Who Is The Goddess?
By Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway
Many people are surprised to learn that Goddess
History dates back to the earliest civilizations. It’s
well documented that ancient societies worshiped
feminine forms of God -- typically as mother, earth,
nature, and the Holy Spirit, or as deities who
personified feminine attributes.
Our ancestors saw the Divine Feminine as the source
of all that is and they depended on her to sustain their
very lives. Her power was expressed in the image and
stories of literally thousands of Goddesses from
cultures around the world. For example, just a bit more
than 2000 years ago, Cleopatra actively worshipped the
Goddess Isis in Egypt, and Julius Caesar erected temples
to the Goddess Venus in Rome -- less than 40 years
before Jesus Christ was born!
Ancient Goddesses were treated with the reverence
modern religious culture now offers to Jesus, God, The
Father, Allah, Krishna, and Buddha. And they were called
upon for everything from ensuring fertile crops and easy
childbirth to attaining wealth, health or, even, a
peaceful death.
Many of the world’s cultures continue to worship,
honor and pray to female deities. The Hindu, Buddhist,
Tibetan, Native American, South American and African
cultures are among those that always have, and continue
to, commune with the Divine Feminine.
Like the Hindu Goddess of Fortune, Lakshmi, or the
Chinese Goddess of Compassion, Kuan Yin, many of these
Divine Females represent specific abilities and powers.
Today, they are still lending a hand – or four!
Clearly, contemporary women need support in modern ways:
Getting that job… finding that fabulous boyfriend…Nabbing that great apartment…Tapping into their
own abilities and powers…discovering the true
Goddess spirit within!
The Goddess -- and Her many forms, and faces -- is
accessible to modern women for divine inspiration and
guidance, yet she can also be appreciated for Her
archetypical meaning and the metaphor of female prowess
she represents. On a global level, we desperately need
the Feminine Divine to balance our world. On a very
practical level, it’s time for women of today to
develop "Goddess Consciousness" that will help
elevate self-esteem and empower personal and
professional growth.
A
Goddess Is A Girl’s Best Friend: A Divine Guide To
Finding Love, Success and Happiness (Perigee
Books, December 2002), introduces readers to 31 awesome
archetypes who can help tackle some of life’s trickier
moment, challenges and dilemmas, as well as inspire
women to pursue their passions and goals, and bring
their dreams to life. The book shares the history,
mythology and meaning of these Goddesses, and offers
prayers, rituals, exercises and inspiration for inviting
them into every day life. The book includes Goddesses of
Self, Strength, Love and Romance, Friendship and Family
Life, Work and Finance, and Play and Lightheartedness.
Meet The Goddesses featured in A
Goddess Is A Girl’s Best Friend …
RECLAIMING EVE
Eve – Considered the mother of us all, she is
our first link to the Divine Feminine in human form.
Reclaiming Eve is the first step toward getting to know
the Goddess within.
GODDESSES OF SELF
Hathor, Egyptian goddess of love, beauty and
pleasure, helps you to your inner light and shows you
how truly beautiful you are.
Lilith, Hebrew Goddess, said to be Adam’s
first wife, was demonized in the Bible but is an
empowered woman in Kabbalah and Feminine spiritually.
She helps you discover your dark and wild side with.
Oya, Yoruban goddess of wind, hurricane and wild
weather, helps you welcome the winds of change.
Nike, Greek goddess of Victory and herald of
success, helps you claim your victories in life.
GODDESSES OF STRENGTH
Mary, mother of Jesus, is not considered
a goddess in the Catholic Faith yet has all the powers
of a divine female and is the primary representation of
the feminine divine for 2000 years, making her the
Spiritual Mother for us all. She helps you connect to
your healing power.
Sophia, goddess of wisdom in Gnostic
Christianity, is also referred to in Hebrew texts and
the books of Solomon. She helps you tap into, and trust,
your own intuition.
Kuan Yin, Chinese goddess of healing and
compassion, helps you find compassion for yourself, and
others.
Green Tara, Tibetan Buddhist goddess of
protection, helps you feel safe and shows you how to
stay calm and centered in a crisis.
White Buffalo Calf Woman, Native American Spirit
Woman, is the mystical feminine force who taught great
sacraments to her people. She helps you connect with the
true nature of the soul and create a more peaceful life
… and world.
GODDESSES OF LOVE AND ROMANCE
Venus, quintessential Roman goddess
of love and beauty, shows you that self-love and
appreciation is the first step to embracing your own
divinity and empowering your sense of self-worth.
Oshun, Macumban Goddess of sensuality, beauty and
womanhood. Helps you tap into your more sensual side and
express your sensual self.
Freya, Norse goddess of sexual prowess and war,
guides you on how to be a man magnate and enjoy every
minute of sizzling sexual energy in your life.
Persephone, Greek goddess of springtime who was
abducted by the god of the underworld, shows you how to
liberate yourself from bad relationships and set forth a
new path in your love life.
Gauri, Hindu goddess of love and marriage shows
you how to get yourself ready for a serious
relationship, and how to gently encourage your true love
toward the altar.
Isis, famous Egyptian mother goddess is hailed
for her healing, magic and resurrection powers. She
helps you rescue troubled relationships and get them
back on track.
GODDESSES OF FRIENDSHIP AND FAMILY LIFE
The Great Goddess is the divine female energy of
all there is. She represents life its self, death and
regeneration and can help transform your relationship
with your own mom by connecting with the power of your
female ancestry.
Pele, the Hawaiian fire goddess who dwells in the
volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii, shows you how to
channel and express anger and heal hostility in a
healthy way.
St. Lucy/Lucina, the cherished Catholic saint who
originated as the Roman Goddess of a newborn's first
light, Lucina, can help you open your spiritual eyes,
see family in a new light and bring light to the shadow
side of family life.
The Muses, the nine Greek deities who joyfully
presided over the arts, are among the most familiar
mythical woman and Goddesses. They help you Celebrate
creativity and connections with sisters, and friends.
Mary Magdalene, the spiritual heroine who is
closely linked as soul companion to Jesus, helps you
survive the loss of a loved one.
Vesta, the Roman Goddess of the Hearth, assists
you in creating a true home.
GODESSESS OF WORK AND FINANCES
Artemis, Greek goddess of the hunt,
helps you pursue your career goals with passion and
focus.
Brigid, Celtic Irish goddess of inspiration,
poetry, birth and blacksmithing, helps you find your
inspiration and creative flow.
Lakshmi, Hindu goddess of fortune, gives you a
hand, or four, increasing your income, your financial
potential and your ability to plan for your future.
Nemesis, Greek goddess of retribution, helps you
handle office politics and troublemakers while helping
you see ways you sabotage yourself.
Durga, Hindu Mother goddess of protection and
war, helps you drawn your boundaries and protect
yourself from negative energies.
St. Térèse, beloved Catholic Saint known as The
Little Flower is a spiritual heroine for women of all
faiths. She helps you get even the most menial jobs done
by showing you the relevance, power and sacredness in
life’s little chores.
GODDESSES OF PLAY AND LIGHTHEARTEDNESS
Bast, Egyptian goddess of play, felines and
females, shows you how to be playful as a pussycat.
Iris, Roman goddess of the rainbow helps you add
color and zest to your life.
Butterfly Maiden, Native American spirit woman,
takes you from cocoon to butterfly and helps you
transform your life.
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