Aloha Daughters of the Goddess,
The days are getting longer, but the temperature is still with a chill in the air. Our trees at the Temple are in full bloom with the potential of a glorious harvest later in the year. The bees are busily buzzing from bloom to bloom doing their special magic of fertilization. Isn’t She has blessed us with this beautiful planet and all of Her creatures, and aren’t we blessed to celebrate the cycles together.
Celebrate Nehalennia
Dutch Goddess of Sea Travel,
Death & Rebirth
Friday, March 9th , 7:30 p.m.
Waning Half Moon in Sagittarius, Sun in Pisces
Concord locale, directions given upon RSVP
$30 per ritual/$15 first time visit
Nehalennia is a Goddess of the Morini tribe, indigenous peoples of what is now knows as Zeeland in the Netherlands. Her worship dates back to at the very least the 2nd century BC.
Nehalennia’s main Temples were located on the Island of Walcheren near the towns of Domburg & Colijnsplaat. This is the point where travelers and those wanting to trade came as a launch point to cross the North Sea. Many of the altars that have been found are giving thanks for a safe sea travel and an answering of their prayers. Her Temples were found after a huge storm in 1645 eroded the dunes and uncovered them for a short time. They have since be reclaimed by the water.
She is usually seen as a young woman, sitting with a basket of slender loaves of bread in her lap, and a basket of apples and what could be pears and pomegranates at her side. Other depictions show Her standing on the prow of a ship holding a basket of either apples or loaves of bread. Always with Her peaceful dog at Her side whether sitting or sailing.
She is also a Goddess of death and rebirth. Peoples of the time believed the area to be the place where the souls are ferried to the other-world. Since death was believed at the time to be a part of regeneration and birth, part of the natural cycle, She is also a Goddess of birth. Mostly Nehalennia is celebrated as a Goddess of safe sea travel, commerce, agriculture. She presides over the exchanging of wares/produce between countries and distant places.
We will be working with women’s crafts and Fair trade. If you use any fair trade products bring them along to share with others. If you make crafts, bake, paint, or grow things please bring them along to share also. For the altar please bring a candle for the altar, any images or items sacred to Her: apples, bread, dogs, fruit.
If you are interested in attending our rituals please see our participation page for more information.