Poseidea and Haloa
It’s the winter time and the holiday season. Around now we usually think of holidays like Christmas or Hannakuh, or maybe Yule if you are in the pagan world. But are you honoring Poseidon, the greek god of the sea? Or Demeter and Dionysus? Maybe you should be!
Poseidea
Starting around mid-December and lasting through to January is the month-long festival for Poseidon. Since it is based in the Ancient Greek calendar, exactly when that is can be complicated. Each month is based on the lunar calendar and named after a god. Within those god-named-months there are days, or moon phases, that honor a variety of gods. Because of these complexities, many just rope it into the Winter Solstice since that would definitely overlap.
Why Poseidon in the winter? This was likely because the seas were more rough at this time of year, so the festival was a way to to appease the god so they can fish and travel again.
Ways to celebrate:
In the odyssey there is reference to a Poseidon festival where people are sacrificing animals and wine (which they were also partaking in) to the sea. Please do not sacrifice bulls to the sea. To adapt to modern times, let’s look at some other ways we can celebrate Poseidon this winter:
If you live near an ocean, visit it. If you don’t, create a mini altar to honor the sea god.
One of the traditional ways to celebrate the gods were reciting orphic hymns, which are basically devotional poems. I’m sure you can find them online, or just write your own.
If you are doing other solstice celebrations, acknowledging Poseidon at them is another way. I have some Poseidon ornaments on my Yule tree.
Feasts and wine are also appropriate for basically any holiday.
Haloa
Haloa is celebrated on the 26th day of Poseidon in the greek calendar. It honored Demeter, goddess of fruits, and Dionysus god of vines and wine, celebrating the opening of new wine and fertility. Kore or Persephone, the daughter of Demeter, is often also included.
This festival was celebrated by women. The women would feast, have raunchy conversations and dance lustfully. This was a bloodless festival, meaning no animal sacrifices would be made. Instead, the feast would often included phallic shapes cakes and foods. Pomegranates, apples, eggs and most flesh or meats are taboo to bring to Haloa so as not to offend Demeter.
Ways to celebrate:
Have a vegetarian or vegan feast. Note: it seems some fish and possibly some fowl were not considered “flesh” so if you’d like to do a fish-based meal and also celebrate you can. That said, with the recent upgrades and availability of vegan alternatives out there, Haloa could be a great reason to try something new for a night - if you aren’t already a vegetarian or vegan.
Girls night (regardless of identification). Watch a movie like 50 Shades of Gray, grab some wine, pour some out for Dionysus and have a great time.