Blessings of the time of the Sun in Aries! Olivia Robertson writes in "Sophia":
"Companions, on the quest for the Golden Fleece of Love and Life, know that Aries the Ram is Shepherd of the Starry Flock, leading the Zodiac procession round the encircling year! Shining unattainably in the bright sky are the gold cloud sheep of Phoebus Apollo. The flock's Ram bore Helle and her brother Phrixus on his back as they flew from the wrath of their step-mother Ino. Alas, Helle flew in...to the sea, hence called the Hellespont. 'First Golden Aries shines, who whilst he swam lost part of his freight, and gave the sea a name.' To this constellation belongs the starry Shepherd, Tammuz Dumuzi. As he sank to his death into the Western Sky Ocean, he was rescued by Ishtar, Goddess of the eight-pointed star Sirius. The mighty Amon-Ra, Ram God of the Egyptians, reigns in this House. He is also the Agnus Dei, the Easter Lamb. His is the Golden Fleece.
"The Goddesses also have the courage and glory of Aries! Divine Minerva was honoured at this time at Her Festival, the Quinquatrus. Victors in contests of music and games were presented with vessels of oil and crowns of olives, grown in Her Grove of Academus. As Pallas Athena, Her Spring Panathenaea was celebrated by a joyful procession bearing her embroidered saffron peplum to the Parthenon, there to be lain upon the statue of the Goddess, and strewn with Spring flowers. In the Panathenaic frieze old men and women lead the ritual carrying olive branches of peace, and men in their prime follow with shields and spears. Foreigners carry little boats and women bear water-pots. Young men crowned with millet sing hymns to the Goddess, and Virgins carry baskets of sacred objects. All these and ourselves honour the Goddess of a Thousand Works."
(photo of the Shrine of Aries, Foundation Center Temple, copyright Minette Quick)
