The Outer Court

Temenos Silybos
The Grove of the Blessed Thistle

Compiled by Minos Typhaeus H.E. X based on the teaching framework handed down to him

Lean gu dlùth ri cliù do shinnsre.

Follow closely in the footsteps of thy Ancestors.

—Gaelic Proverb

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Welcome to the Outer Court of the Grove of the Blessed Thistle,

Temenos Silybos, of the Minoan Brotherhood. This document serves as an introduction to our mythology and practices. Ours is a mystery tradition, so there is much that must remain hidden—protected by the oaths we make to the Gods and our Brothers.

Temenos is a sacred circle set apart from the mundane world. In antiquity, it denoted an area reserved for worship of the Gods. A large temenos is located at the Juktas Sanctuary at the palace of Knossos on Crete.

Silybos is Greek for ‘tuft’ or ‘tassle’ and lends itself to the scientific name for thistle, (Milk Thistle Silybum marianum and Holy Thistle Cnicus benedictus) varieties of which are native to Crete and the Mediterranean. The thistle has long been a symbol of valor and courage. Historically they were used for vitality and protection, as well as breaking hexes. The thistle is also emblematic of our tradition’s deep roots in British witchcraft.

Since you are reading this, it means you have made it this far and the Grove feels you may be a candidate for initiation. This does not mean, however, that initiation is guaranteed. Groves are tight-knit working groups formed of a bond based on trust and love of one’s brothers. Given this we are selective in our choice of initiates.

—Typhaeus

A History of British Witchcraft

The Eleutheria Line

Eleutheria Lineage of the Minoan Brotherhood, also referred to as the Louisiana Line

Eleutheria is a Greek word that refers to liberty; freedom. We of the Eleutheria Lineage, or the Louisiana Line, highly value our freedom of thought, speech, and practice of the spiritual tradition of the Minoan Brotherhood, founded in the late 1970s by Edmund M. Buczynksi as a way to allow men who love men to experience the Mysteries of modern Pagan Witchcraft in an open and non-heterocentric environment. Eleutheria is synonymous with the word Autonomy, which is extremely important as it applies to the individual Groves of our Line.

The Eleutheria Line traces its spiritual lineage back to the founder of the Brotherhood, Edmund Buczynski, and truly begins with the formation of Temenos ta Theia by Minos Hermes in 2008. As an independent Line of the Minoan Brotherhood, we continue to practice and pass on the tradition as it was received by Minos Hermes P. H. of New Orleans, LA. This represents a unique combination of the California Line (currently known as Kydonia Lineage) teachings originally passed to Hermes, and the Knossos/Phaistos Line subsequently bequeathed to him. The same Gods are honored and the initiation rites remain intact and in line with current Minoan Brotherhood practices.

A harmonious blending of lore and text, this Lineage currently flourishes throughout the United States and several European countries including Ireland, France, Germany, and Italy. We have committed to the Path of the Great Mother and Her Divine Son with deference to those who have come before to light the way to Their love and wisdom. We continue the journey of discovery that has been passed to us with wondering eyes and bent knees before the Gods and our initiates, knowing that the future always happens now. Every new initiate is an ecstatic affirmation that the Gods live and we, members of the Eleutheria Lineage, live and grow with them.

The Eleutheria Lineage places emphasis on the balance between the received lore/text and the guidance of our Gods to maintain a living experience of this spiritual and magical tradition. We also see wisdom in the continued honing of various magical arts within the context of our rites. These rites honor our spiritual ancestors while giving freedom of expression for the current leaders and members of each Grove. A true sense of Brotherhood permeates this Line as we enjoy the liberty to freely communicate with and inspire one another along our shared journey.

May the Eleutheria/Louisiana Line continue to flourish and grow, and may the Gods preserve the Brotherhood!

—The Minoi of the Eleutheria Line of the Minoan Brotherhood

Syllabus for the Outer Court Training

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Required Reading

Modern Wicca by Michael Howard

Lid Off the Cauldron by Patricia Crowther

Suggested Reading

British Witchcraft

Witchcraft Today and The Meaning of Witchcraft by Gerald B. Gardner

Witchcraft for Tomorrow by Doreen Valiente

The Rebirth of Witchcraft by Doreen Valien

A Book of Pagan Rituals by Herman Slater

History

Witch Father: A Life of Gerald Gardner (2 vols), Philip Heselton

Doreen Valiente, Witch, Philip Heselton

High Priestess, Patricia Crowther

Witchcraft and the Gay Counterculture in Evans Symposium, Arthur Evans

Blossom of Bone: Reclaiming the Connections Between Homoeroticism and the Sacred, Randy P. Conner

Qabala, Correspondences & Ceremonial Magick

Magick In Theory and Practice (Liber ABA, Book Four, Part IV), particularly chapter 0 “The Magickal Theory of the Universe” by Aleister Crowley

The Witches Qabala: The Pagan Path and the Tree of Life by Ellen Cannon Reed

Qabala for Wiccans by Jack Chanek

Magickal Herbalism

The Master Book of Herbalism by Paul Beyerl

The Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham

The Magickal Formulary compiled by Herman Slater

The Enchanted Formulary by Lady Rhea

The Enchanted Candle by Lady Rhea