by Olivia Robertson
"We really must be on a telepathic Isian line! I am absolutely delighted with your 'In Her Name' Good Works alliance. I have always noticed that the huge initial success of Christianity was due to the love for poor people and charitable works done by early Christians. Even sullied by the Church's mass murder for 'heresy' etc. St. Francis and St. Claire and many unknown monks and nuns carried on charitable work - i.e. Les Soeur de Charite (The Sister of Charity). Many maybe have incarnated in FOI wishing to honour the Goddess by doing something practical.
There are those who serve (contemplative Orders) by doing ceremonies and praying and meditating. But personally, I honour those who work. Probably because I'm not much good at activity! I'm the 'nose in a book' - the artist in a studio type! But in the end we are judged not by what we preach, but by what we DO.
For me, I have to make good works exciting! Hence Tara and Dana - robes, invocations, circles, chanting and lovely titles. It all links us with the beautiful past of Camelot and Atlantis, etc. We feel surrounded by Yeats and Shakespeare's poetry and by Pre-Raphaelite paintings of the Blessed Damozel, and lovely Goddesses, Gods, faery unicorns, faeries and dragons.
So I have been inspired by Isis and the Muses somehow to intermingle beauty with social justice: ritual with helping animals - gorgeous ceremonials with feeding the poor. Now I have always had that side to me - the social worker. I was V.A.D. nurse in the war and have heard bombs falling in my ward. I worked for four years in the most appalling Dublin slums on children's playgrounds who all had lice and most scabies, ringworm - and TB.
So I am so truly happy that FOI is sending forth shoots of new life to those who long for Her. I love the title 'In Her Name'.* I am especially moved by the pathetic longing of prisoners for letters! It is their life-line. But we who explore the inner spheres and have spiritual and psychic gifts denied to many truly hard-working social workers have a special contribution to make.
I'll put it this way. We can offer surety of personal soul-survival after so-called 'death'. That is the most important. We can reassure those who long for long that they are loved by Beings Who are our Mothers and Fathers. That there is a God-Deity-all this Source what you will. It is always there. We can reassure the sufferers from lack of self respect that they have Immortality within. A divine Spark not given by any church or any being but there anyway. For the Divine Mother obviously gives Her divinity to those to whom She gives birth.
This is an interesting and helpful point for the sick, the prisoners, the miserable. We are not born in sin from the sinful sexual act. Any 'fall' is our own doing. We are truly divine, but cut off from Heaven Now (which is Eternal) by blocking ourselves off through materialism.
Of course it is easy in Heaven to decide to reincarnate and remember the Life Mission! But immersed in worldly affairs, the sharp immediacy of school - bullying - then jobs, worries, bad emotions - Heaven is forgotten. We can help people to regain Heaven within themselves.
It came to me that the First Awakening is to discover you are God/Goddess. But if you are selfish - you become a nasty deity and lose this knowledge! But the Second Awakening is to recognize the God/Goddess in others. And that is forever.
What on earth has this to do with 'In Her Name'? Everything. We can actually help Her to realize Her Divine Plan on earth. A plan that unites Goddess/God in love and justice.
I am so moved by the enthusiasm of your members for In Her Name. Please give them my happiness, faith in them and full support.
Love and Blessings of Isis,
Olivia
16th March, 2001"
Olivia adds: "You can use this letter on WWW or mag. if you like. It seems dictated by Isis somehow to you."
Later, from personal correspondence:22nd March, 2001: "I was so struck by your 'In Her Name' as letting people KNOW we are inspired by HER that I wish to change the name of special projects to: - Helpers of Isis. (H.O.I. - Horus - Osiris - Isis!) This explains what we believe in - the Goddess helps."
10th April, 2001: "Yes, I feel 'Helpers of Isis' is truly inspired. I'm getting new Projects each week by true enthusiasts. After all, what is the point of ceremonies, etc. if they don't lead to useful activities. People will judge FOI not on our titles, robes, rites, but what we DO for others. Not everyone can write books. There has in the new age movement been too much 'Power,' too little Service. Administrator means to Minister."
* "In Her Name" refers to our sister-temple, which also encourages volunteerism. (http://www.inhername.com)
