Spring Mysteries is only two weeks away and there is so much for which to prepare. One of my favorite things to do at the Mysteries is attend the Temple Shrines. At the Shrines, you get to speak one on one with the Gods as they are incarnated into their physical Vessels, who are chosen anew each year. Speaking with Them is an experience of speaking directly with the Gods. Your eyes leak, your body tingles, you are overcome with the presence of Deity and afterwards there is no doubt within you that you spoke with an incarnated God.

Vessels are people of various pagan backgrounds who have presented themselves as willing to hold the living spark of the God within their physical bodies for the year. Becoming a Vessel is an amazing process that is open to all who have experienced the Greater Mysteries and want to dedicate to the continuation of Eleusis. It is an educational and transformational process that allows the Vessel to learn of the God in a deep merging that brings awakenings and experiences that are priceless. It takes a minimum of three years of work to become a qualified applicant for this privilege.

At the Temple Shrines you may dedicate to become a Devotee of that Deity. Each dedication is different. Unlike a Wiccan dedication, you do not dedicate to a teacher or even a religion. You dedicate to serve the God. If you are already dedicated to a coven or a teacher, you should talk with them before making a dedication to one of the Gods at Eleusis. This is a serious matter and will impact your experiences throughout the year, possibly throughout the rest of your life. Consider the consequences and choose wisely, or wait until you are sure. Once dedicated, the Gods never really leave you.

At the Temple Shrines it's optional to gift the Gods with offerings. It's not required, but after 33 years of doing this work, we find the Gods just seem to be more amenable to your requests if they are gushy with gratitude. Offerings can be anything, and some people pick up flowers and nuts from the ground and give them to the Gods, which are then later burned in an offering fire with other such offerings that cannot be used or stored. Food items should be individually wrapped. The Vessels cannot eat when invoked. Any goodies will be taken back to Olympus to share with the Priesthood. Perishables, and supplies such as soaps, perfumes, honey, incense, candles, etc. will be used by the Vessels and Votaries in performing the duties of the Temple. Items of worth will be evaluated and taken into the God's personal museum collection.

The Museum Collection of Eleusis consists of items that have been given to the Gods. These are cataloged, inventoried, photographed, appraised and carefully stored for the God’s personal use. Throughout the year the Vessels and Votaries have rites, and responsibilities to carry out within their temples. The items that are in the collection are used in service to the Gods and the community in facilitating and producing these rites and hold magic within them. If you give an offering, be sure to fill out the offering card, so that our historians can appropriately record it.

Sometimes you will hear terminology that you don't exactly understand. Here's what it means:

Terminology

Pilgrim - They who travel to the experience the Mysteries.

Mystai - They who have been initiated into the Lesser Mysteries of Eleusis

Epoptai - They who have Initiated into the Greater Rites of Eleusis

Devotee - They who have Dedicated to serve a God in a the Temple of Eleusis

Vessel - They who are currently carrying the incarnation of a God.

Votive - They who have previously carried the incarnation of a God.

Votary - A Votive who has agreed to lead the Temple and carry the sacred wisdom forward.

The Eumolpidae - The leadership that maintains and produces the mysteries each year.

If you have any other questions, show up at the newcomers orientation on Thursday night at Spring Mysteries Festival. If you haven’t registered for this year’s rites, there’s still time. Don’t miss this epic event, where the Gods walk the earth.