Demeter's Priestess

I do think the practice of magic is okay, I just don’t think it’s Traditional. I am of the rather strong opinion that modern witchcraft has no place in Hellenismos–especially when that witchcraft is defined as acts which allow humanity influence over their lives and those of others, outside of the realm of the Gods. I call anything else ‘praying’, and if you need tools for that, than I take no issue besides the fact that it’s non-Traditional–save for when it is.

Something I often hear about the ancient Hellenic religion, and prescribed about its modern equivalent, is that there was no magic in ancient Hellas. This is true. It’s also a lie. It all depends on your definition of magic. Yes, there was ‘magic’ and ‘witchcraft’ in ancient Hellas and its mythology, but not in the way we know it now; this was divine magic; a manifestation of a trait major Gods manifest with a thought and for which lesser deities require a medium to manifest. Their powers, however, are still the powers of a God. This is exactly why I feel we, as Hellenists, should pray to the Gods for any aid we might require, and blessings we would wish upon our lives; to practice magic ourselves would be to equate ourselves with the (minor) Gods, and Hellenismos is clear upon the status of humans: we are human, not divine. In my view, to practice magic is to practice hubris, and that is decidedly dangerous in a Hellenistic context.

Magic is recorded in Ancient Greece, and as far as I know, it was not a problem. It was feared, and so practised secretly - like other chthonian rituals - but it didn’t go against the traditional cult. It was just an addition to it, like some Mysteries and philosophies. (Of course, I’d imagine some people took issue with it, but it wasn’t as much in contradiction with the tradition as, say, worshipping multiple Gods is in Christianity.)

Take, for example, this small text we translated in class today:

Hekate Khthonia, Artemis Khthonia, Hermes Khthonios:

cast your hate upon Phanagora and Demetrios, and their tavern and their property and their possessions. I will bind my enemy Demetrios, and Phanagora, in blood and in ashes, with all the dead. Nor will the next four-year cycle release you. I will bind you in such a bind, Demetrios, as strong as possible, and I will smite down a kunotos on [your] tongue.

(Note the appearance of Hekate as a Goddess who curses people through magic, not who protects them.)

You could argue that the presence of Gods makes this text closer to an incantation or a prayer, but that would be applying modern definitions to an ancient source - not to mention that the author of the text, though they ask for the Gods’ help, curses Demetrios and Phanagora themselves, as evidenced by the formula “I will bind”. These magical texts are not prayers: the gestures (burning materials, making noise, crushing bones) confirm it. Take this quote from Theocritus’s Idylls, book 2, as another example:

Khaire, frightful Hekate! Attend me to the end, and make my enchantments as powerful as those of Kirke, or Medeia, or blonde Perimeda.

(…)

I will crush a salamander and bring to him tomorrow an unfavorable drink. Thestylis, take these herbs and go crush them on the steps of his house while it is still night, and spit out: “I am crushing the bones of Delphis.”

(Again, note the presence of Hekate.)

As you’ve mentioned before, the Gods rule over every aspect of our daily life. In a civilisation where these Gods are honoured as such by the entire population, it would be extremely strange to encounter an even vaguely ritual text in which divine intervention plays no part.

The Gods preside over rituals. Some of these rituals are traditional incantations, prayers and/or sacrifices designed to honour or give thanks to one or several deities. Others are magical, like the texts above, and designed to affect a person or place through the intervention of one or several deities. They may not belong to the state religion, but they were just as widely practised in Ancient Greece as the rest.

Would you just look at what my amazing husband got me for Valentine’s Day

Would you just look at it?? Its a 1903 Singer Sphinx. I’m calling her Cleo.

Its restoration time. Gonna clean the rust off the exposed metal bits, and very carefully clean the paint. Then its gotta be pulled all apart, cleaned and oiled, then put back together.

But I have a dilemma that I would like yalls opinion on (and maybe the decision should be made after all the needed work is done….). But the paint and gold decals are very badly damaged. Should I…. 1. Leave it as it is and seal it so it doesn’t get worse, 2. Touch up the decals so they’re more intact but still worn a bit, or 3. Strip the paint, repaint it, and replace the decals.

There are some things that may affect your opinions and my final decision. These machines are japanned (the black varnish) and you can’t really get that varnish anymore. Trying to match the color and finish would be next to impossible. I’m not sure if the body is rusted, she needs a heavy cleaning. The decals can be found online and I’m confident in my ability to place them. I’m also confident in my ability to just touch up the decals. These things are technically worth more with their original finish but I’m probably never going to sell this baby. This one is set up for treadle, but the bus does not have space for a treadle table so I’m going to convert it to a hand crank. Any hand crank I find will likely not be from the Sphinx design so I would have to redo the decals on the crank. And finally, the better it looks the more likely I am to use it instead of hand sewing.

Would you just look at what my amazing husband got me for Valentine’s Day

Would you just look at it?? Its a 1903 Singer Sphinx. I’m calling her Cleo.

Its restoration time. Gonna clean the rust off the exposed metal bits, and very carefully clean the paint. Then its gotta be pulled all apart, cleaned and oiled, then put back together.

But I have a dilemma that I would like yalls opinion on (and maybe the decision should be made after all the needed work is done….). But the paint and gold decals are very badly damaged. Should I…. 1. Leave it as it is and seal it so it doesn’t get worse, 2. Touch up the decals so they’re more intact but still worn a bit, or 3. Strip the paint, repaint it, and replace the decals.

There are some things that may affect your opinions and my final decision. These machines are japanned (the black varnish) and you can’t really get that varnish anymore. Trying to match the color and finish would be next to impossible. I’m not sure if the body is rusted, she needs a heavy cleaning. The decals can be found online and I’m confident in my ability to place them. I’m also confident in my ability to just touch up the decals. These things are technically worth more with their original finish but I’m probably never going to sell this baby. This one is set up for treadle, but the bus does not have space for a treadle table so I’m going to convert it to a hand crank. Any hand crank I find will likely not be from the Sphinx design so I would have to redo the decals on the crank. And finally, the better it looks the more likely I am to use it instead of hand sewing.

My period is often quite painful, to the point that my legs give out from under me. Suffering for 13 years, I tried all the remedies. Hot water bottles, massage, yoga, even OTC pain medications and birth control pills (I try to avoid taking unnecessary medications, and every form of birth control made me feel worse than my deepest depression). But this, THIS tea right here is a gift straight from the Gods. Please speak to your doctor before using this tea for menstrual symptoms. I am not a medical professional.

Red Raspberry Leaf - rich in antioxidants, B vitamins, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, and phosphorous. To start your period, your body produces hormones called prostaglandins which cause your blood vessels to constrict (inflammation), which causes the muscle to contract (cramps) to shed the uterine lining. Unfortunately, this can also cause diarrhea. Red raspberry leaf’s stock of vitamins and minerals reduce inflammation and can inhibit further production of prostaglandins. Likely unsafe for people who are pregnant, have diabetes, or hormone sensitive conditions.

Red Clover - contains isoflavones which the body turns into phytoestrogen. During your period, estrogen and progesterone levels are very low causing mood swings, and headaches or migraines. Phytoestrogens gently level out this hormonal imbalance, and can even lower your risk for endometrial, cervical, and breast cancer. Try to avoid red clover in the two weeks after your period because your body produces estrogen during this stage of your cycle and too much estrogen is not good for you. Likely unsafe for people who are pregnant, have hormone sensitive conditions or bleeding disorders. Do not take within 2 weeks of surgery.

Rose Hips - high in vitamin C which can reduce heavy blood flow, swelling, and bloating.

Rose Petals - full of vitamin C and antioxidants

Lavender - for its stress relieving benefits. Interacts with anesthesia, do not take within 2 weeks of surgery.

Chamomile - stress relieving and an anti-inflammatory that helps reduce bloating, cramps, and diarrhea. May cause allergies in those allergic to ragweed.

Hibiscus - decreases spasms in the uterus and reduces swelling. Possibly unsafe for people who are pregnant. Do not take within 2 weeks of surgery, or is you have diabetes or low blood pressure.

there are 20 possible results, with characters both familiar and obscure: beauty from beauty and the beast, princess kaguya, snegurochka, cinderella, the nightingale from death and the nightingale, the little mermaid, sleeping beauty, baba yaga, the fairy godmother, the snow queen, thumbelina, the evil queen, little red riding hood, goldilocks, the goose girl, bluebeard’s bride, vasilisa the beautiful, rapunzel, and janet from tam lin.

$1 plants one tree! 

🌿English Ivy: Coffee or Tea? How do you like it?

🌿Aloe Vera: Ocean, River or Lake?

🌿Squash: Guilty pleasure?

🌿Parsnip: Where are you from? What are your roots?

🌿Evergreen: Something that has never failed you..?

🌿String Beans: What forces you to grow/change? What makes you want to grow/change?

🌿Lettuce: What is your healthiest habit?

🌿Ash Tree: Lighter or Matches?

🌿Basil: Can you cook? What is your favorite dish to make?

🌿Rosemary: What is your favorite memory? Your most vivid memory?

🌿Cinnamon: What gives you energy? What gets you moving?

🌿Thyme: What promotes healing in your life?

🌿Purslane: What ordinary or mundane thing do you make magical?

🌿Roses: What is romantic, to you?

🌿Chamomile: What does relaxing look/feel like to you?