A few days ago I read this post at Aquila ka Hecate which then led me to this post by Hecate. Check out the quotes below.

"I resolved this morning on the way to work to see everything I beheld as Goddess.
My partner beside me, driving my car-he is Goddess.

The car herself is Goddess. Her name is Astarte.

The early morning lights of Woodmead, with those dreadful smoke stacks billowing against the sky -that's Goddess."

- Terri at Aquila ka Hecate

"and that my chance to go back to my office and do what I do best in all the world -- write and edit -- is Goddess, and that my ability to mange everyone's emotions is Goddess, and that getting to read a perfect ritual proposed by my brilliant friend E. for my genius friend B. is Goddess and that a half an hour -- a whole half an hour -- alone in the car with the gorgeous man-Son-Scorpio lawyer that I bore and raised all by myself -- a whole half an hour with Son -- is Goddess, and that his beautiful, kick-ass, wonderful mother of a wife is Goddess,"

- Hecate

So now the words "thou art Goddess" have become my personal mantra. If I too can resolve to see everything around me as Goddess perhaps I can be the "better self" Hecate talks about in the rest of her post.

The cigarette - potentially deadly; toxic, billowing spirals of smoke around my head like "my own locomotive" as Billy Collins said - this is Goddess. The anger that composes up my shadow and hurts other people is Goddess. My husband - who gets that anger and my heart - he is Goddess (especially his sexy butt). The grocery store clerk who makes me want to call her a dumb ass - she is Goddess. My mother - who drives me nuts and makes me love her fiercely all at the same time - she is Goddess. My daughter - my source of giggles and faithful partner in ice cream crime - she is most definitely Goddess. The people I look at with disgust - like twenty year olds who wear jeans so low their labia are almost visible or their boyfriends with their hats spun sideways and a chunk of fake diamonds around their necks - they are Goddess. My neighbors who I all too often think of as white trash - they are Goddess. My Circle mates - they are Goddess - Goddess of much needed laughter, love, and spiritual connection. My best friend - long time support system and my journeying companion - she is very much Goddess; the Goddess of no-panties.

Maybe with those words perpetually in my mind I can start to see the world and other people with fresh fruit eyes; brand new and ripe with sweetness. Maybe I can stop being angry when my girl-mones rage and the heat has gotten the best of me. Maybe I can stop blaming the anger on the girl-mones and the heat and get a good look at the giant still life of sadness that hides in some locked box inside my brain. And maybe I can just remember that I am human - but Goddess - and I don't have to be afraid to fail at being perfect.

UPDATE: Many thanks to Hecate and Terri for their lovely posts. Quite honestly I think this topic has been something life changing for me. As you can see I've added some stuff to the top of the page that relates to the "Everything is Goddess" idea. I've realized now that this entire blog has been about this concept and I am eternally grateful to the two of you for expanding my understanding and speaking your truth.

Labels: Goddess, Misc. Mutterings, Thou Art Goddess

I had a thought today while eating beef jerky. Weird, I know. Anyway, I was thinking to myself that I was consuming the life of another living thing. I was then struck with a thought about the concept of Oneness...

If all things are one - are the Goddess - then the Goddess destroys parts of herself to help other parts of herself to thrive. Why then do you suppose she would "pick" us to be the kind of life that thrives more than some others. The Goddess teaches that all life is one life and no life is more worthy than another. So what makes us so special? Do we contribute more somehow to her well being? Do we provide more physical experience for her than other life forms?

I searched for a metaphor for this and tried out my own body. I haven't come to any conclusions yet, but I am trying to see what my body destroys that are a part of me - that I presumably need to survive - in order to "feed" other parts. I know these are some obscure thoughts, but I thought it might be something worth pondering. I'll be searching for other metaphors/comparisons and looking into science, the natural world, human physiology, etc. to gain some insights if anyone wants to ponder or search with me.

One insight so far: We create. Not just other beings but art, poetry, buildings, etc. We have reasoning abilities that other animals do not that allow us to create without mixing our DNA with someone else's.

Labels: Goddess, Misc. Mutterings

I think the following recent news story deserves a little discussion. What are your thoughts on this? Does this sound like Goddess Religion to you? I'll chime in as soon as I get over being pissed and have a minute to think about it rationally.

---

KATMANDU, Nepal — A 10-year-old Nepalese girl was stripped of her title as a living goddess because she traveled overseas to promote a documentary about the centuries-old tradition, a news report said Tuesday.

Sajani Shakya had her status revoked because she broke with tradition by leaving the country, the state-run National News Agency reported, quoting Narendra Prasad Joshi, chief of the Bhaktapur Taleju Temple where Sajani is based.

Sajani is among several "Kumaris," or living goddesses, in Nepal, but as one of the kingdom's top three, is forbidden from leaving the country.

However, last month she left Nepal for the United States and other countries to promote a British documentary about the living goddesses of the Katmandu Valley.

Temple officials will replace Sajani when she returns to Nepal later this week, the report cited Joshi as saying.

Living goddesses are worshipped by both Hindus and Buddhists. The girls are selected between the ages of 2 and 4 after going through several tests.

They are required to have perfect skin, hair, eyes and teeth, they shouldn't have scars or wounds, and shouldn't be afraid of the dark.

They always wear red, pin up their hair in topknots and a "third eye" is painted on their forehead.

Devotees touch the girls' feet with their foreheads, the highest sign of respect among Hindus in Nepal.

During religious festivals the girls are wheeled around on a chariot pulled by devotees. Living goddesses usually keep their title until their first menstruation.

The main Kumari lives a sequestered life in a palatial temple in the capital, Katmandu.

She has a few selected playmates and is allowed outside only a few times a year for festivals.

Others like Sajani are allowed to stay at home, attend regular school and take part in festivals.

The government last year announced a monthly pension of $40 for serving and retired Kumaris. Previously, the main Kumari received only a gold coin during an annual festival and the other girls received whatever was offered by devotees.

Nepalese folklore holds that men who marry a former Kumari will die young, and so many girls remain unmarried and face a life of hardship.

Critics have said the tradition violates both international and Nepalese laws on child rights.

source: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,287839,00.html

Labels: Goddess, Misc. News

Sit in a comfortable, quiet place. Light candles, incense, or anything that may set the mood for you. You may choose to listen to soft, soothing music.

You begin on a wooded path, the same path that you walked to find the Maiden. Except this time the path is lined with red roses of every shape and variety. There are growing things everywhere; bushes and shrubs, trees and flowering herbs. The sweet smell of summer is in the air.

Overhead the sun is high and bursting with heat. The heat is not oppressive and the thick canopy of trees above shields you from the directness of its light. You are comfortable and warm.

Animals move and make sounds nearby. Beside you is a doe grazing on the forest greens. She stares at you with big brown eyes and welcomes you in her silent way.
As you walk the path take the time to investigate your surroundings. Remember that time has no meaning in this place and that you are free to roam the wilderness around you.

Finally you come to the familiar gate in front of the cottage. They are now both covered in blossoms of every shade of red. Remove the trappings of your daily life and leave them at the gate before pushing it open to step into the garden of the Goddess.

You have just closed the gate behind you when a woman opens the door of the cottage. As she steps over the threshold she greets with a smile and a little nod of her head. You feel a pleasant warmth spread over you and you send her a smile in return.

She wears a gown the color of the roses around her with hints of deep green that match her eyes. Her hair is tied up in a bun behind her head and her belly is swollen with new life.

You remain where you are as the woman walks towards you. Her eyes sweep over you from head to feet.

When she is standing directly in front of you her eyes lock onto yours and she peers deep into your spirit, into who you truly are. Do you hide anything from her? Is there something you don’t want her to know?

After a moment she puts her hand to your cheek and smiles with her eyes. She puts her arms around you and pulls your head gently to rest on her chest. Do you resist this contact or do you let the Mother embrace you as a child that has come home? She pulls you up again, her hands resting on your shoulders, and says:

"I accept you exactly the way you are. I love you as I have always loved you; unconditionally and as your mother. I will always be in this place, waiting for your visits, but know also that I am always within you for we are one spirit."

Talk for a time with the Lady. Go into the cottage if you like. After all, this is your house; your mother’s house. Stay for a while and let your mother teach you what she knows or just lounge in the safety of your spiritual home.

When you are ready to leave, embrace the Mother and promise to return. Take only what you need from the gate before returning to the path. Walk back at your leisure allowing your consciousness to surface slowly.

Labels: Goddess, Tridean Tradition, Writings

This affirmation can be used daily to imbue yourself with the compassion of the Mother.

Ancient Mother,
Your spirit is the creating force of love
That nourishes and perpetuates life.
Let my heart be filled with your patience,
And your endless compassion for all things.
I rest always within your eternal embrace.

Labels: Goddess, Tridean Tradition, Writings

Love is the most powerful force in existence. It can quite literally bring change in an instant. Without it there would be no desire to create and nurture, thus there would be no life.

Today, at the beginning of Summer, the Mother Goddess comes to the height of her power as does the sun above us. She has reached this pinnacle through the strength of love. It is love for her Consort, for the child growing within her, and for all of Creation.

As her love and her belly have grown so too has the earth become green and full of life. Flowers bloom all around us and the animals have come together in the fields to mate and multiply. Life is everywhere we look.

The Goddess has reached the peak of her potential and realized her compassion for all life. She loves all things as a healthy mother loves her children; selflessly and without condition. This is the love she holds within her heart for each of us.

In recognition of this peak of life and love fires are lit all over the world. Tradition tells us that this is the favored day of the fairies and that they troop around the land searching for beautiful mortals to take away with them.

Roses are symbols of the Mother Goddess. They are placed on altars along side rayed flowers and sun wheels which honor the height of the sun. This is a time of fire—the most creative and destructive force known. The same qualities can also be given to the force of love.

Because a peak has been reached now there must be a decline. This does not mean the lessons of compassion will be forgotten or wane. The decline means that now something else must come into focus to join those lessons.

Midsummer is a time of celebration and joy, as are all times in the Goddess’s circle. But with that joy comes the knowledge that this too shall end only to begin again—that impermanence is the nature of all things.

Let us rejoice now in the warmth of summer and in the light at its highest point. Let us live in this moment, and this moment only, so that we might relish in the love of the Goddess and learn compassion for all life and all beings.

Labels: Goddess, Tridean Tradition, Writings

I didn't get a chance to post this on Beltane so I'll post it now. Sorry about the lateness of this topic. :)


The Story of the Goddess at Beltane

Fires burn bright on this night. The Mother, with a growing child in her belly, looks to celebrate the love she has found in the God and the creation they have stirred.

The first spring flowers have opened their faces to the growing sun, trees are becoming full and green, and life is steadily returning from below the ground. Bird song fills the air again. They beckon us to join them in celebration of High Spring.

This is the last of the seed time when the focus changes from a time of planting to a time of growth. The theme of fertility is carried throughout this season and rituals and prayers are made to perpetuate growth in the physical world
as well as in the spiritual.

Beltane is a time of celebrating the pleasures of the body; of the combining of matter and spirit. Know that you are both of these things; that you are eternally divine. Come before the Goddess as you are, without judgment or fear, and she will accept you unconditionally.

The Goddess now transitions from her Maiden aspect to that of the Mother. She is ever aware of the growing child within her that carries with it endless possibilities and the potential for Completion.

She calls for us to join with her this night, to marry our bodies and spirits with her spirit and to celebrate this joining in our own human ways; with song, dance, feasting, friendship, and love.

She will dance beside us in our circle, her voice will join ours on the wind; she will laugh and rejoice with us. And when the sun retreats into the night she will find a quiet place to tend the flames of passion.

At Beltane the Goddess teaches us to cherish our material qualities and be without shame before her. She teaches us that there is nothing sinful about being a human being, that passion is something to be embraced, and that we are all her beloved children.

Labels: Goddess, Tridean Tradition, Writings

Prayers

(This first prayer can be used for the entire round or for the Divine bead.)
Great Goddess, Lady of Life
Whose Garment is the shining Heavens.
You are the white moon among the stars
And the beauty of the green earth.
You are the Oneness of all things
And the Completion of the Spirit
You are the mystery that if that which we seek
We find not within
We will never find it without
For you have been here since the beginning
And you are that which is attained at the end of desire.

(adapted from the Charge of the Goddess with Tridean influence)


(spacers)
Goddess, I am looking within and I see your light shining.

(white beads)
Maiden of freedom
You are the Eternal Virgin,
The Holy Bride of Nature,
And the revealing light within the shadows
Through you all that is good comes to birth.

(red beads)
Mother of Compassion,
Forever fertile, Lady of the forge.
You are the creating force of love
And the strength which nourishes all that lives.
Through you the cause of life is served.

(black beads)
Crone of Wisdom,
Ancient One, Keeper of the Cauldron.
You stand at the gates between the worlds
And carry the shining sickle of death.
Without you nothing can be transformed.

(divine bead)
Great Goddess, Lady of Life, Three that are One.
You are everything; the Earth under our/my feet, the Air which we/I breathe, the Water which purifies us/me, and the light within our/my soul(s).
All things are born of your spirit.

(to end)
By the power and will of She that is Three, So mote it be.

Labels: Art and Craft, Goddess, Modern Paganism, Tridean Tradition, Writings

Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet expresses a lesson of the Mother aspect of the Goddess with his famous quote: "My religion is simple. My religion is kindness."

The Mother aspect of the Great Goddess is perhaps the most well known. After all, we all have mothers and are typically familiar with the qualities of a healthy mother-figure regardless of our own individual upbringings.

Hundreds of images of the Mother Goddess have been found that date back to the Stone Age. Characteristics of motherhood and fertility are commonly found in their design as they bare exaggerated breasts and bellies. The exaggerated belly conceptualizes qualities of the womb – creation, protection, etc. - as something present in the "creator" and something to be harnessed within oneself. In turn, the engorged breasts illustrate that nourishment is a necessity for all living things and is able to be provided only by other living things.

In myth the Mother appears to have many characteristics, but the most common are those associated with creation and nourishment. She is often seen as the Earth itself, producing and giving freely of the things that her children need to survive.

As with the Maiden, the Mother is not only found within beings who are physical mothers. She is in all things at all times regardless of fertility, gender, or age. Every person contains an "Inner Mother" - an aspect of themselves that is capable of unconditional love.

The Mother aspect of the Goddess is the Teacher of Compassion. After going through the processes and revelations brought on by embracing the Maiden within, the Mother suddenly surfaces and begins to take the reigns.

As you learn to remove judgment and accept Oneness you may begin to notice her voice inside your head, urging you to find compassion for that boss that drives you crazy or the clerk at the grocery store who seems to be taking too much time out of your day. The Mother teaches us to love all people and all life.

One of the most valuable lessons of the Mother is compassion for self. This falls right in line with the concept of non-judgment of self. The Maiden removes judgment and the Mother replaces it with compassion.

The "darker" (for lack of a better word) side of the Mother is one of destruction. She is willing to consume life back into herself when necessary while teaching us that death has a purpose as a part of life.

The Mother is also the archetype of a fierce protector who will defend the lives of her children with her last breath. In this way we understand that life should be fought for and defended.

The Mother is connected with the traditional interpretations of the element of Fire. Fire is transformational energy; destroying and creating all at once. Fire is the primeval force of creation. Where as the Maiden provides inspiration, the Mother takes those ideas and molds them in her fire, like a blacksmith with a fine sword, and gives them life.

The Mother can be felt with the heat of the sun or the warmth of your hearth. Allow her into your heart and she will show you all of the possibilities that come with the presence of unconditional love, kindness, and compassion.

Labels: Goddess, Modern Paganism, Writings

It is the season of spring and life is placing its hold on the earth once more. It is planting time, a hopeful time of renewal for all things.

The Maiden Goddess is at the peak of her power, both physically and spiritually. She is the seed and the soil, the planter and the planted. She is the Initiator, the Free Spirit, and the Holy Virgin.

At this time the Goddess seeks a mate and finds one in the Horned Lord who is a Son of Nature, a Keeper of Life, and a Man of the Goddess.

They are drawn to each other in a cosmic dance older than time itself. He is of her and one with her in spirit. She invites him now to become one with her in body as well.

The Goddess and her Stag-Horned Consort come together at this season of balance to learn about love and to create the child of light which will be reborn at the Winter Solstice.

With their joining new life enters the world, symbolized by the festive eggs and blooming flowers on our altars. The flames of our candles represent the sun which will continue to grow warm and heat the Earth, encouraging growth throughout the coming months. We also offer water, a representation of the cleansing and nourishing rains of the season.

We gather now in this sacred space to circle together in honor of the Goddess, the Lady of Light and Life. We gather to celebrate the beginning of spring and the coming warmth.

We rejoice in the joining of the Maiden and her Consort. May the light of their love shine on us all and bring the fertile promise of renewal.

Labels: Goddess, Modern Paganism, Tridean Tradition, Writings

The beliefs of the Tridean Goddess Tradition are based on evidence of what is believed to be the oldest form of human religion. Physical artifacts, such as hand-carved statues and cave art, place the source of these beliefs in Paleolithic Europe as early as 25,000 years ago or more. Hundreds of ritualized female figures exist from this time period that point to a system of belief which illustrates how life comes into being and how the Universe operates. There are no similar male figures found.

Looking at these figures, and their ritualized representations of the female form, it can be inferred that humanity’s first image of the life-giver was that of a mother. It is further concluded that these beliefs must go back to a time when people saw themselves as children of Nature, related to all of Creation, and part of a greater whole imagined as Goddess.

Trideans believe that Nature, and all things of Nature, are the Goddess in a multitude of physical manifestations. Nature is the sacred text of the human race and the blueprint that teaches us how to relate to the Goddess and to each other. It is the guide by which the spirit finds Completion; the sacred union of Oneness with all things.

While the Completion of the Goddess is the goal it is not believed to be attained through an idea of perfection, but through peace which can only come through understanding.

Lunar mythology predates solar mythology in most if not all cultures. For this reason Trideans believe that the moon is the source for all later cosmologies and thus continues interpretations of the Moon Goddess into the other natural cycles of sun and earth.

Through the waxing, full, and waning phases of the moon a Triple Goddess figure comes into being. A fourth aspect is evident with the dark phase of the moon, symbolizing the promise of rebirth into the Otherworld and the union of Completion. Each of these phases represents an aspect of the Goddess and illustrates a spiritual concept.

The cycles of the sun and earth, or the seasons, are seen to carry the same concepts of the
cycle of the moon on a grander scale. The solar year is a further, more detailed instruction from the blueprint of Nature where the Goddess is seen to be born from the Underworld, takes a mate, ages, dies, and gives birth again to herself in the act of rebirth.

The solar mysteries illustrate our connection to the rest of Creation through observations of the sowing and reaping of seeds, the lives of animals, and the changing of the Earth. The moon, by contrast, is a source of individual mystery representing ideas of intrinsically spiritual and personal awareness. Both of these cyclical systems are physical reflections of the adage “as above, so below”.

Some of the earliest images of the Goddess are depicted some what androgynously with both male and female principles. It is believed that the reason behind this is the idea of Oneness. The Goddess is completely female and completely male; having all the traits necessary for creation. She is the nothing less than the totality of being complete and without separation. The male aspect of the Goddess is seen as a horned animal, or as a half human, half animal being.

The Goddess is the whole while the God image is but a facet of her. The myth of the God/Hunter can not survive outside of the myth of the Goddess. Furthermore, myths of the God/Hunter/Son/Lover do not exist before the Bronze Age. The belief of a primordial Goddess of Oneness predates this time period by millennia.

Misconceptions of these myths have led some to believe that the male of the species has no part in the religion of the Goddess. This could not be further from the truth. In fact, since the Goddess is the representation of Oneness, she is ever present in all forms of life both male and female. While some mysteries of the Goddess are apparent through the female body and the act of giving birth, the image of the Goddess transcends any one woman or the female body. Men are as much manifestations of the Goddess as women are.

The Goddess creates parthenogenically, or of herself. While there is no separation and the Goddess does not exalt her female children over her male (or her two legged over her four legged) the female sex is considered the original form. All fetuses begin as female in their mother’s womb. Furthermore, recent evolutionary science has proposed that male reproductive organs are a secondary evolution that came about to keep the gene pool more diverse.

The Tridean myth cycle of the solar year depicts the Goddess rebirthing herself at the end of the year in the Otherworld. She then surfaces between the Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox. At the time of the Vernal Equinox she takes a mate – another manifestation of herself and her creation as Son/Lover. After finding her mate she becomes pregnant with the Child of Completion – herself.

Through Beltane and Midsummer the Goddess continues to grow with child. At Mabon her mate dies, leaving her an aging woman alone with herself and her memories. She now knows death and, as she mourns, works to understand its mysteries. She begins the transformation of becoming the Gatekeeper between the worlds and the one who guides the souls of the dead back to the Otherworld of her womb.

At Samhain the Goddess begins her own journey to the Otherworld, thinning the veil as she goes. It is within the Otherworld that her other aspects will join her to bring the Child of Completion to birth and begin the cycle again.

Labels: Goddess, Tridean Tradition, Writings

Starhawk answers the recent "On Faith" question: Have women fared well or badly in the world's religions down through the ages? Why?

Read Starhawks comments on the subject below. What do you think of what she had to say?

I'll admit I was expecting a little bit more. While reading Starhawk's article I felt as though she were in a rush just to get it written. Which is not unlikely since she is a very busy woman. However, I am just plain completely thrilled and grateful that she is able to post subjects on the Goddess at all.

Women and the Goddess

Women have not faired well under most religions for the last five thousand years or so. But let’s take the long view: that’s just a blip on the timeline of human history. Before, and concurrently in many indigenous cultures, the divine was and is pictured in female as well as male form, as the Great Mother who was the creative, regenerative power in nature and life.

At the very beginnings of Western civilization, there were early cultures, egalitarian and peaceful, that honored the Goddess and whose arts and religious artifacts reflect their interest in the sacredness of nature and an orientation to life. These societies were long lasting—in places like Catal Huyuk they existed for thousands of years, and they originated agriculture, pottery, weaving, architecture—the arts and skills that were to be the basis of civilizations to come. But they changed when culture and religion became more and more focused on war. Myths changed—from celebrations of the sacred marriages and sacred images of food, plants—to the imagery of warfare, with Gods as conquerors and Lords of Battle. Law and religion changed as well—and the results are still with us.

I was raised Jewish and still feel deeply connected to those roots. But as a young woman deeply interested in questions of the spirit, and always at the top of my Hebrew school class, I saw nowhere to go in Judaism. At that time, there were no women rabbis, cantors, and few women scholars. Women could teach Hebrew school, or head up Hadassah, or marry a rabbi, but that was about it. Of course, all of that changed a decade later with challenges from the feminist movement, but in the meantime I had found a community of people practicing the Old Religion of the Goddess.


The Goddess is not just God-in-a-skirt, she represents a different spiritual orientation, one which locates the sacred in this world, in the cycles of nature, in the body and all its processes, that sees sexual communion, birth, maturation, healing, and even death and decay as sacred processes.


As a young woman, it was tremendously empowering for me to find a spiritual tradition that honored my body and that encouraged me to take on roles of responsibility and leadership.

In our tradition, we honor women without denigrating men, and there are also many wonderful, powerful and empowering men in our communities. But men do not have the automatic position of privilege—unearned, assumed authority—that they do in some other religions.

There isn’t space here to fully discuss this issue, but if you want to pursue this question further, I refer you to my own books, (see www.starhawk.org), especially The Spiral Dance and Truth or Dare: Encounters with Power, Authority and Mystery (HarperSanFrancisco, 1988) and our documentary on the work of archaeologist Marija Gimbutas, Signs Out of Time. (Available from www.belili.org). Marija’s own books, The Language of the Goddess, The Civilization of the Goddess, The Living Goddess (with Miriam Dexter Robbins) are also excellent resources, as is Riane Eisler’s The Chalice and the Blade.

Labels: Goddess, Modern Paganism

*Slight Rant Warning*

I was thrilled to see that there was a Goddess Temple operating in Orange County, California. I couldn't wait to head over to the website and check it out, but when I got there I was more than disappointed. Please visit the following link: http://www.goddesstempleoforangecounty.com and read through the site - specifically the beliefs page before reading my comments below.

Women's Spirituality? Where is the inclusiveness of the Goddess? The Goddess teaches connection not separation. Why is Goddess religion assumed to be for women only? The Goddess does not love her female children more than her male - or her four legged more than her two legged. Calling Goddess Religion Women's Spirituality or Feminist Spirituality is not only a misnomer, it also creates uneeded and unwanted separation.

We can not change the world by only exalting half of it. How can we create change throughout the entire human race by replacing male dominated religion with female dominated religion? The difference between Goddess Religion and those of Abrahamic descent are so vast that at some point the gender issues are no longer relevant. Just to sum up, one is based on fear and separation and the other is based on love and oneness. Huge difference!

I understand the need for women to come together and heal. I truly do. But men need that same opportunity under the Goddess. Men need to be able to find freedom from Christianity and Patriarchal institutions as well. If they don't what we'll continue to have in this country is a bunch of idiots who do nothing but grow fatter and watch football while calling each other gay for having emotions. There needs to be a new standard for the American male. The Goddess can create change for men too. Spiritual development should be more important than SuperBowl Sunday.

The Goddess is the center of the first religion of humankind. Period. Not womankind. Not mankind. Humankind. It's time we wake up.

Labels: Goddess, Modern Paganism

From the post Looking Back, Looking Forward at Medusa Coils:

"At the turn of the millennium, Abby Willowroot encouraged people to create Goddess statues and art in what she called "Goddess 2000 Project", whose aim was "A Goddess on Every Block!" Now that we are well into this millennium, I'd like to state another goal - a Goddess temple in every town!

I believe Goddess temples will bring us increased visibility and stability, lessen the perception of us as an unimportant or fringe group (or groups), and enable people to see contemporary Goddess religion(s) as a legitimate spiritual path. This, in turn, will help us reach other goals, such as having our research, scholarship, and writings published more easily, having our findings accepted in academic circles, and having Goddessian representatives included in "interfaith" programs and gatherings."

I have spoken on my desire to foster organization in Goddess Religion on a few occasions here at Panthea. It is no secret that I would build a temple in every town in a heart beat if the funds were available. But how can we meet this goal? How can we afford to build these temples if we can not yet organize ourselves? If I won the lottery the first thing I would do would be to purchase some land and build a nice neo-classic, round temple with the words "Temple of the Goddess" in bold letters on a sign out front. But, since the lotto isn't exactly a reliable source of income, where do you suppose we could come up with that kind of capital? Are there any rich philanthropist Goddessians out there? Anyone?

Labels: Goddess, Modern Paganism

The Myth of the Goddess; Evolution of an Image details the cultural confirmation of Goddess worship since before the beginning of civilization to more recent times. The Goddess is revealed through time from Ancient Earth Mother to the Virgin Mary as an integral part of the human religious experience.

Detailed examinations of artifacts and sacred sites provide a compelling image of societies devoted to the Goddess as seen through Nature and the world around them. Themes in mythology and folklore are also explored as a means of further demonstrating the cultural and religious significance of Goddess to ancient people.

Epiphanies are hidden within the richness of the text, caught within the weaving patterns of the reality of the Great Goddess. Ideas and thoughts you once thought of as your own will suddenly be seen as intuitive realizations - reality forged through mystery.

This is a book that every Goddess-person should own - both clergy and lay person. The work contained in its pages will serve as a practical foundation for the (re)building of inherent human religious tradition and practice.



Have you read this book? Use the comments form to write your own review.

Labels: Book Discussion and Review, Goddess

The essay, The Great and Sovereign Mother Goddess by Robin Artisson, had me nodding my head on many occasions. One specific point that I agreed upon was made with the statement:

"India makes a good place to look for traditions of Goddess Worship..."

Absolutely. Here we have a surviving tradition of the Goddess. It is however not found in its original form and has still been subjected, in part, to the "savage suppression" spoken of in the later part of the statement.


Another good point from the essay:

"Despite the very politically motivated over-simplifications that have been worked into the field of Goddess studies by radical feminists..."

I couldn't agree more. The Goddess is an equal opportunity mother. She doesn't love her female children more than her male ones or vice versa. Many aspects of her mysteries can be seen through the female body, but that does not automatically exalt women over men. It is about equality and respect and nothing more. I refuse to allow my religion to be a fading movement which serves someone else's political agendas.


"I do not believe in the so-called 'triple goddess' of modern mainstream neo-paganism."

"...I do not believe in the wiccan 'triple goddess'."

Robin feels strongly enough about the above statement to say it twice. It just so happens that it is probably the one point that I had the most conflict with. Within the essay itself are the following words.

"Alongside this virginal, pure and boundless condition..."

"...She has been approached as Earth Mother... and as a Goddess of the Underworld or a Fate-Weaver."

In the above statements the Goddess is demonstrated as being triplicate as in Maiden, Mother, and Crone which Robin says is a "modern construct" despite the "great religious truth that many of the Goddesses [he] worship[s] historically appear in triple form."

"...I do believe in the Goddess of Sovereignty, and in her triple force of power."

I'm confused. So I call the Goddess Maiden, Mother, Crone, and All Goddess and Robin calls her the Goddess of Sovereignty who has a triple power. What is the difference? I think we're talking about the same thing here.

Is it possible that Robert Graves coined the terms Maiden, Mother, Crone because it was a common way of seeing the Goddess: youthful, motherly, and aging? He didn't make up the myths of the Goddess which demonstrate these triplicate aspects. He simply classified her aspects into simple English. I'm not even sure Graves can take all the credit for it actually. These ideas have been around for millennia. It seems unlikely that one man could put into words what has always been. Or perhaps for him it was a moment of intuition and remembrance of the Great Goddess of ancient times. Either way, does it really matter? It appears that we believe in the same thing, but call it two (kind of) different things.

So, this leaves the Triple Goddess as a historical manifestation seen through the eyes of the myth writers and readers - the interpreters of the worship of our Ancient Mother. The Goddess in triplicate is not a new concept, nor is it solely a Wiccan one.

I admire Robin's writing ability and thoughtful approach. I hope to be given the opportunity to have conversations and debate with him in the future.

Labels: Goddess, Misc. Commentary, Modern Paganism

I found the below statements at Robin Artisson's blog Cauldron Born: Shamanic Mysteries of Britain and Northern Europe. I plan to make some detailed comments on the entire post as soon as I get the chance to do it justice. There are many things I agree with within the article and some that I don't. It should make for an interesting post.

For now here is an excerpt. If you have a moment I certainly recommend stopped by Cauldron Born and giving this post a read.

"Despite the very politically motivated over-simplifications that have
been worked into the field of Goddess studies by radical feminists
and other re-writers of history, there was and is a Great Goddess,
known and experienced by men and women since pre-history, who stands
behind the primordial spiritual expressions of all mankind, and even
in the modern day shadows of her can be glimpsed within the strict
confines of Judaism and Christianity. She was there in Classical
times, in every culture in some form or in many forms, and she has
been in every other era of the historical journey of Homo Sapiens.

I believe in the "Great Mother", as she has come to be called, for
many reasons. First and foremost among those reasons is the fact that
I have experienced her presence in this world and in myself, not that
I consider "me" and "this world" to be two radically different
things. Her worship is far from dead; from Neolithic times to now,
her worshippers in India and many other parts of the "native" world
(such as Native America and Australia and the Pacific Islands) have
never lost their connection to primal traditions of her worship.

India makes a good place to look for traditions of Goddess Worship
that never were savaged and suppressed by Christianity; studies of
the Great Goddess, the Shakti or the Mahadevi in India today are
excellent inspiration for proponents of European Goddess studies and
modern day worship. We can look with awe on the Indian Subcontinent
and at the ages-old worship of Goddesses whose names share linguistic
relationship to our own ancestors' Goddesses- Kali is the best
example; her name is derived from the Proto-Indo European *KOL and
the constructed proto-name KOLYO, referring to the "Hidden" or
Concealed Goddess, the "Old Veiled One" who acts as a great mother/
earth mother behind more than one pantheon, and as Goddess of the
dead, the underworld, fierceness, and darkness. Cailleach would be
her equivalent in Irish Celtic Paganism.

It is not my purpose with this article to attack the claims of the
radical feminists and all of their personal, intellectual, and
political imbalances; suffice it to say that reacting against male-
dominated spiritual and religious politics by simply switching "God"
from a supreme male being to a supreme female one will never solve
the problems of gender imbalance in spirituality or in modern society."

Labels: Goddess

I've been thinking more on the concept of Darkness and the Goddess. In reading the comments I exchanged with Athana I get the impression that there are some people who can not reconcile anything dark or violent with the Goddess. The more I think about it the more it seems that it is often just easier to blame all of those uglier parts of life on patriarchal society. Now, don't get me wrong. Some of it we can blame on patriarchy, but certainly not all of it.

Nature is the guide. We don't have a bible to call holy writ. Instead we have Nature and our interpretations of its lessons. Violence and brutality are part of Nature. Little animals get abused and eaten by bigger ones. Life suffers in the harsh conditions of winter and creatures starve or freeze to death. This is all a part of life.

If animals contain the possibility for brutality without societal influence, why would human beings not carry this trait inherently as well?

If Nature shows us that harsh, brutal conditions for life are not only possible but consistent, why should we believe that the Goddess herself does not carry some kind of darker attributes being that she is Nature and all things are one?

I want to specify that I believe the Goddess does not punish or act out of anger. She simply is. Life must be taken for other lives to continue or for new lives to begin. This is just the way of things. Perhaps this is the way it began - the way it was intended - and with the influx of patriarchy, things became imbalanced and murder and war is where it has lead. I don't know for sure, but I know the Goddess is light/life and dark/death because Nature demonstrates this concept. And since we are the Goddess in the theory of Oneness then we have these traits as well. I think the task is to learn how to balance them out not abolish the darkness all together.

In fact, I believe "darkness" - again, for lack of a better term - is normal and healthy. Darkness can also bring clarity, where you actually learn to see the light. Darkness is the source of all things, the mystical realm of re-birth, and the vehicle through which wisdom comes to the surface.

Wouldn't it be easier if things we just black and white? Nah.

Labels: Goddess

Athana at Radical Goddess Thealogy brought up the topic of Warrior Goddesses the other day and I, of course, had to post some comments.

Click here to read the original post then read below to see mine and Athana's comments. As always, I would love to know what you think.


Grian said...

I agree that we are not after female dominance. The Goddess does not want to create yet more separation. What I have a hard time with is the "there are no warrior goddesses" statement.

In my tradition the Goddess is revered as a three-fold deity. The Warrior is not one of those aspects because it is believed that the Warrior as well as the Lover are ever present throughout all other stages.

I don't think Warrior has to mean "war-mongering". It can mean destructive though. I think there is some balance lost when we forget that the Goddess is not only creating but also destroying. She is loving and also harsh - not out of animosity but out of necessity.

You can not know light without first knowing darkness and vice versa.

Just my two cents. I'd love to compare beliefs.


Athana said...

Grian, Hm. I agree with you that destruction, death and misfortune are all part of human life, and have been since the beginning. And I can't tell you that I've figured out exactly how this fits in with Goddess. I think though that "bad stuff" comes in part from the Mother, who feels an overwhelming need to protect Her children. At the moment I'm reading the book Nisa, about a Kung Bushwoman in the Kalahari Desert, southern Africa. This is a hunting and gathering society - or was when Nisa was a child. Anyway, if a Kung woman has a baby too soon after her previous baby, she doesn't have enough milk to feed both babies, and one is going to have to die. So the mother usually kills the newborn immediately after its birth. In a Goddess theaology, could we explain bad things as a result of a Mother trying to protect her children?

One problem I see with the warrior as a symbol of "bad stuff" is that war is an aberration that's been with us humans for only the past 6000 years out of the 100,000 we've existed on this planet. I'm not sure we want to use it as a symbol in the healthy religion we want to have for our species.


Grian said...

Athana,

Perhaps I immediately equate the Warrior aspect with Darkness - as in the Dark aspects of the Goddess.

Yes, I do think that destruction can come from the desire to protect. I don't know if you have children, but the thought of someone causing harm to my daughter can make me contemplate violent actions.

I think the "darkness" - for lack of a better term - is not only necessary and natural, but can be a positive force if it is understood and integrated into self. This is a very common theme in many forms of spirituality - stemming directly from the earliest Shamanic Goddess societies.

Labels: Goddess

Ah... well hello there. As I'm sure you've all noticed I've been rather uninspired as of late and finding myself hard pressed to type a single blogworthy word. Maybe it's all those Solstice cookies bringing out the sloth in me. Mmm... frosted cutouts and peanut butter kiss cookies. Or maybe all that present wrapping is giving me carpal tunnel. Maybe I'm just feeling quiet at this special time of year. Whatever the cause I was tickled out of my Yule-tide coma this morning by a cheeky article about an equally cheeky book by the British "Authors Benrik".

While the article and the authors are having some fun, I found a bit of seriousness to ponder. From the article: "Part of the problem is that a single God is too remote. Omniscience notwithstanding, we stand little chance of catching his eye, let alone interacting with him in any useful way."

Interesting comment. I don't think having one god is the problem. The conflict lies more in the concept of being separate from that god. The business of being "too remote" and whatnot can cause that disconnected, discontented feeling that is bound to come when people suppose that god is somehow outside of themselves. I think the Goddess teaches very different lessons.

The Goddess teaches that we are Her, that we are all one, and that we can connect to Her at any time without the need of an intermediary. Hmm... imagine that. Having a single deity doesn't seem so bad after all. Add to that all the interesting and inspiring manifestations of deity to learn from and you've got yourself one beautiful monotheistic, multi-layered, super-filling cheesecake. I say pop the button on your jeans and take another bite.

Labels: Goddess

I've been reading recently on a Hindu tradition known as Shaktism. Shaktism has been defined as "... a denomination of Hinduism that worships Shakti, or Devi Mata -- the Hindu name for the Great Divine Mother -- in all of her forms whilst not rejecting the importance of masculine and neuter divinity (which are however deemed to be inactive in the absence of the Shakti). In pure Shaktism, the Great Goddess, or Mahadevi, is worshiped as nothing less than the highest divinity, Supreme Brahman Itself, the 'one without a second,' with all other forms of Divinity, female or male, considered to be merely her diverse manifestations."
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaktism)

I've been wondering if perhaps Hinduism should not be something that is studied by all practitioners of Goddess religion. Could Hinduism with its ancient roots, being considered by some to be older than any other religion practiced today, be the closest thing that we can get to the original concept of Goddess worship?

Hinduism is certainly not without flaws and has obviously been touched by patriarchal ideas. Regardless of those facts, the practices and worship of the Great Mother in India should, in my opinion, be considered by anyone seeking the Goddess. This is to say, that we should go beyond studying the individual aspects of the Goddess in Hinduism and really become immersed (or at the very least study thoroughly) the religion itself.

I have also been thinking about visiting a Hindu temple in my area. I am concerned though that perhaps outsiders would not be welcomed. After scanning pictures on the site I noticed that all of the people within the images were of Indian descent. I wonder how they would feel about me showing up to services? Are there any Hindus out there who would like to chime in on this one?

image: http://shaktiwicca.tripod.com/ - and interesting site combining the concepts of Shaktism and Wicca.

Labels: Goddess

A few weeks ago the New York Times posted a story on Chimney Rock in Colorado and how it is a lunar observatory much like Stonehenge in England and Callanish in Scotland. It is set up to observe the Lunar Standstill Period that happens once every 18.6 to 19 years.

My interest in this topic is the question of why. Why would ancient people be interested in watching the moon rise through its monthly cycles during this time? Why notice it's cycle at all? In my opinion, because the moon is seen as the Goddess - or at least she was way back when before the Goddess was all but wiped out from human conciousness.

Just putting it into the perspective we have today as modern Pagans - it would seem that these ancients wanted to take note of the Moon Mother's cycles and notice the end/beginning of her longest cycle. Could this be seen as a recognition of the concept of rebirth as we know it today?

While there is no substantial evidence to support a Goddess cult in this part of America, it can still be considered a recognition of nature as blueprint/bible and evidence of a nature based society. Most nature based people considered the Earth itself to be their mother. So even if they saw a man in the moon, the basic principles of Goddess-friendly worship are there.

Am I grasping at straws? What do you think?

Image: www.chimneyrockcolorado.com

Labels: Goddess

I'm sorry at my lack of posts lately. I guess school, group, family, etc. has me more busy than I like to admit. For this morning I post a tid bit from a group I am on. Special thanks to Satori Luna for the text.

All this time the Goddess, struck with grief,
had been looking for her daughter. Nothing
stopped her. In the dew-drenched dawn
she sought, and in the darkness too.
She lit her torches from volcanic fire
and walked through frost and night,
searching and searching, not stopping
when day smiled and cloaked the stars,
searching, not even stopping
to wet her lips at a clear fountain.
~Ovid, Metamorphoses

"At this time of year in ancient Greece, women celebrated several important festivals to the corn mother Demeter - called Ceres by the Romans, the Goddess who gave us the word "cereal." At the full moon in October, the Stenia was celebrated, with all-night dancing on the moonlit seashore. Such night rituals are common to other goddesses, especially the huntress-maiden Artemis, to whom each full moon was dedicated.

Like the moon, the earth moves through a predictable cycle. hemisphere is clearly dipping into the darker portion of the year. And this is the time when the ancient tale was told and retold of how the goddess lost her only daughter, and how she blighted the earth in her grief. Our hearts endure many winters. Dreams are lost, and loved ones, and possessions, and dear pets. Like the goddess, we mourn and grieve. And each time, we lose our faith that spring - that hope - will ever grow again. Yet each year, spring returns. Each dark time has its ending. Light will come again."

Labels: Goddess

The sun is setting and the fires are being lit as they were in ancient times. People all over the world have gathered to celebrate. They celebrate life, love, and the divine within themselves and each other. They reach towards the sky, open their palms in praise to the Goddess, and begin the sacred chant. Men and women, young and old, lock hands and begin to dance in honor of the Great Mother of all life.

The above scenario may never get a chance to become a reality. The current statistics in Pagan communities in regards to gender is aprox. 3 women for every 1 man.

While I subscribe to many feminist ideas, and I honestly believe that being born female makes one a feminist by default, I abhor the idea that Goddess Religion is a cleverly designed ruse created to perpetuate a feminist agenda (political or otherwise). I also detest labeling the Religion of the Goddess as "feminist spirituality". In my opinion it is not a good label to give to a religion whose ideas we hope to promote to both men and women. You can not create change among an entire society by only convincing half of it.

Before I continue I want to specify that I am not looking to actively convert people. I do not believe that is the way of the Goddess. I do, however, believe that Goddess Religion can have a beneficial effect on our society as a whole. Both men and women can benefit from a more balanced concept of deity. I can already hear people asking how going from Patriarchy to Matriarchy is balanced. Simple. The Goddess does not preach original sin or convince people to feel guilty for being perfectly imperfect human beings. She is existent in men, women, animals, fish, birds, plants, all of creation. Patriarchal relgions, at least those of the Abrahamic variety, have rather opposite ideas. Now, back on topic...

I have run across more than one person's opinion regarding Goddess Religion that eludes to the fact that every woman who practices it is a lesbian and/or a femi-nazi. (I absolutely hate that slur.) I am not simply talking about the opinions spewed by fundamentalists. These are everyday people that assume I must be a militant man-hater to believe God could be anything other than male. (This is certainly not to say that all feminists and lesbians are man-haters.)

They don't care about the historical and archeological evidence that support Goddess Religion in the past. And forget the evolutionary science that supports the male as the secondary sex or the plain medical fact that every human being begins as female in their mother's womb. No, all they hear is that I am a lesbian and a radical feminist who hates men (despite the fact that I married one).

I believe it is high time Goddess Religion broke free of the feminist mold and started working its way into the mainstream full time. That will never happen until we start making it more universal. It is an all encompassing religion that does not privilege one group of people over another, regardless of their gender.

One of the main differences between Goddess Religion and Patriarchal religions is that the Goddess loves all life as a good, natural mother loves her children. She does not love her daughters more than she loves her sons. For that matter, she does not love her canine children more than her feline ones. This is a pivotal difference that can change the way the entire human race perceives divinity and life on this planet in general.

I am all for feminism I just don't think it should be the defining factor of a religion that should (and does) encompass all of creation and all genders. I am all for lesbianism because I am all for love, but I don't think specific sexuality should be a defining factor of religion either.

Honestly I could care less if some random stranger thinks that I am a lesbian. I would not be ashamed of the fact if I was. But it's not about me. It's about the hope of what the future can hold.

Topics on Goddesses and Goddess Religion can be found for study in universities across the country. This is great, but why limit these topics to the Women Studies department? Why create more seperation between the sexes when we should be realizing the oneness we all share?

Hopefully I won't get flogged for my opinions. I am always open to conversation and hope that those of you who read this will have an open mind and approach this topic with the utmost respect and maturity. Regardless of any eventual floggings, I stand by my position while remaining open to other opinions.

Labels: Goddess, Modern Paganism

Visions of the Goddess Karni Mata, said to be an incarnation of the Goddess Durga, can be seen as a white rat at her temple in Deshnok, India. Devotees prepare food and feed the rats then consume the leftovers themselves for healing and blessings. To date there have been no sicknesses or plague like outbreaks ever reported as being caused by the some 20,000 rats that inhabit this temple.

"This ornate, isolated Hindu temple was constructed by Maharaja Ganga Singh in the early 1900s as a tribute to the rat goddess, Karni Mata. Intricate marble panels line the entrance and the floors, and silver and gold decorations are found throughout."

- National Geographic (read more here)

"Shri Karni Mata is the incarnation of Devi HINGLAZ or Goddess DURGA (The Goddess of Power and Victory. Goddess DURGA is synonymous with Shakti, the cosmic power that wages an eternal war against the evil). The whole life of Shri Karni Mata was full of miracles and even after her disappearance from the earth, her innumerable devotees have experienced her merciful blessings in form of help in their life. The word disappearance has been used, because it wasn’t a natural death of Shri Karni Mata, rather her human body disappeared in divine light at her desire."

- Karnimata.com (read more here)

Labels: Goddess

This is something I've been working on. It's in a draft stage right now and very outline-ish. I would enjoy hearing polite feedback.


The Yearly Myth Cycle of the Goddess
By Grian DeBandia

Within the chill of Midwinter the aging Goddess labors in childbed. Her cries are those of the Earth itself, frozen in the silence of winter's slumber. She fights to bring her child into the world. Her sisters, the Maiden and the Mother, attend to her as midwives, speaking in soothing tones and wiping her forehead lovingly. They have all, in turn, carried this child. Only the Crone, with the help of her sisters, can bring the pregnancy to completion. They have come to be together for the first time all year to witness this special birth.

The Crone's wrinkled face contorts and she clenches her tired eyes in a final effort. Suddenly the laboring woman's cries are quieted and a child enters the world. Tears of joy spread like a wave around the room. The child is the Goddess reborn, the culmination of a year's worth of work and the total sum of the three aspects in one.

The three Goddesses care for the infant fourth within the realms of the Otherworld, nurturing her in simple peace until the Spring Equinox. At this time she becomes a woman, ready to leave the Otherworld and choose a mate. As the fires of the spring festivals are lit another seed is planted in the Goddess' womb.

The Maiden is the first to carry the Child of Completion, free from responsibility, and free to love anyone she chooses. She carries no judgment and learns to accept personal responsibility for her actions and words. She is the pure essence of freedom. Her heart grows with her womb, filled with love for all life.

At the peak of the Sun's light the Maiden becomes the Mother, full of compassion and ready to nurture the changing child inside of her. She continues to love, keeping her mate close to her at this time of growth, drawing on his energy to feed her spirit and her heart.

When the harvest comes, and autumn with it, the Mother becomes the Crone and loses her mate in sacrifice. She mourns, hiding herself away and waiting by her hearth. She calls on the power of her ancestors, drawing on those who have come before her and recalling their lessons. She rocks in her chair, reliving the times of her life and reflecting upon the wisdom she has gained. She now has the knowledge to be the Portal of Transformation, the Vessel of Completion.

As the Sun edges towards its lowest point the Crone feels the first stirrings of the child within her womb and the cycle begins again.

Labels: Goddess

An interesting post from Athana at Radical Goddess Thealogy: JESUS: SON OF Goddess NOT GOD?!?

Labels: Goddess

There was a time when I would have hid my face from the dark aspect of the Mother. I am glad that time is passed, though the ability to embrace death is still something completely foreign to most human beings. It is instinctual for us to fight to survive, not accept our mortality lying down - "to not go quietly into that good night".

I have found some information on Kali as Mother which I feel may help us understand this aspect of the Great Goddess a bit better, and come to a point when accepting death does not mean we have to give up our will to live.

Kali the Mother
by Sister Nivedita
(Margaret E. Noble)

The stars are blotted out, Clouds are covering clouds, It is darkness, vibrant, sonant. In the roaring whirling wind Are the souls of a million lunatics,-- But loosed from the prison house,-- Wrenching trees by the roots, Sweeping all from the path. The sea has joined the fray, And swirls up mountain-waves, To reach the pitchy sky. Scattering plagues and sorrows, Dancing mad with joy, Come, Mother, Come! For Terror is thy name, Death is in Thy breath. And every shaking step Destroys a world for e’er. Thou "Time" the All-Destroyer Then come, O Mother, Come! Who can misery love, Dance in destruction's dance, And hug the form of Death,To him the Mother comes.
Internet Sacred Texts Archive: Kali the Mother

Labels: Goddess

This was in response to a question on an e-list I am on. The question invloved having to choose one Goddess to connect with as matron. The person questionning felt close to Cerridwyn and Hecate and felt she needed to choose between the two and that there would be risks if she made the wrong choice. My response follows:

***
First, please forgive the long email. I guess I had a lot to say about this.

In the way I practice my faith there is no seperation between Cerridwyn and Hecate, or any other face of the Goddess. There is only one Goddess who is multifaceted just like any human personality is. In reality (at least the way I see it) there is only one Goddess, not hundreds of individual entities which make up Goddess, though I do not think it is wrong to think of Her that way. She appears in any form She chooses and takes on attributes to suit a purpose.

I think the real question to ask right now is why has the dark aspect of the Goddess has called to you. Both Hecate and Cerridwyn are Crone Goddesses. In my tradition the Crone's main symbolism is as a keeper of wisdom and as She who tends the flames of transformation. In her darker, less understood face She causes fear as She bids you to look into the shadows of yourself and find those things within you that you may not like to see. She does this to help bring about balance within you and so you can love yourself completely. She is the gateway to the unknown, the mystery which we are afraid to uncover within ourselves. Her element is fire and I often find it helpful to use a candle flame or the fire in my wood burning stove to connect with Her when the moon wanes. Open up your third eye chakra and let yourself be open to connection.

A Crone meditation could involve going through a cave to then come through it into an open space where She is there tending Her large cauldron over a fire. Speak with Her and listen closely to what She has to tell you. She may bid you to gaze into Her cauldron. Your reflection will be Her own for Her wisdom is always present within you. What else do you see in the murky liguid? Impart with Her any gifts that you may have, embrace Her, and turn back - coming out of the cave feeling refreshed and aware of who you are.

I hope these things are helpful to you. In my tradition there is nothing to fear of the Crone once She is understood and connected with. I consider fear to be the dark aspect of the Crone Goddess.

So, I don't think you have a choice to make. The Crone has made it Her time to connect with you, to impart Her wisdom upon you at this time. I see this as a period of transformation for you. I would not be surprised to hear that the Maiden makes Herself known next, guiding you towards knowing yourself and embracing Her freedom. The Maiden will give you new insight and then the Mother may come to you, teaching you how to grow and nourish your spirit so that you may be able to love all others in true compassion. After this the Crone may again make Her presence felt and the cycle will continue all over again. I believe this to be a way towards enlightenment.

I understand your confusion. It is frustrating to be journeying alone, but that is the way it must be for all of us.

Remember this is my path and I don't claim to know that it is truth nor do I believe it is the only way of the Goddess. No one can really know the truth of such things. We can only believe. I believe the Goddess has called to you in Her Crone aspect because now is a time for you to come into your own and embrace your path completely. She will guide you through the shadows and the depths of your mind to a place of understanding. Many blessings on your journey.

Labels: Goddess

Sit in a comfortable, quiet place. Light candles, incense, or anything that may set the mood for you. You may choose to listen to soft, playful music.

Your journey begins in the forest. Flowering plants line the path where you stand. Begin to slowly walk the path. Take time to stop and smell your favorite flowers or to pick up a shiny stone at your feet. Be inquisitive and explore your surroundings. Time has no meaning here. Skip, dance, or hum a tune. This is a place of innocence where you can embrace the child that lives within you.

After walking for a time you come upon a gate. It is covered in vines and sweet smelling blossoms. Remove the fetters of your clothes, your shoes, and your jewelry. Unbind your hair and breathe the clean, free flowing air. Feel the weights of fear, guilt, and judgment fall to the ground with your garments. The breeze moves like kisses on your bare skin. Laugh and spin in the sunlight as it drips through the forest canopy. Listen to the trees move in the wind and spread your arms to sway with them in a sacred dance.

As you dance you notice you are no longer alone. A woman has come to dance beside you. She is naked as well and smiling at you with truth glittering in her eyes. There is nothing false about this woman. She is exactly what she shows to the world. She motions for you to come with her. Follow her.

She takes you to a pool of water and bids you to look into the surface with her. In the water you see that your reflection matches her own.

Embrace the Lady and speak with her for a time if you choose. Does she give you anything? Do you have gifts for her?

When you are finished speaking embrace the Lady again and bid her farewell. Return to the gate, taking only what you need from the pile of garments as you pass through. Move back down the path at your leisure and allow your consciousness to surface slowly.

copyright LM Hutchings

Labels: Goddess