GEORGE CECIL IVES SAINT OF ANTINOUS

WE honor George Cecil Ives as a Saint of Antinous for his pioneering crusade in Victorian England to create a modern "Theban Band ... Army of Lovers" and usher in the age of gay spiritual activism.

He was born on October 1, 1867 in England. He died June 4, 1950. While in London, in 1892, a gentleman by the name of Lord Alfred Douglas encouraged him to join "The Cause", which was an early British movement to bring an end to homosexual persecution. 

Ives was a friend of Oscar Wilde and attempted to enlist him, but was unsuccessful.

In 1897, believing that "The Cause" could not be openly discussed due to the extreme moral restriction of his age, Ives decided to go underground and founded the Order of Chaeronea, which was a secret society for homosexuals.

The name and spirit of the order was taken from the battle in which the Sacred Band of Thebes, the corps of 300 pairs of gay lovers, was defeated by Alexander and Phillip at the Battle of Chaeronea. The 300 had to be annihilated by Alexander because they refused to surrender.

Taking this "Army of Lovers" as their model for courage in the face of oppression, the Order of Chaeronea organized powerful and wealthy homosexuals who were otherwise unable to meet in public, into a secret political and spiritual force.

Saint George Cecil Ives, the guiding light of this first religious organization devoted to the sacredness of homosexuality, worked closely with other prominent homosexuals of the time such as Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld and Edward Carpenter, both of whom are Blessed Saints of Antinous.

In his voluminous writings, George Cecil Ives refers to Walt Whitman (another Antinoian Saint) as "The Prophet" and used lines from Whitman's poetry in the ritual and ceremony of the Order of Chaeronea.

He is numbered as one of the Uranian poets, and referred to Antinous as a symbol of male beauty and perfection.

For his effort to undermine the oppression of homosexuals, for the holiness and sanctity upon which he upheld our sexuality, and for calling out to our beloved Antinous, we thank Saint George Cecil Ives, and pray to him to aid us in the continuation of his divinely inspired work. He died on this day in 1950.

WE HONOR SOCRATES AS A SAINT OF ANTINOUS

ON June 4th the Religion of Antinous honors Saint Socrates ... the most Divine and gentlest of all Philosophers was born on this day in 469. He was the son of the sculptor Sophroniscus, an artist, whose profession Socrates attempted during his youth.

The artist's love of beauty was to be the foremost drive of his life. The fortune that his father's art left gave the young Socrates the independence to begin a life spent in the adoration and service of wisdom.

He was told that the Oracle of Delphi had pronounced that there was no man wiser than he, but because he felt that he was the greatest fool, he spent his life trying to disprove the Oracle by questioning the most purportedly wise men only to discover that those who professed wisdom were the least possessed of it.

His method of inquiry was the birth of human science because he found that those who understood virtue would naturally follow in its ways, while those who were ignorant of virtue would proceed without its benefit. 

He proclaimed that "the proper study of mankind is man," and his philosophy centered on temperance, piety, duty to parents, brotherly love, fidelity in friendship, and diligence.

He was an admirer of male, youthful beauty, and devoted his life towards the awakening of virtue in the hearts of young men. 

For this, in the year 400 B.C. he was put on trial by the many enemies he had made in the ruling classes of the city of Athens and condemned with these words: "Socrates is guilty of crime; first, for not worshipping the gods whom the city worships, and for introducing new divinities of his own; next for corrupting the youth. The penalty due is death."

He was sentenced to drink poison, which he readily accepted, dying as a virtuous martyr, for homosexuality and for human social consciousness. (Image: "Death of Socrates" by Roger Payne)

Though he never wrote a word, he is remembered through the writings of his student, Plato, whose legacy eclipsed that of Socrates, though it was delivered and upheld as the very words of Plato's master, the Divine Philosopher Socrates, who was said by Cicero to have bright the love of wisdom down from the heavens to mankind.

ALLEN GINSBERG SAINT OF ANTINOUS

ON JUNE 3rd the Religion of Antinous honors Saint Allen Ginsberg who was born on this day. 

St. Allen Ginsberg was an early proponent of freedom for men who loved other men, having already in 1943 discovered within himself "mountains of homosexuality." 

He expressed this desire openly and graphically in his poetry.He also struck a note for gay marriage by listing Peter Orlovsky, his lifelong companion, as his spouse in his Who's Who entry.

Later homosexual writers saw his frank talk about homosexuality as an opening to speak more openly and honestly about something often before only hinted at or spoken of in metaphor.

Also, in writing about sexuality in graphic detail and in his frequent use of language seen as indecent he challenged — and ultimately changed — obscenity laws.

We consecrate Irwin Allen Ginsberg (June 3, 1926 — April 5, 1997) as a Blessed Saint and Exemplar of Antinous for attacking what he saw as the destructive forces of materialism and conformity in modern society.

WHY ANTINOUS LOOKS SO SAD ON SUCH A 'LUCKY' DAY

TONIGHT's Virgo First Quarter Moon is the Lunar Phase we call the MOON OF MELANCHOLY ... but don't worry ... it can be your "lucky" moon.

Each phase of the Moon represents a Divine Spirit or Archetype in ANTINOUS MOON MAGIC. The Spirit of the Moon of Melancholy is the Spirit of Despondency and Despair. It is the worrier, the pouter, the Spirit which feels guilty and inadequate.

It is the negative side of Virgo, not the caring and dutiful side, but rather the side which frets and mopes and feels inadequate for the task at hand. It is sadness for the sake of sadness, without cause. It is the Spirit of Chronic Depression.

In English-speaking countries, "Melancholy" is almost a dirty word.  Puritan upbringing has conditioned us to grin and bear it, to adopt a stiff upper lip attitude. But suppressing this feeling is as bad as wallowing in it. 

Other cultures are not so uptight about acknowledging this feeling of sadness. They realize it is a necessary part of life. It is what the French call "larmoyant" — a lovely word which rolls off your tongue so languidly. It describes a lack of joy, a vague feeling that life is not what it should be. It is Peggy Lee singing that minor-key ballad "Is That All There Is?" 

This moon signals those areas of your life where things are not going well and you have a right to sing the blues. But it also signals those moments when we wallow in self-sorrow and almost enjoy brow-beating ourselves — for no good reason.  

Don't suppress this sadness, but don't wallow in it. Instead, savor it for a moment and discern what your gay spiritual heart is trying to tell you. 

ANTINOUS THE MOON GOD uses this lunar phase to invite you to reflect on those parts of your life or your living and job environment which may be making you sad. 

You may come to the realization that the sadness you are feeling is not coming from within yourself, but rather that it is originating elsewhere ... coming from someone else or from some other situation.

As you know, many gay people are highly sensitive to the emotions of others, and to the "vibes" of a location or situation. You know how you can enter a space, such as a room or a house, and you immediately sense whether it is a cheerful or a sad place. You know how the sadness of others can affect you — even at great distances.

You may be feeling sadness and then the phone rings and it is a special person who needs consolation, and you realize that the melancholy you were feeling had its origins with that person, not with yourself.

Most people ignore such "coincidences." But this sensitivity is an integral part of ANTINOUS MOON MAGIC. That is why the "Moon of Melancholy" is important. It is the best time of the year for meditation and rituals concerning sadness ... in yourself and in others.

Examine your own life and see if where the source of your sadness lies.

If you find the source of sadness in your life, then this Lunar Phase provides you with the energy to effect changes which will move you out of melancholy into the next lunar phase.

RED RUBIES FOR THE MELANCHOLY MOON By Our Crystal Meditation Advisor Martin Campbell

PUT on your ruby slippers because our astrological expert Hernestus tells me that this moon phase is the Moon of Melancholy. Don't despair though, sadness can be lessened in many ways ... and red rubies help. 

This Moon will help you to identify your sadness and find solutions to it. Crystal mediation will definitely help you to achieve this.

We all experience sadness even if it is over something trivial. Don't be afraid to embrace the emotion. Each emotion is the gate to a different emotion. 

If you constantly block out your sadness how can you ever expect to open the door to happiness? Observe your sadness and understand it. 

I suggest using any of the following crystals to assist and guide you as you meditate on your sadness:

Red Jasper - these stones will help you see problems before they affect you too directly. They also help you to be insightful about your current situation/s.

Sodalite - these dark blue stones are sometimes flecked with white and have a strong intensity. They will help release you from the emotional conditioning that you have imposed upon yourself (I am too fat, too skinny, too old, too ugly etc. etc.). They will help to bring you to the objective truth about yourself and will help you to communicate that truth to yourself and others.

Ruby - these much prized crystals (top photo) can help you to reach a positive and creative state of mind. It will protect you during times of conflict or dispute.

Love and Light

MARTIN

To get more advice from Martin Campbell and to find out how to contact him CLICK HERE.

WARREN LEE WILLIAMSON JUNE 2, 1939 - MARCH 13, 2012

BROTHERS,

(as Warren always saluted us) 

Today we remember our dear gay wizard friend Warren Lee Williamson, born on this day in 1939, and who  succumbed to bone cancer at a hospital in Dallas on March 13, 2012, leaving behind Bob, his life's companion of 45 years. 

I want to send out a huge blessing from the bottom of my heart to the Wizard Warren on the occasion of his birthday!
I know that he is sitting there on the deck of the ANTINOUS BARQUE OF MILLIONS OF YEARS,
watching the hot young ancient Greek sailors manning the oars,
sipping champagne from an old fashioned (Marie-Antionette) glass,
on an Egyptian chaise-lounge next to Hadrian and Antinous and Lucius and all the rest of the sacred gays,
when suddenly our prayers will waft up from down below (or where ever it is that we are)
And the ship's DJ will announce over the amazing speaker system that it's Warren's Birthday!
The whole ship will freak out...a disco ball will drop from the mast...and confetti will shoot from the cannons!

He is the first of the NEW BELIEVERS IN ANTINOUS to check in with his boarding pass for the Barque of Millions of Years.

May Antinous give the Blessed Wizard Warren a special First Class seat with a window.

I love the Wizard Warren...he always had something right out of the cosmos to say,
...he gave me a tremendous boost of confidence when I was feeling out of my mind.

Warren was the holy grandfather of the Religion of Antinous...he was a magic presence among us,

We still continue to feel the ripples of his magic course through us even now.

The Blessed Wizard Warren is now the first of us to stand before ANTINOUS THE GAY GOD!

I know that the Wizard will sit down with Antinous and explain to the ancient boy-god,

what all our modern crazy madness is about (because Antinous must surely be confused)

...and then, with a wave of a divine hand, Antinous will restore the Wizard Warren to his pinnacle of eternal youth,

And in that perfect state of bliss, Antinous will reveal all the mysteries of HOMOTHEOSIS

That can only be known to those who have shed their mortal flesh forever.

I hope to join them there one day on the ship of millions of years.

The Wizard Warren was the 1st champion of the FIRST ANTINOUS GAMES,

He won with a beautiful story and a Haiku poem.

There were other great submissions, of course,
...but it was obvious to me that Warren's submission was something deeper
Than a devotional tribute to Antinous might usually be,
but it had what I can only describe as A VOICE OF MILLIONS OF YEARS
and this is why I insisted that Warren be named the winner.

In Memory of the Great Wizard, I want to share these two emails that were sent by Warren in 2006 during the First Sacred Games,
They are wonderful to read because it is only now that the uncanny VOICE OF MILLIONS OF YEARS
Is clearly obvious.

The Wizard Warren Lives Forever!

ANTONYUS SUBIA

______________________________________

April 13th 2006

Brothers:
I do not know whether I should relate this evenings occurrence, or
just keep it to myself. I choose to tell you; think of me what you will.
I went to church this evening, Thursday before Easter, not because I am a christian but because I love the music. Arriving late, I sat at the back.
I don't know when I first noticed Him, but it was with disapproval.
In the pew in front of me, but at the other side of the sanctuary,
stood a young man, probably 17 or 18 years of age. I felt that he was too casually dressed for such an occasion; he wore a rock style T-shirt, short pants and what we used to call in the old days (1970's) "Jesus boots', the roman style lace up sandals. During the service I kept feeling myself drawn to him; I purposely tried to look away.
He seemed familiar. And I loved His curly hair; He seemed Mediterranean.
As the sermon droned on I kept hoping he would look back at me, and then he did! It was as if someone had slapped me in the face. I was stunned! It was Him........It was Him. I knew....I knew it was Him.
He smiled and my heart stopped. I stood for the hymn not even aware I was doing so. It was by Bernard of Clairvaux. During the second verse his eyes never left me and I realized I was singing it to Him.

What language shall I borrow,
To thank thee, dearest friend,
For this thy dying sorrow,
Thy pity without end?
Let me be thine forever.
And, should I fainting be,
Oh, let me never, never,
Outlive my love to thee.

His eyes pierced to my soul, and his smile was more than I could bear. I kept thinking this was not happening.....it couldn't be! I have looked at his statues for years.....I know his visage well.......and it was Him.
At the moment the hymn ended he turned full front to me and I saw what rock band was emblazoned there on his T-shirt: OSIRIS RISING.
My knees went weak, and tears streamed down my cheeks. The woman next to me, thinking I had been overcome by the service, put her arm around me to comfort me.
The service over, I looked up to locate Him, to follow Him, but He was on the other side of the church and the crowd was thick. I saw Him move into the narthex and I pushed my way through the crowd to get there as quickly as possible. But of course, He was not there. He was no where to be found......and I looked for several minutes. I asked casually if anyone had seen the 'young man', but no, no one remembered seeing Him.
I left sadly, yet strangely content. Because I know deep inside it
was Him. So I know He is watching; He is more than myth, much more.
And I shall never forget that smile as long as I live. Antinous lives! 

-----------

(Following Submission to the First Antinous Games)

April 21st 2006

Dear Brothers:

Believing that the time of Antinous has truly come, that he is no longer a local phenomenon only, but has taken his place with the eternal Olympians, I offer the following haiku poem to His honor and for the glory of His games throughout the world.

"Antinous Epiphanios"

Maundy Thursday's King, 
Brazen, Antinous smiling,
Osiris Rising!

Also, a sad note. I attended both Good Friday and Easter services,
searching each face, hoping that He would be there. But, of course,
He was absent, as I reckoned He would be. I will keep searching,
but I knew it was but a single epiphany. He is indeed Antinous
Epiphanios!

I appreciated, so much, your comments. And I asked myself the same questions you did...........what would I have done had I met Him? I have no answer; I only felt compelled to touch His hand, to be with Him for a moment.

Glory to Antinous and peace to the Ecclesia Antinoi!

ANTINOUS VIVIT, AVE!

WE PRAISE GILBERT BAKER CREATOR OF THE RAINBOW FLAG

ANTINOUS embraces Gilbert Baker ... creator of the rainbow flag. He was a civil rights activist, army veteran and self-taught tailor. He created the symbol of the LGBTQ movement 40 years ago. He would have celebrated his 66th birthday during Pride 2017.

Gilbert Baker is a Saint of Antinous!

Antinous abraça Gilbert Baker ... criador da bandeira do arco-íris. Ele era um ativista de direitos civis, veterano do exército e alfaiate autodidata. Ele criou o símbolo do movimento LGBTQ há 39 anos. Ele teria celebrado seu 66º aniversário durante o Pride 2017 .

Antinous abraza a Gilbert Baker ... creador de la bandera del arco iris. Era activista de los derechos civiles, veterano del ejército y sastre autodidacta. Creó el símbolo del movimiento LGBTQ hace 39 años. Habría celebrado su 66 cumpleaños durante el Orgullo 2017 .