Thirty Days of Hecate - Day 1

A quick rundown.

I'm participating in the 30 Days of Hecate program offered by Joanna Powell Colbert.  I tried to do one before but mundania got in the way.  Since I've been hearing Hekate's call for a while now, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to begin working with her more deeply.

Journaling prompt:
"At what crossroads do you stand?  How might you call to Hekate as your guide."

Sadly, I think I've been standing at these crossroads for some time, perhaps it is a slightly different fork in the journey, maybe I've made a few more steps and reached the next point, but I think they keep popping back up because I fail to take the path that deep down I know I should take.  That isn't to say that each journey down the other fork doesn't bring me something, but every time I hit a crossroads I know that one of the options is going to take me a particular place and I've yet to be able to bring myself to step down that path.  It is funny how you can simply walk yourself around and around in circles ignoring the hints and the 2x4s that come your way, deliberately finding excuses to put things off and say "next time."

This journey, this point in my life, this moment when I'm being presented with more and more evidence of the divine support that is willing to help me on this journey is the moment that I need to embrace.  I think that Hekate is waiting for me, I just need to seek her out.  She has come to me more strongly before, and she's definitely a weaker presence than she has been, but I still sense her there.  It is funny that for all the negative publicity that she gets I only get a gentle presence who is saying that you will get there when you are ready and I will be waiting for you when that time comes.  She is a guide, someone to assist with the journey, to prod you along when needed, to offer caring and love and support, to be the guiding light in the darkness.

In darkest night with failing light
to the deepest reaches are you drawn
to seek which lies within
the deepest darkness before the dawn

By a flickering light
on a distant path
she stands before you
dare you ask?

Wise beyond knowing
weaver of truth
seeker of  the depths
crone, mother or youth?

Shadows dance, with a glance she knows all
do you seek to delve deeper?
will you journey this path?
will you let me act as gatekeeper?

Before you are choices
nothing easy, but never too hard
you can press on together
you can take a different path

But if forward you go
she will happily be your guide
the crone, the torch bearer,
she will stand with you, eternally at your side.

Thankful Thursday

This week I am thankful for...

1. Experiencing the joy and serenity of Muir woods and the redwood trees
2. Spending time with good friends, sharing experiences and wisdom and joy
3. The shadow work course that I am undertaking and the healing it is giving me
4. Warm sunny days and cool evenings
5. Slowly feeling more at home within my own skin.

Persephone

(Source: http://www.citelighter.com/history/history/knowledgecards/persephone)

Deity Name	Persephone
Pantheon	Persephone is a goddess of the Greek Olympian Pantheon
Native Origins	Persephone is a strictly Greek goddess, Although she was later incorporated into the Roman pantheon as Proserpina.  She is the daughter of Demeter and Zeus
Correspondences	Day of the week	Persephone is often associated with Monday.
	Flowers and Herbs	The following Flowers and Herbs are found to be associated with Persephone: grain, lily of the valley, spring flowers, pomegranates, narcissus, lavender, ivy, daisy, mint, reeds, willow tree.
	Fragrances and Incenses	Spring fragrances such as narcissus, lily, hyacinth, vanilla but also earthy fragrances such as amber, and bergamot are all associated with the goddess Persephone.
	Crystals and Gemstones	Citrine, Peridot, Green Tourmaline, Topaz, quartz, agate, black onyx, pink tourmaline, sapphire, obsidian, mercury, coral, agate, and jasper are all stones that can be used in connection with Persephone.
	Foods	Food associated with Persephone include: pomegranates and grains, both of which are associated with her connection to the harvest seasons.
	Sabbats	As a maiden goddess Persephone could be called upon at Imbolc or Ostara.  With her mother Demeter she could be used as part of a Mabon celebration or even Samhain.
	Metals	While there are no particular metals said to be associated with Persephone, as a queen of the underworld, and through her link with Hades you could almost use any kind of precious metal that is dug forth from the earth such as gold, silver etc.
Aspects	Persephone as a Kore, is a maiden goddess, however when she descends to the underworld she is a Queen, and therefore is more representative of the Mother aspect.  She is a goddess of spring and rebirth, wisdom and innocence as well as death and spiritual connections.
Favored Offerings	Some of Persephone’s favored offerings would include: pomegranates, spring flowers, grains.  The ancient Greeks also used to have precious gems engraved as offerings and honoring of the goddess Persephone.
Myth & Legend	The myth of Persephone’s abduction is well known.  Persephone (Kore) was a child of Demeter and Zeus who often played with her father’s other daughters Athena and Aphrodite and was generally the perfect daughter.  As Kore approached womanhood and grew more beautiful she attracted Hades attention who sought Zeus’ permission to marry Persephone and was granted it.  In secret the two plotted for Hades to kidnap Persephone.  One day as she was in the meadow playing as usual a narcissus caught Persephone’s attention and when she plucked it from the ground a hole to the underworld opened up and Hades emerged stealing her away to the underworld to be his wife. When Demeter realized that her daughter was missing she searched desperately for her daughter.  Deeply in mourning for her daughter Demeter roamed the earth in the form of an old lady carrying a lighted torch.  Eventually the goddess Hekate instructed Demeter that she should seek the sun god Helios for information, he in turn informed Demeter of Persephone’s kidnapping. Demeter begged Zeus for the return of her daughter a demand the Zeus eventually was forced to give in to because Demeter’s sorrow had left the land barren and without crops or livestock the people could not honor the gods.  Hades, however, did not wish to give up Persephone and because Persephone had consumed some pomegranate seeds he could demand that she must return to live with him in the underworld for a certain amount of time each year (myths vary as to whether it is a 6 month split, a 7/5 split or a 9/3 split).

Musing Monday - I am Bleeding

I am currently undertaking a shadow work course.  One of the activities for the course is to choose a word to accompany the phrase 'I am'.  Today's word was Bleeding...here is what came to me.

I am bleeding

Bleeding little pieces of my soul

Slowly dripping from the many wounds I’ve never taken the time to heal

Drip…drip…with each step I move monotonously forward tuned out to my body

To my needs, to my souls cry, to the wild, deep, dark within

That place that has hidden me, protected me, been denied by me

To the shadowy sentinels that have stood watch over all my hurts

And who hurt now, bleeding, waiting, wanting to be a part of me.

Thankful Thursday

This week I am thankful for...

1. Spring flowers and the return of color to the world
2. A home of my own.
3. Being financially comfortable.
4. The knowledge that everything works out as it should and always will
5. Warm sunshine on a very windy day.

How did you discover your path?

So I'm stealing inspiration from one of the many pagan blog challenges today as my brain isn't quite up to snuff after fighting off a cold and a migraine.

The question - How did you discover your path?

I was never raised in a religious household, I can't really say it was agnostic or atheist even either, we just never talked about religion.  I vaguely recall being taken to Sunday school twice but then we stopped going.  My mother always had some kind of religious tendencies but my father would definitely be described as atheist.  So apart from the odd jaunt to church with friends if I was staying at their homes I never actually encountered any religious teachings.  Yet despite this I never felt any kind of draw towards Christianity, what minor interactions I did have with it just didn't resonate with me at all and most of those I knew who were church going people seemed rather hypocritical to me.

So it comes that I am 16 years old and I don't have a religious system, or a faith system really.  I have always had a vivid imagination and was always drawn to the mythology and tales of the ancient Greeks etc.  So when I met a friend who was just starting in her path into Wicca I became very intrigued.  I grabbed a few books (Cunningham's of course) and began to devour them.  Things made sense and I was in a time of great crisis in my life and the idea of a strong goddess figure was certainly a powerful one.  I began to practice, and like many new self-trained to the path I took a lot of what I read as gospel.  As I developed along my path I began to think more critically and I came to realize that Wicca really wasn't 100% in fitting with my beliefs.  I began to take a more eclectic path, finding things that resonated with me and exploring my own thoughts and ideas until I came up with a path that is my own.

Thankful Thursday

This week I am thankful for...

1. My ability to critically engage.
2. That hubby is loving his new job.
3. Sleeping in.
4. Rainy days
5. New blossoms.