To mark Valentines Day, February's full moon altar honours Venus and Aphrodite, the Roman and Greek Goddesses of Love, respectively. However, these goddesses actually have nothing to do with love, romance, hearts and flowers, let alone such concepts as marriage, fidelity and family. On the contrary, Venus and Aphrodite simply represent the raw, basic, primal sex drive which powers and perpetuates all of life. When Venus/Aphrodite enters your life, she is not always convenient, appropriate or respectful of conventions or expectations. Her power and intensity can equally fulfill your life or wreak havoc in it. She can turn your life upside down and inside out.
My Rare One bought me this little Venus de Milo at a kiosk in Rome's main train station when we were in Italy in 2008. The statuette of Botticelli's Aphrodite I bought years earlier in a gift store in Toronto's gay village. On the altar I have surrounded them with six Major Arcana "Lovers" cards from various tarot decks.
These two are from the Daughters of the Moon deck and the Light and Shadow deck --
And these final two are from the Morgan-Greer deck and the Runic Tarot deck --
The passion-red heart-shaped plastic altar cloth, valentine gift ribbon sidebars and little gold candles all came from Dollarama. No expense was spared, LOL!
[Photos © Debra She Who Seeks, February 2022]
Is it just me or are these full moons coming faster and faster as I get older?
ReplyDeleteLovely and festive! Aphrodite is my favorite goddess, along with Hera.
ReplyDeleteLovely setup again. I look forward to your full moon posts. And the sourcing is a big part of it, such high end buying!
ReplyDelete"When Venus/Aphrodite enters your life, she is not always convenient, appropriate or respectful of conventions or expectations. Her power and intensity can equally fulfill your life or wreak havoc in it. She can turn your life upside down and inside out."
ReplyDeleteGrrrrrrrllll.....don't I know it!
Sassybear
www.idleeyesandadormy.com
Dollarama is a great place for little stuff like that. February is the snow moon and I think it will be a full moon tonight.
ReplyDeleteLovely alter. I like your thoughts using different tarot cards to express feelings.
ReplyDeleteGreat finds at the dollar store.
ReplyDeleteWe had a girl at work years ago named Athina and guys called her the goddess of love
ReplyDeleteShe was on drugs and pretty dumb
Athena was the goddess of wisdom
Naming fail
"the raw, basic, primal sex drive which powers and perpetuates all of life." <-Whew-weee, that's hawt! I like it. Thanks for warming me up this morning.
ReplyDelete"the raw, basic, primal sex drive which powers and perpetuates all of life." The whole reason we are all alive.
ReplyDeleteI call her Aphrodite. I generally don't use Roman names.
ReplyDeleteNow this is a beautiful post. Thank you.
ReplyDeletevenus used to rule me back in the 60's boy howdy.
ReplyDeleteRaw and primal sex drive?
ReplyDeleteWhere do I sign up for this? I may end up with something similar to this. Totally worth celebrating.
XOXO
I wish they would visit more often.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy these altars. They are good. I woke up early this morning because the moon was very bright. I thought of our Artemis. She was looking fierce and it was almost like daytime.
ReplyDeleteAphrodite is powerful, but she is cruel. Oh the stories she could tell! I don't trust her.
Now I'm wondering how many tarot decks you have.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on and stay safe
@ peppylady (Dora) -- Ha ha, peppylady, I try NOT to collect tarot decks because there's a million of them out there, but I do seem to have acquired 17 over the years. Plus 4 oracle decks as well.
ReplyDeleteThat's a very pretty altar.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! I love mighty Aphrodite. We have our own Fuengirola Venus, which was dug up at some nearby Roman ruins. I would love a life-sized replica for the terrace.
ReplyDeleteHello Debra, Your altar reminds me of the old limerick:
ReplyDeleteThere once was an artist named Phidias,
Whose sculptures were never thought hideous.
He made Aphrodite,
Without any nightie,
which shocked all the ultra-fastidious.
Happy February Holidays,
--Jim
@ Parnassus (Jim) -- Hshahahaha, that's my kind of poetry!
ReplyDeleteA lovely altar dedicated to love. Well, sex. Those primal urges!
ReplyDeleteThank the Goddesses for the Daughters of the Moon deck because, woof, those dudes are... too much!
@ e -- Yes, I know -- most tarot decks are pretty relentlessly heterosexual in their imagery!
ReplyDeleteQuestion, Debra: where in your home is your altar located? I'm thinking of making one and I can't decide where to put it. In a main room where it's immediately obvious to all, or a more private space?
ReplyDelete@ Jennifer -- My altar is on the corner of my dining area's sideboard beside my table and chairs. So it's right in my main space. It's the only convenient place I have for it, but since I'm very open about my leanings and predictions, it's no problem for me to have it there.
ReplyDeleteI love your commitment to your full moon altar and these ladies do not disappoint. Thanks for going the extra mile at the Dollar-ama.
ReplyDeleteSounds more like the Goddess of Lust.
ReplyDeleteAphrodite causing some drama when no one asked her, LOL. That is a cute display. I love the creativity of using tarot cards.
ReplyDeletenice post for valentines day my friend :)
ReplyDeleterare one has unique taste for gift indeed .
wishing you lots and lots of love in life dear Debra .
hugs and blessings!
Have you seen "Overly Sarcastic Productions" lecture on Aphrodite. it is the best I know of.
ReplyDelete@ Ur-spo -- I'll have to check that out, thanks!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful altar! Oh, I love this post! Right up my alley :)
ReplyDeleteAnother beautiful altar, Debra! I love the different tarot decks. Next time I'm in Florence, I am going to the Uffuzi and seeing the Botticelli. Valentine's Day is a blur for me. We returned from Honolulu on the 9th, madly packed unpacked and packed again between a crush of appointments, and left for Vegas on the 22nd and back to Hawaii on the 24th. Crazy! But Himself wanted more of the tropical sun. I can't say I blame him. LOL!
ReplyDeleteVery passionate and beautiful! Love your altar!! Big Hugs!
ReplyDelete