When it comes to honoring the gods, I believe that action speaks much louder than words - or in many cases louder than scholarship. Scholarship has its place in the Hellenic tradition and I have done my share of research of Persephone's mythos. But things like building Persephone's Glade and the experience I just had this weekend will always bring me closer to the Goddess.
This weekend I attended a festival here in the North Georgia Mountains. It is a festival that I have participated in pretty much every year since moving down to Georgia. Each year, I offer a workshop and this time I suggested a work shop on Persephone. It felt good to honor her by teaching others about her.
I had a great turnout, probably about 12 people or so. And something happened during that workshop. I had some basic notes, but I found myself really giving in to what the Goddess and what the people wanted for me to talk about. It felt very natural, not forced at all. Writing this blog for as long as I have has really provided me with all the tools I need to speak confidently about my relationship with her. And the best part is that the journey is continuous.
I shared the basic story of Persephone that most people know from the Homeric Hymn to Demeter. I shared my own take on the myth. I told the story of Persephone and the rabbit. People really seemed to like that one. I spoke about her relationship to her mother and her relationship to her husband. I spoke about her experience with Adonis. I shared my ideas about the two symbols that I connect her with the most; the Daffodil in the Spring and the Pomegranate in the Fall. I talked about pop-culture references including the Percy Jackson books by Rick Riordan and why I liked them. And I talked about why I didn't like the movie. I shared the joy that is Anais Mitchell's album Hadestown and how the TV show Caprica depicted a Hellenic-style funeral. And I shared my favorite poems about her by poets like Edna St. Vincent Millay.
It was beautiful to me that I had so much inspiration about Persephone to fill up an hour long workshop. It was great to be able to answer any questions that the people had about her as well.
Honor the Gods by talking about them. That is what they want.
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