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 Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 9:28 pm
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Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 11:40 am
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"In the infinite moment before all time
the Goddess arose from chaos
and gave birth to Herself.
This was before anything else had been born
... not even Herself.
And when She separated the skies from the waters
She danced upon them.
As She danced, so did Her ecstasy increase.
In Her ecstasy She created everything that is.
Her movements made the wind and the element
Air was born and did breathe.
And the Goddess named Herself:
Arianrhod, Cardea, Astarte
And sparks were struck from Her dancing feet
so that She shone forth as the Sun,
and the stars were caught in Her hair.
Comets raced about Her,
and the element Fire was born.
And the Goddess named Herself:
Sunna, Vesta, Pele
About her feet swirled the waters in tidal wave and river,
and flowing stream.
The element Water did move.
And She named Herself:
Binah, Mari Morgaine, Lakshmi
And She sought to rest her feet from their dance,
and She brought forth the Earth
so that the shores were Her footstool,
the fertile lands Her womb,
the mountains Her full breasts,
and Her streaming hair the growing things.
And the Goddess named Herself:
Cerridwen, Demeter, the Corn Mother
She saw that which was and is and will be,
born of Her sacred dance and cosmic delight,
and infinite joy.
She laughed, and the Goddess created Woman in Her own image,
to be the Priestess of the Great Mother.
From Her Elements; Earth, Air, Fire and Water,
the Goddess created for Herself a Consort -
for love, pleasure, companionship and sharing.
The Goddess then spoke to Her daughters, saying:
"I am the Moon to light your path
and to speak to your rhythms.
I am the Dancer and the Dance.
I whirl without motion.
I am the Sun who gives you warmth
in which to stretch and grow.
I am All that will Be.
I am the Wind to blow at your call
and the sparkling Waters that offer joy.
I am the Fire of the Dance of Life,
and I am the Earth beneath your dancing feet.
I give to all my priestesses three aspects that are Mine:
I am Artemis, the Maiden of the Animals,
the Virgin of the Hunt.
I am Isis, the Great Mother.
I am Ngame, the Ancient One who winds the shroud.
I shall be called a million names.
Call unto me, daughters, and know that I am Nemesis."
We are Virgins, Mothers, Old Ones - All.
We offer our created energy:
to the Spirit of Women Past,
to the Spirit of Women yet to Come,
to Woman Spirit Present and Growing.
Behold, we move forward together.
And it is Good."
Dianic Creation Myth by Morgan McFarland |
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Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 12:03 pm
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First class: an introdution to the GoddessWho is She?The first religion in the World was the cult to the Goddess. Even if today the world "Goddess" reminds majority of occidentals to mythology classes in school, She is still here. In these days, old temples are in ruins and old songs and rituals were forgotten. Baba Yaga is just a tale, Yemaya is only a superstition, Pacha Mamma is nothing but folklore, Lilith is a 'vampiress', Venus is just a planet name, Athena is a 'superheroine' from a manga, Brigit became a catholic saint, Morrigan is a videogame character, Hell is just a bad word... the Goddesses were put aside in fairytales books and their stories have been read by schollars just as a psychological figuration  of ancients. But even with this pushing to the edges, She has remained as Amenti (the hidden one) until the neopagan movement atone her once again. The first world religions were cults to the Goddess. Archeological evidences found all over the world such statues, talismans, amulets and vases with feminine themes are proofs of that. In the beggining of civilization sex weren't associated to pregnancy, so women belived they beget babies by themselves without men help, they were the sacred life givers. That was a time when women weren't property of men, they were the priestess, the midwife, the witchdoctors, the own Goddess representation on Earth. By this way, it isn't strange to discover the first notion of Divinity was a female Goddess. Through the cultures and ages, the Goddess obtained many adjectives: creatrix, maiden, mother, queen, destructor, warrior, huntress, artist, judge, healler, lover and witch. Her habilities and attributes aroused as the cultures progressed. Even if She got several names and faces, the Goddess were always associated to Sun, Moon, Earth and the skies. For that reason, Her religion is the religion of the nature. Everyone who worship Her is either worshipping or taking care of the nature. In Wicca, the Goddess pictures the queen with her consort, the God. She takes care of her son which dies young in the winter and reborn again in the spring, representing the seasons. She is the craft central figure and represents the biosphere, the elemental forces, the life. She is the creatrix and the destructor, queen of heavens and Moon. Everything is sacred to her, and it's said She loves diversity. Maybe that's one reason why the persons who come to Wicca are from different cultures, societies, political views or sexualities - as they are very well accepted by the Goddess beying who they are. As She is the lady of liberty, She frees our minds, our bodies and our spirits from paradigms that refrains us from express ourselves. In the next lines we will see a brief abstract of Goddess return in these days. I'm very sorry for don't talking about Inquisition, but this would make this class much longer. Goddess rebirth:
Early 1990: many schollars as archeologists and anthropologist started to write about the Primordial Mother Goddess. Margaret Murray wrote two books revealing that the Medieval Witchcraft would be the surviving ancient pre-Christian cult of Goddess. Her work was discredited by many persons, but modern initiates accepted her theory. 50s: Thereupon the last Brittish law againt Witchcraft was repealed, Gerald Gardner and Doreen Valiente spreaded Wicca as successor of Old Religion. Gardner Witchcraft admitted a Goddess of Earth, Moon and sea; and a Horned God of hunt and Sun. Women were the priestess and there was a lot of sexism in this tradition. 60s: Wicca spreaded even after Gardner's death. In the USA, women begun the feminist movement againt the patriarchate and pounded over every single aspect of their lives, including the spiritual. In 1968 Mary Daly wrote about women in Church. In 1969 Morning Glory Zell started to work Wicca with the feminists. 70s: Women started to use the concept of Goddess as part of feminist movement. Mary Daly's book "Beyond God the Father" was published in 1973. Another books such "Of Woman Born" of Adrienne Rich; "When God was a woman" of Merlin Stone and "The Feminist Book of Lights and Shadows" of Zsuzsanna Budapest were published. Dianic Wicca started to emphasize Goddess and women, without men or masculine aspects of the Divine in its philosophy. A lot of Wiccan traditional elements such hierarchies, grades and formalities begun to decline. In 1979 Starhawk published The Spiral Dance and heached a greater audience. 80s: In spite of the name Wicca remained, a great number of persons begun to use the word "neopagan" to refer to themselves. Neopaganist quested to God a equal position to Goddess, but never of supremity. Neopagan movement absorvs the Dianic status given to Goddess and women. The Goddess begun to be identified with the Earth and Gaia hypothesis. 90s: In 1993 Neopaganism was represented in the World Council of Religious. Even thus, several pagans were discriminated for their faith. So many persons confuse Wicca with satanism, believing that witchcraft wasn't a valid religion and, by this way, doesn't deserve the same religious rights and protection laws assembled to other religions. 2000: Wicca grows and spreads all around the world. TV shows and several books became known by the public. The Goddess returns and lives one more! References (materials of): * Rayann Creidne * Claudiney Prieto * Raymond Buckland * Starhawk Quote: Meet your Inner Goddess:
Close your eyes, relax you body, center yourself in your path. Take a deep breath, connect yourself with the four elements: Earth, Air, Fire and Water. See yourself walking to your Inner Goddess. Imagination is half-step to magic.
She is everything: Maiden, Mother and Crone. Think of her. She is strong, she is beautiful, she is pacificatory. So ask yourself some questions and put the answers in the image of your Inner Goddes.
How do the Goddess shows herself to your?
* Is she sit or standing?
* Is she dressed or naked?
* What is her hair color?
* Is her hair lenght short or long?
* Which is her hair style? Soft? Curly? Waved?
* What is your Goddess skin color?
* What do you see in her eyes?
* Is her nose small or big? Is it flat or thin?
* Is her lips thin or fleshy? Dark or fair?
* Is her breasts big or small? Which is its shape?
* Does she bring something in her hands? If yes, what is it?
* Is she smilling?
Ask here if she can tell you her name. If she doesn't answer, it's okay. She is every Goddess, the lady of 10.000 names and infinite power. She can manifest to you through several names in the different moments of your life. Every single face of your inner Goddes will have something unique to teach you, and she can assume a new name and form anytime you need another advices, when your priorities and needs turn to different from today.
Do she says anything to you? If you can't listen to her, it's okay. You can feel something, even if it's not expressed by words. She loves you. She is the power that lies inside your soul for those times when you feel scared and unsafe. She will always be besides you. She is above, bellow, ahead, behind, around, inside and ouside yourself.
Look at her and let she hugs you. Feel your Inner Goddess love filling you. Trust her, because she will guide you through your roads.
In the end, walk with your Inner Goddes back to this time. Say farewell to her and return to your body conscience.
Your Inner Goddess lies inside you. Everytime you need, conect youself to her again.Adapted from Rayann Creidne and Starhawk material. Any doubt, discussion or sugestion, please submit a post! Please, let me know how was your connection to your Inner Goddess. |
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Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 8:02 pm
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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 9:52 pm
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Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 11:58 am
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Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 6:22 pm
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Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 7:04 pm
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Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 11:41 am
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 9:07 am
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Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 6:03 pm
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Second class: Maiden, Mother and Crone: the three aspects of Her
In Wicca the Goddess is Triple, but at the same time only one Deity. The Goddess isn't a transcendent Divinty, far away in a heaven from her creation. She is immanent, present everywhere, everytime. She is inside and outside us and She can communicate by our thought, attitudes, words and gestures. Sometimes She communicates by a banner headline, by the sweet or reprehensive words of a friend, by a child's smile or by a crossing of a bird in sky. Other times, She doesn't communicates by none of this ways, but by our feelings. We can feel her presence and love when we are lonely and sad, conforting our heart when we pass through problems. She's always near us, giving us the sensation of being part of everything.
In Wicca, the Goddess brings within herself the triplicity of Maiden, Mother and Crone. They represents the aspects of life which every woman will pass one day, but more than that, each one is a symbol of several possibilities of life, such:
Quote: Born / Live / Die Morning / Afternoon / Night Cold / Tepid / Warm Youth / Maturity / Hoariness Creation / Development / Conclusion
The Goddesses of several cultures take one of these three faces and represent it, but sometimes the Goddesses are the three in one at the same time. The triple Goddesses seem to be associate to othe Goddesses that became less important at some point and, by this way, were absorved by a powerful Goddess in the region. In some Traditions, a sisters triad can represent the Triple Goddess either: like Brigit, Morrigan, the Parcae or the Norns. Like so many Triple Goddesses, they can show themselves as a supreme Divinty, in a singular aspect (like Morrigan), or divided in their three faces (like the Parcae).
As they can be invoqued in every aspect of them, the Triple Goddesses can be invoqued in several rituals, needs and functions. So, working with the Triple Goddess is easier sometimes than with a particular Goddess, as there's no needing of memorize a huge list of diferent Goddesses for diferent aspects. Anyone can choose a panteon of preference, identify a Triple Goddess and report to her when feel necessity.
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Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 6:19 pm
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MAIDEN
The bloom of lifeThe Maiden, also called the Virgin, Daughter or Young, is the first aspect of the Goddess that can be identified since immemorial times.  "Sacred Virgin" was the title of Ishtar, Asherah and Aphrodite priestess. This title doesn't represents directly the virginity, but merely "not married", as the sexuality isn't denyed or denigrated in the Goddess Traditions. By this way, there is no necessity to associate virginity to the Maiden. The function of the "Sacred Virgins" was blooming the Goddess gifts and love through sexual cult, besides to heal, to prophesy, to dance in temple, to cry the death and to become the wife of the God in the rituals. Children borned of these rituals were called "Bathur" by the Semites and "Panthenioni" by the Greeks, both meaning "born of the Virgin", and they were raised by the community as they were considered the Gods' children. The Maiden shows herself as a young woman or teenage, blooming to life, exploring her sexuality and learning about her beauty. This way, the Maiden is seemed as a sexual being. She's discovering her feminility and for that reason she's interested in particular with her body and what it can do. She's learning to deal with her beauty and to manipulate the men's affections using her seduction. That's the reason she's associated with the Spring, as it's the moment of new beginnings, when the Earth is awakening from the Winter sleep. The Maiden color is white, color of purity, and she is associated to the Waning Moon and, somethimes, to the New Moon. Some Maiden Goddesses are Diana, Persephone, Kore, Blodeuwedd, Artemis, Ariadne, Hestia, Athena, Aphrodite, Venus, Aine, Branwen and Eostre. |
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Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 6:25 pm
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MOTHER
The supporter and fecundating of life The second aspect of the Goddess is the Mother, also called Friend, Lover, Warrior or Sister. She is considered the Great Mother, the  Mother Nature, what meens that she is the Creatrix and the donator of life. Seas, fountains, wells and lakes were always associated to feminine because they represents the Goddess' uterus. The Mother's face is the knowest face of Goddess. The Earth feeds us like a mother nourish her children and that's the reason several cultures venerates the Earth as a Mother face of the Goddess. She is the one who teaches us with whisdom, protects us, disciplines us and gives us kindness. Sometimes the Mother is seemed as a pregnant woman, with big breasts and vulva, representing fertility and abundance. But, sometimes she is represented as warrior or as a woman with a kid in her arms. The Summer is ther season, when the fruits are ready to harvest. The Sun, today seemed as a male Divinty, were a symbol of the Goddess in ancient times, as the Sun Goddesses Brigit, Grian, Sunna, Amaterasu and Sekhmet/Bast can prove. The Summer represents the fertility's pinnacle of Goddess, who gets pregnant to give birth to herself in the winter. That's why her sacred color is red, the color of the blood that beget the life. Her lunar phase is the Full Moon. Some Mother Goddesses are Demeter, Isis/Aset, Gaia, Brigit, Nut, Hera, Dannu, Luna, Arianrhod, Yemaya, Durga, Jaci and Lakshmi |
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Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 6:35 pm
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CRONE
She who knows the MysteriesThe third aspect of the Goddess is the Crone, also called Granny, Hag, Wise and Midwife.  Nowaday maybe she's the most frightening aspect of Goddess, in particular because one of the Crone's functions in death. With the death comes the fear of the unkown, the fear of being alone and the fear of losing our beloved ones. But we should not fear death. The Crone teaches us it's just a transition period, and its signals can be found in the nature. Where there is death, there is rebirth, the cicle neverends as the same power that brings to death is the one which brings to life. So, the Crone is the guardian of the mysteries of magic and wisdom and she's the Queen of the underworld, the shadow of the secrets that only time can give to us. One special aspect of Crone is that she is the Triple Goddess herself. She already passed through the Maiden's sensuality and the Mother's labour's pain. These memories has transformed her in the one who can carry us through the darkness wisely. She is either the Midwife because that was a position given only to the oldest women in the tribes. As every progress of changing in our lives is a revival, the Crone gives us the intuition to walk through the paths of our lives. She can be taken as a Warrior Goddess either, because where there is blood of battle there is the crying of the war and the fear of death. She is the one who boasts us to destroy our enemies, the outside ones as the inside ones. She's the one who expel bad spirits, as she is the underworld's Lady. She is associated to the Winter, a period of transformation. Her color is the black and her lunar phase is the Waxing Moon. Some Crone Goddesses are Hecate, Ceridwen, Badb, Macha, Morrigu, Kali, Baba Yaga, Ereshkigal, Hell, Pacha Mama, Coatlicue, Ate and Sheela Na Gig |
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