Post by Heron on Jan 17, 2016 19:48:54 GMT -1
I've re-drafted the Core Beliefs taking in Lee's changes and my own suggested amendments together with a few small stylistic changes. I've given some thought to there Ancestors sections but find nothing in it I feel particularly needs changing. The one thing I'm still unsure about is the reference to the Nyfed which I've left in but what do people think about this? Could it be changed to Nemeton, is it OK as it is, or does it need something different?
>
An important part of any successful spirituality is the ability to create the form with which users can relate to their chosen path. As with any method of understanding, the basics need to be defined at an early stage to create the foundations for further experience and growth. These core values are fundamental as they represent the very essence of what is to be achieved. The following outlines core values for Brython :
Beliefs
These are usually arrived at through study, experience or interaction. Firstly, the belief in the Gods. The Gods are central to Brythonic beliefs. As polytheists, we accept their existence as independent functioning entities, with the capability to interact with us of their own choosing. Their names may, or at this time, may not, be known to us. For some, their name is an epithet, like ‘Divine Queen’ or 'Divine Son', the words for which have become names and so confer identity which is the message or information passed to us, that is at the crux of this interaction. Rather than submitting to the perceived “will” of any external entity, we seek to interact with the gods in a reciprocal relationship. We accept that there are things that, as humans, we may not be in a position to make a full or even correct judgement on, but rather than abdicate responsibility to a higher force, we choose to make our own decisions with the information available to us. This then leads to growth from both sides, for not only are we, as humans, learning from others; those others may be learning from us how to better communicate with through the changing events of time.
Our focus is on the entities that are connected either spiritually or physically with these lands. If the inclusion of other Gods can be shown to be of direct relevance in the correct context of what we are trying to achieve, then we are open to their influence and interaction. Evidence from primarily Romano-British times, consisting of inscriptions and any literal or even local knowledge, forms the basis for our consideration and thinking and these have echoes in the literature of later times.
The accepted belief in the existence of external entities leads into the belief of existence of some form of continuation after the end of conscious physicality. Most religions use the archetype as a metaphor for building interaction between humanity and the non physical. By building our knowledge of our local Gods, we hope to better understand our place within this scheme, placing us in a position to better understand the experiences of our ancestors that continue to contribute to our experiences of the non physical world. Unlike the major religions, we do not accept the reward system of afterlife offered as the “goal” but think in terms of continuity and instead seek to improve our lives in the present. We choose to develop our relationships with deities and ancestors, both individually and collectively, developing rituals and practices that are shown to have had some results, thus engaging with deities in mutual interaction.
Methods
We aim to use methods available to us at this time, to create the framework with which to develop our understanding. Our preference is to use a multi-disciplinary approach drawing upon recent research in archaeology, anthropology, linguistics, academic-led Celtic studies and other fields as well as on the personal experiences of members to develop our theology. It is this multi-disciplinary approach combined with critical thinking and drawing as it does on the knowledge and experience of the group and not just a few individuals, that we consider to be one of our greatest strengths.
For any spirituality, one of the main objectives must be to create the means by which to understand any direct experience of deity. We choose to interpret experience using commonly arrived at rituals and then applying any relevant proven practice to the subject matter, to create a basis for further development. We accept that the development of a method of interaction is ongoing and that we are engaged in a progressive process which may require some changes of approach over time . Thus, we create a theological foundation shown to have its basis in proven methodology, meaning it is more robust for the advancement of our objectives.
One method of connection to ancestors and other spirits is the use of ritual. Use of modern resources enhance our perceptions of the lives of those who have gone before us and give us a better opportunity of creating ritual that is relevant and appropriate for recognition by our ancestors. This is an important aspect of experiential methodology for us.
Community
It is our belief that the development of any meaningful spiritual path is not arrived at in haste. We have a finite amount of time in our current conscious lives and there has not been shown to be any spirituality that has fully developed within one lifetime of a single individual, even if that individual was the main contributor of knowledge of that spirituality. Therefore, the logical conclusion must be that for a “fuller” and meaningful spirituality to emerge, it must be the result of the interactions of a committed community of like minded individuals. For an individual to make meaningful contributions, they must be in a position of knowing the aims and objectives of the community. This can only be arrived at through a period of interaction with measurable results. Thus, the community benefits from proven committed individuals and, hopefully, the aims and objectives advance successfully. Therefore, Brython, using our public face of Caer Feddwyd invites individuals to contribute to ongoing discussions and projects.
The Landscape
The Gods, the spirits of place and ourselves all arise from the landscape. We are products of it, we are shaped by it. It shapes how we see the world around us, it shapes our very language and lives and it shapes how we interact with and develop a relationship with the gods and ungods who form part of the great spiritual ecosystem we are all a part of.
Gods. People. Landscape; a trinity bound together with myth.
The gods we come to know and the relationship with them are guided and created by the landscape we encounter them in, having lived relationships with the gods inspires our connection to the landscape and can drive us to act - whether it's by defending our engodded landscapes (and underworlds) from fracking, sharing the stories of our deities in our communities or planting trees or holding rituals. When we engage with with the gods and landscape, it enriches and enlivens all three.
The Gods
We see the gods as distinct entities in their own right.
Our primary source of information regarding the gods should be from archaeological and literary sources extending from the Iron Age right up to the Medieval period. We recognise that the further from the Iron Age we move and the closer to the medieval literature we get the more diluted and diverse the sources become. Therefore we take as our starting point Romano-British archaeology and Roman historical writing while also recognising that the gods remain in the landscape and write themselves into stories for each new age
Our secondary and perhaps most important understanding of the gods should come from direct experience of them, our interaction with them and the sharing of these experiences with others. We recognise that our own personal interaction with the gods is regarded as unsubstantiated, however a core practice within Brython is the sharing of this experience with others in order to seek corroboration between those who also have a relationship with that same god. In this way we seek to relate personal insights to shared perceptions. By using these two methods, we seek to construct a working spirituality that both acknowledges the work of the ancestors whilst at the same time, creating a framework for use in 21st century reality.
Those gods we seek to develop a relationship with are primarily those who emerge from the Brythonic peoples of the British Isles, such as; Brigantia, Taranis, Rigantona, Belenus, Maponos and Nodens. This is not an exclusive list and as such we may develop a relationship with gods who came here with migrating cultures such as the Anglo-Saxon and Goedelic deities.
Spirits of Place
The Landscape is inhabited by a myriad spirits of that place; the genus locii as referred to by the Romans, to others; andedion, ungods, the fae or wights. These entities are distinct beings in their own right and our relationships with them are as individual as we are.
Many of the beings we regard as gods are derived from spirits of place, as reflected by the localisation within the overall landscape.
In some cases the terms ‘god’ and ‘spirit of place’ may be used interchangeably depending on the perception of those interacting with the god/spirit of place.
The Ancestors
The ancestors are those people, generally dead, who have in some way contributed towards making us the people we are today. They may be of three types:
Blood ancestors: those people who we can trace back as being part of our bloodline. Our genetic heritage.
Stone Ancestors: those people who have shared the landscape with our blood ancestors but who are of doubtful or no genetic heritage. Those people whose culture lineage we share and are involved with. Our landscape and cultural heritage.
Spirit Ancestors: those people who share no genetic heritage with us and only a tenuous cultural heritage. Those people whose presence in the landscape continues to inspire us in some way.
We recognise that the actions and lives of those who have died and gone before us contribute towards who we are today and are accountable for our very existence in the first place. As such we honour and remember these ancestors at appropriate times and with appropriate actions.
The Tylwyth and the Aelwyd
The Tylwyth refers to the people of Brython. We are the Tylwyth Rīgantona; the Tribe of Rigantona. She is the goddess of the Grey Mare, our matron and the one who protects our family. If Brython is a place of protection, then She guards its walls and those within. At present there is only one Tylwyth forming Brython. In time we forsee others joining Brython from other lands and therefore a new Tylwyth may appear. Within the fortress are many huts, some with several inhabitants, others with only one. Each of these is the Aelwyd, the Hearth, and each may be guarded by additional gods of that Aelwyd
The Nyfed and Ritual
The ritual takes place in the Nyfed; the space set aside for that purpose and time.
We recognise ritual as a useful tool in connecting with the gods, the ancestors and spirits of place.
We recognize the potential for both individual and group oriented ritual. Most start with individual ritual and with the building of commonality, trust and physical contact amongst the group. This leads to further opportunities with which to develop direction and enhance further our understanding of, and contact with, our Gods.
Experience and Evidence
Key to the ethos of Brython are evidence, experience and the sharing of this experience.
We regard historical, archaeological and literature evidence to be extremely useful in the search to understand the relationship of our ancestors with their gods.
Key to the development of Brython is the sharing of personal experience. Through this sharing we aim to build a common understanding of the gods. By this means we aim to build a shared understanding of the nature of the gods. Things change and we should expect the gods to have done so too. What was true of 2000 years ago may not be true for the 21st century.
Evidence is the foundation on which we will build our fortress, but it will be the combination of this with current experience that shall be the walls and the roof over our heads. We might tell the same story as our ancestors, but the words will be our own.
>
An important part of any successful spirituality is the ability to create the form with which users can relate to their chosen path. As with any method of understanding, the basics need to be defined at an early stage to create the foundations for further experience and growth. These core values are fundamental as they represent the very essence of what is to be achieved. The following outlines core values for Brython :
Beliefs
These are usually arrived at through study, experience or interaction. Firstly, the belief in the Gods. The Gods are central to Brythonic beliefs. As polytheists, we accept their existence as independent functioning entities, with the capability to interact with us of their own choosing. Their names may, or at this time, may not, be known to us. For some, their name is an epithet, like ‘Divine Queen’ or 'Divine Son', the words for which have become names and so confer identity which is the message or information passed to us, that is at the crux of this interaction. Rather than submitting to the perceived “will” of any external entity, we seek to interact with the gods in a reciprocal relationship. We accept that there are things that, as humans, we may not be in a position to make a full or even correct judgement on, but rather than abdicate responsibility to a higher force, we choose to make our own decisions with the information available to us. This then leads to growth from both sides, for not only are we, as humans, learning from others; those others may be learning from us how to better communicate with through the changing events of time.
Our focus is on the entities that are connected either spiritually or physically with these lands. If the inclusion of other Gods can be shown to be of direct relevance in the correct context of what we are trying to achieve, then we are open to their influence and interaction. Evidence from primarily Romano-British times, consisting of inscriptions and any literal or even local knowledge, forms the basis for our consideration and thinking and these have echoes in the literature of later times.
The accepted belief in the existence of external entities leads into the belief of existence of some form of continuation after the end of conscious physicality. Most religions use the archetype as a metaphor for building interaction between humanity and the non physical. By building our knowledge of our local Gods, we hope to better understand our place within this scheme, placing us in a position to better understand the experiences of our ancestors that continue to contribute to our experiences of the non physical world. Unlike the major religions, we do not accept the reward system of afterlife offered as the “goal” but think in terms of continuity and instead seek to improve our lives in the present. We choose to develop our relationships with deities and ancestors, both individually and collectively, developing rituals and practices that are shown to have had some results, thus engaging with deities in mutual interaction.
Methods
We aim to use methods available to us at this time, to create the framework with which to develop our understanding. Our preference is to use a multi-disciplinary approach drawing upon recent research in archaeology, anthropology, linguistics, academic-led Celtic studies and other fields as well as on the personal experiences of members to develop our theology. It is this multi-disciplinary approach combined with critical thinking and drawing as it does on the knowledge and experience of the group and not just a few individuals, that we consider to be one of our greatest strengths.
For any spirituality, one of the main objectives must be to create the means by which to understand any direct experience of deity. We choose to interpret experience using commonly arrived at rituals and then applying any relevant proven practice to the subject matter, to create a basis for further development. We accept that the development of a method of interaction is ongoing and that we are engaged in a progressive process which may require some changes of approach over time . Thus, we create a theological foundation shown to have its basis in proven methodology, meaning it is more robust for the advancement of our objectives.
One method of connection to ancestors and other spirits is the use of ritual. Use of modern resources enhance our perceptions of the lives of those who have gone before us and give us a better opportunity of creating ritual that is relevant and appropriate for recognition by our ancestors. This is an important aspect of experiential methodology for us.
Community
It is our belief that the development of any meaningful spiritual path is not arrived at in haste. We have a finite amount of time in our current conscious lives and there has not been shown to be any spirituality that has fully developed within one lifetime of a single individual, even if that individual was the main contributor of knowledge of that spirituality. Therefore, the logical conclusion must be that for a “fuller” and meaningful spirituality to emerge, it must be the result of the interactions of a committed community of like minded individuals. For an individual to make meaningful contributions, they must be in a position of knowing the aims and objectives of the community. This can only be arrived at through a period of interaction with measurable results. Thus, the community benefits from proven committed individuals and, hopefully, the aims and objectives advance successfully. Therefore, Brython, using our public face of Caer Feddwyd invites individuals to contribute to ongoing discussions and projects.
The Landscape
The Gods, the spirits of place and ourselves all arise from the landscape. We are products of it, we are shaped by it. It shapes how we see the world around us, it shapes our very language and lives and it shapes how we interact with and develop a relationship with the gods and ungods who form part of the great spiritual ecosystem we are all a part of.
Gods. People. Landscape; a trinity bound together with myth.
The gods we come to know and the relationship with them are guided and created by the landscape we encounter them in, having lived relationships with the gods inspires our connection to the landscape and can drive us to act - whether it's by defending our engodded landscapes (and underworlds) from fracking, sharing the stories of our deities in our communities or planting trees or holding rituals. When we engage with with the gods and landscape, it enriches and enlivens all three.
The Gods
We see the gods as distinct entities in their own right.
Our primary source of information regarding the gods should be from archaeological and literary sources extending from the Iron Age right up to the Medieval period. We recognise that the further from the Iron Age we move and the closer to the medieval literature we get the more diluted and diverse the sources become. Therefore we take as our starting point Romano-British archaeology and Roman historical writing while also recognising that the gods remain in the landscape and write themselves into stories for each new age
Our secondary and perhaps most important understanding of the gods should come from direct experience of them, our interaction with them and the sharing of these experiences with others. We recognise that our own personal interaction with the gods is regarded as unsubstantiated, however a core practice within Brython is the sharing of this experience with others in order to seek corroboration between those who also have a relationship with that same god. In this way we seek to relate personal insights to shared perceptions. By using these two methods, we seek to construct a working spirituality that both acknowledges the work of the ancestors whilst at the same time, creating a framework for use in 21st century reality.
Those gods we seek to develop a relationship with are primarily those who emerge from the Brythonic peoples of the British Isles, such as; Brigantia, Taranis, Rigantona, Belenus, Maponos and Nodens. This is not an exclusive list and as such we may develop a relationship with gods who came here with migrating cultures such as the Anglo-Saxon and Goedelic deities.
Spirits of Place
The Landscape is inhabited by a myriad spirits of that place; the genus locii as referred to by the Romans, to others; andedion, ungods, the fae or wights. These entities are distinct beings in their own right and our relationships with them are as individual as we are.
Many of the beings we regard as gods are derived from spirits of place, as reflected by the localisation within the overall landscape.
In some cases the terms ‘god’ and ‘spirit of place’ may be used interchangeably depending on the perception of those interacting with the god/spirit of place.
The Ancestors
The ancestors are those people, generally dead, who have in some way contributed towards making us the people we are today. They may be of three types:
Blood ancestors: those people who we can trace back as being part of our bloodline. Our genetic heritage.
Stone Ancestors: those people who have shared the landscape with our blood ancestors but who are of doubtful or no genetic heritage. Those people whose culture lineage we share and are involved with. Our landscape and cultural heritage.
Spirit Ancestors: those people who share no genetic heritage with us and only a tenuous cultural heritage. Those people whose presence in the landscape continues to inspire us in some way.
We recognise that the actions and lives of those who have died and gone before us contribute towards who we are today and are accountable for our very existence in the first place. As such we honour and remember these ancestors at appropriate times and with appropriate actions.
The Tylwyth and the Aelwyd
The Tylwyth refers to the people of Brython. We are the Tylwyth Rīgantona; the Tribe of Rigantona. She is the goddess of the Grey Mare, our matron and the one who protects our family. If Brython is a place of protection, then She guards its walls and those within. At present there is only one Tylwyth forming Brython. In time we forsee others joining Brython from other lands and therefore a new Tylwyth may appear. Within the fortress are many huts, some with several inhabitants, others with only one. Each of these is the Aelwyd, the Hearth, and each may be guarded by additional gods of that Aelwyd
The Nyfed and Ritual
The ritual takes place in the Nyfed; the space set aside for that purpose and time.
We recognise ritual as a useful tool in connecting with the gods, the ancestors and spirits of place.
We recognize the potential for both individual and group oriented ritual. Most start with individual ritual and with the building of commonality, trust and physical contact amongst the group. This leads to further opportunities with which to develop direction and enhance further our understanding of, and contact with, our Gods.
Experience and Evidence
Key to the ethos of Brython are evidence, experience and the sharing of this experience.
We regard historical, archaeological and literature evidence to be extremely useful in the search to understand the relationship of our ancestors with their gods.
Key to the development of Brython is the sharing of personal experience. Through this sharing we aim to build a common understanding of the gods. By this means we aim to build a shared understanding of the nature of the gods. Things change and we should expect the gods to have done so too. What was true of 2000 years ago may not be true for the 21st century.
Evidence is the foundation on which we will build our fortress, but it will be the combination of this with current experience that shall be the walls and the roof over our heads. We might tell the same story as our ancestors, but the words will be our own.