Many people have heard or read Greek and Roman
goddess myths in literature classes or as part of modern fiction. Yet
many of us are completely unaware of the thousands of goddess stories
that have been told in cultures around the world from a few millennia
ago to current day. These stories have persisted because they have
important lessons about basic human needs and conditions. They also open
our hearts to recognizing the importance of the divine feminine spirit
in a world often dominated by masculine energy.
When I first began leading groups of women and girls to explore ancient feminine myths (so many moons ago!), I was amazed at the depth of meaning and value we found in these remarkable stories. Layer upon layer of understanding led to personal reflection and growth.
Each girl and every woman connected with a different part of the story. Sometimes it was a particular character and other times the location where a story took place; and in a few instances, it was an animal or another non-human aspect to the story.
Hearing a myth told by a "carrier" of the stories who has known and loved that story and pondered its meaning over time is especially delicious! We have an innate connection to these myths, bound by loving threads in a nurturing sisterhood that transcends space and time. We can "pick up our thread" and tap into the vast wisdom it connects to whenever we decide it is time... Through goddess myths:
#1 We can learn about the values of lands we may never visit and people we may never know - yet they hold Universal Truths that can be applied to our own individual lives. When Kuan Yin's father wants her to marry for social status, Kuan Yin chooses instead to follow her heart into a destined path of service. Kuan Yin stories from the Chinese Buddhist tradition have produced a divine feminine presence revered throughout many countries as "she who hears the cries of the world."
#2 We can see that even the most proficient amongst us encounters challenges (for goddesses often possess super-powers, yet they still face challenges) and it is through those challenges that they (and we) are shaped into the very best yet-to-be. Rhiannon, the Celtic goddess of birds and horses, experienced a remarkable challenge which, in the end, gave her strength to not ever discount her belief in herself.
#3 We learn that human emotions are the same no matter what the culture or where or when they are felt. Sometimes we must continue, knowing that "this too shall pass." Imanja, Brazilian goddess of the ocean is known as "she who endures," because she was brought from Africa with the slave trade and continued to guide her people as they struggled through hundreds of years of mistreatment.
#4 Goddess stories offer us great examples of a moral feminine code to live by. When Amaterasu is repeatedly disrespected by her brother Susanowo, instead of lashing out she retreats into a cave to get others to take action. In the end, Amaterasu, the Shinto Sun Goddess gets a lot of attention because the withdrawal of her beautiful light is sorely missed!
I have shared these stories with special needs girls, mothers and daughters, and women felons in the county jail. The meaning of the stories continues to stir long after the story has been told... So settle in... make yourself comfortable. And let me tell you a story!
When I first began leading groups of women and girls to explore ancient feminine myths (so many moons ago!), I was amazed at the depth of meaning and value we found in these remarkable stories. Layer upon layer of understanding led to personal reflection and growth.
Each girl and every woman connected with a different part of the story. Sometimes it was a particular character and other times the location where a story took place; and in a few instances, it was an animal or another non-human aspect to the story.
Hearing a myth told by a "carrier" of the stories who has known and loved that story and pondered its meaning over time is especially delicious! We have an innate connection to these myths, bound by loving threads in a nurturing sisterhood that transcends space and time. We can "pick up our thread" and tap into the vast wisdom it connects to whenever we decide it is time... Through goddess myths:
#1 We can learn about the values of lands we may never visit and people we may never know - yet they hold Universal Truths that can be applied to our own individual lives. When Kuan Yin's father wants her to marry for social status, Kuan Yin chooses instead to follow her heart into a destined path of service. Kuan Yin stories from the Chinese Buddhist tradition have produced a divine feminine presence revered throughout many countries as "she who hears the cries of the world."
#2 We can see that even the most proficient amongst us encounters challenges (for goddesses often possess super-powers, yet they still face challenges) and it is through those challenges that they (and we) are shaped into the very best yet-to-be. Rhiannon, the Celtic goddess of birds and horses, experienced a remarkable challenge which, in the end, gave her strength to not ever discount her belief in herself.
#3 We learn that human emotions are the same no matter what the culture or where or when they are felt. Sometimes we must continue, knowing that "this too shall pass." Imanja, Brazilian goddess of the ocean is known as "she who endures," because she was brought from Africa with the slave trade and continued to guide her people as they struggled through hundreds of years of mistreatment.
#4 Goddess stories offer us great examples of a moral feminine code to live by. When Amaterasu is repeatedly disrespected by her brother Susanowo, instead of lashing out she retreats into a cave to get others to take action. In the end, Amaterasu, the Shinto Sun Goddess gets a lot of attention because the withdrawal of her beautiful light is sorely missed!
I have shared these stories with special needs girls, mothers and daughters, and women felons in the county jail. The meaning of the stories continues to stir long after the story has been told... So settle in... make yourself comfortable. And let me tell you a story!
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