Hello, welcome to our Spring 2024 newsletter.
Previous newsletters are available on the Kosmon Blog on the website.
Contents
- Autumn Equinox Celebration, 2023.
- Samhain, November 5th. 2023; Symbolism of the Pentacle.
- Nativity Celebration, Christmas 2023.
- Easter Celebration; Symbolism of the Cross 2023, 2024.
- Sandhill Wood.
- Charitable Donations.
1. Autumn Equinox Celebration, 2023
We used fruit and Autumn leaves for the central display and decoration in The Sanctum rather than flowers. The decoration of the altar with fruit, though simple, proved particularly effective. It shows the symbol of The Kosmon Fraternity: the circle symbolising love, the cross light, and the leaf, life. The cross and circle is an ancient symbol, discussed later in this newsletter in the Easter Celebration.
In the Sanctum we held a Communion Service with bread and wine in thanks and gratitude for the harvest. White Eagle in “The Way of the Sun” calls this service The Feast of Remembrance, which, with alterations, formed the basis of the Christian Communion Service.
The Feast of Remembrance was always celebrated in the temples of the past. The bread and wine, laid upon the altar, represented the gifts of Mother Earth to her human family. Through partaking of these gifts, in the right spirit, the people were raised in consciousness. As they took part in this Feast of Remembrance, remembering the Source of all bounty, they lost that personal arrogance, which dulls so many earthly people to the realities of spirit. The realised that all that they had, and all that they were which was noble and beautiful, came from the same Source, the Father-Mother God, the Spiritual Sun, shining in the heavens.
The fruits of the earth, wheat and grapes are the substance of the Sun from which all derive life. Sunlight and rain, earth and air, have all nurtured them. Therefore, my friends, every mouthful we eat should be a remembrance, every meal taken should be a communion.
2. Samhain, November 5th, 2023, Symbolism of the Pentacle.
Samhain
To understand Samhain as experienced by the Celts, we need to remember that this was an agricultural community. Awareness of the seasons and their prevailing climatic conditions was central to their daily living experience: planting, harvesting, moving livestock etc.
“Samhain is at the end of October/beginning of November. Autumn has reached its peak now, the harvest is all gathered in. The days are getting shorter and Winter is almost upon us. We return again to the reflective realms inside ourselves for regeneration of Spirit, rest, and contact with our inner wisdom”(Sacred celebrations, Glennie Kindred, 10)
The date of Samhain, November 1st, lies between the Autumn Equinox on September 21st and the Winter Solstice on 21st December. In September there are warm light days that belong to Summer, while cold and darkness is the experience of December. This coming darkness signifies the Celtic New Year, the reason for which is very interesting:
The Celts had a circular view of time. The day started at sunset, ie with the arrival of darkness, and completed at the following sunset. The year was viewed in the same way, starting with darkness. Samhain, which marks the advent of darkness on November 1st, is recognised as the date of the New Year, not January 1st.
Why this emphasis of darkness as the place where cycles start? Our culture views the coming of light as holding the potential for new creative beginnings, whether it be the start of a day or the coming of Spring. However, darkness is the natural time for reflection since the creative energy of the sun is low. Reflection and meditation in the evening of a day well give us clarity as to what future work needs to be done and thus set the course of events during the day. In this sense, the day actually begins in the evening. Likewise, reflection in Winter may well dictate the quality of activity in the light half of the year.
The Pentacle
The pentacle is an ancient symbol known as far back as the Stone Age, and is amongst the few ancient symbols popular today. The meaning of any symbol depends on what the culture or individual brings to it. Possibly for us, the circle can represent the cycle of the year and the five points the five elements. We can also see the human being, with head at the top, two arms and two legs touching the circle of eternity.
At Samhain, the pentacle, out of fear, was used for protection against demons, evil spirits, and similar bad forces. The reason for this is that at Samhain the veil between this world and the worlds beyond is thin, making contact easier between the physical world and the worlds beyond. (Dolores Whelan. Ever Ancient Ever New 105) For example, the Celts communicated with their Ancestors at Samhain, believing deceased family members could visit their loved ones at this time of the year. Places were laid at the table so that the dead could be with their family. (Sacred celebrations. Glennie Kindred).
We are not in a place of fear of the worlds beyond but simply ask of the power of the symbol loving support of our work, such as the angelic communication which takes place during our services.
3. Nativity Celebration, Christmas 2023.
The Symbolism of the Birth of Jesus in a Manger
The bible tells us that Jesus was born in a manger “because there was no room for them in the inn.” According to Elizabeth Burrows, Joseph was travelling with the heavily pregnant Mary on a donkey, in urgent need of accommodation.
A kind innkeeper suggested that she be taken to a sheltered grotto, a large cave. Accepting this advice, Joseph hastily led the donkey carrying its precious cargo to the secluded oasis of the large cave. He helped his wife to dismount and led her inside to a place where the rocky walls sloped gently to the smooth contour of the floor.”
(Elizabeth Burrows. The harp of Destiny p26.)
White Eagle gives us the symbolic meaning of the cave where Christ was born:
“The light shines from the heavens and enters the cave. The cave is the symbol of the chakra of the heart. There the light gives life to the Christ Child, it renews the Christ life.
O my children, it is life which is coming to you, renewal of life! May you always receive this outpouring of the golden life-force from the heavens above! Then you will understand the meaning of the I AM, the God within your heart.
This event is the birth of the universal Christ Spirit, of light and love, into the heart of humanity, into the soul of humanity.”
(White Eagle. The Way of the Sun).
Symbolism of the Star and the Three Wise Men
In the bible we are told:
“The star, which they saw in the east, went before them till it came and stood over where the young child lay”.
White eagle explains that the star is the symbol of our inner guidance:
“Remember, as you step forward on your journey through life, that above you is the illimitable star of heavenly light, like a ray from God’s heart shining into you, and it will guard and guide you until your journey’s end.”
The symbolism of the Shepherds
In the bible we read that outside Bethlehem:
“There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night.”
The shepherds received the message of the angels:
“Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign to you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. ——- The shepherds came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad what they had been told concerning this child.”(Bible quotation)
White eagle gives us the significance of the Shepherds:
The shepherds are those who are the spiritual leaders of humanity, those who have risen a little above the plane of earth, who have begun to open their spiritual vision and are trying to lead their human flocks to the hilltops of life. They are very still, these shepherds, watching, waiting, meditating, as you must watch and meditate, for if they had not been quietly communing with nature and with God, they would not have been ready to receive this visitation of the angels. This is a lesson for people on earth who are mostly so busily engaged with earthly thoughts.
4. Easter Celebration. Symbolism of The Cross. 2023 and 2024
The Sun or Wheel Cross
The sun cross or wheel cross, consisting of an equilateral cross inside a circle, is ancient, found in the symbolism of prehistoric cultures. We may assume that it symbolises the spiritual energy of the Sun and the cycle of the year and eternity.
An example from Ireland is the pillar stone shown here. The Sun or wheel cross was not included in the crucifix of the Roman Catholic Church, but was central to the Celtic high crosses and their representation of Christ.
The Crucifix
The crucifixion and resurrection of Christ is central to the story of Easter. In our culture, Christ is shown nailed to a cross with wounds and a crown of thorns. He is alone and suffering. This is the form of cross familiar to us; it does not include the wheel and its symbolic significance, unlike the high crosses of Ireland.
The crucifix presents Jesus as totally alone in his suffering, in contrast to the Celtic high crosses.
Symbolism of the Crown of Thorns
Yeshua in his transmission “The Way of Transformation” by Jayem, clarifies the significance for us of The Crown of Thorns:
The thorns represent your fearful thoughts, your judgmental thoughts, your limited thoughts that press and poke upon your energy field and give you quite a cosmic headache. That is, they release the Life-force from you, the power from you, as it drains down your auric field. “A crown of thorns” symbolises the effect of the thoughts you insist upon when you rest in judgement, or anger, or hurt, or fear.
So, the “cosmic headache” has a purpose, namely, to alert us to the negative thoughts we hold at times.
High Crosses of Ireland
The Muirdach Cross is 19 feet tall. The East Face depicts the last Judgement. Jesus holds a sceptre in the right hand and the Cross of the Resurrection in the left. The West Face depicts the Crucifixion. (Wikipedia has much information on all the figures on the cross.)
The High Cross has a totally different feel compared to the suffering of Jesus represented by the crucifix. The figure of Christ is not alone, but surrounded by many influences including the circle of the sun, the turning wheel of the year with its seasons, the four elements, and people. The contrast between the crucifix and the High cross is described by Jacob Streit in the following quotation:
Just as Roman Christianity turns to the crucifixion, to the aspect of human suffering on earth, to the Passion, in Old Irish Christianity is found, above all, the triumphant, resurrected Christ, like the sun at work on earth and among people. All early Irish representations of Christ on the stone crosses how him in the sun circle, giving blessings and conquering death. (Jacob Streit. Sun and Cross. p92)
The Influence of the Irish High Cross on Anglo Saxon Christian Sculpture
The triumphant and resurrected Christ, which inspired Old Irish Christianity, is very much present in the Anglo-Saxon sculpture from Bristol Cathedral.
Christ looks down on Adam and Eve. They are lifted out of Hell with the crossed baton held in Christ’s left hand. Christ is trampling Satan under his feet. He stretches out his right hand with forefinger and middle finger conjoined, the gesture of making a speech, of preaching.
(David Higgins in Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archeological Society, 2009, Vol.127)
5. Sandhill Wood
The Kosmon Sanctuary is blessed with the ownership of about 22 acres of ancient woodland, called Sandhill Wood. As the name suggests, the soil is sandy and free draining. Much maintenance work has been undertaken over the past 12 years, some of which is described in newsletter no.9. The woodland has ancient earthworks, some along the boundary, and others within the woodland itself. (newsletter no.12.) Those within the wood have a profile suggestive of Medieval field boundaries.
There are six Yew tree circles (newsletter no 5.) of various dimensions which we estimate to have been planted in the mid-Victorian period. We do not know the reason for this planting. Nevertheless, they are very impressive, and standing in the centre gives one a strong sense of yew-tree energy. Another feature of the woodland is that several oak-trees have branches which do not grow straight, but twist as if responding in their growth to the presence of a vortex. (Newsletter no 8.) Those with dowsing skills do indeed detect a different energy associated with these trees.
Work in the Wood
There is continuous work to be done in the woodland whatever the season. Most recently, with the aim of creating more light and thereby increasing biodiversity, there has been extensive clearing of holly. Holly, with all its pleasing attributes, is an invasive plant like bracken and can quickly take over an area and crowd out other native species. Already, with less shade, there has been a noticeable growth of wild flowers not present before, and the further spreading of the carpet of bluebells which delight us in Spring.
The cut-back holly is put to good use by making dry fences which provide shelter and habitat for both insects and birds. There are a multitude of bird species including woodpeckers inhabiting the woodland, fed by many feeding stations. (Photos and Report by Sarah Newby)
Many groups use the woods on a regular basis: a forest school for young children, beaver scouts, and drumming.
6. Charity Donations
Each month we donate to charities whom we wish to support in their valuable community work.
Renewed Hope: We are a local charity based in Redhill providing practical solutions and emotional support to the homeless, vulnerable and isolated in East Surrey.
Streetvet: Streetvet is a charity that offers free accessible veterinary care to pets belonging to the homeless in the UK.
ActionAid: ActionAid provides period and sanitary products for women and girls who cannot afford them.
Stripy Stork: We are the Surrey baby bank collecting donations of cloths, toys and essential items for babies and children and local families in need.