Goddess History

Goddess History
(by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway)

Goddess History dates back to the earliest civilizations. It’s well documented that ancient societies worshipped feminine forms of God -- typically as mother, earth, nature, and the Holy Spirit, or as deities who personified feminine attributes.

Our ancestors saw the Divine Feminine as the source of all that is and they depended on her to sustain their very lives. Her power was expressed in the image and stories of literally thousands of Goddesses from cultures around the world. For example, just over 2000 years ago, Cleopatra actively worshipped the Goddess Isis in Egypt and Julius Caesar erected temples to the Goddess Venus in Rome -- less than 40 years before Jesus Christ was born!

Ancient Goddesses were treated with the reverence modern religious culture now offers to Jesus, God, The Father, Allah, Krishna, and Buddha. And they were called upon for everything from ensuring fertile crops and easy childbirth to attaining wealth, health or, even, a peaceful death.

Many of the world’s cultures continue to worship, honor and pray to female deities. The Hindu, Buddhist, Tibetan, Native American, South American and African cultures are among those that always have, and continue to, commune with the Divine Feminine.

Like the Hindu Goddess of Fortune, Lakshmi, or the Chinese Goddess of Compassion Kuan Yin, many of these Divine Females represent specific abilities and powers. Today, they are still lending a hand – or four! Contemporary women need support in modern ways: Getting that job … finding that fabulous boyfriend… Nabbing that great apartment… Tapping into their own abilities and powers … discovering the true Goddess spirit within!

The Goddess and her many forms, and faces, is accessible to modern women for divine inspiration and guidance, yet she can also be appreciated for her archetypical meaning and for the metaphor of female prowess she represents. On a global level, we really do need the Feminine Divine to balance our world. On a very practical level, it’s time for women of today to develop ‘Goddess Consciousness” that will help elevate self-esteem and empower personal and professional growth.