Adorations to Persephone and an anthology

This post is two fold. 

The other day, I saw this post over at Sannion's House of Vines. I thought to myself "Hey, that is a really great idea!"

Apparently, I wasn't the only person who thought so. Another Persephone devotee, Melitta Benu,
was inspired to create her 93 Adorations to Persephone.  As she mentions in her post, many of the associations are personal to her so I don't know that I will find myself using her prayers verbatim.  But it is lovely just the same. 

Of course, one of the reasons I began following Melitta's blog is that she is the Editor of a new devotional anthology dedicated to Persephone. I am eagerly awaiting the publication of The Queen of The Sacred Way. One of the reasons I am excited is because I have an essay in the book, but I am also excited because of some of the other authors included, such as Charles Stein. I can't believe I will be published in a volume along with people like Mr. Stein. 

So stay tuned for the publication date! 

Shrine

I was just going through some of my old photos for a different project and I found this one. 

 

I love the placement of the dying hydrangea with the image of Persephone and Hades along with a simple pomegranate oil lamp, a clay pig and the incense.  It seems so serene and peaceful.  I thought I would share it on this New Year's Eve as we cross the threshold from 2011 to 2012.

Beer, Dionysos and Christmas

Every post I've put here lately has begun with apologies for not being around much lately.  I have to say I am still processing many things that have happened to me recently and am also processing some of the things I am about to do. I am about to jump headfirst into what looks like a shallow pool and all I can hope for is that I won't break my neck.

But no matter what scary things lie before me, I always love to celebrate the winter holidays with my friends and family and knowing they are around and support me means everything to me. 

Even though Persephone is very close to me all year long I can't help but honor Dionysos this time of year. One of the many divine births to happen around this time of year was Dionysos himself. Also, the very essence of him is celebratory.

I don't make wine, but I do brew beer and I do find that a contemplative and celebratory way to honor my gods. This year, I made a Yule Gingerbread Porter to share with our friends and family. I'm pleased with it - a hearty brown porter made with ginger, allspice, clove and cinnamon to make it taste like gingerbread. I hope they like it but most of all I hope they know that I made it to celebrate them and to celebrate life and love and happiness. 

Dionysos and my Yule Gingerbread Porter

Prayers to Athena and Artemis

We just got back from our trip to South Africa that I had mentioned before. I can't even begin to articulate some of the things that happened. If you want a general recap, go to our tiny house blog.

But I wanted to offer the followings Homeric hymns to Athena, for her Wisdom and Justice and to Artemis, protector of children.

I begin to sing of Pallas Athena, the dread Protectress of the city,who with Ares looks after matters of war, the plundering of cities, the battle-cry and the fray.It is She who protects the people, wherever they might come or go.Hail, Goddess, and give us good spirits and blessed favor!

Athena, may you grant us wisdom in the decision we'll have to make and allow those decisions to be just and fair.

Muse, sing of Artemis, sister of the Far-shooter, the virgin who delights in arrows, who was fostered with Apollo. She waters her horses from Meles deep in reeds, and swiftly drives her all-golden chariot through Smyrna to vine-clad Claros where Apollo, god of the silver bow, sits waiting for the far-shooting goddess who delights in arrows. 

Artemis, may you please watch over our project and protect the children above all other things.

If ever I have poured libations in your honor, hear my prayers.

Libations to the Gods and Ancestors

Yesterday, I held a very subdued Samhain celebration.  I set up my altar for Persephone and Hades as the king and queen of the underworld and for the ancestors, as represented by a photograph of my Great Aunt and Grandmother taken in 1921.  I also had a dried pomegranate on the altar as well as a coin for the underworld and a small figure of Hecate as the maid that leads the way. I also placed two small glasses on the altar. One for the Gods and one for the ancestors. Then I cracked open a bottle of the Pomegranate Wheat beer I recently brewed and poured it in the two glasses and then a small serving for myself and my partner. We sipped the beer in silence as were privately honored those who have gone before us. I hope everyone had a blessed Samhain.

In which I brew beer for the Goddess

As you all know, I brew beer. I brew beer because it is awesome. I brew it because I like to drink it, but also because I enjoy the art and science behind a good brew. It has a certain magic.

Recently, I brewed a specific recipe. It turned out to be delicious, which is exactly what a brewer hopes for. It was crisp and clean and just a little bit of the fruit flavors came through. But I didn't just brew it to have a tasty beer beverage to enjoy. I brewed it as an act of love and devotion to Persephone and her mother. This is why I chose a wheat beer base, for Demeter, and added pomegranate for Persephone. In one sense, it is an offering to bring about a long term goal of mine. I want to be a brewer. Not just a homebrewer, but I want to start my own beer company or brewpub. And not in the whimsical "one day I'll do this" sense, but in the "I have a plan I will execute" sense.  I want the Pomegranate Wheat to be one of my staple beers and so I thought I might want to get to practicing.  There are a lot of modifications I will make the next time I give it a try.  After tasting it, I thought of several different ways to get a more complex flavor out of the brew. But even still, it was a delicious beer bringing together the symbols of two goddesses. 

So here is to Persephone and to Demeter. May they bless my path. And may I always be able to offer them a Pomegranate Wheat Beer to thank them.   

My Equinox Celebration in Pictures

I was up in Asheville this weekend working on our tiny house.  Since I was there just a day after the Equinox, I wanted to pour libations and present offerings to Persephone at her Glade.

I offered her some local Asheville beer, the Highland Brewery Octoberfest, Clawhammer. Since craft beer is one of my favorite things, it seems very appropriate for me to offer it to the Goddess.  The autumn seasonal beer was perfect.  I poured most of it out for, her but I certainly had a few sips myself.  I also picked her a small bouquet of purple wildflowers.  I placed the offerings at the base of her statue in the glade.

A really cool black pointy spider had set up shop on the statue as well.  I considered removing her, but somehow she seemed to belong and Persephone didn't seem to mind the company.  I did find out that this kind of spider is called a Spined Micrathena and apparently their are really common. And I just love their name.  Apparently, only the females make webs and all of the ones I seem to walk into with my face are Micrathena webs. 

And to to honor Persephone and the changing season, I wanted to repost this poem. 

Little girl running
Blonde to her autumn mother
Dancing among the daffodils
Embracing butterflies
Little girl laughing
Springtime laughing

Womanhood come little girl
Blossoming to fullness
Breasts and hips and legs
All full, beautiful
Little girl grown
Summer laughing

Then He come up
Man, misunderstood
Not the mother love
Daughter love
And with him is wed
Autumn laughing

The underworld reached
Little girl becomes queen
Queen of darkness
Last face of sweetness
Little girl is the wise one
Winter laughing