Goddess in the News: Altanta Earth Goddess to Stay

"Earth Goddess, the popular giant living sculpture in the summer exhibition Imaginary Worlds: Plants Larger Than Life, will be calling the Atlanta Botanical Garden home after the blockbuster show closes October 31. The... acquisition not only celebrates the enormous success of the exhibition of topiary-like sculpture but also is expected to become an icon for the city... At 30 feet wide by 25 feet tall, Earth Goddess is one of 19 sculptures in the exhibition created by International Mosaiculture of Montreal - shown for the first time in the United States. Mosaiculture is the centuries-old horticultural art of covering fabricated steel forms with a planting material and "plugging," or planting, it with tens of thousands of tiny plants.. .The mission of the Atlanta Botanical Garden is to develop and maintain plant collections for display, education, research, conservation and enjoyment."
 

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Dia de los Muertos

The holiday of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) begins on the evening of October 31st.  On that night, the small angelitos (spirit children) arrive, with the spirits of the adults following on the 1st of  November.  Family graves are decorated and altars created to honor the previous occupations and preferences of their ancestors.  On Nov. 2nd a large family meal is shared with favorite foods and the spirits are then bid goodbye until next year.

 

These activities mirror an ancient Aztec festival, which honored the Lady of the Dead - the Goddess Mictecacihuatl - during their summer corn harvest.   It is celebrated now at the time of All Soul's Day throughout the world, including in many parts of the U.S., Central America and Spain.

 

Blessings of the ancestors to one and all!

 

 

 

 

(photo of La Calavera Catrina holding traditional marigold flowers of Dia de los Muertos, copyright Luis Roj.)

Circe

"When they reached Circe's house they found it built of cut stones, on a site that could be seen from far, in the middle of the forest. There were wild mountain wolves and lions prowling all round it. . they did not attack my men, but wagged their great tails, fawned upon them, and rubbed their noses lovingly against them. Presently they reached the gates of the goddess's house, and as they stood there they could hear Circe within, singing most beautifully as she worked at her loom, making a web so fine, so soft, and of such dazzling colors as no one but a goddess could weave."

Homer's Odyssey, trans. Samuel Butler


(Painting of Circe by Wright Barker, 1889)

October's Full Moon

Blessings of the Full Moon in Aries!  This moon is referred to as the Blood or Hunter's Moon.  There is also a penumbral eclipse that will be visible in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas (although it will still be light during most of the time in the Americas).

May the igniting energies of this full moon reveal hidden inspiration!

Hymn to Tethys

 

Tethys I call, with eyes cerulean bright,

Hid in a veil obscure from human sight;

Great Ocean's empress, wandering through the deep,

And pleased with gentle gales, the earth to sweep;

Whose blessed waves in swift succession go,

And lash the rocky shore with endless flow:

Delighting in the Sea serene to play,

In ships exulting and the watery way.

Mother of Venus, and of clouds obscure,

Great nurse of beasts, and source of fountains pure.

O venerable Goddess, hear my prayer,

And make benevolent my life thy care;

Send, blessed queen, to ships a prosperous breeze,

And waft them safely over the stormy seas.

 

Orphic Hymn

(translation by T. Taylor)

 

(Goddess Tethys: mosaic in the Antakya Museum, Antioch, Turkey)

 

For more devotions:  In Her Name website



Final three nights of Navatri

 

Honoring Sarasvati on Oct. 11th-13th

of the Sharad Navatri.

 

 

(painting by Raja Ravi Varma, 1896, Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum)

Goddess news: Woman finds statues in Lakhampur village

From the article:

"A 45-year-old tribal woman, on Monday, found seven idols of Hindu goddesses in a cave on the Khapra hilltop in Lakhampur village of Wada taluka. She said she went to the cave and started digging inside after repeatedly dreaming of a goddes...s trapped there. 'For the last three months, I regularly dreamt of some divine powers calling me to rescue them from the hilltop but I ignored the dreams. However, it soon started to affect my health and I eventually decided to follow my dream,' said Usha Mukne, a daily-wage labourer in the village and a believer of Goddess Santoshi. Mukne cleared the entrance to the cave, which had been blocked by trees as no one had gone there in a long time, and started digging.

Villagers hailed her dream-turned-into-reality as a miracle and blessing, especially as it coincided with Navratri, and thronged the hilltop to pray.  'I told the locals about my dream and findings. They couldn’t believe goddesses had directed me this way,' she said. A local, Sunil Patil, said, 'It’s the first time that ancient artifacts have been found here.' Local authorities were also informed; they will inform the archaeological department."

Link to article:
Woman finds Goddess statues

Navaratri continues

 

Honoring Lakshmi on Oct. 8th-10th

of the Sharad Navaratri.

(Murti of Lakshmi, Cologne, Germany)

Blessings of Sharad Navratri

 

In honor of the Sharad Navaratri from Oct. 5th-13th, 2013.

 

This nine-day Hindu festival will start tomorrow. In the Sharad Navratri, nine forms of Shakti/Devi are given respect. Each region in India celebrates this festival in their own tradition's manner, but in some areas three days each are dedicated to Durga, Lakshmi and Sarasvati, respectively. This holiday culminates on the tenth day with the observance of Vijayadashami.

 

 

(Goddess Durga, Kolkata, by D. Roy)