On The Equinox War-Rites Of The Indo-Europeans – As Illuminating The Roman Quinquatria [Part One – The Goddess-Oriented War Rites Introduced]

The Spring Equinox approaches (at least, at time of writing; some weeks have passed since then) - and with it, the onset of the War Season of the archaic Indo-Europeans. Whether the Quinquatrus and Tubilustrium of the Romans, situated within their Month of Mars (mensis Martius - whence our modern name for it: 'March'); the … Continue reading On The Equinox War-Rites Of The Indo-Europeans – As Illuminating The Roman Quinquatria [Part One – The Goddess-Oriented War Rites Introduced]

The Divine Roadway of the Underworld – Oaths, Liminality & Law [The Indo-European Propitiation Of Persephone-Kali – Part  Four] 

In the preceding part, we had explored a most remarkable situation - attested and occurrent amidst both Hellenic and Hindu spheres - for the Goddess in relation to a certain Water of the Underworld; this (Blue-Black) pathway opening up at the behest (and, indeed, Spear) of Her Husband, the Sky Father (Hades & Shiva, respectively). … Continue reading The Divine Roadway of the Underworld – Oaths, Liminality & Law [The Indo-European Propitiation Of Persephone-Kali – Part  Four] 

Art of Hekate amidst the Three Ways (TriVia) and Three Worlds (TriLoka)

Now this … this is impressive. Art of Hekate (by a 'Sara Star') - and immediately one can see the 'Trivia', the 'Three-Roads' ; however closer inspection also reveals the Tri-Loka [as we would say in Sanskrit] - the attested Three Realms within which She is attested (per Hesiod, most prominently) as having dominion (we … Continue reading Art of Hekate amidst the Three Ways (TriVia) and Three Worlds (TriLoka)

On The Meaning Of Dragons – An Indo-European Exploration [Introduction & Part One – The Problem of Perception And The Horrific Hostile Hellenic Herpeton] 

Some years ago, I happened across a remark of the great Argentine author, Jorge Luis Borges, on the subject of dragons: "We do not know what the dragon means, just as we do not know the meaning of the universe, but there is something in the image of the dragon that is congenial to man’s imagination and … Continue reading On The Meaning Of Dragons – An Indo-European Exploration [Introduction & Part One – The Problem of Perception And The Horrific Hostile Hellenic Herpeton] 

A People Of Ash And Fury – On The Divinely Arboreal Genesis Of The Indo-Europeans

In recent days, our attention had been drawn to a most remarkable occurrence within the Þorleifs þáttr jarlaskálds wherein, as our learned associate, Gottfried Yann Karlssohn (who had drawn our attention to it in the first place) had phrased it - we find "a Norse king using incantations to animate a trémaðr (treeman), giving him a … Continue reading A People Of Ash And Fury – On The Divinely Arboreal Genesis Of The Indo-Europeans

A Combat Of Piety – Lord Rama’s Averted Eye Sacrifice To Devi For Victory And Its Vedic Antecedents

To explain what's going on here - this is a Ramayana episode of particular significance to us in relation to #NavRatri and its apex. Although the occurrence in question is drawn from other sources than the familiar Valmiki Ramayana. It illustrates a particular ritual observance hailed within the realm of Myth (and which I believe … Continue reading A Combat Of Piety – Lord Rama’s Averted Eye Sacrifice To Devi For Victory And Its Vedic Antecedents

Of Goddesses, Gods, and Ghosts at the Crossroads – A Comparative Indo-European Exploration [Extract 3]: Part Three: Cosmology, At The Crossroads

[Depicted is the fine marble Hekate from the Greek isle of Aegina, in overtly 'Triple-Facing' Goddess form. Note that the Initiatory Torches are, here, utilized to create an illusion of 'depth' - and, to my mind at least, almost seem to connote different 'pathways' off through trees.] The first point to be made concerns Ambika. … Continue reading Of Goddesses, Gods, and Ghosts at the Crossroads – A Comparative Indo-European Exploration [Extract 3]: Part Three: Cosmology, At The Crossroads

Of Goddesses, Gods, and Ghosts at the Crossroads – A Comparative Indo-European Exploration

It fascinates me how our various Indo-European religions 'interlock'. Both in terms of the way that the same (or highly similar) elements co-occur in recognizable format across various of these, even separated by millennia or many thousands of kilometers; yet also in the way that a fulsome understanding of one can help to 'unlock' the … Continue reading Of Goddesses, Gods, and Ghosts at the Crossroads – A Comparative Indo-European Exploration

Three Nights’ Forbearance For The Ides of Hekate

Right, so due to an oversight on my part … we have missed the Hecatean Ides observance of mid-August. We shall endeavour to make up for this with some ground-breaking theology in the directions of Hekate (and Artemis / Diana … and a most pertinent further Indo-European Devinity) very shortly, in a subsequent (A)Arti-cle for … Continue reading Three Nights’ Forbearance For The Ides of Hekate

Towards An Indo-European Theory Of Demonology – Chaos, Devourers, Outsiders, Messengers and Monsters

Something I have long meant to pen is a sort of explanatory typology for 'Demons' in Indo-European understanding. There's almost certainly an entire book which could be written upon the subject - and it is undeniably significantly intriguing. After all, many a great and epic myth requires a suitably monstrous foe in order for the Hero … Continue reading Towards An Indo-European Theory Of Demonology – Chaos, Devourers, Outsiders, Messengers and Monsters