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Angitia
Angitia is an early Italian goddess of the Oscan tribe, she ruled the powers of healing and witchcraft and was known as a great expert in verbal and herbal charms. She especially knew how to remedy snakebite, as her name, which refers to killing snakes through enchantments, attests. She has been identified with Medea, who allegedly fled to Italy after driving off from Greece in her dragon-chariot; but the Romans said she was the same as Bona Dea, the "Good Goddess." Angitia was particularly honored in Italy's Marsian district, still famous today for it's witches.
(Researched from "The New Book of Goddesses & Heroines by Patricia Monoghan")
ARIADNE
Ariadne, an ancient Cretan Moon Goddess connected with rebirth and transformation. Ariadne, Who has aspects as both Maiden and Mother, figures prominently in the legend of the Labyrinth. The legend of the Labyrinth comes from Classical Greece, but has its origins far back in history, as the ancient paleolithic carvings of Labyrinth designs suggest. It is believed that the first Labyrinths were the subterranean caves that the ancients used for worship, and at times for shelter.
Nearly everyone knows the story, and of the Minotaur within it. But the legend has many levels of interpretation which are less commonly known. It is said that King Minos of Crete had a son who was half man and half beast. This was the Minotaur, or 'Minos Bull.' To contain this monstrous son the King had his architecht Daedalus build a maze, called the Labyrinth, or 'House of the Double Axe.' Minos ruled a great empire, and from the cities under his control he demanded a tribute of young people, who were sent into the Labyrinth. Once inside the maze, the young people could not find their way out, and would be consumed by the Minotaur. From the city of Thebes Minos demanded seven young men and seven young young women each year, who were fed to the Minotaur in this manner. Considering this intolerable, Theseus, Prince of Thebes, volunteered to be one of the young men -secretly vowing to kill the Minotaur and end this awful practice.
Delivered to Crete with the other youths and maidens to be sent into the Labyrinth, Theseus attracted the attention of Minos� daughter, the Princess Ariadne. Having fallen in love with Theseus, Ariadne formed a plan to help him escape the Labyrinth. Ariadne gave Theseus a ball of thread, instructing him to unwind it as he entered the Labyrinth, so that he could follow the thread back out after he had killed the Minotaur. Theseus did as Ariadne had told him. When the time came for him to be put into the Labyrinth, he took the ball of thread with him, unwinding it as he went. He went deep into the Labyrinth, twisting and turning along the paths of the maze, until he had no idea how he had come, except for the trail of thread.
At the very heart of the Labyrinth Theseus met the Minotaur. The beast attacked and they fought. The fight was long and hard, but after much effort the Minotaur was defeated. Then Theseus followed the trail of thread back out of the Labyrinth to find Ariadnewaiting for him.
What does this mean?
There are of course several levels of interpretation to this myth, which speaks of the triumph of Spring over Winter, Life over Death, Spirit over Matter. But for the purposes of this lesson, let us point out that at its heart it is the story of Involution and Evolution, which is mirrored in each of these different things.
As Theseus goes into the Labyrinth he is going through Involution. That is to say, he comes from the outside world of light and life, into a narrow passage in complete darkness that winds in a disorienting manner, forcing him to look inside and focus very narrowly, since all external stimuli are removed. In this way his attention can only go to those inner issues which require it, as there is nothing else to focus on. It is even so when the soul enters the world of matter. The veil of the physical world removes all other influences, forcing the soul to deal with the lessons before it. The soul is forced into a completely focused mode that allows no distraction. This is the Dark Half of the journey. Fighting and defeating the Minotaur represents the nadir of this process. The rock bottom we must hit before the spiral back upward can start. When this point is hit, and its lessons accomplished, Evolution can begin. Now we can spiral back outward, reuniting with all of creation. To do this we follow the thread of Ariadne, the Cord which has never ceased to connect us to Deity throughout our physical adventure. This is the Light Half of the journey. In this way the myth of the Labyrinth speaks to the very nature of Life itself.
Ariadne then is the Goddess Who sends Theseus (the soul) into the Labyrinth (the physical world). Though the soul may feel alone during the journey, it is in fact always connected to the Goddess even as Theseus was connected to Ariadne by the trail of thread.
Bastet - Egyptian Goddess of Joy
Bastet is a Sun Goddess she represents the warm, life giving power of the sun. Her cult appears as early as the Second Dynasty. Like a cat, she was admired for her agility and strength. Bast defended Ra against the serpent Apep. Bastet is often represented as woman with the head of a domesticated cat, sometimes holding a sistrum. Her relations include Daughter and wife of Ra, mother of Khensu and Maahes. She is often called Bast as well.
Chungindak (Alaskan)
One of the World's greatest volcano Goddesses of the world appears in the myth's of the Aleuts, who occupy the islands on the far north edge of the volcanic Pacific Ocean rim.
The legend of Chuginadak, say that the mountain now called Mt. Cleveland was once a proud woman who refused to marry any man in her village. Not that Chuginadak was without desire, she had a man in mind. The man of her personal affection was she once knew who shot rosy finches. Because of her disdain and contempt for the men in her village, she became unwelcome in the village and set out to find her chosen mate.
Chuginadak traveled around the islands of the Aleuts, making magic and searching for her chosen mate. Finally, she came to a village where a dance festival was in progress, and there she saw the man. She called to him and he to her. They embraced and fell to the ground in a fever of love. When Chuginadak arose, the man lay dead beneath her. Disappointed, she retreated to a cave with several birds to mourn her loss. It was not long, however, before the man's father-the village chief-found the body of his son. Angry, he was able to divine, with the help of several old women, who had killed his son, and then he sent armies of warriors and magical spirits against Chungindak.
None could conquer her, however. A fox spirit finally persuaded her to travel to the village and explain her deed. When Chuginadak did so, the chief realized that she had truly loved and desired his son. He sent everyone away. Then, alone in his home, he danced and sang until the body of his son rose up and again embraced his lover. Then the old chief passed on his leadership of the people to his son, and Chuginadak became his wife.
(Researched from "The New Book of Goddesses & Heroines by Patricia Monoghan")
The Crone
The third expression of the energy of the Triple Goddess is the Crone. The Crone is commonly conceived of as an elderly Grandmother, and represents the last stage of life when the body is at it�s weakest, but psychic and magical power are at their strongest. The Crone represents the height of Feminine power, and the wisdom and experience which comes with age. The Crone is the Goddess of wisdom, magic, and spirituality, and is traditionally thought of as the Patron of Witches and Witchcraft. The Crone is the Goddess of death and endings. She is associated with the Waning Moon even as the Maiden is associated with the Waxing Moon, and the Mother with the Full Moon. As such the Crone represents the ending of one cycle and the beginning of the next. In this way She is a Goddess of transformation and regeneration-the night without which there could be no dawn, the Alchemical NIGREDO or period of decay which creates the fertile conditions for new life to grow.
As Goddess of Death the Crone breaks down our old forms to make change and rebirth possible. Since the soul can never be destroyed but can only change its outer shape, death must be understood not as an ending, but as a process of growth and continual regeneration-thus the Crone is not so much the Destroyer as the Transformer, and Her work is a benefit to the soul which would otherwise grow stagnant and be unable to complete it�s purposes in the material world. Without the 'destruction' brought by the Crone, physical form would be immutable and thus limiting rather than empowering to the soul. In this sense the Crone might be compared to science�s BLACK HOLE, constantly swallowing up matter in one place only to spit it back out in a new form elsewhere.
This aspect of 'destruction' is one reason why the Crone is often regarded with fear. Because we readily perceive the destruction of the old form, but rarely see the emergence of the new one, we are afraid of change. We do not realize that only through change can growth come. And so for many the Crone Goddess is a fearsome and terrifying Deity. But this should not be so to the Wiccan, who should strive to understand Her inner mystery of rebirth and regeneration.
As well as a Goddess of death the Crone is also a Goddess of wisdom, and of secrets revealed. The Crone rules all of the arcane arts and as Goddess of the Otherworld is Patron of the higher powers of the soul. It is in this sense that She is Patron of Witchcraft. But here too the Crone is sometimes perceived as a terrifying figure -for the path to wisdom is not an easy one, and the seeker is confronted with many challenges, chief among which is the need for self knowledge. Nothing does more to empower us and further our psychic and spiritual growth than knowledge of self, yet it is often the case that few things terrify us more -because in knowing ourselves we must in time confront and heal every weakness, every regret, every psychic wound which we have suffered, and most of us would rather just bury these. This path of self knowledge is the very heart of true Wicca, and is the demesne of the Crone.
It is as the Patron of the quest for self knowledge that the Crone most often figures in mythology. Whether as Baba Yaga in contemporary Russian folklore, or as Venus in the story of Cupid and Psyche, a central myth of the Crone has a youthful protagonist seek Her out in search of some boon, great or small. The Crone -Who is usually portrayed as living far from the mundane world, as true wisdom often does- always agrees to grant the boon which is sought, but only if the protagonist can fulfill a series of seemingly impossible feats. Many others have failed before, the frightened protagonist is told. Yet -usually with supernatural help, commonly in the form of 'the animals'- this protagonist succeeds against all odds and gains the desired boon.
From this myth it can be seen that while the uninitiated may view the Crone as a fearsome and terrible Goddess, those who confront Her mysteries without fear will invariably find Her their benefactor.
Demeter
Demeter is the Greek Goddess of the Earth and of growing things, Demeter created agriculture as a gift to humankind. The name 'De Meter' means simply 'the Mother.' When Her daughter Kore was kidnapped by the King of the Dead and became Persephone, Queen of the Otherworld, Demeter fell into mourning, and winter came to the Earth. The plants that people and animals lived upon whithered and died and there was great suffering upon Earth. At length Demeter found Her daughter, and it was agreed that Persephone should spend part of the year with Her Mother, and part of the year as Queen of the Otherworld. Each year when Persephone was in the Otherworld winter would return to the earth -but so that people would not suffer from starvation, Demeter created grain, and gave the secret of it�s cultivation to Triptolemus, Prince of Eleusis, who then taught it to the world. The name Demeter is said to mean 'The Mother.' In early times Demeter was sometimes depicted as being a horse, or as being horse-headed, linking Her to Celtic Mother Goddesses like Danu, Epona, and Rhiannon. The principle center of Demeter�s worship was at Eleusis, near Athens, where the great Eleusinian Mysteries were held in Her honor each year.
Devi
The Great Goddess, known in India as Devi (literally "goddess"), has many guises. She is "Ma" the gentle and approachable mother. As Jaganmata, or Mother of the universe, she assumes cosmic proportions, destroying evil and addressing herself to the creation and dissolution of the worlds. She is worshiped by thousands of names that often reflect local customs and legends. She is one and she is many. She is celebrated in songs and poems. Devi is all-important in Hinduism, but there are also forms of female divinity in Buddhism and Jainism. Today millions of Hindu men and women conduct regular pujas to Devi through one of her many manifestations. For some she is their primary deity while for others she is part of a greater pantheon. All Hindu goddesses may be viewed as different manifestations of Devi. In some forms she is benign and gentle, while in other forms she is dynamic and ferocious, but in all forms she is helpful to her devotees.
Freya
Freya/Freyja is the Goddess of magic and death, daughter of Njord, a shape-shifter who often took the form of a falcon. When her husband Od vanished, Freya cried golden tears. Patroness of seithr, a practice in which a seeress would enter trance to predict the future. The women who practiced siethr, who were known as the Volva, wandering freely about the country offer advise, casting spells, and forecasting futures.
Gaia or Ge Greek Goddess of the Earth.
In Greek myth Gaia was the Primeval Mother. Gaia�s first child was Uranos, the Sky God, Who had no father. Thereafter Gaia took Uranos as Her consort. Gaia became the mother of the Titans, the Elder Gods of Greek mythology, and of all living creatures. In time Gaia and Uranos, Earth and Sky, were separated by Their son the Titan Chronos (Time) Who castrated His father and gave the world it�s current form. In modern belief Gaia is the Nouos, or 'World Soul' -the soul and consciousness both of the Earth (as She is most commonly perceived), and in a larger sense of the Universe, which is a single, integrated living Being having both a Spiritual (Goddess) and Physical (God) aspect.
Izanagi & Izanami
This blessed couple are the Creator Gods sent down from heaven to build the earth. The other gods and goddesses are their descendants, but when the God of fire was born he burned his mother, Izanami, to death. Descending to the underworld, Izanami became old and ugly. Izanagi followed her to bring her back, but she forbade him to look at her. Izanagi looked anyway and Izananami tried to imprison him in the underworld. Pursued by Izanami's furies, Izanagi escaped and sealed up the entrance to the underworld with a boulder. Enraged, Izanami vowed to kill a thousand of Izanagi's subjects a day, and Izanagi vowed to create fifteen hundred a day. So it was that Izanami became the Goddess of Death and Izanagi became the Lord of Life.
(From the Gods of Man, by David Owens at www.eschatonbooks.com)
The Lover
The Lover: Goddess of love beauty and sexuality, She is the patron of lovers and romance. Examples of the Maiden Goddess in this guise include: Ezili, Hathor, and Venus. Though these forms may at first seem contradictory they are in fact not. Rather they each represent a different focus of the Maiden�s energy of creativity and self-expression. Sometimes a form of the Maiden Goddess will express only one of these facets, but many express several or all at once. The Greek Athena is both artist and guardian, as is the Roman Vesta, while the Mesopotamian Ishtar is both guardian and lover. The following passage was written about the Afro-diasporic Goddess Ezili-Oshun, a form of the Maiden, but may be taken as representative of the qualities of the Maiden Goddess in general:
'Goddess of the fulfilled and independant woman, mistress of Her own fate and pursuing Her own dreams. ...Goddess of romantic love, and also of sexuality. She is the mistress of everything which delights the senses. All pleasure and enjoyment in life are Hers -anything which is beautiful and fine. She governs the arts and crafts, music and dance, poetry and writing. All luxuries and conveniences are Hers. She is the creative individual, striving to fill Her own needs and expressing Herself in every way. She is competant and dextrous, making Her will manifest all about Her on the material plane with skill and style. All joy and laughter are Hers...'
reprinted from The Wheel of Hekate, 1988 AD - 1588 Pisces
Wang Mu niang-niang
A Chinese goddess, keeper of the peaches of immortality. Her husband is the great god Yu-huang and together they have nine daughters, one in each of the nine heavens, among which the goddess Xi Wang-mu.
� MCMXCIX Encyclopedia Mythica.http://www.pantheon.org/
