The Order of the White Moon Presents:
Aphrodite
Aphrodite is the Greek goddess
of Love, Sexuality, Joy, and Beauty. She is related to the Roman goddess Venus.
She is associated with intense beauty, all types of love and especially
romantic love, fertility, pleasure, marriage, sexual passion, and sexual
awakening.
The god Uranus was castrated by
his son Cronus who threw his severed genitals into the sea. From the sea foam
Aphrodite was created, born, arose, and floated in on a shell to the land of
her home in Cyprus, Greece. Her name Aphrodite comes from the Greek word
“aphros”, which means “foam born” or “water born”. She is also considered the
Goddess of the Sea, which symbolizes the interconnectedness of all life and
fertility. Aphrodite had no childhood. She was born a very beautiful, fully
developed adult woman. She is often depicted nude on a scallop shell in the sea
and also in an erotic depiction in art.
Seeing Aphrodite’s stunning
beauty, Zeus was afraid she may cause violence among the gods due to jealousy.
He had her married off to the non threatening and
unattractive Hephaestus, the skilled God of Smithing. Hephaestus was a devoted
husband to her and forged her lovely jewelry in her honor including a gold
girdle that made her even more attractive to the other gods. Aphrodite however
was unhappy in her marriage and took many other lovers including the gods
Adonis and Ares. It is said that because of Aphrodite’s great beauty she could
make any man fall in love with her just by them laying eyes on her.
Aphrodite is also considered the
Goddess of Joy and was attended by the three Graces Euphrosyne or Joyfulness,
Algaia or Brilliance, and Thalia or Bloom.
Since 1300 B.C.E. she has been
the main goddess worshiped to inspire passion, intensify romance, increase
sexual pleasure, enhance inner and outer beauty, for good luck in fertility,
and to improve sexual confidence. When Aphrodite is present in ritual she helps
kindle or rekindle love, passion, sexuality, and generates new life.
The Greeks celebrated Aphrodite
in a yearly festival called Aphrodisia all over Greece. It was a day to
celebrate love and fertility with related rituals and for love magick and
divination. The word “aphrodisiac”comes from her name, which means to incite
sexual arousal.
Sacred to Aphrodite
Sea: Scallop Shell, Clams, Pearls
Food: Apples, Pear, Pomegranate
Animals: Hare, Dolphin, Horse
Birds: Phoenix, Sparrow, Dove,
Swan,
Stones and Metals: Copper,
Malachite, Turquoise
Scents: Sandalwood, Rose
Trees: Cypress Tree, Palm Tree
Flowers: Roses, Myrtle
Aphrodite Ritual for Self Love and Inner Beauty
Need:
Altar Cloth: red
Candles: two red and two white
Incense: rose
Stones: turquoise
Oil: rose
Flowers: rose petals
Food: red apple and pomegranate
juice
Symbols: scallop shell, heart,
image of Goddess Aphrodite
Matches
Bath Sea Salts
Two Pieces of paper and pen
1. Set of altar cloth with two
red and one white candles anointed with rose oil,
incense, rose oil, stones, symbols, rose petals, paper and pen, food and drink.
2. Run hot bath and sprinkle
bath sea salts, rose oil, and rose petals in the
water.
3. Place one white candle on
tub, anoint with rose oil, and light.
4. Take this luxurious bath by
candlelight allowing yourself to be purified in the
bath water of all negativity. Enjoy the beauty of the rose petals, candle, and
scents around you.
5. After you feel fully purified
and relaxed step out of the bath and blow out the candle.
6. Stand in front of the altar
either nude or in a clean, special piece of clothing such as a ritual robe you
feel beautiful and nurtured in.
7. Call the five directions:
I call the spirits of the north elements of earth to be with me in this
circle.
I call the spirits of the east elements of air to be with me in this
circle.
I call the spirits of the south elements of fire to be with me in this
circle.
I call the spirits of the west elements of water to be with me in this
circle.
I call the spirits of the center the goddess to be with me in this
circle.
The circle is cast.
8. Light incense.
9. State the invocation to the
Goddess Aphrodite and light white candle in honor of her:
“Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, Sexuality, and Beauty I ask you to be with
me in this circle and guide me in this ritual for greater self love and
celebrating my inner beauty.”
10. Conduct self blessing by
anointing each area of your body with rose oil on the chakra saying the
following blessings:
I bless the soles of my feet for their guiding me along the path and
walking upon the earth.
I bless my root chakra for grounding me to the earth.
I bless my womb chakra for connecting me to passion, expressive
sexuality, and my life force.
I bless my power chakra for accomplishing daily activities and self
confidence.
I bless my heart chakra for being open to receiving love and giving
love.
I bless my throat chakra for self expression and creativity.
I bless my third eye chakra for intuition and wisdom.
I bless my crown chakra for connection the spirit world and the
Goddess.
I bless the palms of my hands for creating and the power of touch.
11. Light one red candle and
state:
“Goddess Aphrodite, goddess of Love guide me
to always be self loving everyday of my life.”
12. Meditate on ways you can be
self loving daily to yourself now. Write these down on a sheet of paper.
13. Take a bite of the apple
visualizing the Goddess Aphrodite’s spirit within you and state:
“ I promise to be self loving to my self everyday in the following
ways-(read the list your wrote out loud)”
14. Light second red candle and
state:
“Goddess Aphrodite, Goddess of Beauty guide me
in always remembering and being in touch with my inner beauty.”
15. Meditate and feel connected
to your inner beauty inside you radiating out into the circle.
16. Take a sip of the
pomegranate juice visualizing you are embodying the beauty of the Goddess
Aphrodite and connecting with your own inner beauty.
17. Close the circle saying
goodbye to all five elements and thanking the Goddess Aphrodite for joining you
and guiding you in the circle.
References:
Altars Made Easy, by Peggy
Streep