[The Mysteries of Demeter: Rebirth of the Pagan Way] (By: Jennifer Reif) [published: November, 1999]

Not many books on the Goddess Demeter this is brilliant

I have to say this book is an inspiration to anyone who has an interest in Demetrian Mysteries and setting up your own Altar for the Gods of Hellenismos. Jennifer explains very clearly step by step how she assembled these reconstructed rituals. Jennifer is also a true artistic soul and has provided a doorway to further understanding into these Mysteries. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have developed my own Harvest Festival Schedule. This book has ideas for recreating tools, altars, costumes, recipes and working as a SOLITARY or GROUP follower of Demetrian Worship. The book provides historical references along with mythological ties to festivals and photos to guide or provide illumination for further self development. This is the best investment I have made thru Amazon and this is one book I will cherish for years. I highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in Ancient Greek Religion. We will never know everything that occurred at Eleusis during the Eleusinian Mysteries, but this book gives you a glimpse at perhaps the most logical assumption of what these mysteries were about.

The Eleusinian Mysteries are exactly that ... a mystery. We have bits and pieces of information, but since the ceremonies were held in strictest secrecy, each author that takes on the subject fills in the blank spaces with plenty of poetic license and a lot of conjecture. Jennifer Reif is no different, and her point of view in combination with factual information from ancient times is valid and entertaining.Although I'm not a huge fan of reading contemporary re-enactments of ancient rituals, there are plenty of ideas for how an individual or group could do a tribute to the ancient mysteries, without actually performing them as they were in ancient times.Good book, well written, and easy to thumb through to read the type of information that interests, and skim over whatever doesn't meet your fancy.

Really good book! The first section is a history lesson and discovery of the Goddess mysteries. The rest of the book is rituals and ideals about honoring the harvest thru the Goddess. It has earned a spot in my personal library.

This book has helped inspire me in creating my own tradition centered around the rites of Demeter. I recommend it to Hellenic Pagans and Non-Hellenist alike.

If you're looking to experience the Mysteries, lesser or greater, this book offers the prelimenaries for the experience. This book is one of the better books detailing the grain festivities as they were of an agrarian culture.