The Goddess - Shadows of Oz

The Goddess is the feminine half of Spirit, and She is known by many names – the Great Goddess, the Lady, the Eternal Mother, the Great Mother, the Universal Mother and many others. She is a Triple Goddess with three forms - the young, energetic Maiden; the mature, fertile Mother; and the wise, mysterious Crone. She is the Earth, the Moon and the cycles of life, as all women have a cycle which is the bringer of life – She teaches us that the female form is a sacred, beautiful and wondrous thing.

You work with, respect and honour the Lady - you do not beg favours from Her. She is a nurturer with that sixth sense women have, and will teach you and help you grow. In return, give Her your love and do your best to take care of the Earth She has given us. Taking care of our planet is essential, as the Goddess is immanent; She is present in every thing on the Earth, not watching from afar. As such, when you honour the Earth, you honour the Lady - similarly, if you hurt the Earth, you hurt the Lady.

The Goddess can be thought of as a huntress running with Her hounds; a celestial deity striding across the sky with stardust falling from Her heels; the eternal Mother heavy with child; a Crone walking by waning moonlight seeking the weak and forlorn.

As the Goddess is the mother of the Earth, Her sacred creatures are varied and numerous. They include the rabbit, bear, owl, cat, cow, lion, dolphin, wren and horse.

Many symbols are used in Wicca to honour Her, such as the cauldron, cup, double-headed axe (labrys) and five-petal flowers.

Generally, in perhaps 99% of Wicca, the Moon is the celestial body associated with the Goddess. This is also usually the case within cultures that associate divine energy with the Moon; but there are some Witches and some cultures (i.e. Japanese and ancient Egyptian) that believe the Moon is associated with male divine energy - that the Moon is associated with gods, not goddesses. One example is the ancient Egyptian Moon god Thoth.

The Maiden is also called the Virgin and the Huntress. As the Maiden the Goddess is the waxing Moon - as it grows from New to Full, so does She, becoming more mature and powerful. She is Spring, the promise of new beginnings, dawn, eternal youth, purity, nature, independence, enchantment and excitement. She possesses a carefree, erotic aura – She is innocent in some ways, but also recognises the power of Her sexuality. The Maiden is a huntress and a warrior, usually seen in the company of animals. In the aspect of the Maiden we see the world with innocent wonder.

Maiden Goddesses include Athena (Greek), Diana (Roman), Artemis (Greek), Luna (Roman) and Persephone (Greek).

The Mother is also called the Great Teacher or the Creatress. As the Mother, the Goddess is the Full Moon – She is strong, at the peak of Her womanly powers. The Mother symbolises Summer, adulthood, ripeness, sexuality, sensuality, fertility, birth, parenthood, nurturing, fulfilment, stability, creativity, and power. She is both the one who rocks the baby and the lioness who will fight to the death to protect Her cubs. The Mother’s menstrual blood has been associated with magick and ritual since ancient times, when it was thought to have healing and fertility powers. Similarly, the pregnant Mother was a metaphor for the fertile fields that sustained the people.

Mother Goddesses include Isis (Egyptian), Ceres (Roman), Cerridwen (Celtic), Demeter (Greek) and Hera (Greek).

Also called the Terrible Mother, the Hag, the Dark Mother or the Wise One. As the Crone the Goddess is the waning Moon and the Dark of the Moon - at the New Moon, She is reborn as the Maiden. The Crone symbolises Winter, death, the end of all cycles, night, menopause, age, experience, accumulated wisdom, counsel, repose, and compassion. The Crone is past menopause; She has the mystery of time behind Her. She is the gateway to Death, and the guide to Rebirth. In the aspect of the Crone we understand that death is a part of life, not something to be feared. She commands respect, and can be stern, but She is an exceptional teacher; especially of things secret and hidden. She is a mystery never to be fully known.

Crone Goddesses include Baba Yaga (Slavic), Cailleach (Irish/Scottish) and Hecate (Greek).