I’m coming back from a tutorial (short class to discuss what was covered in the lecture, often informal) and we got talking about superstitions and rituals. The idea was to reflect on the popular culture and beliefs of the Victorian age, and how they relate to us today. Or how we’re doing the same thing today, as we did back then. (Side note: Covering Victorian pop culture has given me a lot of ideas for ‘The Lady General’, at least in adding flavour) What was interesting was hearing all of the people in the class recount their superstitions and rituals. A lot were cultural, some had to do with lucky numbers, others with old superstitions around black cats and walking under ladders. I was one of the last people to speak (and I was not relaxed, so I realize my voice was pretty low) and it was interesting to have the time to count the number I have.

Because I’m procrastinating from doing productive work, I’m going to list them here. Categorized by their meaning “Religious”, “Markings” and “Goddess Only Knows”

Religious

1. Whenever I see the moon, as a sign of respect I do the equivalent of the Catholic sign of the cross. The Cybeline equivalent, from what I have researched and adapted (for Gallae) is: Hand on the vagina (or clothing over it, as the alternative is very awkward), moving to place your hand on your womb (or the deep place where a Gallae draws breath, so around the belly), moving to place my hand on my heart, hand on my forehead. After the forehead, I move my two fingers (Index and middle) out a little bit, bringing them  back to my lips, then back out.

2. Related to number one, whenever I get up, before getting dressed I do the same motion (this motion will come up a lot in this section) in front of the key which hangs above my bed.

3. Before I sleep, one of the last things I do is pray, this is both a sign of respect and a time that helps me calm myself down from the past day and center myself.

4. Before leaving my apartment, I do that motion in the direction of the key. (The key being a symbol of Cybele, it’s essentially used as a place to focus attention, but isn’t believed to be the Goddess Herself)

5. I will never enter a tomb which was buried or otherwise sealed. This is a respect for the dead thing, not so much a curse thing. Like if I’m in Egypt and it’s clear that they didn’t want people finding said area and entering it, I’ll respect that wish. Graveyards are fine as they are open. Likewise displays in a museum, as the museum is open. (Although I might have some moral issues with them digging up dead people and putting them on display) Also, the Bodyworks exhibits, I’m cautious of for similar moral reasons. Unless I know that every body consented to be there, I will not go.

6. Special ceremony and prayer on the night when the moon reaches 100% full (the little counter I have on this blog is very handy for that). This includes me doing something unique after-wards. (Reading a chapter of a book aloud, researching something new, dance, song, something I wouldn’t normally do which is done as a way to show respect and better myself. There is no new moon equivalent.

Markings

1. I will not have a tattoo which was paid for by somebody else. I don’t work a lot, so in reality I don’t think I’ve ever spent much money which was not earned by me. However, my tattoo was paid for by money that I got from a contract which I had signed, thus earned. This might be related to ‘Kushiel’s Dart’, it is also related to feeling like the ink and the marking denotes a power or ownership. If my tattoo was paid for by somebody else, it would be forever associated with them leaving their mark on my body. There is no one currently in my life who I would feel comfortable allowing do so to me, of course this is obviously related to a D/s context and perhaps I might have one paid for by a Mistress.

2. I always wear something around my neck. Originally it was my jade pendant, later a collar, and when those two were removed/ lost I went through a period of feeling very naked. (Not the good feeling either) I wear a silver pendant now of a woman holding up a sphere of amethyst, and that’s the standard issue. On particularly religious dates, I wear the key representing Cybele. The catch is that not only must I wear something around my neck, but it must also have some kind of meaning. This is where gifts (I don’t have anything to wear that was not given to me) come in, or spiritual items, SM items, etc. come in. Other pieces of jewelry are purely ornamental and might not carry a specific meaning. In some cases I might wear more than one necklace/ collar/ choker at once, if they hang with the pendants not touching.

Goddess Only Knows/ OCD

1. Before I sleep: a) I check to see if the door is locked. b) I check to see if my apartment keys are hanging on the door. c) I pat my stuffed animals on the head who reside on a bookshelf. d) From right to left I run my finger over all the dials on the stove. e) I ensure the fridge door is shut. f) I say goodnight to my plushie snow leopards. g) I pray. h) I look at my cellphone for the time, acknowledge that time, ensure an alarm is set (time depends on the next day) and place the cell on my nightstand. i) Before the cell’s light goes off, I turn off the bedroom light and am on the bed. This evolved from a very basic ritual that I did as a kid, and grew to incorporate practical reassurances (the stove, the fridge), comforts (my stuffed animals) and religious aspects (praying). By the time I die it’ll probably be a 45 minute production involving a dance sequence.

2. If I step on a crack on the sidewalk, the next crack will be stepped on by the other foot in the same location. (Right heel steps on a crack, the next crack will be stepped on by my left heel)

3. If possible, so often not during rush hour, when leaving the subway I tap the opening door (only one of them) with my index and middle finger (left or right hand, does not matter). The side my fingers tap the door is in relation to which side I’ve chosen to tap. Tapping with my right hand, onto the left door will mean I’ll tap that door with the inside of my fingers. The right door with the right hand means the outside of those two fingers. I honestly do not know where this came from, but I do it anyways, if only to continue this bizarre little ritual.

4. I make a wish on the first star I see every night. This is probably a hold over from the childhood rhyme.

Bonus: What I Don’t Do

1. Knock on wood. Ever since my old World of Warcraft guild leader said “We haven’t wiped on Rag since we downed him the first time. Knock on wood.” And the very next raid, we wiped on Ragnaros. Knocking on wood does nothing, and I will never forgive that guy for that cursed repair bill.

posted by Jade Castillo
Tags: Cybele, Cybeline, Kushiel's Legacy, The Great Goddess, The Lady General
Filed under: Cybeline Faith, Jade's Diary