Olympian Goddess Demeter's 10 Survival Commandments
Summary of Contents: Mythological References | Demeter's Arrival and Appearance | Snakes in the Soil | Poison in the Air | Final Test | Agriculture Best Practice | 10 Commandments | Goddess of Good Harvest | Favourite Place on Planet Earth
Festival Day - 27 March
Olympian Goddess Demeter Mythological References
Gaea, or Gaia is the name given to the goddess of planet earth; the creator born from Chaos, sister of Night, Eros and Erebus. After the fall and restoration of the Titans, she is silent, absent from the creation story; her responsibilities redistributed to other goddesses, notably Demeter and Rhea.
In Hesiod’s creation story in Theogony Demeter is listed as grand-daughter of Gaea; sibling of Zeus and Hera, saved from Cronus by Metis’ timely tonic. Her part in humanity’s origin story is the gift of agriculture. A gift that might belong to Gaea.
Goddess Demeter Mythological References
Goddesses, Gods and You
What kind of Heaven do you expect. Soft fluffy paradise of eternity, or oblivion of nothingness? Out-of-body survival expert Margo Williams discovered a surprisingly simple system of management and afterlife recycling.
There are many goddesses and gods in the community. Speaking their name aloud evidently sends a signal; creates a link to wherever they are at any given moment. If it works for you as it worked for Margo, and they respond, be respectful but be yourself. Honesty and thoughtfulness are appreciated.
Sacrifice nothing but your time. Most of them seemed approachable and appreciated being remembered.
The ancient temples that still can be found in some places, although mostly broken, are huge monumental structures; impressive sacred spaces, their scale designed to impress, to be worthy of divine visitation.
However, it is not the size and splendour of any sacred space but the sincerity of the person seeking contact.
"Is Demeter the patron goddess of our home planet earth. Or Gaea?" Nick Hammond asked out-of-body survivalist Margo Williams.
Demeter's Arrival and Appearance
"We didn't establish direct contact with Gaea, but Demeter made the connection. Her first response to our invitation was not a visitation, but a summons.
I was transported into a field of wheat; ripe and golden, ready for harvest. A gentle breeze rippled through the crop; flecks of red poppy bloomed in the gold.
Someone watched me; a figure in white stood at the edge of the field. She beckoned. "I am old but ageless, so hear well," she said as I approached. Close-up, I saw her robe was cream coloured, not white.
Older than most other goddesses though not elderly; a mature female, full-figured. Soft grey-blue eyes, golden ripe-wheat colour hair. She wore a wreath.
"I have brought you here to let you know I am aware of your homage, and am grateful." She gestured. "Come closer." I stepped forward. "Through the mists of time I have been forgotten. Yet now it seems not so. Let me embrace you."
Then as weirdly as I left, I was returned.
Snakes in the Soil
When next Demeter responded to our welcome, she was not so friendly.
This time she wore a veil. "I bring love for you," she said. "But an examination has to be made on your strength and bravery. Tests are given with love," she added by way of reassurance then turned and vanished through the wall, pulling me even without touching.
We arrived at the hedgerow-edge of a field of red brown soil. A heavy tractor moved parallel to the hedge spraying the ground. The machine belched fumes; oil leaked onto the soil.
Demeter had surprisingly harsh hold of my hand and pulled hard. "We shall cross this field." The soil erupted; it broke open as if alive, writhing like tangled angry snakes. I struggled to pull away from her; tried to jump back to the safety of the edge. The ground transformed from ploughed earth into angry spitting snakes; thrashing serpents reared and hissed around my feet and legs.
The tractor sprayed chemicals. The ground was a mass of angry snakes.
"See how the earth is suffering?" She said, coldly. "This is what mortals call progress."
A cloud of white powder puffed into the air by a car passing fast over a discarded half-empty sack on a nearby road. "Their crops will look healthy, but you see why?" She gestured. "This is why there are so many illnesses not known of in the past."
The tractor accelerated through the last turn and headed back toward us. "When mortals worshipped us, centuries ago, they grew flowers and crops without this; crops grew in abundance. Now crops are not as healthy."
She watched the tractor pass. "The old way is better for the earth."
Poison in the Air
Momentarily I was returned, then just as quick, pulled away again. The season had moved on, the crop well established. We stood in the middle of the field; no snakes just sounds of birdcall and the gentle hum of bees and other insects.
Butterflies fluttered in the breeze among the crops. An engine sounded in the sky, a small aircraft appeared over the ridge; it dropped low and flew towards us. The aircraft passed overhead; it turned on another run. I couldn't move, was held firmly in position face-up into the chemical cloud spray.
"You are feeling uncomfortable?" she asked.
It stung like hell.
"That is how the earth feels. This is what poisons. It makes me sad." Demeter inspected my body for damage. "You have been well schooled to control your emotions. Apart from fear, which you still have to overcome. But you must experience how the earth feels."
She lightly touched my head, smiled for the first time. "You have shown bravery. Bless you for taking part in this. Not very pleasant, but given with love."
Demeter's Final Test
Demeter's arrival light whenever she appeared was leaf-green, colour of a new spring bud. Sadness in her expression, almost always.
"I surround you with my light and my love." She gestured. "For the next few minutes absorb my presence, and the power I give.’
The light felt like bathing in springtime; comforting as a soft warm shawl.
We arrived beside a farmstead surrounded by fields and meadows; lush woodland in the distance. Demeter led me along a farm track between two lettuce fields. One field planted with straight rows of big green healthy-looking vegetables; every leaf seemed perfect. In the opposite field sprouted more rows of lettuce though not quite so big or so green; some had nibble-damage to outer leaves.
Caterpillars and other insects munched, gorged and slithered.
Demeter turned to me. "This is where you have to make a choice," she said. "If you wish to eat a lettuce, from which field will you take one? Help yourself."
I entered the less-perfect field, found a lettuce eaten around the edge; removed a caterpillar and put it on another leaf. And so passed Demeter’s final test.
Agriculture Best Practice
As the weeks turned to months our encounters changed; less forced to experience as the earth felt: excruciating burning of pesticide, and the cruel pin-prick burns of acid rain on tree leaves. Instead Demeter shared information about her responsibilities.
"Nature has a way of dealing with everything. I see to that," she said.
Her interest is agriculture. She showed me of what she approves and what she does not, though that was never criticism in favour of more efficient methods of farming.
Invariably it was the opposite, disapproval was based on insistence of health over financial gain. Doing things quickly and efficiently didn’t necessarily mean doing things well. Pesticide is poison, she said, and said it often. She showed me the human casualties caused by harmful chemicals.
We visited farms busy with chickens running loose; fields of lush corn and wheat; bare patches in places but healthy quality. Fields of vegetables; a few holes in leaves here and there but not too many; and tomatoes, rich green leaves, juicy-looking beefy red fruit.
"You see how healthy they are? In some places this fruit is known as Love Apples." She laughed. She didn’t laugh often. "This is how I like to see all things growing. Not in chemicals."
She seemed especially impressed by a large farm with many acres of crops. We arrived for her inspection, and walked its fields.
"Five years ago in your time this farmer used chemicals on his land. He gave up and decided to grow his crops naturally. He now has a far healthier, bigger crop then he ever did. He loses a little to the insects which he would not have done with chemicals, but he has made up for it with the healthy crops you see."
She gestured in approval. ‘This is a wise man. This makes me happy."
The 10 Commandments of the Earth Mother
Demeter expressed frustration at how people with the power to change our world for the better, do not do so. Not because it costs so much to implement, more that it costs too much in lost profit. Demeter called it greed.
But for those who wish to give our world a good chance of being here and still able to support us and our children, it seemed to me that we have an ally rather than an angry patron goddess.
She drew attention to many things, some more often than others, but sufficient to identify particular areas of her concern: Cease the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Cut toxic factory emissions. Be sensitive over civil engineering projects and housing developments because concrete smothers living earth.
Preserve forests and wildlife. Be careful with the disposal of waste. Seek alternative forms of energy: reduce use of fossil fuels; not just factory but vehicle emissions too. And redesign urban community living.
Her tenth commandment was simple: “Greed is not good.”
Goddess of Good Harvest
Demeter wanted a world habitable for life-times to come. She is on our side, for the present at least.
We arrived on a low grass-covered ridge near a farm, in a landscape of fields; the crops harvested. Sunlight still warm on my face, air busy with birdcall, but a cool hint of autumn whispered in the wind. A small town or village nestled in a nearby valley, its church spire visible above the rooftops. Its bell clanged, then clanged again.
Demeter was aware of its message. "Souls celebrate the bringing in of the harvest." She looked at me, assessing. "It is my festival. It is important to me," she added. "I am known by many names. I am the Goddess of the Earth."
That was the only occasion Demeter ever confirmed to me her responsibility. She seemed in the mood to share information.
"There were many ceremonies for me in the old days, and fertility rites performed. This was not necessary. Now, I feel kindly disposed," she continued. "Mortals are becoming aware, and so there is hope for this planet. But more mortals must realise that they cannot pollute without dire consequences."
A cluster of sun-worshipping daisies bloomed in the grass close by; I felt an urge to make a daisy-chain but decided not to.
Demeter gestured. "Every time you touch a plant, whether to tend it or pull it out to make way for others, send forth your love to it. Love the soil. This is important. Few mortals realise everything needs love, even the ground you walk on. If it is natural," she added.
The church bell clanged.
Favourite Place on Planet Earth
Demeter's expression of irritation transformed into excitement. "Now I will take you to one of my favourite places."
The world turned hot as if she switched up the heat to maximum. We arrived in rain-forest; thick with vegetation, humid, damp and shining with healthy lushness. Perspiration poured from my skin.
Cool and elegant even in the intense jungle heat Demeter smiled, happier than I had ever seen her. "Few mortals penetrate this far."
Thank you for your company on this short introduction to goddess Demeter. If you would like to know more about Margo Williams' experiences and suggestions for how to survive the hereafter, read this book. Now available from Amazon.
