Poppy Flower

Poppies are one of the most attractive wild flowers in the nature. With their soft gracious chalices, paper-like – they are waving with every blow of the wind. They are honored from the poets and writers, due to many qualities and symbol meanings.

Poppies are known even in ancient medicine, because they contain little dozes of codeine, which makes them pain-relieving.

We meet them in many colors – crimson red, vivid orange, yellow and pure white.

The most important symbols of poppies are:

~ dreams, peace, inner balance

~ recovery and sleep

~ comfort in death

~ imagination

~ signs and visions in a dream

~ Resurrection and eternal life

~ loving memory for someone lost

All kind of poppies have the scientific Latin name “Papaver” , based on the Latin word for milk “pappa”, due to the white sap which appears from cut of the poppy`s stem. Some of the most widely spread kinds for gardening are Oriental poppies (Pappaver Orientale); They are not capricious flower, require dry soil and require little watering. They can be used in medicine, for the well known poppy seeds, important ingredient in the kitchen, (its used also for making tea) and for landscaping.  It`s a great flower for drawings, decorating home or a villa in the mountain.

Legends ~

According to Greek legend Poppy was created by Somnus, the God of sleep and rest, to help Ceres (the corn goddess) who was exhausted by the search of her lost daughter and she couldn`t make the corn grow. The poppies soothed her to sleep, when she rested the corn grew again, the trees blossomed, giving rise to the belief that poppies were essential to grow corn. Demeter (Ceres) the legends says, created the poppy to get some sleep after the loss of her daugther Persephone. The twin brothers Hypnos and Tanathos (Sleep and Death) were presented as crowned with poppies or carrying poppies in their hands. Obviously the Greek were aware of the fact, that a merciful sleep induced by opium can lead to death. 

More About ~ 

Poppies come from the Greek word "rhoeas" meaning "red". Papaver is the Latin word derived from "pap" - the opium milky juice. Oriental poppies contain opium which has been used for centuries. The corn poppy does not contain opium. 

Poppies were found in Egyptian tombs dating back 3,000 years. According to the Romans the poppy could heal a love wound and they used it for witchcarft. The ancient Greeks used poppies as a love charm and though that they were sign of fertility and brought health and strength, so Greek athletes were given mixtures of poppy seed, honey and wine. 

..I hope you enjoyed my article about poppies, feel free to share it or add your comment below! thank you.

[ nina Lea-nura * ]

Rhiannon -I

In this article I`ll give some short points on who was Rhiannon, her legends, her appearance, magical abilities and sacred symbols. (total pages -6)

     I. Who was Rhiannon?

    She was an old Celtic goddess, connected with moon energy, earth, fertility, birds songs, magic, wind, herbs, trees, seasons. She is symbol of feminine sovereign power and abilities to defend her own freedom, to stand for her values. She has incorporated also the two aspects – of earth goddess of day (riding white horse) and ruling over Moon. She was connected with goddess Rigantona and Epona. Her name was probably derived from “rhiain” [ maiden ] and Annwon [ meaning in Welsh Otherworld ] She was named “Great Queen”, or “Queen of fairies”.

Rhiannon and Pawyl ~

One day prince Pawyl [ closely to the name Paul, Pooul ] was playing with his companions in the beautiful green grass mound of Tors, in a forest near to his castle. This mound was claimed to be magical place, full of spirits and ghosts, so people avoided to step there. It was thought, that people who stood in such place would become enchanted from fairies. That didn’t stop the prince to enjoy that place in his horse.

Suddenly Pawyl noticed from far away lovely young girl, riding on white horse and dressed in glittering golden robe. He thought this is phantom and not real, so he started chasing her. Avoiding the recommendations of his friends to not follow her, the brave man rode fast behind her, but Rhiannon was swift as the wind, so no one could catch her. Finally the mesmerized prince took the fastest horse, but still he didn’t succeed to come very close to mysterious maiden. She soon disappeared from look. The next day the restless prince returned to the same mound in search of the woman on white horse. She appeared and was fast riding her horse with speed of arrow, hardly touching the ground. But whatever efforts he made to ride faster his horse, the distance between them remained the same. Finally exhausted, the prince stopped his horse and called on Rhiannon to wait. She stopped and waited him surprisingly.

She said to him, it would have been much easier and more kind of him to just call on her, instead of chasing her horse.

She admitted her love for him, astonished and happy, the prince wanted to take her quickly to his castle. It is never so easy to marry a goddess –they had to wait one more year, before being able to be united.

One year later ~

Rhiannon appeared as before in the place of magical mound, on her white horse. Pawyl was expecting her, so he rode after her in the deep woods. The trees welcomed them, whispering with language of birds and wind. The branches of trees parted to open the way in front of him. The goddess led him to the magnificent palace of her father, surrounded by a lake. The castle was divine and was build of special silvery crystal, going high into heavens. She was not allowed at first to marry a mortal man, but she defended her willing in front of gods and her father. So she had success and finally married the prince Pawyl with lavish festivals.

Now, as she made her choice to stay with the mortal people on earth, she could never return again to her heavenly castle of gods.

Back to the earth kingdom ~

They went back as wedding couple to the palace of the prince, through the tick magical forest. People admired her for her beautiful face, mystic eyes and amazing singing. Two years then went away without Rhiannon to be able of giving birth and secure the throne with heir. On the third year she delivered a healthy baby, a son. Sadly he became also source of big sadness for the kings family.

Misfortune ~

One day all the six servants who took care of the little infant, fall asleep. When they woke up, they found the cradle empty, so they started to be afraid of hard punishment for the missing baby. The made a horrific plan to accuse the beautiful Rhiannon of hard crime against her own child. They killed a puppy and smeared some of its blood on face of sleeping goddess, scattering little bones around her bed. She was blamed of gravious sin of eating her child.

The Punishment ~

The story tells of amazing harsh punishment on the innocent Rhiannon. She had to stay seven years outside of the castle, with a heavy horse collar on her neck, and her task was to tell her story (about eaten child) to anyone who visited the castle in any time. Moreover she had the humiliation to carry the man on her own back to the castle. This was her symbolical transformation as a horse. Rhiannon endured for long years this punishment with acceptance of her fate.

Rhiannon visualization (appearance) ~

She can be visualized with dark brown waving hair and blue eyes. Dressed in white long gown with golden glittering stars on it. She has bracelet of red crystals. Her hair is decorated with red flower – rose or peony. Sometimes she is seen with golden star on her head pendant on the fore head. She is swift and has the ability to disappear and to fly. You can see her surrounded by animals – specially birds, and horses. Sometimes riding white horse.

Magical symbols (attributes) of Rhiannon ~

Element – wind, air, clouds, middle earth

Direction – west, north

Incense – sandalwood, myrrh, rose, geranium, cedar wood

Flowers – rose, rosehips, daffodils, cedar, pine (all herbs), sage

Geometry form – circle, sphere, sphere with rose

Crown – head wear with golden star (pentagram); roses, peony

Sacred sign – pentagram in a circle (golden), rose in sphere

Planets – Neptune, Saturn, Venus

Minerals – lapis lazuli, blue topaz, turquoise, blue moonstone, bloodstone

Other names – Divine Queen, queen of fairies, lady of birds. Lady of Wind

angelic color – dark blue, dark green, turquoise

earth color – garnet red, golden

Birds – hummingbirds, dove

Working with Rhiannon includes magical rituals for binding of wind, cloak of invisibility, time freezing, ability to see beyond the veil, herbal potions. Moon phase – waning, fig tree, blossoming trees, blue butterflies. 

...I hope you enjoyed my article, feel free to share it and add your comment below! thank you. 

References ~ 

~ Rhiannon - sacred wicca

~ Rhiannon -journeying to the goddess 

~ Rhiannon - crystal wind ca 

[ nina Lea-nura * ]

Isis - Aset

   One of the most famous, sacred and discussed Goddesses in Ancient Egypt – Isis; she was personification of feminine energy, motherhood, moon, magic, fertility, love, healing. Isis took many aspects and roles of the main goddesses before her – Maat, Hathor. She was related to similar foreign deities – Persephone, Athena, Cybele, Demeter.

Other names of Isis: Hesat, Eset, Unt, Urethekau, Aset, Aust, Eenohebis; Literary her name means “Queen of the Throne” – that’s why her common headdress was throne-like stair to heaven.

Isis husband and brother was the underworld God Osiris, they had one son – Horus. She was also sister of Set, the evil king, and Nephtys.

She was know for her many roles in any part of social life, and under world, to her were contributed many rituals, and she had immense power over all social groups in Egypt.

Her mother image was celebrated by showing her in statues as nursing her son Horus, or the pharaoh itself.

Many places of worship were dedicated to Isis, her images, carved, depicted and statues were large number. Probably the most famous temples of Isis were Behbeit el-Hagar and Philae.

temple in Philae ~

Depiction: As Goddess Isis was depicted often wearing special headdress of a vulture, as the bird is laying above head of Isis, her wings hanging down on both sides. Goddess has other attributes and signs: jeweled collar, papyrus scepter, an ankh in hand, long gown.

In some images she is depicted with the spread wings (associated with power of Maat –truth and justice); Sometimes she is wearing crown, instead of bird headdress – forming an empty throne –which symbolizes the power of her husband Osiris. Other crowns of Isis are: sun disk, and horns of Ram between sun disk.

Legends and myths ~

Osiris was the elder son of Geb and Nut, so he started to rule on Egypt. His evil brother Set was permeated by envy and wanted to destroy Osiris and take his place. Set made plan and one day of celebration he sealed Osiris in a coffin and threw him in the Nile. Isis was desperate and went searching for her beloved husband. He finally found him (dead) in a column of cedar in foreign land (all symbolic associations); took his body and went back to Egypt. Set found the coffin with Osiris body and tore him to 14 pieces, that spread around the world.

With the help of her sister Nephtys (goddess of darkness), Isis succeed to find 13 of all pieces. The last piece was swallowed by a monster from Nile river. Then Isis in her despair turned to wisdom of Toth (god of moon, magic, written word) – he thought her how to make a spell for Osiris and awaken his body shortly for life. She used wax in place of the missing piece of his body.

When Osiris came to life, she was so happy that the long gone lovers hugged each other in lovers hug. After that night, Isis conceived Horus.

Osiris went to the under world, and then Isis was left alone in the prison of her brother Set. Thoth helped her again to escape from him.

The legend says Isis traveled with her seven scorpions that had names: Tefen, Befen, Petet, Mestet, Mestetef, Thetet, Maatet.

They came to a village near to papyrus swamp. Then Isis found a house of rich woman, who lived nearby and asked her for shelter. The rich woman declined to accept her, as she didn’t recognize the goddess. Isis went further –to a house of very poor peasant woman, who welcomed her in her home. The seven scorpions were goddesses that were angry on the rich woman for being so inhospitable to Isis. Tefen came back to her house and stung her son and made fire in her house. Isis heard the grief of woman, and feeling her loss restored the dead son to life; then she was hiding with her son Horus, to whom she gave birth.

Angels associated with Isis power: Gabriel, Haniel

Isis adopted the son of her sister Nephtys (with Osiris – Anubis) as he was abandoned;

Symbols of Isis: sycamore tree (divinity, protection, strength), Was” scepter – long scepter with animal head in the end possessing magical power, Moon disk – symbol of her moon and magic deity.

Isis was one of the four protector gods of the dead, she was responsible of the liver holding canopic jar. (Liver associated with Solar Plexus chakra); Isis was known also as Aset (meaning “throne”) and the Lady of the Sycamore. Her priests had magical healing powers. She played central role in rituals of spells, love and healing.

Interesting is the fact, the even in the rule of Roman empire, Isis didn’t disappear, but was adopted by Romans with the name Stella Maris (star of the seas). One of the significant names of Isis was Ankhet (from ankh) –creator and giver of life on earth and in spiritual plane.

Magical symbols of Isis:

Crystal ~ Lapis Lazuli

Color ~ indigo blue

Number ~ seven, eight

Scent ~ lotus flower

Animal ~ cat

Flower ~ rose

Tree ~ fig, sycamore

Herb ~ sagebrush

Food ~ avocado

Affirmation: Light of Isis, make transformation of all levels in the world through the great art of magic and moon! 

[ nina Lea-nura * ]

1219 

Isis and her son Horus ~

Links: 

~ Isis article I 

~ Isis article II