Iseums, Hearths of the Goddess

"The religion of the Goddess centres around the Hearth. Whether this be the inner sun flaming within the matrix of our earth, or the sun itself, this is the source of manifested life." - Olivia Robertson, "Dea, Rites and Mysteries of the Goddess"

"An Iseum is a Hearth of the Goddess around which the members draw strength, love and inspiration from one they accept as Mother. They are a family." - Olivia Robertson, original "Handbook of the Fellowship of Isis"

ISEUMS, Hearths of the Goddess

Iseums are one of the earliest designated types of centers within the Fellowship of Isis, Iseums are described as the "Hearths of the Goddess." Each Iseum is dedicated to a particular Goddess or a Goddess and a God. Any FOI member may found an Iseum. They have a very special place within the Fellowship of Isis and a variety of callings can be answered through working in an Iseum. Heads of Iseums may operate as Adepti, Alchemists, or Teachers who train others for the FOI Priest/esshood, if they have attained these levels of training and been duly initiated or ordained, and certified. Branches of study offered through Iseums include the Spiral of the Adepti and the Spiral of Alchemy.

An Iseum is not required to offer courses of training or teaching. FOI members may join as many Iseums as they wish, but they can only study the Spiral of the Adepti or the Spiral of Alchemy in one Iseum at a time. Iseums may perform Fellowship of Isis rituals, celebrate the traditional seasonal holy days, such as Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice, Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice, etc. They may offer services to the Goddess Community through supporting various causes, such as protection and welfare of animals, exploring various spiritual paths, creating environmental awareness and prayer or healing work.

INITIATION INTO AN ISEUM (Flamma Vestae)

Iseum members join together in loving cooperation. They become a branch of the Family of Isis. The Initiation rite for admittance into an Iseum is called "Flamma Vestae", interpreted from Latin it means literally “Flame of Vestae.” The Vestae were Priestesses of ancient Rome who guarded the sacred flame of their patroness Goddess, Vesta, the Roman Goddess of the hearth and heart of the home. So the Iseum is seen as the spiritual home, a center where members gather together for friendship, teaching, ritual and to draw strength and comfort from the fellowship amongst Iseum members. This ritual is found in the FOI Liturgy book "Panthea, Initiations and Festivals of the Goddess."

Flamma Vestae. Initiation into a Fellowship of Isis Iseum

The Fellowship of Isis was founded on the Spring Equinox, 1976. The first Fellowship of Isis Iseums were announced in Isian News, Issue No. 3, Spring Equinox of 1977. The guidelines presented below for the Spiral of the Adepti were introduced much later, in 1999. Many FOI Iseums were in operation for several years, some for as long as 22 years, before the guidelines below were created.

FOI Co-Founder Olivia Robertson writes (*) that the work of all FOI centres, including their individual coursework, ordinations, consecrations and certification of degrees is honored. There can be no ‘rigid laws’ as exist in hierarchic Churches and Orders. Heads of centers rely on psychic consensus of the group and guidance through intuition and the manifestation of particular attributes of the Deity or Deities concerned in their centre, therefore there can be no set curriculum. Thus, heads of centres, through inspiration from their particular Deity or Deities, produce their own training course, which is based on the rituals of the FOI liturgy.

Many heads of centres have had long experience in the spiritual field and choose to create their own course. The following is intended as a suggestion for those others, who desire guidelines for the forming of a course.

(*) Sources: Original Fellowship of Isis Handbook (1992). Original College of Isis Manual (1992).

SPIRAL OF THE ADEPTI (offered through Iseums only)

The Spiral of the Adepti is an Iseum based system of Initiate Levels. Spiral of the Adepti initiations are sought by those who feel they have a vocation to serve the Goddess, but do not wish to serve within the ordained clergy of the Fellowship of Isis. Adepti serve in the Goddess Community at large in a secular capacity. An Adept within the Fellowship of Isis offers a specific Specialty to the Goddess, such as herbalism, holistic therapy, etc. An Adepti has earned at least four Initiations from the Spiral of Adepti rites through study within an Iseum that is headed by an Adepti. Once an Adepti has gained four Initiations and been consecrated by the Consecration of an Adepti rite, they are qualified to teach the Adepti system within their own Iseum. Iseums are not required to offer Adepti courses of study. The Consecration of an Adepti rite may be performed by attunement or in person.

Consecration of an Adept

The Spiral of the Adepti contains 33 initiations, including 32 physical rites, and 1 Initiation of Divine Awareness without ritual. The experience of Divine Awareness without ritual, is considered private and no certification is issued for this Initiation. The Spiral of the Adepti rites are to be found in the following Fellowship of Isis books:

Dea, Rites and Mysteries of the Goddess (Rites 1 - 7 only)

Dedication of a Shrine to Isis

Dawn. Rite of Abundance

Evening. Rite of the Five Elements

Spring. Rite of Good Health

Summer Ritual of the Sun

Autumn. Litany of the Earth

Winter. Star Rite

Gaea: Initiations of the Earth (Part II, Planetary Initiation, 1 Rite)

Isis & Osiris: The Judgment

Panthea, Initiations and Festivals of the Goddess (All Rites)

Psyche, Magical Journeys of the Goddess (All Rites)