thorough textual history of the Charge of the Goddess

[Gwen]

I'm a Pagan history geek, and because you might be too, you might be interested in Ceiswr Smith's amazing work on the line-by-line sources of the Charge of the Goddess! Doesn't it make you wanna go check it out right now? ;D

...
Ok, so I'm a dork. But seriously, if you're interested in the early history of Wicca, or have ever heard "Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess..." and wondered what it was all about, or wondered about the relationship (if there was one) between Crowley and Gardner, go take a gander. Feel free to discuss below. When I'm done with finals I'll probably post a few comments on Ceiswr's analysis based on my own study.

[Ophidia]

Re: thorough textual history of the Charge of the Goddess

It's so easy to pick out the words by Crowley, even if I didn't know where the Charge originated. It's too bad I've heard so few people use that version of it in ritual: "I who am all pleasure, and purple and drunkenness of the innermost senses, desire you, put on the wings, arouse the coiled splendor within you, 'Come unto me.' Yummy stuff!

[Lunacie]

Re: thorough textual history of the Charge of the Goddess

Thank you for sharing this. I've seen some of this information, but not presented in this way with comparisons line-by-line.

[Gwen]

Re: thorough textual history of the Charge of the Goddess

[quote author=perzephone link=topic=1212.msg22841#msg22841 date=1292492670]
...you, put on the wings, arouse the coiled splendor within you, 'Come unto me.'[/quote]

I don't know much about Crowley, but this part makes me think of kundalini. Did he study Indian religion (or study Blavatsky studying Indian religion) in enough depth to deliberately make that comparison, or is it in my head?

[Ophidia]

Re: thorough textual history of the Charge of the Goddess

[quote author=Gwen link=topic=1212.msg22929#msg22929 date=1292530287]
I don't know much about Crowley, but this part makes me think of kundalini. Did he study Indian religion (or study Blavatsky studying Indian religion) in enough depth to deliberately make that comparison, or is it in my head?
[/quote]

He did practice yoga - here's a collection of his lectures on the subject: http://hermetic.com/crowley/eight-lectures-on-yoga/

As far as him being 'one of the first Europeans to study, practice & teach yoga'... I don't know if that's truthful or part of the many legends about the man.

[Eglentyne]

Re: thorough textual history of the Charge of the Goddess

I remember seeing this article some time back, when trying to find some information on who this Lacedaemon guy is. ??? Yes, we can trace all these other pieces of the Charge to fairly modern sources, but I was baffled with how some Greek hero fit into all of this.
I think he was one who founded Sparta, erecting the temple to the Three Graces. How does this fit? Still not quite sure. And I tried asking those who might know, but they could give no good explanation. **sigh**

Honestly, I do prefer the original version. Valiente's rendition was more fleshed out, bearing its own loveliness, but this one is just... I dunno, more chilling? Striking? Potent? Raw?
I read Valiente's version and I think of the Goddess in a regal form, like Diana clothed in spun silver, crowned in pearls.
I read Gardner's original and She is naked and wild. She is the altar. And is that not how it should be?

Kundalini reference? Sure. ;D

[Ophidia]

Re: thorough textual history of the Charge of the Goddess

[quote author=Eglentyne link=topic=1212.msg23520#msg23520 date=1292786865]
I remember seeing this article some time back, when trying to find some information on who this Lacedaemon guy is.
[/quote]

Isn't Lacedaemon another name of Sparta?

It means 'In Lacedaemon, the Goddess was known as ...'

(Now, Laconia/Lacedaemonia is a prefecture of Greece & Sparti is its capital: http://www.mlahanas.de/Greece/Regions/Laconia.html)