• Monthly Columns

    GoodGod!

    Meet the Gods: Apollo     As the sun begins shining a bit more each day, let’s turn to Apollo, the Olympian sun god. In Greek mythology, there were twelve original Titans. Helios was god of the sun who was said to drive a chariot pulled by four horses, sometimes winged, across the sky. According to theoi.com, “Helios was depicted as a handsome, usually beardless, man clothed in purple robes and crowned with the shining aureole of the sun.” Slowly over time, Helios became viewed as being Apollo, one of the Twelve Olympians – the sun god who is the son of Zeus.     Most commonly associated as the…

  • Monthly Columns

    GoodGod!

    Meet the Gods: Iztlacoliuhqui In Aztec mythology, Itztlacoliuhqui (its•lack•a•lyle•key) is the god of frost. He is the lord of the thirteen days from 1 Lizard to 13 Vulture in the Aztec calendar. At the time Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli was the god of dawn and the planet Venus, Tonatiuh, the sun god, demanded sacrifice and obedience from the other gods before he would move. Angered at the sun’s arrogance, Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli shot an arrow at him. Although it missed, the sun retaliated and threw his own arrow back at the morning star, piercing the Lord of Dawn through the head. At this moment, Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli was transformed into Itztlacoliuhqui, the god of obsidian stone, coldness,…

  • Monthly Columns

    She Who is All – Goddesses and The Divine Female

    Nanshe   (Photo Credit: wikipedia) Nanshe – Goddess of water, Goddess of fertility, Goddess of Prophecy, Goddess of Social Justice, Lady of the Storerooms. Nanshe was worshipped from the 3rd millennium BCE to the advent of Christianity, throughout the history of Mesopotamia. She was born to Enki, the God of wisdom, magic and water and Ninhursag, a Mother and Earth Goddess. Being most strongly associated with water, she is the Goddess of fishing. The fish is one of her symbols, as s symbol of life; her other symbol is the pelican, who sacrifices itself to feed her young. She is often depicted as a woman dancing above the water. Her…

  • Reviews

    DVD Review – Mythic Journeys Directed & Written by Steven Boe and Whitney Boe

    DVD Review Mythic Journeys Directed & Written by Steven Boe and Whitney Boe Stars Mark Hamill, Tim Curry, Lance Henriksen Imaginal Cells FilmWorks 1h 33min     “Mythic Journeys” is an odd movie: half documentary, half claymation mythical narrative, this film explores all sorts of mythical narratives, and the role of mythology in modern media and society. It explores these themes by contemplating the hero’s journey in many different cultural traditions and speaking to many different mythologists, paying homage to Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung along the way. It feels a bit like two different movies, as it goes back and forth between documentary material that includes interviews with Deepak…

  • Monthly Columns

    She Who is All – Goddesses and the Divine Female

    CERNUNA (Image Credit – Deviant Art by Kendigo)   I had a special request to do a column on the Horned Goddess Cernuna. As it turned out, there is not much available on Her. As per usual, She seems to have been superseded by the Horned God Cernunnos, who is represented by his torque, holding a snake and surrounded by animals.     It would/could be assumed that all representations are of Cernunnos, however a small bust of a Horned Goddess was found in Kent, UK. Two others have also been found; one rests in the British Museum of London and the other at the Musee de Clermont-Ferrard in France.…

  • Monthly Columns

    GoodGod!

    Meet the Gods: Osiris     Osiris was the god of death and the afterlife – one of the Egyptians’ most prominent gods. He judged the souls of the dead to determine who was worthy of reincarnation. He was considered a kind, merciful, and loving judge, bringing comfort and protection, not fear, to the people. Osiris (also know as Usir) was also identified with nature’s cycles, such as the Nile River’s annual flooding, and the growth of crops and other vegetation. In English, the original form of Osiris’ name means Almighty or The Powerful. Osiris is also known as the Lord of Silence, the Lord of Love, and He Who…

  • Monthly Columns

    She Who is All – Goddesses & The Divine Female

    Mira Bai/MiraBai (1498-1546 CE)   (Image Credit: learnreligion.com)   Mirabai, also known as Meera, is a Bhakti poet and mystic from India. She is the central poet of the Bhakti movement, a path of spirituality that focuses on a personal love for the Divine, and that one is able to have direct access to the Divine through this intense devotion. She became a symbol of the suffering and persecution of her people, of all castes. She was born into the Rajput aristocracy. Legend has it that when she was a mere four-year old, she and her mother witnessed a wedding procession. She seriously looked at her mother and asked who…

  • Monthly Columns

    She Who is All – Goddesses and the Divine Female 2nd Edition

    Sekhmet “I am pure strength. I honor my anger by giving voice to it” (Photo and Quote from The Divine Feminine Oracle by Meggan Watterson) Sekhmet, the lion-headed Goddess of the Egyptians, harnesses the destructive powers of the sun. She is also known as “One Before Whom Evil Trembles”, “Mistress of Dread”, and “Lady of Slaughter”. She is the Goddess of the sun, war, destruction, and, oddly enough, healing. She is also a protective Goddess, as seen by the lion headdress she wears. The lion is a strong animal with protective attributes. Her solar disk shows that She is a solar deity, in Her case, one who is connected with…

  • Monthly Columns

    GoodGod!

    Meet the Gods: Lugh     The Celts, who lived in central Europe, worshipped Lugh (or Lug) as their Sun god. He is one of the most prominent gods from Irish mythology with many skills including fierce warrior, master craftsman, harpist, poet, and king. Fulfilling a prophecy, he grew up to kill his grandfather, Balor, the god of the underworld. Lugh (pronounced Loo) is associated with the festival of Lughnasadh (pronounced Loo-NA-sah), which bears his name. It is celebrated as the first harvest – traditionally August 1 – by those who keep the tradition alive. Astrologically, it falls on August 6, 2020.     He is depicted as a tall,…

  • Monthly Columns

    The Goddess of Ten Thousand Names

    Blodeuedd/Blodeuwedd (Image: The Avalonian Oracle) Flower face. Innocent. Delicate. Brought into being without consent, without question, without knowing. Arianrhod swore that her son would remain nameless, unless given a name by her. She swore that her son would never get arms/weapons, unless given them by her. She swore that her son would never have a wife from the land. Her son got a name, Llew Llau Gyffes and was armed by his mother through trickery and deceit. When he wanted a wife, one was made for him from oak, meadowsweet and broom, among other herbs and flowers. Blodeuedd, as she was originally named, was made by the magician, Gwydion and…