My Lord welcomes this impure heart. It wants to know Him, deeply; to feel the throngs of His Power, the grip of His attention, the fire of His focus within me.
I am enraptured; encapsulated by the prison of His eyes– how they see me and illuminate me; how my body quickens at the thrill of Him.
He knows what tortures play beneath the longing; under the surface of my devotion. I am the instrument of His satisfaction, and I bleed the melody of His advance.
All this, and this impure heart, are receptacles for Him alone. The vessel of my flesh– my heart and soul– carved open and writhing; are true, balanced and secure beneath the weight of Him… beneath the ravages of His whim… and desire.
Before bedtime. Use your discretion to plan the length of the ritual.
Procedure:
As you begin to wet your body, visualize the water penetrating your natural aura. Allow any barriers you’ve erected to be swept away, in soothing, gentle water fall. As it graces your skin, speak the Names of Apollon, and open your soul to His phantom touch.
Breathe deeply. Feel Him coming into you. Now, lather your hands with shampoo, and work it into your hair, massaging your scalp, as you pledge your mind, body and soul to our Beloved Lord. Again, call out His Names. Ask Him to release all stress and mental burdens from you, so you may be ready to receive Him into your crown. Make promises, if you wish, though these should be of a secret nature, between only He and you.
Rinse your hair thoroughly, casting off all doubt or apprehension. Breathe in the calm that He releases, and lather your cloth or loofah with your usual (or a special) soap/cleanser. Pay close attention to each part of your body as you wash. Feel each limb. Call to Apollon, and ask Him to soothe and purify your body as you make your way down your form.
Feel your muscles release their tension. Know yourself, intimately. This means whatever it means to you.
Continue washing, ever downward. Visualize our Lord bathing you in white light– His pneuma, and inhale it. Let it fill your lungs. Exhale all worries, and revel in the trust between He and you. Know that He has cleansed and claimed you; prepared you for His complete arrival on the second day of Aegletia. Know that you belong to Him– with Him.
Rinse your body, and watch/feel as all that once troubled you is flushed away, and out of your life. Call His names once more, in love and adoration. Pledge yourself to Him, and thank Him for His touch, and His presence.
Continue what you would normally do in the bath/shower. Condition and comb/brush your hair, shave, or whatever else may be next in your routine.
Finish, dry yourself, have a light meal with ambient atmosphere (perhaps music, incense, both, or something else, entirely), then retire to your bed for sleep.
O Bright Lord, I have prepared a path for You, through cleansing smoke, and breathy winds! Dawn’s light has touched upon my brow, and I am opened in the face of You, like a painted amphora, ready to receive my contents!
I am made pure in the presence of Your symbols, and within the vibration of Your Sacred Names! Anax! Lykeios! Aegletes! This space is made pure by the sheer thought of You, O Lord Divine, O Apollon!
And as my mind turns over thoughts of You, so do I ruminate upon the harmony I wish to create within this space, and upon my soul, as I await Your impending Arrival, O Stalwart King!
As a Sister of the Treasury, I have made a commitment to bringing Apollon’s will into the world, as best I can, to the best of my understanding. This is my life’s purpose, and it fills me with joy. It also fills me with joy to see others doing His work. And I am so grateful to be a part of a Sisterhood, and a wider community who loves and honors Him. His will is for all people. There are no exclusions, save for the ones deep in an individual’s heart. Their own will determines whether or not they accept His invitation, but the invitation is open to all. And no one has to accept, but we do have to accept that everyone is welcome, from those we do not know, to those we may not like.
Everyone is welcomed by Apollon to become more than they currently know they can be. Everyone is welcome to heal. Everyone is welcome to change. Everyone deserves the chance for purification. And His arms are open. There is no force that can sever His connection to a person who mutually cultivates it, though, it must be cultivated. It must be nourished and warmed, each by our own conscious development. Which means, that we should seek not to look toward each other and our individual accomplishments, under the scrutiny of culturally-enforced false competition.
If we are all doing the work He set out for us to do, by His decree, then we should focus on our own work, rather than hover over the accomplishments of others. Comparison ultimately leads to insecurity, anxiety, envy, or all of the above and more. Each person is on a different level of individual development, with differing skill levels for different talents. There is no Apollonian monolith, thankfully, nor should there be, and we should not seek to create one, either purposefully or accidentally.
The emotions that can be stirred up by unhealthy comparison are in direct conflict with many important Apollonian qualities. Envy is a black hole that lets no light escape. Insecurity and anxiety are its handmaidens, dim stars caught in its effect. There, can not also thrive empathy, kindness or compassion. In the face of such forces, neither can cooperation, co-leadership, or simply any acceptance of others doing work that was not given to another to do. There is truly enough work to go around. We needn’t complicate things by driving our minds into competition, rather than expressing our own commitment and love for Apollon.
In times like this, we must embrace our Lord’s purification. We must let go of preconceived notions of grandeur, for His work is not about us. His work is the sum total of all His orchestration, all the moving parts He’s nudged into place. Every cog in the machine working to bring His vision of a chaotic, yet somehow ordered Universe to life, through no vehicle other than all of our individual talents. This is community, and communities thrive neither on envy, nor the suspicion that envy breeds in others.
Communities can benefit from striving to be places of homecoming, safety, and healing. We must allow ourselves to be mastered by Apollon, and shaped by His example– to focus on our tasks, and ultimately, to grow in our entire worldview. A way toward this, is to sincerely embrace the notion of change, for if we can not imagine ourselves differently, it becomes that much more difficult to bring a new self, with new and healthier habits and values, into manifestation. Purification is part of the work, and we must not exclude ourselves from the paradigm of growth now lapping at the shore of the unknown world to come. Apollon will keep the way bright for us, as we traverse the fallow grounds awaiting His seed to be planted.
I love all of you ladies, so much. Let us usher in the seventh Aegletia, of this sixth year of the Treasury, with joy and pride in our accomplishments.
The first Aegletia occurred five months before the formation of the Treasury, thus its celebration was the prelude to our Sisterhood, and is acknowledged as one of our most important festivals.
So, Sisters, let us begin again, with this feeling of love and perseverance among us.
Even as our Lord traverses the world during His flight North, we will welcome and honor Him in our hearts and homes. We will bring Him joy at the end of one Season, and the beginning of the next. And our Lord will return our joy tenfold, come Spring.
Peace and Love to you, my Sisters. Love and Praise, always, to Apollon!
“Wait for Me, for I am coming. The land pulses with the change of seasons and soon I will leave this world. But I will not abandon you, My darlings. Rejoice now, for I am coming to share My splendid glory with you for the these nine days.
“Fret not, and know that I can not be persuaded to remain here. The winter is long and arduous, and My leave can not be avoided. Though I will soon embark upon the journey, I am coming now to comfort you.
“Difficulties build the character of my beloveds, so endure what is difficult, grow and change with the oncoming storm. The rain, though it may be dreary, is essential. The snow, though it may freeze the land, also prepares it for new life in the spring. So do I prepare you for My return. For without absence, none may appreciate attachment.
“And if still you are angered by my leaving, know that the wretched emotion will color your thoughts and actions for weeks to come. If you would share beauty with Me for Aegletia, you must first be beautiful, cultivating it in your heart and in your soul.
“Take solace, My loves. I am coming. So, prepare.”
— Apollon (Transcribed by Columbine) [Aegletia, Day 1]
We come to Aegletia 1: Purification, so that we may turn our minds and hearts toward Lord Apollon, the Purifier, and that we might be freed from the impurities that afflict us. Our afflictions aren’t limited to physical illness; we can harbor ill will, greed, envy, doubt, sloth, and more just as easily as a virus or a cancer. Our Lord offers us the light of awareness so that we can cleanse ourselves of that which hinders us and prevents us from recognizing our true and divine nature. When we are true to our nature, compassion and honesty come easily. We need not push away ill will or doubt; those are a dreaded Python that constricts us and consumes us, but one that can be burned away with His light. Our choice is this: Do we open our eyes to His blessings or do we turn from Him and allow the sickness of hatred and delusion to slowly kill us?
It seems like it ought to be a pretty simple choice, but it’s all too easy to get caught up in the quick high of self-righteousness and a much harder road to reflect on how we can change our actions and our attitudes for the better. Right now, right very now, someone is wrong on the internet. Someone has said something ignorant, plain stupid, hateful, factually incorrect, or just something that disagrees with somebody else’s worldview or opinions. I’d point out examples, but there are too many to count. Someone, somewhere, is being wrong on the internet or at work or in your family or somewhere else I haven’t thought of. Temporarily, it feels pretty good to speak your mind and be right at the person being wrong, but more often than not, a person will simply cling tighter to their beliefs or opinions rather than consider yours. When we greet someone with a shaking fist of righteousness, we get conflict in return. When we open our hands and speak with patience and compassion, that’s when productive dialogue can happen. That’s not to say that holding ourselves to a higher standard in the comments sections will necessarily lead to anybody else seeing the light, as it were, but we can at least cleanse our own souls by not being hateful and reactive, even when they’re really, really wrong and we can walk away when the conversation is no longer productive.
When I am out in the world or out in the internet, I see it as my sacred duty as a Priestess and Treasury Sister to hold myself to a higher standard when disagreeing with someone. I can’t say that I’ve perfectly fulfilled that duty and I’ve gotten myself caught up in ridiculous arguments about who’s more right, but I do, at least, try to be polite about it and I eventually remember that I don’t have to be right about everything. Somebody somewhere is going to be wrong about something. That’s just going to happen and if I cling to being right, I’m going to blind myself to new perspectives and ideas.
This doesn’t mean that I’m going to roll over and show my belly to hatred or injustice. That does mean that I’m going to try to handle those things with compassion and with xenia in mind. I don’t have to stoop to anyone’s level and another person’s poor behavior doesn’t have to ensnare me into doing something or saying something unwholesome. That also means having firm personal boundaries. I’m not going to engage with someone who acts out in a harmful way toward me and I’m not going to stay in a situation that’s harmful. I’m not going to put my kids, my family, or my friends in danger, either, and I will always reserve the right to say no or to walk away. Being polite to others is, for me, a matter of respect and I sincerely believe that everyone is deserving of kindness, but I’m also not going to be a doormat. Xenia works both ways and though that middle way is not always easy to see, Lord Apollon gives us the ability to be aware of when we stray from that path. Fortunately, the Moirae will be happy to present us with plenty of opportunities to practice.
I pray, then, that Apollon Aegletia purifies my heart and mind of the afflictions that obscure my true nature. May His light cleanse me of ill will, doubt, delusion, and all that is unwholesome and unlike the Bright One, son of Leto. May his blessing shine through me, even as he recedes to His place of rest in Hyperborea. May my speech and actions be wholesome and my body purified. May I shine as my true self, free from affliction, a reflection of His radiant glory. So say we all.
You are the storm I seek, and the path I travel even while the world awaits Your return. For You have gone, yet do You remain here, in my heart and hearth.
You are the foundation of my love and the one who is worthy. You are the fury stirring within me, and the pride of my accomplishments.
You are the sunrise and its blazing trail through the sky, and through Your love I am purified.
Through Your touch I am healed, and I willingly give myself to You.
Your kisses can be like ice or fire or scathing sands. You are all of these, expressed in pure, raw emotion.
Oh, yes, You are the Restrained One, but You are also the frenzy of the chase, and the instigator of lust. For You, I am purified.
From You I do not hide, but sit quietly and patiently for Your arrival. And You are coming… and I will be here, waiting.
I cannot see You, yet You lead me. Tugging my wrists, pushing at my back, dragging me along by my ears. I cannot hear You, yet You lead me. Whispering my thoughts, molding my guts, so many coincidences falling into place. I cannot feel You, yet You lead me. Rain showering katharmos, sun firing my consciousness, wind turning me toward You. I cannot show myself as Yours, am not always Yours, but You let me. Bringing You into this world in my empty arms and oh-so-full heart. Letting Your praises spill from my lips, purifying my thoughts, Yourself in my actions. This I pray, Lord Apollon, let me be ever more Yours.
Today, I shall speak of my Bright-shining Lord.
But what shall I say that is not already known?
There is only anticipation for the expected, now.
Shall I speak of His radiance, blooming in Autumn peaches?
No, for the bees and others of the floating world hold His Dominion there.
Shall I speak of His strength, in the hoof-beats of herds over sprawling lands?
No, for the grasses have already felt the rolling thunder of His Presence.
Shall I speak of His precision, found in the hummingbird’s dart?
No, for the blossoms have already been peirced by His Desire.
Then, of what shall I speak today, which holds my mind in such easy thrall?
It is His Power, solid and firm over us, and yes, it too is known.
Yet, is it known that He returns to claim His due?
It was His promise.
But, perhaps the lie was sweeter than the Pythia’s Truth?
It begins.
Where will your loyalty rise when the Prince, Apollon, speaks?
For now, it is only I, a woman; ordinary, as often His women were.
But I ask, can you withstand?
The Holy Judge is near, and not near enough.
Will you be His Catalyst?
He returns, like a spiral, like a wave, destroying and creating.
Who will turn the Wheel, and send the Ship sailing toward His Island?
Our Lord awaits your answers.
Who will meet me There?
Treasury of Apollon 