Sisters of the Burning Branch Presents...

The Goddess Fortuna, Fortuna Primigenia


by E. Sylvia

Fortuna was a Goddess of good luck and good fortune who was known throughout Europe and beyond in ancient times. She was associated with built structures like temples and altars that were dedicated to a specific aspect of the Goddess's luck-bringing powers. Fortuna, as Primigenia, honored the primordial mother-child bond.

Fortuna Primigenia's divinatory public oracle for women and infants was held at Her sanctuary in Praeneste, Italy. Lots of small oak tablets, carved in ancient letters, were placed in an olive-wood box and personally chosen for each baby by a young boy under the direction of the Goddess, who was represented as a statue with babies.

The oracle of Fortuna Primigenia was very popular with mothers, becoming almost as famous as Apollo's Delphic oracle in the ancient world. Her worship, and oracular divination by lots, continued for about 800 years. It is, perhaps, this powerful association with divination that inspired the tarot's Wheel of Fortune card.

Types of Divination Associated with the Goddess Fortuna Primigenia

Messages Written in a Mysterious, Ancient Alphabet or Alphabet-Like Symbols.

Any Type of Prophesy Specifically for Mothers and Babies.

Magical Divination Tools Made of Wood.

Some Contemporary Divination Tools that have Similar Properties

I-Ching or Chakra Symbol cards

Runes or Witches Runes made of wood

Tarot cards that have Hebrew letters on them (BOTA Tarot)

Bibliomancy using a book written in heiroglyphics or a mysterious alphabet

                                                                                                                                                           Suggested Ritual

Do you know a small child or pet who enjoys divination or ritual? If s/he would enjoy assisting you in selecting your “lots”, invite them. Tell your animal or child assistant exactly what you'd like them to do, and make it sound simple, easy to understand, fun and, perhaps, just a little bit important. Be sure to give encouragement and support.

Look at the suggestions above for divination tools or make your own. Choose where you wish to have your ritual. You may wish to lay out an altar cloth with a fragrant offering like fresh flowers, fruit or 100% vegan and cruelty-free soy candles, perfume, or incense. Gather the divination tool or tools you wish to use and set up your ritual space.

Include an image or statue of the Goddess Fortuna or a mother and baby; there is an image at the top of this project page which may be displayed electronically on your cell phone, tablet or laptop if you like, or you can draw or display something that you and your child or pet feel symbolizes a mother with a baby or the Goddess Fortuna.

Cleanse yourself as usual, and remember to cleanse your child-assistant or pet, go together to your ritual space and cast a circle of white light around all of you and your space at the same time. If you feel called to do so, you may also cleanse your ritual tools and call quarters if you like, but it's not absolutely necessary. Keep it simple.

Now request the powers of the Goddess Fortuna to guide the divination, and allow your assistant to select one card, one rune or a one-word bibliomancy. Contemplate, together, for a short time, then thank your assistant genuinely, thank your circle of white light and go have a treat together! Do this ritual together anytime you would both enjoy it <3


Prayer for Motherhood

In this season of new growth, when our ancestors prepared for the labor

In the fields, for the preparation of the land and planting of the seeds

For the preservation of their lives throughout the year, we are reminded

Of the work of the mothers who bring to light new generations of family.

Please allow our labors to be safe, simple, productive and manageable

Permit us to balance our emotions, exercise, and nutrition effectively

So that generations in our families, and generosity in our neighborhoods

May graciously and happily receive the gift of a healthy, new child to love.

And so it is blessed, favorable, fruitful and fortunate,

Goddess Fortuna Primigenia!

Blessed be.


Resources:

The Goddess Fortuna Primigenia:
“Fortuna Primigenia”
https://www.thaliatook.com/OGOD/primigenia.php (accessed December 5, 2023)

Temple of Fortuna dot com
https://templeoffortuna.com (accessed December 5, 2023)

Images:

“Young Woman and Child at Play” terracotta sculpture by French sculptor Claude Michel, 1870 (public domain)
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Clevelandart_1942.783.jpg (accessed 5 December 2023)

Table illustrating the simplification of cuneiform signs from “A Guide to the Babylonian and Assyrian Antiquities” by Budge, E. A. Wallis (Ernst Alfred Wallis), Sir, published 1922 (public domain)
File:Table illustrating the simplification of cuneiform signs.jpg - Wikimedia Commons  (accessed 7 December 2023)

“18 Ancient Meitei (Old Manipuri) Letters” by Haoreima, 23 May 2022 (public domain)
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:18_Ancient_Meitei_Letters.jpg (accessed 7 December 2023)

“The Fortune Teller” painting by Spanish painter Enrique Simonet, 1915 (public domain)
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Simonet_-_buenaventura.jpg  (accessed 7 December 2023)

Prayer:
"p.s. Fortuna: Prayers and Supplications For the Goddess" by E. Sylvia


This page is the intellectual and creative property of E. Sylvia

Copyright 2023

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