Travels: The Acheron river

My only visit to the Acheron was while seeking the Necromanteion of Acheron, an ancient Temple dedicated to Persephone and Hades. Being a place to communicate with the dead and to receive oracles, it had a strong attraction for me due to my work around oracles and interest in predictive techniques. To be at a Temple where in ancient times people could receive messages from the underworld, including prophecies, felt exciting and I was very happy driving along on a beautiful July morning. The region it was in, Epirus, had profound mythological connections. But although I had a photograph of a blurry map from a museum, it had no larger context and the local museum was not able to give me coordinates.

My usual go-to with mysteries is Hekate, so I asked for Her help. I found signs to the river and knew the Nekromanteion was on its right bank. I came to the river and entered its waters at noon precisely. Before entering I put on the river bank offerings of medicinal herbs, wildflowers and some pieces of quartz, I prayed to Hekate and asked her to protect me and guide me to the right place. I was wary of fully immersing myself in waters reputed to come straight from the underworld, where we were I could see the cave opening from which the water emerged onto the upper world. There was an unearthly colour to the waters, like a blue mixed with magnesium. The water rushed down, and became a sprawled out shallow space. Further down, families picnicked on its right bank and all seemed peaceful and filled with a golden light rather like the golden hour but at noon. I thought, perhaps Olympus is like this, the true Olympus- that realm where the Gods dwell. I felt deeply blessed to be there and simply exist in such a place.

I had brought a light cotton gown for purification. I'm used to bathing in icy waters, melted from mountain tops. But I had only put one leg into the water, aided by a tree bought, and already fiery pain was the first sensation. I carried on, as one does once a rite is begun. The bottom was composed of stones of all sizes, from huge boulders one had to go round, to minor rocks, pebbles and a little sand. It was hard to walk on but I made it to the middle without falling in. There I made obeisance to the spirits of the place and took out some flowers from jy clothing, to float on the water for them. I put water onto my head, shoulders and then submerged myself to my shoulders. I then began my way back to the shore. There I hastened to ask one of my companions for my wallet. I took bronze coins I had brought for this purpose, placed them on the bole of an ancient willow which hung over the water and offered them in payment for taking some water away with me. I put water in a half litre flask and closed it carefully. I felt I had completed this first part of being able to reach the Nekromanteion, to be purified.

We got in the car with one of my companions driving. I was still soaking wet in the white Grecian gown. I trusted the hot weather would soon dry me. Then I nearly died

I'd obviously got something wrong about how to approach the spirits of place or perhaps some shade took offence at my entering the water. My throat was closing up and I could barely speak. I told the driver, I need a doctor, can't breathe! He was asking me where to go, I had no more idea than he did, so we drove straight ahead. Neither of us spoke Greek. We came to a T type of crossroads and the village finished there. I sat, unable to know what to do. Then I said to Hekate mentally, if you wish me to die, a crossroads is a good spot. I heard laughter as my vision began to go. My driver told me he could not get me to respond, so he drove back some 400 metres to a very old petrol station with its attendant. We were in luck because he spoke a little English and his mother had diabetes. No doctor but he forced some coca cola into my mouth and massaged my neck and chest, then more coke. Long story short, my mild diabetes had caused a hypoglycemia, with out the sugar or other glucose I would have died quickly. We rested a good while and some food appeared, as it often does in Greece when you are a stranger. Thing is, my diabetes was so mild at that time that no medication was required, just care with nutrition, and avoiding sugars.

Once I felt better we resumed our searching for a road to the Nekromanteion. I was told there was a wooden sign with its name nearby, turning right. We looked and looked and never found it. Eventually I found a shady place beneath a tree, left my companions in the car, and sat to cast my mind free and attempt to find it from the air. Did I mention I'm a witch as well as a priestess? This kind of gazing in useful in so many situations. But all I found was a few farmhouses, animal stables, very dusty fields after the harvest. I returned to my body. For the sake of my companions, who were hungry, tired and not a little scared still, I gave up the search for that day. Later I found out that the Nekromanteion is, entirely logically, mainly underground and one of those larger farmhouses had the entry point nearby.

The next day we carried on looking and I was totally fairy-led. for hours In spite of better instructions from the hotel we stayed in. It became obvious to me I was not meant to find it on that visit, at least. Maybe it just wasn't my place or my energy was not aligned with it.