Isis

Isis was the supreme Mother Goddess of ancient Egypt. She was married to her brother Osiris, and their child was the God Horus. The three Deities made up the holy trinity of the Egyptian pantheon. Isis was not a distant Goddess, but one who spent time among mankind. She taught many skills to the women, such as grinding corn, spinning fibers and reading. Isis was also associated with the moon, magick, motherhood, civilization and was the patron to all priestesses.

She was the most powerful Deity of the pantheon, even more so than the older sun God, Ra. She tricked Ra to get his secret name, by which she gained many of his powers as well as her own.

In another myth, Isis was the first to use mummification to restore life to the dead. Her husband was murdered by his jealous brother Set, and when Isis found the pieces of his body, she wrapped them in linen strips. After breathing life back into him, Osiris' body was healed and whole again. This is the base for the well-known tradition among the ancient Egyptians to mummify their dead in preparation for the afterlife.

Her popularity among the people spread far beyond Egyptian lands. Isis was worshipped into the Greek and Roman regions as well. Even as Christianity came to these places, her priestesses created temples to the Madonna in an effort to preserve her. Many images of her with her son Horus are very similar to paintings of the Madonna and child.

Horus

Horus was the younger sun God that virtually took over the role from the older God, Ra. Many qualities and roles of these two Deities became blurred and overlapped over the hundreds of years of ancient Egyptian culture. Like Ra, Horus was a great sun God who ruled over the other Gods. He was very powerful and represented divine leadership, and was incarnated in the Pharaohs.

He was son to Isis and Osiris, and the three of them made up the holy Trinity of the pantheon. Because he exists in some myths as a child, and some as a man, Horus is sometimes named "Horus the Younger" and "Horus the Elder" to differentiate between these two aspects. Like Ra, Horus' animal representation is the falcon. Horus is sometimes called the son of Ra, but his lineage places the two much farther apart. Ra would be Horus' great-great-grandfather.

The eye of Horus symbol comes from one of the many battles between Horus and his uncle Set. Set tore out one of Horus' eyes. Set was forced to return the eye, and it has represented protection from evil ever since. He battled with Set to avenge the earlier murder of his father, Osiris. These battles are likely tied to the battles that took place between Upper and Lower Egypt.

There were temples to Horus in nearly every city of Egypt, but one of the main shrines was Edfu. The temple to Horus is one of the best preserved in Egypt and second only to Karnak in size.

Hathor

Hathor was another much-loved Goddess of ancient Egypt. Her name was pronounced in 2 distinct syllables (Hat-hor), rather than with the 'th' blend in the middle. She was closely tied with Isis, as a protector of women, and Goddess of motherhood, love and music. Hathor was a Goddess of the stars and sky, and was usually depicted either as a cow, or a woman with the head of a cow.

Her love of music could be seen as she carried a sistrum (a rattle) with her often. She was particularly loved by the lower-class women, and was usually called upon during childbirth. The Greeks felt she had a great deal in common with Aphrodite.

She was typically a calm and peaceful Deity, but on one occasion was called upon by Ra to punish mankind for not worshipping him properly. He sent Hathor to the task, but she became frenzied with blood-lust and Ra feared that she would destroy all mankind. So he poured beer in the fields, and she drank. She fell asleep, drunk, and forgot about her mission. Hathor did like her ale.

Hathor was the daughter of the sun God Ra, and Nut, the Goddess of the night sky. In her cow persona, she was nurse to Horus when he was a child.

Her main temple was at Dendera in Egypt, where healers and midwives offered services to Hathor's worshippers.

Geb

Geb was husband and brother of Nut, and was one of the earliest Egyptian Gods. Geb and Nut gave birth to many of the other Gods, such as Osiris, Isis, Set and Nephthys. They are also sometimes credited with being the parents of Horus. He wasn't as well-defined as a personality as the later Gods, and was broadly a fertility or Earth God. Images of Geb almost always show him lying under the arched body of Nut (the sky). Though references to him were wide-spread, there were no temples built to Geb

Geb's own parents were Shu (air) and Tefnut (water), the children of Ra. The animal symbol for Geb was a goose, and he was even called the "Great Cackler" with laughter that could cause earthquakes.

Geb and Nut are nearly always referred to together as a pair. Nut was originally married to Ra, but she only loved Geb. As punishment, Ra forced them apart which is why Nut must spend her days in the sky. He also cursed Nut that she could not bear any children for the 360 days of the year. But clever Thoth borrowed some light from the moon to create an extra 5 days for Nut. On those days, she had her 5 children. Each of these 5 days was marked with festivals in ancient times.

The days when Osiris, Nephthys and Set were born were considered unlucky days, the day of Isis was lucky, and the final day when Horus was born was neither lucky nor unlucky. They were called the five epagomenal days of the year

The Nemesis Conjuration

In this ritual the Greek Goddess Nemesis, a deity of fate and vengeance, is seen in the
role of being the complementary opposite of ones ego referring to the inner self as the
center of both personalities. Habits and actions taken against ones real desires create
the opposite to the same degree and thereby form an anti-personality of ones ego,
which in this case is identified with the principle of Nemesis.

Disturbances on the plane of reality due to actions against ones subconscious desires
can be eliminated by ritual union with this personal demon-sister/brother and enable one
to reach ones inner self, which is defined as the mean value of both the personalities.

The effect of this ritual, if performed correctly, would by definition be fatal. Therefore the
operation is strictly limited to the part of the psyche which the magician wishes to
explore. A sigil representing this portion of the psyche is forcibly activated during the
ritual in order that the magician may seek answers to his problems within the chosen
area in the personality. No specific wishes or desires can be used for this purpose, only
general ones. This is a necessary restriction to avoid being overwhelmed by any
unpleasant effects. The magician should be aware of this when constructing the sigil.


Nemesis Conjuration:
1.Banishing.
2.The ritual is performed sitting on the ground in the posture of the Rune PERDRO.
The head may rest on the lower part of the arms, and the face should be covered
by the cowl of the robe.
3.Statement of intent: IT IS MY WILL TO TAKE A STEP TOWARDS THE CENTRE
OF MY SELF BY UNION WITH MY OPPOSITE THROUGH THIS SIGIL!
4.The incantation is given while visualizing a winged figure of opposite sex who
approaches the magician. The figure wears the chosen sigil on his/her breast and
is both beautiful and terrifying at the same time.
5.Incantation:
Come to me oh Nemesis, mighty, terrifying and beloved sister.
Come to me oh Nemesis, you, who are the goddess of my god,
you, who are the demon of my demon.
Come to me oh Nemesis, you, who are the demon of my god,
you, who are the goddess of my demon.
Come to me oh Nemesis, you, who are part of me which I am not,
you, who are the counterbalance on the
scales of my fate.
Come to me oh Nemesis, you, whose wings carry us to our
mutual central Kia.
Come to me oh Nemesis, you, who are my ultimate fear,
you, who are my ultimate desire.
you, with whom to unite is the sigh of
ecstasy and the silence of death.
Come to me oh Nemesis, for you are my path and I am our aim
I call upon you to meet me in this sigil.
Come to me oh Nemesis and guide me through this sigil to our
mutual central Kia !

Start hyperventilation during the reading out of the incantation. The visualized figure with
the sigil coming closer and closer to finally melt into your own body. When this point is
reached shout out:

ZodACAM VaPAAHe ANANAEL ZoDA Ah!
(I move the wings of the secret wisdom within me!)

1.Banishing and/or laughter.

DIANA OF THE DUNES

Dunes State Park near Gary, Indiana


Around 1915, the area that is now the Dunes State Park in northern Indiana was mostly uninhabited wilderness. The stories spread around the vicinity of Chesterton, Indiana that fisherman who were along the beach at certain times of the day had been lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a naked woman swimming in the lake. The story spread that a beautiful woman was living as a hermit along the beach and her notoriety grew to a point that many compared her to the ancient Greek goddess Diana...hence the name of this legendary creature.

In truth, her name was Alice Marble Gray and she was the daughter of an influential couple from Chicago. Alice had traveled extensively and was cultured and educated. She had worked in the city as an editorial secretary for a popular magazine, so what had made her take up the lonely life of a recluse.

Some have claimed that Alice came to the dunes because of a broken love affair but actually she left the city life because her deteriorating eyesight had made her work impossible. She had sought refuge in the rough land that she had enjoyed as a child. Alice moved into an abandoned fisherman's cottage on the beach and lived a life of peace, borrowing books from the library, walking in the woods and of course, swimming naked in the chilly waters of Lake Michigan.

In 1920, Alice met a drifter named Paul Wilson and he moved into the cabin with her. He was an unemployed boat builder with a shaky past but he seemed to make Alice happy and the two of them stayed together until 'i 922....when tragedy struck. The badly burned and beaten body of a man was found on the beach and police suspected that Wilson had a hand in the murder. He was questioned but eventually let go. He and Alice moved to nearby Michigan City, Indiana, where they made a small living selling handmade furniture. Alice bore her husband two daughters but he treated her terribly, often beating her severely.

In 1925, Alice died in her home, shortly after the birth of her second daughter. The official cause of death was said to be uremic poisoning...complicated by repeated blows to her back and stomach. Wilson disappeared and later tuned up in a California prison, serving time for auto theft. The fate of Alice's daughters is unknown.

So ended the life of Alice Gray.... or did it? Legends of the dunes say that Alice still returns to the beach and the wilderness that she loved so much. Over the years, many have claimed that they have seen the ghostly figure of a nude woman running along the sand or disappearing into the water.

Perhaps she does still walk here, the trials and pain of her lonely and sad life forgotten, at least for a time, as she vanishes along her beloved beach or disappears into the waters of the lake.

The Dunes State Park is located east of Gary, Indiana, between Miller and Michigan City. Alice is buried in Oak Lawn Cemetery in Gary. Her burial site is lost as she was buried in a common potter's field.

by Troy Taylor

The Crone

The triple Goddess - worshipped by the Ancient Britons - is now in her third aspect of the Crone: the keeper of wisdom and mysteries.

In the Scottish Highlands the Crone was personified as the 'Cailleach Bheur' - the blue-faced hag - the Queen of the Winter. She was reborn on every All Hallows Eve, returning to bring the Winter and protect animals through the coldest months. She turned to stone on Beltane Eve.

British Summer Time ends today with the clocks going back an hour - long, dark, velvety evenings arrive.
This festival welcomed the final harvest and the safe storage of crops for the coming Winter. Anything left on the trees, bushes or in the fields after this date was considered ruined by the 'puka', and unedible. The puka or pooka is a mischievous spirit or fairy from Celtic lore.

Fionah Fae and the Tale of Samhain

Laureen C. Guldbrandsen

Once upon a fall morning, a leaf fell from a tree. It was an old oak tree, and the tree itself was a home to many forest creatures. The tree itself was home to one special person, if the truth be told. It was the home to the small, curious faerie who oft went by the name Fionah Fae. The leaf that had fallen startled the young faerie by landing, plop, right on top of her head. A giggle shattered the silence of the forest, and Fionah Fae pulled the leaf over her tiny body. She had been in deep conversation with one of the squirrels who lived in the same tree as herself, and the leaf had certainty disturbed the conversation!

"I suppose this means Samhain is coming soon," the squirrel stated to the young girl.

Now, for those of you who know Fionah Fae, the next question was an obvious one. "What is Samhain?"

"Well," the squirrel thought for a moment. "It means the end of summer is here, and winter will be starting soon. This is the time of year we prepare for the cold season ahead. And the time of year when I should be getting as many nuts and acorns as I can!" With that last remark the squirrel scampered away, calling over her shoulder only to add that the young faerie should seek out the Goddess to find out more.

Fionah sat under the leaf for a minute longer, thinking to herself. She'd sought out the God and Goddess before to find out about Imbolc, and Summer Solstice, and even Yule. Each trip had been long, but in the end she had learned a lot, and had even had fun. And besides, Squirrel hadn't finished explaining just what Samhain was. So Fionah fetched her warm fall jacket, and her warm scarf, and set off, properly dressed for the weather, to find the Goddess and learn more about Samhain.

Fionah Fae set off through the forest, looking for the Goddess so she could find an answer to her questions. She played in the falling leaves, and danced over the tops of mushrooms. She stopped for tea with a badger, and then continued her journey. After spending hours searching for the Goddess, she came across a pumpkin patch, and gently flew higher, until she could see the whole of the patch. And there, standing in the middle, was a tall, beautiful woman. Her skin was a deeply tanned brown, and her hair fell in waves of yellow, orange, red, and brown. The young faerie didn't need to ask who the woman in the field was, knowing right away that it was the Goddess she had been searching for.

A smile lit the young girls lips as she hurried across the field to stand next to the Goddess. "Mother Goddess," Fionah smiled up at the woman. "I've come to ask you some questions if I may?" After so many times of speaking to the Gods, Fionah Fae found she wasn't quite so shy with them anymore, and came right to the point.

The Goddess laughed softly, and nodded. "Of course you may, Fionah." They made a place amongst the pumpkins to sit down, and the Goddess smiled gently. "Judging by the time of year, I will assume you're here to ask me about Samhain. Am I correct little one?"

"You are! Squirrel said it was the end of summer, and a time for her to gather food for winter, but she said you could tell me more."

"She was right, Fionah. Samhain is a celebration of the harvest. The harvest being the food we gather for winter. But that is not the whole of the celebration, little one. Samhain is also a time when we honour our family that has passed on. Perhaps a grandparent, or a parent, even a sister or brother, or even a loved pet. Anyone in our family that has passed on we honour at this time. We can also try to speak with them, and ask for their help with things in our life, or for advice. Some people call this night Halloween, and dress up in costumes. We do this to scare away bad energy, or bad creatures. But this is one celebration we usually celebrate with a feast, and with fun and games."

Fionah Fae nodded her little head and thought about all of the information that the Goddess had just told her. There was a lot of it! "So, how do we celebrate it then?"

The Goddess laughed, and gently kissed the top of Fionah's head. "Well, for starters, we get dressed up as whatever we want, be it a princess or a monster. We can play games, or some people 'trick-or-treat'. That is when they go house to house asking for treats. Then we have a large feast, and invite the spirits of our ancestors to join us." There was a small pause as the Goddess looked at Fionah. "Would you like to join me in a small celebration?"

"Oh yes, Goddess!" the young faerie smiled, happy to be invited to join in.

"Well then, child, we shall set the feast out." With that, the Goddess spread a large picnic blanket out, and set three places, filling each places plate with a large amount of food, and each cup with a fruit punch.

"Why is there three plates when there is only the two of us?" Fionah Fae asked.

"That last place is for our ancestors, whom we invite to join us tonight." was the kind answer Fionah recieved. The young girl nodded to show she understood, then seated herself next to the Goddess.

"We give thanks for the harvest we have had this summer, and welcome the coming winter. We give thanks and blessings to those who have gone before so we could be here today." The Goddess and faerie spoke together, smiling. "We ask for our ancestors to join us if they wish to, to give us their blessings in the years to come. The old has died, but new birth will come. As the days will become shorter, and the nights become longer, we pray for peace and happiness for friends and loved ones." As the last words died away the two ate their feast, and laughed.

When they were done Fionah Fae smiled, and took some of the juice and food to share with the nature spirits, by pouring some of the juice under a tree, and gently placing the food she had taken on the ground.

"Thank you, Goddess, for teaching me about Samhain." the young faerie smiled, and the Goddess smiled in return.

The rising of the Crone

In the Celtic world there is a Crone Goddess, worshiped for her role in the balance of the seasons. Her name is The Cailleach. She is the Winter Sun, mother to Dia Greine, the Celtic Sun Goddess, who as daughter blossoms in the spring. They emerge as the season change, revolving in a cycle syncopated to the seasons.

The Caileach emerges as a central figure in the Samhain Rituals. She connects us with our ancestors, reaching through the veil to bring us face to face with our own mortality. On the threshold of the dark half of the year, she offers lessons about the darkness.

At Samhain, we learn to embrace separation and death. We allow to die that which is no longer useful to us. We clear away debris, anything that is no longer relevant. We let the fields of our inner landscape lie fallow. By doing so, we align ourselves with the cosmic cycle of death and rebirth.

The Charge of the Goddess Kyri Comyn

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I am the quickening of the seed in Springtime, the glory of ripe fields in Summer, and the peace of the quiet woods as the snow calms the Earth in Winter. I am the lilt of the maidens' melody in the morning, the patient hand of the Mother and the deep river of the mysteries taught by moonlight.

I give the creatures of the earth the gifts of song rising from the heart, the joy of autumn sunset, the cool touch of the renewing waters, and the compelling call of the drum in the dance. To you I give the joy of creation and the companion of beauty to light your days.

By the powers of the steadfast Earth and the wheeling stars I charge thee; by the darkness of death and the white light of birth I charge thee; and by the terrible strength of your human spirits, I charge thee:

Strive always for the growth of your eternal soul, never intentionally diminish your strength, your compassion, your ties to the earth or your knowledge.

Challenge your mind, never accept complacently that which has been the standard merely for the reason that it is the standard by which the majority judges itself.

Thirdly, I charge thee, act always for the betterment of your brothers and sisters. To strengthen them is to forge the true chain of humanity, and a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

You are my children, my brothers and sisters and my companions. You are known in great part by the company you keep, and you are strong and wise and full of the powers of life. It is yours to use them in my service, and I also, am known by the company I keep.

Go forth in joy and the light of my love, turning to me without fear when the darkness threatens to overcome you, and turning also to me to share your triumphs and your achievements, and know in your heart of hearts that we are together in blood and spirit 'til the last star darkens in the sky and winter comes to the universe."

About Ostara

Oestre, Easter, the Spring Equinox, Vernal (Spring) Equinox, Alban Eiler (Caledonii).



March 20 - 23 Northern Hemisphere


September 20 - 23 Southern Hemisphere

This is the official return of the young Goddess after her Winter hibernation. Traditionally celebrated on March 21st

The Simple Facts



The Spring Equinox is the point of equilibrium - when light and darkness are in balance but the light is growing stronger. The balance is suspended just before spring bursts forth from winter. Night and day are of equal length at the equinox, the forces of male and female are also in balance. Ostara is a festival of balance and fertility. It is a celebration of birth and new life. A day when death has no power over the living.

Spring has arrived, and with it comes hope and warmth. Deep within the cold earth, seeds are beginning to sprout. In the damp fields, the livestock are preparing to give birth. In the forest, under a canopy of newly sprouted leaves, the animals of the wild ready their dens for the arrival of their young. Spring is here.



The Easter Bunny also is of Pagan origin, as are baskets of flowers. Brightly colored eggs represent the child within.

Traditionally, Ostara is a time for collecting wildflowers, walking in nature's beauty and cultivating herb gardens. Half fill a bowl with water and place a selection of flowers into it for display in a prominent position in your home.

This is the time to free yourself from anything in the past that is holding you back.




Sources: varied

Oestara

It is no coincidence that the name for this sabbath sounds similar to the word 'Easter'. Eostre, or Ostara, is an Anglo-Saxon Dawn Goddess whose symbols are the egg and the hare. She, in turn, is the European version of the Goddess Ishtar or Astarte, whose worship dates back thousands of years and is certainly pre-Christian. Eostre also lives on in our medical language in the words 'oestrous' (the sexual impulse in female animals) and 'oestrogen' (a female hormone). Today, Oestara is celebrated as a spring festival. Although the Goddess put on the robes of Maiden at Imbolg, here she is seen as truly embodying the spirit of spring. By this time we can see all around us the awakened land, the leaves on the trees, the flowers and the first shoots of corn.

Oestara is also the Spring Equinox, a time of balance when day and night are equal. As with the other Equinox and the Solstices, the date of this festival may move slightly from year to year, but many will choose to celebrate it on 21 March. In keeping with the balance of the Equinox, Oestara is a time when we seek balance within ourselves. It is a time for throwing out the old and taking on the new. We rid ourselves of those things which are no longer necessary - old habits, thoughts and feelings - and take on new ideas and thoughts. This does not mean that you use this festival as a time for berating yourself about your 'bad' points, but rather that you should seek to find a balance through which you can accept yourself for what you are.

There is some debate as to whether Oestara or Imbolg was the traditional time of spring cleaning, but certainly the casting out of the old would seem to be in sympathy with the spirit of this festival and the increased daylight at this time encourages a good clean out around the home.



Source: Kate West

Celebrating Matronalia

In ancient Rome, the holiday of Matronalia was celebrated each year at the beginning of March. This annual "festival of women" was held in honor of Juno Luciana, a goddess who watched over married women and those in childbirth. This aspect of Juno was associated with childbirth. The name lucina was thought to have come from the Latin word lux (light); thus, when a child was born it was said to have been “brought to light”.

In this aspect the goddess was a lunar deity, often paired with Diana and depicted as holding a torch. In the worship of Juno Lucina, women untied knots and unplaited their hair – sympathetic magic to prevent entanglements in the delivery of babies. She was in charge of newborn infants, and a woman in labor might make offerings to her so that she would have a safe delivery of a healthy child.

Women and girls prayed to her and brought offerings for prosperity in marriage. Gifts were exchanged, people feasted on similla, cakes decorated it with 12 balls of marzipan around the edges. and everyone treated the ladies exceptionally well on this day. Cakes with a similar name, simnel cakes, are associated with Mothering Sunday in England from which Mothers’ Day is derived.

Children of all ages were expected to pay a formal visit to their mothers and to bring a Simnel cake as a gift. In return, the mothers gave their children a special blessing. This custom was so well-established that masters were required to give servants enough time off to visit out-of-town mothers - provided the trip did not exceed 5 days!

Juno was the Roman Mother Goddess, known to the Greeks as Hera, and her original name to the Romans was Junonius. Juno is a counterpart of Janus and the divine watcher over the female sex, so this month is considered the best time to marry. As Juno Moneta, guardian of wealth and money, she had a temple on the Capitoline hill in Rome where the empire’s coins were minted.

Among Juno’s attributes, she is queen of heaven, approximating Frigg in the Northern Tradition, and Mary in the Christian. She is ruler of the high point of year, when there is maximum light and minimum darkness (the northern Summer Solstice).

Later on, Matronalia evolved into Mother's Day in Europe, and was shifted to the fourth Sunday of Lent. During the Middle Ages, those who had moved away from home would return on this day to their "mother" church, visiting their families who still remained in the village. Servants were allowed to pick flowers from their masters' gardens, and given the day off to return home; hence, the custom of bringing one's mother some flowers on Mother's Day.

In the United States, Mother's Day actually falls in May, and is held in honor of humanitarian work carried out by women during the Civil War.

The Story of Imbolc

At Imbolc the spark of light born at Yule becomes a flame to warm people and the land. Now we see the first signs of spring. The trees are in bud and some flowers (snowdrops for example) begin to blossom. The word 'Imbolc' means 'in the belly', whilst 'Oimelc' means 'ewe's milk'. Both refer to the fact that many ewes are pregnant at this time and in a mild year the first lambs will be born about now. Imbolc is the quickening of the year, the time when the Earth is made pregnant with the promise of summer fruitfulness and the harvest to come.

At Imbolc the Goddess casts aside the robes of Wise One and returns as Maiden, dressed in white. In some groups a Maiden will be chosen and will wear a crown of lights and a white robe or cloak for the ritual. It is worth noting that up until relatively recently, the term 'maiden' was used to denote a female who had not yet given birth to child, so that even an obviously pregnant married woman could be a maiden and take this role in ritual. The God, who was reborn at Yule, is now seen as a young man, full of vigour, and his pursuit of the Maiden starts at this sabbath.

Imbolc is the time when the last of Yule's festive evergreens are removed. In some places it is still traditional to hold on to the (undecorated) Christmas fir until Imbolc, when it is taken and burned on the Imbolc fires. These days few of us can afford to keep the tree in place, especially as our modern forced and treated trees find it hard to keep their needles until January, let alone a whole month later. However, there is a practical alternative. As part of your Imbolc celebrations, take all the Yule and Christmas cards you have been given and recycle them, either making them into gift tags for the following year or cutting out the pictures to give to a local playgroup.

In ancient Rome this was a festival of Pan and the priests of Pan, called the Luperci, would run through the streets dressed in goatskin cloth whipping the people, especially women, to make them fertile for the coming year.

In many parts of the British Isles you will find wells dedicated to Bride or to the Christian St Bridget. Originally these would have been associated with the Goddess. If you are lucky enough to live near one of these, or able to visit one, look for a nearby tree with scraps of fabric tied to its branches. This will be a 'wishing tree'. Many people, whether Witches, Pagans or otherwise, visit these places to make an offering to the Goddess in the hope of having a wish granted. Such offerings are usually a strip of cloth, but it is not unusual to see necklaces of plaited grasses, small posies of flowers and even a child's shoe tied to a wishing tree. If you do visit such a site and wish to leave an offering, try to make it something which will soon return to the earth - a small circlet of grass plaited whilst thinking about your wish, or a hair from your own head, offered as a form of sacrifice. Look in your local press for notices of well-dressing celebrations, as many of these still take place at this time of year.

The Night Of The Crossroads

Tonight is the Night of the Crossroads, the day of the festival of Hecate Trivia, which is a day that honors Hecate as a goddess of crossroads. In pronouncing her name, in the Greek language the "H" is silent. The correct pronounciation is "E-CA-TA" or "e-CO-ta." The word trivia refers to a place where three roads meet (tri + via).

She is the Triple Goddess, and most often associated with a three-way crossroad. She is Hecate the Maiden, Hecate the Mother, and Hecate the Crone. Although the dark of the moon is her traditional time, Hecate can be called upon during any moon phase, as She is the One and the Three.

She is the goddess of witchcraft, the night, the new moon, ghosts, necromancy and crossroads. Hekate had few public temples in the ancient world, however, small household shrines, which were erected to ward off evil and the malevolent powers of witchcraft, were quite common.

She is a Goddess like no other. A goddess who is not to be invoked lightly, or by those who are calling upon her frivolously. Some describe her as a Witch Goddess who rises up from the dark depths of the underworld, whilst others tell of a bright shining Goddess who holds her torches of illumination high, revealing the path through the mysteries, but only for those with the wisdom to follow her.

Some say that she is the Axis Mundi, the Chaldean World Soul and that she brings soul fire and light to humanity. Others tell of a powerful Goddess who is crowned with the coils of wild serpents and oak leaves, appearing with three heads, often with three bodies, sometimes in forms which are part-human and part-beast. We are told that she holds sway in many worlds, bearing the keys to the thresholds between, guarding and blessing those who make suitable offerings to her, but feared by those who let injustice come upon the world.

Hekate stands at the crossroads bearing the keys to the mysteries. In the ancient world she inspired poets and philosophers, witches, magicians and ordinary people, all of whom knew she could bestow blessings to imporve their lot and protect them from the harsh denizens of the infernal realm. Today she continues to inspire and evoke awe in those who encounter her; for some in subtle ways, leading them in an elusive nameless manner with her symbols, for others in a more powerful and directly empowering way.

Diana & Rex Nemorensis

There is a very interesting myth about the worship of Diana, which I would like to share here. Long ago, in the Alban hills, there came a runaway slave who was favored by the Goddess Diana. Because She had freed him, he desired to worship Her, and She gave him sanctuary. One day Diana appeared to him beneath a large tree which stood in the center of a clearing, within a large grove. Then just after sunset She proclaimed Her love for him, but at the same time demanded that he prove himself worthy of Her favors. So Diana brought before him a mighty warrior, who was Guardian of the Grove. Then She told the runaway slave to challenge the Guardian. But the Guardian would not accept the challenge, unless the former slave could prove his strength and courage. So the runaway climbed the great tree, and broke off a large branch with his hands. The branch was so strong that no ordinary man could break it. So the Guardian accepted the challenge, and the two battled for the favor of Diana. The Guardian was defeated and met his end at the hands of the runaway slave. Then Diana touched his shoulders, placed a wreath upon his head, and said "Thou art Rex Nemorensis (King of the Woods)". This is one of the mystery texts, and deals with parts of our inner self. Look at the characters in the Myth as yourself, and at Diana as Enlightenment.

Now, back to the note. In central Italy lies the lake once known as Lacus Nemorensis. This lake was also known as the Speculum Dianae (Mirror of Diana). Here on the northeast shore of this ancient lake, once stood the temple of Diana. Here too was the sacred grove of Diana. In ancient times the followers of Diana gathered at the Temple to give worship, and to be healed by the water, which was said to flow into a pool within the Temple. At Nemi, in the Alban Hills, Diana was worshipped in many forms. At the new moon She was the chaste Huntress and the crescent moon was her bow. In this aspect She was seen as the eternal virgin, free from the need for men. At the time of the full moon, Diana was the Enchantress, the Queen of Magic. At the dark of the moon Diana was vengeful, secretive, and somewhat dangerous. As the chaste, Her name was pronounced Dye-anna. As the Queen it was pronounced Dea-nah, and at dark of moon it was pronounced Dee-anna. These are essentially the same aspects commonly referred to as Maiden, Mother, Crone.

Another term for Rex Nemorensis, was the Hooded One. It is interesting, because a cult formed in the Groves of Nemi around this theme, and was comprised of outlaws and runaway slaves from Rome.

There is a similarity between this mythos, and the Robin Hood legend. Especially when you consider that runaway slaves and outlaws from Rome gathered in the forests of Nemi. The Hooded One was a title for the representative of the God (usually referred to as Kern). This person was the cult leader, and held the title of either the Hooded One, or Rex Nemorensis. The major difference probably lies in the fact that the Hooded One could be either a male or a female. But Rex Nemorensis was always a male. Legend says that the Hood helped to conceal the gender. The outlaws of the Forest in Nemi were more of a religious cult, and lived more off than the land, than off the rich (although an occasional ambush here or there was not out of the question).

Diana And Dianus
The most common names found associated with The Old Religion, in Italy, are Diana & Dianus. Dianus is the nature god, associated with the woods, herds, fertility, and so on. He was present in the rites of Diana at the sacred grove of Nemi. He is also known as verbius, and is linked to the title Rex Nemorensis. Oaks were sacred to Dianus, which were present in the groves at Nemi. It seems likely that, in time, he was also associated with the god Janus. Janus was a god of doorways/portals (and of beginnings in general). In this aspect, Janus was a guardian who kept non-initiates away from the Mystery Traditions. He carried a whip and a rod, which could usher in, or drive away. Dianus, as the guardian Rex Nemorensis, is easily linked to Janus, in this aspect. In the Aridian Tradition, Diana and Dianus would be two parts of the Divine One Great Spirit. Usually, Dianus is visualized as a stag god, or a man with antlers. He can also be associated with the forest god, known as Kern (no, Kern, not Herne...different land, similar story).

Dianus is the consort of Diana, even in Her chaste aspect. Here they are more like brother and sister. In other aspects they are lovers, and so on. Historical references to the cult of Diana and Dianus (other than Classical Age) appear as early as the 4th Century AD

Jana is one of the names we Aridians use for the Goddess (the others are Tana & Fana). The Goddess Jana is the Moon Goddess of the Janarric Clan. In Naples, the term Janarra was once used as the word for witch (instead of Strega). The Janarra are the keepers of the Lunar mysteries, in the Triad Traditions. Sometimes they are called the Sea Witches, because they once practiced along the coastal regions, and near the Bay of Naples.

In Italy there are three Clans, known as the Triad. The first is called the Fanarra, second is the Janarra, and third is the Tanarra. The Fanarra are the "keepers of the earth mysteries", the Janarra are "keepers of the Lunar mysteries", and the Tanarra are the "keepers of the stellar mysteries". Originally they were one Clan, comprised of the covens which Aradia had established in the 14th Century. When the Inquisition began murdering witches, the Clan split up into their respective mystery traditions, in order to preserve at least one of the old Mystery Teachings. As the Fates would have it, however, all three survived. The Aridian Tradition is a rejoining of the three, back into the original state (as practiced in the time of Aradia). Each leader of a Clan, has a working knowledge of the two other Clans. Each Clan has a different aspect of Deity, for their Focus.

Fanus is the basic earth connection of the God. He is lord of the mysteries of the earth. He is primal, and one of the first awakenings of Divine Consciousness (in the Physical Plane). Janus is the awakening of the Divine Consciousness to the Solar System (if you will). He is the connection to the Sun and other planetary influences. Tanus is the awakening of Divine Consciousness to the Universe. He is the connection to higher Divinity, to the Source of All Things. So, actually they are the same Deity, but seen in various aspects (more properly, they are symbols of the stages through which Human Understanding has marked its contact with Divinity). Dianus is Fanus in a higher aspect. Fanus is more like Pan, while Dianus is more like Kern (stag horned god of the forests of Nemi). The double faces of Janus symbolize (among other things) the stage of a God who is between its base earth aspect, and its higher Divine aspect. These gods may also be thought of as the stages of Child, Adolescent, and Adult (although I would never say that to their face...nor neither face of Janus). Another illustration might help: Fanus is seen with animal horns, while Janus is seen wearing a crown, and Tanus is visualized with a blue flame forming a sort of "halo" around his head. Thus, you have the Nature made (horns), Human made (crown), and Divine made (light) concepts of Deity.

Just a bit of an extension from my first reply (and a bit less emotional I hope). Frazer was not presenting a "Tradition" or a "System". He was simply speaking of the ancient practices and concepts of The Old Religion (and other things as well). You asked about our differences and likenesses. We share the common knowledge of Diana at Nemi, and some aspects of Her cult there. Rex Nemorensis is simply another aspect of what was once practiced at Nemi. In my Tradition there is no office of this title, and his legend is only one of the Mystery Teaching concepts, which we have retained over time. Legend says that Aradia (the Holy Strega) established a camp in the ruins of Diana's Temple, there at Nemi. I suppose that might be considered a connection somehow. Actually, Aradia was a Tuscan Witch and taught the Old Religion as a whole (not simply as practiced at Nemi). Frazer doesn't go into much depth concerning the Witch Cult in Italy, so I don't know what else to compare it to. I am NOT giving a history of my Tradition here, but my Tradition is a part of what I am posting.

In Leland's book, Aradia is the Daughter of Diana & Lucifer. In the mythos of the Aridian Tradition, Aradia is quite human (and is not the actual "daughter" of Diana). Now, Diana does have three aspects, just as Dianus has. She is Fana, Jana, and Tana just as he is Fanus, Janus, and Tanus. How this all came about, goes back to the Coven which Aradia had founded in the 14th Century . In time as this coven divided and established other covens, the Inquisition arose (by the way, in Italian the word for coven is boschetto - pronounced boss-kett-oh - and means a grove). Hoping to keep the mysteries alive, they established three Clans. Each Clan was a "Keeper" of one of the mystery traditions. These were the Earth, Lunar, and Stellar Mysteries. Each Clan then named the Deities in accordance with their mystery system. That is how Diana and Dianus came to be known by these many names. It is customary in some Traditions/Systems to have an "inner court" name for the God & Goddess. A name not known to any non-initiates. So, some groups will chose (or create) a secret name, which only they will use when addressing Deity.

For those who both believe, and do not believe, in the antiquity/survival of The Old Religion, I offer the following: In 30 BC, the Roman Poet Horace wrote his work called the Epodes of Horace. In part, they deal with a dialogue between he and an Italian witch named Canidia. In Epode 5, he associates Diana & Proserpina with witches in a mystery Cult. In Epode 17, he names these goddesses as patron goddesses of Witchcraft, and states that witches use a book called Libros Carminum, by which they "call down the moon" and make philtres and evoke spirits. Other Roman writers of the period, support this basic theme in their writings (such as Lucan and Ovid). From this we can conclude, that the association of witches with Diana, was generally accepted in Italy (circa 30 BC). Bear in mind that this is being written about in pre-Christian times, and not in the 1950's of Gerald Gardner. In note titled "The Society of Diana", I will show that this cult continued on (in Historical documentation) through the 19th Century.

EPODE 5 : "...Night and Diana, who command silence when secret mysteries are performed, now aid me: now turn your vengeance and influence against my enemies' house..."

EPODE 17: (to canidia) "Now already I yield to your mighty art, and suppliant beseech you by the realms of Proserpine, and by the powers of Diana, not to be provoked, and by your books of enchantments that are able to call down the fixed stars from heaven, Canidia, at length spare your magic words, and turn backward your swift wheel..."

(Canidia replies)

"...must I, who can move waxen images and call down the moon from the sky by my spells, who can raise the vaporous dead, and mix a draught of love lament the effect of my art, availing nothing upon you ?"

The Society Of Diana
The historical documentation which I present here, is drawn from the research notes and books of, Professor Carlo Ginzburg (Professor of Italian Renaissance Studies at Univ. of California in Los Angeles), Professor Ernesto de Martino (Prof. of the History of Religions at Cagliari Univ., Italy), Professor Cardini (Prof. of History at the Univ. of Florence), and Julio Baroja (Anthropologist)

In his book, The World of Witches, Julio Baroja writes of southern Europe "There seems to have been a flourishing cult of Diana among European country people in the 5th & 6th Centuries, and she was generally looked upon as a Goddess of the woods and fields, except by those trying to root out the cult, who thought she was a devil". In the authors notes, for chapter 4, he adds that the cult also worshipped a male deity called Dianum. In 906 AD, Regino of Prum wrote in his instructions to the Bishops of the Kingdoms of Italy, concerning this cult. Here he states "...they ride at night on certain beasts with Diana, goddess of the pagans, and a great multitude of women, that they cover great distances in the silence of the deepest night, that they obey the orders of the goddess...by speaking of their visions (they) gain new followers for the Society of Diana..."

The following Chronology will demonstrate the continuation of this "Society of Diana" up through the centuries to modern times.

•1006 AD: 19th book of the Decretum (entitled Corrector) associates the worship of Diana with the common pagan folk.
•1280 AD: Diocesan Council of Conserans associates the Witch Cult with the worship of a Pagan Goddess
•1310 AD: Council of Trier associates witches with the goddess Diana (and Herodias)
•1313 AD: Giovanni de Matociis writes in his Historiae Imperiales, that many lay people believe in a nocturnal society headed by a queen they call Diana
•1390 AD: A woman was tried by the Milanese Inquisition for belonging to the "Society of Diana", she confessed to worshipping the "goddess of Night" and stated that "Diana" bestowed blessings on her
•1457 AD: 3 women tried in Bressanone, confess that they belonged to the "Society of Diana" (as recorded by Nicholas of Cusa).
•1526 AD: Judge Paulus Grillandus writes of witches in the town of Benevento who worship a goddess at the site of an old walnut tree.
•1576 AD: Bartolo Spina writes in his Quaestico de Strigibus. listing info gathered from confessions, that witches gather at night to worship "Diana", and have dealings with night spirits.
•1647 AD: Peter Pipernus writes in his De Nuce Maga Beneventana & De Effectibus Magicis, of a women named Violanta who confessed to worshipping Diana at the site of an old walnut tree in the town of Benevento.
•1749 AD: Girolamo Tartarotti associates the Witch Cult with the ancient cult of Diana, in his book Del Congresso Nottorno Delle Lammie.
•1890 AD: Author Charles Leland associates the Witch Cult with the goddess Diana, as a survival of the ancient ways, in his book Etruscan Magic & Occult Remedies.
•1894 AD: Lady Vere de Vere, after investigating witchcraft as it then existed in the Italian Tyrol region, wrote an article in La Rivista of Rome (June 1894) stating that "...the Community of Italian Witches is regulated by laws, traditions, and customs of the most secret kind, possessing special recipes for sorcery."
•1895 AD: Professor Milani (Etruscan Scholar & Director of Archaeological Museum in Florence) states that various elements of ancient Etruscan occultism have been "marvelously preserved" in the "Italian Witch Tradition." Professor Milani was familiar with the works of both Lady Vere de Vere and Charles Leland.
This theme continues through various authors (T.C. Lethbridge, Carlo Ginzburg, Doreen Valiente) into the 1900's and current era. Books written since 1950's are common enough and probably do not need listing here.

Source material for Chronology:

•Ecstasies-deciphering the witches Sabbath
•Night Battles-witchcraft and agrarian cults (by Ginzburg)
•Etruscan Magic & Occult Remedies, Legends of Florence,
•Aradia; gospel of the witches (by Charles Leland).
•The World of Witches, by Julio Baroja.

A Prayer To Diana

" Great Diana, Goddess, hear my words of adoration. Hear my voice when I speak your praises. Hear my chanting as it rises upon the smoke of the incense I offer you. See me when I reach up to you; when the Full Moon shines upon me give me your blessings. Oh Diana, teach me your ancient mysteries, ancient rites of invocation which the Holy Strega spoke of, for I believe the Strega's story: when she spoke of your shining glory, when she told us to entreat you, told us when we seek for Knowledge to seek and find you above all others. Give me wisdom, Diana, and bind my oppressors. Grant me the Ancient Knowledge, and speak to my inner spirit, teaching me all the Holy Mysteries. I believe your ancient promise, the promise to all the ancient Clan, that we who seek your Holy Presence will receive of your Wisdom. Diana, think yet even for a moment, upon one who calls upon your name".

I have always loved this old prayer. Once saw a very similar version of it in a book called The Grimoire of Lady Sheba. Always wondered where she came by it. Her version is more poetic, and has all the nice "Thee" and "Thou" stuff. I like both versions, because of the mention of The Holy Strega (but I am partial to my Family one).

FROM: HELEN TYLER
My compliments & thanks to you for your posts on the Old Ways, Raven. I am a Solitary practitioner of the Hereditary/Traditional Way & started on the Path in the 30's at my Grandmother's knee (turned 66 last week & am still on the Path - learning more & more every day!). Since you mentioned Lady Sheba's Prayer in your post, thought everyone might like to see it. She does not mention her source, then again, she does not give the source on many of her writings.

Prayer to Diana

O My Goddess, Diana, hear my song of adoration. Hear my voice when I sing Thy praises. Hear my songs as they rise heavenward, when the Full Moon, brightly shining, fills the heavens with Thy beauty. O my beautiful Moon Goddess, hear me as I stand before Thee. See me when I reach toward heaven, when my arms reach upward toward Thee. When the Full Moon shines upon me, give me Thy blessings, O Diana. Teach me of Thine ancient mysteries, ancient rites of invocation that the Holy Strega spoke of, for I believe the Strega's story: when she spoke of Thy shining glory, when she told us to entreat Thee, told us when we seek for knowledge to seek and find Thee above all others. Give us wisdom, O Diana: how to bind our oppressors, how to cure the sick among us. Teach me, O Diana. Give me Thy blessings, O Great Moon Goddess. Shield me from my oppressors. Receive me as your daughter, Diana. Receive me, though I am earth-bound. Grant me ancient Wiccan knowledge. When my body lies resting nightly, speak unto my inner spirit; teach me all Thy holy mysteries. I believe Thine ancient promise, Thy promise unto the ancient Wicca that we who seek Thy holy presence will receive Thy Wisdom. Now the Full Moon shines upon me. Hear me! I stand before Thee! Grant me wisdom! O Diana! Shield me from my oppressors! Teach me Thine holy mysteries! I sing Thy praises unto the heavens. Let Thy glory shine about me. Bless us, O gracious Queen of Heaven. Descend Thou among us; Descend and conquer, Gracious Goddess.

Taken from The Witches Workbook: The Magick Grimoire of Lady Sheba, by Jessie Wicker Bell, pub. Kensington Pub. Co., 1975