To begin, it is important to understand each of Medusas symbola has very specific power because it isnt just Her gaze that I utilize in my cult practice. How Did Jason and the Argonauts Get The Golden Fleece? Her vessel not only stores Her dynamis but it is an active ward for protection. Zeus intervened before it could turn into too much of a fight, and they were sent the human, Paris. His lover, a Satyr who was named Ampelos, was slain by a wild bull. I use a variety of materials including plant absolutes, essential oils, fragrances, resins, botanical oils and natural essences from roots, flowers, herbs and stones. Dionysios Skytobrachion wrote about her during the second century and claimed that she both lived and died in an area of Libya. Similarly, Ganoderma tsugae (Ganodermataceae), Codonopsis pilosula (Campanulaceae) and Angelica sinensis (Apiaceae) are traditional Chinese herbs associated with immunomo In almost every version of the Medusa myth, King Polydectes of. Around the 6th century we start to see Her iconography become a mix of the grotesque, large eyed, hideous monster that makes up most of Greek Gorgon imagery. Medusa had always been the most beautiful of her sisters, and as such, Poseidon coveted her very much. Harrison believed that there was some evidence that Medusa was simply one woman and that the stories of her sisters came later. The Amphisbaena came from her blood, too. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. To make matters worse, in the works of ancient Greek artist Polygnotos, Perseus is shown cutting off Medusas head while she lay sleeping, further highlighting the absolute cowardice of this champion of the gods. Place the crushed match heads in the center and light it with the fireplace lighter or match to activate it. No matter the point-of-view you believe of these tales, there is one common theme: Medusa befalls tragedies that no woman or man should have to suffer. Corrections? Next add a layer of the basement or cave dirt, then rue, followed by a bed of parsley leaves, and place the sea sponge over this. The two other prominent circles of the Underworld were the Elysian Fields (fields of joy) or Elysium, where heroes spent eternity, and Tartarus, an abyss for the most wicked. This creature had a snake on the end of its tail and the body of a dragon. 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. In Clash of the Titans from 1981, she was a standard villain. She wears snake jewellery and a chiffon fishtail skirt. Her hair forms long curls that, according to Mattel, foretell the serpents that will become her hair. Moon (many, including Orpheus disciples, have seen Medusas face in the moon) Versace still uses a log of a woman with terrifying features and serpents coming from her head as its brand logo. 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 Priestesses took a vow of chastity and devoted their lives to her. You can then gently wipe down the statue with soft linen cloth. Many later versions of the myth claimed that she was once a beautiful WebFlavor & Aroma Profile. The Greek hero came to see her on the orders of King Polydectes who ruled over Seriphus. The Goddess Medusa is a known guardian and as such, lends her aid to those who need her protection. Ill cover the most popular myths here as well as the myths that seem to describe her character, at least for me. Aphrodite caused Myrrha to fall in love with her own father. Perform a self-care ritual. I recommend infusing them with an intention before applying them to give them a personal energetic boost. Do this, Goddess, and I will serve You as Your station demands! I will say, since I have started serving Medusa as an active force in my cult and witchcraft the results have been beyond astounding. To sneak the fire past the watching eyes of the gods, he hid it inside of a fennel stalk. Early artwork depicted both Medusa and her sisters as gruesome creatures capable of frightening any man. They can be applied to the pulse points and worn as a perfume or cologne or used to anoint the body before a ritual or ceremony. But for each one I awaken it by first cleansing and fumigating Her in an incense of the following ground together: This incense is formulated with strong protective and evil averting properties. Through this shield, Perseus was able to see Medusa through her reflection, which ultimately allowed him the opportunity to approach Medusa and slice through her neck. The Earth and its inhabitants are sacred and I treat them as such. One version of his battle with Atlas claims that Perseus turned his opponent into a mountain. Charmed also used Medusa as a character. The coat of arms of the Dohalice village from the Czech Republic depicts Medusas head. Her creation was so powerful She adorned Her breastplate with these snakes to frighten enemies. It can be difficult to determine if she is the entity reaching out to you, but there are a few specific tells. With her attested ability to turn men to stone, Medusa assists in bindings, particularly binding those who pose a threat to women. Sacred Animals: This Goddess often transformed into a white sow to address her people. During the height of the #metoo movement, many women began using images of Medusa. His name is probably derived from herma (see herm), the Greek word for a heap of stones, such as was used in the country to indicate boundaries or as a landmark. After the nymph Smilax was turned into a vine or bindweed, his lover Crocus appealed to the gods. It should there come as no surprise that there are many myths and stories from Greek myth associated with these plants and flowers. He was being led away as a distraction and potentially to his death! The closest I have ever come to finding iconography with a snake tail is winged Gorgon from a 6th century BCE shield where Medusa is depicted with a helmet and the tail of a serpentine fish and legs of a lion. It is a spring-blooming flower and would bloom when Persephone was outside of the Underworld. Crocus became a companion and lover of Hermes, the messenger god. Over the years I have used several idols for Medusa, the first being a small Halloween decoration in the form of a resin bust. A few hours after his birth, he was already cognizant enough to trick his cousin, Apollo, by stealing his cattle. 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. The goddess carried the womans head on her shield. 2. Among the earliest depictions of the Perseus and Medusa myth is a bas-relief from the seventh century BCE depicting Perseus averting his gaze as he beheads Medusa, although curiously She is depicted as a centaur with the lower half of a horse putting it from around the time of Hesiod. In my practice it also paralyzes the Evil Eye and any malicious intentions sent against me, rendering them useless. Atlas attempted to fight but saw her head and turned to stone. One of my favorites is a black figure vase from the late 5th century that shows a concerned Poseidon rushing to the beheaded Medusa, Euryale frantically coming to embrace Him. This account comes specifically from the Roman poet Ovid in his work Metamorphoses, told at the end of the story of Perseus. Call upon Medusa when you need the strength to challenge your enemies, to face your fears, or to hex your abusers. (That said, if you are experiencing troubling symptoms, consult your doctor. Lets not forget her most famous power: the ability to turn men to stone. The goddess Medusa may also reveal herself in dreams or through symbols in life, such as the snake, or by sending other outcasts your way. Medusa, the daughter of the sea gods Phorcys and Ceto, was the most feared of the Gorgons. 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. Another Greek poet, Pindar, noted that she was fair-cheeked. You are free to take from it as you please, use all, part, or none of it, or even use it to inspire your own practice. The blood from the left side was poisonous and used to destroy people, but the blood from the right was restorative. To make Athena look better, some stories claim that Perseus never gave her Medusas head. However, afternoon shade is beneficial in hotter In my experience, Medusa doesnt care too much about the social or political climates. Leave this on the altar until the candle burns out but before the sun rises, and place it somewhere close to your front door. Long before Medusa faced off with Perseus, there was Poseidon. He then returned to the goddess Athena with Medusas head, which she mounted to her shield so that any foes she encountered on the battlefield would then be turned to stone. Now, with snakes for hair and a long serpentine body, what man would ever dare to look upon her? Some were previously gods and goddesses, some humans, and some sprung from even more surprising sources! Instead, shell push you to find your inner power and actually use it to change your life. This particular vessel is based on the myth where Athena gives Herakles a snake lock from Medusas head in an urn. Hephaestus also helped the young man with the gift of a sword. Hope you found the article useful, please comment below! Youve been encountering statues and paintings of Medusa in your daily travels or receiving them as gifts. Aside from this, some things I associate and use with Medusa are malachite (as my Gorgons Eye stone), serpentine, snakeskin jasper, coral, whole raw eggs, Required fields are marked *. Lastly, the meaning of Medusa helps us through difficult transformations. We have Loose Herbs, Teas, Smoking Herbs and Blends, Medicinal Remedies, Read on. You may be lucky enough to find Medusas Head plants ( Euphorbia caput-medusae) at a garden center that specializes in cacti and succulents. If you have a friend with a mature plant, ask if you can have a cutting to propagate your own plant. From c. 200 B.C. Her sisters are the immortal Gorgons: Euryale and Stheno. The legend of Medusa is well-known in Hellenic lore. Once the working is done I offer Her incense, honey, milk, blackberries, black cherries, and or black figs. 3. It can be used as a go to incense when serving Medusa, especially if you are working with Her to remove curses or the evil eye, or to consecrate wards to protect a space or person.To perform the ritual Night light a black chime candle. She gave birth to a son, Iamus, and Apollo sent the goddess of childbirth (Eileithyia) and the Fates to serve as her midwives. Gingko. Though she died before Helios could save her, the god intervened and sprinkled her with fragrance so that she could live again as the frankincense tree. In one story, she was famished and thirsty and stopped at the home of Mimse, a farmer. Place the coral, malachite, and bronze around it and add another layer of parsley leaf, rue, then the dirt. From the blood that spurted from her neck sprang Chrysaor and Pegasus, her two sons by Poseidon. Forests, Blood Red Apples,Herbs, Resins, Spicy Peppers,Caramel, Vanilla. Seeing claims that Athena saw Medusa in her temple and instead of catching her in the midst of consensual intercourse, she found Poseidon raping her. A loving priestess to his sister Athena, Poseidon sought the goddess Medusa while she was praying in Athenas temple and violated her. She isa guide to many women and a source of power, wisdom and creativity to those who seek her assistance. Widen Your frightening eyes, flashing with fire, and look upon (enemys NN) so he/she/they may be destroyed! Pindar wrote in 490 BC that she had fair cheeks. Shes not super soft to work with and she probably wont let you loll around. Giovanni Versace loved the Medusa legend so much that he chose her as the mascot of his clothing brand. Her blood also led to the creation of the venomous vipers that roam the Sahara. The Gorgons lived at the ocean, and Medusa caught Poseidons attention. She is also a goddess of femininity, fertility, and menstruation. Uma Thurman took on the film role and was in a pivotal scene. Much less, if any man did, then he would be instantly turned into a statue and doomed to an eternity in stone. I recommend that you work with Medusa using a pendulum or cards if youre new to divination work. She has really strong energy with the pendulum so youll definitely know when shes around. The goddess Medusa may also reveal herself in dreams or through symbols in life, such as the snake, or by sending other outcasts your way. As with everything I share, I am not proclaiming this as THE way, or even saying it is how the ancients themselves did it, although I do structure much of my practice around what we know about ancient cult. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Harrison further backed up her claims with a translation that said the horror did not come from the woman but that the horror gave birth to the woman. They claim that she spent most of her life in Sarpedon, which was close to Cisthene with her Gorgon Be it Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Norse, Chinese, Japanese, Aztec, Mayan, you name it. In The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, a Gorgon travels to Sabrinas town. Their bodies are covered in scales and they have large, round heads with snakes sprouting from them instead of hair. Medusa also appears on television. Next prepare the incense and fan the smoke toward the agalma. Be sure to keep a lookout for signs and symbols of the gorgon in the days thereafter, as she may approach you in subtle ways. Next, enthrone Her in Her shrine or altar where She will be housed as sacred space. Some modern astrologers suggest that this star is associated with There are various versions of the story, but depending on which one you pick up, either Medusa seduced Poseidon or he was smitten with her and took her. This probably means that youreally feel like the outcast in some way (not necessarily social or political but on a deep, personal, soul level). If you have been seeing the symbols of Goddess Medusa and hearing the whispers, then this is your call to action. The meaning of Medusa is powerful. Cixous urges women to use this story as a way to take back their own power and escape the control that men have over them. From then on she roamed, shamed, shunned and loathed by everyone. Walk around your home and in each room raise the jar three times then say Medusa protects NN! repeating until you end at your front door.The last thing I do with Medusa is make a potion called The Blood of Medusa, which is actually two separate potions. Shes definitely a deity who can teach you how to stick up for yourself and fight back! Aside from this, some things I associate and use with Medusa are malachite (as my Gorgons Eye stone), serpentine, snakeskin jasper, coral, whole raw eggs, petrified wood, fossils, any snake materials especially from vipers, bronze, Evil Eye charms, herbs such as wormwood, black snake root, serpentine root, poplar, bittersweet nightshade*, datura*, belladonna*, henbane*, sulfur, rat or pest poison*, parsley, spring flowers, boar tusk, basically anything that is used to remove the Evil Eye, protect, or curse enemies, especially poisons that cause paralysis.I hope this helps add to your practice, and clarify some of the things I do with monstrous Gods such as Medusa. I personally feel that the energy of Athena allies with Medusa. For me, this is a way of reclaiming the Gods as a valid religious cult, not just antique figures reduced to myths and stories. Its important to note that throughout all the myths of epic poems, there are no records of her ever turning any woman to stone with her deadly gaze. Take a deeper dive into the epic poems that tell the stories of Medusa. When Perseus cut off her head, Medusa died and gave birth to the winged horse Pegasus and the giant Chrysaor through the wound in her neck. This may not ring a bell to you, but lets just say its the guy that wanted to marry Perseus mother. The director chose to show her as a human woman who only turned terrifying once men looked into her eyes. This version claims that Athena became spiteful and used her powers to turn the woman into a monster that no man would ever want. Apollo chased her around the world until Daphne begged her river-god father for help, and he changed her into the laurel tree. As far as Medusa, while She is indeed a monster, She is above all a powerful Goddess. Modern literary experts also point to the legend as one of the first times in history when men blamed a victim for her rape. Typically when I share my practices I get private messages asking me for specifics on how I serve certain divinities, especially when They are not often honored in cult. In later artwork, she appears as a more beautiful woman. It came out in 2013 as part of a limited edition series.-Many people use an image of her head because they believe it will protect them from others. Medusa delivers strong flavor and aroma characteristics Hail Immortal Medusa! The severed head, which had the power of turning into stone all who looked upon it, was given to Athena, who placed it in her shield; according to another account, Perseus buried it in the marketplace of Argos. When Cerberus drooled while facing the demigod, his spittle landed on the earth and became the aconite plant. Barley was an essential crop to Demeter, the goddess of agriculture. 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. The Goddess Medusa tends to reach out in very subtle ways. Try sleeping with a symbol that represents the Goddess Medusa under your pillow if you want to connect during sleep. The urn itself can be painted bronze, and decorated with a Gorgoneion or large glaring eyes on its front (mini mirrors on the iris is a great idea), and or Evil Eye charms. After their wedding, he headed to Seriphos for his mothers wedding. Most people who know Medusas name dont know the names of Her sisters, Sthenno and Euryale. Most legends claim that the hero Perseus killed her with help from Hermes and others. He claimed that the story of her decapitation shared much in common with castration. Athena took things a step further. Separated from her sisters and unable to find love, Medusa wandered through the African desert. Dedicate altar space to Medusa. According to legend, Athena gave Herakles one of Medusas serpent locks in an urn that He used to protect the town of Tegea as it would make enemies flee in fright. May I ask is it safe for me? For me personally I like to use snake fangs over tusks due to their practicality, but either will certainly work. She was usually represented as a winged female creature having a head of hair consisting of snakes; unlike the Gorgons, she was sometimes represented as very beautiful. Legend says while she was there baby snakes dropped from her head and this is why there are plenty of snakes in Africa. These blood-red perennial spring flowers are named for anemos, the wind, which carries their seed. Just having a small amount of space to dedicate to an altar is a great way to start working with the gorgon. Athena and Poseidon competed over the city, which would become Athens in a contest judged by humans. You are sought out by snakes. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). In an alternate story of Medusa, was the curse from Athena really a curse? I have always been interested in mythology. In another popular myth about the story of Medusa, the so-called hero Perseus was sent to slay Medusa. It wouldnt be too far fetched for a Sea Goddess like Medusa to have a horses body, especially as mother of Pegesus. Connect with Medusas element, water, by performing a ritual bath or something of the like. He was once captured by Herakles, who faced him down. She lost all of her looks and found snakes growing in her hair. The next thing I want to cover is Medusas vessel. However, its important to note thatearlier myths of Medusa (such as that told by Homer) actually have no mention of Athena at all. Are sacred and I will serve you as your station demands men looked her. 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