That is an up to date encore put up from my previous years of campaigning for a distinct form of Feb. 14 festivity. Within the title of blessed Aphrodite, allow us to reclaim today of affection within the true spirit of celebration, honoring the divine reward of all love. All pleasure. Consensual unions solely, of each form. Warmest merriments and blessings to you! ~ Beth
O, Aphrodite! Heavenly, illustrious, laughter-loving queen, sea-born, night-loving, of terrible mien; artful, from whom Ananke first got here; producing, nightly, all-connecting dame. ‘Tis thine the world with concord to affix, for all issues spring from thee, O energy divine.
Orphic Hymn 55 to Aphrodite, composed someday between the third Century B.C.E. to 2nd C.E.
Felicitations and good needs to all, on this most historic day of Love!
Sure, I do know. The patriarchy calls it Valentine’s Day. However you see, for a few years, I’ve been campaigning to rethink whether or not we actually need to align today with a bunch of obscure martyred Christian monks named St. Valentine.
As an alternative of a day that’s steeped in our tradition’s fascination with loss of life, consumerism, conflicted sexuality, and tragic love, I want to rejoice the presents of highly effective Aphrodite, whose focus is on the life-affirming pleasure, sanctity, and pleasure of the erotic.
Pre-Christian Origins
The Parentalia, an eight-day Roman competition honoring lifeless ancestors, was celebrated at the moment. All temples have been closed, no marriages passed off, and authorities officers didn’t present their rank. Folks visited the graves of their dad and mom and different kin, bringing choices of milk, wine, honey, oil, and spring water.
Sundown tonight is the time that may have begun the portion of the Parentalia referred to as the Lupercal. This can be a day of fertility devoted to Juno-Lupa, the Goddess Juno within the guise of Mom She-wolf. In fact, Juno can also be thought-about the Roman model of Hera, Goddess of sensible counsel, love, and marriage.
Ladies’s pleas for kids have been granted by Her, which is how She could also be linked to the origins of Valentine’s Day. The customized of sending love notes might have originated from the apply of casting tons to attract the names of companions throughout these celebrations.
(Later the Church tried to abolish this apply, suggesting that the names of saints be substituted, however because the beloved, late Waverly Fitzgerald as soon as famous, unsurprisingly, it was not successful).
Celtic Parallels
Coincidentally (or maybe not), based on some interpretations of the Celtic calendar, right this moment can also be the holy day when Arianrhod was ordered to step over the magical truth-discerning wand of Her uncle, Math, to show Her virginity.
Some Neo-Pagans additionally rejoice today as the marriage between Danu, Mom of the Land and Cernnunos, God of Nature and the cycles of Life.
However as a result of today fell throughout such an vital and well-documented competition time for honoring the Greek Goddess of Love, for a few years I’ve referred to as for us to reclaim this vacation within the title of Aphrodite.
Historical past of the Love Goddess
There are various incarnations of this nice Olympian Goddess of enjoyment, pleasure, magnificence, love, and procreation. Her energy transcends tradition and time. She is named “Aphrodite Marina,” “Maiden of the Sea,” “Aphrodite Urania,” and easily the “Goddess of Love.” Her Roman id is Venus.
Though some of the well known of the Greek Goddesses, She most likely didn’t originate in Greece, however was initially a side of the Mom Goddess that got here from the ocean merchants of the japanese Mediterranean. Some students imagine that Aphrodite is a model of the older Goddess, Astarte.
In fact, Aphrodite is well-known for Her amorous affairs, which have been quite a few and quite spectacular, and resulted in lots of offspring, together with Her son, Eros. Her most notable lovers have been the Gods Ares, Dionysius, Hermes, Poseidon, and the mortal, Adonis.
Nevertheless, She was not typically regarded as a Mom Goddess by the Greeks. As an alternative, She was a vital consultant of the Maiden facet of the Triple Goddess.
Keep in mind, although, that the Maiden is not often an untouched virgin, and Venus Aphrodite is an apparent instance. As an alternative, this time period refers to the truth that She is free of ties to marriage or relationship, and isn’t depending on a lover or husband for Her energy, id, or safety.
The Golden One
Though Aphrodite is gorgeous, and beloved by all the Gods and Goddesses of Olympus (no small feat in itself!), She isn’t any wimp. She could be very critical about honoring the presents of affection and sexuality, and may be harsh in opposition to those that thwart the pure stream in all residing beings.
To punish Glaucus for refusing to let his mares breed, She brought on the mares to throw him from his chariot throughout a race, after which they ate him. Ethical of the story: don’t trifle with Aphrodite!
Typically referred to as “The Golden One,” She is worshiped with presents and ornaments of gold, which, like Her everlasting youth and wonder, by no means tarnish. Doves, snow geese, and lovebirds are additionally typically related to Her due to their light natures. She is a Goddess of flowers, as nicely.
The echoes of today for honoring love and the selecting of companions have remained in folks customs and celebrations for hundreds of years now, resembling these within the Center Ages, when folks believed that birds selected their mates on today.
In honor of the wedding of the birds, and for the favor of Aphrodite, you may want to set out particular treats for the birds on today. Or be part of the annual, worldwide Great Backyard Bird Count coming in just a few days.
In fact, any different methods you might want to rejoice today are solely restricted to your creativeness!
Rise for Freedom
Create the New Tradition
Right now particularly, allow us to reject the violent messages and grim subtexts of the Valentine martyrs. As an alternative, embracing the messages of mighty Aphrodite, I as soon as once more ask you be part of me within the One Billion Rising revolution.
Like most ladies, I’ve endured the bigotry, profanity, and even violence heaped on us, simply because we’re feminine. In reality, one in each three women and girls on this planet — one billion girls and ladies — will probably be raped or overwhelmed in her lifetime.
Since my observances started numerous years in the past through my web site, we now have had many highly effective breakthroughs. I give because of nice Aphrodite that our prayers, braveness, and struggles to alter the systemic abuse, assault, and shaming of women, girls, and gender-fluid persons are lastly being heard.
However we’re nonetheless up in opposition to an ongoing, more and more determined system of patriarchy, imperialism, capitalism, and racism in our world right this moment.
In a Heart for Illness Management report just released yesterday (Feb. 13, 2023), one in 5 teen ladies mentioned that they had skilled sexual violence previously 12 months. This is a rise of 20% since 2017, the primary 12 months the CDC began monitoring this measure.
As well as, a couple of in 10 feminine college students, about 14%, mentioned that they had been pressured to have intercourse, up 27% from 2019, marking a rise for the primary time for the reason that CDC has been monitoring this statistic.
“If you consider each 10 teen ladies that you understand, no less than one and probably extra has been raped, and that’s the highest stage we’ve ever seen,” mentioned Kathleen Ethier, director of the CDC’s Division of Adolescent and Faculty Well being, who mentioned the rise of sexual violence virtually definitely contributed to the evident spike of depressive signs. “We’re actually alarmed,” she mentioned.
This should not be disregarded. We’re rising up as a result of, prefer it or not, we’re engaged in a harmful, all-out battle for energy being fought over trans- and cisgender girls’s our bodies, in addition to the physique of our Mom Earth.
Taking Again Our Sovereignty
We can and should impact change. Educate your self as to who, each politically and in our client tradition, truly helps the causes that matter for us.
Unfold the phrase to your sisters and allies, be part of collectively in unity, and starve the facility of those that proceed to hurt us!
And collectively, with the 2023 program from One Billion Rising, allow us to rise for freedom and create a brand new tradition:
That’s the reason we do theater, write songs, poetry and dance.
That’s the reason we stand within the face of injustice and are simply.
That’s the reason name out the techniques that create insane inequality and we give extra.
That’s the reason we open the borders of our coronary heart when the state builds partitions, detention facilities and refugee camps.
That’s the reason we attain out to incorporate everybody in our circle of rising because the state creates additional and additional divisions between us…
One Billion Rising
Let’s expedite a profession change for the scum who’re gutting medical protection, overturning fundamental rights, stealing our assets, shredding public college cash in favor of elite, non-public enclaves, and who don’t have a clue about girls’s our bodies and ladies’s selection.
And sure, Marjorie, your social gathering has been making plans to destroy Medicare and Social Safety, irrespective of how loudly your lies echo by the halls of energy.
Whew. Sufficient of that!
Within the title of Aphrodite, this 12 months I once more declare:
Ladies’s our bodies are holy. We’re not ashamed. We is not going to conceal who we’re.
Our our bodies belong solely to us. We’re not commodities. Our sexuality is a divine reward and we share it solely when and with whom we please.
We’re sacred and have a proper to schooling and security. The entrenched tradition of tolerance for violence, misogyny, intimidation, and exploitation should change.
I counsel that we struggle again by obeying Aphrodite’s directive that we acknowledge as good and blessed the erotic forces inside ourselves and all of life. That we honor our our bodies and declare our energy to find out how our our bodies are handled.
After which resist and wage a struggle of affection in each manner that we are able to.
And daily, particularly on this celebratory day, strut your stuff, no matter your gender could also be, and be glad of your sacred sexuality! Get pleasure from today of lovely liberation and celebration.
Stay as if the Love in you issues.
All acts of affection and pleasure are Her rituals.
Blessings this Aphrodite’s Day.
