A Temple Wild: Greek Mythology and the Mediterranean Landscape

Journey down, into the depths of the earth, to meet the plants of the Greek Underworld — the trees, flowers, herbs, and shrubs that ancient Greek mythology associates with the Realm of the Dead. Along the way, meet the Underworld rivers and entrances to Hades; learn about the sacred kykeon of the Eleusinian Mysteries; discover a shocking truth about Persephone's connection with the seasons; and meet the botanical allies for navigating through death, grief, and the Unseen Realm.

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https://atemplewild.com/atemplewild/plants-of-the-underworld

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Today, we encounter Dionysos through the lens of his most sacred plants, the Vines — specifically the Ivy, Grape, and Rough Bindweed. We also talk about wine, entheogens, and consciousness-altering brews of the ancient Greek world; the Maenads who danced into ecstatic union; as well as the places, mountains, and herbs sacred to the god of divine madness.

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https://atemplewild.com/atemplewild/dionysos-and-the-vines

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https://atemplewild.com/atemplewild/season-two

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Welcome to season two of a Temple Wild, where we rediscover the myths of the ancient Greeks through the plants and landscapes that shaped them. Listen to some exciting announcements about what to expect from the new season.

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https://atemplewild.com/atemplewild/season-two

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In this podcast episode, we discuss the Nymphs, the nature spirits that dwell in and protect the waters, plants, and mountains of Greece. And while it may seem that the nymphs take a backseat to the Olympian gods by playing minor roles in the famous stories, I believe they are in fact the most important beings of ancient Greek myth and plant lore, especially for those of us seeking a deeper connection with the Mediterranean landscape.

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https://atemplewild.com/atemplewild/nymphs

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For the ancient Greeks, the Olive was a sacred symbol of divine blessing and wisdom associated particularly with the goddess Athena, as well as with Zeus and the patron of human culture, Aristaeus. In this podcast episode, we discuss the ancient uses of the Olive, as well as discuss the Olive as a teacher of perspective and a reminder of the ancestral gifts of awe, gratitude and humility.

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https://atemplewild.com/atemplewild/athena-and-the-olive-tree

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Like many Greeks, I come from a family steeped in olive oil. My grandmother’s family tended olives in a small village near Kalamata, the city in the southern Peloponnese famous for its olive of the same name. And as next month's Materia Mythica entry will be the olive tree, I wanted to share with you a little about my own experience of the Greek landscape - a piece of my personal mythology.

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https://atemplewild.com/atemplewild/nostimon-imar

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Persephone is a youthful spring goddess wandering in fields of Narcissus and Asphodel when Hades, the god of the Underworld, comes to take her as his bride. And while her disappearance inspires her mother, the goddess of grains, to instigate a world-wide famine, it is Persephone who is changed forever by consuming the Pomegranate seed, later becoming an equal to Hades and ruling beside him as a Queen in her own right.

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https://atemplewild.com/atemplewild/persephone-and-hades

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In this episode, we turn our attention to the Melissae, the oracular Bee Nymphs of ancient Greece. The Melissae are considered divine messengers, conduits for prophecy, speakers of divine truths, and a source for inspired thought and song. Today, I share with you some of the ancient Greek folklore associated with the Bee, as well as some of my favorite ceremonies and techniques for connecting with Bee.

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https://atemplewild.com/atemplewild/melissae-oracular-bee-nymphs

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