Dark Olympians: Hera

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Dark Olympians: Hera

FromChthonia

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Length:

57 minutes

Released:

Jun 13, 2021

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

This week we return to Greece and Rome to look at the queen of the gods, Hera, and her Roman counterpart Juno. This proper matron of respectable marriage has an incredibly dark reputation for deception, madness, and attempted murder.

Released:

Jun 13, 2021

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Explore the world of the Dark Feminine in myth, religion, folklore, and magic.

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Chinnamasta: In our continued series on the Das Mahavidyas, we look this week at Chinnamasta, the self-decapitating goddess. Her image is gruesome and somewhat shocking; however she represents a sublime reality about life and death. by Chthonia
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58 min listen
Tara: This week's episode looks at the Hindu goddess Tara, listed as the second Mahavidya in traditional order. Unlike the tender Buddhist Tara, this Tantric goddess is associated with the fire of cremation and has a fierce appearance. However, they are... by Chthonia
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Tripurasundari: This week's goddess is not as dark, but extremely powerful, the Queen of the Sricakra. She is known for restoring the god Kama (Desire) to the world after being destroyed by Shiva, and doing battle with the demon created from Kama's ashes, Bhandasura... by Chthonia
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Chamunda: This week begins our series on the Asta Matrikas, eight fierce Shaktis who represent the powers of the Hindu gods themselves. We start with Chamunda, known as the slayer of anger (Chanda) and passion (Munda). However, Chamunda is much older and a more... by Chthonia
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Sekhmet: This episode looks at the Egyptian goddess Sekhmet, who is considered to be an aspect of the goddess Hathor, and sometimes also the goddess Bast. She is the "eye of Ra", and represents the destructive wrath of the "noonday sun" that burns up... by Chthonia
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Kamala: This is the last podcast on the Das Mahavidyas. This week we look at Kamala, the Tantric manifestation of Mahalakshmi. While Lakshmi is associated with her husband Vishnu and a model of obedience, Kamala is wholly independent of any spouse, and has a... by Chthonia
48 min listen
Isis: This week we look at the Egyptian goddess Isis, the wife of Osiris who brings life to his dead body, and becomes pregnant with the god Horus. As a queen of magical power and a mother figure, she is associated with protection of the dead. Like many... by Chthonia
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Baba Yaga: I talk with Dr. Joanna Madloch about the Slavic witch Baba Yaga. Joanna grew up in Poland with traditional Slavic folklore, and we discuss the common motifs and meanings of the old witch who lives in the forest, in a house that moves, and is only... by Chthonia
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Bhagalamukhi: Bhagalamukhi means "crane-faced"; however, she is not portrayed as a crane, and equally mysterious is her connection to the color yellow, which seems to provide a connection to Vishnu. She is known as the Paralyzer; we look at the deeper meaning of... by Chthonia
44 min listen
Maheswari: This week's podcast looks at Maheswari, the literal shakti of Shiva (Maheswar). She embodies the vice of anger, and like Shiva himself is a destroyer, and is associated with tamas (darkness). However, like Shiva himself, she is too complex to... by Chthonia
52 min listen
Dark Olympians: Hera: This week we return to Greece and Rome to look at the queen of the gods, Hera, and her Roman counterpart Juno. This proper matron of respectable marriage has an incredibly dark reputation for deception, madness, and attempted murder. by Chthonia
57 min listen
Narasimhi: In our last podcast on the Ashta Matrikas, we look at Narasimhi, the fierce lion-headed matrika that is the Shakti of Narasimha, another fierce avatar of Vishnu. Not to be tampered with lightly, she is also known as Pratyangira, the destroyer of black... by Chthonia
47 min listen
Varahi: This week we talk about the Matrika Varahi, the Shakti of Varaha, the boar-headed avatar of Vishnu, and a ratridevata (night goddess) associated with left-hand Tantric practices. She is sometimes called Yami, and considered to be the consort of Yama,... by Chthonia
60 min listen
Vaishnavi: The matrika Vaishnavi is the shakti of Vishnu's avatar, Vaishnava, in which Vishnu takes the form of a boar and rescues the Earth Mother when she is plunged into the primordial waters. Her weapon is the discus or chakra, showing her connection to the... by Chthonia
47 min listen
Brahmi: Brahmi is the shakti of Brahma, the Creator of the Universe in Hindu mythology. She is largely an auspicious deity, but is associated with the vice of pride, and battles the demons of the Chandi Path with water–bringing us back to the dangers of the... by Chthonia
49 min listen
Maman Brigitte: The first podcast of 2021 focuses on the loa Maman Brigitte, a hard drinking, sensual spirit that protects the unrepresented dead, and has a very direct relationship to the Irish goddess (and saint) Brigid. Music: Adapted from "Secret Door" by... by Chthonia
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Hel by Chthonia
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Oya: Oya is the powerful Yorùbá Orisha of the winds and tempests. She is considered either the sister of the Orisha of storms Shango, or one of His three wives, with Oshun and Oba. She is a fierce protector of women who uses her machete to clear the dead... by Chthonia
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Indrani by Chthonia
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Taweret: We end the month of November with a look at the Egyptian goddess Taweret, a hippopotamus goddess who was the wife of Set and a ferocious protector of children. Like many dark goddesses, her attributes seemed to change over time, making her more... by Chthonia
41 min listen
Erzulie: This week's podcast is about Erzulie, a family of Voodoo loas connected to water, and to the Feminine in its various forms. We look at two of the loas in particular; Erzulie Freda, associated with love and sex, and Erzulie Dantor, a fierce protector... by Chthonia
44 min listen
Morrigan: Happy Samhain! This year's Samhain/Halloween episode is about the Morrigan, the Irish goddess of war, fate, and sovereignty. Last year I interviewed Aepril Schaile about the Morrigan; this year it's just me, talking about all of the aspects of the... by Chthonia
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The Snow Queen: In this last podcast for 2020, we look at the Hans Christian Andersen tale of the Snow Queen, the very loose basis for the film "Frozen", and like many fairy tales, loaded with symbolism–in this case, about the struggle for love and connection in a... by Chthonia
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Kalaratri: It is the Hindu season of Navaratri, and I've decided to cover one of the nine Navdurgas associated with Navartri. Kalaratri is worshipped on night seven of Navaratri, and is considered to be one of the fiercest forms of the Devi, and is associated... by Chthonia
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Cerridwen: This week's podcast talks about Cerridwen, the Welsh enchantress associated with a magical cauldron of knowledge. A series of mishaps with the exploding cauldron lead to the birth of the bard Taliesin, which has indirectly linked her to the Grail... by Chthonia
43 min listen

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Dark Olympians: Hera

Dark Olympians: Hera

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from Chthonia

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