Category: Deities

Jupiter Roman King of the Gods

Jupiter

Roman King of the Gods

In terms of Roman mythology, the god Jupiter is the king. In fact, he is often referred to as the king of the gods. He may not be the original creator of the MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURES that dominated tales and lore; that distinction belongs to his father Saturn. But Jupiter is the main man, a la ZEUS in Greek mythology.

Mythology dominated religious culture in Rome up until the point in which Christianity took over. Until that happened, Jupiter was the main deity. He was the god of the sky and, along with the help of the kings of the time, established principles of the Roman religion.

His similarities with Zeus and the GREEK MYTHS didn’t stop with their connections with the sky and thunderbolts. Jupiter was brother to two other gods: Neptune and Pluto. Like the Greeks, each of these three gods controlled one realm of existence: the sky (Jupiter), the sea (Neptune), and the underworld (Pluto), with Jupiter being the most powerful.

Click here to read more about the Roman God Jupiter (Jove) from greekgodsandgoddesses.net

 

Etain Irish Goddess of Light

Etain Irish Goddess of Light Source: witchymagicks.com

Etain, the resplendent gem of Irish mythology, has captured the hearts and imaginations of people for generations. Her tale speaks of an eternal cycle of love, metamorphosis, and renewal. Immortalized in the time-honored text “The Wooing Of Etain,” her story has endured the relentless march of time, forever etched in the annals of history.

More than a mere goddess, Etain embodies the very essence of the sun, radiating life and vitality wherever her presence graces. As the ages passed, her legend grew, and she came to be revered as a moon goddess as well, adding an ethereal dimension to her already captivating persona. To embark upon a journey into Etain’s realm is to be enthralled by a narrative that transcends the boundaries of time, where her unwavering spirit shines bright against the capricious tides of destiny.

Helios – The Sun God

Helios rides his Chariot across the sky

HELIOS FACTS
Name(s): Helios
Rules over: The Sun
Title: Titan God of the Sun
Gender: Male
Symbols: Sun, Chariot, Aureole
Sacred animals: Horse, Rooster, Cattle, Wolf
Items: Frankincense, Cornucopia, Black Poplar, Heliotrope
Parents: Hyperion and Theia
Consort: Clymene, Rhode – possible others: – Clytie, Perse, Leucothea
Other significant others: Siblings: – Selene and Eos
Children: Abundant children including: – The Charites, Phaethon, The Horae, Pasiphae, Circe, Aeëtes, Heliadae, and Heliades
Roman name: Sol

Helios – The Sun God: https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net –

A handsome Titan with flowing hair, driving a golden chariot pulled by four fiery steeds across the sky.

That was the image that would come to the minds of ancient Greeks when they thought of Helios. To them, he was the representation of the sun and sunlight, traveling across the sky every day. Some authors report that select Greeks revered him as much as they did Zeus.

Helios Appearance

Artwork of the time often shows Helios to be wearing a shining aureole, or halo, of the sun upon his head. He had piercing eyes and long, curly hair.

Family History

Helios was the son of the Titan Hyperion and the Titaness, Theia, making him a second generation Titan.
His sisters were goddesses Selene, the moon, and Eos, the dawn.

Wives

Children of Helios

Helios sired many children with his different wives. The Charites, Phaethon, The Horae, Pasiphaë, Circe, Aeëtes, Heliadae, and Heliades are among his known offspring.

The All Seeing Eye

It is not uncommon so see Helios given the epitaph Panoptes, or all-seeing, as the Greeks believed that he could witness anything in the heavens or on earth.

According to the myth about Persephone’s abduction by Hades, it was Helios who saw the crime occur. When Demeter, Persephone’s mother, demanded to know the whereabout of her daughter, the Titan was able to inform her that Hades had kidnapped the goddess.

Another tale illustrating his ability describes Helios witnessing an affair between Aphrodite and Ares. He reported this to Hephaestus, Aphrodite’s husband, and helped set a trap to catch the two lovers. Caught in the act, the gods then banished Ares from Olympus for his crime.

This ability would have made him a valuable friend to keep and a frightening enemy to have.

Daily Travels

As the sun god, Helios would make a daily journey across the sky. Four horses, Aethon, Pyrois, Phlegon and Eous, drew his chariot.

Each morning, his sister, Eos, would paint the dawn sky with her fingers and pull the misty curtain, through which Helios would appear, aside. He would drive his blazing chariot across the heavens until his travels were complete. At this time, he would he would hide in a golden cup that fell to earth while his sister, Eos, would begin her nightly trek.

Meeting with Hercules

Legend has it that one day while lost in his quest to find the island of Erythia, Hercules grew frustrated and shot an arrow towards the sun. Upon realizing what he had done, he apologized to the Titan. Helios, however, was so taken with the boldness of this action that he presented Hercules with his golden cup. Hercules was then able to use this cup to reach his destination.

Helios Appearance in The Odyssey

Helios has a small but notable role in the Odyssey. When Odysseus and his men land on Thrinacia, one of the islands dedicated to the sun god, Odysseus warns them not to touch any of Helios’ cattle or sheep that graze on the land. They do not heed this warning and, in his absence, slaughter some of the best of the animals.

Alerted to this by one of his daughters, Helios appeals to Zeus for revenge. He threatens to take the sun and shine it onto the dead of the Underworld, instead of on the earth, if the men’s act goes unpunished. Zeus then strikes the crew’s ship with a lightning bolt, killing everyone except for Odysseus.

Cult Worship

The island of Rhodes, believed to have been shaped by Helios, is a place where people honored him as an important deity. Legend has it that when the island first came into being, it was muddy and uninhabitable. Helios dried the land and filled it with life, including seven of his sons known as Heliadae. Because of Helios’ life-giving intervention, some residents of the island worshiped him, and the island became sacred to Helios.

In the 3rd Century BC the people of Rhodes built the Colossus of Rhodes which was a 30 metre (90 foot) statue of Helios, it was won of the Seven wonders of the Ancient world.

The Dorians, one of the four major ethnic groups of Greece at the time, also seemed to have celebrated Helios more than many Greeks of the era. There is even speculation that they were the people who brought the worship of the sun god to Rhodes.

Conclusion

Despite having what some historians believe to be a significant place in the Greeks’ hearts, Helios did not play a massive part in their mythology, and it seems that he was eventually replaced by Apollo. Nevertheless, his image as the handsome Titan driving a blazing chariot pulled through the sky by his fire-breathing steeds lives on to this day.

Quick Facts:

Mother: Theia
Father: Hyperion
Siblings: Selene and Eos
Known wives/consorts: Selene, Perse, Clymene, Aegle, Neaera, Rhodos, Ocyrrhoe, Leucothoe, Nausidame, and Gaia
Known as: the Sun God
Roman equivalent: Sol

Goddess – Rhiannon, Horse Goddess of Wales

Rhiannon – Horse Goddess of Wales

In Welsh mythology, Rhiannon is a horse goddess depicted in the Mabinogion. She is similar in many aspects to the Gaulish Epona, and later evolved into a goddess of sovereignty who protected the king from treachery.

Rhiannon was married to Pwyll, the Lord of Dyfed. When Pwyll first saw her, she appeared as a golden goddess upon a magnificent white horse. Rhiannon managed to outrun Pwyll for three days, and then allowed him to catch up, at which point she told him she’d be happy to marry him, because it would keep her from marrying Gwawl, who had tricked her into an engagement. Rhiannon and Pwyll conspired together to fool Gwawl in return, and thus Pwyll won her as his bride. Most of the conspiring was likely Rhiannon’s, as Pwyll didn’t appear to be the cleverest of men. In the Mabinogion, Rhiannon says of her husband, “Never was there a man who made feebler use of his wits.” After Pwyll’s death, Rhiannon married Manawyden.

The goddess’ name, Rhiannon, derives from a Proto-Celtic root which means “great queen,” and by taking a man as her spouse, she grants him sovereignty as king of the land.

In addition, Rhiannon possesses a set of magical birds, who can soothe the living into a deep slumber, or wake the dead from their eternal sleep.

Her story features prominently in the Fleetwood Mac hit Rhiannon, although songwriter Stevie Nicks says she didn’t know it at the time. Later, Nicks said she “was struck by the story’s emotional resonance with that of her song: the goddess, or possibly witch, given her ability with spells, was impossible to catch by horse and was also closely identified with birds — especially significant since the song claims she “takes to the sky like a bird in flight,” “rules her life like a fine skylark,” and is ultimately “taken by the wind.”

Primarily, though, Rhiannon is associated with the horse, which appears prominently in much of Welsh and Irish mythology. Many parts of the Celtic world — Gaul in particular — used horses in warfare, and so it is no surprise that these animals turn up in the myths and legends or Ireland and Wales. Scholars have learned that horse racing was a popular sport, especially at fairs and gatherings, and for centuries Ireland has been known as the center of horse breeding and training.

Judith Shaw, at Feminism and Religion, says, “Rhiannon, reminding us of our own divinity, helps us to identify with our sovereign wholeness. She enables us to cast out the role of victim from our lives forever. Her presence calls us to practice patience and forgiveness. She lights our way to the ability to transcend injustice and maintain compassion for our accusers.”

Symbols and items that are sacred to Rhiannon in modern Pagan practice include horses and horseshoes, the moon, birds, and the wind itself.

An Iowa Pagan named Callista says, “I raise horses, and have worked with them since I was a child. I first encountered Rhiannon when I was a teenager, and I keep an altar to her near my stables. It’s got horsey things on it, like a horseshoe, a horse figurine, and even braids from the manes of horses I’ve lost over the years. I make an offering to her before horse shows, and I invoke her when one of my mares is about to give birth. She seems to like offerings of sweetgrass and hay, milk, and even music – I sometimes sit by my altar and play my guitar, just singing a prayer to her, and the results are always good. I know she’s watching over me and my horses.”

Source: Paganism/Wicca Expert Article originally published on & owned by About.com 

(One Person’s View) Who Is Bastet? Complete Guide to the Egyptian Cat Goddess

Bastet/Bast

Lion and cat and woman, goddess of war and fertility—the Egyptian goddess Bast (also known as Bastet) contains multitudes. While she’s not the only cat goddess from ancient history, Bastet is probably the most famous cat goddess today. She has a strong presence in pop culture and a select few even still worship her!

In this complete guide to Bastet, we’ll go over exactly what makes this Egyptian cat goddess so compelling. We’ll describe her attributes, how she was depicted in ancient Egypt, her major relationships, how she was worshipped, her major myths, and the history of her worship. We’ll close out with where you might encounter Bast, goddess of cats, today.

Who Is Bastet? What Are Her Attributes?

The goddess we most frequently call “Bastet” today was known as both “Bast” and “Bastet” in ancient Egypt.

“Bast” was her earlier name. It possibly meant either “Soul of Auset” (Auset being an alternative name for “Isis,” who is sometimes considered her mother), or “devouring lady.”

Later, priests called her “Bastet” to indicate that the “t” in her name should be pronounced. “Bastet” shares one of the same hieroglyphs for the bas jar, which held perfumes and ointments. So “Bastet” also meant “she of the ointment jar.”

Bast was originally a lioness goddess, but as time went on, she was more closely associated with the housecat. The cat was her totem animal.

As one of the main goddesses of the Egyptian pantheon, Bastet had a huge number of attributes and aspects:

  • She was a goddess of cats, the sun, of the East, of fire, of love, intoxication, music and dancing, joy, celebration, fertility, secrets, magic, and sex.
  • However, she was also a goddess of war known for her wrathful vengeance.
  • She protected households and individuals from disease and evil spirits, guarded pregnant women, and protected cats.
  • She served as the divine nurse and mother of the Pharaoh.
  • Due to Bastet meaning “she of the ointment jar” she also became known also as a goddess of perfume, and was called the “perfumed protector.”
  • Bast/Bastet was the protector and guardian of Lower Egypt.
  • She was the patron goddess of fire fighters, because the Egyptians believed that a cat running through a building on fire would draw the flames out.
  • She was also one of the goddesses who was known as the “eye of Ra” or the “eye of Atum,” the sun. In this aspect she symbolized Ra’s feminine counterpart and was sent out to take vengeance on his enemies. The “eye of Ra” was both a part of Ra and a separate being from him, and was considered his mother, sister, wife, and daughter simultaneously. She had life-giving, protective and also destructive capacities.

Depictions of Bastet: Her Symbols and Totems

Bast was first depicted primarily as a lioness, then later as a cat or cat-headed woman. In her aspect as a cat-headed woman she frequently holds a sistrum decorated with cats and Click here to read the rest of this article

Gods – Cu Chulainn 1 of the Most Famous Celtic Mythological Heroes

Cu Chulainn would be a demi-god, but the Celtic pantheon does not have demigods.

The Story of Cu Chulainn

Cu Chulainn is one of the most famous Celtic mythological heroes. He appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, and Scottish and Manx folklore. He was said to be the son of Deichtine and the god Lugh, and the nephew of Conchobar mac Nessa, the King of Ulster. His given name at birth was Setanta but he gained the name Cu Chulainn, meaning ‘Culann’s Hound’ after he killed a ferocious guard dog belonging to a smith named Culann. Cu Chulainn offered to take the place of the guard dog until a replacement could be reared.

The stories of Cu Chulainn’s childhood, which date back to the 9th century, are many. It is said that as a small child, he had asked incessantly to be allowed to join the boy-troop at Emain Macha (today known as Navan Fort in County Armagh, Northern Ireland). According to the legend, he sets out on his own, and eventually runs onto the playing field at Emain, unaware of the custom of asking for protection. The other boys see this as a challenge, and attack Setanta, but he beats them all single-handedly as he carries the trait of ‘ríastrad’, in which he undergoes a sort of distortion, becoming an unrecognizable monster who knows neither friend nor foe. King Conchobar put a stop to the fight.

In the next part of the story, Culann the smith invites Conchobar to his home for a feast.

At this point, Conchobar is so impressed by Setanta that he asks him to join the dinner. Setanta is unable to attend right away, but promises to join them at Culann’s house later. However, Conchobar forgets, and Culann lets loose his ferocious hound to protect his house. On arrival at their house, Setanta is forced to kill the guard dog in self-defense. Culann is devastated at the loss of his guard dog and Setanta feels so bad that he offers to rear a new one, and to guard Culann’s house until the new dog is ready to do so.

When Cu Chulainn is seven years old, he overhears a druid named Cathbad teaching pupils at Emain Macha. Cathbad states that any pupil who takes arms that day would have everlasting fame. Desiring everlasting fame, Cu Chulainn goes to King Conchobar to ask for arms. Conchobar gives Cu Chulainn many arms to try, but none can withstand Cu Chulainn’s strength until finally Conchobar gives him his own arms. Unfortunately, Cu Chulainn did not listen to Cathbad’s full prophecy, and he was unaware that a pupil who took arms that day would have everlasting fame, but a short life.

As Cu Chulainn gets older, he decides he would like to take Emer, daughter of Forgall Monach as a wife. However, Forgall is opposed to this, and tells Cu Chulainn that he should train with Scottish warrior-woman, Scáthach. Forgall’s true intent is that Cu Chulainn will be killed. While Cu Chulainn is gone, Forgall offers Emer to Lugaid mac Nóis, a king of Munster, but when the king learns that she loves Cu Chulainn, he refuses to take her hand.

Scáthach teaches Cu Chulainn all the arts of war. His fellow trainees include Ferdiad, who becomes Cú Chulainn’s best friend and foster-brother. During his training with Scáthach, Cu Chulainn comes to face Aife, Scáthach’s rival. Although the two are evenly matched, Cu Chulainn eventually seizes Aife, and demands that she bear him a son. While Aife is pregnant, Cu Chulainn leaves Scotland, and returns to his love Emer, but Forgall still refuses to allow the marriage. Enraged, Cu Chulainn storms Forgall’s fortress, kills twenty-four of his men, abducts Emer, and steals Forgall’s treasure. Forgall falls to his death.

King Conchobar fears the marriage of Cu Chulainn and Emer, because Conchobar has the “right of the first night” over all marriages and is afraid of Cu Chulainn’s reaction if he sleeps with Emer. On the other hand, Conchobar will lose all his power and authority over his subjects if he doesn’t. The druid Cathbad suggests that Conchobar sleep with Emer, but Cathbad sleep between them.

After eight years pass by, Cu Chulainn’s son by Aife, Connla, comes to find him. When Connla refuses to identify himself, Cu Chulainn kills him. As Connla dies, his final words are that he and Cu Chulainn could have “carried the flag of Ulster to the gates of Rome and beyond,” leaving Cu Chulainn grief-stricken.

Several years pass, and Cu Chulainn rides out to face a group of men who have conspired to kill him. They are all sons of men he had killed. On his way, he encounters three one-eyed hags eating a feast of roast dog. They invite him to join them.  Cu Chulainn had several gessa, which are self-declared taboos which, if broken, would lead to his inevitable downfall. Two of his gessa were to never eat dog meat, and to never refuse hospitality. At this junction, he has no choice but to break one of his gessa. He takes one bite and places the bone under his thigh. The hand he used and his thigh are immediately weakened. Cu Chulainn continues on his journey, and is eventually killed while fighting his conspirators. When he received his fatal wound, he tied himself to a pillar so he would die standing and facing his enemies. As the prophecy foretold, Cu Chulainn had reached fame but died at a young age.

The legends of Cu Chulainn are still told to this day. As a mythological hero, the stories of his strength and power have lived on, re-told throughout the years in many ways. Today, the image of Cú Chulainn is invoked by both Irish and Ulster (Northern Ireland) nationalists. Irish nationalists see him as the most important Celtic Irish hero, while unionists see him as an Ulsterman defending the province from enemies to the south.

If you would like to read more about Cu Chulainn warrior tales here is a link for a general search on Táin Bó Cúailnge

Athena Greek Goddess: Origins, Symbols, and Mythology

Athena Greek Goddess: Origins, Symbols, and Mythology

Athena is among the most well-known Greek goddesses, revered for her wisdom, courage, and strength. She is often depicted as a fierce warrior, with a spear and shield in hand and a helmet on her head. Athena was also the goddess of crafts, weaving, and strategy and was often associated with the owl, considered a symbol of wisdom.

Athena played a significant role in Greek mythology, and her legend has been passed down through generations. According to legend, Athena was born fully grown and armored from the head of Zeus after he swallowed her mother, Metis. She was the favorite daughter of Zeus, and her intelligence and wisdom made her one of the most respected and revered goddesses in Greek mythology.

Today, Athena is still celebrated and admired for her many attributes, and her legacy lives on in the modern world. From literature to art, her influence can be seen in many different forms, and her story inspires people worldwide.

Athena, a Greek Goddess Birth Story

According to Greek mythology, Athena was born from the head of her father, Zeus. The story goes that Zeus had swallowed his wife, Metis, who was pregnant with Athena, fearing the child would be more powerful than him. However, Metis had already given birth to Athena inside Zeus’s stomach. When the time came, Zeus began to feel a tremendous headache, and Hephaestus, the god of fire and metalworking, split open Zeus’s head with an axe. Athena emerged fully grown, dressed in armor and holding a spear. This unique birth made Athena the only virgin goddess in Greek mythology.

As the goddess of wisdom, Athena was a patron of Athens and was known as the city’s protector. She was also associated with various other entities, such as warfare, handicrafts, and strategic warfare. Her birth story is one of the most iconic stories in Greek mythology, and it symbolizes the importance of wisdom and strategy over brute force.

Athena’s birth story is also significant because it highlights the role of women in Greek mythology. Even though Athena was born from Zeus’s head, she was still regarded as one of the Greek pantheon’s most potent and respected gods. This is a testament to the importance of women in ancient Greek society, and it shows that women could hold positions of power and influence, even in a male-dominated society.

In conclusion, Athena’s birth story is a compelling and iconic tale in Greek mythology. It highlights the importance of wisdom and strategy over brute force and symbolizes women’s role in ancient Greek society. Athena remains one of the most revered and respected goddesses in Greek mythology, and her legacy continues to inspire people today.

Powers and Symbols

Athena is one of the most important goddesses in Greek mythology. She is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law and justice, strategic warfare, mathematics, strength, strategy, arts, crafts, and skill. Her powers and symbols are an integral part of her mythology, and they help to define her character and her place in the pantheon of Greek gods and goddesses.

Powers

Athena’s powers are vast and varied. She is known for her intelligence, wisdom, and strategic thinking, making her a formidable battle opponent. She is also known for her strength and courage, which make her a fierce protector of her people. Athena’s powers are often associated with her role as a goddess of war, but they also extend to the arts, crafts, and skill. She is often depicted as a patron of weavers, potters, and other craftsmen.

Symbols

Athena’s symbols are a reflection of her powers and her character. The most famous of these symbols is her shield, representing her role as a protector of her people. The shield is often adorned with the head of the Gorgon, a creature from Greek mythology that turned people to stone. This symbol is known as the Gorgoneion, which was believed to have the power to ward off evil.

Another important symbol of Athena is the olive tree. According to legend, Athena created the olive tree as a gift to the people of Athens, and it has since become a symbol of peace, prosperity, and wisdom. Athena is also associated with the owl, known for its wisdom and intelligence. The snake or serpent is another important symbol of Athena, representing her connection to the earth and the natural world.

Athena is also often depicted wearing a helmet, representing her warrior role. The helmet is often adorned with the image of a serpent or spider, both symbols of wisdom and intelligence. Finally, Athena is often depicted holding a trident, representing her power over the sea.

In conclusion, Athena’s powers and symbols are essential to her mythology and help define her character and place in Greek mythology. Her intelligence, wisdom, and strategic thinking make her a formidable opponent in battle, while her role as a patron of the arts, crafts, and skill makes her a beloved goddess of the people. Her symbols, including the shield, the olive tree, the owl, the snake, the helmet, and the trident, are all critical reflections of her powers and character.

Family

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Goddess of the Day – Hecate or Hekate

Hecate or Hekate

Then the earth began to bellow

And howling dogs in glimmering light advance

Ere Hekate came

-Aeneid, Book VL

Greek Queen of the Night, Goddess of Witchcraft and the Underworld. Hecate can change shapes or ages at will and has the power to rejuvenate or kill.

The daughter of Perses and Asteria, she represents the oldest Greek form of the Triple Goddess. Her powers extend over heaven and the underworld, the earth and the sea. She is sometimes represented with three heads – one of a horse, one of a dog and one of a bear, or one of a dog, snake and lion.

As Hecate of the Three Ways, her images stood at three-way crossroads where offerings of dogs, honey and black ewes were left on Full Moon Nights. In the realm of nature she is honored as Selene, the moon, in Heaven. She is honored as Artemis, the huntress, on Earth and as Hecate, the destroyer, in the Underworld. She is also the Goddess of prophecy, charms, vengeance, wisdom, choices and regeneration and is often accompanied by a pack of black, baying hounds or the three-headed dog, Cerberus.

Gods – Celtic Cernnunos

Celtic God Cernnunos

The God In The Wild Wood

At the Sacred Centre, in the Grove of all Worlds, He sits with legs crossed beneath an ancient Oak. Entranced, connecting the three worlds Earth, Sea, and Sky, and the worlds behind the worlds, the god and the Great Tree are One, His immense limbs widespread, stretching into distant sky and starry space.
His massive trunk, spine of the Middleworld, is the heart of the Ancient Forest around which all Life, all worlds turn; His limitless root web growing deep into secret earth and Underworld; above him the great turning circles of Sun, Moon, and Stars. All around Him subtle movements of the leaves in melodious, singing air; everywhere the pulsing, gleaming Green awash in drifts of gold and shimmering mist; beneath Him soft moss creeping over the dark, deep, moist of spawning earth. At His feet is the great Cauldron from which the Five Rivers Flow.

Through the forest stillness they come, whispering wings and secret glide, rustling leaves, and silent step, the first Ancestors, the Oldest Animals, to gather around Him: Blackbird, Keeper of the Gate; Stag of Seven Tines, Master of Time; Ancient Owl, Crone of the Night; Eagle, Lord of the Air, Eye of the Sun; and Salmon, Oldest of the Old, Wisest of the Wise leaping from the juncture of the Five Springs. He welcomes them and blesses them, and they honour Him, Cernnunos of the nut brown skin and lustrous curling hair; the god whose eyes flash star-fire, whose flesh is a reservoir of ancient waters, His cells alive with Mystery, original primeval essence. Naked, phallus erect, He wears a crown of antlers limned in green fire and twined with ivy. In his right hand the Torq of gold, testament of his nobility and his sacred pledge; in his left hand the horned serpent symbol of his sexual power sacred to the Goddess. Cernnunos in His Ancient Forest, His Sacred Temple, His Holy Grove, Cernnunos and His children dream the Worlds.

The Origins of Cernnunos

Cernnunos, a nature and fertility god, has appeared in a multitude of forms and made himself known by many names to nearly every culture throughout time. He is perhaps best known to us now in his Celtic aspects of the untamed Horned God of the Animals and the leaf-covered Green Man, Guardian of the Green World, but He is much older. Cernnunos worked his magic when the first humans were becoming. Our prehistoric ancestors knew him as a shape-shifting, shamanic god of the Hunt. He is painted in caves and carved everywhere, on cliffs, stones, even in the Earth Herself. Humans sought to commune with Him and receive his power and that of his animal children by dressing themselves in skins and skulls, adorning themselves with feathers and bones, by dancing His dance. Yet He is older still. In the time of the dinosaurs, the great swamps and subtropical forests of cycads, seed ferns and conifers, and later in the time of the deciduous plants and flowers, when the pollinators came and the first tiny mammals were creeping up from beneath the ground, Cernnunos was the difference and diversity of life, the frenzy and ferment of evolution. But, He is much older still. He is oldest of the Ancient Ones, first born of the Goddess. At the time of First Earth, Cernnunos grew in the womb of the All Mother, Anu, waiting to be born, to come forth to initiate the everlasting, unbroken Circle of Life.

The Many Faces & Natures Of Cernnunos

Cernnunos, as The Horned God, Lord of the Animals is portrayed as human or half human with an antler crown. Though he wears a human face his energy and his concerns are non-human. He is protector of animals and it is Cernnunos who is the law-sayer of hunting and harvest. While He is recognized most often through his connection to animals and our own deeply buried, dimly recalled, instinctual animal natures, Cernnunos is also a tree, forest, and vegetation god in his foliate aspect of The Green Man, Guardian of the Green World. His branching antlers symbolize the spreading treetops of the forest as well as his animal nature. As Master of the Sacrificial Hunt, His is the life that is given in service of new life. His wisdom is that the old must pass away to make way for the new.

In his Underworld aspect Cernnunos is The Dark Man, the god who dwells in the House Beneath the Hill, the Underworld. He is the one who comforts and sings the souls of the dead to their rest in the Summerlands of the Otherworld. Cernnunos, as Master of the Wild Hunt, who pursues the souls of evil doers, is not associated with a biblical or even modern morality, but with the protection and continuance of the Land and Nature and the spirits that dwell therein.

Pan, lusty Satyr god of the Greeks is another aspect of the Horned God. ‘Pan is a proud celebration of the liberating power of male erotic energy in its purest and most beautiful form.’ (5) He is portrayed as playful and cunning, but He also has a darker, dangerous nature. The panic or terror often associated with Pan is not related to human violence, but to the Life and Death of the natural world. In this form he is called the “All Devourer.” However, Pan, as Protector of the Wilderness and as a god prone to fits of madness and violence, can induce panic or wild fear in those who threaten his domain.

Cernnunos appears again in Elizabethan England, and is mentioned by Shakespeare, as Herne the Hunter, the demon and guardian of Windsor Forest, the Royal Wood. In this aspect it is said that he appears as Guardian of the Realm during times of National emergency and crisis. In modern times he is often called the God of the Witches and embodies uncorrupted masculine energy. A masculine energy that is fully-developed and in balance with the natural world

Cernnunos & The Sacred Wheel Of The Year

We celebrate and honour Cernnunos as the Green Man in spring and summer, the light half of the year and as the Dark One or the Dark God in autumn and winter, the dark half of the year. He appears in spring as the young Son, child of the Goddess, embodiment of the budding, growing, greening world. In summer He is the Green Man, vibrant, pulsing with life essence, the consort of the Green Lady Goddess. It is in autumn, the dying time, that perhaps we see the Horned God most clearly. He is the sacrificed one, who, wounded unto death begins his journey to the Underworld, returning to the Earth from which he was born and where the seeds of light released from his decaying body will quicken Her womb with a new Sun once again.

The Path To Cernnunos

The path to Cernnunos is both through the natural world: seeking out the wild places and a deep understanding of the processes of growth, bounty, decay, rest, and rebirth, and through Otherworld journeys to the Middleworld forest of which he is guardian. One may experience this both actually and symbolically by following the path that disappears over the horizon into the distance and moves away from the ‘civilized’ world and into the heart of the Wild Wood. Often experienced as traveling away from the centre to the perimeter, this is in actuality a return to the Centre. When the seeker reaches the god’s forest the track ends, and her/his pathways are found by other means. After entering the Wildwood the seeker cannot be followed, nor can s/he follow another. Whatever pathways are discovered disappear in passing, and the Wood is trackless once again, for each one’s way is different. In the Forest of Cernnunos there is a stillness, an otherworldly feeling, as if one has passed out of time. Here the mind is not supreme. It is instinct, the innate wisdom of the body that guides us to Him.

The Way Of Cernnunos

The way of Cernnunos is the way of the shaman or any person who truly seeks Communion with the Land. Yet, one cannot speak of Cernnunos without speaking of Anu or Don, the All Mother who gave Him birth. The way of Cernnunos is through the One. Like Her, Cernnunos is a Being or Power that existed before time and before the gods, the Shining Ones. Together they are First Mother and First Father, All Mother and All Father who brought the gods into being. Limitless and everlasting His energy permeates Her matter through every aspect of life to the sub-atomic. As Lord of the Dance He is present in the billions and billions of infinitely small movements that make up the seemingly chaotic Dance of Life, the Dance of Making and Unmaking. He is truly the Life that never, never dies, for even as nothingness he is self-originating. He is triple as She is triple. He is Cernnunos: Father, Son, and Wild Spirit.

Cernnunos Chant

Cern-nu-noh-oh-oh-oh-os
Stag Horned Hunter, Hunted One
Join Us Now
Cer-nu-noh-oh-oh-oh-os
Greenwood Lord of Life and Death
Join Us Now
Cern-nu-noh-oh-oh-oh-os
Herne and Pan and Every Man
Join Us Now

Gods – Buddha Was Not a God

Buddhism Source: buddhism.info

The negative connotation associated with the term ‘atheist’

To be labeled an atheist or godless often has an insulting and derogatory connotation.

It implies that one denies worship, denies morals, denies any spiritual or social obligation and denies a religious life. This in no way describes the teachings of Buddha.

The terms atheist and godless are also often associated with one who subscribes to an entirely materialistic belief system, a doctrine that knows nothing beyond worldly senses and the slight, temporary happiness it can bestow.

Buddhism advocates nothing of the sort. Both Buddhists and followers of other religions believe that true and lasting happiness cannot be found in the material world.

In only one sense can Buddhism be described an atheistic religion – Buddhism denies existence of a Creator God, being an eternal omnipresent God who created the world and who can miraculously save others.

Unlike some other beliefs, Buddhists do not believe that a certain god will appear in this world at some future date to destroy the wicked, unsaved people and to protect the good ones.

Similarly, in Buddhism, there is no belief that someone can wash away their sins simply by asking for forgiveness.

Buddhists believe that redemption is only possible when people sincerely realize that what they are doing is wrong and then subsequently try to change their ways and do good.

It is only through this process that a sinner can counter the bad Karma that has accrued to them based on their evil deeds.

Although Buddhism does not depend on a Creator God, Buddhism emphatically recognizes the existence of moral and spiritual values.

Moreover, Buddhists believe in humanity – we believe that each human being is precious and important and that everyone has the potential to develop into a perfect human being.

The problems with religions based on Creator Gods

All theistic religions consider their concept of God to have ultimate authority over humans.

This supposed sacred authority  can be dangerous as it can blindly strip us of our individuality and freedom.

These God-religions attempt to make you a follower and preach that the only true path to salivation is through God.

Under these theistic religions, it is possible for a person to have led a perfectly righteous and virtuous life, but still be condemned to eternal hell since he or she didn’t believe in the existence of a particular group’s idea of God.

On the other hand, someone may have led a life of sin, yet made a repentance before death, and thus that person can be forgiven and ‘saved.’

Buddhists believe there is no rational justification for this type of teaching.

However, as we discussed in detail in Buddhist Views on Religion, Race and Tolerance, it is critically important that we show respect and tolerance to everyone regardless of their religions views.

The benefits of religions based on Creator Gods

Although Buddhism has succeeded as a peaceful religion without incorporating a creator-god, we cannot overlook the fact that the believe in God has done a great service to mankind.

First, the believe in God has helped people control their animal nature.

Secondly, much help and charity has been given to others in the name of god. Many people  also find inspiration and protection when the belief of god is in their mind.

Given these benefits, it is easy to see why so many people find the god concept so desirable.

Buddha was not a god

Unlike most other religions, Buddhism does not claim to have originated from heaven.

Buddha never said that he was the son of God, the messenger of God or a reincarnation of a God.

In fact, Buddha emphasized himself that he was not a god, rather he declared himself a simply a human being who was “full awake” and aware of the true nature of existence.

Buddha asked not to be worshiped by his followers but encouraged his followers to look deeply inside their own minds to answer fundamental questions about life, death and happiness. As such, Buddhists do not worship Buddha as a god or deity.

Although many Buddhists have statues and other Buddhism symbols in their homes and place of worship, this is done only as a reminder of our ability to have wisdom and compassion like the Buddha.

As we discussed in The Importance of Prostrating in Buddhism, prostrating or bowing before such figures can be very beneficial in your practice. However, such acts are not done to worship Buddha or the figure itself, but rather to show respect, gratitude and recognition.

Buddhist views of miracles, angels and praying

Often times people’s belief in their Creator God is confirmed or renewed because they prayed in a time of need and their prayer was answered.

Here, correlation doesn’t prove causation. Buddha rejected all of these as foolish and warned about the futility of taking refuge in the hills, woods or shrines when people are full of fear.

If miracles were possible, then there would be no need for hospitals and cemeteries.

Buddhists also don’t expect the gods to do things for us or the angels and guardians to protect us.

If you believe in these things, Buddhism teaches that you will suffer because you will always be waiting for the right day, the right month or the right year for your miracle.

Instead of praying to supernatural beings, Buddhists seek a practical means of conquering birth, aging, pain and death by destroying their mental defilements which cause greed, anger and delusion.

Buddhism doesn’t entice people into living a fool’s paradise, nor does it scare people with imaginary fears.

The traditional concepts of heaven and hell

From a Buddhist point of view, there is no such thing as the traditional concept of heaven and hell, being a permanent, eternal placed created by a God.

Buddhists believe that such a belief is ignorant, unreasonable and foolish to believe that there is an eternal heaven above the clouds or hell under the oceans.

Furthermore, Buddhists believe that it is unreasonable to condemn anyone to eternal hell for their human weakness.

The Buddhist concept of heaven and hell

However, Buddhism does have its own concept of heaven and hell.

Unlike other religions, these places are non-permanent, mental states of mind.

In other words, Buddhist believe that wise people make their own heaven while foolish people create their own hell.

Put yet another way, Buddhists define heaven as a temporary place where those who have done good deeds experience more sensual pleasures.

Hell is another temporary place where those who do evil experience more physical and mental suffering.

Hell is simply a place where one experience painful sensations due to suffering and heaven is a place where one experiences joyful and happy sensations.

However, these mental places are not permanent and there is no God involved. Each person experiences pleasure or pain, heaven and hell, according to their good and bad Karma.

Why do we experience heaven and hell?

According to Buddhists, people experience the fire and misery of hell in this world due to their anger, greed and ignorance. As we can all relate, human beings experience a mixture of both pain and happiness.

In other words, one experiences more pleasure or happiness in this world, then that place is a heaven to those who enjoy their worldly life in that place and time.

When there is more suffering, then that place is a hell to those who suffer. From a Buddhist point of view, if you are in hell, then you can get yourself out by creating good merit and Karma.  T

here are no locks on the gates of hell. Hell is only a temporary place and there is no reason for humans to suffer there forever.

Buddha as the Enlightened One

Although Buddha was just a man, he was not an ordinary man like us. He was an extraordinary and incomparably person.

As such, Buddha is considered the Enlightened One, the most compassionate and wise person who ever lived in this world.

For this reason, people take refuge in the Buddha as a teacher or master who has lived and shown the real path of inner peace.

While people may show their respect and gratitude toward Buddha, they do not pray to Buddha with the illusion that he is a god who will reward or punish them. Nor do they ask for material favors through Buddha.

They simply pay homage to a great religious teacher. Those who recite verses from his teachings do so as a means of recalling his great virtues and good qualities in order to get inspiration, confidence and guidance for themselves.

This is all done so that we can try to be like him.

In Buddhism, salvation can only come from within

In some religions, people seek protection in certain objects which they believe are inhabited by spirits.

Buddhists however, know  that the only protection they can have is through a complete understanding of their own natures and eradicating their base instincts.

When Buddhists seek refuge in Buddha, it simply means that they accept Buddha and his teachings as the means through which they can end their suffering.

Whether you call Buddhism a  religion, philosophy or a way of life, Buddhism is practical, rational and presents a realistic view of life and the world as it exists today.

In the here and now, we should look into our own actions, speech, and Karma. By doing good, you inherit goodness; by doing bad, you inherit badness.

If we can understand that good and bad, right and wrong all lie within us, then we won’t have to go looking for those things somewhere else.

Put another way, if we lose our inner peace here, we must look to find or restore it where we lost it – within ourselves.

Even if you don’t find it at first, keep looking where you dropped it. Usually, we lose it within ourselves and then go looking outside of ourselves for the answers, but we’ll never find it over there.

Goddess/Muse – Calliope

THE MUSE CALLIOPE IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY

THE MUSE CALLIOPE

Calliope is a famous name from Greek mythology, for Calliope was one of the Younger Muses, the beautiful goddesses who would inspire writers, artists and artisans.

Calliope the Muse of Epic Poetry, and hers was a name invoked by many writers and poets in antiquity; for they would give praise to the Muse for their ability to bring forth words of great eloquence.

CALLIOPE DAUGHTER OF ZEUS

As one of the Younger Muses, Calliope is the daughter of Zeus and the Titan goddess Mnemosyne; making her sister to Clio, Erato, Euterpe, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Thalia, Polyhmnia and Ourania.

Calliope was named as the eldest of the Younger Muses, conceived on the first night that Zeus lay with Mnemosyne.

CALLIOPE GODDESS OF MUSIC

Calliope was a Greek goddess of music, song and dance, and was specifically named as the Muse of Epic Poetry. In this role, Calliope was normally depicted with a writing tablet in her hand.

Calliope was also said to be the muse who bestowed the gift of eloquence about mortal kings, coming to them when they were a baby, and anointing their lips in honey.

​As a result of Calliope’s actions, when adults, the anointed ones would spout gracious words, and utter true judgements.

Calliope was also considered to be the leader of the Muses, the wisest of the sisters, and also the most assertive.

CALLIOPE MOTHER OF ORPHEUS

Stories from Greek mythology would tell of the marriage of Calliope to the Thracian king Oeagrus, with the wedding taking place at Pimpleia. The marriage of Calliope and Oeagrus was said to have brought forth two notable individuals Orpheus and Linus.  Orpheus was the great musical hero of Greek mythology, and Linus was the inventor of rhythm and melody; alternatively the father of Orpheus and Linus is named as the Olympian god Apollo.

Initially, Calliope and Orpheus were said to reside at Pimpleia, but later Calliope and her son were to be found with the other Younger Muses upon Mount Parnassus. For here Apollo visited to continue the musical training of Orpheus, which had been commenced by Calliope.

CALLIOPE IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY

Calliope was rarely spoken of as an individual but she is named as present, and spoken to by Thetis, when the Muses sang their dirges during the funeral rites of Achilles. Calliope was also certainly present when the Younger Muses were victorious in their contests with the Sirens and Pierides. Indeed, Calliope was said to be the Muse who caused the Pierides to be transformed into magpies after they had had the impudence to challenge Calliope and her sisters. 

Goddesses- Egyptian Maat Goddess of Truth, Justice and Morality

Maat The Ancient Egyptian Goddess of Truth, Justice and Morality

Maat, also known as Ma’at or Mayet, was a female goddess in the ancient Egyptian religion who represented truth, justice, balance and morality. The daughter of the Egyptian sun deity Ra and wife of the moon god Thoth, she served a kind of spirit of justice to the Egyptians. She decided whether a person would successfully reach the afterlife, by weighing their soul against her feather of truth, and was the personification of the cosmic order and a representation of the stability of the universe. The earliest writings where she is mentioned date back to the Old Kingdom of Egypt more than 2,300 years ago.

The Egyptian culture was centered on order, everything had its due place in the world. This included religion, society and seasonal changes. The goddesses Ma’at came to represent the concept of balance and order because many Egyptians needed to explain the world around them. She was the one that kept the stars in motion, the seasons changing and the maintaining of the order of Heaven and Earth. The opposing force of this was known in ancient terms as “isfet” or chaos. Ancient Egyptians considered the desert beyond the Nile River to be chaotic; whereas, the area close to the Nile was considered orderly. Together, these two forces brought balance to the world in which they lived and was an important part of everyday Egyptian life

Ma’at is usually depicted in the form of a woman seated or standing with outstretched wings attached to both her arms. In other instances she is seen holding a scepter in one hand and an ankh (the symbol of life) in the other. Her statue was a stone platform depicting a stable foundation on which order was built. A common symbol associated with her is an ostrich feather, which she is almost always shown as wearing in her hair. Often, the Feather of Ma’at was a distinctive feature of her headdress. Less frequently images of the goddess showed her without a head, instead replaced by the feather. In other images the feather alone conveyed her presence. This feather has come to symbolize her being, as well as the representation of balance and order, it became a hieroglyph for “truth.”

Ma’at was associated with the law in ancient Egypt. From the 5th dynasty (c. 2510-2370 BC) onwards, the Vizier responsible for justice was called the Priest of Maat and in later periods judges wore images of her. The ‘Spirit of Maat’ was embodied by the chief judge in charge of the Egyptian law courts. He had a dual role, serving as both a priest and working directly in the law courts and justice system. The “Priest of Ma’at” began court hearings whilst wearing the feather of Ma’at and all other court officials wore small golden images of the goddess as a sign of their judicial authority, also as a symbol that their judgement would be balanced and fair. Priests drew the Feather of Ma’at on their tongues with green dye, so that the words they spoke were truth. The priest would rule on the earthly punishment according to the nature of the law that had been broken. Punishments included imposing fines, corporal punishment and in extreme cases capital punishment. It was considered a crime against Ma’at if a person engaged in jealousy, dishonesty, gluttony, laziness, injustice, and ungratefulness. The guilty Egyptian was deemed to have violated the Spirit of Ma’at and would face a further judgment in the Underworld during the ceremony of justification in the Hall of the Two Truths. The ‘Spirit of Ma’at’ detailed in the wisdom literature contained practical guidance with examples and some rules applied in previous law cases. These kinds of instructional texts have been described as “Ma’at Literature”.

The Book of the Dead is a collection of funerary texts and spells from ancient Egypt designed to assist a person’s journey through the underworld, into the afterlife. Without these spells, it was believed a person could not proceed. In the book is a spell called the “Forty-Two Declarations of Purity” or the “Negative Confessions”. This spell is comprised of confessions the tomb owner believed he committed throughout his life. It was believed that any crimes committed against Ma’at should be written down as they could easily be forgiven. In the Hall of Ma’at is where the judgement of the dead was performed in which Ma’at played an important role. The ceremony, called the “Judgment of Osiris,” was named after Osiris, the god of the dead. When the dead were judged, it was the feather of Ma’at that their hearts were weighed against. If a balanced scale was struck, the deceased was deemed worthy to meet Osiris in Paradise. The weightlessness of their hearts indicated that their souls were not burdened with sin and evil. If the heart of the deceased was found to be heavier than the feather of Ma’at, it would be devoured by Ammit, the soul-eating monster depicted with the head of a crocodile, the forequarters of a lion and the hindquarters of a hippopotamus. Other gods in the judgement hall who were part of the tribunal overseeing the weighing of the heart were also pictured holding a feather but the scales always represented Ma ́at.

Ancient Egyptians worshipped many gods, one was certainly Ma’at, although Egyptian archaeologists now believe she was perhaps more of a concept or an ideal. It’s reasonable to assume her principles aided the people of Egypt in being better individuals and that she could be compared to the conscience of a person. There was a small temple dedicated to Ma’at by Hatshepsut, the fifth pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt, Egypt’s first female pharaoh, at the Karnak temple complex in Luxor Egypt. Largely in ruins, it still preserves inscriptions of some of the viziers of Ramesses III and XI. A previous Ma’at temple existed in this area, indicated by reliefs and stelae belonging to the reign of Amenhotep III. The temple is inside the Precinct of Montu, the smallest of three enclosures at Ipet-Isut.

Ma’at

Ma’at (pronounced may-et) is the ancient Egyptian goddess of truth, justice, harmony, and balance (a concept known as ma’at in Egyptian) who first appears during the period known as the Old Kingdom (c. 2613 – 2181 BCE) but no doubt existed in some form earlier. She is depicted in anthropomorphic form as a winged woman, often in profile with an ostrich feather on her head, or simply as a white ostrich feather. The feather of Ma’at was an integral part of the Weighing of the Heart of the Soul ceremony in the afterlife where the heart of the soul of the dead person was weighed in the scales of justice against the feather. Historian Margaret Bunson writes:

She maintained a vital role in the mortuary rituals of Egypt where she weighed the hearts of the deceased. This mortuary role evolved over the decades into the principle of ma’at, the desired right attitude, which remained the ethical and moral foundation of the Egyptian people. (152)

NAME & SIGNIFICANCE

Ma’at is said to have been born of the sun god Ra (Atum) at the beginning of creation through the power of Heka, who was magic personified. Her name means “that which is straight” implying order, justice, and harmony. She is thought to have been present from the beginning of time when, from the primordial waters of Nun, the ben-ben (first mound of dry land) rose with Atum (or Ra, the sun god) standing upon it in the presence of the invisible Heka. In the moment that Ra spoke the world into creation, Ma’at was born. Her spirit of harmony and balance infused the creation and caused the world to operate rationally according to purpose. The principle of ma’at was the operational function of life and that of heka (magic) the power source which allowed for it. It is for this reason that she is considered more of a concept than a goddess with a specific personality and story like Isis or Hathor. Ma’at’s spirit is the spirit of all creation, and if one is in tune with that spirit, one will live well and have good reason to hope for eternal peace in the afterlife; if one refused to live in accordance with the principles of Ma’at, then one suffered the consequences which one would have brought upon one’s self. Margaret Bunson comments on this, writing:

Ma’at was the model for human behavior, in conformity with the will of the gods, the universal order evident in the heavens, cosmic balance upon the earth, the mirror of celestial beauty. Awareness of the cosmic order was evident early in Egypt; priest-astronomers charted the heavens and noted that the earth responded to the orbits of the stars and planets. The priests taught that mankind was commanded to reflect divine harmony by assuming a spirit of quietude, reasonable behavior, cooperation, and a recognition of the eternal qualities of existence, as demonstrated by the earth and the sky. All Egyptians anticipated becoming part of the cosmos when they died, thus the responsibility for acting in accordance with its laws was reasonable. Strict adherence to ma’at allowed the Egyptians to feel secure with the world and with the divine plan for all creation. (152)

Her importance is signified by one of the means by which the Egyptians wrote her name. Although she was often identified by the feather symbol, she was also designated by a plinth. The plinth was commonly seen below the thrones of deities but not used to relay their personal names. The fact that Ma’at was signified by a plinth suggests, according to Egyptologist Geraldine Pinch, that Ma’at was considered the foundation upon which Egyptian society was built (160). Her significance is also demonstrated in iconography showing her constantly at the side of Ra in his heavenly barge sailing with him across the sky during the day and helping him defend the boat against the serpent Apophis by night.

The ancient Egyptians also invoked her name in stories of a long-lost past on earth when all things were beautiful and there was no injustice. Such stories usually have to do with the time of Osiris and Isis and their just and benevolent rule of the earth before Osiris was murdered by Set. In some cases, though, it is Ma’at who rules the earth alone as Pinch notes:

Egyptian myths of a golden age included a period when Ma’at was ruler of earth. She was sometimes said to have withdrawn to the heavens because she was grieved by the wicked behavior of humanity. Ma’at could still be thought of as living with an individual like his or her good angel and accompanying that person into the afterlife. Eventually “joining Ma’at” became a euphemism for dying. (160)

It is in her mortuary role that Ma’at is best known to most people in the modern day. One of the most iconic images of ancient Egypt is the ceremony known as The Weighing of the Heart of the Soul in which Ma’at and her white feather of truth were most important.

MA’AT’S WHITE FEATHER OF TRUTH

The Egyptians believed strongly that every individual was responsible for his or her own life and that life should be lived with other people and the earth in mind. In the same way that the gods cared for humanity, so should humans care for each other and the earth which they had been provided with. This philosophy is evident in every aspect of Egyptian culture from the way they constructed their cities to the balance and symmetry of their temples and monuments. If one lived harmoniously in the will of the gods, then one was living in harmony with the concept of ma’at and the goddess who embodied that concept. One was free to live however one wanted, of course, and completely ignore the principle of ma’at, but eventually one would face the trial which awaited everyone: judgment in the Hall of Truth (also known as The Hall of Two Truths) in the afterlife. Wilkinson comments on this:

Her role was multifaceted but embraced two major aspects. On the one hand, Ma’at represesnted the universal order or balance – including concepts such as truth and right – which was established at the time of creation. This aspect is the basis of her relationship with Ra – for she is the order imposed upon the cosmos created by the solar demiurge and as such is the guiding principle who accompanied the sun god at all times…As a natural corollary of her identity with right balance and harmony Ma’at also actively represented the concept of judgement. In the Pyramid Texts the goddess appears in this role in dual form as ‘the two Ma’ats’ judging the deceased king’s right to the thrones of Geb [the rule of the earth] and in the later funerary literature it is in the Hall of the Two Truths (the dual form of Ma’at) that the judgment of the deceased occurs. The gods themselves, acting as the judges of the divine tribunal, are called ‘the council of Ma’at.’ (150)

To the Egyptians, the soul consisted of nine separate parts: the Khat was the physical body; the Ka one’s double-form; the Ba a human-headed bird aspect which could speed between earth and the heavens; Shuyet was the shadow self; Akh the immortal, transformed self; Sahu and Sechem aspects of the Akh; Ab was the heart, the source of good and evil; Ren was one’s secret name. All nine of these aspects were part of one’s earthly existence. When one died, the Akh (with the Sahu and Sechem) appeared before the god Osiris in the Hall of Truth and in the presence of the Forty-Two Judges to have one’s heart (Ab) weighed in the balance on a golden scale against Ma’at’s white feather of truth.

One would need to recite the Negative Confession (those actions one could honestly claim one had never committed in life) and then one’s heart was placed on the scale. If one’s heart was lighter than Ma’at’s feather, one waited while Osiris conferred with the Forty-Two Judges and the god of wisdom, Thoth, and, if considered worthy, was allowed to pass on through the hall and continue one’s existence in paradise; if one’s heart was heavier than the feather, it was thrown to the floor where it was devoured by the monster Ammut (the gobbler), and one then ceased to exist. No one could escape judgment, and the king of the land would have to stand before the scales of Ma’at and Osiris just as the lowest slave of field hand would also.

If one passed through judgment and avoided any of the pitfalls and traps set by demons and the forces of chaos, one arrived at The Field of Reeds, a paradise where one was greeted by those loved ones who had gone before and which was a mirror image of one’s life on earth. Margaret Bunson describes this afterlife:

Eternity itself was not some vague concept. The Egyptians, pragmatic and determined to have all things explained in concrete terms, believed that they would dwell in paradise, in areas graced by lakes and gardens. There they would eat the “cakes of Osiris” and float on the Lake of Flowers. The eternal kingdoms varied according to era and cultic belief but all were located beside flowing water and blessed with breezes, an attribute deemed necessary for comfort. The Garden of A’Aru was one such oasis of eternal bliss. Another was Ma’ati, an eternal land where the deceased buried a flame of fire and a scepter of crystal – rituals whose meanings are lost. The goddess Ma’at, the personification of cosmic order, justice, goodness, and faith, was the protector of the deceased in this enchanted realm, called Hehtt in some eras. Only the pure of heart, the uabt, could see Ma’at. (86-87)

In some images, the goddess is seen atop the scales at the moment of judgment and, in others, she is present near Osiris but she is always there even if only in the form of her feather placed on the scales. In the afterlife, she was thought to help those who had stood for her principles and lived their lives accordingly.

WORSHIP OF THE GODDESS

Although she was considered a very important deity, Ma’at had no temples and no official clergy (as was the case with Heka). She was honored by a small shrine set up in the temples of other gods. Even the one temple known to be erected in her honor by Queen Hatshepsut (1479-1458 BCE) was built within the temple precinct of the god Montu. The people venerated the goddess by living according to her principles and bringing whatever gifts they wanted to offer to her shrines in the temples of the other gods. Wilkinson writes,

Even the title ‘priest of Ma’at’ is often regarded as an honourific which may have been given to those who served as magistrates or who dispensed judicial decisions on her behalf and who apparently wore small golden images of the goddess as a sign of their judicial authority. (152)

The only “official” worship of Ma’at was when the king of Egypt made sacrifice to her upon ascending to the throne and “presented Ma’at” to the gods by offering a small image of her. In doing so, the king was asking for her help in maintaining divine balance in his rule. If the king could not achieve balance and promote harmony, then it was a clear sign that he was not fit to rule. Ma’at – and the vital concept she embodied – was crucial to the king’s success.

She was an important and all-pervasive figure in the Egyptian pantheon, even though very few stories are told of her and she had no temple or cultic following. The gods were said to live off Ma’at and, as the scholar Richard H. Wilkinson notes, most of the images of the king presenting Ma’at to the other gods at his coronation “are essentially identical to those in which the king presents food, wine, or other forms of sacrifice to the gods” (152). The gods would have, in fact, lived off Ma’at in that they were all bound by their own laws to observe harmony and balance and encourage those values in the human beings they cared for.

Temples to Ma’at were the temples of all the other gods because Ma’at was the underlying cosmic principle which made the lives of humans and gods possible. One worshiped the goddess Ma’at by living a life in accordance with the highest principles of justice, order, and harmony keeping in mind one’s neighbors and the earth one had been given to tend. Although goddesses like Hathor and Isis were more popular, and even eventually took on many of Ma’at’s attributes, she remained an important deity throughout Egypt’s history and defined the cultural values of the country for centuries.

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*First article*
By Bryan Hilliard
Published on Ancient Origins

References
“Ancient Egyptian Gods | Ma’at.” Ancient Egyptian Gods | Ma’at. http://www.kingtutone.com/gods/maat/
“Ma’at, Goddess of Egypt.” Egyptian Goddess Maat ***. http://www.landofpyramids.org/maat.htm
Seawright, Caroline. “Ma’at, Goddess of Truth, Balance, Order.” Ma’at, Ancient Egyptian Goddess of Truth and Order.
“Ancient Egypt: The Mythology – Feather.” Ancient Egypt: The Mythology – Feather. http://www.egyptianmyths.net/feather.htm
“Ancient Egypt: The Mythology – Ma’at.” Ancient Egypt: The Mythology – Ma’at. http://www.egyptianmyths.net/maat.htm

 

*Second article*
APA Style
Mark, J. J. (2016, September 15). Ma’at. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.ancient.eu/Ma’at/

Chicago Style
Mark, Joshua J. “Ma’at.” Ancient History Encyclopedia. Last modified September 15, 2016. https://www.ancient.eu/Ma’at/.

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Mark, Joshua J. “Ma’at.” Ancient History Encyclopedia. Ancient History Encyclopedia, 15 Sep 2016. Web. 13 Aug 2018.

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Written by Joshua J. Mark, published on 15 September 2016 under the following license: Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms.

3,000-year-old Goddess Figurine Found in an Italian Lake Still Bears the Handprints of Its Maker

A 3,000-year-old clay figurine thought to portray an ancient goddess has been discovered in a volcanic lake in central Italy.

Archaeologists think the object was a votive figurine that was probably crafted so prayers could be directed to it. Its features are only crudely finished, but the figurine still bears the handprints of whoever made it, as well as the impression of a fabric pattern that suggests it was originally clothed in some sort of garment.

Government archaeologists for the Etruria region and police divers made the discovery last month at Lake Bolsena, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northwest of Rome.

The east side of the lake is the location of the submerged Gran Carro archaeological site, which is thought to be the remains of an Iron Age village built in the 10th or ninth century B.C. and which later sank underwater.

Related: Ancient sanctuary used by Roman soldiers nearly 2,000 years ago found in the Netherlands

The clay figurine, which measures about 6 inches (15 centimeters) long, was found in the ruins of a residence at the sunken site, and archaeologists think it was related to a domestic ritual. Similar rituals have been documented in the region in later periods, suggesting such practices are very ancient, and similar figurines have been found in Iron Age graves, according to a translated Facebook post .

“This is an exceptional discovery, one of a kind,” the archaeologists said in the post. “It shows aspects of daily life in the early Iron Age, of which little is known in southern Etruria.”

Submerged village

Geologists have established that Lake Bolsena formed between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago during eruptions of the underlying Vulsini volcano. Roman records indicate the volcano was active as recently as 104 B.C., and scientists now think the ancient village was submerged when the eastern shore sank amid seismic activity.

According to archaeologists, the sunken village containing the newfound figurine was probably built by people from the Villanovan culture, an early stage of the Etruscan civilization that preceded the founding of Rome. The thousands of artifacts found there since the 1960s include pieces of wood, household objects, jewelry and pieces of pottery, and studies of the village’s layout suggest how the Iron Age society there was organized.

The Gran Carro site is now being developed under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, which includes the creation of an underwater path for visitors, according to the Facebook post.

One of the site’s most mysterious features is the Aiola, a large pile of submerged stones that archaeologists now think was a structure built beside a geothermal spring. Recent discoveries in the San Casciano dei Bagni region, a few miles to the north, indicate such hot springs were sacred to the later Etruscans and Romans.

Explorations in 1991 showed the Aiola structure still contained fragments of wooden poles and pottery from the Iron Age, and research in 2020 showed that the stones covered an earthen mound. Coins minted during the rule of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great (who lived circa 272 to 337) have also been found at the site, indicating it was used even in late Roman times.

Source: https://www.newsbreak.com/livescience-525075/3561041417561-3-000-year-old-goddess-figurine-found-in-an-italian-lake-still-bears-the-handprints-of-its-maker?s=a99&share_destination_id=MTcxMzIwNTE2LTE3MjM3MzYyMjkyNjA%3D&pd=0BaqI8SN&hl=en_US&send_time=1723736229&actBtn=bottomBar&_f=app_share&trans_data=%7B%22platform%22%3A1%2C%22cv%22%3A%2224.31.0%22%2C%22languages%22%3A%22en%22%7D&sep=ns_foryou_recall_exp_24q3-v9%2Cns_foryou_rank_exp_24q3-v6%2Cns_foryou_model_exp_24q3-v2%2Cns_vsp-v1%2Cns_foryou_blend_exp_24q3-v6%2Cns_local_strategy_24q3_exp-v13

Goddess Knowledge – Gaia

The Goddess Gaia is also known by another name, Mother Earth.

Gaia existed before everything; she existed before time. Gaia, the eternal, prehistoric earth mother goddess,, is fertility incarnate, moist, mysterious, strong. She is life energy itself; everything that lives, breathing or not, overflows with her life. She is the earth and all powers of the earth. Gaia is not always a consoling goddess: standing for life and generation without thought of consequence, she has energy and a power that must be approached carefully. All bodies eventually return to her, into the black, fertile earth, to be devoured and to receive her life to live again. As goddess of the soul, Gaia reminds us that the soul develops in dark places and that ultimately soul must be rooted in the body, in earth. She is a reminder that we must ground ourselves into the reality of nature and incorporate all sides of ourselves, be the pleasant or unpleasant, light or dark.

For more information about Gaia click on this general search link: Information about Gaia

Gaia is also known as Mother Earth here is a link for more information on this name for the same Goddess: Information about Mother Earth

Link for a general search for images of Gaia:Images of Gaia

The general search for images of Mother Earth is basically the same as for Gaia.

Bast/Baset Egyptian Goddess Information

Who are the Harvest Gods and Goddesses? Archetypal meanings of Harvest deities.

Source: .triplemoonpsychotherapy.com

The practice of expressing gratitude for the harvest season and preparing for the onset of winter is a widespread and ancient tradition observed by cultures across the globe.

Festivals are held to celebrate the abundance of crops, offer thanks to Mother Earth, and bid farewell to Summer. Historically, mythologies worldwide have honored and revered various deities associated with the harvest and the Autumn Equinox. Although not a comprehensive account, this article briefly acknowledges some of the most prominent harvest and equinox deities from various cultures, listed alphabetically.

Autumnus, the Roman goddess of the Harvest

Autumnus, the fall season’s deity, embodies nature’s overflowing abundance during harvest. In addition, Autumnus is gender fluid, appearing in both male and female forms, which speaks to the inclusive and diverse nature of this season’s divine patron.

Banbha, the Celtic goddess and Earth Mother

Amidst the fall equinox celebrations, the Irish deity Banbha reigns supreme. As an Earth Mother, she presides over the culmination of the bountiful harvest. Banbha, much like the revered Greek goddess Gaia, is the protector and nurturer of all living beings and the land that sustains them.

Ceres, the Roman goddess of the Harvest, grain, and fertility

Ceres, the goddess of the harvest, was revered for her abundant generosity and for imparting essential knowledge to humanity.

In Greek mythology, she was known as Demeter. She was hailed as the deity who taught people the art of cultivating, preserving, and preparing grains and maize. Her divine powers were closely linked to the land’s fertility, and she was regarded as one of the most prominent guardians of the harvest.

Ceres’ influence and guidance ensured the earth’s bounty was always plentiful. Her legacy lives on as a symbol of abundance and fertility.

Çhicomecoatl, the Aztec goddess of abundance and corn

Çhicomecoatl, the goddess of fire and fertility, embodies vitality, community, and plenty. She is revered in Mexico, particularly during the harvest season, as the guardian of corn and all fertile things. Her emblems are hot spices, maize, and fire, representing her power and providence over the land.

Corn Mother, the goddess of the Harvest of the Indigenous Peoples of North America

With her bountiful presence, the Corn Mother embodies the qualities of abundance, vitality, and strength. Her powers of fertility and harvest are celebrated as she blesses the land with the promise of plentiful crops.

In addition to her agricultural emblems of corn and corn sheaves, she also holds the healing attributes of the earth, nurturing all who seek her aid.

Demeter, the Greek goddess of the Harvest and Agriculture

At the center of one of the most famous myths about the seasons and the Harvest lies Demeter, the goddess of grain and fertility and mother of Persephone.

When Hades, the god of the Underworld, abducted Persephone, Demeter’s anguish for her daughter resulted in a severe drought that threatened all life on Earth. With the crops perishing and humankind facing doom, Demeter embarked on a quest to rescue her daughter.

However, despite eventually reuniting with Persephone, now the goddess of the Underworld, fate demanded a sacrifice. Having consumed six pomegranate seeds, Persephone was bound to spend six months of the year in the Underworld, which begins with the Autumn Equinox when Persephone descends again into the depths.

Huichi, the Japanese goddess of the Harvest Click here to read the rest of this article

Ostara – Saxon Goddess Of Spring And Easter

Ostara

From goddessgift.com

 by 

Easter gets its name from the goddess Ostara, also known as Eastre. ​Ostara is a fertility goddess. Her annual arrival in spring is heralded by the flowering of trees and plants and the arrival of babies, both animal and human.

Table of Contents

The Origin Of Ostara

​The Goddess Ostara And The Easter Bunny

​More Easter Bunny Beliefs

    1. Bunnies And Christianity
    2. Resurrection And The Rabbit

Legacy

Ostara Symbols

    1. General
    2. Animals
    3. Plants
    4. Perfumes/Scents
    5. Gems And Metals
    6. Colors

Goddesses – Diana Roman

Roman Goddess Diana from gods-and-goddesses.com

Long before popular culture yielded such proficient female characters as Katniss Everdeen, Roman mythology held its own bow and arrow wielding huntress. According to the ancient Roman religion, Diana was the virgin goddess both of hunting and of wild and domestic animals themselves. Her name is derived from the Greek words diviana, dium and dius, meaning “the shining one,” “sky,” and “daylight,” respectively. Diana was considered a fertility goddess, a helper of women during conception and childbirth. It was believed that Diana could help a woman deliver a baby easily and safely. She was also associated with worship of the moon.

Diana Facts

Name(s): Diana
Rules over: Animals, the Hunt
Gender: Female
Symbols: Bow, Quiver
Sacred animals: Hound, Deer
Parents: Jupiter (Father) and Latona (Mother)
Siblings: Apollo
Greek Similar: Artemis
Norse Similar: Skadi

Origins

It is thought that Diana may have originated as “an indigenous woodland goddess,” or a local deity. In time, however, she was associated with the Greek goddess Artemis and came to share her mythology. Even before Rome became an empire, during the time of the Latin League of cities, she was worshiped as Diana Nemorensis, or “Diana of the Wood,” by torch-bearing processions in the sacred forests on the shores of a lake near Rome. Here, she was part of a triad, or trinity, of deities including the river spirit Egeria, a guardian of childbirth, and Virbius, the first priest of Diana’s cult. Custom held that Diana’s priests be escaped slaves, and that to attain the priesthood, they first had to kill the preceding priest in combat using only a branch broken from a tree. Other worship took place on a mountain called Tifata, located near Capua.

Symbols

In statues and artwork, Diana is depicted as carrying a bow and a quiver of arrows, often accompanied by a hound (a hunting dog) or a deer. She is typically lightly clad, perhaps with a short dress or only a draping cloth, or wearing nothing at all.

Myths and Stories

Diana’s myths closely mirror those of her Greek counterpart Artemis. For example, the Roman poet Ovid recounts Actaeon’s unfortunate encounter with her. Diana was said to be a virgin, and was lauded for her purity. Diana had been hunting in a sacred valley which no humans had ever before touched. When she became tired, she and her nymphs bathed in a cool stream. Actaeon, a hunter, got lost and stumbled upon the nude and bathing Diana. So that he could not tell others of what he had seen, Diana turned him into a deer, a stag. His own hunting hounds found him and took his life.

In a related story, Ovid again regales a tale of Diana’s sacred chastity. Diana’s loyal follower Callisto was out hunting when she was spied by Diana’s father, Jupiter. Jupiter felt lustful toward the girl, and so disguised himself as his daughter Diana. He greeted the unsuspecting Callisto with a kiss, embraced her, and then revealed his true self and raped the girl. Callisto was ashamed. The next time she saw Diana, she feared it was Jupiter in disguise yet again. Said Ovid, “If Diana had not been a maiden, she could have known Callisto’s guilt by a thousand signs. They say that the nymphs realized it.” When Diana suggested they bathe in a river, Callisto’s pregnant belly was revealed. Diana sent her away, saying, “Be off from here! Do not defile these sacred waters!” Later, Jupiter’s wife Juno turned Callisto into a bear.

Worship

The oldest temple of Diana stood on Rome’s Aventine Hill. It was thought to date to the sixth century B.C., and it housed the founding charter documents of the Latin League. Many plebians, or working class Roman citizens, worshiped Diana, and slaves could seek asylum in her temple. Diana’s festival was held on the Idus of August, or August 13.

Another important temple, the Aretemesium, was located at Ephesus. This temple was famous for its intricate artwork and great size, so much so that it was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. So well known was this temple that it and its patron goddess were mentioned five times in the Bible book of Acts. Today, little remains of the site, but fragments of its columns and statuary are on display at the British Museum.

Facts about Diana

Role in Mythology: Goddess of wild animals and domestic animals, goddess of nature, goddess of the hunt, fertility goddess, goddess of childbirth, moon goddess, protector of slaves and the lower class

Alternative Names: Diana Nemorensis

Family Relationships: Daughter of Jupiter

Symbols: Bow and quiver, hound, deer.

Greek Equivalent: Artemis

Athena – Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War

Athena – Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War Source: greekmythology.com

Athena is the Olympian goddess of wisdom and war and the adored patroness of the city of Athens. A virgin deity, she was also – somewhat paradoxically – associated with peace and handicrafts, especially spinning and weaving. Majestic and stern, Athena surpassed everybody in both of her main domains. In fact, even Ares feared her; and all Greek heroes asked her for help and advice.

Atena’s Roll

Athena’s Name
Athena’s name is closely linked with the name of the city of Athens. The Ancient Greeks debated whether she got her name after the city or the other way around. Modern scholars usually agree that the former was the case.

Athena’s Portrayal and Symbolism
In art and literature, Athena is usually depicted as a majestic lady, with a beautiful, but stern face, unsmiling full lips, grey eyes and a graceful build, emanating power and authority. She is always regally clad in either a chiton or a full armor. In the former case, she is sometimes represented with a spindle. In the latter case, she wears an elaborately crested Corinthian helmet and holds a long spear in one hand and an aegis in the other.

At the center of her aegis there’s oftentimes an image of a Gorgon’s head (Gorgoneion), symbolizing the gift she got from Perseus: the head of Medusa. Just like Medusa’s eyes, Athena’s shield can also turn her enemies to stone. As a symbol of her wisdom, there’s sometimes an owl flying in Athena’s vicinity or sitting on her shoulder; from time to time there may also be a snake or an olive branch.

Athena’s Epithets
Athena was one of the most important Olympian gods and she had many functions. Unsurprisingly, she was known under many different epithets. Some of the most famous were “Virgin,” “Pallas,” “The Unwearying One,” “The One of the City,” “The One with gleaming eyes” and “The One who fights in front.”

Athena’s Early Life

The Birth of Athena
Athena was born in most miraculous circumstances. On learning that Metis’ next child may overthrow him, Zeus swallowed his first wife who was already pregnant with Athens. When the time came, Zeus started feeling tremendous headaches. As even he couldn’t bear them, Hephaestus struck him with his axe and – lo and behold! – Athena leapt out of Zeus’ head, fully armed and with a cry so mighty and fearsome that Uranus and Gaea were shaken to their bones with terror. Zeus was delighted and full of pride.

Athena’s Childhood Friend Pallas
As a child, Athena had a friend she loved above all. Her name was Pallas and she was all but her equal in the art of war. However, one day, as they were practicing some martial exercises, Athena accidentally killed her friend. Grief-stricken and in an attempt to preserve her memory, she added her friend’s name to her own. That’s why many people know Athena as Athena Pallas.

Athena, Goddess of Wisdom

Athena, The Virgin Goddess
Just like Artemis and Hestia, Athena was never swayed by love or passion. Consequently, she never had any children. Some say that Erichthonius was an exception, but, in fact, Athena was only his foster-mother. True, Hephaestus did try to violate her, but she fought him off, so he spilled his seed over the Earth, after which Gaea was impregnated. When Erichthonius was born, Athena took him under her wing, just like she would do afterward with another cult hero, Heracles.

Athena, the Patron of Athens
Poseidon and Athena had a much-publicized quarrel over who deserves to be the patron of the most prosperous Ancient Greek city, Athens. Poseidon claimed that the city would benefit more from him than Athena and to prove this, he struck his trident into a rock, creating a seawater stream which welled up in the Temple of Erechtheion on the north side of the Acropolis. Smart as she was, Athena did nothing spectacular: she merely planted an olive tree. However, the first king of Athens, Cecrops – who was the judge of the contest – realized that the olive tree was much more beneficial, since it gave the Athenians fruit, oil and wood.

Athena, the Patroness of Handicrafts
Athena was a master artisan. As much as she was the women counterpart of Ares as a war goddess, she was also the female equivalent of Hephaestus when it came to arts and crafts. Homer says that Athena fashioned ornate and luxuriously embroidered robes for Hera and herself. Some even say that she combined her two main interests to invent the war chariot and even the warship.

Athena and the Myth of Arachne
However, the most famous myth which connects Athena with handicrafts is the story of Arachne, a mortal craftswoman who boasted that she was more skillful than Athena herself. Athena offered her a chance to repent, but after Arachne refused, she challenged her to a weaving duel. The goddess fashioned a beautiful tapestry which illustrated the gruesome fate of the mortals who had the hubris of challenging the gods. Arachne, on the other hand, chose for a subject the stories of the mortals unjustly victimized by the gods. She didn’t even have a chance to finish it: enraged and offended, Athena tore Arachne’s fabric to pieces and turned her into a spider. As such, Arachne is doomed to weave ever since.

Athena, the Helper of Heroes
As a war goddess associated with wisdom – unlike Ares who was associated with mere violence – Athena was often the main helper of Ancient Greece’s greatest heroes. Most famously, she guided Odysseus during his ten-year-long journey back to Ithaca. But, she also helped many others, such as Heracles, Perseus, Bellerophon, Jason, Diomedes, Argus, and Cadmus.

Athena: Myths and Hidden Truths

Contrary to popular belief, Athena is not a war goddess in the same sense as Ares. While both deities are associated with war, their roles are fundamentally different. Athena is revered for her strategic thinking, wisdom, and diplomacy, whereas Ares embodies the violent and chaotic aspects of war. This misconception often overshadows Athena’s connection to peace, as she sought to resolve conflicts through wisdom and negotiation rather than brute force.

Athena and musical instruments
Although more commonly associated with the arts of war and weaving, Athena was also credited with the creation of the flute and the trumpet. This demonstrates her influence on the arts and highlights her multifaceted nature as a goddess of both wisdom and creativity.

Athena and snakes
Athena’s relationship with animals is another little-known aspect of her mythology. In addition to her iconic association with the owl, symbolizing wisdom and knowledge, Athena was also linked with the serpent. The snake represents transformation, rebirth, and the ability to navigate complex challenges, reflecting Athena’s own attributes as a wise and resourceful goddess.

Athena: Wisdom, War, and the Power of the Goddess

Throughout our journey into the world of Athena, we have been deeply moved by the many facets of this fascinating goddess. Her wisdom, prowess in war, and dedication to the arts have not only inspired us but also served as a reminder of the importance of balance and harmony in life. As we delved into her stories, we felt a profound connection with the heroes who sought her guidance and the city of Athens, which revered her as their patroness. We were particularly touched by her unwavering devotion to her friend Pallas, which highlights the significance of loyalty and remembrance.

Athena’s enduring influence on both the ancient world and our modern lives has been truly captivating, and we hope that our exploration of her mythos has resonated with you, bringing a newfound appreciation for the wisdom and strength of this remarkable goddess.

Athena Sources

Homer’s “Odyssey” is an invaluable source for Athena and her deeds. If you want something briefer, read “The Homeric Hymns to Athena” (11 and 28). In Hesiod’s “Theogony” you can find the story of her birth.
Source: https://www.greekmythology.com/Olympians/Athena/athena.html

List of Lunar Deities

Source: en.wikipedia.org

A lunar deity is a deity who represents the Moon, or an aspect of it. Lunar deities and Moon worship can be found throughout most of recorded history in various forms. The following is a list of lunar deities:

African[edit]

Name Image Mythology / Religion Details
Abuk Dinka Goddess of fertility, morality, creativity, and love
Amesemi Kushite Protective goddess and wife of Apedemak, the lion-god. She was represented with a crown shaped as a falcon, or with a crescent moon on her head on top of which a falcon was standing.
Ayyur Berber
Gleti Dahomean
Mawu Dahomean
Iah Egyptian
iNyanga Zulu Goddess of the Moon
Khonsu
Egyptian The god of the moon. A story tells that Ra (the sun God) had forbidden Nut (the Sky goddess) to give birth on any of the 360 days of the calendar. In order to help her give birth to her children, Thoth (the god of wisdom) played against Khonsu in a game of senet. Khonsu lost to Thoth and then he gave away enough moonlight to create 5 additional days so Nut could give birth to her five children. It was said that before losing, the moonlight was on par with the sunlight. Sometimes, Khonsu is depicted as a hawk-headed god, however he is mostly depicted as a young man with a side-lock of hair, like a young Egyptian. He was also a god of time. The centre of his cult was at Thebes which was where he took place in a triad with Amun and Mut. Khonsu was also heavily associated Thoth who also took part in the measurement of time and the moon.
Thoth Egyptian God of wisdom, the arts, science, and judgment
Ela-Opitan Yoruba

American[edit]

Aztec mythology[edit]

Cahuilla mythology[edit]

  • Goddess Menily[1]

Hopi mythology[edit]

Incan mythology[edit]

Inuit mythology[edit]

Lakota mythology[edit]

Maya mythology[edit]

Muisca mythology[edit]

Nivaclé Mythology[edit]

  • Jive’cla

Pawnee mythology[edit]

Tupi Guarani mythology[edit]

Voodoo[edit]

Asian[edit]

Ainu mythology[edit]

  • God Kunnechup Kamui

Anatolian[edit]

Chinese mythology[edit]

Elamite[edit]

Hinduism[edit]

The Hindu moon god Chandra, riding his celestial chariot
  • God Agni, invoked as a moon deity in some hymns[5]
  • God Chandra or Soma, The moon god

Hurro-Urartian[edit]

Indonesian mythology[edit]

Japanese mythology[edit]

Korean mythology[edit]

  • Goddess Myeongwol[6]

Mari mythology[edit]

  • God Tõlze

Philippine mythologies[edit]

Main article: List of Philippine mythological figures
  • Kabigat (Bontok mythology): the goddess of the moon who cut off the head of Chal-chal’s son; her action is the origin of headhunting[7]
  • Bulan (Ifugao mythology): the moon deity of the night in charge of nighttime[8]
  • Moon Deity (Ibaloi mythology): the deity who teased Kabunian for not yet having a spouse[9]
  • Delan (Bugkalot mythology): deity of the moon, worshiped with the sun and stars; congenial with Elag; during quarrels, Elag sometimes covers Delan’s face, causing the different phases of the moon; giver of light and growth[10]
  • Bulan (Ilocano mythology): the moon god of peace who comforted the grieving Abra[11]
  • Bulan (Pangasinense mythology): the merry and mischievous moon god, whose dim palace was the source of the perpetual light which became the stars; guides the ways of thieves[12]
  • Wife of Mangetchay (Kapampangan mythology): wife of Mangetchay who gave birth to their daughter whose beauty sparked the great war; lives in the Moon[13]
  • Mayari (Kapampangan mythology): the moon goddess who battled her brother, Apolaqui[14]
  • Apûng Malyari (Kapampangan mythology): moon god who lives in Mount Pinatubo and ruler of the eight rivers[15]
  • Mayari (Tagalog mythology): goddess of the moon;[16] sometimes identified as having one eye;[17] ruler of the world during nighttime and daughter of Bathala[18]
  • Dalagang nasa Buwan (Tagalog mythology): the maiden of the moon[19]
  • Dalagang Binubukot (Tagalog mythology): the cloistered maiden in the moon[20]
  • Unnamed Moon God (Tagalog mythology): the night watchman who tattled on Rajo’s theft, leading to an eclipse[21]
  • Bulan-hari (Tagalog mythology): one of the deities sent by Bathala to aid the people of Pinak; can command rain to fall; married to Bitu-in[22]
  • Bulan (Bicolano mythology): son of Dagat and Paros; joined Daga’s rebellion and died; his body became the Moon;[23] in another myth, he was alive and from his cut arm, the earth was established, and from his tears, the rivers and seas were established[24]
  • Haliya (Bicolano mythology): the goddess of the moon,[25] often depicted with a golden mask on her face
  • Libulan (Bisaya mythology): the copper-bodied son of Lidagat and Lihangin; killed by Kaptan’s rage during the great revolt; his body became the moon[26]
  • Bulan (Bisaya mythology): the moon deity who gives light to sinners and guides them in the night[27]
  • Launsina (Capiznon mythology): the goddess of the Sun, Moon, stars, and seas, and the most beloved because people seek forgiveness from her[28]
  • Diwata na Magbabaya (Bukidnon mythology): simply referred as Magbabaya; the good supreme deity and supreme planner who looks like a man; created the Earth and the first eight elements, namely bronze, gold, coins, rock, clouds, rain, iron, and water; using the elements, he also created the sea, sky, Moon, and stars; also known as the pure god who wills all things; one of three deities living in the realm called Banting[29]
  • Bulon La Mogoaw (T’boli mythology): one of the two supreme deities; married to Kadaw La Sambad; lives in the seventh layer of the universe[30]
  • Moon Deity (Maranao mythology): divine being depicted in an anthropomorphic form as a beautiful young woman; angels serve as her charioteers[31]

Vietnamese mythology[edit]

Semitic mythology[edit]

Turkic mythology[edit]

European[edit]

Name Image Mythology / Religion Details
Arianrhod[citation needed] Welsh
Artemis
Greek Artemis is the ancient Greek goddess of the hunt, wilderness, wild animals, chastity, and occasionally the Moon due to being mistaken for Selene.[32][33] She is the daughter of Zeus and Leto and the twin sister of Apollo.[34] She would eventually be extensively syncretized with the Roman goddess Diana. Cynthia was originally an epithet of the Greek goddess Artemis, who according to legend was born on Mount Cynthus. Selene, the Greek personification of the Moon, and the Roman Diana were also sometimes called “Cynthia”.[35]
Artume Etruscan
Ataegina
Lusitanian
Sen Mesopotamian Religion
Bendis
Thracian
Devana Slavic Devana was the Slavic goddess of wild nature, forests, hunting and the moon, equated with the Greek goddess Artemis and Roman goddess Diana.
Diana
Roman Diana is a goddess in Roman and Hellenistic religion, primarily considered a patroness of the countryside, hunters, crossroads, and the Moon. She is equated with the Greek goddess Artemis (see above), and absorbed much of Artemis’ and Selenes mythology early in Roman history, including a birth on the island of Delos to parents Jupiter and Latona, and a twin brother, Apollo,[36] though she had an independent origin in Italy.
Elatha[citation needed] Irish Elatha was a king of the Fomorians in Irish mythology. He succeeded his father Delbáeth and was replaced by his son Bres, mothered by Ériu.
Hecate
Greek While associated with the Moon, Hecate is not actually considered a goddess of the moon.
Hors Slavic
Hjúki and Bil Norse
Ilargi Basque
Kuu Finnish
Losna Etruscan
Luna
Roman Roman counterpart to the Greek Titaness Selene. Sibling to Sol and Aurora. Considered one of the 20 principal deities of Rome, having had temples on both the Aventine and Palatine hills.
Mano Sámi
Máni
Norse Máni is the personification of the Moon in Norse mythology. Máni, personified, is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. Both sources state that he is the brother of the personified sun, Sól, and the son of Mundilfari, while the Prose Edda adds that he is followed by the children Hjúki and Bil through the heavens.
Mehnot Proto-Indo-European mythology
Meness Latvian
Myesyats Slavic
Phoebe Greek
Selene
Greek Selene Titan goddess and personification of the moon. She was depicted as a woman riding sidesaddle on a horse or driving a chariot drawn by a pair of winged steeds.
Triple Goddess
Wicca

Oceanic[edit]

Malagasy mythology[edit]

Polynesian mythology[edit]

Australian Aboriginal mythology[edit]

Mandjindja mythology[edit]

Yolŋu mythology[edit]

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