Thursday, January 24, 2013

The Goddess at Lughnasadh

Taltiu, slow Magmor’s daughter,
‘Tis she that cut down the forest.
Lugh’s foster-mother, men declare,
The place of this assembly (is) round Tailtiu.

(The Edginburgh Dinnshenchas" by Whitley Stokes, Folklore IV)


Given that Lughnasadh is a time of joyous celebration, it is surprising to learn that Lughnasadh was originally funerary games for Tailtiu, the foster mother of the Irish God Lugh, who died clearing forested land for cultivation. This information is given in a Medieval poetic anthology known as the  Metrical Dindshenchas:
"Long was the sorrow, long the weariness of Tailtiu, in sickness after heavy toil; the men of the island of Erin to whom she was in bondage came to receive her last behest. She told them in her sickness (feeble she was but not speechless) that they should hold funeral games to lament her - zealous the deed."

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Bila, Aboriginal Sun Goddess

The Aboriginal peoples of Australia have numerous myths associated with land and "country" (their particular location). This means that every "country" had their own particular "genii loci", protective spirits or localised myths., as well as what psycho-analysis Carl Jung would describe as the "collective unconsciousness" - similar themes appearing not only around the country but also around the world.
 
The beautiful Flinders Rangers, home of the Adnyamathanha people.
 

Friday, January 4, 2013

Water - the Source of Life

A new calendar year and the Summer's heat has arrived to this dry brown land.  With the Australian weather patterns often moving across the country from west to east, the heatwave that Perth was sweltering under around Christmas time, is now making its presence felt in the southern central states - however the heat has intensified due to the desert.

As the life force energies can very quickly be sapped from the living during this intense heat, I thought I would share an article that has a cooling watery feel that had originally been posted on my old blog.  It is important that in the heat we keep our fluids up.  It is also vitally important that we keep an eye out for those who may not be able to look after themselves - the elderly and infirmed, our pets, and local wildlife.  It doesn't cost much to put a couple of extra bowls of water out (in shadey places) or to knock on someone's door to ensure that they are coping, or even drop them off a bag of ice.

"Dancing the Sacred Wheel" now available again

"Dancing the Sacred Wheel" now available again
The second edition of "Dancing the Sacred Wheel: A Journey through the Southern Sabbats" is now available through www.createspace.com or direct from the author (Australian customers only) for an autographed copy.

Great Goddess Isis

Great Goddess Isis

Exhortation of Isis

You are She in the dust of whose feet is the hosts of Heaven,
Whose body encircles the Universe,
Who turns the Earth in its orb,
Who gives light to the Sun,
Who rules the World.

You tread death underfoot.
To Thee, the stars are responsive,
To Thee the seasons turn and the Gods rejoice
And the elements are in subjugation.


You are She that is the natural Mother of all things,
Mistress and governor of all elements,
The initial progeny of worlds,
Chief of Divine powers,
Queen of Heaven,
Principle of all the Gods celestial and the light of Goddesses.

At Your will are disposed the planets of the air,
The wholesome winds of the seas
And the silences of the unseen world.