Who is the Wiccan Goddess?
She is the embodiment of the divine feminine. She is Mother Nature, the Earth-- Gaia; she is fertility and the turning of the seasons. She is the cycle of birth, life, death, and regeneration-- or rebirth; she is the Creatrix of all that is, was, and will be. Where the God is hard and unyielding; the Goddess is soft and pliant, embracing the individual and human diversity, allowing for growth and expansion.
The Wiccan Goddess is the mother of us all, even mother to the God, for all things must come from Her womb.
She is known by a thousand names in every culture, yet we may call her “Mother”.
She embraces the three stages of a woman’s life within the moon and its phases:
The waxing crescent: The Maiden…the beginning; embracing innocence, purity, strength, and determination as sinewy and strong as any physical muscle worked to heightened development. She is the female warrior, just starting down the road on this journey called life.
The full moon: The Mother…heavily pregnant with all of life’s possibilities, complete in the knowledge of herself and her desires, active in building her own road, planning her own journey, and actually moving towards her goals. The Mother will create all that which the world holds dear; whether it be children or ideas, art or magick.
The waning crescent: The Crone…wizened and cool, deliberate in her actions and words and intentions. She is calm after braving the storms of life in the knowledge that she is victorious over the dark shadows being cast at this stage. She has seen it all, risen above it all, to a pinnacle which allows her to review the world and life with one sweeping glance. She is coming to the close of her natural cycle, where she will once more reach the stage of regeneration…to begin again.
This is the Wiccan Goddess.
The content of this essay is an excerpt from
"Natural Magick the Gray Witch Way" by Amythyst Raine.
© Natural Magick the Gray Witch Way,
Amythyst Raine 2011
She is the embodiment of the divine feminine. She is Mother Nature, the Earth-- Gaia; she is fertility and the turning of the seasons. She is the cycle of birth, life, death, and regeneration-- or rebirth; she is the Creatrix of all that is, was, and will be. Where the God is hard and unyielding; the Goddess is soft and pliant, embracing the individual and human diversity, allowing for growth and expansion.
The Wiccan Goddess is the mother of us all, even mother to the God, for all things must come from Her womb.
She is known by a thousand names in every culture, yet we may call her “Mother”.
She embraces the three stages of a woman’s life within the moon and its phases:
The waxing crescent: The Maiden…the beginning; embracing innocence, purity, strength, and determination as sinewy and strong as any physical muscle worked to heightened development. She is the female warrior, just starting down the road on this journey called life.
The full moon: The Mother…heavily pregnant with all of life’s possibilities, complete in the knowledge of herself and her desires, active in building her own road, planning her own journey, and actually moving towards her goals. The Mother will create all that which the world holds dear; whether it be children or ideas, art or magick.
The waning crescent: The Crone…wizened and cool, deliberate in her actions and words and intentions. She is calm after braving the storms of life in the knowledge that she is victorious over the dark shadows being cast at this stage. She has seen it all, risen above it all, to a pinnacle which allows her to review the world and life with one sweeping glance. She is coming to the close of her natural cycle, where she will once more reach the stage of regeneration…to begin again.
This is the Wiccan Goddess.
The content of this essay is an excerpt from
"Natural Magick the Gray Witch Way" by Amythyst Raine.
© Natural Magick the Gray Witch Way,
Amythyst Raine 2011
After much diligent research, aided by other women, I gradually came to understand that beneath the familiar Goddesses of the patriarchy, there is a much more ancient Goddess.
Carol P. Christ
Celtic Goddesses
Abnoba: (Gaulish) Goddess of the Black Forest, the rivers and childbirth.
Aerten: (Welsh) is the Goddess of Fate.
Aine: (Irish) Goddess of love, growth, cattle, and light.
Airmid: (Irish) Healing Goddess with a knowledge of medicinal plants.
Arianrhod: (Welsh) Goddess of the moon and stars. Her silver represents karma, the Wheel of the Year and the web of fate.
Arnemetia: (British) A River Goddess who was worshipped at the Buxton Spring.
Artio: (Gaulish) Celtic Bear Goddess. She was associated with abundance, strength, and the harvest.
Aveta: (Gaulish) Goddess of fertility, childbirth, and midwives, also linked to fresh water.
Badb: (Irish) A shape shifting warrior Goddess who symbolized the cycles of life and death, wisdom and inspiration.
Belisama: (Gaulish and British) She was Goddess of the elements Fire and Water, associated with lakes and rivers, fire, light, and domestic crafts.
Blodeuedd: (Welsh) Goddess of Spring, she was created from flowers. She is also known as Bloddueuth.
Branwen: (Welsh) Goddess of love and beauty.
Brigantia: (British) Tribal Goddess of the Brigantes in Northern England.
Brigit: (Irish) A fire deity and midwife, protector of woman and children. She also ruled over agriculture, healing, divination, occult knowledge, poetry, prophecy, and metal work. Other spellings of her name include : Brid, Brig, Brigid, Brighid and Brigindo.
Cailleach Bheur: (Scottish) The hag and destroyer Goddess who presided over disease, death, wisdom, seasonal rites and weather magic.
Caireen: (Irish) A protective Mother Goddess, who looks after children.
Cally Berry: (Irish) A maiden Goddess, who represents spring, she is the guardian of animals and the hunt. She was also linked to weather magic.
Camma: (Gaulish) A hunting goddess.
Ceridwen: (Welsh) She was Goddess of moon, magic, agriculture, nature, poetry, music, art, science and astrology. She was also keeper of the cauldron
Coventina: (Romano-British) Goddess of wells and springs and life cycles. Like many other river deities, she also represented abundance, inspiration, and prophecy
Danu: (Irish) Irish Mother Goddess associated with fertility, prosperity, comfort, health, and light. She may originally have been a sun deity.
Damara: (British) A fertility goddess who was celebrated in May at the festival of Beltaine.
Don: (Welsh) Goddess of Heavens, Air and Sea. She was also mother of the Goddess Arianrhod.
Epona: (British, Gaulish) A protector of horses, donkeys, and mules. She was also linked with fertility.
Habondia: (Britain) Goddess of the harvest, abundance, and prosperity. She was also known as Abondia, Abunciada, Habonde
Macha: (Irish) She was linked to fertility and pregnancy, agriculture, justice, war, and death.
Modron: (Welsh) Mother Goddess associated with autumn, the harvest, and fertility. She was also responsible for magic and ritual.
Morrigan: The Crow Goddess associated with war and death on the battlefield. She is queen of phantoms, demons, shape-shifters. She is the patroness of priestesses and Witches.
Nehalennia: (Gaulish) A dog Goddess who was the patron deity of sea traders, as she provided them with protection on the water.
Olwen: (Welsh) Her name means "the golden wheel". She was the Goddess of sunlight.
Rhiannon: (Welsh) This Goddess is associated with horses, birds, and the sea. This deity also signifies travel and fertility.
Scathach: (Scottish) A warrior Goddess and prophetess who taught martial arts. She is also a Goddess of healing and protection. She is also known as Scota, Scatha, Scath, Scathach Scathach Buanand, Skatha. Her name means she who strikes fear.
Abnoba: (Gaulish) Goddess of the Black Forest, the rivers and childbirth.
Aerten: (Welsh) is the Goddess of Fate.
Aine: (Irish) Goddess of love, growth, cattle, and light.
Airmid: (Irish) Healing Goddess with a knowledge of medicinal plants.
Arianrhod: (Welsh) Goddess of the moon and stars. Her silver represents karma, the Wheel of the Year and the web of fate.
Arnemetia: (British) A River Goddess who was worshipped at the Buxton Spring.
Artio: (Gaulish) Celtic Bear Goddess. She was associated with abundance, strength, and the harvest.
Aveta: (Gaulish) Goddess of fertility, childbirth, and midwives, also linked to fresh water.
Badb: (Irish) A shape shifting warrior Goddess who symbolized the cycles of life and death, wisdom and inspiration.
Belisama: (Gaulish and British) She was Goddess of the elements Fire and Water, associated with lakes and rivers, fire, light, and domestic crafts.
Blodeuedd: (Welsh) Goddess of Spring, she was created from flowers. She is also known as Bloddueuth.
Branwen: (Welsh) Goddess of love and beauty.
Brigantia: (British) Tribal Goddess of the Brigantes in Northern England.
Brigit: (Irish) A fire deity and midwife, protector of woman and children. She also ruled over agriculture, healing, divination, occult knowledge, poetry, prophecy, and metal work. Other spellings of her name include : Brid, Brig, Brigid, Brighid and Brigindo.
Cailleach Bheur: (Scottish) The hag and destroyer Goddess who presided over disease, death, wisdom, seasonal rites and weather magic.
Caireen: (Irish) A protective Mother Goddess, who looks after children.
Cally Berry: (Irish) A maiden Goddess, who represents spring, she is the guardian of animals and the hunt. She was also linked to weather magic.
Camma: (Gaulish) A hunting goddess.
Ceridwen: (Welsh) She was Goddess of moon, magic, agriculture, nature, poetry, music, art, science and astrology. She was also keeper of the cauldron
Coventina: (Romano-British) Goddess of wells and springs and life cycles. Like many other river deities, she also represented abundance, inspiration, and prophecy
Danu: (Irish) Irish Mother Goddess associated with fertility, prosperity, comfort, health, and light. She may originally have been a sun deity.
Damara: (British) A fertility goddess who was celebrated in May at the festival of Beltaine.
Don: (Welsh) Goddess of Heavens, Air and Sea. She was also mother of the Goddess Arianrhod.
Epona: (British, Gaulish) A protector of horses, donkeys, and mules. She was also linked with fertility.
Habondia: (Britain) Goddess of the harvest, abundance, and prosperity. She was also known as Abondia, Abunciada, Habonde
Macha: (Irish) She was linked to fertility and pregnancy, agriculture, justice, war, and death.
Modron: (Welsh) Mother Goddess associated with autumn, the harvest, and fertility. She was also responsible for magic and ritual.
Morrigan: The Crow Goddess associated with war and death on the battlefield. She is queen of phantoms, demons, shape-shifters. She is the patroness of priestesses and Witches.
Nehalennia: (Gaulish) A dog Goddess who was the patron deity of sea traders, as she provided them with protection on the water.
Olwen: (Welsh) Her name means "the golden wheel". She was the Goddess of sunlight.
Rhiannon: (Welsh) This Goddess is associated with horses, birds, and the sea. This deity also signifies travel and fertility.
Scathach: (Scottish) A warrior Goddess and prophetess who taught martial arts. She is also a Goddess of healing and protection. She is also known as Scota, Scatha, Scath, Scathach Scathach Buanand, Skatha. Her name means she who strikes fear.
Egyptian Goddesses
Amaunet: The Ogdoad Goddess of the North Wind,
which carried the rain. She was the female form of the originally androgynous God, Amun. She was also known as Amonet, Amentet, Amentit, Imentet, Imentit, and Ament.
Bast: The Cat Goddess and solar deity linked with fertility, childbirth, and perfume. Also known as Bastet, Ubasti, and Pasht.
Bata: A cow Goddess associated with the Milky Way. As a representation of the cosmos, she was considered to be the essence of the soul. She was associated with music and the ankh. She was also known as Bat.
Hathor: A solar deity whose areas of influence included music, dancing, joy, and fertility. Also known as Het-Hert, Hetheru.
Hatmehit: A fish Goddess. As wife of Osiris, and mother of Horus, she eventually became assimilated as Isis. Also known as Hatmehyt and Hetmehit.
Hedetet: A scorpion Goddess who was the daughter of Ra.
Heket: This Goddess was depicted as a frog. Also known as Hek, Hektet and Heget. She may also have been the inspiration behind the Greek Goddess Hecate.
Isis: Goddess of fertility, magic, and healing.
Kauket: Goddess of darkness and chaos, wife of Kek.
Ma'at: Goddess of truth, justice, and balance. She prevented the creation from reverting to choas and judged the deeds of the dead with her feather.
Menhit: Goddess of war. She is shown as a lion-headed deity and is considered by some historians to be an aspect of Sekhmet. Her name means she who slaughters. Also known as Menchit.
Meretseger: A cobra Goddess who protected the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. She was also the deity of punishment and mercy.
Meskhent: Goddess of childbirth and midwifery. Also known as Meskhenet.
Mut: An ancient Egyptian "Mother Goddess". She was the mother from which the cosmos emerged.
Neith: Goddess of the hunt and war. As a Goddess of weaving and the domestic arts she was a protectress of women and a guardian of marriage. Also known as Neit, Nit, Net.
Nekhbet: Goddess of upper Egypt, childbirth, and protector of the pharaoh. also known as Nekhebet, Nechbet.
Nephthys: Goddess of death, decay, and the unseen. This deity is also linked to magic.
Nut: She was the goddess of the sky and all heavenly bodies, a symbol of resurrection and rebirth. Also known as Nuit, Newet, and Neuth.
Renenet: Goddess of the future, prosperity, and abundance. As the Goddess of suckling, Renenutet gave each newborn baby a secret name to protect it along with its mother's milk. She was also linked to the harvest. Also known as Ernutet, Renenutet, Termuthis.
Renpet: As Mistress of Eternity, this Goddess was associated with spring, youth, and renewal.
Satet: Goddess of the bountiful floods. When the Nile flooded, the previously barren land blossomed into life. Also known as Setet, Sathit, Satit, Sati, Setis, Satis.
Sekhmet: Goddess of destruction and war. She also battled against sickness and disease. Also known as Sakhmet, Sekhet.
Selkis: She is a protector of the hawk-headed canopic jar. This Goddess is among three other deities who guarded the royal coffins and canopic chests. Also known as Selkit, Selket, Selkhet, Serqet.
Seshet: The great scribe and librarian who was responsible for accounting, architecture, astronomy, historical records, and mathematics. Also known as Sheshat, Sashet.
Taweret: A demonic fighter who was part crocodile and part hippo. This Goddess protected pregnant women and the infant during childbirth. Also known as Taueret, Taurt, Toeris, Ipy, Ipet, Apet, Opet, Reret.
Tefnut: A lunar Goddess of water and fertility. She represented moisture. Also known as Tefnet, Tefene.
Unut: An Egyptian hare Goddess who was originally depicted as a snake Goddess.
Wadjet: A snake Goddess who was the patroness of Lower Egypt. Also known as Wadjet, Wedjet, Wadjit.
Wosyet: Protector of the young. This Goddess was an early consort of Amun. Also known as Worsret, Waset.