Sacred Sister by Bettina WitteVeen
GLOSSARY
AMAZONS: Society of women warriors whose kingdom was believed to be to the north of the civilized world and who tolerated men only as servants or as father of female children. They cut off one breast in order to accommodate a bow and arrow. Their deity is Artemis, goddess of the hunt. They fought several battles against the Greeks. The Amazon river was named after them by Gaspar de Carvajal, who believed to have entered their land when he encountered some ferocious looking tribal women in the river's estuary in 1542.
FATES: Three old and formidable women also referred to as the Moirae and Parcae, or Narns in Norse mythology. They are the personification of inescapable destiny that applies to gods as well as men. Clotho represents that which was, Atropos that which is and Lachesis that which will be. Together they spin the thread of life.
KALI HECATE Consort to Shiva in Vedic mythology, Kali represents the principles of destruction. She is mostly depicted as dancing and trampling on the body of her husband. Our age is the time of Kali Yuga, the age of iron when the world is ruled by dissension and war and greed. It is the final stage of contraction of the universe. Hecate can be seen as the Greek equivalent to Kali. She is a Titaness associated with the occult and the worlds of Shades. Hecate is a Shamaness who at night sends forth demons and spectral beings and, like the religious fanatics who as part of worshipping Kali, she too preys on travelers. Hacate walks with the disembodied and can change her appearance to seduce any lover of her choosing.
MEDUSA: Victim of metamorphosis by Athena, goddess of the intellect, Medusa became the victimizer by turning all who look at her into stone. She was a young princess who was very proud of her blond hair. Medusa was either seduced or raped by Poseidon, god of the ocean and symbol of chaos, in Athena's temple. Athena was so offended by this sacrilege that she punished her by turning Medusa's blond locks into seven whither black snakes. Athena helped Perseus kill Medusa with the aide of a shield and a mirror. Athena put Medusa's head on her aegis. At the moment of her beheading Medusa gave birth to the white winged horse Pegasus and the Chrysaor. Two vials of her blood were taken: one was poison and the other mankind's first medicine.
PYTHIA: The prophetesses at the oracle at Delphi were called Pythia after the snake and she-monster Python which was killed by Apollo who wanted the oracle for himself.
TARA: The female Buddha and the personification of all encompassing compassion Tara is also referred to as Kuan Yin in China and Quan An in Vietnam. She is a major Buddhist deity credited with tremendous powers who will come to the aid of anyone invoking her name or mantra. Tara is also considered to be the mother not only of humankind, but of all sentient beings not only of this world, but of all the worlds that ever were, that are and that will be. Her heart is said to be the pulse of time and her life is the cosmic dream.
Sacred Sister by Bettina WitteVeen
GLOSSARY
AMAZONS: Society of women warriors whose kingdom was believed to be to the north of the civilized world and who tolerated men only as servants or as father of female children. They cut off one breast in order to accommodate a bow and arrow. Their deity is Artemis, goddess of the hunt. They fought several battles against the Greeks. The Amazon river was named after them by Gaspar de Carvajal, who believed to have entered their land when he encountered some ferocious looking tribal women in the river's estuary in 1542.
FATES: Three old and formidable women also referred to as the Moirae and Parcae, or Narns in Norse mythology. They are the personification of inescapable destiny that applies to gods as well as men. Clotho represents that which was, Atropos that which is and Lachesis that which will be. Together they spin the thread of life.
KALI HECATE Consort to Shiva in Vedic mythology, Kali represents the principles of destruction. She is mostly depicted as dancing and trampling on the body of her husband. Our age is the time of Kali Yuga, the age of iron when the world is ruled by dissension and war and greed. It is the final stage of contraction of the universe. Hecate can be seen as the Greek equivalent to Kali. She is a Titaness associated with the occult and the worlds of Shades. Hecate is a Shamaness who at night sends forth demons and spectral beings and, like the religious fanatics who as part of worshipping Kali, she too preys on travelers. Hacate walks with the disembodied and can change her appearance to seduce any lover of her choosing.
MEDUSA: Victim of metamorphosis by Athena, goddess of the intellect, Medusa became the victimizer by turning all who look at her into stone. She was a young princess who was very proud of her blond hair. Medusa was either seduced or raped by Poseidon, god of the ocean and symbol of chaos, in Athena's temple. Athena was so offended by this sacrilege that she punished her by turning Medusa's blond locks into seven whither black snakes. Athena helped Perseus kill Medusa with the aide of a shield and a mirror. Athena put Medusa's head on her aegis. At the moment of her beheading Medusa gave birth to the white winged horse Pegasus and the Chrysaor. Two vials of her blood were taken: one was poison and the other mankind's first medicine.
PYTHIA: The prophetesses at the oracle at Delphi were called Pythia after the snake and she-monster Python which was killed by Apollo who wanted the oracle for himself.
TARA: The female Buddha and the personification of all encompassing compassion Tara is also referred to as Kuan Yin in China and Quan An in Vietnam. She is a major Buddhist deity credited with tremendous powers who will come to the aid of anyone invoking her name or mantra. Tara is also considered to be the mother not only of humankind, but of all sentient beings not only of this world, but of all the worlds that ever were, that are and that will be. Her heart is said to be the pulse of time and her life is the cosmic dream.