Establishing my chthonic shrine

 I was reading through some of the pages on the ADF website, when I can across an Order by the name of DEO. The core practice of DEO is to understand the cycles of life and death and our role in the world around us. Most of the principles used in DEO is derived from the Homeric Hymn #3, as well as the mystical rites of the Eleusinian Mysteries. I still am working through what all that entitles, but it is a process that I am thoroughly enjoying. That being said, I decided that I would set up a shrine to help me work through the process.

This past Sunday, April 8th 2012, I was spending a little time outside enjoying the wonderful day. I was thinking about what the teachings of Demeter meant to me, and how I could observe them in the world around me, then I realized that I needed a place where I could go and specifically reflect upon those teachings. So I set to work on establishing a shrine.

I knew that Demeter would be classified as a Chthonic deity, in which case I decided that my shrine did not need to only be a place to reflect on the teaching of Demeter as much as the teachings of the chthonic realm. I have already been working with Dionysos for years now, so I wanted a place where I could give honor to both of them, while still staying within the guidelines of DEO. That is how this shrine came to be. I wanted to be able to reflect the teachings and mysteries of the chthonic realm.