Monday, September 2, 2019

Journaling Your Personal Birth Goddess








“I have called on the Goddess and found her within myself”
Marion Zimmer Bradley, The Mists of Avalon

Each month has a goddess attached to her.  There are thirteen main goddesses in most explanations of goddesses, yet every culture had their own main goddesses.  I will just do a quick summary and then challenge you to seek out the information on your own personal Goddess and do an art journal page about her.

Month
number
Month
name
Number
of days
1
Athena
30
2
Brigid
29
3
Cerridwen
30
4
Diana
29
5
Epona
30
6
Freya
29

Month
number
Month
name
Number
of days
7
Gaea
30
8
Hathor
29
9
Inanna
30
10
Juno
29
11
Kore
30
12
Lilith
29
13
Maria
29 or 30
Athena.  She is the Greek Goddess of wisdom, creative household endeavors like spinning or weaving.  She is said to be the inventor of flutes, ploughs, oxen yokes, bridles and chariots.  She is said to have been from her father's head, and since she had no mother, she is drawn to men and is their protector.  She is the patron of war and justice.  Connected to her are the Owl and the color Olive, the olive tree.  She was known for wisdom.  You will see some of her attributers in you if she is your birth goddess. 
Brigid.  She is a Celtic (Irish) goddess of poetry, healing, work with metal.  She is inspiration when working with words.  She was known as The Fire of the Hearth and Forge.  She is the nurturer of children, the aid in child birth, and medicines.  She is said to have invented whistling.  One important aspect of Brigid is that she is said to have invented the Keening song, the song of sorrow.
Cerridwen.  She is a shadow goddess who resided in the Underworld.  But, she is the goddess of death, fertility, inspiration, magic and knowledge.  She is the keeper of ancestral knowledge.  She is the goddess who helps us end things that need ending and rebirth, or new beginnings.  She is the provider of inspiration.  She is associated with the sow and grain.  Grain represents nurturing and abundance.  The sow represents good luck and spiritual growth.  Her color is green.  You should recognize her in that you have had to make many changes and transformed.  You will find her in the quest for changes.  Some things must die in order for us to grow.  She is ceaseless in her search for justice.  She is who gives you the extra energy when you need it. 
Diana.  Diana is the Roman goddess of the hunter.  She protects wild places and women and girls.  She is associated with the glow of the moon.  Nature and wildlife were associated with her for she was a protector of such.  She had an affinity with animals and it is said she could commune with them.  She could be driven to vengeance.  Epona.  She was the Celtic goddess who protected horses.  She is the warrior within who is willing to help you fight the darkest of battles.  Often portrayed astride a horse, she seemed to be support for the warriors in battle...and you.   She is shown carrying a sheaf of grain which is a sign of fertility, so that she inspires creativity and prosperity.  It was said that she was the escort to those dying so she is comfort, in you, for those grieving.  A quick search for all she represents will give you more information on her influence in your life.

Freya.  A Nordic goddess of love and fertility, war and wealth, and she is associated with Gold (also her color).  She is concerned with all things feminine.  She is often depicted riding in a chariot pulled by two blue cats but also said to ride her pet boar.  The boar was her faithful companion.  Are you connected deeply with a favorite companion?  She will share her most spiritual aspects and objects.   She was very much a shaman and uses herbs for healing and medicine.  Are you one who carries some of her aspects?

Gaea.  She was considered the goddess of Mother Earth, as Mother of all, as she who cares for all the children of her world.  She is what blesses all of us, who nourishes us, but she could also be the destroyer if things needed destroying.  She provides inspiration and causes us to seek divinity.  She is the giver of dreams.  As well, she is what encourages plants to grow and to help young children mature.  Does any of this fit your personality?    

 Hathor.  She was an Egyptian goddess of sky, women and fertility.  She was a mother goddess.  She was goddess of dance.  As well, she ws the original female party person.  She loved festivals, singing, dancing and getting drunk.  She was known, as well, as goddess of love.  She was known to provide food for the dead, and she was the protector of foreign lands. She was protector of timber and minerals, and especially attached to turquoise that was her favorite.  Very often you see her portrayed with cow's head and/or horns signifying suckling all with the milk of life.  She was the protector of women's beauty and was known to make herself beautiful...especially when putting on makeup. 
Inanna.  She was a Sumerian goddess, daughter of the moon and star of morning and evening.  She is a love goddess.  She is the protector of marriage.  She is very sexual and the opposite, Goddess of war.  She is a defender of women and especially abused women.  She is then one to help bring the offender to justice.  Sometimes her justice was raw because she is often shown as a roaring lion.  She is very involved in astrology and often depicted with an eight-pointed star.  Her colors are red and carnelian and the cooler colors of blue and lapis lazuli.  She was known as strong male and feminine attributes.  She expresses herself through music, art and wisdom.  Watch for the number 15 being important. 
Juno.  She was a Roman goddess.  She is attentive to women in childbirth, homemaking, and motherhood.   She was a most warlike defender of such and is why she is depicted carrying a spear and shield and wearing a goatskin.    She is also the protector of confined women.  The things associated with her are crowns, peacocks, cuckoos, lions, cows and pomegranates.  The pomegranate is symbolic of martial love and fruitfulness. She was model mother and wife.
Kore.  She is a Greek Goddess.  In her influence, in one's life are the things of luck, of cycles, and youthful energy.  She is often depicted with some or all of the following:  coins, corn, the Number 7, buds of flowers and a pomegranate.  Her beauty was that of spring blossoms carried on the breezes.  To have her influence in your life, you should carry dried kernels of corn in your pocket during her month, and place cornmeal on your altar, if you have one.  She is the goddess that promises you eternal life, in the cycle of death and rebirth.  She reminds us that all things are cyclical and that you can find your power in things you may have felt as not good. 
Lilith.  She is a Sumerian/Babylonian demon-goddess who seeks justice for women abused, or dominated by, men. She fights for you against spiritual domination.  Her justice is mighty and she will help you find justice in all things.  She is the goddess of compassion for young women who die early.  She refused to be subservient.  Thus, patriarchy decided to label her a demon.  She is with us, during her time, to help us seek comfort from pain, sorrow and mishaps.  It was believed that she was the first wife of Adam but she refused him and so Creator created Eve.  Thus was she despised and called demon by Patriarchy because she felt she was being manipulated by males and she took a stand.  She helps us to make choices that are best for us, but perhaps not best for Patriarchy. She was the first feminist and helps us make choices that fit our own destiny, not the prescribed destiny by male authority.  A powerhouse goddess whose revenge is mighty.
Maria.  She was a Druid goddess, a devoted mother that was iconized in the name of Mary, Mother of Jesus, by Greek and Roman leaders.  It was common for Christianity to take pagan goddesses and mold them into what they thought they should be because it was easier to convert the early pagans by kidnapping their beliefs in different Goddesses.  Maria was one of these.    She may have been called Isis in earliest times.  Isis story, along with Osiris, is very much the story of Mary and Jesus.  Both are associated with virgin births and each had a son who was holy.  Both were honored as the Divine Feminine.  She represents the Divine Feminine in each of us, that relates to our ability to care and nurture Mother Earth and each other.  She is the call to love ourselves, to honor the divine within each of us.  She begs us to open our heart to possibilities.  To do so causes great illumination and her influence is to help awaken the masculine energies.   When one thinks of Maria, the associations with the Virgin Mary fit very much into what her gifts are.  Through sacrifice are we made more divine.  Maria protects travelers and herds and is a good counselor to those who ask for guidance.  She is very much connected to rainbows.  The study of Maria has many strands to follow but with these few statements, you should be able to see her influence in your life.

So, find the goddess that fits your birth date and do a quick study of her, then turn to your journal and choose the goddess that fits your birth date.  Can you express that goddess's influence in your life?  Gaea is mine and I see her influence in my life as inner divinity, of inspiration, as light to the world and all those things associated.  It is an interesting challenge to seek out your birth goddess.  Give it a go! xo

©Carol Desjarlais 9.2.19

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