#bowynn

[thebowynntradition]

The 7 Sacred Offerings

Within the faith of the Bowynn tradition it is said that the gods ask for only 7 basic types of offering. These seven became the staple of offerings and are called "Tau Numa Abennes", literally The Seven Offerings. The list is as follows

Flowers, Plants, Flora and Foliage. (cut, potted, wreath, garlands)

Uncooked foods. (Fruits, honey, veggies, nuts, grains, herbs,)

Cooked foods. (Meats, cakes,)

The light of a Candle

Incense

Libations of all sorts (Anything liquid from water to brews)

Votive offerings and objects (clay, wax, cloth, wood figures. Objects)

There is technically and 8th form which is personal self, often meaning cuts of hair, nails and drops of blood. These are only used to bless and bind with a sacred religious tool and even then, very minimally. The gods otherwise abhor the sacrifice of life and the disrespect of the body. "Your body be a gift from us immortals, defile it not but instead keep it clean and pure.)

Once a year on New Years {Then Ohenn} a great complete set of all 7 offerings is displayed on Altars and is offered to the gods.

During the Holiday of "Kodex Tor" it is costumery to burn what is called a "Tsa'heka" of incense, which is 'bundle of 100 incense sticks." Sometimes a myst will off a Tsa'heka to the gods when casting a particularly powerful spell that is in dire need.

Unlike Wiccans, the gods of the Bowynn do NOT have any one set of particular offerings they require. That is to say there is no need to attribute only certain scents, colors and food to a particular god or goddess. they will accept any offering if given with all respect and love.

As to why offerings are gifted to the Bowynn gods, it's out of love and respect. For they have given some of the greatest gifts to mankind, its only right to give a gift in return. Brea, the goddess of the earth speaks very clear in this when she replied ...

"For all this that I have given on to you, for the life you live, the air you breath and that land you walk on, the light the lets you see the beauty of the day and the night that lets you sleep, would not you give the same to me? Gift to me a stone, a cutting a grass, a plate of your meal, light, waft of smoke. Kind comes in kind my beloved children and in circle again. Give what you can in love and hurt nothing that I have life to. Give to us, your beloved parents, and in kind we will give to you."

As to the "post offering" or to say what happens after offerings are gifted. the goddess Abbennaea clarifies this in her own words.

"Precious child, fret not because that which you offered is still on the plate. For you see, I take not that which you give to us in the mortal world but instead I take its divine essence, its spirit and love that you have given. And I bring it to those of us who you have offered it to. In turn, we the immortals, turn your gifts into that which is good for all, mortal and immortal alike. Only the scented herbs that you burn for us, we receive directly, as it rises and flies to our presence. Then within the turning of a full day and night, dispose of the mortal husk of your offering into a pit in the earth, into the waves of the sea, the waft of the wind or that is most befitting of such a gracious gift. And take heart knowing your gift has pleased us."

So, in a word, the gods take the divine essence of your gifts to them and after 24 hours you may dispose of the food or plants in a respectable manner, as best one can.

With this, we close with the basic outline of the Bowynn faith. Posts beyond this point will deal with the Holidays that the Bowynn celebrate and the Gods themselves in detail.

[emj-tolj]

Apology

I am very much embarassed day. I have received a note from a tumbler informing me the when I use the word "Packer" its means something else than what it means in Bowynn. I am not sure exactly what it means in English but I feel it may be something nasty or inapporpreat. Thus my extreme embarressment.

There is no real translation for the word Packer in English: In short its a bag that is used to pack a days (or longer) needs and worn on the back, shoulder or hip. Students keep and carry their books in 'packers'. Young people traveling may stuff their clothes in packers. I do not know what the English word would be for this. And my translater does not recognize a translation of the word.

But since I have been informed English people may be put off by the word "packer" I will do what I can to not use the word. And I humbly apologize.

But in my own defense, a least I try to oblije the English speaking people on this site with my best English possible. Its is not my mother tongue.

Deepest and most humble apology.

[thebowynntradition]

Autumn Blessings

Happiest of Holidays to you

[thebowynntradition]

Happy Harvest Day!!

[thebowynntradition]

QUESTION AND ANSWER: GODS AND MAGIC

QUESTION: When casting spells in the Bowynn Tradition, what gods are invoked, if any?

ANSWER: A practicing Myst [witch] will invoke the goddess Mystara prior to beginning any spell. She is offered incense and whatever else a Myst can offer. Then the spell is started. Depending on the spell, will depend what other gods will be invoked during the casting of the spell itself: Owen and his daughters for health, Anhur for justice, Daeth for wealth. Istra for vengeance, Bryanthenaea for protection...and so forth. Even if you are not sure which gods are invoked for your need, that's okay. So long as Mystara is invoked prior to the spell. She is the patroness of witches and makes sure the spell is being done for just case, to see it is done correctly and its manifestation.

[thebowynntradition]

Aelles Ky'Kora!

Blessings to all on this first of Ky'Kora. Blessings to all. May the abundance, joy and frivolity of this holiday find you and fill you all with happiness and may you find the child within.

Indeed, today is the first day of the Bowynn holiday of Ky'Kora. That is to say Mid-Autumn. So, legends and holy Books say: Hern, our great god journeyed to the great western mountains and spoke to Bia, the great creator, after seeing mankind's neglect of harvesting the gifts the gods gave them. Saddened, Hern realized what he had to do to help man survive. On the eve of Kykora (Samhain), Hern proclaimed one finally great hunt to the mortal hunters. During the hunt, Hern turned himself into a mighty stag and gave himself to humanity so they may survive. This is why we celebrate. We celebrate also this time of year as the second to last harvest; By now 90% of what was planted in spring and late February is gathered.

The first day of Ky'Kora (October 30) is used to clean and cleanse the house, temple, altar, and oneself. It is a mellow day. Soft harvest music is played, soft sad hymns are sung, for we are mourning the loss of Hern. Little food is eaten, in respect for our ancestors, and what is ate this day is bland, abstaining from herbs, spice, salts, sugars and sweets. And no meat is eaten at all this day, not even fish nor poultry. Usually, unsalted soups and slices of bread are the meal of the day.

Homes are purged of all ills and negativity: a procession of candlelight, incense, holy water and sound (drink or chime) is marched along inside the house, room to room banishing all of the ill's that may linger. Then decorations for the holiday are hung and displayed: Garlands, Wreathes, Carved gourds, Draperies of the harvest seasonal colors. On home alters and shrines, an icon of Hern or a deer is placed, in memory of Hern's blessed gift to us.

Some of use will use the day for long walks and self-review as to what we are grateful for, taking in the beauty of what nature looks like right now all around us. absorbing the beauty and color of the day and autumn. And in this time, we also give thanks to the goddess Kora, the goddess of the season and who's name the holiday it is named after, and to her beautiful consort Ryan, the god of the West Wind, who fans the colors of change into the leaves and cools down the earth.

At late night we come together as a family and friends and hold ceremony and private vigils at temple and home altars, often led with an icon of Hern beings carried to the altar. Candles in gourds are lit and the spirits we call Jakk's are invoked to spend the night at home, keeping the home in its family safe. Hymns are hummed and sung to Hern and his beloved Morrighynn this night. For we remember that the goddess of the moon has lost he beautiful and divine husband.

So, as you see, while there may be a few scatterings of similarity to the Wiccan/Keltic Samhain, there is little connection otherwise. It is not a time of honoring our own dead, (we do that another time of the year) it is about the death and the giving of our lord Hern so that humanity survives.

[thebowynntradition]

Bowynn Gods: Maenna

A Troop of goddesses standing before Maeanna

Maenna  (Main-nah)  Maenna, sometimes spelled and pronounced Maeanna, is the Bowynn goddess of order, law, truth, justice, just victories and balance in the pantheon. Created by Bia itself, she is the godly incarnate of Bia. Considered so blessed, all other gods honor her, including Anhur, King of the gods himself.

     There are no sacred stories of Maenna, as she cannot be persuaded to take a view or hold a view over another. When Ahnur holds court or stands in at a mortal hearing, Maenna is in attendance as well, Even if Ahnur is not present himself. In some way, Maeanna is Anhur's balance in this aspect. She is there to make sure truth is revealed, that justice is done, and balance is restored to those when a crime or injustice has been committed on.  Maenna, like Bia itself, represents the ethical and moral principle that every Bowynn citizen is expected to follow throughout their daily lives. They are expected to act with honor and truth in manners that involve the 7 virtues, family, the community, the nation, the environment, and the gods. Maenna as a principle was created by Bia to meet the complex needs of the emergening Bowynn tribes that embraced diverse peoples with conflicting interests. The development of such rules sought to avert chaos and it became the basis of Bowynn law. It was all this that Maenna taught the first tribes during her 7 days with them. From an early period the 7 tribal chiefs would describe themselves as the "council of Maenna" who decreed with their wisdom came directly from Maenna. Maenna represented the normal and basic values that formed the backdrop for the application of justice that had to be carried out in the spirit of truth and fairness.

     The goddess Maenna was more than just a goddess. She came to represent the concept of balance and order because many Bowynn needed to explain the balance of the world around them. Everything about their culture was centered on order and everything had its place in the world. This included religion, governmental affairs, and seasonal changes. Maenna is also known as the goddess of justice and truth. Her teachings can be compared to the conscience of a person. It’s reasonable to say that Maenna’s teachings aided the people into being good individuals. It was considered a crime against Maenna if a person practiced jealousy, dishonesty, gluttony, laziness, injustice, and ungratefulness.

     Maenna is depicted is a tall woman of motherhood age. Agile and regal in appearance. Sometimes depicted winged, her wings are massive and pure white. It is said when her wings are out right, the light of justice shines. It is Maenna's wings and light that attendants swear by before attending court. Maenna is seen with a crown of apple leaves (most sacred tree of the Bowynn faith) and in turn, when new judges are appointed, they too are crowned with apple leaf wreathes. In godly form she is seen with long flowing white robes and a white hladd over and a staff in her hands. In her totem form she takes the appearance of a white swan. Sacred gifts to the goddess come in the form of incense, flowers, herbs and crowns of apple leaves.

[thebowynntradition]

The Septagram {Tau Numatam}

The Numatam or Septagram, is the most sacred of symbols. It is the symbol of our faith and of whole we are as a people. Much like the Cross is to Christians, Star of Davis is to Jews, the Pentagram is to Wiccans and the Greek Key is to Pagan Greeks. The Numatam has many stories, philosophies, and applications attached to it. In the Autumn Wood Tradition the earth symbolized the divine, as the interconnectedness of all things was the sacred message throughout their lives. Nothing was separate from the other, each life force bound to the other and explains the importance of the earth being regarded as our mother who provides for us with food, shelter, and holds water for us when we thirst. There was no one symbol that represented all their philosophies. The tree, the mountain, the river, and the animal were all symbolic and connected to the divine. To further this belief and philosophy the Numatam today represents the seven ideals which those of the Bowynn Tradition uphold and strive for in life, each a guide to daily living.

The points refer to the seven virtues prized by all who follow The Autumn Wood tradition – Peace, Charity, Love, Courage, Kindness, Spirituality and Balance.

Secondly the points refer to the seven principles as mentioned above – Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Soul, Spirit and Balance.

The Numatam also represents the 7 aspects of the forest under which we need to survive – Forest, Wind, Rain/Stream, Hearth, Sun, Moon and Balance.

The Numatam also represents the 7 guilds under which our clans come together as, and each member has a part to partake in – Warriors, Mages, Healers, Weavers, Harvesters, Bards and Librarians.

The Numatam represents the Seven Swords of the Wild Wood, Give to the first 7 chiefs of the first 7 tribes. (This will be touched on later on) – Dennon, Eurya, Kell, Ryos, Aevos, Halis and Tenlon.

The Numatam represents the 7 great rites that befalls a member in the course of his/her life (providing that they are born to the clan – Birth, Naming, Adolescence, Adulthood, Marriage, Death and Resurrection.

Each Line of the Numatam represent a sacred pathway that we follow and meditate on

Lastly, we come to the sphere that encases it all. The circle representing the connection of all of these qualities into one. The circle of life. Totality and enclosure. The embrace of arms around you by the gods.

These philosophies provided here are a general guide and each point and line can be expanded on in great lengths. The Numatam is a wonderful meditation meant to be experienced and explored. One can find even greater meanings to the Numatam through meditation and reflection. For us, and some who practice the following philosophies, feel that the points reflect values in which we choose to honor. The journey through the points is like reading a story with hidden wisdom.

A final word about the Numatam. While most other faiths feel that wearing their holy symbol brings them closer to their divine, Bowynn need not do so. While some Bowynn name were the Numatan as a bracelet, necklace, ring or have it tattooed or painted on their skin, it is not required by any divine law. We live withing the confines of the Numatam. It is with us and all about us wherever we travel. So, one need not have to feel you must by a Numatam pendant.