Stay updated on the latest in the Fellowship of Isis by reading the FOI Homepage Blog, and also by checking our "what's new" section.
Olivia Robertson's 2007 USA Tour
http://www.fellowshipofisis.com/events.html
Lady Olivia will be visiting the following areas this fall: Chicago, IL; Altamont, NY; Long Beach, CA; Geyserville, CA; Hawaii; Pensacola, FL; & Minneapolis, MN. Please click on the above link for the most recent schedule information.
"Gatherings of the Arts"
Message from The Rt. Rev. Olivia Robertson
Following the success of the recent informal gathering of FOI members and their friends, at the Castle on the afternoon of Sunday, April 1st, and inspired by the Goddess Brigid, the Circle of Brigid will, with The Theatre of Isis, from time to time, co-host ‘Gatherings of the Arts’ in the old Mill Theatre at Clonegal Castle, thus reviving the Clonegal Centre for the Arts, which was run by Lawrence and Olivia Durdin-Robertson for many years during the 1980’s.
The original Mill was once a Barn theatre, which was very popular in the 18th Century. In the 19th Century the family reinstated it for family theatricals – for which Olivia wrote plays from the age of 10, and invited the local community to performances. In his early years, the Irish Television celebrity, Peter Murphy, who lives half a mile away, ran the Clonegal Theatre Company there.
Continuing the work of the Theatre of Isis, and as a regular contribution to the Gatherings, Olivia Robertson will present her impromptu playlets on contemporary themes, which are much enjoyed, as she always has before Temple ceremonies. In this way, and as a joint venture, The Theatre of Isis and The Circle of Brigid will offer members of FOI an opportunity to share their gifts in the arts, including music, dance, poetry, painting, and by giving occasional day workshops.
Theatre of Isis & Circle of Brigid activities at the Castle, other than the regular Festivals, will be suspended during June, July and August, when the Castle and grounds, including the Temple, are shown on guided tours.
Contact either: Rev. Maureen Sullivan (Theatre of Isis –Moderator) or Rev. Minette Quick (Hon.Sec. of the Circle of Brigid) - minettequick@hotmail.com
Grove of the Shining Web of the Fairy Tree
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SWoFT
The “Grove of the Shining Web of the Fairy Tree" was founded in Ireland in the Spring of 2006, by Minette Quick, at the request of Archdruidess Olivia Robertson, Co-Founder of the FOI Druid Clan of Dana. Now with her further encouragement, Minette and Estara T'shirai (in the U.S.) have opened a list for the Grove, for the purpose of sharing and encouraging experiences with Fairy and other indigenous Nature Spirits all over the world in the many lands where members live. We invite all interested parties to come and talk to us! (The URL is above.)
The Lightness of the Sidhe
Dedicated to the Fairy Web of Minette and Estara
By Olivia Robertson
Oh the heaviness of theologians! The pomposity of patriarchal Druids. The doctrinal dreariness of occultists. Long have I been bored stiff by harangues from 'Masters' of ? Of What? Wisdom of course. For a thousand years or more we women have provided congregations for men holding forth on our Motherhood, our marriages, our children, our destiny in the next world - either hell or heaven according to their own prescription.
What a relief to have a faery web! Yes, you may spell it 'fairy'. Or 'Sidhe'. Or Devic. Words are the bugbear of happiness. The 19th Century Poets of the Celtic Revival used the spelling 'Faery'. Both are valid and acceptable.
So in the Druid Clan of Dana my own hope - with my brother - was to found a happy, friendly, easy sphere for people to be their true selves, uninhibited by logic, facts, dogmas, criticisms. Facts? So-called facts. Remember, our theologians for centuries taught that the sun went round the earth, and burnt those who disagreed with them. Scientists created nuclear bombs to benefit their countries. They haven't.
So when we describe personal encounters with Deities, Angels, Sidhe, faeries, we need to put aside prejudice, fear, dislike and "scientific" opinion. Note that when 'alive', we are at least respected by materialists as being materially there. The moment we die, we are non-persons, with no rights, privilege or respect. We are prey to being exorcised by the clergy, banished by esotericists and ignored by the majority of the educated world.
Yes, I will be honest and tell of my own few encounters with fairies, in this my first article. I shall present an Elf, a Triton and talking Squirrel-field-mice.
The Elf I met in full consciousness, when I was projected out of my body at night... Here I must emphasise that faery folk exist on a higher frequency than we do - there is a feeling of the speed you notice in early films. This elf was friendly and had come to help me back to my body. He was about 3 feet tall and was supernaturally thin. But what struck me most was his hair. He had a very long thin pigtail that reached to his knees, like a fine rope.
Some years later I was describing him to a faery contactee in Estara's group. To my delight she also had seen an elf with hair like that. Oddly, some months later I saw a young man with his hair braided in like fashion. But who started the fashion - elf or human?
The Triton I met looked like those green renaissance sculptured tritons, depicted with ornamental fountains. He was very large, green and looked like a kind of underseas scaly fish. I was aware of the extraordinary speed of the dimension in which he existed. He manifested in a rushing stream. I liked him.
The most extraordinary creatures I have ever met were red squirrel-cum-field-mice animals in my bedroom, when I was out of my body at night. What was so unusual, was that they had human-like intelligence, and could therefore talk with me. They had come to help me back to my body.
At that time I still had embarrassment at conversing with intelligent animal spirits, so I was immensely relieved at reassurance brought by my friend, and Priest of Isis. He had called in from Cork and we were having tea. He suddenly said: "A strange thing happened to me yesterday. I saw these squirrel-like creatures - spirits - and they could talk!" "Thank you, thank you!" I exclaimed.
May this start more accounts from our Druid members and friends! By the way, animal spirits are classified as 'Sidhe.' I have yet to tell of the White Rabbit - Pasicola the Trickster, and how I met him, as did Alice in Wonderland. Yes, it's true ***
Photo Gallery Updated
http://www.fellowshipofisis.com/gallerychoice.html
Thanks to photos and information provided by Lady Olivia Robertson and other members, the online photo gallery featuring Clonegal Castle and the Foundation Center Temple now includes a total of 200 photographs in 17 sections. We invite you to visit and enjoy the new photos.
FOI Homepage Spring Cleaning
http://www.fellowshipofisis.com/network.html
This is a reminder for everyone with listings on the FOI Homepage to please check them and make sure your information is current. Thank you!
