Post by Laurasia on Mar 18, 2005 17:56:46 GMT -5
Gaia - Gaia's blessing is life. All things that draw breath & nourishment, &
have their homes upon the Earth, do so through her. Every plant, animal, bird,
fish, tree, rock is special to her. But that kind of love is impersoanl.
Because she cares for all things, she must consider what is best for the
overall balance. And so the herd of gazelle is thinned out by the lion, because
otherwise they would eat up all their food & starve to death. From the
perspective of the indivual gazelle this can seem cruel & uncaring - but when
seen within the larger picture, we see that she does nothing needlessly, or
overly cruel.
Symbols: Fruit, cornicopia
Animals: All of them
Sacrifices: Any grain, flowers or plants; except for beans & aromatic herbs
Ways to honor her: The best way to honor Gaia is to care for the natural world.
Clean up pollution, protect wildlife, donate time & money to ecological
concerns. Recycle. Buy wholesome foods that are made without pesticides or
come with all of the extra packaging. Conserve energy. Carpool or walk instead
of drive. Be mindful of how your actions will affect the rest of the world.
********************************************************************************
HAIDES - Haides' blessing is acceptance of our mortality. It's the common lot of all men, what sets us apart from the Gods. It comes to everyone - the rich & the poor alike, without malice. We can fight it off, attempt to resist the inevitable - but we will always fail. Instead, we should live with the sure knowledge thatw e will die, & make every moment a good & worthy one. When our time comes, we should meet it nobly, as we would an esteemed friend.
Symbols: Narcissus, cyprus, Helm of Invisibility, two-pronged spear
Animals: Black rams & bulls
Sacrifices: None recieved.
Ways to honor him: Don't fear death, but accept its inevitablity. Help others through the process of grief. Remember the dead with fondness, for they lie on in our thoughts & dreams.
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HEKATE - Hekate is a guide & a guardian. She protects those who call upon her, especially from murder, magick, theft, the dangers of childbirth & the hardships of life on the road. She is also a mediating figure, who intercedes on our behalf with the other Gods.
Symbols: Torches, keys, rope, knife
Animals: Dogs, owls, crows, snakes, frogs
Sacrifices: Yew, cypress, hazel, black poplar, willow, black dogs, black bulls, black lambs, myrrh, civet, camphor, aloe, menstrual blood, red mullet, bread, eggs, cheese, honey.
Ways to honor her: Study magick & prophecy, particularly theurgy, as she is the patron of that art. Go for walks at night, or among strange places. Aid fellow tavelers & strangers, especially if they have dogs. (Or are wild dogs!) Appreciate the weird & uncanny.
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HEPHAISTOS - Hephaistos values hard work, honesty, dependability, & above all, loyalty. He is not concerned with getting the glory, but with getting the job done, & doing it well. He encourages his followers to tackle their problems with vigor & persistence, & shows them how to take rough & unpleasant things & turn them into works of beauty. He is a peacemaker, capable of seeing the many different sides of an arguement. He doesn't jump into a fray until he has carefully weighed all sides of the dilemma. But when he does, his actions are swift, decisive & efficient. He is the patron of all civilized arts, though smiths & metalworkers are his special charges.
Symbols: Forge, anvil, tongs
Animals: Quail
Sacrifices: Frankincense, fire opal, red poppy, hibiscus, nettle, galbanum, olibanum
Ways to honor him: Work with your hands, particularly in making jewelry, smithing or home repair projects. Support artisans & craftspeople. Support thos with disabilities. Read about volcanoes & earthquakes. Visit the site of one, if you're able. Be a peacemaker.
********************************************************************************
HERA - In myth hera often gets the short end of the stick, coming off as a jealous shrew & a cruel prosecutor of the unfortunates who attracted the wandering eye of her husband. But Hera also has a protective & nurturing side. She is faithful & dutiful, & looks after marriages & mothers. She has, to a lesser degree, connections with nature, particularly agriculture & livestock.
Symbols: Peacock feather, scepter, crown
Animals: Cow, cuckoo, peacock
Sacrifices: Aromatic herbs, willow, peacock feathers, poppies, star sapphire, myrrh, civet
Ways to honor her: Repsect marital vows, your own & those of others. Work hard at your relationships. Keep the romance alive. Don't fall into a routine, or take your partner for granted. Be aware of your jealousy, & the effects it has on how you deal with your partner. Try not to do things that will make your partner jealous. Surprise you partner with little things that you know will make them happy. Keep the lines of communication open. A good marriage isn't an easy thing to create, but all the effort that goes into it is a way to worship Hera. Don't forget to pray to her when you're feeling stressed, frustrated or taken advantage of. She often has really good advice!
********************************************************************************
Sincerely,
Laurasia
have their homes upon the Earth, do so through her. Every plant, animal, bird,
fish, tree, rock is special to her. But that kind of love is impersoanl.
Because she cares for all things, she must consider what is best for the
overall balance. And so the herd of gazelle is thinned out by the lion, because
otherwise they would eat up all their food & starve to death. From the
perspective of the indivual gazelle this can seem cruel & uncaring - but when
seen within the larger picture, we see that she does nothing needlessly, or
overly cruel.
Symbols: Fruit, cornicopia
Animals: All of them
Sacrifices: Any grain, flowers or plants; except for beans & aromatic herbs
Ways to honor her: The best way to honor Gaia is to care for the natural world.
Clean up pollution, protect wildlife, donate time & money to ecological
concerns. Recycle. Buy wholesome foods that are made without pesticides or
come with all of the extra packaging. Conserve energy. Carpool or walk instead
of drive. Be mindful of how your actions will affect the rest of the world.
********************************************************************************
HAIDES - Haides' blessing is acceptance of our mortality. It's the common lot of all men, what sets us apart from the Gods. It comes to everyone - the rich & the poor alike, without malice. We can fight it off, attempt to resist the inevitable - but we will always fail. Instead, we should live with the sure knowledge thatw e will die, & make every moment a good & worthy one. When our time comes, we should meet it nobly, as we would an esteemed friend.
Symbols: Narcissus, cyprus, Helm of Invisibility, two-pronged spear
Animals: Black rams & bulls
Sacrifices: None recieved.
Ways to honor him: Don't fear death, but accept its inevitablity. Help others through the process of grief. Remember the dead with fondness, for they lie on in our thoughts & dreams.
********************************************************************************
HEKATE - Hekate is a guide & a guardian. She protects those who call upon her, especially from murder, magick, theft, the dangers of childbirth & the hardships of life on the road. She is also a mediating figure, who intercedes on our behalf with the other Gods.
Symbols: Torches, keys, rope, knife
Animals: Dogs, owls, crows, snakes, frogs
Sacrifices: Yew, cypress, hazel, black poplar, willow, black dogs, black bulls, black lambs, myrrh, civet, camphor, aloe, menstrual blood, red mullet, bread, eggs, cheese, honey.
Ways to honor her: Study magick & prophecy, particularly theurgy, as she is the patron of that art. Go for walks at night, or among strange places. Aid fellow tavelers & strangers, especially if they have dogs. (Or are wild dogs!) Appreciate the weird & uncanny.
********************************************************************************
HEPHAISTOS - Hephaistos values hard work, honesty, dependability, & above all, loyalty. He is not concerned with getting the glory, but with getting the job done, & doing it well. He encourages his followers to tackle their problems with vigor & persistence, & shows them how to take rough & unpleasant things & turn them into works of beauty. He is a peacemaker, capable of seeing the many different sides of an arguement. He doesn't jump into a fray until he has carefully weighed all sides of the dilemma. But when he does, his actions are swift, decisive & efficient. He is the patron of all civilized arts, though smiths & metalworkers are his special charges.
Symbols: Forge, anvil, tongs
Animals: Quail
Sacrifices: Frankincense, fire opal, red poppy, hibiscus, nettle, galbanum, olibanum
Ways to honor him: Work with your hands, particularly in making jewelry, smithing or home repair projects. Support artisans & craftspeople. Support thos with disabilities. Read about volcanoes & earthquakes. Visit the site of one, if you're able. Be a peacemaker.
********************************************************************************
HERA - In myth hera often gets the short end of the stick, coming off as a jealous shrew & a cruel prosecutor of the unfortunates who attracted the wandering eye of her husband. But Hera also has a protective & nurturing side. She is faithful & dutiful, & looks after marriages & mothers. She has, to a lesser degree, connections with nature, particularly agriculture & livestock.
Symbols: Peacock feather, scepter, crown
Animals: Cow, cuckoo, peacock
Sacrifices: Aromatic herbs, willow, peacock feathers, poppies, star sapphire, myrrh, civet
Ways to honor her: Repsect marital vows, your own & those of others. Work hard at your relationships. Keep the romance alive. Don't fall into a routine, or take your partner for granted. Be aware of your jealousy, & the effects it has on how you deal with your partner. Try not to do things that will make your partner jealous. Surprise you partner with little things that you know will make them happy. Keep the lines of communication open. A good marriage isn't an easy thing to create, but all the effort that goes into it is a way to worship Hera. Don't forget to pray to her when you're feeling stressed, frustrated or taken advantage of. She often has really good advice!
********************************************************************************
Sincerely,
Laurasia
