Mary DAlba March, 2010

Ishtar – Goddess of Love and Sex

Today we are going to discuss Ishtar, the Babylonian Goddess of Fertility, Love, War and Sex. She was likened to Venus, Aphrodite and Inanna.   Ishtar and her cult are associated with sexuality including sacred sex and prostitution.  Her symbol is the eight pointed star. Ishtar was known to have many lovers, however, she treated them cruelly.  Her love was known to tame wild animals and could be trouble for even the gods she consorted with in her travels.   Ishtar is known to be cruel and a punisher, not caring who she destroyed in her path to get what she wanted. One of the more popular myths regarding Ishtar is her decent into the underworld to get her lover Tammuz.   She was made to travel through seven gates to reach the Underworld.  At each entrance, she was made to remove a piece of clothing or jewelry.    When she finally reached Ereshkigal, the Queen of the Underworld, she was bare of everything but herself to ask for his return.   Ishtar did get Tammuz out and as she traveled back up through the seven gates, she retrieved her clothing and jewelry.  (Note:  This particular myth has many different endings – Ishtar traveling back alone, Tammuz not grieving her and sitting on a throne promising not to return and Ishtar having to chose someone to take Tammuz’s place in order to get him back.  The one I chose to highlight is the one that is the most positive.) In the story of Gilgamesh, Ishtar also tried to seduce Gilgamesh and make him her husband.  He rejected her and reminded her of her cruel and punishing behavior to those that got close to her.  She then told her father, Anu (the God of Air), who gave her the mystical bull of heaven to exact her revenge.  However, Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu, were able to kill the bull and brought his head to her.  Ishtar was so infuriated she sent illness to Enkidu, which killed him.  There are two important lessons from Ishtar.  The first is to find our true selves – being stripped down and tearing our self down and rebuilding it through strength and perseverance.  It reminds us not to quit, not matter what the challenge ahead. The second lesson is to understand the consequences of your own actions.  Acting cruel and heartless can cause the same actions to be performed back at you.  It may also result in you being alone or losing people in your life you want to keep.  Remind yourself Ishtar is teaching you how to treat others in order to build relationships and keep people with you, not tear them down.

Tags: goddess, ishtar

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Mary DAlba February, 2010

Hera

Hera was the Greek Goddess of Love and Marriage (also known as “Juno” in the Roman pantheon).  She was the wife of Zeus and the Queen of the Olympians.  She was also considered the Goddess of the Sky and the Starry Heavens.

Hera was usually depicted with a crown on her head and holding a staff with a lotus tip.  She is also seen holding a hawk or a cuckoo bird.

She is considered to embody the Triple Goddess – Maiden, Mother and Crone.

Hera as Maiden was unmarried and virginal.  She then was married to Zeus, after being raped by him when he tricked her by posing as a cuckoo bird to get closer to her.  As time went on, Hera became a jealous spiteful person because Zeus was cheating on her.  On the outside, Hera showed herself as the loving wife and mother – everything in the marriage was perfect.  But on the inside, Hera was jealous.  In private, Hera made Zeus’s consorts pay.  As time went on, Hera got tired of chasing around Zeus’s consorts.  She was getting older and decided to live her life out with being in solitude.  This was the crone aspect.

Hera’s sacred animals are the peacock (pride) and the cow.  Many pictures will show her with peacocks or peacock feathers.  The crow and the pomegranate (symbol of marriage) were dedicated to her.

Hera reminds us that we must age gracefully.  As we grow older, we grow wiser from our experiences.  Hera has been described as a bitter woman but her experiences brought her to protect herself because of the betrayal by Zeus.  She also lived in a loveless marriage but she still managed to stay strong.  Hera is telling us no matter what we are presented with, it’s important to stay loyal to our commitments.

Tags: goddess, hera

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Mary DAlba January, 2010

Gaia, Greek Goddess of the Earth

Today, we are going to discuss Gaia (also called Gaea or Ge), the Greek Goddess of the Earth. Gaia is considered as the “Great Goddess”, “Mother Earth” and “Mother Nature”.   Her equivalent in Roman mythology is Terra Matter.  She is usually pictured as a woman with some sort of green around her. Most pictures have shown her pregnant with the world in her belly. There are others with Gaia sitting in the leaves, blowing them around off her hand and finally others of her sitting on a throne with cornucopia surrounding her. The Root Chakra, femininity, nature, fertility and spirit are associated with Gaia.
Gaia was created out of Chaos to give birth to all of earth.  When living things die, they must return to her when their lives and time on earth is over.  Gaia is known in the Greek tradition to have stretched out of the beginning of time, becoming the earth’s land. She continues to give life and sustenance to the world, even when the weather turns cold. Promises made with one hand “one Gaia’s sacred soil” are known to be irrevocable. Gaia is known for abundance, thankfulness, nature, promises and earth.

Gaia is believed to be the original deity behind the Oracle at Delphi. Depending on what different stories you read, Gaia passed her knowledge to Apollo or Apollo slay the great serpent (or Dragon) Pytho and forced Gaia out.

Gaia is the Mother Goddess. She can be worked with when looking for grounding, growth in times of trouble or finding your footing in the physical world.   Gaia’s sacred animals are the serpent, the lunar bull, bees and the pig.  In her hand, a poppy may be transmuted to a pomegranate.

Some ways you can connect with Gaia are by eating a delicious meal with elements of the earth – Lentils, Greens, Vegetables, Breads or Crock Pot meals, for example.  You can also walk on the earth barefoot.  Another way is to connect with your physical body (for example breathing deeply) and also by nurturing your dreams – make them a reality (part of the earth).

Also, the Gaia stone is associated with Gaia, coming from volcanic ash from Mt St. Helen’s and carries the “Soul of the Earth”.  It connects the Goddess energy strongly, including the Earth and Earth Devas.  It is known to heal emotional wounds and past traumas by working with the heart chakra.

When you want to make changes to your life, create opportunities to feel grounded or be a part of nature, call on Gaia to help you transmute those ideas into reality.

Tags: deity, gaia, goddess

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Mary DAlba December, 2009

Freyja – Queen of the Valkyries
Goddess of Love, Beauty, War and Death

Freyja (also known as Freya) was one of the major goddess of Norse mythology and leader of the Valkyries.  She was the goddess of love, fertility and beauty.   She is also known as the Goddess of war, battle, death, magic, prophecy and wealth.   She could be seen as the counterpart to Rhiannon and looked upon as the Lady.  It is thought that the day of “Friday” was named after Freyja.

Freyja was married to mysterious God Od, who is sometimes associated with Odin.  One of the myths associated with this is that Od left her and as she searched for him, she cried tears which turned to Gold.  This is known to be where the world got its Gold (and also its Amber).    Once she found him, Od saw her beauty and came back to her.

As one of the major Norse Goddesses, Freyja had a lot of responsibility.  She helps with childbirth, the seasons, cats, Seers, war, death, magic, prophecy and love, holding a Venus like quality.   As much as Freyja had a softer quality, loving beautiful flower arrangements and romantic music, she also was the Goddess of War and Death.  When she rode into battle with the Valkyries, their armor will flicker with light, which became known as the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights.

Freyja could claim half the bravest souls in battle.  She would actually walk onto the battlefield to collect their souls and bring them back to permanent rest and relaxation and being a generous woman, she also invited their wives and lovers to return with them.  The other half would be gathered by Valkyries, lead by Odin, and brought back to Valhalla (the “otherworld”) to also live in rest and relaxation.
She was beautiful – described as having strawberry blond hair and blue eyes.   She had many lovers and was known as the goddess of lust, desire and sensuality.    Aphrodite’s exploits paled in comparison to Freyja.   Even though she had many lovers, she held a very deep love for Od.  (Remember, monogamy had not been established yet.)

Part of her irresistible nature was the necklace Freyja had  (the “necklace of desire”) known as the “brisling” or “brisingamen” that she received in exchange from four dwarfs who rescued her when she lost her way home in a snowstorm.    When she offered to pay them in Gold for her room and board after the storm subsided, they countered by asking her to spend the night with each one of them, who were aptly named “North”, “South”, “East” and “West”.  She usually would have turned down an offer to spend four nights with four dwarfs, however, the myth is once she saw the necklace, she had to have it and they would only accept payment of being with her.  When the storm subsided, Freyja left with the necklace.  At one point, the necklace is stolen by Loki (the “trickster”) and Heimdall (also known as Hemidallr) battles Loki to get it back for her.

Freyja also had a cloak of falcon feathers that would help her transform into any bird and also help transit between the worlds.   Cats were also sacred to her and two large blue cats that were gifts from the God Thor rode with her on her golden chariot as she went on her daily travels.

Right now, Freyja is also very important as she watches over the souls of fallen soldiers.   She can be also sent to watch over those who are at war and helps keep things in balance.

You can work with Freyja when you are working on having harmonious relationships, including relationships to a mother or children.   You can also work with her in beauty magic and ways to create self love.   Freyja also was a powerful warrior so ask for her help with your own battles.   If you have soldiers in war right now, ask for her to watch over them.   Remember, Freyja is beautiful and compassionate but also powerful and a sorcerer, you are also many aspects within the same person.  Embrace all the parts of you as Freyja has done.

Tags: freya, Freyja, goddess, valkries

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Mary DAlba November, 2009

Yemaya – The Great Mother

Yemaya is the Goddess of the Ocean and is also known as the Great Mother and the Mother of All Creation.  She is also the Protector of Children and women, especially pregnant women.    She is the Mother of the Fish and the Goddess of Surrender.  Yemaya is an Orisha, which is one of the Gods of the Yoruba religion, which was brought to America from Africa.  One of the theories is that she traveled from Egypt to Africa and her name changed from Isis to Yemaya.  Yemaya is associated with the river of Ogun, because this river is known to cure infertility.
Yemaya has many other names. Known as the Star of The Sea in Brazil, In Macumba, she is known as Ocean Goddess of the Crescent Moon. In Haiti, she is Agwe. New Orleans women worship her as La Balianne. And, in Cuba she has three names, depending on which part of her personality you wish to speak with: Yemaya Ataramagwa, The Wealthy Queen Of The Sea, this is her stern persona. Yemaya Achabba, violent, and, the overpowering, Yemaya Olokun who is said to only be seen in dreams.

Yemaya is associated with many aspects of the sea – ocean, the moon, stars, conch shells, and the female mysteries.  One of Yemaya’s stories is that her first gift to the mortals was a conch shell so their voices could be heard.  This is attributed to the idea of holding a conch shell to a person’s ear to hear the ocean, which is Yemaya’s voice.

Another story of Yemaya is that she was raped by her son, Orungan.   In order to escape further trauma, she falls and from her burst fourteen Yoruban Gods and Goddesses.   One of the other stories is that after she is raped by her son, she decides to end her life on a mountain peak.  As she dies, she not only gives birth to the fourteen Yoruban Gods and Goddesses but from her uterine waters the oceans of the world were created.   From her bones, the first mortals were created.    This lends to the idea that from tragedy comes great creation and birth to something new.

Yemaya is someone you can work with in the matters of home, fertility, family and love.  She is a mother and represents any issues with children, trying to bear children and mother and/or women issues.  She is also concerned with the Healing of Mother Earth so she can be invoked when doing rituals for healing mother earth.

Tags: goddess, Yemaya

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Jenna November, 2009

Guy meets girl. He’s charmed by this innocent-seeming cutey, & as a result turns into a total caveman. He thumps her over the head with his club & drags her off to the cave, expecting her to be thrilled about a life of domestic servitude.

Everybody is at least roughly familiar with the story of Persephone.

Her father’s Zeus, the all-powerful king of the Olympian Gods. Her mother’s Demeter, the grain Goddess. To make a long story short, Hades, lord of the Underworld, fell in love with Persephone  & abducted Her. Eventually she came to terms with her new living arrangements. Demeter, being the ultimate overprotective mother, was consumed by grief & decided to spread it around. No plant would grow & the earth suffered biter cold. Zeus sent his messenger Hermes to reason with his brother. However, before Persephone left the Underworld she ate 3 pomegranate seeds & by doing so bound herself to her husband’s realm. With Zeus arbitrating a compromise was reached. Nothing could be done to free her forever, so she would remain part of the year with Hades & part above ground with her mother. In the time she’s away, the earth would know the cold that comes from a mother’s sorrow. When Persephone returns in the spring, life would return once again & green things would flourish.

Most sources tend to agree that She was quite unhappy about Her forced marriage, but what if this wasn’t the case? What if She actively chose Her fate & ate of the pomegranate of Her own free will? Persophone is typically depicted as a young maiden poised on the brink of adulthood. The Wheel of the Year turns as it does, & at some point a girl will seek to cut herself free from her mother’s proverbial apron strings. This, too, is part of the Cycle.

It’s less about Hades abducting Her & more about Persephone finding Her own voice in the Darkness. What if She had begun longing for a way out? Hades provides Her with an opportunity, a means to get what She craved. Sure, it came in a form She might not have chosen for Herself, or at the least in an unexpected manner.  Her apparent unhappiness w/ Her new life Underground might’ve just as easily come from being frightened of change at 1st.  Her choice would’ve been quite confronting, as it is for anyone who actively seeks to take responsibility for himself.

Ultimately Persephone’s story is one of letting go.  The New Year has begun at Samhain, so the time is right to embrace her lessons. Old ties that no longer serve, old habits that have become destructive. Let them fall away as the Wheel turns. As the world prepares to rest in November’s embrace, follow her down into the Underworld & learn to find your own voice Below as she did. Hers is also a lesson in balance. She’s kept the best aspects of her past & melded them with her present. In a place of the dead she learned about life & how to define her own identity. She is both Kore the Maiden & the mighty Queen of the Underworld. Half the year she spends with her husband in his kingdom & the other half is spent with her mother in hers. She manages to retain a sense of self & share what knowledge She’s gained. Each of us will face his or her own personal Underworld, a time of darkness & uncertainty. However, Persephone shows us a way through. She teaches us that it’s possible to go through the dark & come out the other side a little stronger than before.

Tags: god, goddess, persephone

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Meghan KaLeen Darrah Widdison September, 2009

The Goddess Within

Hello my blessed friends, and greetings at the beautiful end of another summer, and the

beginning of a bright and beautiful fall. I trust that the goddess has bestowed many a blessing on

you and yours.

During the summer, we are surrounded by festivities and celebrations, such as Beltane

and Lughnasadh. We celerate birthdays, sleepovers, and we spend time migrating back to mother

nature to enjoy her beauty . There are times, however that we are faced  with challenges in our

lives, not just during the summer, but at any time. Sometimes we feel that

we are not strong enough to cope, that our hearts and souls are breaking. Other times we are

overwhelmed by the responsibilities in our lives. I have had such a summer, and now , after the

bridge has been crossed over, i would like to bond with you, my readers, on a level that we all

have in common. The love of our mother goddess.

Recently my husband and I were faced with quite a few problems in our life. Finances

were high, communication was low, and our affection went down to nothing. We decided that it had

come time for a trial seperation. We both needed time to return to ourselves, and to find that part

of our relationship that had become lost in the responsibilities of every day life. I took a

sabbatacle, both of my children and I. We returned to the country, to heal and to refocus. My

husband stayed behind so that he could take care of the financial duties back home.

Perhaps now you are wondering what all of this has to do with the ethics and morals

of paganism. After all, that is what my column is about. But more than that, I want to connect

with you, my readers, and to personalize with you on my experiences. Continueing on.

After leaving the city, I found solice in the quiet calm of the country. The birds singing

in the early morning, the sun shining through the leaves on the trees, the cows grazing in the

nearby field. The air smelled so fresh, my lungs seemed overcome with an urgency to take it

all in. I was able to think, to uncongest my mind. I spent a great amount of time outside, with

nature and all that she holds precious and true. I had grudgingly acknowledged my wrongs,

had spent much time thinking about what to do right, and also much time wondering to myself

where the goddess was in my time of need. I felt alone, dried up, and lost, a lone ship out to sea.

One night, while laying outside under the stars, I asked the mother goddess to aid me.

I knew that the decisions I was facing were not only going to affect me, and I needed guidence to

make clear and wise decisions to benefit the whole. I layed there, night after night, waiting for some

signal, some sign, that she had heard me.

I fell asleep one clear, warm night. The mosquitos were not biting, and the stars seemed to

be happy, twinkling brighter than before. My senses were more alert. The sign that I had been

Waiting for had finally come. As I lay there, undisturbed, an owl flew quietly above me, and as it did

it looked down upon me, and I heard a quiet voice in my head say to me “Follow your heart.” The

next day that same owl flew ahead, and looked down upon me again. This time there was no voice,

but the owl had flown so close that were I to have reached up, I would have touched him. He lingered

there, knowingly, and then went on his way. My spirit animal, my helper, had come to visit me, and

suddenly I filled with a knowledge that somewhere in me I had the strength to make those decisions

I needed to make. The mother goddess had heard me.

The next few months followed with several hurdles to get over. I had found a friend in my

brother in law, which drew speculation. I had no money which made times more stressful. My

sister in law and I were at odds, and that hurt. But through it all, I began to feel whole because I

knew that the mother goddess had heard me, she had listened, as she always does.

I went through humiliation, pain, and chaos. I came out better, stronger, and wiser. Our

mother goddess helped me to see the lessons of my errors, to show me that the glass is really

more than half full. There is pain in this world, but it is held in precious balance with happiness.

We need but to find that balance.

I often times find people of all races and religions asking themselves how their divine exists.

Trying to rationalize to themselves how something or someone that you cannot see can make such

a large impact on your life. We as humans strive to understand what we can see, and we strive to

explain what we cannot. But I ask you this, my dear readers, should we rationalize our mother

goddesses love for us?

When a parent loves their child, they do not rationalize, they feel. When a friend loves a

friend, they are willing to overlook their mistakes, and love them the same. Even young children

share love, without rationalizing. Love is irrational, and that is the beauty of it. The wild freedom

of our mother goddess to love us unconditionally, and forgivingly.

I believe that our divine, whether it be the mother goddess, or whichever divine that your

soul connects to, is found within our humility, our humanity. When we struggle, we find our

strength. When we hurt, we find our compassion. When we love and lose, we learn. The mother

goddess is not only around us, but she is within us as well. She is within that part of us that

needs time, alone, dedicated, sincere. It doesnt take much, just a few precious moments

each day to acknowledge her, and to give her thanks for all that she does within our lives.

I have a challenge for you, my friends. This next month, I want us all, myself included,

to not only spend more one on one time with the mother goddess, but to help shine a light for

those who are lost in the dark. We as a human race get so caught up in what needs to be, that we

often forget about what the heart needs to. Tell those you love how much they mean to you, hold

that persons hand as you walk. Help the elderly woman to her car from the grocery store. This month,

i want you, my readers, to help share the compassion and love to people, close and far. If our mother

goddess can improve our lives by being there and loving us unconditionally, then perhaps we can

make a difference in someone elses lives whith the love that she has bestowed upon us.

Until we next meet,

Brightest and most fervent blessings.

If you are looking for advice on pagan matters write to Naiyeetu at Naiyeetu@email.com

Tags: Advice, goddess, help

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Mary DAlba September, 2009

Psyche – the Goddess of the Soul

The Goddess always has lessons to teach us based on their experiences.  Today, we look at the transformation through the Greek Goddess Psyche’s story of winning her husband Eros back.

Psyche was a mortal – a stunning beauty, no less.  She wasn’t interested in love and romance, which upset Aphrodite, the Love Goddess, greatly.   Aphrodite decided to teach Psyche a lesson so she sent her son, Eros (known also as Cupid in Roman Mythology) to shoot her with one of his arrows.    However, when Eros went to do the job, he stumbled and got hit with his own arrow.  He immediately fell in love with her.
Because of not wanting to get in trouble with his mother, Eros took Psyche away to his home, married her and had a beautiful honeymoon.   Eros made Psyche promise not to look at him.  He would only visit her at night.   Her life was wonderful, she lived in beauty, but she wanted to know her husband.  She felt very lonely she couldn’t look at him.

Psyche talked to her sisters about it.  Her sisters, being jealous of Psyche, told her she must be married to a hideous monster and she needed to look at him.  So one night, Psyche shined light and found out she was married to the handsome Eros (Cupid).   Discovering the Psyche saw him, and brok e her promise to him, Eros left her.
Psyche went to Aphrodite, Eros’s mother, and asked for her help.   Aphrodite, seeing her chance to inflict pain and revenge, gave her a series of what seemed to be impossible tasks.  Even though Psyche doubted she could complete them, she went forward and tried.

The first was for her to sort a room full of grains.  The task was overwhelming to Psyche so she went into a corner and cried.  An army of ants took pity on her and finished the task for her.
Next, Aphrodite told Psyche she had to bring back Golden Fleece from a fierce Ram that had already killed several men that had tried to get the fleece.  Psyche had help though, a nearby Reed told her to wait until nightfall to gather the Fleece because the Ram slept at night.

The third task was for Psyche to gather water from the entrance of the Underworld.   When Psyche got there, she saw how dangerous it was.  However, an eagle took the jar for her and gathered the water.
Her final task was to get sleeping potion from the Queen of the Underworld, Persephone.  As she traveled back and forth, she would have to endure the cries of help from the unfortunate ones.  This task was the hardest and longest.  She accomplished it but at the end, she was extremely exhausted.  At that point, Psyche took some of the sleeping potion to get some rest.  Eros found her and, unable to rouse her from her sleep, wiped the sleep potion from her eyes and woke her up.   He then sent the sleeping potion to his mother and decided to get Zeus involved to help.

Zeus’s help was to make Psyche a Goddess, hence legitimizing their marriage in the Gods and Goddesses eyes.  Aphrodite had no choice but to support their marriage.  Psyche and Eros’s marriage was rebuilt.   Their marriage deepened because of her belief in herself but that took hard times for her to emerge with being comfortable with her skills and intuition.

Psyche is known as the Goddess of the Soul.  Her experiences – good, bad and ugly – made her who she is.  It is also a reminder to trust in the self that somehow there will be help.  Her totems are many of the animals that helped her or who she worked with – ants, ram, sheep and of course, butterfly for transformation.
Psyche encourages you to find courage, to keep going and to believe that you can do the task in front of you, no matter how difficult.

Tags: goddess, psyche

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Anne Baird August, 2009

DEMETER ~ THE FIERCE MOTHER

I have always loved Demeter, the Greek goddess of agriculture. Normally, I celebrate her at Harvest. This year, I have reasons for thinking of her earlier…

August is the height of late summer.  That is why, in the central image of this painting, we see Demeter, a gloriously fruitful goddess, bearing golden sheaves of wheat against a background of blazing summer skies, poppies, and flowing rivers. Everything symbolizes the fertility and abundance she showers on a hungry world. How beautiful she is!

In her left hand, however, she bears a torch. And vignettes that tell a less sunny story surround her. It is that story that has earned her second title, The Fierce Mother. That is the story I tell today.

Demeter, provider and mother figure for the whole world, had only one child, a daughter named Persephone. This lovely girl was her pride and joy. While busy with her great task of making the Earth fruitful, Demeter took satisfaction in knowing that her ceaseless labors of love allowed her precious child to be carefree. Persephone could, and did, spend her days dancing in the meadows with her friends, gathering flowers that her mother had nurtured and brought to the peak of perfection. She led an idyllic life!

Then one day, the unthinkable happened. Hades, the lonely King of the Underworld, kidnapped Persephone and took her to his dark kingdom. There, he raped her, and forced her to marry him. All with the collusion of Zeus, King of the Gods, Persephone’s father, and Demeter’s brother!

Demeter was devastated. Taking a torch in her hand, she searched tirelessly for her lost child in every nook and cranny of the Earth. But nobody could tell her where Persephone had gone. She sank into a grief so profound that she abandoned her care for the world. Crops failed. Animals died. Blasted by famine, drought and winter, people died as well. Their cries for help to Mother Demeter went unanswered.

When Demeter finally discovered that Hades had stolen Persephone, she was outraged and demanded that Zeus force Hades to return her.  Conditions on Earth had become so dire that Zeus had to take action.

He ordered Hades to restore Persephone to her mother. But Hades claimed the unhappy girl had just broken her fast by eating seven seeds of a pomegranate – a symbol of marriage in the ancient world. As his wife, she was obliged to remain with him forever.

Zeus made a canny compromise. Persephone would spend 8 months of every year with her mother on Earth. She would return to the Underworld with her husband for only 4 months – after harvest!

Demeter had to be content with this partial victory. Her delight at her reunion with Persephone was great. Soon, Earth bloomed again. A bumper harvest made thanksgiving celebrations more joyful than ever. When Persephone returned to Hades, winter came back with a vengeance. But the Greeks lived in hope. They knew that when she returned, Demeter’s blessing would be restored. They celebrated that…

I honor the great Goddess of Abundance and Fertility. But I am inspired by her example as Fierce Mother.

What mother has not had the experience of having to go look for their child? Of fighting to retrieve them from some danger? It may begin early with a terrifying, momentary loss of a youngster in a grocery store. As they grow older, and life becomes complex, the losses may become more challenging.

I know mothers who have fought fiercely to extricate a lost child from the grip of an addiction. Others have sought to rescue a beloved child from depression, a painful marriage or loss of a partner, financial losses, or eating disorders. At the moment, I, and my family, are facing a life-threatening illness in a cherished son.

At such times, the model of Demeter, Goddess of Agriculture and Abundance, and Fierce Mother, is good to remember.

Demeter refused to abandon the quest to restore her daughter to Life. Her persistence succeeded. Persephone WAS returned to Earth, though she was not the same carefree child she was before her descent into Underworld.

Both mother and daughter were transformed by their experience of loss. Persephone grew up. Demeter discovered untapped resources of strength as well as abundant provision.

But that is a story for another day…

For now, have a blessed August.

Anne Baird, Designer/Owner of GODDESS CARDS, is a self-taught artist who has been painting and writing since childhood. Her chosen media for her unique line of greeting cards is watercolor, with touches of gouache, ink and colored pencil.

She is launching an E-Goddess Card website soon, where the Goddess on the Go can send Goddess “e-cards”, enriched with music and stories, at the click of a mouse. (A virtual mouse.)

Tags: Demeter, goddess, persephone

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Administrator August, 2009

Diana – Roman Goddess of the Hunt
Diana (“the maiden goddess”)  is the Roman Goddess of the Hunt.   Diana is the twin of Apollo and the daughter of Latona and Jupiter.  She is also associated with nature, the wilderness and wild animals.   The Oak is especially sacred to her.   She is worshipped in the Stregheria religion and Religo Romana Neopaganism.

Her mother, Latona, gave birth to her and immediately Diana helped her birth Apollo.  Based on this story, Diana is the guardian of young children and the patron of women in childbirth.

Diana rules over the phases of the moon, which relays to women’s cycles and sexuality.

Diana was originally associated as the protector of the harvest against storms, wild animals, the forest as well as the light.  It was only after she was associated with the Greek Goddess of the Hunt, “

She also used bows and arrows and relates to adventure.  The hunt is more for sport than providing food.  Her symbol is more of the crescent moon than the full moon.  If you look at the shape of her bow when drawn, it is her most common association.
Diana is very protective of women and is associated with chastity.  She could be very possessive and got angry when anyone disobeyed her wishes, especially against her sacred animals.  They would then feel her wrath.

She asked her father to grant her eternal virginity when she was a small child, which Jupiter did.  There are several stories of punishment Diana doled out to men who dared dishonor her purity and modesty.

For example, Diana traveled with women, all who were virgins.  One day, she was with her nymphs, bathing in a secluded poll.  Actaeon, the Greek Hunter, stumbled upon them and stopped to gaze upon them.  Diana caught him, turned him into a stag and then set his own hounds on him.  Because they did not recognize their master, they killed him.

Some of Diana’s symbols are:

* Animals:   wild animals in general, horses, dogs, bears, wolves , lions, birds, deer, snakes, fish, boar, goats, and bees
* Plants:  cypress, cedar, hazel, myrtle, willow, daisy, mugwort, laurel, silver fir, walnut tree, oak tree, almond, mandrake
* Stones:  Silver – Diana is known to wear silver shoes and use silver tipped arrows.
* Festival Date:  August 13th

How can you bring Diana into your life?   You can work with Diana to help your relationship to women, to keep beliefs strong and not to waiver and when pregnant or need help with children.  Diana provides women strength – but make sure it’s not too much to alienate those in your life.  Diana struggled with trust of others and showed no mercy when betrayed.   Temper that strength with softness when necessary

Tags: diana, goddess, hunt

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