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| What follows is taken from Raven Grimassi's book 'Wiccan Mysteries'. It is a wonderful book that touches on all traditions. This is the Myth of the Descent of the Goddess (from 'Ways of the Strega') and Raven's commentary (condensed) on it. I have found this invaluable in understanding the Old Religion. | |
| <br><br><br> | |
| <I><h3> | |
| Dea, our Lady and Goddess, would solve all mysteries, even the mystery of Death. And so she journeyed to the Underworld in her boat, upon the Sacred River of Descent. Then it came to pass that she entered before the first of the seven gates to the Underworld. And the Guardian challenged her, demanding one of her garments for passage, for nothing may be received except that something is given in return. And at each of the gates the goddess was required to pay the price of passage, for the Guardians spoke to her: "Strip off your garments and set aside your jewels, for nothing may you bring with you into this our realm." | |
| <br><br> | |
| So Dea surrendered her jewels and her clothing to the Guardians, and was bound as all living must be who seek to enter the realm of Death and the Mighty Ones. At the first gate she gave over her scepter; at the second her crown; at the third her necklace; at the fourth her ring; at the fifth her girdle; at the sixth her sandals; and at the seventh her gown. Dea stood naked and was presented before Dis, and such was her beauty that he himself knelt as she entered. he laid his crown and his sword at her feet saying: "Blessed are your feet which have brought you down this path." Then he arose and said to Dea: "Stay with me I pray, and receive my touch upon your heart." | |
| <br><br> | |
| And Dea replied to Dis: "But I love you not, for why do you cause all the things that I love, and take delight in, to fade and die?" | |
| <br><br> | |
| "My Lady", replied Dis "it is age and fate against which you speak. I am helpless, for age causes all things to whither, but when men die at the end of their time, I give them rest, peace and strength. For a time they dwell with the Moon, and the spirits of the moon; then may they return to the realm of the living. But you are so lovely, and I ask you to return not, but abide with me here." | |
| <br><br> | |
| But she answered "No, for I do not love you." Then Dis said "If you refuse to embrace me, then you must kneel to death's scourge." The goddess answered him "If it is to be, then it is fate, and better so!" Dea knelt in submission before the hand of Death, and he scourged her with so tender a hand that she cried out "I know your pain, and the pain of love." | |
| <br><br> | |
| Dis raised her to her feet and said "Blessed are you, my Queen and my Lady." Then he gave her the five kisses of initiation, saying: "Only thus may you attain to knowledge and to joy." | |
| <br><br> | |
| And he taught her all of his mysteries, and he gave her the necklace which is the circle of rebirth. And she taught him her mysteries of the sacred cup which is the cauldron of rebirth. They loved and joined in union with each other, and for a time Dea dwelled in the realm of Dis. | |
| <br><br> | |
| For there are three mysteries in the life of Man which are: Sex, Birth and Death (and love controls them all). To fufill love, you must return again at the same time and place as those who loved before. And you must meet, recognize, remember and love them anew. But to be reborn you must die and be made ready for a new body. And to die you must be born, but without love you may not be born among your own. | |
| <br><br> | |
| But our Goddess is inclined to favor love, and joy and happiness. She guards and cherishes her hidden children in this life and the next. In death she reveals the way to her communion, and in life she teaches them the magic of the mystery of the Circle (which is set between the worlds of men and of the gods). | |
| </I></h3><br> | |
| From: 'Ways of the Strega' by Raven Grimassi | |
| <br><br><br> | |
| <h2>Raven's Commentary:</h2> | |
| <br><h3> | |
| As the Myth unfolds we encounter the theme of relinquishments, noted in the demand for payment by the Guardians at each gate. The seven gates are symbolic of the seven planes: The Ultimate Plane, The Divine Plane, The Spiritual Plane, The Mental Plane, The Astral Plane, The Elemental Plane and The Physical Plane. A surrendering of the Self in order to obtain enlightenment is an ancient theme. The items required by the Guardians each represent an isolating aspect of Consciousness. In this Myth is the bluprint for our own surrender to enlightenment, as seen in the drama of the Goddess. | |
| <br><br> | |
| At the first gate she relinquishes her scepter, which is a symbol of her personal power to extend outward over other things around her. The loss of such a state of Consciousness isolates one and brings the focus of the Universe directly upon his or her own existence. | |
| <br><br> | |
| The second gate requires her crown, symbolic of her authority. This may be seen in our own lives as a loss of status among our peers or within our community. | |
| <br><br> | |
| The third gate requires the necklace of the Goddess. This item is symbolic of her claim to personal value, her achievements and accomplishments. | |
| <br><br> | |
| At the fourth gate the Goddess removes her ring. The ring is symbolic of class level and personal labeling. In ancient times it signified membership in organizations, orders, lodges and various religious systems. To remove the ring is to stand alone without connection, association or definition. | |
| <br><br> | |
| The fifth gate requires the Goddess to relinquish her girdle. The girdle symbolizes social status and the personal facades we establish. To relinquish the girdle is to open the Self to examination. | |
| <br><br> | |
| At the sixth gate the Goddess removes her sandals. This represents the chosen path we walk or the politics we adhere to. We stand alone without personal agenda, self-direction or political position. Stripped of all our self-imposing limitations, we can only walk the way of our spirit. | |
| <br><br> | |
| At the seventh and last gate, the Goddess drops her gown as the final payment to the Guardians of the Portals. The gown is the mortal covering, the connection to linnear existance. | |
| <br><br> | |
| At this point in the Myth, the Goddess is brought to the Lord of the Underworld. He tempts her to remain with him and to embrace his realm of existance. This is the temptation to rest in slumber and avoid the labors of the day. The Goddess can end all strife and unite with her opposite, BUT on his terms. | |
| <br><br> | |
| The Goddess resists the Lord of the Underworld and protests against his role in the decline of life. Since she will not embrace him freely he compels her to accept his scourge. He teaches her that he is not responsible for decline and death; his is a role of comforting and transforming those who have crossed over. | |
| <br><br> | |
| Next the legend relates that the Lord and Lady reveal their respective mysteries to each other. The Goddess recieves the necklace of rebirth and the Dark Lord recieves the cauldron of rebirth. In the myth we are told that they love and become one. Here we find the achievement of Life and Death. No longer are they enemies, but equal participants in a cycle of renewal. | |
| <br><br> | |
| The legend continues with the Mystery Teaching concerning reincarnation. Here we are told that we must meet, recognize, remember and love anew. | |
| <br><br> | |
| The final passages of the legend address the issue of the enlightenment gained by the Goddess herself in the descent. To be one of her hidden children is to descend into the shadows and unite with her mythos. We will find that the magick whereby we become aligned to the Goddess resides between the worlds. The Circle of Magick on this plane is the ritual circle wherein we celebrate the wheel of the year and the Lunar rites. | |
| <br></h3> | |
| From 'Wiccan Mysteries' by Raven Grimassi | |
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| The material cited from 'Ways of the Strega' and 'Wiccan Mysteries' is protected by copyrights held by Raven Grimassi, and that permission to use any of it must be granted by the author. | |
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