Small job breakthrough, Dionysos question and my gods
Several interesting things, but first and foremost some progress on the job front. Liz, whom I know from the grove and who has her own business buying and selling used books, had a computer crash not too long ago and needs help putting her entire inventory back on the computer, as well as an assistant at a book show. She won't be able to pay me much, while I didn't get an exact figure yet she said it might be about five dollars and hour under the table for the inventory and a flat fee of about thirty dollars for the book show, its more than I'm getting now and plus I'll now have fun skills and experience to put on job applications. I'll be able to say I've done data entry, sales, worked with books, etc. So, yea!
A while back the grove paid for Renee to take a class on Greek and Roman religion provided that she do a workshop on the subject at a later date and time. I've been recruited for help in that. So we're trying to think of what topics we want to cover. Correcting misconceptions about Greek religion for one, and I've requested we go over Dionysos and reasons why his worship is not just about getting completely shitfaced and partying all night long; I've heard him referenced like that a number of times since I've been around and it kind of sets my teeth on edge, since there is so much more to Dionysos than that.
But while Dionysos may have at least some small part to play in my life, I'm far from an expert on the matter (neither is Renee really). Since I know I have more than a few Dionysians on my friends list, if they have any advice as to how I should go about this and what sort of things I should bring up in the discussion. I'll be asking this around on a few lists in the next few days as well.
Another interesting things that happened tonight. After we get back from the grove and we're sitting around for a little while, Renee suddenly up and asks me, "Hey, do you have a fourth god?" I'm not entirely sure what she's talking about, and she tells me she's had a distinct impression more than a few times since I've been around that I have four gods hovering around me. So I think on that for another few minutes and all I can come up with is Aphrodite's repeated appearances in my life, showing up, disappearing again only to pop up once more as soon as I've convinced myself she's gone for good this time. And Renee kind of smacks herself in the forehead, and goes yes that is who it is.
Interesting. I do believe Renee's judgments and impressions can for the most part be trusted, especially when voicing something I've been half wondering myself off and on for quite a while now but haven't really discussed with her until now (the possibility of which hadn't even resurfaced until very recently). Could be I'm not entirely wrong and Aphrodite is here to stay in some capacity or other, however little sense that might make to me. She is one of Hermes' close associates, one of the things I began to noticed after branching out slightly from sole worship of Hermes is that all the gods who came into my practice (her, Dionysos, Persephone) all have some direct connection with Hermes, whether I knew it at the time or not. Its just one of those weird (non)coincidences I noticed shortly after accepting his patronage that reinforced for me I was on the right path.
The question for me I guess is, who exactly are these four. Hermes, definitely yes; Dionysos definitely proved to me he's interested in my existence after he got sick of my questioning it, he hasn't been too incredibly demanding on my time and energy, but I know he's around. Persephone I've included in my practice mostly because of how much her mythology has meant to me, it was a desire to celebrate that. In ritual the few times I've called to her, her presence has been very difficult for me to feel, I usually walk away with the mental understanding that yes she heard me and yes she was there, but it was so slight I couldn't really feel it the way I could with Hermes and Dionysos. I get the sense that she's more withdrawn, that she would take longer to get to know if I can ever get to know her at all. In other words I never got the great big stamp of approval from her that I did from the other two. Yes there was that tarot reading that suggested this trio of the ones I questioned, and the fact that there is a definite pattern there, but still you never know. While I still feel certain the third is Persephone, it could always be someone I haven't considered before.
I felt the need to ask and Renee told me that four is all she senses. Phew. I think I can deal with one patron and three divine acquaintances, anymore than that might be a bit more than I can handle. :-)
A while back the grove paid for Renee to take a class on Greek and Roman religion provided that she do a workshop on the subject at a later date and time. I've been recruited for help in that. So we're trying to think of what topics we want to cover. Correcting misconceptions about Greek religion for one, and I've requested we go over Dionysos and reasons why his worship is not just about getting completely shitfaced and partying all night long; I've heard him referenced like that a number of times since I've been around and it kind of sets my teeth on edge, since there is so much more to Dionysos than that.
But while Dionysos may have at least some small part to play in my life, I'm far from an expert on the matter (neither is Renee really). Since I know I have more than a few Dionysians on my friends list, if they have any advice as to how I should go about this and what sort of things I should bring up in the discussion. I'll be asking this around on a few lists in the next few days as well.
Another interesting things that happened tonight. After we get back from the grove and we're sitting around for a little while, Renee suddenly up and asks me, "Hey, do you have a fourth god?" I'm not entirely sure what she's talking about, and she tells me she's had a distinct impression more than a few times since I've been around that I have four gods hovering around me. So I think on that for another few minutes and all I can come up with is Aphrodite's repeated appearances in my life, showing up, disappearing again only to pop up once more as soon as I've convinced myself she's gone for good this time. And Renee kind of smacks herself in the forehead, and goes yes that is who it is.
Interesting. I do believe Renee's judgments and impressions can for the most part be trusted, especially when voicing something I've been half wondering myself off and on for quite a while now but haven't really discussed with her until now (the possibility of which hadn't even resurfaced until very recently). Could be I'm not entirely wrong and Aphrodite is here to stay in some capacity or other, however little sense that might make to me. She is one of Hermes' close associates, one of the things I began to noticed after branching out slightly from sole worship of Hermes is that all the gods who came into my practice (her, Dionysos, Persephone) all have some direct connection with Hermes, whether I knew it at the time or not. Its just one of those weird (non)coincidences I noticed shortly after accepting his patronage that reinforced for me I was on the right path.
The question for me I guess is, who exactly are these four. Hermes, definitely yes; Dionysos definitely proved to me he's interested in my existence after he got sick of my questioning it, he hasn't been too incredibly demanding on my time and energy, but I know he's around. Persephone I've included in my practice mostly because of how much her mythology has meant to me, it was a desire to celebrate that. In ritual the few times I've called to her, her presence has been very difficult for me to feel, I usually walk away with the mental understanding that yes she heard me and yes she was there, but it was so slight I couldn't really feel it the way I could with Hermes and Dionysos. I get the sense that she's more withdrawn, that she would take longer to get to know if I can ever get to know her at all. In other words I never got the great big stamp of approval from her that I did from the other two. Yes there was that tarot reading that suggested this trio of the ones I questioned, and the fact that there is a definite pattern there, but still you never know. While I still feel certain the third is Persephone, it could always be someone I haven't considered before.
I felt the need to ask and Renee told me that four is all she senses. Phew. I think I can deal with one patron and three divine acquaintances, anymore than that might be a bit more than I can handle. :-)