Sunday, March 18, 1:00 PM

Feast of Isis Ceremony with Osireion

At the spring equinox we celebrate Isis, the great mother goddess who brings new life, creates families, gives birth to Horus, brought Osiris back to life, is a healer, magician and midwife, and the first earthly queen of Egypt.  At the ancient festival of shem el nessim, still celebrated by modern Egyptians, families picniced and went walking in the country.  We’ll decorate eggs with Egyptian protective symbols, sing, drum, dance and share some seasonal foods.  Bring your drum or other instruments, and if you would like, bring a dish to share.  Families with children are welcome.

All are invited to join Osireion for this public ceremony on Sunday, March 18, 1:00 00 PM at  Cayce Riverwalk Park Pavilion. This beautiful park runs along the Congaree River, and the Pavilion is the large picnic shelter just inside the main entrance (beside restrooms), at the intersection of Axtell and Naples (“N” Avenue) in Cayce, SC. The entire park is ADA-compliant, with plenty of adjacent parking. Come early and explore the wonderful Riverwalk itself. Note that we will begin on time, and must be out of the park by dusk.

Osireion draws inspiration from the ancient Egyptian religions.  Learn more at www.osireion.com.

Every year at this time Ancient Egyptians gathered to celebrate the Feast of Nut, whose vast blue star-covered body stretched across the sky above them. The sun (symbolized by the scarab beetle in the painting at left) traveled across her body each day, was swallowed by her at dusk, then rebirthed each dawn. Nut’s arms and legs were the four pillars on which the vault of heaven rested. With her lover, Geb, the earth, she gave birth to the Heliopolitans Isis, Osiris, Set and Nephthys.

Each of us makes our own journey through the night, seeking the light of understanding. While we must make a solitary journey, we are not alone. The deep blue body of Nut, the sky mother, embraces and receives us all, and gives rebirth to us with the dawn.

Members and friends of Osireion will gather at 7:00 PM on Sunday, February 12, to hold a short ceremony called Lights of Nut.

In honor of World Interfaith Harmony Week, you are invited to join us for this special occasion.

Because Lights of Nut will be held in a private home, attendance is by invitation only. You are welcome to bring a guest, however. The service will last about twenty minutes, then will be followed by coffee and cake.  You need not be familiar with New Egyptian Spirituality, Paganism or Osireion in order to attend, and no particular attire is required. Just come and enjoy the communion of Spirit and friends. RSVP to sekhmet @ osireion.com for directions to the home location.

“Nut and the Cosmic Dream” and more beautiful art by Francene Hart may be found at www.francenehart.com

Sunday, November 20, Osireion will hold beautiful ritual drama commemorating the death of Osiris, the lamentations of Isis, her search for Osiris, and the magic of his return to life as god of the ancient Egyptian world of the dead.  Annually, for thousands of years, this drama was re-enacted over a period of several days in Abydos, home of the mysterious temple for which Osireion group is named.  Isis is said to be the archetype for the divine feminine in many forms, from the Middle East to Britain.  Osiris is thought by many to be the origin of the Jesus story of life, death and resurrection. Each guest will take home a handmade scarab, symbol of ever-renewing life.  Presented by the members of Temple Osireion.  Because seating for guests at this private event is limited, the first 20 people to RSVP will be given a reservation and the address of the private home in Columbia where Mysteries of Osiris will take place.  Mysteries of Osiris will start on time and latecomers will be unable to enter, so please arrive early!

“Truth, integrity, honesty, goodness and balance bring one closer to the spiritual essence that is all pervasive in the Universe. There is nothing more sacred or important to the practitioner of Ancient Egyptian religion. The cosmic order that is Ma’at connects everything in the ageless dance of beauty and motion giving meaning to existence on all levels. It is for this reason that personal ethics and a desire to steadily develop spiritually are central aspects in the life of one who follows the Ancient Egyptian mysteries.” (Akhet Hwt-Hrw) 

In ancient times pharaoh was the chief priest, with the important responsibility of continually restoring and maintaining maat, personified as the goddess Maat.  The “presentation of Maat” ceremony reminded all that the basis of a peaceful and prosperous  society was the order, balance and justice she represented.  In the wall carving at left, Pharaoh Seti I actually places a small statue of Maat on the altar.  

Maat famously stands by the scales at the weighing of the heart ceremony for every soul who has just died.  The heart is placed on one side of the scales, Maat’s feather in the other.  Ancient people prayed that their heart would be as light as Maat’s feather when they came to their own weighing.  At the autumn equinox we South Carolinians feel the seasonal change in the air.  Join us to re-center and re-balance, and to re-affirm our commitment to balance here in the Midlands, the state of South Carolina, the United States, and the world.  All are invited to join Osireion for this public ceremony on Sunday, September 25, 4:00 00 PM at  Cayce Riverwalk Park Pavilion.

Wep Renpet – the “opening of the year” was the time in ancient Egypt of the great annual Nile inundation. Sahu (Orion) and Sopdet (Sirius), swallowed by the Duat around time of Vernal Equinox, reappear about 70 days later, just before the Nile’s annual inundation floods the land. The World of Manu is the original water of creation, embodied by Nun, issuing forth during Sep Tepi, the timeless time of eternity. In this world, Djehuti utters the first word, the vibration of life, and his consort Maat creates the first order. When Sopdet reappears on the sunrise, she leads the way for awakened human consciousness, the hope of new life and abundance about to emerge in the new season of Akhet. Sirius rises in the east at 5:51 AM on August 7, 2011, in Columbia, SC. All are invited to join Osireion for a public ceremony on Sunday, August 7, 7:15 – 8:00 PM at Cayce Riverwalk Park Pavilion.

All are invited to join Osireion as we celebrate the May with a Feast of Hathor and Min.

Saturday, May 7, 12 Noon at Cayce Riverwalk Park Pavilion.

Hathor and Min may be thought of as the Aphrodite and Pan of Ancient Egypt.  Hathor brings music, beauty, joy and feasting to all, and Min is the source of virility and strength.  Join the frolic, including drums, dance and Middle Eastern music and food at a public ritual.
We’ll provide (non-alcoholic) beverages, olives, dates, tabouli, pita, hummus, feta and more – bring your favorite Mediterranean food to share.
The beautiful Cayce Riverwalk park runs along the Congaree River, and the Pavilion is the large picnic shelter just inside the main entrance (beside restrooms), at the intersection of Axtell and Naples (“N” Avenue) in Cayce, SC.   The entire park is ADA-compliant, with plenty of adjacent parking.  Stay afterwards and spend the afternoon exploring the wonderful Riverwalk itself. Note that we will begin on time.
Bring an offering for the food pantry at The Cooperative Ministry. Alone we are just one person, but together we can make a difference.
Click for map and directions.

All are invited to join Osireion as we observe the cross-quarter often called Imbolc, or the Feast of Brigid. Time to sweep out the closets of our life, plant the seeds that will emerge in the spring and remember the promise of the growing light.

Public ritual (and light refreshments following) will be held Saturday, February 5, 12 Noon at Cayce Riverwalk Park Pavilion.

This beautiful park runs along the Congaree River, and the Pavilion is the large picnic shelter just inside the main entrance (beside restrooms), at the intersection of Axtell and Naples (“N” Avenue) in Cayce, SC.   The entire park is ADA-compliant, with plenty of adjacent parking.  Stay afterwards and spend the afternoon exploring the wonderful Riverwalk itself.  Note that we will begin on time.

Bring an offering for the food pantry at The Cooperative Ministry. Alone we are just one person, but together we can make a difference.

Click for map and directions.

PS – the weather forecast is for sunny skies and chilly.  In case of rain we will cancel.

All are invited to join Osireion as we celebrate the rebirth of the winter light.

Public ritual (and light refreshments following) will be held Sunday, December 19, 12 Noon at Cayce Riverwalk Park Pavilion.

This beautiful park runs along the Congaree River, and the Pavilion is the large picnic shelter just inside the main entrance (beside restrooms), at the intersection of Axtell and Naples (“N” Avenue) in Cayce, SC.  The entire park is ADA-compliant, with plenty of adjacent parking.  Come early/stay late and explore the wonderful Riverwalk itself.

Bring an offering for the food pantry at The Cooperative Ministry.   Alone we are just one person, but together we can make a difference.

Click for map and directions.

All are invited to join Osireion as we celebrate the harvest and pause to find our balance at this time of the year when light and dark are in equal balance.  Public ritual will be held Sunday, September 19, 6:30 PM – 7:15 PM at Cayce Riverwalk Park Pavilion.

This beautiful park runs along the Congaree River, and the Pavilion is the large picnic shelter just inside the main entrance (beside restrooms), at the intersection of Axtell and Naples (“N” Avenue) in Cayce, SC.   The entire park is ADA-compliant, with plenty of adjacent parking.  Come early and explore the wonderful Riverwalk itself.  Note that we will begin on time, and must be out of the park by dusk.

Bring an offering for the food pantry at The Cooperative Ministry. Alone we are just one person, but together we can make a difference.  Click for map and directions.

Osireion offers a year-long monthly class  in Columbia, S.C., called A Year of Spiritual Exploration.  To inquire about joining the next class, please contact us at sekhmet @ osireion. com  Soon we will introduce an online version of the course.

Ancient roots of modern Paganism (text, Triumph of the Moon, by Ronald Hutton)
Hermetic history and tradition  (text, Seth Speaks, by Jane Roberts)
Energy, field theory, healing and magickal use  (text, The Holographic Universe, by Michael Talbot)
Meditation, attuning to one’s inner self  (text, Pagan Spirituality, by River and Joyce Higginbotham)
Journey from the outer court  (text, The Jesus Mysteries, by Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy)
Divination and discernment  (no text)
Gaia as the divine manifest; the god/dess within  (text, The Earth Path, by Starhawk)
Living in community, service to others, ethics, guiding principles  (text, The Fifth Sacred Thing, by Starhawk)
Living between the worlds  (text, The Temple of Shamanic Witchcraft, by Christopher Penczak)
Ritual – why and how  (text, NeoPagan Rites: A Guide To Creating Rituals That Work, by Isaac Bonewits)
Walk like an Egyptian – Osireion ritual practice  (text, Temple of the Cosmos, by Jeremy Naydler)
The journey of Osiris & Isis  (no text)

$5 per month,  plus books.  (Book list is here.)  Interested students should contact Osireion by email to arrange pre-course appointment or for more information.  The class is open to anyone with a genuine interest.