10 Things to know about Goddesses

Okay, I know all of us women are goddesses in our own right and we are magical in all that we do, but for this article I am going to touch on just a few goddesses that are worshipped around the world as we embrace the May energy of fertility, re-birth, purity, maiden and love, as abundance of creation is everywhere. I can only write so much here as the subject is vast, but if you join my newsletter via my website www.pjroscoe.co.uk, I go a little deeper into some of the goddesses later in the month of May.

1. Okay, so how many goddesses are there? Hundreds if not thousands and it was explained to me like this. The Goddess has many facets which we can tap into whenever we need/want any particular thing, like a good harvest, a decent lover, a healing etc. Think about a mirrored disco ball. It is one beautiful ball, but has many mirrors that shine brightly and create something wonderful.
2. The Goddess appears in all belief’s and religions, even Christianity has the ‘Mother Mary’ and ‘Mary Magdalene’ who although the Christian church portrays her as a whore, she was in fact an intelligent, learned woman who many believe became Jesus’ wife, which of course, the Christians and Pagans who put together the original bible in the 4^th Century couldn’t have that in the book, as it made Jesus appear too ‘human’. He had to be portrayed as ‘divine’, and so, she was persecuted and diminished into a prostitute.
3. The Goddess is the balance of all life. There has to be male and female to produce life. When the world falls out of balance due to men’s greed and corruption, we see Mother Earth fighting back with earthquakes, severe weather and more. You cannot have one, without the other. Take without giving. Mother finds that balance.
4. In Paganism, we see the Goddess as the three stages of womanhood – Maiden – Mother – Wise Woman (Crone) I am in the ‘Mother’ phase of life. Maiden can be any young woman up to the point of giving birth, and then she moves into Motherhood. As woman moves through menopause and out the other side, she moves into wise woman.
5. I don’t have a favourite Goddess, but I did enjoy the research into ‘Freya’ or ‘Freyja’ the Norse Goddess of love & war, fertility & sex and beauty for my second novel, ‘Freya’s Child’.  She can take her pick of the dead from any battlefield and take them to her own realm instead of Valhalla. She seems a Goddess who encompasses everything a woman is and certainly, don’t mess with her! The Valkyrie respect her and as a warrior woman myself, I’m happy to have this particular Goddess on my side!
6. Another Goddess I should mention from my Welsh heritage is Rhiannon. A powerful Celtic goddess who is a queen and appeared in the Mabinogi, a collection of Welsh folk tales. She works with the departed souls, ghosts, prophetic dreams, so naturally, as a spiritual medium, it seems right to honour this particular Goddess. You can call on her guidance and support during times of hardship, trauma, illness and changes in your life. This is a woman who refused to be married off to a demigod, but instead fell in love with Pwyll, a human Lord who sadly showed his true colours when told his son had been eaten by Rhiannon. He punished her for seven long years before the truth came out that the boy had been kidnapped and raised elsewhere. Rhiannon forgave her human husband…Not sure I would!
7. We named a planet after one! Venus, the Roman Goddess of Love, Sexuality and Beauty. Her planet can be seen regularly as it is the third brightest cosmic planet in the sky. It is known as the ‘morning and the evening star’, though why I cannot fathom, as she is a planet! Friday is known as the day of Venus and when doing any magic or ritual associated with this Goddess, has more potency if done on this day.
8. Any witches among you? Hecate is the goddess who will protect you. She is our guardian, the queen of the night, the crone. She has wisdom and magic. A knife is her symbol, to represent cutting ties to that which no longer work for you, and as she is the goddess of midwives, it is believed the knife also represent cutting the cord. Hecate helps those who need help, such as the homeless, the poor. She is goddess of wild animals and she helps you in times of need, releasing your fear that is holding you back from achieving all you desire.
9. For animal lovers out there, call on the Goddess, Diana, the roman goddess of the hunt (NOT hunting for cruel sport) wild animals, the moon, (especially the new moon as she is a maiden energy)and the sacred oak tree. She is strong and reminds women that we do not need men to make us whole. We are powerful all on our own. Her brother is Lucifer, the ‘light bringer and sun god’ NOT the Christian ‘devil’ that he was portrayed as in their bible.
10. ‘Goddess’ A female deity, recognised by her supreme beauty, grace and womanly attributes. Is that not EVERY woman who has ever lived? Embrace your Goddess. Own your power. Love your amazing body and give thanks for what it does for you EVERY DAY. We are MORE than our bodies, we are creation, power, strength, courage, endurance, resilience, feminine energy and so much more.

With Love

P.J. Roscoe

www.pjroscoe.co.uk