Septagram - Blog Posts
The Vlenndra
The Vlenndra Devotional is a special act of praise that is done at the start of any religious act. It is much like a Christian will draw a cross with their finger across their body as they chant "To the father...". The Vlenndra Devotional is a form of attunement with the spiritual. There is no true English word nor term for "Vlenndra." Though some have interrupt it to "devotional" but it is really so much more beyond that.
Before the start of any prayers, rite or magic spell, be it alone or with one's clan, the Vlenndra Devotional is performed. It is an opening to your prayers, a way of preparing oneself, a separation from what you were doing in your mundane time and your spiritual life. The Vlenndra act is sort of a key to unlocking a door to the divine world and a reminder of that which is holy. Many use the Vlenndra devotional by itself as a morning affirmation. The Vlenndra devotional need not be done at one's altar but anywhere: Facing the morning or setting sun, at the rise of the moon, over a meal, at a moment when things go wrong.
The Vlenndra devotional is simple in itself and yet within its simplicity, atones one with our faith. It is started by taking up a simple incense stick of any scent. When the tip glows, blow out the flame and let it smoke. Then in the air draw a septagram with the tip. As you do this, speak the following:
“By Earth, By Air,
By Fire, By Water,
By Soul, By Spirit,
By Bia.”
Finish each septagram off by encircling it. Done as a daily practice, this is repeated 3 times in total. However in some remote cases one may wish to do this as much as 7 and 9 times. A Myst {witch] will use the common 7 times before casting a spell, during a holiday or during a vigil, 9 times is the norm. After which the incense stick is placed in its holder. The Vlenndra Devotional is done. One should never rush through the Vlenndra. You should think about your actions, its words, what each of these elements mean to you, absorbing each element as you speak the Vlenndra and how you plan to incorporate them throughout your day. At the same time, the devotional need not be done too slow either. The main thing is that when done, with the devotional you should feel spiritually attuned for moment.
The Elements / Tau Retammas
Balance / Bia
The final and uppermost point on the Numatam is Bia {Balance}. Blanace is the inter-connectivity of all things to each other and how they balance each other out. Without Balance, chaos would take over. Like-wise, withing Chaos, Order would become overwhelming bring no excitement. Bia was and is the great creator, Unification, Endings and beginnings, Duality, Action and Reaction, Force, Power, the force of life and the divine creator of karmic law and balance Bia itself. It's from Bia all things came to be - Gods and mortality alike. So, it is from the element of Balance that we learn balance itself. That we cannot have one without the other. We learn of Yin & Yang, Polarity and Duality. We learn that we sometimes need the help of an opposite. Without the villain, we cannot have the Hero. Without a beginning cannot enjoy the ending accomplishment. Bia is the blank canvas and the completed picture. The front cover of a book to its back cover. Bia is the collective of ingredients and the completed meal. We create, learn and nurture from Bia. And we learn that everything in the world and the universe is ruled by the balance of Bia's law. Being that Bia ‘was’ before everything else, Bia is the great unseen and therefore the path to balance is a path of mysterious black. Bia {Balance} has no fixed "Station" as it's something that IS all around and all encompassing. Its rules all the other elemental stations: The growth and decay of the forest, the head of the river and its dwindled creeks, The burning flame and its soot. The gale of a wind down to its breeze, the day and the night. Bia teaches us NOTHING is forever and there is balance in all things, even if we do not also see it. The path of Bia is black, wrapped in shadow and mystery but it is never a path to be feared. It’s the path of creation and change.
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.
The Septagram {Tau Numatam}
The Numatam or Septagram, is the most sacred of symbols. It is the symbol of our faith and of whole we are as a people. Much like the Cross is to Christians, Star of Davis is to Jews, the Pentagram is to Wiccans and the Greek Key is to Pagan Greeks. The Numatam has many stories, philosophies, and applications attached to it. In the Autumn Wood Tradition the earth symbolized the divine, as the interconnectedness of all things was the sacred message throughout their lives. Nothing was separate from the other, each life force bound to the other and explains the importance of the earth being regarded as our mother who provides for us with food, shelter, and holds water for us when we thirst. There was no one symbol that represented all their philosophies. The tree, the mountain, the river, and the animal were all symbolic and connected to the divine. To further this belief and philosophy the Numatam today represents the seven ideals which those of the Bowynn Tradition uphold and strive for in life, each a guide to daily living.
The points refer to the seven virtues prized by all who follow The Autumn Wood tradition – Peace, Charity, Love, Courage, Kindness, Spirituality and Balance.
Secondly the points refer to the seven principles as mentioned above – Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Soul, Spirit and Balance.
The Numatam also represents the 7 aspects of the forest under which we need to survive – Forest, Wind, Rain/Stream, Hearth, Sun, Moon and Balance.
The Numatam also represents the 7 guilds under which our clans come together as, and each member has a part to partake in – Warriors, Mages, Healers, Weavers, Harvesters, Bards and Librarians.
The Numatam represents the Seven Swords of the Wild Wood, Give to the first 7 chiefs of the first 7 tribes. (This will be touched on later on) – Dennon, Eurya, Kell, Ryos, Aevos, Halis and Tenlon.
The Numatam represents the 7 great rites that befalls a member in the course of his/her life (providing that they are born to the clan – Birth, Naming, Adolescence, Adulthood, Marriage, Death and Resurrection.
Each Line of the Numatam represent a sacred pathway that we follow and meditate on
Lastly, we come to the sphere that encases it all. The circle representing the connection of all of these qualities into one. The circle of life. Totality and enclosure. The embrace of arms around you by the gods.
These philosophies provided here are a general guide and each point and line can be expanded on in great lengths. The Numatam is a wonderful meditation meant to be experienced and explored. One can find even greater meanings to the Numatam through meditation and reflection. For us, and some who practice the following philosophies, feel that the points reflect values in which we choose to honor. The journey through the points is like reading a story with hidden wisdom.
A final word about the Numatam. While most other faiths feel that wearing their holy symbol brings them closer to their divine, Bowynn need not do so. While some Bowynn name were the Numatan as a bracelet, necklace, ring or have it tattooed or painted on their skin, it is not required by any divine law. We live withing the confines of the Numatam. It is with us and all about us wherever we travel. So, one need not have to feel you must by a Numatam pendant.