Descending Night

So I have not taken the time to write in for a while I am sorry. However there is something that Nyx wanted me to write about and it sounds a bit strange but cleaning spring cleaning to be exact. I know that we are close to the Yule and you all must be thinking um spring is a long ways off (this is what I said to her myself it also turns out that on the same day another priestess of hers that is a close friend had a similar conversation with her) She was very adamant showing me visions of me happily cleaning my walls on a latter (because I have 10 foot ceilings) To this I responded but I don’t want to and it is far to early to be talking about spring cleaning it is winter. So her response to all this was you should want to; I want this tradition to be Incorporated into your life and your magical practice; you must make way for the new by removing the old. It will be easier when you move and you will feel better too. Um yeah sure I said.     To this she also added that I should enjoy doing it (I say you are asking a bit much… why?) Every task large or small is a celebration of the gift you have been given, joys and sorrow, turmoil, and toil, pain and pleasure all these are a celebration of the gift of life find comfort and joy in all that you do for you are alive and this is no small thing to scoff at, life is the most beautiful, joyous, mysterious, dance and you should enjoy every bit of it; you are alive and blessed. Then she expressed how she wanted me to write about this (saying well are you going to get a pen I am giving you good stuff here she does have a sense of humor very funny)   She said that in days of old people did this without fail; I assumed it was for more Hygienic reason than any other but she was very focused on me writing this and telling others that this is a tool to help rid themselves of not just the over clutter (physically) of the past but to mentally remove this over cluttered bit of our selves and help to make room for good things to come into our lives. We hold on to the past like a security blanket either by the things we keep or the people we have in our lives but all things big and small happen for a reason to help us grow. I can feel her smiling at my back … Please understand I am not preaching to anyone I am sharing because this advice was meant for me but she knows that so many of us do this that by sharing this I may be able to help another or bring about a better understanding of her in your own lives.

Blessings to all of you

have been fighting with the idea of what is Evil and what is good. I am learning how to become a medium this process has given rise to so  many fears deep within myself that  in some senses it  might  have thus far deprived me of a closeness to at least 2 of my patrons because of  their stigma  of evil and their association with what is viewed as evil. It is time for us to stop equating pagan gods with who is good and who is evil. This siding of good and evil is a bi-product of Judeo-Christan religions that more often than not becomes twisted because those who teach do not know the history behind what they teach.

Some of the most purist forms of paganism still exists in Africa there gods have the temperament of humans or the capacity to be kind or cruel (I am not saying that many pagans here in the states or in other parts of the world do not view their gods this way I am sure many individuals do however in recent months as I troll websites for information and struggle within myself to allay my fears I have seen especially from those who seem to be of a heathenism faith in their reference about Loki seen more and more gods equated with evil), Hyena (from Africa), and Coyote (from native America culture) share this “rambunctious” spirit causing mischief and sometimes death with what often in their myths appears to be reckless abandon.

However these beings that trick, bring strife, kill, or even in Loki’s case bring about the end of the world are not EVIL these beings are necessary for human growth and evolution we need to be tested to learn and grow. What I ask you would be the point of this existence if we had no challenges, no great struggle against something, no catalyst for these lessons?

Loki is a patron of mine as well… I know I know (he and Lucifer are friends what a big surprise there right) it was not by my choice I was told with some force that I was to take him by my spirit guide and you just don’t tell Yuki (my guide) no No one does. I didn’t trust him, he is evil I thought I don’t want to serve or deal with the god that brings forth the destruction of the world from not only his seed but his actions as well…he seeks it. 

Loki is not evil or cruel…he is funny, and selfish, impulsive, and cunning at the same time but evil no. You see what many seem to fail at seeing is the Norse gods are mortals plain and simple and as much as those who serve them do not want to see them harmed, and so equate the harmer  with evil, they too must die (just a lot slower than the rest of us); now that does not stop them from trying to scheme their way out of it (believe it or not Odin is the biggest schemer of them all and to the contrary of what people will say he will stop at nothing to win deception is not beneath him either) but Loki will never fail to put himself first (which means starting the war anyway in the hopes that it will be he that escapes death and becomes the ruler of the Aesir) therefor bringing about the new age that is described in Volupso.

I guess what i am trying to say here is that when learning to become closer to ourselves through paganism or Wicca we must learn that even fear is not what it seems it is scary to open your heart to a being the rest of the world may find evil, blasphemous, or down right imaginary. But when we begin to see that spirits not just deity, but many other manner of spirits as well are here to help us some have even put off going into “bliss” to help us on our journey do not fear them this can only be discribed as an act of love… love them back

This was said to me by a dragon named Calaest (Sa- lay- ist) during one of my channeling sessions when i asked how do i get past the fear (you see my normal method of communication is via a spirit board which has proven to be an invaluable tool it has served to verify notion I have had ewhere they were coming from, and have provided a deeper connection to deity for me… I have been hoping to move into trance work but the thought of allowing something to “take over” my body even if it is just enough to speak scares the crap outta me)   He said, “you must trust and accept that no harm will come.”

We are so quick to perceive harm even if all we are experiencing is growth.

Blessings to you all

This one may be short but I’ll add more as I think of it.  When I speak with Nyx she refers to Lucifer (Eosphorus) the Greek roman god of the morning and evening star (for which I have written a paper that helps to link him as being a few other gods on my Lucifer page go check it out if you want more information on him) as her other half  the light to her dark (being that she birthed him in a way I could see what she means). What does that truly mean he has never mentioned nor is there mention in any myth that where or have ever been an “item” however equal opposites however not opposing forces?

Nyx List of attributes (that I have gleaned so far)

Goddess of night

Goddess of beauty

Goddess of oracles

Goddess of the mysteries of sleep and death (to a certain extent she bore them and can use them to create wrath or peaceful sleep)

Stone associated with her Jet

Herb associated with her those that correspond with Venus and Copal Resin when making a loose incense for her however she has said she prefers the use of  herbs that correspond with ram or bull (you can find these by using the herbs that correspond with the astrological signs Aries and Taurus). The Bull and ram where often the common offering to gods I use candle dye to dye the incense black as black animals where offered to the gods who did not reside on mount Olympus.

Lucifer list of attributes (I have found so far this may be a combination of  others I have found to be him as well)

Morning and evening star (which is Venus  because he heads this star he shares many feminine in nature attributes)

Knowledge/ knowledge applied

Male desire (I think this is the want to do a thing)

beauty (he just likes things pretty)

Air (he is often known as the prince of Air)

Equality

Stone associated with Him amber

Herbs that correspond with him those that correspond with Venus and Dragon’s blood Resin  If you are interested in Lucifer please check out my page on him though it is not as well put together I will be adding recipes and more insights to his page as well.

For all my life I have “run away” from the idea of being feminine, dresses, make-up, and even being boy crazy never appealed to me. Though I grew up in a female dominated home, I felt that I was in a “man’s” world. Tom boy would have been the operative word for me.  At the age of 18 I went into the US military and became even more so an outsider a women wholly outnumbered at least 10 to one, but not a girly woman who wore makeup and desired sexual male attention (let us not be mistaken I wanted to be with men I just didn’t want to flaunt my goods to get them).  I felt that this type of woman was weak, small, and to be detested.

I am older now, yet this feeling this disconnect with other women has persisted, I didn’t want to be a “woman” (viewed as weak by men needing help because I was the weaker sex).  My patron from a very young age had been a woman Athena, though she (in my small view of her) was more androgynous in her nature, being a virgin untouched by man, a warrior (which I desperately identified with growing up in a dysfunctional and violent home), and wise which even in my young years I exhibited a “wisdom beyond my years” (I attribute this to the goddess herself). I didn’t know her a mother then but a protector, guide and woman to model myself after.

Now let’s fast forward to the lady Nyx, she is very feminine in her nature being a mother of many goddess of intuition, physicisism , beauty, and what seems to be all things feminine the kind of feminine that I detested. I didn’t quite want to be a girly girl for her.

Though I will say this revelation or epiph-tree beating is as recent as this morning I thought I would share. The goddess is complex just as we are my nature my person can be reflected in various goddesses. I am a mother, a lover, a wife, a caretaker, a student( of the mysteries as well as conventional means), a fighter, a teacher (of mysteries), I am strength (when my companions conduct tarot on my behalf I am always the strength card I feel I embody this aspect not just in tarot but in real life as well), I am submissive as well, I am sexy and should not be ashamed of that I am a woman. The goddess in her many faces is all these aspects of me and more, why then should I be ashamed of underlying aspects of myself (such as wearing dresses putting on makeup feeling sexy and the want to do so), in truth all this time I have been displaying woman hood  though I have been running from it I am and will always be woman, being feminine does not automatically classify you as a sex object nor is your femininity to be smothered, to truly celebrate the goddess and honor her in the way she deserves we must as women acknowledge the many sides of ourselves honor them and embrace them.

In coming to terms with and embracing this side of my woman hood I feel a deeper connect with both my female patrons. Even as I write this I smell roses (which is how the lady Nyx makes herself known to me).

Thank you Nyx.

I asked her why do you love poppy flowers so; (I am growing some in my garden, when I first saw them blooming a squealed with excitement I think she did too) to this she replied they convey so much emotion.

How does a flower convey emotion? She said; the orange ones mean life (I think this is why she asks for orange poppy seeds as an offering), the red ones mean death, the yellow ones mean birth, and the pink ones mean love.

I know there are other colors of poppy flowers, however these are the ones she mentioned.

She gave some advice or words of wisdom on another occasion that may give some insight into her working nature.

She said love yourself, you should never look in the mirror and feel disgusted no matter what you look like. It does not matter that you are not “ideal” (she said this “ideal” with a measure of disgust).

I am sadend that women are forced to feel that they should look a certain way love your gift, your body is a gift.

I am not a small woman by any means, nor do i take care of my body the way I should so I feel this was also her way of telling me that when I do not take care of myself I am desecrating a gift.

Some people feel that insights the gods give them should be personal, and I agree some should; however  we as a community are so small and worshippers of the same gods are smaller still; I feel in some ways it is our duty to share to a certain extent the insights of our patrons.  I find when i share some of the conversations I have with others who share the same patron I feel less… well crazy it in a small way confirms what I already feel that I am indeed having a connection with deity.

All Praise be to Nyx the goddess of night first daughter of chaos deity of many names, thank you for your kindness, love, and support.

I saw her in a dream

Her hair blue black with stars as if the night sky was her hair

Wings like a raven

And skin black not like that of a person like that of the deepest blackest night one where the moon hides and the stars refuse to shine this was the color of her skin

Her lips electric blue with dark overtones

Her garb was the color of the sky at dusk if I were a painter

I could only hope to capture the beauty I saw there

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.paleothea.com/./Pictures/NyxHypnos.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.paleothea.com/Gallery/NyxHypnos.html&usg=__KhDGJ_ZOj0yVj4VT10_SaYPD710=&h=601&w=700&sz=138&hl=en&start=2&tbnid=K2Aa9lfqT6Qo2M:&tbnh=120&tbnw=140&prev=/images%3Fq%3DNyx%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

Nyx (there are variations Nox, Nott, Nictha) goddess of night first daughter of chaos goddess who laid the primordial Egg that birthed Eros in the breast of Erebus

She is the goddess of Night, beauty, intuition, and Oracles.

Offerings to her may vary per person however from myself, husband, and a close friend she has asked for the same thing at first.

This is one of the closest pictures I have found of her

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.thaliatook.com/pix/nyx.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.thaliatook.com/AMGG/nyx.html&usg=__XOfQExRqLmGlLGiMFzH3ler6qMA=&h=360&w=243&sz=29&hl=en&start=10&tbnid=ULoZ988BjDMLfM:&tbnh=121&tbnw=82&prev=/images%3Fq%3DNyx%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

Fire and earth  

A black candle and poppy seeds she seems to be fond of the California (orange) poppy Organic if you can find them. If you can find the small candles and candle holders she is fond of the small candle holder that is blue with golden stars. My husband and I picked them up; then my close friend, without us mentioning that we had gotten them for Nyx, found the same one and was using it for her(she told me that when she saw it she could not leave without it).

She may or may not ask at a later date for a more substantial offering. When my husband first took her I got the feeling that she “wanted” him, then she spoke saying: I like my men lusty and I knew what she wanted (this may or may not be the case with other male followers and certainly you should not do it if you are uncomfortable however this is an accord struck between you and your patron). Then I took her on and asked if there was something of a similar nature she required of me to this she replied blood (the female kind of blood), as I have said before this is a personal choice though she gave the reason it strengthen her and that was all the reason I needed from her. 

This may seem strange and to be truthful to a point it is however; those who have experience with other gods know that an offering of blood or bodily fluids of some kind is not uncommon (Such as Kali and the Morrigan just to give some examples).  These offerings strength the god to whom they are offered with the person giving the offering as well as their abilities within our realm it is our belief and willingness to do as they request that gives them more power if we forget them or do not attend to them they will return to the source or cease to exist in that form.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/Nyx_Brygos_490BC.jpg/220px-Nyx_Brygos_490BC.jpg

In the short time I have been with her she has been helpful, kind, and eager to share information (offering up recipes and remedies for ridding myself of some unwanted house guests, ointments to remove negativity, methods to help strengthen the spirit, and ways to protect worn objects)

Her methods of communication vary but she seems to like communicating through dreams, and smells (she will often give me whiffs of flowers some I recognize and some I do not)

The best way to connect with her is through guided meditation here is one I use

I close my eyes then breathe three deep breathes then five deep breathes then three more all slowly feeling my stomach rise(this gets me in the mood).  Then I visualize myself walking along a path through a forest with low brush. The forest gives way to a field full of orange poppies. I feel the poppies on my hands they are soft and the smell fills my nose. The moon is full and I can see the field and the orange flowers are bathed in an eerie and beautiful light. I look up and it seems as if the sky begins to move. The beautiful goddess descends with wings like a raven I cross the field to her in awe we look at each other (I often see myself embracing her but in the very beginning this may feel awkward)I raise my right arm and place it upon my forehead in greeting, then we talk about everything anything when we have said all we must we part. I travel back the way I came

I like to record what we spoke about afterward you may find it helpful to do the same.

“Don’t be afraid of the Night I am here to bring you into the light”

Most depictions of this goddess are that of a pail skinned woman with dark hair and eyes however; when we examine her in the Norse creation myth she is described as a dark skinned woman with dark hair. This is how she first appeared to me I thought it might be to gain a better connection with me, appearing as someone who was more my flesh tone. I decided to do some digging as I often do to verify if my crazy is indeed showing and here is what I found. When following her trail from the Norse we can see her as Nott, then in Greece as Nyx however; in Babylon she is associated with the goddess Ishtar (along with the goddess Athena and Venus) if we follow Ishtar’s associations to the Egyption’s  Neith; she can be tracked to the northern African city of Carthage as Tanit. In Carthage she was a queen some scholars say the Romans chose her as the bases for  Juno sometimes calling her Virgo Caelestis. The Greeks associated Tanit with Aphrodite which lends a little more credence to my theory that Nyx, Athena and Venus or Aphrodite where once one goddess. The name Tanit translated in Egyptian means the land of Neith. Though further back this goddess is compared with Anat who is paired back to Ashtart or Ishtar. This is a winding path but as more is revealedto me I will pass it on and share with you. It is my strong belief that in reading the myths and legends of all of these goddesses we can begin to uncover the true nature of Nyx. Nyx has in the past had an amazingly far reaches (she has been it seems the night/sky/ celestial goddess for very many cultures). It is my hope to enable her to become as well know as she once was.

With explosion of neo-paganism and the return to the old ways many gods are claiming their followers more fiercely than ever this blog is designed to give some insight into the worship, likes, dislikes and nature of the goddess Nyx, Athena, and their beautiful kin Lucifer. I recognize that all gods and goddess deserve attention from their followers however; there is often little information about many of the old ones, and their worshippers practices have been lost in translation or, have little or no value in today’s world, though these gods still have a very valid place in our lives and hearts if we are willing to seek them with open arms and a little bit of ingenuity. It is my hope that I can share my experiences practices and knowledge of these gods in the hopes that their followers will have a larger knowledge base to pull from. Know you are not alone