Demeter (Δημήτηρ, Δαμάτηρ) is the earth mother. She is the goddess of cultivation, food and harvest. One of her minor roles is as the goddess of poppies and some years there are many poppies in her domain at La Ville.
Demeter's domain at La Ville au Roi is to the east and south of the house. It includes the bamboo grove and the meditation path and also La Champ de la Cave. It is a sunny area.
Demeter has the power to confer immortality and in ancient Greece rituals were performed at Eleusis each year. These rituals were called mysteries because those who took part were sworn to secrecy regarding the content of the rite. There were lesser mysteries and greater mysteries. Those who had undergone the full initiation became immortal.
Demeter is the mother of Persephone. Persephone became the wife of Hades, the god of the underworld. Hades was one of the three brothers who divided the world between them - Zeus, god of the earth and sky, Poseidon (Neptune), god of the ocean and Hades god of the underworld where live the spirits of the dead. The sisters of these three were Demeter, Hera and Hestia.
According to some stories Hades carried Persephone away by force. In other stories she was a willing bride. In any case, she went suddenly and Demeter was bereft. As Demeter is the goddess of plant life, when she is sad everything wilts and dies. Zeus made an adjudication that Persephone must spend half the year with her mother and half with her husband. Hence we have summer and winter. In winter, Persephone is with Hades and Demeter is sad. When Persephone returns, everything comes back to life. Persephone is thus both goddess of the underworld and also goddess of spring.
There are many stories and rituals associated with Demeter. She has been worshipped since time immemorial. The Earth Mother appears in man cultures. When Buddha was enlightened, it was the Earth Mother whom he called as witness. This is why statues of Shakyamuni often show him touching the earth with the fingertips of his right hand.
Replies
Touching Earth
Hades carried Persephone away by Gianlorenzo Bernini
Beneath the Walnut tree.
Demeter seeking Persephone