Tina Georgitsis's Blog, page 43
February 18, 2016
Spirit of Place: Bali
I’ve been to Bali quite a few times in my life due to the beauty I’ve witnessed. Most times there I havent taken images but others have and here are some of my favorite memories.
The stunning sunset view from the Potato Head beach:
The lush rice fields seen all through rural Bali:
The active volcano Mount Batur:
Temple of Death in Monkey Forest:
This temple was dedicated to Rangda – the witch in Balinese Hinduism who is the one whom presides over the temple of death which is also known as the destruction temple. She is shown in the pillars above with big curves, long hair and petruding tongue. Apparently she is a very beautiful woman when she is in a good mood and turns into an ugly bitch when pissed off. This temple was near the end of the complex and was fairly deserted but it resonated with so much power and I felt Hekate there too.
Sari Restaurant Temple overlooking active volcano:
The shrine above was attached to a restaurant that sat on one of the edges/tops of another volcano across from the active one. We were so high up the views were spectacular. There was nothing much else to see this high up except for the farm land on the way up and down the volcano but you could definitely feel the power of the place.
Local village temple:
This is the first temple we visited in a local village not frequented by tourists at all. Its their creation temple and in the Balinese Hindu traditions each village has 3 temples. A creation temple (birth presided over by Brahma) and a protection temple ( to preserve existance/life presided over by Vishnu) which are localed on the NE corner of the village and then a death temple (destruction presided over by Shiva or Rangda) which is located outside the village and also serves as a cemetary as villages have a cremation ceremony once every 15 years due to cost.
Coolman (our driver and guide) was a practising Hindu so he told us in depth about his practice and what the symbolism of certain things meant and answered all my questions. He was surprised about how much I knew about his faith but I explained that I’d grown up with a Hindu friend and I’d been to Bali several times before as well as researching the Hindu faith out of curiosity.
The minute we crossed over the thresshold to the temple above Coolman said that we were in a place of power and said that he knew that as his hair stood on his arms and he had goosebumps (its his sign that he is in a liminal place). My finace and I both felt it as well and it was quite magickal.
After that we ended up having a quite interesting coversation on Kharma and the rest of the day which followed was probably the best tour I’ve done in Bali :D
All images (C) S. Altman 2011
February 16, 2016
Announcing the Call for Submissions for the Spring Issue of Isis-Seshat Journal
I hope the Lunar New Year of the Fire Monkey has gotten off to a very good start for everyone! This solar transit in Aquarius has kept me very busy (both my Ascendant and Moon in my natal chart are in Aquarius), very socially engaged in Chicago’s broader Pagan and occult/magical communities, and eager to implement projects both spiritual and artistic sprung from felicitous, unanticipated idea exchanges with like-minded souls met through networking. (My mentors in the business world have always been 100% accurate about networking: It happens everywhere, not just behind office doors at planned events–so yes, always have your business cards on hand whenever you leave the house!)
I was very pleased with how the Winter issue of Isis-Seshat journal turned out; it went into production and was delivered to contributors and subscribers three days early, despite a Mercury Retrograde! And all surplus printed copies, for the first time…
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February 11, 2016
Orphic Hymn to Hekate in Greek
Αρχαία Ελληνική Ορφικό Ύμνο Εκάτη
Εἰνοδίην Ἑκάτην κλῄζω, τριοδῖτιν, ἐραννήν,
οὐρανίην χθονίην τε καὶ εἰναλίην, κροκόπεπλον,
τυμβιδίην, ψυχαῖς νεκύων μέτα βακχεύουσαν,
Περσείαν, φιλέρημον, ἀγαλλομένην ἐλάφοισιν,
νυκτερίην, σκυλακῖτιν, ἀμαιμάκετον βασίλειαν,
θηρόβρομον, ἄζωστον, ἀπρόσμαχον εἶδος ἔχουσαν,
ταυροπόλον, παντὸς κόσμου κληιδοῦχον ἄνασσαν,
ἡγεμόνην, νύμφην, κουροτρόφον, οὐρεσιφοῖτιν,
λισσομένοις κούρην τελεταῖς ὁσίῃσι παρεῖναι
βουκόλῳ εὐμενέουσαν ἀεὶ κεχαρηότι θυμῷ.
February 7, 2016
The Land of the Long White Cloud: Te Anu
Rainforest walk:
Glow worm cave entry (no images are allowed to be taken inside due to perilous cliffs and darkness which can cause injury):
A view from and of Te Anu:
All photos taken by my iphone at the end of 2015 beginning of 2016 (C) T. Georgitsis.
The Land of the Long White Cloud: Botanical Gardens Queenstown
Hiking around the Queenstown Botanical Gardens I managed to take a few images of the lush greenery…
All photos taken by my a canon powershot at the end of 2015 beginning of 2016 (C) T. Georgitsis.
February 4, 2016
The Winter Issue of Isis-Seshat Magazine Is Now Available!
Cant wait for my copy of this divination issue – this Winter issue I wrote an article on the Limpia and Oracle of the Egg:
(Photo Credit: Anna Applegate FB 2016)
The Land Of The Long White Cloud: Doubtful Sound Highlights
The landscape of the Doubtful Sound is that of the Jurassic Era:
Some interesting waterfalls carve themselves through the mountains:
Some of the small islands found within the sound are quite isolated yet full of natural beauty:
Amazing rock formations jutting out of the Doubtful Sound looks spectacular:
Then you have the amazing ecosystem created when the freshwater lakes meet the Tasman Sea – this is a pod of wild seals:
All photos taken by a canon powershot- end of 2015 beginning of 2016 (C) T. Georgitsis.
February 2, 2016
Honouring My Ancestral Connection To The Sea
Someone asked me what people did to honour their connection to the sea and sea deities etc.
It reminded me that my father who was a deep sea diver and traveled all over the world (before he immigrated to Australia) used to offer to Poseidon or The Kaviria (Twin Sea Gods) to ensure a safe voyage and that he was not taken into the watery depths for eternity. The offerings were what they had on hand and were usually left overs like bread, olive oil, wine etc.
Some of my ancestors/akhu come from the island of Lemnos in Greece and had effigies of the Siren buried under their homes for protection and would throw offerings to them in the ocean as they were believed to be dark muses as well as the guides for Persephone (it was essential that she return to the land to ensure good prosperous crops so they left offerings to the muses as guides).
Many old homesteads which have been renovated or excavated in the last few decades on Lemnos have found Siren statues buried deep beneath their foundations. This was a way to show devotion to the Siren inland centuries ago.
I’ve continued working with the Siren in the same way (offerings into the ocean) and have a copy of the ancient ceramic icon of the Siren buried on my property. I also have a pendant of the Siren from a local jeweler in Mirina (capital city of Lemnos) which I got on my last visit to Greece and has been calling to me in recent weeks so I will start to wear it again as I am feeling the call of the Siren.
I also finding it quite interesting that Hekate as well as the Siren are known as guides to Persephone…there’s something in that for me personally…
January 31, 2016
Resignation From Covenant of Hekate
I’ve officially left the Covenant of Hekate and resigned as founding member and torchbearer. My sanctuary of hekate’s crossroads will keep going as it always has – autonomously. I will keep being the owner and one of the moderators of Hekates Crossroads on FB as that was created as a networking tool and devotional to Hekate herself. As always I will keep walking with Hekate as guide and patron and the lovely connections I have made with her devotees whom I have met along the way.
