September 14-22, 2019

 

C= challenges D= dialogue R= Rituals S= Signals

Sept 14

 

C: Timing was challenging as the work on the shrine cover has begun. This means quite some noise for several hours. Saw dust from the work falling on my car. So, the first action after my daily morning prayers was to bring the car out of the garage and cover it. New car cover was too difficult to operate by myself. Plus, cannot think of how difficult it would be to cover and then take it off every time I need to drive the car. So back to covering the left side of the car with just sheets. Cleaning the saw dust off the car got to be so difficult that I had to take it to the car wash. Never realized until then how precious this " Maavi" ( the name of my car) was to me ! The inflammation on the inner part of my left elbow, caused by my lifting the legs of the heavy bed, made much of my physical work tedious. I had planned to observe silence and non -communication for these 9 days. Only exception was to text my folks in Windsor each evening to let them know I was fine and minimum conversation with Chris and Aaron who are working on the shrine cover. Called the bank to check on minimum balance requirement.

 

R: The day began after daily prayers, to listening to Prof.' recitation of the Praises to Demeter, while contemplating devotedly on the picture of the goddess on the Petaluma City seal. Only then was I able to involute into the essential one- pointed spiritual mode flavored with Greece, specific to this ritual. Then listened to ancient Greek music on my I pod while I washed the ritual utensils and dishes. Showered and then lit the lamp in the Temenos in my yard. Storax was waved here and in the studio. Removed all the non- Greek related ritual objects from the area, thus leaving only what was needed for this observation. The Christian and Sufi altar got covered with cloth.

 

C: Main concern was when to do the major ritual. I decided to do it in the evening as no work will be going on in the Adobe shrine area then. 

 

R: The first ritual in the morning after shower was to call upon/ invoke the energy of the Greek letters as mothers, while contemplating on the special painting. 

 

S: Been hearing the shrieks of hawks in the vicinity for the last 2 days. On Friday the 13th while returning from Mc Near school, a hawk flew very close to me. Hawks as noted in my previous observations signify the presence of Ermes, the messenger.

 

S&D: My mind was rather quiet as I walked back and forth between the studio and the house. Only thing in my mind was the constant chanting of Dimitra, Doso, Anassa ainoito. This silenced mind stimulated my hearing capacity. I could hear intense and beautiful conversation between little birds. While I was fixing the light holders on the strawberry tree, where the yard temenos is located, a humming bird was hovering around me. 

 

As I chant, I visualize an isosceles triangle, Delta, divided into 3 sections. The bottom plane is Doso, the mid plane is Demeter and the uppermost plane is Anassa. The planes concept is similar to the concept of bhuloka, bhuvarloka and svarloka in Hinduism.

 

R: On Friday the 13th, I decorated the mantelpiece in the living room with a garland of chrysanthemums.  Here I have the pictures of the Petaluma goddess, Demeter and Ceres. I also made the ' thoran" on my front door, with wool, red yarn and laurel leaves according to a Greek custom. I then set the Ekati altar in the porch. 

 

I sowed barley seeds in the ceramic vases that Asha and I had made and set them under the backyard  temenos. Priya's vase was placed in the studio temenos. 

 

Got the thyrsus done with a fresh, green bamboo stalk, cut from the shrine area. I also offered some of the cedar, honeysuckle and magnolia branches that resulted from the tree trimming in the shrine area. This was my way of appreciating the sacrifice they had made to the cover. 

 

Sept. 15

 

D: I woke up early morning and saw a star between the moving clouds. Time may be around 4am. As is my habit I began uttering the Tara mantra that requests fullness in knowledge/wisdom and in the remaining lifespan. Then prayed at the east window, where my first prayers of the day were uttered after toiletries.  After lighting the candles at the mantelpiece downstairs where a serious of sacred photos are kept, I went to the kitchen to make my morning medicine. While making it, a strong thought hit me. The voice inside of me said " Your puja or worship will not be complete, not until you become Demeter!" Was this not then the profound truth that I received from my precious Thirumeni, Brahmashree Easwaran Namputhiri, many years ago? A truth which I first reacted to as if it was blasphemy but which proved when faithfully followed, a sure method of bonding with the deity that leads to total identity? From him I learned a very complicated gestural and mantra method for this to happen. So, then the question was how can I do that in this worship. Then it occurred to me that indeed there is a mahaavaakya, great maxim, uttered by Demeter to queen Metaneira in the Homeric Hymn, which I had been using, in her Maanasa puja. It goes "Lo, I am Demeter, the honorable, the greatest. The source of help and joy to the mortals and the immortals". I realized that all along I had been uttering this as a quotation and never did identify with the " I " in it the way for full identity.  I knew then what I should do. Just as I thought this way, the clock on the range shifted in front of my eyes to 5:00 am.  This was a nimittha signal for me, so quickly I took the card that had this quotation written and took it to the mantelpiece to read it while looking at Demeter. This is the first picture of Demeter I chose from my Mark West stay days, to pray to. Just as I was about to read, a messaged issued from the picture. I noticed that her left arm is focused towards her right breast with the forefinger pointing that way. To me then it seemed that with that gesture she brought living proof to the mahaavaakya.  In addition, in this picture she directly looks at you. This helps in sadhana. With these steps into total identification, began the use of the manasa puja to Her. This also substantiates the same truth that is in the last line of a Sanskrit prayer that I recite to Moola Durga , particularly when praying in the Adobe shrine. It says " In the end the absolute reality is in' I am the Devi' ". Is that not what the mystic Mansur Hallaj stated when he claimed An-al Hak, I am the Truth ?  

 

R: The left half of the stove was used for my food needs while the right half was used for ritual cooking needs.

 

C: Used rye to make the cakes as the spelt flour at the store was in very large bags. This meant after the ritual most of the flour would have to be thrown away. Was not too happy with the way the cakes turned out.

 

R: Evening after showering I went to the studio to conduct the main ritual. Did peeta shakti aavahanam, whereby I call upon the various Demeter divinities that existed in shrines/ temples in many different countries at one time. Current list has 81 shrines. Used the lingam stone from the Narmada river, that has the marking of a chinmudra.  This is the mudra held by many Hindu, Buddhist deities and seen even in some ancient Mesopotamian sculptures. In this mudra the pointer and the thumb tips come together and the remaining 3 fingers are held upright.  Each shrine’s individual energy was invoked by pouring water on the lingam and calling for their presence in Greek. 

 

C:  Just as I finished this I heard a knock on the door. I had left it open for cool air to come in. Hesitated as to what to do. Rang the bell, recited a standard Forgiveness shloka in Sanskrit and welcomed whoever it was. It was Mildred also known as Durga, with a basket full of Indian vegetables. I took the veggies and asked her to take a look at the altar and explained my brevity of words as this was a silent retreat. She bent down humbly at the altar. I kissed her cheeks and blessed her.

 

R:  I realized that this was a Nimittha phenomenon. In this case an auspicious sign. Her name was Durga, the very deity in the Adobe shrine and she brought vegetables.  After all Demeter is Aglaokarpos and Aglaodoros. So, Mildred came to me as Shakaambari and as Demeter. I resumed the ritual and completed it. I noticed that the order of offerings was not the same as in the Indian one, but that did not bother me as it felt natural. Making an exception in my communication rule, I did email Mildred with thanks and explanation of the phenomena. 

 

As dusk approached, I lit the LED lights in the strawberry tree. Sent the picture to my family. Proof that I was fine!

 

Sept 16 

 

R: Morning ritual went very smoothly.

 

C: Needed groceries and gasoline. Rather hard therefore to maintain absolute silence. Susie, a friend at the market was surprised when I told her I cannot speak much as I am on a sort of silent retreat. Yet while I was helping myself to mushrooms, she asked me not to take from the shelf but rather from a newly opened box. Instinctive kindness of such folks warmed my heart. 

 

At the gas station, my friend Iqbal accepted my brevity in speaking when I said in Hindi that what I was doing would also bring about welfare to the world. He said " I understand".

 

R: Wanted to offer kykeon but could not find barley flour in many stores. I roasted the barley I had, powdered it, mixed it in hot water and added a sprig of penny royal and offered that. This what Demeter asked for instead of wine from queen Metaneira.

 

Sept 17 

 

D: Pondering over what the Demeter story personally means to me who is not Greek. and who is a Hindu living in a land dominated by Abrahamic belief, the story of Jesus, Moses, as good as they are, do nothing to help me to connect to creation. In a way Abrahamic religions are isolationist religions, that help in slavishness not freedom. The Demeter story however teaches me the following at this point. 

 

1. In dealing with Loukika or Worldly reality we have to accept the goings about in Nature. Orephoros, one of her attributes as the bringer of seasons, the inevitability of seasonal changes a natural rhythm are what we need to be, in greater tune with Nature. 

 

2. Aglaokarpos, Aglaodoros, as bringer of fruits and gifts, shows that Nature has the capacity to reward us. We too have the capacity to give gifts. 

 

3. The play of divine energy is seen clearly for even though she is Megale Thea , she renders herself as Doso , in order to come down to the mortal world. She thus works her skillful games at Eleusis to finally prove that indeed she is the source of joy and help to the immortals and the mortals.

 

C: Had to clamp down on unnecessary thoughts by substituting the Dimitra mantra. It sure worked. 

 

D: Nature speaks to us only when our mind is still. Conversations and movements of the birds in my yard became louder and more noticeable. Reminded me of Shelley's line" What is life if full of care we have no time to stand and stare." I have begun to move slower and more deliberate as my mind is so calm with so few thoughts.  The 3 Fs in me that I have to work on is, Frustration, Fear and Fury. I am managing this so much better. In sadhana and other such pursuits there must be a persistence born out of conviction not out of arrogance. 

 

Creative solutions need to be sought for unhealthy habits. Mealtimes are very boring for me as I have to sit alone. Often then the radio or TV gets turned on. So, I decided either to sit outside and eat or go up to the computer room upstairs, face the window to see the beautiful hill top views. In doing thus, mealtimes became so fulfilling and peaceful.

 

Friends are puzzled when I tell them that I am doing a retreat in my home. I live in a quiet neighborhood. I have nature right here in my backyard and the sacred grove. Most of all I figure that I am retreating into myself, my inner essence. I shed all trappings, living, eating, studying, doing the rituals, contemplating on the stories and characters. I reduce my input and output in communication to the bare minimum. For that I need not go anywhere. My vison quests are facilitated at home!

 

D&R: Being a Hindu I always associated bowing down to the divine, during prayers. When I chose the phrase " may be praised" for the Praises to Demeter, I had in mind the Tamil word "potri". This means laud or praise. Prof. A translated that word into Greek as " ainoito". Now I know why the Hellenes of the old tradition place their arms in an outward stretch when they beseech, pray or sing to the divine. The modern- day Hellenes seem to conduct their worship outdoors. Naturally Nature being everywhere and all around this gesture becomes very appropriate. So now I try to do the same when performing Hellenic worship. Another gesture I have employed after noticing it in statues and frescoes is to have the left arm lifted such that the palm faces the mouth and the right arm is stretched out to the deity while praying. I have seen the right hand held in a chinmudra in a sculpture. So I used this gesture to establish the presence of the various deities and humans in their respective spots in the yantra. At the Heraklion Archaeology Museum I was fascinated by the different ways the arms were held.

 

R: There is a story in my personal journal " The Divine Web" that led to the acquisition of the red cinnabar rock that I have. So I decided for the first time to use this red rock into the ritual when the invocations were read in English, thus sanctifying this language. I find that reading the Greek invocations was rather mechanical as I could not relate to the words. In order to mean the words with one's whole heart and mind I needed the English. Of course, anytime I used Sanskrit anywhere, it felt so much more complete. So, I decided that I will stick to the English invocations in the morning. Once I used the cinnabar as a focus, all felt right. I was also reminded of the " Omphalos" of the ancient Greeks. 

 

D: Midmorning as I walked back to the main house, I felt a drops of rain on the right top of my head. there were no trees nearby and looking up I saw clear cloudless sky.

 

Sept 18 

 

D: Reading Prof. A's translation I stopped at where Persefoni goes over what happened at the time of her abduction. Last year I had worked on the nymphs who accompanied her, who then had to be invoked into any yantra that I would come up with. I discovered that being Oceanids, they were associated with specific water formations and clouds. I began then to work on a yantra for Persefoni, again based on Omeros' hymn. The stumbling block in that pursuit was the number of nymphs being 23. Could not figure what combination of lotus circles, triangles and squares would make it exact. Tried different combinations keeping in mind at the same time certain hierarchical considerations. 

 

This morning I decided to go back to that pursuit. I picked up my fat red diary where a lot of information had been entered regarding the whole ritual and the energies. Lo and behold the page I opened up at random revealed Praises to Persefoni from the Orphic Hymn. A sign then for me to go ahead. Around 9: 15 am I got it all figured. I entered a rough drawing into the diary.

 

The order is taken exactly in the order that Persefoni narrated to her mother.  This yantra represents a happy Persefoni and her friends. Later that day I figured that I wished the bhupura square's doors to be occupied by the wind deities.

 

During the morning worship I could visualize a superimposition of colors from the canvas onto the stone yantra. Colors were beautiful aqua, green and dark blue. When I rested on the lounge in the backyard around 2pm a hawk circled above me three times and flew away. The barley has sprouted.

 

Sept 19

 

D: Woke up rather early with a dream where there was a strong friendliness with Demeter. It made the Shri suktam line " Upaithu maam devasakha, "  which meant, may I attain friendliness with the devas so real. Began working harder on reading the invocations in Greek. Still rather slow. 

 

A humble realization during the annual Boedromion Hellenic Retreat- Sept 19, 7:20am

 

The Abrahamic faiths as generally conceived and practiced, got it all wrong about depictions of the divine, in the form of sculptures, paintings icons etc. There is no need here for me to touch upon the human trait of arrogant manipulation that all major religious movements without exception have engaged in.

 

How beautiful it is to have the capacity to perceive something in creation, or in the world around us, whether it be the sun, storms, forests or even anger, lust or sorrow and then recognize the beauty or the power behind them ! Unlike reformist based religions where prophets came to be, in order to change society, here it is an outcome of a genuine response, that comes from deep within, with no ulterior motive backing them. They were spontaneous. The truths evidenced were enhanced and clothed into legends and stories that indeed had a phenomenal reality and definitely a slim body of historical and geographical reality. 

 

To be able to internalize these truths and stories and then manifest them in the form of artistic creations, solely points to the visualizing capacity of the people, of those days. Finally to facilitate any one to reap the benefits, extract the wisdom, by simply looking at these creations and further more adoring them via rituals, not only solidified the connection between man, his nature and Nature, but also brought great meaning to life and death itself.  The truth regarding death was the core of the Eleusinian mysteries held each year in Greece, (ref. Cicero, Laws II, XIV 36, comment on this observation)

 

I questioned myself therefore, as to how my insides respond personally to symbolic representations as expressed by the two glaringly different systems. Looking at Kwan Yin and Mother Mary I do not feel the same. Although they both represent Compassion. When I look at any Christian saint that intercedes, I do not feel the same.   On the other hand, when I look at Zeus and Indra, there is a basic, natural connection. When I look at the Russian goddess Makosh and the Hindu Lakshmi I feel that connection. When I gaze at the early morning sun, a divinity that makes itself present to my eyes, I can call out Surya or Helios with the same ease. Then linking it to the story of the Shinto Amaterasu becomes very relevant to life.  The Polynesian Hina, the Greek Selene, the Hindu Chandra are all evident as the Moon. Each winter the story of the Russian Sneguroshka, a recurring event in nature each year, makes more sense to me, unlike the birth of Jesus, a onetime historical event! Reading the Bible, both testaments or the Kuran or even the works of Lao Tse and Confucius, the Zend Avesta or the Tripitaka, as good as they all are, they lack messages or the impact that my deep sub conscious receives from Native American stories about the Coyote, the Crow and the Corn maiden. These symbols and stories that truly reverberate with all cultures, keeps me solidly connected to all things in the universe not just between human to human.

 

Going along this line of thinking, I do not subscribe to the role of man as a " Steward". By using this word, we imply that we are above creation like a ruler or a king is above in hierarchy. This word is a direct descendant of its Biblical usage and has a hidden sense of arrogance and dangers of abuse and misuse.  It is a natural concept that arose out of the thinking that separates the Creator from the Created! It is this arrogance that has blinded us to the valuable teachings that nature has for us. Vedanta philosophy on the other hand clearly explains the role of the Creator, the Creatrix and the Created!

 

A humble approach in taking care of this world that is shared by others, is called for, as it is a healthier one. I would rather take the attitude that is inspired by Orissa's Navagunjara Bhagavan as featured in Sarala Das’s Mahabharata. Man is a part not apart from Creation.

 

R: To make the offering smoother I mixed the thick honey with some water.

 

Sept 20

 

C: I had dreams that were rather mixed up, but all reflecting scenes from the past. The one feature that highlighted them was a sense of maternal protection I exhibited during them.

 

R: Once again the morning ritual enabled internal visualization. Interesting how the colors of the yantra changes internally. As I read the praises in Greek, I was able to scan the English on the side, very smoothly. Evening worship was a little tiring but managed with increased devotion.

 

Sept 21

 

A Divine happening

 

D: Been lying in bed going over the ritual as now I have been using English, Greek and Sanskrit. I knew that today a change was called for, but what should it be, I knew not. Off and on the great mahaavakya, the declaration that Demeter utters to Metaneira, used to come into my mind. To me it felt just as important as the Devi Suktam in the Rgveda, the only suktam that is in the first person in the entire Rgveda. It is uttered by rishika Vagambhrini and the devata is Vagambhrini, a female powerful Devata. So, I thought perhaps the entire hymn and ritual centers around this declaration.  

 

So, I uttered it and just as I had finished, I was startled by a strange sound of something falling and rolling nearby. I was puzzled as to what it could be. I got up turned the lights on in the bedroom, looked around but found nothing. Then as I sat on the toilet in the girl's bathroom, with the door open, I looked at the Ganesh on the landing and smiled.  A tiny crabapple that I had placed in the crutch of his right arm and curve of his trunk was no longer there. So turned on the hall light and saw it on the floor. Amazing as to how it got off the crutch, moved down to the ledge towards the left side, fell and rolled on to the floor. Another " nimittha". So, I said loudly" Jai Ganesh". This little apple is my proof that I had hit the truth. "Jai Demeter Ma".  The happening may be around 5: 43 am or so.

 

No matter what I had done ritualistically the last few years with regard to the worship of Demeter, there always was a sense of inadequacy. No more ! I have hit the bull's eye. The Mahavakya it is, nothing else matters. 

 

R: A day of rejoicing it was, so I lit lamps in many places. Did the major worship in the morning, this time with confidence and satisfaction. I read the English in silence and followed it with audible recitation of the Greek.  Placed the stone yantra in a large bowl and poured libations of water, kykeon, milk and water again.

 

In the evening I read the praises to Demeter , calling the Shaktis from all the shrines, followed by Manasa puja. 

 

Sept 22

 

R: Wrapping up time. The strawberry tree, sacred to Ermes, got a garland of chrysanthemums that I wove. All waters from libations were poured to the feet, the roots. All utensils were cleaned and stored. The stone yantra, the Narmada lingam and the red Shri stone (cinnabar ore) were placed in the garden temenos.

 

D: A great sense of peace and fulfillment achieved as now, what my blessed Thirumeni had said, "You cannot do real puja until you become the very devata that you wish to do the puja to. " became a fact, in this Indo- Hellenic puja. With the mahavakya, the nyaasa and the japam I had to identify completely with Demeter.

 

All that is left to close this chapter was to go to Greece and train a few Greeks hopefully into this paddhati.

 

A few days after the observation I began to do the manasa puja to Demeter while looking at her picture on my mantel any time I felt the need. Simple, short and meaningful.

 

Sept 3-11, 2020

 

Several days before the 3rd, the Cooper’s Hawk kept appearing on the large Redwood tree in the neighborhood. It would perch there and screech away. Was Hermes reminding me that the time had come ?

 

Sept 3; Due to setbacks in the digestive system, I needed to see how I can do the early morning meditation on the yantra in the studio, on an empty stomach. 

 

So, in order to test the sincerity of my desire to worship, after the shower I filled a small vial with the filtered water and as I drank it sip by sip, I uttered the mantra, Demeter, Doso, Anassa, Ainoito.  The red thread for the wrist and ankle that I chose did not feel right though I tied it anyway. Perhaps because it was not made of cotton. Ekati was established outside the door with just a round rock with her name written on it and lit a tea candle and placed a flower. Above the door the unspun yarn hanging and a branch of the bay leaf was hung. This time whenever I uttered the Greek calling word XAIPE it felt right. It seemed to issue straight from my heart. The order of invocation was all in English, first to the Greek letters, then Omeros, Apollonios, finally the yantra deities. Persefoni’s mandala was hung on the side wall. When I returned to the main house a fragrance issued that I had never before experienced. Amazing that even though I might have spent about 2 hours on this day, my stomach stayed calm. Breakfast was eaten only after this was over. Before the midday worship I clothed myself in the white salwar kameez and tied the red ribbon around my waist and forehead. This was only for the midday worship. The main ritual was the detailed one as usual with prayers and offerings. I was rather at ease perhaps for having done this for so many years by now. The granite yantra was brought from the temenos into the studio. Since it was the first day the preliminary worship of invoking the Demeter energies from many temples that were located in various parts of the world were called upon. This was  accompanied by offering water on the granite yantra. The red cinnabar rock was placed in the altar as the facilitator to sanctify the  English words used.  Then the detailed yantra worship was done. After this was completed, I turned towards the Persefoni mandala. When performing the simple worship, I found myself rather uneasy. Evening I lit just 3 tea candles in front of the temenos under the strawberry tree.

 

Sept 4

 

While showering the red thread I had tied to the ankle fell off, so too the wrist one. When I examined the packet from where I took it, I saw that it was made of nylon. No wonder. Desperately looking into the bag containing cotton threads I found just enough to tie this time. I wound it nine times in both areas. Afternoon ritual again went smoothly. The Persefoni part was still left me uneasy. In the evening I went to the studio to light the lamps. I sat in front of the Persefoni mandala, stared at all its individual parts that were meant for the energies and uttered my frustration to her. I then realized the following flaws in the mandala that Lia had drawn and colored for me. This is not the first time that I seem to zoom in on flaws in yantras. I have caught several artists and priests in India and in LA for using faulty yantras and mandalas. These geometric designs have to be precise before they are used for worship, otherwise they can pull in negative energies and or place obstacles in worship.

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1. The petals in the outer circle were all not of the same size.

2. The bhupura opening in the south instead of being in line with the tip of a petal, was aligned to the space between 2 petals.

3. She had drawn around the circle what looked like blue waves. 

4. Essentially it showed she had not followed what I had roughly drawn for her and had added waves, that was wrong by yantra rules. 

 

No wonder I had trouble with invocations. Perplexed by this situation I was left to figure a solution. I then remembered the tiny pomegranate that Prof. A had given me that I had brought to the US. He had given me a big one that he said was for Demeter and the smaller one for Persefoni. I gave the bigger one to someone in the hotel for fear that US customs would seize and discard it. I moved the mandala off the wall and put it away. I placed instead on the altar, the dried pomegranate fruit from my backyard temenos. This was to represent Persefoni. 

Sep 5: Lit storax incense in the morning. Felt the ambience of Greece in the atmosphere. During the midday ritual I played Eirini’s reading of the Greek invocations composed by Prof A. Her sweet voice and crystal, clear diction added to my love for this ritual and the deities. I accompanied her voice with minimum gestures. At the end when I did the fruit offering, I spoke to Demeter in Tamil and asked her to humbly accept all that I had done. Suddenly a jasmine fell from the stone yantra to the floor. This was her answer, a nimittam.  I placed the flower in my hair. While trying unsuccessfully to draw Persefoni yantra, I realized that she was perfectly content to be part of the Demeter yantra where she had a place with other deities associated with the Homeric hymn. 

 

Sept 6: This morning I was greeted by the chirping of birds near the feeder, by the calls from the hawk and by a flight of geese cackling their way across the sky. This being a Sunday, I made a nice beaded garland for the Mediterranean bay laurel tree in honor of Helios. The temperature rose to 102 in the evening and so could not sit in the studio to read. Just lit the lamps.

 

While blowing through a paper pipe to get the charcoal disk to burn well, I thought of Hephaistos and prayed to him. Received an encouraging email from Prof. A. Even from Day One when I contemplated on the painting of the Temple of Greek Letters, I visualized Demeter sitting on a throne, inside. Today I visualized her sitting on the throne, with Persefoni kneeling by the side, on the floor, looking at her mother. Today’s cakes came out good. I used Italian flour, ghee and salt. Made rotis and coated them with more ghee. Then topped with cinnamon powder, poppy seeds and honey. Once again it felt so right and uplifting, to listen to Eirini’s recitation of the ritual prayers. This time I followed her reading with silently looking at the English. 

 

Sept 7; The routine is getting easier. Began watching Vlassis G. Rassias’ (of YSEE.GR) you tube talks. Today the light and air felt strange due to the effects of fires and smoke.

 

Sept 8: While studying Rassias, I found it easier to turn the sound off, as he spoke in rapid Greek. Just read the English subtitles and also took notes.

 

Sept 9: Much ease in lighting the hanging lamps on the strawberry tree.

 

Sept 10: Today when I was doing the Manasa or Mental puja to Demeter I concentrated on the yantra intensely. I looked at it for about 10 minutes and then closed my eyes and focused on the stone yantra.  I saw myself transferring the triangle and circles on to the stone. What happened when superimposed on the stone, is given herewith.

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1. Each triangle was bigger.

2. The colors were different from the canvas one.

3. Seemed like fine colored particles of light made up the triangles in the yantra.

 

After lighting the candles on the tree in the evening, I made a garland of roses, that grew near the back fence. I ended up doing the cleaning today itself. Usually I had been doing it on Day 10. I placed the Persefoni mandala back on the wall thinking perhaps I can do some ritual during the upcoming Thesmophoria. From now on, the Demeter one I felt it should be called a yantra or padmam, Kerala style, while the Persefoni one will be referred to as a mandala, more like in the Tibetan tradition. 

 

THESMOPHORIA Sept 29, 30, Oct 1, 2020

 

As I could not draw a proper mandala for Persefoni and needing a mandala, a unique solution came to me. On a new glass cutting board I stuck glass pebbles of varying colors placing them correctly in geometrical positions corresponding to the painting. Clouds - green, 12 petalled lotus- blue, 8 petalled lotus- amber, triangle white and bija in center dark blue. Turned out very beautiful.

 

Below the mandala on the wall, the altar had a picture of Persefoni and in front of the picture the glass mandala. In front of that, the small pomegranate gifted by Prof.A.

 

Ritual was done only once in the morning. 

 

Ritual: Prayers to the temple of letters, then to Omeros, Apollonios and Demeter. Lit the main Demeter lamp. Then the small lamp for Persefoni. Manasa puja to Persefoni. Took dhyaana word pattern from the Demeter ritual.  Drew energy from picture to the glass mandala. Clouds and Nymphs received water and milk offering. Persefoni received water, milk, fragrance, flowers, incense, lamp cakes and fruits. Final waving of light to all.

 

Sept 22-30, 2021

 

Sept 21: Placed a new cover over the temenos (altar) under the strawberry tree. Hung candle lamps from the branches. Sowed barley in concentric circles. The studio was being remodeled so I fixed the old PC room where I sleep now, as the place for the rituals. I was concerned about the efficacy of this year’s worship due to my health situation.

 

Sept 22: Car issues put time constraints on my worship schedule. First act in the morning was to pray in the Adobe Shrine. Around 10 am I initiated the usual routine. Shakti libation to the stone yantra. Listened to Eirini, my Greek teacher’s Greek recitation of the ritual invocations while contemplating on the canvas yantra. Transference of the canvas yantra formations on to the stone yantra via visualizations was smooth and amazing. Offered water, kykeon, wine, cakes, milk and honey. In the evening it was hard to light the candles that were recessed in the holders, so changed to LED lights the next day. Established a small altar outside the front door for Hecate.

 

Sept 23: Prayed at the Adobe shrine. Felt light headed. Did the ritual with English invocations addressed to the cinnabar ore, which received all the ablutions. Transference of vision from canvas to stone yantra happened. Not as strong as last time. In the evening LED lights worked good in the holders for the tree.

 

Sept 24: Too many visitors and many trips to studio for the remodeling, so worship conducted only in the evening. Read Professor’s translation.

 

Sept 25: Ritual late afternoon due to visitors in the morning. Greek invocations listened to while offering. It was smooth and fulfilling. Health set back with an IBS flare.  Read Kephalos’s article on Eleusis and an article on Samothrace. Wrote to the anthropologist Wescoat, Emory University, associated with the latter dig.

 

Sept 26: Same as yesterday. Oiled the stone yantra to see the etchings clearer. More devotion today. Greek praises getting easier to remember.

 

Sept 27: Same as yesterday with Greek invocations.

 

Sept 28: Found Homeric Hymn to Demeter on the Net. It had the Greek, English transliteration and English word to word translation. Check big fat red book for link. Cross checked with Prof’s translation. Some differences evident.

 

Sept 29: Very smooth ritual. Found Orphic Hymn to Athena Pallas on you tube with lyrics. Check red book.

 

Sept 30: Culmination ritual and also day for clearing everything. Did Manasa (mental) puja with great satisfaction. Persefoni’s stuff was not removed in order to observe Thesmophoria later. Felt very strongly that I received all that I needed from this path that began in 2009 and suspected that this is the last time I am doing this observance.

 

September 10- 19, 2022

 

Sept 10: Cleaned the temenos under the strawberry tree. The tree is no longer lush like it used to be. Feel like it is getting old. Lit a candle and burnt storax in honor of the Hellenic deities. I had some doubts regarding what I should do this year as they say ‘Siddhi’ Fulfillment and Success in this path was attained last year. Once inside the house, which smelled of storax, I looked at my phone. Nikolaos had sent me a short video of Prof, singing to and rocking his granddaughter Zoi Apostalia. So, knew that this was an auspicious sign, something has to be observed, but what? Ilahi session had to be conducted this day, surprisingly easy it was.

 

Sept 11: Core session today, so once again I offered only simple prayers, candle and frankincense this time near the temenos.

 

Sept 12: Set up 3 simple altars in the PC room. Brought in the Narmada river lingam and the cinnabar ore. 

 

Sept 14- Sept 18: Extremely simple daily worship sometimes in Greek, sometimes in English. Morning meditation and evening manasa puja. Temenos had candle and incense. Confirmation came clear on this day that I have completed this path.

 

Sept 19: Plan to go to Greece got cancelled however made a solid detailed plan as to how to document this journey of walking on an Indo Hellenic Path. 

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List of Temples to Demeter 

Cited in Pausanias’ geography of Greece,  a 2nd CE work.

Elefsina

 

Athens

 

Crete

 

Attica

 

Argos, Alimus, Prospalta, Phyla, Myrrhinus, Themistocli, Kephisi, Anthiu pigadi, Megara,Karias, Alcatheos and Nisara.

 

Korinthos

 

Pirea, Philasia, Kelea, Musia, Pelasgos, Tavros, Ilea, Buropordos, I’dra, Ermionis, Pron, and Lernas.

 

Lakonia

 

Amyclea, Thereas, and Kenopolis.

 

Messinia

 

Echalia

 

Elis

 

Olympia and Chamayne

 

Achaia

 

Patras, Aygnios, Bura and Mousion.

 

Arkadia

 

Pheneus, Kyllene,Thaliades, Onsium, Basilis, Myropolis, Phaedrias, Akhasesias, Mt. Igalia near Phigalia, Tegra and

Korythenes.

 

Boiotia

 

Plataea, Seolos, Potnias, Thebes,Korae, Kaberi,Stiris,Phaleros, Aiginia, Sikyonia, Phlous, Mykeneas, Troigenos, Didymos and Pellas.

 

Italy

 

Agrigento, Paestum, Selinunte, Randazzo  and Albanella.

 

Naxos

 

Sangri

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Turkey

 

Pergamon,Knidou, and Priene

 

Egypt

 

Alexandria and Sinkefa

 

Libya

 

Kyrene

 

Macedonia

 

Dion

 

Bulgaria

 

Sozopol

 

Armenia

 

Garni

 

Thrace

 

Illyria

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