In this example, based on Euryale, the Gorgons are depicted the same as Athena on the reverse, so They are most likely less grotesque and more akin to Goddesses. Hail Immortal Medusa! She went against her vow and married him. 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. In one version of the Medusa story, she was a gorgeous young woman who agreed to become one of Athenas priestesses. During the height of the #metoo movement, many women began using images of Medusa. The director chose to show her as a human woman who only turned terrifying once men looked into her eyes. Unlike other creatures who were mortal, Medusa was mortal and capable of death. Myrrha, or Smyrna, was cursed by Aphrodite in response to her mothers boasts that her beauty was more significant than the goddesss. A tepidarium from the Roman era has a mosaic floor with her head at the center. Pingback: Rivers, Stars & Snakes | Hollow Hills. The blood from her head slowly found its way to the Red Sea where it formed the basis of the red coral seen there today. Once worshiped as a goddess in ancient Rome, Medusa is again gaining traction as more and more women flock to her for her guidance in the ways of protection and fierce divine femininity. You dream of the Goddess Medusa. (That said, if you are experiencing troubling symptoms, consult your doctor. 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 In feminism Medusa is known as a symbol of rage even though she was originally exceedingly beautiful. This idea first appeared in a journal in 1978. Harrison believed that there was some evidence that Medusa was simply one woman and that the stories of her sisters came later. Barley was an essential crop to Demeter, the goddess of agriculture. For these types of rituals I will offer Her red church wine, whole uncooked eggs, and spring water in addition to any ingredients or materials for my spellwork. The 20 Best Norse Mythology Books You Should Read. She further claimed that the womans head simply served as a mask for those who later wielded it. She has been featured in movies, books, cartoons and even video games. As far as Medusa, while She is indeed a monster, She is above all a powerful Goddess. 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. You are sought out by snakes. One of the sisters on the show found a woman who summoned the creature to punish men. When using an idol or agalma for Medusa I like to see at least a few of the snakes turned toward the viewer, hissing threateningly, although this isnt a deal breaker. Her apotropaic and protective abilities are rooted in Her frightfulness, and Her power to kill with venom or petrification. Athena took things a step further. I work hard tokeep my creations and packaging cruelty free, responsibly sourced and eco-friendly. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Shes not super soft to work with and she probably wont let you loll around. I recently spoke with a group of friends who are all on board with this idea, so who knows: maybe its true! WebMedusa is a mystical blend of ancient forests, blood red apples, a magical brew of herbs and resins, spicy peppers and a drizzling of sweet caramel and vanilla infused with snake 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. This piece dates back to around 450 BC. She is less spiritual and more physical so it isnt something you should want to utilize internally. 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. When the nymph Echo fell deeply in love with the handsome human known as Narcissus, he scorned her altogether, and she fell into misery. Apollo chased her around the world until Daphne begged her river-god father for help, and he changed her into the laurel tree. 2. Medusas power extends to those who need aid in these areas, so seek her out if youre looking for guidance while trying to conceive or experiencing any sort of reproductive health issues. When Minerva caught them in the act, she changed Medusa into a terrifying Gorgon. When it comes to the body of Medusa there are two kinds available on the market, one with the body and legs of a woman, the other the torso of a woman and the tail of a snake. She won the competition and the love and praise of the Athenians. Take the snake head and place it on the sea sponge so it faces toward the front of the vessel. Demeter responded by turning the boy into a lizard by sprinkling the drink upon him. Medusa is also counted as one of the Gorgons, three daughters of Phorcus. They are then blended into a carrier oil and are safe to use on the skin. Adamantine Guardian, enthroned in every kingdom, most powerful sorceress Who can destroy all curses, Whom none can conquer, not even Death, by which You gained Your divinity. From then on, men would fear the very sight of her, and Medusa would be protected from the unwanted touch of them. After their wedding, he headed to Seriphos for his mothers wedding. Medusa comes to those who are in need, so she doesnt expect a totally decked-out altar from her followers. To start, Her gaze is indeed important and probably the primary symbola I work with. However, its important to note thatearlier myths of Medusa (such as that told by Homer) actually have no mention of Athena at all. Medusa also appears on television. Sacred Plants: Corn. He was being led away as a distraction and potentially to his death! Medusa appeared in dozens of television shows and movies over the years. Do this, Goddess, and I will serve You as Your station demands! Atlas attempted to fight but saw her head and turned to stone. So that it wouldnt go unpunished She turned Medusas hair to twisting foul snakes. The idea of encountering her was terrifying to the likes of men, for a single glance from her wide, yellow eyes would turn one to stone in an instant. This has been proven because she continues to be portrayed in pop culture. The goddess carried the womans head on her shield. Medusa is one of the most famous characters of Greek mythology. She was fated to be beheaded by Perseus as the only mortal Gorgon, the only one he could actually behead since mortals cannot injure Gods. As you fumigate Her image say an invocation, facing West:I call to You, Guardians of the Gates of the West, Realm of the Setting Sun, open the way to the Land of Night! Her vessel not only stores Her dynamis but it is an active ward for protection. Grapeseed extract. Thank you for sharing the Gorgons are called on in Jason Millers Sorcery of Hekate course too I have a Medusa pendant which I charge for protection on the 29th day of the month in the lunar calendar, traditionally protector deity day in Tibetan Buddhism which I have been practicing since the mid 90s, always seems good to have an extra layer of protection I mentally hear them hissing when visualising them whilst Im reciting invocations the pendant feels hot whilst doing so nice to have gorgon bodyguards in my astral field who get recharged every 4 weeks or so. TEA & ROSEMARY LLC, source wonderful Medusa art and statues on Etsy, 6 Effective Studying Spells For Exams, Class, & Enhanced Focus, Winter Solstice & Yule: Rituals, Traditions, And Ways To Celebrate, Two of Pentacles Meanings: Love, Career, Health, Reversed, & More, How To Celebrate Ostara: Spring Equinox Rituals, Traditions & Ideas, Depictions of serpents or snake figurines, The Aegis: an image of Medusas head adorning Athenas shield. From Athena, Perseus received a mirrored shield. One of her works said that similar stories focused on sister trios and that authors likely added Medusas sisters. Dohalice, which is a small village in the Czech Republic also uses her head in its coat of arms. Medusa also appeared in multiple pieces of art from the Renaissance and later. When Elana Dkyewomon released a series of poems and short stories written by and for lesbians, she chose the Gorgon for the cover. Both Aeschylus and Hesiod mention Medusa in some of their early stories. Medusa spent the rest of her days wandering the earth alone. From this telling, its hard to imagine that Athena had good intentions in mind, but one thing to consider is that Perseus was being sent out by none other than King Polydectes of Seriphus. The herald of the gods, Hermes, was born of the eldest Pleiad nymph Maia and Zeus, king of the gods. It was said that anyone who looked directly at her was immediately turned to stone. 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. In Clash of the Titans from 1981, she was a standard villain. Though some point to the version of the story where Athena came across Medusa in her temple, others claim that the legend never says whether she willingly agreed to intercourse with Poseidon. 4 dram vial size. Rise to the occasion. Versace still uses a log of a woman with terrifying features and serpents coming from her head as its brand logo. Instead, many modern-day witches now interpret Athenas response as one from a place of understanding and concern. 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 Like Ambrosia, Dionysus honored Ampelos by transforming him into a grapevine so that he could live forever. She is also evoked to bring a spectral guard to protect the witch while conjuring this especially malicious form of Medusa. Still, either way, she bragged of her superiority to his wife, Persephone. Click to enlarge image (s) Medusa Single homeopathic remedy indicated for symptom of Rash. In my practice it also paralyzes the Evil Eye and any malicious intentions sent against me, rendering them useless. In her form of Nemesis, Aphrodite punished him by cursing him so that he would fall in love with his own reflection. When the king turned to the Gods, they agreed to help as they worried about what the creature could do. Maybe you feel somewhat controlled by others or even just stuck in a role that you no longer want. Many still wrote of the maiden as a seductress despite her chastity bonds. Divine eyes or Gorgon eyes, sometimes drawn as concentric circles or spirals. Dionysus created the first grapevine and used it to introduce humanity to the art of winemaking. Much less, if any man did, then he would be instantly turned into a statue and doomed to an eternity in stone. The once lovely hair was morphed into poisonous, dangerous snakes. Cherry quartz (a redder version of rose quartz) and clear The mortal woman who became the Gorgon, Medusa, was cursed by Athena after being raped or seduced on the floor of one of Athenas temples by Poseidon. Medusa was a worshiper of Athena and a guardian of her temple. Also known as Phorkys, he lay with his sister Ceto. A taxidermy snake head, widely available in souvenir or oddity shops, or a bronze snake figure that will fit inside your vessel. Hercules then went to Tegea and met with Sterope who was the daughter of Cepheus. When I look for idols or agalmas for Medusa they need to have very wide, expressive eyes. She is the Queen among the Gorgons, by far the most powerful. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Myth Nerd is our place for all things related to world mythology. The stories about Medusa in Greece are unique because they changed quite a bit over the years. Early artwork depicted both Medusa and her sisters as gruesome creatures capable of frightening any man. Her blood also led to the creation of the venomous vipers that roam the Sahara. In my experience, Medusa is very patient when she reaches out to someone she wants to work with. Poseidons gift was a saltwater spring raised miraculously from the ground. She vowed to be celibate her entire life as a priestess of Athena until she fell in love with Poseidon. However, once transformed, Medusas appearance tremendously changed. Usually, when she reaches out, shes looking to work with you in particular based on your past traumatic experiences. She claimed that Medusa was the ultimate guardian and protectress of women. Many later versions of the myth claimed that she was once a beautiful She is astute in the ways of protection and lends her guardianship to those who need her most. Herodotus found some evidence that she appeared in Berber mythology where she was a major part of their religion. She is also an intense force for justice and female empowerment. Minerva turned Her gaze and hid Her grey eyes behind Her aegis to protect Her chaste sight from the act. There are several versions of the Medusa myth. Her pure white milky skin turned a scary green hue. Beth Seeling took a different approach to the Greek legend. In an alternate story of Medusa, was the curse from Athena really a curse? This shows that the island has protection from Athena. They believe that there were events the occurred and that the Greeks simply created a new version of the event. If you are seeking aid or guardianship after a domestic dispute, evoke the power of Medusa. Medusa is all about channeling your inner strength and being the unabashed outcast. The souls of the ordinary dead were sent to the Meadows, where they would harvest the asphodel as food. It is penetrating, and has the power to turn to stone anyone who meets it. 9 Most Powerful Medicinal Plants and Herbs, Backed by Science Natures 9 Most Powerful Medicinal Plants and the Science Behind Them Gingko Turmeric Evening Thyrsus, a fennel staff with a pine cone at the top end, is the most common Dionysus symbol while other symbols of Dionysus include kantharos, the Greek drinking cups, grapevines/grapes, panthers and bulls. When she found them together, Athena transformed her into a woman with serpents in her hair and a cold stare. Some authors today believe that the legend showed the control that a man could have over a woman. Though most of you probably know all about Medusastypical appearance (the head full of snakes), there are a few variations on Medusas appearance in lore. I summon the Gorgon Queen, Serpent-locked Medusa, infamous and terrifying Goddess, I stir You to Your furious form! Were women spared because Medusa didnt intend to hurt them? Some people find they benefit from using them together. He was once captured by Herakles, who faced him down. The Earth and its inhabitants are sacred and I treat them as such. I personally feel that the energy of Athena allies with Medusa. Hephaestus also helped the young man with the gift of a sword. They all claimed that Medusa was a horrific creature but could not recall when they first heard the legend. 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