Vajra
The Sanskrit word Vajra and its Tibetan synonym Dorje are variously interpreted as diamond, lightning bolt, thunderbolt or phallus.
The Vajra/Dorje is also a kind of ritual knife or chopper. In addition to these literal meanings,
Vajra also has tremendous extra
resonance, symbolizing:
• Diamond-hard, indestructible wisdom
• That perfect piercing moment of epiphany and clarity
• Enlightenment
• Divine inspiration
• Fertility; procreativity
• Life essence and the ability to generate life
• Death
• Apocalypse
Vajrayana or "Diamond Vehicle" is the name given to esoteric, Tantric Buddhist traditions. The word Vajra is incorporated into the
names of many spirits, not limited to those included in this book.
See also: Ghantapa; Marichi; Vajranairatmya; Vajrapani; Vajravahari; Vajravetali

Vajranairatmya

Diamond Selfl essness; Lady of Emptiness; She Who has Achieved Selfl essness
Also known as: Nairatmya; Vajra Nairatmya
Origin: Tibet
Classification: Buddha
Vajranairatmya is a path to enlightenment and a primary Tantric deity. She is the spirit of freedom, the goddess of "non-self".
Vajranairatmya achieved enlightenment and is now called the Ego-less One. She travels with a retinue of eight dakinis.
M anifestation: Vajranairatmya appeared to the sage Virupa in the guise of an older, gaunt, low-caste woman with very dark,
blue-black skin.

Iconography: Vajranairatmya wears a crown of small skulls over her red hair. Her hair is otherwise ornamented with a fivepronged vajra. She wears a tiger-skin skirt. She is envisioned in sublime union with Hevajra or by herself as a seated yogini. In her fourarmed guise, she dances within a halo of flames.
Attribute: Vajra, bowl formed from a skull
Emblem: Downward-facing triangle
Consort: Hevajra

Color: Blue
See also: Buddha; Dakini; Vajra; Vajravetali

Vajrapani

Thunderbolt Bearer; Diamond Bearer
Also known as: Phyagna Dorje
Classification: Bodhisattva; Buddha

Vajrapani began as a Yaksha and was so fierce that he eventually attained the status of Chief General of the Yakshas. He is now
one of the three principal protectors of the Buddha, alongside Avalokiteshvara and Manjushri. The three are sometimes venerated
together.
Vajrapani epitomizes the power of all the Buddhas. He is a complex spirit who manifests in many forms. Vajrapani is the companion
and bodyguard of the Buddha, but he is also a Buddha himself. According to legend, he will be the last Buddha to appear in the world
cycle. He is a principal Bodhisattva.
When the Nagas approached the Buddha seeking to listen and learn from him, Vajrapani was charged with protecting
them from their mortal enemies, the Garudas. In order to confuse the Garudas and combat them if necessary, Vajrapani
assumed a form closely resembling a Garuda.

Vajrapani is wrathful, a spirit of fierce, benevolent compassion. Because of his associations with Nagas, he has evolved into a rain
deity and is petitioned when rain is either too abundant or insufficient. Vajrapani banishes the worst demons. As a guardian spirit, his
image is frequently found near the entrances to Buddhist shrines in Mongolian and Tibetan temples and in the homes of devotees.
Iconography: The earliest images of Vajrapani were based on Greek images of Heracles. In his modern aspect, he is draped in a
tiger or elephant skin. A snake coils around his neck. He wears a crown of five skulls. Vajrapani dances within a halo of flames
symbolic of the energy of the enlightened mind (and his fearlessness).
Attributes: Vajra, blue lotus, rope
Consort: Sujata
Color: Dark blue
M antra: OM VAJRAPANI HUM (Chanting Vajrapani's mantra reputedly dispels fear
hypochondriacs among others.)

and illness and thus is beneficial for

See also: Bodhisattva; Buddha; Garuda; Heracles; Naga; Vajraand the Glossary entry for Mantra

Vajravahari

The Diamond Sow
Also known as: Vajra Dakini; Vajrayogini; Dorje Pakmo

Classification: Buddha; Dakini; Yidam

Vajravahari, gorgeous yogini and adept, is a spirit of transmutation. She oversees the transformation from mundane to magical and
holy. She is the presiding spirit of sacred enlightenment. Vajravahari is the epitome of wisdom and the essence of pleasure. She is among
the most important meditation deities and a path to enlightenment.
Vajravahari Buddha is credited with the creation of dzi beads, much coveted, mysterious, sacred stone beads. According to Tibetan
myth, once upon a time, when Tibet was overwhelmed by illness and despair, Vajravahari, in her compassion, released dzi beads from
the sky. Dzi beads transmit and radiate her blessings of good fortune and protection from evil, illness, harm, and all danger.
M anifestation: Vajravahari is usually envisioned naked but for a diadem formed from five skulls. a garland of fifty severed heads
and ornaments crafted of human bone. Her long hair hangs loose below her waist. She is fierce, wrathful, and laughing.

Iconography: Vajravahari is usually depicted in sacred union with her consort, Paramasukha-Chakrasamvara (Ghantapa) but she is
also sometimes portrayed alone or with her retinue.
Attributes: Vajra chopper and a bowl formed from a skull
Color: Red
Animal: Sow
Sacred site: Her shrine in Patan, Nepal
See also: Buddha; Dakini; Ghantapa; Vajra; Yidam

Vajravetali

The Diamond Zombie; The Adamantine Ghoul; The Resurrected Diamond; The Diamond Vampire
Also known as: Vajra Vetali; Dorje Rolangma
Classification: Dakini; Buddha

Vajravetali, Wisdom Dakini, is the consort of Yamantaka, the Diamond Terrifier. She is among the eight dakinis in the entourage of
Vajranairatmya. She is somewhat eclipsed by these more famous spirits, but Vajravetali is an extremely significant Tantric deity in her
own right and was once venerated independently. She is the embodiment of the wrathful power that heals and resurrects. Vajravetali
straddles the threshold between life and death: she annihilates fear, especially fear of death and the afterlife.
Iconography: She is envisioned in divine union with her consort Yamantaka.
Attributes: Vajra chopper and skull cup
Consort: Yamantaka

Color: Vajravetali owns all shades and colors reminiscent of corpses. Her primary color is slate blue but in the context of sacred
imagery, she may be depicted in various colors including red and green.
See also: Dakini; Vajra; Vajranairatmya; Yamantaka

Valkyries

Origin: Norse
Valkyries, Goddesses of Life, Death, Battle, and Magic, serve as psychopomps, divine escorts guiding souls to the next realm. The
original Valkyries were daughters of Odin and Herta, but their ranks swelled to also include deified priestesses of Odin. Their leader is
Freya, operating under her nom de guerre , Valfreya. Individual Valkyries like Brunhilde, Hilda, and Sigrun achieved renown and are
sometimes venerated independently. They are also venerated alongside Freya, Herta, and/or Odin.

The name Valkyrie may derive from Valr or "fallen in battle" and Kyria, "she who chooses." They are not exclusively battlefield
goddesses: they also serve as escorts for those dying elsewhere, but they are now most famous for their role on the fields of war.
Valkyries travel to battlefields where they determine a battle's course: who wins, who loses, who lives, and who dies. According to
Norse cosmology, souls of half the dead warriors journey to Freya's hall while the other half go to Valhalla, Odin's hall. The Valkyries
select the warriors going to Valhalla and serve as their escort.
Souls arriving at Valhalla are greeted by Valkyries bearing drinking horns filled with Odin's best mead. In Valhalla, Valkyries
supervise hospitality services, keeping an eye on distribution of drinking vessels and tableware, serving as Odin's hostesses.
The Norns are sometimes classified among the Valkyries: they may perform double duty. Like the Norns, the Valkyries are weaving
goddesses, although their materials are unique:
• Arrows serve as shuttles for the Valkyries' looms.
• Severed human heads serve as weights.
• Entrails form their warp; their weft is consistently crimson.
Valkyries are bird goddesses. They manifest as birds and communicate as birds. Their origins may lie in ancient swan goddesses.
They serve a similar function as those other bird goddesses, Sirens and Vila and possibly Dakinis.
Valkyries are also erotic, shamanic goddesses (and many may be deified shamans). They enter into sacred marriages with shamans,
warriors, and heroes (not necessarily mutually exclusive). Valkyries guide, protect, and sponsor their human lovers, sometimes battling
with other spirits on their behalf. It's crucial to recall that Valkyries are not only involved in decisions regarding which soldiers die in
battle: they also help determine which soldiers survive. The Valkyries teach shamanic skills, martial arts, battle spells, and rune lore.
They teach and sponsor women and men.
• The Valkyrie (Die Walküre) is the second of the cycle of four operas comprising Richard Wagner's Ring of the Nibelungs and
features the famous musical theme "The Ride of the Valkyries." • Valkyrie, the Marvel Comics superheroine, is an incarnation
of Brunhilde.
Valkyries are psychic, spiritual, and magical warriors as well as martial artists. They may be invoked to battle on your
behalf in many contexts not only actual, literal war.

M anifestation: Valkyries manifest as shield maidens, sometimes beautiful, sometimes not. They also manifest as ravens and swans.
Attribute: Horn (as for drinking)
M ount: Despite romantic nineteenth-century illustrations of Valkyries riding horses, Valkyries ride wolves. In fact, Valkyrie horse
is a traditional Norse kenning (poetic circumlocution; euphemism; sacred word puzzle) for "wolf." Modern Valkyries may perhaps
show a preference for Honda Valkyrie motorcycles.
Creatures: Bees, swans, horses, wolves, crows, ravens
Celestial: The Valkyries are associated with the Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights
See also: Dakini; Freya; Herta; Ildiko; Norns; Odin; Siren; Swan Goddesses; Velinas; Vila

Vampire

Vampire has evolved into a catch-all phrase that encompasses a tremendous variety of spirits and creatures, some based on ancient
traditions, others on modern imagination. What vampires have in common is that they drain life-essence from others, one way or
another.
Contrary to popular Hollywood movies, blood-sucking vampires tend to be an aberration. Although they did exist prior to Bram
Stoker's incredibly influential best-selling 1897 novel, Dracula, they were rare and are very much a product of Gothic fiction. (Fifty
years before Dracula, there was James Malcolm Rymer's penny-dreadful opus, Varney the Vampire; or, the Feast of Blood.)
Traditional folkloric vampires have comparatively little to do with many literary or movie vampires. Vampire traditions exist
throughout virtually all of Eastern and Central Europe. Similar sounding words exist in Slavic, Finno-Ugric, and Romance languages.
Variations include upir, wampir, vampyr, and upior as well as vampire. (They may all derive from ubir, a Turkic word for "witch.")
Traditionally speaking, vampires are understood as revenants, living corpses of witches/sorcerers/shamans/magical practitioners who,
for one reason or another, rise from the grave. At their most neutral, they are harmful merely because they are not obeying natural laws;
at their worst, they rise with the deliberate intent to cause harm. (Italian director Mario Bava's horror movie classic
Black Sunday
features a reasonably traditional vampire-witch out for revenge.)
Another interpretation suggests that a vampire may not not be dead at all but a living sorcerer able to send out his or her
shadow soul (and recall it when desired) and that this soul is interpreted by others as a vampire

Although little or no notion of blood-sucking exists in the original conception, that doesn't mean a vampire isn't potentially dangerous.
Because vampires may be in a liminal state, between death and life, they require life-energy (chi; the aura), which is easiest absorbed
from the living. However this life force is more likely to be absorbed via sexual energy or siphoning off chi than sucking blood. From this
perspective, Fox Spirits who sexually drain men to the point of death are considered vampiric.
Traditional antidotes to vampires include bells, sunlight, bright light, a rooster's crow, garlic, peppermint, onions, silver bullets, and
bullets melted down from old bell metal.
Various spells and charms intended to protect against vampires may be found in Judika Illes' The Encyclopedia of 5000
Spells.

BANISHING VAMPIRES
Surprisingly perhaps, the puppet Count von Count of Sesame Street is a fairly accurate folkloric vampire, compelled to count
whenever confronted with anything capable of being counted. Many vampires, like so many ghosts and low-level demons, are afflicted
with obsessive-compulsive syndrome:
• Place fishing nets over any entrances you'd like to protect: allegedly the vampire will be forced to count all the holes or knots and
will never make it indoors to bother you.
• Alternatively spill poppy, millet, or some other tiny seeds: the vampire may feel compelled to stop and count or pick up those
seeds.
See also: Fox Spirits; Hone-Onna; Kumiho; Lamiae; Langsuir; Menthe; Vampire Mermaids; Vampire Pumpkin; Vampiri

Vampire Mermaids
Many mermaids have associations with death. Some are psychopomps providing responsible escort service to the realms of death,
especially for those who die by drowning. Others are just lethal killers.
Legends describe mermaids luring people into the water for the express purpose of killing them. Little reason or motivation is given.
Many of the killings seem random; in other words, these mermaids aren't justice spirits who target only those they deem guilty of some
crime. Neither are these guardian spirits: they actually lure people into the water rather than just punish trespassers.

Now in some cases, this may just be bad press. Most mermaids are benevolent beings: they've been venerated since that old time
immemorial. Some stories may be constructs intended to discourage this veneration and instill fear. However, some stories do derive
from pre-Christian traditions. What many of these killer mermaids have in common is their method of dispatching their victims. They
don't drown them or devour them: they absorb their life-essence.
A classic fictional example occurs in H. G. Wells' 1902 novel, The Sea Lady, in which a mermaid pretends to drown in the
hope that her intended target will be stimulated to enter the water—and her trap!—in an attempt to rescue her .

Vampire mermaids suck breath, not blood. Stealing life-essence seems to be their motivation. These mermaids are cold, calculating
hunters. Many are extremely beautiful and sexy andthere is usually an erotic component to their seduction. These mermaids more closely
resemble traditional vampires than traditional benevolent mermaids, their unique quality being that they are vampires who reside in water.
M anifestation: Although some vampire mermaids possess fish tails, others are indistinguishable in appearance from human women.

Iconography: The mermaid as femme fatale with her lover caught in her fatal embrace is a favorite theme of Salon, Symbolist, and
Pre-Raphaelite artists alike. This type of mermaid also occasionally appears as the villain or monster in horror movies.
See also: Fox Spirits; Kappa; Lamia of the Sea; Lorelei; Mermaid; Ondine; Siren; Syrena; Vampire

Vampire Pumpkin
Origin: Romani (Gypsy)

Eat pumpkins quickly, lest they turn into vampires. People aren't the only beings who can become vampiric. According to Balkan
Romani folk traditions, hard-shelled, seedy fruits and vegetables can become vampires, too. Although melons and squashes can also be
vampiric, pumpkins—maybe because of Halloween associations—have garnered the most attention.
The potential vampire is activated when a pumpkin is kept longer than ten days or not consumed before Christmas. Leaving it out all
night exposed to a full moon may activate transformation, too. Not every pumpkin is guaranteed to turn into a vampire just as not every
corpse is expected to rise. Vampire pumpkins betray themselves by making growling noises or developing red, vaguely blood-like
splotches on their shells.
In general, there's no need to worry about vampire pumpkins very much. As they don't possess teeth, they can't cause sudden,
immediate harm. They are, however, unhealthy to keep around as they gradually absorb psychic energy from those around them. If a
person is debilitated with low energy and a weak aura, such pumpkins can eventually cause damage, although it is a slow process.
Vampire pumpkins also attract malevolent spirits.
• Plunge pumpkins (or other suspect produce) into boiling water to kill them. Then break them into pieces and discard. (The
traditional weapon for breaking them is a branch or handmade broom, which is then also discarded.)
See also: Vampire

Vampiri
Origin: Macedonia

The Vampiri, the Macedonian variant of the vampire, is a dead soul unable to transition to the next realm because of unfulfilled
obligations. Unfortunately having transformed into Vampiri, many forget the original goal that keeps them tied to Earth. They are
doomed to wander Earth until they either fulfill their vowed obligations or are sent to the next realm via magical or shamanic rituals.
Vampiri rise after dark, congregating in the cemetery where they dance and socialize with other Vampiri. They tend to return home to

their families, whom they usually do not harm (unless that was their original unfulfilled goal). They will drink blood from family livestock
and other people's livestock, too.
Although they're dead, male Vampiri can father children. Vampiri tend to return to the women to whom they were married in life—
their unfulfilled obligation may be fathering achild so as to continue a family name or lineage—but they may start fresh, new relationships,
too. When the child of a Vampiri matures, it may manifest extraordinary shamanic skills, including profound exorcism talents. Many are
extremely gifted at recognizing demons in disguise.

M anifestation: Vampiri take corporeal form. They are exceptional shape-shifters, transforming instantly from human to animal
forms. A favored manifestation includes a four-eyed dog.
See also: Vampire

Vanir

The Vanir are one of the pantheons of Norse mythology and pre-Christian religion. They are an indigenous pantheon; the Aesir who
arrived from afar encountered the Vanir already living in the Norse lands. Their realm is Vanaheim.
The Vanir are associated with magic, shamanism, and prophecy. They are spirits of land, sea, fertility, and creative energy. They may
or may not be the same as Elves, although they are affiliated. The Vanir are associated with land spirits: spirits that are tied to specific
natural formations. (Thus every rock, cliff, cave, or spring has its own unique, individual presiding spirit.) The Vanir are erotic spirits who
may engage in divine marriages with people.
The Vanir evoked greater hostility from the Christian Church than their Aesir counterparts, so less information about the Vanir now
survives. Among the most significant Vanir spirits are Njord, Freya, and Freyr, the Elven King. These three are the best known of the
Vanir spirits, if only because they were sent to live with the Aesir as hostages to preserve peace between the pantheons. Njord, Freyr,
and Freya got along well with their captors and were essentially incorporated into the Aesir cosmology, even while retaining their
previous identities.
M anifestation: The Vanir are notorious shape-shifters.
Emblem: Ships
Sacred sites: The Vanir were associated with some gravesites, which then became considered sacred turf. We know they were
associated with sacred mounds because references to organized attacks on these mounds survive. (The attacks were intended as
religious desecration, not treasure hunting. Attackers were proud of their actions, documenting them.) Graves associated with the Vanir
include ship graves, in which one or more bodies were placed in ships or boats, which were then buried. Unearthed bodies have
included a high proportion of women.
See also: Aesir; Angerboda; Elves; Freya; Freyr; Herta; Mimir; Njord; Sidhe;and the Glossary entry for Marriage

Vanth
Origin: Etruscan
Vanth, Goddess of Destiny, records the fate of humans. Images of Vanth appear frequently on Etruscan tomb paintings and
sculptures, often in the company of Charun. Vanth, in the guise of an attractive young woman, serves as a psychopomp, escorting dead
souls portrayed walking or riding in wagons to their next destination. Although she is now sometimes described as a "demon" nothing
indicates that she is not wholly benevolent.
M anifestation: A young woman. She may have short hair, or it may be pulled up in a bun. She may have wings.
Iconography: Vanth is dressed like a hunting girl. Some perceive her outfit as resembling those of the Erinyes.

Attribute: Flaming torch, key, sword, scroll
See also: Ankou; Charun; Erinyes; Santissima Muerte

Velinas
Also known as: Velnias; Velas; Velns
Origin: Baltic

Velinas, one-eyed patron of seers and prophets, is lord of the dead. He rides through the night leading a host of ghosts and ancestral
spirits. (These ancestral spirits are known as Veles.) He also has dominion over cattle and livestock. Velinas is the most popular figure
of Lithuanian folklore and allegedly has over two hundred names. In modern Lithuanian, Velnias may be translated as "devil."
Velinas has a complicated relationship with people. He blesses and protects but also tricks and seduces. He can be extremely friendly
and gregarious, seeking close relationships, alliances, even love. Velinas has a reputation as a Lothario. He's very fond of human women
and may engage them in sacred marriage. He loves musicians and will ask them to play for him and entertain him. He can be very
helpful, too, serving as a guardian spirit who protects against enemies. But he can be hostile, too, in a tricky, indirect way that can sneak
up on someone. Velinas sometimes plays with people, tempting them toward destructive behavior.
Favored people: Women, psychics, clairvoyants, fortune-tellers, seers, shamans, mediums, musicians, smiths, hunters
M anifestation: Velinas is a master shape-shifter who takes the form of animals, birds and reptiles as well as people.
Attributes: Noose, lance
Consort: Veliona
Color: Black
Creatures: Black birds and animals
Trees: Coniferous trees, alders; Velinas was worshipped in groves.

Feast: Velinas presides over Velines, the traditional Lithuanian feast of the dead, which now corresponds to All Souls' Day (2
November) and the preceding eve but was once a substantially longer holiday. (See also:
Veliona.) He also presides over a spring
festival of the dead celebrated on the first full moon Sunday after the spring equinox.

Sacred site: Velinas presides over the Golbe spring near Insterburg (now part of modern Germany but once Prussia). Allegedly
bathing one eye with Velinas' water bestowed the gift of clairvoyance.
Offerings: Libations of beer and ale, cooked pork and grains, candles, decorated eggs
See also: Odin; Veliona; Volos
The names Velinas, Veliona , and the Veles derive from the same root as Valkyrie and Valhalla, hall of dead warriors . Vila
may or may not derive from the same root word. (Vila lack the battle associations of Veliona and the Valkyries.) Another
related word is the Old English Wael, meaning a corpse left on the battlefield.

Veliona

Also known as: Veliuona
Origin: Baltic
Veliona, the Dark Mother, is the guardian goddess of Earth, water, and subterranean regions. Together with her consort, Velinas,
Veliona rules the spirits of the dead known as the Veles who live in her subterranean realm. Her primary function is to protect the dead,
but she also guards water, especially subterranean water and hidden treasure. Veliona has dominion over fertility of land, animals, and
people. She lives within Earth, the better to keep an eye on her charges. Although Veliona is guardian of the dead in general, she
personally receives fallen warriors into her realms, especially those who died protecting Lithuania from invading Christian crusaders (the
Teutonic Knights).
Consort: Velinas
Animal: Pig
Sacred site: The Lithuanian town Veliuona on the Nemunas River, named in her honor, was once the center of her veneration. A
church is built over the site of her old sanctuary.
Feast: Veliona presides over Velines, the Lithuanian festival of the dead. Once upon a time, the festival coincided with harvest
celebrations in October and lasted four weeks. Under Christian influence, the holiday is now reduced to one day, 2 November and the
preceding eve. In parts of Lithuania, the festival coincided with pig-slaughtering time (as well as the slaughter of other animals including
cows, goats, sheep and poultry). A sacrifice was immediately offered to Velinas by the eldest family member. Portions dedicated to
Veliona were then cooked immediately in a grain stew and offered equally immediately. Food was also offered to the Veles, souls of re
turning dead relatives.
Offerings: Libations of beer, pork products—especially sausages—and candles
See also: Mania; Tuonetar; Valkyrie; Velinas; Vila; Volos

Venus
Origin: Italy

Venus was originally the Italian goddess of fertile soil, the presiding spirit of the vegetable garden. She was a rustic garden goddess
with a relatively minimal cult until the Romans identified her with Aphrodite. According to Roman legend, the Romans were descendents
of Trojan refugees, the last survivors who escaped the burning city and fled to Italy, where they founded the city of Rome. These
Trojans were led by Aeneas, whose survival was ensured by his mother, Greek goddess Aphrodite.
Julius Caesar traced his ancestry to one of Aeneas' sons, Aphrodite's grandson. He wished to honor his divine ancestress, but
Aphrodite was a bit too foreign for Roman taste and too associated with the sea and lascivious rites. A homegrown Aphrodite was
sought and found in the beautiful, fertile vegetable goddess Venus. Julius Caesar dedicated a magnificent temple to Venus Genetrix in the
Roman Forum.
In addition to assuming Aphrodite's traditional attributes and functions, Venus evolved into an ancestral goddess of the Roman elite,
those who descended from Aeneas. Venus and Mars, ancestor of Romulus, founder of Rome, serve as the guardians of Rome.
Sacred days:
• 1 April, feast of Venus the Heart Turner: female devotees seeking her blessings of happy love and romance bathe her statues and
then garland them with flowers.
• 19 August: houses and gardens are dedicated to Venus, and her blessings are invoked; kitchen gardeners have an official
vacation day.
See also: Aphrodite; Mars and the Glossary entry for Identification

Verbeia
Origin: Celtic
Verbeia is the presiding spirit of England's River Wharfe. Her name may mean "meandering" or "winding." Her existence is
documented by an altar dedicated to her discovered in North Yorkshire. Much of what is known or surmised about Verbeia derives
from this altar.
Iconography: Verbeia is portrayed wearing a long pleated robe. She holds a large zig-zaggy snake in each hand. The snakes seem
to ripple, as if combining serpentine and watery imagery.
Creature: Snakes (Because of the prominence given to snakes in her image, it's theorized that she's a healing goddess.)
See also: Fauna; Hygeia; Nehalennia; Sirona

Vesta
Origin: Italy

Vesta, Lady of the Flame, Guardian of the Hearth, was the preeminent goddess of Rome. Her name may derive from a root word
meaning "to burn." Although Vesta is identified with the Greek hearth goddess, Hestia, and they possess much in common, they are not
the same. Vesta was venerated in Italy long before her identification with Hestia and played a far more significant role in Roman religion
than Hestia did in Greece. Vesta was included in virtually every Roman sacrifice. She was consistently the last deity invoked during
ceremonies: the polar opposite of Janus.
Vesta's small circular temple in the Roman Forum was the epicenter of Roman life and religion. Its round shape marked it as
architecturally unusual, in comparison to standard quadrangular Roman temples. Vesta's temple was designed to recall the round huts of
the earliest Romans. Vesta was the goddess of Rome's origins, so sacred and powerful that her archaic traditions could not be changed,
even when they fell from fashion elsewhere. Vesta was the last and ultimately only Roman deity served exclusively by a female
priesthood.
Vesta's fire priestesses, the famed Vestal Virgins, lived next door to her temple in a large building arranged around an atrium. Six
Vestal Virgins were chosen in childhood by Rome's high priest, the Pontifex Maximus, from among the daughters of Rome's most noble
families. It was considered an exceptional honor to be asked to serve. Compared to the average Roman woman, the Vestal Virgins
possessed many legal and economic privileges, although they also lived under severe restrictions and threat of penalty.
Vestal Virgins served Vesta for thirty years: ten spent learning the Mysteries of Vesta, ten in service to Vesta, and ten training their
replacements. They were sworn to celibacy for the thirty years of their service but could marry afterwards. (Because they entered
Vesta's service so young, they were not old women at its conclusion.) If a Vestal broke her vow, she was whipped, then buried alive
within the boundaries of Rome. Her lover was publicly whipped to death.
The Vestal Virgins were considered so sacred that if they walked past a condemned man, he was instantly pardoned .

The primary role of the Vestal Virgins was ensuring that Rome's sacred flame never went out. (If it did, the Vestals were scourged.)
If the fire ever went out, it could only be relit the old-fashioned way: by rubbing two sticks together. The fire could not be brought from
elsewhere. Vestal Virgins were also responsible for creating mola salsa, sacred ritual salt cakes. Mola salsa was offered to Vesta as a
sacrifice; it was also sprinkled on animals before their sacrifice to other deities and used to purify space. Mola salsa was prepared with
water drawn exclusively from Juturna's Well and carried in vessels that were impossible to set down without spilling the contents.
Specially prepared salt was pounded with a mortar and then sliced with an archaic iron saw. The salt was mixed with farro wheat
gathered on May 7, 9 and 11 only.
Roman Emperor Gratian (ruled 367–378 C E), hostile to Paganism, stopped paying the Vestal Virgins their established salary,

diverting funds to the imperial postal service instead. Vesta's official fire was finally extinguished in 394 CE when Emperor Theodosius
banned all devotion to Pagan spirits.
Vesta was also venerated in homes. She is present in all flames. Offerings to Vesta are placed directly into the fire. She is an oracular
spirit: information is obtained from Vesta via flame-gazing.
• Vesta Powder is a highly combustible, mass-produced occult powder used to honor Vesta and to dispel general negativity,
including gossip, evil spirits, and disturbing auras. It is sometimes sprinkled but more frequently burned in a fireplace, cauldron,
or incense burner. Handle with care: it lights with a bang, producing a sudden leaping, flashing flame followed by lots of white
smoke.
Favored people: Bakers, millers
Iconography: Vesta was rarely portrayed and even then usually veiled. Instead, she is represented by fire.
Emblem: Flame
Element: Fire
Animal: Ass
M ineral: saltpeter (Potassium nitrate)
Tree: Bay laurel
Sacred dates:
• Her festival, the Vestalia: 9 June-15 June. From the seventh to the fifteenth of June, her sanctuary was open to women
exclusively. Women entered her shrine barefoot. The fifteenth was the day for cleaning her shrine. Dirt was disposed of in the
Tiber River.
• 1 March, the first day of the Roman year, when Vesta's fire was ritually re-lit (the New Year was moved to 1 January in 153
BCE honoring Janus).
• Vernal Equinox: branches of bay laurel before the Temple of Vesta were discarded.
See also: Gabija; Hestia; Janus; Juturna; Kybele; Palesand the Glossary entry for Identification

Victoria
Origin: Rome

Victoria is the Roman goddess of victory. She was identified with Greek Nike, and it can now be extremely difficult to disentangle
the two goddesses. Victoria was venerated alongside Jupiter and Mars rather than with Minerva. (Nike is intensely associated with
Athena to whom Minerva is identified.) Victoria is more intensely and exclusively associated with military victory than Nike but of
course this may be a reflection of her devotees, the Romans.
Roman soldiers carried veneration of Victoria throughout the Roman
Empire.
Victoria was a major goddess possessing a vast official cult that existed for centuries. The Romans had a hard time denying Victoria
or giving her up: hers was among the last cults abandoned with the rise of Christianity. Victoria's image appeared on Roman coins until
the third century CE.

Iconography: Victoria was envisioned as a winged woman carrying trophies and spoils taken from defeated enemies. She may
stand with one foot resting on the globe. Her image was often incorporated into the reliefs carved on Roman triumphal arches, including
the Arches of Augustus, Constantine, and Septimius Severus.

Sacred sites: Victoria had multiple temples, including one on the Palatine Hill dedicated in 294 BCE. An altar was dedicated to her
in Rome's Senate house.

See also: Andraste; Athena; Jupiter; Mars; Minerva; Nikeand the Glossary entry for Identification.

Vidar

The Silent One
Origin: Norse

Vidar is the son of Odin and the frost giant Grid. Although technically considered a Jotun, he is closely allied with the Aesir, his
father's clan of spirits, and lives among them in Asgard. It is Vidar's destiny to avenge his father's demise at the final Battle of Ragnarok.
Vidar is the opponent and slayer of the Fenris Wolf. Vidar and his half-brother Vali are among those few who are destined to survive
Ragnarok and serve as rulers of the new world.
Grid fashioned special shoes for Vidar from the scraps of leather that cobblers save when they make all the other shoes on Earth. He
wore these shoes at the battle of Ragnarok; allegedly these shoes enabled him to slay the Fenris Wolf and survive.
M anifestation: A huge, silent, powerful man described as being second in strength only to Thor
Attribute: Thick-soled shoes
Realm: Vidar's hall in Asgard is called Vidi.

Offerings: He likes to drink; he likes to eat. He's a giant—that's all you need to know about his appetite. In addition, when your
shoes wear out, rip off the soles or any bits of leather and offer them to him. After a little while, discard in the trash.
See also: Aesir; Angerboda; Grid; Jotun; Loki; Odin; Thor

Vila
Also known as: Willies; Wila; Veela; Veles; Vily

The Vilas are beautiful, charming, dancing forest spirits of Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans. The many variations in
pronunciation of their name indicates the vast territory they inhabit. Depending on region, the word "Vila" may be singular and plural.
Vilas are shamanic spirits: magical dancers, skilled healers, herbalists, and teachers of witchcraft. Vilas are guardians of women,
animals, and the forest. They are now most famous as punishing spirits:
• They punish hunters who fail to perform correct spiritual rituals.
• They punish men who betray women or leave them abandoned at the altar.
Vilas have developed a reputation as dread spirits of the forest. To describe something as giving you the willies is to compare it to the
shiver of horror evoked by the Willies or Vilas. However, this may be a Christian attempt to discourage previously widespread
veneration of Vilas.
No legends describe Vilas punishing or killing women. Instead, some women join the Vilas in the forest to dance and receive
instruction in herbalism and other magical arts. Vilas are the sponsors of village sorceresses, midwives, and healers. They teach
shamanic arts to women as well as to those men whom they favor. Vilas were the sponsors and guardians of the Balkan hero Prince
Marko. Depending on the legend, he may have been suckled on a Vila's milk in infancy. (The Vila in question may or may not have
been his mother.)
The Vilas are literally alluring spirits who seem to prefer passive-aggressive modes of punishment when angered, rather than the
sudden strike associated with many Fairies. Their primary weapon is dance. First they seduce men with their beauty and charm, luring
them deeper into the forest and encouraging them to join their dance. Eventually when the men tire and have enough or think they'll
move on to activities beyond dancing, they realize they're literally unable to stop: the Vilas dance them to death. Other legends suggest
no seduction is needed; men wandering into the wrong neck of the woods suddenly find themselves compulsively dancing, akin to the

Hans Christian Andersen story "The Red Shoes" or the Saint Vitus Dance. Again, the dance ends only with death.
Sometimes dancing has nothing to do with it. Other legends describe men who chance upon Vilas in the forest and, enchanted, fall
hopelessly in love forever. Their love is unrequited so the men waste away, eventually dying. That said, Vilas will engage in sacred
marriages with mortal men, if it's what the Vila desires. Individual Vilas have names and unique personalities. Historically some have
been venerated independently, especially in Serbia.
Some perceive Vilas and Valkyries as cut from the same cloth because of the resemblance of their names, their shared
associations with death, and because both are intensely identified with wolves and swans. Vilas and Valkyries may both
descend from primordial swan goddesses .

• Legends of the Vilas form the basis for the ballet Giselle.
• In the Harry Potter novels, Veela are so charismatically beautiful that men find them magically irresistible.

M anifestation: Vilas are incredible shape-shifters who manifest as swans, horses, snakes, or wolves but most famously as
beautiful, longhaired women. Sometimes Vilas dance naked; sometimes they dress in diaphanous white. Bulgarian Vilas ride deer, using
snakes for bridles.

Rituals: Although domestic altars may be built for them, offerings and petitions are traditionally brought to the Vila at springs, wells,
forest caves, and clearings.
Offerings: Flowers, ribbons, fruit, pastries, mirrors, hair ornaments, bells
See also: Fairy; Ielle; Samovila; Swan Goddesses; Valkyries; Veliona; White Ladies

Viracocha
Also known as: Wiracocha; Kon-Tiki
Origin: Andes Mountains

In the beginning, Viracocha emerged from the sacred waters of Lake Titicaca, or so goes an Andean myth. He created Earth and
time, summoning the sun, moon, planets, and stars to emerge from the Island of the Sun in the center of the lake. He took stones from
the shore and molded them into human beings. Viracocha and his sons gave people clothing, seeds, songs, and spirituality.
Viracocha is not a personal name but a title indicating Supreme Creator in various pre-Inca Andean pantheons. It is sometimes
poetically translated as "sea foam," but it literally means "sea of fat" in the Quechua language. In twenty-first-century industrialized
civilization, fat has horrendously negative connotations, but way back when, in the Andes where life was tough and people struggled for
calories not weight loss, fat had the connotation of extra power, wealth, and ease. Fat was perceived as the source of energy, and so
Viracocha implies "Sea of Creation" or "Sea of Potential." Viracocha is the force of creative energy. (The title later became an
honorific for the Spanish conquerors and eventually for white people in general.)
Viracocha reigned as an omniscient, all powerful deity but was also remote and inaccessible. (In some legends, Viracocha and sons
sailed off across the Pacific, promising to return someday.) Andean cosmology acknowledged him as supreme creator but also
recognized a world filled with all sorts of spirits who might be more responsive.
Among the masses, Viracocha was never as significant or beloved as Pachamama and the mountain spirits. The ruling Incas adopted
Viracocha from the people they conquered, and he became part of their official myth. According to Inca legend, Viracocha personally
gave Manco Capac, the first Inca ruler, a special headdress and battle axe.
M anifestation: Viracocha wears the sun as his crown. His tears are rain.
Attribute: Lightning bolts

See also: Apu; Nakaq; Pachacamac; Pachamama

Virbius
Origin: Italy
Virbius, Lord of the Forest, is now most famous as Diana's chief companion at her shrine in the Forest of Nemi. He is invoked for
virility.
• He may always have been a spirit of the woods.
• He may be her first priest, now deified.
• The Greeks identified Virbius with Hippolytus, brought back to life by Asklepios and spirited away to the oak groves of Nemi.
(Hippolytus died trampled by horses; horses were not permitted in Virbius' grove in Nemi.)
Favored people: Thieves, fugitives, slaves
M anifestation: A man or a stag; statues of Diana depicting her beside a stag may indicate a literal stag, her sacred animal, or
Virbius in stag guise.
Sacred site: The Forest of Nemi, Italy
See also: Asklepios; Diana, Egeria

Vishnu

The Preserver; The All-Pervading One
Origin: India

Vishnu is the principal deity of Hinduism, worshipped by millions around the world. He is the lord of law and order, master of ethical
and moral standards. He preserves world order and protects it from being overwhelmed by evil. Vishnu has over one thousand names.
In times of crisis, Vishnu descends to Earth to save us. The various forms he takes when he descends are known as his avatars. His
descents are innumerable but ten are most famous and sometimes, as when he manifested as Krishna, take on a life of their own. His
final avatar will be Kalki, who will appear at the end of this present age (the Kali Yuga) to usher in the New Age.
According to myth, Vishnu was once simultaneously married to Lakshmi, Ganga, and Sarasvati. It was not a happy
situation. The goddesses were jealous of each other and fought bitterly. To make peace, Vishnu gave Ganga to Shiva and
Sarasvati to Brahma. He did not, however, give away Lakshmi, Goddess of Good Fortune.

Iconography: Vishnu is usually portrayed as a regal, dignified but youthful four-armed man. He wears a sacred thread around his
chest, emblematic of his membership in the uppermost caste, the Brahmins.
Attributes: Conch, discus, lotus, mace
Consorts: Bhudevi, Ganga, Lakshmi, Sarasvati
M ount: Garuda

Color: Blue
Offerings: Sweet foods cooked in ghee (clarified butter)
See also: Bhudevi; Ganga; Garuda; Kali; Krishna; Lakshmi; Sarasvati; Sati; Shivaand the Glossary entry for Avatar

Volos
Also known as: Veles
Volos is the lord of cattle, wolves, wealth, and well-being. He defends the balance between wolves and domestic animals. Volos
has dominion over birth and death: his power is manifest in alternating cycles of birth, growth, death, and decay. Oaths are traditionally
sworn upon his name as Volos punishes oath-breakers as well as others who displease him with disease. In some regions, Volos is
considered a lord of death and the ruler of an afterlife realm.
Volos, a particularly beloved deity, was historically venerated throughout the Slavic world. Even after he was officially banished,
Volos did not disappear but transformed into Christian saints:
• Russian Saint Vlasii is the patron saint of livestock, especially cattle. Russian icons portray him surrounded by cows and sheep.
His image is placed in the barn to provide protection. His blessings are invoked when cattle are ailing or infertile.
• Officially, Saint Veles is just the Croatian pronunciation of Saint Blaise, patron of the city of Dubrovnik. However, local people
insist that their Saint Veles is a local saint, not the Armenian bishop. His specialty is guarding flocks.
Favored people: Cattle herders, wolf lovers, snake charmers, musicians, merchants, traders
M anifestation: Volos may appear in the guise of a snake, dragon or a horned, bearded man. He has the capacity to continually
regenerate in the manner that a snake sheds its skin and so Volos may appear old or youthful.
Iconography: An image of Volos was kept in Kiev's merchant quarters near the Pochaina River. When Vladimir I, Grand Prince
of Kiev (circa 950–1015), converted to Christianity, this statue was allegedly thrown into the river. Likewise his stone image in Rostov,
Russia, was destroyed and a church built on the site.
Element: Water
Creatures: Wolves, cows, sheep, dragons, snakes
Days: 1 January–6 January, the Festival of Wolves
See also: Faunus; Ogun; Palici; Velinas

Voluptas

Bliss
Also known as: Volupia
Origin: Rome
Voluptas, daughter of Psyche and Cupid, is the goddess of voluptuous pleasures. She is invoked for romance and bliss. She has
dominion over whether sex is pleasurable or not.
Iconography: A beautiful woman sits enthroned with Virtue at her feet.

See also: Angerona; Psyche

Vouivre
Also known as: Wouivre
Origin: French
Vouivres are mysterious serpentine spirits, The most famous may be Melusine. Many Vouivres may be guardians of Earth's
treasures. In addition, their presence radiates fertility, which may be transmitted to people, animals, land, and water.
Places associated with Vouivres, at least in France, tend to have names that end in -is or -es, such as Paris or Troyes. Is may be a
pre-Celtic word for the Vouivre. Vouivres are major sources of fascination for modern researchers because sites historically associated
with them are also associated with fault lines, ley lines, underground streams, veins of metal, and telluric currents. These subterranean
currents, whether water, electric, or metaphysical, allegedly create conditions conducive to shamanic or visionary experiences. Adding
to the fascination, sites historically associated with Vouivres are also often centers of Black Madonna veneration. What does this mean?
No one really knows, but it makes for interesting speculation and debate.
The 1989 French film La Vouivre takes its plot from the novel of the same name by Marcel Aymé.

M anifestation: Vouivres take many forms:
• As winged serpents (their wings resemble those of bats)
• As dragons
• As snake-human hybrids, possibly winged: serpentine below the waist, human above
• As beautiful women
See also: Black Madonna; Melusine

Vulcan
Also known as: Volcan; Volcanus; Vulcanus; and sometimes Mulciber
Origin: Italy (possibly Sabine)
Vulcan is the devouring power of fire, which destroys all in its wake and puts enemies to flight. He's also the power of fire that
provides warmth and safety. Vulcan can extinguish fires as well as cause and control them. He also has dominion over earthquakes,
lightning, volcanoes, cremation and spontaneous combustion.
Vulcan's name is the source for the word volcano: a mountain spewing fire. Volcanoes are named after him; not the other
way around.

Vulcan was the patron deity of Ostia, the ancient harbor city near Rome, where he protected stored grain from fire. He is a volatile
spirit, if only because of his fiery nature. His temples were traditionally placed outside city bounds, possibly for safety's sake. Vulcan is
celebrated with rituals incorporating bonfires and fireworks.
Vulcan was identified with Greek Hephaestus and so became identified with smithcraft, too. (Sometimes when people say Vulcan,

they really mean Hephaestus.) As Mulciber, Vulcan is the lord of the forge: the fire that softens metal.
Attribute: Anvil
Iconography: A fifty-six-foot cast-iron statue of Vulcan standing atop a 124-foot pedestal for a grand total of 180 feet overlooks
the city of Birmingham, Alabama, and is the world's largest cast-iron statue.
Date: 23 May and 23 August, the Volcanalia
Sacred site: Vulcan had a Roman temple on the Fields of Mars. His country residence is in the Aeolian Islands, which include
Stromboli, home of one of Italy's three currently active volcanoes. Two of the other islands—Vulcano and Vulcanello—are named in
his honor. Vulcan resides beneath the islands.
Offerings: Grilled fish, wine, incense
See also: Aeolus; Hephaestus; Mars and the Glossary entry for Identification