Bowynn Gods: The Maukol

Q&A: Bowynn Magic

QUESTION: In the Bowynn Tradition, are there any special corrospondences with herbs, plants, flowers and such?

ANSWER: There is a special recognition of certain flora, that is commonly used in magic and incense blends. But they by no way match the lists one will find in a Wiccan book or match those listed by other culture. There are 7 sacred plants that are commonly used and considered the most sacred:

ROSE: Used for all fire magic, Love spells, Friendship, Family, Unity, Bonding, Oaths, Commitment, Beauty

CEDAR: Purification, Purging, Cleansing, Strength, Growth, Learning, Wisdom,

LAVENDAR: Calm, Sleep, Peace, Clear thinking, Clarity,

MINT: Excitement, Energy, Stimulation, Waking, Vitality, Wealth/Abundance,

BAY LAUREL: Magic, Shamanism, Divination, Wishes, Understanding, Divination, Scrying, Spiritualism, Psychism

PINE: Change, Immortality, Endurance, Altering, Taking Control,

APPLE: The most sacred plant. Home, Abundance, Stability, Health, Education, Protection,

The other most sacred of flora and other burnable materials of the earth are the following three:

AMBER: Sun Magic, Ancient Wisdom, Oracles, Warmth, Self, Soul, Intervention,

BLUE BELL: Rain, Water Magic, Springtime, Change, Growth, Renew, Warning, Fertility

DAISY: Moon Magic, Cleansing, Purity, Spirituality, Sleep, Dreams

Amber is listed as 'Flora', as it comes from the sap of ancient trees. These three combined make up the colors of the Bowynn Crest. These ten plants/trees/flowers are what is burned most during religious ceremonies and magical practices.

Bowynn Gods: Lyann

Lyan  (Ly-an)  Lyan is the Bowynn god of the eastern providences and the east wind. He is one of the 4 wind gods, brother to Arn, Summon and Ryan.

Lyan is the god the delivers the moist gentle and scented rains and winds that often come in the spring and Springtime flowers. His winds blow away the last remnants of winter, allowing flower to grow. Appropriately, Lyan fell for the goddess of the springtime season and eventually wed her. Their sacred divine wedding falls on Ky'Quilla. Together, Lyan and Quilla reside in the far eastern lands. And together both appear on the first day of spring with Lyan leading his beloved.      Lyan is seen as a young man, barely out of his teenage years with wavy red flowing hair. He is seen in his divine form with bird wings. His garments are of reds, greens and/or yellow, often a long flowing loosely, that's falling off his shoulder and in his hand a flute and on his side a drinking horn. When not in his godly form, he will appear as a Robin, a bird that is Lyan's totem.

     Sacred gifts and offerings to Arn often consist of milk, fresh water and votives of robins, feathers and spring flowers.

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: SAUL

Saul  (Sawl)  God of the light and day, born from the will of Bia. As such Saul is a god of the great creatrix along with his brothers and sisters.

     Before Saul, the universe was black and filled with darkness that his brother Daeth and sister Tora ruled over. Saul and his other sister Shayla were opposite of their siblings and grew tired of this eternal night and dark. Saul learned that Light was confined to a small place and guarded by a great celestial lion. Mustering up the bravery that his brother had before him Saul faced down the mighty beast and defeated it. He then unleashed the celestial light and thus the suns and stars were placed in the heavens. And at the same time the law of balance was instilled in the heavens.

     Saul is seen as a young male god of great glorious beauty and radiance. He is said to bare long blond hair and wear a simple light-colored robe, or even wander the heavens naked.  The only scared symbol to Saul is the Lion, which is said he walked the heavens with. Aside from incense, his only other sacred offering is images of golden lions.

Bowynn Gods: Aetenn

Aetenn (Ae-ten)  Aetenn is the god of arms, armor and armories. Sometimes Aetenn is called the ‘Ram-Crowned God’ as he bares ram horns on his head. At other times Aetenn is said to be truly crowned with a wreath of black berry leaves; their tiny thorns symbolizing protection.       Despite the fact that his attributes deem to be of a warrior god, Aetenn is anything but a warrior. He is only the god that guards warrior's arms and armor, protects them and makes sure they are kept in good condition. He is also a god that blesses soldiers if they must go to war. Aetenn is a forest god, said to reside in the woodlands. He has no bed in Alaway (The nighttime home of the gods), opting for sleeping in the wild. Aetenn is also a drumming god. He and the god Drautmer are the gods that created drums and used them as a device of communication between camp sites of the first people, their drums echoing across the lands at the first sign of trouble. But also drumming musically around campfires for the people after a long day

      While Aetenn is mainly a guardian god of soldiers and their arms and armor, he is also a god that guards other items if one asks him to. So, one can consider him almost a guardian of stock piles of whatever one desires. but he should not be asked to guard just any frivolous thing, instead it is best to ask Aetenn to protect what one prizes the most.

Sacred symbols to Aetenn are arms, such as spears, swords, knives, daggers, bows, arrows and such as well as armor, shields and helms. Drums are often dedicated to Aetenn or given as offerings, votive images or rams and bowls of black berries and libations of blackberry wine. At great rituals and ceremonies to Aetenn libations are held and poured from ram horns

The Bowynn Altar

The Bowynn traditional altar {Baear} bares no resemblance to a Wiccan altar at all. The altar is the “sacred table” so to speak, which is a focal point for prayer time between us and the gods. Therefore, the altar should not have clutter on it at all. In the simplest form, the altar consists with the altar itself, which can be a table of wood (which is best used indoors) or if erected outside made of logs and/or stone, which is best used outdoors. I personally find two end tabled put side by side works best for me, as there will be draw space and a small shelf or two to place other scared objects. Concrete works fine, like a birdbath or poured concrete garden bench, especially outdoors. In some cases, a carved tablet works perfectly, which can even be carried in the pre ceremonial procession and placed on a log or stone. The altar should also be of at a good height; about the same height of any table. Avoid having yourself and other people having to bend down to place something on it if you can.

Once the base of the altar is erected, the acting priest/ess should sanctify it with holy water {Maten'Sumon} and holy oil (Maten'Jefer) and then a general invocation to the gods (this will be discussed later in more detail. This should be done before anything else is placed on it.

Outdoor altars need not an altar cloth. This is mostly reserved for indoor temple and home altars. But that does not mean you can not use one. Most folks think that the altar cloth is nothing more than a piece of fabric that keeps the altar itself clean and makes it pretty. The truth is that the cloth is symbolic. It represents the veil that separates the mortal world from the world of the gods. It also symbolizes the veil between the world of the living from the dead. The cloth should be something special and made of non-polyester material. Silk, wool, cotton are the best. Leather and suede are good so long as it is soft and subtle enough to lay flat on the altar. What decorations are on the cloth is up to the owner of the cloth. Color does not matter but some take into consideration the colors of the season.

A simple layout of objects on the altar, are as follows: The Septagram Tile, {Bowrod} which graces the center. It should be big enough to be seen from where people are sitting. A wood tile with a septagram {Numatam} painted, carved or wood-burned on it is great. Behind or about the tile are seven candles {Kaelu}, one for each element/virtue. White candles or just naturally colored bees wax but you can use colored candles if you desire. An incense censor {Temnetellon} of some sort is also on the altar. This can be as simple as a small bowl of dirt. This is the simplest and most traditional set up. One can add an icon {Dyol} of the god/s if one wishes; often that is set on the tile or behind it. A basket, bowl or plate may be present for holding offerings of food and a chalice or drinking horn to hold libation. But normally, these are not left on the altar.

If the altar that is erected is very temporary and needs to be taken down, one should have a large basket or wood box to store the sacred objects in.  this basket is sacred and called a {Mystara Khabbat} When stored away, each item should be wrapped in cloth. The basket and its contents should never be handled by anyone except by its owner and/or the artifacts-bearer. All objects should be left in the basket and taken out only as needed. Flowers and garlands can be used to decorate the altar as well, seen as gifts to the gods.

Bowynn Gods: Odjett

Odjett  (Ohd-jet)  God of the 4th Gate of Daunnat, of balance and one of the gods of Daunnat. He, like the other Gate guardians of Daunnat, are the children of Chumash and Kalma.

     As with all the gods of Daunnat, Odjett is not an evil god, nor a god of judgment.  His role is that of a guardian of Daunnat. He is the bestower of balance to souls, as no spirit can enter Daunnat without this virtue. However, it is common for the living to call to Odjett who are suffering from the lack of balance in their lives. But sould prayers are more from divinities like Bia and Manaea. This is not to say that Odjett brings ill to souls but to balance out any ill in their lives with goodness and purity. So, if a person was plaque with misfortune in their lives, sickness, bad luck, it is Odjett that balances that out for the soul before reaching the presence of Chumash and Kalma. As god of the Gate of Balance, Odjett is represented as one of the 7 gods of the sacred septagram.

Odjett sustains from visiting Alaway, instead preferring to feast with the souls and other gods in Daunnat.

     Odjett has no known totem animal, instead always staying in his godly form; At times he is seen carrying a septagram tile or a staff, entwined with sage leaves or apple leaves.

     Sacred to Odjett is the Septagram and sage plant. During funeral services, a bowl of milk and sage leaves is left to him, as customary and a statuette of the departed, so the god will recognize the departed’s soul, which is identical to his body.

(Above) The soul of a young man in front of Odjett

QUESTION AND ANSWER: MYST WEAR

Question: Does a Bowynn Myst wear any particular clothing/garb like wiccan witches do?

Answer: A Myst wears whatever they are comfortable in. Most will wear at least one garment that matches their person element. (Blue / turquoise for water mysts, reds and oranges for fire mysts) Some mysts do design a special wardrobe (put together) for special events or when they plan an all day magic working. Pointy hats and long black robes are not traditionally what a Myster would wear. Though they would wear black if casting curses and hexes, and attuning to the universal sky.

Aelles Tsa'Kora

May the light of the Equinox fill your soul and body. May you be blessed with the harvest of abundance and have no need of want. May the epiphany of Autumn come into your life with joyous glee. May the colors of the season radiate all about you, bring you happiness.

Bowynn Gods: Oken

Oken  (Oh-khen)  In the days of the older god, Oken was a mamont god of enormous size and strength, towering over all others. Thus he was considered a god of strength. But not just in muscle but also strength in mind status and wisdom. And it was this strength in mind that he was granted a place in Alaway.

     Oken may be one of the older gods but he has the look and stamina of a father figure; A young grandfather in appearance with a short white beard. His red tabard bears the images of 3 mammoths in gold on it and his head is adorned with a fancy circlet. Sacred to Oken is votive images of Mammoths and stones with mammoths painted on them.