Goddess Demeter: all about her

All people are fond of something and are interested in something. The object of passion for many people is the Greek culture with all its gods and goddesses. It's quite difficult to understand all the intricacies of the Greek pantheon of the gods at once. It is better to do it gradually. Goddess Demeter - that's who you should start with.

Pedigree

At the very beginning it is worth noting that Demeter is the daughter of Rhea and Kronos, the sister of the all-powerful god Zeus and the goddess Hera, which puts her on the same level as the most powerful and influential gods of Olympus.

Purpose

The goddess Demeter in Greek mythology is considered the patroness of farmers, the mother of the fertility of the earth. According to the legend, thanks to her and her daughter Persephone, the seasons change - only a part of the year the mother and daughter can spend together, then on the earth and summer comes. All other time Persephone lives in the dungeon with her husband Hades, and at this time Demetra longs for and cries for her daughter, giving rise to rains, snowstorms and bad weather. And only when the hour of the meeting is approaching, a thaw comes, Demetra has a hope for an early meeting and spring comes.

Form

The goddess Demeter is very attractive, and her image is warm and pleasant. So, her hair is the ears of ripe wheat, her face is pretty, and her body is lush, rich. In due time such women attracted men, therefore Demeter was always desired by the opposite sex. The character of the goddess is kind, she is calm and balanced, but with a painful sense of justice. She often cruelly punished people who tried to deceive her or their kind.

Art

The goddess Demeter was sung by many poets, about her a huge number of legends and painted paintings. Often she appeared as a wandering woman in search of her daughter, sometimes sitting, surrounded by the fruits of the earth. Its main attributes are ears of corn, symbols of fertility, and also a torch as a symbol of the search for a lost daughter. The goddess of fertility Demeter considered her the sacred animals as the Serpent and the Pig.

Heritage

All the gods had their followers - dedicated people. So, the origin of the name Dmitri, which is deciphered exactly as "dedicated to Demeter", is "one who worships Demeter, the goddess of fertility".

Celebrations

Demeter is a goddess from the category of "first", "big" goddesses, who are at the head of Olympus. That's why the people found an excuse how to honor Demeter on earth, creating a dedicated mother cult. The initiated women often reproduced in the special mysteries the grief, the longing for the mother of Demeter by her daughter. A participant in this ritual was not so easy. It is necessary to pre-fast, physically and spiritually cleanse. Then those who were allowed to the Mysteries, drank a special drink - kikeon - and were admitted to the temple. What happened behind the doors of the temple was always a mystery, the disclosure of which was punishable by death. That is why little is known about these sacraments. But scientists suggest that the composition of the beverage included certain psychotropic substances that changed the consciousness of each person, allowing to fully surrender to what is happening and the soul and body. Those who passed the mysteries were considered initiated into the mysteries of life and death and were in good standing with the community. Interesting is the fact that slaves were allowed to participate in the mysteries.