The Hymn to Demeter

With the coming of each spring we begin to feel the returning pulse of life all
around us. The earth and all that is living upon her is waking from a wintry
sleep and is bursting with life. As we walk outside and feel the chill of a
beautiful spring morning, look around at the spring flowers blooming, and listen
for the birds singing... something special happens to all of us. All of these
wonderful sensations have been felt by all of the Goddess's children throughout
time. Our ancestors celebrated the turning of the wheel and the coming of
spring with many stories and myths that reflect the importance of this time of
the year.

One of my personal favorites is the Homeric "Hymn to Demeter". The Homeric
"Hymn to Demeter" was originally an oral epic sung to the ancient audience
telling of the kidnapping of Persephone by Aidoneus or Hades. I would like to
share this myth with you and wish all of you a most wonderful and blessed
spring.

Mayfair Lightwind

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Many years ago, when the earth was not so old and the Goddesses and Gods walked
among mortals, the maiden Persephone, daughter of Demeter, gathered flowers in a
meadow. In the meadow there grew a beautiful narcissus. Because of it's great
beauty, Persephone approached the plant . When she reached out to pluck the
beautiful flower, the earth split asunder and Aidoneus, lord of the underworld,
came out and grabbed her. Persephone cried to her father Zeus and to her
mother Demeter... yet to no avail. The mountains echoed her cry and a great
pain struck Demeter as she heard her child crying.

Demeter sought out her daughter. She searched and searched, yet no one would
tell her what had happened to her daughter. Demeter, struck with grief, drank
neither ambrosia nor the sweetness of nectar for nine days. This was most
unusual, as it is the way of the Goddesses and Gods to drink ambrosia and
nectar. On the tenth day of her wandering Demeter met Hecate, who told her of
hearing the screams, but could not tell her who had taken Persephone. Demeter
said nothing but immediately searched out Helios, who sees the doings of all the
Gods and mortals.

Demeter questioned Helios and learned that Aidoneus had taken her daughter.
Helios then told Demeter that Zeus, father of Persephone, had allowed his
brother Aidoneus to take Persephone as his wife. He continued by telling
Demeter that she should be happy, as Aidoneus was a good husband and not an
unsuitable son-in-law. Demeter, already filled with grief, lamented all the more
for her daughter, and so she shrouded herself in clouds and left Olympus to
wander disguised among mortals.

In her wandering, Demeter came to the city of Eleusis and here she found refuge
with Queen Metaneria. While residing there, Demeter came to care greatly for
the prince Demophon. Desiring to bestow immortal life upon the child, each
night she hid him in the fire and fed him the nectar and ambrosia of the Gods.
When the queen found out what was going on she was very much frightened. At
that moment, the Goddess Demeter revealed herself in all her glory to the
mortals. She commanded that they should build a temple dedicated to her worship
and instructed them in the secret rituals for her worship.

Demeter stayed in her temple in Eleusis, away form the home of he Goddesses and
Gods, for many days as she mourned for her daughter. She caused this time to be
the most terrible and oppressive year for humans upon the nourishing earth.
Demeter allowed no seed to grow and the fields were plowed in vain. By these
deeds, she could have destroyed the mortal race and deprived the Goddesses and
Gods of the most glorious sacrifices. Zeus, fearing the loss of sacrifices,
sent many an ambassador to summon Demeter, yet she refused to return to Olympos.
Demeter told the ambassadors that she would not return to Olympos nor allow the
seeds of the earth to grow again until she saw her daughter.

When Zeus heard this, he sent Hermes to lead Persephone out of the underworld.
When Persephone learned that she would be returning to see her mother she was
overjoyed. However, before she left, Aidoneus gave her a pomegranate and bade
her to eat it. Persephone did so, not knowing that Aidoneus had worked magick
upon it so that if she ate of it she would be compelled to return to the
underworld. In light of this, Zeus decided that Persephone would spend one
third of the year with Aidoneus in the darkness of the underworld and the other
two thirds with her mother, Demeter.

As a result, each year Persephone returns to the underworld and Demeter mourns
for her daughter. All life that is upon the earth retreats and awaits the
return of Persephone. Each year we yearn, along with Demeter, for the return of
Persephone. As the time approaches, we all smell the air, listen for the birds
and look for the blooming flowers....

Blessed Be and Welcome Return Persephone!