invoking the goddess

goddess headband

true life story from my quirkiness files: i carry two of these headbands in my purse and one in my tote bag at all times. i have several more stashed in my room. these are my goddess headbands.

this practice started over a year ago with the life(dot)next desert directive retreat. i pull one out and put it on whenever i recognize that i’m just not keeping up with the demands of my day. and then i pull the second one out and hand it to darla because she will inevitably asks to don one once i do. this grown-up version of dress up helps me invoke the properties i’m not doing a good job of naturally possessing in any given moment.

my usual goddess go-to is demeter because she is the mother archetype. i find myself to not be a natural mother-woman. i will make a great girl scout troop leader; full of adventure, ideals and advice but it is the softer elements of motherhood that i frequently need to invoke. patience, understanding, sympathy and serenity are things i have to work on daily.

another favorite goddess of mine to invoke is hestia, the goddess of hearth and home. she helps me find joy and satisfaction in my daily chores and has been especially helpful to me during this nesty phase of my life. if i’m on the way to an interview i invoke artemis, the goddess of the hunt. she helps me feel confident in my capabilities to serve families.

i know this is silly, but i like silly. the ritual of this helps me focus my energy and get centered again. some people sit down to meditation. some people open up their spiritual texts. some light a candle. i put on a shiny headband.

to each her own.

{if you are interested in learning more about goddess archetypes i recommend Goddesses in Everywoman. it’s a book that has a permanent resting spot by my bed.}

Advertisement

goddess knowledge

hi friends.

i hope you are having a wonderful day full of love. it’s a pretty grand day, yes?

cousin and i recently gave a talk about the Greco-Roman goddesses at the Life(dot)next retreat. I thought I would provide a little history lesson: February 14th was the Roman feast day for Hera/Juno, Zeus/Jupiter’s wife. she was the goddess of commitment and marriage. well, the catholic church did this thing of placing all our current major holidays on the pagan feast days so the pagans wouldn’t have to give up their partying. pretty cool, huh? makes the transition a whole lot easier…slick even.

so in addition to celebrating st. valentine, consider invoking Hera into your day of love festivities. she probably feels a little left out…no wonder the divorce rate is rising. for those of you hoping for a valentine’s filled with not just love but making love, you might want to invoke Aphrodite, the goddess of love, as well.

fun stuff, huh? as far as love & commitment go we could all use a little more of it. let’s celebrate all the gods/goddesses/patron saints of love. anybody know some from other cultures before we got all homogenized and what not?

paying tribute to the ohioan goddess of icecream:

 photo 87DAA17B-8E90-4DD2-8663-BC04369E1DA3-5627-0000056CD9789742_zps89d3f3b3.jpg

^^^happy valentine’s day^^^