Going down to see Trophonios, and Oracles resume
Tonight I will be going down to see Trophonios. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, read this first. This is, I think, the third year I’ve done the descent in this particular manner – my sacred creek, the tunnels underground, on the dark moon. This year, I realized it made the most sense to do it a week before Manteia, as a sort of preliminary to the oracles resuming. While Trophonios resides in nearby Lebadeia, I consider him a part of the larger Delphic system (Trophonios built the first temple at Delphi). This segues nicely into seven days of purification in preparation for Apollon’s return to Delphi. The descent is not my most elaborate ritual, but it always makes me a bit nervous – which it should, considering the tradition. Trophonios is an intense presence, even for me, and not one I am very comfortable with. But so far, his oracles have been extremely useful.
Because this ritual moves around, it just happened to fall on Mardi Gras this year. Which would seem to be somewhat opposite in tone, but on the other hand it is also a preparation for a long purification (Lent), as this is for me. And, strangely, it is associated with pancakes, which is how I will be preparing the traditional honey barley cakes for the underworld snakes tonight.
Next Tuesday is the Manteia, the festival that marks Apollon’s return to Delphi and me taking up the high seat again each month for oracles. I will be taking the day off work and doing ritual from dawn to about 10 at night. There is a mile-long trek at sunrise up to the headwaters of my sacred creek (where I collect the khernips water used for oracles all year, and bathe for purification). Followed by a lavish breakfast theoxenia for Apollon and all the many gods and daimones of Delphi. Then the day is filled with study and prayer and a full cleaning of the adyton, and all the rituals I normally do preceding oracles. It was a long hiatus this year (with the periodic intercalary month inserted) and I’m eager to get back to doing this important work.
If you are interested in receiving an oracle, I am accepting questions for the queue. If you have never done this before, please read my Oracles page, and perhaps also the FAQ. I know I have some new readers since last year that may not be acquainted with what I do and why. It is important that you: (1) introduce yourself briefly if I don’t know you, (2) state your question simply without unnecessary background information, and (3) make some kind of offering to Apollon on your own – even if He is not the one that comes through to answer your question, it is under His auspices that I do this work. I do accept donations as well, if you are able. Links to email me and for the donations are on the Oracles page. I will email you results the day after the session, and I always appreciate feedback. This service is open to any type of polytheist or pagan, not only those of the Hellenic tradition, but is for serious inquiries only – this is a religious practice, not entertainment. Please read the full page for more information.
I honor your work. I follow Asclepios in my healing practice utilizing trance work with traditional body work and Reiki. I would ask of Apollo amd his son how to best deepen my ability as a healer and help others.As always I will offer to the Gods.
I will add your question to the queue, but in the future just send me a private email. I will reply to the email address that came through in your comment, unless you give me a different one.
Sent you an e-mail. I feel a little weird asking out of the blue, since I mostly lurk on blogs, so…hello!
Don’t worry, plenty of my oracle request come “out of the blue” from people I’ve never met, and I’m happy to provide the service.
What is the winged creature with a long, snake-like neck that is shown above Trophonius in the popular engraving? Do you know? What does it mean? I understand the beehive part of it such that the cave was found by following bees. Is the staff that of the shepherd who followed the bees?
I don’t know for sure. If I had to guess, the only association of a bird like that with Trophonios is that of the goose (associated with the river Herkyna, which was integral to the rite at Lebadeia). Maybe it’s a goose or swan? But it is odd looking. I don’t know about the staff.
Thank you for your input. It does have a goose-like neck, but that is one long tail. I read that a shepherd boy saw the bees…so I take it that the staff is that of a shepherd.