Girls, Gods and Trance

“Shivering, they say, my face did change to something less than mortal, yet more mighty and beautiful than my corporeal form.  Taller they say I stood with a voice which was not quite my own.  I simply gave myself wholly and gave myself utterly over to the words and inspriation of Leto’s glorious son.”
(Bolina Oceanus, in her essay “For Lo! Apollo is within me” published in Priestesses, Pythonesses & Sibyls)

My previous two blogs looked a little at the Goddess Artemis and how she was venerated by men, something which is often overlooked by those who are reinstating the worship of the old gods today.  Likewise, the worship of her twin brother Apollo provides us with some interesting challenges to modern perceptions of gender within a spiritual and magical setting.  In modern practices it is more often a female Priestess who will open herself up to an invocation of a Goddess into her for the purposes of trance and oracular work.  It is still considered rather avant-garde in some circles for a woman to open herself up for possession by a God (or indeed for a male Priest to have a female Goddess invoked into him).   But why should such a thing be considered innovative today when one of the most famous oracles of the ancient world involved the possession of a Priestess by a male God for the purposes of prophesy?

The Oracle of Delphi was home to the cult of Apollo, twin brother to the goddess Artemis.  These two deities were born to the goddess Leto, through a union with the king of the gods Zeus.  The story of their birth is one an epic one.  Leto is impregnated by Zeus, who is of course married to Hera, goddess of marriage, who was not at all pleased with the news that her husband was to father children with another goddess (yet again, as Zeus often got himself into trouble for fathering children with both mortals and gods!).   She forbade Leto to give birth on solid land and wherever the pregnant goddess went she was made to move on and denied the right to rest and give birth to her children.  In one version of the story Hera instructs the Python of Delphi, a giant serpent, to chase Leto and prevent her from getting rest.  In the end she finds refuge on the floating island of Delos, believed to have once been the body of the star goddess Asteria (sister of Leto) when she, in an effort to escape the advances of Zeus, flung herself into the ocean.  In alternative version we are told that Asteria was turned into a quail by Zeus, when she flung herself into the ocean, or that Zeus helped Leto by turning her into a quail so that she could reach Delos more easily.  Either way, the quail seems to be a key theme in this myth.

When Artemis is born, she then (as she is a god, of course) helps her mother to birth her brother Apollo – and the two would always remain absolutely loyal to each other and to their mother.  As soon as they reached adulthood, they started the process of killing many of those who brought dishonour upon their mother when she was looking for a place to rest and give birth to them.  The first to suffer at their wrath was the Python of Delphi, who had been guarding the oracle there for many years.   The Python, described as a giant serpent or dragon like creature was slayed by the arrows of the twins and Apollo took over the shrine at Delphi, and became the God of the Oracle.

It was said of the Oracle:

“The oracle at Delphi never would have been so much frequented, so famous, and so crowded with offerings from peoples and kings of every land, if all ages had not tested the truth of its prophesies.” (Cicero, On Divination)

In her essay “The Pythia”  Caroline Tully wrote that:~

“A regular Greek priestess’ sphere of influence reached only as far as the temenos walls of her sanctuary.  The authority of the Pythia, or the Priestess of the Delphic Apollo, on the other hand extended much further into areas such as religion, politics, warfare and overseas colonisation.  This was unusual not only for a priestess, but for a woman in what was predominantly patriarchal ancient Greece”.
(Caroline Tully, from The Pythia, published in Priestesses, Pythonesses & Sibyls)

It is clear from these examples that the Oracle of Apollo in Delphi was a very important one, and that it held a lot of power, and that likewise women who held the office of Pythia there, were valued and honoured members of society, whose position gave them a high office in many affairs.  What however is interesting and something I personally believe modern Pagans who do trance work with the gods might wish to take notice of is that arguably the most famous of the oracular priestesses of the ancient world gained their prophesy from a Apollo, a male god.  This was not considered unusual at all in the ancient world and there are examples which illustrate that the pythia did not just speak ‘for’ Apollo, but was actually speaking ‘as’ Apollo:

“The Pythia not only spoke for Apollo, as other priestesses might presume to do for the deities they served, but spoke as Apollo.  Ancient authors believed that she was fully capable for channelling Apollo’s words…”
(Caroline Tully, from The Pythia, published in Priestesses, Pythonesses & Sibyls)

What is described in terms of history and academic research by Caroline Tully, is described in modern experiential terms by modern day Priestess of Apollo, Bolina Oceanus when she wrote in the same anthology:
 

“Becoming a Priestess for Apollo and allowing him to speak through me has allowed me to be free in ways I never expected I could be, but with it I have also been given a great responsibility.  I have to speak his words and I am not allowed to interpret them for others…

I have worked in groups where it was my role to assume the form of a Goddess and enjoyed those rites greatly, though I often found that something was missing or not quite right.  It was only when I first experienced Apollo speaking through me that I gave the matter much thought and realised some very obvious things.  in the ancient magickal and religious practices there were always specific deities who had associations with prophecy, whilst others had specific associations with for example agriculture, love, war or wealth.  This makes for an interesting point to consider, is it all that polite (or for that matter safe!) to invoke deities into ourselves who have no interest in prophesy?)”

(Bolina Oceanus, in her essay “For Lo! Apollo is within me” published in Priestesses, Pythonesses & Sibyls)

So, how do you decide which deities you will allow to possess you for the sake of oracular work?  And how do you test your results?

The Temple of Apollo

 This blog was originally posted to www.sorita.co.uk and is (c) Sorita d’Este 2010

The Beauty of Apollo

Then I arise, and climbing Heaven’s blue dome,

I walk over the mountains and the waves,

Leaving my robe upon the ocean foam;

My footsteps pave the clouds with fire; the caves

Are filled with my bright presence, and the air

Leaves the green Earth to my embraces bare.

[Shelley, Hymn of Apollo]

Amongst the Gods, Apollo is one of my beloved Gods without a doubt.  Leto’s son and Artemis’ brother, Apollo is beautiful and graceful.  He represents organised beauty and perfection, music and prophesy, eternal youth and so much more.

“The words continue to flow from me.  I remain seated and feel the light touch of the veil of Apollo upon my face. A warmth, like the touch of a tender and experienced lover, rising within me.  I am in ecstacy, all the while my lips are uttering sounds I cannot comprehend. Again the words of the Hierophant resounds as a vibration within my memory: “of you the sweet-tongued minstrel, holding your high-pitched lyre, you whose songi is both first and last…”  [Bolina Oceanus, in her essay "For Lo!" in Priestesses Pythonesses & Sibyls]

“Leto’s all-glorious son goes to rocky Pytho, playing upon his hollow lyre, clad in divine, perfumed garments; and at the touch of the golden key his lyre sings sweet. Thence, swift as thought, he speeds from earth to Olympus, to the house of Zeus, to join the gathering of the other gods: then straightway the undying gods think only of the lyre and song, and all the Muses together, voice sweetly answering voice, hymn the unending gifts the gods enjoy and the sufferings of men, all that they endure at the hands of the deathless gods, and how they live witless and helpless and cannot find healing for death or defence against old age. Meanwhile the rich-tressed Graces and cheerful Seasons dance with Harmonia and Hebe and Aphrodite, daughter of Zeus, holding each other by the wrist. And among them sings one, not mean nor puny, but tall to look upon and enviable in mien, Artemis who delights in arrows, sister of Apollo. Among them sport Ares and the keen-eyed Slayer of Argus, while Apollo plays his lyre stepping high and featly and a radiance shines around him, the gleaming of his feet and close-woven vest. And they, even gold-tressed Leto and wise Zeus, rejoice in their great hearts as they watch their dear son playing among the undying gods.”

[Homeric Hymn to Apollo, Trans. Evelyn]

Wiccan Rede reviews PPS!

I woke up this morning to sunshine and beautiful blue skies here in the Welsh borders, and to a postal delivery (does this mean the strikes are over?) which included a parcel from the Netherlands containing copies of WICCAN REDE magazine.  This bilingual (Netherlands & English) magazine is published four times a year by “Silver Circle”  and more information can be found at www.silvercircle.org for those interested in subscribing, or in further information.  Producing this book was one of the most amazing experiences for me as a Priestess, and the end result is something I am very proud of – I hope that copies of this book will continue to find their way to women (&men) who will benefit from the experience of the women who contributed so much of themselves to this project and highly recommend it to anyone embarking on a journey of Priesthood into the mysteries, as well as those already there…

The magazine WICCAN REDE (English / Nederlands quarterly, bi lingual and published in the Netherlands) includes the following review of Priestesses Pythonesses and Sibyls in their latest magazine (Samhain 2009):

“This is not the first book Sorita has edited, and she describes this book as follows:

‘Priestesses Pythonesses Sibyls lifts a veils to reveal the mystery of trance as exerpienced by female magickal practitioners today. Through happiness and sorrow, myth and legend, art and poetry, through ritual and dance each woman expresses her own unique and personal transformative experiences of trance. Whether through trance possession, mediumship, Drawing Down the Moon, oracular or mantic states, dance, dreams or formal ceremony the experiences and knowledge gained during trance states can bring dramatic changes to one’s life. The practices represented in this volume are drawn from the experiences and research of more than twenty women from around the world, each providing a unique vision of their own experiences of the Divine.’

In a time when many of us are looking at ways in which we can experience the mysteries first hand this is an invaluable anthology. Beginning with three essays describing historical figures such as the ‘The Pythia of Apollo in Delphi’ (Caroline Tully) the second part is devoted to recollections of personal experience.

From different traditions the essayists let us peek into their ‘kitchens’. From Katie Gerrard writing from the Seidh tradition, to Marielle Holman writing as a dancer, to Naomi Ozaniec as a Priestess of Isis.

Each has describe their own highlights and sometimes lowlights.

Naomi in fact raises the question of the reason for sharing experiences.

“I now find myself wondering which personal stories to share and what purpose might be gained in their telling. The magical injunction: “to be silent” holds much wisdom since intense personal experience is often too intimate to carry a general significance”

Yes it is a dilemma of our times. When to keep silent? I think that the art is to describe something of an experience, which can serve to inspire others. I certainly found this book inspiring and encouraging at the same time.

———-

For more information on this anthology see Priestesses Pythonesses and Sibyls or visit  the Avalonia website at http://www.avaloniabooks.co.uk/catalogue/titles/priestesses.htm for order information etc. (free P&P worldwide on all Avalonia titles!)

Wrath by Artemis

It is interesting that the Goddess Hekate would have such a “dark” image in the modern world, whilst Artemis, her cousin according to some accounts of the genealogy of the Greek Gods, is usually described as a Goddess of Light; or as the Huntress of the Moon – usually in a positive manner.  It is interesting because Artemis had a wrathful side to which there is no equal amongst the known history of Hekate; in fact Hekate looks like a saint in comparison!

My favourite “Artemis Revenge Story” is when she changes Actaeon into a Stag and hunts him down.  The story goes that Actaeon was a prince of Thebes and a very keen hunter.  Whilst hunting he had the misfortune to see Artemis naked as she was bathing in a stream.  A nymph spotten him hiding in a tree and screamed, allerting the goddess who slid underneath the water to cover herself.  Angry at what Actaeon did Artemis transformed him into a stag, whilst he still retained his human awareness.  She then put his own hunting hounds after him, who hunted him down and ripped him apart slowly as punishment for looking upon her whilst she was naked.

This myth is an interesting one for modern Pagans, though they often seem to be unfamiliar with it, as it in some ways echoes the story of Herne the Hunter of English folklore who is also a man who turns into a Stag.  Likewise it is by the power of a goddess that Actaeon is turned into a stag, and it is also by her control over nature (the dogs) that he is slain.  This is not something which is attributed to the modern stag antlered man-gods, so something to ponder on a rainy day in the woodlands when you come upon a stream?

Artemis’ wrath of course extended and manifested in all kinds of directions and manners.  Adonis, the lover of Aphrodite was killed by a boar on instruction of Artemis after he boasted that he was a better hunter than her.  Artemis stirred up the hero Khronios to slay the King Aristomelidas after he defiled one of her maidens, showing good sense for a hero Khronios then set up a sanctuary to Artemis in Tegea.  Bouphagos set out to molest Artemis and he was killed for his actions.

But it wasn’t just men who had to face Artemis for their actions, the Amazonian Queen Hippo who it is said to have founded the shrine of Artemis at Ephesus refused to dance around the altar of Artemis.  In her anger Artemis transformed Hippo into a horse.   Koronis the Princess of Trikka in Thessalia was the beloved of Apollo, the brother of Artemis.  Whilst pregnant by Apollo she gave herself in lust to another mortal man and in revenge for this Artemis shot her during labour with her arrows for the insult to her brother.  She also killed many of Koronis’ neighbours for not keeping a better eye on her to prevent her from straying.  Hermes, the messenger god snatches the child whilst the body of Koronis was being burned on a funeral pyre.

Then there are many stories of the revenge enacted by Artemis, sometimes with her twin brother Apollo, for the way in which their mother, the Goddess Leto, was treated when she was pregnant and seeking a safe place to give birth to them.  Leto was turned away everywhere she went, this was due to Hera’s anger with Leto for getting pregnant with her husband the god Zeus.  Possibly one of the best known of these stories are that concerning the Python.  The Python was a giant serpent of dragon that guarded the shrine of Delphi, one of the places Leto sought to rest during her pregnancy, but where the Python pursued her across the land.  After their birth the twins killed the Python with their arrows and Apollo subsequently became the god of the Delphic Oracle, one of the best known oracles in the ancient world.  It was here that the famous Pythia would go into trance and make predictions which would often influence nations.

She might be best known today as a Goddess of the Hunt and of the New Moon, but that does not diminish the power and the influence she had on the myths and stories of history.   And those myths and stories, along with all the other myths and stories of human history, shaped the world we live in today.