The Myth of Athena and Arachne

"Arachne lived in the country of Lydia (which had a legendary reputation for producing some of the most splendid textiles in the ancient world), where she matured into one of the finest weavers ever known. Arachne was in fact so adept at weaving that she became arrogant, and claimed that her ability rivaled that of the goddess Athena. Athena, as the patron deity of weavers and quite an accomplished weaver herself, immediately took notice of Arachne, and travelled to Lydia in order to confront the boastful woman. There the goddess assumed the guise of an old peasant, and gently warned Arachne not to compare her talents to those of an immortal; Arachne merely dismissed this reproach, and so Athena was compelled to accept the mortal woman's challenge. They would each compete by creating a tapestry. Athena wove her tapestry with images that foretold the fate of humans who compared themselves with deities, while Arachne's weaving told of the loves of the gods. Such was Arachne's skill that her work equaled that of the goddess, and Athena, overwhelmed by anger, struck the hapless woman repeatedly. Terrified, Arachne hung herself, but Athena transformed the woman into a spider who quickly scurried off. Thus, this tale explains the spider's ability to weave its web." SO. In Literature class, we are studying Greek mythology. We were assigned to pick a myth from our book and either act it out, do a puppet show, or something else I can't remember. I made this video as a little ...

Biblical Chronology - Egypt Without a Pharaoh for 300 Years

I presented in my two previous articles that I've shifted Egyptian dynasties 1 through 12 along the timeline earlier by 161 years and I have moved Egyptian dynasties 13 through 20 earlier by 124 years. These shifts are in the same direction along the timeline (earlier) and only have a difference of 37 years (161 years compared to 124 years). This difference in the shifts is relatively insignificant and can be accounted for by the uncertainty in the dates of reigns of dynasties 13-17 (historians acknowledge that the dating of dynasties 13-17 is difficult since many reigns in this period may coincide). Therefore, I essentially only disagree with the dating of the Conventional Egyptian Chronology from dynasties 1 through 20 in the sense that the entire timeline for those dynasties should be shifted earlier in time in the range of 124-161 years.

Dynasties 21 through 26 are a different matter. Since I have shifted these dynasties later in time by 181 years and dynasties 13-20 earlier by at least 124 years there must be a gap in the Egyptian timeline somewhere from the reign of Ramesses III to the reign of Shishak of 305 years! This is a remarkable result. No one in the academic community has even suggested that a discontinuity of the Egyptian dynasties may have occurred. It has been assumed that Egypt has always been powerful enough to rule over itself and its neighbors but it may very well be that Egypt was at the mercy of other invaders from the end of the 20th dynasty to the beginning of the 21st dynasty for about 300 years.

So what happened in Egypt for 300 years?

The question of "what happened to the 300 years" can not be adequately addressed until we analyze Egypt's position as a nation after the reign of Ramesses III. Since the Exodus of the Israelites occurred during his reign and if you believe the account of the Bible (which I certainly do) Egypt must have been devastated. The ten plagues that occurred during this time would have poisoned the Nile (blood in the Nile), decimated the food supply (locusts), introduced pestilence and disease on a national scale and killed many Eqyptians (Passover angel of death). Now consider the impact to their economy of a workforce of over 2,000,000 Israelite slaves exiting their country (see the book of Numbers for the population of the Israelites at that time). Presumably the population of Egypt in that period should be much less than it is today so the impact of the Israelites on the economy would be much greater.

The scriptures also state that the Israelites were able to "loot" the Egyptians because the Egyptian citizens empathized with their plight and gave them "going-away" gifts of gold and jewelry. Now on top of all of this, as I mentioned earlier, the Egyptian army was essentially destroyed when they were drowned in the Red Sea. So let's recap, Egypt is decimated by lack of water, disease, pestilence and much of the population has died; its economy is severely weakened by a largely reduced workforce; it has no military. How could anyone believe this nation survived such circumstances? Neither do I believe Egypt was able to survive.

I don't believe Egypt's enemies were taking a holiday while all this was occurring either. Libya and the Sea Peoples were the last foreigners that historians have evidence of conducting war with Egypt in the 20th dynasty. Ramesses III was able to rebuff both these invaders. However, after the Exodus I believe there was another invader that became prominent, Egypt's former slave nation, Israel. Consider what the scriptures say about Israel's new southern border after they invade Canaan (Numbers 33:5): "And the border shall turn from Azmon to the Brook of Egypt, and its limit shall be at the sea". If you look up the word "Brook" in the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance you will find that this word can mean "river valley" which is the interpretation I favor. I do not believe this verse means that the border of Israel started at the Nile River. I believe this is made clear in Joshua 15:47 where the "Brook of Egypt" appears to be close to the city Gaza in the context of the verse.

There is a great deal of distance between Gaza and the Nile, however if you were to look at a topological map of the area you would notice that the hilly mountainous geography of Israel transitions to the much lower flat Nile River Valley in the general vicinity of Gaza. Historians report that Ramesses VI voluntarily brings his forces out of Canaan during his reign. According to The Fourth Day: Why The Bible is Historically Accurate Chronology the Israelites crossed the Jordan River to begin their conquest of Canaan very early in the reign of Ramesses VII. Assuming there exists only a small error in the Conventional Egyptian Chronology, I believe the Israelites actually scared Ramesses VI out of Canaan back into Egypt shortly after they entered Canaan. What is interesting about this is the Bible never mentions Israel skirmishing Egypt. Archaeologists have found evidence that Ramesses VI withdrew his forces from Canaan. In fact Egypt is never mentioned in the Bible from the book of Exodus till the reign of Solomon. It is quite possible that Egypt saw the size of Israel's army and retreated, thus explaining why it wasn't recorded in the Bible. Egypt's retreat is significant since Egypt often used Canaan as a "buffer zone" to prevent other powerful nations like the Hittites, the Babylonians and the Assyrians from invading Egypt. Therefore, not only was Egypt militarily weak it was also caught between three formidable nations, Libya to the west, Ethiopia to the south (this includes present day Sudan) and Israel to the east. I believe that for the next three hundred years Egypt was hemmed in with little chance to recover its former glory.

The Dark Ages of the Eastern Mediterranean

Egyptologists have been insistent that the 30 dynasties of Egypt followed one behind the other with no gap in the timeline between these kings. Is there any historical evidence that supports the idea that Egypt did not have a Pharaoh from 1200 B.C. to 900 B.C.? Consider the fact that virtually every nation in the Eastern Mediterranean went through some dark age, some period without a record of its history during this time. Historians claim that ancient Greece went through a dark age from 12th to the 8th century B.C. between the Mycenean and Archaic Greek civilizations. The Hittites appeared to have a dark age from the 13th to the 10th century B.C. Even the Assyrians appeared to have a dark age of one hundred years from 1000-900 B.C. So if all these neighboring nations of Egypt experienced a dark age period during this time why shouldn't Egypt?

Also consider that the Greeks alluded to a dark age of Egypt as well. Greek mythology mentions a king of Egypt, Proteus, who became king of Egypt after a period where Egypt did not have a king for five generations (Reference: Greek Mythology Link, author Carlos Parada, http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/Proteus3.html). If we assume a generation was a period of 60 years then five generations would be 300 years; certainly a possiblility. So who is Proteus king of Egypt? According to Greek mythology Proteus was king of Egypt during the Trojan War when Paris, prince of Troy, landed at the shores of Egypt with his captive Helen. Apparently Paris had kidnapped Helen, the queen of Sparta. This is the incident that sparked the Trojan War. Herodotus also mentions Proteus in his book The Histories in regard to his role in the Trojan War. If Proteus is the king of Egypt during the Trojan War and because he is the king at the end of the 300 year period of silence in Egyptian history then the Trojan War must have occurred very near 900 B.C. according to the Fourth Day: Why the Bible is Historically Accurate Chronology. Since it was the Mycenean Greeks that invaded Troy then it is very possible there was a gradual change from the Mycenean to the Archaic Greek civilization over a period of one hundred years (900-800 B.C.) This essentially means that there was no dark age in ancient Greece as has been so forcefully argued by Peter James in his book Centuries of Darkness.

So where is the insertion point for this 300 year period of silence in the Conventional Egyptian Chronology? Since this period occurs somewhere in time between the 20th and 21st dynasties of ancient Egypt then the first king after this 300 year period of silence must be in one of these dynasties. Also the first powerful king in Egypt in 300 years would probably make some announcement or edict that would demonstrate that Egypt once again was in control of its own destiny.

I believe the period from Ramesses VI until Ramesses XI meets all the prerequisites of the missing 300 years. Little was recorded about Ramesses VII, VIII or IX. According to Herodotus the next king to succeed Proteus was a king named Rhampsinutus (many historians believe this is the Greek rendering for a king named Ramesses). So which Ramesses was it? I believe he was Ramessses XI. Herodotus states that Rhampsinutus had a "vast fortune in silver" larger than any king of Egypt before him. The only two Pharoahs in Egypt's history that had silver coffins that have been found were Psusennes of the 21st dynasty and Shoshenq I of the 23rd dynasty. This is significant because I believe this is evidence that Ramessess XI fits better as a king of the 21st dynasty rather than the 20th dynasty.

I propose that Ramesses XI, just like Rhampsinitus, acquired his fortune in working with metals since history records that he erected two great statues at the site of the Temple of Vulcan, the god of metal-working. Ancient Egypt was famous for its gold mines not its silver mines. Silver was mined mostly in Canaan and Mesopotamia. A vast silver fortune would indicate Ramesses XI had become rich in silver by trading other commodities to nations in Canaan (probably horses). Historians also have found that Ramesses XI declared a new marking of time called the "repetition-of-births". Many of the reigns of the kings of Egypt after Ramesses XI were described in terms of years "in the repetition-of-births" rather than "in the year" of the reigning contemporary king. I believe Ramesses XI was using the repetition-of-births concept to indicate the "rebirth" of the Egyptian nation after 300 years of silence. The evidence of this new marking of time came from an inscription on a wall at the Temple of Karnak that read "year 7 of the Repetition of Births...under Ramesses XI".

Herodotus also says this king Rhampsinutus instituted a new yearly observation that sounds suspiciously close to the "repetition-of-births". Herodotus describes how Rhampsinitus went down alive to Hades (the underworld) and played dice with a god called Demeter and he came back alive from Hades with a golden hand towel, his winnings from his game of dice. This story was the basis of a yearly celebration. It sounds like Rhampsinitus symbolically dies and comes alive every year through this celebration. Just one paragraph after Herodotus talks about this celebration, he talks about the following Egyptian religious doctrine.

The Egyptians believed the human body was immortal and when a person died his soul entered an animal; when that animal died his soul continued to be reborn in a long list of animals that included animals from the land, sea and air until his soul entered a human body. This was a cycle believed to last for 3000 years. Again this sounds suspiciously like the idea of "repetition-of-births". Therefore I believe that the Rhampsinitus described by greek mythology and Herodotus must be Ramesses XI.

My name is Darren Thompson and I am a chemical engineer that has worked in the rocket propulsion industry for over 15 years. I hold 10 patents and am the author of over 20 papers in rocket propellant development. He has written two books, "The Fourth Day: Why the Bible is Historically Accurate" and "Why the Bible is Historically Accurate (2nd Edition)" which are available at http://www.amazon.com or http://www.lulu.com/dmthompson

Myth About Hades, the God of the Underworld

In Greek mythology, when the people died, they went to the Underworld, which was ruled by Hades, the god of the Underworld. Hades was the son Cronus and Rhea. He was also the brother of Zeus and Poseidon. He was married to Persephone.

Hades was a merciless god, and all humans and gods were afraid of him. He did not accept any prayers or praises that were given to him. Even when sacrifices were made for him by the humans, he did not accept them. Hades owned a helmet presented to him by Cyclops and this helmet had the power to make him invisible. He was the only Olympian god who did not live on Mount Olympus.

The most famous myth about Hades is his kidnapping of Persephone. According to ancient Greek mythology, Hades kidnaps Persephone, while she is playing in the garden, as she was promised to him by Zeus. Demeter, the goddess of fertility and agriculture and Persephone's mother, spent nine days and nine nights looking for her. During this period, she refused to do her work and the Earth became devoid of crops and flowers. Finally seeing the plight on Earth, Zeus persuaded Hades to allow Persephone to return to her mother. However, since Persephone had eaten a pomegranate offered by Hades, she had to spend 4 months in a year in the Underworld. It is believed that when Persephone spends time in the Underworld, Demeter gets sad and stops working. This marks the onset of winter, while when her daughter returns, she is happy and this marks the onset of spring.

It is believed that Persephone played an important role in changing Hades' attitude towards humans. He later became known Pluto, a giver of wealth, and blessed those who prayed to him by giving them grain and his blessings.

About Author:
Kum Martin is an online leading expert in history and education industry. He also offers top quality articles like:
American History, Greek Goddesses List

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Zeus, King of the Gods, decides that he should go to the Underworld to defeat his hated brother, Hades.

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Hades God of the Underworld. This video looks at Hades, the Greek God of the Underworld and the parallels to Near Death Experiences. You can find out more about Rene Jorgensen at www.renejorgensen.com or through these other sites www.inspirationalspeaker1.info , http , www.motivationalspeaker1.info , http , www.religiousspeaker.com , http

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Update Post: Oct 26, 2010 11:20:17

Spring Equinox and The Wheel Of The Year

Welcome to Spring where the Wheel of The Year now rolls through the point of balance for the second time this year as we celebrate the occurrence of the Spring Equinox.

This is a blessed time of the year when the promise of fertility from Imbolc has burst forward into new life. Babies, saplings, sprouts, buds, and blossoms abound as the youthful Masculine energy of the God is complemented and balanced by the graceful, floral Feminine energy of the Goddess.

Light and dark are in equilibrium for a moment before the tilt towards the direction of the Sun. This festival is a solar festival but is equally balanced with Moon lore as well. To our ancient Northern Hemisphere ancestors, this occasion was honored as a 'Holy Day' to the Germanic / Teutonic / Saxon Lunar Goddess Ostara (also spelled Eostara) - the Goddess of Fertility and Spring from where the words East, Easter and Estrogen take their origin.

This was a very special time of the year for our ancient ancestors as the Earth warmed and fresh food became more abundant. Ostara is a time of planting, planning, hatching, birthing and rejoicing the end of the long cold winter. In many ancient traditions, this time was regarded as the start of the New Year.

Our pagan ancestors honored the Goddess Eostara so deeply that their worship of her was unshaken during the burning times. The Christians incorporated her holy day as their own and renamed it Easter! Her symbols were the rabbit or the hare (for fertility and because in ancient times, her worshippers often saw the image of a rabbit in the full moon) and the egg (representing creation). Another association of the egg to this Sabbat / Esbat is the symbol of balance with the golden yolk representing the Sun God enveloped in the white representing the Goddess.

The Spring Equinox holidays are dedicated to many great Goddesses around the globe: Ishtar / Astarte the Babylonian Goddess of morning and evening stars, Isis (Egyptian Goddess with the story of life, death and rebirth of her partner Osiris), the Greek Goddess Aphrodite welcomes the return of her lover Adonis in the spring, The Roman Goddess Flora (fertility Goddess) was venerated at this time with the festival Floralia, the Nordic Goddess Freyja (also a fertility Goddess) returns to the Earth after the winter with her beautiful necklace the Brisingamen (representing the fire of life) to restore the beautiful abundance of nature, the Virgin Mary is also honored at this time with her own feast day (The Annunciation) as well as her association at this time with the Christian festival of Easter.

The ancient Greeks celebrated this time as the reunion between the Goddess Demeter and her daughter, Kore (Persephone) the essence of spring, who was kept in the Underworld for half the year and upon her return, life is renewed and the earth once again flourishes with life.

Other names (among many) for this 'holy day' are; Eoastrae, Oestre, Alban Eiler, Esther, Eostre, Ostarun, Nawruz (Persian)and Ladies Day (from the Vernal equinox being associated with the moon and therefore being feminine).

Bunnies, Eggs, Fertility, Blossoming Spring, Hot Cross Buns and Babies... It all abounds this time of year!

For more down to Earth traditions and wise crafts visit www.ecolitecandles.com.au

Dana Harris is a light worker and the owner /creator of http://www.ecolitecandles.com.au. At EcoLite Candles, we are all about people helping each other create more harmonious ways to live with Mother Earth. Stop by for a visit sometime, we'd love to see you!

Greek God Costumes - Which God Are You Going To Be This Halloween?

Greek myths and legends are back in the public consciousness thanks to movies like Clash of the Titans. This popular movie, that came out earlier this year, tells the tale of the battle between three Greek gods and brothers for control of the land, sea and air. And humans are the pawns caught in the midst of this power struggle. Out of the story a hero emerges. The themes of all powerful gods manipulating humans for their own ends and the eventual triumph of a human hero are hallmarks of ancient Greek stories and many of these concepts are still used as powerful story telling devices today in Hollywood blockbuster movies and other popular culture. With this in mind, why not go as a Greek hero or get dressed up in a Greek god costume this Halloween.

There are many Greek gods to choose from. They all seemed to have various roles and responsibilities that had some influence over the earth or the hearts and minds of humanity.

Zeus was the King of the Gods. He lived on Mount Olympus with many of the other gods and rules over heaven and earth. He was supposed to have control over thunder and lighting (or the weather I guess).

Zeus became the king of the Gods with the help of his brothers, Poseidon and Hades. They fought another group of gods known as the Titans to become supreme. After the fight they divided the spoils. Zeus got the earth and sky, Poseidon got the sea and Hades got the underworld or place where humans went when they died.

Consequently Zeus has to look like a king. As classic Greek depictions show the gods in white Togas or tunic, Zeus has to look slightly different. He might wear a different colored toga and may have accessories, like a crown, to show that he is the main man.

Poseidon spends all his time in the sea. Typically he would be dressed in a loin cloth with maybe some arm and calf gauntlets,. His most distinctive feature is that he carries a trident.

Hades is often portrayed as the person that gathers the dead in the underworld. His appearance is not generally favorable and he is even sometimes portrayed as a grim reaper type character. In the recent Clash of the Titans movie he has a more human look to him but his choice of clothing and colors reflects that he lives in the underworld.

There are many female Greek gods or goddesses too. Aphrodite and Athena are two popular goddesses. Aphrodite is particularly popular because she represents love and beauty. She was supposed to be beautiful but a bit capricious.

A more humorous or fun god is Dionysus. He was basically the god of having a good time. In wine women and song was truth was his catchphrase. He appealed to the human need to have fun and enjoy themselves and would make a great character to go as to your next Halloween party.

Become Zeus, Dionysus or Aphrodite this Halloween in your own Greek God costume. The Zeus costume will definitely make a great impression at the Halloween party.

Tales of Poseidonia: Part IX: Poseidon's Birth

Port of Poseidonia: Immortal Minds and Qin
[Poseidon's birth]

Let us not all believe Atlantis and its demonic forces did not have its secrets, and dark powers, in the Underworld, for it surely did. And this sketch will bring forth, some of them--in the depths of Hell and its boundaries. (Part IX)

1
The Keepers

The sacred solar science of the ancients, understanding the effects of the sun on the earth to include affairs, fertility and personality, were the duties of the "Keepers" of this science, the immortals, once born into humanities realm [the Feathered Serpents, Qin being one of them, a shaman of sorts]. The information was encoded into the Keepers cranium and his imperishable soul at birth.

This information was concealed by numbers, pictures and stories to preserve the hidden knowledge to the mythological stores, for future time: of the civilizations, like Atlantis, who was the most worshipped, who claimed the highest god's, to be their protectors, during these far off days.

In the simplest sense, the eagle of Atlantis displayed the 'spirit of the sky,' and the serpent 'reincarnation' the shedding of he skin of the snake, and then we have the 'Feathered Snake', the perfect being, the Atlanteon, the Prophet, the Keeper, so it was thought: whom was the sun itself; thus, this person 'The Keeper' could do miracles, like the Moches of Peru.

Hence, these "Feathered Serpents," performed miracles (prophets of sorts) and upon their death they would go to the brightest star, so it was said. This was what was handed down to the people and this was the truth for its day.

2
Poseidon

It was Poseidon's mother, and Phrygian's grandmother [Neuch] who witnessed a great burst of light in the sky over the acropolis of Atlantis (Phrygian was not born yet). But he was told the story many times, and remembered it quite well, that was:

Lighting lit up the whole of Port Poseidonia [that day], somehow, someone while she was asleep (his grandmother) had gotten pregnant and after sixteen-months she gave birth to Poseidon, whom could speak three languages, that had only taken him three days to learn. His birth was almost dragon like, save for his eyes. He could command demons and giants at an early age, which he did and in so doing, they helped build the Acropolis there at Atlantis, and they did just that, help build the Port of Poseidonia likewise. They say one of the Watchers, Azaz'el, got her pregnant, one of the two-hundred angelic beings that left God's abode to live on earth. Defined the Almighty; he even invented the long cone hat for the Atlanteon, which would be worn for a thousand years to come, if not two or three.

Poseidon left the kingdom well equipped for Phrygian, the city had glorious obelisks, with carve designs on them, and gold and ivory covered tips, some glorified with other precious stones. The kingdom was the glory of the known world when Phrygian inherited it.

3
Phrygian

Phrygian now in the vaults of Hell was wondering why he was always thinking of Atlantis, and its history all the time, every minute it was Atlantis, or Ais (his ex-wife), and sometimes his first love Lailis, he wondered where she went to, was, for she had died a early death. He had been in Hell many years now. And he could go off at times for days or weeks day-dreaming of her and Atlantis. He was looking at each detail of his life, he had the time, and matter-of-fact he could go over each detail several times without concern. He knew in Hell there were degrees; and the Hordes of Hell, the henchmen himself had no control over which area the God of the Universe commanded a soul to go to. If He said, Hell, then it was up to Commander of Hordes to put him wherever; if he said, "The Lake of Fire," then it was there he went--the everlasting furnace of sorts.

Phrygian was not, evidently was not, as bad as some of the kings who had entered Hades realm, for they were assigned to the cold vaults where they made coats out of worms to keep themselves warm. Oh Agaliarept could go there and hassle them, but who wanted to go into the cold vaults or the horrific fires. It was better by the docks or Mount Hades.

He thought maybe it was about 225 BC at this juncture of time, for Roman echoes were heard down in Hell, they had a Republic; thus the Greek and Persian wars were over. The time of Gilgamesh had long past (2700 BC). So many ages had come and went.

Qin, the Feathered Serpent, was his teacher so many years ago who taught him all the things he'd need to know in time, in life itself, yet he did not teach him about Hell.

See Dennis' web site: http://dennissiluk.tripod.com

Lessons on Infertility from an Ancient Fertility Goddess

If you are having a hard time conceiving a child, it can often make you feel like a failure as a woman. It can be very hard to deal with infertility, and the stress of trying to conceive.

You may often feel as though your desire for a child is so great that it should be enough to help you conceive a baby. When you run into that wall again and again, it's tough.

You should know that you are not a failure as a woman. Women are amazing, strong creatures who all have their own inner fertility goddess. Get in touch with your inner goddess. Women are unique, nurturing creatures. Our biggest instinct is to 'mother.'

Let us take a look at some ancient fertility goddesses and find out what lessons they may be able to teach us while we work on our own fertility.

Ishtar is the ancient fertility goddess of Babylon. One of the most famous stories that surround her was of her descent into the Underworld, or the world of the dead. Ishtar marches right up to the gates and demands to be let in. She tells the gatekeeper that if she is not let in, she will tear down the gates and break the locks. Well, she gets let in.

Something wonderful that we can take from the ancient fertility goddess Ishtar, and from the inner goddess in all women, is to never give up. When the gatekeeper told Ishtar that she could not come in, she demanded to be let in, and threatened great consequences if she was not. She faced the horror of the Underworld, and let nothing stop her.

Using your inner ancient fertility goddess, face your pain. Let nothing deter you, and never give up. If Ishtar would have turned around defeated and mumbled under her breath while she walked away, nations would never have worshiped her. We would never have known her story. Never give up.

Venus is the ancient fertility goddess of Rome. She is also the goddess of Love. She was, and still is the mother to a beautiful and great country. She is worshiped far and wide for her beauty and kindness. Venus was the mother of Cupid.

Reach in and take from your own inner ancient fertility goddess the ability to give birth to beauty and love. Women are natural creators, and nurturers. While working on your fertility [http://www.fertilitybynature.com/], allow yourself to mother a different type of creation.

Paint, draw, sing, write, perform in a play, or plant a garden. Allow the beauty inside of you to come out in some type of creation. Do something that you love. Giving of yourself through art is a beautiful thing. Allowing yourself an outlet can also help with the frustration you feel. Venus gave birth to love, and so can you.

Another important thing that you must take from your inner ancient fertility goddess is the right to be human. Possess the right to err, to make mistakes, and to mess everything up once in a while. Take the right to be imperfect, still knowing that you are a nurturer, a lover, and a creator.

Most importantly, take the ability to love yourself for what you are. You are Woman, and you are unique and beautiful. Use these goddesses, and your own inner ancient fertility goddess and remember to enjoy love and beauty, and to never give up.

Amy is the creator of FertilityByNature.com [http://www.fertilitybynature.com/], a resource for Women who want to get pregnant naturally and uncover unbelievable discounts on fertility monitors, pregnancy tests, ovulation tests and more.

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Update Post: Oct 21, 2010 08:40:15

Commentary - The Rich Man and Lazarus

I often hear TV Christians teaching that The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus is not a parable. Instead, they teach that it is a true story. Their reasoning is that Jesus uses a name in this story, but He doesn't do that in other parables; therefore, this must be an actual account. Apart from being a strange assumption, it is also a weak argument, especially when considering what the scriptures say. In Matthew 13:34, the apostle states: "All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them..." In addition, these Christians fail to mention that the story of the rich man and Lazarus is a repackaging of a story that is already several centuries old at the time of Christ. It comes from Jewish oral traditions dating back to the Babylonian captivity.

Universalists teach that The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus was written during the Babylonian captivity and can be read in the "Gemara Babylonicum." They also teach that the rich man's name is Dives. There are two major problems with this. 1. Before approximately 200 A.D., rabbis did not write down their oral law. In fact, the Babylonian Talmud was not completed until about 500 AD; and 2. The name Dives is of English origin. It simply means "wealthy man" and is suggested by some teachers as the rich man's name at a much later date. The most that can be said is that this parable is loosely based on an oral teaching that dates back to the Babylonian captivity and was later written down. The teaching in the Talmud is about a vain and selfish girl who dies and is carried by the mythological angel, Dumah, to Hades. (Dumah is also the name of the guardian of the 14th gate of hell. In Babylonian mythology, Ishtar passed through Dumah on her journey to the underworld.) In the story of the selfish girl, Hades is divided into two categories. The righteous dwell in bliss and rest, and the wicked suffer doom. For more, see commentary Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmud, Tractate Berakhoth. Rabbi Dr. A. Ehrman, p. 424.

The Greeks, who also conquered Israel, believed in a mythological Hades that is similar to the Hades in the parable. In Greek mythology, Hades is divided into two parts. Erebus, the first part, is where the souls of the dead live. The other deeper part is Tartarus, where the Titans are held prisoners. A closer example is found in Good's "Book of Nature." It was believed in most countries that "this Hell, Hadees, or invisible world, is divided into two very distinct and opposite regions by a broad and impassable gulf; one is a seat of happiness, a paradise or elysium, and the other a seat of misery ... there is a supreme magistrate and an impartial tribunal belonging to the infernal shades, before which the ghosts must appear, and by which they are sentenced to the one or the other, according to the deeds done in the body. Egypt is said to have been the inventor of this important and valuable part of the tradition; and undoubtedly it is to be found in the earliest records of Egyptian history."

Such doctrines, in regard to Hades, are not from any Old Testament teaching. If these ideas are not myths, then other cultures knew something God never revealed to Moses. Either these nations announced the fate of mankind centuries before God's Word did, or else these stories are just myths that crept into Jewish thinking through contact with other nations.

Did Jesus endorse these beliefs?

Now to our parable. Since The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus is often the hinge on which the door to the afterlife swings, it would be a good idea to take a serious look inside of it.

There are four things to keep in mind as you read this parable. 1) Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees who believed in such an afterlife. 2) The parable has Lazarus going to Abraham's bosom and not to God or Heaven, yet Jesus came to reconcile us to God. In John 14, Jesus tells us He is going to prepare a place for us in the Father's house. He says that if He prepares a place for us, He will come again and receive us to Himself, that where He is, there we may be also. That place is the Father's house. It is not Abraham's bosom; 3) Jesus uses the name Lazarus to make a point -- a very sharp point. Jesus had raised, or at the very least, would raise His friend Lazarus from the dead. That is the reason Jesus uses a name in this parable. Yet, even after the resurrection of Lazarus, the Pharisees still refused to believe Jesus' claims to be the Messiah and conspired to have Him crucified by the Romans; and 4) Jesus does not endorse the Pharisees beliefs in the afterlife with this parable; He is in fact using their own teaching to condemn them. Jesus utilized this story to convey a moral to his audience, just as Aesop used fables in the sixth century B.C. The Pharisees felt the full brunt of Jesus' words and understood that this parable was directed toward them, as were the preceding ones. We know Jesus did not accept the doctrines of the Pharisees from His comments, especially in Mark 7:13 and Luke 12:1, where Jesus says: "[You have made] the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down;" and, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy." We learn in the scriptures that the leaven of the Pharisees was their doctrine or their teachings.

At any rate, what was Jesus teaching in The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus? To understand the point being made, we have to look at this in context. Just prior to beginning this parable, Jesus had said, "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon." [Mammon: 1. a demon of avarice. 2. worldly riches]. It is obvious from this passage that Jesus was accusing these Pharisees of serving mammon, and not God. [Something that today's "Pharisees," the so-called Christian teachers on stations like TBN or God TV should consider.]

Luk 16:14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.

Luk 16:15 And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

Luk 16:16 "The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.

Luk 16:17 "And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.

Luk 16:18 "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery.

Immediately after making these comments Jesus relates the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. How can we connect these seemingly unrelated statements?

Luk 16:19 "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.

Luk 16:20 "But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate,

Luk 16:21 "desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

Luk 16:22 "So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.

Luk 16:23 "And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Luk 16:24 "Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'

Luk 16:25 "But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.

Luk 16:26 'And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'

Luk 16:27 "Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house,

Luk 16:28 'for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'

Luk 16:29 "Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'

Luk 16:30 "And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'

Luk 16:31 "But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"

Like the parables in the preceding chapters, The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus seems designed to rebut the criticism against Jesus for associating with sinners. In the preceding parables, Jesus speaks of a search for a lost sheep and for a lost coin. He tells about the prodigal son, and how the son is received by his father but rejected by his brother. Jesus draws a parallel between divorce and remarriage and the Pharisees unfaithfulness to God. The Pharisees had committed adultery by adopting other beliefs. Those who believed their false teachings were also committing adultery. God was a husband to the Jewish people, and it was adultery to embrace the fables and beliefs of the surrounding nations.

But, to return to the words of our parable, we see how Jesus has directed this toward the Pharisees. The Pharisees, like the rich man, were clothed in purple and fine linen and ate well every day. We see that, like the Jewish sinners and tax collectors whom Jesus associated with, and came to save, Lazarus is held in contempt by the rich man because of his sinfulness and his poverty. (To the Pharisees, poverty was seen as a punishment for sinfulness.) Jesus is letting them know that true holiness is expressed in how we treat others, especially the least among us. Lazarus is a disgusting figure to the rich man, and Jesus is using Lazarus as a symbol of the sinners whom He associated with. Jesus had previously told the religious leaders in Mat 21:31, "Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you." Here Jesus is telling them the same thing in the form of a parable.

Since this parable is being directed to the Pharisees, those who were the religious leaders in Israel, we see that their unfaithfulness as religious leaders had left the people spiritual adulterers, spiritually wounded, and in spiritual poverty. These unfaithful Pharisees, whom Jesus was speaking to, had failed to provide the religious leadership which was entrusted to them. In fact, as already stated, they had even taken on traditions and beliefs of other nations, thereby committing adultery and teaching others to commit adultery as well. Jesus wanted to show them, in the language of their own oral traditions, that they too were in need of salvation. But their self-righteousness had blinded them to their own sinful condition. The Greek Hades that they preached, which does not come from the Word of God, would have been filled with people from their own ranks if it had existed -- not the sinners whom they condemned but Jesus forgave. These religious leaders had the law and the prophets, yet they ignored them and had even turned from them to their traditions. They had the law and the prophets, which pointed to the Christ, yet they had failed to recognize Jesus as their Messiah. And even if one were to be raised from the dead (which of course is exactly what happened -- specifically Jesus' friend, Lazarus, and Christ Himself), they would not believe. That is the point of the parable. It is not a description of the afterlife.

About the author: Doralynn Kennedy is the owner and operator of the U.S. Work-at-Home Directory. http://www.doralynn.net

The Shaman of Trois Freres

The caves at Trois Freres in France hold some fascinating images. This is a brief discussion around those paintings. What was their significance?

Cave paintings hold a powerful fascination. They are one of our most direct ways of touching our ancestors. Those men and women who lived by primitive means would have been more aware of the world around them than we are. The nature of their lives would have caused them to be more in touch with seasons and the patterns of life. Life and death depended upon their knowledge of food supplies and seasonal variations Was this the reason for the cave paintings?

Deep into the Trois Freres ( Three Brothers ) Caves in France the visitor can see vague ancient images of figures and animals. One of these figures in particular has attracted international attention. Many believe it to be one of the first depictions of a shaman.

When I first saw the images from these caves in France I was stunned by their graphic nature. The pictures of cattle and other beasts that surround the central figure high up on the cave roof are vague now but skilfully drawn.

The central figure is about 2 and ½ feet or 70 cm tall. His appearance is strange, part animal part human. On his head are deer's antlers, probably reindeer, his mask has owl eyes below this there appears to be a long beard. His hands are hidden inside lion or bear paws. The back is shaped like that of an animal, is he wearing an animal sin? The tail is that of a fox covering his erect penis.

My copy of the Animal Master is at http://www.mask-and-more-masks.com/The-Shaman-of-Trois-Freres.html

Around this figure there are many comments and speculations as to its true nature. It is general accepted that he is a figure in a mask and animal disguise. That he has some spiritual / magical significance to the animals surrounding him makes sense. It is also widely thought that he is a shaman.

Below the shaman there is a plethora of animals drawn over the top of each other. Almost like a sketch pad. I know at times I draw in this manner. I try forms and shapes sometimes they flow from the pencil at other times it seems much harder to achieve the effect that I want. As I scribble the page becomes full of overlapping images too busy to cope with. Ideas and notation. A place to be returned to in the future for a captured image to be reworked.

But that's me and perhaps many other modern day artists. What of the artist in the dark of those caves? These images created, was it 14,000 years ago, or longer? Who really knows?

Can we assume that these artist of the paleolithic period were not of the same mind set as now? Art for us is a process of recording, expression, a reflection of our inner nature and sometimes of the divine. What were these artist expressing or communicating?

Lets accept one thing before I continue in this vein. It would seem that some natural talent was used by the artist in these times as the quality of painting and use of line shows to us. Often the figures were enhanced by colour sprayed through a tube, the paint blown from the mouth. Were these artists part of the magical process or were they paid in some way? Did they come from within the tribe or from elsewhere? Was it the Shaman who created the art for his own rituals?

Most of these questions are impossible to answer. What is possible is to use the knowledge that we have of tribal peoples and their traditions.

The shaman or healer or priest / holy man / woman is a figure still in existence today in some cultures. In fact the shamanic knowledge is being handed on to certain members of Western cultures. Shamanic practices have been well documented by anthropologists over the last 150 years.

The shamanic practices through out the world have several features in common. The shaman is a link to the spirit world. By going into a trance the shaman enters the other world and communicates with the spirits of animals or ancestors. These spirit guides help the shaman to resolve problems for individuals or whole groups. The spirit world is divided into three sections

Middle Earth where we live

The Underworld land of spirits and the dead

The Upperworld the place of Gods and Guardians

To reach a state of trance the shaman has several methods, dance, meditation and drugs being the main ones. When he enters the other world the shaman seeks his spirit guide to help him resolve his quest.

In these early times as in more recent recorded events the shaman would communicate with the spirits of the animals who, would be or had been killed. Keeping a balance to the order of nature was necessary. At times of shortage he would communicate with the spirits to help him bring food to his people. At times of drought he would sing for rain.

This still does not answer the question as to why these pictures are there hidden deep in a dark cave away from prying eyes. As the shaman enters trance he begins the journey into the underworld the cave could well represent that journey. The pictures on the walls are the images seen on the journey. This could simply be a way of recording a spirit journey. A way to hold the images. It could even be used as a teaching device for new initiates. Perhaps this is why there so many overlapping animals.

Can you imagine the impact of such paintings on the uninitiated visiting the cave. In the dim light the images would have been clearer and brighter than today. The shaman could well have been dressed as the picture. The drum would be beating. Incense could well be burning. Certainly a great setting in which to induce hallucinatory experiences, or if you prefer, induce the beginning of a journey into the spirit world.

There are many other depictions of what have been called Animal Masters in caves around Europe and Asia. They link with the antlered and horned figures of Nordic mythology and Pan in Greek mythology. Whatever the true explaination is you can allow your imagination to run over the possibilities and no doubt add to my speculation.

Biblography

Van James Spirit and Art: Paleo-shamanic Iconography See [http://www.theosophical.org/questmagazine/janfeb04/james]

George Frazer The golden Bough

Nevill Drury The Shaman and The Magician

Michael Harner The Way of the Shaman

©Ian Bracegirdle 2005 http://www.mask-and-more-masks.com

You may use this article freely on condition that you include this copyright line and URL and that people who subsequently use this article follow the same conditions. Thank you for accepting these conditions.

Ian Bracegirdle

1 Elderberry Close

East Morton BD20 5WA UK.

01535 692207

http://www.mask-and-more-masks.com

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The Secret Language of the Soul: A Visual Exploration of the Spiritual World Review

Beautifully illustrated with works of religious art from the world's diverse faiths, this book offers a colorful smorgasboard of spiritual symbols for those who seek understanding of truths that elude literal explanation. Because this "smorgasboard" offers just a taste of each spiritual tradition, it is not "food for the soul," but rather a feast for the eyes, and perhaps an appetizer to stimulate readers to delve more deeply into one of the many topics presented. Jane Hope is concerned with the "loss of the soul" or "ennui" being experienced by so many in Western society, where "the world is seen as separate from the individual self." She believes that "through the various manifestations of faith - vision, symbol, ritual, discipline - we may still grasp the archetypal reality that underlies all experience." Her book proffers a ring of keys to this reality. It is up to us to choose a key, if we haven't already, and turn it in the lock. -Emily L. VanLaeys, author of DREAM WEAVING: USING DREAM GUIDANCE TO CREATE LIFE'S TAPESTRY

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Update Post: Oct 18, 2010 02:40:36

198 - Symbology of the Underworld (according to the Greek and Roman folks!)

Long title... I know.... lol!! (V/ Brief!!) This is a just and well inspired idea to how the people of the ancient world thought about life and death. Hades et al. BB x

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Hecate: Death, Transition and Spiritual Mastery (Second Edition) (Volume 2) Review

My thanks to Jade Sol Luna, for this precious offering.
For the casual browser of books Jade Luna can be scary. But that fear dissolves and changes to admiration, once the last page of the book is turned.
I was new to this territory, and it took a lot of guts for me to finish this book, which I received as a gift. I guess one needs to read this book first before coming to conclusion of who Jade Luna is and what he represents. I have purchased the Part II (Hecate) book and the message out there is it is one of the greatest books written on the Mother Goddess. One will have to judge for themselves.

Many questions that arose in my mind during the first half of the book were answered in the second half of the book. I took several months to finish my 1st reading. My second reading of the book, was a better experience, and I was able to pick-up many more gems strewn by Jade Luna. Jade has started to rise as a teacher with an exceptional outlook on Spirituality. I thought I was going to be reading another Levay or Crowley wannabee but to my surprise, Jade Sol Luna and his work with Hecate is brilliant and he has a way of explaining the shadow or dark side of nature like no other. He stands in a class by himself. Bravo to Jade Luna for tackling the subjects (with wisdom) that we would rather avoid! I am officially interested in Hecate.

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Hecate: Death, Transition and Spiritual Mastery (Second Edition) (Volume 2) Overview

Re-released 5/22/2010 with two new chapters ........ "One of the most raw and intelligent visions on the Dark Mother or any form of Western spirituality to date!"~ Jyoti Chandranada-Hinduism Today....... This book is a series of discourses from Jade Luna's seminars "The Dark Mother and the Path of God Realization", "La Sera", and "Embracing the Goddess as Destroyer". Hecate: Death, Transition and Spiritual Mastery, expands upon the path of self realization through the Goddess Hecate. Jade Luna takes you through the difficulties of life including death and how Hecate creates the strength to handle the bigger, inner journey. This book states "Without Hecate, there is no progress spiritually, and without understanding death, you really can not live". Also located in this book are Hecate's ancient hymns and invocations in Latin, Greek and Demotic, and how to work with them.

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Update Post: Oct 16, 2010 02:20:19

Werewolf Contact Lenses

The oldest and most widely spread horror story that is extremely popular over Halloween is the story of the shape-shifting werewolf. This genre has also become widely popular thanks to Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga, which shows a more romantic and sensitive side to being a werewolf. But this is Halloween and we want to scar the living hell out of people.

Some of the earliest accounts of werewolves come from Greek and Romanian times, where the popular story of King Lycaeon (where the name Lycan originates) began.

The story begins when King Lycaeon sacrificed one of his children to Zeus, but this only angered and disgusted the ancient Greek God and so decided to punish him. Zeus' punishment was to turn the King into a werewolf and sending the Great Flood to eliminate human kind. However, the story did not die with the Great Flood, instead the story of such a creature evolved and is still a very popular story to tell today, especially over Halloween.

In films such as An American Werewolf in London, Dog Soldiers, Wolf Man and Ginger Snaps the werewolves seem to come out only when a full moon is set in the sky. However, as legend has it 'real' wolves have full control when they morph in and out of their werewolf skin, which illustrates one way in which the story has been adapted into modern entertainment. Throughout time, the name given to these creatures has also changed; these names include lycan, lycanthrope, shape shifters and werewolf amongst others, the most popular being werewolf and lycan. Lycan was popularised again die to the release of the popular films Underworld, starring Kate Beckinsale.

Looking through the eyes of a Lycan

Morphing into a werewolf is a great idea for Halloween especially as Halloween starts at Midnight where a full moon is normally seen in the sky. It is a popular theme/costume to wear, but with a pair of werewolf contact lenses it can really set your attire apart from the rest and make it a realistic and terrifying character. Werewolf contacts are a simple, effective and safe way to complete your outfit and get the werewolf look down to perfection.

With so many werewolf or lycanthrope films about, directors and make-up artists have taken many different forms of inspiration, especially when it comes to the colour of the werewolf's eyes. The most popular colours tend to be green or yellow werewolf lenses, however red, white and full circle lenses are also a popular choice when wanting to portray these characters.

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Maiden, Mother, Crone: The Myth & Reality of the Triple Goddess Review

I love this book. This is the first book I ever read dealing with any kind of Paganism. That was eleven years ago. I still refer to it, and would recommend it to anyone interested in exploring the Goddess. The meditations and rituals are beautiful. The myths and legends are well presented and as detailed as one can expect from such a short book on such a broad topic. It's true that it deals only with the Goddess, rather than Paganism in general. What would someone expect from the title alone? Personally, I think it's an excellent book and a wonderful addition to any collection.

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The Triple Goddess is with every one of us each day of our lives. In our inner journeys toward spiritual evolution, each woman and man goes through the stages of Maiden (infant to puberty), Mother (adult and parent), and Crone (aging elder).
Maiden, Mother, Crone is a guide to the myths and interpretations of the Great Goddess archetype and her three faces-so that we may better understand and gracefully accept the cycle of birth and death.
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Update Post: Oct 13, 2010 12:10:17

The Lego Greek Olympians

Me and Chris successfully completed our first video in which we handmade the Greek Olympians! Please stop the pronounciation comments because I only read the books!

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Update Post: Oct 11, 2010 03:00:15

Clash of the Titans Debut Trailer [HD]

Clash of the Titans Debut Trailer [HD] Developer: Game Republic Release: TBAGenre: Action/Adventure Platform: PS3/X360 Publisher: Namco Bandai Games Website: clashofthetitansgame.com Hades has unleashed his minions and you must conquer all or be conquered, in this epic war of the gods. Relive the adventures of Perseus as you battle through a vast mythical underworld with over 100 different enemies. Clash of the Titans is based on the forthcoming action fantasy film from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures and goes beyond the script to give you additional quests, weapons, and enemies. You can acquire and use your enemies weapons and grow stronger as you defeat them. Follow Machinima on Twitter! Machinima twitter.com Inside Gaming twitter.com Machinima Respawn twitter.com Machinima Entertainment, Technology, Culture twitter.com FOR MORE MACHINIMA, GO TO: www.youtube.com FOR MORE GAMEPLAY, GO TO: www.youtube.com FOR MORE SPORTS GAMEPLAY, GO TO: www.youtube.com TAGS: Clash of the Titans Debut Trailer [HD] machinima videogame video game xbox 360 xbox360 microsoft playstation playstation3 ps3 sony computer entertainment scea soe online namco Bandai game republic classic film movie legendary pictures perseus zeus hades greek god of war sam Worthington avatar liam neeson Ralph fiennes yt:quality=high

How Zeus Came to Power - Greek Mythology

Metis the Goddess of wisdom was pregnant with Athene. Because Zeus felt that Athene would be so wise he felt it would be a threat to his power. He felt that Athena would be stronger than even his bolts. In order to prevent this from happening he tricked Metis and swallowed her whole. However, Metis was still able to conceive Athene and gods gave her birth through the way of his head. This is very important because it symbolically represents the birth of many great things in Greek thought and culture. Athena was a goddess of wisdom, war, and defender of heroes and justice. All the aspects combined create a unique and complex civilization.

There used to be a popular cartoon that would come on television that, Hercules. The cartoon was a series based off of the Disney movie which was the cartoon version of the Greek tale. In this cartoon Hercules had amazing adventures battling Gods and Creatures.

Unsurprisingly the Disney version changes the Greek story, so that Hercules main enemy is Hades (the god of the underworld). Although Disney did a horrible job of telling the story of Hercules, they were able to expose many people to Greek mythology.

I recognize Zeus from the cartoon, he was the most powerful God and he was the father of Hercules. In the cartoon Zeus is portrayed as a humble, loving, and kind father. Some of the other names I recognized were: Athene, Apollo, Artemis, Posedion, and Hera.

In order to rise to power Zeus had to first overthrow the ruler Cronos and the Titans. How he did this was with a clever strategy and with his might. What he did was gather a team of Gods to join his side. Then he made friends with the Cyclopes and other creatures. The combination of the Gods and boulders hurled from the powerful creatures was what led to Zeus becoming the ruler of the Gods. The war was ended with one last bolt that was driven by all of Zeus's fury and might.

The way Zeus came to power was similar to the way humans do things. There was a higher power in which no force at the time could stop. Zeus wanted to take them down and bring himself to the top. His method of doing so was gathering large forces because there is strength in numbers. It was simply a game of politics.

If Cronos had befriended the other Gods before Zeus had a chance to, Zeus would not have been able to fight him. The way the war is described is even similar to that of a war between human forces. Weapons were being hurled back and forth and it was very loud. In order for Zeus to become victorious he had to give every last bit of energy into the fight.
Another important factor was the help from the Cyclopes who were hurling boulders at the opposing Gods. One would think that Rocks, no matter the size would be ineffective in causing damage to the gods.

Athena's creation was symbolizes the birth of a new way of thinking for the Greeks. She represented war, justice, and wisdom. There is an importance placed on the word wisdom throughout the reading. Greeks believed it to be so valuable that they suggested Zeus feared it and that is why he did not want to give birth to Athena. It was a threat to his power. This reading also suggests the importance of being powerful in societies.

What you can gain from this reading, is that cultures from earlier eras reflected their beliefs through mythology. Each god represented an appreciation or an acknowledgment of a certain aspect of life. The way the gods behaved was similar to the way humans behaved in a sense. The way they fought, loved, politicized, and belonged to a ranking system.

Visit [http://www.religionanddeath.com/content/greek-mythology]

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In this film, the ultimate struggle for power pits men against kings and kings against gods. But the war between the gods themselves could destroy the world. Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus (Worthington) is helpless to save his family from Hades (Fiennes), vengeful god of the underworld.[4] With nothing left to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus (Neeson) and unleash hell on Earth. Leading a daring band of warriors, Perseus sets off on a perilous journey deep into forbidden worlds. Battling unholy demons and fearsome beasts, he will only survive if he can accept his power as a god, defy his fate and create his own destiny

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In The Footsteps Of Orpheus : The Discovery Of The Ancient Greek Underworld Review

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Update Post: Oct 06, 2010 22:40:29

Paganism and Magic

Paganism

Away from the world of fairy tales and wicked witches, modern magick's roots stem from the Celtic times 700BC - 100AD. The Celts were very spiritual people and were artistic and musical. They were also fine farmers and brave warriors. They honoured the "Divine Creator of all Nature" and worshipped the "One Creative Life Source". They believed that after death, you would go to "Summerland" to recover and await the new birth back on Earth.

The Druids supervised the Celtic rites and rituals and it is believed that it took 20 years of constant study to become a Druid. The word Druid translates from the Celtic for "knowing the oak tree". Druids were of the highest order, not just priests, but judges, teachers, healers, ambassadors and astrologers too. Druids also calmed down unsettled tribes to keep the order and settle disputes.

The Celts' religious year was governed by the seasons. At the end of the summer, they celebrated the final harvest of the year, Samhain. Samhain marked the beginning of the new year. At this time the Celts' honoured their ancestors and their loved ones who were resting in Summerland. Today we call this time of year Hallowe'en and many of the customs came from the Samhain rites and rituals.

Following Samhain is the Winter Solstice. This is regarded as the annual rebirth of the sun which was a highly celebratory event in the year.

When spring is in the air and animals are about to give birth, we enter Imbolg. Shortly after the Spring Equinox and Beltane. Both of these were regarded as fertility festivals.

Lughnassa is another harvest festival known as the Summer Solstice. Here we celebrate the suns's glory and its power to nature.

The Autumn Equinox, Mabon, was the final harvest of the year.

These practices with the religious beliefs grew larger and later became known as "paganism". As the year progressed and restarts, the pagan beliefs and Druid rituals blended together performing magick and the casting of spells developed for each festival.

Magic

The actual word 'magic' comes from a Greek word 'magea' which is derived from 'magoi'. The Magoi were Persian priests who practiced divination and studied astrology. Not only in Persia (more recently known as Iran), magic was performed through out the world and has been for thousands of years. People have been looking at the spirit world for inspiration with the help of a Shaman and gazing at the stars for guidance.

A Shaman is what we call a person who is able to communicate with ancestral spirits and this would include rituals and magick. The rituals allowed to focus the attention on the cosmic process which was believed to control every aspect of life. Lots of the rituals still are performed today by other religions whose roots could be traced back to some aspects of shamanic practice.

The religions of Ancient Egypt, Classical Greece and Ancient Rome, Scandinavian countries and those from a Celtic world all have magick at their roots. There is no homeland to magick but Egypt does seem to be the cradle. The sun god Ra is believed to die in the western sky every night and spend the darkness in the underworld only to be reborn every morning in the eastern sky. Many believe that 9/10's of the world's magic stems from Egypt.

Egyptians knew their place in society. Magic was performed by priests and others who studied sacred books. Anybody was allowed to perform magic on a small scale as long as they abide by the conditions laid down. According to the tomb paintings and papyri that survived over thousands of years, magic was part of everyday life. These records include spells to escape death, rid disease, warn off evil, avoid storms and cures such as snakebites.

The Greco-Roman world worshipped their gods, believing as the gods looked down using their magical powers to help the favoured and hinder the ones they didn't. The same belief was shared by Germanic and Scandinavian people.

All of these people celebrated the same concepts and ideals. They honoured the natural world of rivers, trees, plants and animals, not to mention the wind and the rain, the sun and the moon.

There are no written records or archaeological records to confirm that pagan Celts played a very important part in religious rituals. Many sites have been found which suggest the Celts performed religious rites at natural sites of significance such as on the tops of mountains and at the banks of important rivers.

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Greek Myths: Tales of Passion, Heroism, and Betrayal Review

Shoshanna Kirk has put together 25 Greek myths and organized them by 12 themes, from "Cunning" and "Desire" to "Heroism". For instance, she puts the story of Narcissus and Echo in the "Vanity" theme which ends hauntingly with "Let us join, let us join, let us join ... Narcissus, captivated by his own gaze, died, diving into himself."

This is a small book in many ways, it is short, and written in a small font. The introductory material is in such tiny print as to be barely readable.

Tinou Le Joly Senoville provides fitting illustrations for each story and by themselves provide reason for looking at this book. It also has a useful, short, glossary, and a succinct essay on delving further into Greek mythology.

Greek Myths: Tales of Passion, Heroism, and Betrayal Overview

Here is the stuff legends are made of in 25 of the most beloved tales from Greek mythology, complemented with gorgeous illustrations by artist Tinou Le Joly Senoville. These classic, timeless stories have been crafted into a concise, intriguing, and very readable romp through the human condition. Arranged by emotional theme—cunning, vanity, vengeance, heroism—each exciting tale hones in on the frailties and strengths, desires and jealousies of gods who attempt to act like mortals and mortals who dare to be gods. Originally conceived to help early civilizations comprehend the emotions and culture of an ancient world, these myths remain as compelling today as they were thousands of years ago. From the miraculous birth of Athena in the heavens to Odysseus and his skillful slaying of the Cyclops on Earth to Persephone's abduction into the underworld, Greek Myths is a glorious introduction to the world of mythology.

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Update Post: Oct 04, 2010 04:10:16

God Hades

This is the Fourth God of the Series of the Greek Gods Fourth God is Eros.Now in This series I will be talking and showing pictures as talk if I have something wrong please update me everyone has their own option and remember no witch knows it all I hope you enjoy this. Hades is a mess understood God and people always think he is evil when in fact no God is neither good nor Evil and without Hades the sprites would have nowhere to go and there would be no after life or origination of souls so in fact Hades is a very importing God just because he is God of the Underworld does not make him evil.

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Myth: Its Meaning and Functions in Ancient and Other Cultures (Sather Classical Review

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Update Post: Oct 02, 2010 03:00:15