Liber ab Clementia (Book of Humanity)^327
Egyptian god of the Earth whose skin was
at times green as the growing plants or black
as the fertile farm land surrounding the Nile.
In addition to being an Earth god, he pre-
vented evil souls from rising to Heaven. This
is perhaps similar to the modern Krishna idea
that earthly pleasures prevent one from as-
cending beyond this level of existence. In
Wiccan ritual he is associated with the North/
Earth Quarter. See also Ra, Tefnut, Shu, and
Nut.Gefion—Female –— Northern Europe
(Also known as Gefjon)
Animal associations: Cattle (Ox)
‘Giver’—Scandinavian fertility goddess.
She is said to have used her sons (four oxen)
to pull her mighty plough, driving up the Swed-
ish earth to form the island Zealand, leaving
behind huge holes that became the lakes of
that part of the world. She is patron of both
farmer and virgin. Girls who die before their
first sexual experience are said to become the
servants that she treats kindly in the afterlife.
It has been speculated that she is an early Scan-
dinavian form of Frigga/Frigg.Genea—Female—Mediterranean
Husband: Genos
Phoenician first woman whose children are
said to be Light, Fire, and Flame.Genius—Male—Mediterranean
Roman ancestral and adopted spirits who
protect individual men (women had the same,
but it was called a Juno). With or without the
man’s recognition, every man has a Genius
watching over him. Should one wish to ac-
knowledge and thank his Genius, sacrifices are
made on one’s birthday. A modern interpre-
tation of this practice can be seen in the
‘Birthing Day’ presents on one’s birthday. This
is where one gives his or her parents a present
to give thanks for bringing one into this world.
Should that parent be departed, then a sacri-
fice can be made in his name to a charity or cause
that parent would have supported. As my fa-
ther died of cancer, if I were to make sacrificeunto my Genius, I would donate to the Ameri-
can Cancer Society in his name. My mother,
being alive today, would receive a more direct
present—maybe flowers or dinner.Genos—Male—Mediterranean
Father: Protogonos
Wife: Genea
Phoenician first man whose children are
said to be Light, Fire, and Flame.Ghede—Male—Caribbean
(Also known as Guede)
Haitian Voodoo god of the dead, the divi-
sion between the living and the dead, and the
sexual associations made between the two. He
is god of sexual orgasm, which in French means
‘little death.’ He stands at the entrance to the
Underworld, the doorway between the living
and the dead, and is thus associated with cem-
eteries. His female counterpart is Maman
Brigidt. In understanding his nature, one
should consider Ghede to be both his name
and the name of the collective of his cohorts.
His cohorts include Baron La Croix, Baron
Piquante, Baron Cimetiere, and perhaps the
best known, Baron Samedi. So well known is
the name Baron Samedi to connect with
Ghede, that the two are sometimes cited as
being names for the same rather than one an
aspect of the other. All souls must pass by the
cross roads of Ghede before entering Guinee,
the afterlife.Gibil—Male—Mediterranean/Middle East
Father: Anu
Mother: Anat
Sumerian god of both Light and Fire who
is called on to protect from baneful magick.Gilgamesh—Male—Mediterranean/Middle
East
Sumerian and Babylonian folk hero who
shunned the affections of Ishtar. In retaliation,
Ishtar brought a seven-year drought to his land.
His story is a likely source on which the story
of Hercules was built.z WB Chap 17.p65 327 7/11/2003, 6:04 PM