The 19th of March, per the Roman calendar, marks a prominent observance to Minerva - so named 'Quinquatria' due to its occurring on the fifth day ('Quinque') following the Ides of March. And, as should perhaps come as a surprise to no-one by this point, we happened to notice some rather significant points of Indo-European … Continue reading On The Equinox War-Rites Of The Indo-Europeans
Greco-Roman
On Indo-European Divine Refraction
Last week, we ran a post in reaction to yet another wave of Very Online Christian Triumphalism about Zeus having long ago been 'replaced' as the major deity worshipped in the Greek sphere. We pointed out that as Zeus Pater = Jupiter = Dyaus Pitar, with Dyaus Pitar quite directly (and in Shruti) being hailed … Continue reading On Indo-European Divine Refraction
The Propitiation of Poseidon – A ‘Weapons Test’ / ‘Field Test’ Of Applied Indo-European Piety In The Modern Age
At Arya Akasha, we do not simply talk about resurrecting Indo-European piety. We also resurrect Indo-European Piety. This from a ritual offering to Poseidon about to commence, carried out by one of our Brahmins, and designed by he, myself, and one of our Hellenic experts. Now I said 'Indo-European Piety' - precisely because I meant … Continue reading The Propitiation of Poseidon – A ‘Weapons Test’ / ‘Field Test’ Of Applied Indo-European Piety In The Modern Age
On Becoming Rudra – The Indo-European Investiture Of The Divine Essence In Ritual And Beyond
It is Wednesday ! Odin's Day ! And so therefore, some absolutely excellent (A)Art-i and accompanying commentary upon the relevant Indo-European theological precept, in His Name - quite literally, as it should happen. The art is by HC - and was initially destined to evocatively illustrate a section of my ongoing RUDRAGANIKA series.Yet it … … Continue reading On Becoming Rudra – The Indo-European Investiture Of The Divine Essence In Ritual And Beyond
Sculpture Of A Maenad In Offering
A most intriguing sculpted depiction of a Maenad, an embodied expression of the female retinue members of Dionysus. Now, as we have said - the Maenads are often approached as simply being 'frenzied' devotees of Dionysus. However, they are much more complex figures. The 'frenzy' is in fact 'furor' - they are 'inspired', and bearing … Continue reading Sculpture Of A Maenad In Offering
On The Hair Colouration Of Greek Gods
Recently, we had seen a comment that read the following: "Even though the vast population of Greeks were brunettes, their gods were always blond." Now, this fine mosaic depicting Poseidon and Amphitrite is, in fact, a Roman one from the 300s AD - but one shall, perhaps, immediately observe Poseidon's rather impressive blue hair. Indeed, … Continue reading On The Hair Colouration Of Greek Gods
The Return Of Myth To Raffles Girls’ School – A Spontaneous Singaporean Resurgence Of Athenian Piety … Opposed By School Authorities
This is .. well, it's a few things. One of which is infuriating. The statue above is from Raffles Girls School in Singapore. It is a pretty prestigious academic institution. Hence, in part, why it has a statue of Athena on school grounds. Now, perhaps understandably, some students at said school, during a high-stress exam … Continue reading The Return Of Myth To Raffles Girls’ School – A Spontaneous Singaporean Resurgence Of Athenian Piety … Opposed By School Authorities
Mercury The Dog-Headed
It is Wednesday … and it's also November. So therefore, here's Mercury, heralding November. For Dies Mercurii, you understand. Now there's something a bit different about this depiction - the fact that Mercury is, here, a cynocephal … a 'dog-headed' figure (which I suppose would render the apt Old Norse translation for 'Cynocephalic' as 'Ulfhednar'). … Continue reading Mercury The Dog-Headed
The Indo-European Queen of the Dead – A Bridging-Place Between Pitru Paksha And NavRatri
Pitru Paksha - the Fortnight of the Ancestors - is nearly at a close ; and immediately after it comes NavRatri - the Nine Nights of the Mother Goddess. The former, is when the veils between the worlds are thinner, and one's ancestors (Pitrs - etymologically cognate with 'Fathers') are able to come and visit, to receive … Continue reading The Indo-European Queen of the Dead – A Bridging-Place Between Pitru Paksha And NavRatri
On Triptolemus And Demeter, Soma And The Sacral Rites Of Life And Land
A foundational principle of Indo-European ritual is succinctly expressed in the Latin maxim - 'Do Ut Des' : "I Give So That You Might Give". The Tale of Triptolemus might be thought to similarly simply express the truth of this utterance - although upon closer examination, its resonancies are anything but "simple", especially when considered in … Continue reading On Triptolemus And Demeter, Soma And The Sacral Rites Of Life And Land