Bibliotheca Alexandrina

Rebecca Buchanan

Alternate history. Apocalyptic. Biopunk. Cyberpunk. Dystopia. Ecological. Far future. Feminist. Gaslight. Lost world. Marxist. Military. Parallel world. Planetary romance. Space opera. Space western. Steampunk. Superhero. Time travel. Utopia. As a genre, science fiction is difficult to define. So, perhaps the best definition is also the broadest: science fiction as a genre deals with imaginary, but plausible and logically constructed, worlds in which the implications and consequences of cultural, environmental, and scientific change and innovation are explored. With its limitless potential for world-building -- and real world influence -- science fiction is also a genre rich in possibility for Pagan authors and readers alike, but one which has been sadly neglected. With The Shining Cities, we add one more to that short list of works. In these pages you will find tales that run the gamut from humorous to ecological to anthropological to time travel to space fantasy to space opera to steampunk. It is our hope that The Shining Cities will be only the most recent addition to an ever-growing catalogue of Pagan science fiction. Enjoy!

An Anthology of Pagan Science Fiction

The Shining Cities

Written in Wine is a collection of devotional writings dedicated to the ancient Greek god Dionysos by his modern worshippers. The world of Dionysos is one of wildness, freedom, mystery and intoxication, a dangerous and boundary-blurring place where nature is alive with wonder. Come with us as we revel with the god on the mountainside and explore the furthest reaches of our own selves under his frenzied inspiration. Inside these pages you will find essays, poetry, rituals and fiction, as well as personal accounts of Dionysian experiences.

A Devotional Anthology for Dionysos

Written in Wine

Queen of the Starry Heavens. Queen of the Gods. Bearer of the Lotus Staff. Bearer of the Pomegranate. Goddess of Marriage. Goddess of Women. Mistress of the Spring Rains. Mistress of the Golden Apples. Lady of the Cuckoo and the Peacock. Maligned in scholarship and modern popular culture as the shrewish wife of Zeus, Hera was much loved in ancient Greece. Worship of the Queen of the Milky Way spread from Argos to the sacred isle of Samos, from the mountains of Asia Minor to the shores of Carthage, from the hills of Rome to the banks of the Thames. The Protector of Women and the Guardian of Marriage, She was also called White-Armed and Cow-Eyed as the Goddess of Cattle. The mother of Ares, Eileithyia, Hebe, Hephaestus, and the monstrous Typhaon, Hera championed such heroes as Jason and the Argonauts while driving others - most notably Herakles - to madness and greatness. The Roman Iuno (or Juno), often considered to be the same Goddess as Hera, has even less in common with the petty, jealous stereotype. One of the Capitoline Triad, Iuno was honored by the Romans as a great Goddess of civilization, of war, of government and law, of marriage and health and childbirth. Today, devotees of Hera and Iuno are reviving their worship. In the pages of this anthology, we share our love of the Mother of Gods and Men. In poems and hymns, essays and rituals, artwork and music, we explore the nature of this most complex and glorious Goddess, she who is Queen of Olympos.

A Devotional Anthology for Hera and Iuno

Queen of Olympos

Devourer Lady of Perfume She of the Ointment Jars Mistress of the Crowns Queen of the Sky Who Rules Over All the Gods Bast is a complex Goddess of many names and many forms. She is sometimes a cat, sometimes a woman with the head of a cat, sometimes a woman with the head of a lion. She is both fiercely maternal, and wrathful. She is compassionate and sensuous, but also savage and grim. She is both huntress, and protector. As her devotees past and present attest, She is a Goddess of great beauty, great warmth, and great terror. A Goddess truly worthy of our devotion. Dua Bast!

A Devotional Anthology in Honor of Bast

The Queen of the Sky Who Rules Over All the Gods

Lykeia

Queen of the Starry Heavens. Queen of the Gods. Bearer of the Lotus Staff. Bearer of the Pomegranate. Goddess of Marriage. Goddess of Women. Mistress of the Spring Rains. Mistress of the Golden Apples. Lady of the Cuckoo and the Peacock. Maligned in scholarship and modern popular culture as the shrewish wife of Zeus, Hera was much loved in ancient Greece. Worship of the Queen of the Milky Way spread from Argos to the sacred isle of Samos, from the mountains of Asia Minor to the shores of Carthage, from the hills of Rome to the banks of the Thames. The Protector of Women and the Guardian of Marriage, She was also called White-Armed and Cow-Eyed as the Goddess of Cattle. The mother of Ares, Eileithyia, Hebe, Hephaestus, and the monstrous Typhaon, Hera championed such heroes as Jason and the Argonauts while driving others -- most notably Herakles -- to madness and greatness. The Roman Iuno (or Juno), often considered to be the same Goddess as Hera, has even less in common with the petty, jealous stereotype. One of the Capitoline Triad, Iuno was honored by the Romans as a great Goddess of civilization, of war, of government and law, of marriage and health and childbirth. Today, devotees of Hera and Iuno are reviving their worship. In the pages of this anthology, we share our love of the Mother of Gods and Men. In poems and hymns, essays and rituals, artwork and music, we explore the nature of this most complex and glorious Goddess, she who is Queen of Olympos.

The Saffron-Robed Goddess. Sister of Sun and Moon. Mother of the Morning Star and the Evening Star. To the Romans, She is Aurora. To the Greeks, She is Eos. The Goddess of the Dawn, she is linked to the most basic elements of creation itself: light, time, movement, birth, and death. Vivacious and lusty, She is a Goddess of renewal, dispenser of the dew which waters the fields every morning and the lover of many notable Gods, demigods, and mortals. Her sons, too, are honored here: Heosphoros and Hesperus in the Greek pantheon, Lucifer and Vesper in the Roman. They hold an unusual position in theology and poetry, understood to be the same being called by different names at different times, according to His function. Over time, He/They came to be associated with freedom and enlightenment, philosophy, love, and marriage. Daughters of primordial Night, Goddesses of Dusk and Sunset and Evening, the Hesperides live on an island beyond the western edge of the world, far out of the reach of ordinary mortals. Guardians of the treasures of the Gods, They keep watch over a Tree of Golden Apples and aid heroes on their epic quests. It is our hope that this anthology will begin to fill a notable gap in devotional literature. Through these poems, prayers, rites, and tales, we hope to awaken a renewed appreciation for Aurora, Eos, and the Hesperides; to inspire others to write and paint and sing and dance in Their honor; and to hear Their names spoken aloud once again in love and devotion.

A Devotional for Aurora, EOS, and the Hesperides

At the Gates of Dawn and Dusk

Melitta Benu

Demeter. Ancient and modern devotees alike know Demeter to be a complex Goddess. As demonstrated by the poetry, essays, short fiction, and artwork collected in this anthology, she is a Goddess of many guises. Some devotees see her as an aspect of the Great Goddess, the source of all creation. For others, She is part of a fluid trinity, encompassing the phases of a woman's life and the cycles of the year. Some experience Demeter as identical to the Roman Ceres, while still others consider them distinct entities. Some honor her as the Mistress of Good Green Growing Things, Lady of Herbs and Fruit, Queen of Flowers and Bees, She Who Bears the Golden Scythe, The Great Sow who taught us the use and preservation of seeds and who continues to bless our farms and gardens. Others experience her as the Law-Giver, whose gifts not only allowed humans to gather and thrive, but also necessitated the creation of customs and laws to ensure right behavior and the survival of civilization. For still other devotees, She is The Great Mother, The Destroyer, The Black Mare, Dark with Rage, Bringer of the Fallow Season, Mother of the Maiden who holds the world hostage until her daughter is returned. And for still others She is the Giver of the Mysteries, Overseer of Initiations, The Purifying One whose rites reveal secret truths and promise a blessed afterlife. She is all of these, and so much more. She is Demeter, Goddess most worthy of our devotion.

A Devotional Anthology in Honor of Demeter

Potnia

She is the First, and She is the Last. Eldest and Youngest Child of Heaven and Earth. The Hearth at the Center of Creation. Few myths and rites for Hestia survive from the classical world. A Goddess primarily of the domestic sphere, She was so central to ancient beliefs and practices that the Greeks actually wrote down very little about Her. She simply Was. And Is. And so we come to the purpose of this anthology: not just to present ancient material about the Goddess, but, more importantly, to fill in the gaps in belief, practice, and understanding which were not handed down through the intervening millennia. Within these pages, Her devotees recreate Her worship, craft new devotional practices, write new hymns and songs and even myths, develop new recipes, and create new artwork in Her honor. Hestia remains highly revered and respected, and new devotees are finding their way to Her. As in ancient days, she receives both the least and greatest of offerings. May she never be forgotten.

A Devotional for Hestia

First and Last

Hail to You, Ereshkigal, Great Queen of Those Below. Mistress of the Shadows. Lady of Bones and Dust. Frightening One of the Far Places Where Men Fear to Go. Strong One Who Builds the Boundaries and Knows How to Tear Them Down. Queen of the Great Below is a collection of poems, essays and personal ritual experiences by modern devotees in honor of Ereshkigal. Once worshipped as Ruler of the Underworld from the shores of the Euphrates to the banks of the Nile, Ereshkigal is now known primarily for her role as the antagonist in The Descent of Inanna. In this unique devotional anthology, however, Ereshkigal is revealed to be a multi-faceted deity of transformation, boundary-keeping, and passion, a teacher of harsh but necessary lessons. You stand at the brink of the Underworld, on the shadowed path that few walk willingly. Those who have contributed to this devotional have walked this road and returned, bearing the blessings of the Queen. We invite you to walk this path, as well. Ereshkigal awaits .... [Editor's Note: This text contains references to BDSM and the ordeal path.]

An Anthology in Honor of Ereshkigal

Queen of the Great Below

Ashley Horn

Artemis. Freyja. Hestia. Kuan Yin. Mary. The Morrigan. Neith. These Goddesses and countless others have forged their own paths and, in so doing, inspired women around the world. In these pages, we honor those Goddesses who are complete unto themselves, and teach us to be the same.

A Devotional Anthology for Independent Goddesses

Unto Herself

She is the Young Grain, Daughter of the Harvest Queen She is the Iron Queen, Beloved of the Underworld She is the Great Revelation, the Secret of the Mysteries She is Persephone. Known today primarily as the Spring Maiden, ancient peoples knew her as so much more. It was Persephone they called upon to watch over their marriages, and guard their unmarried daughters. It was Persephone they called upon to curse their enemies and avenge injustices. It was Persephone who offered them a peaceful afterlife through the revelation of her great Mysteries at Eleusis. Today, we are rediscovering the complicated, complex nature of this wise and awesome Goddess. Within these pages are hymns and poems, essays and rituals, artwork and fiction in honor of the Harbinger of Fruit, the Goddess of the Narcissus, She Who Tasted the Pomegranate, the Queen of the Sacred Way. Persephone. Come. Follow her path.

A Devotional Anthology in Honor of Persephone

Queen of the Sacred Way

Anat, Ereshkigal, Artemis, Juno, Venus, Bast, Seshat, Brigid, Arduinna, Freyja, Hel, Yemaya, Mawu, Pele, Ix Chel, Kuan Yin, Tara, Sarasvati, Kali. Goddesses were, and still are, widely worshipped. Not just in far off places, but close by, right here. People today sing to these Goddesses, pray to them, dance for them, make offerings - and write for them. The poetry and prose and art collected here celebrates Goddesses from all over the world. Like the Goddesses they honor, these tales and poems and works of art vary from the humorous to the horrific, from the deeply personal to the deeply transcendent, and everything in between. Some Goddesses will be familiar, others strange, still others completely new. It is our hope that you will find these words and works of art not just entertaining, but also inspiring: sing, pray, dance, set up an altar - pick up your pen. The Goddesses are here.

Tales and Poems of the Feminine Divine

Garland of the Goddess

Sticks and Stones and Animal Bones Birds and Cards and Far-away Stars Welcome to The Diviner's Handbook, a collection of essays, prayers, artwork, and poetry which deals with both ancient and modern divination practices, techniques, systems, and beliefs. This is not the typical how-to manual, however. There are plenty of books like that already. This is not a how to read the signs and work the system book, but rather a how to be a diviner book. It is a collection of prayers to guide you, poems to inspire you, warnings to remind you of your responsibilities, and meditations on the art by those who practice it. With work drawing upon techniques as varied as augury, bone casting, cartomancy, ogam, and runelore, there is something here for nearly every practitioner. Divination has ancient roots, but is very much alive in modern times. It is our hope that The Diviner's Handbook will become a trusted companion to you in all of your oracular work. And may that work be insightful, inspirational, and full of hope.

Writings on Ancient and Modern Divination Practices

The Diviner's Handbook

Lady of the Moon. Mother of the Stars. Sister of Sun and Dawn. Wanderer of the Night. Selene. She is the glorious silver light whom mortals have gazed at in wonder since time immemorial. She is the indefinable spirit of the night, gentler than the hot and boisterous day. She is love both amorous and maternal. She is peace and rest. To her devotees ancient and modern, she is all of these things, and so much more. The poems, prayers, rites, stories, artwork, and essays collected here celebrate this most awesome and beautiful of Goddesses. O epainos einai sto Selene!"

A Devotional for Selene

Lunessence

Warrior. Healer. Hunter. Guardian. Mother. Daughter. Eye of the Sun and Arbiter of Justice. Mistress of Dread and Lady of the Slaughter. The Red Lioness. The Drunken One. Sekhmet is a complex Goddess, an ancient and ferocious Deity impossible to fit into a single, simple category. That is, after all, the way and nature of Gods: they are beings of awe and power and grace and wrath. All of these qualities are apparent in the poems, hymns, essays, rites, myths, and artwork which follow. Her modern-day devotees, scattered across the globe, find in Her a fiercely protective mother, a sly and cunning teacher, a joyful and creative muse, a wise initiator into ancient mysteries, and a righteous avenger of injustice. She is all of these things, and so much more. She is Sekhmet, most worthy of our love and devotion.

A Devotional Anthology in Honor of Sekhmet

Daughter of the Sun

Hekate is, without question, one of the most popular goddesses in the world today, worshiped by Hellenic Recons, Wiccans, and Neo-pagans alike. Hekate has many roles and many guises. To some she is a beautiful maiden, to others the dark mother. She has been called the guide of souls; the protector of the home; the giver of wealth; the mistress of powerful magic and frightful witches; the dweller on the threshold and the place where three roads meet. These and other aspects of the goddess are explored in the pages of this unique book, which honors Hekate's diversity by collecting a wide array of offerings from her modern-day devotees, including poetry, essays, short stories and accounts of personal experiences. Whether you've worshiped Hekate for ages or are just now discovering the power of this awesome goddess, you will want to read Bearing Torches.

A Devotional Anthology for Hekate

Bearing Torches

Galina Krasskova

Charon. He is the ferryman who carries the souls of the dead across the River Styx in the gloomy Greek underworld. Two coins pay his fee, but his work never ceases. In this collection of essays, fiction, poetry, and prayers, this often-neglected divine being is properly recognized and honored by modern polytheists. Mysterious and foreboding, Charon nevertheless waits for us all. Paying our respects while still living will put us in good standing when it comes time to cross the river.

A Devotional to Charon

Ferryman of Souls

Kali. The Morrigan. Set. The Cailleach. Medusa. Shiva. Melinoe. Odin. Herne. Ereshkigal. They are the Dark Ones. They are frightening and strange and wrathful and odd. Reviled, ignored, feared, and misunderstood, they are the Deities and spirits and monsters of war and disease, savage justice, cataclysm, and death. But also of painful transformation, self-reflection, and enlightenment. Stand in awe of them. Fear them. Then go to them.

Tales and Poems of the Shadow Gods

The Dark Ones

She is the Foam-Born. The Myrtle and the Rose. Lover, Warrior, Mother, and Creatrix. Aphrodite and Venus are complex Goddesses. The same may be said, of course, of any Power. When it comes to Deities associated with love or sex, though, too many fall back on caricature when trying to explain or understand such Beings: they are all lusty bubbleheads or consumed with materialist desires, or, worse, frivolous and cruel, given to playing with human hearts for their own amusement. That is not Aphrodite, nor is it Venus. Rather, they are Goddesses of immense power and deep passions, who can be kind and angry, wise and stubborn, cosmic in their transcendence and intimate in their immanence. The poems and essays and myths and rites here included reflect that very complexity. Many of Aphrodite and Venus' devotees see them as distinct entities, a Power unto themselves; others see them as one and the same, as unique cultural manifestations of the same divinity; still others see Her as an aspect or name for the universal Power which inspires and manifests love in all its forms. Whatever your relationship with the Goddess/es, it is our hope that you will find the words here both inspirational and inspired, and wholly reverent.

A Devotional for Aphrodite and Venus

Blood and Roses

Fierce. Primal. Pure. This is the goddess Artemis, as seen by her modern worshipers. In this unique collection of essays, poetry, fiction, accounts of personal experiences and other forms of devotional writing, the wild one of the forest, the mistress of the hunt and the protector of young life - both animal and human - is shown to be a powerful and living goddess, just as important today as she was over 3,000 years ago in Greece, Rome, Asia Minor and other parts of the ancient world. You will be challenged, inspired, informed and entertained. Above all, you will come away with a new appreciation for this complex and dynamic deity who is, along with her votaries ... Unbound.

Bibliotheca Alexandrina

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