Vampyre Spirituality, pg 3
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The Khephrian Order has established a list of
virtues that they expect their followers to adhere to. These include: honesty, sincerity, balance, respect,
discretion, patience, and courage.
Khephrians do not tolerate illegal or criminal behaviour, underage
sex, or the use of illegal drugs. |
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Kheprian beliefs can be summarized as follows: -Emanations
of Divinity: Khephrians hold that the Universe is a
result of Divinity seeking to explore itself.
It emanates downward into manifestation and then re-ascends to reunite
with the greater union. For Divinity
to be known, each being must connect with their own Divine aspect in their
own terms. -Realized
Godhood: Khephrians believe that we are all aspects
of Divinity. The Divine is our higher
self. Uniting with our higher selves
harnesses the sum of all we have been, bringing about realization of Godhood. -Reincarnation
and Awakening: Khephrians believe that we reincarnate, our
Higher Self enriching itself with each incarnation. An Awakened individual can tap into the
shared knowledge and memories of previous incarnations. -Subtle
Reality: Khephrians believe that through a process
they call Awakening (see below) one can refine the subtle senses to perceive
and interact with that beyond material reality, manipulating energy,
communicating with spirits, and experiencing extra sensory perception. -Spiritual
Hunger: Khephrians believe that all beings must
nourish their subtle aspects. The Khephrian Order has established a list of virtues that they expect
their followers to adhere to. These
include: honesty, sincerity, balance,
respect, discretion, patience, and courage.
Khephrians do not tolerate illegal or criminal behaviour, underage
sex, or the use of illegal drugs. Vampyres have borrowed elements from Neo-Pagans, examples being their
adaptation of the Circle casting ritual used by Wiccans. Vampyre rituals vary in a number of key
ways from other Neo-Pagans: -Vampyres tend to move energy counter-clockwise rather than clockwise
as Wiccans do in Circle. -Vampyres do nocturnal rituals.
Of course Wiccans do nocturnal Esbats, but celebrate many Sabbats in
daylight hours. Vampyres perform their
major seasonal celebrations at night or at dusk. -Vampyres seem to place less emphasis on the natural world than most
Neo-Pagans and have more of a connection to what Belanger calls the “urban
jungle.” -Most Vampyre rituals are performed not in the open air but in
nightclubs, private homes, or “salon noirs.” The initial calendar of Vampyre
festival dates was compiled by Michelle Belanger, drawn from her Khephrian
tradition and from informal celebrations already in use in the
community. The Strigoi Vii later modified this calendar,
re-naming festivals such as like Akhemu Sekhu (Night of the Immortal Stars,
see below) and inventing new celebrations such as the Crimson Festival and
the Bast Festival. For the most part,
Vampyres follow the Pagan Wheel of the Year recognized by Wiccans, altering
it to make it more relevant to their perspectives. As I mentioned earlier, this may be due to
the fact that many Vampyres have practiced other Neo-Pagan systems. “Most Pagan festivals are about light and
life, nature and growth,” Belanger explains, “Vampires resonate with death,
change, decay that renews fertility. These specifically seem to be two
diametrically opposed forces, but [Vampyres] recognize them as two parts of a
whole, two integral aspects of a complete cycle.” There are differences in the rituals celebrated by various Vampyre
groups, but all of them celebrate some form of Beltaine. Though not all Vampyres celebrate the
Endless Night festival, all celebrate some form of Samhain. Only a few Vampyre groups actively
celebrate the other two cross-quarter dates: Imbolc and Lammas. The other two festivals that are common to
all Vampyre traditions is the winter and summer solstices. The longest night and the longest day of
the year are extremely significant to Vampyres. The winter solstice is seen as the peak of
the Darkside of the year, the time when Vampyres feel more comfortable, more
powerful, more “in their element.” The summer solstice is the exact
opposite: Vampyres feel out of their
element and long for shorter days to come.
Very few traditions within the Vampyre community observe the
equinoxes. House Kheperu acknowledges them as the true turning points from
one side of the year to the next. Khephrian rituals for these two days
involve passing the High Priest position between the Priest of the Lightside
and the Priest of the Darkside. The Priest of the Lightside is one who
resonates best with light, life, and the world of flesh, and accordingly,
runs the rituals for the Lightside of the year. The Priest of the Darkside
resonates with darkness, death, and the realm of spirit, and runs the rites
for the Darkside of the year. The following dates make up the Vampyre calendar: Endless
Night Festival (October 31): Khephrians refer to this night as Im
Kheperu (the night of transformation).
It represents the power and balance of the Twilight Pillar. Many Vampyres consider this day to be their
New Years Day. Grand masquerade
Quabals are often held to celebrate this day.
This is a day that all Vampyres publically wear the faces that they normally reserve for private. It is a time for Vampyres to revel in their
Nightside selves, acting and dressing according to their nature. Endless Night is
also the name of the largest
gathering of Vampyres in North America.
It is held in either New York or New Orleans on the weekend closest to
Halloween. This gathering was founded
by the Sabretooth Coven of Sahjaza and Father Sebastian Todd. It is comprised of the Vampyre’s Ball,
preceded by the Dark Bazaar. Long
Night/Night of the Immortal Stars (December
21):
This is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the
year. On the Long Night, Vampyres gather with their “family,” honoring and
celebrating those bonds. The Strigoi Vii call this the Night of the Immortal Stars and celebrate
the Nightside on this date. It is considered to be the peak of the Dark
Side of the year. Traditionally this
is the night that new Vampyres are recognized or rites of passage are
performed, such as raising someone from Calmae to Elder. Imbolc (2 February): For the
Kheprians, Imbolc is a transition ritual, the last gate of the Darkside of
the Year when the disembodied make their final contact before some of them
begin the transition to be born once more in the flesh. On one hand, it's a
rebirth ritual, on the other, Vampyres mourn the loss of the spirit they have
grown accustomed to knowing. They honor them by speaking their names and
offering gifts of energy. |
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Sigil of
House Clessidra |
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Sigil of
House Eclipse |