Bowynn Gods: Lyann

Blessed Winter Solstice

Aelles Ky'Quilla

Brightest blessings and happy Ky'Quilla to you one and all.

Today started the first of the 3 day holiday of Ky'Quilla, which some may dare to equate with the Wiccan holiday of "Beltane". Ky'Quilla falls on April 30th, May 1st and May 2nd.

Ky'Quilla literally translates to "Mid-Spring". It is the celebration of the Goddess Quilla (Goddess of Springtime) marrying her consort Lyan (God of the Eastern Wind and Realm) Thus, this holiday in celebration of a divine wedding. During these three days brend [love] is the theme and all of the symbols of love abound. the primary colors used to decorate is white, red and pink. red flowers like rose are found everywhere and foods of apples, pomegranates, strawberries, cherries, and raspberries are used in all festive foods. Apples are the most divine in the Bowynn Tradition, so it is not shocking to see apples, apple blossoms and foods all over the place.

In ritual procession the icon of Quilla is housed in a canopy of white. Garlands and wreathes of apple and cherry blossoms and rose decorate circles, groves, temples and homes. A greatly decorated red candle is decorated and burned throughout the 3-day holiday.

The last day of the holiday is a great celebration for all. Celebrating the union of the God and Goddess. Foods abound, especially candies, berry drinks, rose and berry wines, sweet cakes, pies and berry cakes.

During this holiday it's used as a time for guys to profess their love to those they love. Traditionally, a young man will take this day to propose to the woman she loves by bringing an apple tree sapling or a small rise shrub. If the female accepts, they will plant the tree or shrub together in front of the girl's home. After they are wed, the tree/plant is removed to their new home.

Amongst other symbols of the holiday are images of various Kii [fairy folk] because it is said in the wedding of Quilla to Lyan, Kii formed the procession for Quilla to their sacred grove where they were wed. So its not shocking to see statues of Kii everywhere. Children will craft small houses for the various types of Kii or make cutouts of Kii and hang them about the house and celebration place.

However, you celebrate Ky'Quilla, may its be a special and blessed holiday for you. May love and friendship abound.

BOWYNN GODS: Saulnat

Saulnat  (Sawl-nat)  God of the light in Daunnat, the next world. He is the son of Shayla and Saul, the god and goddess of Light and Day.

     When first created by the lord Chumash, Duannat was a very dark and foreboding place where the dead would go, much darker than the night. Thus it was a dismal place to be. He asked Saulnat, the son of Saul if he would be willing to bring his inherited light to Daunnat. In turn Chumash promised him the great feasts of Daunnat and his own home. Saulnat agreed to this and took a part of the essence of the sun with him to Daunnat. With the sun light now in Daunnat, light filled the land, crops grew and forests came into being, thus turning Daunnat into a much glorious place.

     Despite Saulnat’s great gift to Chumash, the souls of the dead and Daunnat itself, he is not a widely worshipped god. Only in the hymns chanted at a death is Saulnat spoken of, that his light never be extinguished and act as a beacon. But despite this, he is revered greatly as a bastion of hope for the living and the dead, a symbol of life eternal. Saulnat is seen as a much older man than his father; a man is his elder years with a man of white hair and a long white beard. Saulnatt us said to wear ling white robes and has a most decorative staff in hand that the light of Daunnat is contained in.

     Sacred to Saulnat is a simple white candle. No totem animals are associated with him. 

May her Ladyship Bless you all this Solstice Eve

Bowynn Gods: The Hlenn

Hlenn  (Hlen)  The Hlenn are one of the most popular of the Kii. They are much like their American/European Elven cousins and Nymphs. They are human in size and look most like mortal folk in all respects, but they are thin in nature and have long-ish ears and doe-like facial features, particularly the eyes. These Hlenn are said to be the champions and guardians of all woodlands. The know instantly when a leaf falls and withers and when a fern stalk breaks through the ground. They are very untrusting and cautious of mortal man. But there are tales of some Hlenn, male and female, that have fallen for mortals as well. However, it must be remembered that while the Hlenn looks like mortals in many ways and live like them, they are spirits and need to be respected as so. Bowynn folk will not enter a woodland nor leave it without leaving a respectable gift to the Hlenn,

Q&A: Moon Worship

QUESTION: Does the Bowynn Faith/Tradition have respectful days devoted to The Moon and Morrighynn?

ANSWER: In the Bowynn faith, we do honor Morrighynn highly. But if you are pertaining to worship like Wiccan "Drawing down the Moon" ceremonies; then the answer is 'No." We do not celebrate Full Moons. We do recognize the power of the moon and the blessings of her ladyship. However, what some Bowynn may do, is simply moon-soak. That is to say we will bask in the light of the moon if we are compelled to do so. We allow its energy to soak into our bodies and its it cleanse and heal. But there is no formal ceremony. We do not "Draw do the Moon" as we see it is very disrespectful to our lady Morrighynn, as well as to the Thracians, Northern Hellen (Greek) an Aegyptian cultures who performed these practices. We see and feel the power of the moon without taking from it. And not just the full moons, but all phases.

Bowynn Gods: Dhonan

Dhonan  (Ah-ku-ah)  Dhonan is a mortal blessed god of love and passion. He was born mortal, his parents names unknown. But he was given the rare and blessed gift of immortality and took the role of that of a god of passion and true love.

     Dhonan was a simple ranger and hunter in his mortal life but in mortal terms, he was extremely handsome. Handsome enough that he caught the attention of Brenda, goddess of love. For the longest time she would visit Dhonan while he was out in the forests hunting and trapping, presenting herself in the guise and a simple woodsman's daughter. These daily encounters lasted a good long time because Brenda never revealed to him who she was. Eventually Dhonan found out the truth, talking to a wood Kii but his heart never changed for the goddess. At the same time both Dhonan and Brenda knew that this love they shared could not last because Brenda knew she could not live amongst mortals and Dhonan would never be allowed to live in Alaway. Brenda went to Dhonan one last time while he slept. This was to bid him goodbye. The goddess Kalma was so moved by this devotion that she allowed him to pass quietly in his sleep and then granted him the blessing of immortality, thus making him a god. In this way Brenda and Dhonan would be united forever.

The Wedding of Dhonan and Brenda was said to be oone of the grandest ever. All of that Kykua attended, in a grand forest under a white canopy.

     As a god, Dhonan is a most loving god. He blesses couples of weddings to uphold the vow of love and to hold it unconditionally. He is seen as a handsome young man, dressed more than often in hunting garb with a quiver of arrows on his back and bow in hand. Most of the time Dhonan is seen with his consort, Brenda but at weddings he is seen with the goddess Rhya, blessing and sanctifying the wedding couple. Dhonan sees that vows and oaths of love are kept. This is his main attribute.

     Sacred to Dhonan is the wedding fillet that is used to symbolically bond the couples' hands. Also sacred to him is the bow and arrow and a wreath of ivy, which Dhonan is sometimes said to be seen wearing.

Dhonan and Brenda

The wedding procession of gods to the union of Dhonan and Brenda

Bowynn Gods: The Heather

Heather     (Heh-thur)  Kii folk that tend to the flowers, wild and domestic. These forms of Kii are diminutive in size, no bigger than a small bird and bare insect like wings. Heather are mostly spring and summer Kii, spending winter asleep. They are keepers of flowers both wild and domestic. They are easily drawn to any area that has flowers. It a said that Heather Kii are born from flowers.  In many ways, The Heather bare a strong resemblance to “fairies.”

Bowynn Gods: Naea

Naea  (Nay-ah)  Naea is the Bowynn goddess of springs, wells, lakes, rivers, streams and other small fresh bodies of water. She is the daughter of Tane and Kauldra and is one of the very few multi arm gods. As such she is a spider goddess. Her multi limbs represent the many rivers of the world.      Naea is a free spirited goddess, spending much of her time wandering the sides of wells and ponds and weaving away in her godly or animal form on the side of streams and rivers. Her prime domain is to make sure such bodies of water are protected from pollutants and destruction as much as possible. As such, Naea is one of the very few gods of the Bowynn pantheon to seek revenge on mortals that destroy her realm. One sacred story speaks of the fisherman that was so filled with joy when he caught a fish as soon as his hook hit the water. He became so happy that he kept fishing till the lake was depleted of fish. Naea found out about this and that night as he and his family gorged out on the fish the man caught, there was a knock on the door of a beggar woman. She asked for a fish to get her by. The man and woman gave her the smallest fish in the batch, so small it would not fill a cat. The old woman ended up being Naea and for the couple's lack of moderation and charity, Naea made all the other food in the house disappear till all that was left saw the fish. The couple quickly became sick of eating fish all the time and thus learned their lesson. There are many legends of mortals abusing wells and springs then suffering Naea’s wrath but never death.      Despite this and other such sacred tales Naea is not a vicious goddess. Infact she is a most gentle goddess. She only seeks out those that have done wrong with her gifts. So, she should not be feared. Other times she is most giving, as the sacred stories of her creating a well for a family that had nothing to drink for days. Because of her watery realm, Naea's temples are often nothing more than a well surrounded by a gazebo.      Naea is depicted in her godly immortal form as a delightful young woman with long flowing hair. Her garments are of blues, purples and greens and silver or glass baubles as jewelry. Sometimes she is seen with a pitcher of fresh water and other times with a loom. In her totem form Naea is seen as an elegant spider. Sacred gifts to Naea come in the form of glass pieces, fresh water, river and lake plants and flowers, spoons of white and blue yarn and votive images of a spider.

Bowynn Gods: Kauldra

Kauldra (Kol-drah)  Queen of the sea and goddess of all fresh waters. Her name in English translates to the world "Cauldron." Be it raging ocean or trickling brook, she is in charge of it. And though she is queen of the sea, her watery aspect seems to be more confined to fresh waters, while her husband Tane, is more opt to salt water. She is the daughter of Sumon and Phoenix.      Sacred stories of Kauldra are not too many. She was to wed Tane, the king of the seas but like her two sisters, she challenged Tane to prove he was a worthy husband first. Tane built Kauldra a grand sea-bound castle of beauty and grace. But she did not accept. Kauldra's postponement of the wedding went on and on till at last Tane had nothing more to offer the goddess but his everlasting love. And it was that which Kauldra accepted and agreed to marry the sea king.

Another tale says when Kauldra was born, the god Gondor fashioned a cauldron as a gift, which she could look in and see the world at her wish. the cauldron is said to hold a drop of water from every river, stream, pond, ocean, sea, fountain and waterway in the world. Kauldra was also said to have given all the animals of the sea color. Before that, they were colorless.      Kauldra is said to resemble a lady of dignified grace, tall and slender. Her robes and garments are long and flowing and the colors of blues and greens. Kauldra’s skin is said to be a bit pale, bares raven colored hair and azure eyes. Her crown is designed of silver with sea horses and shells. Sacred gifts to Kauldra are cooked fish, water, coral, shells, sachets of sand and any plants of the sea or plants like water reeds or water lilies. And of course incense.