About...

The Isis Ancient Cultures Society

The Stars of Sothis Volunteers

&

The Birth of a Temple

 

What is The Isis Ancient Cultures Society?

The Isis Ancient Cultures Society was founded in 2001 to develop and practice a living and evolving tradition wherein the study, advancement, and practice of spirituality common to the Universal Truths of all religions and cultures is honored, taught and practiced.  Particularly important is raising awareness for the Divine Feminine, lost to so many for so long.  Our practices are based on earth-based religion, metaphysics, and ancient religions and cultures reconstructed in a modern context. The positive and uplifting values from many differentl faiths and traditions is honored with partnership, tolerence, truth, love and beauty being held reverent. Our group is closely aligned with individuals and groups, particularly the Iseum of Isis Navigatum, but it is independent and affiliated with no specific church. We honor both Goddess and God in an eclectic and inclusive spirit , but see within Isis, She of Ten Thousand Names, the face of the Divine, thereby She is our patroness. We seek to serve community in a life-affirming, harmonious partnership with a goal toward renewing our spirits, working in harmony with the rhythms of nature and to celebrate the the sacredness of life. We believe each of us embodies the Divine with our ultimate spiritual authority being within us, therefore needing no other person to interpret or act as intermediary with the Divine. We hold the mundane sacred. We embrace diversity and encourage honesty, communication, wholism and tolerance.  We believe education and critical thinking are vital to a world where peace, harmony and love can thrive.  We are dedicated to seeking toward answering life's most important questions.

Cornerstone annual events include the Isidis Navigium Festival of Isis held the first weekend each March and the Isis Birthday Salon & Tea in July.  

The Isidis Navigium is a contemporary re-creation of a Greco-Roman & Egyptian sacred ceremony once held in Antiquity.  In ancient times, the devoted gathered to ask Isis for her blessing for the coming sailing season for which their lives often depended.  Today it is performed by volunteers and facilitators dressed in ritual regalia and the celebration has been reconstructed for contemporary context as those in attendance ask Isis for her blessings in the year ahead.  

At the Isis Birthday Tea participants gather together to honor and celebrate She of Ten Thousand Names with poetry, song,, and delectible edibles in a warm and inclusive community spirit.  

See our Schedule of Events page for other offerings we sponsor or recommend throughout the year.

 

For more information, contact us at ancientcultures@comcast.net

Who Are Stars of Sothis?

The star of Isis, called Sothis, or Sirius was of major importance to the Egyptians. Its rise marked the first day of their calendar year and the annual rising of the Nile which was paramount for the fertility of the land as a basis for life and wealth in Egypt. It held the key to the destiny of their world and to their own personal immortality. The Stars of Sothis, our volunteers, are as important to IACS as the constellation was to the ancient Egyptians.

In a spirit of reciprocity we've listed below come of the benefits, our volunteers, the Stars of Sothis, will receive in exchange for their valuable gift of their time and energy....

* Use of the Isis Temple of Thanksgiving for important rituals of life passages (with optional ministerial services)

* Invitations to private Star of Sothis Appreciation Events    * Invitations to Pre-ritual public ceremonies

* Receive discounts on selected Classes  * Receive discounts on Vendor Fees for selected events

* Participate in a work exchange points program to defray cost of classes or events

* Participate in hands-on collaborative ritual training, facilitation and planning

* Opportunity to share your vision, teaching or services with the community via IACS events, mailing lists and website

 

We hope you will consider joining with us in partnership and shared leadership by becoming a Star of Sothis, and in doing so you will help to further the work of the Divine through community oriented activities that raise spiritual awareness.

The seeds we plant today will be harvested tomorrow in a future of enlightenment, partnership and love. It is through the generosity of self we transform ourselves and our world.

For more information about becoming a Star of Sothis of The Isis Ancient Culture Society, please contact us at our e-mail below.

 

        Stars of

                                                     

The Isis Ancient Cultures Society....

The Birth of a Temple...Each of us is but one brick

One of our past annual March Isidis Navigium Isis Festivals (sometimes referred to as the "Launching of the Boats") borrowed its underlying theme from Joseph Campbell's "hero's journey" motif. In a similar spirit, the gestation and birth of The Isis Ancient Cultures Society has embodied the threads of seeking, overcoming obstacles and resolution.

Although we didn't know it at the time, the seeds for the temple of IACS were sown five years ago at the first "Launching of the Ships" ritual at Point Dume Beach in Malibu.

On that occasion, groups and solitaries from all walks of pagan life, gathered together in partnership to bring this ancient festival of Isis to life again as a public ritual. From that time and place, our collaborative seeking, testing, and learning culminated in the ideals of inclusiveness and warmth inherent in IACS.

"Individually we are but one brick, but together, we create a temple"

A woman on our Advisory Board coined this phrase and it has become our unofficial motto. This organization was created to provide a container wherein differences are not feared or just tolerated but truly seen as adding depth, variety and value to the common undertaking. Our goal is that everything we do should embody real partnership with no place for hierarchy. It is our belief that each participant is equally vital to building our temple, and all of the partners in this project are encouraged to stretch and grow to empower themselves. Titles or rank earned from past affiliations have little meaning as these distinctions often just create invisible rungs of a ladder and artificial barriers among us.  That does not mean we do not honor our elders and seek their wisdom and counsel. We further strive to avoid human-made dogma, choosing instead to follow our heart knowledge.  Each person who works with us has pledged to leave outside this temple unkindness, unbridled ego and self-serving judgmental attitudes. We strive to make sure there is a place for everyone to use their own unique talents and gifts as we believe the Goddess embraces all Her children.

Some of our work in the past has included community service helping homeless, no-kill animal shelters, as well as battered women's shelters.  We have offered Personal Development Salons and have sponsored Monthly Video Nites as an enjoyable way to build community.  Our Monthly Moon Circles enabled friends new and old to get to know one another in smaller, relaxed group settings.  These also provided platforms to express new ideas and concepts and share them with our peers.  Our cyber Prayer Circle would send energy to those in need of support.  We sponsored free Intuition and Psychic Development gatherings to help participants learn firsthand about the inter-connectedness  of the web of life.  A favorite was our Spoon Bending Class.

 

* We have begun The Alexandrian, a reference library of books, periodicals, self-help and educational videos, all within our temporary headquarters, The Isis Temple of Thanksgiving in Venice. Already we have over 1200 titles to choose from in the categories of Egyptian Mysteries, metaphysics, health, wicca, self-help, finance, sacred places, fictions of all types (including pagan fiction), biographies, short stories from literary greats, psychic development, life after death, poetry, erotica, goth/vampires/horror, art, comparative religions, astrology, getting published, and travel.

* We offer the services of Ordained Ministers to perform temple services such as marriages, handfastings, ordinations, initiations, house blessings, funeral services, life transition rituals, first blood ceremonies.

In love, truth and beauty, IACS strives to reach out beyond the Pagan community to build bridges, and hopefully show by example that we have much in common with other religions and spiritualities. Just as all Goddesses are but one Goddess, so are all Gods. We hope to embody the many aspects of the Goddess and teach about Her principles and rebirth in our time.  It is our belief, it is through the Sacred Feminine, a bridge of harmony among peoples, cultures and all faiths might be built as balance is restored to society.

IACS and the Stars of Sothis at a Past Isidis Navigium Ritual

                                                 

        The Isis Ancient Cultures Society has also been called The Isis Ancient Cultures & Religion Society.

   For questions or information regarding becoming active in IACS, please write :

 

 

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