Spring Mysteries Festival 2017

This mysteries festival was a definite one of change and transformation for me. I was originally offered the role of mermaid/maenad, and I was ready to wholly embrace those roles. After the initial read through, it came to light that we were down a Grace/Fate/Fury, and I stepped forward to take the available role. This was something so far out of my comfort zone, I was afraid and nervous, but also excited and determined to take on this challenge for me. I do not have great memorization skills, but I embraced it and found a way (with the amazing help of Pixie and Joy) to learn my lines and cues. These roles are not something one looking for a ‘minor’ part would want to accept (if one can say any role in the mysteries is indeed minor).

I can say that I had some inkling of what I was volunteering for. However, even though these seem to be ‘smaller’ supporting roles, they required me to run the energy and such for the entire duration of the festival. It is a time-consuming role, as you need to be present at pretty much every rehearsal! To quote a friend, “You will need to look honestly at your life and your abilities and the sacrifices you will need to make in order to do your best”.

The Roles

There are three different parts I got to hold.

I was honored to priestess for the Grace Thalia, the Fate Atropos, and the Fury Tisiphone. Even though the Furies were never drawn-down, I still chose to honor and respect that I was bringing her energy into the space as an actress.

I took the time to do some research on each of the aspects I portrayed, and it was fun to bring these amazing Goddesses to life.

We spent the most time in the Grace aspects, bringing them to life in Parade to the Sea, the first part of the Lesser Mysteries, and the beginning of the Greater Mysteries.

The Fates made a brief appearance during Parade to the Sea, and then again in the second part of the Lesser Mysteries, and finally throughout the Greater Mysteries. The Furies were only brought in during the beginning of Lessers 2, and were ONLY acted, not invoked.

Research

The Grace Thalia

She was the Goddess of festivity and rich banquets, she was known as ‘pleasure abundant’ and her name meant ‘the blooming’. The Graces were known as the attendants of both Aphrodite and Hera, and would spend their days frolicking with the ‘young maiden of spring’.

Many of the references I found were from Theoi.com, Hesiod’s Theogony, the Orphic Hymns, and the Homeric Hymns.

The Fate Atropos

Known as the ‘inflexible’ or ‘inevitable’. Atropos is ‘she who cannot be turned’. The research I found, called the Moirai, were those who presided over the cyclical descent of Persephone. They were also the ones who would bear witness to all oaths sworn (along with the Styx). Standing and bearing witness to the oath that was sworn by all participants was so powerful and profound for me. I felt the Fates needed to be utilized more in the mysteries in order to truly establish their importance.

The Fury Tisiphone

Although we never actually invoked or evoked this aspect/energy, I made certain to pay this Goddess/Titan the respect she deserved at each rehearsal. In my research, I found that the Furies were deeply respect and worshiped in Athens, and even had a festival in their honor. Although only two of the three were ever depicted, there was a statue devoted to them, and offerings were regularly left for them.

The Energy

Working with the Grace energy had to be the most fun I have ever had! It was an energy I have not experienced in my own workings, as I tend to work with the more serious Goddesses. I wanted to be sure to represent Thalia as the Orphic Hymn presents the Graces, “mothers of mirth, all lovely to the view...pleasure abundant...” and much more. I wanted to bring this to the mortals, especially during shrine time.

My own personal experience holding and working with the Fate energy was quite amazing, as I find myself working quite often with the darker, more stern/serious Goddess energy. I wanted to delve more deeply into working with Atropos, however, things moved so fast and the Fates were utilized so minimally, that I never had the opportunity to do so.

The Fury energy was almost intoxicating to run. Even though they were not invoked, one could not but help getting caught up in the acting and energy of the scene. It was not an easy transition with how swiftly we needed to switch from the Fury to the Fates; I felt it very hard to go from the high endorphins of the Fury to the sombre Fate. Trying to keep even with the energy still pumping through is not easy, and having to sing after the yelling was slightly painful on the vocal cords.

What does all of this mean?

Well.

It was an amazing and magical experience, one I would recommend to ANYONE wanting to push the envelope. No matter what you may believe, you can totally do it, you can bring everything to the role that chooses you.

I had the most amazing time moving the energies of the mysteries, playing with the currents of magic and feeling.

I forgot to mention that. You. Feel. EVERYTHING! All of the feels. Every emotion that moves around, and through, and over, and under. All of it!

That is not to say you get emotional overload, pummeled by the emotions, however, because you ARE moving the energy of the festival you WILL feel the anger participant ‘X’ is feeling, or the anguish participant ’Y’ feels.

My way of dealing with that was to acknowledge the feeling and move it along in the energy, so it became part of the magic but did not impact other participants.

As with all mysteries, it is something that has to be experienced and cannot be explained.

Know that holding a part in the mysteries is exhilarating, exciting, terrifying, and magical.

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Want to participate in Spring Mysteries Festival? If you attend SMF two years in a row, you are eligible to play a role! Auditions are held yearly during the Lammas Monologues at the Aquarian Tabernacle Church. Click here for more information!