Goddess Within
Every woman is a goddess! Our inner consciousness connects with different goddess attributes at different times at work or play, in the mornings or evenings and through moon cycles. Each goddess brings her essential energy to energise us through each stage. When we recognise and harness the goddess energy that is working within, we have successfully reconnected with our own Inner Goddess.
In the beginning, women were acknowledged and revered as the spiritual keepers, pregnant women especially were enshrined, the gift of life being a sacred mystery. Every culture globally knew and accepted the loving rule of the goddesses. Modern women are now "remembering" their rightful place in the world.
Women, remember you are a Goddess and hold the power of creation within you, create your dreams, manifest your desires. It is time to stand your ground and be who you were born to be. Allow that suppressed creative person inside some space to create, give her permission to come out. Become the Virgin unto Herself, the one who is strong and committed to her own development and life. It is time to take your place in the world of patriarchy and to use your power and energy for yourself, to rebirth the Goddess through you.
An interesting tip for those of you still of menstruating age, at the time of your period you are less likely to accept those things in your life you do not want, desire or agree with, you are less likely to accept anything that is not your truth. Some people call this PMT but it could be a gift from our body to our mind because it shows us the things in our lives that annoy us and we have no patience for. So next time you have PMT have a look at what it is what is making you lose your rag and see if this aspect of your life is the one that needs your attention. Think of it not as Pre Menstrual Tension but of Positive Mental Thinking!
To create change in our world we must first create change within us. Show yourself honour and respect, honour and respect the feminine within you, then extend this to everyone you meet, to the planet upon which you live and the people you come into contact with, always aim for your highest good and highest expression of love.
The consciousness of the Great Goddess is returning to us. It is manifesting through our hearts and our creation, She is bringing humanity back into balance, a new balance, a new vibration of the Heaven that was once manifest on Earth.
Wiccan Goddesses are part of the nature orientated religion followed by a diverse group of modern witches and some pagan groups. It is essentially a dualistic belief system where the male and female energies are worshipped in balance.
For most Wiccans, the Lord and Lady are seen as complementary polarities representing masculine and feminine, force and form. All of creation results from the interplay and tension between these two complementary forces. This duality of the divine is reflected in the structure of many covens which are jointly headed by the high priest and priestess. These individuals are responsible for calling in and embodying the energies of the Wiccan Goddesses and Gods during rituals.
Traditionally the Wiccan Goddesses are further split into three different aspects known as the triple goddess, reflecting the mother, maiden and crone. In this symbol the Maiden represents expansion, new beginnings and youth. The Mother archetype symbolises nurturing and fertility of the natural world and the Crone reflects the wisdom gained in a lifetime of learning, transformation and change. These aspects are also seen in the cycles of nature.
Here are some examples of Goddesses.
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Annis
Goddess of the travelling people, protector of the underprivileged. Also a goddess of fortune, prophecy and herbal knowledge. Keeper of ancient wisdom, fierce defender of human rights and refugees. Annis is sometimes referred to as 'Black' Annis, and her symbols are variously the wheel, crossroads or road signs. Origins: Egypt, Nomadic.
Aphrodite
Goddess of love, sexuality, beauty, the senses, romantic connection. Born out of the sea, she is also a sea goddess, and rules the emotions. Her symbols are the rose, morning dew, myrtle and rosemary. She is closely associated with flowers and herbs, and with the scallop shell out of which she is often pictured emerging from the sea. Origins: Asia, Cyprus, Greece, Italy.
Artemis
Greek goddess Artemis was so passionate about chastity and her own personal space (even amongst her followers), that she was as quick to dispense her justice to women as men, anyone who compromised her values might be turned into beasts to be hunted. Having assisted her in the birth of her own twin brother Apollo, Artemis established herself as a truly independent goddess from an early age. She is called upon when protection is needed from bullies. Moon goddess Artemis brings the gift of strength to say NO to forces that inhibit or bind you. With the inspired power Artemis gives you, you are a powerful being able to bring an end to destructive forces in order to start afresh. Origin: Greece.
Baubo
Goddess of comedy and laughter. Having strong connections with the Sheelagh-na-Gig figures of Ireland, Baubo was the crone goddess who exposed her vulva to Demeter, who was grieving for Persephone, and tried to relieve her grief with laughter. Baubo is the anarchic, the unexpected and the disruptor of etiquette and false manners. Her laugh is a poke at authority, and a force to be reckoned with, as ridicule pointed at what is unjust or foolish can be a good way of beginning to strip it of its power. Baubo is the wise fool, the crazy old woman who had a method in her divine and inspired madness. Her symbol is that of the Sheelagh-na-Gig, the exposed vulva, and is used in households of goddess people to ward off bad vibes and invite laughter and blessings into the home. Origin: Greece.
Brighid
Brighid is midwife, protector of women and children, healer, patron of smiths and inspiration of poets, indeed all who produce objects of beauty. She is a fire deity and her flower is the dandelion in its bright yellow phase. She has many healing springs and shrines in the British Isles. Brighid is celebrated at Imbolc, a woman’s festival held in early February. Brighid represents independence, integrity and protection of women, children and animals. Brighid lens her fiery power whenever there is a need to stand up to authority and challenge convention. Origin: Ireland.
Cassandra
Goddess of truth. She is the knowledge of truth within, and the voice of reason. Her voice is heard on the wind, in wind-chimes, flutes and wind instruments, jars, and in echoes. She is the patron of women who have been raped and disbelieved, and in her guise as Clio, the spirit of history. Cassandra is the spirit of stories and the hidden message in dreams. Origins: Greece, Africa.
Danu
Danu is goddess of agriculture and food and the earth’s greenery. She is also a kindly protector against the fears we face in the hours of darkness, when human company and comfort are hard to find. Danu is a strong and loving protector, patron of creativity and consolation, bringer of light and comfort in the wee small hours, one who chases away our fears and bad dreams. Origin: Ireland.
Estanalahee
Goddess who brings fertility to the earth by dancing on the mountains. Originally an Amerindian goddess, Estanalahee is honoured by women of all colours as a fertility goddess. Here, the term fertility is extended to mean creativity in all its forms. She bestows blessings on those who labour to produce things of worth, true value and beauty, whether this is a loaf of bread, or a sand sculpture. Estanalahee helps us see value in things that we take for granted, or that are disregarded in capitalist societies. She is the bringer forth of talent, creativity, fruitfulness, and helps us find wonder in simple things. In some tribes, she is also known as 'Changing Woman' or 'Painted Woman'. Origin: North America.
Gaia
Gaia is the living, conscious planet who provides sustenance and nutrition and the wisdom inherent in the earth itself. Her values are rooted in the sacredness of all life, whether it be plant, animal or the stars in the sky, respect for others is paramount if we are to attain the deep sense of balance and completeness that a connection with Gaia brings. The Romans believed every element in the universe, whether on land, in the sea or sky, was a single living entity of Gaia, the primordial Great Mother. More than any other goddess, Gaia is identified as the divine and animate Earth Mother. Gaia connects us to the universal source of "mothering" and "nurturing", leading us to a feeling of profound peace and balance. Origin: Greece.
Hecate
The goddess of witches, magic and the night. Hecate is a crone goddess, who, like Freyja, is reputedly drawn through the air on a chariot pulled by cats. She is associated with cats, bats, moths and nocturnal creatures. She is the goddess of the crossroads, who watches over travellers, and over those who have important decisions to make. Hecate is a weaver of wisdom, and is good to call upon when you need to achieve something without confrontation. If a battle needs to be fought, however, Hecate symbolizes the deep power we need to call upon for courage and will. Because of her modern association with witchcraft, she is often given the symbols of cauldron and broomstick. Mistress of magic, herbal and anatomical knowledge, Hecate is a healer. Hecate is a midwife who sees over our birthing into the world, and our passage from life into death. Origin: Greece.
Iris
Iris is the messenger Goddess, daughter of the Titan Thaumas and Electra. Although she was a sister of the winged monsters, the Harpies, Iris was represented as a beautiful maiden, with wings and robes of bright colours and a halo of light on her head, trailing across the sky with the rainbow she travelled on in her wake. She was also called the Goddess of the Rainbow. Origin: Greece.
Helen of the Ways
A goddess of obscure origins, who is today invoked as a goddess of communication. She is sometimes invoked by travellers and those who have lost their way, actually and metaphorically. Helen is a goddess of the road and the wayside. Nowadays, she is also called upon when electronic means of communication go wrong; for example computers, faxes and photocopiers, making her an ideal goddess for the office! She is a patron goddess of lost things, and is often envisaged as dressed in yellow, symbol of the element air and communication. Her symbol is the crossroads and the stile and those of a female Hermes, winged sandals and the planet Mercury. Origin: Possibly Welsh.
Laxmi
A goddess of good fortune and wealth, and the success of independent and family enterprises. In India, and in Hindu communities around the world, she is celebrated at Diwali, the festival of light. Laxmi's patronage of good fortune makes her a goddess of the fertility of enterprise, as well as of farms and other concerns. Her symbol is the lamp. Origin: India.
Maia
Goddess of the spring and of flowers. Maia represents girlhood and early womanhood and represents innocence as delight in worldly things without cynicism. She represents the peace to be found in creativity and playfulness without being thought childish or childlike. Origin: Italy.
Mare
An earth and sea goddess. Mare is the spirit of nature, seen variously as 'Marion-in-the-Green', 'Queen of the May' and 'Stella Maris', star of the ocean. Mare is rounded, fertile nature, the primeval mother and the faithful sister. Mare represents the beauty and wonder of the material world, and the joy of spiritual connection with it. Her symbols include the drum, May blossom and sea shells. Origins: British Isles, Northern Europe, North America.
Nemesis
Nemesis is a goddess of truth and reparation. She awaits those who behave badly or foolishly. Nemesis can be called upon both to help is understand our own flaws, or to pursue those who cause damage to others, and make them face the consequences of their behaviour. She is a good friend to call upon when you are magically binding a harm doer, or seeking out the truth about bad situations. Sometimes depicted with eyes of black, Nemesis can absorb the slightest glimmer of truth even in situations that seem unfathomable. She is a goddess that one should invoke in genuine need. Her symbol is the mask or the lantern. Origin: Greece.
Thanks and Love to Inner Goddess for some of the words on this page and Josephine Wall for some of the beautiful pictures.
