Tim Kavi's Essay Collection: More About Goddesses has NOW Been Published in Paperback!

 

Some of my most popular and highly visited columns on this blog have been my entries about various goddesses and goddess mythology from a variety of traditions. These have finally been collected in one read, along with some columns never before published for your reading pleasure.  Available as an eBook for quite some time, it has just NOW also been published in paperback! You can get a paperback edition of my essays: MORE ABOUT GODDESSES by clicking here. Happy reading and just in time for any Holiday reading and learning!  Thanks for supporting my work!~~TK

More About Goddesses: Demeter, Greek Goddess (New Essay)

More About Goddesses: Demeter, Greek Goddess (New Essay)

by Tim Kavi

Demeter is known as the Greek goddess of the harvest and fertility. She is known as a goddess of origin, divine order and giver of food. She is also frequently associated with ruling over unwritten law, the law of nature which defines agriculture and civilized society. This can be implied that she helps to control the cycle of life and death, though not all interpretations of the myth of Demeter include this interpretation. Much of the association with Demeter and life and death stems from the myth of her daughter, Persephone who is featured along with Demeter in the Eleusinian mysteries.

The religious writing around Demeter shows her as taking on a variety of different religious functions.  In ancient history, many worshiped her as the “mother earth” or the Great Goddess who oversees the function of agriculture. Many harvesters would worship her, hoping that Demeter would offer her blessing for the work that they completed. Some areas of Greece have found earlier descriptions of Demeter acting as a poppy goddess with the belief that she was responsible for bringing poppies to Eleusis in Crete.

Demeter’s daughter Persephone was said to have been kidnapped by Hades who was looking for a queen to rule beside him in the underworld. Upon realizing that her daughter had been taken, Demeter fell into a deep sense of grief, causing all life on earth to begin dying. To prevent extinction, Zeus sent Hermes to return Persephone to her mother. To prevent this, Hades tricked Persephone into eating a pomegranate which bound her to the underworld. It was agreed that Persephone would spend a third of the year with Hades in the underworld and the remaining time on earth with her mother. This corresponds to the changing of the seasons. As Persephone leaves to perform her duties in the underworld, Demeter falls sad and life dies away in the winter months.

There were several cults that honor Demeter throughout Greece, Sicily and Crete. The ancient cult of Amphictyony on the coast of Thessaly was one of the most well-known of these cults. There is also the festival of Demeter of Mysia. This festival lasts for seven days and passes the shrine to Demeter as the parade moves from Mycenae to Argos. Only a few ancient texts describing this festival have been found so it is unclear how the deity was honored during the festivities.

Another interetsing fact about Demeter as she is presented in mythology (Demeter, who was also known in other terms as 'Ceres') is that she  never wanted to make her abode with other goddesses on Olympus. Rather, she wanted to be down to Earth and abide with her followers and those close to her, in her own temples, as a goddess with them.--TK

The image above is artwork from the work of a contemporary and interesting artist; Howard David Johnson --who draws goddesses, beautiful women, and mythological figures. ~~TK

lovely and beautiful (new poem)

lovely and beautiful

by Tim Kavi

lovely and beautiful

your smile lights the world

where on twisted pathways

the foot of this admirer has trod

until at last

lit by your pretty essence

home has been found

love has been found

forever reflected

in your lovely smiling grace.

poets' afterword:  the photo is of the Greek goddess, the smiling Athena. She is found at the Aphaia Temple at Aegina. She is the tallest representation over all the goddesses depicted in the excavations.  Has a goddess like this ever graced your life?  Hope you tell her so today.~~TK

More About Goddesses: Nike, the Greek Goddess of Victory

More About Goddesses: Nike, The Greek Goddess of Victory

by Tim Kavi

This goddess may be referred to as the winged goddess Victory or Nike in the Greek tradition, or as Victoria in Roman legends. She personifies victory, speed and strength and acts as one of the dominant deities of the panthenon. Victory is also commonly shown as the goddess which oversees battle or peaceful competition. She is commonly shown on Greek coins and artwork that often depicts her with her hand outstretched toward the statue of Athena within the Parthenon. She may be shown with a palm branch, torch or sash, and will frequently wear golden sandals.

In most cases she is depicted with wings and as a close companion to Zeus and Athena. Her wings are typically considered to be those of a swan, though some depictions also show her with eagle wings as Victory was known to tend to eagles. In some cases she is shown with a staff, wreath of victory or riding in her chariot. Nike has no spouse or children. She is always depicted as being quite fit, and tends to be noted for her skills as a charioteer, and swiftness when in flight or running. In some cases she is considered to help with courting, love or childbirth.

Nike was born of Styx and the titan Pallas, though some legends refer to her father as Ares, the God of War. She is the sister of Zelus, Bia and Kratos which represent, zeal, force and strength respectively. Legend has it that Styx brought Nike to Zeus when Zeus was calling for allies to fight in the Titan War, in spite of the fact that Nike was in fact half Titan. She is most commonly depicted as participating in the battle of Titanomachy.

During this battle Victory flew across the battlefields, rewarding any responsible for victory with fame and glory. This is also considered to be her weakness as Nike is rather inconsistent about awarding victory to those who worship her. She was appointed to be the charioteer with her siblings acting as sentinels by the throne of the gods. Aside from such legends, Victory does not have much mythology to call her own.

Sites of Worship and Statues

One of the most well-known statues of Nike was located on the island of Aegean in Greece. This statue is known as Nike of Samothrace, which is now held in the Louvre in Paris. She is also shown many times in the Acropolis in Athens. While the Parthenon in this area is dedicated to Athena who provides skill and wisdom during war, there are many references to Nike here as these goddesses are considered to be close friends. Nike is considered to preside over the temple of the acropolis in Megara.

Victory’s Role Today

Victory or Nike is often depicted on logos and awards including Nike, Inc., the Victory Metal from World War II and the Rolls-Royce logo. But perhaps she is most important to women. She represents a strong female character that ever faithful to her friends, who was both capable of standing alongside her counterparts and rewarding their actions which she finds favorable.

This essay (along with others) is included in my latest essay collection: More About Goddesses! (which you can purchase in the left margin of this blog!)`--TK

More About Goddesses: The Greek Goddess Hera

More about Goddesses: The Greek Goddess Hera

by Tim Kavi

Hera acts as the reigning queen of the gods in Greek mythology due to her role as Zeus’s wife. (Her counterpart is the Roman Goddess Juno). Hera also acts as the goddess of marriage and childbirth. Because Zeus is also the god of philanderers, their natures would frequently clash. This has led to Hera being depicted as a quarrelsome and jealous goddess that can be a force to be reckoned with. In spite of her place as Zeus’s bride, the worship of Hera is actually much older than that of her husband, stemming back to the days when the Greeks believed that any single entity associated with divinity must take the form of a woman. Her role is believed to have changed when the male’s role in procreation became more understood, leading to Hera’s worship as a mother figure rather than an all-encompassing deity.

Much of Hera’s jealousy was directed toward women that Zeus seduced or had affairs with, though one of the most common legends associated with Hera is her jealousy toward the hero Hercules. This jealousy stemmed from the fact that Zeus fathered Hercules with the mortal Alcmene, a mortal. Hera went as far as to send snakes to kill Hercules when he was a baby. She also stirred the Amazons against him while he was on a quest.

Another famous legend associated with Hera has to do with the judgment of Paris. At the wedding between Peleus and Thetis (the later parents of Achilles) many gods and goddesses were invited to the ceremony. Eris, the goddess of discord, threw a golden apple among some of the goddesses, and only the fairest was to own the apple. Since Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite claimed to be the most beautiful goddess, a decision had to be made as to which goddess should own the apple. The goddesses brought the question before Zeus, but Zeus was wise enough to leave the choice of who was the most beautiful up to Paris, a Trojan prince. So the three Goddesses, Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite came before Paris, but he could not decide. Finally, each of them offered Paris a gift to try to persuade him. It is said that Athena offered him great fame and glory in battle, Hera offered him control over all of Asia and Europe, and Aphrodite offered him the most beautiful mortal woman in the world. Because of this he chose Aphrodite, which absolutely enraged the other two goddesses, especially Hera. Of course, the most beautiful woman in the world at that time was Helen of Troy who was already married to the King of Sparta. So after the abduction of Helen by Paris, there was a great war (partially stirred up by the jealous goddesses); and this was called the Trojan war.

There is some debate surrounding Hera’s familial roles. Some origin stories depict Hera’s parents as the Titans Rhea and Cronos, making her Zeus’s sister. Given these close family ties, there is some debate on whether or not Zeus and Hera produced children together. Hera is known as the lone parent of Hephaestus. Ares and Hebe are often depicted as the children of Zeus and Hera, but in some traditions Ares is seen to have been conceived from a flower in the field of Olenus and Hebe fathered by a lettuce. These tales may have been invented to avoid adding scandal to Hera’s myth.

In any regard, the Greek goddess Hera is a major part of goddess mythologies and motifs. She is not only a fierce mother image, but also that of the fierce, powerful wife, and symbolizes both a wifely devotion towards her husband, and respect for the protection of marriage.

Athena's Laurel Calls My Journeyed Soul (New Poem)

Athena's Laurel Calls My Journeyed Soul
by Tim Kavi

oh I didn't know you were close to me
I thought it was just the stardust
or the whispering sea
I can see you still talk to me

across the history
glimpsing you
I thought I saw
a memory

there is only
the laurel leaves
scattered by the wind
where Owl watches over me

that is where the gentle
sounds of our love misgiven
led to bad steps
and misplaced heaven
the day the winged bird
took you away from me

I began the mountainous climb
a journey to the sacred heart
longing left me famished
my song carried no more rhyme

spirits were broken
the people were wandering
in the valley below
the shepherds were themselves lost
the leaders blinded by the dark
and the prisoners remained chained
against the rock

only the annointed ones
dare come up here
olive oil burns not only the lamp
but annoints my forehead

I cry out like a madman
there is no one to hear me
it echoes against the rocks
where lumber is free
from too many shipwrecks
skeletal hands clutching for
your Grecian shore

I try to find you
but in the darkness
you are not found anymore

what greatness is this?
your temples once majestic
lined a path upwards
up high to a cloudy
celestial throne
where once you blew me a kiss!

How did I know that kiss
was a good bye kiss
to me and the world?

now there is only ruin
return to Your Greatness
perhaps men will yet invoke
your name
rebuilding temples won't be the same

but there is still power
in the virtues
of your name

oh a calling
a certain shrill
breaks the night
and my stubborn will

I will climb up higher
I will look for you
and I will kiss you again
and again

can you imagine
how much I missed you?
your glory as a woman
is everywhere
yet the priests stop and stare
but in your Goddess face
is only the visitations
of everlasting grace

your look is on them too
that woman just killed
the male shame
of violence
makes me want to jump
off this hill

hear the words
priests too
the hour is late
there is much to do
respect Athena
and all her sisters
or tales of woe
will never be few

I will burn my skin
and twist my robe
pluck hairs from my head
pray pray pray
until the truth be said

stop my sisters'
blood running red!
Athena has now said!

so here I sit all night
your tears watered
pools at my feet
I can only bow my head and worship
Goddess come back
we are so sorry that some have hurt you

wear your laurel wreath again
entreaty forgive our sin
you think you bad ones can easily make right
but your weapons
and hate
and violence
must go away...

for Athena comes
in sacred flight.

More About Goddesses: Aphrodite and the Story of Eros and Psyche (new column) (Tim Kavi's VALENTINES BE MINE FOR NINE: Posting 9)

Aphrodite observes Eros & Psyche (classical view)

More about Goddesses: Aphrodite and the Story of Eros and Psyche 
by Tim Kavi

Aphrodite is often hailed as the goddess of beauty, love, procreation and pleasure. She is also hailed as the protector of sailors as she was born from the sea foam. Aphrodite is the daughter of Zeus and Dione, making her one of the most vital goddesses in Greek mythology.

Given her nature, Aphrodite is a very personal and intimate goddess, invading the secret places of her followers and remaining close to those that are loyal to her. She can easily bring about a feeling of wonder and magic, particularly encouraging a natural feminine power, but Aphrodite is also capable of deceiving the heart when exalting the sensuality of a couple’s union as she sees fit.

The nature of Aphrodite and her ability to manipulate the magical or deceptive side of sensuality is noted in her son Eros’s union with Psyche. Eros is the god of passionate sexual love while Psyche was a princess that was so beautiful that many treated her like a goddess. Some would even make sacrifices or perform symbolic gestures in her name, which caused much jealousy among the other goddesses, particularly Aphrodite.

In her jealousy, Aphrodite sent her son Eros to put a spell on Psyche, making her fall in love with the ugliest man on the Earth. When Eros arrived, he was so stunned by Psyche’s beauty that he accidentally pricked himself with one of his magical arrows, falling in love with her instantly. Feeling guilty for his deeds, Eros worked to undo the spell and then left. Enraged that her son could not manage this deed, Aphrodite cast a similar spell to seal Psyche’s fate.

Concerned that their daughter would marry a monster, they summoned the Fates. They told her parents to take her to a mountain to leave her for her beastly betrothed. Her parents eventually obliged, and Psyche was left on the mountain in her sorrow. Seeing her tears, Zephyr the West Wind took her away to a lush forest in the valley below. Here she wandered until she found a palace with invisible servants and an invisible lover that would care for her.

Psyche was welcome to enjoy these benefits so long as she only united with her lover in darkness. After much time together, Psyche could no longer manage her curiosity and lit a candle to see her lover, Eros. Hurt by her suspicions, Eros flew away. Psyche’s suspicions show the conscience’s unwillingness to live with a relationship surrounded in darkness. Given this impossible task, Psyche appealed to Aphrodite asking to be reunited with Eros with no conditions.

Aphrodite conceded, provided Psyche enter the underworld and place a drop of Persephone’s beauty in a box. Persephone is known as the beauty of the depths because she was taken down to the Underworld to be the bride of Hades. Determined to be reunited with her lover, Psyche completed this final task, achieving a state where the dark anonymity of her previous love and the divine, personal aspects of love could merge.

Eros and Psyche were given one of few wedding ceremonies given in the presence of all the gods on Olympus. The gods celebrated this new union with a great feast that celebrated the union of the soul, and Eros, the representation of sexual love. At this blessed union, Aphrodite danced in celebration.

Poet's Afterword:  Appropriate for Valentine's Day, today's blog celebrates the balanced love of Psyche and Eros (aka Cupid) --the love that came to light in complete openness and blissful reunion.  A love that Aphrodite and the enitre Greek pantheon celebrated. This concludes the First Annual VALENTINES BE MINE FOR NINE daily blogging celebration leading up to Valentine's Day.  However, there will be a special Valentine's Day poem posted tomorrow. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY to all of my readers--may your lives be filled with love and loving others.My writings and love poems are always an encouragement to love--for life is just too short for anything else.~~TK

If you liked this column you will like my eBook Collection, More About Goddesses, even more! You can order it here! Also, don't forget it's simple to view a Kindle ebook on any device with an App (or even in a web browser), the FREE apps for doing so are here.  My kids and I appreciate the support, you see, they need me home, and I'm trying to get there!  Thanks!~~TK

Tim Kavi Starts New Year with Latest Publication

My Latest Publication
by Tim Kavi

Hello, All!  First of all, a very Happy New Year to each and every one of you!  I hope that your New Year brings you health, prosperity, and happiness!

My New Year began less conspicuously than I imagined with the publication of Athena: Queen of the Air by John Ruskin, on January 1,2013 from TiLu Press. This work, an updated and annotated version from an 1869 work, includes new material for modern readers who are interested in Greek mythology, mythology, or Goddess themes and motifs.  In particular, the book talks about the Goddess Athena in great detail.  My essay about Athena is one of the three forewords in the 2013 edition of this book. I am honored by the inclusion.

My essay: 'Athena: Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War' was one of my blog entries here last May. You can click here to read it.  I suppose this amounts to a disclosure, as my foreword (only one of three in the book) is reprinted with my permission for the book. I assure you that there is much more in this book that makes it worthwhile to read if you are a fan of goddesses, Greek Art and Mythology, mythology, and art criticism in general.  I really hope readers of both works (my blog and the book) don't mind this fact that my Foreword is published in both places.  To me, it is simply about getting the message out to as many readers as possible.

I enjoyed reading this eBook, and if you're interested in Goddesses too, I think you'll enjoy it just like I did! I certainly learned a lot about Athena that I never knew before!  The book also contains an introduction that covers much background about John Ruskin, Athena, Ruskin's Athena and information about the 2013 edition.  Other new annotated material (never before published anywhere) includes an original essay on Athena by Kelli M. Webert titled: 'Athena: Queen of the Air and Breath of Inspiration' and finally, a chapter titled:  'A Brief Literary Biography of John Ruskin'.

Overall, the book 'Athena: Queen of the Air' is an interesting work of Greek Mythology and art criticism that discusses the Goddess Athena in great detail. I hope you will enjoy it!

From the Book Blurb:

"Very thorough, and inspiring, Ruskin, ever the Victorian Age's greatest art critic, utters praise to Athena, and in doing so, speaks some of the most poetic words ever used in English to describe the goddess."--Tim Kavi, Poet

"And so the Spirit of the Air is put into, and upon, this created form; and it becomes, through twenty centuries, the symbol of divine help, descending, as the Fire, to speak, but as the Dove, to bless."---John Ruskin

Currently Available as a Kindle and Kindle Apps Edition--by clicking here.

THANKS! ~~TK