The Tribes of Affection, Surrender and Discovery represent and tend the emotional body of the Temple of Venus. Together, these three Tribes form the Mystic Clan, which explores the mysteries of love and romance and provides a safe, sacred space for our Fires of Venus rituals.
The Temple of Affection stands in the realm of desire, the yearning towards union and connection, in the luminous moments before consummation when all is still possibility and giddy excitement.
The Temple of Affection is a caravanserai, a warm and peaceful haven where all travelers are welcomed as honored guests and quickly become beloved friends. The Temple of Affection is an alchemical alembic for the devotees whose lead of fear and loneliness and uncertainty is transmuted into the gold of love given freely and courageously, who themselves are distilled into the living essence of Venus's radiant romance. The Temple of Affection is the embrace that welcomes you home.
As a Mystic of Affection, you will enjoy friendship and creative partnership with your fellow devotees as we make offerings of beauty, pleasure, and comfort to each other, our festival community, and to Venus. We serve the gathering by creating a lovely and welcoming space where any one of us can seek out respite and refreshment. We extend this work by learning to embody the light of VenusÕs love, actively bringing it into our community to offer everyone the chance to be truly seen, to feel cherished, to know that they are among friends.
We will explore the arts of sensuality together, which may include adornment, massage, kissing, flirtation, dance, and the rites of bathing and anointing. We will learn to connect with the light of Love within us and to share it generously while still honoring our own boundaries. We will enjoy opportunities for soulful coffee-house conversation as well as playful silliness. We will develop huge schoolyard crushes on the whole world! While no one will be compelled to do anything they are uncomfortable with, this group is best suited to those who are okay with light physical affection and contact and who are interested in being active givers of friendship and love.
Kneeling before Her, we Surrender ourselves to Her power. All living beings bow before Venus and are given renewal through the power of letting go.
The Temple of Surrender invites its Mystics to show their bellies to the Goddess in all ways, for how can we truly become devotees of Her mysteries without allowing ourselves to surrender to them utterly? It is simplistic to think of Surrender as being entirely made up of BDSM and its related activities, though it has been said that bondage makes us free. Any act can be surrendered to. All loving relationships demand surrender of some kind, and there is a special sacredness to the act of surrendering sexually to your partner, whatever that may mean to you. Any person can find release in the Temple whether they are tied up or not. Mystics of our Temple will be given the opportunity to explore catharsis, give over control to another, and help others become unbound.
During the day, we'll set the stage for each night's work, and, having done our work, treat ourselves to the liberation of Surrender. Half of the Mystics will have an opportunity to enter the Chrysalis, with support from the other half. While in the web, they will be invited to shed their old ways and be reborn anew. We plan a scourging workshop, as well, for our Mystics, which will draw upon Wiccan and other traditions in order to embrace the meditative and ecstatic qualities of the act.
At night, our Mystics will assist in the Temple by doing workings (yes, that can mean scenes, both pre-planned and spontaneous), keeping the Temple clean, helping others with their abandonment, and more. We'll be a part of the formal opening of ritual each evening. As a group, we'll make a special offering on Saturday night at the Puja. And of course we'll all take a turn around the fire and enjoy the other temples and elementals.
Who should be a Mystic of the Temple of Surrender? Those with an interest in BDSM are certainly welcome, as are any with a curiosity about the topic. But bring with you a sense that there is more to Surrender than bondage, that there is strength in giving up, that there is a depth to the experience which goes beyond leather and whips. Be prepared to delve deeper and move closer to the edge. Mystics of our Temple will be challenged to look within and bring forth that which cannot be resisted, that which must be set free. We hope you will join us!
The Tribe of Discovery embarks on a journey with Venus of the unfolding heart. We discover her power in us, and uncover her radiance shining from our hearts.
Venus gives us the love energy to create powerful relationships, but love alone cannot sustain them. Honest communication is the cornerstone of a lasting relationship, and that cornerstone rests on the bedrock of honesty with oneself. We can communicate that which is true and necessary, when we know it. Venus is the spring, loving authenticity is the river, and self-knowledge is the riverbed.
This Tribe is about self-knowledge and self-honesty. We would serve those who have been in a relationship where they know they are unhappy, but didn't know why, and those who have trouble expressing their needs and desires. How can you get what you want if you don’t know what you want? You can't communicate honestly with your lover if you can’t name what you need to communicate—or if you aren’t honest with yourself. You must then communicate in their language. Or, if you don't currently have a partner, you can begin with a strong self-awareness, so that your next relationship will be fulfilling.
As a Mystic of Discovery, you will delve into your own heart in many ways. You will find and provide support for accepting or changing what we all find in our hearts. The Mystics of Discovery serve the Temple of Venus by accepting the desires of others, and supporting their own discoveries.