Hello, welcome to our August 2023 newsletter.
Contents
- Overview of The Kosmon Sanctuary Groups
- The Significance of the Rowan Tree and Rowan Cross in the Celtic Tradition
- Summer Solstice Celebration 2023 – Fire Ceremony
- Spring Equinox Celebration 2023 – Egg Visualisation
- Charitable Donations
Overview of The Kosmon Sanctuary Groups
The group activity that we undertake in the Kosmon Sanctuary has evolved over the past 9 years in a way that has proved to be in total harmony with the original aspirations of its predecessor, the Kosmon Church. These aspirations are beautifully expressed in the following Trace Address, given by the Grand Master of the Kosmon Church, Frank Morley, in 1963 to celebrate it’s foundation 60 years ago. The relevance of this address for today and its breadth of vison are most striking:
The Task of The Kosmon Church
“The Kosmon Church was given a very big task, one that will go on for centuries yet.
First of all, it had to help restore the ancient faith as it was before all the orthodox religions came into being, the simple faith that was given to man when he first stood upright on the earth 80.000 years ago. What was that faith? It was the knowledge of the One Supreme Being, the infinite mind, the Father of all, and the realisation of the power of that Mind within the individual soul, the source of all consciousness, strength and inspiration. That is the fundamental ideal from the ancient times which is renewed today, that the Creator is One, but that He expresses Himself through myriads of worlds and stars and solar systems, not only on this planet but on many others.
The second great ideal of this ancient faith was the realisation that life is eternal and that so-called death is but the ending of one phase and the beginning of another.
The third great ideal was that of the spiritual brotherhood of man. Since the creator is the Father of all, then we are all His children, spiritual sisters and brothers.
It was this faith which the Kosmon Church came to restore. It came to set man free from superstition and spiritual ignorance.
There is another thing the Kosmon Church came to do, and here we touch on deeper matters. This is a New Age into which the earth is passing, and signs of it are seen particularly in the development of scientific discovery the last hundred years. But with all the forward movement there is coming into the world a new race.
In the midst of all existing nations a new type of human being is gradually coming. Little children will come to earth endowed with a strange intuition for spiritual things almost from birth, knowing by a profound understanding that they are watched over from the heavenly spheres. They will grow to manhood and womanhood being moved by the ideal of changing the world the world and making it a place of beauty and of peace for all humanity. It is the new race, then, for which we are working.
Group Activity at The Kosmon Sanctuary
Group activity was re-established at the Kosmon Sanctuary in 2014 after services held under the auspices of its’ predecessor, The Kosmon Church, ceased. The guiding principles for the Kosmon Sanctuary groups, which have evolved over time, may be summarised as follows:
All members of the group have a sense of the existence of an ultimate Source, totally beyond the comprehension of the ordinary mind. Nevertheless, we do have a subtle sense of its presence.
We avoid beliefs, which are constricting and negate the possibility of open and free enquiry, which is the aim of these groups. We aim for a state of inner knowing, which is an attribute of the heart.
Like many groups today, group members aspire to be light-bearers, ie, to be able to be a vehicle for neutralising the mounting negativity and destructive behaviour in the world around them. Our spiritual core is able to meet anything that the world may present with love and compassion, but only if its light is not dimmed by a veil of conditioning and beliefs. Conditioning and beliefs are overcome by the practice of constant self-observation. This, indeed, is spiritual work.
Following the tradition of the Kosmon Church, groups meet for the purpose of co-creating with the angelic realm for the benefit of the evolution of humanity. Groups also meet to celebrate the eight Celtic Festivals. This offers us, from our tradition, access to “the ancient faith as it was before all the ancient religions came into being”. Moreover, the Celtic tradition helps us to connect with nature and it’s changing energy throughout the year, something widely recognised as vitally important at this time.
Comments from some of those using The Kosmon Sanctuary
* I value the sacred ceremony around the Sanctuary: words, intuitions, thoughts and music have great gravitas and reverence. Every time I go I make new discoveries, and sense something profound as with the curtains colours in The Sanctum.
* I have been attending Anthony’s monthly group at The Kosmon Sanctuary for a number of years and have found it extremely beneficial. It has enriched my personal and spiritual life, which in turn has had a positive effect on my general well-being. What Anthony provides at The Kosmon Sanctuary is unique and gentle and wide-ranging. Everyone is welcome regardless of who they are and where they are on their spiritual journey.
* I have been visiting The Kosmon Sanctuary for several years now and I always know that after spending time there I will come away feeling calm, peaceful and full of love. It’s not just the beautiful grounds and very special Inner Sanctum that bring me joy; it’s the people who attend and the very kind, loving and supportive atmosphere that is evident each time I visit. For anyone who is seeking peace, a deeper understanding of the true meaning of life and an opportunity to connect with the beauty of nature, you will find it all here.
* The Sanctuary is a very special place and it has such a wonderful feel about it. People have always been so welcoming and that is so important especially when you are on a journey to find your path. It has taken me many years to find my path and I feel so grateful that I know I have.
* This is a peaceful and tranquil place with so much beautiful energy in the Sanctum and the woods, together with Anthony’s invaluable teachings. I find discussions of these teachings and the sense of togetherness of this group has so much to offer me in my spiritual quest. Long may this set-up continue.
Anthony Deavin
The Significance of the Rowan Tree & Rowan Cross in the Celtic Tradition
In the Celtic tradition, Rowan was recognised as having a beneficial protective energy which will help increase your abilities to receive visions and insights and will help increase communication with the spirit realms. Spending time with Rowan will strengthen your positive life force energy so that your personal power is so strong, it can withstand any negative influences. This is why in the past it was used for protection and to ward off evil. (Glennie Kindred. Sacred celebrations)
The colour red was believed to be the best protection against magic, eg, the vibrant red berries of Rowan contribute to its protective ability as does the red colour of the twine used to make the Rowan Cross. Interestingly, each Rowan berry has a tiny five-pointed star or pentagram opposite its stalk, an ancient symbol of protection.
Rowan wood was used for protection in various ways. Rowan trees were planted outside dwellings and to this day, Rowan trees can be seen today growing beside rural dwellings in the Scottish Highlands and Ireland. Rowan sprigs were attached to cows for their protection. Rowan crosses were hung over the door of a house or farm building or carried in the pocket to provide protection. (Stephen Miller. May Day and the Crosh Cuirn. Chiollagh Books; https://museumofwitchcraftandmagic.co.uk.)
In our May Day celebration at the Kosmon Sanctuary the group were given Rowan branches. These were onserved in silence in order to gain some sense of the qualities of Rowan and any effect on them. Each member of the group also received a Rowan Cross, as illustrated above, to take home.
Our aim was to connect with an ancient tradition to see what it may have to offer in this scientific age.
Summer Solstice Celebration
The Summer Solstice is the time of year of peak influence of the Sun. We are all aware that nature and her bounty and the changing seasons all depend on the sun. However, there is much more to appreciate about the Sun, for behind the physical sun, which you see in the heavens is a spiritual life force which feeds and sustains all life on earth, clarified in The Book of Secret Wisdom:
The Sun is shining. Keeping a close watch on human Hearts, he tries to nourish them with Fires in a bid to reinforce the power of Life. Life itself is a gift of the Light, for without it she could not be conceived. Would this world even exist if there were no Sun? He gave the Light and it was in the rays of Light that Life spreads her immortal wings ——— Life and Light are one.
The Sun is endeavouring to give all that he can. He tirelessly warms the ever-cooling Hearts in his rays of Love. The Sun wishes to apply the full force of his energising currents to restore human souls to life. ——- For the Sun, the most important thing is Love. Therefore, he keeps on blazing with greater and greater fervour, so that the Fire-breathing Warmth of his Heart will be enough for all. (Book of Secret Wisdom p8-9)
The Summer Solstice as a dual celebration
(Sacred Celebrations. Glennie Kindred.)
For the Celts, the Summer Solstice is the peak of our expressive and expansive selves. They celebrated what had been achieved and manifested. However, they were well aware of the turning of the cosmic wheel and what it would bring, made clear in the following quotation:
The Summer Solstice is a dual celebration. On the one hand, it is a celebration of all that has become manifest during the outward cycle of the sun, and on the other hand, it is a celebration of the return to the dark side of the year, the exploration of the inner world, inner wisdom and inner development. It was a time of celebrating the magical transformation of the active principle. At this point of fulfilment and power, the Sun becomes one with the swelling grain and the darkness within. —— They acknowledged and celebrated the return of the Dark. They valued the power of the inner realms, the wisdom within.
The Oak – especially honoured at the Summer Solstice
The energy of the oak tree was especially honoured in the Celtish tradition at the Summer Solstice. The following is a Celtic view of the energy of the oak and how we may connect with this energy to support us when facing life’s challenges.
The Celtic name of the Oak “Duir” means doorway. The Oak is sacred to the Celts, representing the doorway into the second half of the year at the Solstice. The Oak is the Sun king whose attributes are strength, courage, inner peace, and the endurance to survive.
Sit with the Oak when you need to find the strength to face difficulties and sort out complicated problems. It will bring deep calm and restore the will and self-determination. It is the doorway to your inner spirituality and the power of Love within.
Each member of the group received a branch of oak and sat quietly with it, sensing its’ qualities.
The Special Oak Fire
At the Summer Solstice a special fire was lit from oak, and herbs such as lavender thrown in. Cattle were driven through the smoke to protect them from, or to cure, disease. People also walked around, or jumped over the fire to protect against disease or what we would call “negative vibrations”. This practice lasted until the mid-19th centuary, when it was displaced by science and its materialist perspective. We live at a time when we are open to insights from the past as well as modern practices.
In our group, each person placed their oak branch on the fire in order to create cleansing and purifying oak smoke. The oak fire was said to have the power to clear something that is holding us back, so each person reflected on something they wished to be clear of and circled the fire with its oak smoke three times clear of saying “I leave behind ———- in the fire.” Glennie Kindred writes that this ceremony can help you move into a new phase.
The Spring Equinox
The equinoxes occur when day and night are of equal length. Celtic society was deeply influenced by Druidic knowledge of the earth and the cosmos, and as an agricultural community, lived with daily experience of nature and the seasons. The year was marked by 8 celebrations which followed the wheel of the year: two equinoxes, two solstices, and the four quarter days which lie between solstice and equinox. The form of St. Brigid’s Cross suggests the turning of the wheel of the year:
For the Celts, nature was viewed as their teacher. Glennie Kindred describes the Spring Equinox imagery of the Celtic tradition which comes from their deep connection with nature. (Sacred Celebrations. Glennie Kindred)
The Spring Equinox is often represented by the beguiling Spring Maiden with a Willow basket of eggs. The female is often represented because from her new life comes. The egg symbolises the rebirth of nature, the fertility of the Earth and of creation ———- The egg is potential life, full of promise. The plans which have been incubating on the inner levels since the Autumn can now hatch out onto the physical plane.
The Celtic tradition celebrates the union of the Spring maiden with the ardent male.
Just look at nature at the Spring Equinox: in my garden the pollen of male pussy willow is blown towards receptive female catkins – just one example of male-female union at this time:
The group celebrating the Spring Equinox undertook a powerful visualisation based on the egg, which “symbolises the rebirth of nature, the fertility of the earth, and of creation”
Each person received an egg, breathed gently, and became fully aware of the egg in their hand, its’ colour, shape and texture, and brought to mind the sense of direction for their life which had developed during the past dark time of the year. If such direction was unclear, they simply held the wish that this clarity would come during the visualisation.
Imagine yourself curled up inside your egg, inside the egg space. This is your world in the dark, but now growing life, incubating your plans, waiting to feel the life-force growing within you. Feel the new you who is waiting to be born into the light, into action, who will become manifest.
You begin to move outwards, out of the shell. As you begin to move outwards and break out of your shell, take with you your most positive intent. Breathe new life into yourself as you break through into a new phase of your life.
Celebrate being alive. Celebrate the balance of the world within and the world without.
The group connected wholeheartedly with the visualisation. The potential effect of such visualisations is to strengthen the resolve to make the visualised intent a reality in the unfolding life.
Charitable Donations
Our charity donates monthly to charities who make such a valuable contribution to our society.
Street Vet
Street Vet delivers essential vetinary care and services to the pets of people experiencing homelessness.
Fripps Farm Animal Rescue
Fripps farm is a loving home for animals who are unwanted and in danger of slaughter.
Surrey Wildlife Trust
The trust helps to increase the diversity of natural wild life, inspiring local communities and young people to care for wildlife where they live.
Sutton Night Watch Homeless Charity
The charity was set up to support and raise awareness for homeless people.
The Trussel Trust
The Trussel Trust is working to prevent UK hunger and poverty We support a network of foodbanks to provide emergency food to people locked in poverty.