Wicca Way

THE GODS & GODDESSES OF LOVE

all through time, and in every culture there have been deities dedicated to love. from the shy mutual
attraction, to serious flirtation, there is a god out there who fits the bill.
there are a number of ways of petitioning the deities ~ offerings of incense, flowers, fruit, sacrifice
(usually a lock of hair or a drop of blood) or by dedicating oneself to their service for a length of time.
the easiest way is by prayer, which are quite simply spells, spoken or thought to focus the mind and will
on a desired goal, and to ask the assistance of the powers that be in attaining that goal

ISIS AND OSIRIS
Osiris and his wife Isis are said to have brought civilization to the then savage land of Egypt. between them
they taught agricultural, created the first musical instruments and laid down the foundations for religious
observances.
Osiris hated violence, it was his compassion and sweetness that brought him success, his enemies were simply disarmed by the gentle strength
of his personality.
while her husband was away charming everyone, Isis governed Egypt to perfection. she embodied
fertility, wisdom and female magic, and it was she who restored Osiris' body to life after set killed him
Isis and Osiris symbolize perfected married happiness, they are equals in power and ability,
devoted to each other and wise in the care of their children. those wishing for such qualities in their own
relationship can say a simple pray to the pair at sunrise and sunset
"wise Isis, gentle Osiris, may your love and devotion echo in my love and life"
corn, grapes and acacia are special to Osiris, while the lotus, figs, myrrh and dates are appropriate for Isis,
share the fruits as a love feast to confirm your love, and wear the ankh, the ancient symbol of life to keep it
fresh and strong.

JUPITER AND JUNO
Jupiter was seen as the great protector, he symbolized justice and honor, and was the guardian of the young.
he was sometimes a bit heavy handed but usually tempering discipline with wisdom.
Juno was the protectress of women, especially mothers and those in labor. she may be visualized as a guiding
light helping the new baby in its journey from the womb. she was the matriarch, the equal of her husband.
as the goddess of childbirth juno's help was invoked by those having difficulty conceiving children.
together Jupiter and Juno symbolize wise parenthood and protection especially those new to raising a
family. nutmeg, cloves, almonds and olives are Jupiter's plants.
the iris, lily and verbena are junos, and her special attribute is the peacocks feather (the eyes symbolize her watchfulness over her children)
the 1st of march is junos day, while success cant be guaranteed, childless couples might dedicate this time to
a special attempt. share some olives or almonds, and say a small pray to the pair. the wording should be from
your heart, and of your own choice. burn some myrrh incense to help the pray on its way.

ZEUS AND HERA
these two are included as a way of warding off unwanted behavior rather than encouraging it
Zeus is renowned for his infidelities, his marriage to Hera did nothing to stop him. Hera was always faithful,
she was also very jealous and quite capable of visiting terrible punishments on the women involved, even
though they were usually blameless..
Zeus is the typical chauvinist, a type to be avoided (unless you are a masochist)
Hera is the vindictive , embittered wronged wife, and the proud, virtuous, unattainable beauty.
oranges, peppermint and the poplar tree are Zeus' plants. if you are troubled by and unwanted attraction to
a modern day Zeus, take an orange, some peppermint leaves and a handful of cloves,
pin the mint leaves to the orange with the cloves, saying as each clove pierces the skin,
"with this act I drive you, (name) from my mind and my heart. begone and trouble me no more"
leave the charm to dry so that you can watch it wrinkle and harden, feeling your attraction to the person die
with it. to ward off an attraction to someone you know is prone to jealousy and will make your life miserable,
tie five knots in a long, supple willow twig and either bury it or throw it into fast running water saying
"I bind this affection with Hera's knots and sent it far from me"

EROS
treat Eros with care, he is capricious and quite capable of causing heartache.
he is the son of Aphrodite, a beautiful, sometimes gracious, sometimes malicious child. who takes great
pleasure in torturing men with the fires of unrequited love. if you find yourself so afflicted you may be able
to deflect the worse of it by taking bay leaves, writing the initial letter of your unattainable beloved's name
on them, and burning them. this may act to remove the curse.
alternatively you could try appealing to his mother, Aphrodite might be persuaded to reverse the situation or
even intervene to bring your love to fruition, especially if you have shown devotion to her in the past.

ANGUS
Angus was the son of the dagda, originally the principal fertility god. his function seems mainly to bring fond
affection and light heartedness into relationships. if you are finding things a little heavy going, gather some
golden colored flowers and a couple of citrines, dedicate them to Angus and ask him to brighten the atmosphere between you. if possible buy
some mead, and share a glassful before going to bed each night, to help loving
feelings and to bring pleasant dreams.

CERNUNNOS
the lord of the dance, also called the horned god, cerunnos symbolizes male fertility. he is the protector
of wild animals, and with the earth goddess embodies wholeness and creative power. his power may be
invoked for male complaints like impotence or male infertility.
take a rock crystal wand, the size does not matter as long as it longer than it is broad, to a solitary oak
tree, lean against the trunk, holding the crystal in both hands, close your eyes and imagine yourself
being filled with energy drawn from the tree, the sun, the air, the earth. focus this energy into the
crystal and keep the stone with you at all times.

SHIVA AND SHAKTI
they symbolize joy and enlightenment. Shiva is the dancing god, he destroys illusions, thus allowing the
person to fully enjoy the game of life. shakti is his female counterpart, without whom he is incomplete,
she embodies beauty, pleasure and the happiness that comes with self acceptance. both are invoked through
dance, not formal dancing but the dance that comes from within, and expresses inner joy and freedom. some
people may find this hard to start with, try dancing by yourself until you feel comfortable with the idea.
after awhile you can dance for each other and then with each other using the movements to weave a love
spell between and around you. poppy and jasmine are used to scent the air, these are special to shakti,
while Shiva's plants are the Banyan tree and marjoram.

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