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sisterofiris · 7 years ago

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More Basic Basics of Ancient Greek: How to pray the ancient way

So you’re a Hellenic polytheist, and you’ve decided to add a touch of history to your prayers: you want to say them, or part of them, in Ancient Greek. While this is by no means a requirement - the Gods will surely understand you no matter which language you speak - Ancient Greek in prayer and ritual can function like a liturgical language, and can make you feel closer to those who first practised this religion. But where to start? Which words to use? This post is here to help.

The following words and phrases are all drawn from ancient texts, ranging from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD. (If you're curious about where a certain phrase appears, you’re welcome to send me an ask.) Pick the ones that resonate most with you, try them out, and have fun!

Pro tip: before we start, I recommend that you get familiar with the alphabet and standard pronunciation, and for more versatility, check out the basics of Greek grammar and how the case system works.

However, if it’s all too much for you, skip to the end where I’ll offer a few templates ready for you to use!

Greetings and invocations

The most common Ancient Greek greeting, which you might’ve encountered before, is χαῖρε. When addressing several people or Gods, it’s χαίρετε. It literally means “rejoice!” and has a similar usage to “hail”, “salve/salvete” or simply “hi”.

In the Iliad 23.179, Achilles greets Patroclus’ dead soul with the phrase χαῖρέ μοι, ὦ Πάτροκλε, καὶ εἰν Ἀίδαο δόμοισι: I greet you (litt. “rejoice for me”), Patroclus, even in the home of Hades.

However, in prayers and hymns, χαῖρε/χαίρετε is less common as a greeting than as a farewell. A more common formula is κλ��θί μοι: this means “listen to me”. When addressing several deities, use the plural form κλῦτε μοι.

The next thing you will need is the name of the deity or deities, in the vocative. This is the most important part: many prayers skip χαῖρε and κλυθί μοι and start directly with the deity. As in the quote above, the name can be preceded by ὦ, which is the equivalent of English “O”.

Here are the names of major Hellenic deities (nominative) with their forms in the vocative:

Ζεύς (Zeus): Ζεῦ

Ἥρα/Ἥρη (Hera): same as nominative

Ποσειδών (Poseidon): Πόσειδον

Δημήτηρ (Demeter): Δήμητερ

Ἀΐδης (Hades): Ἀΐδη

Ἑστία/Ἑστίη (Hestia): same as nominative

Ἀθηνᾶ/Ἀθήνη (Athena): same as nominative

Ἑρμῆς (Hermes): Ἑρμῆ

Ἄρτεμις (Artemis): Ἄρτεμι

Ἀπόλλων (Apollon): Ἄπολλον

Ἥφαιστος (Hephaistos): Ἥφαιστε

Διόνυσος (Dionysos): Διόνυσε

Ἄρης (Ares): Ἄρες

Περσεφόνη (Persephone): same as nominative

Bonus: in both nominative and vocative, God is θεός, Goddess is θεά, Gods is θεοί, and Goddesses is θεαί.

To invoke two or more deities, use και, τε και or τε... τε, which all mean “and”, e.g.: Ἄρτεμι καὶ Ἄπολλον, Ζεῦ τε καὶ Ἥρη, Δημήτηρ τε Περσεφόνη τε.

Another option is καλέω, “I call”, or κικλῄσκω, “I summon”. If you choose one of these, you will need the name of the deity and their epithets in the accusative, not in the vocative as above. (If you have trouble figuring out a certain deity’s name, let me know.)

Epithets

After calling upon the deity, you will need to qualify them using one or more epithets. These will need to be in the same case as the deity’s name (vocative or accusative, depending on the formula you chose). The Theoi Project provides lists of epithets for each deity which you may want to look through. Make sure to choose aspects and areas appropriate to your request, as in the following examples:

ἀλλ᾽ ἄγ᾽ Ἐλευσῖνος θυοέσσης δῆμον ἔχουσα / καὶ Πάρον ἀμφιρύτην Ἀντρῶνά τε πετρήεντα, / πότνια, ἀγλαόδωρ᾽, ὡρηφόρε, Δηοῖ ἄνασσα: but now, you who hold the people of sweet-smelling Eleusis, and Paros encircled by sea and rocky Antron, lady, giver of beautiful gifts, bringer of seasons, queen Deo (Homeric Hymn to Demeter 490-492)

The Homeric Hymn to Demeter is concerned with Demeter in her seasonal, fertility aspects, as well as how she came to be worshipped in Eleusis. The epithets chosen by the author in the above quote reflect this.

ὦ πότνια, πότνια, θύμασιν βροτησίοις / χαρεῖσα: o lady, lady, rejoicing in human sacrifice (Euripides Iphigenia in Aulis 1524-1525)

This line is spoken just before Iphigenia is sacrificed to Artemis, so it makes sense to describe the Goddess as appreciating this kind of ritual.

Ζεῦ ἄνα, Δωδωναῖε, Πελασγικέ, τηλόθι ναίων, / Δωδώνης μεδέων δυσχειμέρου: lord Zeus, Dodonian, Pelasgian, who lives afar, ruler of harsh-weathered Dodona (Iliad 16.233-234)

Here, Achilles is calling on a particularly archaic and venerable aspect of Zeus in the hopes that Patroclus will be kept safe. Dodona, the oldest known oracle of Zeus, and the Pelasgians, pre-Greek peoples, underline this ancient power.

Past worship

If making a request, you may want to mention past offerings and devotions you have made for the deity. This usually takes the form “if ever I...”, as in the Iliad 503-504: εἰ ποτε δή σε μετ’ ἀθανάτοισιν ὄνησα / ἢ ἔπει ἢ ἔργῳ: if ever I, among the immortals, pleased you in words or in actions...

In simpler words: εἰ ποτε σε (sg)/ὑμᾶς (pl) ὄνησα ἢ ἔπει ἢ ἔργῳ, “if ever I pleased you (sg/pl) in words or in actions”.

After this, you can move straight on to your prayer, or you can specify: μοι κρῆνον (sg)/κρῆνατε (pl) ἐέλδωρ, “fulfill (sg/pl) my wish”, or λιτὰς ἐμῶν δέξο/δέξασθε, “receive my prayers”.

Supplications and thanksgiving

Then, finally, you get to the actual prayer. This can take two forms: supplication (please grant me a thing) or thanksgiving (thank you for granting me a thing).

In a supplication, you can either use a verb in the imperative (grant me a thing) or in the optative (may you grant me a thing). Though giving orders to a deity may seem strange, neither is more polite or appropriate than the other - you can choose whichever you prefer. Here are a few verbs you might find useful:

φέρε/φέρετε (imperative sg/pl), φέροις/φέροιτε (optative sg/pl): to bring (+ accusative)

πέμπε/πέμπετε, πέμποις/πέμποιτε: to send (+ acc.)

δίδου/δίδοτε, διδοῖς/διδοῖτε: to give (+ acc.)

ἰάτρευε/ἰατρεύετε, ἰατρεύοις/ἰατρεύοιτε: to heal (+ acc.)

ἐπιμελέου/ἐπιμελέσθε ὑπέρ, ἐπιμελέοιο/ἐπιμελέοισθε ὑπέρ: to take care of X (+ genitive)

Some things you can pray for:

ἐγω (nom.), με/ἐμε (acc.), μου/ἐμου (gen.): I, me

for “my X”, use “X μου”

μήτηρ (nom.), μητέρα (acc.), μητρός (gen.): mother

πατήρ, πατέρα, πατρός: father

ἀδελφός, ἀδελφόν, ἀδελφοῦ: brother

ἀδελφή, ήν, ῆς: sister

φίλος, ον, ου (male) φίλη, ην, ης (female): friend

οἶκος, ον, ου: home

ἀλκή, ήν, ῆς or βία, αν, ας: strength

θάρρος, ος, ους: emotional strength, courage

ἀγαθή τύχη, ἀγαθήν τύχην, ἀγαθῆς τύχης: good luck

ὑγίεια, αν, ας: health

εἰρήνη, ην, ης: peace

σωτηρία, αν, ας: safety, preservation

In a fragment of a poem by Simonides (PMG 543), Danae prays that her troubles reach an end, saying εὑδέτω δ’ ἄμετρον κακόν: may this endless sorrow sleep. Εὑδέτω κακόν or variants like εὑδέτω φόβον (”may fear/panic sleep”), εὑδέτω νόσον (”may illness sleep”) or εὑδέτω ἔριν (”may quarrel sleep”) could be a nice image to include.

When it comes to thanksgiving, a common phrase is ἐμοῦ ἔκλυες/ἐκλύετε εὐξαμένου, “you listened to me when I prayed”. You can follow it with (καὶ) νῦν χάριν φέρω σοι/ὑμῖν, “(and) now I bring you thanks”. Εὐχαριστῶ σοι/ὑμῖν, “I am thankful to you”, is an alternative which is still widespread in modern Greece, though in ancient times, it was mostly used within Christianity.

Farewells

Once you have spoken your prayers, it is time to take your leave of the deity. This is most commonly done using χαῖρε/χαίρετε, as mentioned above. If you wish, you can name the deity again along with a couple of epithets. Telling them you will remember them in future prayers is a nice touch; the Homeric Hymns use αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ καὶ σεῖο καὶ ἄλλης μνήσομ᾽ ἀοιδῆς: but I will remember you, and another song. A simpler, adapted version would be σοῦ/ὑμῶν μνήσομαι καὶ ἄλλης εὐχῆς, “I will remember you, and another prayer”. Another possibility could be σοῦ/ὑμῶν μνήσομαι ἔπει καὶ ἔργῳ, “I will remember you in words and in actions”.

In summary

χαῖρε/χαίρετε: hail

κλυθί μοι/κλῦτε μοι: listen to me

καλέω or κικλῄσκω: I call, I summon

εἰ ποτε σε/ὑμᾶς ὄνησα ἢ ἔπει ἢ ἔργῳ: if ever I pleased you in words or in actions

μοι κρῆνον/κρῆνατε ἐέλδωρ: fulfill my wish

λιτὰς ἐμῶν δέξο/δέξασθε: receive my prayers

εὑδέτω X: may X sleep

ἐμοῦ ἔκλυες/ἐκλύετε εὐξαμένου: you listened to me when I prayed

νῦν χάριν φέρω σοι/ὑμῖν: now I bring you thanks

εὐχαριστῶ σοι/ὑμῖν: I am thankful to you

σοῦ/ὑμῶν μνήσομαι καὶ ἄλλης εὐχῆς: I will remember you, and another prayer

σοῦ/ὑμῶν μνήσομαι ἔπει καὶ ἔργῳ: I will remember you in words and in actions

Prayer examples

With all this, you can now create your own short prayers in Ancient Greek! Below I have written out a few templates you can work with. If you have any questions, or if you need help figuring out a certain phrase, I’m happy to help!

A thanksgiving prayer to Zeus:

Ὦ Ζεῦ, ὕπατε, πάτερ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε, ἐμοῦ ἔκλυες εὐξαμένου καὶ νῦν χάριν φέρω σοι. Χαῖρε, Ζεῦ ἄνα, καὶ σοῦ μνήσομαι ἔπει καὶ ἔργῳ.

O Zeus, most high, father of men and Gods, you listened to me as I prayed and now I bring you thanks. Hail, lord Zeus, and I will remember you in words and in actions.

A prayer to Artemis for anxiety relief:

Κλυθί μοι, Ἄρτεμι σώτειρα, ἡμερασία, λυσιμέριμνε, καὶ εἰ ποτε σ’ ὄνησα ἢ ἔπει ἢ ἔργῳ, μοι κρῆνον ἐέλδωρ˙ δεῖμα μου πέμποις εἰς ὀρέων κεφάλας, καὶ φέροις εἰρήνην. Χαῖρε, φίλη θεά.

Listen to me, Artemis saviour, of a gentle nature, deliverer of troubles, and if ever I pleased you in words or actions, fulfill my wish: may you send my fear away to the summits of the mountains, and bring down peace. Hail, dear Goddess.

A prayer to Apollon and Asclepios for a sick friend:

Καλέω Ἀπόλλωνα ἰατρόν καὶ Ἀσκληπιόν ἤπιον, φιλολάους˙ ἰατρεύετε φίλον ἐμου καὶ δίδοτε αὐτῷ ὑγίειαν, τε καὶ εὑδέτω νόσον.

I call upon Apollon the healer and kind Asclepios, lovers of the people: heal my friend and give him good health, and may illness sleep.

#i know a few of you are interesting in praying in ancient greek #sooo... here you go #if i've made any mistakes please let me know #of course this is only intended as a resource for those who "want* to pray in greek #there's absolutely no necessity #no pressure #speak any language you want and they will understand #i promise #Hellenismos #hellenic polytheism #ancient greek

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miistical · 7 years ago

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This is a commission for @colonel-curry. I hope you like your gay witches!

Very long ago, witches were thought to be a plague upon the earth. Humans of every creed and race had called them devil worshipers, Bringers of Evil, and all who were thought to harbor black magic had been executed. Any who wrote with their left hand was said to have had practiced black magic—many children disappeared that way. But they, those cursed witches, had not suffered from their fate. No, they had reveled in it. Witches had grown in the night, their powers beheld only among twilight, and they hid. No witch had left the coven without a matron and so it was only the foolhardy wishers who burned - those who had craved powers they did not understand. And now, after centuries filled with myth and interest, witches were no longer hunted. Instead, they were searched. Their abilities were legendary, the results the envy of anyone who knew the signs, and this had not changed even as the years gently rolled by. Soon, witches faded into tall tales and folklore as they blended easily among these who did not want to see them, but wanting practitioners were never turned away. All one needed was open eyes and a soulful yearn and the craft would come easily.

The Flower Petal Apothecary laid within the heart of New York City, its doors opened to anyone who may stumble upon it. It wasn't the only apothecary in business—it wasn't even the only one in the neighborhood, let alone the city itself. Other and more specialized apothecaries dotted the landscape from Boston to Queens to the New Jersey shore. Medicines whispered to heal any ailment, protection stones able to will away any negative influence, personalized tokens meant for any sort of want or wish. But none of them held the properties the Flower Petal Apothecary modestly boasted - that is to say, no witches worked at the others.

The stores did not, and would never, lie about their wares, but they did not have a hand in creating them. No, they had left the true craft to the pythoness and kitsune-tsukai witches - a formidable soothsayer and fox spirit pair - who hid among the blooming flower blossoms of Prospect park.

The path that lead the true believers and the desperate wanters to the shop was lined with fruit trees of all kind. Easily blended into the background of the more impressive-looking London plantrees, the eyes of those without yearning in their soul skipped over the more exotic flora. Those who wandered found themselves underneath the weeping branches of oranges, apples, and lemons. Though they were free to pluck the fruit for themselves, most did not in fear of retribution—weary of all that ensnared them.

Most were right to be cautious.

The further along one walked, the more eye-catching the plants became. White lilies turned to red dragon lilies to poppies to roses. Apple trees turned to peach trees to pomegranate trees to cherry blossom trees. The end of the dirt path was covered by Spanish moss that hung from southern live oak and bald-cypress trees; all one needed to do was brush it back, though some cannot bring themselves to touch anything teeming with the magic they wished to use.

A secret kept from the main road, the Flower Petal Apothecary was antique in its design. Wooden beams carried multiple terracotta pots, their emptiness filled with lavender, with basil, with aloe vera. Tinkling chimes and handwoven dream catchers gently spun and swung with every brush of the wind. The three steps that lead up to the white door, as well as the rest of the narrow porch, was nearly covered in overgrown vines - though they appeared as a genuine part of the surrounding garden.

To an untrained eye, they would only see weeds and pesky, reaching fingers that snagged at loose clothing and unbound hair. They would see too bright colors and too big flowers and too many of them both. To the witches that regularly lived among the planted greenery, they meant something: white sweet alyssum for peace, white clover for vitality and good fortune, bright pink azalea and blue forget-me-nots for love, yellow daffodil for prosperity, orange gladiolus for protection.

It looked like nothing more than a forgotten cottage, a quaint building recaptured by mother nature and lost to humanity's brutal and often cruel touch. And, in most cases, it was just that. The Flower Petal Apothecary had been built by a medicine man, a famous doctor known for his perfect remedies. Many a tale had spoke of him as one would of Jesus: able to heal any disease or bodily flaw. Yet, as the years went by and the people went west, not many remembered the once greatly hailed doctor - nor did they ever remember his young wife.

A witch forced to hide herself behind the man she did not love, she had made sure to never hold a grudge against those who persecuted her people. They were ignorant, she had told herself—they were too unaware, were too traditional, too scared. They did not know any better, but that did not mean she would let her sisters fear as she had. So, when her miracle husband died himself, she had cast a spell over their house. Never should another who wished to hurt any other witch find this home; only the believers, the wishers, those without a home themselves shall find it.

(Should one ask the workers, they'd say the wind that fluttered the leaves was her whispering spirit. They never dared to speak her name though - not because they feared it, but because they revered it. Names had power. Names were power. Names woke the soul, strengthened the body, bent the will.

They were content in her slumber.)

A woman born with bruises was one of the many wishers and she found the apothecary with ease, as if she knew where it was already. In truth, she was on her last desperate attempt at peace and the Flower Petal had heard her cries—and opened for her. Trembling legs brought her to the door, so bright and welcoming she was nearly afraid of what laid behind it. She had trusted bright and welcoming and now... now she was here.

She, nothing but a hollow body and hollow eyes, started when the door opened before she could even gather the courage to knock, let alone do it. A woman, taller and even thinner than herself, had opened the door, her brown eyes dark and piercing. A flash of gold and a deep breath was all the witch needed before she had pulled the wisher in, her wiry arms warm and strong.

"I am so sorry, Katerina. I am so sorry." It was nothing but a whisper, nothing but lips against her curly hair, but Kat immediately broke. Her hairline fractures finally splintered, her aches became stabs of pain, and she could hold on no longer. The brown haired woman collapsed and she let all of her despair go. She could feel herself being moved, laid across someone's legs, head in their lap, but she could not stop her weeping. The next hour was nothing but a blur. There were hands, long fingered and calloused and soft, and they were everywhere. A pair plucked at her hair, as if trying to untangle it from its rigid curls. A different pair rubbed her bare arms and her jean-clad legs; normally Kat would have balked at a stranger touching her anywhere lower than her shoulders, but she felt none of the anxiety, the nervousness. A third pair rubbed her back, gently kneading the knots out of her shoulders. All were gentle and any tug did not hurt just as no touch was intrusive. Kat couldn't remember a time where hands felt good. When Kat's mind finally returned from her haze, she could feel only one pair of hands. She nuzzled her face closer to woman she laid across before she realized just what she was doing. Kat shot up, apologies spewing from her mouth with well-practiced ease, her hands covering her face. Yet, while Kat braced herself, the only thing she heard was muffled laughter. Her eyes snapped open and she openly gaped. The woman she had been laying on was nearly all arm, all leg. A bright blue dress of sorts, though Kat distantly thought it looked more like a robe, was the only thing that covered her modesty - and even then it looked as if she had just thrown it on with no care as to how to laid upon her. She wore nothing below her knee and even then the dress-robe had a slit up to her hip; and while the fabric laid thick down her arms, the neckline was a deep cut that showed off her collarbones with ease. (Strangely enough, Kat thought she looked elegant all the while. As if her body was her clothing too. There was nothing sexual to the hints and flashes of her and Kat ached to feel like that one day.) Pale skin was the only thing Kat could see as she trailed her eyes up to the other woman's hands as they delicately cupped her mouth. She was of Asian descent, though Kat couldn't be for sure nor wanted to assume but she knew that her fine cheekbones and soft jawline did not allow for the harsher European genes. As she finally realized that she was staring, Kat ducked down, a fierce blush running down her neck. She stammered, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to—I mean, I just thought—" her throat closed, her voice choked off. She whispered, "I'm sorry." one last time before a hand covered her own. 'Huh,' Kat thought, her mind dazed and hysterical, 'her nails are really short. And pink. It suits her.' The witch sighed before giving her a small smile. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Not here. Not ever again." Her voice was high and soft and so kind that Kat nearly burst into tears a second time. Her hands moved to clutch at Kat's wrists, her thumbs soothing the finger-shaped bruises there. She said, "My name in this home is Tsuki, Japanese for moon. Welcome, Katerina, to the Flower Petal Apothecary." For the first time since she got there, Kat looked around the building. From her view at the very front, nearly everything was opened to her. Right in front of her was a counter, the grain of it pure white against the deep mahogany of the wood slab. It, just like the stairs outside, was encased by hugging vines, flowers of all kinds blooming randomly. Crystals hung low from the ceiling, some dangling on cotton strings and leather strips while others seemed to have shot down from the apothecary's rafters. Pots and cups and containers of all kinds had been stacked neatly behind the counter - jars upon jars of specialty ingredients, Kat guessed. The closest ones were largely unlabeled, though some were named. Kat couldn't quite wrap her head around what had to have been inside: nevus paste, Dead Sea salt, volcanic glass, meteorite dust. Her eyes wandered over to the other side of the apothecary and Kat's jaw gently fell open. Shelves and shelves of plants and pots and books - oh god, the books - were lined neatly across the second half of the room. Muffled giggling drew her eyes to the back of the store. There were four women, all looking at her in varying degrees of interest, sat behind a long and narrow table. One played with a snake while another had a small kitten resting in her hair; the last two, blonde twins, were holding each other's hands and were just looking at her. A shiver ran down Kat's spine though the air inside the apothecary was warm. She glanced at Tsuki and she nearly gasped at the glare she was giving the other girls. Kat flinched when Tsuki's eyes returned to her, though Tsuki graciously ignored it. "I deeply apologize for my sisters' behavior." Kat swallowed and quickly darted her tongue out to wet her lips. She managed to murmur, "It's no problem." The other woman sighed as if Kat's response pained her. She stood, gently tugging Kat up with her, and returned her glare to the other witches. "Romalda, Orchid, do go help with the inventory - Prophecy shouldn't have to do it by herself. Ava, Eva, clean up that table." Tsuki's voice barely lifted from how she talked to Kat, but there was a certain weight to it that Kat didn't expect. The other witches had immediately gotten to work not a moment after she finished talking, their movements more elegant than Kat thought should have been possible—or fair. However, Kat was pulled along by Tsuki before she could watch the girls actually do anything. Tsuki dragged Kat through the many shelves before heading up a previously unseen winding staircase. As they walked, Kat's mind supplied her with words after words until everything got so tangled up that the first thing she was able to say was, "What's up with your names?" The other woman didn't stop, though she did quirk a bemused smile. "Our names?" Kat could feel her ears warm, but she carried on. "Yeah, I mean, like—they're not your actual names, right? I don’t know much about witches, but names are… important, I guess?" The two sat down at a small, circular table. To Kat's surprise, Tsuki beamed at her. "You would be correct. Not many people catch that - or, well, they don't ask about it." Not knowing what else to say, Kat kept silent. Tsuki said no more either as she began to pour tea for the both of them, the pot suddenly there as if it had been waiting for them. Kat gnawed on her lower lip, the skin of it already ridged from past teeth (sometimes not her own), and eyed her companion. She hadn't known what to expect when she had tried to find the witches, but now all she could feel was a bone-deep sense of resignation. However, before it could seep into her blood, a spark of color caught her eye. A fox, made of stardust and will-o-wisps, had slowly glided over to her and Tsuki. It was a specter of red and white and gold, it's body long and limbs longer, its fur sparking and glittering in the light. Kat gasped as it came closer and whipped her head to Tsuki, but her question died on her lips at the witch's face. Tsuki's eyes were filled with such a deep, aching fondness that Kat could feel her question roll back down her throat. But, when Kat followed Tsuki's eyes, she found that they weren't trained on the fox. No, they were focused on the woman coming toward them. The fox wrapped itself around Tsuki, it's coat gleaming as if it were made of candle flame, but she merely ran a hand down it's spine as if it wasn't the most breathtaking thing Kat had ever seen. Then again, with how Tsuki leaned forward, her eyelashes fluttering, she obviously thought the fox was second place. Kat couldn't blame her. The approaching witch was short but had noticeable muscles that caught on the thin material of her clothing; unlike Tsuki's glowing gown, this one was wearing a simple crop top and jean shorts. A glance toward her feet told Kat that she also wore no shoes. The brunette wondered if that was a witch thing. "Hello." The husky voice snapped both of the other women out of their trances, though Kat was the only one to show any shame at her blatant staring. She smiled, her lips slightly pinched but her shoulders more relaxed than before, and responded, "Hi, it's nice to meet you." The woman beamed, her smile so sharp Kat felt her lip get bloody. "I'm Prophecy , the Flower Petal Apothecary's resident spell caster. You needed some form of protection, right?" Startled, Kat turned to Tsuki, but the witch was fully preoccupied with the fox. Brows furrowed, Kat looked back to Prophecy, hoping for some explanation on how the witches knew her reason for coming. However, it seemed that Prophecy found her confusion amusing for she just raised a single thick eyebrow and leaned against the table, not saying a word. Kat turned back to Tsuki, her hands beginning to tremble as her stomach clenched painfully, fervently hoping that the kind Japanese woman would take pity on her. Instead of facing Tsuki though, Kat came face to face with the fox she had admired earlier. Eyes wide and bright, alive for what could have been the first time in years, Kat reached a hand out. It hovered above the floating animal, her courage hiding in her throat along with all the breath in her body. Fortunately, the fox didn’t leave her like that. Slowly, as if it could feel her bubbling anxiety, the fox nuzzled its face into the palm of her hand. As her fingertips gently stroked back and forth, Tsuki and Prophecy gravitated to each other. While Kat laughed breathlessly, her amazement keeping her eyes on the spirit in front of her, the other two women let themselves drift into each other’s arms. Normally they strayed from each other during work, but the deep pain Tsuki had felt from Kat had latched itself to her lungs. It had made it hard to breathe and harder still to keep her tears from spilling over. As Tsuki watched Kat play with her familiar, she was acutely reminded of herself, so young and naive and lonely that even a sly fox spirit was able to cheer her up. She snuggled into Prophecy's hold, her arms loosely looped around her lover's neck. Tsuki rested a cheek on top of Prophecy's naturally curly hair, her own hair shielding them from the others downstairs. Witches had been known for finding wives in other witches, though some ventured out to snatch a man or woman with enough magic to keep them from leaving. Some took another approach and just hid where their heart laid, exchanging their soul for it. Others went to find the most influential man to lay with, hoping for a new witchling for their coven. Tsuki and Prophecy had loved each other for centuries and had never strayed with each new cycle of their births. They called that affection. What love was, was something even deeper. Love was like names that way—much too powerful to be just be said. Together they rocked, their eyes on Kat and Shipp - Prophecy had named Tsuki's familiar years ago and the Japanese witch still regretted the decision. Black eyes focused on the many bruises Kat wore like jewelry, long and thin contusions that encircled her wrists and covered her throat. Prophecy knew of abuse, had felt its brutal sting, and she knew that Kat had lied with abuse much like newlyweds did: fully, with no room for the both of them apart. Only did they exist together, entwined and mixed until they could not see where one ended and the other began. Slowly, as if waking from a daze, Prophecy untangled herself from Tsuki. The taller woman let the black witch go, the tips of her fingers lightly brushing against Prophecy's skin as she steadily grew further from her touch. The sound of Prophecy's footsteps, soft as they were, had Kat's head snapping up. Her cheeks flushed brightly, her eyes wide and endless. Already she had begun to retreat back into her body, her energy wrapped and shackled under her skin once more. In a flash, Prophecy covered Kat's hands with her own. Kat flinched, but she tracked her hands just as Prophecy knew she would. The woman gasped at what she saw and Kat slowly raised her head to meet Prophecy head-on. Just as Kat's boyfriend's fingers still held on to her wrists, Prophecy's first husband's name was carved into the delicate skin of her hands. She whispered, "You are not the only one who has hurt, Katerina. Come with me and we shall see what we can do for the marks on your body and the ghosts in your eyes." Kat swallowed heavily and exhaled harshly. She closed her eyes before turning her hands over, letting Prophecy clasp their hands together and pull her from her chair. Prophecy cackled, her sharp voice startling Kat. Before she could say a word, Prophecy took off, dragging Kat behind her. Tsuki stayed back with the cold tea and snickering fox spirit, her fingers pressed against her mouth in an attempt to hold in her own giggles. Her brown eyes followed the two women as Prophecy made to her potion bench. In seconds anything that had been left out had clattered to the floor in a broad swipe of Prophecy's arm. Leaning on her forearms, Tsuki smirked as she watched the two, her hand cradling her chin. While Prophecy was exactly what Kat needed, especially considering it was the black witch who knew the best spells and curses, Tsuki refused to just sit back and be an idle observer. 'After all,' Tsuki thought, an eyebrow raised at her familiar, 'I'm the kitsune-tsukai for a reason.' She grinned, her teeth a straight row of headstones, and purred, "Shipp? What do you think of Katerina?" The fox laid himself across her narrow shoulders. "I'd say she could use some fun." Eyes narrowed in on the ingredients Prophecy had pulled from the shelves - rose steams filled with thorns, sea salt, onyx stones, and sage and rosemary - Tsuki nodded to Kat. Shipp bared his teeth in a savage grin and swooped down and circled around until he was behind Kat. The woman, still disorientated from the sudden run, didn't notice the spirit until he was breathing down her neck. Before she could turn, Kat yelped in surprise. She rubbed a hand against her scalp, the sting already fading from where Shipp had plucked a hair out with his teeth. "What was that for?!" Kat exclaimed as she watched the fox glide over to Prophecy. The witch plucked the hair from the fox and scratched him behind his ears in thanks. Prophecy glanced back and raised her eyebrows. "We needed an item to represent you. A charm, a personal knickknack, part of your nails, or," she waved the strand of hair, "some of your hair!" Kat huffed, too irritated to stay cautious. "You could have asked, you know." "Now, where's the fun in that? Anyway, come here so I can show you how to do this." The next hour was filled with spell casting. More customers, lost wanderers and yearning hopefuls, came in and were greeted like Kat had been. The other witches had popped in and out to help everyone out while Tsuki stayed on the second floor and Prophecy attended to Kat. Finally relaxing in the presence of such a fiery witch, Kat had taken to the spell with vigor. The warmth of the building had sneaked its way under Kat's skin, the scent of the many plants ingrained into the fiber of her hair; the magic of the witch's house had seeped into Kat's soul, leaving her with a glow that seemed to follow her, hidden in her shadow. When she finally left the cottage, the wood of the door had already took notice of her presence—should Kat ever find a want to return, the door would always open for her. With the natural witch gone, the witches of the apothecary finally noticed the dimming of the sun. With fast movements and little flourish, the women made quick work of cleaning up. No matter the day or the season, the Flower Petal Apothecary closed at sundown and opened at sunrise. As the sun kissed the edge of the horizon, the witches made it with just enough time to thank each tree as they made their way down the path. The twins broke off at the first right, the moss parting for them as they journeyed back over to New Jersey. Orchid disappeared into her namesake, hoping to make it back to Queens before her roommates tried to find her. Prophecy and Tsuki walked a little bit farther with Romalda, the purple haired snake charmer keeping off the approaching chill with her flute. Right before the trees blended back within those of the park, the branches on both sides of the path cleared for their respective witch. Romalda, quiet as can be, left with only a waving hand to say goodbye as she took the path that lead upstate. Cressida and Hisa, Prophecy and Tsuki no longer, leaned against each other as they walked home. It was in the darkness that their identities were stripped from them. While every witch was each other's sister, very few spoke their name aloud. Only lovers or siblings whispered their names but even then they were only used either among the secret or the ignorant. It was hard to tell them apart most days. When the trees opened for them, they smoothly walked out, as they had not just appeared from the air. The street was still and quiet, a residue of magic blocking the noise from brushing the pavement. The walk up to their apartment was familiar and calming, the day's many excitements leaving them both tired. Cressida's antique record player, a gift from a long dead mother who did not give birth to her, immediately began to play. They undressed as they made their way to their bedroom, each flash a skin an invitation for the fingers and a feast for the eyes. They danced as they made their way across the floor, their feet quick and nimble, their hips swaying to the crooning voice that sang to them. The witches ended up collapsed on their bed, Hisa's thin body curled around Cressida's many curves. They laid together, their breaths mingling, and they wondered if they would have such excitement again tomorrow. They wondered if Katerina would return. They wondered if there would ever be a lifetime where they would not love each other. They wondered if it even mattered. And when they woke up to the sun whispering for them to rise, their thoughts from the night before fleeting things, they would not know that Kat was waiting for them. That the twins, Nina and Amelia, had prayed for their love just like the mornings before. That it had been Lilli who lit a candle to burn all day or that Yeritza had whispered her name into her hands, hoping that one day they would hear her. That one day they would know all of their names.

#miistical writes #literature #commission #4k #colonel-curry #witches #witchcraft #gay witches #gay #lesbians #original work

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tipsycad147 · 6 years ago

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DRAWING DOWN THE MOON

Written by Algoth’s Grove

Drawing Down the Moon, or alternatively Drawing Down The Goddess is both a practice taken by a High Priestess within ritual in the bounds of circle, or a ritual practice on it’s own performed by a solitary practitioner. In this article we will be providing the words and ways of using them both, we will also be outlining where this ancient ritual practice originated from and why it is done.

“I AM THE WOMB: OF EVERY HOLT, I AM THE BLAZE: ON EVERY HILL, I AM THE QUEEN: OF EVERY HIRE, I AM THE SHIELD: FOR EVERY HEAD, I AM THE TOMB: OF EVERY HOPE.”

EXCERPT RESTORED BY ROBERT GRAVES, THE WHITE GODDESS

A ritual of invocation. It is in all its aspects the action of invoking the goddess in her entirety into oneself. Whenever we call her into ourselves, or whenever we invoke her, we call it Drawing Down the Moon. The original ancient call has been lost, changed and rewritten so that we are only left with fragments of the original call. However, the three laws of magick are: Focus, Intention and Will. Beyond all tools, talismans and space if you have these three laws you have any ritual and magick ritual in its core essence.

The act of Drawing Down The Goddess is a spiritual state of encompassing the feminine aspect of the universe in all its magnificence. There is really no more to it except the finer details of invoking a certain aspect of her, which has only risen to popularity in modern pagan circles, calling it Drawing Down the Moon as well. The original ritualistic act was in order to bring her down in her entire form. It was not done by an unskilled practitioner due to the incredible force that the vessel or practitioner would have to withstand. The control would be paramount and it is imperative to understand that this ritual, whether as High Priestess or solitary practitioner is not for the untrained mind.

The Goddess was drawn into the practitioner so that she would be able to commune with others in the circle who could not see, hear, touch or feel her. She would only be invoked by a skilled High Priestess and the very rite of invoking her at this level was an honour of the highest magnitude.

Today, Drawing Down the Moon is practised by anyone who has a mind to invoke the goddess. The rite itself has been watered down and it has been altered to suit the practitioner. It is common practice to be seated under the full moon and perform the ritual. The original function was to channel her essence to the people so that She could directly commune with them, today it is simply to feel her essence, or the essence of her many archetypes.

RITUAL OUTLINE (DRAWING DOWN THE MOON FOR HIGH PRIESTESS)

Excerpt taken from Janet and Stewart Farrar, Eight Sabbats for Witches.

The High Priestess stands in front of the altar with her back to it. She holds

the wand in her right hand and the scrounge in her left. She crosses her

wrists and crosses the wand and scrounge above them while holding them

close to her breast. The High Priest stands in front of her and says:

“Diana, queen of night In all your beauty bright, Shine on us here, And with your silver beam Unlock the gates of dream; Rise bright and clear. On Earth and sky and sea, Your magic mystery Its spell shall cast, Wherever leaf may grow, Wherever tide may flow, Till all be past. O secret queen of power, At this enchanted hour We ask your boon. May fortune’s flavor fall Upon true witches all, O Lady Moon!”

The High Priest kneels before the High Priestess and gives her the Five

Fold Kiss; that is, he kisses her on both feet, both knees, womb, both

breasts, and the lips, starting with the right of each pair. He says, as he

does this:

“Blessed be thy feet, that have brought thee in these ways. Blessed be thy knees, that shall kneel at the sacred altar. Blessed be thy womb, without which we would not be. Blessed be thy breasts, formed in beauty. Blessed be thy lips, that shall utter the Sacred Names.”

For the kiss on the lips, they embrace, length to length, with their feet

touching each others. When he reaches the womb, she spreads her arms wide,

and the same after the kiss on the lips.The High Priest kneels again and

invokes:

“I invoke thee and call upon thee, Mighty Mother of us all, bringer of all fruitfulness; by seed and root, by bud and stem, by leaf and flower and fruit, bylife and love doI invoke theeto descend uponthe body of this, thy servant and priestess.”

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During this invocation he touches her with his right forefinger on her

right breast, left breast, and womb, repeats the set and finally the right

breast. Still kneeling, he spreads his arms out and down, with the palms

forward and says:

“Hail Aradia! From the Amalthean Horn Pour forth thy store of love; I lowly bend Before thee, I adore thee to the end, With loving sacrifice thy shrine adore. Thy foot is to my lip (he kisses her right foot) my prayer up borne Upon the rising incense smoke; then spend Thine ancient love, O Mighty One, descend To aid me, who without thee am forlorn.”

The High Priest stands up and steps backwards. The High Priestess draws the

Invoking Pentagram of Earth in the air with the wand and says:

“Of the Mother darksome and divine Mine the scrounge, and mine the kiss; The five point star of love and bliss Here I charge you in this sign.”

The High Priestess should be in a trance now. This is a good time to do the Charge of The Goddess or the Witches’ Creed, or if the High Priestess so wishes, to do messages and workings for the coven members.

THE WITCH’S CREED BY DOREEN VALIENTE

Hear now the words of the witches,

The secrets we hid in the night,

When dark was our destiny’s pathway,

That now we bring forth into light.

Mysterious water and fire,

The earth and the wide-ranging air,

By hidden quintessence we know them,

And will and keep silent and dare.

The birth and rebirth of all nature,

The passing of winter and spring,

We share with the life universal,

Rejoice in the magical ring.

Four times in the year the Great Sabbat

Returns, and witches are seen

At Lammas, and Candlemas dancing,

On May Eve and old Hallowe’en.

When day-time and night-time are equal,

When the sun is at greatest and least,

The four Lesser Sabbats are summoned,

Again witches gather in feast.

Thirteen silver moons in a year are,

Thirteen is the coven’s array.

Thirteen times as Esbat make merry,

For each golden year and a day.

The power was passed down the ages,

Each time between woman and man,

Each century unto the other,

Ere time and the ages began.

When drawn is the magical circle,

By sword or athame or power,

Its compass between the two worlds lie,

In Land of the Shades for that hour.

This world has no right then to know it,

And world beyond will tell naught,

The oldest of Gods are invoked there,

The Great Work of magic is wrought.

For two are the mystical pillars,

That stand to at the gate of the shrine,

And two are the powers of nature,

The forms and the forces divine.

The dark and the light in succession,

The opposites each unto each,

Shown forth as a God and a Goddess,

Of this did our ancestors teach.

By night he’s the wild wind’s rider,

The Horn’d One, the Lord of the shades,

By day he’s the King of the Woodlands,

The dweller in green forest glades.

She is youthful or old as she pleases,

She sails the torn clouds in her barque,

The bright silver lady of midnight,

The crone who weaves spells in the dark.

The master and mistress of magic,

They dwell in the deeps of the mind,

Immortal and ever-renewing,

With power to free or to bind.

So drink the good wine to the Old Gods,

And dance and make love in their praise,

Til Elphame’s fair land shall receive us,

In peace at the end of our days.

An Do What You Will be the challenge,

So be it in Love that harms none,

For this is the only commandment,

By Magick of old, be it done.

Eight words the Witches’ Creed fulfill:

If it harms none, do what you will.

When the Charge or Creed is finished, the Goddess must be dismissed. It is

bad magical practice not to do so.

The High Priest faces the Priestess and says:

“We thank you Our Lady for attending our rites. We bid you farewell till next we call you. Blessed Be.”

DRAWING DOWN THE MOON FOR THE SOLITARY PRACTITIONER

Begin with a cleansing bath, use music and incense to allow you to enter into the frame of mind needed for sacred space. If you wish to add oils or herbs to your bath, mugwort, wormood, sage is excellent. Alternatively, a cup of herbal tea containing mint, vervain, mugwort, wormwood and some honey to taste is brilliant to open yourself to the art of the rite you are about to perform. (If you are pregnant do not ingest or bath with these magical herbs.)

Remember to take a journal and pen/pencil into the circle. Writing down your thoughts once you have invoked the Goddess is wisdom that is not easily obtained beyond ritual.

Now that you are cleansed, open circle. You are allowed to wear a flowing dress, your ritual robe or go skyclad if you so wish.

Once in circle, seat yourself and recite:

THE CHARGE OF THE GODDESS BY DOREEN VALIENTE

Whenever ye have need of any thing, once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full, then shall ye assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of She, who is Queen of all witches. There shall ye assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet have not won its deepest secrets; to these will She teach things that are yet unknown. And ye shall be free from slavery; and as a sign that ye be really free, ye shall be naked in your rites; and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music and love, all in Her praise. For Hers is the ecstasy of the spirit, and Hers also is joy on earth; for Her law is love unto all beings. Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever towards it; let naught stop you or turn you aside. For Hers is the secret door which opens upon the land of youth and Hers is the cup of wine of life, and the cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Grail of immortality. She is the gracious goddess, who gives the gift of joy unto the heart of man. Upon earth, She gave the knowledge of the spirit eternal; and beyond death, She gives peace and freedom, and reunion with those who have gone before. Nor does She demand sacrifice, for behold, She is the mother of all living, and Her love is poured out upon the earth.

She who is the beauty of the green earth, and the white moon among the stars, and the mystery of the waters, and the desire of the heart of man, calls unto thy soul. Arise, and come unto Her. For She is the soul of nature, who gives life to the universe. from Her all things proceed, and unto Her all things must return; and before Her face, beloved of gods and men, let thine innermost divine self be enfolded in the rapture of the infinite. Let Her worship be within the heart that rejoiceth; for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are Her rituals. And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honour and humility, mirth and reverence within you. And thou who thinkest to seek Her, know thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not unless thou knowest the mystery; that if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee, then thou wilt never find it without thee. For behold, She has been with thee from the beginning; and She is that which is attained at the end of desire.

Breathe deeply three times, stand with your feet shoulder apart and hold your athame in your power hand, hold it up to the full moon and repeat this invocation:

“Ancient Mother, Goddess above, threefold darkness and light in one,Lover of the fiery sun, Mother of the unknown, Mother of the earth,Power of the pitch black Power of the hearth,I call to thee,Come to me,Breathe in me,Let my eyes see,My heart believe,Great Goddess I call to thee,Come to me,We are one. Come to me,We are one.You are in me,We are one.”

You may now write in your journal and perform any working that you prepared. Once done, make sure to say farewell to the Goddess and close ritual space as per normal. Doing this ritual on every full moon is a fantastic way to connect with the primal feminine energy and does wonders for both male and female practitioners alike.

Algoths Grove

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