BOWYNN GODS: RUNA

Bowynn Gods: Paut

Wood carved pog of Paut - Made my myself - 1987

Paut  (Pawt)  Goddess of the element of Soul. One of the first children/creations of Bia and the brother of Brea and the other gods of the creatrix.

     At the beginning of time when the gods gathered together and formed mankind, they discovered that mankind walked about the earth aimlessly and all were exactly alike. So Paut instilled into each person a soul, which gave each person a voice and personality, making them different and their own individual, both physically and mentally. This was Paut’s great gift to mankind. Later, during the 7 Sacred Days, Paut stayed with the tribes and taught them how to understand their individuality and how they make up a part of ones being. Also, she taught mortals how to keep our souls and bodies healthy and clean. When it comes to the Bowynn belief system, we recognize the soul as a physical part of human anatomy. This is due to Paut’s teachings.

     Paut is seen as a young woman, with a long golden hair. her eyes are said to be amber in color, to see past folk's mortal husks to their soul. Paut is dressed in long robe and cloak. Over her robe she wears three large round pins that represent the three elements the soul controls: Self, Mind and Action. Often, she is seen with a staff in her hand which is topped with a bull head. Despite the bull head on his staff, this is not known to be Paut’s totem. In fact, Paut does not have a totem animal; at least not one that is known to us.

     Sacred to Paut is glass baubles and votive bull images. These as well as Incense are the customary gifts to Paut.

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

Blessed Solstice

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: Ethic and moral punishments

QUESTION: Do Bowynns believe in Kharma or the 3-fold law?

ANSWER: No. Not in the way these are commonly believed. Kharma and the 3-fold law come from other cultures and practices. These idealisms and beliefs are not part of our faith. We adhere to the belief of Bia (balance) and that if what you do and say in life is just, true, moral and virtuous, then you are in good standings. If it is not, then the gods and those around you will call you out and tend to you justly. And the more wrong one does, the worse it is going to be. Like a rubberband: the more you pull on it, the worse it is going to hurt when it snaps back. And assuredly, it will snap back.

Aelles Anj Ohenn

Today is the Bowynn last day of the year. "Anj Ohenn. Literally meaning "Old Year." Which falls on August 31. It is followed by Then Ohenn "New Years".

Unlike western/mundane New Years (December 31/January 1st) It is not just a holiday to get drunk, kiss a girl and call it good. Anj Ohenn has a greater significance. The year is over in the Bowynn tradition, it is the transition of Summer months to Autumn months. Anj Ohenn is the eve before the birth of the god Ohenn, the god of Time itself. It is a 2 day holiday to reflect on how one's time is spent. A time of beginnings and ends. Old projects end and new projects begin. It is also the official first day of Harvest and great offers are made to Deanna on Anj Ohenn and Then Ohenn.

Instead of a glass of wine or other alcohol beverages, the holiday is celebrated with feasting and fun all day long. But it is all done in respects to the gods of the Harvest and Time. Foods of the harvest. In the morning homes are swept clear with chants to be rid of old energy. And on Then Ohenn, a plant or tree seedling is purchased or harvested and brought into the house. In Altars, images of Mice and grain are placed to insure abundance for the new year. Turquoise coins are kissed and then given as gifts, as wishes for others to have a new year. Twelve or Twenty-Four small poppets filled with grains of all sorts are also gifted to young girls and displayed, representing the Nauidd; the daughters of Ohenn and goddesses of the hours. All sorts of time pieces are given as gifts. It is also a holiday to clean and maintain such time pieces.

In the last few years a character has been created to help children understand the true meaning of the holiday, named "Orry." the story tells of Orry as he learns how time is often wasted throughout the year and not used wisely. But in the end he gathers enough seed to give to the birth of baby Ohenn and the magic of the birth increases his meager cluster of grain 100 times over. Enough to get him through the year.

However you spend the Holiday, Aelles Then Ohenn and peace to you all.

My Personal Prayer to Abbennaea

O Abbennaea, Radiant Daughter of Phoenix and Sumon, Keeper of Offerings and Purifier of Hearts, grant us thy benevolent presence as we gather in humble devotion. With deep red tresses like the evening flame, illuminate our paths with thy love and wisdom. As we place before thee our blooms and fragrant herbs, transform our gifts into nourishment for all souls, casting aside the hollow and ill-given. Teach us anew the sacred ways, that our altars may be cleansed, and our offerings accepted in purity. O Gentle One, in thy embrace of incense, envelop us in peace, and may thy spirit soar among us as a tender bird, guiding our hearts toward the divine. In gratitude, we honor you, Abbennaea, our cherished goddess, now and forevermore.

O Abbennaea, Beloved Guardian of Alaway's Sacred Halls, we bow before your radiant spirit, wrapped in the warmth of your loving essence. Daughter of the Flame and the Waters, weave your gentle touch upon our offerings, transforming our humble gifts into the blessings of the divine. As we raise our libation pitchers and scatter fragrant blooms, may your grace descend upon us, purging our hearts of doubt and filling our souls with light. Teach us the sacred art of connection, that our incense may rise like whispers of love, touching the realms above. In your presence, let joy flow and harmony reign, as we honor your eternal beauty in all that is pure and good. O Abbennaea, our nurturing goddess, we embrace your guidance with open hearts, now and always.

Syember!

The Elements / Tau Retammas

Spirit / Tya - The Moon / Tau Mor

Spirit / Tya - The Moon / Tau Mor

Spirit is ruled over the moon. This point represents all that which is the creative element of the Spirit. Under Tya {Spirit} fall all of its attributes of: The Mystic Arts, Transformation, Alchemy, Divinity, The Psyche and Psychism, Infinity, Celestial sciences, Night, Dreams and Nightmares. Each is a point of light in a web of life. Everything has a spirit which is and is given to us by and Tya. An energy unique unto its own but connected to all existence. When the body dies the energy of that body moves on to be reborn into something else. The power of Spirit is never ending. It is never dying and is the force in the universe that is unyielding and is immortal. Heaven and Earth, spirit and matter are conjoined, where Nature and our own selves are the embodiment of divinity. Nature is our greatest spiritual teachers, showing us how we are all interconnected and how accessible Deity and the Divine is, in the world around us and within us. The spirit of the forest and our own spirits are no different. As the branches of the trees reach out into the heavens, we have the same ability. Our spirituality is what connects us to the forest, all it's adjoining elements and the divine. The moon is the feminine element of dusk and the night. A time when the body winds down and we grow tired. Its grants us the ability to sleep. And in that way, we renew our body and mind. In our sleep we dream- even the dreams that give us messages from the Divine and feel revitalized when we arise. So, it is not shocking to find oracles performing at their best during the night. Looking past the canopy of the forest we are bathed in the moon's glow and the celestial night sky- the stars and the planets. From these we can scry to learn more about ourselves with the arts of Astrology and Astronomy. At the same time, we can go deeper into the universe which is timeless and discover our past lives. Our spirit lives on from lifetime to live time, taking with it only the wisdom gained by experience for our soul’s benefit. The universe views things from an impartial point of view. We attempt to learn to view ourselves without the temptations of embellishing. Here, we learn truths about ourselves, about the world around us, and about a lot of things we need to know and face all in the way nature views us. Being true to your own inner self, knowing your strengths and weaknesses is one of the best things we can do for ourselves and learn to accept that which we cannot change and make our weaknesses into strengths. The Psyche is the spiritual cord that links us to the worlds and powers beyond which we cannot see. Through the use of our spirit and our psyche, we can draw in the divine and the energies of the universe. Experience shows us the way of our true selves by being true to ourselves we remain true to nature. The Virtue of Spirit itself is governed by the moon and the path of the Spirit is the purple path.

QUESTION & ANSWER: Curses

QUESTION: Do Bowynn witches [Mysts] cast curses, hexes and binding spells?

ANSWER: The short answer to this is "yes!"

Mysts' cast spells in association with the laws of Bia, [Balance]. But it is not done recklessly. We cast curses when someone threatens someone directly or indirectly. When someone dares to take away, harm or hurt someone maliciously. When they cause Balance to be out of order. When evil is afoot and when injustice runs rampant. This is when curses are cast. And even then, we make sure we are performing the curse to restore balance and avenge those affected by others malicious acts. A typical curse always starts off addressing what has been done

"See here what has been done, undone and unbalance. The accused has been found guilty of the crime/s of _______."

Bowynn Gods: Muet

Muet  (Mew-et)  The river that flows from Alaway all the way down to Daunnat. Often dubbed the Mother river. This is the river that feeds to all other river and water sources on earth.

     The river source is a natural fountain that shoots up from the earth. Alaway had servant Kii as water bearers bringing water from the fountain that was guarded by a serpent. Only these Kii could fetch waters without being harmed by the great guardian serpent. If anyone else drew near, the serpent would attack and kill them. The young god Hawynn was a playmate of the servant Kii and hated to see them toil, so he took the great spear of his father, Tane, and the scrying bauble of his mother, Kalma, and went to subdue the serpent. Using the bauble Hawynn was able to predict the moves of the serpent as they battled. With the spear, Hawynn was able to finally slay the beast. Then, using one of the ribs of the creature, Hawynn dug a massive trench to the well and released its waters. Thus, the great river was created and set to flow under Alaway. At the same time the servant Kii were released from their strenuous duties.

In gratitude, Anhur gave Hawynn his blessing and made lord of all rivers and commander of the great river Muet. The Kii that were the water bearer’s before-hand, were each given a river in the world to bless and sanctify, as all rivers branch off of Muet.

     In another story, the evil god Mano tried to divert the river (knowingly to Hawynn) to his own home that was separate from Alaway. But because he did not have the okay and blessing of Hawynn, the river came crashing through his home and destroyed it. This of course angered Mano and thinking Hawynn destroyed his home on purpose, he went to wrestle the god. But Hawynn, being older and stronger, beat the young foolish god into submission

     It is said that Muet is the purest and cleanest of waters. No mortal man may step into the river. Once in Daunnat, souls are cleansed in the waters of Muet, to rid themselves of all mortal earthly filth and labors. The waters flow on through Duannat and created various rivers, springs and other waters sources in Daunnat to quench the thirst of the souls of the departed. It is said that a live man drinking from the waters will forget all he knows and wander the world aimlessly.

Blessed Winter Solstice

Bowynn Gods: Io

Io  (Eye-oh)  Goddess of the hearth, domesticated fire, cooking and kitchens, the home, warmth and family. She is the daughter of Phoenix but her father is unknown.  She is an all-around domestic goddess but mostly dealing with areas around the kitchen. And Io is one of the most revered of the Bowynn Gods. She is the goddess that blesses all food as it’s cooked. She cleanses and cleans cooking supplies and wards pests from the kitchen and home. When she is rarely not in the home, Io often wanders markets to see that picked produce and food is fresh and healthy. Back in the home, when not cooking, Io labors to keep the home clean. Io’s name means “Soot” and she is sometimes called Soot Girl or Soot Woman. As her fire attribute, Io makes sure all home fires (lamps, hearths and candles) burn safe and without mishaps., She also tends to the family needs, to make sure beds are made and clean, tables are clear and floors are swept, laundry is clean and purified.

      There are not too many sacred stories of the goddess Io, as she is often contained to the homes of Bowynn folk. The most important stories tell of her spending the seven sacred days with the first tribes of people and taught the fine arts of cooking. This included baking till the god Hyu took over that attribute. At first Io was apprehensible about handing over such a duty to Hyu, being a man. But Hyu proved himself most worthy. What’s more, Hyu charmed Io and eventually wed her. For their wedding feast Hyu made Io the most tremendous beautiful cake ever.

      The goddess Io is almost seen as a mother figure; your hair pulled back and wrapped in a ribbon. Her clothing is most plain and grey in color. Not too many times is she seen wearing a Bowynn Hlad, instead an apron. Unlike other gods, she has no totem animal, so if Io is seen outside a home, often in the market square, she is wrapped with a grey stola, so not to draw her immortality to others. Instead of a staff, Io bears a broom to clean out hearths. Sacred offerings to Io consist of food, incense and votive candles.