Fellowship of Isis

What it is

The Fellowship of Isis is an inclusive global spiritual network dedicated to honouring the Divine Feminine through the Egyptian goddess Isis and other deities. Established in Ireland during the late twentieth century, the organisation welcomes people of any religious background, including Christians, Buddhists, Pagans, and Hindus. Members view Isis as a manifestation of the divine in female form who embodies truth, beauty, and the emerging Aquarian Age. The movement blends prayers, ritual enactments, and meditative communion with diverse divine pantheons. Unlike many esoteric societies, it operates openly without fees, oaths of secrecy, or demands that members renounce their existing faiths.

Where it comes from

The fellowship grew out of a study and meditation circle formed in 1963 at Huntington Castle in County Carlow, Ireland. This earlier group brought together theologians and occult practitioners to explore esoteric subjects. Drawing upon their shared explorations and private spiritual visions, Olivia Robertson, her brother Lawrence Durdin-Robertson, and his wife Pamela formally established the fellowship on the spring equinox in 1976. The founders sought to assist the Goddess in expressing a divine plan across the world. The group gradually expanded its international network over subsequent decades and presented Goddess religion at the Parliament of the World's Religions in 1993.

How it is done

Spiritual practice within the fellowship centres on a written liturgy composed by co-founder Olivia Robertson. Members perform structured ceremonies, invocations, and contemplative exercises that incorporate pantheons from across the ancient world. Each ritual includes a channelled oracle designed to foster direct communion between the practitioner and the chosen deity. Individuals can perform these rites alone for personal spiritual development or pursue formal degree systems guided through designated centres.

What it is for

The central aim of the organisation is to honour the Divine Feminine and spread awareness of goddess traditions globally. It seeks to provide an open, tolerant environment where people can connect with the sacred mother without strict dogmas. The fellowship strictly prohibits all forms of sacrifice and discourages severe ascetic practices, promoting instead an appreciation of life, harmony, and creative beauty across different cultural traditions.

Who does it

Anyone who agrees with the principles in the organisation's public manifesto may join without paying fees or taking secret oaths. Members are free to step away or rejoin whenever they wish. Local branches and study houses operate under several distinct branches, including lyceums, iseums, priories, and druidic groves. Members may study towards degrees or serve within specialized groups like the Noble Order of Tara or the Druid Clan of Dana.

What people believe

Practitioners regard Isis as the Divine Mother of all living beings and the supreme embodiment of the divine in feminine form. The fellowship teaches that her qualities capture the spiritual currents of the Aquarian Age. While Isis holds a central place, the organisation also honours gods and pantheons from various ancient cultures under the concept of a multi-named goddess. The fellowship maintains a pluralistic worldview, holding that truth exists within all world religions and encouraging members to blend multiple traditions harmoniously.

When it is done

The annual cycle of the fellowship is marked by seasonal celebrations and astronomical events. Its foundation was set on the spring equinox in 1976, establishing an enduring link with equinox and solstice cycles. In Ireland, the administrative Circle of Brigid oversees community festivals hosted at Huntington Castle, while local member branches observe ritual dates according to their own liturgical calendar and regional traditions.

Compare and confuse

Although the fellowship conducts ceremonies for ancient deities, it explicitly distinguishes itself from typical modern Neopaganism by maintaining a strictly multi-faith identity. The organisation welcomes participants who actively practice mainstream faiths such as Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism, and Hinduism alongside their reverence for Isis.

Today

From its ancestral seat at Huntington Castle, the fellowship has expanded to more than twenty-four thousand registered members across roughly one hundred countries. Family descendants of the founders oversee its central foundation, with an executive council known as the Circle of Brigid guiding festival planning and community governance. Most international engagement now takes place through global digital networks and independent daughter societies located in major cities worldwide.

Questions people ask about Fellowship of Isis

Good reading and sources

• Fellowship of Isis on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• Wikidata recordOpen data