Goddess Movement
Thousands of years ago, before the dawn of written history, feminine energy was an important part of people's lives. Clans venerated wise mother goddesses, dark destroyer goddesses, and cyclical fertility goddesses, of which women were the natural embodiment. But as politics evolved, these goddesses were forgotten or relegated to positions as wives or concubines, and their energy was lost to time. But, as some people are discovering, contemporary people need the guidance of the goddess more than ever. The goddess movement seeks to recapture that energy and to bring civilization back into touch with its history of feminine power.
Members of the goddess movement believe that goddess energy emanates from many aspects, which exist both as all-inclusive deities as well as individual goddesses such as Isis, Inanna, Demeter, and Kali. Throughout history, the goddess has taken on the role of mother, virgin, warrior, creator, destroyer, hunter, artist, lover, witch, and healer. Goddess spirituality is diverse, incorporating both the loving and the terrible, the dark and the light, the maiden and the crone. It is because of this that it can be conservative or radical, feminist, celebratory, or simply the recognition for nature's purity.
The common factor, however, is the balance sought by the goddess movement. The goddess is an emblem of wisdom, creativity, and individual evolution. Her divine nurturing energy is alive, ever-changing, and the perfect counterpoint to the energy of the divine male. With it, we satisfy the need for strong female role models and expressions of female prowess to help us tap into our own feminine energy. Embracing the goddess can take many forms, from building a personal meditation space or alter to the goddess, to participating in goddess festivals and group rituals, yet all are valid. It is never too late to begin a new tradition.
Many cultures throughout the world continue to honor the goddess. Buddhism, Hinduism, Native American traditions, and African religions each pay homage to the divine feminine. But each seeker in the goddess movement is encouraged to find their own personal goddess, and to recapture the potent energy embodied by feminine spirituality in order to experience first hand a greater personal fulfillment and to discover the goddess within.
