AIYA and Greetings Eldalië (Elfkind) and Elendili (Elf Friends)!
(Here’s a brief timeline of)
Our History
2005 – Rev. Lisa Allen, Dave Woosley, and Adam Hayden perform the Elven ritual establishing “Tie eldalieva” (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 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 Isalunte 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 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. And the year isn’t over yet….
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 in the State of California 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 2020. All rights reserved.