Aloha,
On 11/12/2007 at 2:46 AM Felicia wrote:
>A friend recently attended an Anderson Feri Trad ritual which referred
>to 'Drychten' [sic] as Goddess. It had been my understanding that the term
>'dryctin' is a neuter referring to 'The Eternal One' which "begat"
>the masculine and feminine forms. But, I can't find provenance for
>this statement other than modern Wicca sources.
Here is the instance of Anderson Feri *Dryghtyn* liturgy as presented
on *The Faerie Roads* website:
<<I invoke Dryghtyn, the ancient providence,
which was from the beginning and is for all time,
one, androgynous, the source of all things:
all-knowing, all-pervading, all-powerful,
changeless, eternal, forever unending>>
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Rhodes/5569/faedeity1.html
The Anderson Feri trad uses the term *Dryghtyn* (seems to be the
preferred Neo-Pagan spelling choice) to refer to the Star Goddess, who
is the source from whom existence flows. The Star Goddess is many
named and many formed.
Here is the Gardnerian version (Crowther) from the *Pagan Library* website:
<<In the name of Dryghtyn, the Ancient Providence,
Who was from the beginning and is for eternity,
Male and Female, the Original Source of all things;
all-knowing, all-pervading, all-powerful;
changeless, eternal.>>
http://www.paganlibrary.com/editorials/monism.php
There is a gender difference between the two versions, the Anderson
Feri version preferring *one, androgynous* to the Gardnerian *male
and female.*
Theologically, I think that the Anderson Feri liturgy favors a less
concretely gender polarized notion of their primary Goddess in relation
to the Gods and Goddesses of whom She is the source. They might suggest
that a star is always in a flux of fusion and radiance.
Linguistically, I don't think any of the Neo-Pagan liturgists of whichever
trad paid that much attention to the origin language of the word *Dryghtyn*
or the word's linguistic gender. I think that whoever first borrowed the
term found it usefully antique and laden with suitable sacred/divine
connotations. Since it looks like the first borrower was fond of things
English, that probably helped, too. The term was *culturally historical*
rather than *made up* in its charm.
What's more, I think that the Anderson Feri trad simply borrowed the
instance of liturgy from some British Traditional trad source and adapted
it to their own theological needs--blurring the gender reference. What I'm
getting at is that the Anderson Feri liturgists found themselves presented
with the term *Dryghtyn* in the context of already existing Neo-Pagan
Craft liturgy that they could make their own.
I don't think that they paid much mind to the usages of the term's origin
language, although I don't think that they were necessarily ignorant of the
dissonant usage.
A number of Anderson Feri liturgists were poets/lyricists and/or language
students, including Victor Anderson and Gwyddion Pendarwen. Pendarwen
studied Welsh extensively,and used it liturgically. Anderson spoke several
languages, and used them liturgically. They could have easily turned to
references and other language specialists to find out about the term
*Dryghtyn.*
And they could have offered an alternative term, if the dissonant usage had
seemed all that crucial.
Musing Lots Of Neo-Pagan Liturgy Is A Jumble Of Found & Re-Made Liturgies!
Rose,
Pitch
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