In Tië eldaliéva’s (T-e) live Ritual of Enderi video, advancing the Tolkien-based Elven spiritual path (Path), the word “official” is emphasized almost immediately. My perception of that action is that it's a fear-based defensive move by Calantirniel/Lisa Allen because she 

(a) believes Tië owns the term “Elven Spiritual Path,” since T-e established the Path, and since “Tie Eldalieva Elven Spiritual Path...” (T-eESP) was the first formally legalized form with that name attached;
(b) treats “Elven Spiritual Path” as T-e’s official public brand; and
(c) disregards the fact that the 501(c)(3) charitable-trust organization presenting this page to you is actually established with the IRS simply as “Elven Spiritual Path” (ESP)—therefore the entity legally operating under that name [i.e. ESP] has sole legal right to assert and promote itself globally using that exact brand label. From my perspective, this use of “official” reflects the same propriety/turf dynamic that fueled the organizational bifurcation described on our About page.

Speaking as founder and Executive Director of Elven Spiritual Path, ESP and I have been surreptitiously branded as wannabe and also-ran within the Tolkien-based spiritual community by such diatribe. For the sake of practitioners who have found it in the last 6 years, please allow me to clarify that; beyond question.

I'm an insider on this Path, not an outsider: in fact, when considering the number of years (12 actively, and 2 managing the IRS' cancellation of Trust version of it, and more than 300 online lessons for Eldalie in their vaults), other than Calantirniel, the only person who is more of an insider of the Tolkien-based Elven spiritual path than I am is Nathan/Dave. I was privately initiated into the Path in 2008 by Calantirniel and trained by her for seven years before I began teaching this path to T-e’s social media subscribers, and co-leading the organization with her. She and I were an highly effective leadership team; between my teaching and her saleswomanship, we expanded T-e’s audience more than tenfold within the first subsequent year, (after it'd averaged 3% per each since its inception); and although we may have not seen eye to eye about many things in the course of 2008-2020, we had always been able to find neutral and mutual observer ground, and we'd had ze-ro arguments before the one documented on T-e's original Trust web site. As T-eESP's Director of Operations (DO) I called out Kimberel Eventide (after she'd joined T-e) for something fundamentally inappropriate for and inconsistent with the Path; Kimberel left T-e, and Lisa said she was heartbroken—after which Lisa and I became at odds. Ultimately, the crux of my departure from T-e was Lisa fearfully investing more in her misperceptions than lovingly in due diligence investigation of whether they were accurate.

Misperception: Lisa says she ousted me primarily because I created the music ministry “ElvenChrist” and used “Elven Spiritual Path” in its web promotion, which she believed misrepresented T-e.
        Lisa's a control-freak. (That's no smear; admittedly, so am I, however, as a jazz music director, I know how and prefer to control the direction whilst allowing people to use their own process to get to the destination, rather than trying to control both direction and process.) That's why we worked so well together; because we each controlled complementary functions, and naturally stayed in our lanes with each other.) Through my DO eyes, her wanting to control the Elven Spiritual Path term as a brand, and thinking her new T-eESP ED position gave her the authority to do so, Calantriniel was infuriated when I rightly began to use it that way upon Manwe's direction--because she had not been informed of what Manwe had directed me to do, and I hadn't first sought her approval to do so. I believe my perspective's at least within the 90th percentile of probability, if not spot on.

(Manwë Súlimo is the spiritual head and ultimate arbiter of both organizations; always the former, and the latter when leaders under his watch allow him to be so. The onus was on Manwë to inform her; based on the sole reason for his directing me establish ESP, if he didn't do so, that's entirely consistent with his character.)

Fact: ElvenChrist was established as ESP’s formal music ministry, so using that term in that promotional context completely independently of, and without prior notice to T-e was appropriate.

[I singlehandedly founded all of the Elven charitable trusts discussed on this page within the same month-arc of time.] As I was first doing so for T-e, Manwë foresaw Lisa fearfully leading T-eESP(CT), and said that I should be the ED to avoid that. It was my decision, and my loyalty to her as co-founder of this Path, and friendship with her naturally resulted in my deferring to her. The day after I sent T-e's 501(c)(3) application to the IRS, Manwë directed me to establish nested 501(c)(3) charitable trusts, with ElvenSpirit [serving the full scope of modern Elven cultures] as the governing vessel, and ElvenChrist as above noted operating within it; limiting its Music to both Quenya and Christ. At the same time, directed me to establish Elven Spiritual Path as a 501(c)(3) charitable trust (without the “Charitable Trust” tag); as a sister Swanship to T-eESP(CT). Later, he told me his timing in directing me to found ESP was explicitly to avoid fearful leadership of that consummate term as a brand.

Shared Essence and Origin; Divergence of Form

The key legal changes happened because of the split. The T-e bylaws I had written included standard nonprofit incorporation clauses stating that crossing a certain governance line would instantly and irreversibly result in the termination of the Trust. When I showed them the evidence, they scrutinized it, agreed with the Bylaws, and the IRS acknowledged the termination of T-eESP’s EIN (84-1953054). Calantirniel's power play ousting me automatically kaput T-eESP; it took a minute, however, as of December 19, 2022, T-eESP officially ceased to exist. (T-e as promptly informed the day I received that acknowledgement. [Names of terminated EINs cannot being recycled.]) The IRS also required that I transfer the remaining T-e assets I held as its Director of Operations to another 501(c)(3); hence, ElvenSpirit became the sole legal trustee of T-e’s logos, original ritual files, and other legal documents (mostly created by me for T-e). (). That cancellation prohibits T-e from legally doing any kind of business as “Tië eldaliéva Elven Spiritual Path Charitable Trust” again. T-e lost exponentially more than it gained by that drama, including losing the legal ability to operate in the U.S. under its original, iconic nonprofit name, and forever forfeiting all right to use “Elven Spiritual Path” as an organizational brand as Lisa wanted.

[As for me, I when I submitted the info to the IRS, they told me they would give me a final determination within 6 months. Thanks to COVID, nobody in the IRS who needed to see it had seen it 7 months later; nor 9 months later; nor 12 months later; nor 15 months later; nor 18 months later. The powerful trauma of the shock of the experience and the verbal abuse I received throughout the very long email conversation in the evidence was greatly compounded by the fact that the IRS didn't confirm the termination for 23 months. As I was already living with Complex PTSD, that wait greatly deepened, heightened, and widened it. [Trauma stays within the body of the experiencer.] My somatic memory of that drama has pesteringly dissuaded me from posting anything for Eldalië ever since. I do, because I became an High Elven cleric in the process, and I very seriously respect my clerical responsibility; however, doing so is a vigorous 4- to 7/8-day emotional wrestling contest every single time. Sometimes, my body memory wins and holds its ground for awhile, (hence the belowmentioned holes in ESP's posting).]

Rather than the split being a thereto unrelated breakaway, it was an effective inosculation: shared essence and origin with divergence in form. Readers and practitioners aren’t dealing with two unrelated rituals—they’re working with the same liturgical content expressed through different musical/intonation and literary “ecosystems". Both stems can therefore be “official” because both preserve and embody the original vital liturgical core, even if presentation differs.

“Officialness” here also has a practical meaning that ESP completely respects: the vital fixed portions are Sections II and IV, which communicate with the respective Valar and are rock solid and static. By Manwë’s order, changing those portions is forbidden. The rest is fluid—amplified, or enriched with Valar guidance—so ESP’s variations primarily change the Flow/ecosystem while keeping the same Destination. Because ESP preserves T-e's original core text (unaltered, cited) while expanding expression and feel, both processes are equally official; and the general public teachings and liturgical additions to the Path from and by both are equally authentic.



Complementary Rather Than Competitive Differences

For Eldalië, the vital Relationship with the Valar is fundamentally and respectively dependent on our vital Relationship with Flame Imperishable. The original ritual format fundamentally engages Flame Imperishable/Divine Feminine at the top of the rituals, however in an effective mere nod; so, the enriched format simply makes the nod a node, holding space for sustained intentional interaction with Her, front and center, to saturation. Consequently, the enriched format position's the practitioner to subsequently experience a deeper and more expansive interaction with the Valar than the original's non-inclusion of such saturation accommodates.

    There are holes in the original ritual format; the enriched ritual format fills those holes.

    T-e is outgoing, introducing the general public to the Path, and securing and supporting the vast majority of newbies via reliable regular Lunar and Solar Observance posts; ESP is reclusive, with chronic health concerns resulting in their such posting regularity having holes, (sometimes large ones).

    T-e's Flow is fundamentally focused on teaching about the loa as a cyclic progression of honoring the Valar, a Devotional Cycle which begins at the start of the Elven year; ESP is focused on teaching about the loa as a cyclic progression of Transformation, a Spiritual Harvest Cycle which begins the day after Enderi.

    T-e's content primarily provides proverbial milk via posts that are typically 1- to 2-pages long, focused on the general facts, principles and Valar Relationships of the respective Observances; ESP's content primarily provides proverbial meat via with posts typically in the 8- to 12-pages long, focused on enabling Eldalië (new and older) to tap, harness and apply the Magic of those Relationships, with guidance on how-to daily apply It to their spiritual growth (and well being).

    T-e brings Eldalië to the Path, orients and anchors them; ESP teaches them how to deeply dive and dynamically flesh out their Elven identities and lives.

A cord of braided gold, silver, and light once united the sister Swanships. Calantirniel's severing it ceased it. However, allied or estranged, they are nonetheless effectively two hands helping each other increase and nurture the ongoing growth of this Path's membership. Rather than a wannabe, a facsimile, an also-ran, or a fake, ESP is rock solidly bonafide, and simply a necessarily deeper and more immersive Flow complementing that of its progenitor. As Manwë spiritual heads both orgs, the Path now being formally advanced inosculationally is by his design, because it requires both Swanships to viably and holistically serve its practitioners as they evolve. Two Trees; 2 Swanships.

Both Flows being genuine, authentic, and arriving at the same Destination, claiming either Flow is “official” is simply an irrelevant, status-seeking argument. (The Legendarium informs us that status seeking is a Shadow pursuit.)

Neither Route Is “Wrong”

Explore both, and choose what feels right for you. Since Enderi is late next month, you may wanna just explore the different intoning formats, to get a feel for which one you'll use when actually doing the full ritual. (If you're going to practice a full Path ritual when it's not time to do so, Úrimë is the best month for that, as all of the Ainur have got your back during the Moon of Heat.) Mostly, understand that intoning style changes the felt experience: monotonic intoning can feel consistent and grounding, while polyphonic sound-healing-based intoning can feel more open and resonant, yet still likewise grounding because of the long sustain of the final notes. ESP’s science-based sound-healing-aligned approach requires a higher level of attention, mindful focus, memory and discipline, which supports your heart–brain coherence and cross-hemispheric activity; which also directly enriches your High Elven spiritual growth. That is variety—not validity, or invalidation.

Finally, I’m glad T-e released the Ritual of Enderi video. As ESP’s Executive Director, I wouldn’t have made that public presentation decision myself; respectfully allowing T-e to take the lead on that. Now people can tactiley experience both examples  and apply ESP variants in the original ritual context—getting the best of both worlds. Even if presentation could suggest “official” status, nothing in said presentation undermines the point that both the original and the outgrowth liturgies are official expressions of the same core tradition and the same spiritual lineage—somewhat like how Celtic Catholic and Roman Catholic liturgies differ in presentation while remaining rooted in the same broad lineage.

Written by Michaele Alyras de Cygne, Executive Director
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