QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: Color Magic

Bowynn Gods: Khammii

Khammii  (Kham-My)  Khammii are the Kii (spirits) of freshwater bodies, such as ponds, streams, lakes, rivers and so forth. They are said to be of human size, very beautiful and live either in the waters they protect or on its shores. Unlike Mermaids, the Khammii do not have fish bodies. But they can turn into westland animals like fisf, herons, egrets, bitterns and otters. The beauty of the Khammii is depicted in many of the sacred tales. The sadness comes when one learns how protective the Khammii are of their waters. So much so, that mortals that abuse their waters fall to a dramatic ending. Other times sacred stories speak of a mortal and a Khammii that have fallen in love and either one or the other dies, in an attempt to live with the other. Clearly a warning as to how dangerous bodies of water can become.

     The Khammi can be compared to mermaids or water nymphs, but the gender of the Khammii is mixed; some are male and some female. 

Blessed Winter Solstice

Bowynn Gods: Hyu

Hyu  (Hi-you)  Hyu is the God of baking, ovens and bread. He is the “Baker of the Gods.” He is also the god of bread making, mills, harvesting wheat, the grinding of flour, acorn gathering and the patron of bakers. He is the son of Amaetheon and Deanna. His man means “Flour.” Hyu is a master bread maker. He has his own room and kitchen at Alaway, where he makes all the feasts for the divine Akua family each morning and night, particularly the daily first loaf, which is divided up among the gods. He taught the first mortal tribes how to harvest and prepare acorns for bread making. The bread he makes for the holy family is the most sacred. Hyu is also the guardian of mills. His image was always depicted on mill doors and all mills had a small shrine to Hyu. Hand mills are blessed in Hyu’s name.

     The 7 days Hyu spent with the first tribes to teach them the arts of bread making. This was one of the key elements that brought on man’s survival. So grateful were the tribes, that they build a special temple to Hyu in the shape a mill, instead of the typical shape. The altar as well was designed in the shape of a millstone.

     Hyu is depicted as a man of full age, His hair longish and brown, often seen in workman’s clothes of earth tones and a bakers tan tunic. He carries a broom-staff to which is bound his bread-board with red fillets, a color sacred to him. Offerings to Hyu are in the realm of bread, wheat, flour, acorns, and other grains that are made into flour. Special gifts also consist of elaborated carved spoons, brooms, bread-boards, honey and herb cakes. Hyu’s totem is the mouse, the symbol of abundant wealth.

A Prayer, A Spell, A Curse

May the immortal gods one and all,

From axis to axis, from pole to pole.

From the heavens above, to far below.

Red face demon you have been charged guilty

Guilty from crimes against the gods, spirits and humanity,

So hear me gods far and near

I cast this spell to restore balance and to abolish fear

This spell has no reason nor want to come back to me

For what I cast is justifiable and will never harm me.

With your help O gods this Spell I bestow.

Make its strong, make it impervious make it so.

Protect the children of love and peace,

From the Abrahamic demon's destructive feast.

Smite the red face demons' evil wherever they stand,

Remove them all from our beloved mortal land

And where once where red demons walked this land

Replace them all with love and compassion I demand

Evil and hatred I now bend and control

I send you back to Hell's infernal hall!

Satan's evil son I now control and command

I remove you and yours from this mortal land.

Death to you red faced monster of evil and plight

I vanquish you with this spell I cast this night.

Back to hell you go from where you were sired

Back to Hell and Satan's brimstone fire.

And for every milli-ounce of harm you create,

100x100 fold will come back to you. This I dictate!

Death to you and those who serve you!

Death to you and those who serve you!

Death to you and those who serve you!

Death to you and those who serve you!

Death to you and those who serve you!

Death to you and those who serve you!

Death to you and those who serve you!

Death to you and those who serve you!

Death to you and those who serve you!

SYEMBER!!!!!

Bowynn Gods: Kara Jarra

The Sister's Jarra

Kara Jarra  (Khar-rha Jar-rha)  Karra Jarra, or just Kara is the Bowynn goddess of health. In particular, she is the goddess that précised over the arts of physical healing, such as Massage, Reiki, Gateway healing and reflexology. She is the daughter of the god Owenn and one triplet daughters, often called 'The Sisters Jarra," meaning the sister healers. He is the patroness of nurses, physical therapists and those that practice such healing arts that are attributed to her.

     Karra and her sisters have no real sacred stories of their past deeds, save for the 7 sacred days they spent with the first tribes of mankind, sharing with them, their knowledge. Karra in particular showed the tribes how to heal damages to the body by massages and reiki, how to turn use pressure points to relieve pain and how to treat the body while it is healing When not at her father's side, Karra is seen in temples, houses of healing, and sweat lodges helping as she can the injured. Karra is often seen with the goddess Nyalla Bua in sauna and sweat lodge shrines.

     As with all three Sisters Jarra, Kara is a young goddess in appearance, with white-ish blond hair braided back with ribbons. Simple clothing and a fillet wrapped about her brow. She is often seen with a small slender board in her hands called a "Peer" which is used as a massage implement. Infact a traditional offering to Karra by those healing by such means will offer an elaborate Jeer that is wrapped with fillets and ribbons. Naturally incense is a most honored offering and votive birds also make the best gifts.

The Sister's Jarra The Sister's Jarra and father Owen

Bowynn Tradition Virtues {Hylin}

The following are the Sacred Seven virtues {Hylin} of the Bowynn faith. These seven virtues are one of many attributes of the Bowynn Holy Symbol, the Numatam:

Peace {Del}

Peacefulness is an inner sense of calm. It comes especially in quiet moments of reflection or gratitude. It is getting very quiet and looking at things so you can understand them. Peacefulness is a way of approaching conflict with others so that no one is made wrong.  It is being fair to others and yourself. Peace is giving up the love of power for the power of love. With peacefulness, everyone wins. Practicing peacefulness helps to create a calm mind free from worry. When you are peaceful, you respect others and their differences. People around you feel calm and safe.  Without peace, no one is safe. People get hurt.  Fighting doesn’t solve problems, and no one every really wins a war.  With peacefulness, any problem can be solved. Peace in the world begins with peace in your heart.  To find inner peace, become very still and think peaceful thoughts. Observe and think about your feelings, like anger, instead of acting with anger. To be a peacemaker, use peaceful language instead of name-calling, yelling or gossiping.  Avoid aggressive or violent actions. Talk things out and listen to the other person too.  Then look for a peaceful solution. Peacemakers find there are lots of creative ways to solve any problem.

Charity {Artaejen}

A person in need of charity is somebody who risks the loss of some very strong and stable desires. These include basic desires such as a desire for a warm place to sleep on a cold winter’s night, a desire for food and clean water to drink, a desire for health, and, in some cases, a desire to go on living. When a person has a desire to help fulfill the particularly strong desires of others, then an act of charity fulfills not only the desires of those to whom he gives, but his own desires as well. Some people state that part of the value of giving to charity is the pleasure that it provides to those who do the giving. However, this pleasure is contingent. This is a learned desire – a desire brought about by the use of social tools such as praise (of those who are charitable) and condemnation (of those who are selfish). People in general have many and strong reasons to praise those who are charitable, and to condemn those who are selfish. Any one of us could end up in a situation where some of our strongest and most stable desires are at risk – where we are without a home or suffer some severe threat to our health and long life. But we must remember to give because it is the right thing to do. Not because we expect good things in return.

Love {Brend}

We often think of love as an emotion we experience, an emotion characterized by the desire to be close to another person, the sense of cozy pleasure we feel in a relationship. This emotional aspect of love is usually perceived as warmth, attraction, intimacy, closeness and excitement. If we limit our understanding of love to the experience of transient emotions alone, we are on extremely unstable ground.  Whether we enjoy someone's company or not, whether we admire their character or not, we can still honor a person from a spiritual perspective simply because, we are all created from the same spirit. In this definition of love we make a commitment to remember the truth of our oneness and treat others with respect and kindness no matter if they are worthy of such sentiments or not. Loving another person in this way is respecting their divinity, which is the same as ours. This is a reliable foundation for a positive relationship. When we find ourselves angry or fearful, all love is not lost. We must turn our attention to the principle of love, which calls us to be gentle, kind and to treat others with respect despite the life-constricting emotions of anger and fear. This concept of love is what the ancient Greeks called Agape love -- a love that honors all others. When we have love to give, we can express it with respect, kind words and actions, even when the conditions don't seem to warrant loving-kindness. To foster love, we have to be honest in little and big matters.  To demonstrate love, we can give our undivided attention whether we are at work or at home. Just silently listening and being present can be a loving gesture. Never forget that love can be applied to any problem. Since this life is short, savor moments by being fun-loving and relishing connections with others. Each day, make a conscious choice to live lovingly and express love to yourself and others.

Courage {Baraej}

Courage is one of those virtues necessary to living a good life. Usually, the first thing that comes to mind when we think of courage is bravery in the face of a threat, yet it is so much more. It is the ability to choose the point that lies between cowardice and recklessness in any circumstance. Courage takes many forms. Examples include the courage to do what is right, the courage of facing a personal fear, the courage to accept unpopularity, the courage to endure physical or mental pain for the sake of self-improvement, the courage to push forward through frustration,

the courage to tell the truth, the courage to change, the courage to act, the courage to trust, the courage to love, the courage to commit, and many more. How do you make a habit of courage? This is not an easy undertaking, as you will have to overcome years of habits associated with making uncourageous decisions. First, let me suggest that you have to believe that practicing courage is a worthy pursuit. Developing courage will allow you to be more in control of your life as opposed to letting outside circumstances dictate your actions.  Another place to start is by developing the habit of being truthful. Telling the truth often requires courage because it may get you or someone you care about into trouble. Yet we inherently know it is the right thing to do. There is a selfish benefit to this strategy and that is people will respect you for this virtue. They may not always like it, but they will respect it. They will come to know that you are always telling them the truth and they will appreciate you for that quality.

Kindness {Skirnlee}

Kindness is the essence of a celestial life. Kindness is how a person treats others. Kindness is the essence of greatness and the fundamental characteristic of the noblest men and women I have known. Kindness is a passport that opens doors and fashions friends. It softens hearts and molds relationships that can last lifetimes. Kind words not only lift our spirits in the moment they are given, but they can linger with us over the years. The attributes of thoughtfulness and kindness are inseparably linked.  Kindness is not a duty or an ethic either; it is an expression of personal virtue that flows from and is rooted in love, which is at the heart of all virtue. Kindness begins in the heart. In fact, many languages have words that are translated as "loving-kindness" or "kind-heartedness," which is kindness that goes beyond the minimum requirements of civility. Kindness is really more than being nice, polite or agreeable, but instead has more to do with our being than our behavior. It cannot be faked. Kindness softens hearts, lifts spirits and molds relationships. The value of our lives is best measured not by the material possessions we've acquired, but by the hearts we've touched, because who we are is far more important than what we have. Everything we do affects not only our own life, but touches other lives, too.

Spirituality {Tya'oamima}

A person with Spirituality will have firm beliefs about the meaning of the universe. Such people attach their life to something higher than themselves. Being spiritual may make it easier for a person to cope with difficult life events. Spirituality is not just about religious beliefs although the two are closely connected. People with religious beliefs have been shown to be able to cope with stress and handle difficult events when they arise. In religion, transcendence refers to the aspect of a god's nature and power which is wholly independent of the material universe, beyond all physical laws. This is contrasted with immanence, where a god is said to be fully present in the physical world and thus accessible to creatures in various ways. In religious experience transcendence is a state of being that has overcome the limitations of physical existence and by some definitions has also become independent of it. This is typically manifested in prayer, séance, meditation, psychedelics and paranormal "visions". It is affirmed in the concept of the divine in various religious traditions, and contrasts with the notion of a god, or the Absolute, existing exclusively in the physical order or indistinguishable from it (pantheism). Spirituality can be attributed to the divine not only in its being, but also in its knowledge. Thus, a god may transcend both the universe and knowledge (is beyond the grasp of the human mind). Although transcendence is defined as the opposite of immanence, the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Some theologians and metaphysicians of various religious traditions affirm that a god is both within and beyond the universe; in it, but not of it; simultaneously pervading it and surpassing it.

Balance {Bia}

Balance is defined as “stability produced by even distribution of weight on each side of the vertical axis,” “equipoise between contrasting, opposing, or interacting elements,” or “an aesthetically pleasing integration of elements,” according to Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary.  Balance is that spiritual straightness and stability that resists all influences to turn or deviate from the right path. It is the characteristic of righteousness that refuses to be allured, intimidated, or bullied into diverting from the assigned course. It resists reducing or exaggerating the truth, recognizing that error or excess in either direction, for any reason, remains error and excess. It is important to remember that balance is a godly virtue. It is clearly displayed in the nature of Bia itself. Bia is absolutely perfect in all holiness. Bia is pure and just in judgment, yet Bia’s mercy endures forever. Bia’s law reveals this virtue, calling for separation from the heathen, yet to love strangers, remembering they are strangers to others.  Finally, it must be understood that balance is an attainable virtue. That is not to say anyone will achieve perfect balance, but real and lasting progress can be made to achieve greater balance in life. If we keep our eyes on one unchanging, immovable focus, if we strive to become only what the gods want us to be and all that they want us to be, we will live with greater balance. Thus, we work to achieve balance for ourselves and others. Where the scales of balance are overweighed, we attempt to restore them into place, be it with physical labor, spiritual or metaphysical.

Bowynn Gods: The Kii

Kii  (Ky)  Kii are protective spirits of nature, home, work, the arts and various places. There are many types of Kii, large and minuscule and they all preside over different areas of nature. But all Kii are of good persuasion. And their appearance varies greatly. The three common type of Kii often seen and talked about are the small ones, which are described as no bigger than someone’s hands and have bird wings. There is a second type of small Kii that do not have wings. The third type are human size and have no wings.  And then there is the large type, which can be as big as trees and mountains. Some are humanoid in shape, some monstrous. The Bolquinn/Solquinn are big hair forest dwelling beasts.

The Kii were the creation of Brand and his siblings Kord and Brenda. They were created to guard and protect people and places during the destruction and seductive reign of Mano, who was starting to play nasty tricks on the gods. After Mano was destroyed, his minions the Tii were still causing havock, so Kord dictated the Kii were to remain, watching over the earth and its people.

Kii, like the gods, try not to interfere in human lives. Some try to avoid mortals at all cost. While some may protect the home or other such places, they do not get involved in mortal activity. One does not summon a Kii, as it is considered rude and can lead to mishaps. But if asked politely, a Kii may help. The Kii are not immortal but they do have a long lifespan. Some have been said to like about 200-300 years. No sacred story exists that mentions an individual Kii's name.

     Here is a list of some of the different types of Kii, some of which include:  Golderay (lightning, electricity and storms) Morrqua (stars, sleep, dreams and night) Sanna (waters) Chappa (mountain) Suni (wind and clouds) Maukol (harvest, wheat and grain) Gorto (forge) Jakk (domestic fire and flame) Heather (flowers and gardens) Aetin (cemeteries) Hii (magickal arts) Laukel (trees and woodlands) Tayo (houses, hearth, children) Solquinn (Forests)

     The Hii, Abonna and Kobbatti are often considered not Kii but instead as gods, even if they do not have individual names. Some folk do not consider the divisions of the Kii and just speak of them just as “The Kii.”

QUESTION & ANSWER: Drugs

QUESTION: How do Bowynn practitioners feel about those that take recreational drugs?

ANSWER: What one does in one's home is not our business. HOWEVER...in general we frown on the use of drugs unless it is something that is prescribed by a doctor. Luckily for us, we are all close friends so we all know that we all abhor the idea of use of drugs, as a means of "escape."

I will say this also applies to the smoking of tobacco products and excessive alcohol drinking. All of these addictive articles are banned from celebratory gatherings, save for wine, which is heavily monitored. We come together is clear and clean body, mind, soul and spirit. We find that we do not need such things in our lives and celebrations. We find there is nothing spiritual nor fun to someone that needs to pollute the air with the smell of narcotics and the abused stench of alcohol.

Bowynn Gods: Dorro

Dorro  (Dor-Rho)  Dorro are the Kii guardrians of homes and stables. Of all the Kii, the Dorro are the most popular and seen depicted in every home and barn. These small Kii are said to be the size of small birds. They are born from eggs and bear bird-like wings. At times they will take the form of chimney swifts. In the home they are the guardians of the house and all that dwell in it. At times Dorro may even help the gods Io and Hyu to keep the home safe and clean. In a typical Bowynn home a special shelf is built over the front door. Here images of the Dorro, emerging from the eggs, are placed. It is considered a place for the Dorro to stay, where they are safe and out from underfoot.