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Demeter Shrine Photos
This is a shrine I just started for Demeter. As you can see in the photo, there is a statue of the goddess, a candle, and a flower arrangement I made. The arrangement is inside a wicker cornucopia, and of course there are sheaves of wheat tucked in.
Here is a close-up of the statue. I bought this at a large local pagan festival. I was quite happy to find it!
One of the offerings I make before this shrine is reciting the following hymn:
To Eleusinian Demeter (Orphic Hymn #40)
Deo, divine mother of all, goddess of many names,
august Demeter, nurturer of youths and giver of prosperity
and wealth. You nourish the ears of corn, O giver of all,
and you delight in peace and in toilsome labor.
Present at sowing, heaping and threshing, O spirit of the unripe fruit,
you dwell in the sacred valley of Eleusis.
Charming and lovely, you give sustenance to all mortals,
and you were the first to yoke the ploughing ox
and to send up from below a rich and lovely harvest for mortals.
Through you there is growth and blooming, O illustrious companion of Bromios
and, torch-bearing and pure one, you delight in the summer's yield.
From beneath the earth you appear and to all you are gentle,
O holy and youth-nurturing lover of children and of fair offspring.
You yoke your chariot to bridled dragons,
and round your throne you whirl and howl in ecstasy.
Only daughter with many children and many powers over mortals,
you manifest your myriad faces to the variety of flowers and sacred blossoms;
come, blessed and pure one, and laden with the fruits of summer,
bring peace together with the welcome rule of law,
riches, too, and prosperity, and health that governs all.
(translation by A. Athanassakis)