Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Sabbats’ Category

The Goddess and the Dance (The Ninth Day of Christmas)

Posted in Archives #4 Pagan Thoughts and Writings, Art & Literature, Magick, Music, Paganism, Poetry/Prose, Sabbats, Spirituality, The Yule Series, witchcraft, Women, Women's Spirituality on Thursday January 3 2013 | 1 Comment »

On the Ninth Day of Christmas, my Goddess gave to me…

nine ladies dancing.

Terpsichore

Mention dance, and you are apt to be drawn into a terpsichorean discussion of plies and pirouettes, Rumbas and Reels, Twists and Tangos…all in reverence to that goddess of the dance ~

Terpsichore.

In Greek mythology, Terpsichore is one of the nine Muses – the goddesses considered the source of all knowledge; the inspiration for literature, science, and the arts. The Muses are the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne – the goddess of memory. They consisted of Calliope (muse of epic song/poetry), Clio (muse of history), Euterpe (muse of lyrical song/poetry), Melpomene (muse of tragedy), Terpsichore (muse of dance), Erato (muse of erotic/love poetry), Polyhymnia (muse of sacred song), Urania (muse of astronomy), and Thalia (muse of comedy).

Muses_sarcophagus_Louvre_MR880

Terpsichore is generally depicted as seated with a lyre, thus accompanying the dancers with her music:

Muse-Terpsichore-Hermitage

She is also sometimes said to be the mother of the Sirens, those “femme fatales” who lured mariners to their deaths with their enchanting song and voice, thus shipwrecking them upon the rocks along the coast of their island home. A Greek epic of the third century B.C. writes of

“The clear-voiced Seirenes (Sirens), Akheloos’ (Achelous’) daughters, used to bewitch with their seductive melodies whatever sailors anchored there. Lovely Terpsikhore (Terpsichore), one of the Mousai (Muses), has borne them to Akheloos, and at one time they had been handmaids to Demeter’s gallant Daughter [Persephone], before she was married, and sung to her in chorus.”

Even in modern days, Terpsichore is still remembered and referenced…

Fred Astaire expresses his desire “to flirt with Terpsichore” as the reason for wanting to learn to dance in the 1936 movie Swing Time, which paired him with one of his best-known partners, Ginger Rogers, in what has been considered their best dance musical. Rita Hayworth played the role of the muse in the 1947 film Down to Earth; and Olivia Newton-John took on the role in the 1980 film Xanadu. Even the “Chairman of the Board” Frank Sinatra pays homage to the goddess of dance in the lyric “what an evening for some Terpsichore” from the song Come Dance With Me.

And on a daily basis, somewhere someone is invoking Terpsichore whenever they make a move on the dance floor.

dancing couple

Read Full Post »

The Goddess and the Cow (Eighth Day of Christmas)

Posted in Archives #4 Pagan Thoughts and Writings, Art & Literature, Beasts and Animals, Nature, Paganism, Poetry/Prose, Sabbats, Spirituality, The Yule Series, witchcraft, Women, Women's Spirituality on Wednesday January 2 2013 | Leave a Comment »

On the Eighth Day of Christmas, my Goddess gave to me…

eight maids milking. 

cow

Today we return to our discussion of the goddesses, with a visit to Egypt. Probably the best known cow goddess is Hathor, and her counterpart Bat.

Cow goddesses played a significant role in the pantheon of Ancient Egypt. Hathor is probably the best known of them, and was quite popular  amongst pharaoh and pauper alike – she was worshipped by both the common people, and the royalty who ruled over them. It is undeniable that in Dynastic Egypt, Hathor was a paramount female goddess. Egyptologists cite the evidence of pottery vessels and cow amulets to support such a belief, and further evidence suggests that the concept of a mothering cow goddess extends even further back in time to the Predynastic Egypt of 7000 B.C. The location and economy of Egypt certainly supports the idea of the life-giving importance of the woman, the cow, and the milk in an increasingly desert environment.

Certainly many agricultural cultures of the times revered the cow, seeing her as a nurturing entity – the perfect mother. However, not all of them necessarily adopted a cow goddess. Evidence of such in Predynastic Egypt appears to be based upon three assumptions: the beliefs surrounding Hathor and other earlier cow goddesses; depictions of cattle are to be identified as cow goddesses; and that women are associated with cattle. While there is clear evidence of the symbolic importance of cattle in Predynastic Egypt, what is not so clear is whether those cattle truly represent the Divine Feminine…or rather a bull, and thus the power of the king.

An example of such an argument can be found in the depictions of bovines seen on the Narmer palette, a stone ceremonial item dating from the very beginnings of the First Dynasty, approximately 3000 B.C. Interestingly, a depiction of a bovine creature on one side of the stone clearly indicate it is a bull; however, the row of bovine heads across the top have been interpreted as being either Bat or Hathor. Why it is assumed that these images must be cows as opposed to bulls is questionable, since there is nothing to identify their gender as such. However, based upon our knowledge of these female deities, one tends to presume that these are in fact depictions of a cow goddess.

palette-of-narmer

cow on narmer

We do know that Bat and Hathor existed – Bat is mentioned in the Pyramid Texts, as well as a Sixth Dynasty stone tablet, and Hathor first shows up in the reign of Khafre of the Fourth Dynasty. Hathor is the better known goddess…and the more enduring of the two. Indeed, Bat appears to have been assimilated into Hathor over time, and had pretty much disappeared from existence by the time of the Middle Kingdom – which began with the Eleventh Dynasty around 2000 B.C.

So who is Hathor? She is the goddess who personified joy, feminine love, and motherhood. At different times we can find her playing the role of a sky-goddess, a sun-goddess, a moon-goddess, a goddess of the east, a goddess of the west, a goddess of moisture, a goddess of fertility, an agricultural goddess, and a goddess of the underworld. She was originally thought to be the personification of the Milky Way, which is considered to be the milk that flows from the udders of a cosmic cow. She was the “Mistress of Heaven”; the Celestial Nurse who who fed the Pharaoh in the guise of a cow. As the “Mother of Mothers” she was goddess of women, fertility, children, and childbirth. She was also the patron goddess of dancers and associated with music. Many of her priestesses and priests were artisans, musicians, and dancers who added to the quality of life of the Egyptians and who worshipped her by expressing their artistic natures.

hathor-holy-cow

But Hathor had her destructive side also. In her role as the Eye of Ra – defender of the sun god – she manifested as the goddess Sekhmut and unleashed her wrath on Egypt, slaughtering people by the hundreds. Even when Ra himself asked her to stop, Sekhmut refused – such was her blood lust. Finally the slaughter was stopped when beer dyed red (to resemble blood) was poured over the killing fields, and upon drinking it Sekhmut became drunk and passed out, sleeping for several days. She awoke with no further taste for human flesh, and transformed back to her gentle, loving Hathor self.

A multi-dimensional goddess, Hathor had many relationships, many associations, many images, and many symbols. She was much loved and much worshipped – even outside of Egypt. Many were the festivals dedicated in her honor. Today her temples can still be found in Egypt, and in fact the Temple of Hathor at Dendera is one of the best preserved temples in the country. Indeed, the legacy of Hathor continues to influence not only Egyptian mythology, but modern day feminist theory to this very day.

Read Full Post »

The Goddess and the Swan (The Seventh Day of Christmas)

Posted in Archives #4 Pagan Thoughts and Writings, Art & Literature, Beasts and Animals, Empowerment, Magick, Nature, Paganism, Poetry/Prose, Ritual, Sabbats, Spirituality, The Yule Series, witchcraft, Women, Women's Spirituality on Tuesday January 1 2013 | 3 Comments »

On the Seventh Day of Christmas, my Goddess gave to me…

seven swans swimming. 

wg_six_swans

For the seventh day, I am going to divert away a bit from the discussion of goddesses and instead share my thoughts about a book that sits on my shelf amongst my other pagan-oriented publications…

The Twelve Wild Swans by Starhawk and Hilary Valentine.

The-Twelve-Wild-Swans-9780062516695

I have always loved Starhawk. She was one of my earliest teachers when I began my journey down the Path. Her books have played an important role in shaping my views of my spirituality…starting of course with The Spiral Dance and continuing with Dreaming the Dark, The Earth Path, The Empowerment Manual, and the novel she is currently working to develop into a movie - The Fifth Sacred Thing. I’ve done workshops with her, chanted with her, even taught her how to cuss in sign language. I quote her frequently on my Facebook wall, discuss her philosophy with my friends and fellow practitioners.

The Twelve Wild Swans, first published in 2001, is a resource book for Pagans that strives to continue the lessons and deepen the knowledge we were introduced to in Starhawk’s best-seller The Spiral Dance, long considered a classic mandatory text in any witch’s library.

The book takes its title from an ancient fairy tale of the same name. It is the story of a young princess who discovers the curse that had been placed upon her twelve brothers, changing them into twelve wild swans. Embarking upon a journey to resolve this terrible injustice and free her brothers, the princess discovers her true knowledge, her true powers, her true self.

The book uses the structure of this story as its own theme for journeying into the realm of magick, healing, and action. Its chapters address different components of the story – from Leaving the Castle and discovering the Wicked Vow, to facing the Challenge and experiencing the Transformation. And with every step of the way, we learn about the different magickal tools available to us – the spells, rituals, and various exercises that can make the journey not necessarily easier, but richer and more meaningful.

swan and woman

Modeling itself on the structure of the Reclaiming Tradition’s Witchcamps, the book introduces three possible paths that the reader can utilize as a roadmap to journeying through the world of magick, healing, and action:

The Elements Path is a good place to start if you’re new to the Craft, but even for an experienced witch it can be a good review of one’s skill and understanding of the basics. As the book explains, this path “teaches what we need to know to establish the first leg of the cauldron, that of personal spiritual practice and magick.

The second leg of the cauldron is the Inner Path, focusing on inner healing. Within the swan story lies an abundance of material to help us face and transform those wounded places within ourselves that block our joy, power, and ability to love. As Hilary Valentine explains:

Magic gives us tools for self-knowledge and change. 

Finally, the Outer Path is the third leg of the cauldron, taking our energies out into the world to find the strength, courage, and faith to challenge the systems of power that dominate and shape our society. Written by Starhawk, here we learn how to work with the magick to answer the multitude of questions that we ask ourselves on a daily basis in our roles as teachers, healers, organizers and ritual makers. As Starhawk reminds us:

The practice of magick rests on the power of the word. 

In the story of the twelve wild swans, the ending tells of the transformation which occurs – a transformation which has both its positives and its negatives, as the youngest brother is left with one human arm and one swan wing. On one hand, he is unable to fly and also unable to perform some of the human tasks. Yet on the other hand, he now adopts a shamanic task – his so-called “handicap” becomes his source of power; a way of walking between the worlds and bridging them both, bringing each to a greater understanding of the other.

In the same way, I also struggle with those positives and negatives. I’m deaf, and yet not deaf. I am hearing, and yet not hearing. I too can adopt the shamanic task of walking between the worlds; a Pagan in the world of the Deaf, a Deafie in the world of the Pagans. I use my own “disability” as a source of power – the language and the community which it provides becomes my own bridge. Mixing such with my other magickal tools, I work to develop my own personal power, as well as the power within both communities to better understand and appreciate each other.

The Twelve Wild Swans is a resource that has helped me greatly in understanding myself, my spirituality, and my journey through this world – a journey that is not always easy, but definitely rewarding. If you haven’t read this book, I would encourage you to get a copy and give it a good look.

It could teach you how to give flight to your own brand of magick.

Read Full Post »

The Goddess and the Goose (The Sixth Day of Christmas)

Posted in Archives #4 Pagan Thoughts and Writings, Art & Literature, Beasts and Animals, Irish/Celtic, Magick, Nature, Paganism, Poetry/Prose, Sabbats, Spirituality, The Yule Series, witchcraft, Women, Women's Spirituality on Tuesday January 1 2013 | Leave a Comment »

On the Sixth Day of Christmas, my Goddess gave to me…

six geese a-laying.

goddess and goose

There are many myths and legends which involve geese and their relationship with goddesses and women.

In her Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore, Patricia Monaghan had this to say about the goose:

Both the tame and wild goose had mythological and symbolic significance to the Celts. The barnyard goose, a notoriously aggressive being, was seen as an image of the warrior divinities, both male and female. Stone geese lined the temples of Gaul, while Brittany produced bronzes of war goddesses with goose-head helmets. Given this symbolism, it is ironic that the Celtic siege of Rome was ended when the geese of the goddess Juno Moneta’s temple set up such a commotion that the defenders were roused and the invading Celts defeated. So strong was the identification of the Celtic people with the goose that the animal was a taboo food amongst the Britons, used for divination and eaten only ritual occasions. Some fairy beings could change by shape-shifting into geese.

wild_goose

But perhaps the best known goddess associated with the goose isn’t Celtic. Rather, she comes to us predominately from the land of Germany, and surrounding areas. She goes by many names – Holle, Holda, Hulda, Hilde, Hilda, Hel…as well as Perchta, Befana, and other names. She is the Old Goddess, the Goose Mother, the Wise Woman who lives deep in the mountain forest with her flock of geese.

When Frau Holle shakes her down-filled quilt, the feathers fall to the earth and become snow. A Welsh proverb states that when the snow falls, people say that “The old woman is feathering her geese” or “Mother Goose is moulting” or “The goose mother is feathering her nest.”

Some say that Holle is the predecessor to the character many of us came to know in our childhood…Mother Goose. When one considers that the Brothers Grimm – Jacob and Wilhelm – were born and raised in Germany themselves, it is not difficult to make the connection between this goddess of German folklore and this imaginary author of fairy tales and nursery rhymes. However, in reality the Mother Goose tales have little if any true connection to the stories from the brothers. And yet the connection remains.

mother-goose

Certainly these are not the only cultures or civilizations that venerated the goose. We see this creature connected to female deities of various pantheons.

Images of Aphrodite riding a goose have been found in many examples of ancient artwork and sculpture, and bear a strong resemblance to modern-day depictions of Mother Goose:

aphrodite on goose

aphro and goose

Hindu goddesses have also been been illustrated as riding birds that looked much like a goose…although admittedly they may actually be swans, the concept remains the same – a female deity astride a large white feathered creature.

hindu goddess on bird

The image continues.

And we find ourselves asking…who is this character, whose personification seems to stretch over international boundaries? How is it that her image seems to show up practically everywhere? What does she signify? Nobody really knows for certain.

Perhaps the Mother Goose of later years was a way to preserve the image of the Great Goddess of earlier eras…to disguise her and guide her through dangerous times, to make her more easily dismissed by patriarchy.

And yet her power to influence us, to shape our imaginations, to teach us lessons in her fables and fantasies stays with us still.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 133 other followers