#pharmakoi

[agreenroad]

7 Pharmakeia, Pharmakon, and Pharmakoi Verses In Bible

“The Sackler family, one of the richest in the country, has made their fortune on sales of the prescription pain killer OxyContin. The drug was introduced in the mid-1990s and since that time, there have been 200,000 deaths in the U.S from prescription opioids. https://dianerehm.org/shows/2019-04-12/the-family-that-profited-from-prescription-opioids Six doctors charged in 500 million opioid…

[pmamtraveller]

CULT AND FESTIVALS OF DIONYSUS

Dionysus (Bacchus in Roman mythology) is the Greek god of wine, fertility, festivity, and ecstasy. He is a representation of two opposites, which is: joy and chaos. His cult consisted of ecstatic rituals known for music, dances, and wine consumption, which allowed one to be freed from the burdening societal norms.

1 City Dionysia

The City Dionysia (Great Dionysia) was the most prominent festival, held in Athens, usually during March or April. Celebrating the coming of spring and the grape harvest. It often presented dramatic contests, where tragedies and comedies would be featured, and marked the beginning of classical Greek theatre with works by playwrights Aeschylus and Euripides. The festival was a prestigious competition, usually judged by prominent citizens.

2 Rural Dionysia

The Rural Dionysia was a winter festival, largely observed in December. It was more of a local festival, connecting agricultural communities to the worship of Dionysus. The procession had a decorated phallos carried in it, which centred on fertility rites. Villagers would celebrate with wine and dances, praying to Dionysus for fertility and prosperity, emphasizing on the agricultural origins of the Dionysian cult.

3 Lenaia

The Lenaia was a winter festival in honor of Dionysus, held in January. It was an important festival for theatrical performances and took place within the city of Athens. This festival conducted dramatic contests, but it had greater emphasis on comedies through offering a platform for comic playwrights like Aristophanes showcasing the lighter side of the worship of Dionysus

4 Anthesteria

Anthesteria was a three-day feast (late February). It celebrated the new wine and appealed to the spirits of the dead. A great variety of rituals was performed: from opening casks of new wine to going out in procession to the tombs of the ancestors. On the second day, called Choes, people had drinking competitions, and there was playful revelry. The last day (Chytroi) was dedicated to the offerings and libation to the dead.

5 Thargelia

Thargelia was a May ceremony in honor of Apollo and Dionysus, marking the beginning of the harvest season. It had an element of purification rituals associated with it. The festival included sacrifices, offerings of first fruits, and the "scapegoat" ritual whereby two human figures, known as "pharmakoi," were sacrificed to purify the community.

The festivals of Dionysus, though very ancient, mark the multivalence of Greek religion, society, and culture. They were not simple religious rites but communal gatherings that fostered artistic expression, social cohesion, and an active celebration of life and nature.

[aceofcupsbiggestfan]

Thargelia

~ 6 and 7 Thargelion ~

Celebrated similarly in almost all Ionic cities, Thargelia honored the births of Artemis and Apollon. Said to be born one day before Apollon, Artemis would be celebrated the 6th, while Apollon would be celebrated the 7th.

On the 6th, "bad things are driven out" according to historian, Parke. A day of cleansing, the 6th would be focused on driving out disease among other ills. The 7th would be used as a day of offerings, bringing in news.

As Apollon is associated with plagues in Athens, this festival would have focused not only on His birth, but honoring him and obviation of disease.

Before Thargelia one man and one woman pharmakoi were chosen. On the first day the man would receive a necklace of black figs, and the woman a necklace of white. Once processed around the city, the two were beaten with fig branches and pelted with squill bulbs, driven from the city. This might have represented the fleeing of disease for both sexes, it was the harsher part of the purification ritual of katharsia.

On the 7th, offerings similar to those during Pyanepsia were given to Apollon. Due to this, Thargelia is also thought to be celebrating the first harvest of the season.

Children choirs sung hymn to Apollon as new children were introduced to fathers families. Winners of the choir contests received a tripod which was then offered to Apollon. Children would proceed through the city with gifts, notable an olive branch with wool, fruits, flasks of oil and bread. A song was thought to be sung in the procession which can be found here.

In noting of the harvest, an offering was given to Demeter Chloe.

Traditional Offerings:

Olive branches, honey, bread, fruits and oil

First fruits

Wine libations to Artemis

Manna bread

Eiresione

Traditional Acts:

Hymns to Artemis

Hymns to Apollon

Hymns to Demeter

Hymns to Leto

Libations to the Twins

Hymns to the Twins

Singing to Apollon

Purification rituals (such as baths, house cleansings/cleanings)

Prepare panspermia

[booitsthaclosetpagan]

Kala Thargelia! 🦌☀️

On the 6th and 7th day of the month Thargelion in hellenic polytheism we celebrate Thargelia, the main festival that the month is named after. This is how I celebrated this year (2nd year of the 700th olympiad):

On the first day I honored Artemis by:

Undergoing catharsis (spiritual cleansing of oneself, ones surroundings, body and mind). I took a shower, washed up, wore symbolic clothing and jewelry, veiled and abstained from sexual activity (and thoughts for the most part). I also fasted for about 24 hours, not consuming anything in order to detox my body.

I then poured a wine libation in honor of Artemis and recited homeric hymn #9 & #27 and Orphic hymn #35.

I also recited Orphic Hymn #34 in honor of Leto since Thargelia celebrates Leto giving birth to the twin goddess Artemis and god Apollo.

I also listened to devotional music in honor of Artemis.

After I finished the prayer I quickly realized that I forgot to cast out the scapegoats or Pharmakoi. So I wrote down two things that I wanted to leave my life namely negative nagging & struggling to communicate and form friendships within the physical religious community. I ripped these papers and threw them away to banish these things.

Then I watched a video about the mythos behind the birth of Artemis & Apollo and another mythos of Artemis (about her virginity and staying pure, fitting to the theme of Thargelia of course which is all about cleanliness and not having impure things). And looked at some social media posts of others about Thargelia.

Before going to bed I did my night prayer like every night, but payed some extra attention in that prayer to Leto, Artemis & Apollo in particular.

On the second day I honored Apollo by:

Undergoing catharsis again by washing up and putting on a sunny outfit to honor him, it was also really sunny during Thargelia this year so that was a good sign and nice to feel extra close to Apollo.

I then went to the grocery store to get all the ingredients for the dinner and offering and started cooking Panspermia and Manna, which turned out looking really nice and tasty this year! So I was really happy with that. I also bought a strawberry cake since it's traditional to offer the first fruits of the season to Apollo, which in my region are strawberries, and since strawberries are also associated with Apollo.

I put part of the Panspermia, Manna and cake, including an actual strawberry, in an offer bowl and placed it, along with the red wine libation, in front of Apollo's picture on my desk.

Then I veiled and recited Homeric hymn #3, #21 & #25 and Orphic hymn #33 in honor of Apollo.

I also recited Orphic Hymn #34 to Leto once again, like the previous day.

In honor of Apollo I also listened to a devotional song.

Then I broke my second fast which lasted for about 17 or 18 hours by eating the Panspermia, Manna and drinking the red wine.

Before going to bed I did my nightly prayer, again paying some special attention to thank Leto, Artemis and Apollo.

I honestly wanted to do more and spend even more time on Thargelia, cleaning the house among things, but due to busy work and such I didn't get around with doing so. I also intended to fast for 1,5 day but when I got a little headache at 2 AM I decided the time had come to eat something small in between, but after that I fasted again. I still enjoyed Thargelia, mainly because my cooking turned out so beautifully and I felt proud and by focusing so much on what Thargelia, Leto, Artemis and Apollo stand for, and tried my best to focus on cleansing myself physically and spiritually.

Kala Thargelia to all of you who celebrated!

[andromedaexists]

15 Questions: Andromeda

I was tagged by @dogmomwrites this time! Thank you!!

Are you named after anyone?

Andromeda, the kid of Cassiopeia in myth

When was the last time you cried?

When I left the Elysian Program, honestly. I was leaving everything behind.

Do you have kids?

not biologically but does Icarus count?

Do you use sarcasm a lot?

not as much as other people *cough* Icarus *cough* but yeah I do

What’s the first thing you notice about people?

I notice their physical state first. I immediately clock injuries when I meet people.

What's your eye color?

Brown, like a nice dark brown.

Scary movies or happy endings?

Scary movies for sure

Any special talents?

I'm able to make remedies for damn near anything that a remedy can be made for

Where were you born?

I was born in California, but I grew up in Ohio

What are your hobbies?

keeping track of Icarus and making food

Have ye any pets?

does Icarus count?

What sports do you play/have played?

I don't

How tall are you?

5' 10"

Favorite subject in school?

Biochem my beloved

Dream job?

I really want to be a pharmakoi. I just want to make natural remedies and help people

tagging: @mr-writes @authoralexharvey and @crypticcodexcreations

blank questions below the cut!

Are you named after anyone?

When was the last time you cried?

Do you have kids?

Do you use sarcasm a lot?

What’s the first thing you notice about people?

What's your eye color?

Scary movies or happy endings?

Any special talents?

Where were you born?

What are your hobbies?

Have ye any pets?

What sports do you play/have played?

How tall are you?

Favorite subject in school?

Dream job?

[evilios]

Thargelia (θαργήλια) is an Athenian and Ionian festival celebrated in the city of Athens and on the isle of Delos on the 6th and 7th of month Thargelion, which corresponds with late May. This year, Thargelia falls onto the 26th and 27th days of the month.

Traditionally thought to celebrate the birth of Artemis and Apollo Patroos, or, in some versions, venerate Helios and the Horae, this festival is a two-day long celebratory occasion focused on a cult sacrifice, rich offering, and devotional games given to the Gods in hopes of appeasing Them.

Thargelia, like many other celebrations of the Ancient times, is an agricultural festival. At the beginning of this celebration, Demeter was praised by the people, and the name of the festival itself, Thargelia, according to grammarians, translates into “fruits/grains of the earth”: Θαργήλια εισί πάντες οι από γης καρποί.

The specific harvest given attention to during this celebration was that of the first fruits of the earth, symbolically connected to the heat of the sun. Due to the connection between Demeter’s celebration and that of the Twins, it was customary to annually send an offering of fresh corn to Delos.

The festival of Thargelia has ritualistic sacrifice of two individuals as its nucleus. The individuals, called pharmakoi (φαρμακοὶ) are sometimes said to be picked from the “ugliest and vilest” of the citizens, as to associate with all that is negative, unhealthy, and plague-ridden. After an extensive ritual, the pharmakoi would be either driven out of the city or, if the festival happened to fall onto a plague year, thrown into the sea or burned alive.

There are two possible origins of that tradition. According to Istrus, there was a man named Φάρμακος who had stolen the sacred vials of Apollo and was later discovered by Achilles’ men. He was, allegedly, stoned to death for the theft, and the sacrifice of Thargelia is meant to commemorate that happening.

According to Helladius, expiatory (made to offer atonement) offerings were a common custom of offering to the Deities in order to purify the city of diseases, such as plagues. Epimenides, for example, attested a different pair of sacrificial youths, Cratinus and Ctesibius, who were allegedly put to death to stop the plague that overtook the Athenian army earlier.

The origins of Thargelia are as Ancient and unclear as the origins of the ritual sacrifice given to the Twins during the celebration. We can only assume that this is a very old festival celebrated with the aim of both asking the Divine for rich harvest of ripe fruits - and safety during the times of contagious diseases.

The ritual of Thargelia starts on the 6th with an offering of a sheep to Demeter Chloe (Δημήτηρ Χλόη) followed by a large purifying sacrifice when two people are put to death or exiled.

The rites of this particular ritual are definitely old, as all human sacrifice goes deep back into the earliest civilizations of the world. One of the pharmakoi (sometimes called σύβακχοι), sacrificial humans, was to represent the women of Athens, the other - the men. They were either both men or a man and a woman, as accounts differ. According to the Ancient writers, on the day of the sacrifice these two, picked from the most unpleasant parts of the society, were led to the temples of Apollo Patroos, Apollo Delphinius, and Apollo Pythius, and then - towards the seaside, followed by a flute melody called κραδίης νόμος.

The pharmakoi were richly dressed in garlands of black and white figs, and as they walked through the city they were whipped with rods made out of fig-wood; some account that the citizens would throw objects at them. They were given honey cakes, cheese, and figs before being burned on a ritualistic funeral pile made of fig-wood. Their ashes were scattered to the winds or thrown into the sea. Some writers state they were thrown into the sea alive while some argue that they were in fact exiled to never return.

Is it possible that an actual sacrifice only took place in the years of calamity where appeasing the Gods with a bloody offering was necessary. It’s hard to say who the pharmakoi were: some say convicted criminals, some call them τὸν πάντων ἀμορφότερον (the ugliest), some say they were φαύλους καὶ παρὰ τῆς φύσεως ἐπιβουλευομένους (or simply physically deformed).

The second day of the festival was meant to be devoted to offerings of thanks given to the Sun God, that is, Apollo or Helios. Children took part in the celebration, carrying εἰρεσιῶναι - olive branches wrapped in wool that were hung up before the doors of houses. One of the best sources on the occasion, Porphyrius, lists a large number of offerings given to the Gods on that day, including ἰλύς - moist soil from which all is born.

A choral procession of men and boys (agon) performed solemnly during the second day of the celebration. This supposedly involved some sort of competitive air to it, as two masters of chorus were given two different tribes, which they were then to supply a chorus from. Whoever succeeded was given a tripod meant to be dedicated at the temple of Apollo. Chorus of women and young girls was also present.

Adoptive parents could properly register their children into the gens and phatria during Thargelia.

Solemn sacrifice was not the only focus of the festival, as it also included the so-called Delia (δήλια), which is the name of festivals and games held at the great panegyrics at the island of Delos. Initially it seems that there was a religious center formed around Delos for the sole purpose of worshiping and securing the worship of Apollo, θεὸς πατρῷος (Father-God) of Ionians. The Delia were held every five years and were supposedly happening during the birth of Artemis and Apollo.

This celebration included gymnastic and musical contests, choruses, and dances. Men, women, and children participated in the festival in equal measure, and the members of the religious assembly of Delos and neighboring islands were welcome. Athenians took part in the celebration from the very early times, as suggested by historical records; they also sent out a “sacred vessel” (θεωρίς) to Delos annually, claiming it was the same as legendary Theseus sent out after returning from Crete. These celebrations were stopped at some point, having been reignited by Athens later on. After Athens took control over the Ionian confederacy, the leader of the Delia became a picked Athenian, and the superintendence of Athenians at the local sanctuary became prominent.

Sources and further reading: 🌞 🌞 🌞 🌞 🌞 🌞 🌞 🌞 🌞

[coldalbion]

Furthermore, satirical poetry and language have often been compared to violent combat. A common denominator of poet and warrior is madness - or more precisely possession. The aggression of the satirist and the aggression of the warrior are both ambiguously focused towards the good of community, and the warrior becomes as much a scapegoat as does the poet. The warrior wields a sword or spear; as does the satirist, verbally (though his poetry is often compared to an animal's bite, as well as weapons.)

Victim Of The Muses: Poet as Scapegoat, Warrior and Hero in Greco-Roman and Indo-European Myth and History, by Todd M. Compton

[strilondism]

when i understand my lit reading better bc of detective pony :)

[trivia-witch]

🗝 Hekate’s Garden and Plant Spirit Witchcraft 🗡

BY CYNDI BRANNEN

Hekate’s Garden is the mystical location that can be journeyed to in trance or dreams. Therein reside the Pharmakoi Kyrios, the Master Plant Spirits, of each botanical. We can connect to these spirits through using materia medica or purely energetically, using symbols of them. Plant spirit oracle cards are one example. Intuiting, channeling or divining botanical spirits is one of my central practices. Letting the spirits present themselves without knowing the standard properties is an amazing way to practice pharmakeia.

Botanicals are such a central part of my life that they are as important to me as air. They are food, they built my home and surround it, and they are how I enter the world of spirits.

Simple Ways To Practice Pharmakeia

If you are completely new to experiencing the mysteries of botanicals and the power of Hekate’s Garden, I recommend going slowly. Avoid pithy internet advice. Use a mixed-methods approach: follow your intuition and divination and then map it onto standard properties and applications. Experiment, experiment, experiment. Pharmakeia is as much science as it is magic. What works in general may not work specifically for you. Mugwort, to me, is mother’s milk. For others, it can trigger an allergic reaction. I consume all manner of botanicals each and every day, but I have an empirical approach to my ongoing practice. In our home, allopathic medicine is the absolute last resort unless it is clearly indicated. Pharmakeia, as it was originally practiced, is the spirit in which I work with botanicals. Entheogens, psychedelics and their kin are very alluring, but come with real risks. 

Set up a journal and/or spreadsheet to record your practice of pharmakeia. Create monographs of the botanicals you work with, recording your personal experiences and intuitive correspondences and characteristics in addition to the standard ones.

Becoming aware of our reliance on the green world in materialistic ways can create a path leading to their deeper aspects. Go on a quest, opening yourself up to accepting the call of one local botanical. Birch, maple, pine, oak, ash, poplar, beech and other tree spirits are present even in the most urban spaces. Using bits of these botanicals in our witchery is enhanced when we practice Vox Botanica, singing or speaking to summon out their qualities and personality.

An inventory of the botanicals already in our homes is an excellent undertaking to demonstrate the plant spirits already among us. Of course, those spirits can become quite dormant, so studying their spiritual properties and characteristics is a fantastic way to learn how to approach them.

Look in the kitchen and elsewhere for evidence of Hekate’s Garden. The herbs and spices you favor, along with the scents you prefer, probably indicate the botanicals with which you have a natural affinity. Choose one to develop a deeper connection with.

Research the botanicals associated with your astrological considerations and birth month for a potential Pharmaka Kyrios – your personal Master Plant Spirit – if you don’t feel called to/by any one plant.

ABOUT CYNDI BRANNEN

Cyndi Brannen, PhD, is a teacher and writer focusing on personal development, spirituality and true magic. She is an energetic healer, psychic, herbalist, spiritual coach and mentor. Founder of the Keeping Her Keys Mystery School, she teaches and writes about the true magic of healing and personal power. The bestselling Keeping Her Keys: An Introduction to Hekate’s Modern Witchcraft explores Hekate from her ancient origins to our modern understanding through magic and personal development. True Magic: Unleashing Your Inner Witch, based on the sacred seven principles, will be available this October.

[herbsandhistory]

INSTAGRAM: catlandbooks

A guide to plant spirit ritual and witchcraft, with practical instruction on the use of botanicals especially associated with the beloved goddess Hekate and her daughters Circe and Medea. Bringing pharmakeia (the practice of plant spirit witchcraft) into contemporary times, Entering Hekate’s Garden merges historical knowledge with modern techniques. In it, author Cyndi Brannen offers her extensive insight into Hekatean ritual and witchcraft and especially its application to the Green World. The book features detailed monographs dedicated to 39 plants ranging from the esoteric such as aconite, American mandrake, and damiana to the accessible including bay laurel, dandelion, fennel, garlic, juniper, and lavender. This book blends traditional methods with the author's personal approach, emphasizing her understanding of plant spirits as allies in the witch’s journey. It includes a new taxonomy for interpreting plant energies, methods for creating new correspondences, the importance of layering, using botanicals in spells, rituals, altars, and more, as well as ways to develop meaningful relationships with the pharmakoi (master plant spirits). Poetry, petitions, and musings about pharmakeia are woven throughout. Entering Hekate’s Garden takes readers deep into the mystical world of botanical witchery in a way no other book has before.

[catghoulz]

tranniez r teh pharmakoi ov our modern age

[hermeneutas]

Oi. Poderia explicar sobre o calendário helênico e como se aplica nos festivais de Ártemis?

Olá, anon! Então, temos um post específico (que você pode verificar no nosso Masterpost) que fala sobre o calendário helênico - clique aqui!

Quanto aos festivais de Ártemis, seguindo calendário ático discutido no post supracitado, temos alguns de seus dias festivos que podem ser observados. Alguns deles não têm data fixa, outros, sim! Os que não se sabe muito sobre a data exata, estipula-se que tenham ocorrido no sexto dia do ciclo lunar, pois ele é associado a ela (Ártemis nasceu no sexto, Apolo no sétimo).

Seguindo o indicado pelo site Helenos, temos alguns como:

- Elaphebolia, um festival arcaico em honra da caçadora em torno do epíteto Elaphebolos (Que se delicia em cervos). Ocorria em Elaphebolion,.

- Mounykhia, um festival em honra de Ártemis como potnia theron (Senhora das Feras) e como deidade lunar. Um bolo de mel (amphiphontes) onde dadia (pequenas tochas) são afixadas, o nome do bolo significa Brilho de Dupla Luz.

- Broboneia, um festival onde jovens garotas (Arktoi, literalmente "Ursas") participavam. Os itens sagrados de Ártemis eram carregados em procissão e um bode era sacrificado, seguindo a ordem do mito onde a Deusa pedira o sacrifício de uma garota para aplacar sua fúria, que foi trocada por um bode de última hora. Era celebrado no dia 17 de Mounykhion, encerrando-se com uma dança das jovens arktoi.

- Thargelia, um festival dedicado a Apolo e Ártemis em celebração de seu aniversário nos dias 6 (Ártemis) e 7 (Apolo) de Thargelion. O festival tem duas partes, no sexto dia ocorrendo uma purificação onde dois pharmakoi (bodes-expiatórios, duas pessoas de caráter repulsivo) que foram alimentados pelas pessoas da cidade são conduzidos pela cidade e expulsos dela com ramos de figo e bulbos de cebola. Um deles usa figos negros e outro, brancos, respectivamente representando homens e mulheres da cidade. Sua expulsão purifica a cidade do miasma e no dia seguinte, acontece a oferta dos Primeiros Frutos a Apolo em uma oferta conhecida como um thargelos - um ensopado feito de grãos fervidos com outros vegetais em um pote, além de ocorrerem disputas de cantoria de hinos.

Cada um destes festivais tem um contexto e mito próprio associado que é extenso demais para se discorrer aqui. É interessante observar como podemos celebrá-los de modo adequado e honroso nos tempos modernos, visto que muitos deles tem caráter político-sociológico pouco alcançável no nosso tempo. Isso, como sempre, é um exercício de criatividade e colaboração (caso tu busque celebrar isso em grupo, por exemplo).

Desejamos boa luz e inventividade na hora de adaptarem-se os festivais em honra dos Imortais! Inspirar-se nos rituais modernos é um caminho importante! Eirene! (Paz!)

[notbecauseofvictories]

Silt Verses does an interesting thing where it doesn’t...exactly conflate the sacrifice and the scapegoat, but blurs that line in interesting ways

(”Sacrifice” and “scapegoat” in the Biblical sense, the goat sacrificed on the altar and the goat sent into the wilderness to bear away the community’s sin. Or pharmakoi, if I knew anything about that practice outside of reading Derrida once in college.)

I mean, Kerling in this latest episode is very obviously the scapegoat---he’s an object, he takes on the sin stink of the other officers (the cases they couldn’t solve and the victims they couldn’t save) and then they send him away to his death. I’d even argue that Vaughn in Episode 7 is a scapegoat, given how rough their quarterlies are looking, and the fact that it’s “the worst of the worst” ushered with a few “hisses and boos” into the glass kiln.

But then, what differs with the Trawler-Man, whose victims can be divided into those sanctified against their will (the hotelier, the crew of the fishing boat) and those who choose it themselves (Paul, Roake, The Bride). Are they the sacrificed or the scapegoat, or some third category? Does will matter that much to a god?

And if that’s the case, is that where we should file Charity, Sid Wright, and Finch? All these people serving their gods with varying degrees of willingness, for no reason but that the god definitively exists and exerts pressure on their lives...are they sacrifices, or scapegoats? Or maybe what Catholicism calls a victim soul, someone singled out for suffering in the name of redemption? And if so, is that a curse or a blessing?

[mask131]

Why Hecate is the goddess of liminal places

Hecate is a liminal goddess, the deity of boundaries and borders. While most people know Hecate as the “goddess of crossroads”, this was merely one the places/objects dedicated to her. City walls, doorways and entrances were also linked to her - the human-made borders and liminal spaces. She was both the protector of the house/city/country, refusing to let evil spirits or negative entities enter a protected area, as much as she was the goddess that allowed one to cross frontiers, to travel and go in other realms. She is after all not just a goddess of geographical liminality, but also of metaphysical liminality.

Hecate is a goddess belonging to the underworld and the afterlife. The key she holds in her hands are as much the keys of city doors as they are of the doors of death. Guardian of the roads and the journeys, she also helps beings in their travel either from the living world to the underworld (as a psychopomp) but also from the realm of the dead to the one of the living (she was the goddess of ghosts). Her torch is the light that guides in the night, and that people follow in their travel between the worlds, between life and death. She was as much the ruler of the undead as a mother goddess presiding over birth. 

Between the Olympian, the new gods of order and civilization, and the Titans, old gods of chaos and nature, she was also the goddess of magic and sorcery. Worshipped by witches, she was also linked to what the Greek called the “pharmakoi” - the main art of the Greek witches, and what made them witches. Pharmakos, pharmakoi, is a word that is ambiguous and in-between, just like Hecate. It is a drug and a potion, but it can be as much the healing medecine as the harmful poison. Life and death, reunited as one - this is the essence of Hecate. 

[piristephes]

Thargelia, day 1 - To Artemis, we made offerings and poured libations, burnt incense and the pharmakoi I prepared for this festival. I made them as drawings, some other people in my group made them in wood, sticks or leaves. Praise Artemis!

Kala Thargelia!

[booitsthaclosetpagan]

Kala Thargelia!

So today and tomorrow, May 18th & 19th, or in the Hellenic calendar Thargelion 6th & 7th in the 4th year of the 699th olympiad, mark the festival Thargelia which honors Artemis and Apollo. 

Due to the ongoing pandemic I was at my parents home and couldn’t freely or to full extend celebrate Thargelia, however I still tried to do as much as possible, without a real celebration or libation. 

So on the 6th of Thargelion, Artemis day I

- Started the day by undergoing catharsis or cleansing, took a bath, put on fresh clothes, took out the trash, to cleanse myself of miasma. 

- I couldn’t fast due to eating with/at my parents, but instead I avoided every unnecessary food or drink, so I only ate and drank during lunch and dinner when I had no other option. 

- In the afternoon I put on some symbolic clothing and jewelry that portray deer, which are associated with Artemis who is also named the huntress goddess.

- Then I wrote down two things I wanted to get rid off on paper, representing the pharmakoi or scapegoates, and ripped those to ward bad energy concerning these points off. 

* Due to the ongoing pandemic and Thargelia being associated with warding off illness, I wrote illness down as one of the things that I wanted to ward off.

* For the second pharmakoi, last Thargelia I wrote down self doubt about choices regarding the future. Through the past year that has indeed become less however it’s still not fully gone, well the doubt about choices is kinda gone but regarding future work I just really want a specific job and a lot of future choices depend on that so that’s why this year I wrote down ‘not working at my dream job at ...’ to cast out, in order to channel positive energy towards that goal and ward off negativity and unluckiness regarding getting that job. It sounds a bit selfish maybe but since it’s like a second part to the pharmakoi from last year it’s also about personal growth and asking the deities to help me on that part, it’s not like directly asking them for the job. 

Anyways so that were my two pharmakoi for this year.

- Then I recited some prayers/hymns. I did it in a weird order, which was kinda wrong but it doesn’t matter that much, but next year again I would like to just do it in the numerological order since it makes much more sense, I don’t know why I didn’t do that this time. 

* I started with reciting Orphic Hymn 34 to Leto, then Orphic Hymn 36 to Artemis (two versions of that hymn) and Homeric Hymn 9 and 27 to Artemis.

Thargelion 7th marks Apollo’s day, so then I will

- Cleanse myself (catharsis) and put on fresh clothes.

- Listen to a song called ‘Apollo’ to honor him. 

- Recite Homeric Hymn 21 to Apollo and Orphic Hymn 33 to Apollo.

- This is also a day to spend with family so I’ll go with my mom to the grocery store to get some nice foods, break ‘the fast’ during lunch and make a nice dinner with her. 

I wish you all a blessed Thargelia! Stay healthy and safe!