Goddess Part 2.

At the Moonlodge, January 29^th, 2010 -- the Moon of Welcome, we talked about how our world needs heroines to get us striving for more. MJ mentioned how her children spend lots of time on MSN and FACEBOOK when they could be cultivating friendships and experiencing life.

“It scares me,” she said, “I can’t imagine what kind of adults this technological world will be creating.” There were a few other mothers in the circle that night who nodded to her comments. I think we all agree that more and more people these days don’t have the skills necessary to build relationships. We have a few younger people in our circle (between the age of 25 and 35 years old) and I worry about them because they loose pieces of their soul each time they get caught up in broken relationships. Betrayals are common these days. It’s not just misunderstandings and conflicts. They want to be open to others but it’s difficult to do so when each time they try they are taken advantage of and hurt. I have to admit it’s hard these days to make the difference between the good and bad guys/girls.

I watch IL who is a single mom of two great kids. She’s in her mid-thirties, works 9 to 5, takes care of her little home outside of the city and still finds time to teach skating and get involved in all kinds of projects. In the last year she’s tried to be involved with men but each time it’s been an emotional roller coaster ride that seemed more detrimental to her family and her personal well being than anything else. Recently she stated that “she doesn’t need a man to define herself,” but noticed her daughter pushing her towards finding someone.

Why do little girls always need their moms in the arms of “knights in shinning armor?” Myth, fairy tale or a Goddess experience?

We’ve become lazy and too comfortable in our illusions and our excuses. If we don’t agree with people’s arguments or criticism we just break ties and start over. Even when it comes to the consumerism it follows the same logic. It doesn’t matter how much you complain about bad service or even mediocre products etc… the stores know they can sell even if they loose you as a customer. With a growing population, there’s demand and hence, YOU as an individual start loosing your value.

JP recently rented a truck from U-Haul. It turned out to be a nightmare. When JP approached the manager to make a complaint she was offered a few coupons with a 40$ rebate for the next time she uses the services. She was outraged.

“I don’t plan to ever use your services again,” she screamed at the man knowing fair well that it wasn’t going to do much. Yet she wanted retribution. So she called the U-Haul head office and made a complaint against this regional office. She’s still waiting to see if anything will be done about the matter. JP often shares stories about complaints that she launches against store personnel but does she get what she expects in return?

Athena and Sulis Minerva were both Godesses that were connected to industry and business. Perhaps, JP could pray to these great women in hope to find some answers. And IL’s daughter may be talking to Nu Kua (China) and living an ancient story where men admired women and valued them as Goddesses. She may secretly be hoping for Prince charming to appear and sweep her mother off her feet. There’s beauty in all tales of divine presence and we could all profit from knowing more about the Goddesses and how they can help us discover and grow within our feminine.

At the Moonlodge this past weekend, we were supposed to welcome a few new members to our circle and even old acquaintances and distant community members; but none of them showed up. It was cold on Saturday and it was easier to stay at home, cozy and warm. I was even tempted!! It’s become difficult for people to get up and go especially when it means greeting new people and leaving the comfort of their own space. Still, we want to invite people to join us this year in our circle and journey with us with the GODDESS. Come and accept the adventure as well as the challenge of self-discovery by exploring the MOONS through the realms of the Goddess. We plan to make it practical and empirical. By the end of the year – everyone will have been touched by Goddess in some shape or form.

During our first circle, I made everyone closed their eyes after we drummed together. I told them that “right here and right now – one of the Goddesses had their hand on their shoulder.”

“Imagine her,” I suggested, “the Goddess YOU need in order to journey through this year of self-discovery.” One by one we looked at the possibilities. For example, I told LG that she was most definitely walking with Old Woman, Hecate, the crone. This Goddess represents the final stage of the woman: The wise. She is the Queen of the Night. She rules over the spirits of the dead and over the humans who have returned to earth to continue their journey of learning and healing. Just recently, LG, RP and I talked about the elder experience. These women are in their 60’s and they were sharing that so much about their life these days seems to be dedicated to “what comes next.”

MS talked about her job and how lately she’s stressed and constantly in desperation. She mentioned how since the Blue Moon it seems like she’s been thrown back in time. “I’m suddenly looking at all the excuses I’ve given and the illusions I’ve told myself,” she admitted, “and I feel lost.” The Goddess Hel (Scandinavian) came to mind and as I mentioned her MS cringed. It’s true that Hel is the Goddess who inspired Christianity with a vision of Hell; but in truth she is the Wise Woman of the Dark Realm or the Nameless one who caters to the souls who are lost and desperate. She is also the Goddess who punishes. It seemed like MS was doing lots of that lately: Punishing herself!

Like I told the women on Saturday, “don’t just choose a Goddess with your heads but pay attention to synchronicities as well and look at how she is present already in your lives through your personal experience.”

All of us as women share experiences in common. The whole idea of being part of a Moonlodge is that we come together as ONE. How can we become functional in these experiences? Health, wellness, wholeness, empowerment are some of the attributes we are looking for. Today after talking with SO – I came to realize that basically what we are all hoping is to find courage, self-esteem, integrity and beauty.

Here are a few Goddesses and their attributes. You can search internet to know more about them or go to your local library.

Artemis: Birth, sex and reproduction. She’s also the Goddess of the Beast which is about trusting our intuition and instincts.

Bridgid: Bride. My daughter lately has been watching the show “Say YES to the dress.” I see lots of this Goddess present in KT’s life right now. It’s not only about getting married. It’s about the role of the bride and the journey or the initiation towards it..

Sheila Na Gig: Hag. Self-exposure. It’s about awakening crudely to the functioning mechanics of the body and matter.

Hestia: Matriarch. Connecting all the women together: Great-grand-mother to grand-mother, to mother, to daughter. Hestia brings the warmth and wisdom of the woman’s knowledge into a home.

Nu-Kua: Goddess that established the rites of marriage so that the children would have parents and strong family relations. Establishes strong ties between woman and man.

Oshun: Mother. She serves as the family advisor and assists in family problems and illness. Fertility and procreation. She rules over love and beauty too.

Hecate: The crone. The final stage of the woman: The wise. Queen of the Night. She rules over the spirits of the dead and the humans who have returned to earth. Athena : Warrior and protector of the family and the tribe.

Blodeuwedd: Goddess of Betrayal

Hokkma: Hebrew Goddess. She gave consciousness to Humankind. She even went as far as to call herself the playmate of Jehovah.

Lilith – the seductress. Stole children, equal to men.

Freya – the mistress.

Sedna (inuit) – the nurturer. The sister. Sibling.

Hel (Scandinavian) or the Nameless Godess – The Godess of Punishment.

Lady of the Beasts – Birth and Agriculture. Taking care of reproduction.

Sekhmet (Egypt): Wants humanity destroyed….

OYA – Africa – Goddess of Leadership

Ashera (Middle East) Fertility. She has many, many children….

Pele (Hawaii) lust and anger

Hator (Egypt) Protector of the Spirit of Women.

Sybil (Greece) : Goddess of Prophecies

Changing Woman - Estsanatlehi (Peru): Self-Renewing One.

You can check this site out if you'd like: http://www.hranajanto.com/goddess

P.S: The Photo was taken at the Great Gathering last summer -- and these women are also participants at our Moonlodge.