Elenathism
“Earth my Body, Water my Blood, Air my Breath and Fire my Spirit”
-BASICS-
Name of the Religion: Officially Elenathism; other names used are the Elenathi, the Elenathistic Faith, and the Faith of the Elenath.
Adherents: Officially those that follow Elenathism are known as Elenathians. Traditionally and much more common is the title of Witch for both males and females.
Type: Duotheistic
Patriarchal or Matriarchal: Egalitarian
Direction: Inward (Self) / Upward (Divine)
Energy Type: Earth/Water (Feminine Receptive), Air/Fire (Masculine Projective)
- Feminine Receptive: receptive, soft, fluid, allowing, nurturing, sensual, empathetic, flexible, emotional. Expressed through the subtle realm.
- Masculine Projective: focused, goal-oriented, stable, strong, structured, logical, driven. Expressed through the physical realm.
Focus: Adherents follow what is known as the Path of the Stars. It is comprised of eight guidelines:
- Know yourself and your craft;
- Learn and apply that knowledge with wisdom and foresight;
- Achieve balance through meditation;
- Keep your words and thoughts in good order;
- Celebrate life and all that it brings;
- Attune with the seasonal cycles of the earth;
- Eat properly and exercise the body; and
- Honor the Lady and the Lord.
Deities: the Lady (Goddess) and the Lord (God)
The Pantheon of the Elenathistic faith is unique in that it is not a traditional pantheon of separate gods and goddesses. Instead, the Elenathistic faith maintains a dualistic cosmology with divine power shared separately but equally between the Lady and the Lord with each deity being personified through eight guises. The Lady and the Lord, through their various guises, represent the feminine and masculine energies inherent throughout all of creation and as universal all-encompassing female and male energies, the Lady and the Lord are understood to contain all the individual aspects of their respective energies.
Titles (Personifications of the Divine):
- The Lady [Rána, Alariel, Loa, Soresta, Keura, Mela, Amya, Lútha]
- The Lady is the essence of all divine femininity in the cosmos and is associated with both the Earth and the Moon. As the Earth Mother, personified in her guises as Alariel, Loa, Soresta, and Keura, the Lady represents the grounded, physical energy that allows all life to take root and flourish. Her energy is nurturing and tender, flexible and pliable as she makes possible the manifestation of all change. As the partner of the Lord, her cycles of planting, growth, and death keep the Wheel of the Year turning, clearing away the old and bringing forth the new in the timeless co-creation played out between the Lady and the Lord.
- The Lady's association with the Moon, personified in her guises as Rána, Mela, Amya, and Lútha, sees her as the ruler of the night and of the ocean tides, as well as the reproductive cycles of women and the realm of the human psyche. In this watery element, the Lady is associated with emotion and intuition and the wisdom that comes from engaging with our inner self and our own consciousness. As the cycles of the Moon go, so too does the Lady carry an association with the cycles through her guise as Rána, the Triple Goddess where she is viewed as a three-fold deity with individual aspects representing the phases of the Moon. These are known as the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone, and each aspect corresponds to a lunar phase - waxing, full, and waning - as well as a stage in the life of every woman.
- The Lord [Anár, Celair, Farea, Vanya, Athan, Seron, Tavar, Thairin]
- The Lord is the essence of all divine masculinity in the cosmos and is associated with both the animals of the forest and the Sun. As the Hunter, personified in his guises as Celair, Farea, Seron, and Tavar, he assists humankind in their need for sustenance in the form of wild game, but at the same time he protects the animals in the wild, ensuring the delicate balance of life on Earth.
- The Lord's association with the Sun, personified in his guises as Anár, Vanya, Athan, and Thairin, sees him as the ruler of the day and of the life-giving energy from the Sun. The Lord, being the consort and partner of the Lady, ensures that the Wheel of the Year continues to turn through his long slumber each Autumn to his awakening each Spring, growing strong throughout the Summer only to sleep again, echoing the cycles of growth of plant life both in agriculture and in the wild.
Supernatural: the Faer (Elemental Mantles of the Lady and the Lord), Tuatha Dé Icení / Duatha Dé Icení, and the Elenath (the starry host of the cosmos and representations of divine beauty)
Divine Interaction: The Lady and the Lord are called upon and honored at every holiday, festival, and life event and the Tuatha Dé and Elenath are called upon as guardians during ritual work.
-WORSHIP-
Ritual Work: Rituals are the main form of worship in the Elenathistic faith. Primarily rituals deal with holidays, festivals, and life events. However, solo practitioners and covens can convene and run a ritual for anything that they want. During rituals, the Lady and the Lord are honored, and the Guardians are called upon to protect the space and sanctify any magick raised. Magick consists of two types, ceremonial magick and natural magick, also called folk magick. The main purpose of performing magick is to bring the practitioner closer to the Lady, the Lord, the Tuatha Dé Icení, and the Elenath.
- Ceremonial magick is the practice of magick through the invocation of the Lady, the Lord, the Tuatha Dé Icení, and the Elenath.
- Natural magick is the practice of magick in accordance with the natural world. It is meant to address the common ills of the community: healing the sick, bringing love or luck, driving away evil forces, finding lost items, bringing good harvests, granting fertility, and so on. Rituals are generally relatively simple and often change over time. Materials used are commonly available: plants, coins, nails, wood, shells, twine, stones, feathers, etc.
Afterlife: Thala, the realm of tranquility and of the ancestors is the afterlife associated with the Elenathistic faith. Death is not viewed as the end but as a respite from the world before choosing to be reborn and to continue the cycle of life, learning, and acquiring knowledge. Those who do not choose reincarnation rest eternal in the embrace of the Faer, the elemental mantles of the Lady and the Lord.
Holidays / Festivals: Holidays, collectively called the Wheel of the Year, are intricate affairs in the Elenathistic faith with each being celebrated the day before as well as the day of the holiday itself. Traditional garments worn at each holiday are known as vasarya which are cloaks, of both the non-hooded and hooded variety. They are worn for both the holiday and the festival and represent the duality of the divine with the Lady representing femininity and feminine energy and the Lord representing masculinity and masculine energy. They further act as a reminder of the cyclical nature of life and serve as a reminder that all things in life are fleeting and to enjoy the present moment while still maintaining a respect for the past and reflecting on the future to come.
- Equinoxes and Solstices
- Ostara (Spring Equinox): 21 March: balance, renewal, action, beginnings, hope, new possibilities
- Midsummer (Summer Solstice): 21 June: abundance, growth, masculine energy, love, magic
- Mabon (Autumnal Equinox): 21 September: harvest, gratitude, abundance, balance, preparation, welcoming the dark
- Midwinter (Winter Solstice): 21 December: rebirth, quiet introspection, new year, hope, setting intentions, celebration of light
- Cross-Quarter Days
- Imbolc: 01 February: quickening, hope, renewal, fertility, purification, hearth & home, return of the light
- Beltane: 01 May: passion, mischief, sensuality, sexuality, beauty, romance, fertility, vitality, abundance
- Lamas: 01 August: first fruits, harvest, gratitude, benevolent sacrifice, utilizing skills and talents
- Samhain: 31 October: death, rebirth, divination, honoring ancestors, introspection, benign mischief, revelry
-SPIRITUAL LEADERS-
Male and/or Female: Both
Function / Practices: Every practitioner of the Elenathistic faith acts as their own Priestess or Priest during solo ritual work. During communal ritual work as part of a coven, a Priestess and Priest lead the work of the Elenath House; a High Priestess and High Priest lead the work of the Elenath Temple; and the Grand High Priestess and Grand High Priest lead the work of the Grand Temple of the Elenath. At the House, Temple, and Grand Temple levels, the Priestess and Priest are responsible for overseeing and running holiday, festival, and life event services.
Chosen: The Faer Conclave is convened by the Grand Temple of the Elenath and consists of all current High Priestesses and High Priests. The Conclave is responsible for appointing new Priestesses and Priests to lead the various Elenath Houses and to vote in new High Priestesses, High Priests, the Grand High Priestess, and/or the Grand High Priest should there be a vacancy or death.
Lifestyle and Family: The Priestesses and Priests live normal lives outside their responsibilities to the Lady and the Lord with many being married and having children and grandchildren.
Distinguishing Factors: As each person is considered their own practitioner in the Elenathistic faith, the primary distinguishing factor between solo practitioners and covens (i.e. Houses and Temples that are overseen by a Priestess and a Priest or a High Priestess and a Priest) is the communal aspect of worship towards the Lady and the Lord.
-ICONOGRAPHY-
Symbols: Pentagram, Witches Knot, The Triple Moon, The Horned God
Colors: Earth (Black, Brown, Green, Yellow), Water (Black, Blue, Indigo, Green, Turquoise), Air (Crimson, Silver, Yellow, White), Fire (Crimson, Gold, Orange, Red, White)
Elements: Earth (North), Water (West), Air (East), Fire (South), Aether (Centered / Grounded)
- In the Elenathistic faith, the Elements - meaning the elements of Earth, Water, Air, and Fire, plus the Fifth Element of Aether - are the fundamental building blocks of the cosmos, found in everything throughout the world. The Elements are responsible for the eternal cycle of destruction and new creation that is at the heart of all existence.
- As the Elements are the literal forces of Nature, they are incorporated into ritual work, into magick, and ultimately into the daily consciousness of those who live and work with the natural rhythms of life, death, rebirth, awakening, and slumber. Every aspect of material existence is bound up in Earth, Water, Air, and Fire, while Aether, is present in each of the Elements.
- Aether, also called Spirit, is the prime universal element that is present in all things throughout the Cosmos. It exists between, within, and above all the other Elements and provides space, connection, and balance for the Elements to exist and carry out their cycle of destruction and creation. Unlike Earth, Water, Air, and Fire, Aether is immaterial and non-physical and is essential to our sense of connection with our inner self, our own well-being, and own consciousness. Aether ultimately represents a sense of joy and union.
- The Element of Earth represents strength, abundance, stability, prosperity, wealth, and femininity. In rituals, Earth is represented through the burial of objects, herbalism, and making images out of wood or stone.
- The Element of Water represents emotions, absorption, subconscious thought, purification, eternal movement, wisdom, the soul, and femininity. In rituals, Water is represented through brew making, healing spells, and tossing objects into water.
- The Element of Air represents the mind and intelligence, communication, inspiration, imagination, ideas, knowledge, dreams, and wishes. In rituals, Air is represented through aromatherapy, songs, and tossing objects into the wind. Air is also the element of visualization and can aid in locating and finding lost objects and items.
- The Element of Fire represents energy, inspiration, love, passion, and leadership. In rituals, Fire is represented through burning objects, baking, and lighting candles and fires. Fire is also the element of changes and represents magick itself and as such is the most physical and spiritual.
Tools: Earth (Risil; Bowl of Salt), Water (Súlo; Cauldron), Air (Revia; Incense), Fire (Athamé; Candles)
- Risil: The risil is a disc inscribed with a sigil or magical symbol engraved upon it. The most common symbol is a pentagram within a circle, specifically a pentacle, although a triquetra may be used as well. The disc symbolizes the Element of Earth and represents that element during evocation/invocation and as a symbol to bless items and purify a circle upon clearing.
- Súlo: The súlo is a goblet and is symbolic for the Element of Water and of femininity. They are generally used in combination with the Athamé which represents masculinity. Combining the two tools evokes the act of procreation, a symbol of universal creativity. During rituals and festivals, the chalice is traditionally used to hold mead.
- Revia: The revia is a wand and is symbolic for the Element of Air and can be made from any material, be it wood, metal or rock with many being inset with gemstones or crystals. Whereas an athamé is used to command, a revia is traditionally viewed as being gentler and used to invite and encourage. Revia are used in rituals regarding healing and spell casting.
- Athamé: Athamé are ceremonial, doubled-edged daggers used to channel and direct energy, generally conceived as etheric fire. The handles are typically inscribed with drawings or symbology that hold importance or significant meaning to the user, examples being astrological glyphs and runes. Many athamés are passed down as family heirlooms though it is common for adherents to own more than one. The ritual drawing of the boundary of a circle, also known as “casting the circle”, is traditionally done with an athamé though in Houses and Temples a ritual sword may be used. As athamés are associated with the Element of Fire, the circle is cast in etheric fire. This fire is traditionally envisioned as blue, indigo or violet; although it may equally well be envisioned as other colors. When the circle is purified after being cast, it is traditionally done with the remaining three elements of air (incense), water (water) and earth (salt). After a circle has been cast, the athamé is the tool used to invoke the Elemental Guardians of the Four Directions, called “calling the quarters”.
Texts: Elenathism is codified in the Lírae of the Divine which contains four books, the Teachings of the Elenath (Religious Scripture), the Lumenyáre (History), the Nyáre (Sagas), and the Lirit (Poems). The Teachings of the Elenath lays out the moral compass and guidelines of the faith while also containing information about the cosmology of the holidays and the ritual worship that is associated with each one. The Lumenyáre and Nyáre lay out the history of the Elenathistic faith, the origins and ancestry of humankind, and the creation of the world. The Lirit are written in praise of the Lady and the Lord and contain a collection of poems and songs written by various people over the centuries. The Teachings and the Nyáre are set in stone and are only updated when the Faer Conclave is called together to update the underlying scripture of the Elenathistic faith. The Grand Temple oversees the occasional update of the Lumenyáre and the Lirit to keep them up to date with the times.
Passed Down: Traditionally the Elenathistic faith is passed from the parents to their children and down through the generations. For those who are new to the faith and wish to induct themselves into the religion (i.e. they have no immediate family who is a part of the Elenathistic faith), they may do so through an initiation ritual with a House or Temple. This initiation ritual lasts for a year and a day during which the initiate learns about the Elenathistic faith while also having the opportunity to experience a full turn of the Wheel of the Year. After the year and a day has passed, the initiate either participates in a ritual in which they devote themselves to the Path of the Stars, the Lady, and the Lord or chooses to leave the Elenathistic faith and seek his or her own path in the world.
Creation Myth / Mortal Origins: The Saga of the Cosmos, part of the Nyáre, details the origins and ancestry of humankind as well as the creation of the world.
Major Myths: In addition to the Saga of the Cosmos, three of the most important major myths and stories include the Rede of the Elenath from The Teachings of the Elenath and the Lady’s Poem and the Lord’s Poem from the Lirit.
-CULTURAL ASPECTS-
High Virtues: The high virtues of the Elenathistic faith are derived from the Tuatha Dé Icení and are awareness of yourself and your craft; knowledge and wisdom; celebrating life and being present in the moment; achieving and maintaining balance; and honoring the Lady and the Lord.
Low Virtues: The low virtues of the Elenathistic faith are derived from the Duatha Dé Icení and are neglecting yourself and your craft; an inordinate longing for material gain (i.e. money, status, or power); putting one’s own desires, urges, wants, and whims before the welfare of others; and an absence of interest in maintaining balance.
Associated Art Forms: Dance, poetry, music, and song are the most important expressions of divine beauty and worship. However, all art forms are viewed as expressions of the Lady and the Lord.
Coming of Age: In the Elenathistic faith, boys and girls reach religious maturity at the age of fifteen and become a “son of the path” or a “daughter of the path”. The new man or woman is looked upon as an adult and is expected to uphold the Path of the Stars. Traditionally there is a ritual held for when someone comes of age where they are showered with candies, which act as “sweet blessings” and “good fortune” from the Lady and the Lord after which a party is held.
Marriage and Rites: The Elenathistic faith defines marriage as a commitment of love between two people. Traditionally adherents utilize a handfasting ceremony wherein the couple commit wholly to their significant other. These handfasting ceremonies are elaborate affairs and involve the couple’s parents, their families, and their friends.
Death and Rites: Samhain, observed on 31 October, is a time to honor ancestors and those who have come before and to give thanks for all that they brought into the world. When someone passes away, their body is buried and returned to the earth. Funerals are somber affairs with the ritual involving many stories about the deceased, who they were as a person, how they affected the people closest to them, and calling upon the Faer and Elenath to welcome them into Thala.
Prevalence: The Elenathistic faith has near universal recognition and support among the Merilian people. The religion and its moral code have permeated society on a fundamental level to the point that all aspects of society are in some way shaped or influence by Elenathism.
Outsiders: Tolerance is a key component of the Elenathistic faith, and many adherents are open to other religions. Traditionally, other gods and goddesses are viewed as unique cultural interpretations of the Lady and the Lord who sit at the heart of the cosmos and of all creation. So long as other religions do not attempt to undermine the authority of the Elenathistic authorities, they are welcome to be practiced.
