Juno is our queen, the most important
of the Goddesses, the one who holds
the golden staff of sovereignty.
She is the light each child beholds
at birth; she is the mother who gives birth.
At her command girls are made safe
from the labors of childbed, in this way:
an old man sacrifices a male goat;
and from the goatskins, strips are cut;
and those strips are used to strike
the backs of fertile girls, a magic charm
to make them and their children safe.
~Roman Poet Ovid, Fasti
In ancient Rome, this was the day of Lupercalia, the Feast of Juno Februa – she who gives our month its name. Queen of the Goddesses, Juno represented the inner essence of femininity found in every woman. Part of this power was the great gift of motherhood which, throughout human history, has been a dangerous occupation for women. Such rituals as the one the Roman poet Ovid describes here emphasized the risk women took with their lives in bringing forth their children.
Whenever we enact the creative power of the goddess, we open ourselves to risk and potential loss. This deep truth is often hidden today, when creativity is diminished to entertainment. But to truly create something new, we must encounter our fears and our despairs, as well as our hopes and great dreams. Queenly Juno reminds us of the power and risk of the creative imperative.
)0( By Patricia Monaghan
Witches Of The Craft® 