Deities
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More on Lillith
Themes: Freedom, Courage, Playfulness, Passion, Pleasure, Sexuality
Symbol: Apple
In Hebrew legends, Lilith is a dangerously beautiful goddess who refused to subordinate herself to Adam, feeling she was created as an equal. This makes Lilith perhaps the first true liberationist, and she resolves to make modern life similarly equal for all people. She also boldly instructs us to stand up for what we believe in, unbridled and courageous, no matter the cost. According to legend, Lilith was turned away from paradise for her "crime", and she has been depicted in art as a demon.
To do today: Leap Year day occurs every four years to keep our calendars in sync with the solar year. Customarily, women break loose today, asking men out or proposing marriage. In today's liberal society, actions like this aren't overly surprising. Nonetheless, Lilith charges us with the duty of ever seeking after equality, not just for women but for all of earth's people. If there's someone you've wronged with presupposition or prejudice, make amends today.
To internalize Lilith's fairness, bravery, or exuberant lustiness, eat an apple today. Quite literally take a bite out of life, and enjoy some daring activity to its fullest without fear or guilt. Like Lilith, you are the master of your destiny.
Edited by Sep 8, 2001 6:14 am
Greek Goddess
Here will be the Greek Goddess.
Enjoy!
Artemis
Part of an Essay on Artemis taken from the book "Mythology" by Edith Hamilton.
As Phoebus was the Sun, she was the Moon, called Phoebe and Selene (Luna in Latin). Neither name originally belonged to her. Phoebe was a Titan, one of the older gods. So too was Selene -- a moon-goddess, indeed, but not connected with Apollo. She was the sister of Helios, the sun-god with whom Apollo was confused.
In the later poets, Artemis is identified with Hecate. She is "the goddess with three forms," Selene in the sky, Artemis on the earth, Hecate in the lower world and in the world above when it is wrapped in darkness. Hecate was the Goddess of the Dark of the Moon, the black nights when the moon is hidden. She was associated with deeds of darkness, the Goddess of the crossways, which were held to be ghostly places of hidden magic. An awful divinity.
Hecate of hell,
Mighty to shatter every stubborn thing.
Hark! Hark! her hounds are baying through the town.
Where three roads meet, there she is standing.
It is a strange transformation from the lovely Huntress
Flashing through the forest,
From the Moon making all beautiful with her light, From the
Maiden-Goddess for whom
Who so is chaste of spirit utterly
May gather leaves and fruits and flowers.
The unchaste never.
In her is shown most vividly the uncertainty between good and evil which is apparent in every one of the divinities. The cypress was sacred to her: and all wild animals, but especially the deer.
http://www.acs.csulb.edu/~persepha/Hecate.html
http://www.earthscreatures.com/tworock.org/html/body_hecate.html
http://www.cyberwitch.com/wychwood/Temple/hecate.htm
I find it funny that these people know who Hecate is and still named their cat Hecate she's much more a dog person.
http://www.october.com/qgdwr/hecate.html
http://www.sacredcircle.com/Hecate/
Semele
Themes: Fertility, Grounding, Joy, Playfulness, Pleasure, Youthfulness
Symbols: Wine or Grape Juice, Soil
In Greek mythology, Semele is a young earth goddess who, in mortal form, gave birth to the ever-exuberant party animal Dionysus (the god of wine). Today Semele flows into our lives bringing spring's zeal, joy, and playfulness carefully balanced with the exortation to keep one foot firmly on terra firma. Semele's name translates as "land", giving her additional associations with fertility and grounding.
Semele became a goddess after insisting on seeing Zeus (Dionysus'
father) in his full glory. This killed Semele, but Zeus rescued her from Hades and made her a goddess.
To do today: A three-day celebration began in Athens around this time to celebrate spring. The first day of the observance was called the "opening of the casks"! So, if you have a favorite wine, today is definitely the time to take it out and enjoy it with some friends. Toast to Semele for giving the world a wine god who lives in every drop poured!
To "grow" any of Semele's virtues within yourself, find a small
planter, some rich soil, and a flowering seed. Name the seed after the characteristic, and water it with a bit of wine or grape juice. If you use diligent care and maintain a strong focus on your goal, when the seed blossoms that energy should show signs of manifesting in your life.
Arachine
Greek Spider Goddess.
Eris
Greek Goddess of Discord.
Gaia
Greek Earth Mother.
Hera
Daedala(Greece)
Themes: Love,romance, forgiveness, humor.
Symbols: Oak, myrrh, poppy.
About Hera: Hera rules the Earth, its people and the hearts of those people.
Using passion and creativity, Hera nudges star crossed lovers together, chaperones trysts and helps struggling marriages with a case of Sping twitterpation!
Legend tells us that Hera refused to return to Zeus's bed because of a
quarrel. Zeus, however, had a plan. He humorously dressed up a wooden figure to look like a bride and declared he was going to marry. When Hera tore off the dummies clothes and discovered the ruse, she was so amused and impressed by Zeus's ingenuity that she forgave him.
To Do Today: Ancient Greeks honored Hera and Zeus's reconcilliation today, often in the company of old oak trees. Small pieces of fallen are collected to symbolize the divinities, the burned on the ritual fire to keep love warm.
To mirror this custom, find a fallen branch and burn a small part of it as an offering to Hera. Keep the rest to use as a goddess image year round, burning a few slivers whenever love needs encouragement.
Present someone you love or admire with a poppy today to symbolically bestow Hera's blessings on your relationship. If you have a loved one away from home, burn some myrrh incense in front of their picture so Hera can watch over them and keep that connection strong.
From 365 Goddess by Patricia Telesco
Hecate
Queen of the Witches. Hecate is the Holy Crone. In Greece, Hecate was honored as the Guardian of the Crossroads. Wherever three roads met, the Tri Via, there. She waited. To those who honored Her, understanding the inevitabilities of life, She bestowed Her wisodom.
In the Trinity of the Great Goddess, Hecate represents the menopausal woman, she who no longer bleeds in rhythum with the Moon. In the Goddess tradition, this is a powerful rite of passage. Her wisdom in-formed by time, a Hecate Woman now joins the council of Elders with dignity and grace.
When standing at the Crossroads of Change or whenever you need a Grand Mother's guidance, invoke Hecate. She teaches us how to make friends with ambiguity, chaos, endings, death, mixed-up feelings, the unknown, and the scary, by accepting what cannot be controlled. Mostly, Hecate asks all women to befriend our beloved bodies, particularly during times of enormous bio-rhymic changes.
In the midst of any transition, take time to nurture yourself. Our bodies are not separate from what goes on around them. Eat healthy foods, take long walks, talk with trees, light candles, say prayers and consult with other women who may have faced or are facing similar situations.
Call together a circle of Howling Hecate Women to share stories and experiences. However, don't be surprised if what you need comes from the voice of a child. The unexpected and the 'tribal' hold extraordinary clues.
AFFIRMATION: I accept this moment as it is. I enjoy the freedom of letting go of the need to control the results. I can dawdle, drift, dally, linger and wander. I make my own rules to live by.
Burn some Jasmine - use a black or purple candle, greeting Hecate
Parts taken from Nancy Blair's Book - Goddessess for Every Season.
Jen Barnard - Apr 12, 2002 12:10 am (1.4.8)
Tersichore
A beautiful Goddess who is the muse of dancing. Her feet and
movement were so graceful as to be able to run over a meadow without
bending a blade of grass. So elegant was Terichore's movement that her sisters had to cry out a warning before one of her leaps or hunters may fire at her thinking she was a bird. So enticing was her dancing and playing that no man could resist her who had the rare opportunity to watch her.
Goddess Thought of the Day: Allow Terichore's love and movement to
grab you and allow the inner beauty within to take hold.
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Deities