The song of the day is: Unseelie Fae Lullaby -by- Derek Fiechter, Brandon Fiechter
The challenge is to write something based off of this song, be it the name, the cover, or the tune itself. Let your imagination go wild and see where the music takes you.
25 Thargelion (Θαργηλιών) was Kallynteria (Καλυντήρια) followed by Plynteria (Πλυντήρια) on 26 Thargelion (or the 19th/20th or 21st/22nd - there's no real concensus). Ultimately, this festival can be celebrated anytime throughout late June. The Modern Greek translations are a bit different but imply cleaning and adornment: "washing machines" and "cosmetics," respectfully.
Stemming from the words "to make good/pure" (kallyn) and "to wash" (plyn), these two days are a festival of catharsis ("sweeping out," if you will) for Athena Polias (Αθηνά Πολίας - The Protectress of The City). On Kallynteria, women thoroughly cleaned Athena Polias' temple in Athens, and her eternal flame was relit by her priestesses. On Plynteria, her statue's garments (peplos & jewelry) were removed and ritually cleansed with water from the sea. During that time, she was concealed out of respect.
The city was also deemed unprotected by its patroness and thus prone to bad luck until the cleaning was complete. To avoid any mishaps, Athenian businesses and other sanctuaries were closed on both days.
Coincidentally, Tuesday the 13th (not Friday) is considered an unlucky day to the Modern Greeks. This superstition started because The Sack of Constantinople took place on Tuesday, April 13th, 1204 (marking the culmination of the Fourth Crusade). I just find it interesting timing that Tuesday the 13th was right before the two days that were considered unlucky to the Ancient Greeks...
Ways to Honour Athena Polias:
clean your altar & sweep the surrounding area
light a candle as a symbol of relighting the eternal flame
clean Athena's statue (if you have one - do a visualization if not)
*No altar or statue? Consider these two days a time of pre-Solstice or late-Spring cleaning.
*I suggest washing your hands with saltwater before proceeding with the rituals.
The SEQUEL. 5 times no one has interrupted Phrack and yet nothing happened and 1 time something DID happen.
Apparently, the people who kept interrupting Phrack didn't, in fact, interrupt anything. Phryne and Jack are perfectly capable of doing it on their own. Enjoy! 💖 Or scream in frustration... whatever you feel like doing. 🙈
Music and clip bits in this video:
1. Jelly Roll Morton & His Red Hot Peppers - Smoke House Blues
with some lit candles on my altar (there is NO breeze which is why it is SO hot out here - 80 degrees but MUGGY)
And listening to some of my spooky meditation music on my phone. Someday I'll tell you about my ADDICTION to Brandon and Derek Fiechter's music and my endless meditation playlists...
Here's one song that made me think of you! It is a meditation all on it's own!
THIS playlist is just called "Witchcraft" and it is lovely.
BUT THAT IS NOT WHY I AM MAKING MY POST I was just thinking - it's been a LONG time since I've sat out here! Why is that? I sat out here MANY TIMES in the first few weeks of school in the past few years...
..and then I remembered.
I came out here to sit with my computer BECAUSE SCHOOL WORK WAS SO VERY SCARY And I came out here to sit in my meditation garden so I could face it.
I haven't been out here in recent memory BECAUSE this school isn't giving me all that scary, scary work.