Elizabeth Johnston released an essay in 2016 where she talked about how men used the legend as a way to disparage Hillary Clinton as she ran for President. Omissions? Perseus stayed in Ethiopia where he met Andromeda, daughter of Cassiopeia. Zeus was furious when the deception was discovered and punished Prometheus to eternal torture. He then returned to the goddess Athena with Medusas head, which she mounted to her shield so that any foes she encountered on the battlefield would then be turned to stone. The story of Medusa first appeared in Ovids work. When using an idol or agalma for Medusa I like to see at least a few of the snakes turned toward the viewer, hissing threateningly, although this isnt a deal breaker. The severed head, which had the power of turning into stone all who looked upon it, was given to Athena, who placed it in her shield; according to another account, Perseus buried it in the marketplace of Argos. Of course I have a lot more but I could write an entire book on it! Often they had extensive knowledge of herbs to compliment their spiritual practice, including contraceptives like the seeds of poplars and willows, silphium from Youve been encountering statues and paintings of Medusa in your daily travels or receiving them as gifts. You may see Medusa herself or some of her common symbols in your dreams, such as snakes.Artistic representations of Medusa find their way to you. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Born to the sea god Phorcys and Ceto (Phorcys wife and sister), Medusa (queen or ruler) was one of the three Gorgon sisters. She is also an intense force for justice and female empowerment. The two other prominent circles of the Underworld were the Elysian Fields (fields of joy) or Elysium, where heroes spent eternity, and Tartarus, an abyss for the most wicked. He was being led away as a distraction and potentially to his death! Some historians believe that the story of Medusa has some basis in fact. As she traveled, some of the serpents in her hair fell to the ground and slid away. In my experience, Medusa is very patient when she reaches out to someone she wants to work with. Heracles (Hercules) is said to have obtained a lock of Medusas hair (which possessed the same powers as the head) from Athena and given it to Sterope, the Her blood also led to the creation of the venomous vipers that roam the Sahara. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Myth Nerd is our place for all things related to world mythology. WebBoth Aeschylus and Hesiod mention Medusa in some of their early stories. This powerful Goddess is one of the most recognizable apotropaic symbols of the ancient and modern world. This piece dates back to around 450 BC. Still, either way, she bragged of her superiority to his wife, Persephone. Of the choices choanocytes, medusa, spicules, or gemmules, Medusa is the option that is not associated with sponges. In the British writer Iris Murdochs novel A Severed Head (1961), the heroine is a Medusa figure. Curl Your blackened lips and bear Your venomous fangs! However, the number mentioned here are some of our favorite and most interesting plant-based origin stories! * If you'd like to incorporate meditation into your life but are feeling Typically when I share my practices I get private messages asking me for specifics on how I serve certain divinities, especially when They are not often honored in cult. There are a few different myths that include Medusa in Ancient Greek culture. This can be a really direct sign that Medusa wants to be in your life. Though Athena helped Perseus defect the woman, she knew the powers that her former head held. After all, Medusa took a vow of celibacy she never wanted to be touched in the first place. For this Athena punished her hideously. She wanted to show the Gorgons head in a different way. Hercules then went to Tegea and met with Sterope who was the daughter of Cepheus. Echinacea. Charmed also used Medusa as a character. If its mouth is open, place the lodestone in the mouth, if not put it next to it. Fans of Percy Jackson & the Olympians will find that she pops up in both the original book and the film based on the book. Mix a bowl of spring water with some sea salt, wormwood, cedar, and rue. He may or may not have reciprocated her affection. Among the earliest depictions of the Perseus and Medusa myth is a bas-relief from the seventh century BCE depicting Perseus averting his gaze as he beheads Medusa, although curiously She is depicted as a centaur with the lower half of a horse putting it from around the time of Hesiod. Though many of these pieces made her more beautiful, they also showed that she was terrifying. Ask for this goddesss guidance when you need strong feminine power and the innately intuitive energy of water in your rituals. They manage to escape when Percy beheads her. Fumigate again with the incense then whisper into the vessel Empress Medusa, protect NN (3x) saying whatever you wrote and gently blow into it three times. Hope you found the article useful, please comment below! As far as Medusa, while She is indeed a monster, She is above all a powerful Goddess. When the king turned to the Gods, they agreed to help as they worried about what the creature could do. She is the Queen among the Gorgons, by far the most powerful. Reflect and meditate on what the actions and outcomes of these stories mean to you. The idea of encountering her was terrifying to the likes of men, for a single glance from her wide, yellow eyes would turn one to stone in an instant. I have always been interested in mythology. The goddess was so upset over what she saw and the issues she had with Zeus who was her father that she flew into a rage. You can connect to Medusa on a deeper level by meditating near the beach or a body of water encircled with calming sounds. Unlike other stories that claim she caught them in the throes of passion, this version says that she was upset that her priestess went against her rules. In my experience, Medusa doesnt care too much about the social or political climates. She was made into marble and bronze sculptures. When I look for idols or agalmas for Medusa they need to have very wide, expressive eyes. Michelangelo and Picasso are just two of the famous artists who created work based on her. For this you will need the following (*indicates toxic herbs and should be handled at your discretion preferably with gloves, and can be omitted): At night at your shrine or altar to Medusa, light the black candle and incense and conjure the Goddess:Medusa Phorkynis, Guardian Queen, You Who dwell at the edge of the Stygian Sea, I conjure You to appear in good form to my witchs rite. He was once captured by Herakles, who faced him down. Rhianna chose to dress as the Greek mythological figure when she dressed like her on the cover of GQ in 2013. Barley was an essential crop to Demeter, the goddess of agriculture. He pointed out that a simple translation shows that the woman wore a mask to scare intruders and those who thought to bring her harm. Do this, Goddess, and I will serve You as Your station demands! The red on the stem is his blood. The oils that I create are intuitively blended to give you a unique and mystical experience. Come, rise from the Hellish Pit on swift wing and turn to me Your petrifying gaze so You may witness this rite! From then on she roamed, shamed, shunned and loathed by everyone. 4. But this is how Medusa achieved Her apotheosis. She claimed that Medusa was the ultimate guardian and protectress of women. It wouldnt be too far fetched for a Sea Goddess like Medusa to have a horses body, especially as mother of Pegesus. Last Updated on December 18, 2017 by Coven of the Goddess. She is less spiritual and more physical so it isnt something you should want to utilize internally. The milk and honey are pretty typical offerings to appease malevolent deities, and blackberries, cherries, and figs have a lot of lore connecting them with diabolical forces, but also as evil averting fruits. When Aepytus found out that Iamus was Apollos son, he sent people to bring the child back. No matter the point-of-view you believe of these tales, there is one common theme: Medusa befalls tragedies that no woman or man should have to suffer. All shall share meditation of the demons of self and all they chose to leave behind with the turning of the Wheel. The mortal woman who became the Gorgon, Medusa, was cursed by Athena after being raped or seduced on the floor of one of Athenas temples by Poseidon. Some poets even went so far as to describe their boar-like tusks and massive lolling tongue. However, once transformed, Medusas appearance tremendously changed. It is just MY way. Sacred Animals: This Goddess often transformed into a white sow to address her people. Were women spared because Medusa didnt intend to hurt them? Versace still uses a log of a woman with terrifying features and serpents coming from her head as its brand logo. Athena took things a step further. Separated from her sisters and unable to find love, Medusa wandered through the African desert. Atlas attempted to fight but saw her head and turned to stone. But in later stories in Metamorphoses when Ovid mentions Medusa, She and Neptune have a more seductive relationship as we see in Book VI when he is telling the story of Arakhne. The director chose to show her as a human woman who only turned terrifying once men looked into her eyes. Both Aeschylus and Hesiod mention Medusa in some of their early stories. She is incredibly powerful, and since I have started working with Her, She has removed a lot of things and people that have been holding me back. Many artists made Medusa into a work of art. Most people who know Medusas name dont know the names of Her sisters, Sthenno and Euryale. Sea sponge that has been cut flat so it may rest at the bottom of the vessel, A fireplace match, lighter, or other implement that can hold fire and reach the bottom of the vessel, Snake shed (add based on your availability), 1 tsp elderberry that has been boiled in spring water. Apollo fell in love with Evande, a daughter of Poseidon, who was raised by Aepytus. Hera and Athenas vengeance for this slight led directly to the Trojan War. The souls of the ordinary dead were sent to the Meadows, where they would harvest the asphodel as food. Take the snake head and place it on the sea sponge so it faces toward the front of the vessel. Prometheus was a Titan who modeled humanity from clay and who stole fire to introduce it to humankind. She is astute in the ways of protection and lends her guardianship to those who need her most. When he found out her true identity, he tried to kill her. The meaning of Medusa is powerful. Adonis had been killed by a ravaging boar, and while Aphrodite wept over his body, his blood on the grass transformed into the flowers. Medusa also appeared in multiple pieces of art from the Renaissance and later. When Evande became pregnant, Aepytus mocked her for it since she was unmarried. Its no surprise, then, that the Ancient Greeks had several important mythological explanations for the origin of a number of different plants and flowers! Around the 6th century we start to see Her iconography become a mix of the grotesque, large eyed, hideous monster that makes up most of Greek Gorgon imagery. When Perseus cut off her head, Medusa died and gave birth to the winged horse Pegasus and the giant Chrysaor through the wound in her neck. ****This is highly toxic, especially to children and animals. Thyrsus, a fennel staff with a pine cone at the top end, is the most common Dionysus symbol while other symbols of Dionysus include kantharos, the Greek drinking cups, grapevines/grapes, panthers and bulls. I just started my journey with Medusa slowly. Poseidons attempts to seduce Medusa started in a garden of rock roses. This flowering herb was said to grow in the Asphodel Meadows in the Underworld. Instead, shell push you to find your inner power and actually use it to change your life. Her domain encompasses all bodies of water, and her rage is as powerful as the most ravenous hurricane. The Amphisbaena came from her blood, too. He eventually judged Aphrodite as the fairest. Fair-cheeked Gorgon, be present! When Percy travels to a garden to find the Pearl of Persephone with his friends, they stumble across statues and realize they were humans she turned into stone. To make Athena look better, some stories claim that Perseus never gave her Medusas head. You are recovering from domestic violence. One of my favorites is a black figure vase from the late 5th century that shows a concerned Poseidon rushing to the beheaded Medusa, Euryale frantically coming to embrace Him. All stories of Medusa sprang from this event. Hail the Guardian Queen!. Most legends claim that the hero Perseus killed her with help from Hermes and others. I will say, since I have started serving Medusa as an active force in my cult and witchcraft the results have been beyond astounding. I recommend that you work with Medusa using a pendulum or cards if youre new to divination work. She has really strong energy with the pendulum so youll definitely know when shes around. The goddess Medusa may also reveal herself in dreams or through symbols in life, such as the snake, or by sending other outcasts your way. When I am working with Her and I want to harness the power of Her ferocity, and Her petrifying gaze I will set up my work area so that it faces away from Medusa, and only look upon Her image in a mirror that is on the work altar. But She is not the fertile, benevolent aspect of the Great Mother, She is the destructive force of Nature, its ferocity. From Athena, Perseus received a mirrored shield. There was also a theory established by Helene Cixous in which she claims that the original story of Medusa was quite different. You can dedicate seashells, jewelry, candles, art, and other trinkets to Medusa in order to create a special place for her on your altar. For me personally I like to use snake fangs over tusks due to their practicality, but either will certainly work. Hermes was distraught and reunited Crocus and Smilax by turning Crocus into a flower. After her death, Perseus immediately left to fight Atlas. In revenge, Eros shot him with an arrow that caused Apollo to fall in love with a river nymph named Daphne. The blood from the left side was poisonous and used to destroy people, but the blood from the right was restorative. If youre considering working with the Goddess Medusa then you probably want to know whether or not shes real. This shows that the island has protection from Athena. Legend says while she was there baby snakes dropped from her head and this is why there are plenty of snakes in Africa. To the ancients Medusa was an extremely powerful guarding force and it would appear She never truly lost Her connection to the Mother Goddess despite Her sinister reputation. It can be used as a go to incense when serving Medusa, especially if you are working with Her to remove curses or the evil eye, or to consecrate wards to protect a space or person.To perform the ritual Night light a black chime candle. When the nymph Echo fell deeply in love with the handsome human known as Narcissus, he scorned her altogether, and she fell into misery. This leads us to our final point: Perseus wasnt supposed to survive his encounter with Medusa. Some were previously gods and goddesses, some humans, and some sprung from even more surprising sources! Her vessel not only stores Her dynamis but it is an active ward for protection. Her snakes are usually just considered snakes to make Her hideous and their purpose is neglected, but the snakes themselves have power. If the idea that you need to do more to make the world a safer place has been a prevalent notion for some time, then its time to embrace the spirit of Medusa and act on it. You may also feel controlled in a more mental or emotional way (rather than physical) and seek your independence. Be sure to keep a lookout for signs and symbols of the gorgon in the days thereafter, as she may approach you in subtle ways. Your email address will not be published. Hail Immortal Medusa! The men who saw Medusa were so terrified of her beauty that it left them mute and unable to speak. Medusa is so popular that LEGO created a mini-figure of her. These blood-red perennial spring flowers are named for anemos, the wind, which carries their seed. But for each one I awaken it by first cleansing and fumigating Her in an incense of the following ground together: This incense is formulated with strong protective and evil averting properties. Medusa is now accepted as a symbol of female empowerment, divine rage, and justice. This idea first appeared in a journal in 1978. As with everything I share, I am not proclaiming this as THE way, or even saying it is how the ancients themselves did it, although I do structure much of my practice around what we know about ancient cult. Athena and Poseidon competed over the city, which would become Athens in a contest judged by humans. Dedicate altar space to Medusa. There were sometimes flowers decorating the floor in depictions of the event when they eventually lay together. Eris offered it to the fairest goddess, and Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera all tried to claim the golden apple. I use a variety of materials including plant absolutes, essential oils, fragrances, resins, botanical oils and natural essences from roots, flowers, herbs and stones. It almost sounds like a win-win, to me. : In Pompeiis House of the Faun, Medusa was on the breastplate of. Beth Seeling took a different approach to the Greek legend. In later artwork, she appears as a more beautiful woman. All shall gather outside of Circle and share the tales of Samhain. Now, with snakes for hair and a long serpentine body, what man would ever dare to look upon her? She claimed that Medusa was the only real Gorgon and that her sisters were mere additions to her story. In this incantation Hekate is evoked as Mother of the Gorgons. Athena then gifts Medusa with a special weapon that frees her from the possibility of ever suffering such an assault ever again. The Goddess Medusa loves to help her children find their own ways of breaking free! One of the most well-known stories is that of Eriss apple, the apple of discord. When Mimses son, Ascalabus, saw Demeter, he began to mock her for her hunger. It tells of a beautiful woman transformed into a gorgon: a hideous monster with venomous serpents for hair. Maybe Medusas true powers lie in the shadow feminine, taking vengeance upon those who have taken advantage of women and binding those who intend to do them harm. TEA & ROSEMARY LLC, source wonderful Medusa art and statues on Etsy, 6 Effective Studying Spells For Exams, Class, & Enhanced Focus, Winter Solstice & Yule: Rituals, Traditions, And Ways To Celebrate, Two of Pentacles Meanings: Love, Career, Health, Reversed, & More, How To Celebrate Ostara: Spring Equinox Rituals, Traditions & Ideas, Depictions of serpents or snake figurines, The Aegis: an image of Medusas head adorning Athenas shield. Heracles (Hercules) is said to have obtained a lock of Medusas hair (which possessed the same powers as the head) from Athena and given it to Sterope, the daughter of Cepheus, as a protection for the town of Tegea against attack; when exposed to view, the lock was supposed to bring on a storm, which put the enemy to flight. Though she has a different name, she has the power to turn people to stone when they look into her eyes. She believes that Medusa was originally a beautiful woman with power and that men adapted her story to turn her into a monster because they did not appreciate powerful women. She has really strong energy with the pendulum so youlldefinitely know when shes around. On the bottom of the vessel draw a Gorgoneion and around it write I protect NN. Thence, by Athenas curse anyone she looked upon turned to stone. Zeus intervened before it could turn into too much of a fight, and they were sent the human, Paris. My typical conjuration of Medusa is this:Gorgon-eyed Hekate, Unconquerable Queen of Witches, I conjure You to be present and send to me Your ghosts of forgotten soldiers so they may stand before me, beside me, and behind me and let no harm come to me in my witchs operations. During the French Revolution, those who wanted to defeat the royals used the head of Medusa as a symbol of their freedom. Nowadays, many scholars feel that this tale may have been warped over time and that we shouldnt take the female monster at face value.. I cannot use any Medusa image that does not have eyes, or has voids for eyes. One version of his battle with Atlas claims that Perseus turned his opponent into a mountain. She was never raped by the Lord of the Sea, Poseidon, but His lover. Once the working is done I offer Her incense, honey, milk, blackberries, black cherries, and or black figs. One of the most popular monsters of Greek Mythology is Medusa. I believe that deities exist in slightly different dimensions/realms yet their power extends to where we currently reside. Born centuries after the first appearance of Medusa, Freud later used her in his psychoanalysis. His entire body, including his head and hair, became part of a mountain range. He also transformed his childhood nurse, Ambrosia, into a vine when she was killed. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Pegasus, the famous horse with wings, arose from her dead body. Perseus then headed to Ethiopia to rest and set her head down on the ground. Do what feels right to you! 1. As the gods were well aware of this, they gifted to him an array of wondrous items to help him in his task. She is not to be pitied, but adored. Minthe was a nymph who loved the god of the dead, Hades. The Greek hero came to see her on the orders of King Polydectes who ruled over Seriphus. Medusa wandered Africa for some time. When you are done it is important to flatter the Goddess so She returns to Her guardian aspect:Empress Medusa, Lady of Snakes, Mother of the Golden Blade, I beg You to return to good form, and keep me in Your favor, as You are in mine, as Your humble servant. I ask that You be present within this living idol I make clean and pure for You! Euryale could leap with ease, while Stheno was stronger than her sisters. Place half the herbal mix into the urn and add the charm, then cover with the remaining herbs. A loving priestess to his sister Athena, Poseidon sought the goddess Medusa while she was praying in Athenas temple and violated her. Her face should also look fierce, and terrifying, not mournful. Freud disregards any myths that claim she turned men to stone. There are many herbs associated with Hecate, including mugwort, rue, hyssop, marjoram, fennel, thyme, rosemary, sage, lavender, wormwood, and dill. Later Roman representations began to depict Medusas signature snake-filled hair, but its often more innocuous than frightening. How can you change the world around you so that women can be better protected from tragedies like these? Most of this is personal experience so keep in mind that youll need to tailor your own worship to fit your beliefs, lifestyle, and needs! Born of the sea gods Phorcys and Ceto, it is often forgotten that Medusa herself is a goddess of the sea. How Did Jason and the Argonauts Get The Golden Fleece? If you have been seeing the symbols of Goddess Medusa and hearing the whispers, then this is your call to action. Hear me, Gorgon Queen, come to me as I come to you, kindly and in good form. She lost all of her looks and found snakes growing in her hair. You feel called to stand up for yourself. Medusa is also counted as one of the Gorgons, three daughters of Phorcus. Hail and welcome!, Take the vessel and fumigate it in the incense three times. The blood from her head slowly found its way to the Red Sea where it formed the basis of the red coral seen there today. Botanics have always held the interest of those interested in nature and the creation of life. The agalma is now consecrated for use so She should be treated as a sacred object, the physical form of Medusa Herself. Place the coral, malachite, and bronze around it and add another layer of parsley leaf, rue, then the dirt. She turned Medusa into an ugly creature by making her eyes bloodshot and raging and her face haglike. Poseidon tempted her into having sexual intercourse with him in a temple to Athena. Offer Her spring flowers separate from those you used to asperge the idol as well as more incense, and sweet red church wine. In her anger and in retaliation, Persephone (or sometimes her mother, Demeter), transformed Minthe into a mint tree. According to author Jane Ellen Harrison, Medusas power came from her head and anyone who carried it gained that power. Apollo chased her around the world until Daphne begged her river-god father for help, and he changed her into the laurel tree. Much like in India where Kali is the destructive force of Durga, when equated to Kybele or Artemis, Medusa is the same. During the height of the #metoo movement, many women began using images of Medusa. From the blood that spurted from her neck sprang Chrysaor and Pegasus, her two sons by Poseidon. One of her works said that similar stories focused on sister trios and that authors likely added Medusas sisters. WebCerridwen's Symbolism The Cauldron and the dark moon are associated with this Goddess. I recently spoke with a group of friends who are all on board with this idea, so who knows: maybe its true! Dionysios Skytobrachion wrote about her during the second century and claimed that she both lived and died in an area of Libya. Medusa will be a passive ward, meaning you do not have to actively work to get the evil averting powers from the agalma. Unlike other creatures who were mortal, Medusa was mortal and capable of death. There is also a lot of confusion on Her mythology itself. Ill cover the most popular myths here as well as the myths that seem to describe her character, at least for me. Crocus became a companion and lover of Hermes, the messenger god. Her sisters are the immortal Gorgons: Euryale and Stheno. Among her early depictions were those in horror films from the 1960s. Call upon Medusa when her ire is most fitting. Read about Medusa in literature. Many still wrote of the maiden as a seductress despite her chastity bonds. Sculpt a statue of Medusa for your altar. If you use any of the content on this page in your own work, please use the code below to cite this page as the source of the content. This account comes specifically from the Roman poet Ovid in his work Metamorphoses, told at the end of the story of Perseus. Once worshiped as a goddess in ancient Rome, Medusa is again gaining traction as more and more women flock to her for her guidance in the ways of protection and fierce divine femininity. While most iconography shows Her as simply a head, some of the most striking Medusa imagery comes from temples dedicated to Apollon of Miletus and Artemis of Corfu where we see the Gorgon full bodied, often with 4 wings coming from Her back, Her usual snakes, yet She is flanked by two lions in both instances, a direct reference to the cult of the Great Mother. If this isnt your preferred medium, then creating any sort of art for Medusa is perfectly fine. This doesnt need to be in huge ways. Her rage is unmet, and her ferocity is as deep and as strong as the seas. He claimed that both groups of sisters were monsters. Though many know the story of Medusa and her powers, not as many know about her sisters. Also known as Phorkys, he lay with his sister Ceto. Light a second black chime candle from the main candle and salute the four directions and say In the name of Medusa! and extinguish the flame in the water. Her creation was so powerful She adorned Her breastplate with these snakes to frighten enemies. Later, he brought Hera strawberries after tricking her into breastfeeding him in place of her own baby to prevent her wrath. The next thing I want to cover is Medusas vessel. Poseidons gift was a saltwater spring raised miraculously from the ground. WebMedina is one of the most popular of all Afro Caribbean herbs, especially so in Jamaica where it is commonly used to combat a variety of ailments but it is probably best known of Medusa represents philosophy, beauty and art. The earliest centre of his cult was Take the Evil Eye charm and fumigate it in the incense. Myrrha went to him and slept with him, and became pregnant. Their bodies are covered in scales and they have large, round heads with snakes sprouting from them instead of hair. In almost every version of the Medusa myth, King Polydectes of. The Goddess Medusa tends to reach out in very subtle ways.
Master's Seminary Board Of Directors,
Vantage West Credit Union Repossessed Cars,
From Lukov With Love Spoilers,
Immigration Consultant Fees In California,
Articles H