Eleusinian Mysteries and Epidauria

So, now that my net is back, I can get back to blogging. Tonight is Epidauria, which is to honor Asclepius. Asclepius was the son of Apollo and was struck by Zeus for bring the dead back to life. I'm really excited about celebrating this festival as I didn't have a chance to last year. Another festival that's going on right now is the Eleusinian Mysteries, honoring Demeter and Persephone. That festival I did celebrate on the first night, but I don't do it every night. I don't know why I don't, I just don't. I hope that you all have a good festival and may Asclepius watch over every one of you and give you good health.

Sorry about Not Blogging

The ups and downs of anyone's lives sometimes can affect simple things like blogging. My net went down last Monday and I had also totally forgot to blog about anything. This month has been one nasty nightmare with the weather, worrying if my brother was going to get hired full time, and money. Money seems to be the highlight worry this month. Oh, forgot to add house inspection. Glad that all worries are gone and I'm back blogging.

I hope that you all had a great month, better than mine was, and your not getting wet. It's freaking raining right now, the weather affects my ability to stay awake, and people just have to argue about dumb stuff. I swear my block has more issues than a news stand, as my brother would say. Have a good week and I'll be around.

Hellenic Month of Boedroinion Begins (2015)

Tonight, at sundown, we enter the Hellenic holiday of Boedroinion. I hope that you will have a good month and below are the holy days and festivals of this month.

September 14: Nourmina
September 15: Agathos Daemon
September 16: Athena
September 17: Aphrodite, Hermes, Hercules, Eros
                        Sacrifices to Basile
September 18: Genesia
September 19: Artemis
                        Sacrifices to Artemis Agrotera
September 20: Apollo
September 21: Poseidon and Theseus
September 23: Autumn begins, Persephone descends into the Underworld to be with Hades.
September 25: Demokratia
September 27: Full Moon (Honoring Selene and Artemis)
September 28: Eleusinian Mysteries.
September 30: Epidauria
October 10: Libations to Poseidon
                   Sacrifices to the Nymphai, Akhelōos, Hermēs, Athēna, and Gaia
October 12: Hena Kai Nea (New Moon)


Thanks

Hena Kai Nea (New Moon, September 2015)

Tonight we clean our homes and our altars. We throw away the old and we make way for the new. Tonight we honor Hecate and stay inside while she's on her wild hunt. We also lay out our Hecate supper for her and the dead. This is something that I haven't been able to do for reasons that I won't blog about. However I do clean things up and I do get my altar ready for the coming month. I hope that you all have a wonderful New Moon and be safe.

Libations to Demeter and Persephone (2015)

Today we pour libation and give offerings to Demeter and Persephone. Persephone is due to return to the Underworld to be with her husband when Fall begins. It's a sad time for Demeter because she won't see her daughter until Spring. For those that have been suffering in the heat this is the last libation of the warmth and heat that comes with the growing season.

I hope that you all have a good one and a good libation.

Hymn to the Dioscuri

This is the final hymn that from the Perseus Digital Library. I will not be including a photo but I do hope that you'll enjoy the hymn.



Bright-eyed Muses, tell of the Tyndaridae, the Sons of Zeus, glorious children of neat-ankled Leda, Castor the tamer of horses, and blameless Polydeuces. When Leda [5] had lain with the dark-clouded Son of Cronos, she bare them beneath the peak of the great hill Taygetus, —children who are deliverers of men on earth and of swift-going ships when stormy gales rage over the ruthless sea.

Then the shipmen call upon the sons of great Zeus [10] with vows of white lambs, going to the forepart of the prow; but the strong wind and the waves of the sea lay the ship under water, until suddenly these two are seen darting through the air on tawny wings. Forthwith they allay the blasts of the cruel winds [15] and still the waves upon the surface of the white sea: fair signs are they and deliverance from toil. And when the shipmen see them they are glad and have rest from their pain and labour.

Hail, Tyndaridae, riders upon swift horses! Now I will remember you and another song also.

Not Doing Double Posts

Since this blog is now over a year old I've had to go back and look at all the posts that I've done. I'm not going to be doing double posts of other posts that I've done. So if you don't see a post for a Hellenic holiday then I've already written about it. If I haven't written about it, then I'll post it. I hope that you all have a good week and a good holidays.

Sacrifices to the Heroines

So this is the first Hellenic holiday for the month of September (normal calendar month). We are at the half-way point of this Hellenic month, the New Moon approaching. Tonight we pour libation and give offering to the Heroines. I'm still confused at whom the heroines are, though some say that they were women that faced great odds, hardships, and had the strength to survive this things and stand tall as any male hero.

I think that we should add modern day heroines to this and give them offering as well. Enjoy your holiday and thanks for reading.

Hymn to Selene

This is the hymn to Selene. I got this from Perseus Digital Library. I hope that you enjoy.











And next, sweet voiced Muses, daughters of Zeus, well-skilled in song, tell of the long-winged¹ Moon. From her immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth; and great is the beauty that ariseth [5] from her shining light. The air, unlit before, glows with the light of her golden crown, and her rays beam clear, whensoever bright Selene having bathed her lovely body in the waters of Ocean, and donned her far-gleaming raiment, and yoked her strong-necked, shining team,

[10] drives on her long-maned horses at full speed, at eventime in the mid-month: then her great orbit is full and then her beams shine brightest as she increases. So she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men.

[15] Once the Son of Cronos was joined with her in love; and she conceived and bare a daughter Pandia, exceeding lovely amongst the deathless gods.
Hail, white-armed goddess, bright Selene, mild, bright-tressed queen! And now I will leave you and sing the glories of men half-divine, whose deeds minstrels, [20] the servants of the Muses, celebrate with lovely lips.

1 The epithet is a usual one for birds, cp. Hesiod, Works and Days, 210; as applied to Selene it may merely indicate her passage, like a bird, through the air, or mean “far-flying.”