The Portinari Society, or simply The Portinari, is a nondenominational, gender and identity inclusive fellowship and ideological organization that, like many such organizations, is primarily intended to provide likeminded folks a place to connect and belong. Unlike many such groups, it is not focused on degree or tier based progression, but is rather organized around several distinct but equal tracks, or, more officially, Circles, in which all member are free to participate in, or to opt out of, based on their individual needs or interests.
If we were a cult, we'd probably vehemently deny it, much the way many prevalent modern cults, from established mammoths like the Catholic Church to more recent upstarts, do everything they can to distance themselves from the connotative baggage of the word. As with all matters, we don't encourage people to simply take our word for it, or to unquestioningly accept anything. If anything can describe the exoteric and active Portinari creed, it is that very principle.
The Portinari Society is, as mentioned above, nondenominational. It does include a number of esoteric and/or spiritual tracks / Circles, which, once again, are opt-in (established members who have a passing interest in this part of the organization are free to dabble or sit in for observation, but are never obligated to continue or maintain any particular practice). Dogmatic thinking and behavior is heavily discouraged by the foundational tenets of the Portinari, and while occult practices and ideas are commonly bandied about in the designated Circles, members are encouraged to take a philosophical, personal, and/or syncretic approach to their own spirituality (or lack thereof), and to exercise acceptance and respect for the divergent ideas of their fellows. As such, the Portinari have historically counted Atheists, Agnostics, Wiccans, Theosophists, Buddhists, Christian Mystics, Kabbalists, Thelemists, Hermeticists, Chaotes, and many more persuasions beyond and between, among their ranks.
To wit, any shared traditions and initiatory practices are intended to be symbolic, social, and/or pragmatic in nature, and cannot verge upon or violate a participating member's core spiritual beliefs or ideas. They are also designed to be flexible and modular, such that they can be modified to accommodate new members as necessary (for example, if an induction ceremony traditionally involves a particular item of clothing or headwear that conflicts with a member's pre-established requirements or restrictions, then the ceremony may be modified accordingly, or an alternative equivalent ceremony is held in its place). To quote an honored member of yore, "traditions and institutions ought to serve the people, not the other way around. The moment they fail to do so, they become fit to be excised or transformed."
All of the above having been said, it has been postulated that the Portinari, or rather their antecedents of ages past, have their historical roots in the "Post-Hellenic Primordial Cults" (such as the cult of Xaos, the cult of Nyx, the Erebites, and so on) as well as the better known and documented Orphic / Eleusinian Mystery traditions. This is a fair hypothesis, and a decent portion of the shared esoteric elements of the Portinari organization may very well have inherited elements of the above. The Circle of the Owl in particular has a strong symbolic connection to the Hellenistic Primordial Deities, especially the symbolic and mysterious figures of Chaos and Nyx, and is a popular choice for members who are practitioners of, or interested in, Chaos Magic, the GMP (Greek Magickal Papyri), as well as modern syncretic polytheism, occultism, and spirituality in general. The absolute historical truth of the matter is, unfortunately, unverifiable without a working time machine, or at least a very effective and robust Chronovisor.
While the Portinari is not an explicitly political organization, it is undeniably more overtly political than it is spiritual. We can state without any reservations that the group's core tenets place it pretty firmly to the left of the modern political spectrum. As such, while gender, identity, race, and spiritual creed have no bearing on eligibility for membership, and never did, folks that might describe themselves as "conservative" in the very particular parlance of our modern times would likely not enjoy themselves very much, and, in the extremely rare cases when one such individual applies in the first place, whether in good faith or with ulterior motives, they don't tend to get very far, mostly for that very reason. Life is short. There is no point spending one's precious time and energy in fruitless debates with people who have no desire or intention to fundamentally alter the core of their being, and this applies in all directions.
Like most things, of course, this is not an absolute. Occasionally, a would-be "infiltrator" manages to snag themself a provisional seat, only to find themself tearing their hair out in impatience and boredom, finding very little of interest to report on. They usually just sort of stop coming around. And there are even more occasional cases of folks finding the alignment of the group more to their taste than they realized, and thus gradually coming to find their philosophical and political outlook altered.
Above all else, however, the Portinari is a fellowship group that specifically champions the historically marginalized, and has always done so. Far from the world domination conspiracies some of the group's detractors are all too happy to assume, the daily comfort and enjoyment of its members is the organization's primary aim. To that end, we do not practice uncritical, boundless, and universal tolerance in the political sphere. The fundamental value, dignity, and humanity of the marginalized is NOT considered a matter for debate, and any kind of bigotry is expressly excluded, and yes, the organization gets to decide what it considers to be bigotry (to list some of the more common examples, sexism, racism, xenophobia, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, fatphobia, et cetera, are not tolerated), and tends to make such judgments based on systemic concerns.
To be very clear, It is not that the modern iteration of the Portinari has recently been "compromised" or "infiltrated" by the "woke agenda." This is who we are and have been all along - and this is probably why most readers haven't heard of us until just now - it has historically managed to be one of the more "secret" of the so-called "secret societies" with very little effort, simply due to the simple fact that much of its membership has been comprised of people that mainstream society disregarded as a matter of course.
Notably, the Portinari, even in its earliest incarnations, have always included women and queer members in positions of leadership. The fact that many of those early leaders were also people of color is largely an incidental byproduct of the society's assumed geographic origin, and is perhaps less notable in the face of the dominant cultural tides of the time, but, for the sake of illustration, is likely worth mentioning regardless.
The order (albeit under a different name, as it would be centuries yet before the Portinari label came to be) is said to have been founded and led by a figure referred to in the inherited texts only as "The Dowager." While this is partially speculative, many believe her to have been a former sex worker and perhaps even an active Madame at the time of the formation.
As is the case with many "secret societies," the Portinari are known to have "lain low" for long stretches of historical time, working in the shadows when possible, which, as mentioned above was rarely all that challenging. This was not because of any nefarious intent on the part of its members but because, as has also been mentioned prior, much of its membership belonged to actively oppressed groups, and the rest was bound by oath to aid, champion, and liberate the foregoing whenever humanly possible, and to accept them unquestioningly as their equals and fellows. In some places, in some time periods, the mingling alone was seen as a transgressive and dangerous act (sadly, this still remains the case in pockets of darkness and ignorance all across the world).
So yeah, the Portinari Society is and always has been "woke." If it wasn't, then it wouldn't be the Portinari Society. Those who are bothered by this aspect of the organization but generally enjoy the idea of belonging to a fraternal, fellowship, and/or esoteric order likely have many alternative options available to them and are respectfully encouraged to look elsewhere.
The Portinari is not, in fact, the organization's original name, and is not even the one and only name that is currently in use or in favor among the active chapters and affiliates. It is simply the current de facto standard and is employed as a sort of unifying banner. The real historical reason that this particular name came to claim its primary status is a subject for some debate. My own favorite theory is perhaps a bit prosaic - it's got a nice ring to it. It is short, sweet, and relevant.
Whatever the truth may be, and we all know that truth is easily hidden and lost in the sands of time, the Portinari label first came into wider usage sometime in the first half of the 15th century of the common era, and was, unsurprisingly, first employed in the Italian chapters of the organization (in modern oral and epistolary traditions, it is most commonly attributed to the Venetian chapter, but the folks at the Florentine and Roman chapters have often begged to differ - the point is, ultimately, entirely academic). The proliferation and subsequent longevity of the term likely owes at least a partial debt to Italy's culturally ascendant status at the time (i.e. The Italian Renaissance).
As for how it came to be in the first place (whatever that first place may be), well, once again, the precise answers are not ours to know, but in this case we are able to make certain educated guesses and extrapolations. "Portinari" is, in fact, both an Italian surname and a reference to a specific profession, the equivalent of the English "porter." A porter is a door attendant, guard, gatekeeper, and granter of passage: a bellhop, a security guard, a steward of the keyring, and so on. Since these themes do figure prominently in Portinari lore and practices, it must have made for a solid and attractive fit.
Some have suggested that it was originally employed as a direct reference to the historical and literary figure Beatrice Portinari, who had been, by that point, rather recently immortalized in Dante Alighieri's famous Divine Comedy, as a guide and intermediary who leads Dante's self-insert protagonist from Purgatorio and through Paradiso. This connection is not directly confirmed in any preserved or unsealed records, and is ultimately just a hypothesis. Some have even suggested that the fabled Beatrice herself was, during her lifetime, involved in the society, even casting her as a sort of latter-day Dowager, but as interesting as this may be, this is perhaps even more speculative than the above and cannot, with current resources, either proven or disproven.
As previously stated, the Portinari is made up of a number of concentric and / or overlapping Circles (which some members claim serves as yet further proof of the connection to the Divine Comedy, though organizational specifics that predate the Italian Renaissance are unknown, and thus we cannot confirm a point of genesis for this practice). The largest Circle, which contains within it every other, is, of course, the order itself. The broader organization known as the Portinari Society.
Within this greater Circle, one can find the geographically distinct Regional Chapters and the Common Circles.
The former is more or less exactly what it says on the tin. If a member is physically located in a particular geographical "jurisdiction," they may act as a member in good standing of that jurisdiction's Chapterhouse. While one can only be a voting member of such a Chapterhouse while physically present in the area or while maintaining a long term physical residence and regular presence in the area, every Portinari member in good standing is treated as an honorary member of every Chapter, regardless of location. Visiting a Chapter at least once and participating to some small extent in its civic day-to-day grants the visiting member a Token of Friendship from that Chapter. This is usually a small, commemorative gift of purely symbolic significance: the specific are up to the chapter, but tradition dictates that these tokens be low-cost, non-perishable signifiers of some kind, often in the form of buttons, patches, rings, and so on.
Due to the nature and foundational precepts of the society, the shape taken by any given regional or local Chapter varies widely. Some maintain a more official Chapterhouse, either owned or rented, while others meet for exoteric and social gatherings in a more ad hoc fashion, patronizing local establishments or convening at open picnic tables in a nearby park, for example, and carry out the more private or esoteric functions either out in nature, within a trusted member's private residence, or otherwise "out of the way."
Every Regional Chapter is administered by at least one Custodian, with some Chapters having two or three, depending on various practical and cultural considerations. Custodians serve until they no longer wish to do so, at which point a replacement is nominated (assuming one is needed - either due to internal delegation policies or because only one Custodian is present at the time) and a succession of sorts proceeds through an established internal process. Custodians do hold a leadership position in the civic sense, and are traditionally members with some amount of experience and seniority, but their official functions and powers are firmly limited to the administrative realm. It is their job to oversee day to day operations, field questions and concerns, organize and delegate the logistical aspects of meetings and activities, and so on. In cases where a financial component exists, a Custodian usually also acts as Treasurer, though it is most common to appoint a second Custodian once fiscal administration becomes a necessity.
In Chapters that maintain a physical Chapterhouse, it is relatively common for at least one Custodian to reside on site so as to save on costs and resources. In such a case, any Custodian living in the space is additionally responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of any common areas. Though this isn't always practical or possible, it is traditional for brick and mortar Chapterhouses, even small ones established within a private residence, to maintain a clean guestroom, preferably one able to accommodate a few people at a time in moderate comfort, which, so long as it is not already fully occupied, remains open to any member who may need it, either because they are visiting from out of town, because of an emergency, or because it is most convenient in the moment. Some of the better equipped Chapterhouses may offer flexible or around-the-clock services such as workshops and reading rooms, and, assuming there is a bed in the guest room going spare, it is not entirely uncommon for members to end up taking a nap in there after burning the midnight oil.
When possible, at least a small gathering space and / or reading room is maintained and made available to trusted local members on a flexible or around-the-clock basis. This, of course, may or may not be doable depending on the particularities.
Keeping in mind the above, of all Circles, only regional Chapters are able to collect dues of any kind, and only if they maintain a brick and mortar location that offers some perks and services to the entire membership and / or the local community at large. Membership cannot be denied or canceled based on the inability to pay such dues, however. A member remains a member for life so long as they do not violate the fundamental principles or values of the Society. As such, the introduction of voluntary dues to an existing Chapter must be approved by consensus or majority, depending on Chapter bylaws, and a practical and fully transparent budget and appropriations schedule must be drawn up and implemented.
Generally speaking, while Regional Chapters often aspire to have a facility of their own, members are encouraged to avoid seeing this as a necessary milestone or condition for legitimacy. It is normal for a local Chapter to have only a handful of active members at any given time, and while it is true that Chapters that are able to offer more services tend to have an easier time expanding and recruiting, expansion for its own sake is never the aim.
The Common Circles (also referred to as Houses) are Circles that are shared, or held in Common, across the entire Portinari organization and can thus be opted into and out of by any Portinari member at any location. These Circles function in parallel to the society at large and follow a very similar federated structure, though subsidiaries of the Common Circles tend to "report to the hub" more often than the Chapterhouses do.
Circle Subsidiaries function much like the local / regional Chapters do, except they represent the Common Circle in particular. They do not administer Chapters or Chapterhouses of their own, but rather operate from within the nearest regional Chapter. As such, a member of the DMV Chapter who participates in or belongs to the House of Nod will always interact with the federated "Greater" House of Nod through their local branch of the House of Nod (if they are the only member of their Chapter interested in that Circle, then they effectively ARE the local branch), which is housed within the DMV Chapter conceptually and/or physically. Since the advent of modern communications technologies and protocols, the Common Circles have, of course, become more active and relevant than ever before.
Traditionally, each Common Circle has had a "Hub Chapter," the purpose of which was to bear the administrative burden of maintaining and coordinating records and correspondence between the Subsidiaries. In modern times, the heart of the tradition remains, but the weight and scope of that burden have been greatly reduced for obvious reasons. The Regional Chapter with the largest contingent of long term, active participants belonging to a given Common Circle (visitors are not counted in this case) is usually designated as its Hub Circle. Depending on the Circle's bylaws, this designation is re-evaluated at regular intervals, most commonly once per calendar year.
While membership numbers serve as the most common and basic metric, other factors (such as the administrative burden placed on members by other Circles, expertise, member activity levels, convenience, funding, and so on) are also taken into consideration, should an appropriate motion be brought forward - for example, if one Chapter has been serving as the Hub for a Common Circle for many years and has established methodologies and infrastructure that have served the Circle especially well, then transferring Hub status to another Chapter simply because their Subsidiary has recently overtaken it by one or two members doesn't make a whole lot of practical sense.
Currently, the active Common Circles / Houses of the Portinari are as follows:
Outside of the Common Circles / Houses, the structure becomes a great deal more freeform and ad hoc. Small scale Circles that are based around common interests, activities, or tasks are par for the course on both the local and global levels, and there is little in the way of restrictions when it comes to setting up or dissolving such groups. Technically speaking, any two members working on a shared project or gathering for a shared purpose, however brief or extended, however grand or humble, is a Circle in its own right, though it is certainly not always necessary to formally declare it as such.
Transient Circles that are officially established tend to be akin to short term committees, intentionally formed to address a specific, temporary matter. Local Circles often take on the form of local social clubs, study groups, and so on (i.e. if a member of a Local Chapter wishes to form an in-person book club, that would be described as a Local Circle). Specialized Circles, which can be both local and transient, but can just as easily be global and permanent, may focus on distinct or niche special interests or fields of inquiry. For example, certain members of the House of Tact may be especially interested in Open Source Computing and may therefore hold additional, supplemental meetings specifically on that topic, and serve as the de facto port of call for the House of Tact when matters regarding that particular niche crop up.
Many "low level" Circles fall broadly under the umbrella of a Common Circle, but some may simply be considered part of their Local Chapter or the Portinari at large. Locally formed Circles that focus on a specialized niche or interest may often network with similar Circles in other Chapters, and may even choose to merge by consensus, if such a merger is seen as functionally beneficial (and the constituent Circles are able to agree on a name, which is usually the point of the most severe contention). The procedure for establishing a new Common Circle on the basis of an especially popular global Specialized Circle is beyond the scope of this primer. Suffice it to say that this is hardly unheard of, though such formations do become less and less frequent as time goes on, since there is really no point in having two Common Circles that overlap in function by a large margin.
To begin the process of attaining membership in the Portinari Society, all one has to do is establish contact with a current member in good standing. As is the case in most fellowship organizations, having an established member vouch for a new prospect and sponsor them directly can expedite things somewhat, but knowing an established member prior to applying is not necessary by any means. Simply expressing a desire to join is enough. The prospect will be talked through the core values and principles of the group, summarized below, and, should they find themselves in accord with those values and principles, they will be paired with a sponsor (often the same member they'd initially reached out to, though this may depend on a number of factors, especially the availability, or lack thereof, of a geographically accessible Local Chapter, which may have members more readily able of meeting the prospect in person).
Most of the Principles are aspirational, in that perfection is not expected. Merely striving for the ideals presented thereby, as mindfully and consistently as one can manage, is enough. The Principle of Inclusion takes a bit of a harder line, as suggested by the section on Portinari politics, in that it requires consistency in one's words and actions and a concerted effort to bring one's thoughts into alignment therewith. That said, this also doesn't call for absolute perfection. We all carry internalized prejudices within us, all of which have been ingrained by the systems and institutions that have, in a sense, raised us. Our task is to proactively work against those pernicious influences, wherever they may crop up.