Ok so for my first catch up I’m going with:
Books, Tomes, and Tales - Book Lover
For this challenge I’ve been continuing my learning on Persephone and now have three books in my collection:-
- Pagan Portals: Persephone - Practicing the Art of Personal Power by Robin Corak
- Persephone’s Pathway - Wisdom, Magick & Growth by Jennifer Heather
- Persephone Rising - Awakening the Heroine Within by Carol S. Pearson
In learning more about Persephone I didn’t want to limit myself to just one source hence several books as well as online resources I’ve been using.
The first book is quite thin, but I’ve also got other books in the Pagan Portals series and find them to be an easily accessible introduction to learning about Goddesses. There are a number of rituals in this book that I want to try but I’ve a few materials I need to gather first.
There’s also a great section on journal questions that I’m going to work my way through. I want though to be able to dedicate a decent amount of time to it when I have peace and quiet, this weekend whilst we had the kids with us was not the right time! But hubby is working away from home every day this week so I’m hoping to fit it in later in the week.
The second book I’ve only just started to dig into but the blurb on the back gives a flavour of what it covers:
Persephone’s Pathway is one of balance and duality; embrace the dual goddess archtype of Underworld Queen and Spring Maiden in order to achieve harmony. This book shares the wisdom of Persephone, along with spells and rituals to help in your daily life. Shadow work exercises encourage you to work with the Underworld aspect of the Dark Goddess, whilst flower magick celebrates the joy and gentleness of the Spring Goddess. Blend the dark and light aspects together to experience how they shine a light on each other in the celebration of wholeness and authenticity.
I think the balance of light and dark, that we’re more than one thing, is possibly what draws me so much to Persephone and to want to learn more about her.
As with the Pagan Portals book, there’s a retelling of the traditional story whereby Kore, as she was also known, felt coddled by her mother and chose to go with Hades to the Underworld, where she became Persephone, Queen of the Underworld.
There’s also an invocation which I intend to use within my work with Persephone:
Persephone’s Invocation
Hear me Persephone, Maiden of light,
Be with me Persephone, Queen of the night.
Lend me your wisdom, your clear sight and justice,
Shroud me with sanctuary, this space encompass.
Help the seeds of my labour to take hold and grow,
Abundant blossoms above, sturdy roots below.
When the blooms are all spent and to death they sojourn,
Receive them sweetly in darkness before their return.
Blessed Persephone, Spring maiden of birth,
Thank you Persephone, fair Goddess of Earth.
PDF attached for those that would like a copy for their BOS:
Persephone’s Invocation.pdf (161.8 KB)
The third book is a bit of a weighty tome and I’ve not yet dug into it. It comes across a little like a self help book, how we can use the strategies from the Greek myths to find happiness in the modern world.