OCT 8, 7 pm NEW MOON KIVA GATHERING

THE APPLE, THE WITCH, AND THE GODDESS:

THE APPLE, THE WITCH, AND THE GODDESS:  As we are heading into Fall, and the dark time of the year, I can’t help but notice the abundance of apples this year. From my 2 trees, I harvest the juicy fruit, cut out the rotten parts, and save some seeds.

 In the western ancient mystery tradition, the apple tree often symbolized the Tree-of-Life, and the falling of the apple was the paramount symbol for the decent into the underworld.

In Celtic lore, a raven would pick up the fallen apple, holding the disembodied soul of one who had died, and carry it to the underworld womb-heart-cauldron of the goddess mother. There it would gestate until the time of rebirth in the Spring.

These ancient mysteries were later encoded into medieval fairy tales, such as “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” In this story the crone has been turned into a witch, and she gives the maiden the apple, now poison. The maiden “falls asleep”, symbolic of her winter underworld journey. When the sun god returns in the Spring, he appears in the form of a prince, and kisses the maiden awake.

When you contemplate apples this Fall, become aware of what you are harvesting from this last year’s growth, and what, like a rotten apple, needs to be discarded. You might also notice and wisdom or spiritual essence that has been condensed into a seed, waiting its next season of growth.

This ritual will be held in the Kiva of my friend and colleague Christiane Pelmas at 7 pm. Visit her website for more info and directions. https://www.christianepelmas.com/womens-fire-series/