Lore: Threshold Guardians

Threshold Guardians

Thresholds are

Between places of

Not coming or going.

Crossing Thresholds is

Sacred

For Transformation

Happens.

Not all at Thresholds

Can

Should

Will

Transform.

Some must

Stay

Untouched

Commonplace

Ordinary

But Heroes must

Cross

But Guardians must

Challenge.

Guardians have

Sacred duty

Ritual obligation

To keep in and to keep out.

Doors keep

Worlds apart

Before from after

In between secure

Doors have Gods

Janus of Two Heads guards the Out and the In

Cardea of the Door stands firm

Limentius of the Threshold stands firm

Portunus of the Portal holds the key

Each demands

A reason for opening

A reason for closing

An answer

Heroes must

Cross over

But how?

Forculus of the Passage

Guides through

The Threshold

Thresholds

Many Guard

Few enter

Fewer exit

Only One Transforms.

Works Used.

 Goodin, Melinda, “Archetypes in the Hero’s Journey,” Crossing the Threshold, March 2004, web, http://members.optusnet.com.au/~mgoodin68/archtype.htm.

Peterson, Deb, “The Archetypes of the Hero’s Journey,” About Education, 2014, web, http://adulted.about.com/od/howtos/a/archetypes.htm .

---, “Threshold Guardians,” Television Tropes and Idioms, web, http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ThresholdGuardians.

Vega, Debra, "Writers, Know Your Archetypes: The Threshold Guardian,” Moon in Gemini, web blog, 5 January 2014, http://debravega.wordpress.com/2014/01/05/writers-know-your-archetypes-the-threshold-guardian/.

Mythic Animals: Semi-human: Fauns (Rome)

Fauns (Fauni) (Rome): 

Often confused with Greek satyrs, Roman Fauns were the sons of Faunus and Fauna, ancient Gods of the Forest. These demi-gods were considered “Di Indigetes,” native Roman Gods. According to the Romans, these half-goat, half human beasts protected the forests from harm, and were keepers of the countryside.

 

Works Used:

Adkins, Lesley and Roy Adkins, “Dictionary of Roman Religions,” Oxford University Press, New York, 1996.

 

Alchin, Linda, “Fauns,” Tribunes and Triumphs, 2008, http://www.tribunesandtriumphs.org/roman-gods/fauns.htm, .

 

Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon and Ash DeKirk, “A Wizard’s Bestiary,” New Page Press, Franklin Lakes, NJ, 2007.

Negative Energy: Guilt (2 of 2)

I was cured of “false” guilt by watching how various TV judges conducted their court shows.  In one type of case that kept reoccurring: the defendant would want the plaintiff to do something for them (usually loan them money).  During the testimony, the defendant would complain that the plaintiff forced them to take the money.  Meanwhile, the plaintiff would explain that if they said “no”, they felt ashamed.  The judge would tell the plaintiff that they were not a bank, and not to lend people money. To the defendant, the judge would tell them that they did not need to accept the money.

I learnt that I was well within my rights to refuse unreasonable requests.  I am not responsible for anyone else’s actions or feelings, only my own.  The guilt that is often placed on others is usually “false” guilt.  For example, some people use guilt to avoid the consequences of their actions.  It is easier for them to manipulate others than to maintain good relations with them.

I see two types of guilt – “true” and “false”.  Most of what we feel is “false” guilt.  Since many of us were trained to be sensitive to other people’s moods and feelings, we feel often guilt and unease when someone is upset with us.  To avoid feeling this shame, we become overly dependent on fulfilling the needs of others.  We dwell in fear of the potential rejection from our friends and others.  Manuel Smith explains, “when people try to manipulate you, they are sending the message that they – not you – are the arbitrators of your behavior.”

When we stand in our integrity and truth, we stop feeling “false” guilt.  Living in our truth, we face our fears and establish our boundaries.  When we are honest and true to ourselves, we can see what is unkind and cruel.  Since we know right from wrong, we do not need to punish ourselves but instead correct our actions.

When we have integrity, we have “pietas”.  We can feel “true” guilt, and understand when we need to repair our relations between ourselves and others.  With our new compass of kindness and firmness, we will know when our actions are either good or cruel.  As long as we do not rationalize our actions, we can correct our behavior.  Guilt in this instance can be a prompter to maintaining the “right relations” with others and ourselves. 

Works Used:

Hartman, Tori, “Color Wisdom Workbook”, PDF from author, http://www.torihartman.com/shop/pc/home.html,

Heath, Ian, “Discover Your Mind”, 2002, http://discover-your-mind.co.uk/index.htm, .

---, “Martha Speaks”, PBS Parents, http://www.pbs.org/parents/martha/index.html,

---, “The Merriam-Webster Thesaurus”, Merriam-Webster: Springfield (MA), 1989.

Riesman, David, “The Lonely Crowd: A Study of the Changing American Character”, Yale University Press: New Haven (CT), 1953.

Scheid, John, “An Introduction to Roman Religion”, translated by Janet Lloyd, Indiana University Press: Bloomington, 2003.

Smith, Manuel, “When I Say No, I Feel Guilty”, Doubleday: New York, 1975.

Turcan, Robert, “The Gods of Ancient Rome: Religion in Everyday Life from Archaic to Imperial Times”, translated by Antonia Neville, Edinburgh University Press: New York, 2001.

Roman Paganism: Capitol Triad (4)

Notes:

Triads of Roman Gods

The Romans had several Trios of Gods to oversee their State affairs. The Archaic Triad, the first, consisted of Jupiter (the Ruler of the Heavens), Mars (Guardian of the Crops), and Quirinus (God of Roman Civic Life).  Later this trio was superseded by the Capitoline Triad.

The Capitoline Triad was Jupiter Optimus Maximus (the Supreme God), Juno Regina (Ruler of the State), and Minerva (Goddess of Wisdom).  The Capitolium, a temple on Capitoline Hill, hosted these Gods.  This grouping of a male God with two females reflects Etruscan influence (of Tinia (Supreme Deity), Uni (his wife), and Menrva (their daughter, Goddess of Wisdom).    

Meanwhile, the plebeians venerated the Aventine Trio.  The temple of Ceres (the Goddess of Agriculture) on Aventine Hill, housed the City’s grain supply.  This temple also hosted Liber and Libera, Gods who oversaw the fertility of the fields.  These three Gods (Ceres, Liber, Libera), together, looked after the plebeians.

Works Used

____, Nova Roma, 2011, 05 July 2011 <http://www.novaroma.org>

Adkins, Lesley and Roy A. Adkins, "Dictionary of Roman Religion”, New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.

Asborn, Kevin and Dana Burgess, “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Classical Mythology”, New York: Penguin Publishing, 2004

Ovid, “Fasti”, translated by Betty Rose Nagle, Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1995.

Scheid, John, “An Introduction to Roman Religion”, translated by Janet Lloyd, Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2003.

Turcan, Robert, “The Gods of Ancient Rome: Religion in Everyday Life from Archaic to Imperial Times”, translated by Antonia Nevill, New York: Edinburgh University Press, 2001.

Warrior, Valerie, “Roman Religion: A Source Book”, New York: Focus Publishing, 2002.

Roman Paganism: Capitol Triad (3)

Jupiter Optimus Maximus

The Goddess, Juno is heavily involved in the life of Rome and her people.  Juno is often invoked as the Goddess of Rome, and the Protector of the State.  Her titles give the wide range of her worship in Rome.   Juno Regina, as the “Queen of the Heavens”, like Uni, governs all aspects of Roman womanhood.  In this aspect, She is depicted wearing a goatskin cloak, and armed with a spear.  Like Uni, Juno also hurls lightening bolts.

The Matronalia (March 1) celebrates Juno as Lucina, the Goddess of Light and Childbirth.  Romans sacrificed lambs and cattle to Her.  At her temple on the Esquiline Hill, the Vestal Virgins offered to Her, their hair.  Also, mothers offered a coin to Her for each of their newborn children.  As Lucina, She watched over their newborns.

Worshipped in each of the curiae of Rome, Juno Curitis protected the citizen-soldiers of Rome.  In this aspect, She was the only deity universal to all of the curiae.  A traditional prayer to Her: “Juno Curitis protect my fellow natives of the Curia with your Chariot and Shield.”

The sacred geese of Juno Moneta warned the Romans of an impending attack by the Gauls (in 390 BCE).  After Marcus Furius Camillus won the war against the Gauls, he vowed a temple to Her in 345 BCE.  Besides Vesta’s temple, this temple to Juno Moneta was the only other round one in Rome.

In portraying Minerva, people often claim that She is the Greek Goddess of Wisdom, Athena with a Roman name.  Wearing her military tunic and aegis, and carrying her shield and spear, Minerva does portray the martial aspects of Athena Promachos (Athena the Champion).  However, the Romans also see Her as one of the Capitoline Trio (with Jupiter and Juno) overseeing state affairs.

Adapted from the Etruscan Goddess, Menrva, Minerva is also the Goddess of Wisdom, Education, and Commerce.  In addition, She is the Patroness of Textile Works, Doctors, and Artisans.  Furthermore, Minerva is the inventor of numbers and several musical instruments as well.

               Ovid writes:  “Pray now to Pallas, boys and tender girls;

               Whoever wins Her favor will be skilled,

…..

For She’s the Goddess of a Thousand Works.”

Although there is no Rome today, we can still appeal to the Capitoline Triad for their wisdom for our leaders and countries.  They can offer their guidance and protection to us, for our governments, and in our public life.  We can look to Them to show us good statesmanship as well as excellence in the arts.