Tag Archive: Gnostic


Angel of Destiny

Filed under: Poetry — Leave a comment
February 4, 2012

I looked for love but there was no one there                                  

I plucked an Angel from the midnight air

All my words were lost in time

Trapped in a world without a rhyme

In the starry night I felt battered and torn

I searched for a reason for being born

Over and over and alone I cried

Tossed on the winds of fate I died

Can a thousand good deeds ever right wrongs

Will this world ever know the Song of Songs?

When the spoken word is spoken no more

Will the tides of blood still kiss the shore?

I was lost in a place that was out of time

I was out of sync with human kind

I saw my gods but did they see me

If I imagined them did they imagine me?

Does a kiss on the lips from another soul

Or a heart felt hug make one whole?

Wishes and dreams and starry illusions

Are all very well yet lead to confusion

I travelled far and I travelled wide

The Angel was constantly at my side

He told me the truth of my fate and my rhyme

And he taught me how to decipher time

Too many questions I had to ask

I couldn’t keep silent, hated the farce

In the dark of the night, in the cold light of day

My Angel constantly showed me the way.

He told me the truth of the rhyme and the nine

He gave me the code to the sphere of time

I saw him drink from the chalice of blood

I knew what he wanted, I gave it with love.

I began to fly, I caught the winds

Took control of my breath, learnt from my sins

As each dawn is new and each darkness fresh

My Angel gave me eternal bliss.

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The Chalice

Filed under: Poetry — 3 Comments
January 17, 2012

The vine was full.

I supped the wine little knowing the fruit wasn’t mine.

I lay down in the sun; felt the warmth, a lifetime lived and never a thought.

In the warmth of the sun my soul awoke, my body bathed in the golden glow.

All sins and sinners turned aside; the sun caressed like a holy tide.

Dreams and desire I knew to be mine so I allowed my body to ride on the tide.

Lost in a wave of human desire; drinking the wine from the chalice of fire.

I spilled a drop, just a tiny drop, a tiny drop of the blood-red wine.

Splashed on my thigh it reflected the sun

Yet the ruby rose just shone and shone.

Confliction and confusion in the name of the rose.

Dark and seductive but torn by the thorn; a tear upon my lily-white thigh.

A herald of winter.

A dawning of desire.

I sank in the silk of a silent night; satin and velvet cradled me tight

But the rose still pierced and the blood still flowed;

And the vine and the wine were never mine.

The sun an illusion; desire was just dust.

For I had supped the blood from the holy vine;

I’d emptied the chalice as though it was mine.

Though the ruby within had never been mine,

Yet I was drunk on the blood from the holy shrine.

Eyes from the past stared out from the dark.

I had crossed the void in the holy name,

I had dared to sup from the holy cup.

I had taken a stride to be by the side of those who guarded in the ancient name.

I saw the blood, fresh on the chapel floor, the dreams were real, illusion no more.

Dare I bathe in the blood of an ancient past; tend to his needs as She once did?

Dare I awaken, confront the truth, cross the line, to be transformed?

 

The chapel is dark and a lone candle flickers.

Dare I take the step, grasp the hidden thorn,

Cross the divide to be reborn?

  

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Love and Light (a poem for Yule)

Filed under: Poetry — 1 Comment
December 21, 2011

I heard the wind whispering.

I felt the cool breeze in my hair.

I saw the Star and followed.

I heard the eternal voice of the one who loves me.

If I leave no trace upon this land

I know her sweet laughter will forever guide me home

To the place where I belong.

The winter’s chill and the long dark nights are no more.

The forgotten shadows fade

And the Light within reveals the true beauty of Life.

I shall fear not the unknowing

I shall fear not life

I will embrace all,

My cherished journey.

The Light beckons me on this night

And I am led towards G-D by her loving hand.

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Herb of the Month – Holly Leaf

Filed under: Magic, Healing & Potions — Leave a comment
November 21, 2011

A Brief History: The holly leaf is originally native to America; it should always be used with caution and care especially in regards to the berries which are poisonous. It is very important to bear in mind that twenty berries do constitute a lethal dose.

The bright red berries and sharp thorns of the Holly are thought of as a tree traditionally sacred to the ‘God of Winter’ and yet interestingly within the Gnostic teachings Holly is aligned with the Goddess and in particular has close sacred associations with Mary Magdalene. It is said that in the past, wands were made of it and used in the recurring ritual battle between the Holly and the Oak, the winter and summer tree kings. Before the Yule tree was born those of Craft would hang a large ball of evergreen and Holly within the home at Yule, the 21st of December. From the ball would be draped red, white and black ribbons and paper roses, apples and oranges. The Holly especially at Yule is often  associated with the Ivy, known in the past as a goddess tree; also being green in midwinter and once again used for decorations and for wand use when twined around a suitable host.  The Holly and Ivy do have further very deep symbolism associated with them, for they represent man and woman, going on forever; the Lord and the Lady; the Holy couple.

Physical Use: For use with potions and healing the holly leaf needs to be ground very finely in a pestle and mortar and then can be made into a paste with olive oil and thus applied directly onto the skin to reduce wrinkles, calm arthritis and for the cleansing of facial tissue. Also the resulting paste can be added to an oil burner within the home to reveal the truth of suspicion. In Craft the potions are always magically charged before use by using an effective ‘charging rite’ specifically taught to Craft.

Magical Use: Hang a small sprig of holly above the door to prevent enemies from entering and to encourage useful spirits to enter the home. Holly is further used within Spell Craft for raising energy and for communication across the five plains and will be used in specific Craft rites and ceremonies of which further knowledge and wisdom is attained with in the teachings of the path.  Holly leaves when placed under a pillow will enhance travel within dreams.

Templar teachings from ‘The Keeper of Scrolls’

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Nammu Eve (Samhain)

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October 16, 2011
She walked upon this sphere in grace and light

She walked upon this sphere in grace and light

When the veil thins and the universe shares the truths

Her memory dances in the fallen autumn leaves

Her footsteps are imprinted upon the damp cooling earth

As the mists swirl at dusk she allows her breath to touch your lips

Entering your soul as dark descends

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Herb of the Month – White Willow Bark

Filed under: Magic, Healing & Potions — 2 Comments
October 2, 2011

“Upon the ground the gifts were hidden, the magics left so all could find.

Use them well and ye shall see the truth before your eyes is given”

 

Use the bark for the relief of muscle pain

White Willow

Having a few important and powerful herbs at ones disposable as part of a well stocked healing or magical ‘cupboard’ will mean that one always has the correct herbs ready for use for whatever potions are needed at any one particular time. Templar knowledge of the magical and healing properties of herbs does differ  from that of a medical herbalist or a modern-day pagan and the knowledge reaches far back to ancient times when such wisdom was common among mankind.

For it is the sacred  ‘energies’ contained within the plant and the universe without that we work with. The combination of the  outer universal energies and that contained within the plant and the knowledge of their use by the practitioner are utilised at a high level within Templar healing and magic.

White Willow Bark is very easy to obtain in the uk, whether naturally harvested or purchased ready prepared, it is indeed a very useful herb to have in ones ‘cupboard’. White Willow Bark is native to Europe and Asia and is considered to be the essence of relieving pain and in particular for use within reducing fever.

It can be ground into a powder to reduce fevers and to calm pain and can be made into a paste or massage lotion with olive oil and thus massaged into painful joints and muscles. Used in this way it will also sooth the pain of rheumatism. White Willow Bark can also be used in the treatment of nausea, infection, sexual problems and lethargy.

The White Willow Bark can also be combined with other soothing herbs such as lavender and a very small amount of camphor to produce a very effective and efficient pain killing massage potion/lotion. As a part of  Templar training one is taught how to prepare, cleanse and charge herbs in a sacred way prior to use, thus rendering them very potent indeed.

Magically, white willow bark may be used for healing and love spells and may be used for visions of the future, raising power and cleansing space. All under the watchful eye of a trained tutor and practitioner of course.

Templar teachings from ‘The Keeper of Scrolls’

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Faith in Life

Filed under: Philosophy — Leave a comment
August 31, 2011

Finding Light and Faith

It always seems in life that just when everything is flowing along nice and smoothly that something will come along to shake one to the core of one’s very foundations and change the status quo. I don’t get complacent about life as time and tide has taught me otherwise and I certainly don’t take my blessings in life for granted for the same reason. I have worked hard for all I have achieved and have willingly made sacrifices along the way, maybe some things i should have done differently and decisions I have made in the past did not always seem to be the right ones at the time. Yet all the actions I have taken have led me to a point in time where I was/am most definitely meant to be, so those decisions and actions that I thought ill of at the time were the right ones in the big scheme of things as they set chains of events in motion that led me to where i am now.

So when hardships happen in life which they so often do, when sadness happens, when hope seems to fade, the most important aspect and lesson to learn is to never give up on one’s faith in life itself. For life is experiential, it is of learning, of accessing and gaining knowledge. Learning comes forth from our bleakest, lowest moments but we must allow it too of course. We can triumph over gloom and darkness by keeping an open mind and seeking out the hidden gems that gleam in the gloom. True, we may have to turn over many rocks and pebbles to find the gems but they are there, not always obvious but always there, gleaming in the dark.

It’s all about life, faith in life itself, whatever one’s spiritual path, it is the common experience of life itself which binds us altogether as one, for we are all here in time together. We all share this journey; some wisely while others not so, some will find the ultimate truths yet many will not; many were never meant to. A great many people live their lives under constant challenges; some handle the challenges with grace and positivity while others do just the opposite impacting on the lives of those close to them. I often wonder why this is, is it down to faith, faith in life, of ‘being  alive’ no matter how ill or in pain one is? Is it faith that pulls one up and through the gloom? Or is it the fact that everyone’s disposition is different and as human beings we all handle challenging situations differently? It is very hard to speculate on this, to put one’s self in a position of having one’s faith tested to the very extremes.

It has often been written that where there’s life there is always hope, but is there hope when a life is of constant pain with no remedy or cure from that pain? I have experienced acute pain for a few weeks at a time but have no idea how I would cope if it were to be long-term; would I still have faith in anything be it life or otherwise? I hope i am never tested in this way but as anything can happen in this life I am keeping my faith that i will never be in that position, though I know those close to me who are.

My lesson in this life could be to be non judgemental on how others manage while in bleak situations for it could be me; it could and can be ‘my test’, it could be a test for any of us at any time. So maybe within these tests ‘keeping the faith’ is the one thing we all need to be constant with; the one thing that WILL pull us through our hard times; it wont make the hard times, illnesses or pain go away but maybe it will change how we deal with it, for faith in life is never giving up and by that i mean never giving up on helping others either.

My faith in life and faith in myself too, means that I can help those who need it, even when they are in such a dark place they can not see the gems for themselves. For faith is the LIGHT in the dark for all of us.

‘The Keeper of Scrolls’

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A Natural Universe…..

Filed under: Philosophy — Leave a comment
August 18, 2011

An ancient clay tablet

So what exactly do we consider to be natural in this world today and what precisely does it mean to follow a natural path; a path of nature? Many folks today who follow a pagan spirituality connect deeply to the seasons of the year, honouring  the wheel of the year by celebrating at the eight quarter days and cross quarter days; the fire festivals and equinoxes. Although these dates and days can vary accordingly to tradition, custom or culture, they are the days of sacred connection and are deeply embedded in the natural cycles and energies of this planet.

Over the centuries of time, mankind’s perception of what is natural cannot fail to have changed as wisdom and knowledge of the world has constantly evolved and expanded and with it humanities relationship to the natural world. Yet the world has always been what is was meant to be; the living, evolving planet on which we all depend for our nourishment and our life – it is that which sustains us. What we as human beings achieve and learn whilst living on this planet influences our own individual perceptions of the world and this also changes from generation to generation. In actual fact we all do ‘create our own realities’, realities that differ from centuries to centuries, generation to generation, individual to individual yet the world on which we all depend remains steadfast and very much alive, despite all that mankind throws at it..

As far as caring for and looking after this planet goes ‘guardianship’ is something that we all as spiritual beings are very much aware of and many of us share a deep sense of responsibility to do all we can to preserve what we have here on earth. To me the Earth is indeed the shinning  jewel in the crown of the universe – it is the enduring ‘mothership’.

Yet on a universal level we are but a very small part of the universal truths and as human beings we are only a very small part of the overall plan. Life of earth is very, very precious and yet this gift is often wasted by many who sadly fail to realise that we are all a part of a ‘whole’; all connected by the threads of the past, present and future that bind us together as one.

Waves of energy resonate within our lives and within our world and nothing is ever disconnected; every thing we do, every action we take has an effect on someone or something. But this is the natural order of things, it is the physics of the universe; how it all works on a metaphysical level is the real natural order of our world, for without the physics, the numbers, the maths so to speak, there would be nothing. As is written in many sacred texts, order came out of chaos and it is that order that makes our world and the universe in which it resides work. It is also that which makes our world such a beautiful, magical and wonderous planet on which to live.

 

‘The Keeper of Scrolls’

 

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Herb of the Month – Wormwood

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August 3, 2011

“What mysteries do they long to tell, what secret truths their powers unlock, within our minds where magic dwells?”

Wormwood for bites and stings

It is oh so very hot at the moment and with the hot weather well into its stride, our gardens and parks are alive with various small creatures of the wing, constantly endeavouring to make a tasty meal of us! Even as pet owners we are very much aware at this time of year that our beloved pets do come with many extra ‘visitors’ attached! So then what can we do ourselves about these insect bites which can so often prove to be very painful and irritating to us?

One of the most useful herbs to have around at this time of year is Wormwood which is a shrub native to North Africa but of course is now found growing in the UK. It has grey to white stems that are covered in fine silk hairs and grows between thirty to ninety centimetre tall.

Wormwood Physical Use: Wormwood has strong antifungal and antibacterial properties. It is best used for the treatment of hepatitis, fever, liver, gallbladder and general infections. When smouldered in a room it will help to boost the immune system and aid the clearing of toxins. Very important for this time of year, is to make it into a paste with olive oil for arthritis, skin conditions and for insect bites and stings.

Wormwood has many magical uses too and for those of us practising and teaching the Templar path, extensive herbal knowledge on the healing and magical use of herbs has been received as a part of our in-depth training. Please ask if interested on finding out more about the uses of herbs and stones from a unique Templar/Craft perspective.

Warning: can be addictive. May cause nausea, vomiting and insomnia. People with epilepsy should avoid.

Templar Teachings from ‘The Keeper of Scrolls’

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The Universe works in mysterious ways……

Filed under: Philosophy — Leave a comment
July 29, 2011

…….. or does it? I wonder how many times we have all pondered on this ageless question, time and time again i would think, as we endeavour to weave our way through life’s winding labyrinth, never knowing where the next twist or turn will take us. Often it seems as if the universe has forgotten about us completely and we have no idea where we fit in or where we are going, for in life it seems that nothing ever happens instantaneously and on our journey through it we have many lessons to be learned.

True, the universe throws many challenges on our doorsteps and yet they are all simply just waiting to be solved; yes they are indeed all very solvable yet maybe not in the ways expected though. The answers lie in the words of that now well used phrase  ‘thinking outside of the box’ or another of my favourite quotes “If you always do what you’ve alway done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got“. Simply put, break the patterns, stop the repetitives and the universe will answer your call. Push aside the veil of illusionment to find the answers that you seek; employ a bit of lateral thinking to break the chains. Mmm…..easier said that done i hear you shout!

If we have goals in life, a universal ‘Wish List’ to employ, an end result to travel towards then it does make things a lot easier, especially with keeping these goals uppermost in mind at all times. There is no harm at all in regularly having a little ‘one to one’ with the powers that be up at Universe HQ or even to have a rant and rave at them now and again but remember though, results take time and wont happen overnight. I know from much personal experience to never give up or to turn aside from that which you really wish for in life and over time it will eventually manifest for you in the mundane world. It may take many, many years mind, as time and tide has no significance in the great wide world of our magnificent universe, but if you have clarity, insight, patience and really know what it is you want then you may be surprised at the end result.

Nothing is easy and it is not necessarily meant to be so. We are all here on this earthly plane to learn wisdom and knowledge; the begatting of which is an interesting and enlightening  journey and at times not always easy to understand the whys and wherefores thrown our way. Keep love and trust uppermost in your heart when focussing on your goals;  love and trust in the fact that the universe will provide to those with an open heart. The natural state of humanity is that of challenge and inquisitiveness, that is how we learn and move on, by learning, overcoming obstacles and being a part of all the wonder before us. Humanity does strive for perfection yet perfection in a corporeal world is a myth, an illusion for us spiritual beings living out earthly time in a human form, for humanity by way of it own ‘fall’ is in an imperfect state of being. But we can make our little steps in the universe, we can bring our own state of ‘earthly perfection’ into our lives by striving ever onwards towards our goals, by having an open inquiring mind and to always be a part of the mystery.

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