RE-MEMBERING HER
by
Helene Hodge
'Under Every Green Tree'
The
quote is from Asphodel's article on the Asherah and refers to where you
would find her, it could equally apply to any goddess. Or at least so we
used to say.
I met Asphodel during the last couple of years of her life. I had friends
near where she lived in East Sussex and they introduced me. My first meeting
was with a copy of her brilliant book In A Chariot Drawn by Lions
which she kindly signed for me, now a most treasured possession. And my most
treasured memory... that is so difficult. Whenever I went down to Peasmarsh
I would traipse across the fields to visit, less often as she become weaker.
And we would argue, wonderfully, and long about the Magdalene, Canaanite
Goddess, Shekinah, Orphic hymns, the Sophia, age, Tanit but mostly the
Asherah. She knew so much more about it all than I did, but always listened
to my off-beam opinions even when she didn't agree. Although much of the
times was spent, saying yes, that's it and completely agree... it was
wonderful to share the fruits of my research such as they were and my
thoughts about the Ashera. We would wander into the Qabalah and out again
and I would bring her articles I had found that she hadn't seen. We found we
had careers that had almost touched and friends and associates in common and
I've asked a few of them for their most treasured memories.
Jack Pleasant a fellow journalist and the near neighbour who first took me
to meet her remembers 'I used to visit Asphodel when she was at Peasmarsh
Place, the retirement home which is just a pleasant 1O-minute walk across
the fields from my cottage in Sussex. She was a gifted lady with such a
fascinating background. In particular, she spoke of her travels in a quest
for the Goddess, especially to Crete and North Africa, and as we spoke we
were overlooked by a shelf of her wonderful collection of goddesses from
throughout history. For her interest, I once took a piece of Roman mosaic
I'd brought back from a visit to Carthage in Tunisia and she agreed that
such ancient items can retain in spite of the centuries an aura of those who
made them.'
I asked Asphodel would she have been involved if she'd been around at the
times of the Suffragettes. 'Most likely', she replied with a sparkle in her
eyes. 'And I would probably have gone to prison with the rest of
them!'
For Lydia Rule, creatrix of the Glastonbury Conference's goddess banners, Aspholdel was the personification of the Mother of the Muses. She says
'I will miss Asphodel, yet I know her presence and memory are always with me
and with all those fortunate persons who came into contact with her wisdom.'
If you read the tributes to Asphodel on the web site you can see that she
touched the lives deeply of so many people. Magenta Wise, who also first
came to Asphodel through her book (over 30 years ago) is responsible for the
creating and up keep of the site. At the funeral she said, 'A fond memory is
when she and I were running a course at Lower Shaw farm and we went, a big
gathering of women to Kilpeck Church to see the magnificent Shiela ne Giach.
We were in the mood for more and so inside the church, Asphodel mounted the
pulpit and read out Sophia to us. We were jubilant and giddy with power.
Again, typical Asphodel, using the situation to teach by showing. Here we
are, reclaiming sacred spaces, reclaiming sacred power.'
This was Ashodel's mission to re-unite and raise women, to re-unite women
with Goddess and to raise Goddess to her ancient place in the modern world
She is now with others who love her, and we miss her. Yet we can keep her
alive through the work. As I began with Asphodel`s own words, so will I
finish, with these from her will. 'Let our love for her be felt and let her
voice be heard.'
When she died earlier this year, for a while the I thought the sky had
fallen in. I knew she was going to die, but I just wasn't ready, damn it.
She seemed so much better prepared for her transition than I was. The
funeral was awesome, so many women (and chaps) gathered together to honour
her. Her family had come from all over the world and both sons -Tony and
Joe- read poems during the service. Her birthday was in May and we
celebrated it with a ritual of commemoration at the Coldrum Stones in Kent,
a particular favourite haunt of hers. Julie Felix was there too and sang
for us. I asked her about her favourite memories of Asphodel: 'Asphodel was
one of the people most instrumental in my becoming a Goddess follower. She
was very kind and supportive of the tours I organised and of my work as a
musician. She actually attended my 60th birthday concert at the Queen
Elizabeth Hall.
'One of my favourite memories of Asphodel was when she came with us to the
Rollright Stones in Oxfordshire. I climbed over the fence that surrounds the
Grandmother Stones. It was too challenging, physically, for Asphodel to
actually get close to the stone; so I placed my hand onto the stone and the
other women on the Goddess Tour held hands to form a chain from me to
Asphodel in order that she might connect to the energy of the Grandmother
Stone.
'She was so pleased.
'Asphodel had the very rare ability to combine fierce integrity with gentle
kindness.'
As an end I will just quote on of our favourite Orphic hymns that I feel
encompasses her as much as the Mother Goddess:
0 Nature, mother of all, artificer mother,
Celestial, venerated, goddess of richness, sovereign.
Leader, accomplisher, life-giving, all nourishing maiden
Goddess of earth, air and sea. . .
All-flowing, circular in motion, shape shifting. . .
You are deathless, are everlasting life and know the future. . .
Goddess, we pray you in good season, lead us to peace, health and increase
of prosperity.
