Cyber Cauldron

The ancients took great care to remember their dead, considering it an act of impiety to neglect the graves of their ancestors. Below is a suggested modern form of this observance.

Traditional dates for such rites include the monthly day of Hekate, when house sweepings are deposited on the grave (Garland, The Greek Way of Death, p. 40); the anniversary of the person’s death; the Genesia, a general remembrance day for the dead; and at any time when the living need the aid of the departed.

Bringing offerings of olive oil and wine, approach the grave reverently and say:

Hermes, guide of those who move between the realms of the living and the dead, guide my steps and ferry my prayers to the halls of the Most Hospitable One and to the ears of my dear departed [name relationship: parent, child, spouse, friend, etc.]

Pour the oil and the wine onto the grave and say:

Dear departed [name relationship], you have taken your seat in the halls of Queen Persephone and her lord, among all those who have left this mortal realm. May you have a place of honor there! May you enjoy hospitality and ease!

Now hear me, beloved one. Know that your [name your relationship to the departed: son/daughter/spouse, etc.] has not let your memory fade, nor will [he / her] ever neglect [his / her] duty! May these offerings strengthen you and bring you gladness, as you brought strength and gladness to my life. Do not forget those of us who still walk under the sun, beloved one, and lend us your wisdom still. [If you feel a need for guidance in some aspect of your life, mention it here.]

Fleet-footed Hermes, carry these words to Haides and bring me an omen.

Await an omen; it may take the form of a person, animal, natural phenomenon–such as a sudden wind or shower–or as a kledon, a spoken word that seems particularly appropriate to your concern. The omen may come immediately, or at a later time, so keep watch for it.

copyright 2000 by Andrew Campbell.

Cyber Cauldron Shop Hellenic and Pagan Jewellery
Hecate for Transformation and Rebirth £11.99	Caduceus for gaining Wisdom and Communication Skills £8.99	Diana for Feminine Strength and Desires £6.99	Divine Pegasus for Inspiration £24.99	Hecate Hand Fasting & Ceremony Tiara £24.99
Demeter Hand Fasting & Ceremony Tiara £24.99	Aphrodite Hand Fasting & Ceremony Tiara £24.99	Diana Hand Fasting & Ceremony Tiara £12.95	Ringed Pentagram for Will Power and Success £4.99	Cauldron Altar Sized with Pentagram Design £11.99

Originally posted 2010-10-22 08:09:42. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The myths surrounding Persephone has always been my favourites, the mix of love and revenge, of life and death and rebirth.

Persephone is the queen of the Underworld wife to Hades (her uncle) she was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter.

The Myth of Persephone and the Underworld is a myth that if wrote today would probably be a best seller, it is a mix of kidnap, arranged marriage, mental instability and Horror. Not only dose it contain all that it contain the ability to read your own story into it.

One of the biggest questions to ask when looking at Persephone is did she love Hades? Was she in on it? Did she choose a life in the underworld rather than returning to an over baring mother?

The Basic story states that Persephone was playing with her nymphs in a flowery meadow when the earth opens and out rides Hades and grabs Persephone and carries her to the Underworld.

The Goddess Hecate heard Persephone’s cries and informs Demeter and together the search the Earth using Hecate’s torches to light the way. When they cannot find her Hecate suggest the Demeter asks Helios. Helios informs Demeter what happens and Demeter then partitions Zeus to intervene.

Zeus refuses to help and lets it slip he assisted by giving his permission for the abduction to place. In a blind rage Demeter refuses to let anything grow on earth until Persephone is returned to her, at that moment all the plants withered on earth. Some say Demeter wander the earth going madder and madder with grief.

During this time Persephone grow in to her role of wife and Queen of the Underworld although it is said that she missed her mother. While Persephone was in the Under world the Earth was racked with famine and Demeter’s grief continued to grow seeing this Zeus heart softened and he relented he summons Hermes and informs him that Persephone is commanded to return to her Mother.

Hermes then travels to the Underworld and informs Hades and Persephone of Zeus command. Knowing that no God or mortal can refuse a command from Zeus. So as she was leaving to return to her mother Hades offers her a pomegranate. Persephone new that if she ate any of the food from the underworld she would be bound to the Underworld and Not even Zeus could force her to leave, So she are 6 (some say 7 others 4 I like 6 as it make more sense) pomegranate seeds.

Hermes Knowing he could not complete his task and knowing that Zeus would be most upset that his commands where not completed. So he opens a negotiation between Demeter and Hades after what must have been a very difficult negotiation it is agreed that because Persephone did not eat the whole pomegranate that she could return to her mother for part of the time.

Some stories say the 4 months of winter while other say six months for myself I like the idea that she leaves in autumn and returns in spring, the trees drawing back in to the earth the earth slowly dying a way in time with Demeter’s lose and as time moves on Demeter grief increases just like any mother with their child away. Well until the mind set change from my babies going to be a way for x number of weeks to my babies back in x weeks. I often see the solstice as this point of change as it part of our nature soon as the solstice arrives people start saying x number weeks to spring.

As I start preparing for Imbolc my thoughts always focus on Persephone and that first daffodil just poking out of the ground heralding her arrival.

The abduction of Persephone is but one of the legends of Persephone and in each myth she is a kind and giving goddess. Persephone was willing to help Psyche pass Aphrodite’s tests so that Psyche could be reunited with her beloved husband she also helped Heracles (Hercules), loaning him Cerberus, the ferocious three-headed dog that guarded the entrance of the underworld, so that he could complete the Twelve Labours he’d been assigned to make retribution for the death of his wife.

Persephone is the keeper of dark knowledge and sometime is part of the triple goddess that includes Hecate as maiden, Persephone as bride and Demeter as crone sometimes called the Dark Demeter.

Cyber Cauldron Shop Fairies and Fairy Jewellery
Leaf Faerie For Renewal £7.99 More Info	Nectar Faerie For Vitality £7.99 More Info	The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns and Fairies £8.21 More Info	Isis Faerie For Fertility £7.99 More Info	Nectar Faerie For Vitality £7.99 More Info
Mustard Seed Faery for Creativity £7.99 pills online href=”/shop/the-secret-commonwealth-of-elves-fauns-and-fairies-p-980.html”>More Info	Faeriecraft: Treading the Path of Faerie Magic £11.74 More Info	Mushroom Fairy for Transformation and Illumination £9.99 More Info	The Fairy Bible by Teresa Moorey £15.26 More Info	Elf Heart for Happiness and Love £9.99 More Info

Related articles

• The Opulence of the Underworld (theater.nytimes.com)
• Donna Henes: Harvesting Mother Earth’s Gifts of Life (huffingtonpost.com)

Originally posted 2011-01-26 10:13:32. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

As I a bit of a science geek as well as being a Witch when I came across the 7 hermitic laws I was fascinated on how these 7 basic rules applied to life the universe and the principles of [wikipedia] magick [/wikipedia]. The [wikipedia] seven Hermitic laws [/wikipedia] are; Mentalism, Correspondence, Vibration, Polarity, Rhythm, Cause and Effect and finally Gender.

From my point of view these laws can, when applied together correctly can produce outstanding results. The laws themselves have long drawn out explanations so I have come up with a simple one line statement and explanation.

1^st Law “Mentalism”

The god is the mind; the universe is the mental projection.

For me this means that everything can be perceived or imagined can become real and we all have the power since we are all part of the divine force which gives us the power of the gods. All you need is to declare yourself a god/dess then you are a god/dess.

2^nd Law “Correspondence”

As above so below, as below so above,

This is a weird one as it can be taken in lots of ways, but for me it a reminder that everything is inter-connected. Nothing is separate everything belongs to something else if something is removed then the whole ceases to insist. 

3^rd Law “Vibration”

Nothing rests, everything moves everything vibrates.

This one for me is relies on quantum physics and the understanding that even at the smallest particle is in motion and that the motions causes a vibration at a sub atomic level.

4^th Law “Polarity”

Everything is dual everything has a pole & opposite

Polarity for me is easy to comprehend I just have to think of a magnet it is equally negative and positive and if that balance shifts then it stops being a magnet- this law is basically is everything has its equal and opposite.

5^th “Rhythm”

Everything flows everything has tides all things rise & fall

In its basic form everything has a beat, rhythm or ebb and flow. These rhythms are easy to detect the heartbeat, the pulse of a quartz crystal, the ebb and flow of the tide are easy to detect but some rhythms are very slow or very fast that they are over looked or dismissed such as the rhythms of the seasons or the rhythm of a electron flowing around a nuclei.

6^th Law “Cause & Effect”

Every cause has an effect & every effect has a cause

For me this law reminds me to be ethical in magickal and daily life. And the everything has an equal and opposite reaction, when casting a spell for what ever reason their will be a reaction. I can explain this with an analogy “be careful for what you wish for you just might get it”

7^th Law “Gender”

Gender is everything, everything is masculine & feminine gender manifest on all plane.

This is the final reminder that sexual values such as male and female are ways to divide things in two, and by polarizing gender we upset the vibration of the true whole. In everything is both male and female although this balance is not always equal as explained by the play write [wikipedia] Aristophanes [/wikipedia] in the Origins of Love (see youtube video below.)

The hermitic laws are studied in greater details in [wikipedia] Hermeticism [/wikipedia] or the [wikipedia] Western Hermetic Tradition [/wikipedia] is a set of philosophical and religious beliefs or [wikipedia] gnosis [/wikipedia] based primarily upon the [wikipedia] Hellenistic [/wikipedia] Egyptian pseudepigraphical writings attributed to [wikipedia] Hermes [/wikipedia] [wikipedia] Trismegistus [/wikipedia] who is the representation of the conflation of the Egyptian god [wikipedia] Thoth [/wikipedia] with the Greek Hermes. These beliefs have heavily influenced the Western Esoteric Tradition and were considered to be of great importance during the Renaissance

Cyber Cauldron Shop Pentagrams
Open Pentagram Empowered for any Positive Purpose. £11.99	Draco Pentagram for Discovering True Will £14.99	Inverted Pentagram Material Manifestation. £7.99	Pentagram for Achievement of Goals £6.99	Pentagram of Brisingamen for Beauty and Charm £9.99
Runestar Pentagram for Creative Inspiration £7.99	The Rose Cross For High Magick £19.99	Double Pentagram for Powers of the Light £9.99	Cheap Viagra Online Without Prescription for Magical Achievement” width=”74″ height=”80″ /> Open Pentagram for Magical Achievement £9.99	Pagani Pentagram to Increase Psychic Ability £14.99

  Copyright protected by Digiprove © 2010 Cyber Caulron

Originally posted 2010-09-26 19:35:33. Republished by Blog Post Promoter