Priest Alchemist: (to Twin Apprentices) When the Deities call you to Leadership, whether temporal or spiritual, you need to use the crook that protects and the flail that winnows good from evil. To learn the wise use of power you need to turn to the Goddess Brigantia, Warrior Queen and Practitioner of the Arts!

Priestess Alchemist: I invoke the noble Goddess Brigantia, Who rules the fruitful land and the stormy oceans. We victims who are subservient, fearful, too anxious to please, bestow on us the sword you draw from the Stone of Destiny!

You make me laugh! Nothing is more appropriate to Heaven than a desire to please: nothing more inadequate upon the earth! Those courageous souls - yourselves among them - who choose, in consultation with spiritual guides, to join in biological incarnations, time after time endure oppression, cruelty and deprivation. But you also enjoy physical pleasures, emotions and creativity wondered at by the Deities.

Know that We whom you acknowledge as Deities, whether Avatars, Magi, Prophets, in reality do not experience the biological conditions that bring you such anguish, boredom, and heart-rending fear. We do not die. You think you die. We do not suffer. Your experiments in loving bring you pain. Our creations spring from ecstasies of joy: yours come through hard work, disappointment and depletion through disease and death.

Take heart! You are Our beloved and bring Us delight, amazement, tears and compassion. We live through you, Our offspring. In return, draw from Our greatness and eternal life. We are teaching you to rule yourselves. Do so!

Priest Alchemist: We give thanks to the Goddess Brigantia for Her Oracle.

Priestess Alchemist: (to Twins) Aiden, you have successfully studied the wayward, vagaries of the planet Mercury. Mercury is ever the companion to the Ruler of the Olympian Deities, Jupiter. When He travels the earth to judge men’s deeds, Mercury brings both laughter and understanding. Elaine, you need to bring stability to Mercury through exploring the Aegis of Jupiter.

Priest Alchemist: We shall accompany you in your journey *** We sit with eyes shut that we may see better our path to the octagonal Temple of the Rainbow Planets. *** Elaine, if you are able, tell us what befalls you there.

Elaine: I enjoy my stately progress up the avenue bordered with oak trees to the Temple of the Planets. I find my way within *** I honour the Golden Orb set in the Centre, guarded by two sphinxes *** I make my way to the South Portal. Above is the sign of Jupiter in the form of a new moon above an equal-armed cross in gold. On the right is a dignified statue of the God Jupiter, holding a thunderbolt. On the left is the form of the Goddess Juno, surrounded by a peacock’s tail of stars, her realm as Regina Coeli, Queen of Heaven. I part heavy purple curtains edged with gold and pass through *** What a shock is this! I was expecting a dignified kingdom, obedient to law and order. Instead I am nearly pushed to my knees by a rough crowd who are locked in some sort of warfare. I try to understand what is going on. Each man - and some women, are using curious electric-like weapons and are dressed so oddly. I ask where am I? On another planet? No -I find I am on earth in the future. *** By adopting a conciliating attitude, a desire to please, I find out who the rival armies are. The party in power, a sort of modern police-force dressed in metallic uniforms, are Government forces - in England! They belong to the Global Federation of States. The rabble who attack them are dissidents who have long hair and beards and are wearing rough tunics. Their banners emblazon their motto: “Back to Nature”.

Suddenly they seize me and tell me their cause. They are fighting Government misuse of science. I assure them that I am entirely apolitical, have never joined any movement, but live peacefully seeking spiritual attainment. They say this is why I must become their leader - the Government officials would respect me as being unique! What a century - this is not like earth in Star Trek!

They tell me why they fight. The Government scientists are in the process of genetically creating a sub-race of humans, along with genetically mutated animals, created to perform all the menial work humans refuse to do. My whole soul rises in revolt. I feel as if a flash of lightning strikes me. I shall not allow a sub-race to be created that is denied respect, dignity, soul. I tell the rebels I shall be their leader.

Suddenly I am joined by Valkyrie, women dressed for martial arts brandishing strange radiating spears. They lead me to the State House. Here, roped off and disused, is, they tell me, an unused throne of long past monarchy. As the Government troupes pour in, these women put a heavy crown on my head, a robe about me and an orb and sceptre in my hands. I feel the lightning surge through me. ***

I find myself speaking. I declare: “I am the Goddess Brigantia, Ruler of this island. It is against Divine Law for you to create a sub-race, human and animal, for the sole purpose of serving your selfish and greedy ends! From this moment your power is taken from you. Your greatness fails. You are as helpless as those you abuse. Your children will be your hope.” ***

But as I speak I find myself being pulled backwards by an invisible force, and my words are coming through the lips of a young dark-skinned girl with long wavy black hair. She is seated on the throne, wearing a crown, and robe and is holding orb and sceptre. I am rising into the air *** I am drawn backwards through time - like a series of moving pictures I see the Temple of the Planets *** and a group of people in a Temple. Then I recognise my friends *** slowly I return to earthly consciousness. ***

Sources: “Legendary Fictions of the Irish Celts”, Patrick Kennedy, illustrated by W. Small, Macmillan & Co., London, 1866. “The House of the Titans and Other Poems”, AE (also A.E. or Aeon the pen name of George Russell), Macmillan & Co., New York, 1934. “Lebor Gabala Erenn: The Book of the Taking of Ireland”, in five volumes, edited and translated with notes, by R. A. Stewart Macalister, D. Litt., published for the Irish Texts Society (Volumes 40 - 44) by the Educational Company of Ireland, Dublin,1956.

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