Sage's Magick

paganthings:

*rips off clothes and jumps into a pond somewhere, screaming about how great Dionysus is*

oneferalmaenad:

Blessing: The blessings of Dionysos are joy and passion, madness and prophecy, ecstacy and freedom. Dionysian freedom is beyond good and evil: it takes precedent over law, custom, inhibition or morality. In the worship of Dionysos, we discover who we really are, beneath all the masks and lies and compromises that society demands of us. Dionysos dissolves all boundaries and destroys every falsehood. In the ecstatic state, we feel ourselves to be whole, to be one with all of the other worshippers, with the earth and the Gods. We utter prophecy, since we are no longer constrained by our small minds. We perform miracles, since the laws of nature no longer apply. We touch the face of God, and he touches us.

Associations: thyrsos, mask, nebrix, kantharos, phallos, panther, goat, snake, bull, fox, musk, civet, frankincense, storax, ivy, grapes, pine, fig, wine, honey, Indian hemp, orchis root, thistle, all wild and domestic trees, black diamond

Ways to honor: Drink wine. Attend theater. Dance. Sing. Learn a form of divination. Explore madness. Be passionate. Be creative. Enjoy every moment of living — even the harsh and unpleasant ones. Donate your time or money to support the theater, dance companies, and musical arts.

More here @ Neos Alexandria

(via oneferalmaenad-deactivated20120)

ginandjack:

threedifferentways:

I propose a toast! ~raises glass~ “To the ridiculousness of it all!”

~sees shadow in corner~ ~smells the scent of ivy~

Dammit, Dionysus. Don’t tell me you had a hand in this.

~hears chuckling~

I side-eye you, Sir. I side-eye you so damn hard.

I can’t say I know what happened, bit boy does this feel familiar…

Familiar indeed… ^-_-^

sonneillonv:

chienquiroule:

When I used to worship Greek deities, I used, among other things, these links to gather info:

Hellenic Household Worship

Back to the Basics: A Quick Guide for Hellenismos

Back to the Basics II: The Household Religion

The Sacrifice: Ideology & Practice

Sponde!

He Koine Thusia: A Standard Offertory Ritual Outline for Modern Use

Hekate’s Deipnon

The Noumenia Ritual

thanks for this

(via )

hippygirl82:

When Lammastide rolls around, the fields are full and fertile. Crops are abundant, and the late summer harvest is ripe for the picking. This is the time when the first grains are threshed, apples are plump in the trees, and gardens are overflowing with summer bounty. In nearly every ancient culture, this was a time of celebration of the agricultural significance of the season. Because of this, it was also a time when many gods and goddesses were honored. These are some of the many deities who are connected with this earliest harvest holiday.

Adonis (Assyrian): Adonis is a complicated god who touched many cultures. Although he’s often portrayed as Greek, his origins are in early Assyrian religion. Adonis was a god of the dying summer vegetation. In many stories, he dies and is later reborn, much like Attis and Tammuz.

Attis (Phrygean): This lover of Cybele went mad and castrated himself, but still managed to get turned into a pine tree at the moment of his death. In some stories, Attis was in love with a Naiad, and jealous Cybele killed a tree (and subsequently the Naiad who dwelled within it), causing Attis to castrate himself in despair. Regardless, his stories often deal with the theme of rebirth and regeneration.

Ceres (Roman): Ever wonder why crunched-up grain is called cereal? It’s named for Ceres, the Roman goddess of the harvest and grain. Not only that, she was the one who taught lowly mankind how to preserve and prepare corn and grain once it was ready for threshing. In many areas, she was a mother-type goddess who was responsible for agricultural fertility.

Dagon (Semitic): Worshipped by an early Semitic tribe called the Amorites, Dagon was a god of fertility and agriculture. He’s also mentioned as a father-deity type in early Sumerian texts and sometimes appears as a fish god. Dagon is credited with giving the Amorites the knowledge to build the plough.

Demeter (Greek): The Greek equivalent of Ceres, Demeter is often linked to the changing of the seasons. She is often connected to the image of the Dark Mother in late fall and early winter. When her daughter Persephone was abducted by Hades, Demeter’s grief caused the earth to die for six months, until Persephone’s return.

Lugh (Celtic): Lugh was known as a god of both skill and the distribution of talent. He is sometimes associated with midsummer because of his role as a harvest god, and during the summer solstice the crops are flourishing, waiting to be plucked from the ground at Lughnasadh.

Mercury (Roman): Fleet of foot, Mercury was a messenger of the gods. In particular, he was a god of commerce and is associated with the grain trade. In late summer and early fall, he ran from place to place to let everyone know it was time to bring in the harvest. In Gaul, he was considered a god not only of agricultural abundance but also of commercial success.

Neper (Egyptian): This androgynous grain deity became popular in Egypt during times of starvation. He later was seen as an aspect of Osiris, and part of the cycle of life, death and rebirth.

Parvati (Hindu): Parvati was a consort of the god Shiva, and although she does not appear in Vedic literature, she is celebrated today as a goddess of the harvest and protector of women in the annual Gauri Festival.

Pomona (Roman): This apple goddess is the keeper of orchards and fruit trees. Unlike many other agricultural deities, Pomona is not associated with the harvest itself, but with the flourishing of fruit trees. She is usually portrayed bearing a cornucopia or a tray of blossoming fruit.

underthewaningmoon:

Dionysus is quite the character. Many Trubies will have an understanding of what a Maenad might be, and their dedication to ‘the god who comes’. Yes, his Maenads and cult have been borrowed to fit a story line but I appreciate the artists among us throwing some light onto pagan beliefs if it causes interest and makes people want to look for more information. 

Dionysus is the son of Zeus, and the mortal Semele. Zeus was a pretty busy guy which enraged Hera, his wife. When Hera found out about the pregnancy of Semele by Zeus, she tricked Zeus into revealing all his glory to Semele, which instantly killed her. The baby Dionysus was left ungestated, and so Zeus sewed him into his thigh until he was ready to be born. And although later born from Zeus’ thigh, he was set upon and ripped apart by the Titans on Hera’s instructions. He was reconstituted and lived on. This twice- or thrice-born nature ties Dionysus to the Underworld, meaning he can be considered a chthonic deity.  He also rescued his mother from the Underworld, to be placed among the immortals. 

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