Elodrym Academy

The Elodrym Academy is a ground-breaking online and in person educational community. It features courses by Mages with a variety of spiritual and academic interests.

Courses are based on emerging ecopsychology, alchemy, and a large variety of magickal and mystical traditions. Instead of teaching absolute truths, each person is encouraged to ask questions, explore on their own, and contribute their knowledge to the Elodrym Library. The courses have important foundational concepts but each participant shapes the feel and direction of the courses.

Elodrym Academy courses challenge the individual to rethink their perspectives on the world and to question why they think the way they do and who and what influences them. It encourages each person to embrace internal and Universal power.

Classrooms

The Elodrym Academy is more than theory taught online or in a room. Many of the class experiences in Santa Cruz, California occur along the ocean or among the redwoods. Individuals learn through all of their senses. Everyone is encouraged to immerse themselves into the knowledge and experiences of our world and those beyond.

For more about the Elodrym Academy www.elodrym.net

For more about The Order of the Elodrym www.elodrym.org

"Our mission is to provide a positive, encouraging environment for people who are studying the magickal arts and sciences, to celebrate the Wheel of the Year as well as other life milestones with friends and family, and provide a warm and inviting community for those seeking fellowship."

Announcing a new meeting for The Santa Cruz Magickal Meetup Group!

What: Tea & Conversation

When: Sunday, June 8, 1:00 PM

Where: Click the link below to find out!

Who should come: Magickal folk who enjoy a lazy afternoon, a cup of tea, and conversation.

Why: The White Raven is a great place for chai, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.

Meeting Description: Come join us at "The Best Little Pourhouse in Felton"! Where we will be talking about all kinds of things magickal.

Learn more here:
http://magickal.meetup.com/444/calendar/7927627/

http://www.awhiteraven.com/content/view/13/28/

Mount Diablo State Park
Juniper Campground (Ask for us at check in.)
3 PM Friday, May 2 - 11 AM Sunday, May 4
Cost: State Park camping fees

Spend the weekend with other magickal folks at one of the ecological treasures of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Maypole Ritual, storytelling, hiking, spontaneous activities and relaxation.

Please bring your camping gear. All meals are potluck so bring food to share. Register before April 15th by emailing elodrym@elodrym.org

Limited space is available at the Elodrym reserved site. Staying in this camp will be around $5 share of cost. It is recommended you reserve a site now if you want a separate area.

Mt. Diablo Information http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=517

Campsites booked through Reserve America.

Instructor: Myrddin Masery - BA in Mass Communications and a minor in religion from Southeast Missouri State Univserity. Masery has taught spirituality and mysticism since 1998. More information at www.elodrym.org/myrddin.htm
Location: http://elodrym.suddenlaunch3.com
Course Length: three months (12 lessons)
Dates: May 5th - July 25th, 2008
Cost: $90
Course fees will be donated to the creation of the Elodrym Mage Academy.
Other fees: DVD rental or purchase

This is a fun and easy course!

Course includes viewing DVDs, reading an online cinema guide, and participating in the weekly class discussions.

The class begins with film definitions and the basics of film analysis. The course includes four films chosen by the instructor and students vote on three other films. Some films are in French, English, and African native languages. Foreign films include subtitles.  After viewing a film the students participate in a discussion of the spiritual themes and the techniques used to portray it. In the final weeks, students will present cases for their nominees for best actor, actress, director, documentary and film. Winners will be chosen by the class.

Instructor's Picks:

War/Dance - nominated for best documentary 2008 Beliefnet Film Awards
Into the Wild - Emile Hirsch won best actor  2008 Beliefnet Film Awards
Angel-A
Touching the Sound

Movies to vote on:
Dark Crystal
Legend
Matrix
Atonement - nominated for 2008 Beliefnet Film Awards
Juno - nominated for 2008 Beliefnet Film Awards
Amazing Grace - nominated for 2008 Beliefnet Film Awards
Cider House Rules
American Beauty

For more information on these films visit www.beliefnet.com/bfa/ and the International Movie Database www.imd.com

Enroll with Masery masery76@sbcglobal.net

"... the Great Initiator comes in the Silence to the higher consciousness, and is never a human being, however supernatural and secluded."

Dion Fortune, The Training and Work of an Initiate

Performing this ceremony isn't an initiation into the Order of the Elodrym.
Being a part of the Elodrym requires participating with its members for a year and being acknowledged by an Elodrym Mage.

Having some knowledge of magickal practice will help you understand the symbolism of this ritual. It isn't necessary, however. What is important is that you are brave enough to take responsibility for who you are and who you want to be in this world. This ritual won't grant instant powers and anyone who claims an initiation will is foolish. This is a step toward opening up to possibility and understanding your full potential, what ever that may be.  

Self Initiation Ritual

Adapted from The Order of the Elodrym's initiation ritual.

Elemental calls written by Mage Aquillus Cattus and adapted for this ritual.

We thank the mages of the past, the elements, spirits, guides, angels, authors, and practitioners whose wisdom we coalesced into this initiation rite.

Items Needed

Incense or sage

Anointing oil

Food and drink (Cake, bread, fruit, juice, milk or other food and drink. Drink wine or ale if you are of legal age. The less processed and more organic the better since some will be offered to the spirits.)

It is optional to place an object in the North, South, East, and West to represent Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.

The Rite

I. Purification

1. Wash the body and meditate on rinsing away the day's troubles. It will be easier to focus on the intent of the ritual.

2. Bless the ritual space with incense.

II. Grounding and Entrance

Anoint the forehead "third eye" and center of your wrists with the oil.

Take a comfortable standing position. Close your eyes. Lower your arms to your sides.

Breathe deeply.

Imagine a golden light above you flowing downward touching your head. The warm light moves into every cell of your body. You feel strong and protected. The light caresses your face as it flows down your back, over the back of your neck, shoulders, into your arms and down to your fingers. The energy passes behind your hips, into your legs. It relaxes your knees and flows into your feet, warming your toes.

Move with the light into the earth. The earth's essence is cool and inviting.

You flow into the pool of energy, feeling warm and strong. The blue energy of the pool moves up through your feet, into your legs, past your knees, past your thighs, flowing over your hips, energizing your torso. It flows through your arms, up your neck and spills out the top of your head like a radiant fountain, falling, flowing back into the earth.

Breathe deeply. Let the air fill you.

The golden light from above now flows along your back, down the back of your legs, into the earth ... it swirls with the radiant pool ... the golden blue energy travels up the front of your body and spills out the top of your head.

This energy is never ending. It is eternal, always around you. Take as much as you need.

III. Casting the Circle

Continue this meditation ... move your hands through the energy as it flows from you. Walk slowly in a circle being mindful of each step. The energy can flow from your hands. See it flowing and spinning outward into your circle. Imagine the energy rising above you, around you, below you, creating a sphere of protection.

(You can drum, dance, or chant also.)

"The circle is cast.

I stand in a place that is not a place,

in a time that is not a time.

I see the swirling of nights and days

and feel the power of word and rhyme."

Arms raised, head lifted: "As above"

Arms lowered toward ground, head lowered: "So below"

Finger tips to forehead: "As the mind"

Hands to chest: "So the soul"

Arms outstretched and head up: "As without"

Arms crossed, hands on opposite shoulders, head lowered in reverence: "So within."

IV. Declaration of Purpose

"I am (your nickname, birth name, or other name you choose to speak). I am here to dedicate myself to a path of spiritual evolution. I come seeking assistance for the wise do not travel alone. I accept your challenges, knowledge, and blessings."

V. Calling the Quarters

Stand facing the North. Visualize mountains, tor stones, rocks, or other images of earth. Allow the energy of the element to enter your body at the solar plexus (center of your stomach).

"I call upon the spirits of the north, to the children of earth:

Oh watchful guardians, grant me your precious gift of abundance! From the foundation of stability that you provide, may I always follow my true path!

Hail and welcome!"

Stand facing the East. Visualize clouds, wind through tall grass, birds, or other images of air.

"I call upon the spirits of the east, to the children of air:

Oh watchful guardians, grant me your precious gift of divine communication! From the light of wisdom that you provide, may I find guidance along my true path!

Hail and welcome!"

Stand facing the South. Visualize the sun, a bonfire, flame, or other images of fire.

"I call upon the spirits of the south, to the children of fire:

Oh watchful guardians, grant me your precious gift of vitality! From the flames of ambition that you provide, may I have the courage to stay true to my path!

Hail and welcome!"

Stand facing West. Visualize a well, spring, the ocean or other images of water.

"I call upon the spirits of the west, to the children of water:

Oh watchful guardians, grant me your precious gift of spiritual empathy and cleanse my body, mind and spirit! May your precious waters sustain me on my path!

Hail and welcome!"

Kneel so you may receive the element's gifts. Rise when you know it is done and it is time to continue.

VI. Calling the Ancients and Guides

"I call upon my ancestors who will respect my dedication to this spiritual path."

You may state the name of the ancestors you know will honor your wishes and assist you on your path.

"I call upon the mages of the past and future. Grant me your wisdom and protection. Hail and welcome."

If you are familiar with any animal guides or other guides you may invite them to the circle.

VII. Invoking Spirit

The Universal All, Great Spirit, Spiritual Essence in called upon in any fashion. Speak from your heart. Conclude with "Hail and welcome."

VIII. Initiation

Touch your feet saying:

"May my feet be swift when needed."

Touch you chest saying:

"May my heart be courageous and pure."

Touch each arm saying:

"May my arms be strong."

Touch their forehead saying:

"May my thoughts be clear."

Standing tall with your palms on your chest say:

"So be it."

IX. Grounding and Centering Excess Energy

Allow yourself to relax as much as possible. Breath deeply.

Visualize the excess energy within and around you turning into a liquid and flowing like thick smoke or fog downward, through your body, and exiting through your feet to be absorbed into the earth.

It sometimes helps to touch the ground with your fingers and instead of draining the energy through your feet, move it up your body, down your arm, and out through the connection between your fingers and the ground, once again to be absorbed into the earth.

X. Food and Drink

Eat some of the food and drink. Be aware of how it tastes. Let the smells and flavors remind you of how important the body is. Save some of the food and drink for the spirits. You can either set it outside for them or keep it on a table overnight. It is a symbolic gesture and your intention is what honors them the most.

XI. Dismissal

Thank Divinity/the Universal All for it's presence. Spiritual Essence is always present so don't offer a farewell.

Thank the guides and ancestors. When you are done say, "Hail and farewell."

Face the West.

"To the spirits of the west, the children of water:

Thank you for the inner fountain of healing that you cause to spring forth within me!

Go if you must, stay if you will, Hail and Farewell!"

Face South.

"To the spirits of the south, the children of fire:

Thank you for sharing the power to destroy all of my obstacles, as well as the energy to place one foot forward on my chosen paths!

Go if you must, stay if you will, Hail and Farewell!"

Face East. "To the spirits of the east, the children of air:

Thank you for making the intimate connection between both worlds a possibility, as well as the joyful creativity that allows my innermost thoughts to take flight!

Go if you must, stay if you will, Hail and Farewell!"

Face the North. "To the spirits of the north, the children of earth:

Thank you for the material and spiritual support that my hopes and dreams rest upon, as well as the fertile soil in which they are planted and bare their fruit!

Go if you must, stay if you will, Hail and Farewell!"

XII. Conclusion

Walk across the circle and image it dissipating.

"The circle is open, but is not broken.

However far I travel

Where ever I may roam

The center of the circle

Will always be my home."