Creation Myths

THE NECKLACE OF A THOUSAND STRANDS

 

 

 

In the beginning that ever was and ever shall be, there was only Night. She lay sleeping. In Her sleeping, She dreamed. In Her dreaming, She sighed. In Her sighing, She turned and in Her turning, She awakened. In Her awakening, She saw naught but Herself, and found Herself beautiful.

 

Long did She delight in Her beauty, Her perfection. Her softly rounded limbs, full body and flowing hair were so magnificent that She wished to adorn Herself.

 

She captured Her thoughts, each a brilliantly coloured speck of light, and strung them together to form a Necklace of a Thousand Strands. This She donned and was pleased. Each speck sparkled with its own hue and brilliance, creating spectacular scenes of Night in Her many attitudes and postures.

 

When Night moved, so did the Necklace of a Thousand Strands. This created a living, moving mosaic of Night - each image acting and reacting with other images of Herself.

 

Though this was beautiful and pleasing to Night, it created in Her a loneliness. Loneliness to have companionship, loneliness to have another admire Her great beauty, loneliness to experience love outside Herself.

 

Not know how to create this Other that She longed for, She sought to amuse Herself through movement. She began a stately dance, slow and measured. As She turned in the figures of the Dance, wind was created in Her passing, and in it She visualised a partner, a counterpart.

 

She sent all Her love and longing into the whirlwind She had created, and a shadowy form began to take shape. She turned and spun ever faster, thinking more upon the shape of Her desire.

 

The form became more solid. It began to take on substance and reality. It was like, yet unlike, Night. She felt drawn to it and it was impelled toward Her.

 

She gloried in Her creation of the form, and it adored Her great beauty. The Two danced together. The longer They danced, the stronger and brighter did the fierce spirit of longs and love grow between Them, Night and Her Shadow.

 

Her Shadow became all that Night was not, out of Her longing to be fulfilled, and He was called Day.

 

Day and Night danced furiously together, and finally, no longer able to keep apart, made love to one another. In Their wild, passionate turnings, the Necklace of a Thousand Strands began to break, a strand at a time. The specks of light went flying off to become the Stars, to swim about the divine couple, in beautiful precise patterns, as if to remain a part of Love's Dance. Thus began the Ages of Loving.

 

All but one strand broke, and it remains together to this day.

 

It is seen in the sky, brilliant, breath-taking and awe-inspiring. We call it the Milky Way.

 

Dawn and Dusk are the sacred times and places where Night and Day merge in love's ecstasy. Keep them holy.

 

HOW THE WORLDS AND PEOPLES CAME TO BE

 

Night and Day danced lovingly and long, through the spectacular, blazing bits of thought that had flown away by the breaking of the Necklace. Not long can such love exist with creating of Itself images that reflect this Great Love.

 

Many of the bits of brilliance grew heavier and more solid throughout of passing of the Ages of Loving. These bits were called Worlds, or Planets.

 

The Lady and the Lord, Her Consort, looked upon their Worlds, delighting in each one, and decreed that there should be life upon them. Life that re-created the Love and Harmony that They and the

Universe shared.

 

So, They began to form upon these Worlds, rivers and streams and bodies of water to quench the thirst of the plants and animals that would henceforth live upon the nurturing breasts of these Worlds.

 

These Worlds They called "Little Mothers," for from their soil would spring all manner of life and it would be sustained by the "Little Mothers."

 

Near each of the "Little Mothers" there was always placed a particularly bright thought-speck, called the "little Fathers."

 

For Night and Day knew, as we do, that Life must have warmth and light to truly grow and reproduce.

 

All Worlds They did not make the same, for diversity and combination serve to further the Great Love of Themselves.

 

Having then seen to the Planets and Suns, and too, to the seeding of the Worlds with all manner of vegetable and animal life, the Divine Ones rested.

 

But the Great Goddess was not content. She felt the work was yet unfinished. She spoke to Her Consort and told Him of a plan. He agreed, knowing that the Lady knew what was best for Her Creations - for was She not the Progenitor of All?

 

Thus, they began to make and mould a people for a World. They made them in twos, male and female, to reflect the images of Themselves, and so that the re-enactment of Their Great Love might take place.

 

Now we know what people transpired upon this World, but we, as yet, know not what people were designed to populate other Worlds, or which Stars they are under by which they flourish by the Lady.

 

Though we would wish in our hearts to be the only objects of reflection of their Love, we must never think to believe that Their Infinite Love, burgeoning across all the Universe, had created none but Ourselves. Nor that the Divine Ones are so limited that They have not created many peoples on many Worlds, though unbeknownst to us. And they - these people of other Planets, like us, are perfect reflections of that immense, Divine Never-ending Love.

LIGHT OF THE WOMB

 

In the warm Womb of Her Mother, She rested and dreamed. She felt through the membrane all that had passed, did pass, and would pass with Her Mother. She knew that Her Mother was reckoned to be beautiful, kind and giving; yet too, She know that those Her Mother would succour had no thought of her Gifts, and would not repay kindness with kindness, but rather with rapine and disregard.

 

Light-of-the-Womb knew that She had been seeing future dreams; that the ugliness and cruelty of Her Mother's foster-children was yet to come. And so, She resolved in Her heart to become beautiful but uncaring to those who would grasp at her beauty - unreachable, yet so desirable that Her Mother's foster-children would ache in their hearts for desire of Her.

 

The day of Her birthing came, and as Her Mother shuddered in the agonies of labour, Light-of-the-Womb cared not for Her own pains, nor for those of Her Mother - but thought only of Her imminent freedom that would at last allow Her revenge on those-yet-to-come.

 

With a heaving surge, She tore free from Her Mother's thrashing body, and screamed in triumph at Her escape.

 

Now even as the Daughter knew of all that passed with the Mother, so did the Mother know of that which passed within the heart and mind of the Daughter; and She set up a great travail. The waters of Her Womb crashed and hissed in torment; Her bones creaked and trembled; Her flesh rent apart in pain and suffering.

 

Yet in Her great Agony, the Mother cried out to Her Child, "Oh, Daughter! Light-of-My-Womb! Why do you betray your Heritage?"

 

And in coldness, did the Daughter answer, "I would not be as You, Mother, to be ravaged by the uncaring; to be ignored by the lesser who have no sense of what they do; who see not beauty in its truest form!"

 

And She placed Herself a distance from Her Mother; away from the warmth of Her embrace - yet within the reach of Her low, gentle voice.

 

Long ages passed, and the uncaring Child danced Her empty dance about the abode of Her Mother, growing more delighted with Her own frozen beauty; more strongly determined to exact revenge upon those who would bring pain and sorrow and disgrace upon Her Mother. Her light of beauty shone silvery and pristine upon Her Mother's sleeping form.

 

When the fosterlings came, at first they were reverent, and gave back to the Mother tokens of esteem and praise - all that they could with their limited abilities. Though Light-of-the-Womb saw this, She waited - unforgiving of the future grief She knew they would bring.

 

Always did the fosterlings worship Light-of-the-Womb, and She fed upon this worship as Her due, but did not soften towards them.

 

Some of Her coldness touched the fosterlings and made them, too, a bit cold. But She cared not.

 

In truth, She became more cold and disdainful, at times even bringing madness to those who cared too deeply for Her. It was right and correct that they should worship Her beautiful Self, for was She not delicate and gracious in Her gift of Silver Light as Her Mother slept? Did not She cause Her mother's Love for Her to control the planting and growing of the food they ate? She, did She not, caused Her Mother's blood, Her salty Womb to pulse in rhythm to Her turning dance.

 

She ignored Her Father's brilliance, though She privately admitted that it was from Him She had inherited her gentle glow.

 

At time, His anger flared at Her, then would Her gentle Mother intercede, coming between the Two, as if to protect the Daughter from His furious gaze. At these times, a bitter cold came upon Light-of-the-Womb, and Her cruel humour turned to dark despair.

 

As soon as Her Father's wrath had cooled, Her mother would move gently away, exposing Light-of-the-Womb slowly to Her Father's gaze, so that He might remember the beauty of His Daughter.

 

Light-of-the-Womb began after a time to feel shame, and regularly turned Her face from Her Parents - so that at times only a sliver of  Her shining countenance could be seen. Though She suffered shame at her disdainful ways, She found She could not change.

 

For all heat in Her had died over the long ages, and no more was there the white hot rushing of blood in her veins. She had become stone - trapped by her own frozen vanity.

 

So now, as She looks upon those fosterlings that tear at Her Mother's pride and beauty, She cannot aid Her in any way, save to soothe Her Mother with Her silvery light, and to cause desire in the fosterlings' hearts. Her beauty and unapproachability tugs at their hearts, causing their bodies' water to flow in Her timeless rhythms - making them turn a portion of their desire for Her upon their fellow fosterlings. Lovers, too, pray to Her and are heard. The mad are sacred to Her, known as Moon-calves.

 

Upon Her full face can be seen a look of surprised sadness, for She cannot partake of Her Mother's Fate, save to watch - and know that She, too, will be ravaged. But since She never gave of warmth and substance, there will never be regret in the stripping of Her bones. And only a cold, frozen thought is lodged in Her heart, remembering what love was.

 

No tears fall from Her eyes, for Her waters are wasted, and Her blood is dried up; but a little remains of Her liquids; enough to warn the wise when rain will come. At these times She dons a halo of opalescent light to show the only She can, that She is still the daughter of Her Parents and that though She cannot feel love or give love, She can inspire that emotion in Her Mother's fosterlings when they gaze up at Her and call Her - Moon.

 

HOW THE SEASONS CAME TO BE

 

In the beginning of the green World, the Lady Night did dance upon the Earth's breast. She delighted in all the Earth - the growing herbs, the animals, the insects, the birds of the air, the creatures of the waters, and all that made up this pleasant abode.

 

She exulted in the warmth of the sunny days and cool nights. She ruled this world with Her companion and counterpart, the Bright King, whom She had fashioned out of Her longing for love. His name was Day; the brightness of the Sun shone from His visage.

 

Great was their joy in one another, and in the green fertile World about Them.

 

The Earth became more and more full of Her creations – crowding happily in on one another, until there was little room to Dance or move about, and the Earth groaned under Life's weight.

 

Mother Earth complained to Father sun, the They consulted with each other on how they might best serve the Great Goddess, and at the same time relieve the burden that rested so heavily on Earth's weary body.

 

After much talking, they could not decide what they must do, and Father Sun told Mother Earth that since her's was the pain, so must Her's be the solution. And He turned away His Face and shrouded Himself in robes of seething clouds.

 

Coldness fell upon the Earth, and many things cried out in loss and pain. For was not the Sun needful to them for Life? Many things began to wilt and shrivel close to the Little Mother's bosom, looking for solace. Many things burrowed deep, sleeping until a more favourable time.

 

Then Mother Earth devised a plan - let there be two halves to the year - the bright and warm, and the dark and cold. Thus would the burden lighten somewhat, when the things shrivelled for a while.

 

Father Sun once again looked upon Mother Earth, and agreed that Her plan might work well. "But who would rule the dark time?" He asked.

 

"Let the Lord be the Master of the cold season, " She replied.

 

"Then can the Lady renew and replenish all things after His Reign."

 

Father Sun felt it would not be wise to leave the Lady companionless. Why could there not be two - one to rule the bright and one to rule the dark. He wished that the Bright Lord should remain in the warm time; for He was straight of limb, bright of visage, and merry of heart. Too, Father Sun thought the Lady would wish a companion to compliment Her beauty, be light-hearted in all ways, thus making the task of renewing all the more joyous.

 

Mother Earth thought long on this, and at last sent a choice of her own. The man was strong and dark of countenance. He had not the great beauty of Father Sun's choice, nor were His ways light-hearted and merry. He was much given to thinking, planning and building. He was much given to practicalities, and could be counted upon to the clearing away of the extra weight that so burdened Mother Earth.

 

On a day designated by Sun and Earth, the two Lords met in a glade where the Lady sat twining ropes of flowers in her tresses, and draping them about Her body. As She surveyed the two Lords, She felt chill from the Dark One. He seemed so stern and forbidding! The Bright One caused Her heart to dance. She ran gaily off, holding the hand of the Bright Lord, singing and laughing.

 

The Dark One said nothing. He went far to the North, where the sun's rays were weaker, and the vegetation sparser. He built Himself a fortress, and hunted for foods, preparing them in strange ways so that they would last a long while. These, He stored, and then set about making furniture and pots of fired clay in which to cook. After a time, He had made a snug and comfortable home for Himself, with room enough for guests.

 

The Lady and Bright Lord payed Him no mind, gaily Dancing and playing and loving. They planted seeds, tended them lovingly, and then at the fruits of Their Harvest.

 

On the day the Sun stood still in His journey, the frolicking Lady and Lord felt a sudden chill. There, in the meadow, where first the Three had met, stood the Dark One. He held out His hand to invite the Maiden Lady to come with Him.

 

The Bright Lord sheltered the Maiden in His arms, refusing to let her go, clinging with all the love of Life that was His nature.

 

The Lady held close to the Bright King, refusing to look upon the Other.

 

"Then," said that Dark Other. "We fight!" They took up arms against One Another, and it seemed as if the Bright King was winning for a time. The Maiden Lady clapped Her hands in glee.

 

The Sun and Earth watched this battle passively; it seemed to go on forever. But the sun must not stay His course in the Sky, and as sunset approached, the strength of the Bright King waned. The Dark Lord, He of the Earth's devising, seemed neither to lose, or gain, strength, but remained constant. He struck a great blow against the Bright King, who fell down, dying. The golden grain drooped heavy heads, and the fruits of the trees fell to the ground in sorrow. The flowers began to wither, though new ones sprang up, blood red from the Life fluids of the dying God.

 

The Lady gave out a sorrowful cry, and the tree leaves changed their colours - some golden in honour of the Bright King's hair, some as red as His blood, and others the colour of the Earth that was to receive Him into Her bosom.

 

The Lady heaped flowers upon the still form of the Bright King, and mourned Him in a sorrowful song; a song that raced through the branches of the trees, who added their own mournful tones.

 

Though the blood of the Bright King cried out for revenge, the Dark Lord ignored it, and grasping the Lady firmly by the hand, took Her off to His home in the North.

 

The fallen fruits and flowers dissolved in sorrow, into the Earth Mother's breast. The seeds of their yearning for Life lay dreaming of the long summer they had known; remembering the shining love that the Lady and Her Consort had shared with all that was.

 

Now Father sun was angry that Mother Earth's choice should win over His Bright King in battle, and took Himself off a ways from Her. The World became colder. Without the love of the Maiden, the Brightness of the youth, and the warmth of Father Sun, Earth began to sleep under a blanket of white. So, too, slept all but the most hardy of plants, trees, and animals.

 

Though the Maiden resisted Him at first, She soon came to love the Dark One for His differences, and She learned much from Him, and He from Her.

 

Then one day, the Sun stood quite still, viewing the Earth, thinking how still and pale She looked - and how it was not Her fault that her Champion had won. He sent a pale ray of light down into the Caven Fortress where the Dark One ruled as Lord, the Lady by His side. And lo, a son was born to Them. His visage was bright and shining, as He laughed and played in His cradle.

 

For a time, the Dark One was jealous of the Child, for He knew it was the Bright One, returned. Then, as the Child grew to manhood, the Dark King sent Him away.

 

The Lady, refreshed from Her confinement, followed the Youth. Again, Spring came to the World.

 

Now, this story is many times repeated. Neither the Bright King or the Dark One ever own the Maiden-Lady for all time, but must share Her. This must be, so the World be a true World, that the Four Seasons go apace to turn the wheel of the Year, and that all may learn that Life and Death and Life are but a cycle, and that Hope is always near.

 

THE REASON FOR DEATH

 

A time after the Lady began Her yearly trip through the Seasons, sharing Her reign first with the Bright King, then the Dark King, She began to notice that when She returned to the Upper World, many of the things She loved had perished. She spent much time replenishing the Earth with new plants and animals. This work was joyous - as the creation of New Life is always joyous - but She puzzled over it.

 

She inquired of her Companion, the Bright King, but He had no knowledge of what was happening to those things that had perished. He slyly suggested that when next She travelled to the Dark Lands to rule with the Dark King, to ask Him - the Dark One and Rival to the Bright King - the question that haunted Her so.

 

"Perhaps," said the Bright One, "It is some mischief that He, the Dark One, has gotten up to. Then you shall have an answer."

 

Thus, during Her next time with the Dark Lord, She inquired into the matter. He answered, saying, "Yes, 'tis I." Angered, She demanded to know why all the things She loved must wither and perish away at His command - for was not the growing and care of all things Her own right?

 

He told Her that Death was the rest and release for all things.

 

That all things must wither and pass away for a time, to make room for new things - New Life. He explained that mortals and animals and plants, not being of the fine, high, spiritual stuff as Themselves,     were unable to sustain the fullness of Life for a long while – that they grew weary and longed for peace.

 

She became anguished at the thought of the pains of her creations, and wished to know for Herself how they fared in their short lives. The Dark King bade her go into a mortal body for its normal span to learn of sorrow, pain, age, and the longing for release.

 

So She did go into the mortal body of a woman-seed in the womb of one of Her people. She was born in great travail, suffered all the pangs of growing up, and then She began to age. The mortal years passed through Her as days, and yet it was hard and wearisome. Pains beset her, her joints grew stiff, Her eyes dim, and Her mind uncertain. The many wisdoms She had gained, She spun as tales for little children sprawled by the hearth-fire on bitter Winter days. She knew that though they listened now, they would forget all She had told, and have to learn and re-learn it all in their own time. Sadness fell upon the Goddess.

 

At last, troubled greatly by Her body's infirmities, She begged the Lord's release from the body that encompassed her spirit.

 

The Dark Lord, Ruler of Death, closed Her eyes with a gentle, loving hand, and lifted Her forth. Her bright, shining presence was once again strong and beautiful.

 

The Lady's tears fell golden to the ground, capturing an insect, a flower - and froze there, in the cold light of Her understanding. These tears are found by mortals even today, and prized as gems. Not all have forgotten the beauty of the meaning of those golden teardrops.

 

She turned to the Dark Lord, smiling. She said, "I knew not that I knew not, but You have shown Me that peace, and rest and renewal are the rewards Death gives at the end of a hard and treacherous life. How sad it is that these mortals know nothing of Our Glory, save at the end of physical existence." He replied, "Lady, it is Law; whatever You have brought into existence never truly ceases to exist, but merely is changed into something new."

 

She pondered long on this, and then turned to the Dark Lord and said, "Therefore, let Us give them the ecstasy of Love for one another, that they may touch upon this great beauty while on Earth. Let it be the hope that spurs them on, though life seems hard at times. And let them remember and love one another again, when they have returned to physical form." "So be it," said He.

 

The Lady gathered up Her frozen tears, and strung them together with pieces of jet, taken from the Dark Lord's Hall. this necklace was to remind Her always of the intervals of Life and Death of all things.

 

The Lord kissed her hand twice, and watched Her walk away to green the Earth once more, resplendent in Her new understanding of Life, Love and Death.

 

KARMA: THE WHEEL AND THE SPIRAL

 

The Lady of the Wheel of the Year, having learned that Death was a necessary part of Life, returned to her Bright King, and together they Danced with great joy, greening the Earth - so that all was again covered in blossoming, bursting Life. From time to time, She would see one of Her People in sorrow and travail, and

 

She would remember that existence. She felt a pang of sorrow, recalling the despair at pain and trouble that mortals felt all through their lives.

 

Only in the midst of Love or at the end of physical existence did they know bliss. Too often, even the bliss of Love was forgotten in the throes of hardship and misery. Too, She realised, that though there was rest and succour at the end of physical existence, the mortals knew no hope for betterment, other than peace at Life's end.

 

At first, She did not speak of this to either the Bright King or the Dark Lord. She pondered privately upon the cycle of Life, Death, and Rebirth; the Seasons of the wheel of the year, and at last made a decision. Conferring first with One then the Other, the Lady persuaded her two Lords to consider a plan to help Her people. That They might more readily accept Her plan, She presented it as a game.

 

This game, She called Karma: it was an elaborate system of debits and credits by which the players could judge the progress of the playing pieces - the pieces being the People. Now, the actual living on Earth was only part of the game - the first stage - to be clever enough to survive danger, disease, hunger and other pieces manoeuvring for the same. The second stage was how well the pieces manoeuvred for the prizes - and how honourable they went about achieving their goals (a credit), and how dishonourably they chose to act (a debit).

 

Adding a further twist to the game, She insisted that when a piece had achieved the full round of the twelve-spoked wheel – having experienced and mastered the lessons of each spoke and returned a final time to the hub (known as the Summerland), that a third level be added. this third level, being on of the Spirit, gave the pieces a chance to grasp from a Higher Existence than that of merely bettering the Physical Self.

 

To expedite the counting up of credits and debits for each piece, She created a body of beings known as the Lords of Karma. She set before Them the cosmic Laws of Order and Existence, and gave into Their keeping the Akashic Records - the golden, flowing source of all that is, was, and ever shall be.

 

Then She instructed the Two Lords in the Game, that They might watch with interest and understanding. Too, that They might cheer on or aid a piece that caught Their fancy or touch Their hearts with its struggles. They, nor the Lords of Karma were judged - for it is only by the Cosmic Laws of Order and Existence in the Providence of the Divine One to judge the Creations.

 

As the Game advanced, much to the enjoyment of the observers, there seemed to be a missing element. the Dark Lord too the Lady aside and said, "Never meaning criticism, My Dearest Lady of Life, but is it not pointless if Your piece do not know they can strive toward better lives and higher aims?" The Lady thought upon this, and told the Lord that He was correct, and that She, herself, must resolve this flaw in the pattern.

 

She gave a banquet and invited all those of the Greater and Lessor Pantheons, explaining to them the Game, and the reason She must prepare for a Journey - Journey which would take Her once again into the World of Mortals.

 

All the Beings of Light were grieved, for They loved the Lady fully, and did not like her to be absent from Them. but She promised Them that though She must journey far, as long as Love was, there was She, also. She then departed on Her Journey to the Plane of Mortal Existence and was not seen again for a Time in the Halls of Light and Love.

 

THE CRAFT OF THE WISE

 

Now the Lady made Her journey to the Plane of Mortal Existence, and on the way, She passed through many other realms: Those of spirits and phantasms, and those of the elements. She dwelt a time in each realm, gathering the essences of each one about Her, layer upon layer, to clothe Herself. These essences were necessary, for the Plane of Mortal Existence is made up of all of these elements, seen and unseen.

 

Too, She spent time with Light-of-the-Womb, experiencing Her quiet pain, her self-imposed penance. The Great Goddess reminded her Little Sister, Moon, that all things work together in Harmony, and that one day, Her great sacrifice would be repaid in Great Glory.

 

Then coming at last to her destination, the Goddess once again clothed herself in Human Flesh. She clothed Herself in all the pain and sorrow, and the joy that is the Fate of Humankind. Back She went    - back to the sensations of the five senses. Back to the heavy physical vehicle that Human souls use to transport themselves about. Back to a coarse and humble life; one from which She could study her people more fully, and teach them that which they must know.

 

She chose not to go back into the body of a strong warrior, nor yet on of great physical feminine beauty - but rather as a plain, slender young woman. Her eyes were brown as the Earth in which She dug for roots; Her hair was as brown as the bark; Her skin weathered a bit by the elements. though She dressed as drabbly as any other mortal girl, there was still a spark, an intensity that could not be denied this, the Goddess Herself, could not change, for otherwise, She would not be present.

 

The sparkle of Divinity that shone from Her eyes drew others to Her in a warm bond. They listened to Her teach the secrets of planting and growing things, the ways of animals and fish and fowl; the flying birds and insects; secrets of water, wind and dire.

 

Too, She instructed them in the Way. She taught them of the Spiral Dance of the Universe, that same spiral that is found in the very cells of their bodies. She instructed them in the Mysteries – those of Birth, and Death, and Rebirth; and in doing so, explained the Game of Karma.

 

When She taught them all they could learn, She told them that She must go once again to her Halls of Love and Light, but that they might call upon Her in times of need, and She would hear and answer.

She told them that the phases of the Moon would show the Way.

 

Among them She left One whom She had taken as a Consort and Helper. He was a Forest Lord, Protector of the Wilds; He would as Her Regent upon the Earth while She was away.

 

The people wept bitterly, for they could not bear to be without their beloved Goddess. But the Lord comforted them, saying, "Does She not love you enough to come amongst you? To provide a Regent for your comfort - to promise you an Eternal Life in Her Love at the end of the Spiral Dance?"

 

And they built many temples and places of worship. Sacred were the many Springs where She had drunk. Sacred, too, were the many Groves where She had slept. And too, those places of power where She had wrought the Magicks of the Spiral Dance for the edification and delight of Her children.

 

Those She taught well became Her Priests and Priestesses - and they continue to instruct Her People in Her Ways.