February 11th
Day 11

This stone is for Hades, King of The Underworld, who steals and marries Persephone (it is at this point that her name switches from Kore to Persephone).  One of three brothers (Hades, Zeus and Poseidon), he keeps mostly to himself in his realm of the Underworld, which was said to be split into four regions based on how you behaved while living.  There are conflicting accounts on how to enter the Underworld (also sometimes known itself as Haides), but it is a subterranean place accessed by waterway or cave.  There are 5 internal rivers including Styx.  Hades has a three headed dog, Cerberus, who allows anyone to enter, but no one to leave.  He is known to be one of the wiser, reasonable gods

The Cypress tree is known to be a symbolic plant for Hades because it is often associated with death and mourning.  The Cypress tree is considered sacred in many cultures, sometimes seen as a symbol of hope because of the way it seems to stand tall between the sky and ground- a link from the living to the afterlife.  The trees are planted in Muslim, Jewish and Christian places of burials as a form of protection.
In Greek myth, all coffins were made of Cypress wood, and wreaths were made from the branches for statues of Hades.  It is also tied to Hecate, who we will visit in a couple of weeks.

Another plant associated with Hades is Asphodel.  The dead were often described as roaming through leimôn asphodelon or "fields of asphodel".  

There is also something called "hades flower", dactylanthus taylorii, or a "wood rose", that only exists in New Zealand.  It is a parasitic plant that lives underground.

Possible Powers:  Protection, Hope
Location:  32.0488012, -84.8160491

"L'ombre dans l'eau"
(the shadow in the water)