The Order of the White Moon Goddess Gallery Presents

https://sites.google.com/site/romanmythologyredgroupfhs/minerva-neptune-and-the-gift

MINERVA

A Level II Final Project for The Sacred Three Goddess School by Adept Sage Moonmaiden

Minerva was originally an Etruscan goddess of medicine, wisdom, poetry, war and household arts, such as weaving and embroidery. Minerva is associated with the Greek goddess Athena. Her symbols include the olive, owl, and grain. Like Diana and Vesta, Minerva is a “virgin goddess”. She vowed to never marry, but instead devoted herself to her work.

Minerva’s backstory is an interesting one. Titaness Metis was pregnant with Jupiter when he swallowed her. Metis was still alive in Jupiter’s stomach and began to make armor for her daughter. The constant pounding gave Jupiter severe headaches, which drove him to ask Vulcan to split his head open. Vulcan split Jupiter’s head open and out came Minerva, fully grown and dressed in armor.

Minerva was one of three Worshiped at Captioline Hill. Jupiter and Juno joined Minerva at the holy site, which is where Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. gets its name.

Image result for minerva" She is a warlike goddess, a gracious winner that often had sympathy for the defeated, often offering them an olive branch. Unlike Mars, Minerva is not a deity of conquest war but more a goddess of war strategy. War leaders would invoke Minerva to help them with winning war strategies and tactics on the battlefield.

Minerva was celebrated during two festivals, one in March and one in June.

The Quinquatrus is a festival that went from March 19-23 celebrating the spring equinox. The first day of the festival would be peaceful with no bloodshed. The rest of the days would be glorious gladiatorial battles. The festival was celebrated with fortune tellers, speakers, poets and plays. June 13^th, The Ides of June, was another lesser known holiday to Minerva. Flute players would play and in 207BC a guild of actors and poets would meet on Aventine Hill at the temple of Minerva and made votive offerings.

Britains would invoke Minerva also syncretized with Sulis, for the return of stolen property. She is often seen with an owl and a snake at her feet. The owl represents wisdom and victory, and the snake is said to also represents wisdom. Her Greek https://images.app.goo.gl/MkokhZ63ZYJBb7ii7 equivalent is Athena.

She was the teacher of wisdom and inventor which communicated with knowledge, experience and wisdom. She teaches humans how to spin and weave and in Roman mythology is known for inventing numbers and medicine.

Ritual

For my ritual I have chosen to use the ritual from 365 Goddess by Patricia Telesco, February 23^rd ritual.

Themes: Earth and Home

Symbols: Owl and Geranium

This ritual is a centered house blessing.

Begin by putting on some uplifting music. Burn geranium incense or any other pantry spice. (I used sage). Take into every room of the home, moving clockwise to promote positive energy and repeat

Minerva, protect this scared space

And all who live within.

By your power and my will,

The magic now begins!

Wear a geranium to commemorate Minerva and welcome her energy.

I painted a picture of an owl with geraniums to put on my altar as an offering for Minerva.

A picture containing wall, indoor, table

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