Goddess of the Week: Yen koang p'ou sa

Laurie needs a goddess for her eyes, and boy do I get it. My family has a long history of eye disorders, and I can tell you that anybody worried about their eyes needs Yen koang p'ou sa, the Chinese goddess of eye diseases.

Not a lot is known about Yen koang p'ou sa; she predates Buddhism. Yet despite her ancient roots, she is both modern and western in her determination to have a medical specialty. She heals eye diseases. That's it. She's not interested in your liver or your feet, just your eyes. And just so you don't get confused, she goes around carrying a big ol' eye. It's kind of her calling card.

Since I couldn't find out any more than that, I am just boldly going to call on you to make her a little altar of edible sacrifices that are full of vitamin A, which is very good for your eyes. Think: carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, spinach, kale and cantaloupe. In other words, if it's orangey or deep green you probably can't go wrong.

Here's a little recipe to get your altar started. Get yourself some butternut squash. Make it easy: buy the precut kind. Take all those precut cubes and mix them with just a little bit of olive oil, sea salt and parsley. Put that in a 400 degree oven and roast until soft. (Every once in a while, while they are still in the oven, you will want to toss them.) You can eat them fresh from the oven, but I like to let them cool and keep them in the refrigerator for a few days. Then, you put them on top of a little salad made of lettuce and walnuts and maybe a little goat cheese. Dress with garlic, olive oil and lemon juice.

It will be good for your eyes, and it will give you that satisfying feeling that you always get when you are practicing better nutrition than your negligent dining companions.

Channel this goddess: When your eyes need a little TLC. Give them the love! Eat a carrot!

Goddess of the Week: Freya

Lilli is ready to dip her toes in the relationship pool; she needs a goddess of love. I am giving her the Norse goddess Freya.

Freya was basically your early Match.com. People would ask her for a lover, and she would see what she could find. She herself was loved by many, including men, giants, and dwarves, which is a good reminder that when looking for a relationship one might want to cast a wide net. Just because someone seems totally different from you doesn't mean you might not have some interesting things in common.

Freya had awesome transportation. She got to ride around on a gold-bristled boar or on a chariot pulled by two cats. This is also instructional. Freya's hot rides got her where she was going in style. If your path to love is taking you down too many pothole-ridden roads, you must ask yourself: what's with all the old Yugos blocking your path? Better to ride in comfort alone than be stuck with a balding pig.

Channel this goddess: When you are ready for a relationship or when buying a new car. Aren't they pretty much the same thing anyway?

Need a goddess? I got goddesses! Post a comment explaining what you need or want a goddess for. Then check back in a week or two and see what you got. It's fun! It's free! It's better than getting boar hair in your unmentionables.

Goddess of the Week: Peitho

Rachel needs a goddess who'll help her land an awesome book deal. She needs Peitho, the Greek goddess of persuasion because, lord knows, great writing isn't enough to get you what you want.

Peitho, who with her good friend Aphrodite equaled the one-two seduction punch of the ancient world, knew that it was much better to persuade people into giving you want you want than to compel people into giving you want you want.

Peitho flatters and flirts. She kisses asses and butters bread. But mostly she builds her reputation on competence and logic. Knowing that people tend toward self interest, she endeavors to show people how in helping her they, actually, help themselves.  So work on that cover letter, Rachel! Practice that elevator pitch, and, mostly, let Peitho remind you that you are fabulous and that you deserve success. Don't be your own worst enemy. Be competent. Be logical, and go!

Goddess of the Week: Lakshmi

Lakshmi (Photo credit: elycefeliz)

Anonymous needs a goddess who will help her get a job. This one is easy. She needs the Hindi goddess of wealth and good fortune, Lakshmi.

Lakshmi is central to the Hindi celebration of lights, Diwali, during which time people light lanterns, set off fireworks and keep their homes brightly lit in the hopes that Lakshmi will notice them and grant them good fortune.

Now, what we need, Anon, is for Lakshmi to notice you. Here is what I recommend:

1. Don't hide your light under a bushel.
2. Shine like the spirit says shine.
3. But don't be a candle in the wind.

Do these things and Lakshmi will surely find you.  But when she does, be forewarned, Lakshmi never stays in one place for too long, so keep your resume up to date and remember that, in the best sense of the word, networking just means living an interesting life. So keep it fun!

Channel this goddess: When job hunting, when funds are running low, when heading to Las Vegas or Monte Carlo (and if you are heading for Monte Carlo invite me to be your accommodating traveling companion. I'm putting all my money on red!)

Need a goddess? I got goddesses! Post a comment explaining what you need or want a goddess for. Then check back in a few weeks and see what you got. It's fun! It's free! It's better than Craig's List.

Ever wonder...

Goddess (Photo credit: campra)

Ever wonder what is up with me and all this goddess business? The fascinating mystery is explained at today's Pasadena Daily Photo.

PS: You're melting away already!  Eat some ice cream.

Goddess of the Week: Hestia

Image via Wikipedia

MamaJosephine kindly requests that we give Hestia her due, and so we shall.

Hestia was the Greek goddess of the hearth. She was not like her sisters Hera and Demeter, who liked to flit around and have their dramas. Hestia was a homebody. She stayed home. Always. She never married -- although she had her chances -- and she cared little for glory.

How little Hestia cared for glory became apparent when the gods were arguing about where to seat the the newly appointed god of wine, Dionysus. See, Mt. Olympus is no different from any other real estate market. It's all about location, location, location. The original twelve gods had their thrones, they liked where their thrones were, they liked the space between them, and they liked who they were sitting next to. They were like kids in a car. Every one of them was riding shotgun, and every one of them wanted to keep it that way.

Except Hestia. She was all, "Dude, take my throne. I don't care." She just moved on down to the hearth and sat there. It was easier to tend the fire anyway. Plus, she totally didn't have to deal with any of the politics or the blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. You know how long-winded the omnipotent can be.

The Greeks appreciated Hestia's modesty. Every home hearth was an altar to Hestia and was kept burning at all times. The first sacrifice of every day was made in her honor. Families knew: sometimes you need to give up your chair if you're going to keep the peace. Cities knew it too. When new colonies were formed, they lit the fire of their new town's central hearth with fire from their original town's central hearth. The hearth, the home, the willingness to sacrifice one's own comfort for the good of the tribe, were the very definitions of community.

Channel this goddess: When you're feeling lost, out of place, or rootless, when longing for the comforts of home, when someone takes your place on the couch, or when making smores!

Need a goddess: I got goddesses! Leave a comment in the comment section telling me what you need and I'll see what I can do.

In the meantime, keep those home fires burning.