Bowynn Gods: Ion

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.

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

To Begin

Meave us to start with some very simple Bowynn words you may find throughout my blog:

Mystra: (Magic / Magick) The arts of the witch.

Myst: (Witch) A Myst pertains to anyone that practices the mystical, arcane, esoteric arts.

Baear: (Altar) The sacred table/tablet where one prays to the divine and leaves offerings.

Tymon: (Shrine) A smaller and more secure form of a Temple and Altar all in one.

Alm: (God) Male deity

Almaea: (Goddess) Female deity

I will leave it here for now. in future posts I will insert other words throughout my text within Brackets { } At some point I may include and dictionary depending on whatever time is allotted to me.

Bowynn Gods: Jayleen Jarra

Jayleen Jarra  (Jay-leen Jar-rah)  Goddess of the healing arts and medicinal herbalism. She is one of the daughters of the god Owenn and sometimes her sisters and her are said to be female Kii; referred as The Sisters Jarra. Primarily Jayleen is indeed the goddess that rules or the healing properties of herbs and the making of medicines. She is also a patron of pharmacists and medical scientists.   

      There are no sacred tales of Jayleen or her sisters outside of their constant vigil over mortals. Jayleen is said to be seen at her father’s side or out in the wild, always looking for new medicinal herbs. Jayleen’s own chamber in Alaway is a massive chamber of every herb, flower, root and wood known to mankind, filled with ground herbs, oils, salves and balms.

      Jayleen is described as a young goddess with dark hair and a dress of green. Her Hlad is also green, detailed with images of herbs and medicinal flowers. While some have seen her with a staff in hand, most of the time she has been seen with an herbal basket or medicinal bowl in hand. When not seen in this form, Jayleen will take the form of a bird. Offerings to Jayleen are herbs, flowers and incense.

BOWYNN GODS: PHOENIX

Possession of goddesses with Phoenix at the end

Phoenix  (Fee-niks)  In the Bowynn Tradition, Phoenix is the daughter created by Bia. Sister to Brea, Unthar, Summon. She is the very element of Fire and one of the great creatrix. Phoenix is the goddess of fire, volcanoes, earthquakes, flame, warmth of light and smoke. She is not just the destructive side of these attributes but the nurturing side as well. She warms people in the winter and from destruction comes life anew, She is the baker of pottery, melter of sand to make glass and metals, the heat and flame of the hearth.

     When the gods created mankind from earth, it was Phoenix that baked the clay that was used to form mankind, there-by not only giving mankind skin, but gave each one a heart of passion and love. And she assures us that from death, we are reborn again. Not because we are to learn life's lessons but to embrace all that life has to offer that is wonderful. She is one of the great 7 that form the symbolism of the septagram. During the time of the great 7 Sacred Days, Phoenix gave mankind the knowledge of fire, How to make it, contain it, how to avoid and respect it, how to tame it and use it for our advantage.

     Phoenix is seen as a motherly figure of deep red hair and dress. She bears a golden circlet on her head as well. Not a fearful figure but a warm embracing goddess. Other times she is seen as a great red phoenix bird. Sacred to Phoenix is images of phoenix birds and a candle flame. These are the most common gifts given to the goddess but any image of birds or fire is welcome to the goddess.

QUESTION & ANSWERS: Goddess Worship

QUESTION: In your Bowynn belief system, is the worship of goddesses more prevalent?

ANSWER: No. All the gods, male and female are worshipped and honored equally. This topic takes us back to the Great Creator, Bia. Who is neither and both male and female. Bia is balance and dictates balance. And we, as Bowynn, are keen on maintaining balance. To honor only the female divinities makes one miss out on so many grand and beautiful attributes that male gods have to offer. And vice versa.

BOWYNN GODS: RYAN

Ryan  (Ry-an)  Ryan is the Bowynn God of the west wind and the guardian god of all western lands (not Duannat, Land of the Dead.) Ryan's name means "west" in English.

     Ryan is one of four sons to Morrighynn and Herne. Like all his brothers, Ryan is seen winged with great black raven-like wings. It is Ryan who blows the cold winds of the autumn and western lands. His wind ripens the autumn fruit, turns leaves their autumn colors and changes the hue of grass to tan. He is seen as a young strapping man, with black hair and smooth of face, his eye color is that of cobalt blue, like the cleanest ocean. His garments are black in color. Often, he is seen on the first day of autumn (Tsakora) leading his wife Kora, Goddess of Autumn Season. It is said that of the four wind gods, Ryan is the most beautiful.

     Despite Ryans black clothing, he is not a god that looks fearful or a symbol of death. Point of fact, Ryan is a young and handsome man and one of the few handsome gods that many mortal women and goddesses fight over to be with. He is charming, strong and fun, as he is often said to bare a winning smile. Point of fact, Ryan, being married to Kora, becomes a harvest god; his western winds ripening foods to be harvested.

     Legend tells how it was Ryan that created the first crows and ravens as a gift to Kora on their wedding day to sing their wedding hymn, at the same time whipping up a western wind so that the trees would sing and laden the wedding procession with a shower of gold and other autumn hues. Often Ryan takes the shape of a crow or raven or other black bird. All these birds are sacred to him.

     Other sacred symbols to Ryan are autumn symbols like the leaves and harvested gourds. Shrines to Ryan often have wind chimes hung in them. Common gifts and offerings to Ryan are bowls of milk, fans, votive images of crows and incense.

BOWYNN GODS: VADYSS

Vadyss  (Vah-dys)  God of Duannat who separates the Soul, Spirit and Body before it travels on to Daunnat. Son of Chumash and Kalma, he is considered one of the funerary gods of the Bowynn faith. Being that the body itself is no longer functional, it cannot travel to Daunnat. This is where Vadyss comes in and with his power the Soul and Spirit separate from the body and it is these that Heron takes on to Daunnat, leaving the mortal husk of the deceased for the mortal world.

     Vadyss is the eldest of the funerary gods of Daunnat. As such, his appearance is that of a father figure; a man of great stature, said to be bald but bearing a beard and moustache. His clothes are said to be black robes and, in his hand, he holds a staff. Sacred to Vadyss is mainly incense but many offer flowers to him as well.

Bowynn Gods: Dadjall

Dadjall (Dhad-jhal)  Dadjall is the Bowynn god who leads souls from the shore of Daunat to the presence of Lord Chumash and Lady Kalma. Dadjall is in fact the son of Kalma and Chumash and the brother of many chthonic gods. Despite is dark occupation; he is a friendly and said to be a very handsome god.

     Because Dadjall is always tending the dead, he has had no encounters with the living mortals outside of the gods Kord and Brenda. And though labor-some, Dadjall’s work is a labor of love, as he gets to travel though the most beautiful land in creation. So, he has never complained. However, because of his duty, he has never been graced to find a love nor know what mortals are like.

     Dadjall is rarely depicted, save for funerary articles. However, his image rarely changes. According to the accounts of Kord and Brenda, Dadjall is a young handsome immortal god, and he is a charmer, according to Brenda. His clothing is a mix of black and scarlet or burgundy in color with a loose scarf about his neck, wrapped about a couple of times. In hand he carries a tall walking staff with a large round quartz ball on the top, representing the Soul and Spirit in one. Often with him, at his side is a dog. So, his basic image is that of "a boy and his dog." All in all, Dadjall has the image of a wanderer. Sacred to him are all funerary offerings: incense, flower, fresh water, votive candles and votive dog images.

Bowynn Gods: The Ea

Ea  (Ee-ah)  The Ea are the four great hawks of the directions. These hawks were originally the great guardians of the North, East, South and West. However, to gain rulership of the earth Anhur had to take on these raptors. Unknowingly, it was not always a battle of strength. When Anhur met the great hawk of the west, he had to answer 7 great riddles. The hawk of the South dared him to endure the heat of the desert for 7 days and the hawk of the east made Anhur meditate and discover his inner self. Only when Anhur had accomplish the tasks with success, did the hawks bow down to Anhur’s majesty and let him rule all four kingdoms, thus calling him King of the Gods.

     In turn for their kindness, Anhur allowed the hawks to continue to reside in their homes and became the guardian companions of the four wind gods and their wives. The four hawks have become what are known as the four great endurances into adulthood. Few if any mortal has conquered all four endurances. The Ea are the Guardians of the Lands of the Directions. During Ancient times these lands were Scandinavia, Europe, Asia and African.