The latest issue of Isis Seshat (the journal for the Fellowship of Isis and the like) has just come out and I have an article about a summer festival in the southern hemisphere – get your copy now: PDFs are available for purchase at $5 USD each; just email me via PayPal at anna dot applegate at yahoo dot com.
One of my family akhu who is lovingly known as “Thea” has had more of a dominating presence of late (what’s new as she’s always been the dominant one when it comes to family akhu) and yesterday in shrine I got the distinct impression from her that she is waiting for me to put in writing the story of her life I have collated from various family members and those who knew her. I feel this will honor her greatly as well as framing the large portrait of her, which I had made which needs to be placed on the wall backing my Akhu shrine.
Speaking of Thea, an old coven member of mine, who moved, years back, tried to call her to assist her with her personal crisis and all I can say is Thea was NOT impressed. This old coven member said that she’s been trying to connect with Thea for the last couple of years and she’s not been able to. Whilst the old coven member was telling me this over the phone in that instant I felt Thea’s presence come up behind me and I felt her say in Greek in quite an arrogant and pissed off way “who is SHE for her to call favours from me – I don’t owe HER a thing” and the vibe I got from Thea was that she was really put out by being summoned by someone she has no connection to.
If you knew my Thea you knew NEVER to piss her off as not only was she quite a powerful magician in her day she had a wicked temper and was only loyal to her blood relations. So I questioned this old coven member as to why she’s been calling to my Akhu, as after all she has her own and she’s not even practicing the kemetic or witchcraft path anymore. I was told that she needed help and didn’t know who else to call upon. I suggested that she call upon her own Akhu and I had to delicately explain to my old coven member that Thea has been ignoring her and that her call for help will go unheard because she’s not bound to her in anyway and is not going to help her.
Thea has helped this old coven member before on one occasion but that is because I interceded and asked her to help them. Also I feel Thea was annoyed with this old coven member because. 1. no one commands Thea 2. Thea always takes payment for her services and 3. Thea does what she pleases – even in the spirit world.
So moral of the story is – don’t use other people’s Akhu…its disrespectful and might actually annoy your ancestors!
(C) T. Georgitsis 2017
On the 9th of August, the Hellenic Kourotrophos festival is observed.
The Kourotrophos is a festival which is dedicated to Hekate and Artemis.
This day is dedicated to these goddesses who protect women, children and childbirth.
Here is a simple prayer you can use to honour Hekate on this day:
“We pray that other guardians be always renewed, and that Artemis-Hekate watch over the childbirth of their women.”
Aeschylus, Suppliant Women 674 ff (trans. Smyth) (Greek tragedy C5th B.C.)
(C) T. Georgitsis
Here is a basic Kemetic ritual for Wep Ronpet I wrote and use yearly:
Here are the dates for the end of the year and Wep Ronpet:
July 28th Last Day of the Year: Feast of Lights at Esna (and Sais)
Epagomenal Day 00 – July 29th: Day Dedicated to Yinepu and Khonsu
Epagomenal Day 0 – July 30th: Day Dedicated to Djehuty
Epagomenal Day 1 – July 31st: Birthday of Wesir
Epagomenal Day 2 – August 1st: Birthday of Heru-wer
Epagomenal Day 3 – August 2nd: Birthday of Set
Epagomenal Day 4 – August 3rd: Birthday of Aset
Epagomenal Day 5 – August 4th: Birthday of Nebt-het
1 August 5th – Wep Ronpet
From the 17th to 30th of July, the Hellenic Panathenaia festival is observed.
The Panathenaia is a festival which is dedicated to the city of Athens.
Historically celebrations included an all night service, a race involving torches (where only Athenians could participate) and a meal for all citizens paid for by the city containing meats. This was the early beginnings of the Olympic games with the event being open to all Greeks every forth year around 566 BCE.
This is an auspicious time to honour Athena with food, drink (a communal meal), offerings (such as olive oil) and prayers.
Here is a prayer you can use to honour Athena on this day:
I begin to sing of Pallas Athena, the glorious goddess, bright-eyed, inventive, unbending of heart, pure virgin, saviour of cities, courageous, Tritogeneia. Wise Zeus himself bare her from his awful head, arrayed in warlike arms of flashing gold, and awe seized all the gods as they gazed. But Athena sprang quickly from the immortal head and stood before Zeus who holds the aegis, shaking a sharp spear: great Olympus began to reel horribly at the might of the bright-eyed goddess, and earth round about cried fearfully, and the sea was moved and tossed with dark waves, while foam burst forth suddenly: the bright Son of Hyperion stopped his swift-footed horses a long while, until the maiden Pallas Athena had stripped the heavenly armour from her immortal shoulders. And wise Zeus was glad.
And so hail to you, daughter of Zeus who holds the aegis! Now I will remember you and another song as well.”
On the 9th – 10th of July, the Hellenic Synoikia festival is observed.
The Synoikia is a festival which is dedicated to Zeus Phratrios and the unification of Attica by Theseus.
This is an auspicious time to make a sacrificial offering to Eirene who was also honoured at this time.
(C) T. Georgitsis
On the 6th of July, the Hellenic Kronia festival is observed.
The Kronia is a festival which is dedicated to Kronos.
This is an auspicious time to make a sacrificial offering to Kronos to recognize him as the God of the grain harvest.
Here is a prayer you can use to honour Kronos on this day:
Etherial father, mighty Titan, hear, great fire of Gods and men, whom all revere:
Endu’d with various council, pure and strong, to whom perfection and decrease belong.
Consum’d by thee all forms that hourly die, by thee restor’d, their former place supply;
The world immense in everlasting chains, strong and ineffable thy pow’r contains
Father of vast eternity, divine, O mighty Saturn [Kronos], various speech is thine:
Blossom of earth and of the starry skies, husband of Rhea, and Prometheus wife.
Obstetric Nature, venerable root, from which the various forms of being shoot;
No parts peculiar can thy pow’r enclose, diffus’d thro’ all, from which the world arose,
O, best of beings, of a subtle mind, propitious hear to holy pray’rs inclin’d;
The sacred rites benevolent attend, and grant a blameless life, a blessed end.
(C) T. Georgitsis
Faces + Masks is a photographic series from Greek artist Nikos Vavdinoudis showing at the Hellenic Museum in Melbourne.
This series features modern costumed practices and obscure, fascinating rituals of eight rural villages in Northern Greece that have their origins in ancient Dionysian celebrations.
These ancient festivities are now celebrated during the Christian holiday of Epiphany and the Baptism of Christ and the particular practices of these villages are known for their elaborate, animalistic costumes.
The subsummation of ancient or pagan festivals into newer religious ones is a practice adopted by many religions; thereby allowing the dialogue between the ancient past and the present to remain virtually unbroken.
For more information go here: http://www.hellenic.org.au/
ONEIROI is a photographic installation by Bill Henson that will be housed permanently at the Hellenic Museum.
The photographs that make up ONEIROI incorporate priceless treasures from the award winning Benaki collection, Gods, Myths & Mortals. The exhibition represents over 8,000 years of Greek history and culture and comprises pieces of exquisite beauty and immense cultural significance.
Henson’s unique style uses composition, chiaroscuro and the human form to create powerful, narrative driven works of art.
For more information go here: http://www.hellenic.org.au/
In this issue of of The Alternative Spirit Magazine, I’m talking about one of my favorite subjects – medicine of the ancients!
You can purchase your copy here:
http://www.alternativespiritmagazine.com/
