Golden Rose Solar Iseum
The main purpose of the Golden Rose Solar Iseum is to promote spiritual growth through the Rites of the Fellowship of Isis along with new material. Focus is placed on the creative process, whether it be the creation of art, the creation of love, the creation of a new spiritual self, the creation of harmony between two beings, or the creation of life. The ultimate goal is to take a step forward towards spiritual perfection, just as Psyche eventually attained goddess hood. The Iseum is dedicated to Aphrodite, Eros, the erotes, and Psyche and serves the additional purpose of empowering those who are LGBTQ+. Potential students need not be LGBTQ+ themselves, only allies. However, the Rites are tailored to serving the LGBTQ+ community.
The decision to dedicate this Solar Iseum to Aphrhrodite was made because she is an alchemical goddess. I was prepared to leave it at that and move on to other projects. Aphrodite and eventually Eros, however, had other plans. I discovered a rich tradition of LGBTQ+ myth in the worship of this goddess and god. And they wanted that aspect of their profiles made more pronounced to serve and strengthen the community.
Aphrodite is more than a woman in an attractive nighty. And Eros is more than a child in a diaper. They are deities of love, sex, creativity and creation, and inspiration. Aphrodite is an extraordinary goddess with a magical presence and the power of transformation. Her nature is alchemical and creative and the power that fueled these energies was love. She can channel her energies into sex or artistic endeavors. One does not need to physically reproduce to tap Aphrodite’s energy. She is a very decisive goddess who cannot be turned aside once she determines a course of action.
Aphrodite is the goddess of creativity and getting closer. This energy can apply to sex or to an entirely platonic psychological and spiritual relationship. When two people completely “get” each other and form an undeniable connection, Aphrodite is there. She also is present in the union of minds, spirits, and hearts or whenever new growth occurs in the realms of the psychological, spiritual, and emotional. This is the aspect of Aphrodite we are most concerned with here. These realms can be accessed through the vehicles of sex or creative endeavors. With her power, any person can learn to shine with the goddess’s golden light.
The Greeks considered Aphrodite to be the patron of homosexual relationships in females and males along with a group of divine beings, known as the Erotes, who made up her retinue. The Erotes themselves, were concerned with male homoeroticism and same sex attraction. One of these was Eros, whose origin is somewhat contested. Eros was either a primal deity or the son of Aphrodite and Ares. Whatever his origins, he was a constant companion to the goddess and a creative artist in his own right. The Erotes imparted beauty, loyalty, strength, and eloquence to those involved in same sex relations. Eros was part of a trinity concerned with homosexuality which also included Heracles and Hermes.
1. The student must be initiated and ordained. This occurs through the Mystery of Eros and Psyche, as written by Lady Olivia Robertson. Ordination is accomplished through the Rite of Ordination.
2. The student officially joins the mentor's Solar Iseum through an adaptation of the Rite of Flamma Vestae. The Priest Alchemist of the Solar Iseum gifts the student with a token that represents the work of the group.
3. The apprentice researches and performs 4 Alchemical Rites from the FOI liturgy books:
* The Ruby Pylon of Mars from Isis of Alchemy, which involves the unleashing of creativity, equanimity of love, and Yin/Yang balance.
* The Jade Pylon of Earth from Isis of Alchemy, dealing with the restoration of Yin/Yang balance and creativity. Creativity itself and the balancing of these energies are a deeply ingrained part of many LGBTQ+ people.
* From Sphinx, Goddess Myths and Mysteries, Melusina of the Dragon Power, which deals with faeries. Seriously. It’s not a joke. Faeries have been chosen because they are on an alternate path of evolution, and many would say the same applies to the LGBTQ+.
* A reworking of Gemini: The Mysterious Bride is taken from Nuit of the Milky Way. The option to retain the oracle while rewriting the text of the rest of the Rite has been chosen for this. If you’ve made it this far, you’ll be rewarded with an unabashedly LGBTQ+ Rite. No more sifting through subtext. This idea isn’t something I’ve just made up. We are permitted to do this with Rites from this particular book.
* The student enacts Gemini, Artemis and Apollo from Sophia.
After enacting each mystery drama, the apprentice engages in a write-up of their experience in receiving the mystery.
4. The student is taken through a series of original guided meditations.
5. The apprentice composes a brief paper about what they "took home" and internalized from the 5 Rites.
6. The apprentice undergoes Consecration of a Priest/Priestess Alchemist and receives a caduceus or symbol of Valerius the Elder, thus conferring the status of Priest/Priestess Alchemist.
7. The Alchemist may wish to investigate other studies under the umbrella of Alchemy, such as the pursuit of elemental work, some types of ceremonial magic, the study of LGBTQ+ themes in spirituality, or the production of their own herbal formulae using tried and tested recipes (Be careful with this type of work, folks. You don't want to stir up something that's toxic.).
8. When ready, the Solar Alchemist can create their own Solar Iseum and engage in the practice and teaching of Alchemy.
The Blessings of the Divine Mother
This is a copyrighted system with a fixed price. As such, it is totally optional, I wasn't certain where to put this system. It could go well on the Goddess page and be used as part of that training. But, it really could be helpful with any course of study on this site. I decided to include it here because some of the Goddesses specifically relate to Alchemy and make appearances in the Rites associated with the discipline. The cosmic order is currently out of balance and has swung to the Yang polarity. This has been the case for the Age of Pisces. However, one of the things that will happen in the Age of Aquarius is that the pendulum will begin to swing towards the Yin, creating balance. This system is one of the tools that can help us in the healing and evolution of the Earth as well as on our own journey of spiritual development and advancement. The Goddesses worked with include bodhisattvas, an Ascended Master, and several Divine Mothers. So, they are all deeply concerned with our evolution, individuation, and personal process. As Mother Mary is featured, this system does have some aspects of Christianity, but it would be a shame to miss out on its power and promise for that reason alone. Here are some of the things you will learn about:
* Saint Germain, Lady Portia and the Violet Flame
* Mother Mary
* The Immaculate Heart of Mary
* The Goddess Quan Yin
* Avalokitesvara
* Tara
* Bodhisattva Vows
* Prajnaparamita
* Sarasvati
* Sophia
* Isis (Of course!)
* Durga
Price: $45
The decision to dedicate this Solar Iseum to Aphrhrodite was made because she is an alchemical goddess. I was prepared to leave it at that and move on to other projects. Aphrodite and eventually Eros, however, had other plans. I discovered a rich tradition of LGBTQ+ myth in the worship of this goddess and god. And they wanted that aspect of their profiles made more pronounced to serve and strengthen the community.
Aphrodite is more than a woman in an attractive nighty. And Eros is more than a child in a diaper. They are deities of love, sex, creativity and creation, and inspiration. Aphrodite is an extraordinary goddess with a magical presence and the power of transformation. Her nature is alchemical and creative and the power that fueled these energies was love. She can channel her energies into sex or artistic endeavors. One does not need to physically reproduce to tap Aphrodite’s energy. She is a very decisive goddess who cannot be turned aside once she determines a course of action.
Aphrodite is the goddess of creativity and getting closer. This energy can apply to sex or to an entirely platonic psychological and spiritual relationship. When two people completely “get” each other and form an undeniable connection, Aphrodite is there. She also is present in the union of minds, spirits, and hearts or whenever new growth occurs in the realms of the psychological, spiritual, and emotional. This is the aspect of Aphrodite we are most concerned with here. These realms can be accessed through the vehicles of sex or creative endeavors. With her power, any person can learn to shine with the goddess’s golden light.
The Greeks considered Aphrodite to be the patron of homosexual relationships in females and males along with a group of divine beings, known as the Erotes, who made up her retinue. The Erotes themselves, were concerned with male homoeroticism and same sex attraction. One of these was Eros, whose origin is somewhat contested. Eros was either a primal deity or the son of Aphrodite and Ares. Whatever his origins, he was a constant companion to the goddess and a creative artist in his own right. The Erotes imparted beauty, loyalty, strength, and eloquence to those involved in same sex relations. Eros was part of a trinity concerned with homosexuality which also included Heracles and Hermes.
1. The student must be initiated and ordained. This occurs through the Mystery of Eros and Psyche, as written by Lady Olivia Robertson. Ordination is accomplished through the Rite of Ordination.
2. The student officially joins the mentor's Solar Iseum through an adaptation of the Rite of Flamma Vestae. The Priest Alchemist of the Solar Iseum gifts the student with a token that represents the work of the group.
3. The apprentice researches and performs 4 Alchemical Rites from the FOI liturgy books:
* The Ruby Pylon of Mars from Isis of Alchemy, which involves the unleashing of creativity, equanimity of love, and Yin/Yang balance.
* The Jade Pylon of Earth from Isis of Alchemy, dealing with the restoration of Yin/Yang balance and creativity. Creativity itself and the balancing of these energies are a deeply ingrained part of many LGBTQ+ people.
* From Sphinx, Goddess Myths and Mysteries, Melusina of the Dragon Power, which deals with faeries. Seriously. It’s not a joke. Faeries have been chosen because they are on an alternate path of evolution, and many would say the same applies to the LGBTQ+.
* A reworking of Gemini: The Mysterious Bride is taken from Nuit of the Milky Way. The option to retain the oracle while rewriting the text of the rest of the Rite has been chosen for this. If you’ve made it this far, you’ll be rewarded with an unabashedly LGBTQ+ Rite. No more sifting through subtext. This idea isn’t something I’ve just made up. We are permitted to do this with Rites from this particular book.
* The student enacts Gemini, Artemis and Apollo from Sophia.
After enacting each mystery drama, the apprentice engages in a write-up of their experience in receiving the mystery.
4. The student is taken through a series of original guided meditations.
5. The apprentice composes a brief paper about what they "took home" and internalized from the 5 Rites.
6. The apprentice undergoes Consecration of a Priest/Priestess Alchemist and receives a caduceus or symbol of Valerius the Elder, thus conferring the status of Priest/Priestess Alchemist.
7. The Alchemist may wish to investigate other studies under the umbrella of Alchemy, such as the pursuit of elemental work, some types of ceremonial magic, the study of LGBTQ+ themes in spirituality, or the production of their own herbal formulae using tried and tested recipes (Be careful with this type of work, folks. You don't want to stir up something that's toxic.).
8. When ready, the Solar Alchemist can create their own Solar Iseum and engage in the practice and teaching of Alchemy.
The Blessings of the Divine Mother
This is a copyrighted system with a fixed price. As such, it is totally optional, I wasn't certain where to put this system. It could go well on the Goddess page and be used as part of that training. But, it really could be helpful with any course of study on this site. I decided to include it here because some of the Goddesses specifically relate to Alchemy and make appearances in the Rites associated with the discipline. The cosmic order is currently out of balance and has swung to the Yang polarity. This has been the case for the Age of Pisces. However, one of the things that will happen in the Age of Aquarius is that the pendulum will begin to swing towards the Yin, creating balance. This system is one of the tools that can help us in the healing and evolution of the Earth as well as on our own journey of spiritual development and advancement. The Goddesses worked with include bodhisattvas, an Ascended Master, and several Divine Mothers. So, they are all deeply concerned with our evolution, individuation, and personal process. As Mother Mary is featured, this system does have some aspects of Christianity, but it would be a shame to miss out on its power and promise for that reason alone. Here are some of the things you will learn about:
* Saint Germain, Lady Portia and the Violet Flame
* Mother Mary
* The Immaculate Heart of Mary
* The Goddess Quan Yin
* Avalokitesvara
* Tara
* Bodhisattva Vows
* Prajnaparamita
* Sarasvati
* Sophia
* Isis (Of course!)
* Durga
Price: $45
Faery Kings and Queens
This one is also totally optional. I've briefly mentioned faeries. This is for those who want to make friends with these beings. This is a 12 attunement system. These are not the faery stories from your childhood. These are not the diminutive beings your parents read to you about. These are full statured beings of great power. Each attunement gets you channeled information and messages from the faery. And rituals, scents, colors, and poems will help you deepen your connection to the faeries. You may want to ask a King and Queen to adopt you to be your special faery guide. Or you could let them choose you. If you're fortunate, they may take you to parts of the faery realm where humans are not normally allowed. The faerie Kings and Queens in this system include Donn Fierna, Finvarra, Gwyn Ap Nudd, Midar, Oberon, Sil, Argante, Caeila, Maeve, Morgana, Oonagh, and Holda.
Price: $100
This one is also totally optional. I've briefly mentioned faeries. This is for those who want to make friends with these beings. This is a 12 attunement system. These are not the faery stories from your childhood. These are not the diminutive beings your parents read to you about. These are full statured beings of great power. Each attunement gets you channeled information and messages from the faery. And rituals, scents, colors, and poems will help you deepen your connection to the faeries. You may want to ask a King and Queen to adopt you to be your special faery guide. Or you could let them choose you. If you're fortunate, they may take you to parts of the faery realm where humans are not normally allowed. The faerie Kings and Queens in this system include Donn Fierna, Finvarra, Gwyn Ap Nudd, Midar, Oberon, Sil, Argante, Caeila, Maeve, Morgana, Oonagh, and Holda.
Price: $100