Prayers of Healing: COVID-19 Edition

Apollon the Healer has called His Treasury to offer prayers that the community may utilize for their own health, and that of those whom they hope to protect. May they be received in the same spirit in which they are given: in love, compassion, fortitude, and respect.

— Treasury of Apollon

Prayer should begin at or around sunset, local time.

March 16, 2020

“Apollo Preceding Hector with His Aegis, and Dispersing the Greeks”, by John Flaxman.

Prayer to Apollon, the Averter

You Who Sends and Drives Away Plague,Be with us today in our time of need.

May your family come by your side

Asklepios, Divine Physician,

Arrive with your serpent-intwined staff,

Your glorious daughters by your side.

Gracious Hygeia, bring good health.

Panakeia, help us find aid in this fight.

Gentle Iaso, may you lead the way to good health for all those who are touched.

Please be with us in our need, Good Gods. And may we be blessed by your presence.

— Camilla

“Akslepios”, by Unknown Artist. Found via Google.

Prayer for Containing Pandemic

Apollon, Asklepios, Hygeia, Panakeia– it is to the Gods of Medicine, Cleanliness and Cure that I pray– may my mind always turn toward the wellness of my communities, be they close or extended, and in these thoughts let me be led to right action, which preserves the lives and health of those around me.

Cleanliness and courtesy are the mantle I must now bear, without fault, for I am a keeper of lives not my own, as others are now the keepers of mine. We are many, yet are we as one, drawn together in common cause. And for my part, I shall not take more than is my share, and I will endeavor to care for those whose constitutions are compromised, and also shall I not go forth without necessity.

O Gods of the arts of healing and maintaining health, who govern the subtleties of dis-ease, hear this prayer, and grant Your grace upon my words, that what I speak always be a prelude to action, and never the platitudes of comfort.

Hail to You, O Gods, in Your Glory.

Thank You, Apollon.

Thank You, Asklepios.

Thank You, Hygeia.

Thank You, Panakeia.

Blessed Be.

— Columbine

Prayer for Care of the Elderly

Many of us have at-risk elders, who we may not be able to consistently care for due to distance or other factors. However, as long as we are committed to their well-being, we should do all that we can to ensure their safety and survival. This includes prayer, in addition to all of the physical measures we (and they– if possible) must take to realize that end. The following is a short prayer for this purpose. A special shout out to Sunweaver, because I incorporated her brief prayer into this one.

*****************

O Paian, O Blessed Apollon, whose ministrations are like balm for the soul, You who are the source of health and the pinnacle of purity– liven our elders, O God, and instill deep within them (and their caretakers) the will to carry out best practices for their own health and safety.

O God of Plagues, spare our elders (and those adjacent to them) and let them live without fear, that their mental health not suffer during this season of want and isolation.

Apollon, who annihilates impurity, turn Your molten gaze toward this virus (COVID-19), that it be burned away within the aura which surrounds You, O Lord of Splendor and Grace.

In Your holy name, O Paian, O Blessed Apollon, we ask these favors, that our community of elders be spared this plague.

— Columbine

“Psyche’s Parents Offering Sacrifice to Apollo”, by Luca Giordano.

(COVID-19) Healing Prayer/Ritual

Supplies: A single candle (tea-light is fine), dressed/anointed with an appropriate oil, such as bay laurel, pine, rosemary, or cinnamon (olive may be substituted). A source of flame. A libation and a vessel to hold it.

Instructions: Dress your candle with the oil, with the intent to draw forth our Lord’s healing powers, with His permission. Meditate or visualize for a bit, then light the candle while calling upon Him by His healing/purifying/averting epithets. Ex: (Apollon) Paian, Apotropaios, Phosophoros, Katharsios, Daphnephoros, Hekatos, etc. When you feel His presence, read or recite the following…

“O Lord and Patron who inspires all manner of Healthcare professionals, You whose power is of plague and healing, purification and rot, God to whom all Doctors swear their Oath, hear us in this time of peril and need!

“By Your hand, may our bodies remain strong and free from all illness, be they viral, microbial, bacterial, or any other. By Your command, may our physicians, nurses, technicians, and all medical and support staff be committed to the values of Hygeia, keeping themselves, their tools, and their workstations clean, and purified in the intention to cure or mitigate dis-ease.

“May we, the public, also keep to best practices concerning our health and well-being. Let us be responsible toward our fellow humans, as well as to those animals adjacent to us, for we are the hands of the Gods on Earth, and all that we wish for, must we also set into motion.

“Be the cleansing fire, O Lord, and the soothing breath which fills our lungs. Be the force which holds us accountable to our fellow man, that we remember the bonds which hold us, and society, together. We are not islands, though for the sake of the vulnerable among us, shall we adhere to self-isolation, whenever and wherever possible. And for those of us who can not adhere, let Your purifying light be a barrier between them and all danger.

“And for the vulnerable ones, as well as those upon whom this or similar misfortune has already fallen, we ask that You soothe their pain and ease their symptoms– that You assuage their fears, and supply all needed resources by annihilating the barriers between them and their recovery, or their continued well-managed health.

“O Physician, we beseech You for Your favor and Your grace, that our homes, towns, streets and cities (and especially the many medical facilities within them), be protected and secured, and that our lives be truly nurtured, as is Your decree, O Sovereign of the Medical Arts! And to that end do we offer this libation, in Your honor, Lord Apollon.”

Pour the libation, then pray silently for a bit.

Now, snuff out the candle, or, allow it to burn to completion, depending upon your living situation, always keeping fire-safety in mind. In the event that you can not burn, you may forego the candle, concentrating solely on the prayer and subsequent libation.

Sincerely thank Apollon, in your own words. Then, bid Him farewell.

Ritual Ends

(repeat as necessary)

— Columbine

Guidelines:

Prayers are NOT to be directed toward specific persons, UNLESS THEY HAVE CONSENTED to prayers on their behalf.

Participants are encouraged to pray for whatever healing they, or CONSENTING loved ones need (excepting minor children or dependents– discretion lies with parents or guardians), be it physical/medical, mental, emotional, etc.

Prayers ARE to be directed toward closing existing rifts within the spheres of the public Polytheist and/or Pagan communities. This includes local, statewide, national, or online communities.

Prayers should ONLY be directed toward communities that participants are ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN.

ALL prayers should be addressed to the Lord Apollon, or to Apollon and Asklepios (Hygeia, Panakeia, etc.), as the case may be for medical intervention.

Sunweaver’s Aegletia Ritual, with contributions by Columbine – Reorganized

[The Aegletia begins October 1st, and lasts through October 9th]

Big thanks go to Sunweaver for the original outline for the Aegletia’s daily/nightly ritual. We have shared it in previous years, but this time it’s been fleshed out a bit, to be more of a guide, rather than simply a framework.

[First Night]

As you know, the first night of the Aegletia is set aside for purification, of oneself, one’s home, one’s close relationships to those with whom we share space, our spiritual lives, and many other things. There are no set ways to go about this, and we have provided a couple of suggestions, here and here, though whatever is your own go-to method should work perfectly well. After such purification is complete, and you have made certain that your space is suitably tidy, you may begin.

Gather all celebrants together in your chosen space, or area of the home. At this time, you may offer khernips to all present, and gently asperge the ritual area and/or the altar(s)/shrine(s).

(Ritual Facilitator speaks)

“Hestia, who tends the holy house of Lord Apollon, the Far-Shooter of Pytho, welcome to this house. May this place be made holy, as were the temples of old, with our work and your love.

“Blessed are the Gods of Olympos, Immortal Twelve, who have brought us to this moment. May our joy sustain us through the coming season.”

[To be recited Each Night, henceforth referred to as “The Litany”]

(Ritual Facilitator speaks)

“Blessed are You, Apollon, light of this world.”

(Celebrants respond– If you are alone, you will simply recite this yourself.)

“May we be kept within Your reach
Always striving to seek what is right
And what is good among all life situations.”

(Ritual Facilitator speaks)

“Blessed are You, Apollon, gleaming in the distance.”

(Celebrants respond)

“May Your trail illuminate the ways
That we may follow You
Even as the dark begins its reign.”

(Ritual Facilitator speaks)

“Blessed are You, Apollon, wolf of twilight.”

(Celebrants respond)

“May we never run fearfully from Your howl
Which is the precursor to Your embrace
And a warning to the many who cross Your path.”

(Ritual Facilitator speaks)

“Blessed are You, Apollon, perched upon a high throne.”

(Celebrants respond)

“May we bask in Your radiance, yearning to honor You
In action, as well as speech
For You are the arbiter of peace and righteousness.”

(Ritual Facilitator speaks)

“Blessed are You, Apollon, our Lord, our King.”

(Celebrants respond)

“Riding on the winds, holding sway over the Seasons
May we know You as intimately as the soil knows the rain
And may we dance to the melody of Your lyre, in Winter, once again.” (<—- End of “The Litany”)

(Ritual Facilitator lights first candle)

“We have come to the First Illumination: Purification. This light, from which all others will be lit, represents the purity of the Son of Leto. We have made our home a temple and we await Apollo Aegletes, He who Illuminates.”

Now, everyone may go do whatever it is that they/you have planned for the rest of the first night.

[Second Night]

(Khernips)

(Ritual Facilitator and Celebrants recite “The Litany”)

(Ritual Facilitator lights second candle from the flame of the first)

(Ritual Facilitator speaks)

“We have come to the Second Illumination: Arrival. This light represents Apollon’s presence in our lives. Though we may not always see the flame, it still yet burns.”

Now, everyone may go do whatever it is that they/you have planned for the rest of the second night.

[Third Night]

(Khernips)

(Ritual Facilitator and Celebrants recite “The Litany”)

(Ritual Facilitator lights third candle from the flame of the first, or second, depending upon the symbolism you wish to convey***.)

(Ritual Facilitator speaks)

“We have come to the Third Illumination: Artemis. This light represents the everlasting warmth between Leto’s children: a bond that will never be broken.”

Now, everyone may go do whatever it is that they/you have planned for the rest of the third night.

[Fourth Night]

(Khernips)

(Ritual Facilitator and Celebrants recite “The Litany”)

(Ritual Facilitator lights fourth candle from the flame of the first, or third)

(Ritual Facilitator speaks)

“We have come to the Fourth Illumination: Leto. This light represents the indomitable Holy Mother from whom the blessed Twins inherited their fiery spirit.”

Now, everyone may go do whatever it is that they/you have planned for the rest of the fourth night.

[Fifth Night]

(Khernips)

(Ritual Facilitator and Celebrants recite “The Litany”)

(Ritual Facilitator lights fifth candle from the flame of the first, or fourth)

(Ritual Facilitator speaks)

“We have come to the Fifth Illumination: Awareness. This light represents the world as it is and not as it is imagined to be. Apollo’s light is truth.”

Now, everyone may go do whatever it is that they/you have planned for the rest of the fifth night.

[Sixth Night]

(Khernips)

(Ritual Facilitator and Celebrants recite “The Litany”)

(Ritual Facilitator lights sixth candle from the flame of the first, or fifth)

(Ritual Facilitator speaks)

“We have come to the Sixth Illumination: Beauty. This light represents the illuminated world, made brighter with art, music, theater, dance, and games.”

Now, everyone may go do whatever it is that they/you have planned for the rest of the sixth night.

[Seventh Night]

(Khernips)

(Ritual Facilitator and Celebrants recite “The Litany”)

(Ritual Facilitator lights seventh candle from the flame of the first, or sixth)

(Ritual Facilitator speaks)

“We have come to the Seventh Illumination: Fellowship. This light represents those who worship Apollon who, though we may be distant from one another, are brought together by our mutual love of our Lord.”

Now, everyone may go do whatever it is that they/you have planned for the rest of the seventh night.

[Eighth Night]

(Khernips)

(Ritual Facilitator and Celebrants recite “The Litany”)

(Ritual Facilitator lights eighth candle from the flame of the first, or seventh)

(Ritual Facilitator speaks)

“We have come to the Eighth Illumination: Quietude. This light represents the insights that will continue to grow as we cultivate a quiet mind, giving space within ourselves for Apollon’s gifts.”

Now, everyone may go do whatever it is that they/you have planned for the rest of the eighth night.

[Ninth Night]

(Khernips)

(Ritual Facilitator and Celebrants recite “The Litany”)

(Ritual Facilitator lights ninth candle from the flame of the first, or eighth)

(Ritual Facilitator speaks)

“We have come to the Ninth Illumination: Farewell. This light represents all that we will carry with us through the winter’s dark and Apollon’s absence as he rests in Hyperborea. We say farewell in gladness and joy, for He has left us with many blessings.”

Aegletia gifts should be presented to Apollon (and Artemis, and Leto) at this time, followed by thanks and much praise.

(Ritual Facilitator speaks something similar— use your own words whenever and wherever possible, for they will likely be more emotionally potent than most words written by others; even ours.)

“Hail to Apollo Aegletes, who casts away the shadow, or lurks within it! Hail to He whom brightens the way within our own darkness, whose passage heralds discomfort, before the Spring (or Autumn– remember, your current location is the centerpiece of Treasury practice) Return!

“Hail to Artemis, His Twin!

“Hail to Leto, Their Mother!

“So say we all!”

(Celebrants respond)

“So say we all!”

[End of Ritual]

(*** Lit from first candle = ‘May our endeavors spring from the purity of the source‘. Lit from the second candle = ‘May our endeavors build continually from our foundations‘.)

— Treasury of Apollon

The Aegletia’s Food Guidelines

An Autumn table setting, by Justin Walker.

A couple years back, I (Sunweaver) wrote a short ritual for the Aegletia and felt that it was time to add a little bit to it. One thing I’ve always wanted to have as part of our tradition is some shared foodways. Given that we have many different backgrounds, that’s not easy, but the concepts surrounding the Aegletia give us the opportunity to develop some common culinary practices. I’ve outlined some ideas and will be testing them out this year, but I would also like to invite all of you to share your thoughts and maybe even recipes. The great thing about this is that you can do as much or as little of this as you want to and you should be able to accommodate these ideas, even with a tight budget. I’ve been there myself and I tried to write these guidelines with a mind toward compassion for those of us with smaller budgets or who may not have access to a wide variety of ingredients. First, I offer a blessing for food, which I like to say before a sacred meal. There’s a long-ish list of blessings, but you are meant to choose from those that are relevant to your particular meal. If you don’t have beans, for example, you can leave out the one to Kyamites.

**** Blessing the Meal ****

We give thanks to you, Immortal Gods, for the bounty before us.

May you bless our meal, so that from it we might gain strength, health, and long life.

We give thanks to Hestia, for blessing our hearth.

We give thanks to Zeus, for bringing the rain.

We give thanks to Apollon, for healthy crops and herds.

We give thanks to Dionysos, for the gift of wine.

We give thanks to Demeter, for the fruits of the Earth.

We give thanks to Athene, for the gift of olives.

We give thanks to Triptolemos, who taught us to farm.

We give thanks to Aristaeos, who taught us to make cheese, keep bees, and tend animals.

We give thanks to Kyamites, who taught us to grow beans.

**** Guidelines for Eating During the Aegletia ****

First Night: Purification

Drink nothing but water today and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Meals should be high in fiber and plant-based. If you have any sensitivities, such as lactose intolerance, avoid those foods especially today. Avoid added and refined sugars, where possible, as well as highly processed foods.

There are a lot of “detox” foods and drinks floating around, but the science behind them is dubious, at best. Nutritionally speaking, water and fiber are your two best weapons against toxins in the body. Our bodies are usually very good at expelling toxins, but need water and fiber as the vehicle with which to do that.

Example: Seasoned chick peas, herbed barley, roasted peaches with cinnamon, and fresh salad.

Second Night: Arrival

Include dates, which Mother Leto ate upon Lord Apollon’s arrival. Include imported foods to remind us that Delos is barren and produces no food for herself. For our purposes, any food not produced locally or regionally is sufficient to consider “imported.” I live in the American South, for example, so anything produced west of the Mississippi river and north of Kentucky would be considered outside my region and, therefore, “imported,” even if it’s not necessarily from another country. The distinction isn’t a hard-and-fast rule, but rather one you can make for yourself based on what you would consider “regional.”

Apollon’s arrival may be cause to have a somewhat bigger, nicer, “Sunday Dinner” sort of meal, since we are inviting our Bright Lord on this day.

Example: Baked chicken with dried Mediterranean apricots, tropical fruit salad, brown rice or barley, steamed broccoli, and whole dates.

Third Night: Artemis

Food that has been caught from the wild or hunted would be appropriate for the third night, but availability and expense of something like venison or wild-caught fish might prevent this option from being a practical one. Instead, if you live in a household with children, it is their day to choose their favorite meal. Otherwise, a favorite meal from your own childhood, one that inspires fond remembrances, would also be appropriate. If you have pets, this is a good day to give them a special treat.

Example: Hot dogs, sweet potato fries, and baked beans with finely chopped onions and apples. For the dog: a small serving of unseasoned sweet potato, thoroughly cooked and skinned.

Fourth Night: Leto

Once again, this is a good night to serve dates, for the same reason as we did in the second night. This night, it is the mother’s night to choose what’s for dinner. If you are not yourself a mother or no mothers live in the household, you might choose something that reminds you fondly of a motherly figure in your life. This does not necessarily need to be your own mother, just someone who nurtured you as Mother Leto nurtures Her own children and those devoted to Her. Drink only water today and kindly offer water to others when you can. The people of Lycia denied water to Mother Leto, but water is for everyone and should be shared freely.

Example: Chopped dates with roasted nuts, ratatouille, barley with herbed pesto and flax seed.

Fifth Night: Awareness

There are some foods that are supposedly good for your brain and may help you be more alert and aware. The scholarship on this may change over time and we can always make adjustments if that happens. A modest amount of caffeine is appropriate today and foods like flax seed, almonds, eggs, beets, fatty fish (such as salmon), walnuts, fresh fruit, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, whole grains, broccoli, carrots, winter squash, and dark chocolate are purported to be good for concentration, focus, and memory.

Example: Spinach/tomato omelettes, whole wheat carrot nut muffins, orange juice

Sixth Night: Beauty

For the sixth night, it doesn’t matter what you decide to make as long as you put some effort forth into making it look nice. Make food with lots of bright, natural colors, make use of a little garnish, arrange the food nicely on the plate, tidy up the kitchen table, put out the good china. Even if you’re having chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese, put a sprig of parsley on top of that mac and cheese; make it look a little bit fancy.

Example: Purple cabbage with onions (sauteed in olive oil with salt and pepper); steamed carrots tossed in honey and butter, baked herb chicken, parsley garnish.

Seventh Night: Fellowship

This is a good night to invite a friend to dinner or have a potluck with friends. You could even share food with friends and neighbors. There’s a lot of room for creativity and opportunity for strengthening friendships on this day.

Example: Chili and cornbread, but with friends.

Eighth Night: Quietude

For the eighth night, you will want to avoid caffeine and have foods that are calming in nature. Again, like the fifth night, our ideas about what foods are meant to have a calming effect on the body and brain might change over time and we can adjust accordingly when we have new information. As of now, however, you might consider asparagus (which tends to be expensive this time of year), avocados, berries, oranges, foods containing zinc (oysters are suggested, but I find them repulsive), walnuts, almonds, salmon, spinach, turkey, and oatmeal.

Example: (For breakfast) Oatmeal with dried berries and walnuts, sweetened with a little honey. (For dinner) Spinach salad topped with sliced almonds, mandarin oranges, avocado, slices of grilled or baked turkey, with a raspberry walnut dressing.

Ninth Night: Farewell

Hera gave an apple tree to Zeus as a wedding gift and it grows in Hyperborea under the heavy guard of the daughters of Atlas, the Hesperides, and the dragon Ladon. Not even Herakles could go and get any apples himself (having had to ask Atlas to do so), and even if we could, we would have to return them. We do, however, have delicious mortal realm apple trees, so thank the Gods for that! We can eat “golden,” yellow, or green apples on this day to remind us of the probably way more amazing ones that grow in Hyperborea.

This is also a good night for simple comfort foods, since we will soon be parted with our Bright Lord, the Discerning One. This may mean different things to different people, depending on your upbringing, but warm soups and stews or any sort of fare that reminds you of the comforts of home will do nicely. This is not a day for fancy food that takes hours to prepare.

Example: Grilled cheese and tomato soup with baked cinnamon apples.

— Treasury of Apollon

So, you want to celebrate Thargelia?

Introduction

This particular adaptation of the holiday is what might be called the “back half” of it. The front half, or first night, is a little more low-key and involves whatever elements of purification and/or katharsos are appealing to you. For me, I make the panspermia, a terrible name for an excellent food, in which I cook some of the dry beans I’ve saved since last Thargelia and save some to plant after blessing them on the second day. This is a good time for spring cleaning and while my focus tends to be on my pantry, this is also a good time to think about other decluttering efforts. Others make poppets to replace the traditional sacrifice, which is another excellent way of going about it. The ancient celebration involved driving the ugliest man out of town with rocks and switches. Tempting though it may be, I don’t recommend that as a contemporary practice.

The first night is also a great time to honor both Leto and Artemis. We could think of this as sort of a Hellenic Mother’s Day, if that’s a metaphor that works for you. Since kharis is one of our foundational principles, a gift to charitable organizations that help mothers and women is as good a sacrifice as any. Charity Navigator compiled a list of highly rated charities that benefit women’s equality, rights, education, and social services, (retrieved 27 April, 2018) for Women’s History Month. If that kind of donation isn’t possible for you, remember that the Theoi are more interested in the content of your heart than the content of your wallet. Any kindness toward women and mothers, including yourself if that describes you, is appropriate if you take care to remember the Labor of Leto and Artemis’ clever midwifery.

In regards to seasonally-appropriate holiday food, I have always celebrated Thargelia as a feast of last fruits on the first day and a feast of first fruits on the second day. “First fruits,” which may neither be first, nor strictly fruits, will vary depending on where you live and what the weather has been. In Middle Tennessee, it’s strawberries and a number of green things such as kale and green onions, which makes for a light and fresh lunch.

This ritual is meant to be a guide, but there’s room for a great deal of adaptation, as best suits you and your needs.

Happy Thargelia!

— Sunweaver

Thargelia

[Host]

Hestia, who tends the holy house of the Lord Apollon, the Far-Shooter of Pytho, welcome to this house. May this place be made holy, as were the temples of old, with our work and your love.

[host lights a candle for Hestia]

Blessed are the Gods of Olympos, Immortal Twelve, who have brought us to this moment. May our joy sustain us through the coming season.

[host lights a candle for the Immortal Twelve]

Blessed are You, Apollon, light of this world, born to queenly Leto.

[host lights a candle for Apollon]

[First]

Delos was very glad at the birth of the far-shooting lord. But Leto was racked nine days and nine nights with pangs beyond wont.

[Next]

Because Eilithyia, goddess of sore travail, had not heard of Leto’s trouble.

[Next]

As soon as She set foot on Delos, the pains of birth seized Leto, so she cast her arms about a palm tree and kneeled on the soft meadow while the earth laughed for joy beneath.

[Next]

Then the child leaped forth to the light into hands of Artemis Midwife and all the attendant goddesses raised a cry. Straightaway, great Phoebos, the goddesses washed you purely and cleanly with sweet water and swathed you in a white garment of fine texture, new-woven, and fastened a golden band about you.

[Next]

…and Leto was glad because she had borne a strong son and an archer.1

[Host]

We offer the Eiresione (“ir-es-ee-on”), here a grapevine swathed in wool, and the first fruits to Phoebos Apollo, slayer of Python and ripener of fruits.

[All]

The Eiresione brings berries and bread,

honey and strong wine,

so you go drunk to bed!2

Hail Apollon!

[Host]

We now come to the blessing of the meal:

[All]

We give thanks to you, Immortal Gods for the bounty before us. May you bless our meal that from it we might gain strength, health, and long life.

[First]

We give thanks to Hestia for blessing our hearth

[Next]

We give thanks to Zeus for bringing the rain

[Next]

We give thanks to Apollo for healthy crops and herds

[Next]

We give thanks to Dionysos for the gift of wine

[Next]

We give thanks to Demeter for the fruits of the Earth

[Next]

We give thanks to Athene for the gift of olives

[Next]

We give thanks to Triptolemos, who taught us to farm

[Next]

We give thanks to Aristaeos, who taught us to make cheese, keep bees, and tend animals

[Next]

We give thanks to Kyamites, who taught us to grow beans.

[Host]

“When you have put away craving for sweet food, come with me singing the hymn, Ie Paean!, until you come to the place where you shall keep my rich temple.” So said Apollo.1

…and so say we all

Adapted from: Homeric Hymn 3 to Delian Apollo. Lines 90-129, 495-505

Anonymous. The Homeric Hymns and Homerica with an English Translation by Hugh G. Evelyn-White. Homeric Hymns. Cambridge, MA.,Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1914.

Adapted from:
Burkert, Walter. Greek Religion. Harvard University Press; Cambridge, 1985. p. 101

Aegletia Food Guidelines

Aegletia begins October 1st, and ends October 9th

A couple years back, I wrote a short ritual for the Aegletia and felt that it was time to add a little bit to it. One thing I’ve always wanted to have as part of our tradition is some shared foodways. Given that we have many different backgrounds, that’s not easy, but the concepts surrounding the Aegletia give us the opportunity to develop some common culinary practices. I’ve outlined some ideas and will be testing them out this year, but I would also like to invite all of you to share your thoughts and maybe even recipes. The great thing about this is that you can do as much or as little of this as you want to and you should be able to accommodate these ideas, even with a tight budget. I’ve been there myself and I tried to write these guidelines with a mind toward compassion for those of us with smaller budgets or who may not have access to a wide variety of ingredients. First, I offer a blessing for food, which I like to say before a sacred meal. There’s a long-ish list of blessings, but you are meant to choose from those that are relevant to your particular meal. If you don’t have beans, for example, you can leave out the one to Kyamites.

Blessing the Meal

We give thanks to you, Immortal Gods, for the bounty before us.

May you bless our meal, so that from it we might gain strength, health, and long life.

We give thanks to Hestia, for blessing our hearth.

We give thanks to Zeus, for bringing the rain.

We give thanks to Apollon, for healthy crops and herds.

We give thanks to Dionysos, for the gift of wine.

We give thanks to Demeter, for the fruits of the Earth.

We give thanks to Athene, for the gift of olives.

We give thanks to Triptolemos, who taught us to farm.

We give thanks to Aristaeos, who taught us to make cheese, keep bees, and tend animals.

We give thanks to Kyamites, who taught us to grow beans.

Guidelines for eating during the Aegletia

First Night: Purification

Example: Seasoned chick peas, herbed barley, roasted peaches with cinnamon, and fresh salad.

Second Night: Arrival

Apollon’s arrival may be cause to have a somewhat bigger, nicer, “Sunday Dinner” sort of meal, since we are inviting our Bright Lord on this day.

Example: Baked chicken with dried Mediterranean apricots, tropical fruit salad, brown rice or barley, steamed broccoli, and whole dates.

Third Night: Artemis

Example: Hot dogs, sweet potato fries, and baked beans with finely chopped onions and apples. For the dog: a small serving of unseasoned sweet potato, thoroughly cooked and skinned.

Fourth Night: Leto

Example: Chopped dates with roasted nuts, ratatouille, barley with herbed pesto and flax seed.

Fifth Night: Awareness

Example: Spinach/tomato omelettes, whole wheat carrot nut muffins, orange juice

Sixth Night: Beauty

Example: Purple cabbage with onions (sauteed in olive oil with salt and pepper); steamed carrots tossed in honey and butter, baked herb chicken, parsley garnish.

Seventh Night: Fellowship

Example: Chili and cornbread, but with friends.

Eighth Night: Quietude

Ninth Night: Farewell

Example: Grilled cheese and tomato soup with baked cinnamon apples.

— Sunweaver

Prayers of Healing

First, some background: I was raised Baptist and, as it turns out, I’m actually a preacher, but one inspired by Apollon, so there that is. The following prayer is not a parody of that upbringing in any way, but a fully sincere expression of faith. Please approach with that in mind and with respect.
____________________________________

Praise be to the Lord of Light. Praise Him who purifies us, who gave unto us the Maxims that through them, we might know Him and know ourselves. Praise Him! Praise Phoebos!

To those who have received the poison of hatefulness, may He heal them, Praise Phoebos, and may he take the poison from them and lend them both comfort and courage.

To those who play the part of Python, spewing forth poisonous hate, polluting themselves with calumny and hubris, prejudice and arrogance, may He open their eyes that they might know the way of compassion. May they know love, humility, excellence of character.

Heal them, O’ Lord, and make them see the truth of what their poison has wrought. Free them from lies, purify their hearts, bless them with sight.

Make holy, O’ Lord, you and Hestia, all places where the name of Phoebos Apollon is known. Bestow your furious blessings upon all who put your name in print. Open the eyes and hearts of those who speak it.

Praise the Lord Apollon! Praise He who heals! Praise Him!

So Say We All

— Sunweaver

The Journey 08-22-16

There was a Priestess in ancient Greece
in Apollon’s temple
I have not been told much
Except she made a promise to a fellow Priestess
Who we will call Thea
To be at hand for her time of crises
Little did she know this would be lifetimes later
and that the best part of her would be withheld
until that promise needed to be honored

Spring four years ago we met
online in a group of those wanting to serve as Priest Folk
for Hermes
and in no time I was sworn to help her
and submerged within my Higher Self
for the time until the fall equinox
Her battles for her sovereignty were mine
Her allies within the Holy Powers mine
My whole being dedicated to Them
as They struggled within a war for her being

She got her freedom within the ability to release from the body
and I was left bereft
no longer fully integrated with my Higher aspect
no longer in alliance with my sister
no longer a daily vehicle for aspecting
I did not know if I could bear to be incarnate

It was a handful of polytheists
that gave me the lifeline
I found that spouses of the Holy Powers
resonated for me the most
Because of their independence in how they worked with the Gods
and the strength of their love

They did not tell me how I had to do it
But they shared their stories openly and honestly
and in that I found the threads that connected me
in my own way with the Holy Powers
and more than I expected
because this Love that rides me and that is my life’s blood
is not a small thing bound and diminished by rules
and regulations
other than the ones the Powers have imposed on me

For those I am grateful
Because they know my strengths and they know my weakness
and when I ask for help they know my willingness to accept
boundaries and structure that builds the one and limits the other

I do not have a name specifically for those who love many Gods
but I know that their communal influence upon me
still brings out the best in me
still lets me know I am not alone

For that may all the Holy Powers bless them and build their numbers

Hear me Lord Apollon in this prayer
To me you are Golden and perfect and Healing
Shine upon your children please
Growing up is so hard to do sometimes

— Christine

[Requires sunlight – Ideally should begin at dusk, so be ready if you wish to use this one! – You will need at least one object to be blessed, such as jewelry or a stone.]

*Hold out your object(s) toward the setting sun*

Apollon, Asklepios, please hear my prayer! I call to You in utmost sincerity! Grand Physicians, by whose authority are the arts of medicine practiced, be kind and generous in Your blessings, for there is one/are those in need of Your great skill!

[Individual’s name(s) and relation to yourself] lies infirm, and is desirous of Your Mastery over these arts! Please, bless the hands of the surgeons, technicians and nurses! Keep the minds of all involved medical staff sharp and ready for their sacred work! May all contingencies be planned for, and may none of them be necessary! And by Your grace, may all things occur as cleanly and safely as possible!

O Gods of Healing, shore up the strength of [Individual’s name(s)] body/bodies, and drive away infection! For Yours is the knowledge of the true arts of medicine, from herbs to the scalpel’s edge!

And finally, my Lords, I ask that You bless this/these [Name of object(s)] to be a comfort to [Individual’s name(s)], and for it/them to emit what power You have imbued! May it/they grant relief from pain, anxiety, fear, and all other ills!

Now, on behalf of [Individual’s name(s)], I pour out these libations, as a sign of good will!

Apollon, Asklepios, I thank You, and bid You farewell!

— Columbine

Hail to You, Apollon, and welcome here to my home, where dwell my darling children, ever innocent to that which plagues me, their guardian. By Your grace, I would have them remain untouched by pain or illness, guarded by Your arrows which strike from afar.

Purifying Lord, do keep them close in Your heart, that You might grant them good health throughout the many days of their lives. May You keep them youthful in body and spirit, emotion and mind, and may any illness which lurks about them be destroyed, as sure as You bring ends to all profane things.

Let my children glow with strength of will and character, always by the grace of Your healing hands. O Paian, Masterful Physician, I beseech You to shower these, my children, in Your preventative medicine, keeping them from all harm.

If You would do this, Healer, many offerings shall You receive in my profound gratitude. Even now I pour libations to You, and with them also my love.

O Apollon, my Gracious Lord, I thank You for the blessings You have bestowed.

— Columbine

As surely as the sunlight decends upon the Earth, illuminating and nourishing all it touches, do Your healing powers reach those who are in need.

O Daphnephoros, the sweet scents of laurel and rosemary call You forth, and the soft sounds of ocean waves herald Your coming. Be present with us, Venerable One, who adore Your shining countenance.

We each have loved You in our own way, and we each have left savory offerings at Your feet. Remember us, O Lord, and attend to our fervent pleas.

Paian, the Great Healer who lifts us out of the darkness, we await Your grace and Your healing touch. For Yours is the power to cure the ills of men.

Katharsios, the Purifier, wash away that which pains us, so that our bodies may again house these troubled souls in comfort.

Be not distant, Pythios, for Your people need You, and are weary from the weight of this world. Until we may be shorn of the flesh, Yours is the power and the solace we seek.

Khrysáoros, with sword in hand, slice away the evils that exist within us. Let our minds be free. Let ours souls be pure. And let us always be worthy of Your attention.

Apollon, O Blessed Lord, hear our prayer, and be pleased to offer Your divine succor, that we might know peace and health and love.

For Your grace and blessings, Apollon, we offer these libations, and promise more upon fulfillment of our prayers. Please receive these in the spirit of kharis, and be joyfull, as we are joyfull in our honor of You.

Thank You, Lord, and Hail!

— Columbine

Sunweaver’s Ritual for Apollo’s Return (Theoxenia)

[ALL]
Hestia, who tends the holy house of the Lord Apollo, the far-shooter of Pytho, welcome to this house. May you, and may Zeus, the all-wise, draw near and bestow your blessings on this place and on all who enter in peace and goodwill.

[Leader]
The Temple at Delphi faced West, welcoming the coming night, the darkness of mystery and the freedom of letting go. That was the house of Dionysus then and this is the house of Dionysus now. We welcome him with an offering of wine.

[All]
Dionysos Lyaeus, hear our prayers,
Blessed is the son of Zeus and Semele
Who frees us from care, we offer this to you,
May we be blessed with your favor.

[libation]

[First]
These past few months, we have celebrated the blessings of Dionysos, feasted and reveled in freedom and good company. We lit candles in the moonless nights of the darkest month, reflecting our own divine light and in hope for peace and freedom for all people.

[Leader]
The Temple at Delphi also faced East, welcoming the light of the rising sun, the light of insight and order, the light of reason that makes civilization possible. That was the house of Apollo then and this is the house of Apollo now. We welcome him by lighting a candle in the East.

[Second]
In those days, the Pythia made and broke nations and kings with her words. She was blessed by Apollo, inspired through the pneuma that rose up from the Earth. The Temple is now broken and the pneuma no longer rises into her holy sanctuary, the adyton, but we offer this incense in thanks for that which Apollo will illuminate for us and in remembrance of the Oracle.

[light incense]

[All]
Phoebos Apollo, hear our prayers:
Blessed son of Leto, god of Prophets who sees afar
May I go forth this day with my eyes open,
To see each moment as it truly is
May all beings be well,
and may Apollo bring them to His light
And may we be blessed by all the Gods of Olympos

[Leader]
We have now come to the blessing of First Breakfast:

We give thanks to you, immortal Gods, for the bounty before us

[Next]
To Hestia for blessing the hearth

[Next]
To Zeus, who brings the rain

[Next]
To Apollo, the ripener

[Next]
To Demeter, for the fruits of the Earth

[Next]
And her priest, Triptolemos, who taught us to farm

[Next]
And to Dionysos, for the gift of grapes

[All]
May all the Gods and good spirits bless this meal and all who have gathered here!
So Say We All!