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Tears of the Sun: Helios, the Heliades, and Other Ancient Greek Solar Myths
Today, on the Winter Solstice, I introduce you to the Greek gods of the Sun — the Titans who gave birth to the radiance of the celestial bodies and the prophetic wisdom that the Greeks believed came from their light. We also learn about the Sun’s connection to the Underworld, grief, and mourning, and meet the plants sacred to the Sun god Helios.
Cypress Trees Are Firebreaks?
As I was doing research for the Cypress materia mythica, I came across these articles…
Ancient Greek Fire Mythology
What stories do the ancient Greeks have to share with us about the power of flame? What Greek gods and myths have arisen from the ashes of their interaction with the element of Fire? And, of course, which plants, trees, and aspects of the Greek landscape are linked to those burning stories?
Giant Fennel
The Giant Fennel is a drought-tolerant herbaeous perennial growing as tall as 4.5 meters (15 feet). As a plant sacred to the ancient Greek Fire gods — Prometheus and Hephaestus — the Giant Fennel is a vessel of Fire, culture, and craft. When used by Dionysos and his retinue in the form of the sacred thyrsus, the Giant Fennel also becomes a rod or sacred axis for channeling divine revelation.
Do Greek Forests Need Wildfire?
In the summer of 2021, in two weeks alone, wildfires burned over 100,000 hectares of land across Greece, including the island of Evia, areas of Attica, the Peloponnese, and northern Greece. Wildfires of this magnitude seem to be, from the research I’ve been doing, completely avoidable. But are all wildfires "bad"?
Bay Laurel
Bay Laurel is an evergreen shrub or tree in the laurel family (Lauraceae) with dark green and smooth leaves, white-with-yellow flowers, and purple-black drupes. As an important tree for prophecy and divination, the Bay Laurel has a special relationship with the Pythia (Oracle of Delphi) and the Greek god Apollo; its leaves are burned to encourage visions or used in the casting of lots. Drought tolerant and aromatic, the leaves can also be woven into wreaths or dried and wrapped in incense bundles for everyday rituals and purifying ceremonies.
Smoke and Ash
This playlist deals with the theme of intentional self-destruction — the necessary sacrifices we make in order to let go, move on, and start over. But what's really left when we set Fire to the person we used to be? Will we truly arise like a phoenix? Or will we just be smoke and ash?
Fire Visions
To celebrate the Fire Season, a playlist for igniting the Inner Eye. Close your eyes and journey into your own Fire Cave. What kinds of dreams, plans, new worlds can you imagine? What sorts of things would you like to set aflame? To let go? Or to ignite into being?
Eclipsed
A playlist for when the Shadows of ourselves block out the Fire of Love, Acceptance and Creativity. Can we find the courage to Descend? To face our Shame, our Rage, our Sadness? Because a Dark Flame of Compassion always continues to burn — a secret Halo around our Hearts — even in the coldest of spaces.
