To Perform the Phytala

Feraferia & R.J. Stanewick, 1969

(So named after Phytalus, the good grover. Demeter gave him the fig tree in appreciation of his hospitality.)

Refer to diagrams below:

Begin with two roots - in Earth, as in Cosmos - the basic polarity, Yin and Yang. Touch fingertips to ground (not shown), right hand a bit to right of right foot, left to left of left foot.

Upward from roots a growing tip that forms a stem, a trunk - out of two a unique One, microcosm. Lift hands, bringing them together palm toward palm, fingertips touching and pointing upward. Pause with hands at heart level (diagram, 1)...

Stem grows tall toward the stars - yearning, aspiration, in receptive aspect toward the Great Lady of Stars, macrocosm - pistil. Keeping hands together, stretch them high overhead (2). Pause...

Blessing from stars, from great One into unique One. Without separating hands, return them to heart level (1). Pause...

Yearning, aspiration, in purposive aspect toward the great One - loving outreach toward all in premonition of reunion with Great Nature - stamens, horizon, wings, branches. Separate hands, extending each one sideways and upwards (3)...

Systole. Hands back together at heart level (1). Pause...

Sol, Yang - fruit. Separate hands and with fingertips trace in air the outline of the Sun, or a fruit, circling middle of trunk (each hand describing half a circle) and ending with fingertips touching in horizontal position just below navel (4). Pause...

Luna, Yin - foliation. Hands remain in same position relative to each other but lower to arms' length to position just in front of genital (5). Pause...

Paradisal Joy - hieratic posture of Greeting the Goddess. Hands swing gracefully outwards, sideways, and upwards to level of shoulders (6) - the Crescent Moon. Pause...muse... The Kore Incantation may be intoned while holding this position.

The song below may be sung or chanted in accompaniment of the gesture. Syllables are matched with gestures as shown in the right margin.

Evoe Kore Evoe Kouros Awiya...