Yemaya, Kali , Akenaten

NAME: Yemaya. Holy Mother of the Sea. Ymoja. Iamanja.

SYMBOLS: A six sided star, an open shell, the Seas or other body of water.

USUAL IMAGE: Most often a mermaid dressed in black and white pearls with flowers all around her.

HOLY DAYS: June 20, called Candalaria.

PLACE OF WORSHIP: The shoreline of the Sea, or the nearest large river that flows into the Sea.

SYNODEITIES: Manannan Mac Lir (Celtic), Chalchiuhtlicue (Aztec), Ahto (Finnish), Poseidon (Greek), Susanowo (Japanese).

DETAILS: Yemaya who is also called the Holy Mother Sea is a powerful Goddess in the African-Caribbean tradition. In Western Africa she is Ymoja, the Yoruban river mother, prayed to for fertility. In Santeria she is Yemaya, mother of many orishas (spirit divinities). She traveled with her people when they were enslaved in the Americas and the Caribbean Islands. Her popularity grew and spread to many different peoples.

In Brazil she is Iamaja, a sea goddess celebrated on Summer Solstice with the Candalaria ceremony in which thousands of worshipers dressed in white come to the shorelines and throw offerings of flowers and other gifts into the sea, as well as sacred boats which they have made. They then wait to see if she accepts their prayer and offering or sends them back on the waves. She is thought by her followers to wash away their troubles with her waters which are also thought of as the womb of creation and dreams.

NAME: Kali
SYMBOLS: A necklace of skulls representing the "seed syllables" of the Sanskrit alphabet. These syllables are considered sacred sounds of which the universe is created. She wields a bloodied sword which cuts through illusion (Maya).

USUAL IMAGE: Kali is depicted as a woman with black or blue skin, with long black hair. Her tongue protrudes from her mouth. She stands or dances atop her husband, Lord Shiva the Destroyer, who lies dead, covered in white ashes. Kali holds a bloody sword and severed head in her two upper hands while holding out her two lower hands in welcome, holding boons to those who follow her.

HOLY DAYS: The dark of the moon.

PLACE OF WORSHIP: There are many temples to Kali in India. Other places considered appropriate are: cremation grounds, especially during darkest night.

FORM OF WORSHIP: Kali accepts offerings of flesh.

SYNODEITIES: Kele (Ireland), Kal-Ma (Finland), Kalu (Sinai region of the Middle East), and Kalli (Ancient Greece), possibly Ushas (India), Prajnaparamita, the "Perfection of Wisdom" and Ugra Tara (early Buddhist tradition),.and Shyam.

DETAILS: Kali is a primordial mother goddess of the Hindu tantric tradition. She predates the Aryan invasion of India as evidenced by her dark skin. The conflict between the darker skinned inhabitants of the Indian sub-continent and the lighter skinned invaders is told through the myths of conflict and the ferocity of Kali in defending her own against the alien invaders.

Originally a warrior goddess, Kali was worshiped with offerings of blood and flesh. After the introduction of the patriarchal gods in India Kali continued to be revered by the matriarchal tribes of India such as the Shabara tribes of Orissa.

Although seen as a warrior goddess, the followers of Kali find in her the strongest of protectresses. She is considered the great mother and as such is referred to as Kali-Ma (Kali Mother). Those who follow her are relieved of their suffering and negative Karma as well as receiving the gifts of bliss and liberation from fear.

Kali is also associated with intense sexuality. Mythology tells of her Yoni falling to earth at on the sacred hill near Gauhati, where the Temple of Kamakhya is now located. The outer walls of the temple are decorated with carvings of the goddess as a squatting woman exposing her Yoni, a mother with a suckling child, and a warrior woman drawing a bow. These carvings present Kali as a sexual being, a motherly woman of compassion, and full of protective fervor.

Kali has been worshiped by the Thuggee of India and this has contributed to a negative connotation about her in the west. However, most westerners do not understand that Kali Ma is the most widely recognized and worshiped Goddess in India.

SYMBOLS: Golden apple with a "K" on it, which stands for Kallisti, It is a word from the Greek language. It may be translated as "for the most beautiful one" or "to the prettiest one."
USUAL IMAGE: : Depends upon who is seeing her.

HOLY BOOKS: : The Principia Discordia, Cosmic Trigger, Illuminatus!, How I Found The Goddess And What I Did To Her After I Found Her, Alice In Wonder Land. Some of the films of the Marks Brothers.

HOLY DAYS: : May the 23rd (also the birthday of St. Harpo), Moosemass (not sure just what this day falls on) and April 1st.

PLACE OF WORSHIP: : The right hemisphere of your brain.

MAJOR TABOOS: : No Dogma, really, just a very few light Catmas.

RELATIVES: : Acoording to standard Greek muth Eris was the daughter of Mars/Aries and she had a brother called MOMUS who was the god of cynicism and clowns, which I guess would make him the patron god of BBS'.

FORM OF WORSHIP: : Spreading good Chaoa, eating a hotdog without a bun every Friday (this is because of the taboos of other deities i.e. no por, no meat of beef, no meat on Friday) looking for 23's, opening minds. (It's an aill wind that blows no minds - old Discordian saying.)

SYNODEITIES: : Coyote (Native American), Brother Rabbit (African), Loki (Norse), Monkey God (Hindu), and Q (Star Trek).

NOTE: : When asked how things had been going for him of late, Lord Ravenhurst, one of the founders of Discordianism said: You know, if I had realised that all of this was going to come true, I would have chosen Venus