LOYAL LADS OF THE LODGE
Again, I greet you in the manner to which we have become accustomed. The time for our portentous new thread is nigh! I therefor bid you a warm welcome to our most auspicious XXII (vigintiduo) thread.
Lammas Night is almost upon us and the B.O.N.D prepares its rites and celebrations in honour of this most glorious and portentous of nights.
This summer has seen an incredible amount of rising heat - both physically and metaphorically - the heat of Bel/Belenos has bathed us our isles and the heat of righteous anger is burning away in millions of hearts across the globe. What follows heat of the sun? Why the storms of course! The storms shall follow the heat, again both physically and metaphorically. Taranis shall nourish the land with his rain, his presence portended by magnificent peals of thunder as glorious flashes of lightning streak the sky and lick the highpoints of the earth.
A storm is coming. OUR STORM. And when it arrives it will shake the face of the entire world!
The arcana governing this thread is that of The Fool. A unique card in the major arcana, The Fool can either number 0 or XXII - essentially the beginning and the end - alpha/omega and the continuous circle of the ouroboros in the cycle of infinity (fitting for the site that is our home)
As for the cards meaning, The Fool is shown at the beginning of his journey with unlimited potential. The sun rising up behind him represents the beginning of his journey. He is facing north-west, the direction of the unknown. He is looking upwards, toward the sky, or Spirit. He is about to step off a cliff into the material world but is he prepared? He has all the tools and resources he needs in the bag on his staff but he has not opened the bag yet. The white rose in his left hand represents purity and innocence. He has a guardian in the little white dog who will protect him throughout his journey but who will also push him to learn the lessons the Fool came here to learn. The mountains behind the Fool represent the realms of Spirit that he has just left and will spend his life trying to regain.
Upright, the card represents: Beginnings, spontaneity, originality, innocence & a leap/leaps of faith.
Reversed, the card can represent Naivety, poor judgement, folly, lack of direction, stupidity and chaos so be aware of these aspects in your day to day dealings.
This threads governing planetary body is Mars - The Red Planet. He signifies war, strength and martial prowess. Under the governance of Mars we will seek to hone our spiritual and physical fighting prowess and ask for a portion of his strength to aid us in the war to come.
On the homefront the B.O.N.D remains vigilant and strong in our resolve. The time has come for the annual revision of the B.O.N.D Charter Tenets (as written in the document Codex Druidicvs) so that task shall be accomplished (via lodge consensus) throughout this thread. Any lads who wish to contribute to the new, updated charter are welcome to post ideas, suggestions and pictures/symbols to be added to the amended document.
As ever, the topical newslinks are presented for the readers perusal and delectation