Q&A: Moon Worship

Bowynn Gods: Naraea

Naerea   (Nay-ree-ah)  Goddess of sleep, dreams and prophetic dreams. She is the daughter of Tora and Daeth and is one of the very few gods of the Akua who have multi arms. She is a spider goddess and spends most of the time spends her days and nights in the great night sky weaving the great sky web in the heavens. It is then web she weaves that filters out bad dreams from coming to earth and plaguing people's minds as they sleep.

On the web Naerea allows moisture to collect, washing away any nightmares that may collect or turning them to good dreams. This moisture falls like droplets to earth, gracing people with sleep and good dreams. Remnants of this can be found as morning dew. Sadly, sometimes a bad dream will get past the web and still bring nightmares.

     Despite her sometimes spider appearance, Naraea is not a foreboding looking goddess. Nor is she a goddess of anything dark nor malicious. Her gifts of good dreams and sleep should be seen as blessings; Graced on mortals after a hard day's work. Naraea is not a goddess to be feared but respected.  Being an endless working divinity, she never took a consort, seeing her work more important. As a weaver, Naraea is sometimes looked at as a goddess of weaving, working alongside of Briathenaea. But primarily she is a nighttime goddess.

     Naraea is a goddess, seen as a motherly figure in here godly form, with long silver hair. Her arms are busy working in the night sky above with shuttles and combs in hand. In her totem form, she appears as either a great crystalline spider in the heavens or as a small spider like what we see on earth. Whatever the form, it is a form of beauty. In godly form, she is seen wearing a white or black dress that sparkles like the stars. Sacred items and gifts of Naraea are dream catchers, dream pots, shuttles, balls of yarn, morning dew and votive images of spiders.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: Skyclad

QUESTION: Is Nudity practiced in the Bowynn Tradition?

ANSWER: No. At least not among all of us ritually as a group. While we love and respect the human body, it is impractical for us to practice in the nude, as we hold most rituals in woodland. The amount of insects, blackberries, thorns and other haphazards just make it impossible. And honestly, we see no need to hold any gathering in the buff. HOWEVER, what one does in the privacy in their own home is up to them. We have several females that will fulling sun and moon soak and I personally have a love for skinny dipping when I am alone at the shore and lake.

BOWYNN GODS: TARM

Tarm  (Tarm)  Tarm is the Mammont [Mammoth] god of invention. Tarm and the other mammoth gods were created by Brea and her siblings, along with all animals and humans.

     In the early days when the Giants ruled the world, Tarm was the giant of the winds and winter season. He brought on this season to let the earth rest and fertilize itself. This he did with Brea, his mother. But when the younger gods took over and the brothers of the winds were born, Tarm stepped down from this role, even though Tarm will accompany the god Arn in the winter. Tarm however remained with the Akua because he was a most wise god and would create inventions for the gods and later, he spent the Seven Sacred days with the first tribes and creating items they would need to survive. These inventions were items like brooms, rakes, hand mills and many other items needed to get by every day. Tarm is also the bestower of wisdom to create and discover, so Tarm’s role as a god is still vital.

     Tarm is seen as an older god, grandfatherly, with wild long grey hair. His clothes are simple, earthly colored traveling robes and a wood staff in hand. In his totem form he is seen as a burly mammoth. All items are sacred and offered to Tarm.  Also gifted to Tarm is bowls of milk and woven fans, as well as votive images of mammoths.

Bowynn Gods: Innapa

Innapa (In-nah-pah)  “The Seen World”. Innapa is the physical 'seen' world where mortals dwell. Often the gods will dwell here as well, making sure all is in balance and the laws of the gods are being maintained and followed. Innapa is the world that’s allocated to mortals, be they men, animal or flora.  Innapa is often mistakenly  called “Middle World” and “Middle earth’ by some, comparing it to Norse faith. Only the gods and spirits can travel between Innapa and Alaway, the home of the gods.

Bowynn Gods: Enya

Enya  (Ehn-ya)  Goddess of the morning and the dew. She is the daughter of Saul and Shayla and the sister of Treya, goddess of the dusk. Raven-haired goddess Enya is the goddess responsible not only for waking up the gods that decide to sleep in Alaway but also, she is in charged for the waking up mortals. At the same time, she is the goddess that flies ahead of the sun of the day, turning the sky from night to day and blessing the ground with morning dew.

     Very little sacred tales are known of Enya. However, it is said her song and voice if what breaks the shroud of night and brings forth the day. As she travels across the world, the vessel she carries spills out and blankets the grass with morning dew. She guides the sun across the sky till it descends in the west. In one sacred tale it is said that Enya and Treya fought over who would be leading the sun in the morning and the evening. Anhur was asked to make the ruling but even he could not decide. Finally, he called in the two goddesses individually to plead her case. His final judgment came not by wisdom but by the color of the dress they wore. Enya wore a dress that reminded the king of the gods of the gentle morning. And so, his judgment stands to this day.

     In most Boywnn villages there was always a “Morning Wailer.” It was their job to wake all up as they started a song throughout the villages at the top of her voice. These songs would be hymns to Enya and Treya was the patron of Morning Wailers. Of which is a most honorable and elite profession. Becoming a Morning Wailer would be devoting oneself to the Priesthood of Enya

     Enya was also one of the loves of the sun god Herne, prior to his wedding Morrighynn. Their love however was short lived when his eyes fell on the lady of the night. Despite the rejection, Enya still remains devoted to Herne.

     Enya is described as a most lovely lady, clad in a dress that matches the morning sky with red lips and short cut black hair. Sometimes she bares the wings of a bird, sometimes not. Other times she is depicted as merely flying on her own accord on the wind with morning birds accompanying her. The vessel she carries the morning dew is often shaped like a spiral shell. Sometimes Enya will take the form of a morning bird like a sparrow; the sparrow being her totem animal.

     Sacred offerings to Enya come often in the shape of bowls and cups of water, flowers, votive images of sparrows and birds and of course incense.   “Matenerm” or holy meals are left to her as a special gift.

My Personal Prayer to Arn

O Glorious Arn, Lord of the North Wind, hear my voice as I raise my heart to your sacred presence. You, the elder of the wind gods and master of winter’s embrace, bless me with the chill of your wisdom and the warmth of your benevolence. As the Winter Wizard, guide me through these frosty months, wrapping me in the mantle of your northward winds. O Arn, with your staff adorned by an acorn lantern, illuminate my path amidst the cold shadows of the season. Bestow upon me the clarity of thought that I may navigate the icy trails of life. Like the white wolf and cardinal that accompany your spirit, may I find strength in my journey and joy in the beauty of the winter landscape. With reverence, I lay before you the offerings of milk and fresh water, humble tokens of gratitude for the life you nurture. I present snowflakes, white flowers, and treasured feathers, symbols of your dominion over the wintery realm. As the days grow shorter, may these gifts express my gratitude for the blessings you shower upon our hearths and homes.

O Mighty Arn, as the Yule season approaches, may your gentle spirit grace my dwelling with warmth. Bless all homes with the light of candles in their windows, as you ride with Myliea across the darkened sky. Bestow upon each home the delights of your gifts—nuts, dried fruits, and sweets for the children—in kindness for the hearts you cherish.I n the spirit of Ky' meliea, I celebrate your wondrous union with Myliea, and all that your presence brings to the turning of the seasons. Let the joy of Yule resonate within my heart and among my kin, as we gather under the boughs adorned with winter's finery. May the laughter and love shared during this time echo through the ages. O Arn, guardian of peace during the long winter nights, may your gentle winds soothe my spirit and grant me serenity. Guide me to understand the cycles of nature and my place within them, as I seek to live in harmony with the world around me. Let your spirit reside within as a reminder of resilience and hope as we await the sun's return. So shall it be, as I walk this earthly plane under your watchful gaze, the Winter Wizard of the North.

Syember!

Happy Halloween

The Bowynn Gods: The Entenn

Entenn  (Ah-ku-ah)  The Entenn are the great tree and forest Kii. [spirits] They are literally “Tree folk” that guard great forests. The Entenn are made up of trees so unlike other Kii, they are not mobile, as they have no legs nor feet. Being of a tree, they are naturally huge in size, but one can assume that there are small Entenn as well. Most Entenn will never reveal themselves to mortal men; instead, they will stand perfectly still and mix in with the normal trees.         

Bowynn Gods: The Hyndd

Hyndd (Hynd)  These people are in some aspect related to the Greek and Roman Kentaurs. But instead of the lower torso of a horse, it is a deer or elk with dark eyes, antlers and ears. The female Hyndd so not have horns. They are the guardians of deep forests where most men will dare to dwell and they hunt down those the try to destroy the woodlands. The Hyndd are the cousins of the Thurdro.

The Hyndd are not mortal by any stretch but forest Kii (spirits), They can appear and disappear as needed. Stories tell how people will encounter a Hyndd and in a flash the Hyndd with whisk away like a flurry of butterflies.

BOWYNN GODS: YORMELL

Yormell  (Yor-mel)  Mammoth god of the weather, wind, air and rain. He is the creation of Brea and the other gods of creation. In the time of the giants, before the Akua ruled the world, Yormell ruled over the winds and the weather. When the Akua took over the world and the wind gods took over. The 4 brothers of the winds felt sorry for old Yormell and so he became their eyes of the world and instructor as to where the winds should blow. And at time Yorell would help them out, stirring up the clouds to induce rain and storms. In the winter Yormell will assist the gods of winter Arn and Myliea in their travels across the world, making sure it's cold and snow is falling, creating winter wonderlands for the gods and mankind alike.

     Yormall is seen most of the time in his divine storm; that of an old man in white winter robes. In his hand he carries a staff that’s topped with a deer antler or a long mammoth tusk that is said to help provide snow. In his totem form Yormell appears as a white mammoth of great size. Sacred to Yormell is a milk libation, bowls of water, incense and wicker fans.