While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Medusa was a worshiper of Athena and a guardian of her temple. The talismanic image of the Gorgoneion is believed to be at least as early as the 8th century BCE and some scholars propose they could reach as far back as 6,000 years from the Sesklo region of Greece where a terracotta mask was discovered that bears a striking resemblance to early Gorgon imagery and most likely represented an early Mother Goddess cult. From Athena, Perseus received a mirrored shield. He eventually judged Aphrodite as the fairest. She has been described by the Poet Ovid as having a beautiful face and long, flowing hair. Medusa followed the goddess for many years before she met and fell in love with Poseidon. The closest I have ever come to finding iconography with a snake tail is winged Gorgon from a 6th century BCE shield where Medusa is depicted with a helmet and the tail of a serpentine fish and legs of a lion. For me personally I like to use snake fangs over tusks due to their practicality, but either will certainly work. Last Updated on December 18, 2017 by Coven of the Goddess. He treated other potential courtships similarly, believing himself too beautiful for them. Medusa also appears on television. Atlas attempted to fight but saw her head and turned to stone. She is often used in ancient spells as a Gorgon Herself, and is mentioned interchangeably in certain charms, such as making protective amulets out of red coral which is to be inscribed with the face of Hekate or head of a Gorgon. As such, her realm covers all water-related magic, sea and storm witches, sailors, and the like. Her face should also look fierce, and terrifying, not mournful. Medusa comes to those who are in need, so she doesnt expect a totally decked-out altar from her followers. Her rage is unmet, and her ferocity is as deep and as strong as the seas. 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. Minerva turned Her gaze and hid Her grey eyes behind Her aegis to protect Her chaste sight from the act. WebCerridwen's Symbolism The Cauldron and the dark moon are associated with this Goddess. His lover, a Satyr who was named Ampelos, was slain by a wild bull. Early artwork depicted both Medusa and her sisters as gruesome creatures capable of frightening any man. You can then gently wipe down the statue with soft linen cloth. This is a good starting point when you want to connect with her. Take the Evil Eye charm and fumigate it in the incense. 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 will purify and cleanse the image so Medusa comes to you appeased, reminded of Her love of Poseidon. You can also simply put I protect this house or this building or so on. She claimed that Medusa was the only real Gorgon and that her sisters were mere additions to her story. 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. Divine eyes or Gorgon eyes, sometimes drawn as concentric circles or spirals. All shall gather outside of Circle and share the tales of Samhain. Giovanni Versace loved the Medusa legend so much that he chose her as the mascot of his clothing brand. In Clash of the Titans from 1981, she was a standard villain. Crocus became a companion and lover of Hermes, the messenger god. Widen Your frightening eyes, flashing with fire, and look upon (enemys NN) so he/she/they may be destroyed! The earliest centre of his cult was Seeing claims that Athena saw Medusa in her temple and instead of catching her in the midst of consensual intercourse, she found Poseidon raping her. Athena and Poseidon competed over the city, which would become Athens in a contest judged by humans. In this version, Medusa has always been a Gorgon, one of three sisters, daughters of the Gods Phorkys and Keto (Who is sometimes considered the Sea aspect of Hekate), but the only one born mortal. 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. The initial telling of this myth depicts Medusa acting out in anger and Athena punishing her. Aphrodite took pity on her and turned her into the myrrh tree, in which form she gave birth to Adonis. Evening primrose oil. 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. When I look for idols or agalmas for Medusa they need to have very wide, expressive eyes. Their bodies are covered in scales and they have large, round heads with snakes sprouting from them instead of hair. Just having a small amount of space to dedicate to an altar is a great way to start working with the gorgon. Gorgons are described as winged serpentine creatures. 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. Her domain encompasses all bodies of water, and her rage is as powerful as the most ravenous hurricane. Now, with snakes for hair and a long serpentine body, what man would ever dare to look upon her? 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. Perseus stayed in Ethiopia where he met Andromeda, daughter of Cassiopeia. Be it Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Norse, Chinese, Japanese, Aztec, Mayan, you name it. The other two sisters were Stheno (strength) and Euryale (wide-leaping). Athena immediately added the head to her shield called Aegis. Medusa delivers strong flavor and aroma characteristics Fans of Percy Jackson & the Olympians will find that she pops up in both the original book and the film based on the book. As a result, she is persecuted further by the very gods she sought to serve. All she asks is that you become the best and most powerful version of yourself. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a0b5d36f223869445363a60f7ff447a5" );document.getElementById("dc55782aa6").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. When Minerva caught them in the act, she changed Medusa into a terrifying Gorgon. As she traveled, some of the serpents in her hair fell to the ground and slid away. Just in case any man took an interest in Medusa, Athena made it so that the man would turn to stone if he looked in her eyes. Athena, angry that this could take place in her own temple, lashed out taking out her wrath on Medusa by turning her into a terrifying gorgon, and casting a curse for breaking her vow of celibacy. The Greek hero came to see her on the orders of King Polydectes who ruled over Seriphus. Even some 6,000 years ago, Her image was used to frighten as a stormy, wrathful aspect of the Mother Goddess. I use a variety of materials including plant absolutes, essential oils, fragrances, resins, botanical oils and natural essences from roots, flowers, herbs and stones. Beth Seeling took a different approach to the Greek legend. Cast in stone his/her/their evil intentions he/she/they may set against me, cast in stone the heart and mind of NN and drink his/her/their blood with your forked tongue! Before we can explore how I serve Her we need to take a look at Her mythology and discover who She is.The most common version of Her myth you will see all over the internet is that of a once beautiful Medusa, Whose shining jewel was Her hair. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. 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 also appeared in multiple pieces of art from the Renaissance and later. She was so enchanting that She caught the attention of Neptune Who raped Her in the temple of Minerva. Hephaestus also helped the young man with the gift of a sword. Turmeric. Medusa will be a passive ward, meaning you do not have to actively work to get the evil averting powers from the agalma. When Mimses son, Ascalabus, saw Demeter, he began to mock her for her hunger. This powerful Goddess is one of the most recognizable apotropaic symbols of the ancient and modern world. He was once captured by Herakles, who faced him down. Fair-cheeked Gorgon, be present! The Goddess Medusa loves to help her children find their own ways of breaking free! Whether you're looking to boost your financial wherewithal, land a new job, or just pad your bank account a little, try some of these magical herbs in your money-related workings. She is not to be pitied, but adored. She becomes Gorgo, one of the three Gorgon sisters. Perhaps the most well-known Medusa myth involves Perseus and Medusas death. The Greek hero Perseus is sent to take Medusas head in order to save his mother from marrying a selfish, evil king. Perseus was granted help by the gods including a reflecting tool. Legend claims the was a giant who carried a golden sword. While those are the two main things I look for, there are other things you can consider when finding or making a cult image for Her. On the bottom of the vessel draw a Gorgoneion and around it write I protect NN. To sneak the fire past the watching eyes of the gods, he hid it inside of a fennel stalk. To make matters worse, in the works of ancient Greek artist Polygnotos, Perseus is shown cutting off Medusas head while she lay sleeping, further highlighting the absolute cowardice of this champion of the gods. Aside from this, some things I associate and use with Medusa are malachite (as my Gorgons Eye stone), serpentine, snakeskin jasper, coral, whole raw eggs, Her apotropaic and protective abilities are rooted in Her frightfulness, and Her power to kill with venom or petrification. Apollo chased her around the world until Daphne begged her river-god father for help, and he changed her into the laurel tree. She isnt a Goddess to serve in a capacity of benevolence because She is and has always been a monster. She further claimed that the womans head simply served as a mask for those who later wielded it. The pomegranate fruit was important as a symbol of fertility and marriage and played a role in several myths. If its mouth is open, place the lodestone in the mouth, if not put it next to it. He was chained to a rock and his liver was repeatedly eaten by an eagle and then healed in an endless cycle. The Goddess Medusa tends to reach out in very subtle ways. There is also a lot of confusion on Her mythology itself. One of the most well-known stories is that of Eriss apple, the apple of discord. Narcissus eventually wasted away, unable to leave the pond, and became the flower. This potion is consumable and can be added to teas, but it can also be used on poppets or other tools to heal, cleanse, and restore. Having experienced a few herself, she knows what its like to have to change everything about yourself sometimes in ways that everyone else perceives in a negative light in order to save yourself and move on from hard times. Here are my recipes:The Blood of Medusa (Left) *Toxic, This potion is not to be consumed but added to poppets or other tools for cursing. 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. Legend says that when invaders attacked the city, Sterope used the hair to bring forth a storm that sent them running away in fear. When linked to the solar Great Mother, She is the destructive force of the Sun rather than its life supporting force. They are then blended into a carrier oil and are safe to use on the skin. Omissions? Freud disregards any myths that claim she turned men to stone. 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. Among her early depictions were those in horror films from the 1960s. She was never raped by the Lord of the Sea, Poseidon, but His lover. He explained that when a man saw something frightening such as a naked woman, he associated it with his mother because it was his first experience with the female form. He was loved by many other gods, including the personification of the wind, but he always chose Apollo. There are various versions of the story, but depending on which one you pick up, either Medusa seduced Poseidon or he was smitten with her and took her. WebFlavor & Aroma Profile. Medusas sisters were immortal but she was mortal. Their large eyes are not often remembered, for they transform you to stone at a moments glance. She claimed that Medusa was the ultimate guardian and protectress of women. She turned Medusa into an ugly creature by making her eyes bloodshot and raging and her face haglike. There are several versions of the Medusa myth. 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. Connect with Medusas element, water, by performing a ritual bath or something of the like. The souls of the ordinary dead were sent to the Meadows, where they would harvest the asphodel as food. Her pure white milky skin turned a scary green hue. I personally like both, but know that the snake tail is a modern invention. Beautiful Medusa, Serpentine Goddess, I summon You to this rite I host in Your honor! Medusa was the only Gorgon who was mortal; hence her slayer, Perseus, was able to kill her by cutting off her head. Legend says while she was there baby snakes dropped from her head and this is why there are plenty of snakes in Africa. 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. Take the snake head and place it on the sea sponge so it faces toward the front of the vessel. Some believe that she was a beautiful sea spirit who was transformed by Athena into a creature with snakes for hair that turned anyone that looked at her into stone. Athena removed a lock of the womans hair and gave it to Hercules. At Her shrine, at Night, I will light a black candle and incense, having as little light as needed to perform the spell. Lavender. Spiritual practice is never an acceptable alternative for taking proper care of your health.). He was born under a strawberry tree. During the height of the #metoo movement, many women began using images of Medusa. Although you can theoretically call upon a deity with extensive amounts of worship, deities often reach out to us when they want to work with us. Myrrha went to him and slept with him, and became pregnant. Allan and I have been free of unnecessary drama or problems from our enemies which has been miraculous to say the least! 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. The French military created a special belt during World War I that had her face on it. The goddess carried the womans head on her shield. It almost sounds like a win-win, to me. Hope you found the article useful, please comment below! For this Athena punished her hideously. Adonis had been killed by a ravaging boar, and while Aphrodite wept over his body, his blood on the grass transformed into the flowers. Like Crocus, Hyacinth was killed in a discus game, possibly deliberately by a vengeful wind god. Botanics have always held the interest of those interested in nature and the creation of life. One of the most popular monsters of Greek Mythology is Medusa. Medusa, in Greek mythology, the most famous of the monster figures known as Gorgons. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has a terracotta jar created by Polygnotos that shows Perseus murdering her in her sleep. I have practised witchcraft before in great respect always. Herodotus the historian said her home was Libya. However, its important to note thatearlier myths of Medusa (such as that told by Homer) actually have no mention of Athena at all. In her form of Nemesis, Aphrodite punished him by cursing him so that he would fall in love with his own reflection. Sterope used the hair to defend the city and keep it safe. Greek poet Hesiod wrote that Medusa lived close to the Hesperides in the Western Ocean near Sarpedon. However, some witches prefer to work with the figure of Medusa as an idea rather than a real deity. Take a small bouquet of fresh spring flowers and dip it into the holy water and sprinkle it onto the agalma (sacred idol) to cleanse it. Youve been encountering statues and paintings of Medusa in your daily travels or receiving them as gifts. This piece dates back to around 450 BC. Apollo then took her wood to make his lyre. The metal cap of a 1st- or 2nd-century chariot pole, for instance, offers a popular visual interpretation of the Gorgon with two snakes tied neatly under her chin. Medusas Head euphorbia is suitable for growing outdoors in USDA hardiness zones 9b through 11. When Evande became pregnant, Aepytus mocked her for it since she was unmarried. Medusa spent the rest of her days wandering the earth alone. WebFrom Business: We offer the finest quality of Natural Organically Grown and Wild crafted Herbs. Take a deeper dive into the epic poems that tell the stories of Medusa. Homer never named Medusa in the Odyssey but did talk about a monsters head that Hades could send o Persephone. It is a spring-blooming flower and would bloom when Persephone was outside of the Underworld. 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. Gingko. If you are seeking aid or guardianship after a domestic dispute, evoke the power of Medusa. Youve been encountering statues and paintings of Medusa in your Cherry quartz (a redder version of rose quartz) and clear The sun god Apollo once mocked Aphrodites son, Eros. It tells of a beautiful woman transformed into a gorgon: a hideous monster with venomous serpents for hair. There was also a theory established by Helene Cixous in which she claims that the original story of Medusa was quite different. Johnston claimed that it showed men were still frightened of powerful women. Curl Your blackened lips and bear Your venomous fangs! However, afternoon shade is beneficial in hotter Also known as Phorkys, he lay with his sister Ceto. Her vessel not only stores Her dynamis but it is an active ward for protection. Medusa is so popular that LEGO created a mini-figure of her. Some historians believe that the story of Medusa has some basis in fact. Mimse gave Demeter a barley drink to sate herself. *These three resins are often sold together as Black Ethiopian resin, of which you would use 1 tbsp. Some were previously gods and goddesses, some humans, and some sprung from even more surprising sources! Offer Her spring flowers separate from those you used to asperge the idol as well as more incense, and sweet red church wine. ****This is highly toxic, especially to children and animals. Versace still uses a log of a woman with terrifying features and serpents coming from her head as its brand logo. You will add your name and the names of anyone you want protected that resides in the home or place. From a very early age in Britain, I was known to sit at the breakfast table reading encyclopedias about many of the major world mythologies. What are some things or symbols that can be associated with reading? One version of his battle with Atlas claims that Perseus turned his opponent into a mountain. 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