October 11, 2003 we formally adopted and published on our website a statement of the organizational model we operate under. This was a formal adaptation based on historical research of the manner in which we had already been using.
The priestesses of Cybele are the governing body of our religious order. Becoming a priestess means taking an oath to lifetime service to others in the name of the Great Mother and all our priestesses are considered equals within our structure. We adopted the “offices” of president, treasurer and secretary only to conform to the requirements of the state.
Our primary meetings are as near as possible to the Solstices and
Equinoxes of the Solar year numbering four per year. Decisions are
consensus based. That means we adopt decisions only after we all
agree to the need. A Battakes sets the “official” agenda and
acts as facilitator of the meetings which are called “Conclaves”.
At her discretion the Battakes may appoint another priestess to act
as facilitator at a Conclave. The function of facilitator is to
make sure everyone present gets to speak their mind freely and in
order and this takes place until compromises and agreement is
reached. The only additional “official” function of the Battakes
is she may, in the case a consensus cannot be reached, act as a court
of last resort and adopt the position of the majority. This is never
done lightly or as a matter of routine because our theology is such
that we believe the Magna Mater will inspire and guide us towards a
correct decision and the concerns of even just one of us in
opposition to the others indicates a problem in this regard.
One joins the priestesshood after a period of study and
contribution to our base of knowledge and receiving a “calling”
from Magna Mater. All priestesses must agree to the elevation of a
new priestess as we are a Divine family. The position of priestess
is not one of privilege but rather taking on a lifelong obligation to
act as healer, spiritual guide and of service to the wider community
of the Mother Goddess.
June 18, 2004 we formally adopted the “Rule of the Women of
Cybele” which contains some of the elements of our prior
organizational model but in addition formalized the living
arrangement and organization within an actual Phrygianum, or a
Cybeline Convent, itself. The rule provides a daily living guide as
part of living at the home of the Mother Goddess and the manner of
resolution of any day to day disputes which include an equal voice
for all living at the Phrygianum recognizing that some may not be
priestesses who are living under our roof. It should be fairly self
evident how this model works as it is much more formally stated than
our “Order of the Courts” model.
These two documents and the principles stated about above are our
organizational model. We are not a patriarchal organization and do
not use such patriarchal tools as “Robert's Rules of Order” and
the resulting organizational models most commonly found in western
corporations. We base our models on extensive historical research of
the models that served the ancient form of our religion faithfully
for thousands of years. The larger structure of the Conclave of
Phrygianae is added to provide the framework for the future growth of
our religion in a new document that also clarifies some points about
the relationships of priestesses to a Battakes.