SPIRITUALITY: IT BEGINS WITH YOU
When the word spirituality comes up in conversation, most people run and hide. “Eek,” they think, “another religious fanatic seeking to convert me.” They expect the traditional persuasive tactics and words of manipulation. We’ve heard them before. Come to my temple/church/coven/grove/mosque (insert religious setting of choice here). Learn about the truth/the way/the light/the beginning of days/the end of the world (insert religious philosophy of choice here). Open to communication with the spirits of nature/the angels/God/Yahweh/Jehovah/Allah/Buddah/the Goddess/the Great Spirit (insert religious divinity of choice here). Come! Repent! Convert! Accept! Love! Fear! (Insert religious mantra of choice here!) It’s enough to give anyone a bit of a headache.
But the funny thing is, no matter what religious setting, philosophy, divinity, or mantra subscribed to, most people are spiritual beings. Most people believe in something bigger than themselves, something beyond the confines of everyday reality. There seems to be a fundamental human need for a connecting universal force that guides, aids, and even punishes us as we live our lives.
No one really wants to talk about the wrathful side of deity. It’s so much more comforting to discuss love for all and world peace and joy and happiness and bunnies and flowers and rainbows and bubbles. But the truth is that every religion has its boundary markers for accepted behavior. The Wiccan Three-Fold Law states that whatever you do comes back to you, magnified three times. So, if you do something nasty, you’re going to get slammed with nasty stuff. Hello bankruptcy, divorce, and life-threatening illness. The Buddhist concept of Karma tells you that if you do something impure or unclean in this life, you’re going to pay for it in your next incarnation. Welcome to life as a worm! The Christian idea of the afterlife explains that if you go against the precepts of God and your fellow man during life, you’re going to pay for it after death. Greetings from the eternal fires of hell! Not very uplifting images.
In reality these boundary markers have little to do with spirituality and everything to do with religion. Religion is a documented set of rules and regulations, philosophies and beliefs concerning spirituality that a designated group has agreed to and (in most cases) written down. Religions have dogma, or unwavering concepts that cannot be refuted or proven. They just are. If our particular dogma doesn’t work for you, doesn’t make sense, or seems out of touch with reality . . . tough! Move on to another religion. There is little room for individuality or fluidity in many religions, as the core truths cannot be changed.
The same cannot be said about spirituality. Spiritually is as unique as every human being on the planet. It is our own connection to the greatness beyond ourselves. We may view it as a man, a woman, an insect, a tree, or a lightning bolt. We may see it in the wind, the waves, the cross, the star, or the moon. But these images are mere human constructs for the mind. We, as spiritual beings, unite with something far bigger than these human trappings. We search for energy, for power, for life and understanding in our spiritual quests. We seek the beginnings of ourselves, which may still be evolving. And we look for the end, which may be happening even as we live each wondrous, glorious moment.
I’m talking about the spirit of ourselves. No one knows for sure if we have a spirit, a soul, an essence, or a vibration all our own. We know we are ourselves. Completely different and whole from every other living being on the planet, and yet connected with all other things. We know we are here, in this moment. We know we have crafted our lives from our circumstances, from our skills, and from the opportunities before us. But we don’t scientifically know if we have a separate energy being that inhabits our body and moves on once the body decays. We think so. There are many near-death incidents that report a floating sensation, of being able to look down and see the corporeal body below. Pregnant women relate dreams or sensations that indicate the passing of a soul or spirit into the fetus in the womb. But these are all unsubstantiated claims that science cannot prove. But neither can science refute them. A scientific study done in the Netherlands in 2001 found few mitigating Earth-bound links between patients who experienced near-death experiences. In other words, there were no common medical factors that could be calculated and analyzed to explain the feelings and sensations of the patients. The near-death experiences just happened, randomly.[1] No one knows why.
One of the commonalities in near-death experiences is the inclusion of light. We always hear the refrain that these people were “pulled toward the light.” Light includes all the colors of the spectrum (indeed, colors are by definition just one vibration of light waves as a whole). Light can move atoms, causing heat. It is at the heart of quantum mechanics and quantum physics, science that focuses on the very small elements that make up the atom and then separates those into even smaller particles. These small particles do not follow the rules and laws set forth in traditional physics, which was created when studying the large scope of the universe. Thus, quantum physics is, at a very basic level, a science based on probability and chaos. In other words, no one really knows for sure what will happen and why. Everything is possible.
We, as human beings, are crafted from these intensely small particles—atoms, electrons, protons, neutrons, quarks, and gluons. (And, no, I didn’t make up those last two!) They are a part of us, just as they are a part of the trees, the planet, the streaking comet, the Milky Way Galaxy, and the universe. When looked at from that vantage point, we, as humans, are tiny. On a universal scale, when compared to galaxies, we are as big as the smallest quantifiable particle in an atom. Yet, if we are the quark or even the tiny gluon of the universe, we are created from the same matter and energy as the biggest planet or solar system. On the most basic level, at the very core of ourselves, we are the same. Do we, perhaps, simply return to this most basic form when we “see the light?” Could this microscopic interconnectedness be at the heart of our quest for spirituality? Is the Divine simply a human manifestation of the aspect of ourselves that we can feel and sense, on a subatomic level, in other beings and objects? Are we, in fact, God?
Who’s to say? But the truth of the matter is that humans feel an abiding need to reach beyond the confines of this material world, toward something that is greater than themselves. Called divinity, spirit, or energy, the essence is experienced internally, is intangible, and cannot be measured or weighed. Perhaps it is a molecular bridge or connection to other people and things. Perhaps it is an old man in the sky or a bountiful triple woman. Perhaps it is a rabbit on the moon or a spirit within a tree. Whatever “it” is, it begins with each individual. It begins with you. Without you, there is no point here on Earth for the light to descend upon. There is no anchor to hold fast the streaming possibilities and truths. We, as humans, create change in the world and the universe, just as the quarks and swirling electrons create change in the atom. Nothing is standing still.
So, when exploring spirituality, it is important to remember our authentic selves as we are a reflection (via tiny molecules) of the Divine. Embrace your spiritual form. Agnostic. Christian. Buddhist. Wiccan. Moslem. Druid. Atheist. Each of these is a true manifestation of humanity, of spirituality, of light, of electrons, of truth. We are the truth of ourselves. We are the truth of the Divine.
ENERGY RETURN
There are few negatives to focusing on and improving your spirituality. After all, you’re not wishing to gain anything except enlightenment. But, therein lies the hidden trap in the attainment of spiritual connection. Spirituality, by its very nature, moves us outside of our world. We wish to learn about our spirit guides and power animals. We seek the truth of life and the continuance of the soul after death. We yearn to feel a union with a presence bigger than ourselves, not found on the planet Earth.
With our minds and hearts occupied with the essence of the Divine, it is easy to ignore the very nature of life on Earth. The lessons of this world and the sheer beauty of material existence become overshadowed with matters that are far beyond human comprehension. We obsess over mystical knowledge and sacred wisdom and Divine light. It fills our every waking thought. All other pursuits become less interesting, less powerful, less fulfilling. Our quest for spiritual enlightenment becomes so encompassing that we forget to look around us for the very things we seek. We disregard the body we currently inhabit. We cannot see the wonderful family and friends who reside in our individual life spheres. We are blinded by the light of spirituality.
Therefore, when reaching for spiritual enlightenment, for a link to the Divine, it is extremely important to continue to focus on this reality, on this life. Buy an engagement calendar and honor your body by remembering those doctor and dentist appointments. Talk with your children, significant others, and friends so you remain a part of their everyday lives. Eat well and on a regular basis. Continue to work toward that promotion at work. Treat yourself to a fancy pocketbook, a new pair of shoes, or that big-screen TV. In short, don’t allow your spiritual quest to isolate you from the people and places and earthly goals that mean something to you. Don’t cut yourself off from this material plane. If you’ve ever felt the hug of a child or the devotion of a loving dog, you know that spiritual beauty can be found in the simplest things just as easily as it can be found in profound esoteric texts and enchanted meditation.
MANTRA
Seven Sisters, we,
Arise from the Sea.
Illume Above
Transform Below
Flying Sweet and Free.
The Pleiades are a star cluster, a home for aliens, a set of sisters, a set of mothers, a flock of hens, a marketplace, a group of birthing women, a storehouse, a group of orphans, a granary, a set of water nymphs, and the physical location of Jehovah God’s throne. These Divine entities have been known throughout history, marked and commented upon by cultures as diverse as the Aztecs, the aboriginal Australians, the Norse, Persians, Ukrainians, Celts, and the Lakota, Kiowa, and Blackfoot Native American tribes. They form an important part of Indian astrology, helped named a Japanese car manufacturer (Subaru), and were even mentioned in the Bible. There are as many stories about this star cluster as there are cultures around the world. They are a universally felt presence on planet Earth and, as such, connect the world to a higher level of existence. Whether it be goddesses, aliens, or an all-powerful male god, humans have drawn inspiration and enlightenment from these powerful seven stars for years.[2]
The Pleiades, star cluster M45, form a part of the Taurus constellation. In the night sky, they are followed by the Orion Nebula and the Sirius binary star system, giving them the illusion of “being chased” by the hunter and his dog, respectfully. (This interpretation of the circular movement of the Pleiades comes from Greek and Roman mythology. Other cultures see the dog as caring for the stars, in a surrogate mother role.) The Pleiades are 425 light years (or 130 parsecs)[3] away from Earth and can usually be seen in the sky in late spring, summer, and early autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. Their rising (in late April or early May) and setting (in late October or early November) corresponds almost exactly to the harvesting and plowing seasons of ancient Greece and Rome, where they were written about as seasonal indicators.
Figure 6: The Pleiades Constellation
The Greek poet Hesiod writes about the Pleiades numerous times in his book Works and Days. He tells Greek farmers to begin their harvest “when the Pleiades Atlagenes [born of Atlas] are rising” and to plough “when they are going to set.”[4] He continues to utilize the Pleiades as a seasonal indicator by warning against sea travel when they are hidden from view, in late October or early November. “But when the Pleiades and Hyades [their sisters in the sky] and strong Orion begin to set, then remember to plough in season. But if desire for uncomfortable sea-faring seize you; when the Pleiades plunge into the misty sea to escape Orion’s rude strength, then truly gales of all kinds rage.”[5] Hesiod shows us that the ancient Greeks used the Pleiades star cluster to mark the best times for sea travel and agricultural labor. Almost seven hundred years later, the Roman poet Virgil echoed Hesiod’s advice concerning the Pleiades’ role in agriculture in Georgics, and Valerius Flaccas, a contemporary of Virgil, continues to perpetuate the use of the setting of the Pleiades as a warning against sea travel in his book Argonautica. So, whether working by land or by sea, in ancient Greece or in ancient Rome, the Pleiades were a useful cluster of stars to observe.
This connection to the seasonal changes of planet Earth comes as no surprise to those who are familiar with the story of the Seven Sisters, known collectively as the Pleiades in Greek mythology. Daughters of Atlas and the oceanid (ocean nymph) Pleione, they are nymphs themselves, intimately connected to nature and the workings of planet Earth. Like many nymphs, they enjoy spending time outside in the wilds of nature and are often found in the company of Artemis. Born on the mountain of Kyllene, the Pleiades were known as oreiades, or mountain-dwelling nymphs. Yet their collective name derives from the Greek word peleiades, which means “flock of doves,” or from their mother’s name, Pleione, which means “sailing queen.” The daughters of Pleione would then be known as the “sailing ones.” By their birth location, parentage, collective name, and innate characteristics, the Pleiades connect to the essential elements of nature. They are tied to the element of earth through their mountainous birth and their father Atlas, who is charged with holding the Earth on his shoulders. The element water enters their lives through their mother Pleione, the ocean nymph. The Pleiades relate to a third element, air, by their association with the word peleiades (flock of doves). And, the elemental connection can be extended to the element of fire, since, as stars in the sky, they are actually bright burning balls of gas.
The fire association continues in the individual stories of the Pleiades. These sisters are most well-known for their lovers, husbands, and eventual offspring. The Pleiades are passionate spirits of nature, often pursued by gods, giants, and mortals. They have sexual encounters with Zeus, Ares, and Poseidon; are wives of mortal kings; and give birth to gods, goddesses, and founders and kings of cities. Through the myths, it is not the Pleiades themselves that have power, but rather their relations and intimates. The Pleiades are conduits of power, channeling it to those of their choosing.
The most well-known of these sisters is undoubtedly Maia, mother of the god Hermes. Maia is said to be the oldest of the Seven Sisters and also the most beautiful. Tired of being pursued by erstwhile suitors, Maia lived by herself in a cave on Mount Kyllene, where she was born. One night, while she was sleeping, Zeus snuck into her cave and made love to her, resulting in the birth of the messenger god Hermes. At his birth, Maia swaddled him and laid him on a winnowing fan. But, true to his quickness and mercurial nature, Hermes grew up at an astonishing rate, and when Maia’s back was turned, he snuck away to seek adventure. The myths relate his stealing of Apollo’s herd of sacred cows, which he led back to his mother’s cave. He then invented the lyre and lulled Maia to sleep. When Apollo stomped into the cave and demanded the child be tried for theft, Maia came to the defense of her son, pointing at his swaddled form and claiming that the charge was absurd. (We know, of course, that Hermes was tricking his sweet mum, and he had, in fact, taken the cows.)[6] Maia’s love of children and just ways shows themselves once again when she serves as surrogate mother for Arcas, Zeus’ son by Callisto, after Callisto had been changed into a bear by Hera and (eventually) raised to the heavens by Zeus to form the constellation of Ursa Major.
While Maia might be the most popular of the Pleiades, the brightest of the Sisters is Alcyone, whose name means “queen who wards off storms.”[7] She, alone of the Pleiades, stands by herself as a goddess separate from her sisters.[8] There is some confusion as to her exact story because there is another demi-goddess in Greek legend of the same name. Over the years, their two stories have become entwined, utilizing the same symbols and meanings. The Alcyone of Pleiades fame is known to have indicated good sailing weather (and thus, protection from storms) due to the seasonal time of her rising in the night sky. Alcyone had a son by Poseidon, named Anthas, who founded the cities of Anthea and Hyperea.[9] The Aeolians, who were known for their sailing, knew the goddess by the name Alcyone and had a queen by the same name. The queen Alcyone (who may or may not be an incarnation of one of the Seven Sisters) also protected sailors. After her husband, Ceyx, died and she committed suicide by jumping into the sea, they were both changed into kingfishers, birds that were thought to hold magical powers to ward against sea storms. Whether these stories are about the same goddess or not, Alcyone holds the power of protection and defense, especially in connection with the sea.
Like her sister Alcyone, a third member of the Pleiades, Electra, was connected to the sea and the ocean. Under the guise of an ocean nymph, Electra gave birth to the Harpies and the goddess Iris by Thaumus, a Greek sea god whose name means “wonder.” Both the Harpies and Iris serve as messengers for the Olympian gods—Iris mainly for the goddess Hera, and the Harpies mainly as agents of retribution for any human being who has wronged the gods or humanity. There is another semi-divine deity called Electra who birthed Dardanus, the founder of Troy. It is unclear whether these two characters are the same woman, but it is likely, since both are oceanids. Many classical texts state that the Pleiade Electra hid her face out of sadness when the city of Troy was destroyed. Robert Graves believes that this aspect of her story shows the mythological explanation of the disappearance of a star in the night sky during ancient times.[10] Perhaps this is also why she is known as “dark-faced.”[11]
Ovid, however, claims that it is the sister Merope who refuses to shine brightly in the night sky because she alone fell in love with a mortal.[12] Merope is the wife of Sisyphus, founder of Corinth and all-around sly and nasty fellow. He waylaid travelers and killed them for their goods and even chained up the god of death Thanatos so the dead could not reach the Underworld. There is no reason given in the classic texts for Merope’s inexplicable love for such a devious man. Perhaps she enjoys living on the darker side of life or perhaps Aphrodite worked her love magic and emotionally enslaved Merope to a less-deserving man. Whatever the reason, Merope births four children with Sisyphus: Glaucus, Ornytion, Thersander, and Almus. Perhaps, after being raised to her vantage point in the night sky, Merope changes her mind concerning her choice of husband and this is why she blushes and is less visible to the naked eye. In any event, she is the sister who best understands human frailties and mistakes, regrets and poor choices. She is bound to her past actions and can never fully express herself or experience true freedom.
Of the Seven Sisters, Taygete is the most wild and free. She travels almost exclusively with the goddess Artemis, as a member of her chaste retinue of nymphs. When Zeus aggressively pursued Taygete (much to her chagrin and distaste), Artemis sought to hide her by changing her into the shape of a doe. However, Taygete’s new form did not fool Zeus, who simply changed into a stag and made love to her anyway. Nine months later, their son Lacedaemon, founder and king of Sparta, was born. After giving birth, Taygete hanged herself on Mount Amyclaeus, which from that point on was known as Mount Taygetus.[13] Taygete teaches us that we have to be true to our inner spirit, while still weathering the ups and downs of everyday life.
The last two sisters of the Pleiades are known only by their lovers and children and have no stories attached to them. Celaeno was a lover of Poseidon and bore him two sons, Nycteus and Lycus, who became regents and rulers of Thebes. Her sister, Sterope or Asterope, was seduced by Ares, Greek god of war. With him, she bore a son, Oenomaus, who became the king of Pisa. Despite being relatively ignored by the classical writers, Celaeno and Sterope are still important enough to have drawn the attention of these two important Olympian gods. One doesn’t catch the attention of Ares or Poseidon by hiding one’s true greatness. By staying true to themselves, they reach greater heights through recognition and personal fulfillment.
In fact, all of the Pleiades celebrate their true elemental natures, connecting with forest, sea, and mountain as they dally with gods and mortals alike. Yet, their greatest challenge occurs when they are pursued by the giant Orion. Orion is a great hunter and one day, he saw the Seven Sisters and their mother Pleione in the forest. He became consumed with need and chased after them. Mother and daughters fled from Orion for seven years but, still, he was undeterred. Finally, they beseeched the aid of the gods, who turned them into doves and then into stars. Of course, this story hinges on the fact that the Pleiades were virgins, which we know is not true, since they birthed numerous dynasties in Greek mythology.[14] Yet, this is the only surviving story to explain the reasoning for the goddesses’ ascent into the heavens.
In my mind, the Pleiades are connected to starlight because they are a force that is a part of but greater than the cyclical nature of planet Earth. Having loved and lost in their Earth-bound lifetimes, the Pleiades were lifted to the heavens by the ideals of classical philosophers. Having intimately known the elements of earth, water, and air, they needed to expand their physical constructs to include a fire element that still related to their Earth-bound selves. As star cluster M45, the Pleiades guided the ancient Greeks and Romans in agricultural and seafaring pursuits. Their ascent into the night sky indicated the correct time for these activities. Therefore, even 425 light years away, their presence was felt on the Earth. Even now, when we have twenty-four-hour weather reports and rotating space satellites, the Pleiades are still a force of mystery and power. Some people believe that the Seven Rays of Manifestation originate in the Pleiades and that UFOs and aliens live within their nebulous light. Who can say? The truth is, the spiritual draw of the Pleiades is absolute and has lasted for more than 2,000 years on planet Earth. How can so many people possibly be wrong?
Pathway to the Pleiades
Beautiful, earthy, sensuous, and divine, the Pleiades celebrate life even as they look beyond this earthly plane to the far reaches of space. As goddesses of balance, of the celestial and the material, of the spiritual and the mundane, the Pleiades recognize that the Divine can be felt in all aspects of life. The birth of a child, the touch of a lover, and the pain of separation all evoke a deeper meaning and message when the Divine is seen to reside within them. The experience is the essence of the Divine just as the Divine is within the essence of the experience.
With that in mind, it is time to transcend this limited reality by focusing upon it. Sounds complex, doesn’t it? It is actually much easier than you can imagine, as long as you have a few simple tools and the right mindset. The first thing you need to do is locate some kick-butt music. It really doesn’t matter what music you use, as long as it gets you up off the couch and dancing across the floor. Different music is going to resonate with different people, so really take your time to pick the right music for you. I personally like the song “Navras” by Juno Reactor from the movie The Matrix Revolutions or, if you have positive memories of The Sound of Music from your youth, you could try Gwen Stefani’s “Wind it Up.” As a lover of all things faerie, I also feel the power of the drumming and folk-sound of the song “Awakening” by Elvendrums[15] on their album Gateway to Faerie. All of these songs make me want to dance and strike a deep, mystical chord within my core. This is the feeling you are looking for when you select your music. Don’t go for the most popular or most available music. Pick the song that you feel with your body and soul.
Now that you’ve got your music, it’s time to pick a tool of power. You don’t necessarily need a “dance item” but it serves as an extension of yourself, pushing you beyond your ordinary senses. Your “power tool” lifts you outside of yourself, allowing you to focus on something other than your feet or arms or head. In short, your item will help you to overcome any nervous or self-conscious feelings you may be experiencing. As a woman, I tend to gravitate toward the diaphanous, see-through scarves created by Doorway Publications[16] in their “sacred symbols” series. I also love to use tambourines or zils when dancing. However, your dance tool can be anything that calls to you. Swords (non-sharpened), staffs, rattles, and drums are all possible tools that will help you escape this current reality. Look around your house and use your imagination.
Once you’ve collected your dance music and your tool of power, it’s time to get your groove on! Pick a time when you will be alone in your house. I personally like to dance at night but any time is fine for this exercise. Clear a good-sized space in your living room or bedroom, creating a mini dance floor. If you like, turn off the lights or tie on a blindfold to allow yourself to go within. At the very least, close your eyes, but make sure you have enough space and familiarity with the room to avoid hurting yourself! Now turn on the music and move. Don’t think. Don’t question. Don’t judge. Just move to the music, allowing it to surround you, motivate you, and encapsulate you. Surrender to the notes, to the driving drum beat, to the soaring vocals. Feel the music in your blood. It sustains you. It supports you. It is a part of you. You must move. The music gives you no other option. And so the song and you continue, separate, yet entwined. Together and independent, you reach beyond your possibilities and embrace the Divine.
You can do this exercise for as long as your body holds out or for only one song. It’s completely up to you. You can do it once a day, once a month, or only one time in your life. But, whatever you do, try it! It sounds silly but, by stepping outside of your comfort zone, you truly tap into your own power and your connection to the Divine.
MANTRA
Giving Rise
To waters, full
O, Isis.
Vibrant, powerful, and loving, the Egyptian goddess Isis is as alive today as she was thousands of years ago in the sands of Egypt. Pick up a book on Egypt, peruse a New Age jewelry case, or simply utter the name “Isis” and you are immediately assailed with images of a winged goddess with a crown of power, sometimes kneeling, oftentimes seated on a throne with her suckling son. There was even a television show based on the power and mystery of Isis. The 1970s spawned the cult classic Saturday morning kids’ show The Secrets of Isis, which was re-released on DVD in 2007 to much individual, if not critical, acclaim. What is it about Isis that appeals to so many people in so many different ways?
Isis is the preeminent goddess of Egypt. Often known by the title “Lady of Ten Thousand Names,” Isis assumed many of the characteristics and attributes of older Egyptian goddesses. Originally seen in paintings as a goddess with a throne on her head due to the fact that her hieroglyph means “Mistress of the Throne,” over time she began to wear the sun disc and horns of Hathor as a crown. As a human woman, Isis wears a queen’s headdress, with the uraeus or cobra on her forehead. [17] During the height of Rome, Isis is seen on coins minted in Alexandria, Laodicea, and Greece. On these coins, her headdress changes once again, reflecting the temperament and understanding of the goddess within the varying cultures. On the coins, Isis often wears a lotus blossom or lotus blossom coronet on her head, the horns of Hathor with the sun disc and two plumes rising above (possibly combining her with symbolism from the goddess Ma’at), or the kalathos, which is a type of basketlike headgear.[18]
Figure 7: Name of Isis in Hieroglyphs
It should not be surprising that Isis is found on coins from the Mediterranean world, for she was adopted and accepted as a deity by many cultures outside of Egypt. She had a temple in Rome and was one of Rome’s most important deities. Although a “foreign” goddess, Romans embraced her because of their reliance on the grain that came from her native homeland, Egypt. Her cult became fully integrated into Roman life and influential senators and noblewomen followed and worshipped her ways.[19] The far-reaching expanse of the Roman Empire ensured that Isis was known around Europe. There was even a Temple of Isis located on the River Thames in England!
In the modern era, Isis is a central goddess-figure in the spiritual group the Esoteric Order of the Golden Dawn, which was conceived in 1887. Wishing to gain a deeper understanding of the Western Esoteric Mysteries (of which Egyptian teachings are only one part), the three creators of the Golden Dawn founded the first Temple dedicated to Isis-Urania in London in 1888. Since that time, the appeal of Isis has remained strong in the Golden Dawn tradition.[20] The Golden Dawn Invocation to Isis is a beautiful, poetic tribute to a deeply magical, mystical goddess.
Isis, as a divine female figure, has been transplanted far from her original time and place, proving that her appeal is far-reaching, touching something deeply embedded in the human psyche. In my mind, Isis’ popularity stems from the many events in her life that run the gamut of human experiences and emotions. Despite adversity, Isis still emerges strong, confident, and caring. She is the ultimate Mother Goddess. Yet, don’t expect her to be one-dimensional. Isis has been known to wallow in the mud, trick unsuspecting gods, and even hide her divine nature in order to achieve her goals. And she always seems to accomplish just what she sets out to do, while still remaining true to her inner self.
One of the legends of Isis explains how she gained the power of the Great Sun God Ra, who created all the heavens and the Earth and all the beings upon the Earth. In this story, Isis is a human woman who was favored by Thoth, the magical god of books, words, wisdom, and intelligence. Thoth has already taught Isis the magic of incantations and charms and talismans, but Isis is still just a woman. She longs to be a goddess, saying, “Cannot I by means of the sacred name of god make myself mistress of the Earth and become a goddess like unto Ra in heaven and upon the Earth?”[21] With these words, Isis gets an idea. She crafts a snake out of mud created by the drool and spittle of Ra, who, as an old man, likes to enjoy his earthly creation by walking around in human form. Isis sets the snake in Ra’s path and he is bitten. Immediately overcome with terrible pain, Ra cries out to his fellow gods to aid him but none have the power. Then Isis emerges and offers to help Ra, but he needs to tell her his name. She states this is because, “whosoever shall be delivered by thy name shall live.”[22] Ra deflects Isis’ request at first but the pain soon becomes too intense to bear; he consents to having Isis “search into me, and that my name shall pass from me into her.”[23] It is important that Isis joins with Ra in order to learn his divine name. Ra never utters it out loud. Rather, Isis gains her divinity by knowing Ra’s name through her joining with the Great Sun God. The concept of “becoming one” with a male deity is vital to Isis’ character and her role as a fertility goddess. It is the central theme of her most popular and well-known myth, the story of Isis and Osiris.
In this myth, Isis is the lover (and sister) of the god Osiris. They sit together upon the throne of Egypt, guiding the Pharaohs and manipulating the seed growth of the plants of Egypt. Jealous of his brother’s power, Set, the dark god of the Egyptian pantheon, crafts a coffin built to house his brother Osiris. By either murdering him, setting him in the coffin, or tricking him into stepping into the coffin himself, Set effectively kills his brother Osiris and drops the coffin into the waters of the Nile River. The coffin floats to the Phoenician city of Byblos, where it is encased in a tamarisk tree that is magically enhanced and grows very fast. The king of Byblos becomes enamored of the magic tamarisk tree and orders it cut down and made into a column for his palace. This is done and the column emits a sweet smell unlike any other in the world.
Isis, hearing of the sweet smell and the magical growth of the tree, goes to Byblos as a simple serving woman, disguising her goddesshood. She attaches herself to the royal family, serving as a nurse for Queen Astarte’s new baby boy. Falling in love with the boy, she seeks to give him immortality by holding him in the household fire. Astarte happens upon Isis in the midst of this magical transformation and cries out, disrupting the goddess’ concentration and plunging her baby boy back into mortality. When Isis reveals her divine nature, Astarte forgives her the transgression and gives her the palace column, which hides Osiris’ coffin. Isis retreats back into the swamps of Egypt.
In the swamps, Isis brings Osiris’ body back to life just long enough to conceive the child Horus, eventual ruler of the Egyptian deities. The details of how Isis gave Osiris life vary due to the many versions of the story. In one tale, Isis and her sister Nephthys turn into kites—birds of prey similar to falcons—and fan the breath of life back into Osiris’ body with their light-filled, shining wings. Another account of the legend has Isis wandering over Egypt searching for the lost pieces of her husband’s body after it had been cut apart by her brother Set. Isis finds all the parts of Osiris’ body except the phallus, which she creates from mud (or gold). Reassembled and reanimated by the artisanship of Isis’ hands, Osiris once again comes to life and the couple spends an amorous, passionate evening together, conceiving Horus. In this version, Isis is said to perform funerary rites at each spot where she found a body part, erecting steles to mark the place of burial. By this, she hoped to confuse Set and make him think that Osiris was no longer a threat, either in death or life.
Most stories of this myth combine the aspects of both the bird and the dismemberment, either relating that she fanned Osiris to life and then gathered his body parts, or gathered his body parts and then fanned him to life. Either way, she brought her husband back from the dead and conceived life.
To the ancient Egyptians, death and life and rebirth were intertwined aspects of the same transitory period of existence. The fact that a fertility goddess such as Isis brought her husband back to life in order to become impregnated with a child symbolizes her magical ability to shepherd souls after death to another existence in the Afterlife. Being intimately connected with death, rebirth, and life through the mystery of Osiris, Isis becomes one of the intermediary goddesses between this world and the next. Her name is even intoned during numerous aspects of the funerary rites of the deceased, usually in conjunction with amulets of power that were placed on the body before burial.[24]
Yet, Isis is called upon not only for spiritual rebirth but for physical birth as well. In the story “Khufu and the Magician,” which is found on the Westcar Papyrus and dates from the Second Intermediary Period (around 1500 bce), Isis plays an important role in one of the few surviving birth stories from ancient Egypt. In this story, Raddjedet, wife of a priest of the sun god Ra, is pregnant with triplets who are destined to become kings of Egypt. As her birthing time nears, she begins to experience difficulty, so Ra requests the aid of deities of childbirth and creativity. Isis, her sister Nephthys, the birthing brick goddess Meskhenet, and Heqet are dispatched to the side of the laboring mother-to-be. They travel under the guise of musicians and dancers, with the god Khnum as their manager.
When they arrive at the house, they are immediately ushered into the birthing chamber. Isis and Nephthys flank the birthing woman, at her head and feet, while Heqet hastens the birth. Before each child is born, Isis commands he leave the womb and enter the room. She calls each child by name, drawing him out of the mother with the power of her voice.[25] After each birth, the child is cleaned and the cord cut, presumably by Nephthys and Meskhenet, since Heqet and Isis are busy tending to Raddjedet. Meskhenet then presents the child to Khnum, who gives health to the baby. All five gods have important roles to play in the birth of a child, but it is Isis who, as a goddess of fertility and of magical incantations, literally pulls the child from the transitory life of the womb into the warmth of Ra’s light here in the mundane world. The womb is but one step forward from the realm of the dead, the realm of her husband Osiris, just as it is but one step backward from the realm of the living, the realm of her son Horus. Isis is the link between these two states of being and, as such she is able to usher in the birth of a baby as easily as she shepherds out the soul of a deceased loved one.
When birthing a child, the womb and the embryonic fluids inside are sometimes rather romantically known as the “waters of life.” One’s “water breaks” directly before giving birth, expelling, in an obvious symbolic metaphor, any doubt that this experience is a false alarm. Is it any wonder then that Isis, as a fertile, birthing goddess, was thought in ancient Egypt to bring fertility, not only to individuals, but to the land itself? Her temple on the island of Philae was thought to be the source of the waters of life that allowed the Nile to rise and the grain to germinate.[26] In fact the flooding of the Nile River each year was said to be caused by the tears of Isis, who was lamenting the death of her beloved husband. Even today, the night of the flooding of the Nile River is called by Muslims “The Night of the Drop,” a name that originated with Isis’ sorrow as “The Night of the Tear-Drop.”[27] Isis is also connected to the star Sirius, which appears in the Egyptian sky around the time of the yearly flooding of the Nile River.
The Romans converted the euphemism of the “waters of life” and encapsulated it into the physical representative of the situla, a fancy bucket or urn. Isis’ image is often preserved in statues and on coins holding a situla in her hand. It is possible that the situla served as a reminder of Isis’ fertile, life-giving powers. The ceremonial water container might have been a way to symbolize the rising water of the Nile and its ability to fill the channels and ditches of the fields, thereby bringing life to the seeds.[28] Isis, once again, is seen to be the Mother of Egypt, providing sustenance for her children.
And, of course, the popular image of Isis suckling her son Horus emphasizes Isis’ role as provider for her people. The fertile goddess gives birth and then, with her own milk and her own tears, feeds her children. It is her body that nourishes us, her fluids that allow the plants to grow and the children to be full. (For, as we know in modern times, the correlation between a well-fed mom providing plenty of breast milk and a healthy child with a plentiful supply of food is inescapable.) This image of Isis and Horus is closely linked to the early Christian paintings of the Madonna and child, depicting Jesus on Mary’s lap. Although Isis’ fertility is toned down in the Christian version (no exposed breasts allowed), the implication is still clear: the divine son born of the divine mother, together bringing life to us all, both in this world and the next.
Isis is a far-reaching, fascinating goddess whose worship, rites, and stories extend beyond this brief introduction to her powers. As a goddess connected to birth, death, and rebirth, Isis spans our entire existence on and beyond the planet Earth. She is concerned with issues that sustain us in the here and now and expand our sensibilities in the hereafter. Wife and mother, Isis knows the sorrow and joy, the anxiety and happiness of life on Earth. She feels for us and extends her compassion. The fertile life-giver, the provider, the protector, the lover, Isis touches all aspects of our lives, our emotions, our thoughts, and our feelings. She is seen in the star Sirius, in the annual flooding of the Nile, in the flight of the kite, and in the depictions of the Madonna and child. Great and powerful, yet caring and compassionate, Isis mothers us as only she knows how, with power, strength, and a clear, steady voice.
Pathway to Isis
In many of Isis’ myths, she is shown using her voice in order to alter the course of events in her life. In the “Seven Scorpions,” she draws poison out of a boy stung by scorpions. In “Khufu and the Magician,” her voice encourages three babies to leave the womb of a pregnant mother. In another story (which I call “The Day the Sun Stood Still”), Isis’ cries stop the movement of the sun in order to heal Horus, with the help of Thoth. Indeed, her spoken word power stems from that powerful god, as Thoth taught her the correct words and pronunciations of the magical talismans and incantations. It is said that Isis “was strong of tongue, and uttered the words of power which she knew with correct pronunciation, and halted not in her speech, and was perfect both in giving the command and in saying the word.”[29]
In today’s world, how many of us are strong in speech? How many of us are comfortable with our words and our ability and right to voice them? Isis teaches us that we all have something meaningful to say, if we just accept our Goddess-given right to do so. All we have to do is learn to open up our throats and allow our divine voices to come out. So, with that in mind, let’s sing!
As with the Pleiades exercise, the choice of song is up to you. Choose something that has meaning to you personally and moves you emotionally. It would be best if it contained a powerful, life-affirming, self-confidence boosting theme, but it’s not strictly necessary. I like songs that showcase strong, assertive women and are a little brash and edgy. Pink’s “U + Ur Hand” or “Centerfold” (bonus track) from her album I’m Not Dead come to mind. Sometimes you can find the best grrl power songs on the soundtracks of movies designed for a teenage audience. Check out the Freaky Friday, Josie and the Pussycats, or Bend It Like Beckham soundtracks. (The movies aren’t half-bad either!) As a lover of all things faerie, I also have a particular affinity for the song “Trees” by the group Lovehammers, on their debut album Marty Casey and Lovehammers.
Once you’ve chosen your song, pick a time when you are alone in your house or apartment and crank it! That’s right, blast the volume so loud that the windows rattle and the birds outside rise off their tree branches in consternation. (It is best not to do this at midnight, especially if you live in an apartment building or in a very close neighborhood. However, if you happen to live in a frat house, sorority house, or college dormitory, by all means—feel free to share with your fellow students!) Listen to your song several times. Try not to do anything but listen. This is going to be difficult for most of us because there always seems to be so much to do and so little time in which to do it. But refrain from paying bills or flipping through the newest issue of your favorite magazine or planning supper. You might consider mowing the grass while listening to your song but only if you don’t have to think about it very hard. Same goes for dusting or cleaning the kitchen floor.
After listening to your song and learning the words, the time has come to sing. That’s right, sing. Open up those unused vocal chords and allow sound to come out. It doesn’t really matter how you sound (that’s why the music is so loud!). The point is to remind your psyche, your throat, and your inner self that you have a divine voice and you can use it! For good or ill. Don’t whisper the words to your song. You know them! Belt them out at the top of your voice! Sure, you may sound like a bullfrog in heat, but who cares? You’re alone. Nobody’s listening, except you and Isis and maybe the birds outside your window; they’re not judging you, so stop judging yourself! Remind yourself that your voice matters, whether you’re singing or waiting in line at the grocery store or requesting a raise from your boss. You matter! The universe has been waiting to hear your own unique, individual song. Don’t let it down by giving up and swallowing your words. It doesn’t matter if people like what you say; the point is that you think your words are important and necessary. And they are. Just ask Isis, goddess of powerful, magical incantations. She supports your vocal abilities by showing just how powerful a woman, a man, a human can become. Follow her example and grow into a fuller, more radiant, more successful, and more vocal you.
MANTRA
Through time and space
Rhiannon and me
Rhiannon (your name) Rhiannon (your name) Rhiannon (your name)
Rhiannon
Rhiannon is an imposing figure, regal in stature and in personality. Goddess of regeneration and the Underworld, patience and change, enchantments and sleep, fertility and death, she is a paradox, a maze, a labyrinth of inner worlds and outer realities. She is the faerie goddess of the sacred mounds and the worldly goddess of plain speech and quick action. She is as comfortable aiding us with materialistic goals as she is with spiritual achievements or emotional commitment. She truly is the goddess for all occasions and for all people, regardless of age or life path.
Modern devotees of the Divine Feminine (the universal or Great Goddess) often divide her energy into three distinct life phases—maiden, mother, and crone. They see these phases in the passing of human life, as well as in the movement of time through the seasons, and in the cycle of the moon phases. Whether or not you personally agree with this cosmological construct, it is a pervasive part of the modern goddess movement. Notice the phrase modern Goddess movement. The triple goddess, as assigned to the roles of maiden, mother, and crone, is a modern perception of ancient triple-aspected goddesses (such as Brigid, Morrighan, Hecate, etc.) whose three aspects were often sisters of similar age. There is a correlation between the maiden-mother-and crone goddess and the Greek Moirae and Roman Parcae, who were personifications of Fate and Time and thus represented past, present, and future. For this reason, they are sometimes thought to be a youth, a mother, and a hag. However, in classical texts, all three were depicted as ugly, old women, sometimes even sharing one eyeball.
Throughout classical and medieval literature, the goddesses are often depicted as fertile. They give birth. They fertilize the soil. They help and aid the growth of babies, plants, and our inner selves. As “mother figures,” they either begin as maidens and flourish into mothers, or they begin with a birth that allows them access to inner states of being and the wisdom of the crone. It is rare to find a goddess who passes through all three stages of the modern Triple Goddess. Such is the power of Rhiannon. In The Mabinogion, a Welsh medieval mythological epic, we see her at three distinct stages of her life: as virginal maid, a new mother, and an older crone. Rhiannon is the “Great Triple Goddess,” who incorporates the cycles of the moon into herself in order to experience all stages of a woman’s life.
We first meet Rhiannon as a beautiful maid on horseback, as she gently and calmly rides through the countryside. Her future husband, Pwyll is reclining on a sacred mound and, seeing Rhiannon in her ornate golden gown, immediately falls under her enchantment and must talk to her. For two days in a row, he sends one of his men to apprehend Rhiannon, but even though her horse looks to be walking slowly, neither man can catch her. The faster they ride, the farther away Rhiannon appears to be. Her displacement of time and space is key to understanding Rhiannon’s connection with the realm of the faeries. When working with faeries, it is not uncommon for time to speed up or slow down. Faeries are also known to distort the landscape, sometimes leading humans astray by manipulating the environment.
Despite Rhiannon’s obvious Otherworldly powers, Pwyll does not give up easily. On the third evening, after dinner, he saddles his own horse and waits for Rhiannon to show up. She does and at first glimpse, he rides after her. The magic of Rhiannon’s horse stays true; as Pwyll rides faster, Rhiannon grows farther away. Confounded and wanting very badly to meet this maid, Pwyll calls out to Rhiannon, asking her to stop and talk with him. She does, answering, “I will, gladly, and it had been better for the horse hadst thou asked this long since.”[30] Here we get a glimpse of Rhiannon’s strong, forthright personality. She is no meek, medieval maid.
Rhiannon waits for Pwyll to ride up to her and then, removing a veil from across her face (another symbol of the Faerie and the Otherworld) she fixes him with her gaze. The fact that she looks Pwyll directly in the face indicates, as does her plain-spoken words, that she believes herself to be his equal. She tells Pwyll that she has been riding here to talk with him because she is being given in marriage to a man she does not like. She explains, in true modern feminist fashion, that she would rather marry Pwyll, as long as he will have her. Pwyll, overcome by her beauty and spirit, does not even question this unusual way of contracting a marriage. Instead, he agrees immediately and sets up a tryst for them to meet at her father’s court in a year and a day.
Rhiannon’s behavior shows her innate power as she takes matters into her own hands, creating her life on her terms. Her straightforward conduct continues when Pwyll arrives at her father’s court in a year and a day. Rhiannon has prepared a feast for his coming and all in the household and in Pwyll’s war-band feast well. Rhiannon’s marriage occurs exactly as she had planned, when suddenly an auburn-haired, well-dressed youth arrives. He addresses Pwyll and requests a boon or favor of him.
Pwyll, not always the brightest of men, agrees magnanimously, without thinking. Rhiannon is horrified; the man is her ex-suitor Gwawl. But Pwyll has already committed to honoring Gwawl’s request and cannot refuse without losing his good reputation. Gwawl, obviously a tad more intelligent than Pwyll, asks for Rhiannon’s hand in marriage, as well as a feast. Pwyll is shocked into dumb silence and turns to Rhiannon with a blank expression on his face. True to her personality, Rhiannon offers no comfort to her husband-to-be. Instead, she tells him, “Be dumb as long as thou wilt. Never was there a man made feebler use of his wits than thou hast.”[31]
However, it is obvious that Rhiannon loves Pwyll for his emotional commitment to her, not his intelligence. When she suggests to Pwyll that he has to honor Gwawl’s request, he says, “Lady, I know not what sort of answer that is. I can never bring myself to do what thou sayest.”[32] But Rhiannon has a plan. She asks Pwyll to give her to Gwawl but to arrange the feast for a year and a day hence. On that day, Pwyll is to arrive at the court dressed as a beggar, holding a magical bag that Rhiannon has given him.
The year passes and the marriage feast for Gwawl and Rhiannon is laid and all eat well. Pwyll comes to the feast, according to plan, dressed as a beggar and holding Rhiannon’s magical bag. He asks that his bag be filled with food scraps. Food is placed in the bag but it seems to never get full. Gwawl wonders out loud at the marvel of this bag and Pwyll says that it will never be full unless a true land-holding man treads down the food with both feet. Rhiannon goads Gwawl into volunteering to tramp down the beggar’s food and, as soon as both feet are in the bag, Pwyll pulls up the sides and calls in his war-band. As every member of Pwyll’s retinue enters the hall, they hit the bag with a foot or a stick. Before too long, Gwawl gives up his right to Rhiannon and Pwyll makes her his bride.
Pwyll’s love for Rhiannon is tested in the fourth year of their marriage, as Rhiannon makes the transition from maiden to mother. On May Eve that year, Rhiannon gives birth to a baby boy. Exhausted from the birth and surrounded by six waiting women, Rhiannon falls into a deep sleep. One by one, the serving women also fall asleep. By the hour of midnight, no one is watching the baby. Both May Eve and the time of midnight are intricately connected to Faerieland, as they are considered “between-times”—times outside the normal course of time and space. May Eve is a date neither of spring nor of summer; midnight is a time neither of today nor of tomorrow. Therefore, it is no surprise that the baby disappears, possibly taken by the faeries as many new mothers feared in the medieval era.
The maidservants wake up before Rhiannon and discover the baby missing. Nervous that they shall be blamed and severely punished, they decide to kill a puppy and smear his blood all over Rhiannon and all over the hearth where the baby rested. Then, they plan to feign disgust when Rhiannon wakes up, telling her that she killed her son in her sleep and that they could not protect him due to her unnatural strength. It is in this section of her life story that Rhiannon becomes associated with dreamtime and dream magic, yet another Otherworldly experience.
When Rhiannon awakes, she is confronted by the scurrilous lies of the maids. She denies any wrongdoing and promises the servants, “You will come to no hurt for telling the truth.”[33] The maids do not trust her, however, and stick with their original story, blaming Rhiannon. Pwyll, caught between his love for his wife and his love for his baby boy, is told by his advisors and chieftains to “do away” with Rhiannon. However, Pwyll has too much love for his wife. Instead, he orders her to do penance for seven years. (Seven has long been considered a magical number and is yet another connection to the land of faeries.) Rhiannon must meet all travelers at the horseblock to the castle and explain the crime for which she is being punished. Then, she must offer to serve as their horse, carrying each and every visitor on her back to the court. Rhiannon, knowing her innocence but unable to prove it, shows unearthly patience and willingly agrees to the penance.
About halfway through her seven years’ penance, a farmer arrives at court with a boy who looks remarkably like Pwyll. The farmer explains that on May Eve, several years ago, he battled a demon that tried to steal his newborn colt. He ran after the demon and when he returned to the barn, stumbled across a baby boy. He points to the boy, saying that he believes the boy he found is actually Rhiannon and Pwyll’s son. The entire court agrees and Rhiannon is cleared of any wrongdoing. The entire court is in a frenzy of happiness and joy. Amid the gleeful chaos, Rhiannon exclaims, “Between me and God, I should be delivered of my care if that were true.”[34]
With those words, Rhiannon evokes her mother right to name her child. Taken from the first sentence Rhiannon said when hearing her son had returned, the child is named Pryderi, which means care, worry, or anxiety in Welsh.[35] By speaking her mind, Rhiannon has reinstated herself as the chieftain’s wife and a woman of authority. Her power, inside herself and inside the community, is greater after undergoing her terrible ordeal. While at the horseblock, she had to find her own inner strength, as she was emotionally and physically alone in the world, shunned and mistreated by the people she loved. Suffering through her penance changed Rhiannon, allowing her to grow in influence and supremacy, as well as in patience, modesty, and serenity. She knows she can survive anything.
Rhiannon’s newfound power is tested when her son, all grown-up, arrives home from Bran’s ill-fated attack on Ireland to retrieve his sister Branwen. Pryderi is only one of seven men (again that number) who survive the battle. After arriving back on The Island of the Mighty (a.k.a. England and Wales), he travels across the country from London with Manawydan, his companion and fellow warrior. When Manawydan complains that he has no land and no place to lay his head, Pryderi suggests that he marry his mother, Rhiannon, since she is a widow (Pwyll has died by this time) and has possession of his father’s lands in Dyfed. Manawydan agrees to meet with Rhiannon and see if they are compatible.
Rhiannon’s enchantments are still strong, despite the fact that she is no longer young. When they sit down to talk, Manawydan’s “heart grew tender towards her, and he admired in his heart how he had never beheld a lady more graced with beauty and comeliness than she.”[36] Rhiannon’s beauty does not diminish with age and is another bond to the faerie folk of old. Folk tales tell of faeries living hundreds of years, yet possessing the physical attractiveness of youth. Whether through glamoury, faerie magic, or really good genes, Rhiannon is still a gorgeous woman. Manawydan falls under Rhiannon’s otherworldly charms and, after only one evening, contracts with Pryderi to marry her.
After the marriage feast, Rhiannon and Manawydan are out riding with Pryderi and his wife, Cigfa, when the entire countryside changes. A peal of thunder shakes the ground, a strange mist covers the four riders and Dyfed no longer looks like Dyfed. The houses, the people, the flocks of animals, and the towns are completely different. The four have been transported to another realm. And suddenly, the chieftain and his family must support themselves doing physical jobs such as making shoes, shields, and saddles.
In the midst of this strange occurrence, Pryderi and Manawydan happen upon an unusual caer, or fortress. Pryderi, ever the adventurer, goes inside and becomes trapped by touching a golden bowl next to a fountain. Manawydan, older and more cautious than Pryderi, refuses to enter the caer and returns home to Rhiannon, who is appalled that her husband left her son to fend for himself. With shades of her younger, irrepressible, out-spoken self, Rhiannon proclaims, “Faith! A bad comrade hast thou been, but a good comrade hast thou lost.”[37] Without a second thought, Rhiannon races to the caer, enters the castle, finds her son, touches the golden bowl, and is also trapped inside the caer! Luckily, Manawydan proves himself worthy of her love by solving the riddle of the caer and freeing Pryderi and Rhiannon.
Although Rhiannon’s part in this story is very small, it is of importance. Here is a goddess who, as an older woman, still retains her vital spark of life and her innate beauty of spirit and of body. Her sense of self has not diminished with time, rather it has become more definite and well defined. As one of the few women in The Mabinogion who actually ages, Rhiannon is a role-model for the modern woman. Strong and agile, fleet of mind and foot, her age does not impede her. She is comfortable with herself and does not hide her inner greatness, no matter her age, position, or life task.
As shown in The Mabinogion, Rhiannon truly is Maiden, Mother, and Crone. In all three stages of her life, she talks quickly, thinks quickly, and acts quickly, yet has an amazing capacity for acceptance and patience. Loyalty, honor, and truth are Rhiannon’s sacred gifts, as are gentleness and forgiveness, both of yourself and of others. Rhiannon is of the mind and as such, responds to plain-spoken words and actions. However, her capacity for love is vast and she will willingly take on the burdens of others in order to protect them and save them from disgrace.
Rhiannon is a goddess of growth and survival, weathering unspeakable heartache and misery in order to emerge stronger, courageous and whole. Yet her innate spunky, even faerie-like, nature does not react well to self-deceit. She asks you to come to her open and vulnerable and she will help you with your life path, healing emotional wounds and giving you words of power when you have need. Her power, like yours, comes from life experience.[38]
Pathway to Rhiannon
In today’s modern world of huge televisions and slick magazines and digital pictures, it becomes easy to accept the modern concept of beauty. Youth is beauty. Slimness is beauty. Perfection is beauty. Musculature is beauty. The icons of beauty (and, thus, of success) are movie stars, rock singers, super models, and star athletes. We all strive to attain the golden panacea of beauty with styling products, expensive makeup and facial creams, body wraps, and athletic trainers. As we grow older, we color our hair, tuck our tummies, and lift our faces in order to appear to be something we are not so we can fit into society’s concept of beauty. We all want to be considered beautiful, don’t we?
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look and feel beautiful. But there’s something warped about a society that refuses to acknowledge the many facets and the infinite variety of beauty. When we deny our own innate beauty, we deny our own ability to grow and give to the world. We weaken our self-confidence and self-esteem, lessening our ability to make positive, life-affirming decisions and changes in our lives and in the world around us. Beauty—like divinity—comes from within. If we are beautiful on the inside, then others will see us as beautiful. If we are ugly, self-deprecating, self-conscious, and jealous on the inside, then others will see us as those rather ugly things. Some of the most beautiful people in the world are not supermodels, movie stars, or star athletes. They are those people who love themselves and whose love for themselves shines out to encompass all they meet. They are the skipping children, the smiling grandmothers, the open-hearted teachers or coaches.
So, let’s turn off those televisions and close those magazines and remember to love the body we’re in—every wrinkle and gray hair and love-handle. Rhiannon is beautiful and divine in all of her phases of life, just as we all are. Take some time every day to remind yourself that you are beautiful and loved. Every morning, after washing your face and brushing your teeth, look at yourself and say, “You are beautiful.” Say this three times for each of Rhiannon’s life phases—Maiden, Mother, and Crone—or say it seven times for the faerie number that consistently appears in her stories. If you feel awkward, start by saying it just once. The number of times really doesn’t matter as long as you say it out loud with conviction. Remember, Rhiannon uses her voice and is not shy to speak plainly and succinctly, while still harboring love and devotion. See this time as a daily devotion to yourself. After all, you’ve done wonderful, incredible things in this world. You are a wonderful, incredible, beautiful human being. Honor the Divine in you by reminding yourself of that fact!
RITUAL FOR SPIRITUALITY:
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?
Suggested Ritual Days
December 31: World Spirituality Day, as declared by the Integrative Spirituality Movement
The first Thursday in May: The National Day of Prayer, as recognized by the government of the United States
The first Thursday in May: The National Day of Reason, as declared by numerous secular, humanist, atheist, and rationalist groups
You can perform this ritual on any days of importance that are specific to your particular religion or spiritual path. Secular holidays (like Valentine’s Day, Veterans Day, and St. Patrick’s Day), snow days, the equinoxes and solstices, the first day of the month, the last day of the month, stormy days, sunny days, and your birthday are all powerful times throughout the year that can be used to access and work with your personal spirituality. The options are limitless!
Items needed
an album of your favorite music
cleansing or energizing room spray (such as Florida water or a vibrational essence myst)
a pen
several pieces of paper
Sit down in your favorite space and begin to listen to your album. Spritz the spray around the room (making sure to mist yourself as well) and begin to connect to the source of the Divine within. You can do this through dance, meditation, grounding and centering, yoga, singing, or by simply “being.” Don’t feel obligated to stay in your chair. Get up and move if you feel so inclined!
Once you feel connected to the Divine, sit down and answer the following questions. Don’t think about them. Don’t agonize over the right answer. There isn’t one. You are simply figuring out the type of ritual that relates to your spirituality at the present moment. Spirituality shifts, just as our emotions and moods shift. What moves us on a deep level and connects us to the Divine source changes on a daily, possibly even hourly, basis. Every time you wish to honor your spirituality, you need to tap in to its exact frequency at that given moment in time. Your spirituality begins and ends with you and your perception and connection to the Divine. No one can tell you how to honor your spirituality. You have to do that for yourself.
THE QUESTIONS
1. Today, I feel____________________.
2. When I close my eyes, I see the color(s) _____________________.
3. When I open my eyes and look around, I predominately see the color(s) ________.
4. Out of the four elements of earth, air, fire, and water, today I feel most drawn to _________________________________________________________________.
5. Out of the three aspects of above, below, and within, today I feel most connected to _________________________________________________________________.
6. Out of the two constructs of light and dark, today I feel most connected to
_________________________________________________________________.
7. Out of all the animals in the world, today I feel closest to ____________________.
8. Out of all the mythological and fantasy creatures in the world, today I feel closest to _______________________________________________________________.
9. Today my favorite piece of jewelry is ____________________________________.
10. Right now, the weather is _____________________________________________.
11. Right now, I wish the weather was ______________________________________.
12. If I could be anywhere in the world or the universe, throughout time and space,
I would most like to be _______________________________________________.
13. If I could be doing anything right now, I would be _________________________.
14. Looking at my items of spiritual power, today I am most inclined to pick up and
hold _____________________________________________________________.
15. Today my favorite memory is _________________________________________.
16. Right now, I am hungry for ___________________________________________.
17. Right now, I am thirsty for ____________________________________________.
18. Right now, my deepest wish is _________________________________________.
19. Right now, my immediate goal is _______________________________________.
20. Right now, I am grateful for ___________________________________________.
After answering the questions, read through them and see if you see any similarities. For instance, you might find that the room you’re sitting in has a lot of red colors, your favorite piece of jewelry is an amber pendant, you feel most connected to the element of fire, and you wish the weather was warm and sunny. This would indicate that you may wish to experience heat of some sort in your spiritual ritual, possibly utilizing a candle, hearthfire, or campfire. Perhaps you are hungry to spend time with your best friend, thirsty for acknowledgement in the workplace, while realizing that your deepest wish is to become a Reiki Master Healer, and your immediate goal is to make more money so you can attend an upcoming class or workshop. These answers would show you that your workplace is not supporting your ideas of success (personal or material) and that you need to look outside the workplace for new ideas.
The questions that don’t seem to fit into the pattern are also important, as they represent individual interests and influences that could be cultivated, if you choose. A random frog or water influence might indicate a need for change or mutability. A rose quartz might show that you are not loving yourself enough to pursue your goals, or it might show you that you need to open up to a new love in your life. Read the answers to the questions by yourself. Only you know what they mean to you. Do not consult a book—any book—until after you have fully analyzed the answers and come to your own conclusions.
Now that you’ve ascertained your present mindset, needs, passions, goals, interests, and influences, you can craft a ritual specific to your own spirituality. Go with your gut. It doesn’t need to be flashy or fancy or two hours long. A five-minute ritual performed from the heart has much more impact than an hour-long celebration that you copied word-for-word from a book or from the internet. Remember, this is your ritual designed to work with your Divine connection. Trust your intuition and enjoy the spiritual experience!
[1]. French, “Dying to Know the Truth,” The Lancet, 2010–2011.
[2]. Pleiade Associates, “The Pleiades in Mythology.”
[3]. Anglo-Australian Observatory, “The Pleiades.”
[4]. Evelyn-White, Hesiod: Works and Days, 383–404.
[5]. Ibid., 618.
[6]. Graves, Greek Myths, 63–64.
[7]. Ibid., 749.
[8]. Many would claim that Maia is a separate Goddess as well but, in the myths, she is continuously referred to as a “nymph,” not a “Goddess.”
[9]. Graves, Greek Myths, 323–324.
[10]. Ibid., 154.
[11]. Hesiod, The Divination by Birds to Idaean Dactyles.
[12]. Ovid, Fasti: Book IV.”
[13]. Graves, Greek Myths, 473.
[14]. Ibid., 152.
[15]. www.elvendrums.com
[16]. http://www.doorwaypublications.com/
[17]. Seawright, “Isis, Sister of Nephthys, Mistress of Magic.”
[18]. Welch, “The Sign Language of Roman Coins: Isis, Goddess of the Nile.”
[19]. Ibid.
[20]. Golden Dawn Research Center.
[21]. Budge, Egyptian Magic, 137.
[22]. Ibid., 140.
[23]. Ibid., 141.
[24]. Ibid., 43, 44, 59, and 115.
[25]. Seawright, “Tales of Magic in Ancient Egypt.”
[26]. Anderson, “Philae.”
[27]. Goddess Gift, “Isis Egyptian Goddess of Magic and Giver of Life.”
[28]. Welch, “The Language of Roman Coins: Isis, Goddess of the Nile.”
[29]. Budge, Egyptian Magic, 129.
[30]. Jones and Jones, Mabinogion, 10.
[31]. Ibid., 11.
[32]. Ibid., 11.
[33]. Ibid., 16.
[34]. Ibid., 19.
[35]. Ibid., 19.
[36]. Ibid., 36.
[37]. Ibid., 40.
[38]. Much of the story of Rhiannon first appeared in Goddess Alive!, 256–261. For more information and intimate workings with Rhiannon, Great Queen and Triple Goddess, including a guided meditation and ritual, please see chapter 14 of Goddess Alive!