The Story Behind Kybele's Rose Hair & Body Oil
Featured in the Mythologies Collection, Kybele's Rose Hair & Body Oil celebrates Kybele (also Cybele), The Magna Mater, Goddess of Mountains, Rhea (among other titles). Kybele is a goddess of the mountains, nature, and wild animals.
Key ingredient symbolization in the Kybele's Rose Hair & Body Oil formulation:
- Rose & Rosehip Seed: Roses honor Kybele and often blanketed her statues. They are symbolic of blood spilled in her grief, rebirth, and the hidden mysteries of her cult. (It is thought by some that Kybele was the original deity who crafted the rose, creating the rose to be more beautiful than Aphrodite). There are similarities between the two goddesses.)
- Vetiver: Vetiver replicates the spirit of wild nature, a gateway to earth's fertility and Kybele
- Patchouli: Patchouli represents Kybele's connection to wild, unpredictable nature and her sacred soil
- Geranium: wards off negative energies and attracts positivity
- Moringa: offers protection from bad luck and curses
Kybele's Transformation and Cult
The Great Mother goddess was abandoned to the wilderness as a child and left exposed to elements that should have killed her. Instead, Kybele survived, with lions and leopards nursing and raising her. Kybele lived in the wild with the animals nurturing her until she grew into a powerful immortal goddess.
From there she became a mountain goddess worshipped by a mountain cult in ancient Turkey, venerated in caves and on sacred mountains. Her cult spread from there to Greece.
The Greeks adopted her cult and syncretized Kybele with their own goddess, Rhea.
Kybele entered Roman life in 205 B.C during the Second Punic War. The Romans first consulted the Sibylline Oracles/ Books, which assured them military victory if they brought the Great Mother to their city. An alliance was formed with the Anatolian King to transport Kybele, a great black meteorite stone (her sacred symbol) by ship. The Romans renamed Kybele as a Trojan Goddess so that she would be ancestral guardian of the Roman people. They referred to her as Magna Mater ("The Great Mother").
Temples for the goddess sprouted everywhere. Kybele's cult (Cult of Cybele, Cult of the Great Mother) became an ancient, famous religious movement. The Galli (medically trained priests of Kybele's cult) honored Kybele and her consort Attis by self-castration upon initiation, and celebrated Kybele with frenzied, ecstatic dancing, loud musical festivities, and sacred sex. The Galli adorned themselves in makeup and feminine clothing, and held feminine personas, deliberately rejecting high expectations of masculinity in Roman society. By doing this, the Galli channeled their devotion to the Great Mother. Despite being scorned by some and often confined to the temple precincts, and therefore, never gaining mainstream respect of the entire society- the Galli priests were very much sacred, well-respected, feared by some, and seen by many as divine mediators with prophetic abilities.
Some devotees outside of the Galli, held private mysterious cults that offered its followers protection, wealth, and a divine connection.
Kybele's cult became one of the most prominent mystery religions in the Roman empire until the 4th century CE when Christianity ultimately resulted in the decline of Rome's pagan cults.
Kybele governs fertility, motherhood, all human life, wild animals, and the mountains. She controls the life-giving cycles of earth and provides for and protects human beings and civilization.
She is invoked for protection of and from animals, for fertility of soil and reproductive systems alike, and the protection of mothers and infants during childbirth. Kybele can provide safety and shelter from famine, drought, fires, floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters, and can be petitioned during times of war, crime, and unrest in cities and neighborhoods. Ask her for safety during risky activities such as mountain climbing and cave exploring, or for protection from predators like mountain lions and bears while hiking and camping in woods or mountainous regions.
Kybele favors animals and all wildlife, especially lions and leopards; mothers and fathers (those who create and care for humans), animal caregivers and veterinarians, farmers, gardeners, botanists, nature lovers and adventurous explorers, and especially LGBTQ+ persons and organizations- as were many of the devotees who loved and worshipped her.
Venerations of Kybele
Kybele's cults have disappeared, but she is still celebrated as a significant part of Anatolian history. Her ancient statues reside in the Istanbul Archaeology Museums, Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and others across Turkey, as well as the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in the Unites States.
Kybele's story survives in the caves and carvings located in Greece and Turkey, and through festivals throughout the year.
Cybele Cult Festival:
March 15th: Canna intrat (The Reed enters)
March 22nd: Arbor intrat (The Tree enters)
March 24th: Dies Sanguins (Day of Blood)
March 25th: Hilaria (Rejoicing/ Vernal Equinox)
April 4th-9th: Megalesia (Roman games honoring the Magna Mater)
Kybele Symbols and Depictions
Kybele is often depicted enthroned, flanked by lions and/or leopards (symbolizing her power over wild beasts and forces of nature) wearing a Turret crown (The Mural Crown) shaped like city walls to represent her protection over cities, civilization, and the earth's fortifications, and dressed in a veil and flowing robe.
Chariot driven by roaring lions represents her power and rule over unpredictable nature
Drum: Tympanon hand drum, usually held in her hand; used in her rituals
Black Celestial Stone: Kybele's most sacred icon; uncut black meteorite stone believed to have fallen from the sky
Pine Tree: tied to the myth of her beloved consort, Attis, and symbolic of grief and rebirth
The Phiale: a saucer like dish held by Kybele and used to pour libations to the gods
Flower: Rose, Violet (Rose is tied to the death of Kybele's consort Attis; both Rose and Violet were used to decorate her altars, statues, and given as offering to honor Kybele and Attis)
Other Names:
Kybele, Cybele, The Great Mother/ Magna Mater, the Mountain Mother, Goddess of Mountains, Rhea
HOW TO USE KYBELE'S ROSE HAIR & BODY OIL IN PAGAN PRACTICES
- Wear Kybele's Rose Hair & Body Oil to pamper yourself and attract the love, luck, and protection of Kybele. (Self-adornment)
- Wear this oil to scent hair and body during rituals and ceremonies honoring Kybele or for a dinner hosted in Kybele's honor.
- When the bottle's contents are used, save the bottle. Remove the label and dispenser top and sanitize bottle. Insert fresh or faux roses inside the bottle and use as vase for Kybele.