Do you say Gesundheit or God Bless You when someone sneezes? Just how powerful is a sneeze? Ancient Polynesian mythology tells the story of just such a natural but unexpected event during the creation of mankind. At the beginning of time, the Lords of Light ruled the earth, sea, and heaven. Mankind did not yet… Continue reading Mythic Monday: The Divine Sneeze
Category: Mythic Monday
Mythology and folklore.
Mythic Monday: Naming Hercules
Why is Hercules named after his arch enemy? Connections empower our fascination with mythology. Hercules is the Roman form of the Greek hero, Heracles, son of Zeus and a mortal woman, Alcmene. According to traditional Greek myth, throughout much of his life Heracles suffered a relentless hounding from the goddess Hera. As the wife of… Continue reading Mythic Monday: Naming Hercules
Mythic Monday: Lughnasadh
Lughnasadh is a traditional Celtic celebration that falls on August 1. On the Wheel of the Year, it designates the midpoint between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox. Lughnasadh is one of four great festivals of ancient Ireland and Scotland. The others are Samhain (October 31), Imbolc (February 2), and Beltane (May 1). Each… Continue reading Mythic Monday: Lughnasadh
Mythic Monday: Cancer the Crab
The glory of Cancer the Crab shows that even a wrathful Hera can be soft hearted toward one of her trustworthy minions. Although the outcome was not in Hera’s favor, she bestowed eternal life on her faithful helper. The basic myth of the immortalized crab comes from the time of Hercules’ twelve labors. As the… Continue reading Mythic Monday: Cancer the Crab
Mythic Monday: Website Migration or Inanna’s Descent
If you think migrating your website doesn’t edge into the realm considered mythic, try it— bwahahaha <evil laugh>. Wanting more creative control, I took the plunge and went to a self-hosted service when my WordPress premium upgrade payment came due again. First, a lot of nervous research went into which host to select. I ended… Continue reading Mythic Monday: Website Migration or Inanna’s Descent
Mythic Monday: Wolf Mother Feronia
Feronia is the name used by the Romans for the great Wolf Mother of the Sabines. If you haven’t heard of the Sabines, they were a fascinating people prominent in central Italy prior to the ascendancy of Rome. They fought against the Romans in early Roman wars around 750 B.C.E. The legend states that half… Continue reading Mythic Monday: Wolf Mother Feronia
Mythic Monday: Gemini the Twins
Gemini stems from a Latin root word meaning twins or twinning. The myth surrounding the zodiacal constellation Gemini centers on twin brothers Castor and Pollux. Two men impregnated their mother Leda, the human king of Sparta and Zeus, the king of the gods. This bestowed immortality on Zeus’ son Pollux, while his brother Castor retained… Continue reading Mythic Monday: Gemini the Twins
Mythic Monday: Six Summer Solstice Celestials
Summer Solstice celebrates the time of the greatest light in the northern hemisphere. The day is the longest of the year and the beginning of summer. How interesting that with the hottest season starting, the length of days now decreases for the rest of the year, culminating in the Winter Solstice or the shortest day… Continue reading Mythic Monday: Six Summer Solstice Celestials
Mythic Monday: 6 Despicable Dads
Yesterday we celebrated the terrific fathers and the strong, loving men in our lives. Today we examine the flip side. The Greek myths are known for being violent and bloodthirsty. One doesn’t have to look too hard to find a number of atrocious fathers. For their dire deeds, they always got their comeuppance. Tantalus –… Continue reading Mythic Monday: 6 Despicable Dads
Mythic Monday: Taurus the Bull
In the cave of Lascaux is a depiction considered by some scholars to represent the constellation Taurus. It is, of course, in the shape of a bull. The bull has been honored since ancient times for magnificent strength and fertility. Taurus the Bull is an ancient and revered zodiac symbol. The ancient Sumerians worshiped a… Continue reading Mythic Monday: Taurus the Bull