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'The Temple of Asherah and El' |
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    "Lady Asherah, Goddess of the Sea, of the fertility of humanity, flocks and crops, and of great wisdom, Lord El, Bull God, strong, powerful, and wise, the compassionate God of mercy, May this shrine be a meeting place for us, a place of prayer, offering, and learning, Accept our humble prayers and our offerings of food, drink, and incense, Imbue us with your wisdom, and bless us with long life and good health." "Merry Meet and Welcome Everyone!" I am High Priest IronBoar, and this is "The Temple of Asherah and El, an online Wiccan Temple dedicated to the Goddess Asherah and the God El, where you can come to pray, give thanks, meditate, and learn about Wicca and other forms of Paganism, including "Judeo-Paganism". "The Temple" is open to people of all faiths, not just those of a Wiccan and/or Pagan orientation. So come all and learn about our wonderful religion:) Brightest Blessings, High Priest IronBoar "High Priest IronBoar's Questions and Answers"  "Wicca: A New Religion for A New Age"  Wicca is a Neo-Pagan, ("Neo" meaning "new" in Latin) Earth-based religion whose members believe in both a "Goddess" and a "God," who are seen to manifest themselves through Nature. Nature is our religion our deity(s). In other words, our Goddess(s) and our God(s) are Nature incarnate. Wiccans celebrate their religion and connect to their deities through seasonal celebrations called Sabbats of which there are eight, which are Solar Holidays, and Esbats, which occur on the Full and New Moon, which are of course Lunar Holidays. These Holidays are most often celebrated through rituals in which is enacted/envisioned the yearly cycle of the Goddess and God, and in which offerings of food, of thanks giving, are presented to the deities and present spirits.  Wicca came into being in the early part of the nineteen hundreds, thanks to its founder, Gerald Gardner, about whom there is a wealth of information on the internet as well as in many books on Wicca. I will say though, that since its creation, Wicca has evolved from the "Gardnerian Tradition" which was the first official Wiccan Trad. Wicca was peiced together by Gerald Gardner, along with Doreen Valiente and others, who wrote many of the rituals in the original Gardnerian Book of Shadows (a magickal journal of sorts). It combines elements from the native, pre-Christian religions of Western Europe, as well as influences from the East and Ancient Egypt. Wicca is particularly steeped in the religion and folklore of the Celts and Germanic speaking peoples. And most of its rituals and beliefs are reconstructions of the rituals and beliefs of those peoples. Since it's conception in Great Britain, Wicca has traveled around the globe and grown into a multitude of traditions, adapting to the needs of its practitioners. And this is also one of the Hallmark characteristics of Wicca, is that it is a religion that can be adapted to the culture(s) in which it is practiced. This includes all aspects of the religion including it's deities. Wiccans can just worship the Great Goddess and the Great God, or can choose to work with any deities they feel comfortable with, from any pantheon they choose. Most people like to work with deities who are closer or related to the pantheons of their ancestors. ex. I am Jewish so I have chosen to work with Western-Semitic pantheon of Gods and Goddesses. Wicca is indeed, what is known as a "syncratic" religion, or a religion which combines elements from other religions. It is not a reconstruction of what once was, but is rather a new religion, based on old beliefs. Wicca is open to people of all creeds, races, ethnicities, cultures, and sexual orientations. We do not discriminate against anyone. All are welcome in our circles groves and temples. "High Priest IronBoar's Essays"  *Note: These works are copyrighted and may not be used without my permission. "Lady Anat and Lord Baal" By Semyon L. Vilchik  "Lady Anat"  The Goddess Anat was venerated from time unknown up until the late Bronze Age (about1550-1200/1150 BCE). She was one of the great Goddesses of the ancient Levant, and was primarily worshiped in the areas now occupied by Israel, Transjordan, and Syria. However she was also worshiped in Ancient Egypt under the name Antit. It was also in the Late Bronze Age that Anat achieved her greatest status, when she became an Egyptian war goddess, especially important to the warlike Ramesside pharaohs. Indeed, the "great" warrior king Ramses II (1304-1237 BCE) regarded her as his patron deity (Patai 1990:62). In addition, some Egyptian reliefs of the Ramesside Age (1300-1200 BCE) are dedicated to Canaanite goddesses, and some mention Anat by name. (Stuckey, H. Johanna, 2003) "Lineage" Anat was the daughter of the Semitic creator god El, the bull god, and his consort, the great goddess Asherah; goddess of the sea, of the fertility of humanity, crops and flocks, and of great wisdom. "Symbolism, Powers, and Properties" Anat is a very complex goddess with many attributes. Her most prominent aspect was of a goddess of war, in which she is depicted in most of her myths. However she is also a goddess of love and sex and fertility, and is considered a virgin goddess (not in the modern sense thought) One might see this as a contradiction as Anat is a sexually active goddess. However in the context of the culture she was worshipped in, she was a virgin in the sense that she had not produced any children. She was also considered a wet-nurse of the gods, and in some depictions is shown suckling two princes. Some of Anat's symbols are the heifer, lion, solar disc, distaff and spindle. "Stories and Myths" In the stories and myths depicting Anat, she is usually portrayed as playing out her role as Baal's companion and helpmate. In one myth she aids Baal in His battle with the god Yahm and avenges Baal's death by slaying the god Mot. In another story where Anat is portrayed as a seemingly ruthless war goddess, she asked foolhardy, young prince Aqhat to give her his beautiful bow, he refused her request in a very insulting manner: "bows are for men! Do women ever hunt?" Not surprisingly, ruthless Anat had him killed. Despite her seemingly ruthless nature, however, she did have a soft, loving, motherly side, especially in her regard to Baal, and in her role as a wet-nurse. "Lord Baal"  Baal is the most actively worshipped deity of the ancient Near East, and is probably one of the oldest gods known to man. There where is fact many deities referred to as Baal which means lord or master in Hebrew. But the god typically referred to as Baal was Hadad or Adad, thunder god of the Semites. Like his consort Anat, Baal was primarily worshipped in the ancient Levant in the areas now occupied by Israel, Transjordan, and Syria. "Lineage" Baal is the son of the creator god El and his consort Asherah, although in some myths he is the son of the god Dagan. He is also the brother and lover of the war goddess Anat. "Symbolism, Powers, and Properties" Baal is a god of rain, storms, thunder, and fertility; and one of the most, if not the most important gods of the Western Semitic pantheon. He is considered responsible for fecundity, particularly of the Earth, for the growth of vegetation, and for the maintenance of life. Baal is often depicted striding forward, wearing a horned helmet and short wrap kilt, carrying a mace and spear or lightning-bolt staff. As a weather god, His home is in the Heights of Tsaphon, Mount of the North. Remnants of His worship survive in the Jewish prayerbook in late spring prayers for dew and late fall prayers for rain. (biti-Anat, Lilinah, 1990-1997) "Stories and Myths" Myths about Baal have existed from at least 1400 BCE. His mythology is often referred to as the Baal cycle, which depicts his struggle with the god Yahm, god of the sea, and the god Mot, god of death and decay. The Baal myth consists of five parts: 1.) Baal battles Yahm, 2.) Baal celebrates and Anat Battles, 3.) Baal Build His Palace, 4.) Baal battles Mot, and 5.) Shachar and Shalem the Gracious Gods. The source of some of these myths was found in the 1920's by a Syrian farmer plowing his fields, when he unearthed a clay cuneiform tablet. A French archeological team went to investigate, and unearthed the ruins of a Bronze Age Canaanite city, which included the ruins of a temple with priests quarters. Seven more cuneiform tablets where unearthed which contained information on various Semitic deities including Baal. *For more information on the Baal Cycle, including the actual mythology, please visit: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/2938/templetoc.html Sources Biti-Anat, Lilinah (2006). Qadash Kinahnu: A Canaanite-Phoenecian Temple. Retrieved: 02/12/07, from: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/2938/templetoc.html Stuckey, Johanna H. (2003). Goddess in the Spotlight: Goddess Anat Warrior Virgin of the Ancient Levant. Retrieved: 02/12/07, from: http://www.matrifocus.com/SAM03/spotlight.htm *To learn more about Jewish Paganism and it's Goddesses and Gods visit the links below.
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Copyright © 2008 Semyon Vilchik. All Rights Reserved.