The Bowynn Gods: The Entenn

BOWYNN GODS: UNTHAR

Unthar  (uhn-thar)  God of the air, sky and the air element. Unthar is the eldest of the primordial gods, created by Bia and considered their king, under Bia itself. Unthar is called by many names from Father Sky, to “all seeing.” He is the air, the sky, the universe, the heavens and the element of air. Unth in English means "Air"

     In the creation of mankind, Unthar saw there was no life in the models that his siblings made of clay. So into the mouths of each one, Unthar gave breath. And with that the figures came alive. It was Unthar that separated the heavens from the earth, giving atmosphere and blocking the divine heaves away from the sight of mortals on earth below. 

     Wedding and bedding his sister Brea, Unthar fathered all the great gods of the Akua. He is one of the few gods that rarely visit Alaway, as his watch of “all” is never ceasing.

     Unthar is seen as an older god, of grandfatherly appearance. His white hair and beard is long and eyes almost crystal clear, so he can take in everything. At times he is seen wearing a helm while other times a hood. His garments are white all about. At time he is seen with a staff in hand and other times, he is seen with a horn in hand, which he uses to summon gods to his attention. Sacred to Unthar is mostly incense of all scents and votive images of a horn and birds.

Bowynn Gods: Ohenn

Ohenn with Anhur and 2 of his 12 daughters

Ohenn  (Oh-hen)  Ohenn is the Bowynn God of time and journal keeper of the gods of mortal's deeds. Ohenn is one of the early gods of the earth. As such Ohenn is the creation of Bia.  Ohenn’s name literally means “Time.”

     When Anhur won the role as the King of the gods, built Alaway and claimed his throne, he gave great honor to Ohenn as a god of time by making him the great timekeeper of gods and mortals. It was Ohenn that divided the hours of the day equally for his 12 daughters, divided the year into months, days, hours, minutes and seconds. Ohenn discovered that there were 5 days left over after he dived the year into 30 days and 12 months. So, he declared a 13th month that has only 5 days to it. These 5 days he declared most sacred to the 5 gods of creation: Bia, Brea, Phoenix, Sumon and Unther. It is Ohenn that makes sure time flows smoothly and steadily and he records the hours in a great library in Alaway. During his stay with the first tribes, Ohenn taught mortals how time is precious and should not be wasted. Nor should it be taken for granted. And he showed them all how to journal their lives, living a record for others to read and learn from.

     Several sacred stories speak of mortals trying to steal away Ohenn's holy hourglass, which controls all time. Most of the stories say these thefts were tried because the mortal made a serious mistake and wanted to correct it or to save the life of a long one. The god Mano tried to steal Ohenn’s time piece to play a trick on Brand and Kord. But Ohenn sent a crow to steal it back. For his crime Ohenn punished Mano by making him clean up a massive tipped over barrel of sand, one grain at a time. It took mano a full year.

     Ohenn is one of the few gods that has no totem animal associated with him and is also one of the few gods that rarely, if ever, leaves Alaway. He is seen as an older man, much like with white hair, beard and moustache. But he is not ancient looking. He is clad in long robes of green and silver and has in hand a staff or hourglass. This hourglass not only is the controller of all time but is also a way Ohenn sees about the world.

     Sacred to Ohenn is all sorts of time pieces; clocks, watches, hourglasses, sun dials, as well as 4 and 12 spoked wheels. The wheel symbolizes the Bowynn calendar and cycles. The sunflower is a sacred gift as it represents the Bowynn New Year; the end of Summer and the beginning of Autumn. The Calendula flower is also sacred to Ohenn, as it is an “all year blooming” flower. These sacred gifts are often gifted to Ohenn in true form or as votive images.

Bowynn Gods: Maenna

A Troop of goddesses standing before Maeanna

Maenna  (Main-nah)  Maenna, sometimes spelled and pronounced Maeanna, is the Bowynn goddess of order, law, truth, justice, just victories and balance in the pantheon. Created by Bia itself, she is the godly incarnate of Bia. Considered so blessed, all other gods honor her, including Anhur, King of the gods himself.

     There are no sacred stories of Maenna, as she cannot be persuaded to take a view or hold a view over another. When Ahnur holds court or stands in at a mortal hearing, Maenna is in attendance as well, Even if Ahnur is not present himself. In some way, Maeanna is Anhur's balance in this aspect. She is there to make sure truth is revealed, that justice is done, and balance is restored to those when a crime or injustice has been committed on.  Maenna, like Bia itself, represents the ethical and moral principle that every Bowynn citizen is expected to follow throughout their daily lives. They are expected to act with honor and truth in manners that involve the 7 virtues, family, the community, the nation, the environment, and the gods. Maenna as a principle was created by Bia to meet the complex needs of the emergening Bowynn tribes that embraced diverse peoples with conflicting interests. The development of such rules sought to avert chaos and it became the basis of Bowynn law. It was all this that Maenna taught the first tribes during her 7 days with them. From an early period the 7 tribal chiefs would describe themselves as the "council of Maenna" who decreed with their wisdom came directly from Maenna. Maenna represented the normal and basic values that formed the backdrop for the application of justice that had to be carried out in the spirit of truth and fairness.

     The goddess Maenna was more than just a goddess. She came to represent the concept of balance and order because many Bowynn needed to explain the balance of the world around them. Everything about their culture was centered on order and everything had its place in the world. This included religion, governmental affairs, and seasonal changes. Maenna is also known as the goddess of justice and truth. Her teachings can be compared to the conscience of a person. It’s reasonable to say that Maenna’s teachings aided the people into being good individuals. It was considered a crime against Maenna if a person practiced jealousy, dishonesty, gluttony, laziness, injustice, and ungratefulness.

     Maenna is depicted is a tall woman of motherhood age. Agile and regal in appearance. Sometimes depicted winged, her wings are massive and pure white. It is said when her wings are out right, the light of justice shines. It is Maenna's wings and light that attendants swear by before attending court. Maenna is seen with a crown of apple leaves (most sacred tree of the Bowynn faith) and in turn, when new judges are appointed, they too are crowned with apple leaf wreathes. In godly form she is seen with long flowing white robes and a white hladd over and a staff in her hands. In her totem form she takes the appearance of a white swan. Sacred gifts to the goddess come in the form of incense, flowers, herbs and crowns of apple leaves.

Aelles Tsa'Tarna and Merry Solstice

Her lord and ladyship have arrived and Summer is walked through the door.. May your Solstice be bright, merry and a blessed one.

Today starts the 3 day Holiday of Tsa'Tarna for those of the Bowynn faith. The celebration of the first day of Summer. Tsa'Tarna literally translates to "1st of Summer." At the break of dawn on this day horns resound everywhere ushering in the epiphany of the Goddess of Summer, Tarna and her beloved Saphon, the god of the south and southern wind. Their rise and migration across the northern half of the earth begins, bringing all the joys of summer. At the same time it is the holiday celebrating the union of the God Hern (sun) to the Goddess Morrighynn (moon)

Boughs, garlands, bouquets and wreaths of Daisies Morning Glories, Sunflowers and Daffodils and displayed everywhere. White, Yellow and green flags and sheets blow in the wind, feasts are on full scale, A parade in which a veiled icon statue of Morrighynn is carried to a central temple or location and placed next to the icon statue of Hern. Bouquets of the flowers of the holiday are offered in abundance along with endless amounts of incense. Fruits, veggies, salads and fish are the main focus of feast meals.

the first day of Tsa'Tarna is devoted to the cleaning of homes and sacred spaces, cooking holiday foods and decorating. After which a bath or a swim in a lake or ocean is common. a cleansing. the evening is usually devoted to prayers and vigils at scared spots, temples and shrines. First offerings in all sorts of gifts of offered to the 4 primary gods: Tarna, Saphon, Hern and Morrighynn.

The second day is devoted strictly to the gods. In the morning the Epiphany is started with the blowing of horns and flutes, signaling that Tarna and Saphon have arisen and Summer is at hand. The parade/Procession of Morrighynn is held about noon followed by great rites and ceremonies all day and night.

the 3 day is devoted to celebration and feasting, with carnivals, sporting events, parades, picnics and fun times in general.

However you celebrate the holiday of the summer solstice, may you have a most blessed one. May the Epiphany of Summer and the southern wind bless and keep you cool and safe. May you find love, and joy in the days ahead and may you all celebrate in peace and harmony. Syember and Aelles.

My Prayer to the Briora, Keepers of Wisdom

O Wise Briora, Spirits of Knowledge and Order, I call upon you, revered protectors of our cherished tomes and sacred scrolls. In your diminutive forms, you embody the vast wisdom of ages, and I bow before your eternal essence, forever entwined with the treasures of literature. O Briora, guardians of the libraries, bring forth your light to illuminate my mind and heart. As you wander amongst the shelves, sorting and reading, infuse my thoughts with understanding, and guide my quest for knowledge. Let your whispers steer me towards the truths hidden within the pages of the books, where wisdom dwells like a precious gem. With humble reverence, I offer thanks for the peace and order you bring to our sacred spaces. O Briora, as you lovingly arrange the volumes that tell our stories, grant me the wisdom to organize my own life, bringing clarity and harmony to the chaos that often arises. May my path be as well-ordered as the books upon the shelves you adore.

O Gentle Spirits, may my heart always seek knowledge as a treasure waiting to be discovered. In times of doubt and confusion, may I remember your presence as I turn each page, feeling your guiding hand in every word. As you dwell among the whispers of our histories, inspire me to listen, learn, and grow. In honor of your tireless work, I lay before you simple gifts—candles to illuminate the dark corners of wisdom and incense to waft the fragrant essence of devotion. May these offerings please your spirits, for they are but small reflections of my respect and appreciation for your guardianship over the knowledge we treasure. So shall it be, enveloped in the blessings of the Briora, the wise protectors of books and guardians of knowledge.

Syember!

Bowynn Bods: Amaetheon

Amaetheon (Ah-may-thee-on)  Amaetheon is the Bowynn God of shepherds, cheese-making, bee-keeping, honey, olive trees, oil making, soap making, harvest, brewing, milking, the protector of groves, farms and orchards, the vine, grapes, berries, fruit and abundance in life. He is the patron to farmers, brewers and shepherds.      Amatheon is the son of Rhya and Anhur. The god, in his role as the discoverer of honey and the art of brewing, makes these his prime attributes. But he is not to be confused with a god of drunkenness such as Bacchus. Infact, he is often seen and spoken of as a god that deplores drunkenness; In the end, making those that abuse his gifts, ill with hangovers and sickness, which they will not soon forget.      Amaetheon is a much beloved god, and many sacred stories are bound to him. Many speak of how he had bestowed onto mortals his many gifts or how he punished those who have mistreated his gifts. One of the more hair-raising tales speak of a group of men that gathered to have a private party, during which wine and ale flowed far too quick and often. The men became so drunk that they started to wreak havoc on their neighbors and all across the city. Getting word of this, Amaetheon directed their blurred vision on their own homes. By morning when the men woke, their homes were totally destroyed by their own drunken state and hands. The men were quickly cast out of their town and forced to wander for months with stones chained to their ankles.

In the 7 sacred days that Amaetheon stayed with the first tribes, he taught man-king all about tending to cows, goats other animals to gather their milk, how to grow fields of fruit trees, bee-keeping and the making of drinks from various trees and plants. 

     Amaethon is seen as a well built young man, with beautiful brown hair and sometimes with an apple or ivy wreath on his brow. His clothes are simple and are tainted in harvest colors. Purple and green however often prominent of colors. He always has a tankard tied to his belt or with a cluster of milk jars over his shoulder. He is said to be a very beautiful god and a charmer with his words and music. Often seen with him are a cow or goat. His image is placed in pantries and cupboards to make sure that they are always overflowing and in orchards for health harvests and its common to have a small shringe to Amaetheon in the Kitchen.

Clear equivalents to Amaetheon are Bacchus and Dionysus.

Bowynn Gods: Tya

Embroidery & Paint representing the Gods of creation: Tya, Paut and Phaenixx - Created by Sheree Tsarnek - 2017 - (With the gods Aetenn on the far left and Unthar on the far right)

Tya  (Ty-ah)  Goddess of the element of Spirit and one of the first gods to come out of Bia’s creation. She is the sister to Brea, Unthar and the others. She is the goddess of the element of spirit, faith, intuition, sixth sense, spirituality and the human psyche.

     During the creation of Mankind, it was Tya that placed a bit of herself into the first clay figures, giving them each a sense of feeling, hope and purpose. This she also did to all the first animals that were created. This was the only sacred story attributed to Tya and yet she, along with her siblings all holds the highest place of honor in the holy family in Alaway.

     Tya is seen as a rather young woman despite her time of reign. She is depicted and seen in visions with short hair, wearing a rather simple dress and hladd of blue or purple and a circlet on her head. Tya bears no totem animal but claims all are hers. All forms of offerings are sacred to Tya but ultimately candles and incense are the most divine gifts to Tya.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: Clothing/Garb

QUESTION: In the Bowynn tradition, is there any special robes mysts and practitioners wear?

ANSWER: Technically no. That is to say that no one is required to wear any particular clothing. Especially black witch robes. We kind of shun away from wearing the iconically (and non historic) black robes and conical hat. That said. Over the decades of weekly gatherings, we found that we were all gathering in our Fantasy/Ren Faire garb. Which eventually became something of a common occurrence amongst all of us. While no there is no requirement to wear such clothing, it has become what it is. (Side not to this is that; so many times I have remarked "We all look like we stepped away from filming 'Robin of Sherwood'. LOL)

Mysts [witches] in the tradition do not commonly wear black unless its is there desired comfort clothing. I personally like to wear blue jeans and a blue T-shirt. It's up to the person.

Bowynn Gods: Lyanna

Lyanna  (Ly-an-nah)  Lyanna is the Bowynn goddess of music, song and the patroness of musicians. In some aspect she may be one of the Abonna or a Kii of music. Be that the case, she would be the only Abonna or Kii ever named. If so, then she would be the creation of Brand. We do know from sacred text that she was trained in the arts of music by Brand.

     Lyanna's role in the pantheon is still in a bit of a clouded mystery. What is known is that she is a companion to the goddess Aleglea and in Alaway she sits with the other bard-like gods and strums on a "Kiltaen" or her flutes and sings sweet soft songs as the other gods feast and tuck in for the night.

      Lyanna is depicted as a youthful goddess with long flowing hair and small braids held together with ribbons. It is assumed she is a goddess that has not hit maturity yet, as she is never seen wearing a hladd. In hand she always is seen carrying her Kiltaen, which is a Bowynn lute or guitar. Sometimes on her hip is strapped a flute case and flying about her are Whippoorwills.  The Whippoorwills are her totem and she will sometimes take their form when around mortals, inspiring song. And they are her Totem animal. Sacred gifts to Lyanna are fetish images or real flutes, kiltaens and other such musical instruments, written music, flowers and of course incense.

Blessed Winter Solstice