QUESTION & ANSWER: Curses

Q&A: Bowynn Magic

QUESTION: In the Bowynn Tradition, are there any special corrospondences with herbs, plants, flowers and such?

ANSWER: There is a special recognition of certain flora, that is commonly used in magic and incense blends. But they by no way match the lists one will find in a Wiccan book or match those listed by other culture. There are 7 sacred plants that are commonly used and considered the most sacred:

ROSE: Used for all fire magic, Love spells, Friendship, Family, Unity, Bonding, Oaths, Commitment, Beauty

CEDAR: Purification, Purging, Cleansing, Strength, Growth, Learning, Wisdom,

LAVENDAR: Calm, Sleep, Peace, Clear thinking, Clarity,

MINT: Excitement, Energy, Stimulation, Waking, Vitality, Wealth/Abundance,

BAY LAUREL: Magic, Shamanism, Divination, Wishes, Understanding, Divination, Scrying, Spiritualism, Psychism

PINE: Change, Immortality, Endurance, Altering, Taking Control,

APPLE: The most sacred plant. Home, Abundance, Stability, Health, Education, Protection,

The other most sacred of flora and other burnable materials of the earth are the following three:

AMBER: Sun Magic, Ancient Wisdom, Oracles, Warmth, Self, Soul, Intervention,

BLUE BELL: Rain, Water Magic, Springtime, Change, Growth, Renew, Warning, Fertility

DAISY: Moon Magic, Cleansing, Purity, Spirituality, Sleep, Dreams

Amber is listed as 'Flora', as it comes from the sap of ancient trees. These three combined make up the colors of the Bowynn Crest. These ten plants/trees/flowers are what is burned most during religious ceremonies and magical practices.

Aelles Tau Mystaras

Today I will jump ahead a bit as today is Holy Day. Precisely, today is the holiday called Shae vo Tau Mystaras {Day of The Mysteries} More commonly called Tau Mystaras.

The Mysteries are celebrated on the days of April 15th-17th. While some think the holiday is just celebrated for and by Mysts {witches} the holiday is really devoted to all worshipers. It's a most divine holiday. A time of rest, meditation, cleansing, looking inward and reflecting on one's faith. It is a time when people spend the 3 days at their home altars, shrines and reading their codex. Many like to just use the day and spend it in silence, in vigil, prayer. The days are used to clean one's shrines, altars, religious tools, divination tools. Those that attend groves will find the areas incased with plumes of incense. Bathhouses, saunas and Taranoms {sweathouses} are in wide use when they too are not being cleansed and cleaned.

Religiously, Tau Mystaras is dedicated to the gods Mystara and Ehlrik. Mystara being the goddess of Magic and Ehlrick, the god of shamanism and bards. At least they are the main focus, but all Bowynn gods are deeply respected this holiday. Tsa'heka-non {100-fold} bundles of incense are burned these days as offerings, mass libations of milk, water, juice and wine are gifted, grosses of flowers, plants, garlands and wreathes if bestowed to the gods, whole dinners are cooked for the holy family.

For Mysts and those that practice the arts of magic and shamanism; the holiday is especially celebrated as a great time of cleanings and is the date new initiates are blessed and welcomes into groves and temples. It is also the most sacred day to consult priests and priestesses for wisdom and consult oracles. Many will spend the days is deep though over tools of divination. And spells are cast endlessly on these 3 days. Nights of great divination practices, spell casting and a day for new practitioners to start.

Traditionally 7 candles are burned during these 3 days in reverence for the gods. And the colors of Black, Purple, White and Gold are displayed. Wreathes and garlands are hung up on and around doors in homes and temples. Soft religious music is played. Fasting is common but not culturally nor religiously demanded. But the abstinence of a frivolous foods of some sort is common: Coffee, Sugar, Alcohol, Candy, Pastry. It is up to the person.

Personally, I like to just use the day in prayers and to read my codex. I may do a divination reading. I spend the first day, cleansing my home, altar and take a LONG soak in the tub. I spend the second day in deep reverence and vigil and depending on the weather, I may take a long walk. Day 3 I like to do some spell casting and take a second soaking. Sometimes I will make special herbal cookies are a lemon cake. And I do make an offerings of the 7 Sacred Offerings (Meat, Vegetation, Incense, Herbs, Fire, Libation and Votives). If I am up for it, I will even spend time crafting and drawing something divine or magically in nature. And incense is always burning. And I normally will fast the first two days and day three I FEAST! LOL.

Aelles Tau Mystaras {Happy Holiday}

Bowynn Gods: Luanna

Luanna  (Lu-Ahn-Nah)  Luanna is the Bowynn goddess of gardens, flowers, meadows and fields and guardian of flowers. She is also the patron of florists and nursery owners. She is the daughter of Brea and Unthar.

     She is also something of a weather goddess, making sure that destructive storms do not fall and destroy her beautiful gifts. Herbs and flowers are used not only magickally but medically, so in essence she is also considered a healing goddess. The flowers she brings to bloom are used to fragrant clothing washes as well as dye cloth. Little is said or spoke about when it comes to Luanna. Like all deities of the Bowynn faith, she is just accepted as "being there." She is often seen wandering gardens and meadows, bringing forth blooms and flowers. She is a goddess of frivolity, much like the great patron Aleglea. However, Luana's realm is strictly reserved for bringing forth colorful life in the garden. Sometimes she is seen with Aleglea and/or Jayleen Jarra, goddess of herbalism. It is said that Luanna's job in Alaway is to decorate the great halls with her gifts, thus giving the great hall of the gods a wondrous bouquet-like smell. On the Spring Equinox and (which in the Bowynn Tradition is called "Tsaquilla") Luanna is given high praise, as she is the grower of the scared flowers that symbolizes the holiday. Tsaquilla is a 3-day holiday and it is on the 3rd of the holiday, Luanna is given the most praise with great blessings of gardens and her statue or shrine in home gardens is cleansed and tended to. On Tsaquilla, small gardens are arranged just for the goddess.

     Luanna is said to be a most beautiful goddess of simple beauty. Her garments as soft and flowing but simple as well; often a simple green gown/dress and over it a brown hladd or shorter tunic. Sometimes she is seen crowned with a simple braiding of flowers but nothing too bold. In her hands she carries a basket and sometimes a garden shear or boline in her hand. Other times she is seen carrying a bowl of seeds. When not seen in this form she will take the form of a bee, which is her totem animal. Naturally sacred gifts to Luanna consist of flowers bulbs and seeds.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: Color Magic

QUESTION: Does color and its powers hold any significance in Bowynn Magic?

ANSWER: Very much so. Though many of the meanings differ, color does play a huge role in magic and daily Bowynn life. However, in Bowynn tradition there is a emphasis on duality. Using two colors as opposed to just one. Add to this that what colors one surrounds themselves with plays a huge role as well. Especially colors that people wear daily. There is also a huge focus on the negativity of too much of one color and which one is more dominate over the other. This study is much alike to the study and practice of Aura Soma.

BOWYNN GODS: PAUT

Paut  (Pawt)  Goddess of the element of Soul. She is one of the first creations of Bia and the brother of Brea and the other gods of the creatrix.

     At the beginning of time when the gods gathered together and formed mankind, the discovered that mankind walked about the earth aimlessly and all were exactly alike. Paut then instilled each person with a soul, which house and protected the spirit and gave each person a voice and personality, making them different and their own individuality. This was Paut’s great gift to mankind. Later, during the 7 Sacred Days, Paut stayed with the tribes and taught them how to understand their individual souls and how souls make up a part of ones being. Also, she taught mortals how to keep our souls and healthy and clean. When it comes to the Bowynn, we recognize the soul as a physical part of human anatomy. This is due to Paut’s teachings.

      Paut is one of the few of the Akua who spend little time with Mankind. She is too busy imbuing each human that is born with a soul in his private chamber in Alaway. But every once in a long while it is said he ventures out and checks on folks and making sure people souls are clean and being used wisely. He also takes time on Full-Moon ceremonies to help the goddess Morrighynn cleanse everyones soul.

     Paut is seen as a wise woman, with a long white hair. Her eyes are said to be so ice blue, to see past folks mortal husks to their soul. Paut is dressed in long robe and cloak. Over her robe he wears three large disks that represent the three elements the soul controls: Self, Mind and Action. Paut does not have a known totem animal; atleast not one that is known to us. Sacred to Paut is glass baubles and bull votive images. These as well as Incense are the customary gifts to Paut.

Embroideries featuring Paut in the center surrounded by other gods, Kii and worshippers

BOWYNN GODS: TSELLET

Tsellet  (T-sel-let)  Goddess of Duannat who purifies the soul of those that have passed away. She is the daughter of Chumash and Kalma and the sister of the keepers of the gates of Duannat.

     She is considered in some way a Handmaiden of Daunnat but her role is so much bigger than that. Her role is to make sure that each and every soul that enters Daunnat is purged of all its worldly sins and ills. No soul can enter Daunnat otherwise. It is done there a series of chants and the four sacred cleansings by earth, air, fire and water.  Once the soul is cleansed of all impurities, only then will Tsellet allow a soul to pass on.

     It is said that Tsellet’s home is not in Daunnat itself by on the far beach of Evermore, just before one reaches the first gate to Daunnat. Sadly Tsellet is a lone body where her home is.

     Tsellet is described and depicted as a young goddess with her hair pulled back and simple clothing in the colors of browns and lavender. It has been said that she is always seen with a basket in hand, which contains all the implements used to purge souls of sin and illness. Other times she is said to just hold a lavender wand in her hand. Sacred to Tsellet is Lavender itself and well as all scents that are used to purge away ills. These scents are often gifted to her in 7 bowls and often during a funeral rite, as Tsellet is rarely prayed to else someone has passed on.    

Bowynn Tradition Virtues {Hylin}

The following are the Sacred Seven virtues {Hylin} of the Bowynn faith. These seven virtues are one of many attributes of the Bowynn Holy Symbol, the Numatam:

Peace {Del}

Peacefulness is an inner sense of calm. It comes especially in quiet moments of reflection or gratitude. It is getting very quiet and looking at things so you can understand them. Peacefulness is a way of approaching conflict with others so that no one is made wrong.  It is being fair to others and yourself. Peace is giving up the love of power for the power of love. With peacefulness, everyone wins. Practicing peacefulness helps to create a calm mind free from worry. When you are peaceful, you respect others and their differences. People around you feel calm and safe.  Without peace, no one is safe. People get hurt.  Fighting doesn’t solve problems, and no one every really wins a war.  With peacefulness, any problem can be solved. Peace in the world begins with peace in your heart.  To find inner peace, become very still and think peaceful thoughts. Observe and think about your feelings, like anger, instead of acting with anger. To be a peacemaker, use peaceful language instead of name-calling, yelling or gossiping.  Avoid aggressive or violent actions. Talk things out and listen to the other person too.  Then look for a peaceful solution. Peacemakers find there are lots of creative ways to solve any problem.

Charity {Artaejen}

A person in need of charity is somebody who risks the loss of some very strong and stable desires. These include basic desires such as a desire for a warm place to sleep on a cold winter’s night, a desire for food and clean water to drink, a desire for health, and, in some cases, a desire to go on living. When a person has a desire to help fulfill the particularly strong desires of others, then an act of charity fulfills not only the desires of those to whom he gives, but his own desires as well. Some people state that part of the value of giving to charity is the pleasure that it provides to those who do the giving. However, this pleasure is contingent. This is a learned desire – a desire brought about by the use of social tools such as praise (of those who are charitable) and condemnation (of those who are selfish). People in general have many and strong reasons to praise those who are charitable, and to condemn those who are selfish. Any one of us could end up in a situation where some of our strongest and most stable desires are at risk – where we are without a home or suffer some severe threat to our health and long life. But we must remember to give because it is the right thing to do. Not because we expect good things in return.

Love {Brend}

We often think of love as an emotion we experience, an emotion characterized by the desire to be close to another person, the sense of cozy pleasure we feel in a relationship. This emotional aspect of love is usually perceived as warmth, attraction, intimacy, closeness and excitement. If we limit our understanding of love to the experience of transient emotions alone, we are on extremely unstable ground.  Whether we enjoy someone's company or not, whether we admire their character or not, we can still honor a person from a spiritual perspective simply because, we are all created from the same spirit. In this definition of love we make a commitment to remember the truth of our oneness and treat others with respect and kindness no matter if they are worthy of such sentiments or not. Loving another person in this way is respecting their divinity, which is the same as ours. This is a reliable foundation for a positive relationship. When we find ourselves angry or fearful, all love is not lost. We must turn our attention to the principle of love, which calls us to be gentle, kind and to treat others with respect despite the life-constricting emotions of anger and fear. This concept of love is what the ancient Greeks called Agape love -- a love that honors all others. When we have love to give, we can express it with respect, kind words and actions, even when the conditions don't seem to warrant loving-kindness. To foster love, we have to be honest in little and big matters.  To demonstrate love, we can give our undivided attention whether we are at work or at home. Just silently listening and being present can be a loving gesture. Never forget that love can be applied to any problem. Since this life is short, savor moments by being fun-loving and relishing connections with others. Each day, make a conscious choice to live lovingly and express love to yourself and others.

Courage {Baraej}

Courage is one of those virtues necessary to living a good life. Usually, the first thing that comes to mind when we think of courage is bravery in the face of a threat, yet it is so much more. It is the ability to choose the point that lies between cowardice and recklessness in any circumstance. Courage takes many forms. Examples include the courage to do what is right, the courage of facing a personal fear, the courage to accept unpopularity, the courage to endure physical or mental pain for the sake of self-improvement, the courage to push forward through frustration,

the courage to tell the truth, the courage to change, the courage to act, the courage to trust, the courage to love, the courage to commit, and many more. How do you make a habit of courage? This is not an easy undertaking, as you will have to overcome years of habits associated with making uncourageous decisions. First, let me suggest that you have to believe that practicing courage is a worthy pursuit. Developing courage will allow you to be more in control of your life as opposed to letting outside circumstances dictate your actions.  Another place to start is by developing the habit of being truthful. Telling the truth often requires courage because it may get you or someone you care about into trouble. Yet we inherently know it is the right thing to do. There is a selfish benefit to this strategy and that is people will respect you for this virtue. They may not always like it, but they will respect it. They will come to know that you are always telling them the truth and they will appreciate you for that quality.

Kindness {Skirnlee}

Kindness is the essence of a celestial life. Kindness is how a person treats others. Kindness is the essence of greatness and the fundamental characteristic of the noblest men and women I have known. Kindness is a passport that opens doors and fashions friends. It softens hearts and molds relationships that can last lifetimes. Kind words not only lift our spirits in the moment they are given, but they can linger with us over the years. The attributes of thoughtfulness and kindness are inseparably linked.  Kindness is not a duty or an ethic either; it is an expression of personal virtue that flows from and is rooted in love, which is at the heart of all virtue. Kindness begins in the heart. In fact, many languages have words that are translated as "loving-kindness" or "kind-heartedness," which is kindness that goes beyond the minimum requirements of civility. Kindness is really more than being nice, polite or agreeable, but instead has more to do with our being than our behavior. It cannot be faked. Kindness softens hearts, lifts spirits and molds relationships. The value of our lives is best measured not by the material possessions we've acquired, but by the hearts we've touched, because who we are is far more important than what we have. Everything we do affects not only our own life, but touches other lives, too.

Spirituality {Tya'oamima}

A person with Spirituality will have firm beliefs about the meaning of the universe. Such people attach their life to something higher than themselves. Being spiritual may make it easier for a person to cope with difficult life events. Spirituality is not just about religious beliefs although the two are closely connected. People with religious beliefs have been shown to be able to cope with stress and handle difficult events when they arise. In religion, transcendence refers to the aspect of a god's nature and power which is wholly independent of the material universe, beyond all physical laws. This is contrasted with immanence, where a god is said to be fully present in the physical world and thus accessible to creatures in various ways. In religious experience transcendence is a state of being that has overcome the limitations of physical existence and by some definitions has also become independent of it. This is typically manifested in prayer, séance, meditation, psychedelics and paranormal "visions". It is affirmed in the concept of the divine in various religious traditions, and contrasts with the notion of a god, or the Absolute, existing exclusively in the physical order or indistinguishable from it (pantheism). Spirituality can be attributed to the divine not only in its being, but also in its knowledge. Thus, a god may transcend both the universe and knowledge (is beyond the grasp of the human mind). Although transcendence is defined as the opposite of immanence, the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Some theologians and metaphysicians of various religious traditions affirm that a god is both within and beyond the universe; in it, but not of it; simultaneously pervading it and surpassing it.

Balance {Bia}

Balance is defined as “stability produced by even distribution of weight on each side of the vertical axis,” “equipoise between contrasting, opposing, or interacting elements,” or “an aesthetically pleasing integration of elements,” according to Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary.  Balance is that spiritual straightness and stability that resists all influences to turn or deviate from the right path. It is the characteristic of righteousness that refuses to be allured, intimidated, or bullied into diverting from the assigned course. It resists reducing or exaggerating the truth, recognizing that error or excess in either direction, for any reason, remains error and excess. It is important to remember that balance is a godly virtue. It is clearly displayed in the nature of Bia itself. Bia is absolutely perfect in all holiness. Bia is pure and just in judgment, yet Bia’s mercy endures forever. Bia’s law reveals this virtue, calling for separation from the heathen, yet to love strangers, remembering they are strangers to others.  Finally, it must be understood that balance is an attainable virtue. That is not to say anyone will achieve perfect balance, but real and lasting progress can be made to achieve greater balance in life. If we keep our eyes on one unchanging, immovable focus, if we strive to become only what the gods want us to be and all that they want us to be, we will live with greater balance. Thus, we work to achieve balance for ourselves and others. Where the scales of balance are overweighed, we attempt to restore them into place, be it with physical labor, spiritual or metaphysical.

QUESTION & ANSWER: Familiars and Guardians

QUESTION: In your tradition's do your witches use Familiars and Guardians? If so, how are they summoned?

ANSWER: No. Mysts do not have any need nor summon any sort of creatures or spiritual animals. Our belief here is that a true working Myst is on guard and protected at all times. And that there is nothing a mystical creature can provide that we can not handle on our own. We do not believe in the calling of the spirits of the dead. As it is seen as rude, disrespectful and sacrilegious.

Blessed Winter Solstice

Bowynn Gods: Naea

Naea  (Nay-ah)  Naea is the Bowynn goddess of springs, wells, lakes, rivers, streams and other small fresh bodies of water. She is the daughter of Tane and Kauldra and is one of the very few multi arm gods. As such she is a spider goddess. Her multi limbs represent the many rivers of the world.      Naea is a free spirited goddess, spending much of her time wandering the sides of wells and ponds and weaving away in her godly or animal form on the side of streams and rivers. Her prime domain is to make sure such bodies of water are protected from pollutants and destruction as much as possible. As such, Naea is one of the very few gods of the Bowynn pantheon to seek revenge on mortals that destroy her realm. One sacred story speaks of the fisherman that was so filled with joy when he caught a fish as soon as his hook hit the water. He became so happy that he kept fishing till the lake was depleted of fish. Naea found out about this and that night as he and his family gorged out on the fish the man caught, there was a knock on the door of a beggar woman. She asked for a fish to get her by. The man and woman gave her the smallest fish in the batch, so small it would not fill a cat. The old woman ended up being Naea and for the couple's lack of moderation and charity, Naea made all the other food in the house disappear till all that was left saw the fish. The couple quickly became sick of eating fish all the time and thus learned their lesson. There are many legends of mortals abusing wells and springs then suffering Naea’s wrath but never death.      Despite this and other such sacred tales Naea is not a vicious goddess. Infact she is a most gentle goddess. She only seeks out those that have done wrong with her gifts. So she should not be feared. Other times she is most giving, as the sacred stories of her creating a well for a family that had nothing to drink for days. Because of her watery realm, Naea's temples are often nothing more than a well surrounded by a gazebo.      Naea is depicted in her godly immortal form as a delightful young woman with short hair and 4 - 6 arms. Her garments are of blues, purples and greens and silver or glass baubles as jewelry. Sometimes she is seen with a pitcher of fresh water and other times with a loom. In her totem form Naea is seen as an elegant spider. Sacred gifts to Naea come in the form of glass pieces, fresh water, river and lake plants and flowers, spoons of white and blue yarn and votive images of a spider.