Bowynn Gods: Issen

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: Triple Dieties

QUESTION: Are there any Goddesses that form a triune/trinity in your faith?

ANSWER: No. But that's not to say one may pray to three gods at the same time. But that is more likely because at that moment someone needs to help of the three gods in question. Particularly when it comes to health. But there are no Bowynn gods/goddesses that are seen as a "Divine trinity" like the Greeks and Kelts.

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: Daeth

Daeth Coddling the Earth (2) Daeth with the defeated Bull of Night (3) Neo Classical Daeth (4) Daeth over-looking the Earth

Daeth (Dayth)  Daeth is the Bowynn God of darkness, shadows and the night. He is not a fearsome god by any means, just the god that attributes darkness to the universe and the night. He is a primordial god, one of the first gods to emerge from the will of Bia, along with his twin sister Tora and other brothers and sisters. He is the god one calls to during the dark of the moon, looking at one’s shadow self and looks at when practicing shadow magic. Again, Daeth is not an evil god by any extent nor has he any ill intentions. Even when there is light, Daeth is the creator and pinner of shadows. He is also a god of balance, where-in there is darkness, light exists as well.

     Daeth, like all gods when they are born, had no attributes or realms to tend to. And Darkness was an element that was guarded by a massive black bull in the heavens. When Daeth was old enough, Daeth had challenged the bull. Such a competition it was across the universe. Their tracks created the streaked sky called the "Milky Way" which in Bowynn is called "Ikarro." Eventually Daeth got on the bulls back and tamed the huge black bull till it was exhausted. Daeth then was able to unleash the darkness into the universe. Not as a feared element but as a separation of light, keeping the law of Bia "Balance" in check. For where there is Light, there must be darkness. As for the bull itself, Daeth kept the creature as his own steed and to give it honor, he arranged a constellation to match him, known as Taurus.

     Eventually Daeth and his twin sister Tora wed and bore and host of other gods. However, being actually created from Bia instead of born, the ill laws of incest never cursed Bia's children. Together Tora and Daeth rule the realm of night on earth. It is Daeth that gave Naraea, the goddess of sleep and dreams, a home high in the celestial heavens among the stars. And also, from Tora and Daeth was born the magnificent Goddess of the moon, Morrighynn. Unlike many of the gods of Alaway, Daeth does not often join the gods in the Great Hall at night for feasting and fun, as his realm needs to be tended to in those hours. Instead, he and Tora feast together and they tend to the night and darkness

     Despite his primordial appearance Daeth is not an old looking god. He is a well-developed young man, said to have curly hair and black as darkness. Some who have had divine contact with him say his eyes are just as black. Other say that his eyes are like a shining star. And his clothing of choice is also as black as his realm. Often, he is seen carrying the bridle of the great black bull or simply wearing a black cloak. Despite his dark attributes, Daeth is said to be rather handsome.

BOWYNN GODS: PHOENII

Phoenii  (Fee-ny)  the Phoenii are Kii (spirits) of domestic home fires, most of the time being of small fires, such as the flames of candles and lamps. These Kii are said to have the form of a tiny bird-like spirits but some can take the forms more of a larger phoenix bird. They reside in and around the hearth and ovens of the home or close to where candles are left. These diminutive spirits ensure safety and make sure candles burned bright but slowly and do not fall over. Other times they will reside by the hearth and be seen as the sparks that snap and rise up. All homes have a small shelf in the kitchen where small red paper images of the Phoenii or birds and left.

Bowynn Gods: The Kobattii

Kobattii  (Kho-bha-ty)  TheKobattii are a form of Kii (Spirit/Faery) that guard sacred spaces, most of the time being Temples and Shrines. Bowynn temples will have images of Kobbattii above the archway of temple doors and small votive images etched or places next to small shrines.

     The Kobbattii, like most of the world's Kii were created by the Gods Brand, Kord and Brenda to ward off the ills of the God Mano and his malicious spirits, the Tii. It was the Kobbattii that took up residence in temples and shrines to guard and protect them and the bodies there-in . Being numerous but having no sacred text about them (outside of their creation) names of the Kobbattii do not exist.

     The Kobbattii are one of the very few of the Kii that bear armor and weapons. They are depicted clad in armor and bearing shields with the image of a turtle on it. It is their shields that are said to be the apex for protecting sacred sanctuaries.  Their shields are often seen raised high. Sometimes they are helmed and or times not. The Kobbattii are seen as both young men and women without wings. When not depicted or seen in their immortal form they will take the images of turtles, which is their totem animal. Seeing a turtle or tortoise in a cemetery assures the place is well guarded. A temple will often have a small garden out front, housing a couple of turtles.  Sacred gifts offered to the Kobbattii are normally incense or small votive images. But during the holiday of Kykora, the offering level can encompass any of the 7 sacred forms of offerings including full meals or huge baskets of flowers.

The Vlenndra

The Vlenndra Devotional is a special act of praise that is done at the start of any religious act.  It is much like a Christian will draw a cross with their finger across their body as they chant "To the father...". The Vlenndra Devotional is a form of attunement with the spiritual. There is no true English word nor term for "Vlenndra." Though some have interrupt it to "devotional" but it is really so much more beyond that.

Before the start of any prayers, rite or magic spell, be it alone or with one's clan, the Vlenndra Devotional is performed. It is an opening to your prayers, a way of preparing oneself, a separation from what you were doing in your mundane time and your spiritual life. The Vlenndra act is sort of a key to unlocking a door to the divine world and a reminder of that which is holy. Many use the Vlenndra devotional by itself as a morning affirmation. The Vlenndra devotional need not be done at one's altar but anywhere: Facing the morning or setting sun, at the rise of the moon, over a meal, at a moment when things go wrong.

The Vlenndra devotional is simple in itself and yet within its simplicity, atones one with our faith. It is started by taking up a simple incense stick of any scent. When the tip glows, blow out the flame and let it smoke. Then in the air draw a septagram with the tip. As you do this, speak the following:

“By Earth, By Air,

By Fire, By Water,

By Soul, By Spirit,

By Bia.”

Finish each septagram off by encircling it. Done as a daily practice, this is repeated 3 times in total. However in some remote cases one may wish to do this as much as 7 and 9 times. A Myst {witch] will use the common 7 times before casting a spell, during a holiday or during a vigil, 9 times is the norm. After which the incense stick is placed in its holder. The Vlenndra Devotional is done. One should never rush through the Vlenndra. You should think about your actions, its words, what each of these elements mean to you, absorbing each element as you speak the Vlenndra and how you plan to incorporate them throughout your day.  At the same time, the devotional need not be done too slow either. The main thing is that when done, with the devotional you should feel spiritually attuned for moment.

The Bowynn Gods: Bia

(This listing starts with the 7 great divinities of Creation. The Creatrix that was at the beginning. After the 7, all other gods will be listed in alphabetical order.)

"Creation / Hand of Bia" - created by D. Kzmarinski 1984 - 26"x34"

Bia  (By-ah)  - In the great Bowynn tale of Creation, Bia emerged from the reign of nothingness. Bia was not so much a deity as much as being a personification of creation. Bia represents creation, the force and balance of all things. Without Bia there is only chaos. It was the emergence of Bia that put an end to emptiness, the chaos and vanquished the never ending “Mist”. From Bia was born the first gods. Bia is the very element of 'Balance.'

     From Bia the first gods of creation were born: Paut, Tya, Ohenn, Brea, Unthar, Sumon, Phoenix, , and musch leter Daeth and Tora, Saul and Shayla, Maeanna and the three sisters, the Ano Taya.

     Bia is the most sacred of all of the divine in the Bowynn tradition. Even the gods themselves including Anhur, bow down and give honor to Bia. In the Bowynn tradition, Bia can take the shape and/or voice of anything it please, thereby Bia was able to set down laws and judgments, and still does. There are some who solely devoted to Bia and Bia’s powers. They spend their lives in constant pursuit of attaining the goals that Bia set. Others just give Bia the most respect and live their lives in balance.

    Bia has no true form as the other immortals. Bia takes the form of all and none. Therefore, Bia takes no one side. Bia is neither male nor female, mostly depicted just as a hand, as it places the stars and plants in the universal space. Bia is the perfect balance. Being that Bia is everything and is all about, all things are sacred to Bia. So many different types of offerings are sent but the most popular is simply incense or lit candle.

      (Equivalent would be Khaos, Ptah, the Abrahamic "God" and other divine beings of creation.)

Symbolic motif of the Great Creatix with a symbol of Bia in the very center. Embroidery detail on a Hladd. created by Lorra Konrad 1991

The Elements / Tau Retammas

Fire {Phoenix} - The Hearth {Tau Io}

The first point of the Numatam represents all the aspects of the element of Fire (Creation, Passion, Love, Warding, Transformation, Energy, Enthusiasm, Courage, Determination, and Boldness). There are two types of fire in the world: Wild and Domesticated. The wildfire is the fires that created all - molten earth solidified and thus created ground. But wildfire also destroys as well. Wildfire burns the forest down, so a new forest can take its place as the ash feeds the earth. It burns as it changes all it touches, and in the moment of that change comes new growth. Domesticated fire gives us life by its warmth and light. This is the fire we as mankind have tamed and mastered (even though we will never really be able to master any element). We build our hearth fire, thus bringing us closer as a community or family. With hearth fire we light lamps and candles to light our homes and our way. As fire burns so do our hearts with deep love and heart felt emotions. From gazing into the fire, we watch the flames dance and spark, giving our body’s energy and enthusiasm. We challenge fire at times, holding our hands over the heat burning ourselves, thus giving us courage to take on dares and obstacles. And with fire in either form we use it to ward away that which we do not want to harm us. We cook with it daily, even enjoy the darkness by it. Even in its modern form, electricity, we gain all these same lessons. We ask it to bring energy to our spells, and we light our incense with it. The sun is one of the heavenly bodies which burns and warms our bodies with its radiant heat. At night the hearth flame does the same. The virtue associated with this element is Courage. When passion fuels our desire to make changes in our world, or when we choose not to settle for anything less, we summon our courage to deal with unpleasantries or things we need to face in our lives. We find our own strength with courage, which when faced with problems seemingly overwhelming to do something about them. Fire is primal and sensual. Fire burns within us all and each of us can summon this energy to do what must be done. Courage should be instilled within our souls to help us grow and face our fears and help gently push our limitations. The path of fire is a dangerous one emblazoned in the hue of red.

My Personal Prayer to the Ano Taya

O Esteemed Ano Taya, triad of divine sisters who art the weavers of the tapestry of life, I bow before your sacred loom, where threads of destiny intertwine under your vigilant gaze. Nae, guardian of the past, Narna, nurturer of the present, and Nareen, keeper of the future, I humbly beseech you to guide my path and illuminate the choices that lie before me. O Nae, esteemed chronicler of yesterday's tales, grant me wisdom to learn from the stories of those who came before. Let the lessons of the past linger within my heart, guiding my steps away from folly. Narna, vibrant weaver of the now, fill my spirit with the awareness to embrace each moment, weaving joy and compassion into my daily existence. Nareen, visionary of what is yet to come, plant seeds of hope and dreams within my soul, for I seek to forge a future rich with purpose and light. With reverence, I lay before you sacred offerings of candles, white for purity, red for passion, and purple for transcendence—three flames illuminating the way for your divine presence. I present to you three fillets and votive images, symbols of my devotion and recognition of your immense power. May my humble gifts find favor in your eyes and stir the threads of fate in alignment with my heart's desires.

O Kindly Ano Taya, as I traverse the intricate paths of existence, bestow upon me the insight to discern my choices and their impact on the tapestry you weave. May your guidance illuminate the crossroads of my life, helping me navigate the corridors of time with grace. In moments of uncertainty, let me feel your presence, reassuring me that I am part of your grand design. In unity, I honor the shared threads that connect us all, woven together by the hands of the Ano Taya. As I gaze upon the sacred tapestries of the past, I reverently acknowledge the lives interwoven with my own. Let every encounter, every bond, strengthen the fabric of our shared journeys, and inspire compassion within my heart for my fellow beings. O Divine Sisters, protectors of the cycles of fate and time, may your ever-watchful presence guide me in the winding paths of my days. As I gather strength from my origins, cherish the present, and dream for the future, may the beauty of your woven tapestry inspire my soul. Enfold me in your wisdom, assuring me that each thread serves its purpose in this everlasting cycle of life. So shall it be, as the tapestry of existence unfolds under your benevolent hands.

Syember!

BOWYNN GODS: PANU

Panu (Pah-new)  Goddess of Gemcrafting. She is the daughter of Brea and Unthar and the sister of Vella. When it comes to gems, glass and lapidary work, no deity or mortal can compare. She is the goddess that creates fashions gems from the ground and bestows them with special magic powers that can be used in healing and metaphysical properties. She is the patroness of lapidaries and jewelers.

     Being a goddess with such gifts Panu often stayed in the halls of Alaway or walked the earth blessing the ground with her creations. But the sacred stories tell that one day she wandered a forest and came upon a grand hut of stonework with many chimneys. Curious, she walked inside and came upon the god Kalen hard at work carving gifts for the Akua and mortal man. Scared she hid and watched the god as he continued his work. Finally, she was spied by one of the giants that help out. Kalen turned and saw the goddess and fell instantly in love with her beauty. For days on end the two would meet at the hut. He would work in wood, and she would inlay the finish product with stones as she saw fit. When they stopped, they would kiss, and this would make the hearths blow 10 times as hot. After weeks of this passion, Kalen wed Panu in a most glorious wedding ceremony. Their wedding cart was created by their own hands of wood and gems. Together they still work along with Gondor and his bride Vella.

     Panu is a goddess described to be of raven black hair and eyes that change and glimmer like the gems she creates. Her clothes are said to be of simple make, being she is a god on crafts and earthly. The material is claimed to be of a purplish hue with green embroidery and edging. She is depicted as a young woman, matching with Kalen’s age range. She is one of the few goddesses that do not have a totem animal.

     Sacred to Panu are all gemstones, glass and lapidary tools; small hammers, files, chisels and such.