The end of winter is near in the northern hemisphere. Though the cold persists the days slowly grow longer. If you’re lucky you might soon see a skein of geese flying overheard on their way to their northern nesting grounds… Read More ›
Myth
Buddhist Misogyny Revisited – Part I by Barbara McHugh
Recently, I wrote a novel about the Buddha’s wife disguising herself as a man to join his religious community. When I showed the manuscript to a Buddhist friend, whose knowledge and practice I respect greatly, he expressed apprehension that it… Read More ›
The Via Feminina: Revisioning the Heroine’s Journey by Mary Sharratt
Joseph Campbell’s monomyth, the Hero’s Journey, is outlined in his 1949 book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Drawn from his studies of comparative mythology and Jungian psychology, the Hero’s Journey has become a foundation myth of modern culture. The… Read More ›
Delilah Reclaimed by Janet Maika’i Rudolph
*This post includes a call for stories at the end. In my previous blogpost, I wrote about the Biblical tale of Samson and Delilah and why it was likely written in a manner to hide older pagan mythos. You can… Read More ›
The Magic of Winter Solstice with Polar Bear by Judith Shaw
The Winter Solstice awakens in us a sense of awe as we witness the majesty of the crisp, cold night sky spread across the heavens – whispering songs of mystery and meaning – songs meant to awaken the need for… Read More ›
Delilah, Lost by Janet Maika’i Rudolph
Delilah is a beautiful name on its own merits. As a biblical personage Delilah is forever connected to Samson for their tales are intertwined. As it is told in Judges, Samson is the clear hero of the tale and Delilah… Read More ›
Turkey – Abundance, Gratitude and Connection to Mother Earth by Judith Shaw
In the United States turkeys are equated with Thanksgiving. But there is so much more to Turkey – a gentle creature who forms strong attachments. Reputed to be dumb, Turkey is in fact quite intelligent and curious, with the ability… Read More ›
Yes, there are Goddesses in the Bible, Part 4 by Janet MaiKa’i Rudolph
This is the 4th in a series of blog posts about finding goddesses in the bible who had been hidden away through translation or denigration or other means. In my last blog post I discussed Lilith as a Great Goddess… Read More ›
Yes There are Goddesses in the Bible, Part 3
This blog post is the 3rd in a series of looking for female deities in the bible who have been translated out of easy reach or otherwise hidden within its words. In my last blog post I discussed bird imagery… Read More ›
Re-Visioning Medusa: Part II by Sara Wright
Read Part I of Re-Visioning Medusa here. Recently, I was given a wonderful gift, a small shiny black pot with Avanyu’s image carved into its micacious clay surface. I have become enamored by the images and the mythology around this… Read More ›
Salmon of Wisdom by Judith Shaw
Salmon, ancient symbol of wisdom and transformation, has been venerated by humankind since our pre-historic days.There exists one cave painting of a life-sized salmon – most likely part of a more complex composition – in the l’Abri de Poisson cave… Read More ›
Yes, There are Goddesses in the Bible – Part 2 by Janet Maika’i Rudolph
As I wrote in my last blog post, there are female deities and goddesses sprinkled all throughout the bible. They just aren’t obviously in plain sight. One example is the Goddess and Her association with birds. Many ancient creation myths… Read More ›
Butterfly – Soul Transformation by Judith Shaw
I offer this look at the life and stories of Butterfly as a healing salve for our very troubled world. In this time of great, world-wide transformation, as we grapple with the many, many racial, social, economic and environmental injustices… Read More ›
Brigit and the Cailleach by Christine Irving
Today, I bring you an old old story from Scotland. It explains how and why winter became spring. Cailleach is another name for the Hag – the archetypal Crone. She represents winter. Brigit is the forever Maiden and stands for… Read More ›
Cow, Nursemaid to Humanity by Judith Shaw
Our human connection to Cow goes back to the days of prehistory. Aurochs (wild oxen), cattle’s wild ancestors, are found in prehistoric cave art throughout Europe, India and Africa. About 10,500 years ago modern cattle were domesticated from only 80… Read More ›
The Mountain and the Goddess by Judith Shaw
Mother Earth does not discriminate. She cares for all her children in all their varied forms. Our ancient ancestors considered Earth and its many geological elements to be feminine and/or associated with goddesses – from caves, to rivers, lakes and… Read More ›
Tlachtga, Forgotten Celtic Goddess – by Judith Shaw
I am the Sun – bringer of the warming light of day. I am Lightning – bringer of fire to Earth. I am Tlachtga who flew through the sky together with my father Mog Ruith in our glowing wheel. I… Read More ›
My Mystery School Experience–Facing Life Part II by Janet Maika’i Rudolph
This post builds on Facing Life Part I. I love the concept of ancient mystery schools. I found a modern one in Maine in 1997. The mystery school experience allowed me to delve into life’s meanings and magic in a… Read More ›
Hekate, Goddess of Liminality and Intermediary by Deanne Quarrie
Let me share with you the Goddess most honored as the Goddess of liminal time and space. It is our beloved Hekate, Great Goddess of the Three Ways, bridging Earth, Sea and Sky as we travel between worlds. In modern… Read More ›
Persephone’s Return and the Lesser Eleusinian Mysteries by Deanne Quarrie
Many of us are quite familiar with the story of Persephone and Demeter, the Greek myth behind the changing of seasons each year. “The story basically goes that Zeus arranges a marriage for Hades, the God of the Underworld and… Read More ›
Bear Spirit Guide by Judith Shaw
Bear has been important to human mythology and story for thousands of years. Some feel that Bear is the oldest European deity, as bones and skulls of bears have been found lovingly arranged on niches found in caves across Europe…. Read More ›
Lifting the Veil – #WontBeErased by Joyce Zonana
Samhain is upon us. Halloween. The Day of the Dead. All Saints’ Day. All Souls’ Day. That liminal time of year when the doorways to what the Celts called the Otherworld, Annwn in Welsh, are open. In New York City, we have the 45th annual Village Halloween Parade, a queer extravaganza of puppetry, masquerade, and cross-dressing that draws some 60,000 participants and over 2 million onlookers. Elsewhere, we have children in costume and lawns covered with plastic skeletons and illuminated ghouls. Everywhere, if we’re lucky, we might catch a glimpse of “the piper at the gates of dawn,” the vision granted Rat and Mole in Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows: “something very surprising and splendid and beautiful”—Pan the goat-god, boundary-crosser, Friend and Helper, trans-being.
La Llorona by Sara Wright
The legend of La Llorona has been a part of Hispanic culture in the Southwest since the days of the conquistadores. Though the tales vary from source to source, the one common thread is that La Llorona is a woman named… Read More ›
Telling Stories by Natalie Weaver
Human beings tell stories. This may sound like a simple truth. To folklorists, literature professors, and people who work in media and in government, I would sound like a rather simple-minded child to be arriving so late in life at… Read More ›
Elen of the Ways and the Antlered Goddess (Part 2 of 2) by Deanne Quarrie
Click here to read Part 1, published Sunday March 18. Imagine a fairy chain stretched from mountain peak to mountain peak, as far as the eye could reach, and paid out til it touched the high places of the earth… Read More ›
Elen of the Ways and the Antlered Goddess (Part 1 of 2) by Deanne Quarrie
Why would a goddess have antlers when only male deer have antlers? These ancient goddesses come from a time when people were closely connected with reindeer. They were hunter gatherers and followed the Deer trods of the reindeer in their… Read More ›
Horse – Symbol of Power and Freedom by Judith Shaw
The horse was first depicted in art about 32,000 years ago on the cave walls of southern France and northern Spain. Though archeologists disagree as to whether the paintings are realistic depictions or symbolic markings, many concur that they are both…. Read More ›
Leia Should Get Her Movie by Trelawney Grenfell-Muir and Tallessyn Grenfell-Lee
This post is written jointly by sisters, Trelawney and Tallessyn, who have been thinking and discussing together about this. Contains Spoilers from the movie Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi (TLJ). I was born in 1974. Star Wars IV: A… Read More ›
Badb, Goddess of Life and Death by Judith Shaw
With the ongoing occurrence of huge hurricanes, floods, mudslides, earthquakes, possible nuclear war and more in both the US and worldwide it seems that the wrath of the Goddess has been awakened. I felt the need to revisit the Celtic… Read More ›
Sacred Water by Molly Remer
“Drinking the water, I thought how earth and sky are generous with their gifts and how good it is to receive them. Most of us are taught, somehow, about giving and accepting human gifts, but not about opening ourselves and… Read More ›
