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Gifts of the Goddess
She has been called
Gaia, Mother Nature, Queen of Heaven, Mother of God,
Mistress of the House of Life, the Creatress, Divine
Ancestress, Mighty Lady. Known by many names,
venerated by ancient humankind in many forms, the
Goddess is actually this Blessed Mother Earth which
sustains us all. |
Extensive new research by Marija Gimbutas,
Riane Eisler, et. al., shows that neolithic matrifocal
cultures created much of human civilization.
Agriculture, animal husbandry, pottery, weaving,
city-planning, architecture, and the range of core
technologies that shape human life to this day developed
before 5000 B.C.E. Abstract values of justice and
governance, the invention of writing and the wheel,
aesthetics of dance, music, and religious ritual all
evolved in Goddess-worshipping societies. Excavation of
their settlements show towns undefended by walls. Values
such as nurturance, cooperation and partnership with the
Earth were central.
But in the 35 centuries ending circa 500 C.E., nomadic invaders swept down upon these
life-affirming cultures. They appropriated both the
civilizations they found and the Goddess Herself as the
spouse of their warlike God. Principles of dominance,
sex inequality, class status, warfare, and consumeristic
exploitation of the Earth, which so influence our world
today, date from this relatively recent imbalancing
cycle of history.
Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell have shown
that it is our myth, ritual and symbols that must change
before our culture can rebalance. Images of the generous
and loving Goddess direct our consciousness toward
cooperating with and loving rather than destroying
Earth.
From the depths of antiquity the Goddess
has been depicted in three forms (maiden, matron, &
crone), always associated with birds, beasts, serpents,
flowering plants and other symbols of birth and
fertility which connote harmony with Mother Earth.
Follow the lead of Hallie Inglehart Austin who suggests
wonderful rituals for many of our Goddess images. Or you
might wish to meditatively hand paint our matte
terracotta images yourself, as does Robert Bly. May we
each return the regenerative Goddess spirit to the
center of our lives!
Goddess Gifts,Goddess Offerings,SacredSource.com,ancient mother goddess,fertility goddess,Goddess Worshiper
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