About

Starflower

AIYA and Greetings Eldalië (Elfkind) and Elendili (Elf Friends)!  Thank you for your interest in Tië eldaliéva, the Elven Spiritual Path!

EIN Number: 84-1953054

Current Board Members/Trustees:

Calantirniel/Lisa Allen MH – Hera I Tarainime (Executive Director)

Dave Woosley – I Tarainimo (Legendarium Loremaster, Treasurer)

Dineen Ford – I Tarainime (Of-Counsel Adviser, Mediator)

Dakyndre Helgesson – I Tarainimo (Non-Legendarium Loremaster, Magic/k Specialist)

Former Board Members/Trustees:

Kimberel Eventide (Former I Tarainime, Fundraiser, Director of Media and Outreach)

Rev. Michaele “Alyras” de Cygne (Former I Tarainime, Former Director of Music Ministry, Treasurer)

Both Kimberel and Alyras were instrumental in the Elven Spiritual Path turning into a Non-Profit, Tax-Exempt Spiritual Organization during efforts in 2019-2020.

More details are explained hereinbelow:

Our History

2005 – Rev. Lisa Allen, Dave Woosley, and Adam Hayden perform the Elven ritual establishing “Tië eldaliéva” (T-e), establishing T-e’s “Inner Council”, and limiting the organization’s Elven scope to what may be gnostically experienced via the imaginal framework and elven worldview of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Legendarium.”  (Later that year, Adam Hayden departs T-e).

2006 – Earendil Spindelilus, Llefyn, Lomelindo and Ellenar join T-e’s Inner Council.

2007 – Dave and Lisa were interviewed by the (now defunct) Eclectic Pagans Podcast.  Dave, with Luthien/Gwinith and Eruannlass, forms Ilsaluntë Valion, (IV) and departs T-e, along with Lomelindo and Ellenar, to explore the Tolkien-based gnosticism more freely.

2008 – Rev. Michaele Alyras de Cygne (Alyras) meets Lisa, and joins T-e.  Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd. publishes the first traditionally-published information about our path in the 2009 Witch’s Spell-a-Day Almanac, which included 5 entries.

2009 – Dr. Markus Davidsen began his doctoral thesis and interviewed T-e and IV, and even attended the end of September ritual of Enderi, the Elven Middle-Days, on Skype.

2012 – Death of Lisa’s husband, Ray, who was an integral part of the development of T-e.

2013 – Alyras joins T-e’s Inner Council.

2014 – Dr. Davidsen publishes and presents his doctoral thesis/dissertation, which heavily features the inner workings of both T-e and IV, and later wins a prestigious award.

2016 – Llefyn departs T-e.  The Ritual of Enderi was self-published, as Dr. Davidsen needed it to be so, due to his publisher of his academic material not wishing to publish the ritual, due to potential conflict with the Tolkien Estate. T-e and IV establish an entirely cooperative, rather than quasi-competitive relationship.  Lisa, as Calantirniel, publishes “Working With Tolkien” for a compendium of UK Publisher, Moon Books (an imprint of John Hunt Publishing): Pagan Planet.

2017 – Dr. Davidsen contributed to a specialized academic compendium, published by Routledge, as part of the “Inform” series on minority religions and spiritual movements: Fiction, Invention and Hyper-reality, edited by Carole M. Cusack and Pavol Kosnac.  Lisa and Alyras contributed for T-e, and Gwinith contributed for IV.  Lisa, as Calantirniel, contributed 5 entries to Every Day Magic, A Pagan Book of Days, edited by Lucya Starza for the UK publisher, Moon Books (an imprint of John Hunt Publishing).

2018 – The Tolkien Society hosted a very controversial seminar: “Tolkien the Pagan? Reading Middle-earth through a Spiritual Lens” – Peter Roe Series XIX, of which Dr. Davidsen attended and made his presentation, “Honoring the Valar, Seeking the Elf Within: The Curious History of Tolkien Spirituality and the Religious Affordance of Tolkien’s Literary Mythology.”  (Published afterward, along with the other lectures, by Luna Press Publishing).

2019 – Dave Woosley returned to T-e’s Inner Council. YouTube content creator of High Elven Wisdom and Love, Kimberel Eventide, joined T-e’s Inner Council; Earendil Spindelilus departs T-e. T-e received a mandate from the Tolkien-based spiritual community to establish an Elven Sanctuary. Kimberel leads the crowdfunding campaign securing the funds required to apply for tax-exempt status. T-e applied to the IRS for status as charitable trust, and religious organization qualifying as a “church.”

2020 – T-e is granted both 501(c)(3), and church status by the IRS. (PDF) T-e establishes Yána eldaliéva (Y-e), the Elven Sanctuary, and its Elven Education Department, and begins to train teachers of the Elven Spiritual Path. Kimberel Eventide departs T-e to explore Elven spirituality beyond the scope of the Legendarium.  Dr. Davidsen has featured T-e in the “Religion Oracle” project at the Unversity of Bergen, Norway.  Because of Kimberel’s departure, the T-e board temporarily brought in someone that the board had worked with for years, Dineen Ford, for advising as well as voting purposes, and to help get T-e back on track.  This is the point in which Alyras is no longer on the board, or as a trustee, due to the remaining three board members diligently practicing their fiduciary duties for the health of the organization (and, basically, irreconcilable differences). Later, once the dust was settled, Dakyndre Helgesson, who was our largest starting donor for the non-profit formation and our contact in Hawaii, became our fourth board member.  Dineen will serve until we find a fifth board member, which for the foreseeable future is a ways off.  T-e began its Patreon program for patrons to attend online private rituals and meditations, as well as learn more deeply about the Legendarium and the Elven Spiritual Path.  Videos on the Silmarillion’s first book, the Ainulindalë, and then later, for the teaching level patrons only, the second book, Valaquenta, were completed, and embraced with great enthusiasm in the community.  New art is also done, and our new Elven Spiritual Path symbol incorporating the Septaquetra is in use.

2021 – Dave proposes his latest Loa/Calendar research, of which we adopted because of not only its ease and simplicity, but also due to further findings in the Legendarium, and he’s done a white paper on it.  A video for the wider community is in the works, but we got the notice out on social media and a public post on Patreon with regard to the new calendar that was adopted in the Spring of 2021.  It’s also come to our attention there is a lot of confusion in the community about the differences between Elves and Fairies, of which is not only derived from the Legendarium, but also other legitimate folklore sources.  Faerie Folklore Specialist, Author Morgan Daimler, is being consulted and another video is in the works (and perhaps Morgan can be a featured guest speaker, if her writing schedule will allow).  New art is done, and should be uploaded to the RedBubble store shortly.  Dave and Dakyndre also have an exciting project they’ll be bringing together for the Elven Community – a digital AND physical Library!  Stay tuned for this news.  More administrative things are being done as they arise (i.e. new bank account, first amendment to our Bylaws of which will be submitted to the proper government officials, etcetera) – and we also plan on enacting our Amazon Smile account to allow anyone who wishes for Amazon to donate money to us (details forthcoming).  This is a fantastic way for T-e to receive funds because some who wish to donate are not able to do so, and this way, not one cent comes out of their pocket – it comes from Amazon!  Plans are also for creating books for the T-e rituals, in various formats and at different price points, for those interested in having these materials for their own practices.  And finally, after much frustration with Facebook groups not being encouraging of deep discussion, and not evergreen searchable for reference of these discussions, a forum is being created in which you can easily use your Facebook signin to join the forum!  We will be pinning notices at the top of the groups pages directing people to the forum, and the group on Facebook will merely be for a current bulletin board for the next rituals and videos, as well as current topics of interest – the deep and good stuff will be in the forum!

Let’s see what 2021 and beyond will bring to the Elven Spiritual Path!

Our Sacred Work

Click image for video about the 3 Rings of the Elven-Kings

Structure of Our Sacred Community

Fulfilling Tië eldaliéva’s Trust Directive, the trust serves the general public as a formal religious organization, named, “Yána eldaliéva” (“The Sanctuary of the Star-People”, Y-e, or I Yána). I Yána’s structure, (and religious hierarchy) may be graphically represented by 3 concentric rings, or “Circles”:

Outer Circle (OC), or “Erúmëa Rindë”: General membership consisting of the general public; this is how people become members of the org, via simple, free form sign-up. Collectively, the general membership may be simply regarded as “I Quendi” (The People).  Much of the growth of the Quendi is affected by the “I Quendi Noltar“, the People Teachers. i.e. those who are into exploring the depths of the Legendarium in ways enabling them to illuminate those depths for others.

Middle Circle (MC), or “Endë Rindë”: Consists of “I Ainimi” (The Ainimi, or Wise ones); i.e. I Quendi Noltar who have decided to serve I Quendi as priesteses, and priests. In most parts of the world, (any a cleric from the world’s major religions may do so), all I Ainimi may conduct all manner of sacred services, and civil services traditionally performed by clergy, e.g. birth, marriage, and death rites. Some members of I Ainimi may become members of “I Yána Rendi” (Sanctuary Sowers), responsible for supporting, and expanding T-e membership in other countries. (According to gender identity, their feminine and masculine title syntax is Ainimë, or Ainimo; additionally Yána Rendë, and Yána Rendo, respectively.)

The Inner Circle (IC), or “Orë Rindë”: The IC members comprise “I Tárainimi”, (the High Wise ones). The head of the Tárainimi, the equivalent of Executive Director, is the Héra I Tárainimi. All I Tárainimi have equal voting rights, and operational authority (as trustees), albeit fulfilling different administrative roles; and all are age fifty+ (50+, since it takes that long for Elves to come of age.). The Héra I Tárainimi has executive authority [veto power] over both I Tárainimi, and I Ainimi. Their title syntax is Tárainimë [feminine name] (e.g. Tárainimë Alyras), or Tárainimo [masculine name] (e.g. Tárainimo Elwin). The number of I Tárainimi is presently capped at 7. Any of the I Tárainimi may be Héra I Tárainimi; that office being held until either resignation, death, or unanimous removal by the other I Tárainimi.

The current Héra I Tárainimi informally interacts with I Yána, and the general public using her common Elvish name,”Envinyanis Lotelenole” [Quenya tr., “a female healer who accesses the deep lore of the stars, and flowers”].

Ecclesiastical governance. I Yána’s ecclesiastical governance is solely in the hands of the [trustees] I Tárainimi, under the leadership of the Héra I Tárainimi [Executive Director]; their fiduciary duty is macrocosmic, T-e, and Y-e. (In turn, as the Valar are the wellspring of the Elven Spiritual Path, the Héra I Tárainimi’s leadership is informed, and may at times be adjudicated by Manwë Súlimë, the Eru-appointed king of the Valar.)

Becoming a Member

Formally becoming a member of T-e is simply done by signing up for membership on our Patreon page. General T-e membership is free; however, to grow upon this Path, organizational support is required, depending on how much Quendir, or Quendur may wish to grow.

Becoming Ordained

Ordination is required for higher T-e membership. Full ordination is 2-tiered process, and is granted after members seeking ordination fulfill the below ordination requirements:

I Ainimi. I Quendi [Outer Circle] members may become I Ainimi [Middle Circle] members by walking the Elven Spiritual Path for at least 3 years; i.e. working with the T-e rituals and meditations for that minimum duration. [Under the mentorship of one of the I Ainimi], during their 3rd year, (at the earliest), those who wish to become I Ainimi Members must submit 5-paragraph, (APA-formatted) academic essays illuminating, and expressing the Wisdom embodied in key portions of the Legendarium’s, “Silmarillion”, and “History of Middle Earth”, as it applies to at least 7 Solar Observances, and 7 Lunar Observances, in order to substantiate their mastery of the Path in a leadership capacity. Without limitation, when any of the I Quendi have met those criteria, they may be ordained as one of the I Ainimi, with the accordant title.

I Yána Rendi. The clergy responsible for managing the remote locations will be collectively regarded as “I Yána Rendi”, or “Sanctuary Sowers” [singular “Yána Rendë”, or “Yána Rendo”]. All I Yána Rendi are chosen from the ranks of the lay clergy, or “I Ainimi”. Any member of I Ainimi who is native to any given country may also become a member of “I Yána Rendi” in that locale.

To become one of  I Yána Rendi, the Ainimë, or Ainimo must submit a 5-paragraph, academically (APA) formatted essay for each month, with 4 focused, respectively, on each type of Moon, (in addition to, and including those essays required to become one of I Ainimi.) All I Yána Rendi are appointed by the Héra I Tárainimi, pursuant to the consensus of at least two other I Tárainimi (who are not related to the appointee). All the I Yána Rendi exclusively submit to the authority, and directives of the Héra I Tárainimi, and her, or his designee(s) from amongst the I Tárainimi.

I Tárainimi. All I Tárainimi are members of the IC. Induction from the I Yána Rendi into the I Tárainimi is facilitated via nomination by one, or more of the I Tárainimi, after the nominee has demonstrated a very remarkable devotion to, and mastery of this Path, with a substantial contribution to the organization’s growth (that is beyond what is fundamentally required to be either an I Ainimi, or an I Yána Rendi.) All new I Tárainimi are unanimously appointed by the existing I Tárainimi.

Envisioned Sanctuaries

We intend to establish a brick-and-mortar sanctuary, at the right property, in order to therein be able to facilitate I Yána activities such as collective worship, advanced ministerial trainings, and Tolkien-related, and Elven-related festivals. It will serve as the I Yána “HQ”, and it will be known as the “I Tárayána” (The High Sanctuary).

I Tárayána will also serve as the model for establishing “I Selyi Yánar” (Daughter Sanctuaries) in other locations, both in other U.S., and international states; (each one being a “Selyë Yána” (Daughter Sanctuary, [e.g. Selyë Yána Minnesota, Selyë Yána Washington, Selyë Yána New Zealand, Selyë Yána Denmark, Selyë Yána Peru…]).

Summary

How To Contact Us

You may CONTACT the Elven Spiritual Path by using the form HERE!

Copyright by Tië eldaliéva 2021. All rights reserved.

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