Saalah
Also known as: Sealah
Saalah are believed to be the offspring of humans and Djinn. Although theoretically half-human, they are generally considered a subset of Djinn. Saalah prefer to live in forests. They dance—that's their defining characteristic. Allegedly if Saalah capture humans, they
force them to dance, reminiscent of what may be another sub-set of Djinn, Zar spirits. Wolves are their nemesis. They devour and
destroy Saalah. Images of wolves will allegedly repel the Saalah.
See also: Djinn; Nemesis; Vila; Zar

Sacha Huarmi
Sacha Huarmi literally means "forest woman" or "jungle woman." She lives in the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest near the base of
the Andes. Sacha Huarmi is the Green Woman who protects and nurtures wild forest animals. She is the initiatrix of shamans.
Sacha Huarmi is the female counterpart of Sacha Runa, the forest man. They serve as intermediaries between plant spirits and
people. In addition, they train, educate, and initiate shamans. Sacha Huarmi will on occasion meet and guide women, but her
relationships are generally with men. Sacha Huarmi may greet those who visit her in her forest home but she also visits devotees in
dreams and visions.
Popular entertainment is filled with tales of people who can magically assume the form and identity of other people. Examples include
episodes of the television shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural. These shape-shifters can fool most people, but every
once in a while someone sees through the illusion (and on television, saves the day). Sacha Huarmi is such a shape-shifter. She may not
display her true form but manifests in a form familiar to her viewer, such as an old friend, relative, or acquaintance.
What appears to be a trick is really a test: a person may realize the deception or be fooled. Sacha Huarmi is assessing your psychic
eye: fail to recognize her and she will depart without revealing her true identity. Unlike on television, nothing disastrous will happen, but
the opportunity for spiritual guidance and initiation is lost and may not come again.
M anifestation: She is described by author Dale Pendell in his book Pharmako/Poeia as a "beautiful green-skinned, green-eyed,
green-haired woman" who wears a woven bark skirt, a brilliant macaw headdress, and nine necklaces of toucan feathers.
Attributes: Feathered lance, iron pot
Creature: All of them but especially anacondas
Color: Green
See also: Green Man; Sacha Runa; Sachamama

Sacha Runa
Sacha Runa literally means "forest being." He lives in the Ecuadorian Amazon near the Andes Mountains (but he's a highly mobile
spirit and can travel). Sacha Runa's domain is the jungle. Destroying the rain forest minimizes his territory. Sacha Runa's name is now

used by various organizations, including a conglomeration of indigenous people, who share the goal of protecting the Amazon rain forest.
The spirit Sacha Runa protects the forest's animals. He may protect people in the forest, too, presuming their intentions are good. He
serves as the intermediary between humans and plant spirits. Sacha Runa's special relationship is with shamans.
Vegetalistas are
Amazonian shamans who learn directly from the plant spirits. To become a true
vegetalista with full powers, one must eventually
encounter Sacha Runa, who may or may not initiate the encounter. Seeking Sacha Runa involves rituals and time. Cleansing rituals,
including fasting and purging, are performed. While one waits for him, no salt or domestic meat may be consumed or he will not appear.
He appears when he is ready and when he deems you ready; people have been known to wait a very long time.
Sacha Runa is a male spirit. In general, he greets and guides women. He will sometimes enter relationships with men, too, but they are
more likely to encounter his female counterpart, Sacha Huarmi.
See also: Sacha Huarmi; Sachamama

Sachamama
Sachamama is the jungle mother, Goddess of the Ecuadorian Amazon. She is a snake spirit—a gigantic, primeval, eared boa.
Sachamama rose up from the underworld in the form of a two-headed snake, transforming into the Tree of Life. Now she patrols and
controls the jungle.
Just like any ordinary snake, Sachamama can stay very still for very long, except in her case, exponentially so. Sachamama may stay
in one position for centuries so that she begins to resemble landscape. Foliage, vines, and leaves grow over her, camouflaging her. She
impregnates these botanicals with her power. When Sachamama finally moves, she has the effect of an earthquake: the ground splits
open and trees topple.
Sachamama can bless, protect, and sponsor a shaman. She can also hypnotize and devour those who aggravate her. In the twentyfirst century, the pendulum of renown has swung both ways for Sachamama. Amazonian shamanism and the ayahuasca rituals with
which she is associated are no longer isolated and local but attract international attention. Shamanic-oriented tour ism is a growth
industry in the Amazon; in this context, Sachamama is acknowledged as a great goddess and venerated worldwide. Where traditional
religion is suppressed, however, Sachamama is reduced to a huge scary snake monster, subject of horror tales. Cryptid-hunters search
for sightings of this giant snake.
M anifestation: Sachamama manifests as a huge two-headed snake with glowing eyes. But if her eyes are closed, she's covered
with foliage and she's not moving, it's very easy to overlook her presence.
Iconography: Sachamama is a favored topic of shamanic ayahuasca paintings.
See also: Jurema; Pachamama; Sacha Huarmi; Sacha Runa

Samovila

Queen of the Forest
Also known as: Samodiva
Samovila, leader of the Samovili and Vilas, is venerated throughout the Balkans, especially in Bulgaria and Macedonia but also
elsewhere in Eastern Europe. She may be of Scythian origin. Samovila is a potent shaman, witch, healer, and shape-shifter. She will
teach and advise those humans she favors—usually but not always women. However those who have harmed animals, who have hunted
without spiritual license, and especially those who have hunted deer—Samovila's personal cattle—should stay away from her,
approaching at their own risk. Samovila also serves as a psychopomp, leading human souls to their next home.

M anifestation: Samovila can transform into any shape she desires. Her most common manifestations include a swan, snake, horse,
and whirlwind. She may appear as a beautiful woman, a swan-woman, or a woman with hoofed feet.

Time: The best time to approach Samovila is just before dawn during a full moon.
See also: Artemis; Fairy; Ildiko; Samovili; Swan Goddesses; Tabiti; Vila

Samovili
Also known as: Samodivi
Samovili are the Macedonian branch of the Vila family—Fairies of lakes and forests. Samovili is plural; the singular, Samovila,
usually but not always refers to their leader. Some Samovili may also serve the great moon goddess Bendis.
Samovili are goddesses of thresholds. They serve as Birth Fairies and psychopomps. Once venerated as healing, shamanic spirits
who bestowed beauty, fertility, and health, post-Christianity they developed a malevolent reputation. Samovili are accused of luring men
to their doom and causing havoc, harm, and mayhem. Samovili are sometimes accused of causing illness or even death. This may be
defamation but possibly reflects their traditional role as psycho-pomps, providing escort service for the dead.
Samovili dance in the forest. Those who maintain lush, aromatic flower gardens may discover Samovili dancing there, too. They are
loyal and protective towards those humans who treat them with respect or who have done them a good turn, but may otherwise be
temperamental and volatile.
M anifestation: At night, Samovili manifest as beautiful women. They may appear completely human or as winged and/or hoofed
women. Samovili who wish to move about during the daytime may manifest as weather formations like violent storms or whirlwinds.
See also: Bendis; Fairy; Fairy, Birth; Rusalka; Samovila; Vila

Sanni Yakka
Origin: Sri Lanka
The Sanni Yakka are pre-Buddhist spirits from Sri Lanka. They were vanquished and banished by Buddha so that they are now
unable to physically manifest on Earth. However, they still retain the power and ability to afflict people with illnesses and to heal them.
Disease may be their way of maintaining contact with people and also retaining a modicum of veneration. Healing ceremonies involve
masking and invocation of the Sanni Yakka. Yakka is now frequently translated as "demons" or "devils."
Kola Sanniya is chief of the Sanni Yakka. The number of Sanni Yakka are unlimited but some are more active or frequently invoked
than others. The most popular (or dreaded) Sanni Yakka and their illnesses include:
• Amuku sanniya: vomiting
• Avulun sanniya: breathing difficulties, chest pains
• Biri-sanniya: deafness
• Demala-sanniya: nightmares
• Deva-sanniya: epidemic disease, i.e. typhoid, cholera
• Gini-jala-sanniya: malaria
• Golu-sanniya: muteness
• Gulma-sanniya: parasitic worms
• Kala-sanniya: Black Death
• Kana-sanniya: blindness
• Kapala-sanniya: insanity
• Kola-sanniya or Kola Sanni Yakka: lameness/ paralysis
• Maru-sanniya: delirium
• Murta-sanniya: swooning, loss of consciousness
• Naga-sanniya: evil dreams particularly featuring snakes
• Olmada sanniya: babbling

• Pita-sanniya: diseases related to bile
• Slesma-sanniya: secretions, epilepsy, seizure disorders
• Vata-sanniya: shaking, palsy, and burning sensations especially of limbs
• Vedda-sanniya: bubonic plague
See also: Buddha; Demon; Kola Sanni Yakka

Santissima Muerte, La

The White Girl
Also known as: La Madrina ("The Godmother"); La Comadre ("The Other Mother"); Querida Muerte ("Beloved Death");
Santa Muerte ("Saint Death"); La Flaquita ("The Skinny Girl")
Origin: Mexico
La Santissima Muerte, "Blessed Death," or "The Most Holy Death," is the goddess in the form of a skeleton. She is a spirit of
death, but she is also Death itself, the Grim Reaper in sometimes glamorous robes but holding her hourglass and scythe nonetheless. La
Santissima Muerte is loved and feared. La Santissima Muerte began her ascent to popularity in her modern form in approximately the
1950s or early 1960s but she also falls squarely into an ancient Latin American tradition of venerating sacred bones.
Who is La Santissima Muerte?
• She may be a modern manifestation of the Aztec deity, Mictlancihuatl, "Lady of Death."
• She may be a Mexican manifestation of the European Grim Reaper.
• She may be a spirit who appeared in a dream to a nineteenth-century brujo (shaman, sorcerer) in Veracruz, identifying herself
and demanding veneration.
• She may be all or any combination of the above.
La Santissima Muerte is beloved precisely because many feel comfortable asking her for
anything, including requests that other
saints or spirits will automatically reject either because they are not in harmony with Church doctrine or because they are clearly not
ethical. La Santissima Muerte is not petitioned lightly or casually; after all, you are literally conjuring death. It is dangerous to invoke her,
but she can do everything, has access to all knowledge, and fears nothing. (After all, she is Death.)
La Santissima Muerte is petitioned for matters of life and death:
• She protects those in life-threatening situations or occupations, including those who work with scary people or who must come
into close proximity to them.
• Santissima Muerte is invoked for anything having to do with death, for instance mercy killings or suicides. She may be petitioned
for a quick, painless, happy death.
• She may be petitioned for assistance with the dead and with the ancestral realm. La Santissima Muerte can obtain information
from beyond and can banish ghosts.
• La Santisima Muerte is particularly popular amongst prostitutes, fortune-tellers, psychics, and magical practitioners of all kinds.
• She is traditionally petitioned by women seeking the return of errant husbands or lovers.
• She is invoked by women to make men behave.
La Santissima Muerte is sometimes confused with Doña Sebastiana, another skeleton saint traditionally venerated by
penitential brotherhoods in New Mexico. Doña Sebastiana's traditional iconic image is a female skeleton standing in a wagon,
reminiscent of the Breton psychopomp Ankou.

Although now entering the mainstream, for decades veneration of La Santissima Muerte was discouraged and even outlawed by local
authorities. Strong attempts were made to sensationalize her—the rumor that if Santissima Muerte grants your request, she'll take the life

of a loved-one in exchange is blatantly untrue, a scare tactic intended to discourage veneration. (That said, it is always wise with La
Santissima Muerte, as with every other spirit, for you to specify beforehand exactly what form your payment will take and when it will
be given. See also: Introduction.)
M anifestation: La Santissima Muerte manifests as a robed, sometimes crowned, skeleton.

Iconography: La Santissima Muerte is traditionally represented by a very distinctive image (the Grim Reaper bedecked in finery),
but if one wished to work with her without resorting to a literal figurative image, she is easily represented by a miniature coffin or grave
digger's tools. Some use a skull to represent her or even a skull and crossbones flag.

In August 2007, La Santissima Muerte received a makeover: a new statue was unveiled in Mexico City displaying a brand
new look for Saint Death. No longer skeletal, this image depicts her as a more conventional goddess, saint, or Madonna with a
porcelain face, long fl owing brown hair, and a beautiful gown and veil—her extreme pallor the only clue to her true identity.
La Santissima Muerte allegedly appeared to a woman in December 2006 requesting this image, but many older devotees have
responded cynically, perceiving that her image is being sofened .

La Santissima Muerte and her traditional images are easily available. Statues are color-coded:
• Dressed in black, she is petitioned for protection and revenge.
• Dressed in red, petitions are incorporated into love spells.
• Dressed in white, she is petitioned for good fortune, to break bad luck, and for healing.
• Dressed in yellow or gold, she is invoked for economic success.
Color-coordinated candles may be lit to reinforce requests and spells.
Attributes: Scythe, scales, crystal ball, hourglass
Spirit allies: Santissima Muerte generally resents having to share altar space but because she is hard to handle, it's traditional to
invoke her simultaneously with powerful but benevolent spirits like Saints Anthony or Elena or Archangel Michael so they'll keep her in
line if necessary. They are complementary spirits: she tolerates them and will allow their images to be placed on or near her altar.
Bird: Owl
Sacred sites: La Santissima Muerte has at least one dozen shrines in Mexico City, the epicenter of her veneration, plus
innumerable public and private shrines elsewhere. A traditional offering involves vowing to light a pair of candles at a set number of her
shrines.
Offerings: Bread, water, incense, candles, prayers and veneration, a tattoo of her image, candy, fruit, flowers (usually white roses:
her flowers must always be fresh, not withered), rum, sherry, tequila, whisky, shiny red apples, chocolate, sugar skulls. Cigars and
cigarettes are traditionally lit and the smoke blown over her image.
See also: Ankou; Guadalupe; Lechusa, La; Mict lancihuatl

Santoshi Ma

Mother of Contentment
Also known as: Santoshi Mata; Santoshi Maa
Origin: India

New spirits are forever being born. Santoshi Ma, now one of India's most beloved goddesses, appeared sometime between the late
1950s and early 1960s, seemingly out of nowhere. Five temples in different locations in Northern India were dedicated to her in the
early 1960s. Her reputation grew, mainly via word of mouth, until in 1975 she was the subject of a low-budget but blockbuster hit
movie, Jai Santoshi Maa, and she catapulted to fame and first national then international recognition.
Since 1975, shrines to Santoshi Ma have proliferated. She has been incorporated into the Hindu pantheon as Ganesha's daughter
and may be considered an avatar of Durga. Although many devotees are women seeking domestic happiness and social mobility,
Santoshi Ma is venerated by both men and women.
Santoshi Ma bestows health, wealth, happiness, and successful marriages. Her gift is social mobility. For millennia, people's identities
and social status were determined by their ancestry. Santoshi Ma cuts through these restrictions: she offers economic success and good
luck. She is a spirit of joy and contentment. In reflection of her sweet nature and the sweet life they desire, Santoshi Ma's devotees eat
only sweet foods, not sour.
Day: Friday
Color: Red
Ritual: Fast and pray to her on sixteen consecutive Fridays for prosperity and peace in the family. Break the fast with white foods
like yogurt or milk. When she fulfills your petition, it's traditional to serve a feast of sweet foods to eight boys in her honor.
Offerings: Candles, incense, jaggery (a kind of unrefined sugar), flowers, roasted chickpeas. Never offer Santoshi Ma anything
sour—it enrages her.
See also: Durga, Ganesha, Lakshmi, Phoolan Deviand the Glossary entries for Avatar and Pantheon

Sara La Kali

The Black Queen
Also known as: Saint Sarah; Sarah Kali; Sara the Egyptian
Every May, the mysterious Sara La Kali is the subject of the largest annual Romani (Gypsy) pilgrimage. She is the single most
significant sacred being venerated by the Roma, who flock to her shrine from around the world. Her identity is subject to strenuous
debate:
• She may be the Egyptian servant who accompanied the three Marys (Mary Magdalen, Mary Jacobe, and Mary Salomé) to
France.
• She may be a Romani priestess who greeted them upon their arrival in Provence.
• She may be the daughter of Mary Magdalen and Jesus Christ.
• She may be the Black Madonna.
• She may be the goddess Isis.
• She may be the goddess Kali, who accompanied the Romani from their origins in India.

Sara La Kali (Sara e Kali in Romani) literally means "Sara the Black". Her name is spelled "Sarah" and "Sara" interchangeably,
although the addition of the "h" may serve to obliquely indicate Semitic roots and hint at her secret identity as the daughter of Jesus.
Although commonly addressed as "Saint Sarah", in fact she is not a canonized saint. Her remains are in the crypt, not in the church
itself. For centuries she was publicly venerated only by the Romani. In recent years, however, she has emerged as an international
goddess.
An ancient rumor suggests that the three Marys, Sara, Saint Martha, and Joseph of Arimathea escaped the fall of Judea by traveling
together to France. King René of Anjou (1409–1480) decided to investigate. He ordered excavations: the supposed relics of Saints
Mary Jacobe and Mary Salomé were discovered beneath the choir of a primitive church. Human remains identified as belonging to Sara
were found in a bronze chest. Pilgrimages began in the fifteenth century (coinciding with Romani migrations through Western Europe).
Sara La Kali may be petitioned for anything, but her specialties are healing and fertility. Author Isabel Fonseca describes her as the

Romani goddess of fate.
During her festival, the statue is carried in procession to the sea where it is immersed and bathed. Once brought back to
her shrine, she is dressed in finery.

Iconography: Sara's statue is carved from dark brown wood. She is crowned and has long black hair and powerfully expressive
eyes. In some Romani fortune-telling systems, the Justice Tarot card indicates the influence of Sara and may be used to represent her as
may a black queen chess piece.
Spirit allies: Sara La Kali may be venerated alongside Mary Magdalen andles Maries de la Mer.
Sacred site: Her shrine in the French town of Les-Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer.
Dates: Her feast is held 13 July; she shares a pilgrimage at the end of May with Mary Salomé and Mary Jacobe

Offerings: It is traditional to place clothing belonging to those suffering from illness or in need of healing on Sara's statue. As the
fabric absorbs the deity's power, healing is transmitted to the petitioner, who may have attended the festival or who may be far away.
Sara La Kali is also offered milagros (ex-votos) and valuable gifts.
See also: Black Madonna; Hygeia; Isis; Kali; Macarena, La; Maries de la Mer; Mary Magdalen and the Glossary entry for
Milagros

Sarasvati

The Flowing One; The Flowering One
Also known as: Medha ("Wisdom")
Origin: India
In her earliest incarnations, Sarasvati was a river spirit with dominion over fertility, procreation, and purification. She retains those
powers but has evolved into a matron of literature and wisdom, too. Sarasvati sponsors learning and creative sciences. She is the
goddess of music and credited with inventing Sanskrit. A generous, bountiful spirit, she places the fetus in the womb and is the giver of
all beautiful things. Sarasvati is invoked frequently in the Rig Veda, the oldest surviving Indian writings, sacred hymns composed
approximately 1200 BCE. She was born from a golden egg from the sea.
Sarasvati's answers to petitions may come in the form of artistic inspiration.

Favored people: Musicians, writers, students; she loves librarians and archivists. Students invoke her assistance prior to academic
exams.
M anifestations: Sarasvati wears the crescent moon upon her forehead and may be recognized by her dazzling white skin and vivid
clothing. Her four arms show that her power extends in all directions.
Iconography: Sarasvati is usually depicted seated upon her lotus blossom throne accompanied by her white swan, the bird that in
Hindu mythology is able to distinguish between substance and illusion, truth and falsehood. She may also be venerated in the form of
books, inkwells, pens, and musical instruments.

Attributes: Sarasvati holds a book formed from palm leaves in one hand and either a string of prayer beads or pearls in another.
Her other two hands play the veena, an Indian stringed musical instrument.
Bird: Swan, her sacred creature and vehicle
Creature: Lizard
Element: Fresh Water
Planet: Moon
Day: Sunday
Place: Sarasvati is the presiding spirit of the Sarasvati River.
Time: The Vasant Panchami is the festival honoring Sarasvati. Consult a Hindu calendar for dates.
Offerings: Fruit, flowers, incense
See also: Benten; Lakshmi; Metis; Sophia; Swan Goddesses; Vishnu

Sarkin Aljan Biddarene

Sarkin Aljan Biddarene, the head of the second house of Bori spirits, is the younger brother of Sarkin Aljan Suleimanu. Although
subordinate to his brother, he is still very much a ruler. His wife is Magajiyar Jangare.
See also: Bori; Magajiyar Jangare
Sarkin means "chief or "prince." The Bori spirits are subdivided into houses. The heads of these houses are addressed by
the honorific title Sarkin, also known as Sarikin.

Sarkin Aljan Shekaratafe

Son of Water
Also known as: Sarkin Fagan

Sarkin Aljan Shekaratafe is the head of the seventh house of Bori spirits, the house of water spirits. He has but one wife and at least
eight children. He lives in water.
Creatures: Frog, turtle, amphibians in general
See also: Bori

Sarkin Aljan Suleimanu

Sarkin Aljan Suleimanu translates as "Solomon, King of the Djinn." He is the ruler of Jangare, the invisible city where the Bori spirit
dwell. All of the other Bori spirits are subordinate to him. He is the ruler of the Bori but also specifically head of the first house of Bori
spirits, which incorporates the House of Blind Spirits, the chief's bodyguard, and his smiths (all spirits). Sarkin Aljan Suleimanu is the
adopted son of two now inactive spirits—pre-Islamic spirits who did not make the transition to an Islamic society. His queen is Bakar
Doguwa, "the black, tall woman," also known as Inna. Speculation is that if Sarkin Aljan Suleimanu is the biblical King Solomon, then
Bakar Doguwa is the Queen of Sheba. Bakar Doguwa is sometimes identified with the snake charmer image now most frequently
associated with Mami Waters.
Sarkin Aljan Suleimanu causes and heals headaches.
Attribute: Ostrich feather fan

Offerings: He is a king and expects only the finest offerings. He likes gifts that are extravagant or unique whether because of cost,
quality or scarcity.
See also: Aljan; Bori; Djinn; Inna; Lilith; Mami Waters; Solomon, King

Sarkin Aljan Zurkalene

Sarkin Aljan Zurkalene is the chief of the sixth house of Bori spirits, which incorporates the House of Butchers and the House of
Musicians. Zurkalene is a terrifying spirit with one horn in the middle of his head. He is not a possessing spirit. His wife, Kasa ("Puff
Adder"), is Sarkin Fagan's sister. Kwakiya is his daughter.
See also: Bori; Kwakiya; Sarkin Aljan Shekaratafe

Sarkin Arna

Sarkin Arna is the chief of the ninth house of the Bori spirits, which comprises Pagan Bori spirits. (Some Bori spirits are Muslim;
others still practice the traditional Hausa religion from which Bori derives.) He has at least three wives, and the affliction that he bestows
and heals is alcoholism.
Color: Black
Offering: Beer
See also: Bori; Mai Gizo; Sarkin Fulani

Sarkin Fulani
Also known as: Filani

Sarkin Fulani is chief of the fifth house of Bori spirits, the House of Fulani Spirits. The Fulani are a neighboring ethnic group. It is
important to note that these spirits may not actually be Fulani spirits. They are spirits that the Hausa perceive as being akin to the Fulani.
The Fulani people were traditionally nomadic cattle-herders, and the Bori spirits called Fulani are also associated with cattle and
nomadism.
Sarkin Fulani is responsible for the well-being and fertility of cattle. He has four wives and ten children. His sons include the powerful,
Mai Gizo, Owner of Matted Hair, who was raised by Sarkin Arna after his father disowned him.
Sarkin Fulani causes and heals scrotal hernias. He also causes a mental state which causes the victim to abandon the sedentary life

(culturally characteristic of the Hausa) and roam, ramble and wander compulsively, unable to settle down.
See also: Bori; Mai Gizo; Sarkin Arna;

Sarkin Gwari
Sarkin Gwari is the head of the tenth house of Bori Spirits, the Gwari Spirits. The Gwari are a Pagan Nigerian people. His sister
Bagwariya is married to the important Bori spirit, Malam Alhaji. Gwari spirits reject peppers. When making food offerings, make sure
not to include peppers.
Color: Black
See also: Bori; Malam Alhaji

Sarkin Rafi

Chief of Well-Watered Lands
Sarkin Rafiis the son of Sarkin Aljan Suleimanu, but he lives in the Second House of Bori Spirits, not the first. He is a violent,
irrational spirit and his ritual possessions are characterized by violence, too. Sarkin Raficauses and alleviates droughts. The afflictions he
causes (and potentially heals) include madness and serious mental disorders, especially those characterized by violent behavior.
Attributes: Arrow, pestle
See also: Bori; Sarkin Aljan Suleimanu

Sarutahiko
Also known as: Saruta-hiko
Origin: Japan
Classification: Kami

Amaterasu, chief of the celestial kami, sent her grandson Ninigi to Earth to rule over Japan. All the earthly kami submitted to Ninigi's
rule with the sole exception of Sarutahiko who refused to submit. It was an important exception: Sarutahiko guards the Bridge of
Heaven that connects Earth to the celestial regions and so without his cooperation, Ninigi was unable to reach Earth. Sarutahiko, leader
of the earthly kami, did not desire a change in hierarchy.
The celestial kami called a council and decided someone must go subdue Sarutahiko. None of the male kami volunteered and so,
once again, Uzume, Goddess of Mirth, came to the rescue. As she began to cross the bridge and approached Sarutahiko, she let her
robe slip, exposing her breasts. Sarutahiko was surprised and impressed. He allowed her to approach. Uzume put it to him plainly: she
insisted that he submit to Amaterasu and Ninigi. This time, Sarutahiko was more amenable, agreeing to submit but only if Uzume would
marry him. They have lived happily ever after ever since. Their marriage symbolizes the merger of the celestial and earthly kami.
Sarutahiko is the only earthly kami to bear the title Okami, "Great Kami."

Sarutahiko is characterized by courage and strength (and may be invoked to bolster yours). Lord of Crossways and Crossroads,
both literal and metaphoric, he is petitioned to remove obstacles from one's path. Sarutahiko is the patron of the Japanese martial art,
Aikido.
M anifestation: He is a giant with a long nose and a longer beard. Light shines from Sarutahiko's eyes and mouth.
Iconography: Sarutahiko may be represented by tengu masks. (They both have long noses.)
Attribute: Jeweled spear

Sacred site: Sarutahiko's shrine at Tsubaki Dai Jinja in Mie Prefecture has been in continuous operation for over two thousand
years.
See also: Amaterasu; Kami; Okuninushi; Tengu; Uzume

Sati
Origin: India

Sati, Shiva's first wife, is the first incarnation of Parvati. The youngest of Daksha's sixteen daughters, Sati fell in love with Shiva,
although he was not her father's idea of the perfect husband (or son-in-law). Hidden within her myth is a description of tensions
between the new Vedic religion and the older indigenous traditions of Shiva.
Sati and Shiva married and were very happy. They have an intensely erotic relationship. She lured him away from ascetism and
encouraged him to use his powers creatively. Sati was infuriated when her father insulted Shiva (and by extension, her) by snubbing him
and not inviting him to a major sacrifice. She attended alone, arguing that a daughter doesn't require an invitation to her father's house.
At the ceremony, Daksha's insults toward the missing Shiva continued. Sati killed herself in protest via an act of spontaneous
combustion.
Sati, the essence of the ideal wife and mother, is petitioned by women seeking longevity, good health, and good fortune for
their husbands (and by extension, themselves).

Shiva, fearing the worst, came anyway, leading a small army of ghosts and spirits but arrived too late to save her. Mad with grief,
Shiva flew into the air with her corpse, caressing her, making love to her. The deities tried to stop him but were powerless. Shiva's
dance of destruction had been activated; the other deities feared for the survival of Earth. Finally Vishnu threw his discus at Sati's
corpse repeatedly, slicing her to fifty-one pieces, which fell to Earth, many at locations Shiva and Sati had visited together or where they
had made love.
Sati is associated with fire—the avenue of her death. The practice of ritual suicide by a widow either on her husband's funeral pyre or
later on a pyre lit from embers taken from his pyre is named sati, anglicized as suttee, in honor of the goddess, although this is not why
she chose to immolate herself. Shiva was very much alive. Rather than burning herself to join him, Sati's actions led to separation: she
left him to his complete devastation. Sati was avenging an insult. The practice of suttee has always been controversial: some Tantric
scholars condemned it as sinful. Whether "suicide" is voluntary or physically or psychologically forced is questionable. Suttee was
outlawed in 1829 but still sometimes occurs.
Sati is the epitome of Shakti, divine feminine power. She is associated with fire-walking rituals.

Sacred sites: Temples were erected where Sati's body parts fell. Called Shakti Pithas, these shrines, scattered throughout
Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, are important Hindu pilgrimage sites. Sati is also associated with Satisar, the lake of the
goddess Sati in Kashmir

See also: Bagalamukhi; Kamakhya; Kunti; Parvati; Savitri; Shiva; Uma; Vishnu

Satis

She Who Shoots Forth; She Who Runs Like an Arrow; She Who Pours
Also known as: Sati; Satet

Satis, Lady of the Frontier, is a Nile River spirit entrusted to maintain balance and peace at the Nile's first cataract, the traditional
border between Egypt and Nubia. She maintains balance and harmony between the two lands. She is a beautiful, erotic goddess as well
as a warrior. Satis may be Anuket's mother, daughter, or sister. She is associated with the annual Nile floods. It was believed that every
year, on the Night of the Teardrop, Isis shed one single tear, which Satis caught in a water pot. This tear began the Nile deluge.
Because of her associations with sacred waters, Satis is also identified with funerary rites. She provides the water that cleanses the
deceased, enabling them to transition to their next incarnation. The living may invoke Satis for
spiritual cleansing and to wash away
shame, humiliation, feelings of degradation, and sin. If petitioned, Satis also pours out blessings of protection, security, love, romance,
happy sex, and fertility.
Iconography: Satis wears the crown of Upper Egypt flanked by gazelle horns.
Attributes: Ankh, scepter, arrows, vessels of water
Element: Water
Creatures: Antelope, gazelle
Star: Sirius
Sacred sites:
• The ancient frontier city of Swenet, now called Aswan
• Satis had a shrine on Elephantine Island.
• Her name may be related to Setet Island (Sehel Island).
See also: Anuket; Isis; Khnum; Qebhut

Saturn

Father Time; The Sower
Also known as: Saturnus
It was said that Saturn, Roman spirit of agriculture, once reigned over a lost golden age, a time without sorrow. He is the lord of
wealth and seed-sowing. He may have been the first to introduce people to the arts of agriculture and cultivation.
One version of Saturn's origins suggests that he is Kronos. After Zeus expelled him from the celestial realm, he wandered Earth, an
old man in a robe until Janus extended Rome's hospitality to him, opening the doors of welcome. Together Janus and Saturn served as
door guardians of Rome's state treasury.
Saturn and his Roman consort, Ops, presided over Rome's most beloved annual festival—December's Saturnalia, a time for giftgiving, holiday cheer, and making merry. When Rome's Pagan religions were abolished, aspects of the Saturnalia were merged into the
new holiday of Christmas. Saturn may survive under the guise of Santa Claus, not so much the red-suited, reindeer-driving jolly fellow
but in older, nineteenth-century depictions of Santa as an elderly white-bearded, robed wanderer bearing gifts.

It wasn't all fun and games, though: Saturn may also be a prototype for the Grim Reaper. At least one man was sacrificed to him
annually. After the Romans annexed northwestern Africa, Saturn was popularly worshipped there. Author Tertullian (circa160-circa
225 CE), an early Christian but raised in North Africa as a Pagan, writes that children were sacrificed to Saturn in Africa.
Favored people: Capricorns and Aquarians, farmers, those who work with seeds
Attribute: Sickle, indicating that he is ready to harvest; his sickle survives in the glyph representing his planet, Saturn:
Consort: Ops
Planet: Saturn
Day: Saturday
M ount: Donkey
Color: Black
Botanicals: Aconite, hellebore, hemlock, hemp, henbane, holly, juniper savin, mandrake, pine
Many of the plants associated with Saturn have strong psychoactive properties indicating his shamanic roots. Some of his
plants are deadly poisons and must be handled with care, if at all .

Feast: The Saturnalia, originally celebrated from 17 December through 19 December, was later extended to seven days beginning
on 17 December. On the 19th, masters and slaves exchanged roles for the day.
Offerings: Incense, wine
See also: Janus; Kronos; Odin; Ops; Zeus

Saulé
Pronounced: SOW-lay
Origin: Latvia; Lithuania

Saulé, Sun Goddess and Matriarch of the Cosmos, is among the most beloved and popular Baltic goddesses. Her name means "the
sun." Saulé is the female head of the Baltic celestial pantheon. She is the mother of the planets. Her daughters include:
• Vaivora (Mercury)
• Ausriné (Venus; Morning Star)
• Zemyna (Earth)
• Ziezdra (Mars)
• Indraja (Jupiter)
• Selija (Saturn)

Saulé and her daughters live in a castle with silver gates. She drives a chariot with copper wheels across the sky pulled by a pair of
fiery white steeds with golden manes called the Asviniai. Sometimes Saulé travels via nine chariots drawn by one hundred horses. Her
horses never sweat, tire, or rest. Every night Saulé sinks into the sea to bathe her horses following her daily journey. The she crosses the
Underworld in a golden boat.
Saulé's strength waxes and wanes with the sun. As days grow shorter in winter, she weakens in her annual battle against the forces of

darkness. People perform rituals and spells to strengthen her so that light triumphs over darkness.
Saulé was married to Meness the Moon, but she divorced him, scarring his face in anger because of his infidelity with her daughter,
Ausriné. Saulé is also associated with Kalvis, the divine smith who may or may not have created her. Although Saulé is the subject of
myths that focus on her love life with male Baltic spirits, she consistently remains a potently
independent goddess. Her power is her
own and not dependent on her relationship with any other spirit.
Saulé is a benevolent, responsible, fair, good mother. Evil spirits flee from her presence. Thus, day was considered spiritually safer
then night. Saulé has dominion over fertility, healing, and anything to do with women and what were once considered traditional
women's tasks and roles. Prayers and petitions for Saulé must be offered with uncovered heads (no hats, scarves, and so forth, just
your head bared beneath the sun).
Favored people: Saulé loves everyone. The sun shines on everyone equally. Saulé is also the matron of single mothers.
M anifestation: Look up in the sky and see the sun: There's Saulé! When manifesting as a woman, her hair is golden as are her
clothes. Saulé wears a golden crown and a gold silk shawl. Her shoes are silver.
Attribute: Red apple. Saulé plays the kanklès, a traditional Lithuanian instrument akin to a zither. First developed in the Iron Age,
the kanklès, now typically considered nothing more than a musical instrument, was originally a magical ritual instrument that allegedly
protects against evil. It was played during Pagan feasts, weddings, and funerals.
Emblem: Wheel (Solar wheel)
Planet: Sun
M etal: Copper
Creatures: Horse, grass snake
Flowers: Daisies and roses
Trees: Apple and linden trees
Feast: Solstices, equinoxes. Festivals honoring her coincide with the modern winter solstice and continue until 6 January
(corresponding in time with Christmas and Epiphany). On 13 December, the Feast of Saint Lucy and the pre-calendar-reform winter
solstice, Saulé dances with her daughters.
Sacred site: Saulé was venerated in a sacred apple orchard, an apple grove.
See also: Ashvins; Ausriné; Indra; Kalvis; Meness; Zemyna

Savitri
Also known as: Sabitri
Origin: India

A childless king prayed fervently to the goddess Savitri, Daughter of the Sun, who answered his prayers. In gratitude, the resulting
baby girl was named in the goddess' honor, but the infant bore more than the goddess' name. The king's wife had given birth to an
avatar of Savitri who would one day outwit Death and become the star of one of India's most beloved myths.
Savitri was an extraordinary girl: so beautiful, brilliant, and charismatic that she intimidated all potential suitors. When no one asked
for her hand in marriage, the king told her to find her own husband. Savitri searched and fell in love with Satyavan, the son of a blind
king living in exile in the forest. Although discouraged from marrying him, she insisted, making a sacred vow that she would only ever
choose one husband and Satyavan was that one. It was him or no one.
For almost a year, Savitri and Satyavan lived happily together in the forest. In some versions, an oracle had warned that Satyavan
would die exactly one year after his marriage, and so Savitri was forewarned and prepared. In others Savitri, possessing the powers of

a goddess, recognized ominous portents and her actions were spontaneous. She begged her husband not to go into the forest and chop
wood, but he insisted so she accompanied him. He died before her eyes.
Lord Yama came to carry Satyavan to the Realm of Death. Savitri spoke directly to the Death Lord, begging him to allow her
husband to live. Shocked that she could see him when he should be invisible to mortal eyes, Yama comforted her but advised that Death
is irrefutable: it was Satyavan's time to go. Yama departed with Satyavan, but Savitri followed, beseeching him, talking with him, arguing
sophisticated metaphysical points with him. Yama ordered her to go back home, but Savitri persevered, following him over the River of
Fire separating the realms of death and life. Finally Yama stopped, shocked that a living being had come so far (and finally realizing that
Savitri was more than a woman).
Savitri's actions threatened world order:
• If she burned in the flames and died before her allotted time, she would throw the Akashic records out of whack.
• If she survived to enter the Realm of Death while alive, the entire order of the universe would be threatened.

Yama stopped ordering her to return and began to negotiate. He offered her three wishes if she would turn back, anything but the
resurrection of her husband. She accepted his offer. Her first wish was that her elderly parents would bear sons. Her second was that
her father-in-law regain his vision, and her third and final wish was to bear sons worthy of her dead husband. The first two wishes
seemed so innocuous that Yama agreed to the third without paying attention to the nuances embedded in her words. How, Savitri asked
him, now smiling, can she bear those sons without the participation of her living husband? Foiled and bound by his oath, Yama told her
that Satyavan's life was now irrevocably tied to hers: he could live but only for the exact length of Savitri's life. They lived happily ever
after until they died together.
Savitri's tale can be interpreted as an affirmation or a rejection of sati, the tradition of a living wife accompanying her
dead husband on his funeral pyre. On one hand, a couple dying together is presented as the ideal; on the other, Yama rejects
Savitri's attempt to enter the River of Flames as against the natural order.

The earliest documented rendition of this story is in the epic Mahabharata, which dates back two thousand years although based on
even earlier oral traditions. Savitri's story remains incredibly popular in India: the subject of books, films, and comic books. Savitri is the
embodiment of the perfect wife. When offered anything in the world, her wishes are unselfish and intended to bring joy to both her birth
family and that of her husband.
Savitri is the guardian spirit of devoted wives. Her story begins and ends with fertility miracles: Savitri still assists the reproductively
challenged. Women invoke her for the safety of their husbands. The Savitri prayer, the prayer to the sun, which her father repeated for
years in hopes of a child, is found in the Rig Veda and is recited at dawn while facing east and at sunset while facing west.
M anifestation: Savitri the goddess is described as having golden eyes and golden hands.
Planet: Sun
See also: Sati; Yama

Sayona, La

The Executioner
Origin: Venezuela
Gentlemen, are you considering good reasons not to cheat on your wives? Add La Sayona to the list. La Sayona is a wandering
ghost who administers fatal justice to errant, cheating husbands. La Sayona wanders highways and streets at night dressed in white. She
may flag down a car for a ride or stop someone to request a cigarette. It may look like a random encounter, but it's not: La Sayona
chooses her victims carefully. She only preys on cheating men. If you're faithful, you have nothing to fear. (Unless she makes a mistake

...)
At first glance, especially in dim light, La Sayona seems shapely and beautiful; those who stop for her may have lecherous thoughts. A
closer look at her face, however, reveals that there really is no face: just a skull and a mouth full of rotting teeth. Once one has made
contact with La Sayona, she's difficult to shake. Her attacks are deadly.
According to legend, La Sayona was once a beautiful young woman who thought she was happily married. When she learned her
husband was cheating on her (some versions say with her mother), she went mad and killed him. It wasn't sufficient: La Sayona now
roams around punishing other women's husbands (whether the women want them punished or not).
La Sayona is sometimes confused or merged with La Llorona. Like La Llorona, people report actually seeing and encountering La
Sayona. She is the subject of modern urban myth, not dusty stories from the days of yore. She and La Llorona superficially resemble
each other: their wardrobes often appear to be a cross between a wedding gown and a shroud. Both wail and cry, but their targeted
victims are different. Reports of La Llorona pursuing men in South America may actually be La Sayona.
She has an interesting relationship with tobacco. Allegedly, keeping a bit of tobacco in your pocket serves as an amulet against La
Sayona. She won't attack. Yet in other cases, she does ask for cigarettes. Make sure the tobacco in your pocket is loose, more closely
resembling the sacred tobacco associated with Native American tradition.
La Sayona's name derives from a medieval word for an executioner. Her primary stomping grounds are on or near Mount Avila, a
national park near Caracas, but she gets around.
See also: Hone-Onna; Kuchisake-Onna; Llorona, La; Maria Lionza; Oiwa; Pelé

Scatach
Origin: Scotland

Scatach is a warrior goddess who appears in the Irish epic, the Ulster Cycle. She runs a martial arts academy where she trains only
the finest heroes, offering spiritual and magical instruction as well as physical. She also distributes magical weapons. One must pass a
series of tests before she will train you. Her most famous student is Cu Chulain.
Among the arts she teaches Cu Chulain is something called the mighty salmon leap. She also gives him a weapon called the Gae
Bulga—a type of barbed spear launched through water— and instructs him in its use. Its aim is true; it
cannot miss its target. No
adequate defense against it exists. Once it enters the victim's body, its thirty barbed points expand; they cannot be removed without
excruciatingly cutting away flesh.
Scatach is the shadowy one. The Gaelic word Scath means "a shadow or phantom" (although it may once also have had further
implications, now lost). It may also be related to the word scathe. Scatach is a prophetic goddess: as Cu Chulain leaves her island, she
foretells his future.

Realm: Scatach lives in Dun Scaith, the Fort of Shadows, described as being on the Isle of Skye. The portal may be on Skye but
her home is beyond the Veil in the Otherworld. It is a difficult journey; one must cross a bridge to reach it.
See also: Aife; Maeve; Morrigan, The

Schilalyi
Origin: Romani (Transylvania)

Schilalyi, the cold one, is the fifth child of Ana, Queen of the Keshalyi, and the king of the Loçolico. Their son Melalo advises the
king to spit on a mouse and then cook it into soup for Ana. Unsurprisingly, she gets sick. Perhaps more surprisingly, she conceives:
Schilalyi, their new child, emerges from her mouth in the form of a white mouse with lots of tiny feet. Like the rest of the siblings,
Schilalyi is a disease spirit. When Schilalyi creeps over you with all those little feet, the result is chills or illnesses characterized by the
sensation of being cold.

See also: Ana; Keshalyi; Lilyi; Loçolico; Lolmischo; Melalo

Scorpion Guardians
Sacred scorpion guardians appear in ancient myths from Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Greece. They serve as escorts, attendants, and
servants to some of the most powerful goddesses. Many Scorpion Guardians are female. They are envisioned
either as monstrously
huge scorpions (big enough to hold their own in a Godzilla movie) or as hybrid scorpion-people (in the way that a mermaid is a fishwoman).
• In the epic of Gilgamesh, scorpion spirits patrol the border at the end of the human realm.
• When Orion threatens to exterminate all Earth's creatures, either Artemis or Gaia dispatched a scorpion to stop him. It stung the
mighty hunter and then followed him into the sky, where the pursuit continues eternally.
• The most famous Scorpion Guardians are the Scorpion Girls who serve as Isis' entourage and bodyguards when, pregnant and
as a new mother, she is in hiding from her brother Set. The Scorpion Girls travel with her and protect her. When human beings
are mean and rude to Isis, the goddess is forgiving but the Scorpion Girls are not. When Horus, Isis' son, grew up, he married
one of the Scorpion Girls. Selket is their leader.
Scorpion Guardians may be invoked for protection when you are truly in need if you have an affinity with scorpions; if you are a
Scorpio, if the sign Scorpio is prominent in your natal chart, or if you have a close alliance with the goddesses whom the Scorpion
Guardians serve. One must be very brave to summon them; they are extremely powerful, extremely fierce, and forbidding. Don't bother
them for trifles. Call on them when it's a matter of life and death.
See also: Artemis; Gaia; Horus; Ishhara; Isis; Selket; Siduri

Scylla

Scylla is a great sea goddess often dismissed as a mere sea monster. She is the subject of many often contradictory myths. Scylla is
most famous from her appearance in Homer's Odyssey. She dwells in the Straits of Messina, the narrow channel that divides Sicily from
Italy. Although Scylla is the subject of Greek mythology, she is sometimes called "the Etruscan" and may originally derive from Etruria
or Sicily.
Scylla's father is Phorkys. Her mother may be Hekate, Lamia, or Keto. Scylla's appearance includes human, canine, and marine
components. Unlike the Egyptians, classical Greeks did not find hybrid creatures attractive; they did not respect deities in the form of
animals or partial animals, among the reasons why Scylla is considered a monster. (Her bad temper and inclination to cause ship wrecks
is another.)
The problem is not that Scylla appears to be a monster: it is that she always appears to be a monster. She lacks the power to change
form. That said, various descriptions of her exist, some more horrific than others. Part of this may derive from the inclination of
storytellers to improve their stories with enhanced detail. Greek myths and images tend to depict Scylla as more grotesque than Sicilian
variations.
Various versions of how she gained her appearance and apparently lost the shape-shifting powers common to so many water spirits,
including members of her family, exist:
• Circe, Queen of Transformation, is usually held responsible. In the most famous version, Scylla is a beautiful Nymph loved by
Glaucus, a fisherman. Unfortunately Circe had her eye on him and decided to eliminate her competition by permanently adding
canine and fish components to Scylla's body.
• Alternatively Amphitrite, sick of Scylla's relationship with Poseidon, caused the transformation.
• Scylla is Lamia's sole surviving child, transformed into a monster by Hera.
• It's also possible that this is just her true form, that legends of transformation by jealous goddesses may be attempts to explain
what was incomprehensible to the Greeks: that this hybrid goddess was worshipped. If indeed Hekate is Scylla's mother, that
would explain her intense identification with dogs.

Scylla is a spirit of erotic power. Myths attempting to explain her perplexing appearance involve other goddesses feeling
sexually threatened.

From the waist up, Scylla resembles a beautiful woman. She lurks in waist-deep water in a cave. She seems innocuous, but her hands
reach out to grab passing mariners. She's no vegetarian, devouring people as well as land and sea creatures, or at least so goes the
Greek version. Homer describes her as having twelve feet and six long necks, each neck ending in a grisly head with three rows of teeth.
Alternatively, she has six heads on one long neck, each with those three rows of sharp teeth. She is also portrayed in much less
gruesome form:
• Scylla has the head and bosom of a beautiful woman, a canine torso, and a dolphin's tail.
• Scylla is a mermaid with six dog heads growing out of her waist.
When she attempted to steal (and eat) Heracles' red oxen, he killed her. Her father, Phorkys, magically resurrected Scylla via fire
and water, burning and boiling her so that she would be reborn without fear. Scylla fears nothing.
Iconography: Scylla appears on many ancient coins. She is depicted in Etruscan carvings with wings, wielding a sword. She
sometimes brandishes a steering paddle as a weapon.
Attribute: Trident, sword
Home: Scylla lives in a cave between two high cliffs by the Straits of Messina.
Creatures: Seals, dogs, dolphins, wolves, fish. Scylla has a pack of sea-hounds—mer-dogs with canine heads and teeth but fish
tails.
See also: Amphitrite; Circe; Hekate; Hera; Heracles; Keto; Lamia; Phorkys; Poseidon

Sedna
Also known as: Samna (Siberian Yupik)
Origin: Inuit

Sedna lives at the bottom of the sea, her chief companion her dog. She controls the balance between the sea creatures who wish to
live and the people ashore who also wish to live and thus must hunt and eat those sea creatures. Sedna, like the sea, is volatile and
moody: she manifests anger and depression by withholding the ocean's bounty.
Sedna has reasons to be angry: she wasn't always queen of the deep. There are various versions of how she ended up as goddess of
the sea but this is the gist: Once upon a time, Sedna was a beautiful young woman who rejected all her suitors—and there were many!
Finally one arrived who pleased her. (In some versions of her myth, this man had long been haunting her dreams, hence her rejection of
the others.) He claimed to be wealthy; he promised her a life of comfort; he insisted they marry right away. Sedna ran away with him,
bringing only the dog that would not leave her, no matter what.
When they arrived at his distant home, everything he told her turned out to be false. He wasn't a man; he was a bird spirit. He lived in
isolation in a desolate landscape under very primitive conditions and was abusive to Sedna, keeping her prisoner. Eventually her father,
concerned about Sedna, came after her. He agreed to bring her home, but he did not really understand the nature of his son-in-law nor
was he prepared for the situation. They put out to sea in rough waters in his little boat.
Sedna's spirit husband flew after them in the form of a gigantic bird. He demanded Sedna's return. Sedna refused, and he threatened
to capsize the boat. In terror, her father pushed her overboard. Desperately, she clung to the sides of the boat, so her father chopped
off her fingers. Sedna sank to the bottom of the sea and transformed into a goddess. Her dog jumped in after her. Sedna's severed
fingers transformed into sea mammals like seals and walruses.
Sedna's realm is at the bottom of the sea. She was eventually reconciled with her father, who lives with her now, but hers is a solitary,
moody existence. Sedna prefers darkness; she can't stand bright lights. When Sedna is depressed or raging, game becomes scarce; the

only way to restore balance is to soothe, comfort and appease Sedna. The hero of this story is the intrepid shaman who must souljourney to Sedna's watery abode. Intrepid, indeed: Sedna is no little mermaid but, as befitting the harsh, Arctic north, a fierce,
frightening, scary woman.
A survivor of violent assault, romantic deception, and psychological abuse, Sedna's depths of depression and fonts of rage and
mistrust are as profound as the sea in which she lives. Soaked with salt water, her long, thick hair becomes badly matted. To soothe
Sedna, to coax her to release that life-saving harvest of sea animals, the shaman must approach her and calmly, gently comb out those
painful knots and tangles. Only when this is accomplished will Sedna's anger, frustration and deadly agitation pass.
In addition to her role as marine goddess, Sedna may also rule a realm of death, possibly those souls who died at sea.
Sedna is the name given to the mysterious tenth planet, the most distant known body that orbits our sun.

M anifestation: Sedna has long, thick, wet hair that tangles and mats easily. She's fierce and will most likely be in the company of a
dog (a Malamute or similar breed).

Iconography: Sedna is now frequently portrayed as a traditional mermaid, but before whalers came to the Arctic, she was
consistently described as a woman.
See also: Mermaid; Pinga

Se'irim
Origin: West Semitic

Se'irim (singular: se'ir) are goat-shaped Semitic spirits. Their name derives from sai'ir meaning "hairy" or "shaggy." In Leviticus
17:7, Jews are forbidden to sacrifice to them, which of course indicates that some were following this practice, necessitating legislation
against it. Information about them has been almost totally suppressed. It is possible that the medieval image of the goat-shaped devil
derives from the Se'irim. The word is translated as "devil" but also as "goat." Se'irim and Shedim arenot synonymous.
See also: Azazel; Shedim

Seishi

He Who Has Obtained Great Strength
Also known as: Tokudaisei; Tokudaiseishi; Daiseishi
Classification: Bodhisattva; Bosatsu

Seishi is the primary attendant of Amida Buddha. In the same manner that Kannon epitomizes compassion, so Seishi is the epitome
of wisdom. Seishi sows the seeds of wisdom and saves people from hell realms via his gift of enlightenment. He presides over the
traditional Japanese first year memorial service after death. His Sanskrit name is Mahasthamaprapta.
Favored people: Seishi is the guardian of those born in the Year of the Horse.
Spirit allies: Seishi is frequently depicted in the company of Amida and Kannon.
Direction: South

Attribute: Lotus
See also: Amidha; Bodhisattva; Bosatsu; Kannon; Kings of Hell

Sekhmet

The Mighty One; Great of Magic; Lady of Terror; Lady of Action; The One Before Whom Evil Flees; Mistress Dread; Lad
of Flame; The Scarlet Woman
Origin: Upper Egypt
Sekhmet, lioness goddess, epitomizes the blazing, scorching power of the sun. She is a goddess of war, justice, destruction, and
healing. Her name may derive from a root word meaning "to be strong, powerful, mighty, or violent." Sekhmet is among the fiery
manifestations of the Eye of Ra.
She is a fierce guardian goddess of Upper Egypt. Her hot breath created the desert. Sekhmet was associated with plagues and
pestilential diseases: illnesses that blew in on desert winds. Sensational descriptions of Sekhmet tend to emphasize her destructive
aspects, but she was also among Egypt's most significant healing deities and remains an active healer today.
Most spirits must be asked before they will openly intervene in someone's life. (It's possible that many perform acts of rescue
anonymously). Sekhmet, however, is renowned for appearing in dreams and visions in order to perform successful healings. No one
summoned her, at least not consciously. Instead. Sekhmet recognized a need and personally took the initiative. (Sekhmet appears when
invoked too.) If Sekhmet heals you without first being asked, offerings are in order. Sometimes this is a one-time favor but it may also
be her way of extending matronage. If you wish to accept her offer, then create an altar or make some other gesture of
acknowledgement.
Pharaoh Amenhotep III placed some six hundred statues of Sekhmet in the Karnak temple complex in hopes of improving
his ill health. Sekhmet's priests were considered Egypt's finest physicians .

Sekhmet heals all illnesses except those of the eyes. She is associated with blood ailments. She has dominion over the menstrual cycle
and women's reproductive systems. Sekhmet should not be bothered for trifles, but she is an intensely powerful and proactive healer.
She is the matron goddess of reiki. Some theorize that Sekhmet is an emanation of the primordial goddess Hathor who first emerged in
a time of crisis and took on a life of her own, similar to the relationship between Indian goddesses Kali and Durga. Just as Shiva is able
to halt Kali's dance of destruction, so Lord Thoth is able to pacify Sekhmet, something to keep in mind, just in case.
M anifestation: Sekhmet manifests as a woman with a lion's head or as a lioness.

Iconography: Sekhmet is depicted crowned with a solar disc encircled by a uraeus (upright cobra, symbolic of divine authority).
Many Sekhmet statues survive perhaps because there were so many to begin with. Temple priestesses allegedly made offerings before a
different statue each day of the year. Legend suggests that her statues were especially protected because of the aggressive nature of the
deity and also because they were coated with anthrax or other highly infectious bacterial powder to ensure that they were not disturbed.
Attribute: A two headed snake; Sekhmet holds one head in each hand. Also arrows
Consort: Ptah
Son: Nefertem
Element: Fire
Color: Red

Offerings: Beer by itself or blended with pomegranate juice; arrows; silver medical tools; incense.
See also: Anat; Bastet; Durga; Hathor; Kali; Nefertem; Ptah; Shiva; Thoth

Selene
Also known as: Mene (as in month or menstruation)
Origin: Greece
Classification: Titan

Selene is an ancient goddess of the moon. Comparatively little information regarding Selene's veneration and rituals survives
although she is described as "great in magic" and was apparently invoked in magic spells. Her parents are Titans, Hyperion and Theia.
Helios, the sun, is her brother. Many of her functions were later transferred to Artemis as Helios' were to Apollo.
Selene bathes in the ocean before riding up to the sky in her chariot every night, variously driven by a pair of white horses, bulls, or
mules. She pulls the full moon across the sky. Alternatively she rides a horse sidesaddle. Sometimes Selene has to hide from a dragon,
indicated by a lunar eclipse or absent moon. Or perhaps Selene is just making time with that dragon. Selene is an amorous goddess with
many lovers including Pan and Zeus, with whom she had several children. Her most famous love affair is with the young shepherd
Endymion, the male sleeping beauty. Selene placed him under an eternal sleep spell so that his entire existence consisted of sleeping and
making love to her. Selene spends her days in the Anatolian cave in which Endymion sleeps.
Selene's name is etymologically related to a word meaning "light." In her guise as the full moon, Selene sheds light on problems and
mysteries.
Favored people: She is the matron of magicians, sorcerers, witches, and moon-gazers.
M anifestation: Selene is the goddess of the moon, but she also is the moon. Selene may manifest as a woman or a cow, but you
can also gaze at the moon and see her. As a woman, she is described as being very beautiful. She has wings and wears a diadem.
Iconography: Early depictions of Selene envisioned her as a cow. Her horns are the crescent moon.
Crystals: Moonstones and Selenite (literally "moon rock"); Selenite is often found in the form of wands and is used to heal sleep
disorders, among other uses.
See also: Apollo; Artemis; Endymion; Eos; Helios; Pan; Pasiphae; Titan; Zeus

Selket

Mistress of the Beautiful House
Also known as: Serket; Serquet; Serqet
Origin: Egypt
Selket is Egypt's fierce but benevolent scorpion goddess. The "beautiful house" over which she presides is the funeral parlor; the
term is an ancient Egyptian euphemism. She is a goddess of life, death, and life after death. Selket travels in Isis' entourage. She is a
protective spirit who is among the four primary deities (alongside Neith, Isis, and Nephthys) who guard entombed coffins. Selket is
invoked in many spells to protect and to heal poisonous bites. She is the matron of healers who specialize in such cases.
Favored people: Morticians, those involved in any aspect of the funeral trade, Scorpios

M anifestation: Selket may manifest as a woman, a woman with a scorpion's head, or a woman wearing a scorpion headdress.
She may manifest as a scorpion, too, either a normal sized one or one the size of a human that can walk erect. Selket may also manifest
in the form of a crocodile, cobra, and lion.
Iconography: Selket is usually depicted as a beautiful woman wearing a scorpion on her head.
See also: Ishhara; Isis; Neith; Nephthys; Scorpion Guardians

Semele
Also known as: Simula; Stimula

Semele, Dionysus' mother, was Zeus' lover. He came to her in the form of an invisible erotic presence, and she soon conceived.
Hera, discovering their affair, visited Semele in disguise and convinced her that she really needed to see her lover's true form, aware that
this was more than mortal Semele could handle.
When Zeus next appeared, Semele begged a promise from him. Without stipulation, he promised her anything. She insisted on seeing
his true form and would not be dissuaded. Bound by his promise, Zeus manifested in his full fiery glory. Semele died, but Zeus rescued
Dionysus from her womb, sewing him into his thigh until he was ready to be born.
Stimula is the Roman name for Semele, Dionysus' mother, the goddess of female sexual (and other) passion. She was
venerated by the Bacchanals, whose rituals were initially restricted to women and conducted secretly three days a year in the
Grove of Stimula near the Aventine Hill.

Another version suggests that Semele, as Zeus' priestess, engaged in a sacred marriage with the deity. She was fully aware of his
identity and Hera, threatened by her pregnancy, killed her outright. Either way, when Dionysus was received into the Olympian
pantheon, his first act was to bring Semele up from Hades to be with him, bestowing the name Thyone upon her. (See also:Thyone.)
That's the Greek myth, but Semele is not a Greek name. It's Phrygian or possibly Thracian or even Phoenician. Before Semele was a
tragic Greek heroine, she was a powerful Phrygian goddess.
Semele derives from Zemele, Phrygian Earth goddess, venerated
independently as well as alongside her son. As Thyone, Semele continued to be venerated alongside her son, presiding over his
mysteries. She became an important though secret goddess in Italy with the rise of the Bacchanalia, celebrated in her grove. Semele is
the spirit of sacred ecstasy, the goddess of the sacred rite. Known in Italy as Stimula, she is the erotic goddess who arouses women's
passions.
Sacred site: Under the name Stimula, she had a sacred forest on the slopes of Rome's Aventine Hill, the lucus Stimulae, where
the Bacchanalia was celebrated until outlawed.
See also: Bacchus; Dionysus; Hera; Leto; Thyone; Zemele; Zeusand the Glossary entry for Mystery

Semiramis

The Gift of the Sea
Also known as: Sammuramat (Assyrian); Shamiram (Armenian)
Semiramis, daughter of the mermaid goddess Atargatis, survived abandonment by her mother and thrived, eventually marrying King
Nimrod and ruling the city of Nineveh (present day Iraq) as a kind of living goddess. She is credited with founding the city of Babylon.
Some legends also give her credit for building the famous Hanging Gardens, one of the ancient world's Seven Wonders. Although

Semiramis lived as a human, she never died. Instead she left Earth in the form of a dove after assuring her devotees that she will listen
and respond to their petitions.
Semiramis is invoked for prosperity, safety, and fertility.
Iconography: Semiramis is depicted with a golden dove on her head. A coin minted in Roman-era Ashkelon, now modern Israel,
depicts Semiramis holding a lance and a dove (phallic and vulvic symbols, respectively) and standing on a mermaid: her mother,
Atargatis.
Bird: Doves raised her and serve as her messengers.
Sacred site: Babylon
See also: Atargatis; Mermaid

Sequana
Origin: Celtic

Sequana, Goddess of France's Seine River, held court at a healing shrine at the river's source, established in the second or first
century BCE, although a more rustic shrine may have existed earlier. The Romans later expanded it into a major sanctuary, building two
temples and other structures centered on the springs and pools. Documented evidence dating back at least as far as the first century BCE
indicates that her springs were considered to have healing properties. Modern research has failed to identify any therapeutic minerals, so
either the water has changed, there's something we're not recognizing, or the healing properties derive completely from spiritual sources.
Sequana heals all ailments, but her specialties are eye disorders and respiratory problems.
Iconography: A beautiful, regal woman wearing robes and a diadem stands alone in a duck-shaped boat.
Creatures: Bull, dog
Bird: Duck
Sacred site: Fontes Sequanae, meaning "Fountains of Sequana," at the source of the Seine
near Dijon, was apparently first
established in the Iron Age. Physicians, priests, and priestesses were in residence. Healing dreams were incubated and hydrotherapy
practiced.
Offerings: Ex-votos in the form of body parts (milagros), coins, fruit, jewelry, financial offerings on behalf of clean water.
See also: Sirona; Sulis

Serapis
Origin: Alexandria
When the Macedonian Greeks conquered Egypt, they were faced with a tremendous spiritual divide between themselves and the
Egyptians they now ruled. In an attempt to bridge this chasm, Ptolemy I, the first Ptolemaic pharaoh, instituted the cult of Serapis, an
attempt to merge Greek and Egyptian religious traditions.
Serapis derives from Osirapis, which combines the names of Egyptian deities Osiris and Apis. The two already had spiritual links, so
the basis of Serapis' nature was Egyptian but the iconography used to represent him was Greek. The Greeks preferred deities in their
own image and mocked deities in the form of animals or hybrid creatures. (Apis is a bull.) Serapis conformed to the image of a Greek
god, closely resembling Hades.

A local spirit called Osirapis may already have been worshipped at Rhakotis prior to Greek rule. Rhakotis was the
Egyptian village, later renamed Alexandria, which became the capital of Ptolemaic Egypt.

Although the cult of Serapis was initially artificial, the spirit soon took on a life and personality of his own. He became extremely
popular. Serapis is a spirit of birth and death; his concerns are fertility and the afterlife. His temples were healing shrines, and miracle
cures were attributed to him. He was worshipped in conjunction with Isis.
Veneration of Serapis was not limited to Egypt. The Roman army carried veneration of Serapis as far away as Britain. Ironically, the
one group who did not embrace Serapis was the indigenous Egyptian population. Alexandria was a Greek city within Egypt. Serapis'
main shrine, the Serapeum, was the center of spirituality in that city. It was a lavish, gilded temple and housed a magnificent library, an
annex of the Great Library of Alexandria. Serapis was the focal point of a Mystery Tradition. The Neo-Platonist, Olympius, servant of
Serapis, declared that devotion to the deity brought bliss. (He foretold the fall of the Temple of Serapis but participated in its defense.)
In June 391, Emperor Theodosius I banned Pagan practice. Alexandria was notorious for civil disobedience: a substantial body of
Pagans barricaded themselves inside the Serapeum, aggressively defending it against besieging Christians. The emperor ordered the
Pagans to leave; declared Christians killed in the altercation to be martyrs, and donated the Serapeum to the Church.

Iconography: Serapis is depicted as a large man with a Greek hairstyle and full beard. He may wear Greek robes or nothing at all.
Statues resemble Hades. He may be accompanied by Cerberus. He was also sometimes envisioned as a snake with a bearded human
head. In his guise as Time Lord, Serapis was depicted with the beasts of time: the wolf of the past, the lion of the present, and the dog
of the future.
Attribute: He holds a scepter and is crowned with a grain measure.
Consort: Isis
Son: Harpokrates

Sacred sites: A Serapeum is a temple of Serapis. The primary Serapeum was in Alexandria, but there were others. The Serapeum
of Canopus, Egypt, destroyed in 391 evolved into the Shrine of Saints Cyrus and John, most popular of the Silverless Physicians.
Others shrines were in Memphis, Pergamon, Delos, and York in England.
See also: Hades; Harpokrates; Isis; Osirisand the Glossary entry for Mystery

Serapis Bey
Classification: Ascended Master

Serapis Bey is the Chohan or Lord of the Fourth Ray and a member of the Great White Brotherhood. He reputedly trained Henry
Steel Olcott (1832–1907), who along with Helena Blavatsky founded the mystical-spiritual system of Theosophy. Olcott was the first
president of the Theosophical Society.
As far as is known, Serapis Bey's first incarnation was as a high priest in Atlantis. Following the violent destruction of the lost
continent, he traveled to Egypt where he incarnated as Pharaoh Amenhotep III, responsible for Ammon's temple complex at Luxor.
Other incarnations included Leonidas, King of Sparta, and the Greek master sculptor Phidias. He is identified with the Alexandrian deity
Serapis. Serapis Bey is associated with Muladhara the root chakra, also known as the base-of-the-spine chakra.
Iconography: Serapis Bey is usually depicted as a man wearing a white turban or headdress.
Color: White
See also: Ammon; Ascended Masters; Blavatsky, Helena; Great White Brotherhood; Morya; Poseidon; Serapis

Seshet

Lady of the Builder's Measure; The Great One; Lady of the House of Books
Also known as: Seshat; Sesheta
Origin: Egypt
Seshet, Queen of Construction and Goddess of Writing, competes with Ptah for title of founder of architecture. Seshet supervises
the construction of residences in the afterlife. She also works closely in conjunction with Thoth, her brother, lover, and husband. He
invented writing, but Seshet invented letters. She records the names of dead souls, which Thoth declares before Osiris. Seshet is the
spirit of literature and libraries.
Favored people: Architects, archivists, librarians, authors, linguists
M anifestation: Seshet wears a tight-fitting, spotted leopard-skin garment.
Emblem: A seven-rayed star or seven-petaled flower beneath a pair of inverted horns
Attribute: Writing reeds, scribe's palette
Number: 7
See also: Ptah; Thoth

Set

Great of Strength
Also known as: Seth; Sutekh; Setesh
Origin: Egypt

Set, Lord of the Desert, Chaos, and Disorder, is among the set of quadruplets born to Earth and Sky, Geb and Nut. His siblings are
Osiris, Isis, and Nephthys. Both Osiris and Set loved their sister Isis, but she chose Osiris. Set married Nephthys, but she too loved
Osiris, so theirs was not a happy marriage.
Osiris was assigned to be the Ruler of the Black Land, the fertile belt of civilization around the Nile River. The Egyptian name for thei
country was Kemet, "Black Land," so Osiris is the first pharaoh, king of Egypt. Set was assigned dominion over the Red Land, as the
Egyptians called the harsh, barren desert. Appeals are made to Set to keep bad weather far away; he has dominion over rain, sand, and
wind storms. Residents and travelers in the desert may request Set's favor.
Set is a powerful magician, second only to Isis. He is a master of love and sex magic and is petitioned for assistance with
contraception and abortion. Set appears on many ancient uterine amulets:
• Some were employed to "open" the womb, requesting assistance with menstruation, conception, or birth.
• Set is also featured on amulets to "close" the womb, intended to procure contraception or abortion.

Sometimes a hero, sometimes a controversial figure, Set is now typically portrayed as the villain of Egyptian mythology, although this
was not initially so. Set was considered a balancing force. When Set and Horus, his opposing force, are in harmony, life on Earth
proceeds smoothly. Set is also among the most powerful guardian spirits. He rides in Ra's solar barque and protects him from all evil.
Set is responsible for killing Osiris—not once, but twice. (This myth serves to remind how vulnerable Egyptian agricultural civilization
was to the encroaching desert.) He is now most famous for his rivalry with Horus, his nephew. Although frequently described as the
loser in that battle, it actually was a stalemate finally resolved when Set brought the case before a Heavenly Tribunal. Ra favored Set,
arguing that he was the more experienced ruler. The case was finally resolved by Neith, whose judgment was accepted by all. (Despite
rumors that he is sterile, Set is sometimes described as the the father of Neith's son Sobek.) Horus was awarded the throne of Egypt,
but Set was compensated for his loss by receiving twice his existing property and two new wives—the Semitic love, sex, and war spirits
Anat and Astarte.
Set was profoundly associated with the Hyksos, the Shepherd Kings, the Western Semitic invaders who ruled Egypt. They adored
Set and built temples for him, including one in their capital city of Avaris. Some of the hostility displayed toward Set in Egyptian
mythology may stem from these associations. Set is also associated with YHWH, the Jewish god. (Notably both are married to Anat.
See also: Anat.) The epic battle between Set and Horus may be a metaphoric retelling of the expulsion of the Hyksos or even of the
Biblical story of Exodus.
Set's devotees traditionally refrain from eating pork.
Pugnacious, scheming Set is the only one of the old Egyptian deities to resist and combat Islam in Walter S. Crane's comic
book series Sheba.

Favored people: Redheaded people or those with ruddy complexions are considered under Set's dominion (redheads faced
discrimination in ancient Egypt).
Iconography: He appears as a man with the head of a Set beast, a creature which has not been definitively identified but bears
resemblances to aardvarks, anteaters, and jackals, or some hybrid of all of these creatures.
Color: Red

Creatures: Crocodiles, jackals, hippopotami, donkeys, gazelles, and pigs as well as the unidentified Set beast. The Set beast may

now be extinct, a creature who exists only in the spirit realm, or an anteater.
Set is also associated with the salawa (or salaawa), a mysterious canine allegedly responsible for eating livestock and attacking
people. The salawa is a cryptid, meaning a creature for whom no scientific evidence currently exists. Salawa attacks and sightings have
been reported from the Luxor region. It reputedly has square ears and a forked tail like the Set beast.
Constellation: The Egyptians called Ursa Minor the Jackal of Set
Sacred sites: Set rules the desert. His main cult centers were at Tanis, Ombos, and Naqada.
Offerings: Beer, incense
See also: Anat; Anubis; Astarte; Ba Neb Tetet; Horus; Isis; Neith; Nephthys; Nut; Osiris; Sobek

Seven African Powers
Origin: Yoruba
The specific orishas who are most involved in human everyday matters may be invoked together as a group known as the Seven
African Powers. By petitioning these orishas en masse rather than individually, one is assured that all bases are covered. The Seven
African Powers provide all Earth's potential blessings and protections.
1. Eshu Elegbara (a.k.a. Elegba, Ellegua, Legba)
2. Ogun
3. Obatala
4. Yemaya
5. Oshun
6. Shango
7. Orunmila, Oya, or Ochossi
Because the magic number seven cannot be changed, a new orisha cannot be added unless another is removed. Orunmila is the
traditional seventh African Power but over the years he has become less popular than Oya and Ochossi. Either of the two is now
frequently substituted for him.
Iconography: Commercially produced Seven African Powers products (incense, candles, soap, and so forth) frequently depict
them in the guise of the Catholic saints to which they are syncretized.
See also: Eight Immortals; Shichi Fukujinand the individual entries for each of the African Powers

Seven Stars Spirits
Also known as: Chilsong
Origin: Korea
In Korean cosmology, the constellation known in the West as the Big Dipper or the Great Bear is instead understood as seven
brothers, known as the Seven Stars Spirits. The Seven Stars are petitioned for:
• Fertility
• Easy childbirth
• Healthy babies and children
• The birth of sons
• Prosperity
• Abundance

• Wealth
• Longevity and good health
• Virility

The Seven Stars Spirits are always worshipped together. Although there are seven of them, corresponding to the seven stars, they
may be understood as embodying the force of one collective spirit. Unlike, say, Japan's Seven Spirits of Good Luck, who may each
also be venerated independently, the Seven Stars Spirits are not depicted or worshipped alone or in separate smaller groups.
The Seven Stars are possessing spirits. Using a shaman's body as a vehicle, the Seven Stars are able to offer prophesies.

Iconography: The Seven Stars are depicted as seven bearded men usually dressed in traditional Chinese clothing. Icons of the
Seven Stars are used in rituals to summon rain or to restore Earth's fertility.
See also: Shichi Fukujin; and the Glossary entry for Possession

Shango
Also known as: Chango; Xango; Oba Koso ("The King Does Not Hang")
Origin: Yoruba
Classification: Orisha

Shango is the immensely powerful Lord of Thunder, Lightning, and Fire. Lover boy supreme, Shango epitomizes virility, male
beauty, and procreative energy. Petition him to share a little of his essence: he provides fertility, luck in love, and male sexual prowess.
Shango is invoked for courage and justice. In Yoruba cosmology, lightning is understood as an instrument of divine justice, retribution,
and protection. As the wielder of lightning, Shango provides victory over enemies and protects from all evil. Shango breaks hexes,
curses, and evil spells.
Shango exults in warfare, competitive sports, martial arts, and dancing. He is a ladies' man and a musician. Legend has it that he
created the very first set of bata drums. Shango is proud, temperamental, volatile, a womanizer, amazingly generous, compassionate,
and tireless on behalf of those he loves.
Shango is among the most beloved of all or-ishas. Two distinct African Diaspora religions bear his name: Trinidad's Shango, and
Xango of Recife, Brazil. In the Brazilian spiritual tradition, Umbanda, Xango (Brazilian spelling) leads the second of Seven Lines. The
exception is Haiti where Shango plays second fiddle to his great rival, Ogun.
Shango's consorts include Oba, Oshun, and Oya. Yemaya may or may not be his mother. He has a tense relationship with Ogun.
Some, although not all, traditions consider them to be mortal enemies: it is usually considered advisable to keep some distance between
these two alpha male spirits. (They are, however, invoked together as members of the Seven African Powers.)
The orisha Shango has had at least one human incarnation. The historical Shango was the fifteenth-century fourth king of Oyo, now
part of eastern Nigeria. Depending on the version of the myth, the king was an avatar of the preexisting orisha or Shango became an
orisha after the king's tragic death.
The Nigerian government placed a statue of Shango at Kainji Dam to celebrate the power lines.

King Shango, a master of psychological warfare, was a beloved military commander. He was also a magical adept who had access
to powers of fire and lightning. There are different versions of how his reign and life ended. His associations with magic may have cost
him his throne: exiled by the elders of Oyo, friends, and sycophants alike deserted him. When even Oya, his most faithful supporter,
doubted him, he killed himself. Alternatively, while experimenting with the powers of lightning, Shango accidentally burned down his
palace with all his wives and children inside. Grief stricken, he killed himself, sometimes as a double-suicide with Oya (who may have
provided the firepower).
In Africa, Shango once disguised himself as Oya to escape his enemies. In Cuba, Shango disguised himself as Saint Barbara in order

to make himself accessible to his devotees and preserve his power. Shango is syncretized to the virgin martyr, with whom he shares
associations with lightning. (To confuse matters more, Oya sometimes wears the mask of Saint Barbara as well.) Shango is also
syncretized to Saint Jerome as well as to John the Baptist in some Haitian traditions.
• Shango is associated with the Afro-Brazilian spiritual-martial art, Capoeira.
• Place thunderstones or Neolithic axes on Shango's altars to activate them.
Favored people: Dancers, drummers, twins. Shango is patron of Trinidad and Tobago.
M anifestation: Shango typically appears as an incredibly handsome, charismatic man. He often wears a red coat covered with
cowrie shells.
Attributes: Lightning, double-ax (labrys), club, mortar. Shango divines via a magic pestle.
Emblems: Thunderstones, meteorites
Color: Red and white—in Yoruba cosmology, this indicates the balance between aggression and compassion, respectively.
M etal: Copper
Animals: Horse, ram, turtle, lizard, leopard, crocodile
Bird: Pheasant, rooster
M ount: Shango rides a magical white stallion named Eshinla.
Trees: Royal palm; banyan; ironwood; banana
Plants: Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris); Ipomoea jalapa, also known as High John the Conqueror
Day: Wednesday, Friday, or Saturday depending upon the tradition
Number: 6
Elements: Fire, wood
Planets: Sun, Mars
Petitions: Those made during a thunderstorm are most effective.
Altar: His special place in the home is the fireplace or hearth.
Offerings: Shango likes his food spicy and his portions large. Offer red foods, like red apples and red palm oil. His favorite meals
include yams, corn, and peppers as well as cooked crab. He drinks red wine, rum, and cachaça. Other offerings include cascarilla
powder (powdered eggshell) and sugarcane.

See also: Babalu Ayé; Ibeji; Oba; Ogun; Orisha; Oshun; Oya; Seven African Powers; Siete Rayos; Yemayaand the Glossary
entry for Avatar

Shasthi

Sixth
Also known as: Skandamata

Origin: India
Shasthi is a goddess of fertility, childbirth, fate, and good fortune. She is the personification of the sixth day following childbirth. She
enters the home on the sixth day and writes the baby's fate on his or her forehead using invisible ink. Shasthi vows that since she is an
auspicious goddess, nothing inauspicious can occur in homes where she resides. She protects babies from fever and danger in the
manner of a fierce mother cat. Shasthi protects children against tetanus. She guards children in general and is petitioned by women for
fertility, easy labor, and healthy babies.
• When a child reaches its sixth day, its father makes offerings to Shasthi.
• Women whose children have died venerate Shasthi monthly.
M anifestation: She is envisioned as a fair woman holding a child; she may be accompanied by, or riding a cat.

Iconography: Various images are used to represent Shasthi, most popularly as a stylized woman attached to six babies. Among
items traditionally used to represent Shasthi are millstones, bamboo churning sticks, and a cow skull.
Creature: Cat
Number: 6

Offering: Feed stray cats. Shasthi once resurrected seven stillborn infants when their grandmother vowed to feed all the cats in her
village.

Shedim
Also known as: Sheydim (Yiddish)
Origin: Jewish

Shedim is a Hebrew word that has become a catch-all term for supernatural beings. It is variously translated as "spirits," "ghosts,"
"demons," or "supernatural beings." Shedim is plural; the singular form is shed or sheyd. That root word, sheyd, entered the Yiddish
language where it takes many forms:
• Sheydish is an adjective meaning "ghostly" or "supernatural."
• A sheydl is an imp.
• Sheydim-tanz, literally "dance of the Sheydim" may be a ghost dance, the danse macabre , Walpurgis night revels, or just kids
running around really crazy.

Despite modern nebulous definitions, Shedim originally indicated specific types of spirits. According to Jewish folklore, after the
expulsion from Eden, Adam left Eve and was temporarily reunited with Lilith. Their many spirit children are the Shedim. Alternatively the
Shedim are the children of Naamah and the rebel angels Azazel and Shemhazai. The Shedim are neither wholly benevolent nor
malevolent. They may bring illness or torment, but individually can also be friendly, helpful spirits.
The word and the spirits may derive from the Sedim, Assyrian guardian spirits. Alternatively, the word may derive from
Shaddai, among the names of the Jewish god.

Highly influential Biblical commentator Rashi (1040–1105) wrote that Shedim have human form and consume food and drink like
humans. They are found congregating in cemeteries.
See also: Azazel; Ghost; Imps; Lilith; Mazzik; Naamah

Shekhina

The Bride of God; The Sabbath Queen; Mother Zion

In traditional Judaism, God is not male; instead the Creator encompasses a male and a female side. The name Shekhina derives
from a root word meaning "to dwell." The Shekhina is the indwelling divine presence. She may be simultaneously understood in several
ways:
• She is the female aspect of the Creator.
• She is the bride of God.
• She is an independent Goddess.

In esoteric Judaism, the Shekhina was the bride of YHWH. The Jerusalem Temple was
their home, the Holy of Holies their
bedroom. The union of the male and female principles sparks and fuels a continuous Creation. The Shekhina put motherhood before
marriage. After the Roman destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, the Shekhina separated from her husband and went into exile with her
children, the Jews expelled from Judea. She intends to remain in exile until the coming of the Messiah. Thus the destruction of the
Temple did more than destroy a building: it severed the unification of the divine female and male, throwing the world out of balance and
hindering Creation. The Shekhina is the compassionate, nurturing side of the Creator, and she is not in Heaven; she is in exile in the
world.
The Shekhina is now present in the human realm and may be invoked for blessings and protection. She understands all languages.
Sometimes she makes herself visible. The famed Kabbalists of Safed reported visions of her. She is a healer and may serve as a
psychopomp. The Shekhina hovers at the head of the bed of one who is sick. Don't stand or sit there because you obstruct her. If you
pray on behalf of an ailing person at their bedside, then you pray directly to the Shekhina because she is there.
M anifestations: The Shekhina generally appears in several basic manifestations:
• As a mourning dove
• As a bride dressed in white (especially on Friday nights)
• As a bereft woman dressed in black who mourns the destruction of her home (the Jerusalem Temple) and the scattering and
persecution of her children. A veritable ocean of grief emanates from her. She weeps, moans, and wails or is sunken in silent
grief.
• As a joyful, ecstatic woman cloaked in robes woven from light; she is more vivid than the sun.
See also: Anat-Bethel; Anat-Yaho; Asherah of the Sea; Hochma; Lilith; Llorona, La; Silibo; Sophia

Shichi Fukujin
Origin: Japan

Shichi Fukujin is usually translated as "Seven Spirits of Good Fortune," but literally means "Seven Happiness Beings." Six are male
and one is female (Benten). Each is an important, powerful spirit. They hail from different traditions. Unlike the comparable Seven
African Powers, they do not all derive from the same spiritual base. Some are Shinto, some Buddhist; Hotei originally derives from
Chinese Taoist traditions, but wherever they came from, all are now significant to Japanese folk religion.
The seven sail into our realm during New Year's festivities to distribute gifts to the worthy. Place an image of the treasure
ship complete with all Shichi Fukujin under your pillow on New Year's Eve to receive a lucky dream.

Each of the Shichi Fukujin is venerated independently. Some are also venerated in smaller groupings. (Daikoku and Ebisu are
frequently paired.) They are most frequently depicted all together sailing on their treasure ship, the Takarabune. The Seven Spirits
provide blessings of health, happiness, protection, and longevity and everything that is good and desirable in life. If invoked together,

they are able to provide all blessings.
The Shichi Fukujin are:
1. Benten
2. Bishamon
3. Daikoku
4. Ebisu
5. Fukurokuju
6. Hotei
7. Jurojin
Their imagery is ubiquitous in Japan, extending even as far as on children's underwear. Next time you're in a Japanese restaurant,
look around: it's likely that you'll find the Shichi Fukujin in residence. Envision yourself cruising along with them, and beseech their
blessings.
Shichi Fukujin sushi is a bountiful roll containing seven smaller rolls.
Iconography: Many prints and sculptures depict the seven sailing on their treasure ship on the Sea of Good Fortune. Individual
altar images are also available.
Sacred sites: A pilgrimage route in Kamakura, Japan, involves visiting seven shrines, each associated with one of the Shichi
Fukujin.

See also: Eight Immortals; Fukusuke; Inari; Seven African Powers; Shoojoo and the entries for each of the individual Shichi
Fukujin

Shikigami
Also known as: Shikijin
Origin: Japan

Shikigami are spirits summoned to serve Onmyoji, Japanese shamanic yin-yang magicians, and are similar to the Western concept of
a wizard's familiar. They are shape-shifting spirits. Many take the form of a bird or small animal; more powerful Shikigami can even
possess a person. Examples of Shikigami may be found in the CLAMP manga and anime seriesTokyo Babylon.

Shiva

The Howler
Also known as: Siva
Origin: India

Shiva, Lord of Creation, Destruction and Death, destroys pain and sorrow. He is the lord of fertility and a great healer, described as
the greatest of all physicians. Deity of the forest, hunting, and fishing, he is patron and ruler of untouchables and demons.
Shiva is an indigenous, pre-Aryan deity of India. In his earliest manifestation, he may have been a horned god: an image, identifiable
as him, found among the ruins of Mohenjo Daro (circa 2000 B CE) shows a spirit seated in yoga position with erect phallus, his head
crowned with bull's horns. Horned masks were found nearby.

According to myth, Shiva is the world creator. He manifested at the beginning of time in the form of a pillar of fire from
which the entire world eventually sprang.
Aryan conquerors of India initially disliked Shiva, but his popularity was such that he was eventually integrated into their pantheon
although still considered chaotic, dangerous, and unpredictable. Shiva is called the destroyer of rites and social barriers. He is a
knowledge sharer, accused of teaching sacred texts to the low-born who were previously denied access. Shiva haunts cemeteries in the
company of ghosts, witches, spirits, and gnomes. He is the protector of trees, animals, and wild nature and is among the world's most
beloved deities.
Shiva has various paths or aspects. He is, for instance:
• An extreme, dedicated ascetic
• A loving, devoted husband
• The cosmic dancer
• Lord of destruction
Shiva may or may not be another name for Dionysus, whose myth also places him in India. Like Dionysus, Shiva is identified with
intoxicating substances and sex magic. He is often portrayed in the form of a phallus (the Shiva lingam), as is Dionysus. Both lead
parades of dancing witches and spirits. Shiva, like Dionysus, is patron of theater as shamanic or magical performance, and like
Dionysus, Shiva is happily wed: he and his consort, Parvati, symbolize the perfect union of complementary powers. Shiva is also wed to
the various goddesses who may be paths or emanations of Parvati including Uma, Durga, and Kali.

M anifestation: Shiva is an ascetic and a sadhu: one who has renounced normal existence to devote himself entirely to spirituality
and contemplation of the sacred. Shiva wears animal skins or no clothes but is adorned with snakes, scorpions, and a necklace of skulls.
His hair is hopelessly tangled and matted. His face is covered with cremation ashes.
Iconography: Shiva is represented by phallic images. Standard iconography portrays Shiva with blue skin, four arms, and four
faces with three eyes each. His third eye located in the center of his forehead possesses the powers of creation and destruction. He may
have two, four, eight, ten, or thirty-two hands. He wears the crescent moon in his hair.
Attributes: Ax, damaru (hand drum, formed from human skulls), trident, staff, bow and arrow, spear, noose, sling, divining rod,
rudrak-shamala (bead necklace)
Emblem: Upward-facing triangle, pointing up like a mountain or an erect phallus, symbol of the active male principle
M ount: Nandi, the sacred white bull
Creatures: Bulls, snakes, deer, and tigers
Element: Fire
Planet: Moon
Plant: Cannabis
Colors: Blue, crimson, red ochre, saffron, olive green
Realm: Shiva lives on Mount Kailash in the Himalayas.
Time: The Hindu month of Sravana is dedicated to Shiva.
Sacred sites: The city of Benares (Varanasi); Shiva has a shrine at the Tarakeshwar Dream Temple in West Bengal: people fast,
pray, and sleep in the temple until they receive the dream they need. Shiva frequently appears in dreams to answer questions or to
address petitions.
Offerings: Flowers, nuts, fruits, coconuts, beautiful things; Shiva is propitiated by performances of mythic theatrical plays and

productions.
See also: Anjani; Dionysus; Durga; Gajasura; Ganesha; Ganga; Hanuman; Kali; Kamakhya; Kartikeya; Manassa;
Nandi; Parvati; Pashupati; Rudra; Sati; Sekhmet; Silibo; Uma; Vishnu;and the Glossary entry for Path
Shiva has many paths and one thousand eight names. Each may be understood as an aspect of the one Shiva, or one particular path
may be venerated independently. The following are among his most popular manifestations:
• Shiva Ardhanari or "Shiva the Half-Woman" encompasses the union of male and female energies in one single body. Thus
Shiva Ardhanari is envisioned with one female breast and both male and female genitalia. (See also: Shekhina.)
• Shiva Bhuteshvara, Lord of Ghosts and Goblins, is the master of shades and spirits. He leads an entourage of all sorts of
spirits, benevolent, and disreputable alike.
• Shiva M ahayogi is a master spiritual adept, Lord of Self-Discipline. He possesses the shamanic ability to walk through worlds
at will.
• Shiva Nataraja, Lord of the Dance, is the master of ecstasy, dance, and shamanic trance. He dances the dance of creation and
destruction. Shiva Nataraja holds fire in one hand and a drum in the other. He wears the crescent moon on his head. The
earrings in his ears don't match, indicating his androgynous nature. With one foot raised, he exists in liminal space. This iconic
image originated over one thousand years ago in southern India and is a visual rendering of Shiva's five functions:
• Creation (from the sound of the drum)
• Protection (his raised hand)
• Destruction (the fire)
• Salvation (raised foot)
• Refuge (foot firmly planted)

Shoki

The Demon Queller
Also known as: Chung K'uei
Origin: China

Although his primary modern fame is in Japan (Shoki is the Japanese version of his name), before he became the immortal Demon
Queller, he was Chung K'uei, a Chinese scholar and physician. When he flunked his imperial service exams, he fell into such despair
that he dashed his head against the palace steps, killing himself. The emperor was moved. He awarded Shoki his degree posthumously
and arranged an official burial for the suicidal scholar. In gratitude for this honor and kindness, Chung K'uei vowed to spend his afterlife
ridding the world of demons.
His first act was to save the emperor, lying in bed and wasting away from illness. The emperor suffered a nightmare: he saw a small
demon steal his treasures. Suddenly, Shoki, in the guise of a bigger demon, appeared in the dream, violently quelled the little demon, and
returned the emperor's valuables. The emperor made a full recovery and Shoki's reputation was set. Although venerated in China,
Shoki is especially beloved in Japan, where he is traditionally considered a trusted spirit ally and his image is ubiquitous. Shoki dispels all
kinds of Yokai as well as demons.
Shoki's image is a talisman against evil. His job is to keep trouble, misfortune, and evil spirits away from your home. He is a spirit of
intense yang energy and can drive away ghosts and spirits who emanate from the yin world. Shoki protects against fire and illness. The
Demon Queller is also the Plague Queller. He drives away smallpox and other disease demons and so his image is featured on Japanese
talismanic disease prevention prints. Shoki's image is placed outside the home to keep it safe as well as inside, especially near the stove,
for fire prevention. He is a vigilant guardian. Position his image so that he has a good view of anywhere where danger may emanate.
Shoki's images are associated with ceremonies for the Boy's Festival. This holiday for boys under age seven takes place on the fifth
day of the fifth lunar month, a day when venomous creatures and malefic spirits are allegedly at their peak and on the prowl. Boys of this
age are considered especially vulnerable to spiritual attack: these malevolent spirits are attracted by the purity of the boys' yang energy
(and also by the opportunity to cause trouble and heartache). Shoki drives them away. By the Kansei Era (1789–1800) it was

customary to place banners displaying images of Shoki both inside and outside homes with boys under age seven.
There's a looser, more relaxed side to Shoki, too. He's frequently depicted in the company of courtesans, either rescuing them or
submitting to their whims. The inherent joke is that these gentle courtesans quell the fierce demon queller.
M anifestation: Shoki appears as a huge man with a big black bushy beard wearing the traditional cap and robes of a Chinese
scholar and big black boots (the equivalent of stomper boots).
Iconography: Talismanic paintings and prints featuring Shoki are often colored red, as this color is believed to be especially
effective in warding off disaster. Surround Shoki's image with other symbols of aggressive, righteous power, such as warrior dolls and
suits of armor, so as to give the Demon Queller a little reinforcement. In addition to prints, banners, scrolls, and talismans, Shoki is a
frequent subject of netsuke carvings.
Attribute: Sword
Color: Red, black
See also: Daruma; Demons; Ghosts; Hone-Onna; Kitchen God; Yokai

Shoojoo

Also known as: Drinking Monkey Daruma
Origin: Japan
Shoojoo literally means "orangutan," but the spirit known as Shoojoo received his name from people unfamiliar with that great ape.
Although fossilized orangutans have been discovered in China, in old Chinese and Japanese folklore the word orangutan was used to
describe mythic monkeys with human faces who love wine and are thus envisioned with a heavy drinker's crimson complexion. Thus the
Japanese name for scarlet fever, shoojoo netsu, can be literally translated as "orangutan fever." Shoojoo is the drinking monkey god.
Shoojoo is the red deity who encompasses all this color's possible implications: in East Asian cosmology, as elsewhere, the color
red has ambiguous meanings. Symbolic of life, fertility, and good health, red wards off evil and banishes bad spirits, the equivalent of a
magical stop sign. Hence red is often considered the most auspicious color. Red is also dreaded as emblematic of dangerous, potentially
fatal diseases.
Shoojoo was once included among the Shichi Fukujin, the Seven Spirits of Good Fortune, but he is an ambivalent spirit: sometimes
benevolent, sometimes not. On the plus side, Shoojoo bestows wealth and immortality and also prevents disasters and accidents. He
also bestows red illnesses like scarlet fever and smallpox. He can heal them, too.
Iconography: Shoojoo dolls similar to modern Daruma dolls were once venerated and propitiated in houses struck by smallpox or
by those hoping to avoid the disease.
Attribute: A ladle, wine flask, or cup that is never empty no matter how much he drinks
Spirit allies: Shoojoo, Daruma, and Okame (Mrs. Daruma) complement each other and often share altar space.
Color: Red
See also: Daruma; Okame; Shichi Fukujin; Tanuki

Sibilla

Also known as: Sibillia; Sibylla
Origin: Italy

According to Italian legend, after vanishing from Rome, the Cumaean Sybil took refuge in a cavern in the Apennines. Her
underground paradise was reached through a grotto filled with snakes in the mountains of Norcia, an Italian region renowned for witches
and mushrooms. She's allegedly still in this cavern, teaching the magical arts to those who wish to learn. (See also: Sybil.)
A Christian rendition of Sibilla's legend acknowledges her powers of prophecy but claims that the Sybil didn't enter her
cave voluntarily but was instead locked in as punishment for her arrogance in believing that she, not the Virgin Mary, was
destined to bear the Messiah. It's possible that this refers to now-suppressed claims that the Sybil would bear a holy child who
would be a savior.

This is no fairy tale. A real life shrine, the Ridge of the Sibillini, once existed below Mount Vettore. During the fifteenth century,
visitors from throughout Europe traveled to Norcia to see the cave. As her acclaim and reputation grew, the ancient prophetess
transformed into a goddess of witches. Sibilla, her craft name, allegedly presides over witches' flight and witches' balls.
By the end of the fifteenth century, the Church had a standing order to excommunicate anyone who made the pilgrimage to Sibilla's
shrine. (On the other hand, those who defied the decree and visited were reputedly blessed by Sibilla with a lifetime of joy.) Should you
stay in Sibilla's cavern for over a year, you would allegedly never be able to leave, but on the plus side, you would remain eternally
youthful, living amid abundance and revelry in a witch's paradise.
Of course those are the positive legends: witch-goddesses usually weren't permitted such good press, and so other stories exist, too,
although even these may be interpreted in various ways:
• Sibilla sprouts a snake's tail every Saturday.
• The legendary Wandering Jew finally settled down, transformed into a snake, and serves as Sibilla's door guardian.
• At night, all the inhabitants of Sibilla's paradise turn into snakes.
• To gain admission to Sibilla's Cave, one must copulate with snakes.
Favored people: Christian legend describes Sibilla as the ancestress of all witches, magicians, and occultists.
Spirit allies: Diana and Fata Morgana sometimes reside with Sibilla. The three may be venerated together.
Creature: Snake
See also: Diana; Fata Morgana; Sybil

Sidhe

The Good People; The People Who Go Widdershins
Pronounced and sometimes spelled: Shee
Origin: Ireland; Scottish Highlands
The Gaelic word Sidhe has three meanings:
• "Barrow" or "tumulus": ancient burial mounds often filled with treasure
• "Fairy" or "Fairies" (the word is singular and plural)
• As the sidhe that are Fairies often live within the sidhe that are barrows, sidhe also means "Fairy mound."
When the Gaels successfully invaded Ireland, their predecessors, the divine Tuatha Dé Danaan were literally driven underground.
They established their own parallel realms beneath the Earth. Fairy mounds are their portals. The Dagda, among the leaders of the

Tuatha Dé Danaan assigned each member of the Tuatha Dé residence in a sidhe or mound. The Tuatha Dé Danaan became known as
the Sidhe.
The key word regarding the Sidhe is beauty. They are magnificent, passionate, proud spirits who perceive themselves as worthy of
veneration and intense respect: they accept (and perhaps expect!) small but consistent offerings such as dishes of milk placed out
overnight on the windowsill or doorstep. There are male and female sidhe. They have an elaborately structured society that parallels that
of humans.
The sidhe have an intense relationship with people, characterized by love and hostility. Once upon a time, they were the subject of
passionate human veneration: hidden within fairy tales and legends are suggestions of Pagan devotion and voluntary channeling of spirits,
similar to modern spiritual traditions such as African Diaspora faiths and Zar.
The Sidhe are master healers and may bestow this medical knowledge on those people they favor. So-called Fairy doctors combined
herbal and shamanic healing and were trained directly by the Sidhe. On the other hand, the Sidhe also inflict illnesses like sudden tumors,
stroke, and paralysis.
Sidhe stand accused of stealing humans, especially babies, children, midwives, and wet-nurses. The milk they expect as offerings may
not always have been bovine; legends tell of Fairies accosting women and begging for a sip of human milk. They are generally not
industrious spirits: their passions are dancing, music, poetry, and pleasure. They do raise cattle, which they sell or trade at fairs.
A ritual from the Scottish Highlands encourages bribing the Sidhe to save lives:
1.
2.
3.

Sit on a three-legged stool at a three-way crossroads at midnight on Halloween.
Listen: voices will intone the names of those destined to die during the next twelve months.
This destiny may be avoided by returning to the spot with gifts for the Sidhe: one gift for each person whose destiny needs
amending.

Color: Green
Time: Most Sidhe are active from dawn until noon and then from dusk until after midnight.
Days: The Sidhe are particularly active at Beltane (May Eve), Midsummer's Eve, and Samhain (Halloween).

Sacred sites: Barrow mounds associated with individual sidhe are well-known. Fairy forts, also known as ring forts or stone forts,
are circular earthen banks or stone walls. There were once as many as sixty thousand of these circular earthworks in Ireland. Local
names for them include cashel, forth, rath, or rusheen. Ring forts became known as Fairy forts because they are allegedly among the
favorite haunts of Fairies. Ring forts can be physically and spiritually perilous, as many contain underground passages.
See also: Amadan; Banshee; Baobhan Sith; Dagda, The; Fairy; Fairy Queen; Leanan Sidhe; Leprechaun; Tuatha Dé
Danaan; Zar

Siduri

The Woman of the Vine
Origin: Mesopotamia

Siduri appears in the saga of Gilgamesh. She is the barmaid at the end of the world. According to Mesopotamian cosmology, there
is a sea at the end of the human realm. Siduri's wine bar is situated in a garden at the edge of this sea: she's literally the last stop. The
epic refers to her as "the young woman" but Siduri is a goddess. Some perceive Siduri to be another name for Inanna-Ishtar, Kybele, o
Gestinana. Alternatively she may be an independent goddess of wine or one who serves in the retinue of Ishtar.
Siduri first flees from Gilgamesh and attempts to bolt her door. The despair she perceives in his heart makes her think he's a criminal
(and probably an unpleasant drunk!). But he has no desire to tarry with her; he seeks only the secret of immortality that lies beyond the
human realm. Siduri tries to dissuade him from his pursuit, advising him to turn back and find happiness in normalcy, telling him to feast,
rejoice, dance, and be merry to fill his belly with good things, to bathe in water, to "cherish the little child that holds your hand and make
your wife happy in your embrace."

Tavern keepers and their employees in the time of Hammurabi were mostly female and may have been priestesses. (Priestesses were
eventually forbidden from operating taverns.) Wine had sacred properties as well as profane. It is now believed that the desire to brew
beer (rather than bake bread) was the stimulus for the agricultural revolution that occurred in Mesopotamia's Fertile Crescent. Alcoholic
beverages may have been laced with other psychoactive substances and were associated with shamanic rituals as well as plain drinking
and pleasure. The archetype of the wise bartender who's seen and heard it all, Siduri gives good advice. The directions to her tavern
given in Gil-gamesh may be followed in visualization.
M anifestation: Siduri is described as covered with a veil.
Attributes: Golden vats, golden bowl, golden chalice
See also: Gestinana; Inanna-Ishtar; Kybele

Siete Rayos
Also known as: Nsasi (Bantu)
Origin: Congo
Classification: Nkisi

Siete Rayos means "Seven Lightning Bolts." He is the spirit of lightning and fire: divine justice and righteousness. He is a volatile,
highly masculine spirit and aggressively protective of his devotees. He may or may not be the same spirit as Shango (regardless, they are
often identified with each other). Like Shango, he is a beloved, highly popular deity. Siete Rayos is venerated in Palo spiritual traditions.
Favored people: Those who have been struck with lightning and survive may consider themselves his children.
Element: Fire
Colors: Red and white

Tree: Royal palm—a tree that's frequently lightning struck: thus, it's seen as attracting the spirit, drawing his energy to Earth or
containing reservoirs of his power.

Altar: Gather stones from the forest and use them to create an altar at the base of a royal palm or anywhere that has been struck by
lightning.
Offerings: Red wine, rum, bananas
See also: Mpungu; Nkisi; Shango

Sif

Origin: Norse
Sif is most famous in Norse myth as Thor's wife. Her name literally means "wife." She is the central figure in a myth in which Loki
secretly severs her long blonde braids. As reparations, Loki gets dwarves to construct a golden headdress for her as well as treasures
for the other deities. Items are crafted for Odin, Thor, and Freyr. Sif is the only female deity to receive a treasure and is the impetus for
their creation.
Sif is no peripheral goddess but an extremely powerful spirit. Scholars speculate that she is ancient and may predate the Aesir in the

region. Among Thor's epithets is "Sif's Husband"; she may once have been an highly significant goddess. Sif's yellow hair is central to
her myth. She may originally have been a grain goddess, her long flowing locks resembling fields of wheat. Sif 's hair is an old Norse
kenning for gold. (A kenning is a traditional metaphor, riddle or circumlocution.) Sif is described as a prophetess and is the mother of
Thor's daughter, Thrud. She may also be Holler's mother; his father, if there is one, is unknown.
See also: Aesir; Angerboda; Dwarves; Freyr; Holler; Loki; Odin; Thor

Silen

Origin: Greek
Silens are a sub-species of centaur:
• Centaurs are four-legged horse-men hybrids.
• Silens typically have only two equine legs attached to a man's head and upper body. They usually also sport equine ears and a
horse tail.
Silens are generally considered to be pleasure-seeking but lazy spirits. Like satyrs, they are sexually insatiable: the terms satyr and
silen are sometimes used interchangeably. They are big, lusty stallions but with the mind and voice of a man. Silens are closely
associated with Nymphs, who are their consorts, companions, friends, and possibly mothers. Silens are described as being the children
of Nymphs. Some theorize that they are the children of Silenus and various Nymphs. Like Silenus, they drink a lot.
M anifestation: Silens may appear as hybrid equine-men or as horned men or just plain naked, drunk men.
Offerings: Wine, wine, wine (and then some more wine)
See also: Kallikantzari; Nymph; Silenus

Silenus

The Ecstatic One; The Stamping Foot Dancer
Also known as: Silenos; Seilenos
Classification: Silen

Silenus is unusual for a Silen or centaur. He is a wise, learned prophet although usually found in some advanced state of intoxication.
(Allegedly the drunker he is, the more accurate his oracles.) Silenus travels the world with Dionysus, his constant companion. Silenus is
the younger spirit's tutor and friend, sometimes described as his foster father. Silenus came from Phrygia and may possibly have been
Dionysus' actual father before Dionysus' arrival in Greece and his incorporation into the Olympian pantheon as Zeus' son. Silenus is
also sometimes described as the father of Apollo. He is believed originally to have been a water spirit associated with sacred springs.
(As Zemele, Dionysus' Phrygian mother, is an Earth goddess, this would make Dionysus the child of Earth and water.)
Silenus is usually venerated together with Dionysus, but he was also independently venerated. He was venerated in Israel and
Phoenicia where he was considered a native Semitic spirit. (There is allegedly a grave-shrine dedicated to Silenus somewhere in what is
now Israel.)
M anifestation: A drunk bearded man, centaur, or silen; he may or may not have shed his clothing.
Attribute: A large wine skin slung over his shoulder (Some see the roots of Santa Claus in bearded Silenus with his gift bag.)
M ount: Silenus rides a donkey.

Feast: In ancient Rome, Silenus was honored at the Liberalia on 17 March together with Bacchus (Dionysus).
Sacred sites: The inhabitants of Pyrrhichos on the southern coast of Laconia considered him their founder, building their town and
bestowing their freshwater spring. Pyrrhichos was associated with ecstatic dances and trance rituals
Offerings: WINE! In Rome, afritelle made of flour, cheese, eggs, sliced apples, and grated lemon rind was traditionally offered to
Silenus and Bacchus.
See also: Apollo; Chiron; Dionysus; Liber; Olympian Spirits; Zemele; Zeusand the Glossary entry for Pantheon

Sili Kenwa
Also known as: Sili Quenua
Classification: Lwa, Metresa
Origin: Dominican Republic

Sili Kenwa is a Dominican manifestation of the lwa known in Haiti as Ezili Coeur Noir, or "Black Hearted Ezili". Sili Kenwa is
syncretized to Saint Martha. In accordance with Iberian customs, the Dominican spiritual tradition known as the Twenty-One Divisions,
distinguishes between Saint Martha and her alter ego, Martha the Dominator whom they identify with the snake spirit Lubana. In recent
years, however, Sili Kenwa has come to be associated with Martha the Dominator, too.
In Twenty-One Divisions cosmology, Martha the Dominator is associated with the image identified elsewhere as Mami Waters. This
image depicts a beautiful snake charmer with her snake. Sometimes Lubana is envisioned as the woman with the snake, but sometimes
Sili Kenwa is identified as that woman and Lubana is the snake she holds. The two spirits often work together. Petitioners invoke the
two to work in conjunction when casting magic spells whose goal is domination. Kenwa is associated with the head, while Lubana is
associated with feet, so when allied together, the two spirits offer control from top to toe.
Sili Kenwa is a persuasive spirit, invoked by petitioners to help communicate with or convince others. Sili Kenwa can encourage
someone to listen to our perspective (and to adopt it). Dedicate a green skull candle to her and request her assistance.
Iconography: She is associated with the traditional image of Saint Martha holding a torch and leading a dragon as well as the
modern snake charmer image.
Color: Green
Number: 7
Offering: Unripe coconuts (because they are perceived as resembling human heads)
See also: Ezili; Lubana; Lwa; Mami Waters; Metresa; Twenty-One Divisions and the Glossary entries for Identification and
Syncretism

Silibo
Also known as: Grande Silibo; Silibo Nouva-vou; Grande Shi-lih-bo; Maman Silibo; Silibo Nou Mawou; Silibo Vavou
Classification: Lwa

In his book, Ecstatic Voyage, seventeenth-century German scholar Athanasius Kircher describes the sun as populated "with angels
of fire swimming in seas of light around a volcano." He may have been describing Silibo who bathes in the fires of the sun. Silibo is a
spirit of wells, springs, streams, ponds, and fire. She is a spirit of fresh water and the feminine aspect of the sun.

Silibo is an esoteric lwa of magic and sacred sexuality. In her book, Vodou Visions , author, artist, and Vodou priestess Sallie Ann
Glassman compares Silibo to Shakti and the Shekhina. Silibo is not syncretized to a saint; instead the biblical image to which she is
compared is from the Book of Revelation: the woman cloaked in the sun.
Silibo is a spirit of purification. She is a fiery wanton virgin in the tradition of Astarte or Inanna-Ishtar. She is virginal in the old,
traditional, nonliteral sense: an independent, shame-free woman who is beholden to no one. The Scarlet Woman is not crimson from
shame but because of her burning, fiery nature.
Sacred sexuality is the most primal root religion. Vestiges survive today. The hexagram, also known as a Jewish star or Solomon's
seal, consists of two interlocking triangles: one facing upward, the other down. It is a sign of tremendous magical protective power:
• The upward-facing triangle symbolizes fire and male energy.
• The downward-facing triangle symbolizes water and female energy.
• Their union is the point of creation, the magical meeting of fire and water, and the source of ecstatic sexual energy.
Silibo dances on this point. She is the embodiment of creative energy and sacred sexual energy. Sex may serve as an instrument of
humiliation and degradation, but sex also potentially serves as the fires of purification. Silibo cannot be debased because she bathes in
the purifying waters of the sun. She is those purifying flames. Silibo burns away shame. She is an alchemical spirit whose magical fires
burn away dross, leaving what is pure and powerful.
• Silibo is invoked to heal sexual abuse, violation, degradation, and humiliation.
• She burns away guilt and shame and leaves you free and clean.
• Silibo is petitioned to awaken sexuality and to discover, or rediscover, ecstasy.
Silibo presides over spiritual cleansing rituals, especially cleansing baths. Invoke her presence to empower any magical bath. She is a
spirit of enchantment and clairvoyance who bestows spiritual and magical power. Silibo teaches candle magic, crystal ball gazing, and
how to divine using nothing more than a pan of water. Silibo may or may not have a relationship with Lord Agwé.
Favored people: Silibo is a guardian of young women.
M anifestation: Silibo is a shape-shifter. In her guise as Grand Silibo she is the majestic woman cloaked in the sun, but she also
sometimes appears as a small girl indicating the purity of her nature.
Iconography: Silibo is not one of the most famous lwa. Images are not as easily available as of other lwa like the Ezilis and La
Sirène. Silibo appears on a card from the New Orleans Voodoo Tarot as well as in Haitian paintings.
Planet: Sun
Elements: Fire, water
Offerings: Spring and pond water, solar images, lit candles floating in water (especially little sun or star candles, but tea lights in a
basin or the bath tub will do, too), rhinestones, sparkly gems, a crown of stars
See also: Agwé; Astarte; Ezili; Kamakhya; Inanna-Ishtar; Lwa; Sati; Shekhina; Sirène, La

Simbi
Also known as: Simbie
Origin: Congo
Classification: Lwa
You don't have to be human to be a magician. Simbi, among the greatest of all magicians, is a water snake spirit who rules all
aspects of magic. He protects magical practitioners and offers them his tutelage. Legends describe children who go missing, having been
stolen or "borrowed" by Simbi, only to return home years later, now masters of magic.
Simbi is master of all magicians. He can bestow magical ability and clairvoyance. Simbi is also a master healer and botanist. Among
the gifts he bestows on healers is the ability to accurately diagnose. Simbi will speak to you: envision a snake winding around your body

and whispering in your ear.
Simbi ranks among the highest of Vodou spirits. He is part of Ogou's army; he holds the rank of chief of the Coast Guard. Although
associated with both Petro and Rada rites, Simbi's origins are in the Congo. Simbi may be understood as a Congo lwa who navigates
between the other Vodou nations. Simbi travels wherever he likes and is at home wherever he wishes to be. He is a very patient but
assertive spirit. He is a specialized lwa whose devotees tend to have esoteric interests. Simbi is also among those spirits invoked by
secret societies.
Simbi is a freshwater spirit with dominion over moisture, rain, springs, ponds, wells, marshes, waterfalls, fountains, and drinking
water. Simbi controls river currents and running freshwater (including the water running in your pipes). Simbi rules things that flow like
water—electricity, tears, and words. He oversees the flow of electromagnetic energy. Simbi is a conductor of souls: he controls the flow
of spirits into humans during ritual possessions. He has charge of the vulnerable threshold moments before and after possession. Many
cosmologies describe rivers separating the realms of the living and the dead. Simbi controls those waters, too. He sometimes serves as a
psychopomp, especially for deceased shamans and occultists.
In addition to water and the esoteric arts, Simbi has dominion over communications, crossroads, and currents:
• As ruler of currents, Simbi controls the flow of information and energy. This ancient magician has emerged as the patron of
cuttingedge technology, including computers, the Internet, and telephone transmissions.
• As a crossroads spirits, Simbi is a road-opener, removing obstacles from the paths of his devotees. Simbi can circumvent all
manner of red tape; he breaks stalemates.
• Request his assistance when communication is challenging or crucial.
Placing an image of a snake on your computer (or as a screen saver) allegedly protects it and reinforces its power. Offerings to Simbi
may be placed beside computers or whatever you wish him to protect.
Simbi is also a master healer and can bestow knowledge of medicinal herbs to his devotees. Simbi's venom is poison and its antidote.
Heknows everything about spirit-derived diseases or magical diseases. Simbi can heal illnesses caused by hexes, curses, or disease
demons. Simbi is syncretized to Moses, another great magician associated with snakes, Archangel Raphael and also to the Three Kings
(the Magi).
Favored people: Occultists, astrologers, diviners, healers, herbalists. Simbi's human children may display particularly precocious
psychic skills or interest in the occult. They may be born with a caul or a head full of snaky curls. In Haiti, locked hair is known as
"Simbi's hair". Simbi's snake locks may be the equivalent of Medusa hair.

M anifestation: Simbi is usually a snake, but he is a great magician and shape-shifter, so prepare to be surprised. (Simbi tends to
be a small-to medium-sized, slim snake, not a huge snake like Damballah.)
Realm: Simbi lives in the water but also likes to perch in trees.
M etal: Mercury (quicksilver)
M ineral: Quartz crystal
Colors: Green, white, gray (That said, Simbi is a master of transformation and may advise you that he prefers different colors.)
Trees: Calabash, elm, mango
Creatures: Snakes, turtles
Days: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday (Simbi will negotiate terms and days with you.)
Altar: Decorate his altar with images of snakes, magical tools, and divination devices.

Offerings: Simbi is a water snake and needs to stay moist. He accepts milk or water, especially spring water, rainwater, or pond
water. He drinks alcoholic beverages like whisky or rum. He may wish to have access to multiple beverages simultaneously.
Not every Simbi spirit is the same, so you may have to experiment to discover what yours prefers. Many like fire-water: liquor that
physically resembles water such as white rum, vodka, mahia, cachaça, and aguardiente. Offer Liqueur Saint-Raphaël, a quinquina
liqueur (aperitif containing quinine).
Simbi is a master of arcana and thus master of detail: he can be fussy. Snakes don't like the cold. He may prefer beverages served at
room temperature. (You'll know when he's not pleased: if he's protecting some sort of technology for you, it may start to malfunction.)

In addition to beverages, Simbi accepts mangos, yams, river rocks, quartz crystals, ribbons, and shed snakeskins.

See also: Cymbee; Damballah; Dandalunda; Lwa; Mami Waters; Medusa; Ogun; Petro; Psychopomp; Rada; Raphael;
Rusalka; Simbi Spirits; Sirène, La

Simbi Spirits

The Simbi spirits are a family of Congolese water spirits. They are a large diverse family. Simbi is a Kikongo word; the plural form
is Basimbi. Simbi, the powerful lwa, is the head of this family. Most known Simbis are male, but female Simbis exist, too. Among its
members are:
• Gran Simba is Lady Simbi, matron of the Simbi family. She is the wife of Simbi and mother of their forty daughters. Gran Simba
protects and saves those caught in perilous river currents and those who accidentally fall into swift-flowing waters.
• Simbi Andezo is the Kreyol spelling of the French Simbi en Deux Eaux or "Simbi in Two Waters." He is a lord of freshwater,
including rivers, streams, and water holes. There are different ways of interpreting "two waters": this Simbi may be a spirit of
fresh and salt waters or a spirit of mangrove swamps where fresh and salt waters merge. The two waters may be the Water of
Life and the Water of Oblivion or Death. Simbi Andezo is syncretized to Saint Andrew. Give him two kinds of liquids when you
make offerings, not just one. In other words, give him water and whisky, salt water and freshwater, pond water and rainwater,
and so forth. Colors: Red and white or red and green (but two at a time)
• Simbi Anpaka is Herb Master Simbi, lwa of botanicals, leaves, poison, and medicinals. Colors: White and green
• Simbi Dlo is the Kreyol spelling of the French Simbi de l'Eau , guardian of fresh water. He is a powerful ally if you seek
assistance defending a source of freshwater. He is syncretized to Archangel Raphael. Colors: Red and blue or green and blue
• Simbi Ganga is military Simbi, a commander in chief. He is a warrior and guardian spirit. Ganga derives from a Kikongo word
variously interpreted as "chieftain" or "healer-priest." Colors: Red or red and blue
• Simbi La Flambeau(Also spelled La Flambo) is fiery Simbi. Most Simbi spirits belong to the Rada family of Vodou spirits, but
Simbi La Flambeau belongs to the more volatile Petro family. He is the spirit of electrical fires. He controls the flow of kundalini
energy through the body, envisioned as a snake coiled at the base of the spine. Regular Simbi is a master of folk or Earth magic,
but Simbi La Flambeau is a magus and master ceremonial magician. Offerings: Rainwater collected during lightning storms,
water from a source struck by lightning, snakeskins soaked in arak, rum. or other alcoholic beverage; Add hot sauce to his
food; tie offerings with red ribbons. Color: Red (See also: Damballah La Flambeau.)
• Simbi M akaya is a great sorcerer and shaman, and among the spirits served by Haitian secret societies. Makaya is also the
name given to a specific Vodou tradition. The historic Makaya was a powerful shaman and Haitian revolutionary leader who
was extremely prominent and influential at the beginning of the revolution. Before the revolution, he was a leader of Haiti's
Maroons (escaped slaves), and he led them into battle. Makaya's spiritual and political orientation was more traditionally
African than that of the leaders who eventually seized power (like Toussaint L'Ouverture). His name is recalled in the Haitian
mountain Pik Makaya and the national park Parc Macaya, which are what remain of Haiti's once extensive rain forests. Plant
trees and replenish forests in Haiti as offerings to him. Colors: Black, green, and/or red

Simhamukha

Mother of All Buddhas; The Lion-Faced Dakini; Mother of All Conquerors
Classification: Buddha and Dakini
Simhamukha, Queen of Dakinis, is a Buddha, yogini, and initiatory spirit who fearlessly combats malevolent spiritual forces,
destroying them instantly when necessary. Yoga techniques associated with her empower the practitioner to reverse negative energy and
evil spells, directing it back where it came from.
M anifestation: Simhamukha has a lion's face with three eyes, indicating her power to see in all worlds. Her mouth gapes open to

devour evil.
Iconography: She wears a tiara of five skulls, bone ornaments, and a necklace of fifty freshly-severed heads.
Attributes: Curved knife, skull cup containing blood
Colors: Maroon, wine, dark blue
See also: Buddha; Dakini

Sin

The Illuminator; Lord of Wisdom
Also known as: Nanna
Origin: Mesopotamia
Sin, as in "venal" or "deadly," does not derive from the lunar deity Sin's name, but Mount Sinai does. Sin is his Akkadian (Semitic)
name; his Sumerian name is Nanna. Sin is the Sumerian spirit of the moon and the father of Inanna-Ishtar. He was a major deity whose
cult was long lasting: the mother of the last king of Babylon (556–539 BCE) served as his priestess.
Sin was chief deity of the city of Ur, birthplace of the patriarch Abraham. During the era when Ur was in political ascendance, Sin
was considered head of Mesopotamia's spiritual pantheon. His other primary cult center was the biblical city of Harran, where
Abraham settled with his clan after leaving Ur. It is theorized that ancient Hebrew tribes carried devotion to Sin with them from
Mesopotamia to the Sinai Desert.
Favored people: Astrologers
Iconography: He was envisioned as an old man with a long, flowing lapis lazuli beard.
Attribute: A tripod (possibly for incense or for divination purposes)
Emblem: Crescent Moon
Creature: Bull
M ineral: Lapis lazuli
Sacred site: Mount Sinai (literally the "Mountain of the Moon") and the Sinai Desert
Number: 30
Offerings: Butter, honey, wine
See also: Inanna-Ishtar

Sinnann
Origin: Ireland
Sinnann is the spirit of the Shannon River. The surviving vestiges of her myth are similar to that of Boann and the birth of the Boyne

River. Sinnann—granddaughter of Lir, King of the Sea, and Manannan's niece—is described as the most accomplished maiden of her
time, but she wanted more. Like Odin, Sinnann wished for wisdom. Whereas Odin only had to sacrifice an eye to drink from the Well
of Mimir, Sinnann lost her life.
It is unclear exactly what Sinnann sought from the Well of Connla, whether to sip from the water, to eat a hazelnut from the nine trees
that grew beside the well, or to eat the salmon that fed on the nuts. Any or all of these would allegedly grant extraordinary knowledge,
wisdom, insight, and eloquence. Unfortunately, the precinct around the well was forbidden to women. Sinnann sneaked in, but the water
responded to her approach by rising up violently and bursting its banks. (An alternative version suggests that the great salmon of the well
commanded the waters to rise and engulf Sinnann.) She was swept away and drowned but became the spirit of the river.
That's the most well-known version of her myth. It's possible that Sinnann's presence at the well preexists the legend and the ban on
women. She may be the original goddess of the river and the story serves to explain the undeniable female presence at the well after it
was officially forbidden to that sex. Sinnann is the Shannon River. She is the ancestral spirit of Clan O'Shaughnessy
See also: Boann; Lir; Manannan Mac Lir; Mimir; Odin

Siren

The word Siren refers to two distinct types of spirits:

• True Sirens, the Sirens of classical Greek mythology, are bird-women, related to the Harpies or Lilith. SeeSirens; Sirin
• Siren has evolved into a synonym for mermaid, a fish-woman. The Spanish and French words for mermaid aresirena and sirène
respectively. See La Sirène, Syrena
What these two types of spirits share in common are associations with sex, eroticism, oracles, and death. Both are also famous for
their beautiful, alluring voices.

Sirens

A Siren song is irresistible. Sirens are singing goddesses whose alluring voices can neither be resisted nor ignored. Their most
famous appearance is in Homer's Odyssey where they are categorized among dangers of the sea like Scylla and Charybdis. (They show
up in the saga of Jason and the Argonauts, too.)
The Sirens sing while perched on rocks in the rough sea. Odysseus is warned that anyone who hears the Siren song will feel
compelled to draw close to them with the end result that they are dashed on the rocks. Odysseus puts wax in his crew's ears so that
they can row past the Sirens without being tempted and has himself lashed to a post so that he can hear their song and resist the impulse
to join them. He is allegedly the only man to have heard their song and lived.
The Sirens are more than minor figures of mythic horror. They were significant, not trivial, goddesses. Among those who venerated
Sirens was Roman Emperor Tiberias.
The Sirens are bird spirits who manifest as part woman, part bird. What distinguishes them from other bird-women spirits like Lilith
or the Harpies is the power of their song, the allure of the Sirens' voices. However, the Sirens do more than sing:
• They are oracular goddesses, telling Odysseus that they know all that happens on Earth, everywhere, all the time.
• Sirens are erotic goddesses of love and desire.
Sirens are friends and servants of Persephone who assigned them their role as psychopomps and death goddesses. Their function is
to escort souls to the Queen of the Dead. It may not just be random unlucky seamen whom the Sirens lure to their deaths. They may
collect souls already destined to die. The Sirens appear to those already doomed, so perhaps the true reason Odysseus escaped death
was that it was just not his time to go. Allegedly, the Sirens' sweet, magnetic song causes those who hear them to approach death
joyfully, peacefully, and without fear. Some Greek vase paintings depict bearded male Sirens. Mythologist Karl Kerenyi theorizes in his
book Gods of the Greeks that male Sirens may have sweetened the experience of death for women as female Sirens did for men.
It is unclear exactly how many Sirens there are. Some are identified by name, but there may be more. The most famous Sirens
include:
• Aglaope (also known as Aglaophonos), "She of the Glorious Voice" or "Shrill Voice"

• Leucosia or Leucotheia, "The White Goddess"
• Ligeia, "She of the Bright Voice" or "She of the Clear Voice"
• Parthenope, "The Virginal"
• Peisinoe (also known as Pasinoe), "The Seductive" or "The Persuasive"
• Thelxiepeia (also known as Thelxinoe or Thelxiope), "The Enchantress," "She of the Soothing Song"

Individual Sirens like Parthenope were sometimes venerated independently. The town of Parthenope, dedicated to that
Siren, was founded in the eighth century BCE but was eventually renamed Naples. Greek historian Strabo, who died in
approximately 25 CE, describes travelers visiting her shrine. In the Roman era, a temple of Apollo was built over Parthenope's
shrine, followed in the Christian era by the Church of San Giovanni Maggiore.

Other Sirens include Eumolpe ("She Who Sings Well"), Himeropa ("Voice that Provokes Desire"), Kyane ("The Blue"), and
Moeolpe ("The Harmonious"). The Sirens' ancestry is in dispute. They may be daughters of Nereus and thus related to the Nereids.
Their mother may be a Hesperid or one of the Muses, or they may be the Muses' step-sisters. Their parents may be Phorkys and Keto
Achelous may be their father. According to myth, Heracles broke one of Achelous' horns: the Sirens were born of his blood seeping
onto Earth, similar to the births of Aphrodite and the Erinyes. They may always have been bird spirits or may originally have been
Nymphs whom Demeter transformed into bird-women as punishment for not searching harder for their friend, Persephone.
Alternatively, they begged for wings so they could fly and better search for her.
In addition to attending Persephone, the Sirens also have close associations with Hera. A statue of Hera depicts her holding tiny
Sirens in her hands. Hera encouraged the Sirens to engage in musical competition with the Muses, allies of Apollo. The victorious Muses
made themselves crowns with feathers that they plucked from the Sirens. Although the Sirens do not live in the water, they are sea
spirits (hence their later reinterpretation as fish-tailed women). Myths where Muses and/or Orpheus rout them may be interpreted as the
victory of terrestrial spirits over the aquatic (or the victory of one pantheon over another).

M anifestation: Sirens have a bird's body with a woman's head and sometimes a woman's breasts and arms, too. Their feet are
taloned, sometimes with a lion's paw at the end of each bird foot.

Iconography: Sirens are usually depicted in groups of three: one holds a flute, one holds a lyre, and the third sings. Sirens, usually
depicted as if mourning, are among the two most frequent mythic symbols carved into Athenian tombs. (The other is Charon.)

Sacred sites: The Sirens inhabit an island called Anthemoessa, "rich in flowers"; its location is subject to debate but is generally
believed to be near Sicily or somewhere off the Italian coast. The Sirenuse Islands off the AmalfiCoast near Positano, which may or may
not be the same as Anthemoessa, are named after the Sirens and are allegedly their residence (or one of them). They may also live on
the nearby Isle of Capri.
Number: 8, the number of eternity.

See also: Achelous; Aphrodite; Apollo; Charon; Demeter; Erinyes; Harpies; Hera; Heracles; Hesperides; Keto; Kyane;
Leto; Leucotheia; Lilith; Muses; Nereid; Nereus; Nymph; Orpheus; Persephone; Phorkys; Psychopomp; Scylla; Sirène, La;
Sirin and the Glossary entry for Pantheon

Sirène, La
Also known as: La Sirenn (Kreyol)
Origin: Haiti
Classification: Lwa
La Sirène is a beautiful, classical mermaid with long flowing hair. Her name literally means "the mermaid." She holds a mirror, which

serves as a threshold or portal between realms. La Sirène is Mistress of Mysticism and a repository of sacred information. She appears
in dreams, carrying people down to her kingdom beneath the sea, where she offers magical instruction.
La Sirène is la Reine Chanterelle, "Queen of the Choir." She epitomizes the mermaid as alluring singer. La Sirène owns a golden
trumpet with which she summons the lwa and other spirits. If you find her trumpet, you're allegedly guaranteed a lifetime of wealth. La
Sirène is associated with the largesse of the sea. Her image allegedly attracts wealth and treasure and is thus frequently found in lottery
parlors. La Sirène helps your ships come in. Her image in your home may possess the same effect.
In addition to wealth, La Sirène brings love, romance, and success, but she does possess the capacity for violence and is not a spirit
to be trifled with. Like her namesakes, the Sirens, La Sirène has associations with death. She lures those who offend her (like those who
fail to pay their debts to her!) and drags them to a watery death. Like Fairies, La Sirène has a bit of a reputation as a baby snatcher,
taking them to live with her in her undersea palace—an ominous image as in Vodou cosmology the realm of death is beneath the sea. La
Sirène may rule a children's realm of death.
Her husband is usually considered to be Lord Agwé, although she is sometimes depicted in romantic embrace with Simbi. La Sirène
may be a path of Ezili or one of the family of Ezili spirits, in which context she is known as Ezili of the Sea. On the spectrum of Ezilis, she
falls between Ezili Freda and Ezili Dantor: La Sirène is generally benevolent but the threat of danger remains. Some legends suggest that
la Sirène has a daughter named Ursule (an alternative spelling for Erzulie or Ezili).
She is syncretized to Saints Martha and Philomène and the Stella Maris. Invoke La Sirène for protection and safe passage over the
sea and for wealth, joy, and psychic ability. If you seek occult secrets, La Sirène can provide them.
Favored people: Musicians, singers

M anifestation: La Sirène is a beautiful, longhaired mermaid. She may be unable to walk (the fishtail hobbles her) or alternatively, if
she sprouts human legs, then she walks on her toes.

Iconography: La Sirène in classic mermaid form is a favored subject of Haitian sequined flags. The image of the Stella Maris is also
used to represent her.
Attribute: Hand mirror, comb, golden trumpet, bell, cup, candle, rattle

Colors: Shades of blue and green and intermingled colors of the sea, like teal or aquamarine. Other traditions suggest her colors are
pink and white.
Bird: Dove
Number: 7
Day: Thursday
Altar: Decorate with marine and mermaid images.

Offerings: La Sirène drinks champagne (preferably pink!), white wine, or Kir cocktails like Kir Royale: Kir with champagne. Give
her drinks made with orgeat syrup. She likes melons and desserts, especially French pastries. Offer her seashells, hair ornaments,
perfume, cigarettes, cosmetics, perfume, and hand mirrors.

See also: Agwé; Baleine, La; Ezili; Ezili Dantor; Ezili Freda Dahomey; Lwa; Mermaid; Simbi; Sirens; Stella Maris; Syren

Sirin
Origin: Russia

Sirin, a spirit of beauty, joy, and happiness, manifests as a bird with a woman's face. Her name derives from the Greek Siren. (She
may be a Siren who flew off to Russia and found new friends and myths.) Like the Sirens, she is a psychopomp. Sirin serenades the
dying, her songs so beautiful and compelling that those who hear her are oblivious to everything else and die happily and peacefully. Sirin
does not kill randomly; she is an escort spirit similar to an angel of death.

Sirin also protects the living, together with her sister spirit and alter ego, Alkonost. Originally, they were venerated together as spirits
of good fortune and guardians of the home. Sirin kept watch at night, while Alkonost patrolled during daylight hours. Post-Christianity,
all the sisters' positive aspects were assigned to Alkonost while Sirin's associations with death and night caused her to be considered an
evil or at least inauspicious spirit.
See also: Alkonost; Psychopomp; Sirens

Sirona
Also known as: Sarana (Hungary); Tsirona (Brittany)
Origin: Celtic

Sirona's name seems to be etymologically related to "star." This ancient goddess was truly a star of the Celtic spiritual firmament.
Sirona, among the most prominent Celtic goddesses, was venerated throughout the continental Celtic world. Her images have been
found from Brittany to Hungary. She is a goddess of fertility, healing, renewal, and regeneration associated with thermal springs. She had
shrines throughout Europe, many affiliated with what are still highly significant therapeutic mineral springs.
Sirona was venerated independently but also had various male consorts and partners, including prominent Celtic deities like Belenus
and Grannus. After the Roman occupation of Gaul, Sirona was partnered there with Apollo, their arranged marriage indicating the union
of Romans and Celts.
Sirona's images usually depict her with a snake or a small dog or both. She holds the dog lovingly. Sirona is traditionally invoked to
heal humans, but it's possible that she may assist dogs, too.
Iconography: A second-century C E image from the Moselle Basin renders Sirona as a robed woman wearing a diadem with a
snake entwined around one arm. She holds a bowl of eggs in the other. Many small votive images depict Sirona holding a little dog
either in her lap or in her arms.
Creatures: Snake and lapdog (both symbolic of healing)
Plants: Grapes, wheat

Sacred sites: Her sanctuaries included those in Bitburg, Hochscheid, Mainz, Nietaldorf, and Wiesbaden (now in Germany);
Luexeuil, Mâlain, Metz, and Sainte-Fontaine (now in France); Brigetio (now in Hungary); and in the ancient Celtic kingdom of Noricum
corresponding to parts of modern Austria and Slovenia.
Dates: In modern Dianic witchcraft, 6 January is the Feast of Sirona, a time for blessing of the waters.
Offerings: Serve her mineral water and wine; offer coins, milagros (ex-votos), eggs (real, marble, crystal), images of snakes,
snakeskins.
See also: Apollo; Belenus; Grannus; Sequana; Sulis

Sita
Origin: India
Sita, the wife of King Rama, accompanied her husband to his exile in the forest, together with a small entourage. She was once left
alone in the woods; this was the moment for which Ravana, King of the Rakshasas, had been waiting. He kidnapped her, imprisoning
her in his palace in Sri Lanka. Although Sita was forced to live in his house, she never succumbed to Ravana's considerable charms.
(And for what it's worth, he may have been a kidnapper, but he wasn't a rapist.) In one version, she refuses to live under Ravana's roof

and so is installed in a little house in his garden where she pines for Rama and considers suicide.
The kidnapping of Sita is the basis for the Sanskrit epic the Ramayana, named after her husband, Rama, seventh avatar of Vishnu.
(Sita may be an avatar of Lakshmi.) The Ramayana tells the tale of Rama and Hanuman's happy rescue of Sita and its not-quite-sohappy aftermath.
Although Sita was rescued, there was doubt as to whether she was still a suitable wife for Rama or whether she had been tainted by
sexual contact with her kidnapper. She was forced to prove her virtue by undergoing a fire ordeal from which she emerged unscathed.
Rama, Sita, and their entourage returned to his kingdom where he assumed the crown.
Although his constituents loved Rama, they did not embrace his queen but considered her with suspicion. Although Rama knew that
Sita had been utterly faithful and even though she had already passed trial by fire, the public had doubts. Gossip and innuendo ensued.
Two myths provide two different resolutions for this situation:
• Rama placed the greater good above his own happiness and banished Sita from the kingdom. She went back to the forest with
their two sons, who she raised single-handedly.
• The kingdom was attacked by a one-thousand-headed Rakshasa who could only be killed by a completely chaste woman. Other
women having tried and failed, the people begged Sita to make an attempt. Sita took a bow and arrow and slew that Rakshasa
instantly. This was still not sufficient to quell gossip. The people demanded that she undergo yet another fire ordeal. Finally Sita
had enough. Enraged and humiliated, she demanded that Earth swallow her, if she's pure enough. Earth gaped open, a golden
throne emerged on which Sita sat and, as if in an elevator, descended into Earth. The sky rained flowers as the Earth closed
over her. She never returned to Earth. Rama never saw her again.
He never remarried; Sita is his one true love. When, as a king, he was obliged to perform sacred rituals in conjunction with a queen,
Rama created a golden image of Sita and placed it onthe queen's throne, the statue substituting for the goddess herself.
Before there was Ramayana, there was a goddess of fertility and abundance named Sita, daughter of Bhudevi, the Earth goddess,
although she may be an avatar of Bhudevi herself. (According to the Ramayana, baby Sita was discovered in a furrow in the Earth.)
Women still pay private homage to Sita. She is the goddess in exile, forced to leave the palace, her husband, and her rightful throne. Sita
always maintains her dignity.
She is the goddess of women who must bear humiliation. She is the goddess of those who seek to maintain grace despite suspicion,
slander, and abuse. Sita is considered the epitome of the ideal wife because she sacrificed herself to save her husband's reputation.
Many versions of the Ramayana exist. It remains a favorite story in India, Indonesia, Cambodia and elsewhere. It has been retold in
countless ways and interpretations and is the subject of movies, dances, novels, comic books, and puppet shows, among many other
media.
Alternative versions of Sita's myth exist:
• Like Isis and Osiris, Rama and Sita are siblings, possibly even twins.
• Sita is Ravana's daughter compounding the sin of his lust for her (although he is unaware of their relationship).
• In a Tamil version, Sita vanquishes Ravana herself. The Tamil epic the Catakantaravanan resembles the Ramayana but stars
Sita as the main character.
M anifestation: In all descriptions, Sita is radiantly beautiful, whether dressed in elegant finery or in the bark clothing she wears
when exiled in the forest.
Iconography: Sita, a beautiful queen, is usually depicted at Rama's side. They are often accompanied by Hanuman, who usually
sits at Rama's feet. Because the Ramayana is so popular, it's possible to obtain images depicting every scene.
See also: Fauna; Hanuman; Isis; Konohana; Kunti; Lakshmi; Osiris; Rakshasa; Savitri; Shekhina; Vishnu;
Glossary entry for Avatar

Sitala

The Cool One
Also known as: Sitlamata (literally "Mother Sitala"); Shitala

and the

Origin: India
Sitala was the youngest of her many spirit sisters, born considerably later, and so human beings paid little attention to her. Frustrated
and determined to force humans to create rituals in her honor, Sitala invented smallpox. The tactic worked. She is among India's most
popular spirits, internationally as well.
A modern legend suggests that as incidence of smallpox declined, people stopped venerating Sitala so she upped the ante
and produced AIDS. Sitala is now as closely identified with AIDS as with smallpox and is credited with causing, preventing,
and healing that disease.

Sitala and her sisters preside over pustular diseases. Sitala's specialty is smallpox: she both causes and prevents the disease. But like
that other renowned smallpox spirit, Babalu Ayé, Sitala transcends being only a disease spirit. She protects and provides for devotees in
all facets of life and is particularly invoked to make sterile women fertile.
Disease spirits are among the scariest and most difficult to understand. Those whom she favors find Sitala benevolent.
• If you have survived smallpox, you may consider yourself already under her protection.
• If your family has a history of smallpox or the disease holds some personal significance to you, you may consider your first
connection made.
Sitala's devotees consider smallpox to be akin to spiritual possession. They are literally touched and inhabited by Sitala. Vaccinations
do not offend her: Sitala's priests performed primitive forms of smallpox vaccination prior to the advent of the modern vaccine.
Sitala is dangerous when she heats up (as with fever). The goal when working with her is to keep her cool. During festivals and rituals
in her honor, heating food is forbidden. This includes both foods that intrinsically possess a heating effect upon the body such as hot
peppers as well as food that has been warmed up. Rice must be eaten cold. Cooling foods are consumed by people
and offered to
Sitala. One abstains from all activities that heat up the body. Sexual activity is minimal during the festivities but may be resumed at your
pleasure afterwards.
M anifestations: Her most famous manifestation is as smallpox. But smallpox is only a manifestation of Sitala, not an essential
characteristic. She also appears as a woman dressed in red. Sitala roams the countryside, riding a donkey, searching out victims.
Attribute: Broom (sometimes a silver broom), winnowing fan, pot of water
Color: Red
Tree: Neem
Time: An annual festival is held around March.

Sacred site: She has several shrines and temples throughout northern India where she is served by a female priesthood. Her true
home is the body of the patient for the duration of the disease. Position her altar toward the northeast.
Offerings: Flowers and cooling foods such as cold rice, coconuts, cucumbers, plantains, and yogurt.
See also: Babalu Ayé; Jari-Mari; Mariamman; T'ou Chen Niang Niang

Skadi
Also known as: Ondurgud; Ondurdis
Origin: Norse
Classification: Jotun

Skadi, an ice goddess, is the daughter of the Jotun Thiazi, who died in a fatal altercation with the Aesir. In Skadi's first appearance
on the stage of surviving Norse myth, she girds herself in armor and travels to the Aesir, demanding reparations (
weregild) for her
father's death. She demands two things: that the Aesir make her laugh, despite her grim mood, and that they provide her with a
husband. Both terms are met.
Skadi really wants to marry the handsome Balder but she winds up wed to the sea spirit Njord. They attempt to make a go of the
marriage, but their natures are too different and they amicably separate. Skadi later finds Holler to be a more compatible match. Skadi
allies herself with the Aesir. It's Skadi who fastens the venomous snake over Loki's head after Balder's death. (Loki's bragging about
being present at her father's death accounts for her enmity.)
Based on these myths, Skadi might seem to be a peripheral goddess, but nothing could be farther from the truth. She was an
extremely significant goddess, worshipped in Norway and Sweden. Her name is echoed in Scandinavia, which can be translated as
"Skadi's Land." She predates the Aesir in the region and was also one of the last Norse deities to be actively venerated postChristianity.
Her name is translated as "Shade"; this may indicate the dim winter sun but also shades of the dead. In addition to other functions,
Skadi is a death goddess with dominion over hunting. Legend has it that she first taught men to hunt with bows and arrows. Legend also
has it that a man was sacrificed to her annually and that this sacrifice lasted in remote regions until possibly as late as the seventeenth
century. Among the reasons why Skadi is the spirit who actually hangs the poisonous snake over Loki is that she
can; she is able to
wield an instrument of death that would be fatal to others.
Skadi can also be an extremely helpful goddess. Called the Snowshoe Goddess, she rescues winter travelers lost in storms or snow.
Should you find yourself stuck on a snowy slope or in icebound weather, Skadi would be among the spirits of first appeal.

M anifestation: Skadi is a tall, strong, beautiful, athletic woman. She travels through the snow on her skates, ski, and snowshoes,
hunting with a bow and arrows. She may be accompanied by wolves.
Attributes: Ice skates, skis, snowshoes
Creatures: Wolves, snakes
Color: White

Realm: Skadi lives in Thrymheimr ("Noise Home"), her father's home. She is also described as living in remote, high, snowy
peaks.

Offerings: Icy-cold Swedish vodka, traditional Scandinavian food, charms evoking her favorite pastimes, images of snakes and
wolves
See also: Aesir; Balder; Holler; Jotun; Loki; Njord

Skogsfruar
Origin: Sweden

Skogsfruar, the "Forest Wives," are guardians of the woods. They have dominion over hunting, assisting those whom they love but
obstructing those who do not ask for their permission. The Skogsfruar protect forest animals; they are the spiritual regulatory board
determining who can hunt and who can be hunted. Hunters who run afoul of the Skogsfruar have no luck and find no prey but may find
trouble instead.
Skogsfruar manifest in the form of beautiful, naked women who mysteriously appear in the forest, often joining men at campgrounds,
luring them deeper into the woods, from whence they never return (whether because they've met with foul play or because they're too
happy to leave is unknown). Forest wife is also sometimes a euphemism for "witch," and it is not entirely clear if all these Skogsfruar
are spirits or whether some are human forest dwellers.
Flower: Epipogium aphyllum, known as Ghost Orchid in English, is called Skogsfru ("Forest Wife") in Swedish

Offerings: The Skogsfruar accept silver. It's traditional to make offerings to them before entering the woods and before hunting;
it's always advisable to beg their permission.
See also: Artemis; Baobhan Sith; Ildiko; Vila

Smertrios

The Provider
Also known as: Smertrius
Origin: Celtic

Smertrios is a Celtic deity, venerated in Gaul. Very little information about him survives. It is not even conclusive that Smertrios was
his name (although it is now). Smertrios may be a title, meaning "The Provider." Smertrios' primary consort was Rosmerta, whose name
derives from the same root word ( smert), referring to the providing of abundance. Smertrios also shared a shrine with the goddess
Ancamna. The Romans identified him with Mars.
Based on archaeological evidence, Smertrios seems to have been widely venerated throughout Gaul as well as in the ancient Celtic
kingdom of Noricum (corresponding to parts of what are now modern Slovenia and Austria). An image of Smertrios is on a pillar
dedicated by first century C E. Parisian sailors, discovered in the eighteenth-century beneath the Cathedral of Notre Dame. The pillar is
covered with carvings of spirits. Smertrios is at the top of this pillar in the company of Cernunnos and the Dioscuri. (Rosmerta appears
on one of the pillar's lower tiers).

Iconography: On the Pillar of the Boatmen, Smertrios is depicted as a bearded, muscular man who confronts a snake, which rears
up before him.
Attributes: Club, torch
See also: Cernunnos; Dioscuri; Mars; Rosmertaand the Glossary entry for Identification

Sobek

Lord of Dark Water
Also known as: Suchos; Sebek
Origin: Egypt

Sobek is a crocodile god. His name literally means "crocodile." Sobek is a crocodile and hence something of an ambivalent spirit.
How you feel about him will derive from your feelings toward crocodiles. Sobek is a particularly ancient Egyptian deity. Active
veneration of Sobek continued until the forced abolition of traditional Egyptian religion. Sobek was adored and beloved by some people
but feared by others. Crocodiles, after all, are killers. They were the primary danger lurking in the Nile. Sobek rules the most powerful
and dangerous aspects of water. Sobek protects those he loves or for whom he feels responsible, but he menaces others.
Sobek is the son of Neith, who may have self-generated him with no need for a father. Alternatively, Sobek's father is Set. Yet
another myth suggests that Sobek emerged alone from the primordial dark waters of chaos and that he himself created and ordered the
world. His oldest shrine was at Shedet in the swamps of the Fayoum, an oasis west of the Nile. The Greeks who later ruled Egypt
renamed Shedet, Crocodilopolis: "Crocodile City."
During the Middle Kingdom, the pharaohs began to pay more attention to the Fayoum region, and Sobek was brought to national

attention. He was particularly revered during the twelfth and thirteenth dynasties. Sobek became the personal protector of pharaohs,
serving to protect against dangers deriving from the human and spirit realms. Eight pharaohs were named Sobekhotep. Sobekneferu
(1799–1795 BCE), last ruler of the twelfth dynasty, is the first documented female pharaoh.
Sobek is a multifaceted spirit who performs various functions. He is an aggressive guardian who repels and devours malevolent spirits
who threaten his devotees. Sobek is generous with his power; contact with him allegedly enhances one's own personal power.
As Lord of the Dark Waters, Sobek rules the dangers of the deep. Thus he protects against danger emanating from the Nile River.
According to one myth, the Nile River emanates from Sobek's sweat. In one version of the saga of Isis and Osiris, Sobek personally
retrieves Osiris' dead body from the river and carries it to shore on his back.
He is a deity of both personal and vegetative fertility, an erotic spirit who is the epitome of virility. Sobek bestows sexual prowess to
men and fertility to women. He is invoked to help women in childbirth. Bringing his image into the birthing room allegedly eases labor
pains and keeps predatory spirits at bay. If an image of Sobek is unavailable, the image of any crocodile or even the Egyptian hieroglyph
representing crocodile is sufficient substitute.
Sobek is intensely associated with crocodiles. He protects some people but he is also the guardian of crocodiles. If you have harmed
crocodiles or if you hunt them, eat them, or have a closet full of crocodile belts, handbags, or boots, it might be best to avoid contacting
Sobek or otherwise drawing his attention to you. (And conversely, just because Sobek protects someone doesn't mean that it's safe to
approach living crocodiles. Always use common sense and caution.)
Cleopatra has a bit of an encounter with Sobek's sacred temple crocodiles in Margaret George's 1998 novel , The Memoirs
of Cleopatra.

M anifestation: Sobek is a Nile crocodile or a man with a crocodile head.
Attributes: Egyptian was-scepter and ankh
Consorts: Sobek is associated with various female deities including Hathor, Renenet, and Taweret. He may be Khnum's father.

Sacred sites: Sobek's primary shrine was in the Fayoum, but he was venerated throughout Egypt. He had a large sanctuary at
Kom Ombo, near Aswan, now a prime tourist attraction. Sobek's temples were tourist attractions way back when, too. Sacred
bejeweled crocodiles lived in pools where they were hand-fed by Sobek's priests. In the Fayoum, a crocodile was enshrined as a living
manifestation of Sobek. Known as Petsuchos (literally "Son of Sobek"), it lived a life of luxury and was replaced by another when it
died. The Petsuchoi (plural) were mummified and preserved after death in the manner of pharaohs or high priests.
Offerings: Incense, images of crocodiles, treasure
See also: Hathor; Isis; Khnum; Neith; Osiris; Renenet; Set; Taweret

Sojobo
Origin: Japan
Classification: Tengu
Sojobo is the King of the Tengu. His abode is Mount Kurama, birthplace of reiki healing, north of Kyoto. Sojobo is especially
famous because of his tutelage of the hero Yoshitsune of Minamoto. Yoshitsune's life was spared by rival clan leader Kiyomori of Taira
following the Heiji rebellion of 1159 on the condition that he become a Buddhist priest at Kuramadera Temple in the mountains north of
Kyoto. This condition was met, resulting in Yoshitsune's encounter with Sojobo, in residence nearby.
Sojobo took Yoshitsune under his wing, teaching him martial arts including swordsmanship, and tactical and military strategies as well
as magical skills. Yoshitsune fulfilled his priestly duties during the day but spent his nights engaged in practice bouts with Sojobo and his
tengu friends. Yoshitsune's exile had been intended to weaken him and the Minamoto clan. Instead, Yoshitsune emerged as one of

Japan's greatest warriors. He attributed his success and skills to Sojobo.

M anifestation: Sojobo has the long nose characteristic of tengu. He is an elderly white-haired
priest-tengu") with a long white beard and dark wings.

yamabushi-tengu ("mountain

Iconography: Sojobo is a favored subject of Japanese woodblock prints
Attribute: Seven-feather fan
See also: Tengu

Solomon, King

Also known as: Suleiman; Suleimanu
The Biblical King Solomon (died circa 925 BCE), son of David and Bathsheba was the last ruler of the united kingdom of Israel and
Judah, but he was more than a political, administrative, or warrior king. King Solomon is Master of Magic and the world's wisest man.
As builder of the original Jerusalem Temple, commonly called Solomon's Temple, he is God's own architect. Much of Freemason lore
derives from the building of this temple: Solomon is the original initiate who received secrets directly from God and the spirits.
Solomon is the subject of an immense body of Islamic and Jewish folklore, most of it centering on his role as magician. One could
argue that Freemasonry as well as ceremonial magic was inspired by Solomon. King Solomon is Master of Djinn. He commanded and
compelled an army of Djinn to complete his building projects, including the Jerusalem Temple. In addition to his extraordinary magical
wisdom, Solomon also possessed a magical ring, which gave him power over spirits. This brass and iron seal ring, is engraved with the
Ineffable Name of the Creator.
In addition to close, personal knowledge of spirits, Solomon was also an expert folk magician. He was a root doctor, shaman, high
priest, and ceremonial magician all rolled into one. He spoke to spirits; he spoke to birds. With the help of the Djinn, Solomon
constructed a magical ritual bath (mikvah). He cast a spell over its waters so that they healed all those who submerged themselves. The
waters also had a rejuvenating effect, painlessly removing scars and wrinkles. This bath was destroyed along with the Jerusalem Temple.

North African folk traditions advise against leaving cooked food out all night, as it may attract Djinn. The fear is that they
will somehow poison the food or use it for their own purposes, and then put it back seemingly untouched. A magical remedy
exists: place a small stick over the dish, saying aloud, "This is the stick of Solomon." Allegedly his name alone is sufficient to
ward off Djinn. (On the other hand, allegedly hearing his nemesis Ashmodai's name is sufficient to make Solomon himself
nervous!)

Solomon loved women, and women loved him. He had seven hundred wives, including Hittite and Sidonian princesses, the Queen of
Sheba, and Pharaoh's daughter. (This is unusual; pharaohs rarely let their daughters marry foreigners and leave Egypt.) Many of his
marriages to foreign brides were made at the beginning of his reign as a method of establishing and strengthening alliances. He had an
additional three hundred concubines in his harem. Solomon is unique in that he respected his wives'
religions. He allowed them to
practice whatever they chose, and he sought to learn from them, sometimes worshipping alongside them.
Solomon is credited with writing the mys terious Song of Songs. A multitude of grimoires and apocryphal texts are
attributed to him, including

The Testament of Solomon, The Greater Key of Solomon, and The Lesser Key of Solomon. The powerful amuletic symbol of
two intersecting triangles, the hexagram, is known as the Seal of Solomon.
A true occultist, he was a man of insatiable curiosity. This tolerance and open-minded attitude did not please everyone. Solomon was
accused of backsliding and even of being a Djinn. His relations with Djinn and other spirits were intimate. If the Queen of Sheba was

truly an avatar of Lilith as sometimes reputed, then the relationship was intimate, indeed.
The famous story of the Judgment of Solomon describes how two women came before King Solomon, both claiming to be
the mother of a single child. The women are often described as prostitutes, but exactly what kind of prostitute is not really
clear. Mundane? Sacred? Angelic? Jewish folklore identifies one of the women as Lilith and the other as either Agrat or
Naamah. All three are classified among the Angels of Prostitution.

Bird: Hoopoe, which taught him the language of birds. Birds serve as Solomon's spies and messengers.

See also: Agrat bat Mahalat; Asherah; Ashmodai; Djinn; Genie; Karina; Lilith; Naamah; Sarkin Aljan Suleimanu; Silibo;
Solomon's Seventy-Two Spirits; Umm Es Subyan

Solomon's Seventy-Two Spirits

Ancient folklore describes how Solomon commanded Djinn. One legend describes how he sealed seventy-two particularly
recalcitrant spirits in a brass vessel and flung it into the sea. The goal was to isolate these spirits and to prevent them from doing harm.
Various sequel legends describe how the spirits were eventually liberated.
In medieval Europe, the legend evolved further: Solomon sealed these seventy-two dangerous spirits inside a brazen vessel so they
were always available to labor for him. Medieval magicians cast themselves in the role of Solomon and sought to command and compel
these seventy-two spirits.
Spirits identified as being among the seventy-two are the subject of the various books of the Lemegeton and other grimoires. Many of
them are clearly distortions of ancient Pagan deities—like "Marquis" Ammon, "Duke" Ashtaroth, or King Baal, now redefined as
demons. It is not always clear whether these distortions were deliberate, whether the authors were unfamiliar with the original spirits, or
whether the spirits did indeed manifest in hostile fashion. Information is written from the perspective of Christian magicians who sought
to command dangerous spirits but did not love or respect them (or at least did not wish to appear to love and respect them).
Many spirits reclassified as demons were originally very beloved; their original devotees would be shocked and dismayed at their
portrayal. In some cases, as with Ashtaroth (formerly known as Astarte), even the original gender has been changed. Ranks given the
spirits (marquis, duke, count, knight) are European and may not have existed in the spirits' original home or heyday. It is probably fair to
assume that all seventy-two spirits are victims of such distortions. Those who would like to attempt to command them will find lots of
instruction in the Lesser Key of Solomon and other grimoires.
See also: Ammon; Ashmodai; Astarte; Ba'al (1); Ba'al (2); Demon; Djinn; Genie; Solomon, King

Somnus
Also known as: Somnos; Sopor
Origin: Italy
Somnus. Lord of Sleep, is the insomniac's spirit. The word insomnia derives from his name. Soporific, meaning "something that
causes sleep," derives from another of his names, Sopor. He is identified with Hypnos, Greek Lord of Sleep.
See also: Hypnos; Morpheus; Oneiroi

Sophia

Lady Wisdom

The name Sophia may refer to more than one goddess or different human perceptions of one goddess. Sophia is literally the Greek
translation of the Hebrew Hochma or "Wisdom." Alexandria, Egypt, was the home of a large unconventional Jewish population, many
of whom exclusively spoke and read Greek. The name Sophia may first appear in print in the apocryphal text The Wisdom of Solomon
written in Greek by an Alexandrian Jew in approximately 30 B CE Sophia is described as YHWH's throne companion—present at
Creation—humanity's guardian and guide, comparable to the Shekhina or Asherah. (A recent theory suggests that at least some of The
Wisdom of Solomon was written by women, possibly from a religious community described by Philo as the Therapeutae.)

According to The Wisdom of Solomon, Sophia will not enter a fraudulent mind nor make her home in a body "mortgaged to
sin."

Alexandria was a melting pot, especially when it came to spirituality and mysticism. The different schools of Gnosticism developed
here; Sophia evolved into an independent Gnostic goddess, the Lady of Divine Wisdom, possibly distinct from Hochma. There isn't one
school of Gnosticism: there are many and thus many visions of Sophia. Here's one basic version of her myth: Sophia and the Creator
are partners in Creation. Somehow Creation is flawed and Sophia's desire to live with people on Earth is stymied. She retreats to a
celestial realm to hide. Only the Creator knows where she is and visits her, but pure-hearted spiritual seekers can find her if they search
diligently.
In other versions, she echoes the Shekhina: separated from her male counterpart and her celestial origins, she is in exile in this world.
Her tears are the source of Earth's waters: the sea, rivers, and springs from which life and healing stem. She gives birth to light.
Sophia is sometimes associated with the goddesses Ma'at and Athena and with the serpent of wisdom. Modern magical traditions
sometimes invoke Sophia for academic success.
Iconography: Statues of Sophia depict her with a book in her left arm. A dove emerges from her heart. She may wear a bay laurel
wreath. Sophia is sometimes represented as an angelic figure painted red.
Color: White, red
Bird: Dove
See also: Asherah; Athena; Hokhma; Ma'at; Solomon, King

Soranus

Lord of Death
Origin: Italy

Soranus, an ancient deity worshipped in Italy before the arrival of the Romans, was venerated by the Etruscans, Sabines, and Falisc
as well as other local tribes and nations. Relatively little is now known about him. The center of his veneration was Mount Soracte, near
Rome. The mountain ridge is allegedly named in his honor. Soranus was an Underworld deity, associated with Death. His priests were
known as the Hirpi Sorani or "Wolves of Soranus." His rites included fire-walking over live coals. After the Romans defeated those
who worshipped him, Soranus was identified with Apollo, who took over his shrine under the guise of Apollo Soranus, although
Soranus' female partner, Ferronia, was incorporated into the Roman pantheon on her own.
Consort: Ferronia

See also: Apollo; Ferronia and the Glossary entry for Identification

Sphinx

The sphinx has the body of a lion but the head of another species, usually but not always a human. Sphinxes may be male or female.
They are aggressive, mysterious guardian spirits. Sphinx is a Greek word derived from a root meaning "strangler," which may refer to
the manner in which lions kill their prey. Whatever the Egyptians called the sphinx in their own language is now unknown.
The most famous sphinx in the world is Egypt's sixty-five-foot-high Great Sphinx, known in Arabic as the Father of Fear. Many
theories exist regarding the purpose, age, and even identity of the Great Sphinx. Sphinxes also appear in Greece from an early date.
Greek sphinxes are winged. The second most famous sphinx in the world is the one that posed riddles on the road to Greek Thebes.
The Greek sphinx is described as originally deriving from Ethiopia.
Sphinxes are ancient primeval spirits who guard and protect. They are a repository of secrets. (Big, mystical secrets; don't bother the
sphinx about mundane secrets.) Their powers are activated via their image. A personal sphinx may be requested to post guard over a
home, building, store, or object. The request may be made via dreams, visualization, or shamanic journey. Alternatively or in addition,
activate the image by speaking to it and making offerings of candles, water, and incense. Point the sphinx's head in the direction from
which danger threatens to arrive.
Sphinxes are beings of incredible might and power. They can transmit some of this power to their devotees, hence the age-old desire
to place one's own head on the sphinx's body. Pharaohs, including Hatshepsut commissioned images of themselves as sphinxes. Sarah
Bernhardt, famed French actress but also a sculptor, created a self-portrait in the form of a sphinx.
Although many sphinxes are male, the sphinx is also identified with a kind of profoundly erotic female power. German Symbolist
painter Franz Von Stuck's 1901 painting "Sphinx" portrays a nude woman reclining in sphinx position. In addition to Sarah Bernhardt,
other fin-de-siècle women who posed as sphinxes include author Colette and dancer Ida Rubenstein.

Perhaps inspired by his poem "The Sphinx," the memorial marking Oscar Wilde's grave in Paris' Père Lachaise cemetery
resembles a sphinx. It's also been described as a "demonangel", which may reveal something about the reactions evoked by
the sphinx. The monument's sculptor, Jacob Epstein, described it as a "Messenger of Beauty."
Iconography: Ancient images of sphinxes, Egyptian and Greek, abound. Among the many modern artists inspired by the sphinx
are Gustave Moreau, Gustave Doré, Odilon Redon, Louis Welden Hawkins, Elihu Vedder, Fernand Khnopff, Leonor Fini, and Franz
von Stuck.
Sacred site: The Great Sphinx at Giza, Egypt
See also: Echidna; Lilith; Sekhmet

Spirit Guides

Spirit Guide is a modern term associated with Spiritualism, Spiritism, and Theosophy to describe the ancient concept that each
person is attached to one or more spiritual beings. These beings serve as counselors and attempt to further the individual's spiritual
progression.
Based on this concept, every individual has spirit guides, whether or not they are aware of them. Those who believe in reincarnation
perceive that the same guides accompany the individual through each incarnation. These guides come in all forms: they may be angels,
animal allies, ancient root ancestors, deceased relatives, saints, spirits, or Biblical figures. They may or may not identify themselves to
you. Spirit-volunteered identification usually occurs in dreams, but identities may also be ascertained through visualization, divination, or
trance mediums. Spiritual churches advise that fasting and prayer will encourage spirit guides to identify themselves to you.
One may also accumulate additional spirit guides who may or may not be beneficial. Kindness, generosity, and loving behavior attract

benevolent spirits. Fear, anger, violence, and envy can attract malevolent spirits who feed on these emotions and thus encourage them.
They can be banished by calling in more powerful spirits to drive them off, but it's also important to modify whatever emotions or
conditions attracted them in the first place.
See also: Ascended Masters; Caboclos; Hidden Company; Madama, La;

Stella Maris

Star of the Sea
Stella Maris guards those who travel over the sea. She miraculously emerges when people are in trouble:
• She rises from the depths of the ocean.
• She hovers on a low cloud over the sea.
• She manifests on a rock amidst tempest-tossed waves.
The Stella Maris comforts those who are lost or frightened. She guides and protects sailors, mariners, and travelers. She prevents
shipwrecks and drowning. For centuries, she has been the favorite goddess of sailors and frequent sea travelers.
Stella Maris guards against the literal dangers of sea travel, but she is also invoked to guide and protect travelers who
navigate the stormy, tempestuous waters of life.

Exactly who is the Stella Maris? Good question. Stella Maris is not a name but an epithet belonging to various goddesses as well as
the Virgin Mary. Stella Maris is Latin for "Star of the Sea," but the same words are used as epithets for goddesses in many languages.
Among those considered Stars of the Sea are Lady Asherah of the Sea, Isis, Kwan Yin, and Ma Zu.
Iconography: Stella Maris refers to Marian images depicting a serene, beautiful woman dressed in blue and white either emerging
from the sea, standing on a cloud that hovers over the sea, or mysteriously standing on a rock in the middle of a storm tossed sea. This
image appears on chromolithographs, icons, religious medals, and on rosaries and statues. In addition to Mary, this same image is also
used to represent Yemaya, Janaina, and La Sirène.
Attribute: A crescent moon-shaped anchor on which she stands.
Planet: Moon
Colors: Blue, white, crystal clear, and the colors of the sea
Altar: Decorate her altar with seashells, vessels of salt water, and marine and nautical imagery.
See also: Asherah; Black Madonna; Isis; Janaina; Kwan Yin; Ma Zu; Siréne, La; Yemaya

Strenia
Origin: Italy (Sabine)
Day: 1 January
Strenia is the goddess of prosperity, abundance, pleasure, and new beginnings. Goddess of the New Year, Strenia presided over
the gift-giving incorporated into Roman New Year's festivities. (This tradition of gift-giving was eventually transferred to Christmas.)

Strenia is associated with sticks, boughs, and branches. The laurel boughs which are her emblem were known as strenne, but the word
eventually came to mean all New Year's gifts. The sacred twigs carried in procession on the Via Sacra on the first day of January,
Janus' month, were obtained from Strenia's grove.
Vestiges of rituals associated with Strenia survive in the Italian tradition of giving a New Year's gift of a calendar and some mistletoe:
these gifts are called strenne. In France, New Year's gifts are called etrennes.
Emblem: Bay laurel boughs
Tree: Bay laurel
Altar: Decorate with bay laurel and palm branches hung with dates, figs, and gilded fruit. Don't forget the mistletoe!
Offerings: Give her nicely wrapped gifts.
See also: Daphne; Janus; Saturn

Styx
Origin: Greece

In Greek mythology, the River Styx forms the boundary between the realms of the living and the dead, encircling Hades nine times.
The goddess Styx is the spirit of that river. Styx, the eldest daughter of Oceanos and Tethy, is a goddess of death, oblivion, justice, and
honesty. According to classical myth, Styx was among those gathering flowers with Persephone just before her abduction. According to
an alternative myth, Styx and Zeus are Persephone's parents.
Styx is the guardian of oaths, an honor bestowed upon her because she and her children were the first spirits to support Zeus' reign.
She is his loyal ally. If the Olympians fight or if one is suspected of lying, Iris is sent to fetch Styx. Iris alerts Styx when Olympian oaths
are sworn by filling a vessel with cold water and letting it rain down on her rocky roof. Oaths were sworn on water drawn from the
River Styx. Spirits who perjure themselves on Styx water fall into a coma that lasts a year, Sleeping Beauty style. Even after awakening,
nine years of punishment follows. Only in the tenth year can their old position be reclaimed.
Spirit allies: Zeus and her children Bia, Nike, Cratos, and Zelos.
Realm: Styx, a solitary spirit, dwells in Hades in her own beautiful, private home set apart from those of the other residents of
Hades. Her roof is formed of huge rocks.
See also: Bia; Hades; Iris; Nike, Oceanid; Oceanos; Olympian Spirits; Persephone; Prometheus; Tethys; Titans; Zeus

Suijin
Also known as: Suiten; Mizu no Kamisama; Ame no Minakanushi
Classification: Kami

Suijin is the goddess of water and ruler of all spirits associated with water. She also has dominion over creatures that live in water,
including fish, snakes, and eels. Like the rice deity, Inari, Suijin may manifest in female or male forms, although the female seems to be
the older or original version. Suijin and Inari are often invoked together to provide and guard an abundant rice harvest. Suijin is also an
agricultural goddess, as it's crucial to have just enough water. Suijin is invoked against storms, floods, and mudslides.
Suijin is involved with all forms of water, from oceans to ponds, rivers, and even stagnant pools on your lawn. She has dominion over
water in your tap and the water in the sewer. Suijin is a gracious, benevolent spirit, invoked for safety when traveling on or in water. She
protects against drowning and offers children special protection. Amulets bearing her name allegedly protect against shipwreck.

Water spirits are traditionally linked with human fertility, and Suijin is no exception. She has dominion over conception, pregnancy,
and childbirth. Her blessings are invoked for easy, pain-free labor. Although many shrines are dedicated to Suijin, she is also a popular
household spirit; the focal point of home altars.
Favored people: Those who catch or sell fish, farmers, women, children
Festival: 5 May
Sacred site: Shrines include Suitengu Shrine in Tokyo, where she is venerated alongside Benten.
See also: Benten; Inari
Suijin is also a blanket term referring to Japanese water spirits—benevolent, ambivalent, and otherwise. Suijin as a class
includes any type of spirit associated with water, including dragons, mermaids, and Kappa.

Sukunahiko

The Small Man of Renown; Short Man Spirit
Also known as: Sukunahikona; Sukunahikona no Kami; Sukunahikona-no-mikota
Classification: Kami

One of the most powerful Japanese deities is about the size of Tom Thumb. Sukunahiko is the tiny kami who helped Okuninushi
build Japan and create protections for people against illness and danger. Sukunahiko is a culture hero: he taught the arts of growing rice
and brewing sake. He is the divine brewer. Those who manufacture or sell sake may consider themselves under his dominion.
Sukunahiko created sewing and medicine. Beyond botanical herbalism, Sukunahiko invented the concept of manufacturing medications.
When Sukunahiko was ill, he was cured by treatment in healing hot springs. Now Sukunahiko rules onsen, Japan's many natural hot
springs. (Japan is dotted with over one thousand of these natural thermal baths.) Sukunahiko is a healing deity but he also specifically
has dominion over recuperation and recovery from illness.
Although originally a general healer, Sukunahiko has emerged as the gynecologist god. His specialties include:
• Fertility and conception
• Healing infertility
• Healing and preventing sexually transmitted diseases
• Healing illnesses of the reproductive region, including endometriosis
• Easy, uncomplicated childbirth
• Healthy babies
His medical specialty is reflected in the unique offerings made to him. Women first began offering him their underwear during the Edo
period (1603–1867) as part of their petition process. Women's panties are attached to traditional wooden offering boards (ema
boards) at his shrine in Awashima. The shrine also displays a huge collection of dolls, phallic symbols, and amuletic statues.
Sukunahiko is credited with saving Empress Jingu from shipwreck. He was enshrined on the island on which she landed. In
gratitude, she enlarged his shrine. The two are now frequently venerated together .

Favored people: Women

M anifestation: Sukunahiko is so small, he slipped between his mother's fingers. His clothes are made from the feathers of a wren.

Attribute: A boat made from a flowering vine pod, possibly either a type of Ipomoea (morning glory, sweet potato) or Metaplexis
japonica, a type of twining milkweed
Spirit ally: Sukunahiko is frequently venerated alongside Empress Jingu; Okuninushi is his partner in creation.
Offerings: Underwear, Hina and other dolls, sewing needles, fine sake, incense, pilgrimage to his shrines
See also: Awashima; Jingu, Empress; Kami; Okuninushi

Sulis

Origin: Celtic
Sulis is the presiding goddess of the natural hot springs of Bath, England. The springs and town were formerly known as Aquae Sulis:
"the waters of Sulis." Her name is related to a Celtic word for "sun" and in fact the waters are naturally very hot as if powered by the
sun. Sulis' waters are therapeutic. She is a goddess of healing as well as a spirit of justice and vengeance. Devotees invoked Sulis to
punish those who had done them wrong, especially thieves.
Sulis was resident at Bath long before the arrival of the Romans. Pigs are credited with discovering her healing waters. People found
them lolling in the warm mud. Celts preferred to worship in natural settings and Sulis' first shrine was rustic. The Romans loved thermal
baths. When they arrived in Britain, they embraced Sulis and her waters wholeheartedly. The Romans identified her with Minerva and,
maybe as early as 65 CE, replaced her small shrine with a massive one featuring a Mediterranean-style temple. The natural springs were
converted into an enormous enclosed pool.
Sulis' new shrine was patronized by an international clientele. It became an ancient pilgrimage and tourist destination. Over sixteen
thou sand coins have been found on-site, testifying to the varied origins of devotees including Celts, Greeks, Romans, and Romanized
Britons.
Coins and other offerings were given to Sulis by throwing them into her reservoir, akin to the modern tradition of dropping coins in a
wishing well. In addition to offerings, curse tablets were also commonly deposited in her waters. Curse tablets (Latin: Defixiones, from
a verb meaning "to fix" as in the ominous threat, "I'm going to fix you!") are small sheets of lead or other soft, inexpensive metal
inscribed with a message detailing the petitioner's desires and addressed to the spirit expected to fulfill them. The inscribed metal sheet
was rolled up like a little scroll and thrown into watery depths from which they could not be retrieved. (Hence the spell could not be
broken; the petition could not be revoked.) Sulis apparently provided justice for those who perceived themselves wronged or
disenfranchised.
Other offerings included ex-votos. Amulets were created at the shrine and provided to the faithful. Molds for making amulets,
including some resembling solar wheels, were found in her sanctuary.
Planet: Sun
Element: Water
Animal: Pig

Sacred site: Sulis' sacred spring at Bath is not merely a source of hot water and healing but also a sacred portal where humans and
spirits may communicate, hence its associations with curse tablets.
Offerings: She was offered ex-votos in the shape of parts of the body, especially breasts. It's believed that these amulets were
worn during pregnancy, birth, and lactation and then donated to Sulis once the process had been successfully concluded. Offerings
discovered at Bath also include lots of coins plus a pair of loaded dice.
See also: Coventina; Minerva; Sequana; Sirona

Supay
Origin: Bolivia
Also known as: El Tio ("The Uncle")

Supay is the spirit of Bolivia's mines and patron of miners. He is the master of mineral seams and can bestow or withhold wealth
and success. He gives minerals as gifts or hides them. He can provide safety or cause accidents; he can lead someone out of the mine or
cause them to become hopelessly lost. Supay causes and prevents mine tunnel collapse.
He is an ancient, local deity who has been displaced above ground by Christianity. Miners do not invoke other deities or saints, at
least not while in the mine, to avoid offending Supay and raising his wrath. Supay lives underground and resembles a red devil. Those
who would like to suppress folk religion identify him as the devil, but his devotees do not consider him to be so. He is either referred to
by name or as El Tio, "the uncle below ground." (El Tío literally means "the uncle" in Spanish.)
Supay guards the mines and miners—providing they pay him his due. Supay considers what are called offerings to be payments. As
landlord of the mines, Supay expects to be paid by those who hope to profit from them or who labor within. He protects those who
make offerings but punishes those who do not. Supay is given daily offerings with larger, more lavish payments offered on the first and
last Friday of each month. El Tio's image is placed within a niche in a passageway within a mine so he can accept offerings directly.
Supay must be honored in order to escape his wrath and receive his protection.
Supay emerges from the mine to dance at the famous Carnival celebrations in Oruro, Bolivia. Supay's associations with Carnival
began in the late eighteenth century, and he is now its star and main symbol. According to legend, El Tio lives underground in mines and
caves. He only ventures out one day a year on Carnival Sunday, the day of temptation.

Iconography: Supay is envisioned as a red horned spirit with an erect phallus. Statues are crafted so that arms, hands, and mouth
are open to directly accept offerings. Sometimes mouth and penis are linked by an inner tube so that liquids poured into Supay's mouth
exit via his penis as if he's truly urinating.
Consort: China Supay
Animals: Alpaca, llama (beasts of burden that carry what's been removed from his mines)

Time: August, the month when miners traditionally buy their annual supplies and equipment. Supay is also celebrated at the Oruro
Carnival, which begins the Saturday before Ash Wednesday and features a masked procession. Archangel Michael leads the opening
parade, followed by Lucifer, who is accompanied by Supay.
Offerings: Candles, cigarettes, coca leaves, liquor
See also: Michael; Pachamama; Supay, China

Supay, China
Also known as: Tía ("Auntie") and Awicha
Origin: Bolivia

China Supay is Supay's female counterpart and consort. She sometimes shares altars with her husband. They may be invoked
together on behalf of the safety of miners. China Supay is considered with ambivalence. On one hand, like her husband, she is identified
with the devil, on the other she is also identified with the Virgin of the Assumption.
The term China (pronounced Chee-na) has different implications in different parts of Latin America. Although it may literally refer to
a Chinese woman, China Supay is not Chinese; she's a local spirit. In Bolivia,China indicates a female or a servant woman but also has
somewhat derogatory sexual implications. These implications are on full display during Carnival, where dancers don China Supay
masks. China Supay was originally danced almost exclusively by transvestites until they were banned.

Planet: Moon
M etal: Silver (considered the moon's metal but also the metal actually extracted from these mines)
Time: The month of August (also associated with the Virgin Mary)
Offerings: Lumps of sugar (try absinthe sugar, crafted into the form of card suit symbols)
See also: Malinche; Supay

Surem
Origin: Yaqui
The Surem are ancestral spirits of the Yaqui people, who are native to the Yaqui River Valley of Sonora, Mexico, but now also live
in great numbers in Arizona. The Surem are small, peaceful, quiet beings who dislike noise, violence, and disharmony.
According to myth, one day a tree began speaking in a strange language. No one could communicate with the tree except for one
very little girl who became the tree's translator. The tree warned of the coming of Europeans and foretold that in the future, a new,
repressive religion would be imposed. The tree offered the people a choice: to stay and meet the future or to leave and avoid it. Those
who chose to leave became the Surem, immortal spirits who live within hills or beneath the sea. Those who stayed behind became the
Yaqui who, forewarned, became bigger, stronger, and tougher in order to fight the anticipated Spanish invaders. In fact, the
conquistador Diego de Guzman arrived in Yaquiland in 1533, exactly as the tree had foretold.
M anifestation: The Surem are ancestral spirits and allegedly can only be seen by the Yaqui or those of Yaqui ancestry. They are
benevolent spirits who offer assistance when requested. They ride between realms on dragonflies.
See also: Ancestors; Cihuacoatl

Susano'o

The Raging Male; The Courageous Impetuous Male
Also known as: Susanoo
Origin: Japan
Classification: Kami

Susano'o, Lord of Water, Storms, and Thunder, is Amaterasu's wild brother. It was his violence that sent Amaterasu fleeing to her
cave. (See also: Amaterasu.) Simplified mythology books paint Susano'o as a "bad" spirit who creates havoc from sheer malice, but
his actions stem from a commonly overlooked root reason. Susano'o is Amaterasu's rival for dominion over Japan and rulership of the
kami.
There are different versions of exactly what precipitated the crisis: although Susano'o had dominion over the sea, he was jealous of
Amaterasu and challenged her authority. An alternative version suggests a friendly competition gone wrong. The two had a contest to
see which possessed greater fertility power. Although technically Susano'o won in terms of numbers, Amaterasu claimed victory based
on interpretation of the value of what was created.
Outraged, Susano'o went on the rampage that led to Amaterasu retreating from the world. After Amaterasu emerged from her cave,
her victory was confirmed. Susano'o was punished by being banished from the celestial regions. He came to live on Earth where, in
another famous myth, he rescues a young girl from an eight-headed dragon, then marries her and founds a dynasty. Susano'o pulled a

sword from out of the dragon's belly or tail, which he eventually presented to Amaterasu as a reconciliation gift. That sword is one of the
three treasures of Japan.
Susano'o is volatile, emotional, passionate, and prone to temper tantrums, but he is also generous, courageous, clever, and afraid of
nothing. He is a great magician and a repository of occult knowledge. Susano'o is credited with inventing fermentation and alcoholic
beverages (initially in order to sedate that dragon!). He is a powerful spirit and, as his legend testifies, invoked for fertility and
abundance. Susano'o protects against epidemics, but he can also send them. Susano'o has access to the realm of death and some
influence in that area.
Spirit ally: Susano'o is venerated alongside his son, Okuninushi.

Sacred sites: Susano'o is enshrined in Izumo, where he descended to Earth after being banished from Heaven. Izumo is the oldest
shrine in Japan, second in importance only to Ise, where Amaterasu is enshrined. (He is enshrined elsewhere, too. It was traditional to
build shrines to Susano'o to stave off epidemics.)
See also: Amaterasu; Izanagi; Izanami; Kami; Lady Horsehead; Okuninushi; Tengu; Uzume

Svantovit

Strong Lord
Origin: Slavic

Svantovit, spirit of war and victory, was revered by Balts and Slavs alike and petitioned for abundance, protection, and military
success. He is a spirit of prophecy. A sacred white horse, kept in his temple, served as Svantovit's oracle. The horse was led through
lanes of upright spears. If he did not knock over any spears, the oracle was favorable. Svantovit also delivers oracles via divination dice.
Post-Christianity, Svantovit was identified with Saint Vitus.
M anifestation: Svantovit has four faces, gazing in different directions.
Attributes: Drinking horn, bow and arrows, sword
Sacred site: Rügen Island in the Baltic Sea—Svantovit was venerated in the beech groves on the island.
Offerings: Beverages including mead and foods, including a special honey cake the size of a man
See also: Herta

Svarog
Also known as: Swarog
Origin: Slavic

Svarog, Ruler of the Sun and Spirit of Fire, once headed the Slavic pantheon. A divine smith, Svarog forged the sun. He is literally a
patriarch, considered the father of other Slavic deities. Svarog invented the concept of marriage. Post-Christianity, he was demoted to
the status of fire demon, sometimes equated with Satan. Some of his old functions were assigned to Saint George.
Favored people: Smiths, metalworkers
M anifestation: Svarog is the fire in the forge and hearth. He is a shape-shifter who can assume any form. He's been known to

appear with three heads. Favorite manifestations include his sacred creatures: bull, horse, gray wolf, and especially a falcon.

Swan Goddesses

In Swan Lake, one of the world's most beloved ballets, women are transformed into swans by an evil, manipulative sorcerer. The
story draws on distorted legends of Swan Goddesses, among the most primeval of all deities. They are spirits of northern climates and
may have first emerged among the Finno-Ugric peoples (Finns, Saami, Hungarians) as well as various indigenous Siberian groups.
Swans fly and these goddesses may have migrated to play prominent roles in Russian, Scandinavian, Balkan, and Celtic mythology,
among others. (Alternatively, Swan Goddesses are innately an international phenomeon.)
As in that ballet, Swan Goddesses shape-shift, sometimes appearing as beautiful women clothed in white or black and sometimes
appearing in the form of swans. Even as women, they may wear sleeves evoking swans' wings. Abundance, good fortune, and fertility
spill from these sleeves. (Priestesses perhaps channeling these goddesses did indeed wear dresses with sleeves like this. Sleeves were
normally kept pinned up, but during ritual dances, these excessively long sleeves were released to billow and fall beneath the women's
fingers.) Any swan might be a Swan Goddess in disguise, so tremendous taboos existed regarding killing swans. Alternatively any
woman might be a Swan Goddess in disguise. In many Siberian cultures, swans traditionally represent women. In the mythology of the
Northern Voguls, swans were originally human but even in avian form, still menstruate like women.
Swan Goddesses are spirits of life and death. They are the original White Ladies. Many are psychopomps, death goddesses,
traveling between realms of the living and the dead. They control the migration of birds and provide abundance and good fortune. They
are mistresses of transformation who can help devotees become who they wish to be. Among those spirits classified among the Swan
Goddesses are Valkyries, Vila, and Tündér.
Swan Goddesses may also be Goose Goddesses. The ancients didn't necessarily distinguish between these two large,
aggressive water birds. The origins of Mother Goose may lie among Swan Goddesses.

Swan maidens are subject of legend, lore, and ballads. The English ballad "Polly Von" may recall vestigial memories of transforming
swan maidens. (There is a recording by the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary.)
According to Yakut mythology, swans are the sacred birds and messengers of a very beautiful goddess named White Bird
who lives in a stone house at the top of the world. White Bird dresses in white. Every spring, she travels to a cliff opposite the
Yenisei River and shakes dust out of her long sleeves, which then transforms into migratory birds. Every fall, the birds return
to her and transform back into dust for safekeeping.

See also: Aphrodite; Caer Ibormeith; Graeae; Kaltes; Laimos; Norns; Psychopomp; Sirens; Tündér; Valkyrie; Vila; White
Lady

Sybil
Also known as: Sibyl
Sybil is a title used to designate a lineage of prophetesses, venerated for centuries. At least two Sybils are traditionally venerated as
goddesses. Others serve as spirit guides. They may also be approached in dreams and visualizations in order to obtain specific
information not available from other sources or standard channels.
The Sybils were seers whose prophecies were written down and stored. Sybils lived in different locations and prophesied in different

languages, although they seem to have been part of a linked international sisterhood. Predictions were written in Greek, Hebrew, Latin,
and hieroglyphics—and possibly other languages, too. Sometimes prophecies were written in real books; sometimes they were written
on palm leaves, which would be blown about by winds. The Sybils' prophecies were oblique, sometimes featuring word games.
The name Sybil is etymologically related to Kybele, an oracular goddess whose name is sometimes pronounced Sib-ill-ee.
The earliest Sybils may have been her priestesses. The names Sybil and Kybele both refer to caves or caverns. The Cumaean
Sybil, most famous of the Sybils, did, in fact, inhabit a cave.

Very little information survives regarding the Sybils. We know what they did, but we don't know what they believed or even whether
Sybils in different locations shared the same spiritual orientation.The earliest reference to a Sybil dates from approximately 1200 BCE
from what is now modern Turkey. Their prophetic texts are now almost entirely lost: Rome's
Sibylline Books were deliberately
destroyed during the transition to Christianity as state religion.
Michelangelo included five Sybils among the figures he painted on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, although he used men as
models for their bodies.

At least ten historical Sybils and their locations have been identified, among them:
• The Apennine Sybil
• The Cimmerian Sybil
• The Cumaean Sybil
• The Eritrean Sybil
• The Sybil of the Hellespont
• The Libyan Sybil
• The Persian Sybil
• The Samian Sybil
• The Tiburtine Sybil

THE CUMAEAN SYBIL
The Cumaean Sybil is the only one for whom archaeological evidence currently exists and also the one with the most mythic
information. In approximately 525 BCE, an elderly woman appeared in Rome requesting to see King Tarquin. She offered to sell him
nine books containing the world's destiny for three hundred pieces of silver. He dismissed her as a crank. She returned later, offering to
sell him six books for the same price. Again, he dismissed her. When she returned the third time, offering three books for three hundred
pieces of silver, Tarquin finally took a look at her wares. He realized that they were the real thing, immediately paid the asking price and
asked for the other books, too. She laughed at him, told him that she had burned them, and vanished into thin air.
The three surviving books, known as the Sibylline Books or Sibylline Prophecies became Rome's most heavily guarded treasure.
Stored in a stone chest beneath the Temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill, they were consulted only in emergencies and before
momentous decisions. Even high priests were forbidden to read them without express permission from the Senate. Anyone who
attempted was sewn into a sack, and thrown into the Tiber River. The Romans sent messengers to Sybils in other locations in attempts
to reproduce the information contained in the six lost books.
The mysterious book-seller eventually re-emerged in Cumae (now modern Cuma) near the Bay of Naples. She lived and prophesied
in a cave on a red volcanic hill overlooking the sea. Her cave was cut into a trapezoidal form, a shape now acknowledged as most
earthquake resistant. Windows were cut into the rock. The Sybil purified and prepared herself via bathing. She then dressed in
ceremonial clothing, sat on her throne in her cave, and prophesied. She became famous and the subject of a pilgrimage. Visitors were
admitted to see and inquire of her. Coins in the area were engraved with her emblem: a mussel shell.
Scholars theorize that over centuries, a series of women fulfilled the role of Sybil of Cumae although others consider that the Sybil
who sold King Tarquin the books was immortal and thus the only Cumaean Sybil. Early Christians honored the Cumaean Sybil because
it was rumored that she had foretold the birth of Christ but this tolerance was short-lived: the prophetess was eventually considered a
witch. The Cumaean Sybil evolved into the witch-goddess Sibilla who engendered the wrath of the Inquisition. In 1912, archaeologists
excavating caverns corresponding to her legend discovered an ancient tunnel nearly five hundred feet long drilled through solid rock.

(See also: Sibilla.)

THE SYBIL HEROPHILE
The Sybil Herophile derives from what is now modern Turkey, Kybele's country. She was the daughter of a mountain Nymph and a
mortal father. Sybil Herophile was worshipped in conjunction with her mother in a tomb-shrine in a grotto with a spring. She was
venerated alongside Hermes, Apollo, Demeter and various other Nymphs. Dedicatory inscriptions date from as late as the second
century CE.
See also: Apollo; Ceres; Demeter; Hermes; Kybele; Nymph; Sibilla; Spirit Guides

Sylvanus

King of the Woodlands
Also known as: Silvanus

Sylvanus, horned spirit of forests, groves, and wild fields, presides over boundaries, thresholds, and hedges.
Sylvanus literally
means "Forest Spirit" in Latin and is the name used by the Romans to describe one or more spirits they encountered in Northern Italy—
and perhaps as far as Pannonia, an ancient trans-Danubian nation now part of modern Hungary. What is known of him derives from
Roman writings. Whether he had other local names is now unknown, but he has been responding to Silvanus for centuries. The Romans
compared him to Faunus. He also resembles Pan in that he, too, reputedly enjoys scaring lonely travelers.
Sylvanus is the spirit of the wild, flourishing forest, but unlike Faunus and Pan, Sylvanus is not exclusively a wilderness spirit. When his
woodland was cleared and cultivated, he evolved into a spirit of fields. Sylvanus is the protector of herds and cattle. In medieval France,
Silvanus was identified with Saint Amador, who is sometimes called Sylvanus.
M anifestation: He is described as a horned spirit resembling Faunus. Sylvanus is usually accompanied by three Nymphs, the
Sylvanae.
Sylvanus may derive from the Etruscan spirit Selvans. The forest is Selvans' shrine: he possessed no temples, priests, or
festivals. The subject of exclusively male veneration, he was worshipped in private.

Iconography: Images of the Green Man may be used to represent him.
Attributes: Pruning knife, sickle, and a pine bough
Animals: Wolf, stag
Tree: Pine
Sacred site: Sylvanus was venerated with Diana at a shrine in Nettleton Shrub, Wiltshire, in the mid-third century CE. Based on
archaeological evidence, the shrine was a major pilgrimage site.

Offerings: First fruits of the season were offered to Sylvanus alongside meat and wine. These were exclusively male rituals; women
were not permitted to witness sacrificial offerings made to Sylvanus.
See also: Diana; Faunus; Green Man; Nymph; Pan

Syrena
Origin: Poland
Classification: Mermaid

Syrena is the mermaid guardian of the city of Warsaw. Syrena, which means "mermaid," is the daughter of Baltyk, King of the Baltic
Sea. Once, pursued by some fishermen, she swam quickly and desperately. When she finally felt safe, she surfaced to look around and
get her bearings: she found herself at the mouth of the Vistula River and fell in love with the landscape. Since then it's been her home.
According to legend, it was she who first convinced people to found the city of Warsaw.
Syrena is the subject of many legends. A man who once saw her in the river without getting a really good look presumed that she was
a drowning woman, so he jumped in to save her. Syrena allowed him to carry her to shore. When he saw her tail, he realized his error
and gently carried her back to the water. Syrena was so amused and touched by his consideration that she rewarded him with a lifetime
of wealth and good fortune. She is the emblem of the city.
M anifestation: Syrena is usually a classical mermaid: a woman above the waist and a fish below. However she is sometimes
described as being half woman and half water snake similar to the earliest incarnations of Ezili and Mami Waters.
Iconography: Syrena appears on Warsaw's coat of arms. Statues of the mermaid appear throughout the city. She has also
appeared on Polish stamps. An older version of Warsaw's coat of arms displayed an armed male dragon. It's theorized that this is
Syrena's father or another close relative.
Attributes: Sword and shield
Element: Water
Offerings: Herb or fruit infused Polish vodka, Polish fruit brandy and Polish pastries, as well as jewelry, hand mirrors; hair combs
and ribbons.
See also: Ezili; Mami Waters; Mermaid; Siren; Sirène, La

Szélanya

The Wind Mother
Pronounced: Sail-ah-nya
Origin: Hungary

Szélanya literally means "Mother of the Winds" or "Wind Mother". Szélanya is the wind, but she is also the goddess who controls
the winds. Szélanya stores and guards the winds in a cave at the top of a tall mountain at the end of the world. It's very important not to
offend her because if she feels slighted, she releases violent storm winds. To some extent, the winds mirror her moods. When Szélanya
is feeling placid, so is the weather.
Post-Christianity Szélanya was demoted to a witch goddess however traditions survived in the guise of superstitions. It was
considered dangerous to curse the wind or to refer directly to Szélanya using derogatory words for witch. Whirlwinds contain witches,
according to a common belief in Central and Eastern Europe. Thus it became traditional to slash or cut a whirlwind (or any strong wind)
with an ax or knife so as to weaken, frighten, or harm the witch within. Hungarian folk wisdom strongly advises against this practice, as
it enrages Szélanya, raising her hackles and hence the winds.
Weather witches may consider Szélanya their goddess. She is invoked when you require a strong wind or when you need existing
winds to lessen in intensity. She can send powerful cleansing winds when needed or can keep the air very still. She may also be invoked
when winds of change are in order.

M anifestation: Szélanya usually manifests as an elderly lady, but she can also literally appear as wind.
See also: Feng Popo; Samovila; Samovili

Szépasszony
Pronounced: Sayp-uh-sohn-ye

There is no fury like a goddess scorned. Szépasszony is a pre-Christian Hungarian love goddess now demoted to a beautiful but
dangerous witch spirit. Her true name has been suppressed. Szépasszony, a euphemism, literally means "beautiful woman" in Hungarian.
Spirit of romance, fertility, birth, and death, Szépasszony is a water goddess, associated with storms and rain.
Post-Christianity, she developed a malevolent reputation as a femme fatale, a dangerous, tempestuous demon, accused of fatally
luring away children, similar to Hans Christian Andersen's Snow Queen. Ailing children are described as nursing at her breast. It is
unclear how much of this is true and how much is fear-mongering and defamation intended to discourage veneration. Alternatively,
Szépasszony is violently furious at the loss of her veneration. She may form alliances with those who love and respect her.
Her gifts, if she chooses to give them, are beauty, romance, and intoxicating ecstasy. Szé-passzony is an authority on love spells and
potions. She is invoked to find one's true love. Szépasszony adores dancing and rain and ventures out to dance in storms. Considered
responsible for hail and white winter storms, Szépasszony is a sorceress who uses water as the primary ingredient in spells. Watch out
for standing puddles: they are her magical tricks, laid down to ensnare victims. Those who walk through puddles, then catch cold and
die are perceived as bewitched by Szépasszony. She is held responsible for any life-threatening ailment perceived as caused or
aggravated by inclement weather. Szépasszony may be invoked to heal such illnesses, too.

M anifestation: Szépasszony is a true White Lady, very fair-skinned with long silver-white hair; her dresses are incandescent white.
Color: White
Element: Water
References in the trial testimony of Erzsebet Báthory (1560–1614), the so-called Blood Countess, suggest that she may
have venerated Szépasszony. Some of the murders she is alleged to have committed are also remiscent of the goddess.
Countess Báthory forced some of her young female victims to strip naked while standing outside in freezing weather. Ice water
was thrown over them and they were left to freeze to death .

Sacred sites:
• Cropped grass circles surrounded by taller grass mark her dance floors. It's considered bad manners (and dangerous!) to
venture inside unless invited by the Szépasszony (and maybe even then).
• Szépasszony Valley in Eger, Hungary's wine country, allegedly the center of her veneration prior to Christianity, is lush, fertile
land, suggesting that once upon a time she wasn't always such a chilly goddess. It is now prime tourist terrain.
Tree: Alder
Offerings: White flowers, clear crystals, gifts that sparkle; serve her white Eger wine.
See also: Boldog Asszony; Demon; White Lady