Madrian Creation, Kear, and Choice

 Within the Mythos of Madrianism, we have some familiar concepts; Creation, separation, and what at first glance may be the idea of 'sin' and evil. In the modern Western world, even if you aren't raised in Christianity, you feel its effects and see it reflected onto society. You're likely knowledgeable of the 'Fall', 'sin', 'Hell', and etc. When reading the Mythos, you'll likely be familiar, yet it will be slightly different.

And She was pure force or energy, and therefore pure delight; and the crashing of the waves was the overflowing of Her joy. And the white force of Her superabundant joy grew so great that it must take shapein laughter; and Her laughter was the shape of all things. For each peal of Her voice became a silver fragment, broken from the Whole and yet complete in itself.

 Myths serve to teach us about life, about living, and how to be; allegorical, mystical, and interpreted in different ways. Where we begin here, God is creating the world in an act of joy. The world begins with laughter.

And She laughed.

And each fragment was filled with Her delight, and therefore was living.

Equally, every piece of creation contains a fragment of Her, a small piece of divinity. Life is sacred, as we all contain this; all of this world contains this.

And Her love for each was inexhaustible, for each was a reflection of some boundless fragment of Her unbounded Spirit.

The Madrians were influenced by and thought generally along Neoplatonic lines of thinking, and from my research this would affect the way they interpreted and taught the Mythos and Scriptures.  God is Source, and the Creatrix emanates from Her, and Anna, Her Daughter, the Sustainer, emanates from the Creatrix. Life is beget from an unknowable Source, but all of life is infused with a fragment of divinity. Most of the teaching of Anna are guiding us towards an understanding and remembrance of this fact. It is indeed an approach of anamnesis, of remembering that we are of Her Spirit and ultimately, returning to our True or Higher Self. 

Mari creates the entirety of manifestation, She is the nous; Anna as the Sustainer is the World-Soul, the Anima Mundi. Anna is suffused in the world of manifestation. Another epithet of Anna is the Redemptrix; as, further on in the Mythos, She delves into every aspect of Creation, to the lowest levels, so to "bring light into every place." The question is, though; why would She need to?

But one there was that had not been shaped by Her, and that was not Her daughter, nor a creature of spirit. But it was the space between the fragments and the nothingness that had been before things were. It had not energy nor delight, but only weight. It had not shape, but could only coil and uncoil itself about the things that were. It was the Snake, and was not silver, but black.*

The Snake is a privatio boni, it is the very embodiment of the Insubstantial. Madrianism sees evil in privation; it is the absence of good. Would this mean evil does not exist? Yes and no; formally no it does not exist, but this does not explain the clearly evil elements that we witness and experience in this world. I cannot, nor can anyone, really explain the problem of evil, and what theodicy the Madrians have I am attempting to flesh out here. Clearly, evil is the privation of good; yet, those who turn and fall further into the insubstantial and further from the Good become evil; though, they will never be absolutely evil. Humanity always has choice, says Madrianism. It is a matter of what an individual decides to do that brings about pain and evil.^ 

...the Snake came to the first of the daughters of the Mistress of All Things, and coiled about her feet and spoke to her: First of the daughters of creation, you have lived a time that cannot be counted, and have run for all that time in superfluity of energy, and have never known the sweetness of rest. Only embrace me and you shall have rest. A long time she listened to the words of the Snake. She did not know what rest might be, but knew that it was not of Her. 

And yet so enticingly did the Snake speak of the sweetness of rest, surpassing all delight, that at last she threw herself down and embraced it. And because she was suffused with the delight of the Mistress of All Things, the Snake immediately took on shape. And its shape was like to hers, but its body was filled with weight, and was barren, for being not a creature of spirit, it had not the power of creation. And at once she became tired with all the outpouring of her energy, for her energy was no longer boundless.

By the First Daughter of humanity 'embracing the Snake/the Insubstantial', she has joined herself to the world of physical manifestation; she has chosen to be of the material world. This is the first experience, and one we are all familiar with; life is experience, it is making choices constantly and sometimes without us realizing the full repercussion of our actions. The first daughter's actions brings about the first night (the first experience of absence) and the first flood (the first experience of pain). These things are part and parcel of living in physical existence.

And She said to Her daughter: What you have done may not be undone, for you have acted with My Spirit, and henceforth shall time be divided into day and night that you may rest. 

But I shall keep watch in the heavens by night, and there shall be silver light that there may never be complete darkness. By this shall I govern the movements of the waters, that the earth may never again be flooded. And when you look upon this light, you will remember the time when all things were silver. The golden light of day will bring all goodness, but it will be too bright for your eyes. The silver light of night, that you may look upon.

Mari instructs the first daughter that physical manifestation has separated us, that we will know experience, yet She is never fully removed from us; We cannot perceive of Her greatness in this form, yet there is still light, Her Light, that will be with us. We are never fully divested of the Good. We are in a state of limitation within physical existence, here for experience and learning.

What happens when we choose? This is where you will come across the terms Kear and Wyrd**. Kear first appears in the Teachings of The Daughter, the Scriptures:

The cosmos is a perfect sphere, more lovely than the sun, and yet it is all riven through with kear. 

All that is was fashioned by My Mother out of the laughter of Her heart and the cunning of Her hands, and all that is very good, more than any soul can know. But kear is not. Kear is naught. Kear is the black abyss that has turned its face from My Mother and has frowned upon the laughter of Her heart.

Kear is what many think is the concept of sin within Madrianism. However, we do not view creation as being 'born of natural sin'. We have a fragment of Spirit within, and we are not born 'impure'. What kear is, is simply leaning into that aforementioned privatio boni, choosing to do what is going to cause pain, chaos, or cruelty. It can be small acts, or large ones. Kear has often been likened to a chasm, a forgetting of the Good and the Light. It can be denial of what one knows is wrong to do. 

Wyrd fits in here, as the concept of how your actions affect your anamnesis; you'll find mention of the 'wheel of Wyrd', similar to the concept of samsara within Buddhism. Your actions can cause more steps needed to get yourself closer to your True Self, or you can act in ways that drive you closer to your False Self, one who has forgotten Good and chosen to act poorly, or even evilly. 

 It will be noted though; humanity isn't condemned to eternal hellfire within Madrianism if one completely forgoes getting closer to their True Self. Madrians see reincarnation as being a part of the Wheel of Wyrd and manifestation; you'll pass from this world, and will have to return again until you have gained the experience and wisdom you need. A separate post will detail out Madrian visions on the afterlife.

The myths and teachings within Madrianism are positive; they seek to help you understand your place in the universe, and guide you towards being a better person. And under the tutelage of a Divine Feminine, our Holy Mother.

*Some versions of the Mythos give the Snake male pronouns; personally, I have issue with this and prefer to use it/its.
**See this post for more on Wyrd
^I realize this does not cover 'natural evil' (e.g. tsunami, plagues); but honestly, no matter what I may say, I nor anyone else can make an ultimate argument that will fully settle it. Philosophy has been around a very long time and no one is yet satisfied. I am a humble woman; I also have faith in God and humanity to become better and I actively attempt to do better and encourage others to do the same.