Ancient Greek Mystery School

Nymphs

Devotionals to ancient Greek nymphs

Coming Spring 2025

In the summer of 2024, Empedo, the nymph of the Klepsydra spring of the Acropolis began to speak to me. She had spoken to me before, as one of my guides with the Melissa priestesses. Now, she and the sorceress Circe, asked me to write about nature spirits and ancient Greek nymphs.

Our world is facing cataclysmic climate change. The sea nymph turned goddess, Salacia, greedily swallows coastlines, yet Greece goes not have enough water to drink. Fires rage, storms destroy and Mother Nature is furious. She would like to know "Where is the respect?"

What were Nymphs in Greek Mythology?

Nymphs are said to be the elementals that inhabit the realm that exists between the human world and the gods. Woodland nymphs like dryads who love in the oak trees, bring grace, elegance and ancient wisdom to the human world. Forest nymphs are giant sentinals who guard and protect their locals. Flower nymphs, called anthousai bring beauty, whimsy and romance. Oreads look after the caves, crystals and mountains. Water, of course has many nymphs: naiads or springs and rivers, nereids, which are sea nymphs. Almost to many too mention, and then also nymphs are the seasons, winds and weather, amongst other things.

We should not forget that the Melissae were both bee nymphs and ancient Greek priestesses too.

Which Goddesses Had Nymphs?

Ancient Greek nymphs associated with many deities, especially goddesses, but especially Artemis, who had a train of 60 nymphs. From an academic point of view, they are fascinating to observe through a feminist lens and much work is being done to understand these female deities through retranslation of their literature. Nymphs were repeatedly raped and controlled, just as we violate nature.

Worship of Ancient Greek Nymphs

In ancient Greece, nymphs were, for the most part, rural deities. However some cults had official worship for them including Athens. They held a special place in women's lives, not least because the nymphs were seen as protectresses of children, especially those who had drowned. Each Greek city state had its own way of conducting life, but in Athens, women were sequestered away at home. They were accompanied out into public by chaperones which would almost always have been their monther in law...(can you imagine???)

One of the few places a woman could be alone was when she fetched water from a spring. When they visited, women made offerings of scented oils to nymphs.

Connect with Ancient Greek Nymphs

Learn how to connect with the nymphs of different realms and how to offer devotions to them. How to undertake ritual purifications and to make offerings just as Odysseus did when he returned to Ithaca.

Nymphs a whimsical peice, designed to ask an aromatherapist to look up from their textbook for a while and to feel the spirits of trees, water, moutains, rocks and even the stars. The nymphs are the vibrancy of our planet, spirits that inhabit our medicines and in ancient Greece were considered to be intemediaries to the gods.

This is a series of classes designed to lead the participant out of our world of pollution into the scintillating realms of nature, and to be able to integrate practices into their day to day lives. It asks ever person who holds a bottle of oil in their hand "what went before?" and how can we protect it.

This is the Aromatic Mystery School's quest to return the power back to the land and into the safe protectorate of ancient Greek nymphs.

Coming spring 2025

Elizabeth Ashley

I wonder, sometimes, if it may be something to do with my name.

The original Melissae were called Meliades. They were believed to inhabit two plants. The Melissa plant and the Ash tree. The Ash tree was considered to be a hamadryad,, a tree that had two spirits living within it. A Melia (single of meliades) and a water spirit or a naiad.

My middle name is Ashley. A clearing full of nymphs.

Maybe it was pre-ordained that they would speak to me.

I feel very strongly that the world would be a better place if we all took time to try to recomment with all nature spirits including the ancient Greek nymphs.

I wouild like to credit the original idea for nymphs to Frances Bartlett and Ginger Andro who initially helped me to begin the work in 2024.