all his subsequent development. In fact, his departure for Egypt had to do with this event. In the desert he renewed his vision and, returning to Italy with his friend Prince D. Tsertelev, wrote the above mentioned dialogue, one of Solovyov's most hermetic works.

There is one account of events in the history of Sophia after the formation of the Gospel narratives concerning Christ and that is the book "Pistis Sophia", although elements of His story appear in other Scriptures. Pistis Sophia is an important Gnostic text discovered in 1773, possibly written in the second century. The remaining five copies, which scholars place in the 5th or 6th century, relate the Gnostic teachings of the transfigured Jesus to the assembled disciples (including His mother Mary, Mary Magdalene and Martha), when the risen Christ had completed eleven years of speaking to His disciples, teaching them only the lower mysteries ("Transfigured" refers to Jesus after His death and resurrection).

Readings and reflections from the Liberal Catholic worldview will never be presented in a dogmatic way, quite the contrary. To enter into the liberal Catholic and Gnostic texts we must use not only the intellect but also "intuitive perception and the development of inner vision". We have to let these texts "enter us" and not only "enter them ourselves from the intellect". It is an act of openness, humility and deep respect. In short, it is an unquestionable act of initiation.

St Sophia the Holy Wisdom by Nicholas Roerich

"Transcendent Illumination: Exploring the Golden Light's Healing, Protection, and Redemption in Spiritual Journeys” by Frater the Rt Revd Morgan Lorio KTPP, Eques Spero Meliora

8/23/2023

"Transcendent Illumination: Exploring the Golden Light's Healing, Protection, and Redemption in Spiritual Journeys” by Frater the Rt Revd Morgan Lorio KTPP, Eques Spero Meliora

In the mystical domain of spiritual experiences, the phenomenon of the Golden Light emerges as a profound and transformative force that transcends the conventional boundaries of religious traditions. This radiant illumination, whether perceived as emanating from the Divine Within, the Divine Without, or as a harmonious fusion of Heaven and Humanity, holds the key to unlocking the deepest dimensions of human connection with the divine. As an adept treading the esoteric path, I find myself drawn to explore the multifaceted nature of the Golden Light, delving into its healing comfort, protective embrace, and redemptive essence from an arcane standpoint. Like Albert Einstein, I have concluded, however, that, ‘The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know.’ I remain the Eternal Entered Apprentice of Freemasonry and a visual metaphor for The Fool Tarot Card: On a Journey of Self Discovery.
Within the intricate tapestry of spiritual encounters, the Golden Light stands as an emblem of healing solace that resonates deeply with seekers of hidden truths. This radiant glow, often experienced as a soothing balm of warmth, extends an invitation to mend spiritual wounds and harmonize the discordant elements within the adept's soul. This resonates with the esoteric concept of inner alchemy, a transformative process that aligns with the Golden Light's potential to heal and uplift. As the adept immerses in prayer and meditation, a communion with the divine unfolds, akin to Christ's role as a healer and comforter in Christianity. The adept's inner sanctuary becomes bathed in the luminous flood of grace, enveloping them in a cocoon of restorative energy that transcends the confines of religious dogmas. I, myself, have been blessed with having physically felt peace beyond all understanding of the Golden Light permeating my very being during my near-death experiences. These experiences developed as I sought to calm my chronic cough and air hunger during my late-night meditations between 2 and 3 a.m. when the veil is most thin. This manifestation must be realized by oneself individually and cannot be effectively told by others as it is beyond description. Although I can speak to Golden Light personally, it can in fact only give rise to reactions in others only through this telling. I cherish my ‘wounds of brokenness’ as they lifted me beyond fear with the opening of a great light beyond the veil of darkness. The gentle Golden Light that radiates from Jesus’ Face must be drawn into oneself to receive healing of mind, body, and spirit. I have learned to expect miracles whenever my Lord chooses to work within me. Such an encounter bears fruit similar to those achieved by the Christ in pathworking through the Sorrowful Mysteries: submission and fortitude in the Agony in the Garden, discernment in the Scourging at the Pillar, humility in the Crowning with Thorns, perseverance in the Carrying of the Cross, and learning through obedience in the Crucifixion while restoring karmic balance through Divine Justice. Thus, we must bear up our wounds as did the Christ’s example in John 20:24-29.
“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6 KJV).”

The protective aspect of the Golden Light emanates as an ethereal shield, offering sanctuary to the adept traversing the intricate labyrinth of esoteric knowledge. This shield of divine guardianship is akin to the mantle of protection woven from the threads of consciousness and awareness. The adept, in alignment with this radiant armour, is fortified against the obscurities that often accompany esoteric exploration. This resonates with the alchemical notion of the Philosopher's Stone, a protective essence that guards against distractions and malevolent influences. Here, the adept's journey becomes a sacred quest guided by the radiant compass of the Golden Light, inviting them to navigate the esoteric realms with an assured sense of security.

"God is Light" by Sergey Roy

Yet, it is the redemptive facet of the Blessed Golden Light that takes the adept on a journey of profound transformation and rebirth. This theme is woven into the very fabric of esoteric wisdom, symbolized by the alchemical process of transmutation. The adept's engagement with the Golden Light mirrors the mystical journey of the soul, a passage from darkness to illumination. Just as Judaism's concept of Tikkun Olam speaks to the mending of the world and Martinists work towards Reintegration of the Fallen while being an agent of Omneity, the adept becomes an instrument of redemption, contributing to the restoration of cosmic harmony through their attunement to the Golden Light's redemptive essence. As the adept gazes into the abyss of their own being through prayer and meditation, they become vessels for the transformative influx of the Golden Light's radiance, emerging renewed and spiritually invigorated. The Bodhisattva Vow of Buddhism best combines the perpetual pursuit of wisdom and the enactment of compassion in the following:
"Beings are numberless; I vow to save them all.
Delusions arise ceaselessly; I vow to abandon them all.
Dharma gateways are beyond number; I vow to enter them all.
Buddha’s way is unsurpassable; I vow to inhabit it fully."
In the footsteps of Rumi's Sufi, poetic vision, the adept delves into the core of mystical experience, wherein the lover and the Beloved dissolve into a unified dance of consciousness. This union mirrors the marriage of Heaven and Humanity and resonates with the fusion of the adept's consciousness with the Golden Light. The esoteric path, akin to Rumi's perception, becomes a journey of merging with the divine essence, illuminated by the radiant currents of the Golden Light. It was Rumi in the 13th century who was the first to explicitly say, “The wound is the place where the light enters you.” Benjamin Blood expounded on this premise in the 1900s when he wrote, “There is a crack in everything that God has made; but through that crevice enters the light of heaven.” In 1929, Ernest Hemingway shared this just a bit differently, “The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places.” Thus, the chaplain or priest finds strength in vulnerability when he shares the archetype of the Wounded Healer with a suffering patient or congregant to nurture a sacred connection or Eucharistic communion.

Moreover, the Taoist Golden Light Mantra finds resonance in the adept's esoteric journey, functioning as a key to unlock hidden chambers of gnosis. This mantra, a vehicle of sacred sound and visualization, becomes a vessel for the adept's communion with the profound mysteries encapsulated in the Golden Light. The Taoist practice acknowledges the esoteric nature of this luminous force, transcending cultural and temporal barriers to guide the adept towards inner illumination. Below is one possible translation of Taoism’s Eight Great Spiritual Mantras, a consecration mantra for protective energy:

"The mysterious ancestor is heaven and earth; myriad Qi is the primordial origin.
Through deep cultivation of ten thousand kalpas, my spiritual penetration is confirmed.
Throughout the Three Realms internally and externally, the Tao is the only Worthy.
Tao’s body has the Golden Light, reflecting on my body.
Look at it—it cannot be seen, listen to it—it cannot be heard,
Embracing heaven and earth together, it nourishes all living beings.
Recite and uphold this mantra 10,000 times, and the body will be brightly illuminated.
The Three Realms will guard and protect: the Five Sovereigns will come to greet.
Myriad deities will pay obeisance, servicing the thunderbolt.
Ghost and demons will tremble in fear; evil spirits will lose their forms.
Sound of thunder is heard internally, revealing the hidden name of Thunder God.
Complete wisdom will be transmitted; the Five Qi will soar.
A Golden Light will manifest to protect all practitioners.
These mandates I will expediently follow." (Taoist Golden Light Mantra)

The Japanese practice of kintsugi, when viewed esoterically, takes on a new dimension as an allegory for the adept's journey. The adept, like the broken pottery, undergoes a process of spiritual mending and transformation. The adept's connection with the Golden Light acts as the alchemical gold that repairs and adorns the fragmented pieces of the soul, transforming them into vessels of divine radiance. The Golden Light of God’s Kintsugi pours into our cracks — healing His People — through new perspectives opened by the processes of brokenness.

Amid the intricate fabric of these spiritual dimensions, the adept experiences the luminous flood of grace, a torrent that inundates the depths of profound silence. This phenomenon unfolds beyond the limitations of the mind and heart, in the realm of the soul's primordial essence. The adept's encounter with the Holy Spirit, the embodiment of divine wisdom and illumination, serves as the apex of this journey. Through dedicated prayer and meditation, the adept becomes a receptive vessel for this luminous shower, a torrential downpour of the Golden Light's essence that floods their being, dissolving the boundaries of self and other.

The experience of the Golden Light fundamentally transcends the conventional confines of religious dogmas, presenting itself as a universal bridge that unites adept and divine through its healing comfort, protective nature, and redemptive essence. As an adept walking the esoteric path, I am inspired to harness this interdimensional perspective, tapping into the resonance of the Golden Light's qualities to immerse myself in its transformative currents. By doing so, I embody the essence of the Golden Light itself - a force that blurs the lines between Heaven and Humanity, leading my soul towards a harmonious and enlightened existence. Just as Rumi's verses, the Taoist Golden Light Mantra, the art of kintsugi, and the encounter with the Holy Spirit reveal, the Golden Light transcends time, space, and dimension, inviting adept and divine to partake in its luminous journey of healing, protection, and redemption, flooding the depths of silence with the radiance of grace.

Frater the Rt Revd Morgan Lorio KTPP, Eques Spero Meliora

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2/4/2021

Pastoral Letter, Feast of Ss Indract and Dominica of Glastonbury, Martyrs
- 5th February 2021

Cari Fratres et Sorores

We find ourselves in the second month of 2021 already and perhaps the less said about it the better. If, at this stage you are still in hibernation then that’s probably what you have chosen, and if you are awake you may be asking yourself “but what can I do?” Perhaps you are even feeling deflated and disempowered, and that is exactly where membership of our order may help. The vast majority of us are effectively powerless against the servants of darkness presently holding positions of power thoughout the world and it is quite obvious now that even our vote counts for little. However, there are a few individuals in positions of power who are fighting for the people and it is for them that we ought to pray and offer support.

Developing ourselves spiritually, particularly in “Defence against the Dark Arts” (to borrow a well known phrase!) is something that will help us feel empowered again and also enable us to participate in battle on the side of the light. The forces of light and darkness wrestle on earth at this time, but we may, and should, learn to engage in battle on the inner planes too. Whether engaged in physical or spiritual battle, Knights and Dames ought to be conspicuous for our fearlessness and readiness to tackle hostile environments, especially if it means that we thereby further the cause of light and truth and defend the most vulnerable members of society - and here I am particularly mindful of the evil of human trafficking and most especially the trafficking of children for neferious purposes.

I was initiated as a Knight Templar in Scotland back in 2008. It was one of the most significant of the initiations I have been fortunate to receive, and in subsequently founding our own Templar order back in 2010 my intention was to enable a greater number of people, of both sexes, to participate in the egregore of Templarism within an esoteric Christian sacramental context, rather than a Masonic one. The vision for this order was first of all inspired by the Avalonian tradition, that which is now the first grade, the Knights of St Joseph of Arimathea and the Dames of St Mary Magdalene. My own love for the Avalonian mythos was kindled whilst doing my Celtic Shamanism training near Glastonbury back in 2003 as well as studies through the three grades of the the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids some years earlier. However, I wanted to dive deeper into the Avalonian source and follow a different current than the fashionable New Age and neo-Pagan route. I knew that I was seeking something deeply rooted in Catholicism and yet also a magical system. It has taken 10 years of seeking and settling for the vision to become clearer and more communicable. To the first grade, within a few years we added the second and third grades, further developing the Grail theme to include the Pyrennean Grail - based mainly on the Cathar mythos - and the Templar Grail - which is at once more martial, political and magical. The path of the Grail, as the unifying factor, between the three grades has gradually become more focussed, each piece of the jigsaw falling into place at the right time.

Violet Mary Firth - Dion Fortune

Now in retrospect, I can see that our “Secret Chiefs” among the early Avalonians were working quietly behind the scenes. Until last year I had read few of the works of Dion Fortune and only had the barest knowledge of the early Avalonians, however further research has proven my intuition that it is they who have shown an interest in our order from the other side of life, since its inception. One might well ask, why would that be so (?), to which my answer might be as follows: I believe that if Dion Fortune were here today she would not be a Goddess worshipping Pagan, for if she were she would not be Dion Fortune! I can proclaim this with conviction, because her Christianity was a fundamental part of her personality. To reject it in favour of full blooded neo-paganism would be to lose a large portion of her soul. This is made clear both in “Glastonbury: Avalon of the Heart” and in the research of Gareth Knight, especially as presented in “Dion Fortune and the Threefold Way”. Therefore it is understandable that her discarnate soul should gravitate towards those who are attracted to that specifically Christo-Pagan Avalonian current with which she was so familiar and to which she devoted her life's work.

It is equally true, however, that Dion Fortune had little time for the Liberal Catholic Church, which again was understandable, mainly for two reasons. Firstly, she felt, rightly I believe, that Theosophy was doing British seekers and the Western Mystery Tradition a disservice by concentrating so fervently on eastern mysticism and she saw right through the error of the Krishnamurti delusion, which almost led to the demise of both Theosophy and Liberal Catholicism. Secondly, as a middle-church Anglican, without a first hand understanding of Catholic sacramental theology, Dion Fortune did not understand the fundamental necessity of the apostolic succession for the miraculous power of the sacraments and sacramentals. From the vantage point of hindsight I believe, and would certainly hope, that her soul now sees the power inherent in the apostolic succession, as Liberal Catholicism has continued to flourish and hold its own small niche against the tide of secularism, whilst her own “Church of the Grail”, not having had a solid sacramental foundation, has had to evolve in directions she could not have foreseen, nor probably chosen. Having that firm sacramental foundation I believe she would recognise that we are well placed to revive the egregore of the Church of the Grail, within our own Order, and I believe that we may do so with DF’s blessing as well as that of the Company of Avalon who were amongst her own inner contacts.

Tau Blaise - Coat of Arms

As God is my witness, when I felt inspired to organise the three grades of our order, to each of which was assigned a different colour cross - violet, blue and red respectively, - each representing a different path to the Grail, I had no idea (until a friend alerted me to the fact) that Dion Fortune had been working with a similar idea, whereby her initiates were expected to be conversant with three different paths at the same time: the orange path of Hermeticism and Magic; the green path of the Avalonian Faery Faith and the purple path of Christian Mysticism. Before I was aware of this fact, I designed my Coat of Arms as Tau Blaise (named for Blaise, the teacher of Merlin). As you see the Druid Faery faith is foundational as the shield has a green background and sprigs of mistletoe on either side of the Grail. The host indicates the centrality of the Eucharistic Christ and the Awen symbol the inspiration of the Druid tradition, but I also chose the drops and rays of the Awen to be coloured violet, blue and red, the symbolic colours of each of our grades. Little did I know that 70 years earlier Dion Fortune worked with the same three colours in her magical operations for the defence of Britain against the evil forces of Nazism.

Gareth Knight, tells the story, “ They had begun (Dion Fortune and her meditation group) by visualising angelic forces patrolling the coasts of the British Isles, but then certain images began to formulate to her meditation group at this time, constellating about certain key Arthurian figures, in the form of a triangle that linked three colored spheres, of red, blue and purple.

Artwork: Matt Baldwin-Ives

In the red sphere a mailed rider began to formulate, grasping a sword, and was identified with King Arthur. In the blue sphere a seated figure appeared, holding a diamond sceptre or rod of power, who was identified as Merlin. And in the purple sphere was seen a figure of the Christ holding the cup of the Holy Grail. By the end of April 1940 this triangle had transformed into a three dimensional pyramid with a figure of the Virgin holding the cup in the purple sphere, whilst the Christ rose to the golden apex of the pyramid.”

It seemed to me that the three drops and rays of Awen, in the colours of our order, on my shield, exactly corresponding to the colours of the three spheres worked by Dion Fortune’s group are at least “meaningful synchronicity”, if not a real sign of her favour and intention that, in our own small way, in these latter days, we might continue to develop her legacy along Christian esoteric lines.

So what can you do? Some of us in the higher grades are presently working, as a group, through “Arthurian Magic” by John and Caitlin Matthews, a book I would highly recommend. I would also suggest that our members read “The Magical Battle of Britain” by Dion Fortune and Gareth Knight, which contains many great ideas for working with the Light and against the Darkness, which now as then threatens to control our world. For initiates of the first grade we have also revived The Guild of the Master Jesus founded by Dion Fortune where you can enter more fully into both the Christian mysteries and the Avalonian tradtion. Where there is sufficient motivation we have many resources to share as well as opportunities for online fellowship.

Fraternal blessings to you all for a blessed Lent and a joyful Easter when it comes!

Master of the Holy Celtic Order of the Temple

Be safe, be well, and above all be prepared!

More information about the New Guild of the Master Jesus please see this page!

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4/24/2020

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Ascensiontide Pastoral Letter to the Holy Celtic Order of the Temple
& the Mar Thoma Liberal Catholic Church

O God, King of Glory, we pray thee that, as thine alone born son our dear Lord Christ hath ascended into the heavens, we may also in heart and mind thither ascend, and with him continually dwell, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, throughout all ages of ages. Amen.

Dear Fratres, Sorores and friends,

What an extraordinary time we have all been having over the last few months; a fight for life or a burden of worry and grief for some and a bucketful of inconvenience and material loss for the rest of us. I am sure we have all learnt many lessons from Corona about those things which really matter in life and I know that for many of you, as for Mons Bruno and I, our faith and practice have sustained us thus far. At least our home oratories have not been closed! Quite apart from the physical fact of the virus itself there are clearly far greater sinister forces at work in the world. We can only pray fervently that they do not get the upper hand. May St Michael the Archangel defend us in battle!

Now as the feast of the Ascension approaches we prepare to commemorate a holy mystery which has had a long history, in different forms, among the ancient religions of the Mediterranean and middle east. In ancient Sumeria there is a tale of the ascension of the first man, Adapa or Adamu, whilst in ancient Egypt the pharoahs rose after death to join Isis, Osirus and Horus in the heavens. In the bible, Enoch an Elijah were reportedly taken up into the heavens whilst still living and even in ancient Greece there was the myth of the ascension of the demi-God Hercules to dwell with the Gods on Mount Olympus, so it is clear that the biblical story of the ascension of Jesus follows in a great tradition of similar stories.

We may ask ourselves therefore of what significance is the story to our lives today? Ascension for the Liberal Catholic means much more than a simple commemoration of the Ascent of the Master Jesus, rather, when we celebrate this festival we are celebrating not only the ability of Jesus to transcend his sufferings and to attain a state of eternal bliss (samadhi), but also our potential to do the same. In traditional Christianity, as well as the great religions of the East, the well tried way to transcend inevitable suffering is to rise above our frail humanity, through union with the Divine in prayer and meditation. Indeed these spiritual disciplines can give great comfort and often produce remarkably well-balanced men and women of heroic virtue, yet unfortunately for many of us the law of gravity prevails - “What goes up must come down”. We find it difficult to sustain the degree of asceticism and discipline that appears to be required to make significant progress towards “Enlightenment”, “Ascension” or “Salvation”, whichever you like to call it.

If you fit in this category, I have good news for you, we have an advocate; Her time is emerging and she shows us a different way to achieve balance and global harmony. I speak of course of she who is known to Liberal Catholics as “the World Mother” and especially in her persona of Mary. Just as Jesus is a perfect reflection of the Father of Light, so Mary is a perfect reflection of the Holy Spirit. Jesus ascends to the Father, the Holy Spirit descends on the Mother. There is a wonderful polarity here which echos down through the ages from the remotest antiquity, and which, at its most fundamental, we might explain as the Father being solar and the Mother being terrestrial.

God as the Solar Logos is explained beautifully and in some depth in the works of Bishop C.W. Leadbeater and Bishop F.A. Piggott so I shall leave that until another occasion and move right along to say a few words about the World Mother, particularly in her guise as the Black Madonna.

A few months ago during the Amazon Synod in Rome, Pope Francis and some of his supporters got into frightful trouble with conservatives in the church over a so-called pagan ceremony in the Vatican gardens involving prostration before an image reportedly of “Pachamama” which means Mother Earth in the Quezua language. I say “so-called” because it was such a pale imitation of an actual pagan ceremony it hardly deserves the appellation. However, what the reactionaries fail to realise is that in folk Catholicism we have always venerated the Earth Mother, in her barely disguised persona as the Black Madonna, whom most religious historians now reckon to be a direct replacement of the mother goddesses which were worshipped so enthusically over all Europe in ancient times. The ordinary rural folk of southern Europe in particular have never lost their love of the Dark Mother and their knowledge of her deep wisdom. Her wisdom and her way is one of Balance, an acceptance that we are “spiritual beings having a human experience” and that this human experience is valuable in itself. She embraces our humanity, even our carnality, sacralises our sexuality and encourages us to live in harmony with the natural world. Yes, we must obey our highest spiritual impulses and reach for the stars, reach for heroic virtue and union with the celestial Divinity, but at the same time we must also descend with her into the womb of our animal nature and enjoy the good things this life offers us in terms of family, friends and all the normal pleasures common to our humanity. Finding balance within ourselves, leading to harmony with others, are the keys to success and happiness both in this life and the next.

Our Celtic ancestors are also justly renowned for living in harmony with nature and in particular for their love of the wilderness. Still today the the holy wells where they worshipped are frequented, and often dedicated to Our Lady, where her gift of the water of life gushes forth to sustain and heal. It is my firm conviction that opening our hearts to Our Lady as well as Our Lord and joyfully participating in their dance of descent and ascent is the surest way to spiritual evolution, both personally and globally.

I wish you all a blessed Whitsuntide and a glorious summer!

La Madonna Nera della Libera, Moiono, Italia

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Avalonian Spirituality

Avalonian Spirituality - an article by Frater the Revd Gwydd Morgan KSJA

The Universalism of Memphis+Misraim

"The Universalism of Memphis+Misraim" by Tau Blaise

APRM+M Enquiry

"Of Monks, Mystics and Magic" by the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA (Tau Blaise)

"Of Monks, Mystics and Magic" by the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA (Tau Blaise)

BIBLICAL AND SCRIPTURAL BASIS FOR THE SPIRITUAL MOTHERHOOD OF OUR LADY AND HER HEAVENLY COUNTERPART "SOPHIA".

BIBLICAL AND SCRIPTURAL BASIS FOR THE SPIRITUAL MOTHERHOOD OF OUR LADY AND HER HEAVENLY COUNTERPART "SOPHIA". by Frater the Very Revd Francisco Javier Alonso-Rebollo KSJA

"Transcendent Illumination: Exploring the Golden Light's Healing, Protection, and Redemption in Spiritual Journeys” by Frater the Rt Revd Morgan Lorio KTPP, Eques Spero Meliora

"Transcendent Illumination: Exploring the Golden Light's Healing, Protection, and Redemption in Spiritual Journeys” by Frater the Rt Revd Morgan Lorio KTPP, Eques Spero Meliora

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Pastoral Letter, Feast of Ss Indract and Dominica of Glastonbury, Martyrs
- 5th February 2021

✠

Ascensiontide Pastoral Letter to the Holy Celtic Order of the Temple
& the Mar Thoma Liberal Catholic Church

Author

Archives

Categories

Avalonian Spirituality

Avalonian Spirituality - an article by Frater the Revd Gwydd Morgan KSJA

The Universalism of Memphis+Misraim

"The Universalism of Memphis+Misraim" by Tau Blaise

APRM+M Enquiry

"Of Monks, Mystics and Magic" by the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA (Tau Blaise)

"Of Monks, Mystics and Magic" by the Rt Revd Dom Alistair Bate OSBA (Tau Blaise)

BIBLICAL AND SCRIPTURAL BASIS FOR THE SPIRITUAL MOTHERHOOD OF OUR LADY AND HER HEAVENLY COUNTERPART "SOPHIA".

BIBLICAL AND SCRIPTURAL BASIS FOR THE SPIRITUAL MOTHERHOOD OF OUR LADY AND HER HEAVENLY COUNTERPART "SOPHIA". by Frater the Very Revd Francisco Javier Alonso-Rebollo KSJA

"Transcendent Illumination: Exploring the Golden Light's Healing, Protection, and Redemption in Spiritual Journeys” by Frater the Rt Revd Morgan Lorio KTPP, Eques Spero Meliora

"Transcendent Illumination: Exploring the Golden Light's Healing, Protection, and Redemption in Spiritual Journeys” by Frater the Rt Revd Morgan Lorio KTPP, Eques Spero Meliora

.

Pastoral Letter, Feast of Ss Indract and Dominica of Glastonbury, Martyrs ​- 5th February 2021

✠

Ascensiontide Pastoral Letter to the Holy Celtic Order of the Temple& the Mar Thoma Liberal Catholic Church

Author

Archives

Categories

Pastoral Letter, Feast of Ss Indract and Dominica of Glastonbury, Martyrs
- 5th February 2021

Ascensiontide Pastoral Letter to the Holy Celtic Order of the Temple
& the Mar Thoma Liberal Catholic Church