As the flowers bloom and the warmth of May envelops us, Mother’s Day on May 11th invites us to honor the nurturing, life-giving essence of motherhood—both earthly and divine. During this sacred time, many witches and pagans connect with mother goddesses who embody the energies of creation, compassion, and unconditional love. For many, Mother’s Day is a deeply grounding celebration, where the divine feminine shines as the heartbeat of all life. We feel called to step into the embrace of these goddesses, to reflect on the maternal bonds that shape us, and to weave magic that honors the cycles of nurturing and growth. In this season, we may be drawn to the healing power of love, the strength of protection, and the wisdom of creation, as we listen to the whispers of the ancestors and plant seeds of gratitude in the fertile soil of May. During this time, several mother goddesses take center stage, offering an intimate connection to their nurturing energies. Mother’s Day, celebrated in May, is a pivotal time in pagan culture, filled with love, reflection, renewal, and abundance. Let’s walk through a sacred space of maternal magic, where hearts bloom and spirits connect, to pause, reflect, and honor the divine mothers as we meet some of these goddesses together in this post today.
The Divine Feminine: What It Means and Why We Work with It
The Divine Feminine is the sacred, universal energy that embodies nurturing, intuition, creation, and interconnectedness. It is the life-giving force present in all beings, often symbolized by the moon, the earth, and the ocean—elements that flow, sustain, and transform. In spiritual practices, the Divine Feminine represents qualities like compassion, empathy, receptivity, and the power to birth new ideas, relationships, and life itself. It is the counterpart to the Divine Masculine, and together, they create balance, much like the cycles of nature we honor in pagan traditions. For me, the Divine Feminine is the heartbeat of the universe, the motherly embrace that holds us through every season, guiding us to trust our intuition and honor our emotions.
We work with the Divine Feminine to reconnect with our inner wisdom, heal ancestral wounds, and cultivate self-love. By invoking this energy, we align with the cycles of creation and destruction, learning to nurture ourselves and others while embracing our intuitive power. On Mother’s Day, the Divine Feminine takes center stage, as we honor the mothers in our lives and the goddess energy that flows through them. Working with the Divine Feminine helps us tap into our capacity for unconditional love, to heal familial bonds, and to create a world where nurturing and compassion thrive. It’s a reminder that every act of care—whether for ourselves, our loved ones, or the earth—is a sacred offering to the Divine Feminine, aligning us with the eternal cycle of life.
Demeter – Greek Goddess
Demeter, the Greek goddess of agriculture, fertility, and the harvest, is a quintessential mother goddess, embodying the nurturing essence of the earth. Known as the mother of Persephone, Demeter’s love for her daughter is so profound that her grief over Persephone’s “abduction” by Hades causes the earth to wither, and her joy at her return brings spring’s renewal. Celebrated in the Eleusinian Mysteries, Demeter is a deity of sustenance and unconditional love, often depicted holding sheaves of wheat or a cornucopia. On Mother’s Day, her energy invites us to honor the protective, life-giving love of mothers, to nurture our own growth, and to connect with the earth’s abundance. In Taurus season, Demeter’s grounding presence encourages us to cultivate stability through care, as we’ve explored with deities like Persephone in our recent guides here. Do you crave diving deeper into her story and looking at it from a shadow perspective of binding chains join The Mystic Mysteries here to read her tale in The Divine Tales series here.
Isis – Egyptian Goddess
Isis, the Egyptian goddess of magic, healing, and motherhood, is a powerful mother goddess revered for her protective and nurturing energy. Known as the mother of Horus and wife of Osiris, Isis reassembled her husband’s body after his murder, using her magic to conceive Horus, symbolizing the power of maternal love to overcome even death. Often depicted with a throne headdress or wings, Isis is a deity of unconditional love and wisdom. On Mother’s Day, her energy encourages us to tap into our inner magic, to heal familial wounds, and to protect those we love. In Taurus season, Isis aligns with grounding themes of stability, urging us to nurture with resilience.
Yemaya – Yoruba Goddess
Yemaya, the Yoruba goddess of the ocean, motherhood, and fertility, is a nurturing deity of the African diaspora, often called the mother of all life. Associated with the sea, Yemaya is depicted as a majestic woman in flowing blue and white robes, her arms outstretched like waves. She protects mothers and children, offering comfort and emotional healing, and her energy is deeply tied to the moon’s cycles. On Mother’s Day, Yemaya invites us to connect with the ocean’s nurturing depths, to cleanse emotional wounds, and to honor the universal mother within. In Taurus season, her watery energy complements the grounding earth, encouraging emotional stability. Are you craving to dive deeper with Yemaya and want a spell to work with her maternal embrace? Get access to it here in my free deity a day series!
Gaia – Greek Goddess
Gaia, the Greek primordial goddess of the earth, is the ultimate mother goddess, the creator of all life and the embodiment of the planet itself. In mythology, Gaia birthed the Titans, the sky, and the sea, nurturing all beings with her boundless love. Often depicted as a lush, earthy figure emerging from the soil, Gaia represents the interconnectedness of life. On Mother’s Day, her energy calls us to honor the earth as our universal mother, to nurture our environment, and to cultivate gratitude for her gifts. In Taurus season, Gaia’s grounding energy aligns perfectly, encouraging us to plant seeds of care.
Frigg – Norse Goddess
Frigg, the Norse goddess of motherhood, marriage, and wisdom, is a loving mother goddess who rules over Asgard as Odin’s wife. Known for her foresight and protective nature, Frigg is the mother of Baldr, whose death she mourned deeply, showcasing her maternal devotion. Often depicted with a spinning wheel, Frigg weaves the fates of humanity, embodying wisdom and care. On Mother’s Day, her energy encourages us to honor the protective love of mothers, to seek wisdom in our nurturing roles, and to strengthen familial bonds.
Hathor – Egyptian Goddess
Hathor, the Egyptian goddess of love, music, dance, and motherhood, is a joyful mother goddess who nurtures the soul with her vibrant energy. Known as the “Lady of the Sycamore” and mother of the pharaohs, Hathor is often depicted with cow horns and a sun disk, symbolizing fertility and protection. She comforts the dead and celebrates life with her music and dance, embodying maternal joy and healing. On Mother’s Day, Hathor invites us to embrace love, creativity, and celebration, honoring the joy mothers bring to our lives.
Parvati – Hindu Goddess
Parvati, the Hindu goddess of love, fertility, and devotion, is a devoted mother goddess and wife of Shiva, mother to Ganesha and Kartikeya. Known for her strength and nurturing nature, Parvati embodies the power of feminine resilience, transforming from a gentle maiden into the fierce Durga when needed. Often depicted with a serene smile and adorned with jewelry, Parvati represents the balance of love and protection. On Mother’s Day, her energy encourages us to honor the strength and devotion of mothers, to nurture our families with love, and to find inner peace.
Danu – Celtic Goddess
Danu, the Celtic goddess of the earth, rivers, and fertility, is a primordial mother goddess revered as the ancestor of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Though her myths are sparse, she is associated with the life-giving waters and the land’s abundance, often depicted as a flowing, earthy figure emerging from a river. Danu nurtures all life, offering wisdom and protection to her children. On Mother’s Day, her energy calls us to honor the earth and rivers as maternal sources, to nurture our connection to nature, and to seek ancestral wisdom.
How to Connect to and Work with These Mother Goddesses
Everyone’s relationship with deities is different, and we all work with and believe in them differently. You might see them as close, personal guides, or as archetypes of universal energy to learn from. However you incorporate deities into your practice is up to you. Here are some ideas to get you started on ways to work with any or all of these mother goddesses on Mother’s Day. Approach them with respect, reverence, gratitude, and by building a relationship with them. Every time you work with a deity, it’s an even energetic exchange—what you put into your intention and relationship with them is what you’ll receive in return. Don’t forget to check out my shop for an eBook to explore your view of deities further, or purchase my Deep Deity Devotionals workshop course here.
Research, study, and read about their myths, origins, and legends to deepen your connection.
Refresh your altar or create a new one, adding their correspondences like wheat for Demeter or seashells for Yemaya.
Cast spells for love, healing, or protection, inviting mother goddesses to guide your intentions.
Call on them for divination, such as tarot, pendulum readings, or scrying with water, to gain maternal insights.
Use their correspondences in protection spells, especially for family or home, to bless your space.
Create spell pouches with their energies, placing them on your altar or gifting them to mothers in your life.
Focus on shadow work around themes of nurturing, self-love, and healing familial bonds—If you would like to learn more about shadow work you can purchase my eBook here; you can book me for a 1:1 session as your guide here; and you can watch my free class previously taught on it through Divination here.
Invite them into your circle during Mother’s Day rituals, such as blessing a family meal or planting flowers.
Include them in your celebrations for Mother’s Day by dedicating offerings or prayers to them.
Practice flower magic by creating floral arrangements or offerings for goddesses like Gaia or Demeter.
Go on a mindful walk in nature to connect with their energies, such as by the ocean for Yemaya or in a forest for Gaia.
Invoke their names when creating simmer pots with herbs like lavender or rosemary to invite love into your home.
Use herbal magic—brew teas with chamomile or rose, or add herbs to your drinks, to honor their energies.
Carve their sigils into candles for fire magic to ignite love and protection on Mother’s Day.
Perform purification rituals with water or floral essences to cleanse your energy in their honor.
Carve their sigils into soil or seeds before planting for nurturing and abundance spells.
Make rose water for spells and offerings, especially for Isis or Frigg, to honor their love.
Use oils with their correspondences in rituals for healing, love, or maternal wisdom.
Bake treats with floral or honey ingredients, adding their sigils for love and gratitude.
Offer gifts like flowers, honey, or milk to manifest their blessings and build a relationship.
Add their sigils and correspondences to spell bags, talismans, or charms for protection and love.
Leave offerings of water or flowers to connect with nurturing and healing during Mother’s Day.
Carve their sigils into wooden stakes in your garden to welcome their blessings for family growth.
Invoke them during commitment ceremonies for family bonds or self-love practices.
Draw their sigils on your mirror for mirror work or glamour magic to embody their energy.
Use their prayers in rituals for healing, love, or nurturing during Mother’s Day celebrations.
Invite them into astral travels, meditations, or inner healing sessions for maternal guidance.
Wear their colors—blue for Yemaya, green for Gaia—during the day for color magic.
Journal about signs of their presence in your life, like a wave for Yemaya or a raven for Frigg.
Use their images as inspiration for glamour and beauty spells, especially with Isis.
Practice divination like scrying with ocean water, flower petal readings, or lunar gazing.
Create protective charms inspired by Frigg for ongoing family blessings.
Add their sigils, names, or images to your Mother’s Day celebrations, like family altars.
Leave a plate and place for them at your Mother’s Day gatherings to invite their presence.
Meditate in a nurturing space, like a garden or by water, listening for their words of wisdom.
Call on them in prayers to ignite your compassion in spells for family healing.
Volunteer at places like women’s shelters that align with their energies of nurturing and protection.
Use their sigils in spells to aid in your healing and nurturing during Mother’s Day.
Go on a shamanic journey with their symbols, like a wheat stalk for Demeter or a wave for Yemaya.
Invoke them to bless your magical tools with their energies of love and protection.
I am Kayreign, the Divine Oracle of the Gods and Keeper of Mysteries, a solitary grey magic practitioner with over 15 years of experience walking the sacred paths of the unseen. As a mystic and relentless seeker of all knowledge, I weave together the threads of every magical tradition—light and dark, ancient and modern—to uncover the universal truths that bind us to the cosmos. My mission is to restore and re-enchant magic in this realm, igniting its spark in every soul I encounter, and guiding you to embrace the full spectrum of your being.
My work is rooted in the power of duality, honoring the dance between shadow and light as equal partners in your spiritual journey. I hold space for you to explore all magic paths and practices, drawing from the vast tapestry of mystical wisdom to help you uncover your unique magic and sacred contracts. As the Divine Oracle of the Gods, I channel divine insights to illuminate your path; as the Keeper of Mysteries, I guide you into the depths of the unknown, where true transformation awaits.
When you work with me, you’ll learn to live in energetic balance, embracing your darkness as a source of power, not just a stepping stone to the light. I’ll hold up a mirror to reflect your authentic self—unmasked, raw, and whole—inviting you to face your past wounds, traumas, and hurts with courage. Together, we’ll alchemize every chapter of your story, dark and light, into a blazing internal flame that lights your way on even the coldest nights. Through this process, you’ll find alignment with your purpose, release what holds you back, and step fully into your power.
Come join me for community, knowledge, and to restore the enchantment of magic in yourself and life today!
Explore my offerings—personalized shadow work sessions, womb healing, eBooks for self-guided growth, Tarot readings for divine guidance, and more—in my shop. Let’s journey together into the mysteries, where duality becomes your greatest ally, and magic becomes your birthright.
Our ancestors needed fire to stay alive. They needed it for warmth, to cook their food and brew their medicinal remedies. They needed a fireplace or hearth to light and keep that fire burning for all these much needed things to survive. Even today living in Minnesota your hearth is an important place for our long , harsh, and cold winter months we experience here. We light them to heat up our homes, connect us to hope, and create a festive environment for the holidays with their dancing lights. Our hearth is a sacred and magical space for us to meet at as we light up our homes with it’s creative, protective, purifying, and generous energy. When we are at this sacred space within our home we have the ability to connect to one of the most compassionate, generous, forgiving, and peaceful Greek goddesses we can work with; Hestia. Hestia is the sole attendant to the celestial hearth of the gods. As the goddess of the hearth, she personified the fire burning in the hearths of every home in Greece. Plus she was at the heart of the each city burning bright in the communal hearth at the center of town. On a very tangible level, Hestia rules the domain of fire. This means that she is directly responsible, at least according to the Greeks, for the fire, the stove, and the heat in your home. Which means she has a great impact on our family matters as well. Come join me as the fire is dancing in your hearth filling your home with protection, peace, and gentleness as we learn about Hestia in this blog post.
Who is Hestia?
Hestia’s presence fills a room with her wise, grounded energy, and her emotional maternal warmth is open, eternal, and strong. Hestia knows who she is and what she wants. She knows what is most important in her life and that’s what she centers her life around. She is calm, wise, and mature. She represents our spiritual core, and our connection with something deeper. That feeds us from the inside out like the eternal divine flame that she keeps. Hestia exemplifies the calm at the core of one’s being. When you need some quiet time alone, you long for her embrace as you sit next to the eternal flame. She is one of the original 12 Olympians in the Greek pantheon. But, later on in myths, Hestia gave up her throne for Dionysus. This is why some today consider her the secret 13th god of mount Olympus. Not only that alongside Artemis and Athena she is considered one of only three virginal goddesses putting her in a place of modesty, purity, and innocence in many myths and stories. Her most important role she is referred to in a Homeric hymn as “chief among goddesses”. Hestia was a very important goddess in the everyday life of the Greeks. Hestia is the Goddess of the Hearth Fire, Goddess of the Home, First and Last, Goddess of Domestic Order, Goddess of the state, and Goddess of Service and Devotion.
Hestia the keeper of the eternal flame
Hestia is known as the keeper of the sacred flame. This comes from Socrates when he describes his view of the cosmos. He saw it as ten divine celestial bodies [planets] that rhythmically rotated” around a Divine Fire, which was the center of the cosmos. That Divine Fire was Hestia, she was the hearth of the universe. Her flame symbolizes the continuity of life, community, and the divine spark within each person. You will also often see her referenced as the goddess of the sacrificial flame as which meant she received a share of every sacrifice to the gods. In many homes and public temples, the first sacrifice was given to Hestia before all other deities. It was said if you wanted your hearth to be lit all winter long you needed to give her the first piece of the best meat of every meal and especially on sacred festivals and holidays. Some say this is due to her being the eternal flame. While others say it’s because of her commitment to being chaste. So, Zeus made this a decree as a reward for all to honor her dedication.
Hestia the goddess of the hearth
Hestia is goddess of the hearth and this is the primary place she prefers to reside. Actually, her name itself means “hearth” or “altar.” This was a very prominent place in the life of every Greek to hold. In both the “Iliad” and the “Odyssey,” the hearth is more than a source of warmth and nourishment; it is the heart of the household. A sacred space where gods are honored and familial bonds are reinforced. This reverence for the hearth reflects Hestia’s domain. Highlighting the significance of her role in fostering the bonds of kinship and hospitality from the hearth of each and every home. As the goddess of the hearth; Hestia also symbolizes the importance of creating sacred space within one’s home by honoring the fire that turns wood to ashes and re –kindles itself, resurrecting what was once dead.
Hestia the goddess of home
As the goddess of the family and hearth she watches over the home as a protective matriarch. She also presided over the cooking of bread and the preparation of the family meal. Her commitment to family and community is unbreakable. As the goddess of the home, she fosters connections and ensures that bonds remain strong. She has the unique gift of fostering unity. She symbolized the family and community bond. Her presence at the hearth ensured peace and harmony, causing families to come together and strangers to become friends around the warmth of the fireplace of every home.
Hestia the goddess of the state
Many Greek cities and states had their own patron god. For example, Athens had Athena. However, Hestia was the goddess of the state in general. Her domain tied back to the role of the hearth in public life and the idea of a city as an extended family. Each city had a sacred fire dedicated to Hestia for use during festivals. The fire of this public hearth was also used for all state sacrifices and offerings. The maintenance of the hearth was an important duty, as an extinguished fire was a bad omen for the city. I also feel she was given this role to honor her significance as the chieftain goddess among the gods and goddesses. Plus her ability to stay calm, and neutral l in all matters of conflict among the gods is a great quality for the state to have and want to embody as well.
Family and Origin
As with every other deity I have written about her origin and family history is shrouded in a bit of smoky history with different versions to be found. Most agree that Hestia was the eldest daughter of the Titans Rhea and Cronus. She was sister to Demeter, Hades, Hera, Poseidon, and Zeus. Because of her commitment to be chaste unlike other goddesses she has no consorts, no lovers, no husband and no children.
Myths and legends
During one of the most important myths of Greek culture; the Titanomachy; when Zeus over throws his father Cronus to become the king of the Olympian Greek pantheon. Hestia is directly mentioned as well. She is listed as the first of the siblings Cronus swallowed and the last to emerge again from the depths of his belly. So, technically she is not only the eldest and first born of the Olympians but, also the youngest and the last to be born as well. Placing her in a very dualistic place within the Olympic pantheon. While also tying her to the creative and destructive force that is the element of fire.
Her Vow of Virginity She was pursued by both Poseidon and Apollo, who desired to marry her. Despite their advances, she chose to remain a virgin goddess. She made a solemn vow to Zeus, promising to remain chaste and dedicate herself to the service of mankind and the gods. Her vow symbolized her commitment to her role as the goddess of the hearth and her focus on community and family.
Giving Up Her Seat on Mount Olympus In a selfless act that underscores the goddess’s gentle nature, she gave up her seat on Mount Olympus to Dionysus when he was accepted as one of the Twelve Olympians. This act wasn’t about relinquishing power but about ensuring harmony and balance among the gods. She continued to tend the sacred hearth in Olympus, maintaining her important role solo.
Her aid to Prometheus
Hestia secretly helped Prometheus steal fire from the Olympian hearth to give to humans. She did this by simply turning a blind eye to his actions. Allowing him to steal the eternal flame as she tended to it and gift it to all of us humans. Her aid wasn’t just about lighting hearths; it was a game-changer for humanity. With fire, people could cook, stay warm, and forge tools; essentially kickstarting civilization.
Her attempted rape The Roman poet Ovid recounted one story in which the vegetation god Priapus tried to rape the virgin Hestia. Finding Hestia sleeping in the woods, Priapus approached her stealthily with the intention of having his way with her. But a donkey suddenly brayed nearby, waking the goddess. When the other gods learned of Priapus’ intentions, they banished him from their gatherings. He was sent to live in the forest with the woodland gods, far from Mount Olympus.
Worship of Hestia
Hestia’s worship was widespread and mainly upheld within the home. Within them families would honor her at their central hearth, at the very heart of each home. Unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of references showing entire temples in her dedication or priesthoods like we find with many of the Greek goddesses. Although there is a vague mention of a Hestia priestess in one ancient source. The most I can find really documented about her is connected to her roman counter part Vesta, the temple of vesta, the vestal virgins, and the festival Vestalia, which I talk about below. Plus mentioning’s of sacrifices being left for her at the hearth in the central of town. I bet she was worshipped in almost every single temple though. Typically, every main temple had its own hearth which meant Hestia presided and ruled there as well. Essentially she was worshipped all over the city where she received many of the cities’ sacrifices. Her job was crucial to the survival of the entire community. Her loving, peaceful embrace was present and was felt by every citizen in every home.
Vestalia
Her own festival for her counter part in Rome was known as the Vestalia. The Vestalia, was celebrated from June 7 to 15. During the festival, violets and bread were hung in garlands on donkeys. As the hearth is used to bake, the bread was representative of the goddess. The donkeys symbolized the story of the god Priapus, who attempted to rape the goddess but was frightened by the braying of a donkey and scared away . At the end of the festival, on the 15th of June, the Temple of Vesta was cleaned. On the 9th it is said, the matrons of the town walked barefooted in procession to her temple, to ask for the blessing of the goddess for their households, and to offer sacrifice to her in rude dishes, in remembrance of the time when the hearth served generally for the baking of bread.
Who is Vesta and the Vestal virgins?
Hestia’s Roman counterpart is known as Vesta and has very similar qualities as keeper of the flame. She was just as prominent in Roman culture as Hestia was in Greece. Maybe even more so with one of the most important temples in the city being dedicated to her; the temple of Vesta. With the largest temple comes some of the most important priestesses tending it; they were known as the vestal virgins. I honestly can’t talk about Hestia without talking about these badass women of Rome. I say badass because, I really respect their devotion to make a different path for themselves as women and create their own fate through service. These women were some of the most sought often women who had their very OWN fortunes of wealth. Which was almost unheard-of for women in ancient Rome.
So, who were the Vestal virgins?
They were the priestesses who lived in and served the temple of vesta. The women chosen for the great privilege and responsibility of tending the Temple of Vesta were typically selected from the daughters of Rome’s most noble families. There were 6 Vestals at any one time, and the group of girls eligible for the role was chosen by the Pontifex Maximus when they were between 6 and 10 years old. When they started their service they were contracted for 30 years in total commitment to not only the goddess and temple but, to all the people of Rome. During those 30 years they were required to remain chaste while performing their duties. If they were to have an infraction of any of their vows or duties the punishment was brutal. In his account of the Chief Vestal Cornelia being subjected to this punishment under the emperor Domitian, Pliny the Younger describes how the condemned Vestal was led into an underground chamber, given a small amount of bread and water, and then sealed up forever, condemned to a horrible death by suffocation or dehydration in the pitch dark. But, if they were being dutiful they got a lot of perks. one of the favorites being; having prominent seats at sporting events at the Coliseum. Most importantly, however, was the fact that the Vestals were not under the supervision of their fathers like other Roman women, and had the right to own property as well as disbursing their estates (their access to the wealthy allowed them to amass was another perk) as they saw fit in their wills. This was huge for a woman in ancient Rome! This is why I call them badasses! After their 30 years of service had expired, the Vestals retired from their role and were given a pension too. Allowing them to continue to build even more wealth. She was then even permitted to marry a suitable noblemen that the Pontifex Maximus found for her. This meant she was able to get out of the control of her family and father forever while also moving up in social status through marriage AND her own fortune she had amassed.
So what were their duties? Their primary and most important duty was to keep the communal flame in the hearth of the temple lit. This duty placed them in high regards among the people of the city making them some of the most prominent women in all of society. Rome even allowed them to give legal testimony and evidence in a court of law without ever having to swear a legal Oath either. Since their word has held in such high esteem. It was even said if you injured a Vestal virgin you were sentenced to death. This was because if the fire was extinguished for any reason at any time, it was a harbinger of trouble for the ENTIRE city. Not only did they keep the fire lit, they also performed other duties around the temple and they helped lead at least 9 major religious festivals throughout the year for the city. The Vestals also performed other important tasks within the space of the Temple itself. One of the most mysterious of these was their custodianship of the storeroom known as the penus vestae, a sacred symbolic space whose secret contents were said to be related to Rome’s origins. The Vestals were also tasked with the production of a ritual substance known as the mola salsa, used in various purification ceremonies, as well as safeguarding the wills of important Romans, including those of Julius Caesar, Mark Anthony and the Emperor Augustus.
What does Hestia look like?
Hestia is a personification of the hearth and the fire within, so many who work with her reference her manifesting in that way. However, there are some ancient pieces of pottery and sculptures that depict Hestia as a beautiful young woman, usually with long brunette tresses, dressed modestly with a veil. In some depictions I see her holding a kettle or cauldron to sit over the hearth. I myself have seen her presented as versions of both. Her beautiful young woman form usually is present when I am doing inner child work or blessing my home with kitchen magic for my family guiding my hands in recipes.
Summary facts about Hestia
She was a sibling to Demeter, Hades, Poseidon, Hera, and Zeus.
She was primarily known as the Goddess of the Hearth.
Of all the gods and goddesses, she was considered the gentlest, mildest and most modest.
Each city had a public hearth that was sacred to Hestia; the fire kindled there was never allowed to go out unless put out ritually
New colonies took fire from the hearth in the prytaneion (also known as the town hall) and kept the fires going in those new locations.
She never took part in conflicts
She was rarely depicted in art unlike other deities
Every meal began and ended with an offering to Hestia at the hearth including pouring wine out
Like Athena and Artemis, Hestia was referred to as one of the three virgin goddesses.
Unlike many other Greek gods, she had no major love affairs or romantic entanglements. Her vow of chastity set her apart and underscored her devotion to her divine duties. Both Poseidon and Apollo wanted to marry her, but she refused.
She was one of only twelve Olympian deities.
She was the first sibling to be swallowed by Cronus and the last to be released from his belly.
Her name literally means “hearth”
Vesta is her Roman counter part she had a major temple in Rome called the temple of Vesta where her Priestess called the Vestal virgins lived and served
Children were accepted into the family by being presented at Hestia’s hearth. This observed first step ensured the goddess’s blessing on the new addition to the family and the home.
Hestia and duality
Since I am a grey witch every single energy I work with I look at how it can help me maintain balance and how it can represent the cosmic energy of duality. When it comes to the duality of Hestia I personally had struggled to see what it was. Until I went on my journey with her. Until I read about her and worked with her in shadow work and within my home. Especially, once I had my little family to care for and protect within it’s walls. But, Hestia is burning with duality from the embers glowing within the crackling wood, to the tips of the flames reaching for the divine heavens. While most of her traits can be described as calm, gentle, and supportive and she was a constant presence in the daily lives of ancient Greeks. This means she also has a resilience, fortitude, and dedication to her service and commitment that is unwavering and full of so much strength. This means that while she can hold you in a peaceful, harmonious, and loving embrace, she can also lash out and protect with a fierceness of fire to burn those who would dare to disrupt your peaceful home. She is the keeper of the eternal flame and personification of fire itself so she shines insanely brightly. While also being comfortable to be in the darkness where she brings things into her warm light. Lastly, the duality of her connection to others while being perfectly fine standing alone. The hearth is where we gather for meals, celebrations, and even community rituals. Making it a place of deep human connections and celebrating community. But, remember Hestia is the SOLE attendant of the eternal flame. Even giving up her place on mount Olympus to stay by her fire alone. She is perfectly fine being on her own and understands the importance of loving ourselves in order to connect with and serve others with grace.
Correspondences To Connect To Hestia
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be an archetype energy , or the zodiac energy the moon is currently, or a deity, like I will list below for you to use with Hestia .Follow your intuition and use what speaks to you!
Foods-grains, breads, sweet cakes, fresh fruit, the first meat pieces of burnt meat from each offering
Tarot card- temperance or strength
How To Know Hestia Is Calling To Work With You
I get asked this question every time I write or teach about a goddess. Remember, signs and messages appear in many different ways and are unique to the individual. It’s ultimately up to you to discern by opening up your clares, paying attention and listening to your intuition. Also, remember you can choose to work with her as well even if you don’t feel her calling to you. You can be the one to begin building that relationship by reaching out. Below is a list of some ways that you may know she is reaching out to you.
You’re a kitchen witch or are learning to be one
Baking bread is your forte
You keep seeing her symbols everywhere: hearth/fireplace or fire
you work in foster care or volunteer with children
Your home and family need protection and guidance
You are drawn to working with fire in your spell workings
You avoid conflict at all costs
The kitchen is your happy place
You live your life by the same values as her of kindness, forgiveness, and contentment
You may hear her name repeatedly in passing conversations or in your dreams
You see her name on TV, in books, online, etc.
You don’t like to leave your home much
You have taken a temporary or permanent vow of celibacy/ Chasity
You’ve always felt drawn to her
Your home is the home your family gathers at for holidays
You enjoy bonfires
You have a job working with the community and need help or guidance
You feel a strong urge to learn more about Hestia
Chasteberry is an herb you’re currently taking as regimen or working with in your practice
You brew and drink magical teas every day or often
You’re focused on going within to uncover your own sacred flame
You keep seeing pigs everywhere
You feel drawn to practice religious / spiritual veiling
You feel a deep desire to burn candles often in your home
You are drawn to her depiction in art
You might start feeling an inexplicable sense of warmth and comfort, especially when you’re at home
A fundamental pillar of Paganism is working with the deities that one believes in. While all practicing Pagans have varying beliefs about the gods and goddesses, most agree that honoring their deities is a great way to connect with them and further their spiritual goals. But, again remember not every pagan works with deities. Also remember there are literally thousands of different deities out there in the multiverse and which ones you choose to honor will often depend significantly upon what pantheon your spiritual path follows. This eBook will walk you thru the different ways to view deities, what a deity can be, and the basics to start building a deep meaningful relationship with one.
Everyone’s relationship with deities is different and we all work with and believe in them differently. You might believe in multiple gods and goddesses and work with them each as though they are close, personal friends. Or maybe you believe the old gods are reflections of Universal energy and simply archetype energies that you can learn a lesson from. However you incorporate deities in your practice is up to you. If you need help to figure this out you can purchase my eBook here on the Introduction to working with pagan deities.
As the Goddess of the Hearth Fire, Hestia also rules over the Home (protection and love in the home), Food (nourishment and sustainment), and Service (caring for others and yourself). Hestia can be called upon for all matters involving the home, feeling safe, self care, food and nourishment, and learning to serve others with compassion. Remember however you feel called to work with her; it’s important to approach her with respect, reverence, gratitude and by building a relationship with her. Every time you work with a deity it is an even energetic exchange; which means what you put into your intention when working with them and building your relationship to them is what you get back.
Study, get to know her
As with every deity I have ever written about or taught about, The first way to get to know a deity, specifically a goddess like Hestia; is to study all you can about her. Look at the different versions of her origin, and how she is both the eldest and youngest of all the siblings in the Olympian Pantheon . Try to understand all the different versions of her you can connect to through the element of fire. You can even, study the culture, region, and worship of the people of Greece where she is from. Plus the influence she had over the entire city with the communal hearth. The more you study and learn the better! When working with a deity it is all about building a true relationship with them and you do this first by getting to know who they are.
Work with the element of fire
Hestia is the personification of fire itself both within and without. Which means any fire ritual or working with fire in spells will appease and connect you to the goddess Hestia. So keep a fire going in your fireplace this Winter in honor of Hestia. Get outside in the winter landscape and sit next to a sacred bonfire. You can even grab some candles, light them, and add them to any of your magical workings like during kitchen magic, sitting on your altar as you prayer or meditate, and as you create protection sigils. Call in the element of fire to connect to the very essence of Hestia during your spells for protection, purification, warmth, and more. Traditionally, Hestia’s fire should never be allowed to burn out or be blown out. Only during ritual may it be extinguished and then ritually relit. PS. if you need to learn more about how to work with the element of fire you can read my guide HERE!
Meditation and visualization
One of the best ways to channel divine energy and tap into goddesses like Hestia is through meditation and visualization. These practices allow you to open up and receive/ connect to divine energy in a very intuitive, clear, and transformative way. You will find a plethora of guided meditations on YouTube that will lead you to your spirit guide or god/goddess. Try those if you have a hard time meditating on your own. I have many classes on YouTube as well on previous deities you can watch where I even summon and guide you to them in sacred container.
Cooking and kitchen magic
Hestia is the goddess of the home and hearth which means one of her favorite places to hang out in modern homes is in the kitchen. So of course she presides over all cooking and will aid you in creating magical recipes like simmer pots. She will even be standing next to you guiding your hands while you work hearth-side. Every time you cook, you honor her and bring her essence into your home. This is probably the easiest way to work with Hestia. Don’t forget she’s associated with pigs so pork is great to work with. Plus bread; especially some with fresh herbs for protection like thyme, rosemary, and garlic! She loves it when you dedicate the first loaf/slice to Her. So, roll up your sleeves, grab some herbs, light your oven, knead your dough, and work with Hestia in your kitchen today.
Offerings
Everyone loves receiving gifts, and that includes deities like Hestia. You don’t have to give her offerings every day, but when you feel it is appropriate. I highly recommend gifting them to her during the long winter months and when you have big family feasts to leave her the best piece of the meat. You can place these offerings at your altar or at the mantle of the hearth in your home. You can also give her offerings when performing any work to connect to her like meditation, prayer, visualization, and spell work. Below I will list some of the best offerings you can give her, but keep in mind these are just some ideas from my own personal experience with her and her corresponding energies. Just follow your intuition.
When cooking or baking, give Hestia the first bite or sip of whatever you’re making
first bites of fresh fruits
olive oil
Wine
water
cakes shaped like a calf
freshly baked bread
Candles
herbs
incense
homemade crafts
Acts of hospitality, like welcoming guests warmly
A cup of tea or hot cider
Pottery
Knitted items
Woven tapestries
Flowers from your garden
A small piece of wood
music
Baked cookies
milk
barley
Dedicate Altar Space
Set aside some space in honor of Hestia. This can be an elaborate large altar or as simple as a small shelf or corner of a counter. Place a representation of Hestia there like a candle. Be sure to cleanse the space before you invite her in. Include all of her colors, her symbols, and representations of the element of fire, the essence of home, family, and hearth. Plus add any of her other correspondences you can use to connect to her. This will be a container that reminds you to connect with her and her energy. To allow you a container of maternal protective, peaceful, and purifying energy to connect to in your life.
Volunteer in your community
Hestia wasn’t only just the goddess of the hearth in your home but, she presided over the hearth of the entire city. Which means she is present within the community as a whole. Her fire dancing in the souls of each and every person who passed through the center of the town. To honor Hestia, consider volunteering at a local domestic violence shelter or at a Youth shelter home. Or better yet, fill the bellies of those in your community at a local soup kitchen!
Prayer
One very powerful way to connect to a deity is through prayer. Things to Pray for; protection, homes blessings, family, fertility, purification, creativity, peace, modesty, and purity. Below are a few prayers I like to use but, you can find many across texts and the internet plus you can always create your own.
Homeric Hymn 24 to Hestia “Hestia, in the high dwellings of all, both deathless gods and men who walk on earth, you have gained an everlasting abode and highest honor: glorious is your portion and your right. For without you mortals hold no banquet,–where one does not duly pour sweet wine in offering to Hestia both first and last. And you, Argeiphontes [Hermes], son of Zeus and Maia, . . . be favorable and help us, you and Hestia, the worshipful and dear. Come and dwell in this glorious house in friendship together; for you two, well knowing the noble actions of men, aid on their wisdom and their strength. Hail, Daughter of Kronos (Cronus), and you also, Hermes.”
Homeric Hymn
“Hestia, you who tend the holy house of the lord Apollo, the Far-shooter at goodly Pytho, with soft oil dripping ever from your locks, come now into this house, come, having one mind with Zeus the all-wise — draw near, and withal bestow grace upon my song.”
Home spells and blessings
Since Hestia is the goddess of not only the hearth but the home as well of course she would love to help you with any spells or blessings associated with your home. Ask her to help you ward and protect your home with the fierceness of a mother’s love. Or you can do my favorite home workings with her during the winter asking her to bring warmth to your home for the cold winter months. You can also do rituals and create charms with her sigil to protect the home and cleanse the home with purifying energy.
Other ways to work with her
ask for her assistance to help find a new home or apartment when you need to move
call on her to assist with domestic issues in the home and help with family strife
call on her when casting circles of warding and protection for your home and property
always offer her the first slice of any loaf of bread you make or buy to eat
Learn how to sew, knit, or crochet
consecrate your cooking tools and utensils with her sigil to bless all of your recipes
Call on her to be a soft, comforting, glowing light to guide you during shadow work to find your inner sacred flame and stoke it. If you would like to learn more about shadow work you can purchase my eBook here; you can book me for a 1:1 session as your guide here; and you can watch my free class previously taught on it through Divination here. Plus don’t forget to head to the shop and register for my new course that is beginning at the end of this month!
Work with herbs and learn some herbal magic
Brew a magical tea
bake Hestia’s sigils into bread as you are baking loaves with her
Light as many candles as you can around your entire home to welcome her and purify it with the element of fire
learn and perform candle magic
cast peace and harmony spells
Invite her to your table for a meal by setting a place for her and leaving it empty for her to sit there and join you
take a cooking or baking class
create an altar just for your kitchen magic
Call relatives you don’t see often
remove yourself from conflict
learn how to make fires on your own
create a powder to use as a protective magical barrier for your home especially around your threshold ( I have a recipe for one on my Pinterest page )
Divination like fire gazing
ask her to join in family traditions you already have or create new ones with her
decorate your home
Plant and grow a kitchen garden
Ask for her maternal protective energy to embrace you as you do inner child work and healing
Pray, sing, or chant to Hestia whenever you’re working on something related to the home
Creativity spells
Share stories, traditions, and family histories
dedicate your stove, fire pit, and hearth to her by placing a statue or image of her near by or draw her sigils on them
ask for her help and guidance to create a balance between your home/family life and your work/volunteer life
invite her into your home when you first purchase it to bring in harmony, peace, and meaningful connections within the four walls
take all your recipes and put them together into a cook book
Create a spell jar for self love, peace, harmony, friendship, inner flame
wear her sigil on your skin or as jewelry during the cold winter months to help you always be warm
take either a temporary or permanent vow of celibacy
Welcome guests into your home
Use her fire and flame to burn away and release things we no longer need
prioritize self-care and boost your the height and strength of your eternal flame with self worth
decide to do a set timeframe like 30 days of spiritual/ religious veiling
spend time with your family and host a meal or gathering in your home
practice generosity and donate clothing or food to those in need and others
Why work with Hestia?
Flame is heat and passion. Flame is purifying and renewing. Hestia chose not to claim a realm to rule over mortals and earth in some way, and instead chose to simply tend the fires for the good of mankind and the Gods. Making sure that our hearth fire remains lit always so we can find our way to food, warmth, protection, transformation, or healing whenever we may need it. This is why she chose a role of service rather than dominion to be here as a protective yet comforting and warm maternal embrace helping us survive. Her duty to maintain this eternal fire symbolizes purity, devotion, and a connection to the divine. It’s a task she undertakes with solemn grace. She is also Known for inducing calmness, her presence brings peace and serenity. Her calming influence extends to both the divine and mortal realms, making her a beacon of stability in a world often feels like it is nothing but chaotic Especially, in a pantheon filled with conflict, her gentle and steadfast nature stands as a comforting constant to shelter with. Working with her will show you a goddess who is a gentle and caring figure, one who welcomes all into her presence. Her warmth is not just physical but emotional, offering comfort to those in need.
Hestia forever kneels next to the eternal hearth as a figure in Greek mythology, one whose powers are not of conquest or ego like the rest but of harmony, warmth, and stability. She is the reason the flames never go out in the universal heart. She is the connections we make, the homes we build, and the love we share,. All the things that are central to our human experience. Her eternal flame invites us to gather around, to celebrate our common bonds, and to reflect on the simple yet profound joys of being together. Her story serves as a warm invitation to reflect on the connections that make us human. While also teaching us how to be okay with being alone by truly loving ourselves and tending to our own eternal flame. Hestia teaches us how to go within to find our own sacred spark. This is the essence of self that makes us confident in who we are and sure of our own beliefs. While many of the other deities I write and teach about, will show us how to change our outer world, Hestia shows us that real change comes from within. She helps us uncover that flame that has been oppressed within ourselves in order to see our true essence. Finally letting it shine for all to see and be a place of warmth and security for you to call on.
In this new special 6 month shadow work program I will help you realign your inner world, discover all the versions of you in the shadows, and show you how to integrate your shadows into your own authentic identity. When you purchase and register for this 6 month course you will get pre-recorded lessons, eBooks, journal prompt workbooks, weekly guided sessions, ( with one week off for integration) one womb healing session, and access to a discord chat for all those who are taking the course with you. We begin the last Monday of February for orientation week and then session for courses start the first Monday of March! There will be limited spots so hurry and register today.
As the snow begin to fall and the air becomes bitter and harshly cold, the festivals like, Yule, the new year, and Lupercalia it beckons us into it’s embrace of introspection, silence, and prepping for new beginnings to blossom in the Spring. During these festivals its common for many witches and pagans to work with and celebrate deities that connect to and represent the energies central to the introspective and transitional celebrations. I do! This season for me is a very feminine one. I hardly ever have gods and the divine masculine calling out to me now. This a season when I want to go into the womb of mother Earth. When the dark goddess and her healing, justice, empowerment, harsh clarity on reality, magic, and darkness beckons me to sit in her embrace. To listen to the past, root myself in introspection, and hear the healing whispers from my womb in the stillness and silence of winter. During this month a few deities take center stage because they have festivals or sacred days during this month to help you connect with them in a very intimate way. This season and it’s celebrations are full of magic, fertility, purification, introspection and there are many gods and goddesses who embody its transitional, silent, and restful energy. Winter season specifically the months of December, January, and February is a really important time in pagan culture and there are plenty of chilly gods and goddesses to work with or worship, depending on your practice, festivals, and celebrations. Let’s take a walk through the Winter landscape blanketed with snow and frozen waterways. To take the time to pause, reflect, and truly connect to the cyclical rhythm of nature while we meet SOME of those deities together in this post today.
Skaði (Skadi / Skathi) – Norse goddess
Skaði is a Norse goddess, often called the “Winter Queen,” associated with the mountains, hunting, skiing, and the wild, primarily known as a giantess (jötunn) who married the sea god Njörðr. Daughter of a fallen giant, Skadi walks the windswept mountains, a huntress sculpted from ice and legend. Her eyes, sharp as glaciers, scan the frozen realm. Bow in hand, she glides through the snow on swift skis, a predator born of the wilderness. Tales paint her as fierce, her spirit forged in the fires of vengeance and tempered by the unforgiving cold. She is mistress of the mountains, where the sun dances on glacial edges and the howl of the wolf echoes through empty valleys. But beneath the hardened exterior lies a yearning for connection. A goddess caught between two worlds – Asgard, home of the gods, and the wild embrace of the giants. Skadi’s place in Norse mythology is multifaceted and we see this as she is featured in stories with Odin, Loki, and Njordr among others. She’s even associated with snowshoes, and in later stories is said to have married Odin and bore him many children. She is the embodiment of both the untamed wild and a yearning for understanding. She is a warrior queen, a skilled hunter, and a goddess who walks the line between two worlds. Her story reminds us of the power of resilience in the face of loss, the importance of honoring our true nature, and the ever-present tension and duality between harmony and conflict.
Odin-Norse god
Odin is a Norse god who rules over wisdom, war, magic, and sovereignty. Odin is known by many many names. Wodan, Wotan, All Father, One-Eyed Seeker are but just a few. He is the ruler of the Aesir and steward of Asgard. In Germanic lore, it is said during Yule, which takes place during winter, he leads the Wild Hunt while being seated upon Sleipnirs back. This hunt is a spiritual parade of sorts that flies through the sky on Winter nights. Sometimes the Wild Hunt collects lost souls and sometimes a person joins the Wild Hunt in their sleep. In Nordic countries, the people gave sacrifices to Odin in the Winter months to ensure safety from them and prosperity. Including the children leaving hay in their boots by the hearth for Sleipnir to snack on as he flew by. Does this sound familiar to you at all? A white bearded old man, riding across the sky with a stead bringing blessings to those as he goes by? Many believe Odin is the actual inspiration for modern day Santa Claus? Check out my blog all about Santa HERE and decide for yourself.
Kuraokami
Kuraokami is a legendary Japanese dragon and Shinto deity of rain and snow. The name Kuraokami translates to “Ravine Rain Serpent. Kuraokami is said to have been created from the blood of Kagutsuchi, the fire deity. In some versions of the myths surrounding Kuraokami, Watatsumi, and Mizuhanome, Izanami created them to tame Kagutsuchi’s fire if he ever got out of control.
Hestia– Greek goddess
The next deity I want to talk about I personally feel is overlooked far too often especially during the cold winter months. This season is the time of year that solidifies us in the bitter cold and harshness of nature. Which means we need warmth and heat for us to survive and thrive. Which is why I always feel pulled to her during this time. Especially living in Minnesota I need her to bless my hearth with continuous heat during the long winter months. Not only that, but she can make your home extra cozy during this month while you spend more quality time alone. Hestia is the sole attendant to the celestial hearth of the gods. As the goddess of the hearth, she personified the fire burning in the hearths of every home in Greece. On a very tangible level, Hestia rules the domain of fire. This means that she is directly responsible, at least according to the Greeks, for the fire, the stove, and the heat in your home. Honoring her during the winter season, when the harsh chill solidifies itself in our bones is a great idea right now. She will bless your hearth as she stokes and fuels the flames all winter long. Don’t forget all month long to present her and your hearth with the first offering sacrificed to keep those flames burning strong.
Boreas-Greek God Boreas is the Greek God of the North wind, winter and ice. He’s also known as The Devouring One. He is the spirit of Winter and can be both violent and benevolent. Depending on the person and situation. The Greeks believed he came from the North, being the North Wind, and because of this was considered Thracian in origin. He is often depicted as a powerful, bearded man with wings, with two faces – one in front and one in back. He is the son of the Titan Astraeus and Eos, the goddess of the dawn, and brother to Zephyrus (the West Wind) and Notus (the South Wind). He is said to be the one who brings cold winter weather and is known for his violent temper, most famously abducting the Athenian princess Oreithyia to become his wife.
Brigid
The next deity I am going to talk about is because she takes central stage during Imbolc the festival that marks the midwinter point. A Goddess in Irish tradition, Brigid is one of the most well-known because, she is the Goddess of fertility and spring. To many she is also known as the Great Mother Goddess of Ireland, and to Christians as a Saint Brigid. With this energy, Brigid brings the remembrance of our Oneness and of the Eternal Essence of the Divine Feminine. She is the daughter of the Celtic God Dagda, a Fae leader of the Tuatha dè Danann.She’s often depicted with fiery hair and a sunbeam cloak. She was born at sunrise with rays of sunlight radiating around her head. She is associated with many things; Poetry, Healing, Midwinter/Imbolc, Flames/fire, Fertility, and Motherhood.
Brigid is considered a Triple Goddess, yet many references distinguish Brigit differently than the traditional Triple Goddess aspects of Maiden, Mother and Crone. Rather Brigid is frequently referenced having three sister selves with three distinct roles, Lady of Healing Waters, Goddess of the Sacred Flame and Goddess of the Fertile Earth.
Callieach
Cailleach stands as a prominent figure in Celtic mythology, embodying the essence of wisdom, transformation, and the cycles of nature. Her presence is deeply rooted in the folklore and traditions of Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man.. Since, the ancient Celts celebrated two seasons only, her reign bringing cold all over the land began on Samhain and ended with Ostara/spring when she handed it back to Brigid. On Imbolc which is the first of February, Cailleach, the Goddess of Winter, heads out into the world to gather firewood to keep her warm for the rest of winter. If the weather is bright and sunny, Cailleach is out gathering the wood and will be able to gather enough to make winter last a good bit longer. However, if the weather is bad and cold, Cailleach is still asleep and will soon run out of firewood, and spring will come sooner.
Cailleach is often depicted as a powerful, crone-like figure who embodies the harshness and stillness of winter. When she appears to me she also has a blue aurora about her, and her mythical staff in hand. This staff is said to have mystical powers for when she slams it on the ground winter will freeze all the land. She represents the embodiment of winter, sovereignty, and the primal forces of the natural world. As the guardian of the cold, she is said to control the storms, the winds, and the snow that blanket the earth during the winter months. She is a symbol of death and decay but also of transformation and the wisdom that comes with age and experience. While Brigid heralds the coming of spring and new life, Cailleach represents the slowing down and rest that winter brings, urging us to pause and reflect. On Imbolc, Cailleach’s presence is especially poignant as it marks the shift from the deep, inward-focused energies of winter toward the budding life of spring. Cailleach holds the power to either prolong winter or usher in the first signs of spring, depending on whether she decides to create a fierce storm or allow the warmth to return.
If you really want to learn more about her and read my personal experiences with her this winter come join the alchemist paid tier of the Patreon community or higher and get access to my anthology all about her.
Baba Yaga
The next goddess we have gives me a very similar energy and feel when I work with her as the goddess we just talked about above; Calileach. To modern witches and Slavic pagans, Baba Yaga is a witch goddess who lives deep in a birch forest moving from place to place among the trees in her hut she calls home on top of giant chicken legs. From time to time when she needs to gather more supplies you might catch a glimpse of her flying by up in the sky from her magical mortar and pestle. She’s a wild and untamed old woman, often seen as a hag or crone, but can transform herself into a beautiful woman to manipulate or trick someone if she desires. Baba Yaga is a goddess of wisdom, healing, transformation, death, rebirth, renewal and autumn/winter. When healing is needed, whether it’s from colds/flu or emotional healing, Baba Yaga can offer healing often in the form of herbal teas brewed by herself. Calling on her during this Winter season can lead you through the forest now frozen and blanketed in snow, to her skull fenced lined home. To peer into the darkness of her cauldron and gain the most ancient wisdom from the darkness of the cosmos that she guards. To learn more about her you can read my previous post here.
Morena
In Bohemia and Moravia, the goddess of winter, death and dreams is Morana, who covers the fields in a funeral shroud of ice and snow. She reigns from the winter solstice to the spring equinox. Then Vesna, the goddess of spring and rebirth, takes over. Morena is a Slavic goddess of winter, death, and rebirth. She is also known by many other names, including Marzanna, Mara, Morana, and Marena. She is feared as the bringer of its chill in most areas. This is only amplified by her connection to the Zmora/Mora/Kikimora – a demon of nightmares. She is sometimes pictured in a form similar to those demons.
The most popular myth involving her is that of her marriage with Jaryło/Yarilo/Gerovit – her twin brother and a spring, war, and agriculture god. It was said that she was a daughter of Perun, god of thunder, and Mokosz/Mokosh, the Great Mother. In this story, she was once a nature goddess. When she was young, Jaryło was stolen by the god Weles and taken to the underworld of Nawia/Nav. When he returned, the twins did not know they were related, so they fell in love and were married. This marriage between Morena’s nature and Jaryło’s agriculture brought balance in nature and also peace (temporarily) between Perun and Weles. But then Jaryło committed adultery. So, she killed him for his betrayal, turning her bitter and making her the winter deity we know today. This split is the reason for the seasons, as Morena kills Jaryło in autumn, and he along with a spring goddess (usually either Dziewanna or Żywia/Vesna) kills her in the spring. The cycle continues annually, and neither can exist for long while the other survives.
This story shows a bit of tragedy that is often lacking in many mythological stories. While Maorena is feared, she has a human element of desiring revenge and having her heart broken. An important note is that most gods in Slavic mythology had a fear and a worship element to them. Morena is feared for the death and disease she brings, but she is also a crucial part of the world’s cycle.
La befana
The next deity or as some call her a folklore legend we are going to talk about it la befana. She is a grandmotherly woman who resembles a kindly witch that is connected to Christmas. She brings gifts to good little children, depositing them in stockings hung above the hearth. Some even claim she sweeps the floor before she leaves as a symbol to sweep away the previous year’s problems. Even though she has roots all the way back to ancient Roman festivals, she is most well known for her role in Christian stories and legends. I personally believe this is because the church needed a much more acceptable and tamer version of the Germanic winter witch Berchta.
In Italian folklore and legend La befana delivers gifts to children throughout Italy on Epiphany Eve (the night of January 5) in a similar way to Santa Claus or the Three Magi. Another Christian legend takes a slightly darker tone as La Befana was an ordinary woman with a child whom she greatly loved. However, her child died, and her resulting grief maddened her. Upon hearing news of Jesus being born, she set out to see him, delusional that he was her son. She eventually met Jesus and presented him with gifts to make him happy. The infant Jesus was delighted, and he gave La Befana a gift in return; she would be the mother of every child in Italy.
Nanook
This next deity comes to us from Inuit Mythology. In Inuit religious beliefs, Nanook (the Polar Bear) is the master of bears. He is the one who decides if a hunter is worthy of their kill and whether or not they will be successful. Revered for his strength and wisdom, Nanook symbolizes the profound connection between the Inuit and their natural environment. As a spiritual leader, Nanook not only embodies the qualities necessary for survival in this harsh terrain but also represents the delicate balance between humans and nature in Inuit belief. In Inuit mythology, Nanook is not just an individual deity but an integral part of the pantheon’s familial structure. Revered as a father figure, Nanook is said to have many cubs, each inheriting his strength and resilience. His companion, Sedna, goddess of the sea and marine life, complements Nanook’s domain over land and ice by ruling the ocean depths. Together, they embody the harmonious balance of the Arctic environment, where land and sea intertwine in a crucial interplay of survival and sustenance.
Nanook, a powerful deity in Inuit mythology, exerts profound influence over the Arctic environment through various domains. Known as the master of bears, Nanook controls the movements and availability of bears, crucial for successful hunts where hunters perform rituals and offerings to appease him. Beyond land, Nanook extends his sway over the Arctic seas, believed to calm or stir waters that affect the hunt for seals and walruses. Legends attribute Nanook with control over Arctic weather, where blizzards and storms are seen as expressions of his will or a test for hunters. In the realm of the afterlife, Nanook plays a role in Inuit beliefs, with the souls of hunted bears returning to him, potentially to be reborn or serve as spirit guides.
Pertcha
The next deity I am going to talk about many only consider her to be a folklore legend similar to La befena. While Krampus gets most of the attention during this time of the year as the terrifying side of the holiday season Pertcha is just as terrifying. If not more so in my eyes. In the Alps of Upper Germany, Austria, and Slovenia, you will find stories of Perchta, a goddess connected to Winter and snow. Sources say she has two different appearances: a beautiful woman as white as snow or as elderly and haggard woman. As the crone she is often depicted with a beaked nose made of iron, dressed in rags, perhaps carrying a cane, and generally resembles a decrepit old crone. But this old crone packs a mighty wallop…. and carries a long knife hidden under her skirt. She is said to roam the countryside during the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany to enter the houses of those she encountered. If your house is neat and tidy and all your spinning for the winter season was done by the twelfth night she would leave you a silver coin. If it wasn’t well…there are many stories of what she would do to you some involving that knife under her skirt even. Some stories say she may slit your belly open, rip out your innards, and stuff you with straw, rocks, and bits of glass. She also disembowels lazy children. Other legends equate Frau Perchta with the legend of the Wild Hunt, and say that she flies through the night sky attended by an army of lost souls, including the demonic-looking Perchten, her army of servants who are visually nearly indistinguishable from Krampus.
Tengliu
Tengliu,is a Goddess of Snow in Chinese mythology. In Chinese mythology, Tengliu is the goddess of winter. She is said to live in the Kunlun Mountains, where she controls the weather. Tengliu first appeared in the Tang dynasty and later became a popular cultural figure in the Ming dynasty through the development in the Song dynasty. Other then her appearance in many songs throughout the Song dynasty not much else is really known about her.
Yuki-onna
Yuki-onna is a Japanese deity or really a spirit associated with winter and snowstorms. I say this because, she isn’t referenced too as a Kami but, instead usually as a yokai. She is also known as the snow woman. In some legends, Yuki-onna is a manifestation of winter, representing its harshness. Some legends say the Yuki-onna, being associated with winter and snowstorms, is the spirit of someone who perished in the snow. She is at the same time beautiful and serene, yet ruthless in killing unsuspecting mortals. In some stories, Yuki-onna is vengeful and freezes travelers with her icy breath. In other stories, she is kind and helps people in the mountains. She personifies the duality and contrast of Winter. Showing us the harness, bitterness, and coldness of the season. Along with highlighting the peacefulness, beauty, ands stillness of the season.
Aphrodite
The last deity I am going to talk about I think far too many forget is connected to winter. I feel this happens because, too many forget Valentine’s day in February is right in the middle of Winter. In Greek mythology, Aphrodite is the goddess of love, beauty, and desire. She is also associated with sexuality, fertility, and pleasure. While best known as the goddess of love, she was also the ancient Greek goddess of fertility, physical pleasure (particularly sexual), eternal youth, grace, and beauty. Additionally, she played roles in commerce, war, and politics. Plus let’s not forget her crucial role, as one of the causes of the Trojan War. Her origins though, are shrouded in mystery. According to Hesiod’s Theogony, she emerged from the sea foam in the waters of Paphos, on the island of Cyprus, born from the severed genitals of Uranus. She supposedly arose from the foam when the Titan Cronus slew his father Uranus and threw his genitals into the sea. However, according to Homer, in Iliad, Aphrodite may instead be the daughter of Zeus and Dione.
Call on her this Winter season to work with the energy of love and deepening your connection to others. Don’t forget to reflect on your relationships as well and find love with those you can. Especially if you are forced into a situation just as she was. Remember, Aphrodite is about so much more than love, beauty and lust though. You can always call on her for those reasons but, Aphrodite is about the passion of creation. Which is why she can be called on for creative expression, and living your passion. She is a great goddess to use for self love, emotional balance and healing as well.
How to connect to and work with these deities
Everyone’s relationship with deities is different and we all work with and believe in them differently. You might believe in multiple gods and goddesses and work with them each as though they are close, personal friends. Or maybe you believe the gods are reflections of Universal energy and simply archetype energies that you can learn a lesson from. However you incorporate deities in your practice is up to you. But here are some ideas to get you started on ways to work with any or all of these deities of the Winter. Remember; it’s important to approach them with respect, reverence, gratitude and by building a relationship with them. Every time you work with a deity it is an even energetic exchange; which means what you put into your intention when working with them and building your relationship to them is what you get back. Don’t forget to check out my shop and for an eBook to help you explore how you view deities more and you can also purchase my deep deity devotionals workshop course HERE!
Research, study and read about who they are, where they come from, and their myths and legends
Refresh your altar and add any of them to it. Or create a new one. Use any of the correspondences connected to them that speak to you
Cast spells to help with personal transition or transformation allowing the deities of the transitional season to guide you through the process
Call on them to assist you with different types of divination like, tarot, pendulum readings, runes, fire scrying or cryomancy
Use their correspondences and energies in protection spells especially for ones for your home
Create a spell jar for them and add them to your altars or place them somewhere in your home
Shadow work focusing on inner work, the cold, resilience, strength, and resting. If you would like to learn more about shadow work you can purchase my eBook here; you can book me for a 1:1 session as your guide here; and you can watch my free class previously taught on it through Divination here.
Invite them to your circle and castings when performing rituals tied to the cycles of nature
Include them in your celebrations for any festivals like Yule, the new year, Lupercalia, and Valentine’s day
Use snow and ice magic
Go on a mindful walk in nature to connect to the energies of the land the winter deities rule
Invoke their name when creating simmer pots to cleanse and purify your home from unwanted energies
Herbal magic-brew teas especially, or add herbs to your hot drinks
Carve their sigils into candles for fire magic for release work and to keep your home warm and your hearth lit during the cold dark winter months
Purification and cleansing rituals and spells using snow and ice
carving their sigils into the ice for binding and banishing spells
Make some rose water and use in your spells and leave as offerings for deities
Use oil with their correspondences and blessed with their prayers in self love rituals
Bake treats and add their sigils to them for love, family, and relationships
Give them offerings they enjoy for manifestation and building a relationship
Add their sigils and correspondences like herbs to spell bags, talismans, and charms
Leave them offerings of milk to connect to fertility, abundance, and prosperity during winter
carve their sigils into your fire wood before you burn it in your hearth to welcome them into your home and bring you blessings
A fundamental pillar of Paganism is working with the deities that one believes in. While all practicing Pagans have varying beliefs about the gods and goddesses, most agree that honoring their deities is a great way to connect with them and further their spiritual goals. But, again remember not every pagan works with deities. Also remember there are literally thousands of different deities out there in the multiverse and which ones you choose to honor will often depend significantly upon what pantheon your spiritual path follows. This eBook will walk you thru the different ways to view deities, what a deity can be, and the basics to start building a deep meaningful relationship with one.
In this new special 6 month shadow work program I will help you realign your inner world, discover all the versions of you in the shadows, and show you how to integrate your shadows into your own authentic identity. When you purchase and register for this 6 month course you will get pre-recorded lessons, eBooks, journal prompt workbooks, weekly guided sessions, ( with one week off for integration) one womb healing session, and access to a discord chat for all those who are taking the course with you. We begin the last Monday of February for orientation week and then session for courses start the first Monday of March! There will be limited spots so hurry and register today.
About Me : I have been a solitary grey magic practitioner for 15 + years. First and foremost, I consider myself a mystic and seeker of all knowledge. I am dedicated to the restoration, and re-enchantment of Magic in society, across this realm, and in each and every soul I come across in life! I am here to create a container that promotes healing, duality, and raw authenticity. I do this by guiding you on your personal journey to understanding your unique magic and sacred contracts. I facilitate this for you through embracing your shadow, duality and learning to live in energetic balance while not wearing a mask. When you work and learn from me you do so from your “darkness” as much as your “light” and in a way to truly harness and accept it not to just go thru it on the way to your light. But, I teach you how to truly embrace it, work with it, and use it alongside your light as a partner. I hold up a mirror for you to be able to see your authentic reflection looking back. Then have the courage to take the next step and do the uncomfortable but vital inner work to completely remove your mask. By facing all of your past wounds, traumas, and hurts. Allowing you to see both the dark and light within your story and take each chapter and alchemize it into something that is so powerful. your unique internal flame will shine so bright you will always be able to go within and find it on a dark cold night. You will learn how to truly live in duality and energetic balance to allow growth, and alignment with your sacred contracts and purposes. to finally move on and truly let the things that hold you back in this life from healing and manifesting go. To see everything I offer; like personalized shadow work sessions, womb healing, eBooks for you to work through on your own, Tarot sessions for guidance and more! Go to my shop!
As one of the Great Mother goddesses, Lakshmi guides us from the darkness to the light. She helps us move from a mindset rooted in fear and lack into a mindset of love, abundance, and generosity. The Goddess Lakshmi is a beautiful Hindu goddess and one of the most prominent and worshipped one of the pantheon on top of that. She is one of the many forms of shakti or feminine energy. Lakshmi provides all kinds of abundance, such as wealth, happiness, beauty, and splendor. She gives, protects and nourishes. She holds the promise of material fulfilment and contentment. She is described as restless, and whimsical yet maternal full of boundless love. She is seen with her arms raised to bless and to grant those who put in the work. Lakshmi shows us how to transcend material wealth for spiritual progress. She is also the goddess of power, sovereignty, and helping lord Vishnu grant salvation. Lakshmi is the divine power and creative force of the universe that transforms dreams into reality. She is prakriti, the perfect creation: self-sustaining, self-contained Nature. She is maya, the delightful delusion, the dream-like expression of divinity that makes life comprehensible, full of beauty and truly worth living. She is shakti, energy, boundless, bountiful and overflowing with fertilty. To work with her is to rejoice in the wonders, beauty, and abundance of life. We call on Lakshmi to access the ocean of abundance that lies within, to find our radiant inner beauty, and to guide us on the path of our dharma. Join me in this blogpost, allowing Lakshmi to open the doors for you to a life brimming with prosperity, fulfillment, and over flowing with the glittering coins from her hands with divine grace and beauty.
Who is Lakshmi?
Lakshmi is one of the most important deities in Hinduism. She is considered the household goddess, meaning she is the most important deity to the family unit and home. She, is always present in the home and is worshiped daily. Her name comes from the word Laksya, meaning aim or goal. She is the goddess of wealth and prosperity, both material and spiritual. She is not only the goddess of prosperity, wealth, but also purity, generosity, and the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm. She is the wife of Vishnu. It is said she has taken different forms in order to be with him in each of his incarnations. Another important aspect about her is along with the goddesses Parvati and Saraswati, Lakshmi forms the divine trinity known as the Tridevi.
Lakshmi has many, many names as well. Her many epithets and names are listed below:
Padma: lotus dweller
Kamala: lotus dweller
Padmapriya: One who likes lotuses
Padmamaladhara devi: One who wears a garland of lotuses
Padmamukhi: One whose face is as beautiful as a lotus
Padmakshi: One whose eyes are as beautiful as a lotus
Padmahasta: One who holds a lotus
Padmasundari: One who is as beautiful as a lotus
Vishnupriya: One who is the beloved of Vishnu
Ulkavahini: One who rides an owl
Even more names of her are: Manushri, Chakrika, Kamalika, Lalima, Kalyani, Nandika, Rujula, Vaishnavi, Samruddhi, Narayani, Bhargavi, Sridevi, Chanchala, Jalaja, Madhavi, Sujata, Shreya and Aiswarya. She is also referred to as Jaganmaatha (‘Mother of the Universe’) in Shri Mahalakshmi Ashtakam. Rama and Indira are popular
Maha-Lakshmi- Mother goddess of creation
There are many different forms that Lakhsmi takes and is worshipped as each with their own unique purpose and energy. One of the most popular ones is when she is Maha-Lakshmi. Lakshmi is often differentiated from Maha-Lakshmi. While the former is the consort of Vishnu and the goddess of wealth, Maha-Lakshmi is viewed as an autonomous entity, the supreme embodiment of the mother-goddess. When worshipped as Maha-Lakshmi, Lakshmi is not visualized as a beautiful goddess seated on a lotus, pot in hand, but like a virginal warrior-goddess riding a lion, much like Durga.
Ancient Pancharatra texts that talk about Maha-Lakshmi consider her to be the root of all creation. In the beginning, they say, the cosmic soul—the unfathomable unmanifest Narayana—desired to create the cosmos. But he did not have the resources to do so. As he pondered over this problem, his dormant energy, his shakti, burst forth in a blinding light, manifesting as Maha-Lakshmi. Maha-Lakshmi placed the seed of divine desire in the palm of her hand and unleashed the dynamic forces of creation until the three worlds took shape and all forms of life came forth.
Lakshmi the goddess of abundance
Lakshmi embodies the abundance of nature and people celebrate her to invite the wealth of fertile lands. She is the embodiment of prosperity, her allure drawing souls like moths to a celestial flame. With eyes like lotus petals and a smile that births a thousand blessings, she dances upon golden lotus blooms. Her presence brings abundance; her touch turns poverty into opulence. Wherever Lakshmi treads, wealth follows, and her devotees that show true respect will thrive.
Lakshmi inspires us to contemplate the double meaning of abundance – abundance in the material realm and abundance in the spiritual realm. Lakshmi doesn’t tell us to let go of our aspirations and ambitions. It’s the opposite actually, Lakshmi is the one we pray to for guidance and help when we want to succeed in the material world. When we want abundance in the form of worldly success. Lakshmi is the goddess of prosperity, but earned prosperity. Lakshmi is on the side of the honest, good, and hard working. Lakshmi teaches us that good luck doesn’t come to those who wait, but to those who work for it and invite it into their lives by positive and hard working actions. We all have the ability to connect to the natural flow of abundance but, we must put in the movement of energy to get there.
The eight forms of Lakshmi
In Hinduism, Lakshmi is believed to have eight forms or manifestations, known as the Ashtalakshmi. Each form represents a different aspect of wealth, prosperity, and well-being. Each of these eight forms of Lakshmi is revered and worshipped in Hinduism for the blessings they bring in various aspects of life. The eight forms of Lakshmi are listed below.
Adi Lakshmi – The first form of Lakshmi, Adi Lakshmi, represents the primal energy of the universe and is associated with spiritual wealth.
Dhana Lakshmi – This form of Lakshmi is associated with material wealth and prosperity, and is often depicted holding a pot of gold or other treasures.
Dhanya Lakshmi – Dhanya Lakshmi is the goddess of agricultural wealth and is associated with crops, food, and nourishment.
Gaja Lakshmi – This form of Lakshmi is associated with power, strength, and courage. Gaja Lakshmi is often depicted riding on an elephant and holding lotus flowers.
Santana Lakshmi – Santana Lakshmi is the goddess of progeny and is associated with fertility, motherhood, and children.
Veera Lakshmi – This form of Lakshmi represents valor, bravery, and courage. Veera Lakshmi is often depicted holding a sword and shield.
Vidya Lakshmi – Vidya Lakshmi is the goddess of knowledge and wisdom, and is associated with learning, education, and the arts.
Vijaya Lakshmi – This form of Lakshmi is associated with victory, success, and accomplishment. Vijaya Lakshmi is often depicted holding a lotus flower and a sword, symbolizing success and determination.
Lakshmi the goddess of sovereignty
In Hinduism, Goddess Lakshmi is often associated with sovereignty, meaning she is considered the giver of not just wealth and prosperity, but also royal power and authority. This has made her a revered figure by kings and rulers who sought her blessings for their reign for 1000s of years. In this role she is known as Shreedevi, this is when the goddess makes kings out of men, bestowing them with sovereignty, splendor and royal authority. In this form, she is Vishnu’s shakti, the source of his divine power, which helps him to protect the universe by granting and handing out his salvation.
Lakshmi the goddess of beauty
Only Goddess Lakshmi is depicted as the epitome of beauty in Hindu scriptures because she is the most beautiful goddess according to all. No one is equal to her. She is the source of all beauty. Everyone gets beauty by her grace. She is viewed as not only the goddess of beauty, but also sweetness, purity and loveliness. Her grace and beauty made her into a beacon of light, attracting gods and demons alike. Radiating feminine warmth and love, she was so full of abundance and exquisite beauty. When Lakshmi emerged from the churning and milky ocean, all of the gods fell in love with her and wanted to marry her. They couldn’t take their eyes off her. One by one, they even started to court her and use all their fancy superpowers to try and seduce her until she finally chose her husband Lord Vishnu.
Family and Origin
Like most deities of Hindu mythology, Lakshmi’s origin story has many different versions. In her first incarnation, according to the Puranas, she was the daughter of the sage Bhrigu and his wife Khyati. Next, probably the best-known version featuring her birth, says she was born from the stirring of the primordial milky ocean by the gods and demons. It starts with a battle between “good” (the gods) and “evi”l (the demons). Lakshmi supported Indra, the god of war, in his battle against the demons. He successfully fought them off with her blessing until one day Indra was given a garland of flowers by a sage. He was not interested in the flowers and flung them aside. Lakshmi did not approve of this arrogant display so she left the gods’ world and entered the Milky Ocean.
After she left, the gods started to be less successful in most of their pursuits. People stopped making the offerings and the demons started to take over the world. Especially Indra needed Lakshmi’s blessing and support. He knew he was to blame for the problems after all. He went to Vishnu to ask for guidance. Vishnu and Indra gathered the gods together and they started to churn the Milky Ocean. After 1000 years, treasures began to rise, including an immortality elixir and lakshmi on her lotus. She helped restore the gods’ power and success in vanquishing the demons and restore the people’s reverence towards the gods.
Myths and legends
Lakshmi is present in quite a few myths and legends across multiple texts, religions and regions I couldn’t list them all. I talk about a few of the main ones throughout the blogpost. But, one of my favorite stories of Lakshmi personifies an attitude of generosity, compassion, and empathy. As the story goes, Lakshmi and her husband Vishnu were the manifest deities at a wealthy temple for the high-caste in Varanasi, India. One year, during the festival of Diwali, Lakshmi decided to visit the town’s untouchables ( less fortunate/ homeless) and bestow the untouchables ( less fortunate/ homeless) with food and money. Her generosity extended to both those who worshipped her and those who did not. A beautiful reminder that we are all worthy, whether we (or others) deem us to be worthy. Upon learning that Lakshmi has been spending time with the untouchables( less fortunate/ homeless), Vishnu becomes angry with her. She immediately flees and goes to live with a group of sweepers. Upon Lakshmi’s arrival, the sweeper community begins to prosper, there is an abundance of food and there is enough money for the sweepers to fix-up their homes. While the sweepers are being lifted up out of poverty Vishnu’s temple is falling into ruins, the community stops bringing offerings, and the surrounding trees begin to wither. Out of desperation, Vishnu finds Lakshmi and begs her to return. She obliges on one condition, that he may never restrict her ability to share her blessings again.
Worship of Lakshmi
Lakshmi has a long history of worship testified by the fact that her first hymn, the Shri Shukta, was added to the Rig Veda, the oldest and most revered of Hindu scriptures, somewhere between 1000 and 500 BC. People often worship Lakshmi at home for good luck in India and other regions of the world. In India, not only Hindus but also Buddhists and Jains worship and call too Lakshmi. Lakshmi is especially popular with women when it comes to her worship. She is thought to bless mothers seeking children and extending her maternal love. It is believed that Lakshmi goes only to those houses which are clean and where the people are hardworking. She does not visit the places which are unclean/dirty or where the people are lazy. When she is worshipped on her own, it is as the goddess of prosperity and luck; when she is worshipped with Vishnu, (her husband) it is in her role as mediator between us and him by handing out salvation.
Goddess Lakshmi’s Day; Friday Fridays hold a place of significance in Hindu tradition as the chosen day to honor and invoke the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi. Known as “Shukravar” in Sanskrit, Fridays are dedicated to this revered deity who symbolizes wealth, fortune, and prosperity, When we perform rituals and practices on Fridays it is believed it creates a special connection with Lakshmi’s energy. Amplifying the potency of their intentions by her guiding us into the flow of abundance with her grace. This emphasis on Fridays as Lakshmi’s day underlines her role as the bestower of material abundance and spiritual well-being, making it an opportune time to seek her blessings.
Diwali
The festival of Diwali is the main festival dedicated to honoring her, though for many she is worshipped daily and all year round. Diwali, also known as Deepavali, or Deepawali, it is a festival that holds a profound place in the heart of Lakshmi’s worship. Diwali, at it’s heart, celebrates the victory of light over darkness, “good over evil”, and knowledge over ignorance. Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is typically celebrated over a period of five days, following the darkest day of the month after the new moon. Each day of the five day festival has its own significance and rituals.
Diwali celebrates the story and myth of the Ramayana in which Sita (an incarnation of Lakshmi) is stolen from Lord Rama by the demon Ravana. After the epic battle in which Rama won Sita back, the people lit candles along their path home to guide the way. So during Diwali, people light candles to guide Lakshmi into their homes. So, that she will bless them with good fortune in the upcoming year. Diwali is a time of profound significance and delightful customs. Families come together for prayer, feasting, and the exchange of blessings, while the night sky comes alive with fireworks, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness. I personally have celebrated this festival every year for the past 4 years. Every year those lights end up guiding in so much abundance no matter where my finances are at, they drastically increases after those nights. Two days before Diwali the festival of Dhantares also celebrates Lakshmi. People start new businesses and buy gold.
What does Lakshmi look like?
She is typically seated on an 8-petaled lotus. Lakshmi has four arms, each one signifying a transformative quality in human life:
The first arm symbolizes dharma – living a moral and ethical life in accordance with cosmic laws.
The second arm symbolizes .
The third stands for artha – material, natural abundance.
The fourth arm represents moksha – self-actualization.
In two of her hands, she is holding 2 lotuses, and in the other 2 hands, she is creating 2 mudras: abhaya (assurance) mudra and varada (giving) mudra. She is usually dressed in red or gold. She has long wavy hair. Often two elephants are by her side, anointing her with water. Cascades of gold coins are seen flowing from her hands, suggesting that those who worship her gain wealth.
The way she is depicted matters on which incarnation of her she is meant to represent. Like if Lakshmi is pictured as dark in complexion, it is to show that she is the consort of Vishnu. If golden yellow, that shows her as the source of all wealth. If white, she represents the purest form of Prakarti (nature) from which the universe had developed. The pinkish complexion, which is more common, reflects her compassion for creatures, since she is the mother of all. The lotuses, in various stages of blooming, represent the worlds and beings in various stages of evolution.
Lakshmi and duality
Since I am a grey witch every single energy I work with I look at how it can help me maintain balance and how it can represent the cosmic energy of duality. Many may overlook the duality of Lakshmi because, she is seen mainly as a mother goddess of “light” being the goddess of abundance, beauty, and prosperity. But, there is a duality aspect of her written about directly in sacred texts. The Vaishnava legends claim that Alakshmi the twin of Lakshmi is the embodiment of Halahala. She is the goddess of misfortune and strife. When both Goddesses are known in balanced measure, there is sobriety and Tantric focus between the dualities in our lives. Understanding the wisdom of the balance between wealth and poverty is the key to the door of true abundance and wealth in our lives. Lakshmi and her older sister help us to live within and understand the place of both within the universe and life.
Correspondences To Connect To Lakshmi
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be an archetype energy , or the zodiac energy the moon is currently, or a deity, like I will list below for you to use with Lakshmi .Follow your intuition and use what speaks to you!
Animal-Elephant, owl, cat
Planet-Venus
Element-Water
Sex-Feminine
Symbol- lotus, rice, coins, gold, the churning ocean,
colors-red, gold, yellow, orange
Day of the week: Friday
Lucky number: 9
Themes-devotion, luck, wealth, relationships, prosperity, love, the harvest and autumn, beauty, sovereignty, creation, fertility, motherhood, success, fortune, purity, Perseverance, giving and receiving, generosity, compassion, spiritual awakening, grace, charm, success in business
I get asked this question every time I write or teach about a goddess. Remember, signs and messages appear in many different ways and are unique to the individual. It’s ultimately up to you to discern by opening up your clares, paying attention and listening to your intuition. Also, remember you can choose to work with her as well even if you don’t feel her calling to you. You can be the one to begin building that relationship by reaching out. Below is a list of some ways that you may know she is reaching out to you.
She appears to you in a vision, dream, meditation, or prayer
You start to see her symbols like the lotus flower or elephant popping up in your life often like in media, books, or your daily life
You get gifted something that is related to her
You hear her name randomly throughout the day or think of her often
You are seeking more abundance and prosperity in your life
You feel drawn to volunteer and serve others in a generous way
You are seeking help with fertility and/or motherhood
You have a new desire to have children
You hear her chants or mantras often around you
You receive sudden unexpected positive changes in your life, like receiving good news about finances
You are feeling more in tune with your own beauty, grace, and charm
You find coins around you often especially gold ones
You keep finding lost money in your purse, home, or pockets
You recently have been experiencing unexpected abundance in your life
Your business suddenly has an increase in sales and/or traffic or you feel inspired to start a new business
Birds start nesting near your home
You suddenly have black ants coming into your house and making a swarm and eating something
You hear the sound of a conch shell after waking up in the morning
You feel drawn to the churning muddy waters where the lotus flowers can grow
You feel drawn to working with her consort and husband Lord Vishnu
You feel drawn to work with love magic or beauty spells
You feel drawn to lighting candles for her in November/ October for Diwali
Ways To Work With and Connect To Lakshmi
Everyone’s relationship with deities is different and we all work with and believe in them differently. You might believe in multiple gods and goddesses and work with them each as though they are close, personal friends. Or maybe you believe the old gods are reflections of Universal energy and simply archetype energies that you can learn a lesson from. However you incorporate deities in your practice is up to you. If you need help to figure this out you can purchase my eBook here on the Introduction to working with pagan deities.
But here are some ideas to get you started on ways to work with Lakshmi. Remember; it’s important to approach her with respect, reverence, gratitude and by building a relationship with her. Every time you work with a deity it is an even energetic exchange; which means what you put into your intention when working with them and building your relationship to them is what you get back.
Study, get to know her
As with every deity I have ever written about or taught about, The first way to get to know a deity, specifically a goddess like Lakshmi; is to study all you can about her. Look at the different versions of her origin, and how when she was born every deity fell in love with her. Even study and learn about her dear husband, Lord Vishnu she loves so much she follows him life after life. Try to understand all the different versions of her you can connect to for every area of abundance in your life. You can even, study the culture, region, and worship of the people of India where she is from. Plus the religions she helps shapes in many different texts like Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. The more you study and learn the better! When working with a deity it is all about building a true relationship with them and you do this first by getting to know who they are.
Lakshmi Puja (Ritual) One of the number one ways you can connect to Lakshmi is to carry out a Lakshmi puja, a goddess-honoring ceremony. The purpose of Lakshmi Puja is to honor the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity, Lakshmi, and to seek her blessings for good fortune and success. Lakshmi Puja is a central ritual during Diwali, the festival of lights, and is considered essential to the celebration. See a break down of how to do this ritual below.
Arranging a special altar with a statue or portrait of Lakshmi and symbolic gifts such jewels, flowers, sweets, and gold coins.
pre-ritual washing and dressing in clean clothing.
Ghee lamp or white candle lighting.
Offering the goddess food, flowers, and incense.
Reciting other religious songs or the Lakshmi mantra.
Exiting the puja feeling appreciative and respectful.
Chant her name or sing her mantras
Engaging in a regular chanting practice of the Lakshmi mantra requires dedication and focus. Find a quiet and peaceful space where you can sit comfortably. Begin by taking a few deep breaths to center yourself, and then softly and rhythmically chant the mantra. Allow your voice to flow naturally, and let the vibrations resonate within you. As you chant, visualize the energy of abundance and prosperity flowing into your life, guided by the benevolent presence of Goddess Lakshmi. Consistency is key; integrating this practice into your routine can lead to a deeper connection with Lakshmi’s energy and a more profound sense of prosperity consciousness.
Chanting Lakshmi mantras is not just a vocal exercise; it’s a spiritual practice that bridges the gap between the practitioner and the divine energy of abundance. As the mantra flows through your being, it recalibrates your vibrational frequency to resonate with Lakshmi’s blessings. This practice becomes a powerful tool to invite wealth and prosperity into your life while fostering a deeper connection with the goddess’s energy.
You can chant her name or sing a mantra to her, like this one: Om Shreem Mahalakshmiyei Svaha
Om is the sound of the universe– the beginning, middle and end. This epic sound which starts many chants as it recognizes the divinity (starting with Ganesh- click here to see why) and is the bij mantra of the Crown Chakra
shreem is Lakshmi’s bij mantra and is also associated with the the Third Eye Chakra
maha is a heart-felt term of endearment and reverence
yei is a shakti activating syllable
svaha marks the end of a mantra and literally means “well said” in a fire ceremony (havan), small grains (samagri) are thrown into the fire with the word svaha at end of each mantra
It’s recommended that you chant it at least 108 times using a mala
Acts of kindness and charity
One way to align with her energy is by practicing acts of kindness and charity. Just as Lakshmi’s blessings are meant to be shared, offering assistance to those in need becomes a way to honor her and create a cycle of abundance. Engaging in philanthropic endeavors and sharing your wealth – whether material or emotional – not only benefits others but also channels the flow of Lakshmi’s blessings back to you.
Volunteer your time at a local charity
Perform a random act of kindness to a stranger
Ask a colleague if they need any help
Donate money to a cause you care about
Check-in on a friend going through a hard time
Turn your phone off and have a proper conversation with a loved one
Offer to walk the dog or cook a meal for a struggling neighbor
Donate some unwanted items to a local charity store
Make your family’s favorite meal for dinner tonight
Next time you go to the cinema, let your partner/friend choose the movie
Give someone an unexpected (but sincere) compliment
Make a gift or card for the next birthday in your calendar
Offer to teach a skill you have for free
Give someone you care about a shoulder rub
Ask for her aid in Abundance, wealth, and fertility spells
One of the main energies Lakshmi guides us to connect with is the ocean of abundance we have access to all around us. So, why not call on her to aid you in boosting your abundance, wealth, and fertility spells. There are many different ways you can do this. From invoking her in your circle as you cast, carving a sigil that represents her into your candles, using her correspondences and symbols, or saying a prayer from her before you do your spell work. There are countless abundance spells you can cast and do to get some ideas check out my guide full of them here. My personal favorite to include her in is adding her image to my prosperity bowl in my home and for my business. When I began asking her to aid in my abundance spells the amount of coins flowing into my life was drastically multiplied and so many new things and projects began to bloom.
Call on Lakshmi during shadow work
Just like with every other deity I have ever written or taught about shadow work is a phenomenal way to connect to and work with the goddess Lakshmi. This might not seem obvious to many especially since she is seen more as a deity of “light”. But, I really love to call on Lakshmi when I am needing help in boosting my self worth and seeing the beauty in myself. On top of that she is great to use when you are having a hard time seeing the beauty around you and in your life. Lastly, you can call on her to help you understand why you may be having a hard time connecting to the generous flow of abundance in life . Doing this can have a profound change in the intentions you set and the manifestations you can have bloom into your life.
If you would like to learn more about shadow work you can purchase my eBook here; you can book me for a 1:1 session as your guide here; and you can watch my free class previously taught on it through Divination here. And don’t forget to register for new 6 week workshop series Embracing your shadow here!
Dedicate Altar Space
Set aside some space in honor of Lakshmi. This can be an elaborate large altar or as simple as a small shelf or corner of a counter. Place a representation of Lakshmi there; be sure to cleanse the space before you invite her in. Include all of her colors, her symbols, and representations of abundance and beauty. Plus add any of her other correspondences you can use to connect to her. This will be a container that reminds you to connect with her and her energy. To allow you a container of maternal abundant, successful, and beautiful energy to connect to in your life. I also recommned if you are really needing abundance in your life add her to an altar specifically for abundance or place her altar in your place of business as well.
Offerings
Everyone loves receiving gifts, and that includes deities like Lakshmi. You don’t have to give her offerings every day, but when you feel it is appropriate. I highly recommend gifting them on Friday. You can place these offerings at your altar. You can also give her offerings when performing any work to connect to her like meditation, prayer, visualization, and spell work. Below I will list some of the best offerings you can give her, but keep in mind these are just some ideas from my own personal experience with her and her corresponding energies. Just follow your intuition.
Flowers: Flowers like lotus, marigold, rose, chrysanthemum, bael leaves and Hibiscus
Fruits
Sweets: Homemade sweets like laddoos or barfis represent joy and sweetness. Rice kheer is considered a favorite of Lakshmi.
Puffed rice and batasha:
Coins: Gold and silver coins
Uncooked rice
Diyas
Honey
Betel leaves
Jaggery: Offered if lotus flowers are not available.
Amla: Also known as Indian gooseberry
Incense
Jasmine oil
Meditation and visualization
One of the best ways to channel divine energy and tap into goddesses like Lakshmi is through meditation and visualization. These practices allow you to open up and receive/ connect to divine energy in a very intuitive, clear, and transformative way. You will find a plethora of guided meditations on YouTube that will lead you to your spirit guide or god/goddess. Try those if you have a hard time meditating on your own. I have many classes on YouTube as well on previous deities you can watch where I even summon and guide you to them in sacred container.
Prayer
One very powerful way to connect to a deity is through prayer. Things to Pray for: abundance, beauty, love, prosperity, wealth, gratitude, success in business, spiritual awakening, fertility for a child, aid in motherhood, and self worth. Below are a few prayers I like to use but, you can find many across texts and the internet plus you can always create your own.
Beautiful goddess seated on a chariot, Delighted by songs on lustful elephants, Bedecked with lotuses, pearls and gems, Lustrous as fire, radiant as gold, Resplendent as the sun, calm as the moon, Mistress of cows and horses — Take away poverty and misfortune Bring joy, riches, harvest and children.
Prayer Of Gratitude
Maha Lakshmi I thank you for the growing sense of abundance flowing through, for the richness of the earth and clarity of the winds cleansing my soul from within.
Sri Ganesh, may I continue to seek your guidance, give honor and praise to insurmountable obstacles which help me to release, trust and grow. May I always honor the goddess within and give glory and thanks to my divine mother and father.
And as I rise to greet a new day, may I always remember the source of my abundance and wealth flows from deep within and no man or material resource can hinder this progress of peace, love and joy. And So It Is.
Other ways to connect to Lakshmi
Use the lotus in mediation, and spell work
ask for her aid in love spells and spells focused on strengthen relationships ( I have some on both my Pinterest and my Patreon)
clean, purify, and decorate your home
Light diyas or candles to guide her blessings into your home especially for the celebration of Diwali and on a Friday night
Ask for her aid when doing divination like water scrying, tarot, or fire gazing
Keep a coin with her image on it especially a gold coin in your wallet to attract wealth
If you have a brick and mortar business add a gold coin with her image on it to your register
If you run an online business add an image of her to your site or shop page
Place candle with her sigil on it and/ or an image of her near your threshold and give offerings to it or light the candle every Friday to call her blessing of abundance into your home
fill your home with as many candles lit as you can for the nights of the diwali festival
Spend time in nature, with children, or with animals nurturing your maternal side
Write down three things you’re grateful for each day
Place Sea Shells or Cowries at Home
Speak affirmations of abundance every day
Write at least 3 things you are grateful for every day
Work with and worship Lord Vishnu
Donate your time to a charity or your money to a cause you care about
Our ability to give and receive freely depends deeply on our own personal beliefs that we are worthy of love, worthy of gifts, and that others too are worthy of these same gifts. Lakshmi helps us learn these lessons. Lakshmi really is a deity of deep abundance as well. She has saved my life and my family more times than I can count. She does this by reconnecting me to the flow of abundance we all have the right too. If only we put in to work and we remember we are worthy to receive it all. Whenever I find myself getting stuck in feelings of fear of not having enough or lack I can feel the Universe pulling back. To the point of taking so much from me I would almost end up on the streets. But when I call on Lakshmi to help me drop back into the space of abundance, gratitude, and worthiness, I feel the support of the Universe, and her guide me back to the current of abundance. Allowing me access to the flow of coins she controls in her hands.
As I have shown you in this blogpost, Lakshmi offers a route to spiritual fulfillment and overall well-being that goes beyond the domain of material wealth. Through an awareness of her energy and worship of her complex personality, we can access the transforming potential of her gifts and apply them to our everyday lives. The goddess Lakshmi inspires and leads us on our path toward abundance, balance, and the ultimate realization of the divine inside. Whether we recite her mantras, ask for her assistance in our spell work, or embody her attributes. As we welcome her brilliance, may we too turn into the energy of her unending kindness, generosity, and elegance.
To help you align to with the flow of abundance click the link below to start working on gratitude as well . We must me thankful for what we already have in order to receive more. Click this link to get access to my FREE gratitude shadow work journal and a 7 day gratitude challenge in this previous blogpost.
A fundamental pillar of Paganism is working with the deities that one believes in. While all practicing Pagans have varying beliefs about the gods and goddesses, most agree that honoring their deities is a great way to connect with them and further their spiritual goals. But, again remember not every pagan works with deities. Also remember there are literally thousands of different deities out there in the multiverse and which ones you choose to honor will often depend significantly upon what pantheon your spiritual path follows. This eBook will walk you thru the different ways to view deities, what a deity can be, and the basics to start building a deep meaningful relationship with one.
About Me : I have been a solitary grey magic practitioner for 15 + years. First and foremost, I consider myself a mystic and seeker of all knowledge. I am dedicated to the restoration, and re-enchantment of Magic in society, across this realm, and in each and every soul I come across in life! I am here to create a container that promotes healing, duality, and raw authenticity. I do this by guiding you on your personal journey to understanding your unique magic and sacred contracts. I facilitate this for you through embracing your shadow, duality and learning to live in energetic balance while not wearing a mask. When you work and learn from me you do so from your “darkness” as much as your “light” and in a way to truly harness and accept it not to just go thru it on the way to your light. But, I teach you how to truly embrace it, work with it, and use it alongside your light as a partner. I hold up a mirror for you to be able to see your authentic reflection looking back. Then have the courage to take the next step and do the uncomfortable but vital inner work to completely remove your mask. By facing all of your past wounds, traumas, and hurts. Allowing you to see both the dark and light within your story and take each chapter and alchemize it into something that is so powerful. your unique internal flame will shine so bright you will always be able to go within and find it on a dark cold night. You will learn how to truly live in duality and energetic balance to allow growth, and alignment with your sacred contracts and purposes. to finally move on and truly let the things that hold you back in this life from healing and manifesting go. To see everything I offer; like personalized shadow work sessions, womb healing, eBooks for you to work through on your own, Tarot sessions for guidance and more! Go to my shop!
The legend of Medusa is well-known in Greek mythology. It tells of a beautiful woman transformed into a gorgon: who some would consider to be a hideous monster with venomous serpents for hair. She is feared by many, especially men. This is because, she is incredibly misunderstood. Due to the fact that most of her myth and story isn’t commonly told and her tragic beginning many have tried to have lost in the waters of time. The truth behind the myth of Medusa doesn’t start with Perseus. It doesn’t even start with Medusa being cursed by Athena. It starts long before that, with the god of the sea Poseidon.
Because of her story many pagans and witches, especially women chose to work with her as a goddess. She’s a powerful symbol of transformation. Transformation of anger and pain into passion and drive, accountability for oneself and growing from it. Seeing ourselves for who we truly are at our core, and approaching your obstacles and challenges with ferocity. Her name says it all; “Medusa” means “guardian, or protectress”. As a Gorgon, Medusa also represents a primordial force of chaos and destruction, embodying the untamed and unpredictable aspects of the natural world. Her petrifying gaze can be interpreted as a reminder of the inherent danger and potential for devastation that exists within the natural order. She uses it to protect others, especially women. And to show others their true nature; if they choose to take from another something they have no right to take.
Let go of your fear about her and come with me to stare into the slithering snakes upon her head to learn the truth about her myth, how she is much more than a monster but, a goddess who was demonized, and how to work with her.
Who Is Medusa?
Most view Medusa as a monster and they would be partially correct, but she is a goddess as well born of divine blood. Medusa is a complex being whose name evokes different emotions: fear, awe, anger, fascination and even courage. Her name means “guardian” or “protectress”. Medusa was born to two sea deities Ceto and Phorcyos, along with her sisters, Euryale (The far springer) and Stheno ( the mighty or strong). For some reason I can’t quite figure out why, but Medusa was mortal unlike her sisters. Medusa was shockingly beautiful as a mortal. She had long, silky hair and a beautiful body. She was a devotee of the Goddess Athena. Medusa was loyal to Athena and vowed to follow her path.
Medusa The Guardian and Protector
Medusa is a very powerful goddess to work with for protection. I mean her name says it all; “Medusa” means “guardian, or protectress”. Medusa literally means the definition of power and being the powerful one. Not only that but, she was devoted to Athena and had learned many forms of protection while guarding her temple. Which allows her to lend her guardianship to those who seek it when they call to her. Don’t forget her origin either which adds even more power behind her protection. Born of the sea gods Phorcys and Ceto, it is often forgotten that Medusa herself is a goddess of the sea. Which is a place of immense power and has the capability to do serious damage to the earth and humans if it chooses to. Her rage which she calls on for protection, is as powerful as the most ravenous hurricane and has the ability to drown those who seek to harm her.
Medusa The Demonized Victim
Medusa’s story is the tale of the deep cut of society’s knife: creating, blaming, and demonizing the victim for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Medusa’s tale is unfortunately a common one in myths and legends especially for the Greek pantheon. It’s a tale of a beautiful women being defiled by a man who decided he would take something without permission. But, with Medusa she gets victimized even further after her rape and is turned into, what many consider a monster instead of getting protection from the goddess she served. This happening to her, leads to her story being retold in a way that paints her as a monster instead of the victim and to many erases her trauma completely. Which eventually leads to her murder and many thinking she was just another monster being slain by a hero. Instead of a victim of multiple gods and society, whose rage is justified and used to protect others from befalling the same fate.
Medusa The Goddess Of Femininity
Medusa is also known as a goddess of femininity, fertility, and menstruation. During her story we see representations of all phases of fertility and the aspects of women from her vow of chastity, her loss of that through the violation of rape, her hair being turned into a symbol of fertility the snakes, and the birth of children at her death. We also see it in many of her descriptions as a maiden and being a very beautiful one at that. Medusa’s power extends to those who need aid in these areas, so seek her out if you’re looking for guidance while trying to conceive or experiencing any sort of reproductive health issues.
Medusa’s Connection To Snakes
When she is cursed by Athena she acquires her famous hair made of snakes, when she is transformed into a gorgon. This has great significance to who she is, what she represents, and the powers she holds. When we look at the symbolism of snakes themselves they represent; fertility, a closeness to the earth, and the continued cycle of shedding in life. We see these themes throughout her story and who she is. She goes through many different changes in her story. Where she sheds many different skins from a mortal temple maiden, to a violated victim, what some view as a fearsome monster, and finally a mother upon her death.
Medusa’s Birth and Sisters
As we dive deeper into Greek mythology medusa’s’ origin, and family is something that for me seems to be unique to most prominent figures in the pantheon. I say this because, usually there is a plethora of information with many differences in details. But, with medusa we don’t have a lot of information about her origin and family and what we do have I can only find one place of difference in her family history. So, who is her family and what is her origin?
Medusa was one of the daughters of the primordial sea-god Phorcys and his sister and wife, Ceto, deities of the hidden dangers of the deep and large sea creatures, like the kraken. She had siblings as well, two sisters named; Euryale (The far springer) and Stheno ( the mighty or strong). The three of them together are commonly known now, as the three gorgon sisters. But, their origin and identities is where we have differences with her family.
In many of the stories, the sisters were all BORN Gorgons not turned into them, while in others only Stheno and Euryale were. In some tales, specifically Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the most commonly known version of her story. Medusa was born MORTAL and was turned into a gorgon, while her sisters were already immortal. In that version of the story her sisters were turned into gorgons alongside her since they attempted to protect her from Athena. All three of the sisters were close and they fiercely loved and protected each other and we see that in every version of the story. Even when medusa was murdered her sisters heard it, and immediately went to take chase of the killer. When they failed they went back to their island to mourn. It’s said to have moved Athena so much, that she modeled after it the mournful music of the double pipe, the aulos.
The Story Of Medusa
Medusa the Priestess to Athena and Poseidon
The story of Medusa first appeared in Ovid’s work. There are now two versions to the beginning of her myth and story. Let me tell you the most commonly known and accepted version first.
Medusa was a priestess to Athena. Athens is the goddess of war and wisdom. She is also one of the virgin goddesses. Part of the requirements of being a priestess to Athena would have included Medusa promising to remain chaste while in service.
One day while Medusa was out gathering water for service in the temple, Poseidon happens to come upon her and he sees her. Medusa was rumored to be incredibly beautiful. So, as to what happens next; something far to common in many Greek myths; Poseidon sees her, wants her, and decides she is his to take even amidst her rejections. It is said that she ran to the Temple of Athena seeking protection.
I mean why wouldn’t she? It was nearby, she was a servant to her, she protected women’s Chastity, and her and Poseidon weren’t exactly friends either. But, Protection isn’t what she got. Poseidon rapes Medusa on the floor of the Temple of Athena.
Athena comes and sees that her temple has been defiled. She doesn’t blame her fellow god though; she blames the mortal Medusa. Medusa’s sisters come to her defense and thus suffer part of the punishment. Athena curses Medusa with a head full of snakes, and that any man who looks at her will be turned to stone. This punishment turned Medusa into a monster that is isolated from the world of men thus she can never be near another man again for breaking her vow of celibacy.
The second version of the beginning of her myth looks at the goddess Athena and what some call a curse a little differently. The initial telling of this myth depicts Athena acting out in anger and Athena punishing her. But, in this version Athena’s response is one from a place of understanding and concern. After all, Medusa took a vow of celibacy; she never wanted to be touched in the first place.
Instead of looking at it from the view of a curse look at it as a gift. Athena then gifts Medusa with a special weapon that frees her from the possibility of ever suffering such an assault ever again. From then on, men would fear the very sight of her, and Medusa would be protected from the unwanted touch of them. She wouldn’t have to deal with being violated, ever again. Those snakes on her head and her gaze to turn others into stone were truly a gift of protection and compassion in this version of the myth.
I also think that Medusa wanted the power of the snakes especially after what she went through. Though the transition may have been difficult, she probably chose to live this life in order to feel safe and protected. Medusa is all about finding your own inner power and using it. This power also allows her to protect others and stop them from having to suffer they way she had too.
Medusa and Perseus
In what is probably the most popular myth about the story of Medusa, the so-called hero Perseus was sent to slay Medusa.
The Greek “hero” Perseus is sent to take Medusa’s head in order to save his mother from marrying a selfish, evil king. Perseus was granted help by the gods in the form of divine tools. From Athena, Perseus received a mirrored shield. He uses this shield to gaze upon Medusa without being turned to stone and then he beheads her with a divine sword. A key note here as well, in most versions he waited until Medusa was asleep. But from Medusa’s tragic death springs new life and beauty; because every time the gods have sex a child is born. So at the moment Perseus cuts off her head, a Pegasus flies out of her body and is born. And the giant Chrysaor was born through the wound in her neck. Their father being Poseidon who had impregnated her during her rape. After the battle Perseus returns and gives the head to Athena, who in turn places it on her shield, protecting her as she goes into battle from than on.
Once this story comes into play it’s hard to imagine that Athena had good intentions in mind when cursing Medusa to begin with. Ultimately, it’s Athena’s tool that leads to her death. Why would a deity she served and gifted her with protection, than later provide the man with the tool to kill her? So, I will leave that up to you to decide how you feel about it.
No matter the point-of-view you believe of these tales, there is one common theme: Medusa befalls tragedies that no woman or man should have to suffer. As a result, she is persecuted further by the very goddess she sought to serve. Her rage is unmet, and her ferocity is as deep and as strong as the seas. It’s a story about society creating, blaming, and demonizing the victim for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Medusa’s Worship In History
Medusa and an image of a gorgon shows up in other cultures as well outside of Greece. People would carve her image over their doors to ward off evil and protect their homes. Medusa’s name in ancient Greek means “to guard and protect.” They recently discovered an amulet with the head of Medusa on it carried by a Roman soldier to England. Anthropologists believe that Roman soldiers would carry her image with them in their travels as protection. It’s even said, Medusa’s head was ultimately buried under the agora at Argos.
There is also the thought and belief that has become more popular recently, that there existed a matriarchal religion that she become the center of after her curse. Which is what led to her beheading, murder, and the demonization of her story after that throughout history. The gods sent Perseus to slay her and the threat to the very patriarchal religion and society of Greece.
What Is A Gorgon?
Medusa was transformed into a gorgon and is considered to be a gorgon goddess so what is one? It’s thought that the word gorgon comes from the word gorgos which means fierce or terrible which makes sense when you look at their description. Gorgons are described as winged serpentine creatures. Their bodies are covered in scales and they have large, round heads with snakes sprouting from them instead of hair. Most of the sources I have read claim those snakes are venomous as well. Some poets even went so far as to describe their boar-like tusks and massive lolling tongue. Their large eyes are not often remembered, for they transform you to stone at a moment’s glance. The gorgons originate from Greek mythology and we only see 3 mentioned by name in texts and poems; Medusa the queen and her two sisters. Other than that we do not know if others exist or its simply these three sister as a result of Medusa’s curse. I lean towards that others exist since we have similar creatures like Nagas in other cultures as well.
What Does Medusa Look Like?
It’s said that Medusa was incredibly beautiful before she was transformed. She has been described by the Poet Ovid as having a beautiful face and long, flowing hair. I have to note many poets wrote of the maiden as a seductress despite her chastity bonds. But, you have to remember who the author is and that most of them were men. So, was she really a seductress or just a beautiful young women confident in her own body? However, once transformed, Medusa’s appearance tremendously changed. She had been transformed into a gorgon and her appearance changed to resemble that. It was said though by some poets including Pindar that she still appeared as a beautiful women underneath the scales and snakes for hair, unlike her sisters.
Medusa’s Gaze
Medusa has many powers but, her most famous power: the ability to turn men to stone is probably the most intriguing. It’s very important to note that throughout all the myths and epic poems, I have read, there is never once a record of her ever turning any woman to stone with her deadly gaze. Which really shows us that she uses it as a way to protect women. To take vengeance upon those who have taken advantage of women and binding those who intend to do them harm. It also shows the emphasis on her power lying in the feminine shadow and her connection to femininity.
Her gaze not only is a powerful weapon men fear, but it has a lot of symbolism for those who work with her to ponder. Medusa’s gaze can represent the inability to face certain truths or confronting one’s fears. To the point they leave us paralyzed in life or stuck. Medusa’s gaze can also represent the contrast between romantic idealism and reality. Avoiding looking into her eyes can represent avoiding our reality and the reality of the cosmos around us. So, when we choose to gaze into them we become paralyzed by the overwhelm of reality.
Medusa And Duality
Since I am a grey witch every single energy I work with I look at how it can help me maintain balance and how it can represent the cosmic energy of duality. Medusa embodies the complexity and duality of human nature. On one hand, she is depicted as a monster capable of petrifying men. But prior to that she was once a beautiful woman who was betrayed by the goddess she served. This duality reflects the intricate nature of humanity, showcasing how individuals can possess both positive vs negative or wanted vs unwanted aspects within themselves.
She also shows us the complex duality that exist within being a victim. Being victimized, abused, or violated can push us into a place of darkness, despair and deep hurting. It can set you back in your mental health, your life, and your journey to healing. Which doesn’t allow you to transform into your true self. Or instead we can take that pain and darkness and turn it into personal power and our ultimate weapon to protect ourselves. Just like we see Medusa do. She could have taken the curse and hid away but, instead she uses it to protect herself and others who come to her seeking it with a rage as fierce as a hurricane.
Correspondences To Connect To Medusa
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be an archetype energy , or the zodiac energy the moon is currently, or a deity, like I will list below for you to use. Keep in mind there isn’t written documentation in antiquity that will give you this list for her. This list is compiled by my own personal experience with her, and aligning with each of her energies we can connect too.
Animal-Snakes, reptiles,
Element-Water
Sex- Feminine
Symbol- snakes, Aegis, the sea or ocean, gorgons, the maiden, the Pegasus, seashells,
colors- silver, green, black
Themes- protection, victimization, femininity, justice, beauty, the ocean/water, banishing, transformation, personal power, female empowerment, standing up for yourself, sisterhood, binding, paralysis, rage, fertility, menstruation, wisdom, feminine shadow, healing
Stones/ crystals- Serpentine, black obsidian, smoky quartz, aquamarine, bloodstone, Labradorite, malachite, black tourmaline, moss agate,snakeskin jasper, tigers eye
How To Know Medusa Is Calling To Work With You
I get asked this question every time I write or teach about a goddess and even though some consider her a monster, for many witches and pagans, myself included she comes to them as a goddess. Remember, signs and messages appear in many different ways and are unique to the individual. It’s ultimately up to you to discern by opening up your clares, paying attention and listening to your intuition. Also, remember you can choose to work with her as well even if you don’t feel her calling to you. You can be the one to begin building that relationship by reaching out. Below is a list of some ways that you may know she is reaching out to you.
You hear her name randomly throughout the day or think of her often
She pops up around you in your life like in tv, movies, games, social media, books etc.
You get gifted something that is related to her
You see the symbol of snakes or actual snakes often cross your path
If you live near an ocean and you keep finding big chunks of coral
She appears to you in a vision, dream, meditation, or prayer
You are going through a time of transition, and shedding of your identity
When you are trying to conceive
If you are having issues with your femininity and/or menstrual cycle
You need protection especially if you are a woman seeking protection from a man
Seeking justice against someone who has violated you
You are working on healing sexual trauma
If you experience an awakening at a cave and/or body of water especially the ocean
If you feel called to work in women’s rights or volunteer at a women’s shelter
You are going through a time where society or your family is ostracizing you
You are ready to stand in your own power
You have been paralyzed in life or stuck and are ready to move forward
You have a deep bond with your sisters or are looking to create a deep bond
You are recovering from domestic violence
Ways To Work With and Connect To Medusa
Everyone’s relationship with deities is different and we all work with and believe in them differently. You might believe in multiple gods and goddesses and work with them each as though they are close, personal friends. Or maybe you believe the old gods are reflections of Universal energy and simply archetype energies that you can learn a lesson from. However you incorporate deities in your practice is up to you. If you need help to figure this out you can purchase my eBook here on the Introduction to working with pagan deities.
But here are some ideas to get you started on ways to work with Medusa. Remember; it’s important to approach her with respect, reverence, gratitude and by building a relationship with her. Every time you work with a deity it is an even energetic exchange; which means what you put into your intention when working with them and building your relationship to them is what you get back.
Study, get to know her
As with every deity I have ever written about or taught about, The first way to get to know a deity, specifically a goddess like Medusa is to study all you can about her. I’ll be honest finding information on her can be a little scarce but, you can start by going back to the mythology section of this blog and go read the myths and stories she is in like; the different telling’s of her rape, and being cursed, and her Murder at the hand of Perseus. Take time to consider how you interpret her story as well. Did Athena curse her and she turned it into a powerful tool of protection? Or did she give Medusa a gift to protect her from all men going forward? But, if that is the case why did she later gift Perseus with the tool that led to her death? There is a lot to think about with her when learning about her, to build your relationship with her. Make sure to Learn about her sisters the other gorgons as well since they have such a fierce bond. You can even, study the culture, region, and worship of the people of Greece where she is from. The more you study and learn the better! When working with a deity it is all about building a true relationship with them and you do this first by getting to know who they are.
Dedicate Altar Space
Set aside some space in honor of Medusa. This can be an elaborate large altar or as simple as a small shelf or corner of a counter. Place a representation of Medusa there; be sure to cleanse the space before you invite her in. Include all of her colors, her symbols, and representations of snakes and any of her other correspondences you can use to connect to her. This will be a container that reminds you to connect with her and her energy. To allow you a container of protection, connecting to your power, and shedding your skin in transformation. Make sure when you create an altar for her that you keep Poseidon far from it even though they both are connected to the oceans. I also don’t allow Athena near her either but, that will depend on your interpretation of her role in Medusa’s story. Remember to NEVER put a mirror or reflective item on her altar. It will turn her stone and it’s just disrespectful to represent the tool that led to her murder.
Offerings
Everyone loves receiving gifts, and that includes deities like Medusa. You don’t have to give her offerings every day, but when you feel it is appropriate. You can place these offerings at your altar or if you live near a body of water you can place them at the shoreline. You can even place them at the mouth of a cave if you have one available to you. You can also give her offerings when performing any work to connect to her like meditation, prayer, visualization, and spell work. Below I will list some of the best offerings you can give her, but keep in mind these are just some ideas from my own personal experience with her and her corresponding energies. Just follow your intuition.
Seawater or representations of the sea
Pieces of coral
Plates of seafood and wine
snake skins or representations of snakes
seashells, driftwood, or other things found washed up on the shoreline
Evil eye charms
Any of the correspondences listed above like herbs and crystals that associate with her
sand
hagstone
Pearls
Seaweed
sea salt
Image or statue of her; especially of her gaze
Serving others in need especially women
Call on her during protection spells and magic
The Goddess Medusa is a known guardian, so she lends her aid to those who need her protection. If you are seeking aid or guardianship after a domestic dispute, a violation, or after being demonized, evoke the power of Medusa. With her ability to turn men to stone, when you call on her gaze for protection she is able to assist in some of the most potent bindings I have done. She can help bind those particularly, who pose a threat to women. She is also an intense force for justice and female empowerment which can be used in protection spells that challenge your enemies, allow you to face your deepest fears and to hex those who have abused or violated you. The goddess Medusa is a fierce force to aid you in protection. She rages with the force of a hurricane to assist you to stand up for yourself, seek vengeance, and break free from any chains, those who have hurt still bind you in.
Work With the Snake
Medusa is the goddess of snakes. The snake is her familiar and fierce protector. If you want to work with Medusa the snake should become an ally of yours. Now, this doesn’t mean you have to own one as a pet but, you can add them to your magical workings. You can work with them as a spirit guide or familiar depending on your belief system. When working with them in that way, the snake or serpents can guide you to universal truths, cosmic knowledge, the shedding of skins, and profound healing. Lastly, you can even use the image of the snake in protection workings or snakeskins being added as spell ingredients, like in spell jars. If you want to learn more about how to work with the snake and its energy check out my guide HERE
Shadow work To understand your own personal power
Just like with every other deity I have ever written or taught about shadow work is a phenomenal way to connect to and work with the goddess Medusa. I find that the most important thing Medusa will teach you is how to use your power. She’ll show you that you don’t need to be afraid of power and that the innate power you have inside of you is already strong and beautiful; you simply need to learn how to use it. She will show you through shadow work how powerful you truly can be, when you become the best version of yourself. When you don’t allow your emotions, past traumas, and the actions of others to drown you but, to empower you and fill you with rage!
If you would like to learn more about shadow work you can purchase my eBook here; you can book me for a 1:1 session as your guide here; and you can watch my free class previously taught on it through DiviNation here.
Meditation, visualization and Dream work
One of the best ways to channel divine energy and tap into goddesses like Medusa is through meditation, visualization and dreaming. These practices allow you to open up and receive/ connect to divine energy in a very intuitive, clear, and transformative way. You will find a plethora of guided meditations on YouTube that will lead you to your spirit guide or god/goddess.. Try those if you have a hard time meditating on your own. I have many classes on youtube as well on previous deities you can watch where I even summon and guide you to them in sacred container. In addition, ask Medusa to visit you in your dreams and teach you lessons that you currently need to learn. Then record every encounter with her in your journal, book of shadows, or grimoire.
Ward off the Evil eye
Because of Medusa’s fearsome looks, her image was used for centuries in ancient Greece to ward off the evil eye. We see her image used in antiquity on soldiers armor, pieces of jewelry, and above the doors of homes. So, you to can use her image as a way to ward it off still today. You can carry an image of her with you or wear an amulet with one on it. You can even place it at the threshold of your home or above your doorway.
Water based magic
Medusa is a sea goddess. Because of this, all water-related magic, including working with the sea, storm magic, water scrying, and elemental magic. Water magic encompasses themes of emotions, intuition, healing, and spiritual transformation. It allows witches to dive deep into their emotions, heal past wounds, and connect with their inner wisdom. You can connect to this aspect of her for guidance when you need strong feminine power and the innately intuitive energy of water in your rituals. Or for spiritual and healing energy for true transformation.
Mirror Magic
Mirror gazing is a profound and symbolic aspect of working with the goddess Medusa, as it allows you to connect with the essence of her reflective power. The mirror, as a tool in your magical practice, represents introspection, self-reflection, and the power of seeing beyond the surface. This practice serves as a potent gateway to tap into Medusa’s transformative energy while acknowledging her famous mirrored shield. To learn more about mirror magic and how to add one of my favorite types of magic to your magic you can read my guide here.
Prayers
One very powerful way to connect to a deity is through prayer. Things to Pray for: protection, power, healing from sexual trauma, aid with rage, justice, female empowerment, understanding and unlocking your own personal power, fertility, transformation, shedding an identity, breaking free from abusive bonds
Prayer To Medusa
This prayer is written by me and one I use especially during shadow work with her. You won’t find any written prayers from antiquity so, this is one you can use or you can follow your intuition and write your own.
I call to you dear goddess Medusa, the one who some call a monster But, I see your snakes as the protectors they are I call to you dear goddess Medusa now is the time for me to shed my skin To take my pain, my abuse, and violations committed against me and turn them into a fierce personal power I call to you dear goddess Medusa to show me the way through your gaze Guiding me into the depths of my emotions for healing and transformation and justice. Dear goddess Medusa guide me so I may leave the seas within myself ready to rage with the power of hurricane behind me. To stand my ground in the face of any adversity. To seek justice and vengeance against those who have abused and violated me. Lend me your hair of snakes to petrify those who wish me harm into stone for eternity.
Fight for women’s rights and empowerment
Lastly, In recent years, Medusa has become a symbol of female empowerment. A statue was erected in Manhattan outside of the courthouse where Weinstein was brought to stand trial for numerous acts of assault against women even! Medusa stands proud and strong, holding Perseus’ severed head in her hand. In this we see the symbolic representation of women standing up against their abuser, and ultimately getting the justice owed to them. So, one great way to work with and connect to Medusa is by Standing up for women’s rights in whatever way you can and invoking the fierce, protective energy of Medusa the goddess. You can do things like join your local pro abortion activism group, volunteer at a domestic violence shelter, lobby at your local government for pro women legislation, vote, or become a sexual assault advocate.
Why work with Medusa?
So, after all we have talked about why should you work with Medusa? Working with the goddess Medusa encourages you to dive deep into a journey of self-discovery and empowerment, ultimately leading to a deeper understanding and trust in your inner power. Embracing Medusa is fundamental for personal growth and transformation. Medusa’s mythology, is a testament to the enduring strength and resilience that resides within her. About taking what was meant to be a curse and turning it into an ultimate tool for protection. Through the things that befall her, being victimized, and her many transformations, she emerged as a symbol of empowerment and fierce protection. Teaching us that even in the face of adversity, our inner strength can prevail. By trusting your inner power, you are aligning with Medusa’s spirit of unwavering resilience, rage, and justice. This trust in your inner power becomes the driving force for personal growth, resilience, protection and empowerment, aligning you with the essence of the goddess Medusa.
A fundamental pillar of Paganism is working with the deities that one believes in. While all practicing Pagans have varying beliefs about the gods and goddesses, most agree that honoring their deities is a great way to connect with them and further their spiritual goals. But, again remember not every pagan works with deities. Also remember there are literally thousands of different deities out there in the multiverse and which ones you choose to honor will often depend significantly upon what pantheon your spiritual path follows. This eBook will walk you thru the different ways to view deities, what a deity can be, and the basics to start building a deep meaningful relationship with one.
About Me : I have been a solitary grey magic practitioner for 15 + years. First and foremost, I consider myself a mystic and seeker of all knowledge. I am dedicated to the restoration, and re-enchantment of Magic in society, across this realm, and in each and every soul I come across in life! I am here to create a container that promotes healing, duality, and raw authenticity. I do this by guiding you on your personal journey to understanding your unique magic and sacred contracts. I facilitate this for you through embracing your shadow, duality and learning to live in energetic balance while not wearing a mask. When you work and learn from me you do so from your “darkness” as much as your “light” and in a way to truly harness and accept it not to just go thru it on the way to your light. But, I teach you how to truly embrace it, work with it, and use it alongside your light as a partner. I hold up a mirror for you to be able to see your authentic reflection looking back. Then have the courage to take the next step and do the uncomfortable but vital inner work to completely remove your mask. By facing all of your past wounds, traumas, and hurts. Allowing you to see both the dark and light within your story and take each chapter and alchemize it into something that is so powerful. your unique internal flame will shine so bright you will always be able to go within and find it on a dark cold night. You will learn how to truly live in duality and energetic balance to allow growth, and alignment with your sacred contracts and purposes. to finally move on and truly let the things that hold you back in this life from healing and manifesting go. To see everything I offer; like personalized shadow work sessions, womb healing, eBooks for you to work through on your own, Tarot sessions for guidance and more! Go to my shop!
The silvery rays and ever changing moon has captivated us since the dawn of time. We see this throughout antiquity with symbols, art, and countless myths and legends about the moon across the Earth. To this day it is still a central part to religious and spiritual beliefs and practices. It is a cornerstone to many pagans and witches worship, magic, and witchcraft as well. The powers of the moon are vast and varied across cultures and the earth. They range from being used for healing, love, prosperity, protection, fertility, death, rebirth, and more. In some cultures like in India a full moon for example it is thought to even be the time that ghosts come out to interact with the living. In antiquity some cultures even believed it to cause insanity. In modern times we have come to understand the moon to energetically affect us, the oceans, and the tides. As well as its ability to influence our emotions, psyche, and subconscious. In this guide let the light of this celestial body be illuminated to you. Like how to use its magic, the different phases, and its meanings throughout history.
What Is The Moon?
From lighting up our skies to maintaining a geological record of our solar system’s history, the moon is the Earth’s closest celestial neighbor. Earth’s Moon is the brightest and largest object in our night sky. The Moon makes Earth a more livable planet by moderating Earth’s tilting axis, leading to a relatively stable climate. It also causes tides, creating a rhythm that has guided humans for thousands of years. The origins of the moon are up for debate depending on who ask and where you look in history. If you ask NASA the Moon was likely formed after a Mars-sized body collided with Earth several billion years ago. But, again that is up for debate depending on what you believe and which myths and legends you read about the origins of the moon.
The Meanings Of The Moon In History
Over the centuries, the moon has been interpreted as a deity, and a planet, as well as a timekeeper and calendar. Different cultures have their own historical, cultural and religious relationships to the moon, so depending on where the artwork is presented, its meaning and interpretation will shift. For example in many if not most cultures, regions, and practices the moon will be deeply tied to the feminine energy, feminine aspects and even seen as a goddess. But keep in mind, though this is a very common thing to find among cultures it is not universal. There are cultures and belief systems who view the moon as masculine energy and as a God; like in the Japanese belief system of Shintoism and Ancient Sumer with the moon God Sin.
The moon had sway over just about every facet of our history, including scientific discovery, religion, climate, physiology, psychology and evolution. Its cycles of departure and return helped early humans grasp concepts such as “becoming, birth, vanishing, death, resurrection, renewal, and eternity.” They allowed us to expand our consciousness and our magic. Along with having us look to understand our place on this earth and in the cosmos.
The moon as a time keeper
The Moon has been Earth’s companion since the birth of the Solar System, 4.6 billion years ago. Ancient humans were captivated by the Moon’s cycles as it changed position, shape and vanished from the sky for part of its 28-day cycle. Stone age peoples recorded the phases of the Moon in various ways, as the observation of the Moon gave them a way to count the passage of days and predict the arrival of the seasons. Activities key to the development of human civilization like agriculture and hunting absolutely depended on reliable timekeeping, so all human societies developed ways to determine the length of the year.
Deities Of The Moon
With the moon and other celestial bodies there are certain themes, magic, and energies we have the ability to connect to them with, including deities. Everyone works with and views deity energy a little differently. Whether you view them as archetypes of the human consciousness, representations of the source energy, or as being entities on their own, there are certain deities that help you connect to and honor the illuminating and potent energy of the Moon in your life and magical practices. You can do this by invoking them through prayer, sigils, offerings and correspondences while doing lunar magic and ritual work. You can honor these deities during any of their sacred holidays and festivals or during potent lunar moon phases like the new or full moon phases as well. Let’s take a look at some of them below.
Artemis
Artemis, the Greek goddess of hunting and nature, was born as the daughter of Zeus and Leto. Artemis, was the twin sister of Apollo. Their mother, Leto, faced numerous struggles during her pregnancy, as she was relentlessly pursued by the jealous Hera. Artemis helped her mother give birth to her brother Apollo, earning her reputation as the goddess of childbirth. Artemis would establish herself as the revered goddess of hunting, protector of young girls, and a powerful force in Greek mythology. Associated with various spheres of influence, she protected young girls and women and favored the Trojans in the ancient Greek literature. Depictions of Artemis show her with sacred symbols like the bow and arrow, a quiver, and her sacred animal, the deer. Stories of her wrath, such as the myth of Artemis and Actaeon, highlight her powerful vengeance.
Artemis is widely recognized as the virgin goddess in Greek mythology, embodying chastity and purity. Revered for her unwavering dedication to remaining unmarried and abstaining from romantic relationships, she symbolizes the ideal of a self-sufficient and independent woman. As the goddess of the hunt and nature, Artemis was revered as a role model for young girls and women. Her commitment to virginity set her apart from other deities and granted her a unique status within the Greek pantheon. Worship of Artemis played a significant role in ancient Greek society with numerous temples and rituals dedicated to her.
Changxi Goddess
The Changxi Goddess, a prominent figure in Chinese mythology, holds the title of the lunar deity. Often confused with Chang’e, she is Di Jun’s second wife and the mother of the twelve lunar months, including Earth’s Moon. Legends tell of her stealing and devouring a herb of immortality from her husband, Hou Yi, also known as the Excellent Archer. As a result, she found protection under the moon, becoming the lunar goddess we know today. The Changxi Goddess, a prominent figure in Chinese mythology, holds the title of the lunar deity. Often confused with Chang’e, she is Di Jun’s second wife and the mother of the twelve lunar months, including Earth’s Moon. According to ancient Chinese mythology, Di Jun and Changxi are blessed with twelve children, each representing a lunar month. These lunar months are intricately linked to the Earth’s Moon and its phases, symbolizing the ever-changing nature of time and cycles. The legend between her and Hou Yi explain the reason for the separation of the moon and sun as well in Chinese mythology.
Selene
Selene the Greek goddess of the moon is a prominent figure in Greek mythology. As the daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia, she is revered during the phases of the Full Moon and New Moon. Depicted riding a horse or driving a chariot pulled by white horses, Selene is known for her associations with Zeus, Pan, and the mortal Endymion. Her influence can be seen in various artistic representations, including the famous sculpture in the Parthenon. Additionally, Selene’s worship involves rituals and festivals tied to the moon, emphasizing her connection to magic and sorcery. Her role as the personification of the moon is fascinating, encompassing various intriguing stories and connections with other gods and mortals.
Sin
Sin also called Nanna (or Suen) was a Sumerian/ Mesopotamian god who played a longstanding role in the Mesopotamian religion and mythology. He was the god of the moon, the son of the sky god Enlil and the grain goddess Ninlil. Sin’s origin myth is a story of his father’s passion and his mother’s sacrificial love. The virgin Ninlil bathes in the sacred river, where she is seen by the “bright eye” of Enlil, who falls in love with her and seduces (or rapes) her. The assembly of the gods then banishes Enlil to the underworld for this transgression. Ninlil, knowing she is pregnant with the “bright seed of Sîn,” follows Enlil to the world of the dead. Once the moon god is born in the underworld, three additional deities are born to his parents, allowing Sin to take his place in the skies to light up the night. To learn more about him you can attend my free class with Divination on him on 6/23 here.
The Moon, Women, And Their Menstrual Cycles
Since, the moon is also commonly associated with the feminine energy of the universe. This means that the moon is often thought to be connected to women and femininity which includes having an effect on their menstrual cycle. For thousands of years, women have noticed their moon cycles (menstruation – the syllable men meaning moon/month) syncing up with the moon’s phases. This is lunar magic at its core. Just as the moon waxes and wanes, so too does the womb. There are even deeper connections to this including linking what moon phase a women menstruates on and their current life phase. We will go deeper into that on an upcoming blogpost though so keep an eye out. Or you can read my study guide from divination academy on the topic here.
Lunar AKA Moon Magic
The moon has been linked to various magical practices throughout history and cultures. One of these is called lunar magic or moon magic. Lunar magic involves using the phases of the moon to cast spells. Each phase of the moon like we will talk about below has it’s own unique energy and properties and using those energies and properties in our spells and rituals is what lunar magic is.
Phases Of The Moon
Some nights, at the time of the Full Moon, we admire its beauty and grandeur. Other nights, when it starts to fade, it becomes thin and inconspicuous, so different from the peak of its fullness and magical glory. The moon seems to grow and then fade over the period of one lunar cycle (one month). This growing, reaching its full potential, and then diminishing is referred to as moon phases. As mentioned before, lunar phases can be used to enhance magical workings by invoking various energies that align with different moon cycles. The ever-changing lunar cycles remind us of the cyclical nature of life itself. The Moon constantly passes through this cycle of growth and decline, and the phases of the Moon are different parts of this never-ending cycle.
Understanding each stage of the Moon cycle can help guide us on our journey of personal growth and development. They can help guide us on what magical spells and workings will aid us the most in our lives as well at the right time.
New Moon: when the moon begins its next cycle; magic includes new beginnings, new opportunities, wiping the slate clean and starting over “anew”, new friendships, new love, cleansing, fertility, any spell work that has to do with careers and businesses as well. I look at this phase as the most potent time to plant seeds of intentions and manifestation that you wish you bloom and grow. To learn much more about this phase you can read my blogpost on the topics here. Waxing Moon: when the moon grows in size before reaching its fullest; magic involves “growing” things in your life including success, relationships, abundance, healing, love, beauty, money, etc. Full Moon: to some one of the most powerful moon phases; moon is full size; magic includes love, healing, protection, intuition, dreams, connecting with the gods and ancestors, reaching your “fullest” potential, water magic, and divination. I look at this phase as the most potent time to release things unwanted things and obstacles. It is the time to anchor down into your goals, intentions and manifestations. To learn more about this moon phase and how to align with it specifically you can read my blogpost on the topic here. Waning Moon: when the moon seems to fade or grow smaller; this lunar magic includes getting rid of or diminishing things like bad habits, illness, addiction, toxic relationships, and also includes releasing, banishing, and cleansing rituals Dark Moon: The Dark Moon is the few days before a New Moon when the moon seems to be completely gone. I’ve found the dark moon is perfect for shadow work and to recall past lives. If you would like to learn more about shadow work you can purchase my eBook here; https://www.paypal.com/instantcommerce/checkout/2S3QJZ4UPDRG6 you can book me for a 1:1 session as your guide here; https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555318986253 and you can watch my free class previously taught on it through Divination below! You can also register for my upcoming 6 week workshop series on Shadow work here;
Lunar Eclipses
So, what about a lunar eclipse? I want to take a moment to talk about them because if you go online especially on social media you will see countless warnings telling you not do any workings during a lunar eclipse including making moon water. They say its a time of bad omens, and a time that is too chaotic to harness and work with. I simply don’t agree with this. This may be because I am a grey witch. I just don’t see why we can’t work with a moon phase that is chaotic. The universe and all that exists within it sprouted from chaos or nothingness. This is common theme in belief systems, cultures, and stories across the Earth and time like in Mesopotamia with the goddess Tiamat. So, wouldn’t working with chaos like the lunar eclipse be a very primal and potent things for us humans to do? I think so. But, it will be up to you and what you decide for your own practices and beliefs.
Triple Goddess
Wiccans, and other pagans particularly neopagans associate the Triple Goddess with the moon’s phases: the maiden (waxing moon), the mother (full moon), and the crone (waning moon). We all go through these phases in our lives (both men and women) corresponding to our physical bodies: youth, adult years, and our elder years. And corresponding with our spiritual bodies: when we begin our journey, the middle of our journey and the end. Keep an eye out for my upcoming blogpost on this topic recapping my previously taught class.
The Moon And Duality
Since, I am a grey witch every single energy I work with I look for the duality in that energy and how I can connect to it. This includes the moon. The moon itself is all about duality as it is celestial body that is all about transformation, transition, and rebirth. With those energies we are pushed into a liminal space that forces us to look at the things, people, and places that have been obstacles holding us back or to be looking at the hope and abundance of all we could possibly bring into our life. This can be a thing of beauty and hope as well as a thing of pain and darkness which forces us into duality.
The Moon And Astrology
In astrology, the moon is a powerful planet that can influence a person’s emotions, personality, and experiences based on its position in their birth chart. The moon’s influence can be wanted or unwanted, depending on its position, aspects, and other elements. The Moon represents the personal self, the feelings and the unconscious. It is a reflection of the true self, represented by the Sun. The Moon also stands for security and instinctual or habitual patterns, as well as the ability to relate to others, and to be nurturing to others. The Moon represents the feminine and nurturing part of oneself in astrology as well. The Moon represents our deepest personal needs, our basic habits and reactions, and our unconscious. Where the Sun acts, the Moon reacts.
The areas the moon is said to represent in astrology are below:
Emotions: How a person reacts to things, what they need to feel safe and happy, and their emotional makeup Instincts: What’s deep inside a person Relationships: How a person connects with others, especially their relationship with their mothers or other maternal figures Sentiments: What makes a person sentimental
In astrology, a moon sign is the position of the moon in the zodiac at the time of a person’s birth and it’s considered a key part of a person’s astrological profile. Below is a brief list of what each moon sign can mean and how it can affect you in your life and magic. To learn more you can watch this class series on Astrology with Divination Academy here.
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy , the zodiac energy the moon is currently in or the celestial body the moon itself; like I will list below for you to use. Remember to follow your intuition and work the correspondences that resonate with you or that are easy for you to get access to.
Deities-Selene, Sophia, Thoth, Artemis, Diana, Luna, Blodeuwedd, Man in the Moon, Rabbit in the Moon, Khonsu, Inanna, Hecate, Cerridwen, Coyolxauhqui, Sina, Gabriel, Mani, Morgan Le Fay, Cliodhna, Sin
Ruling house: 4th
Zodiac: Cancer
How To Connect To And Work With the Moon
When working with the moon there are certain spells and rituals that will help connect you to this celestial body in the most effective way. Remember these are just some of the many ideas, follow your intuition and the energy of the phase the is currently in. You can find more ways to connect to the moon and more information on many of these forms of magic on my Pinterest page here and my Facebook here. Also keep in mind this list can be expanded so much further when you take into account the current zodiac sign the moon is in. To get more ideas based on that you can look through my blog for many different posts. This list is just some of the basic ways you can start doing lunar magic and working with the moon.
Moon Gazing
Many people don’t know where to start with lunar magic and working with the moon. I often hear they are overwhelmed by the different phases and their energies. My first suggestion is to go outside at night and identify the moon’s phase. Do this time and time again until you instinctively know what phase the moon is in. If you can’t see the moon or can’t get outside, you can also use a moon phase app on your phone (most are free to download). Or simply google it. One of my favorite things still this day to do with the moon is to sit in the silence under its rays and mindfully gaze at it. It has been said throughout cultures and history doing this practice called moon gazing connects you to the moon itself and allows you to take in the magical energies. This would be the first place I would start to help you understand how the energy of the moon affects you as if shifts through its cycle. Doing this will help your body and yourself become much more aware of how the moon affects you in each phase and how to harness its magic.
Make Moon Water
Another great way to connect to the moon is by collecting moon water! This practice is really honestly a staple when it comes to working with them moon. It’s fairly easy to do, and doesn’t require many tools in all reality all you needs is vessel preferably glass to hold water in. It’s a potent and powerful tool to add to your practice and your altar for many different purposes like spells, rituals, and offerings.
So, what is it? Moon water is simply water that has been exposed to the moonlight and charged with a Magical intention. The water will now embody the properties and energy of that moon phase and the astrological sign it was in so we can use it whenever we need it in our craft. This charged water becomes a tangible connection for you to have to the moon! You can use it on your altar, in spell workings, to connect to the archetype energy of the moon, and as an offering to a deity/ element/ or the moon itself. Moon water is highly beneficial for both your life and your witchy practice. To learn more about his practice and how to make moon water read about it here in my previous blogpost.
Attend a Moon Ceremony on the new and/or full moon
Another way you can connect with and work with the moon is by attending ceremonies, rituals, or meditations to honor the new and full moon. Though working with all the phases of the moon is ideal sometimes life can overwhelming or we simply don’t have the time to connect to each lunar phase that month. It’s alright to pick and chose which phases you can work with that lunar cycle and I would recommend for potency, meaning, and simplicity to work with the new and full moon. To make those a priority to observe. This should be really easy for you to do thankfully! If you go on google or Facebook you will find countless events even online for each new moon and full moon every month that you can attend live or watch replays of later. Plus I not only write about them I also host one you can attend too! You can always come and join me with Divination Academy where I host them for free here! This is one of the first things I recommend to my students on a magical path. Make it a point for one calendar year to observe and connect to every new and full moon and watch your life, emotions, and magic grow like never before.
Perform Simple Spells
Next, start with a simple moon ritual or spell. For example you could perform a cleansing bath on the waning or new moon. Add a few herbs to the water that correspond to the moon or crystals and use it to connect to the moon, your emotions, and for cleansing. On the Full Moon, perform a simple candle spell for protection or abundance. Lunar magic really isn’t that hard once you start to align with the phases of the moon and the energy of that phase. So, whenever you need to perform a spell, stop and take time to think about the moon phase it corresponds with and than cast your spell during that phase. It not only leads to more potent and wanted results but, also helps align you with the energy and ever changing phases of the moon.
Keep a moon journal
While your learning a new magic and even after as you continue to work with it. It always is a good idea to keep a journal of yours studies and experiences while working with that type of magic. Write about how each moon phase makes you feel and how it affects the people around you. Record any moon rituals or spells you do and the outcomes. Also, take note of any unusual dreams during certain moon phases or if you notice any increased paranormal activity. Another way you can journal with the moon phases is each new moon make sure to journal and reflect about the things you want manifested and bring into your life. While on the full moon you use that phase to journal about the things you need to release and reflect from your past or now to allow yourself to bring the things you want into your life.
Make a simmer pot that corresponds to the energy of the current moon phase
Perform protection spells or rituals
Dreamwork
Wrap Up
However you choose to connect to the moon just remember these few things, Check the sign the moon is in and tailor your rituals, spells, and manifestations to align with that energy along with the phase the moon is currently in. Remember your spells and rituals can be as simple and as complex as you would like them to be. But, no matter what aligning with the ever changing phases of the moon in you life and magic will bring about profound and potent growth, transformation and healing for you. By connecting you to the cyclical energy of nature and the cosmos around you with it’s illuminating rays.
To expand your knowledge even further or if you learn better through listening instead of reading; you can watch my free class with Divination Academy on youtube below!
Every single month has it’s own energy, and frequencies we can connect to that are unique. When we connect to the month’s energy and frequencies we can find ourselves living a much more aligned, and magical life. We have the ability to amplify our magical workings, intentions, and manifesting. Let’s talk about how to do that with the month of May.
May is a vibrant, energetic, creative, lustful, fertile, and compassionate month marked by the celebration of Beltane and the height of spring’s fertility. It’s a time to honor the Earth’s abundance, to embrace the energy of growth and renewal, and connect with the magic of the natural world all around us in the passionate cosmic dance of the co-creators. An explosion of vitality floods the Earth this month. And that joy of living is transferred to the spirit in everything all around us like; in the activities of humans, the full hustle and bustle in nature, and even in celebrations this month like Beltane and Mother’s day. Love is around every corner in May; sexual love as well as self-love and motherly love. Use this flaming energy to add motivation to your goals and dreams to bring them into reality.
In the month of May we see some themes from both April and March continued as well like fertility, growth, prosperity, and abundance. This month continues to be a time to focus on positive change, growth and new opportunities. This month is a time to truly focus on aligning ourselves with the natural rhythms of the Earth and the turning of the wheel. It’s a month to take the time to go deep into the caverns of who you really are and make sure you are living life truly in your purpose and intentions. Make sure to use those energies and themes to nourish your seeds planted in March, and that you watered in April. Focus on making sure you are really putting the movement, passion, and nutrients into your manifestations, intentions, and goals for the year to really take root, flourish, and begin to multiply in the coming months bursting forth with vitality and passion.
History Of The Month Of May
The word “may” comes from the ancient Greek goddess Maia, who was the goddess of growth and mother of Hermes, the messenger of the gods. Her name translates to “mother, nurse, midwife” or “good mother”. Maia is also the Greek goddess of growth and fertility, and is associated with renewal, joy, and magic. The Romans also had a goddess named Maia, who was associated with fertility and spring. The month is also said to be a time for freedom, adventure, and creativity, and to explore new opportunities and spur dreams.
May is the fifth month of the year according to both the Gregorian and the Julian Calendars. May was the third month in the early Roman calendar. People born in the month of May are born under the Sun Sign of either Taurus or Gemini.
Sacred Days And Celebrations In May
Every Single month has sacred and important days and celebrations to help you connect to the energies of the month. Plus they usually are a lot of fun to take part in! Let’s talk about a couple of the important and sacred days and celebrations for the month of May.
Beltane
One of the most well known and important sacred days in May is Beltane. Beltane is a celebration of the earth and nature and marks the start of the traditional planting season. Beltane is the pagan Celtic fire festival dating back to ancient times. In fact, the name Beltane is derived from the name of the Celtic god Belenes, or Bel, and the word tene meaning “fire”. The earliest mention of the holiday was in an Irish medieval text known as Sanas Cormaic, written by Cormac mac Cuilennáin king-bishop of Munster sometime before the year 908. The word Beltane, which in traditional Irish is spelled Bealtaine, means “Fire of Bel” or “Great Fire”.
It occurs officially upon moonrise on April 30th, lasting through the next day, May 1st, in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, the dates are reversed: so it begins October 31st and lasts through November 1st.Although Beltane is Celtic in origin, there are literally hundreds of other fire and fertility festivals celebrated around the world at this time. In England, Beltane is known as May Day. In Germany, it’s Walpurgisnacht (aka the Witches Night). Beltane is the festival that honors the change from winter to summer and the union of the god and goddess. It is a time of fertility, growth, and new beginnings.
Beltane is the time when the Earth is literally buzzing with fertility. Spring is in full swing, flowers are blooming, the birds are building nests for their young, many animals are seeking mates, and farmers are planting their fields in preparation of the abundant Summer months. It is time to celebrate the fertility and prosperity of the world during this warm time of growth, abundance, and transformation. It is time to connect to the duality of the sacred dance between the co-creators; that seed all of life. It is a time when our souls are lit with a burning blaze of passion, creativity, and sexuality to allow us to transform into our true forms this coming season. To learn more about this sacred day and celebration you can read all about it in my previous blog post here.
The 5/5 Portal Of Abundance
Certain dates hold a special significance in the terms of celestial alignment and they create a portal through which we can access heightened energies, spiritual insights, and opportunities for growth. The 5th of May is a really important date as it is the 5th day of the 5th month of the year. This is known as the 5/5 portal. The May 5 Portal, is also known as the 5/5 Gateway or the Beltane Portal, and it occurs annually on May 5th. This date holds significance in various spiritual traditions, including astrology, numerology, and indigenous cultures as a time of heightened spiritual activity and cosmic alignment. It’s often thought that at this time, the veil between the physical and spiritual realms is thinner, putting the collective in a liminal space allowing us to access higher frequencies of energy to receive guidance, and blessings from the divine. This portal creates a powerful alignment of cosmic forces that opens a gateway to transformation, renewal, manifestation, abundance, and purpose. The energy will be ripe on 5/5, the ultimate portal of change, enlightenment, and finally seeing elements in your life “as they are” and not what you perceive. It is the portal that unlocks the door for us to begin a deep manifestation journey. To learn more about this portal and how to work with it you can read all about it in my previous blog post here.
Mother’s Day
Mother’s day is another well known day of celebration that happens during the month of May. Not only is a day to honor mothers of all kinds but, there is a much deeper meaning to mother’s day as well. The deeper meaning of Mother’s Day is to not only honor our mothers for giving us life physically, but also to honor our true Parent, the goddess and source, who gave us life at all levels: physically, intellectually, and spiritually. When we remember our mothers, we should also remember the goddess and source for creating us. Mothers Day is a chance for each of us to consciously reconnect with the principle of the Divine Feminine within ourselves, which is where the true Power Unconditional Love resides, waiting to embrace and nurture us. Celebrate the Divine Feminine this Mothers Day and notice how loved you really are.
Other Important Dates
Beltane is celebrated on the first of May.
The Bona Dea festival was celebrated in ancient Rome on the first of May.
May 1st was also Vinalia.
May 9th is the Roman festival of Lemuria.
May 15th is the birthday of the Roman God Mercury or Mercuralia
May 21st is the Roman festival Vejovis.
May 23rd is the Roman festival Rosalia
Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May.
Memorial Day is celebrated on the last Sunday in May.
Armed Forces Day is the third Sunday in May.
May 5th is Cinco De Mayo, commemorating the Mexican defeat of the French at Puebla
It is said that King Arthur died on May 30 542
Joan of Arc died on May 30, 1431
May Magical And Witchcraft Themes
In witchcraft, May is often celebrated as a time of fertility, growth, and abundance. As spring reaches its peak in the Northern Hemisphere, witches embrace the energy of the season to nurture their intentions and projects. They take the time to go into the depths of nature to understand who they truly are and where their deepest desires and passions lie. Many witches celebrate and honor Beltane, a traditional Celtic festival celebrating the union of the god and goddess and the flourishing of life. It becomes a time to relish in the cosmic dance of the divine co-creators. Witches may participate in rituals and ceremonies honoring fertility, love, and the blooming of the natural world; as well as perform potent sex magick during this time of the year. They may also work with symbols such as flowers, maypoles, and bonfires to harness the potent energies of May.
The Gods And Goddesses Of May
With every season and month there are certain themes, magic, and energies we have the ability to connect to including deities. Everyone works with and views deity energy a little differently. Whether you view them as archetypes of the human consciousness, representations of the source energy, or as being entities on their own, there are certain deities that now is the time to connect to and honor them in the most sacred and amplified way.
During this month a few deities take center stage because they have festivals or sacred days during this month to help you connect with them in a very intimate way. The deities that are going to be the best for you to connect to right now are going to be those who represent spring, fertility, abundance, sex, love the divine co-creators, maternal love, nature, and any deities connected to Beltane. Below we will talk about some of the deities you can work with this month.
Iris
Iris, is the Greek Goddess of the Rainbow and Messenger of the Gods, and she has an important place in Greek mythology. Known for her vivid look and elegant presence, Iris is the divine connection between gods and mortals. But Iris is more than a messenger. She symbolizes the radiance, brilliance, and enchantment of rainbows, a sight that humans have been charmed by for a long time. Iris is different from other goddesses. Other gods sometimes meddle with human affairs out of fun or interest. But Iris is devoted to her mission. She shows loyalty and adherence to duty, never stopping in her mission to keep communication between Olympus and Earth open.
Even though she is most well known as the goddess of rainbows and messenger to the gods; she is also known as a goddess of the sea and sky. In some regions she is depicted as a virgin goddess and was believed by the coastal-dwelling Greeks to replenish the rain clouds with water from the sea. She was often described as Hera’s personal messenger and one of her handmaidens. To learn more about her you can read all about her in my previous blog post here.
Bel or Belenos
Bel or Belenos is a Celtic fire god who may have been the catalyst for this sabbat thousands of years ago. When we translate Bel’s name, we get “Shining One”. Not only was Bel associated with fire and fertility, he was also a well-loved healing god whose cult stretched all the way from Italy to the British Isles, at its peak. Bel was also a sun god who rode the sun like a chariot across the sky each day, led by his sacred, most powerful totem – horses. There are those who believe Beltane originates in honor of Bel, and those who disagree.
Artemis
Artemis, the Greek goddess of hunting and nature, was born as the daughter of Zeus and Leto. Artemis, was the twin sister of Apollo. Their mother, Leto, faced numerous struggles during her pregnancy, as she was relentlessly pursued by the jealous Hera. Artemis helped her mother give birth to her brother Apollo, earning her reputation as the goddess of childbirth. Artemis would establish herself as the revered goddess of hunting, protector of young girls, and a powerful force in Greek mythology. Associated with various spheres of influence, she protected young girls and women and favored the Trojans in the ancient Greek literature. Depictions of Artemis show her with sacred symbols like the bow and arrow, a quiver, and her sacred animal, the deer. Stories of her wrath, such as the myth of Artemis and Actaeon, highlight her powerful vengeance.
Artemis is widely recognized as the virgin goddess in Greek mythology, embodying chastity and purity. Revered for her unwavering dedication to remaining unmarried and abstaining from romantic relationships, she symbolizes the ideal of a self-sufficient and independent woman. As the goddess of the hunt and nature, Artemis was revered as a role model for young girls and women. Her commitment to virginity set her apart from other deities and granted her a unique status within the Greek pantheon. Worship of Artemis played a significant role in ancient Greek society with numerous temples and rituals dedicated to her. Do you want to venture further into the woods with her? Check out my spell connecting with her in the deity a day series here!
Cernuous
The horned god of the forest, Cernuous is a powerful deity associated with Beltane. He is often invoked for protection and blessings of abundance. Cernuous is an ancient Celtic god who was known for his power over wild nature. He was often depicted in art as a horned figure with antlers, embodying the balance between life and death. Cernuous can be seen by many as a symbol of power and transition – from death to rebirth. He teaches us the importance of understanding our place in Nature and how to connect with it – learning from nature’s ebbs and flows, respecting its cycles and giving back when possible. Do you want to hear more about his story? Join me inside the Divine Tales Thursdays to hear his tale here.
Pan
Part man and part goat, Pan was the Greek god who was patron of shepherds and hunters, who watched their flocks. Pan was the Greek god of nature and the untamed wilderness. PAN was the god of the meadows and forests of the mountain wilds. His unseen presence aroused panic in those who traversed his realm. He was even thought to be the cause of the musical sound of the wind through the trees. He was Associated with music, fertility, and spring. In ancient Greek art, he was often depicted as a horned man with the legs of a goat; he was the chief of the satyrs, who were similar in appearance and character to Pan.
Pan, ruled over nature and pasturelands. Pan is essentially the father of the wild things. He is frequently depicted in literature and artworks. Although he is not one of the major gods of Ancient Greece, he is one of most often referenced figures in Greek mythology. Pan has come to represent the unstoppable power of nature throughout the ages and still today. To learn more about pan and how to connect to him you can do so in my previous blog post here.
Xochiquetzal
The Aztec goddess Xochiquetzal was one of the most important goddesses in the Aztec pantheon. She was associated with most of the aspects relating to women and femininity: she was the deity who presided to fertility and pregnancy, but also to handicrafts traditionally linked to women, such as weaving. Her most important characteristic was surely her strongly accentuated sensuality: she was the only Aztec goddess to be represented as a young woman, all the others being usually portrayed as mature ladies. Because she was represented as a young woman, the Aztec goddess Xochiquetzal was also the goddess of eroticism. According to this fact, she was thought to have had relationships with many among the most important gods of the Aztec religion. The most renowned was surely Tezcatlipoca, the omniscient god of the night sky and one of the creators of the world.
It is known that the Aztec goddess Xochiquetzal, often revered as the goddess of love and fertility, had a twin brother, or alternatively a male counterpart: a god named Xochipilli who was associated with dance, games, and the arts. Xochiquetzal, also recognized as the Mexican goddess of love, was thought to have been born in Tamoanchan, one of the thirteen heavens of the Aztec cosmos, from a couple of hairs on the head of her first husband, Piltzintecuhtli. She would have been the mother of the god of corn, Cinteotl, further cementing her role as a fertility goddess.
Maia
I saved the goddess the month is named after for last; the Greek goddess Maia. Maia is a Greek goddess associated with various aspects of mythology and culture. As one of the Pleiades, she resides in the constellation of the same name. Maia is known as the mother of Hermes, the messenger of the gods. Maia, a prominent figure in Greek mythology, and holds a significant place among the pantheon of gods and goddesses. Her story begins as the daughter of Atlas and Pleione, and she resides in a deep and shadowy cave atop Mount Cyllene in Arcadia. Often depicted as a shy and reclusive deity, Maia captivates with her enigmatic presence. Her connection to the natural world, particularly the earth, is a prominent aspect of her character, leading some texts to identify her as Gaia, the goddess of the Earth. In Greek Mythology her role was as a mother and caretaker, and her symbolic association with the Earth and growth.
Correspondences For May
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy, the zodiac energy the moon is currently or for time of the year like a month, which I will list below for you to use.
Deities- bel, pan, Artemis, iris, Hera, cernuous, Xochiquetzal, Xochipilli, flora, Aine, Apollo, The Green Man, Maia, Bast, Aphrodite, Venus, Diana, Faunus, the horned god
Symbols- Maypole, flowers, bonfires, ribbons, the goddess, the phallus, flower moon, fairies, elves
Zodiac- Taurus, Gemini
Trees- hawthorn, apple
Themes- Fertility, love, abundance, growth, sex, grounding, personal growth, duality, creativity, passion, lust, grounding, nature, desire, blooming world, the divine cocreators, healing, spiritual growth, balance, maternal love
How To Connect To The Magic Of May
We’ve talked a lot about all the different types of energies the month of May has and gives us access to work with. So, how can you specifically connect to those energies? In your every day life you can make sure your affirmations and manifestation work align with the energies of abundance, prosperity, love, desire, passion, maternal love, creativity, and nourishment. You can celebrate and honor any of the sacred days and holidays like Beltane, and work with the season of spring and the soon to be here Summer.
Some Rituals and spell workings during this time that will be really intensified will be based on prosperity, wealth, growth, and fertility. You can do things like create a lucky money bag, a prosperity bowl, or perform some spells using egg magic. May is a time of the year where many witches are able to get back into nature, using this time to physically reconnect with nature through all kinds of nature magic, earthing, grounding, and elemental magic. If you were not able to plant your garden last month this is a perfect time to do so and to perform some seed magic at the same time.
Other rituals and spell workings that would be powerful to perform during the month of May; will be based on passion, lust, sex, and desire. The month of May starts with a fiery and passionate blaze of sex and cocreation with Beltane and that energy is felt throughout the entire month. You see it in nature even as the bees are busy pollinating flowers, the animals are mating, and humans are much more active in nature as well. So, take the time to really allow yourself to access your true desires and passion, this month by doing some sex magick rituals or spells.
With May being about passion that also opens us up to the energy of expansion. You can access this a few different ways; by casting spells based on transformation or by doing shadow work. Another way you can access the energy of expansion is through the expression of creativity. To access this expression you can mindfully make art and give it as an offering to a deity or place it at your altar, you can move you body especially by moving your hips, go on an adventure, and you can cast any spells to enhance and boost your creativity. This month is the perfect month to really let your expression of expansion run free and work on new projects and ideas you really want to bring to life this year.
When we want to use the energy around us to affect our magical practices and rituals we can amplify that by doing things in our every day life to align with the energy as well. You can align with the energy of abundance, lust, sex, passion, compassion, fertility, expansion and creativity with affirmations, mantras, intentions, goal setting, being in nature, and adding the passion of fire to our lives with candles, lit fireplaces, and bonfires.
The month of May is a month full of love starting from the first day of the month with passionate and fiery Beltane, then the maternal love of mothers day and the love of gratitude and loss with memorial day. This month take the time to focus on the energy of love for yourself, and others in all ways and really explore all facets of the energy of love this month. You can do things like making sure you get yourself outside breathing the fresh air and getting in touch with the earth. You can also make sure to nourish yourself and show yourself some self love by taking a self love ritual bath. Lastly, take some time to look at your relationship with your mother, and with the divine mother to determine if you have a mother wound that you may need to work on healing this month.
If you didn’t start working with them last month in April don’t worry; May is also the perfect month and time to start working with the Fae and the Faery realm. You can start doing this by planning and than planting your Faery Garden so your flowers will start blooming in the next month. Some things I recommend to have for your faery garden will be listed below and keep a look out for a blogpost coming to go in depth on adding one of these to your yard and practice.
Plant Foxglove and Pansies
Make sure to have plenty of small plants and flower bushes
Have small mirrors laying around
Decorate with shiny crystals likes quartz and agates
Plant roses
Plant berry bushes for offerings
Build a Fairy House
Include moss and mushrooms
Include a butterfly feeder and water station
Plant Nectar producing flowers and plants
Duality And The Month Of May
Since, I am a grey witch I look for the duality in every single energy I work with including sacred times like a month of the year like May. May is burning with duality, in the sense of looking at the divine masculine and feminine. These are two forces that coexist and intermingle in the cosmos and we are made of both of these energies no matter the gender we identify with or are physically born into it. May starts off with Beltane which is the sacred day that represents these two forces. It allows us to look into the flames of our souls and connect these two forces existing within us. In my opinion it is the day of the year we can connect to the duality of them the most when we experience the intense heat of the flames when they come to together in union. That cosmic unions energy is present during the entire month allowing us to access such dualistic energies like sex, lust, passion, desire, creativity, and expansion.
Let The Passion, Creativity, And Abundance Of May Nourish Your Blossoming Intentions
We talked about many things in this blogpost including the history, some celebrations, the different energies and magical themes we can work with during this month, how to connect to those energies, deities we can honor and worship, and how to work with the magic of May. No matter how you choose to work with the energies and magic of May make sure to be focused on continuing your rebirth for this year, abundance, and nourishing yourself and the seeds your planted a few months back. Making sure those seeds that are now blossoming truly have all they need for the nutrients to continue to bring you creativity, passion, and your truest desires and passions into your life. If you do this your life will become so much more magical and aligned. All the nourishment you give your seeds that are now plants this month will allow you to bloom the rest of the year.
I am Kayreign, the Divine Oracle of the Gods and Keeper of Mysteries, a solitary grey magic practitioner with over 15 years of experience walking the sacred paths of the unseen. As a mystic and relentless seeker of all knowledge, I weave together the threads of every magical tradition—light and dark, ancient and modern—to uncover the universal truths that bind us to the cosmos. My mission is to restore and re-enchant magic in this realm, igniting its spark in every soul I encounter, and guiding you to embrace the full spectrum of your being.
My work is rooted in the power of duality, honoring the dance between shadow and light as equal partners in your spiritual journey. I hold space for you to explore all magic paths and practices, drawing from the vast tapestry of mystical wisdom to help you uncover your unique magic and sacred contracts. As the Divine Oracle of the Gods, I channel divine insights to illuminate your path; as the Keeper of Mysteries, I guide you into the depths of the unknown, where true transformation awaits.
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The rain falls, the thunder rolls, the lightning strikes and then out comes the sun to shine. Bringing with it an arch of colorful delight a sight that humans have been charmed by for a long time; a rainbow. The rainbow is a sign of a wish and pledge, reminding us of the magic of kindness and blessings. The rainbow is the visible sign of the transportation of messages from Olympus to Earth, uniting immortality and humanity; the divine and the mortals. The radiant colors paint magnificent arcs of light, astonishing the world as the trials left behind from the celestial wings of the elegant messenger goddess of the Greek gods; Iris.
Iris, is the Greek Goddess of the Rainbow and Messenger of the Gods, and she has an important place in Greek mythology. Known for her vivid look and elegant presence, Iris is the divine connection between gods and mortals. But Iris is more than a messenger. She symbolizes the radiance, brilliance, and enchantment of rainbows, a sight that humans have been charmed by for a long time. Iris is different from other goddesses. Other gods sometimes meddle with human affairs out of fun or interest. But Iris is devoted to her mission. She shows loyalty and adherence to duty, never stopping in her mission to keep communication between Olympus and Earth open.
Let’s fly across the skies following the arch of the iridescent rainbow and discover the significance and impact of Iris’ divine message delivery and uncover the mystical bond she shares with the vibrant and awe-inspiring phenomenon of rainbows. Ride the rainbow with myself and Iris; bridging the worlds between the mortals and the divine and learn all about the Greek messenger goddess of rainbows, blessings, wishes, and communication together in this blog post
The Symbolism Of The Rainbow
Before we fly across the skies with Iris leaving behind us the enchanting and arching trail that is the rainbow. Let’s first briefly talk about what a rainbow symbolizes and means especially to the ancient Greeks; to help us understand who Iris is as we fly with her. The rainbow isn’t just a beautiful natural phenomenon; in Greek mythology and culture, it’s a symbol of hope, communication, and the link between heaven and earth. Since the rainbow appears to bridge the gap between the heavens and the ground a rainbow acts as a conduit between the divine and the human realm. They represent the bridge between divine and human realms, facilitating communication and bringing down the divine decrees to the mortals mostly from Zeus and Hera. The lively rainbow symbolizes Iris’s presence, bringing hope, along with better communication and understanding between different realms.
Who Is Iris?
Iris is a well-known figure in Greek Mythology. She symbolizes the rainbow and is the Greek goddess who served as a messenger for the Olympian deities. Even though she is most well known as the goddess of rainbows and messenger to the gods; she is also known as a goddess of the sea and sky. In some regions she is depicted as a virgin goddess and was believed by the coastal-dwelling Greeks to replenish the rain clouds with water from the sea. She was often described as Hera’s personal messenger and one of her handmaidens.
According to homer who writes about her in the Iliad; Iris was a pleasant goddess who acted as a bridge between the gods and mortals. She served as a messenger from the gods on Olympus and brought news from the summit until Hermes, eventually took her place. After that she continued to serve the gods on olympus by serving them nectar.
She is often depicted with wings of gold; resembling those of a butterfly and pitcher, some myths said Iris filled her pitcher with water from the River Styx – a mysterious body of water that serves as a symbolic boundary between our world and the hereafter. It is known as the river we cross ferried by charon in hades to get to our eternal destination. This is one reason Iris is closely connected to water, and another way she is seen acting as a bridge between other realms and earth.
Ancient Greece saw Iris as a revered deity, the messenger of gods. The Greek goddess Iris is believed to have helped answer people’s prayers as well as been associated with messages, communication, and new ventures. She either alerted the other gods about their needs or met those needs herself.
The Greeks believed that rainbows were created by Iris when she descended from Mount Olympus. They considered rainbows to be a sign of goodwill from the gods and a blessing for those who witness it. She was seen as the link between heaven and earth, and the rainbow-hued presence was thought to bring good health and favor from the gods.
Aside from her fundamental roles as a messenger & bridge between worlds, it’s worth knowing that Iris also has significance in Greek marriage rituals. Her delicate presence during these ceremonies is a lucky sign, blessing couples with love, joy, and oneness. This lesser-known detail adds more depth to Iris’ character and shows the multi-faceted nature of this mesmerizing goddess.
Iris: The Divine Messenger
When it comes to delivering messages among the gods or between gods and humans, Iris is your go-to deity. With her golden wings, she zips across the sky, serving Zeus and Hera as their loyal messenger. Delivering the divine will of Zeus and Hera, she didn’t just pass along messages. She helped guide the gods’ decisions by smoothly communicating across the pantheon. Her role was critical, connecting the divine with mortals, ensuring the gods remained in loop with human affairs. When mortals saw a rainbow, they knew Iris was reminding them of her presence, bridging the gap between humans and gods with her beautiful hues. The rainbow, created by Iris, wasn’t just eye candy either. It was a literal bridge between the divine and mortal realms. This rainbow bridge was no ordinary phenomenon; it was a reminder of Iris’s power and her unique role as a liaison.
While Hermes is the better known messenger to the gods today, Iris used to be the main form of communication between the gods and mortals and the gods themselves. During this time, Hermes was given a much smaller role of guide or guardian. Despite many stories where Iris is the main focus somewhere between The Iliad being published and The Odyssey there was a switch between the two messengers as Hermes became the main focus and Iris was left to the footnotes or just never mentioned again.
Later poets attempted to split Hermes and Iris’ roles in the pantheon, with Hermes serving as a messenger to Zeus and the other gods while Iris became Hera’s devoted servant. The Greek polymath Callimachus from the third century BC likens Iris to a hunting hound of Hera. He said that the goddess was ever there on Hera’s throne, ears perked up to hear her commands which is when you start to see her referenced more as Hera’s handmaiden. You see an example of her carrying out Hera’s wishes; In Euripides’ “Heracles.” Iris acts on Hera’s behalf by ordering Lyssa, the spirit of frenzy and wild fury, to drive Heracles mad so that he will kill his sons. Iris is also Hera’s messenger in Virgil’s “Aeneid.”
Iris A Goddess Of Transformation And Hope
Iris also represents transformation. Just like rainbows, she stands for the power that can arise from hardship. She has a role as a bringer of hope and change. Her messages from the gods bring hope and resolution. Even today, we speak of finding a silver lining or looking for the rainbow after the storm to inspire hope and change. Iris stands as a reminder that, even during tough times, there is potential for new beginnings.
Iris And Duality
Since I am a grey witch and live in the liminal spaces every single deity I work with I look for how they can connect to duality. How do they represent the universal concept of duality that every being is meant to achieve in the universe.
With a Goddess like Iris who is the personification of rainbows you might think there is no way she can be a goddess of duality. Rainbows; like we talked about are symbol of hope which many would consider simply a light or positive thing. But, is it really? When are we looking for hope? Usually, when we are in the pits of despair, times are tough or we need a new beginning and fresh start. Which is where we get the sense of duality in hope. Hope is the opposite energy we are reaching for to balance out of despair. So, if she is showing up to be a symbol of hope for you chances are she is the energy and force that is finally tipping you into a sense of duality and balance in your life and current circumstances.
With hope usually comes transformation which itself is a very dualistic process and thing. Involving a death, shedding, and releasing along with a growth, birth, and intention. Transformation is all about getting ourselves to the next phase or stage and we do that through change by bringing ourselves to balance and using all the energies we have available to us. So, as a goddess of transformation and hope Iris herself can be seen as a representation of duality.
Her role as a messenger not only between realms, but between the gods themselves screams being a goddess of duality. Iris connects different realms with her divine presence which creates a liminal space of duality itself. Being a messenger between realms allows her access to a duality most deities may not understand. It creates a deeper connection to mortals and an understanding since she spends so much time zipping around among us. It also gives her an understanding of the duality in the differences and similarities between the gods and mortals.
Also, being a messenger among the gods requires the ability to be diplomatic and create balance amongst the gods. In order to do this she has to be able to see things from many sides and be able to find an answer that creates balance and harmony amongst them.
Lastly, you see her connection to duality in the rainbow itself which she personifies and uses for her travels. A rainbows appear due to rain and sunlight; two necessary elements. The rainbow itself creates a link between two elements which is a dualistic energy itself.
Iris And Her Diverse Family
As we fly deeper into the world of Greek mythology, Iris’s connections reveal a great deal about her character. Her family and allies include some of the most powerful and important figures in the pantheon, showing just how integral she is to the divine workings of Mount Olympus. As with almost every single pagan deity their is debate among scholars, archeologists, and historians when it comes to her parentage, origin and family. I will do my best to mention all the differences I have been able to find for her here.
Her parents where Thaumas, a marine/ocean god, and Elektra, a cloud nymph/ Oceanid and this seems to be a fact that is mostly agreed upon. This makes her part of a fascinating lineage, with her father representing the wonders of the sea and her mother the brightness of the clouds. It’s easy to see where Iris gets her radiant beauty and swift nature from. I did find a few sources claiming she was Born from the sea foam caused by Uranus’ castration as well.
When it comes to the rest of the gods she is said to be related too, she finds herself amongst a very powerful and diverse family putting Iris in a unique spot, throwing her right in the middle of earthly and divine events. Some sources claim she is a sister to powerful gods like Zeus, Hera & Poseidon even. Many sources also say that Iris had sisters; the Harpies Ocypete, Aello, and Celaeno and these women are wild – part woman, part bird, and totally fearsome. I’ll do a blogpost in the future on them and how to work with them.
Even though a few sources claim them to be siblings most agree; Iris was married to Zephyrus, the god of the west wind. He’s the gentlest of winds, bringing spring and early summer showers to people. The couple had a son, a minor god named Pothos. Pothos is the God of sexual longing, yearning, and desire and was one of the winged love gods. Does he sound familiar? He should because, some sources state that their son’s name was actually Eros.
Some believe Iris is the sister of Arke as well, a Titaness who betrayed the Olympian gods and became a messenger goddess for the Titans instead. As a result, Iris and Arke were mortal enemies. Ancient records even claim that Iris is the fraternal twin of Arke. Her many powerful and diverse connections highlight her importance and versatile role among the gods.
Myths And Stories Involving Iris
Iris’s involvement in Greek myths and stories showcases her importance as a divine messenger and her role in the divine scheme of things. Let’s land on the ground and look into some specifics. Multiple Greek tales feature Iris, she was even present in during the Titanomachy. She was an early supporter of the Olympians, including Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon. During the Titanomachy, her job was to relay messages between Zeus, the Hecatonchires, and the Cyclopes.
Iris is seen in many other classic myths and stories such as The Iliad and Virgil. In the Iliad she is the only god relaying messages for Zeus and Hera to the other gods and mortals. She is the one who was sent to inform Priam of Zeus’s decision concerning his son’s body and who informed Menelaus of Helen’s abduction. Homer frequently alludes to Iris’s appearance during the Trojan War. The most crucial thing she performed was returning a wounded Aphrodite to Olympus following Diomedes. These were all small but rather vital roles in the story of the Iliad and the war. Possibly her largest role in the story, however, is when she autonomously granted Achilles’ prayer and summoned the winds to ignite his lover Patroclus funeral pyre.
You see her flying in again with Jason and the Argonauts. Before Jason and the Argonauts could save the blind seer Phineus from the Harpies’ wrath, Iris appeared to him. Since the Harpies were her sisters, she begged Jason to spare them, and the Boreads did not kill them but instead drove them away.
She is also briefly flies by in some versions of the story of The Exile of Demeter (or as it’s commonly known as the story of The Abduction of Persephone) where Zeus sent Iris to call the self imposed exiled Goddess Demeter back to Olympus after the abduction of Persephone. In this story you see Iris being pivotal to the return of spring for mortals; bringing hope and messages of renewal to humanity.
Iris played one of the key roles, in the myth of the Twin Gods birth, Apollo and Artemis. In Callimachus she is described as being one of Hera’s messengers, along with Ares, to threaten the cities from receiving Leto in the hopes that the other Goddess would be left with no one to deliver her children. Iris then reported the birth of the children to Hera and told her there was nothing more to do and went to sleep leaning upon Hera’s throne, incurring the wrath of her mistress.
It’s even said that a time of chaos existed in Mount Olympus once. Feeling the need for peace and equilibrium, Iris took it upon herself to mediate between Hera’s rage and Zeus’ authority. With her soothing words and divine grace, she brought calmness back to their heavenly realm. This story displays not only her diplomatic abilities but also her essential part in keeping balance and harmony among the gods. It shows her role not only as a messenger between the deities and the mortals but, also her role as a messenger across the pantheon as well.
Worship Of Iris
The only recorded cult of Iris was on “Hecate’s Island” close to Delos where her worshippers would make offerings of cheesecake. She was also tasked with travelling to hades to collect water to be used in sacred oaths. She has also generally been associated with the themes of winter, peace, protection, air, meditation, promises, and beginnings. She is often seen as representing hope and the calms after the storm.
The Awe-Inspiring Appearance of Iris
The ancient Greeks often ranked Iris as one of their most attractive goddesses. The goddess Iris often takes the form of a rainbow or a lovely young woman with wings. Her wings are either depicted as being gold or irredescendent like a rainbow. Mythology says her wings were so brilliant and magnificent that they could illuminate even the deepest cave. Iris’s moods are said to be reflected in her hair color. Her hair is wavy, her eyes are a light purple color, and she wears rainbow earrings. Her ethereal beauty mesmerizes all who encounter her. Once upon a time, it was said that this rainbow incarnate connected the clouds to the ground below.
Greek art also often depicts Iris as a beautiful young woman with golden wings, a water pitcher (oinochoe) or a caduceus. The caduceus, which is a symbol of heralds and messengers. The caduceus is a winged staff with two snakes intertwined around it and is also associated with Hermes, the messenger god. Sometimes, she would serve nectar from her jug while standing next to Zeus or Hera in the artwork.
Abilities And Powers Of Iris
Iris is a radiant young goddess whose main power is that of flight. The goddess Iris’s speed is so phenomenal that she can quickly get from Olympus to Earth or even to Hades. The ancient Greeks called her “swift-footed,” which implies that she could act quickly in response to demands. To get about, it’s said Iris rides the rainbows while other stories say she leaves the rainbows behind as a trail from her wings or her rainbow iridescent coat you can see her sometimes wearing. It’s said her wings allow her to soar to any part of the cosmos, as well as reach the bottom of the deepest waters. She can also travel to the depths of the Underworld (hades) much more quickly than any other deity including Hermes.
Iris is known to be able to change shape to fit any situation or environment during her missions. She can become a mortal, animals or even objects. This skill helps her blend into her surroundings while fulfilling her role as a mediator. Iris also has a special talent; she can manipulate light and colors! Rainbows’ beauty comes from light’s bending and dispersion. Similarly, Iris can manipulate light with her powers. As the embodiment of rainbows, she can infuse them with energy and communicate through their hues. The rainbow arcs convey emotions that words cannot express. In addition to this, Iris also has the power to control the size and intensity of rainbows by altering the moisture in the air or the angle of sunlight.
Correspondences To Connect To Iris
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be an archetype energy , or the zodiac energy the moon is currently, or a deity, like I will list below for you to use.
Planet- Earth and Sun and Venus
Animal- all birds, butterflies,
Element- Air and Water
Sex- Feminine
Symbol- Rainbow, Wings (golden or iridescent), pitcher, bridge, the sea, the skies, clouds, Caduceus, Sunlight, Raindrops, letters, feathers, postcards/ letters
colors- All of the colors, the entire rainbow, black, white, pink, brown
Themes- Hope, transformation, blessings, wishes, communication, renewal, bridges, rainbows, the gap between realms, travel, change, knowledge, balance, harmony, peace, the sea, the skies, serving others, repairing relationships, resolving conflict, diplomacy, speed, swiftness, messages
Chakra-All of them, Root, Womb, Belly, Heart, Throat,Third Eye and Crown
Foods- figs, cakes, wheat, honey, cheesecake, milk with cinnamon
Tarot card- Temperance
Why Work With The Goddess Iris?
Iris is a alluring goddess to work with and she has the ability to bring about so much change, hope, and connection when her rainbow arches across the skies of your life. She represents hope, vitality and the power of colorful communication with the Divine. When you choose to work with her in your life, and magical practices she brings you Harmony, balance, peace, happiness, Glad tidings, and color into your life. You can call on her to ask her to carry your hopes, dreams, wishes, and intentions to the heavens and your messages to the gods.
How To Know Iris Is Calling To Work With You
The call of Iris, the rainbow goddess, and messenger of the gods, may be easy and obvious to spot by seeing her rainbow dancing across the sky calling to you. Life can be busy, but if you’ve been witness to several instances of a rainbow’s arrival or a beautiful sky with cotton clouds, pay attention. Iris may be tapping you to work with her. Other things to keep an eye out for is if you see rainbows in media all around you, or they pop up in your dreams or meditations. If you feel your clares and psychic abilities tugging at you, or an unexpected need to reach out and communicate to someone else especially if you have lost contact with them. Follow where her rainbow leads you to a place of hope and mended communication.
Ways To Work With and Connect To Iris
Everyone’s relationship with deities is different and we all work with and believe in them differently. You might believe in multiple gods and goddesses and work with them each as though they are close, personal friends. Or maybe you believe the old gods are reflections of Universal energy and simply archetype energies that you can learn a lesson from. However you incorporate deities in your practice is up to you. If you need help to figure this out you can purchase my eBook here on the Introduction to working with pagan deities.
But here are some ideas to get you started on ways to work with Iris. Remember; it’s important to approach her with respect, reverence, gratitude and by building a relationship with her. Every time you work with a deity it is an even energetic exchange; which means what you put into your intention when working with them and building your relationship to them is what you get back.
Study, get to know her
As with every deity I have ever written about or taught about, The first way to get to know a deity, specifically a goddess like Iris is to study all you can about her. I’ll be honest finding information on her can be a little scarce but, you can start by going back to the mythology section of this blog and go read and the myths and stories she is in like; the Iliad and the story of the Trojan war. Learn about other deities she has close relationships to like Hera, Zeus, Persephone and her Husband Zephyrus. Learn about her sister the harpies. Study the culture, region, and worship of the people of Greece where she is from. The more you study and learn the better! When working with a deity it is all about building a true relationship with them and you do this first by getting to know who they are.
Connect with the Rainbow
Iris is the goddess of the rainbow and some even say the literal personification of the rainbow. So, what better way to work with her than to connect to the rainbow in your life and magical practices. There are so many ways to do this. You can add it to your life in your wardrobe with color magic, you can go cloud gazing, look for the rainbow after the rain, add the rainbow to your altar, smile and wave at rainbows, or use a hose to create one. You can also contemplate bridges between different aspects of life after it rains.
Communication Spells and Rituals
One of Iris’ key roles is to be the messenger of the gods and for the gods. This makes her one of the best if not the best deity to call on when you are doing any communication spells or rituals. She can help you in spells that have to do with creating clear communication, rekindling a lost friendship or relationship, sending messages to others, resolving conflict with another due to communication, and communicating your wishes and desires to another.
Be of Service to Others
Iris not only fills the role of the messenger but, if you look at many of the stories where you see her she is doing things in service to others. Iris really serves to embody the archetype of the servant within the greek gods. She steps up for the gods when there is chaos to serve them as a diplomat and keep peace. She serves both the gods and mortals facilitating messages between the two. And even after Hermes steps in as the primary messenger of the gods she continues to serve them on Mount Olympus serving them nectar, settling disputes, and serving as a handmaiden for Queen Hera especially. So, a great way to work with her and connect with her is by finding a way to be of service to others in your family, life, and community.
Dedicate Altar Space
Set aside some space in honor of Iris. This can be an elaborate large altar or as simple as a small shelf or corner of a counter. Place a representation of Iris there; be sure to cleanse the space before you invite her in. Include all of her colors, her symbols, and representations of rainbows and the sun, the clouds and any of her other correspondences you can use to connect to her. This will be a space that reminds you to connect with her and her energy. To bring you hope, and be a bridge to communicate with the gods.
Offerings
Everyone loves receiving gifts, and that includes deities like Iris. You don’t have to give her offerings every day, but when you feel it is appropriate. You can place these offerings at your altar or on a window sill in your home dedicated to her where light will be shining in. You can also give her offerings when performing any work to connect to her like meditation, prayer, and visualization.
The best offerings for Iris include:
Cheesecake
Dried figs
Honey cakes
Collected sea water or rainwater
Colorful art
Notes of positivity and hope
A rainbow suncatcher
Rainbow Quartz
Iris flowers
milk with cinnamon
prisms
Stained glass art
Use Rainbow Suncatchers
Find a rainbow suncatcher and hang it in a window today to let Iris’s light brighten your home and give you a reason to feel optimistic. Buy a second one to keep you energized all day long, so you can bring it with you or have it in your car.
Place a Rainbow Crystal in the Window
Iris is also known for her healing colors. Some say that you can bring Goddess Iris into your house by placing crystal in a kitchen window or one that catches the sun to cast an array of rainbow-tinted lights and spots in your house. It will be more potent and powerful if you use a crystal or stone that is iridescent or rainbow in colors. Like opal, rainbow quartz, moonstone, etc.
Plant or work with the flower Iris
The goddess would send messages from heaven to earth on the arc of a rainbow, and she was also know to be a companion to female souls on their way to heaven. Because of this, Greeks will plant purple irises on women’s graves to help guide them to their final resting place in heaven. So, why not go and do the same at your local cemetery or add some to your flower garden and yard today to connect with Iris.
Use a Mirror to Create a Rainbow and Mirror Magic
Use a mirror to create a rainbow in your home, your sacred container or at your altar. You can then use that rainbow and mirror as an anchor and intention amplifier in mirror magic for protection, manifestation, and amplification of all other spellwork. To learn how to do mirror magic and add it to your life and magical practices you can watch my previous class taught with Divination Academy here, and read about it in my guide here.
Call on Iris and The Rainbow For Abundance
It might seem like an unusual thing to call on Iris for abundance. I honestly haven’t found it anywhere else that others work with this energy with her. But, for me it seemed pretty obvious. Iris is the deity that personifies the rainbow which symbolizes hope and wishes coming true. What does that sound like to you? For me it sounds like another way to say abundance. Plus we have the legend of there being pots of gold aka wealth at the end of those rainbows she rides on as well. So, use her like I have when working with the energy of abundance by bringing in the wish fulfillment of the rainbow. To learn more about how to work with the energy and magic of abundance you can read my extensive guide here.
Meditation, visualization and Dream work
One of the best ways to channel divine energy and tap into goddesses like Iris is through meditation, visualization and dreaming. These practices allow you to open up and receive/ connect to divine energy in a very intuitive, clear, and transformative way. You will find a plethora of guided meditations on YouTube that will lead you to your spirit guide or god/goddess.. Try those if you have a hard time meditating on your own. I have many classes on youtube as well on previous deities you can watch where I even summon and guide you to them in sacred container. In addition, ask Iris to visit you in your dreams and teach you lessons that you currently need to learn. Then record every encounter with her in your journal, book of shadows, or grimoire.
Prayers
One very powerful way to connect to a deity is through prayer. Things to Pray for: your messages to be delivered, better communication, positive new endeavors, receiving messages, aided communications/messages to your deities, rain, luck, rainbows, safe travels on water or flight, hope, help with struggles.
Goddess Iris,messenger of the Gods and Goddesses, hear my prayer. Grant me peace and harmony helping me cope with all that comes my way. Give me patience and temperance in all things I do.
Goddess Iris hear my plea Across the air And through the sea. I am in need of your sweet blessings, Energies and healings bring to me. Goddess Iris I give thanks to thee. As I will it so it be.
Shadow work
Just like with every other deity I have ever written or taught about shadow work is a phenomenal way to connect to and work with the goddess Iris. When doing shadow work with her you are going to want to focus on topics like areas you need to feel more hope or things that have made you feel hopeful before. Other topics to focus on with your shadow work and her will revolve around communication. You can focus on topics like how to communicate better with others, your communication patterns, resolving conflicts, how others communicate with you and relationships in your life that may need to be mended. When working with Iris during shadow work she has this ability to open her iridescent wings and illuminate the caverns of your soul and show you things that may have not been able to glimmer and you notice before.
If you would like to learn more about shadow work you can purchase my eBook here; you can book me for a 1:1 session as your guide here; and you can watch my free class previously taught on it through DiviNation here.
Other Devotional Acts
Decorate your walls with stained glass.
Attend a show of fireworks.
Create a painting with a wide variety of vivid colors.
Try to get a glimpse of the rainbow reflected in the water while you tend to the plants outside.
Get some fresh air and take pleasure in the rain.
Listen to music that brings about a sense of serenity and revitalization within you.
Spend a day at the beach.
Go cloud gazing.
Decorate your room or workspace with fairy lights; extra points if you can find them in rainbow colors.
When someone needs a break, you should offer to run some errands for them.
Get yourself a sweet beverage, either hot or cooled.
Spend some time in the fresh air doing nothing in particular.
Gather the feathers that have an iridescent sheen to them.
Send a text message to people you’ve been meaning to get in touch with but keep forgetting about it.
Experiment with a different color of makeup.
Give your space (or rooms) a fresh coat of paint.
Always treat your interns and assistants with respect!
Take a look at the night sky and the stars; there are more colors in just two things than you are ever going to be able to see.
When you see a rainbow, be sure to capture it on camera.
Wear more glitter and sparkles.
Every time you see a rainbow, say thank you to Iris.
Ritual To Call on Iris and The Rainbow For Healing
Use this ritual to call on her for healing and energy throughout your entire energetic system. Let her vibrant rainbow colors soar into and through yourself, feeling the balance, healing and calmness she brings to each pocket of energy or chakra in your body. To do the ritual you will need to have an understanding of chakras, energy, your inner temple, and know how to cast a circle. If you need help with any of these skills you can click the links to learn more.
What you will need:
7 candles (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet one for each of the rainbow colors) and a cup or chalice of water.
How to do it:
First, light your candles in a circle with your cup of water in the middle.
Next, Start by getting into a meditative state and entering your sacred container. After this, Cast a magic Circle.
Next, invoke Goddess Iris be reciting below: Goddess Iris come to me Flying across the sky so swift and free. Leaving a trail of wondrous colors. Goddess Iris I am calling Thee To enter within my Circle Blessing and Healing Me.
Once you feel the rush of her presence in the circle. Ask for Goddess Iris’ Healing and Balance
Next, Sit or lie down Meditate and envision taking in each color of her rainbow into the corresponding Chakra: Feel her iridescent and illuminating energy entering each one of your chakras with vibrant, swift, hopeful energy.Moving through the Root, Womb, Belly, Heart, Throat,Third Eye and Crown. Let her vibrant rainbow colors soar into and through your own being, feeling the balance, healing and calmness she brings to each. Let the Brilliant iridescent Light flow through from the Crown to the Third Eye spiraling down the spine to each Chakra, balancing and replenishing your energy in every extremity of your body.
Thank Goddess Iris for bringing her healing colors to you and through you as you take your cup of water and drink the water.
Finish the ritual by closing your circle, giving thanks, blowing out your candles and taking note of anything that you need to remember from this ritual and experience.
Conclusion
Iris is more than just a messenger. She is a symbol of hope and renewal, often appearing at important moments to give solace or guidance. She intervenes in crucial events, using her charm to ensure justice and balance prevail. Let us appreciate Iris – a captivating figure of beauty and profound significance.
The Greeks said that while the goddess Iris was on her journey, she created the rainbow to bring beauty to the world. In the same way, when confronted with challenges in life, we need to keep our eyes peeled for the rainbow and try to look on the bright side of things no matter how dire the circumstances are.
Iris can show you how to make rainbows out of a storm. If you’re feeling that things aren’t going your way, maybe you need to take action (magickally or physically) to change your circumstances. Iris can help you figure out when and how to do this. Enjoy flying through the skies with Iris riding the rainbow bridging yourself to hope, the gods, and other realms.
About Me : I have been a solitary grey magic practitioner for 15 + years. First and foremost, I consider myself a mystic and seeker of all knowledge. I am dedicated to the restoration, and re-enchantment of Magic in society, across this realm, and in each and every soul I come across in life! I am here to create a container that promotes healing, duality, and raw authenticity. I do this by guiding you on your personal journey to understanding your unique magic and sacred contracts. I facilitate this for you through embracing your shadow, duality and learning to live in energetic balance while not wearing a mask. When you work and learn from me you do so from your “darkness” as much as your “light” and in a way to truly harness and accept it not to just go thru it on the way to your light. But, I teach you how to truly embrace it, work with it, and use it alongside your light as a partner. I hold up a mirror for you to be able to see your authentic reflection looking back. Then have the courage to take the next step and do the uncomfortable but vital inner work to completely remove your mask. By facing all of your past wounds, traumas, and hurts. Allowing you to see both the dark and light within your story and take each chapter and alchemize it into something that is so powerful. your unique internal flame will shine so bright you will always be able to go within and find it on a dark cold night. You will learn how to truly live in duality and energetic balance to allow growth, and alignment with your sacred contracts and purposes. to finally move on and truly let the things that hold you back in this life from healing and manifesting go. To see everything I offer; like personalized shadow work sessions, womb healing, eBooks for you to work through on your own, Tarot sessions for guidance and more! Go to my shop!
Amaterasu is the primary deity of the Shinto religion in Japanese mythology, revered as the goddess of the sun, universe, and creation itself, and considered the highest manifestation of the spirit of the universe. As the source of all light, life, and creation, the sun goddess sustains heaven and earth with a light so compelling that her father appointed her ruler of the universe when he first laid eyes on her.
As the embodiment of the sun, she assimilates all of its qualities and provides comfort and assurance to all those who look to her for guidance and protection. Having served as the mother of the imperial family she is revered as the goddess of the state, and is both nurturing and maternal.
Born from the drops of water that fell from his face, Amaterasu is deeply connected to mirrors, which are seen as sacred objects that contain a sliver of her spirit. Her blessings permeate many aspects of Japanese life, from protecting warriors in battle to ensuring bountiful harvests. Revered throughout history, even the imperial family claims descent from Amaterasu. Her benevolent light continues to guide the Japanese people through dark times. Let me shine her illuminating light for you to see and learn all that her rays touch and influence in your life!
Who is Amaterasu?
She has a shimmering aura that spreads across the skies and touches all corners of the world. Amaterasu signifies a new day with hope, energy, and growth. From the moment of her creation Amaterasu Omikami, the sun goddess of Japanese mythology, was said to be so radiant that she illuminated both heaven and earth. Goddess Amaterasu is the Goddess of the Sun worshiped in Japan.
Possessing the rising sun as a symbol, every morning she is greeted by the people through prayers. Amaterasu is one of the main Goddesses of Shinto. In Shinto it is common for Goddesses and Gods to be called “Kami”, therefore it is common to see the name Amaterasu-ōmikami which means something close to “Great” Kami that illuminates the heavens.”
Goddess Amaterasu is described as a radiant and kind Goddess who brings light, joy, and prosperity to her people. Her femininity and nurturance blend with her forceful solar nature. Her influence extends beyond physical aspects; she is linked to enlightenment, wisdom, and artistic inspiration. She is also credited with first using silkworms and looms for weaving.
She is the daughter of the divine creators of the world, Izanami and Izanagi, and she has two brothers: Tsukuyomi, the God of the Moon, and Susanoo, the God of Storms and seas. It was written that Amaterasu had painted the landscape with her siblings to create ancient Japan.
Amaterasu, Japan’s sun goddess of legend, is known for her powerful and benevolent ways. One story tells of her brother’s misdeeds causing her to retreat into a cave, and the other gods’ plan to coax her out again, resulting in the birth of dance and music which we will talk about later.
The radiant god is believed to be the ancestor of Japan’s imperial family, and her divine power is said to have been passed down through generations. She is associated with Shintoism, Japan’s native religion, with sunlight representing purity and enlightenment.
A sacred mirror reflects her true form and is venerated in Shinto shrines throughout Japan. It symbolizes truth and self-reflection, encouraging us to embrace our own radiance and divinity. Amaterasu has played a fundamental role in Japan’s culture, from ancient times to today. Her influence runs deep, becoming part of the country’s collective identity.
What does she look like?
Amaterasu is a revered deity known for her ethereal beauty and enchanting presence. Often depicted as graceful, the sun goddess has long, lustrous black hair, radiant skin, and bright eyes. Her attire consists of flowing kimonos crafted from the finest silks and satins. Such richly detailed depictions of the goddess have helped to cement her place as one of the most beloved and celebrated figures in Japanese folklore and culture.
Ruler of the higher celestial plane
Amaterasu is also known for her role as the ruler of the Higher Celestial Plane. In this realm, she was responsible for bringing light to the world through the sun that she embodied. Amaterasu is the rising and setting sun: without her, all forms of life would cease to exist. As ruler of the heavens, she governs over all spirits (kami), and her divine powers brought about the cultivation of rice and wheat: she is also credited with first using silkworms and looms for weaving. Amaterasu’s role as the ruler of heaven is to ensure the continuity of life by maintaining order.
Her tie to the imperial state
The Japanese monarchy is regarded as the oldest continuous hereditary monarchy in the world, with its roots extending all the way back to the 7th century BC. Like many other ancient monarchies, the Emperors of Japan trace their ancestry to a divine source, though it may be said that there are certain differences between the divinity of the Japanese Emperor and those of other rulers who claimed divinity.
It is said that the first emperors of Japan were direct descendants of Amaterasu. It is believed that Amaterasu sent her grandson Jimmu to Earth 3,000 years ago to be the first ruler of Japan, beginning the divine family of Japanese emperors. Even her sacred sword (Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi), her jewel (Yasakani in the Magatama) and her mirror (Yata no Kagami), the goddess’s main symbol, are still guarded to this day as Imperial Treasures.
Goddess of creation
Amaterasu is believed to be one of the oldest gods. She played an important role in creating Japan and its people. Her divine light illuminated the world and caused many phenomena. Amaterasu is the rising and setting sun: without her, all forms of life would cease to exist. As ruler of the heavens, she governs over all spirits (kami), and her divine powers brought about the cultivation of rice and wheat.
Amaterasu The spiritual guide
Amaterasu is the spiritual guide and protector of the Japanese people. Many festivals are held in her honor. She symbolizes hope, prosperity, and purity. She gets this role because of her incredibly high status as the kami of the higher celestial plane. Since this is said to be a realm she has domain over it would of course make her the spiritual guide to the people.
Amaterasu and duality
Since I am a grey witch and live in the liminal spaces every single deity I work with I look for how they can connect to duality. How do they represent the universal concept of duality that every being is meant to achieve in the universe. I feel with light deities this gets overlooked often and is much more focused on with dark deities. Amaterasu does this very well, in the fact that she is the sun that can both bring and sustain all life and it can smother it and snuff it out. If you think about it we as humans love the sun and NEED it to survive but, our bodies aren’t really made for it either. Our skin burns, we sweat, and we can only tolerate low heats of it.
The same thing with her being a deity of light. Light can illuminate and shine brightly to allow us to see. It can also shine so brightly It can blind us and send us off in the direction. She also does this by being the kami to embody all of the universe. How can she encompass all of the universe and she not be steeped in duality?
Amaterasu and the Divine feminine
The myth of the Goddess Amaterasu emphasizes female power. The absence of the Goddess and the resulting aridity and darkness of the world demonstrate the importance of the woman, who must be respected, recognized and honored as a source of life and energy. You also see her importance with the divine feminine in being a solar deity and her simply being a goddess. It is common across cultures especially in the west and after christianity that the sun is represented as a masculine energy with a god.
Her Association with Other Elements of Nature
Amaterasu is not only the goddess of the sun, but also holds significance in the association with other elements of nature. In Japanese mythology, she is responsible for sending forth the four winds and for creating the typhoons that are prevalent in Japan.
She is also associated with the regulation of the tides, agriculture, and rainfall. These associations with natural elements have given Amaterasu significant power in shaping the lives and culture of the Japanese people.
Mythology and stories
The birth of Amaterasu
According to the beliefs of the Shinto religion, Amaterasu is the child of Izanami and Izanagi, the two primordial gods responsible for the creation of the Japanese islands. Izanami is recognized as ‘she who invites,’ while Izanagi is known as ‘he who invites.’ Amaterasu’s birth is shrouded in myth, with multiple versions of the story found in Japanese sacred texts. The Nihon Shoki includes two versions of the tale, while the Kojiki or Furukotofum contains the most widely accepted account of her conception
The Nihon Shoki
The Nihon Shoki, or Chronicles of Japan, is a highly esteemed history book that dates back to classical Japan. As the second-oldest text in Japanese history, it is more detailed and comprehensive than its predecessor, the Kojiki. Its value to historians stems from the fact that it contains the most extensive historical records of ancient Japanese history. Along with this, it also includes a collection of myths about the origins of Japan and a genealogy of the Imperial family.
In the Nihongi, there are two versions of the origins of Amaterasu. In the first version, the divine beings Izanagi and Izanami no Mikoto are said to have descended from heaven and created Japan’s islands, mountains, rivers, and seas. They were, however, most concerned with bringing forth the high Kami who would rule over all these lands. First, they brought forth Amaterasu Omikami, who emanated light from every horizon. In their joy, the divine parents sent the child to heaven to reign over the highest celestial plain (Takama No Hara). Following Amaterasu’s ascent to heaven, Tsukiyomi no Mikoto, the Moon Kami, came into existence and was sent to join Amaterasu as her brother and husband, Soon after, her brother Susano-O no Mikoto, the Storm Kami, was created and sent to control the seas.
In the second version of the myth found in the Nihongi, the divine progenitor is solely named Izanagi (“Amaterasu – New World Encyclopedia” 2019). In this particular narrative, Izanagi desired to create a deity worthy of governing the universe. After careful consideration, he took hold of a white-copper mirror in his left hand and created Amaterasu Omikami. Then he took another mirror of the same material in his right hand and used it to produce Tsukiyomi no Mikoto. Lastly, Izanagi turned his head and looked askance, leading to the emergence of Susano-O.
The Kojiki
The Kojiki, also known as the Furukotofumi or “Records of Ancient Matters,” is a priceless artifact that provides valuable insights into the ancient history of Japan. It was compiled during the first half of 680 C.E. at the command of Emperor Temmu and remains the oldest surviving book of its kind.
According to the Kojiki, the final and most widely accepted version of Amaterasu’s birth involves Izanagi and Izanami creating the islands of Japan and the entire natural universe. That is until Kagu-Tsuchi’s birth. Unfortunately, upon emerging from his mother’s womb, Kagu-Tsuchi singed his mother, causing Izanami to become gravely wounded. Despite attempts to save her, Izanami ultimately succumbed to her injuries and passed away. Amid his grief, Izanagi sought to retrieve his beloved Izanami from Yomi, the underworld. With a heavy heart, he journeyed to the land of the dead and searched for her. However, upon finding her, he was devastated to discover that her flesh was decaying and covered in maggots. Despite his desperate pleas, Izanami could not leave the realm of the dead and return with him to the world above.
Barely escaping Yomi, Izanagi went to purify himself and bathed in a nearby river, cleansing himself of any remnants of the underworld that may have clung to him. As he washed his face, something miraculous occurred. When he rinsed his left eye, a radiant figure emerged – Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun. Overcome with wonder and amazement, Izanagi continued to wash his face. Soon after, he rinsed his right eye, and then Tsukiyomi no Mikoto, the god of the moon, emerged. Finally, as he rinsed his nose, Susano-O no Mikoto, the god of storms, appeared before him. As a result of great sorrow and loss, three mighty deities emerged, each representing a distinct aspect of the natural world.
Amaterasu hides inside the Ama-no-Iwato
The main story involving Goddess Amaterasu Goddess tells when she hid in a cave due to sadness. According to Kojiki, the main book that tells the Shinto myth of creation, Susanoo caused many problems and, for that reason, he was expelled from the skies. The main problem he caused greatly upset Amaterasu, let me tell it below.
There was a long-standing rivalry between Amaterasu and her other brother, Susanoo. When he was to leave Heaven by order of Izanagi, he went to bid his sister goodbye. Amaterasu was suspicious, but when Susanoo proposed a challenge to prove his sincerity, she accepted. Each of them took an object of the other’s and from it birthed gods and goddesses. Amaterasu birthed three women from Susanoo’s sword while he birthed five men from her necklace. Claiming the gods were hers because they were born of her necklace, she decided that she had won the challenge.
The two were content for a time, but her brother became restless and went on a rampage, destroying Amaterasu’s rice fields, hurling a flayed pony at her loom, and killing one of her attendants in a fit of rage. Amaterasu, who was in fury and grief, hid inside the Ama-no-Iwato (“heavenly rock cave”), thus effectively hiding the sun for a long period of time. The world, without the illumination of the sun, became dark.
The fields begin to die, the vegetation does not grow anymore, the cold takes over everything. Not even the Gods can reverse the situation. No one can persuade Amaterasu to leave the cave. Fearing eternal darkness, the God of Wisdom Omoikane has a great idea. The Gods organized a party at the entrance of the cave. A mirror was raised so Amaterasu could see her own reflection.
Goddess Uzume began to dance. She was so happy dancing that she ended up losing her clothes, exposing her breasts. She then says that the Gods have found another Goddess as beautiful and radiant as Amaterasu. Then she recites the verses:
Hito futa miyo. Itsu muyu nana. Ya koko no tari. Momo chi yorodzu. Which means: Gods, look at the entrance to the cave. The Majesty appears! Rejoice! Our hearts are happy. Look at my breasts and my limbs.
Listening to the noise and laughter of the other gods, Amaterasu decides to spy out of the cave. Seeing her image reflected in the mirror, and dazzled by her own beauty, Amaterasu emerges from the cave. She was received with songs of praise and let herself be carried back to her golden palace, illuminating the world again. This story is also thought to be the birth of dance and music.
Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi: The legend of night and day
Another important story involving the Goddess Amaterasu is found in the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan). Tlegend begins with Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu serving as the deities of heaven as husband and wife. One day, Uke Mochi, the goddess of food, invited Amaterasu over for a feast: not being able to go, Amaterasu sent Tsukuyomi instead.
Tsukuyomi meets Ukemochi and she prepares a banquet for him, creating all her food through her mouth. Tsukuyomi finds everything very disgusting and kills Ukemochi, leaving Amaterasu deeply saddened. Since then, Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi are no longer together.After their separation, the sun goddess Amaterasu and the moon god Tsukuyomi took control of the sky separately, one illuminating the day while the other cast a soft glow over the night.
Festivals And Rituals
A leading figure in Japanese spiritual and cultural traditions, Amaterasu’s legacy endures to this day. Many devotees seek blessings and guidance from the Goddess through many shrines and temples across Japan.
The Grand Shrine of Ise is the most prominent shrine dedicated to Amaterasu in Ise, Mie, in western Honshū. The shrine is believed to enshrine the body of Amaterasu, and it is considered the holiest site for Shintoists. It is customary to rebuild the Inner Shrine at Isé every twenty years as per Shinto tradition, ensuring that it remains pure and new. Visitors worship outside the southern gate, while only priests and members of the imperial family can enter the innermost sanctum. It is customary for Shinto believers to make a pilgrimage to the shrine at least once in their lifetime.
There are also other significant shrines that worship Amaterasu, such as the Amanoiwato Shrine and the Atsuta Shrine.The Amanoiwato Shrine is located in the cave where Amaterasu famously hid during the story of her retreat, while the Atsuta Shrine is believed to house the sword that was passed down from Amaterasu’s grandson, Ninigi.
Amaterasu’s importance to Japanese history is evident in the imperial regalia of Japan, which have been passed down from her grandson Ninigi. These three artifacts – a mirror, a sword, and a jewel – are believed to be the symbols of the Japanese imperial family and their rule.
The mirror is said to represent wisdom, the sword bravery, and the jewel benevolence. The regalia are kept in the Tokyo Imperial Palace and only brought out for coronations and other important rituals.
In Japan, there are annual street processions to honor Amaterasu on July 17th and a winter solstice celebration on December 21st: commemorating Amaterasu’s emerging from the cave, bringing light and warmth back into the world.
Correspondences
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy , or the zodiac energy the moon is currently in like I will list below for you to use.
Planet- The sun, Higher celestial plane, the universe
Animal-The raven and white wolf, horses, snakes, sometimes kitsunes but most often they are connected to Inari okami
Element- Fire, but she is uniquely connected to all elements
Sex- Feminine
Symbol- Sun, Rooster, Crow, Pheasant, Raven, Mirror, Sword, infinity symbol
colors- Yellow, Gold, Orange, Red
Themes- sun, higher celestial plane, the universe, queen of the kami, light, the imperial family, The nation of japan, joy, happiness, laughter, dance, vitality, energy, protection, wisdom, strength, nourishment, purity, health, abundance, radiation, unity, blessings, community, and kinship.
This beautiful Goddess will bring the joy back to your life. Helping you find joy in all aspects of your life, helping you to laugh and have fun. She will help you relax and enjoy the little things in life and just be in the moment. Call on her when you are feeling overwhelmed and worried or feeling down and she will bring some spark back into you. Helping you see the bright side of things and to give you a powerful boost of shining light, shining joy and lots of laughter!
Ways to work with Amaterasu
Everyone’s relationship with deities is different and we all work with and believe in them differently. You might believe in multiple gods and goddesses and work with them each as though they are close, personal friends. Or maybe you believe the old gods are reflections of Universal energy and simply archetype energies that you can learn a lesson from. However you incorporate deities in your practice is up to you. But here are our ideas to get you started. To work with Amaterasu, it’s important to approach her with respect, reverence, gratitude and by building a relationship with her.
Study, get to know her
As with every deity I have ever written about or taught about, The first way to get to know a deity, specifically a goddess like Amaterasu is to study all you can about her. Read more about the myths we went over above, learn about the other kami connected to her, look at the brilliant art she is the centerpiece of throughout centuries, study the culture and religion she is central to;Japan and shintoism. When working with a deity it is all about building a true relationship with them and you do this first by getting to know who they are.
Create a Kamindana in your home to connect to and honor her
To add her to your home and to create a sacred space to go and meet with her you can create a kamidana dedicated to her. A kamidana is a miniature Shinto shrine designed for home worship. It is very similar to having an altar dedicated to any of the deities I have talked about before. You can learn how to create a kamidana to add to your home for her in my previous blog post here; https://modgepodgemystic.com/shintoism-the-way-of-the-kami/
Offerings
Everyone likes receiving presents. Amaterasu is no different, especially since she is such a revered deity and so central to every part of Japanese life and culture. You don’t have to give her offerings every day, but when you feel it is appropriate. You can place these offerings at your kamidana or when performing any work to connect to her like meditation, prayer, and visualization.
The best offerings for Amaterasu include:
Rice crackers
cooked rice dyed with saffron
paper origami figures
Grain or rice as an offering, inside a brass or gold offering dish/bowl
A magick mirror dedicated to Amaterasu
Sandalwood oil
A special cloth, like silk
Greet her at sunrise
Amaterasu is everywhere through the sunlight. Even on cloudy days, she graced the earth with her warmth and kindness. There is no need to summon a Goddess who is already so present among us, but it is common to greet her at sunrise and reflect her light with a mirror through the rooms of the house letting her enter the rooms to bring peace, energy and life. Otherwise your greeting can be as simple as giving a respectful bow and clapping. How to do this; at first, bow twice to greet the kami. Then clap twice, and make a pray with your both hands together. At last, bow again to show gratitude towards the deity.
Mirror Guidance
Another way of summoning the Goddess can be done at times when you wish advice from the Goddess. For being the Goddess of the Sun, Amaterasu can light up your mind and overshadow illusions that may be blocking your path. To do this ritual, first, take a mirror. It can be any mirror you have in your home or a mirror that you want to use especially for these occasions. Bow before the mirror, greeting the Goddess as the Japanese do. Then look into your own eyes and call Amaterasu eight times, the number of infinity. Concentrate and listen to the words of the Goddess.
To learn how to work with mirrors more in your life to connect to here you can watch my previous class all about mirror magic below!
Sunbathing
Obviously Amaterasu is a solar goddess and therefore she enjoys warmth, sunlight, and hot climates. So why not get out in the sun and do a little sunbathing? It feels great, gives you energy, and allows you to soak up the magical energy the sun has to offer us humans as the vital energy of our existence.
Perform solar magic
Like we just talked about, Amaterasu is a solar goddess so a very obvious way to connect to and work with her would be performing and working with any kind of solar magic. There are so many different ways to work with solar magic and the sun from meditating under its bright rays, making sun water, drawing down the sun and more. To learn all about solar magic and connecting to the sun and how to do so you can read about it here in my previous blog post; https://modgepodgemystic.com/solar-magic-a-guide-to-harness-the-bright-vibrant-and-confident-magical-energy-of-the-sun/
Call on her for abundance
Since, Amaterasu is the deity of the sun, and the reason we have all sustenance to survive and thrive as humans she is amazing to work with for abundance! Call on her when doing any abundance spells, working or rituals for a more boosted and amplified affect. To learn how to work with the energy of abundance you can read all about it in my guide here; https://modgepodgemystic.com/all-about-the-magic-of-abundance-prosperity-and-good-fortune/
Meditation, visualization and Dream work
One of the best ways to channel divine energy and tap into goddesses like Amaterasu is through meditation, visualization and dreaming. These practices allow you to open up and receive/ connect to divine energy in a very intuitive, clear, and transformative way. You will find a plethora of guided meditations on YouTube that will lead you to your spirit guide or god/goddess.. Try those if you have a hard time meditating on your own. I have many classes on youtube as well on previous deities you can watch where I even summon and guide you to them in sacred space. In addition, ask Amaterasu to visit you in your dreams and teach you lessons that you currently need to learn. Then record every encounter with her in your journal, book of shadows, or grimoire.
Meditation to connect with Amaterasu Omikami
Light some incense, maybe a candle and close your eyes. Take three deep breaths, relaxing your whole body. Hold your intention in connecting to Amaterasu Omikami. You could say this in your head three times, ‘My intention is to connect with Amaterasu Omikami.’
Imagine you are in the middle of a field and its just before dawn. There is high grass around you with meadow flowers. Light is starting to show on the horizon and you can see that far off in the distance there are trees. You sit down and watch the light get stronger and then the sun starts to rise. You say Amaterasu Omikami I wish to connect with you, please connect. The sun then rises high in the sky and shines down on you with so much light and warmth. You hear a voice ‘I am Amaterasu Omikami. You are my shining light just as I am yours. I will help you to balance your energies and bring you joy. You can call on me when ever you need, for I am a Mother to you and I will help you and comfort you.’ You then talk to Amaterasu Omikami.
When you have finished your conversation with Amaterasu Omikami, you thank her and know you can contact her any time. The sun sets and the day turns to night. When you are ready, take three deep breaths and come back to the room.
Write down your experience. What was Amaterasu Omikami like? What message did she have for you? Did she answer your questions? What did she look like? What was the gift she gave you?
Prayers
One very powerful way to connect to a deity is through prayer. It is common in Japan for Devotees to utter heartfelt prayers to Amaterasu to receive her bountiful blessings of prosperity, health, and guidance.
“I honor you, Amaterasu. I ask you to turn your light upon me. I honor you with this piece of silk (or jewelry) and ask that it become a talisman of power. Goddess of the sun, bless me.”
The most well known prayer to Amaterasu no Omikoto. It goes like this:
Lovely Lady of the Heaven’s Goddess and Guardian of the Japan People. Amaterasu, with Awe we see your beauty Rise.Tranquil Queen of Heaven When I look up to the Royal Sky I see thee Shining in Great Glory. behind a screen of Clouds, The Sun Amaterasu, For Thousands of ages Your Children have served you. As your Brillant light did shine, Now in their Hour of Greatest Need, We ask you to shine the full measure of your blessing on your children, May it shine from each Bosom, and Shrine. May it shine from each home, and each field. May it shine forth from each child you touch. Amaterasu, may the children of your children remember this moment with Awe, and sing your name with great Praise. Let them look heavenward and sing For Thousands of ages may she shine. For Thousands of ages may we serve her. May we serve her with reverence.May we serve her with Love
Move your body through Dance
Amaterasu is a solar deity, and the kami of the entire universe which makes her a very vital goddess. What better way to connect to vitality than by getting up and moving our bodies? To connect to her more directly, do this through dancing to honor one of the popular myths which credit the birth of dance and music in Japan to her.
Light work and Energy work
Since Amaterasu is a solar deity, a light deity, and the kami of the universe and higher celestial plane she is one of the best goddesses to call on when working with your own energy, the energy of the environment around you, and the universe as whole. She has the ability to guide you to your higher self, your sacred contracts and the divine in a very intense and illuminating way. Unlike when working with a dark goddess and being shown your shadows she illuminates the brightest and best part of yourselves that may shine too brightly for you to always see. To learn more about how to do energy work you can learn about in my previous blogpost here; https://modgepodgemystic.com/working-with-the-basics-of-life-and-magic-energy/
Pilgrimages
Followers embark on pilgrimages to sacred sites associated with the goddess, such as Ise Grand Shrine. These journeys symbolize strong devotion and spiritual unity with Amaterasu. So, if at all realistically possible try and do this at some point in your life to connect to her in a deep way.I have yet to experience this one but, it is a goal of mine to one day do!
Sacred Objects
Worshippers create ornate talismans, known as omamori, that are said to possess Amaterasu’s divine presence. These talismans bring protection and good luck to their owners.
Live in accordance to the practices of shintoism
Amaterasu is the central figure to shintoism, and Japanese culture. So, one of the best ways to connect to her and honor her would be by encompassing the principles and affirmations of that belief system. To learn more about how to do that you can read my previous blog post on it here; https://modgepodgemystic.com/shintoism-the-way-of-the-kami/
Conclusion
Amaterasu has been a revered guiding force since her arrival into this world. Even after thousands of years, she continues to shine as a symbol of hope and inspiration for those who believe in her divine presence. Call on her when you are feeling overwhelmed and worried or feeling down and she will bring some spark back into you. Helping you see the bright side of things and to give you a powerful boost of shining light, shining joy and lots of laughter! Allow her to guide you to higher celestial plane and shine her illuminating rays on all that you are and provide you with all that you need!
To expand your knowledge about her and meet her in a guided session or if you learn better through listening instead of reading. You can watch my free class with Divination Academy on youtube below!
About Me : I have been a solitary grey magic practitioner for 15 + years. First and foremost, I consider myself a mystic and seeker of all knowledge. I am dedicated to the restoration, and re-enchantment of Magic in society, across this realm, and in each and every soul I come across in life! I am here to create a container that promotes healing, duality, and raw authenticity. I do this by guiding you on your personal journey to understanding your unique magic and sacred contracts. I facilitate this for you through embracing your shadow, duality and learning to live in energetic balance while not wearing a mask. When you work and learn from me you do so from your “darkness” as much as your “light” and in a way to truly harness and accept it not to just go thru it on the way to your light. But, I teach you how to truly embrace it, work with it, and use it alongside your light as a partner. I hold up a mirror for you to be able to see your authentic reflection looking back. Then have the courage to take the next step and do the uncomfortable but vital inner work to completely remove your mask. By facing all of your past wounds, traumas, and hurts. Allowing you to see both the dark and light within your story and take each chapter and alchemize it into something that is so powerful. your unique internal flame will shine so bright you will always be able to go within and find it on a dark cold night. You will learn how to truly live in duality and energetic balance to allow growth, and alignment with your sacred contracts and purposes. to finally move on and truly let the things that hold you back in this life from healing and manifesting go. To see everything I offer; like personalized shadow work sessions, womb healing, eBooks for you to work through on your own, Tarot sessions for guidance and more! Go to my shop!
Beltane ignites the Earth with a primal hum of fertility, a sacred symphony of life bursting forth. As spring unfurls its vibrant tapestry, flowers bloom in radiant hues, birds weave nests for their fledglings, animals seek mates under the warming sun, and farmers sow seeds for the abundant summer ahead. This is a time to revel in the Earth’s fertility, a season of growth, transformation, and divine union, much like the abundance Lakshmi brought us this Earth Day. Beltane, a Celtic fire festival, invites us to connect with the passionate dance of the divine co-creators—the masculine and feminine energies that seed all life. As Keeper of Mysteries, I feel this sacred day light a fire in my soul, awakening passion, creativity, and sexuality, urging us to transform into our truest selves. Let’s step into the flickering flames of Beltane together and weave magic with the divine.
The History of Beltane
Beltane traces its roots to ancient Celtic traditions, a fire festival marking the transition from winter’s chill to summer’s warmth. The name “Beltane” comes from the Celtic god Bel, meaning “Shining One,” and tene, meaning “fire,” translating to “Fire of Bel” or “Great Fire.” Its earliest recorded mention appears in the Irish medieval text Sanas Cormaic, penned by Cormac mac Cuilennáin, king-bishop of Munster, before 908 CE. For the Celts, who recognized only two seasons—summer and winter—Beltane heralded the planting season, a time to honor the Earth’s fertility and the sun’s life-giving power.
In the Northern Hemisphere, Beltane begins at moonrise on April 30 and continues through May 1, while in the Southern Hemisphere, it spans October 31 to November 1. Though Celtic in origin, Beltane echoes countless global fire and fertility festivals, from England’s May Day to Germany’s Walpurgisnacht, or “Witches’ Night.” As a cross-quarter holiday on the Wheel of the Year—a sacred calendar observed by many pagans, especially Wiccans—Beltane sits halfway between the Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice, joining Imbolc, Samhain, and Lughnassadh as one of the four fire festivals. These sabbats were historically celebrated with bonfires, symbolizing the sun’s journey and its vital role in the cycles of life.
The Fires of Beltane
At its core, Beltane is a fire festival, a tradition that has burned bright from ancient times into the 19th century. In Ireland, farmers would drive their cattle between two towering bonfires, a ritual believed to purify the herds, ward off disease, and ensure their safety through summer. These fires also served a practical purpose, clearing brush to make way for planting and pasture. Communities would extinguish their hearth fires, only to relight them with embers from the sacred Beltane bonfires, a symbolic renewal of life. Hillsides blazed with fires to honor the sun, invoking fertility for crops and livestock, while young people leapt over the flames for luck and abundance. To create a true Beltane fire, the Celts gathered wood from nine different trees, igniting it through friction—a sacred act of creation mirroring the divine spark, much like the synchronicities Sophia taught us to trust.
Beltane and fertility
Beltane heralds the Earth’s peak fertility, a time when the Great Mother blossoms with bounty, her fields and forests teeming with life. As above, so below—if the Earth is fertile, so are we, her children. The sun, growing brighter and warmer, nourishes the seeds sown in spring, embodying the divine masculine counterpart to the feminine Earth. Together, they are the co-creators, their union reflected in every blooming flower and mating creature. This sacred dance of fertility mirrors the abundance of Mother Earth’s rhythms.
Beltane and Sexuality
Fertility at Beltane naturally intertwines with sexuality, the primal force that seeds life. This sabbat celebrates the cosmic union of the divine co-creators, a passionate dance of sacred sex that ignites the cosmos with life. We feel this fire in our own loins, a burning desire to create, to connect, to manifest. Beltane awakens our sexual energies, urging us to embrace our raw, primal selves and channel this passion into transformation. Just as the Earth blooms, so do our desires, inviting us to seed new beginnings in our lives, whether through physical creation or the manifestation of our deepest dreams.
The Sacred Dance of Duality
As a grey witch, I see duality in every sacred moment, and Beltane blazes with it. This festival honors the divine masculine and feminine, two energies that coexist within us all, regardless of gender. Beltane is a mirror reflecting the union of earthly and celestial forces. In the flames of Beltane, we connect these energies within ourselves, embodying the sacred marriage of opposites. For me, this day feels like a cosmic embrace, allowing all parts of me to dance in unison, weaving passion and creativity into a unified whole.
The Maypole
A quintessential Beltane symbol, the maypole is a tree adorned with ribbons, paints, and a floral crown, brought into the village as a focal point of celebration. Villagers dance around it, weaving the ribbons in a rhythmic dance that symbolizes the union of the divine masculine (the phallus of the pole) and feminine (the Earth’s energy in the ribbons). This act of co-creation mirrors the divine partnership, a physical manifestation of the fertility and love Beltane celebrates
Common Traditions
Beltane traditions are rich with magic and community:
Druids would collect the dew prior to Sunrise on May 1st. This water was believed to have magickal powers such as healing ailments or creating beauty.
Handfastings and other pagan wedding celebrations often take place during this sabbat as it is a time to celebrate love and fertility.
Special oatmeal cakes are a popular food item for this sabbat. Often the cakes had knobs that could be torn off to sacrifice into the bonfires as an offering.
Decorating the interiors and exteriors of homes with flowers during this time was a common practice to celebrate the fertility of the land. The most common were yellow flowers such as primrose and marigolds. Cows were also decorated with flowers as well.
The May Bush was a small thorny tree or large bush, and was decorated with flowers, ribbons, and so on. People could have a May Bush for their home or for their community as a whole. Dancing around it was thought to bring good luck!
Couples would often spend the night in the forest together on the Eve of Beltane, they would return in the morning bearing floral decorations for the homes. This was sometimes termed a Greenwood Marriage.
May Baskets would be filled with small candies, baked goods, and flowers. They were placed on the doorknobs of neighbors as tokens of friendship.
Beltane Deities
In many mythologies, and pantheons, gods and goddesses of Beltane play a vital role in the seasonal cycle, symbolizing fertility, abundance, the earth, the sun, fire, and the divine union of the co-creators. Beltane is a time to honor deities of fertility, fire, and creation, weaving their energies into our rituals. Here are some divine beings to connect with, each echoing the co-creative themes of the festival.
Brigid
The most popular goddess associated with Beltane is the Celtic goddess, Brigid. She is a goddess of fertility, creativity, and healing. She is often depicted as a triple goddess, representing the three aspects of Maiden, Mother, and Crone. As such, she is a powerful symbol of transformation and growth. The Celtic goddess of fire, healing, and fertility, Brigid is a powerful deity associated with Beltane. Invoke her for creativity and abundance.
Bel or Belenos
Bel or Belenos is a Celtic fire god who may have been the catalyst for this sabbat thousands of years ago. When we translate Bel’s name, we get “Shining One”. Not only was Bel associated with fire and fertility, he was also a well-loved healing god whose cult stretched all the way from Italy to the British Isles, at its peak. Bel was also a sun god who rode the sun like a chariot across the sky each day, led by his sacred, most powerful totem – horses. There are those who believe Beltane originates in honor of Bel, and those who disagree.
Pan
Part man and part goat, Pan was the Greek god who was patron of shepherds and hunters, who watched their flocks. Pan was the Greek god of nature and the untamed wilderness. PAN was the god of the meadows and forests of the mountain wilds. His unseen presence aroused panic in those who traversed his realm. He was even thought to be the cause of the musical sound of the wind through the trees. He was Associated with music, fertility, and spring. In ancient Greek art, he was often depicted as a horned man with the legs of a goat; he was the chief of the satyrs, who were similar in appearance and character to Pan. Pan, ruled over nature and pasturelands. Pan is essentially the father of the wild things. He is frequently depicted in literature and artworks. Although he is not one of the major gods of Ancient Greece, he is one of most often referenced figures in Greek mythology. Pan has come to represent the unstoppable power of nature throughout the ages and still today. His music in the wind stirs passion, making him a perfect Beltane ally. Learn more in my previous post on Pan HERE!
Cernunnos
The horned god of the forest, Cernunnos is a powerful deity associated with Beltane. He is often invoked for protection and blessings of abundance. Cernunnos is an ancient Celtic god who was known for his power over wild nature. He was often depicted in art as a horned figure with antlers, embodying the balance between life and death. Cernunnos can be seen by many as a symbol of power and transition – from death to rebirth. He teaches us the importance of understanding our place in Nature and how to connect with it – learning from nature’s ebbs and flows, respecting its cycles and giving back when possible. Want to dive deeper into the forest with Cernunnos? Check out my FREE sneak peak week of Divine Tales Thursdays to his story of Beltane HERE!
Aine
The Irish goddess of love and fertility, Aine is a powerful deity associated with Beltane. Aine is a powerful Irish goddess associated with Beltane who brings joy and abundance to those who honor her. Her strength is the power of manifestation, bringing healing and liberation with her presence. Those who recognize Aine’s energy can connect deeply with their true path in life. She brings forth inner resources and courage to follow new inspirations. Aine offers a powerful source of guidance and protection when we call upon her. The Irish goddess of love and fertility, Aine brings joy and manifestation, guiding us to our true path.
Cerridwen
The Welsh goddess of wisdom and knowledge, Cerridwenis a powerful deity associated with Beltane. Cerridwen’s energy personifies serpentine fertility, free-thinking, and independence. She encourages us to let go of any self-limiting beliefs and attitudes, allowing for clearer consciousness and introspection. Connecting with Cerridwen during Beltane offers an opportunity to create positive life changes through personal power. The Welsh goddess of wisdom, Cerridwen inspires transformation and independence. Watch my class on her on Divination’s YouTube channel for deeper connection. Plus don’t forget to check out her spell inside the deity a series HERE!
Lugh
The Irish god of the sun, Lugh is a powerful deity associated with Beltane. Lugh is a powerful deity said to have brought learning and knowledge to man. He is an Irish God of the Tuatha De Dannan, associated with Beltane and the summer season. As the Celtic solar deity, Lugh governs over life, light and law. His traditional symbols represent energy and creativity, from a shining sun held aloft in his hands to fiery arrows that stand for passion and lust. Want to dive deeper into radiant energy of Lugh? Check out my FREE sneak peak of the deity a day series with his spell HERE.
The Morrigan
At the heart of the emerald isle is a legendary Goddess that cloaks the battlefield in darkness. The Morrígan is a symbol of feminine strength, wisdom, and power. Though she may be attached to the darkness of death she also is the light in the dreariness of battle. When warriors are in doubt, the Morrígan will appear and lead the way to victory. She is a majestic and ethereal being that resides at the core of Irish mythology. The Phantom Queen on the battlefield. The crow that soars above the wreckage and ruin. The seeress, the warrior, the protector. The Morrigan, while often thought of as purely a warrior goddess of death, becomes the fertile earth on Beltane and unites with the Dagda to birth new life. She is both light and dark. Life and death. War and love. A Divine Paradox. To learn more about her and MEET her you can watch my previous class I taught on her with HERE!
The Correspondences Of Beltane
First, what is a correspondence? A correspondence is an item or symbol that is meant to connect you to a specific energy thru it’s representation. It is seen also as an item to respect, honor, and venerate that energy as well whether it be a deity, an archetype energy, the zodiac energy the moon is currently or for A holiday or sacred time like Beltane. Use these in your rituals to deepen your connection.
Stones/Crystals: Amber, bloodstone, carnelian, malachite, green aventurine, moss agate, fire agate, red jasper, emerald, rose quartz
Deities: Bel, Brigid, Pan, Cernunnos, Aine, Cerridwen, Lugh, The Morrigan, Rhiannon, Apollo, The Green Man
Symbols: Bonfires, the fae, the sun, sacred sex, floral crowns, maypole, phallus, womb, cauldron, chalice, ribbons, antlers, flowers
Gender: Masculine and feminine
Magical Themes Of Beltane
Every season and every pagan holiday has certain concepts and magical themes. Which means, depending on your tradition and needs, you can weave one or more of these themes into your personal celebrations. Beltane’s magic is vibrant and multifaceted, offering themes to weave into your celebrations.
Abundance
Fertility
Sexuality
Union
connection
creation/creativity
love/lust
Growth
marriage
Purification/cleansing
protection
Fires
Divine feminine and Masculine
The cycles of nature
Manifestation
Transformation
Passion/desire
Enchantment
Weather divination
Fire scrying
Working with the fae
Ways to Celebrate Beltane
We have talked about many different themes, and energies you can connect to during this time from fertility, abundance, sexuality, passion, creativity, transformation, and more. Let’s talk about how we can connect to and celebrate those themes and energies now. First, you can participate and honor any of the deities listed above or that are associated with Spring, Summer, The god, the Goddess, and the sun. You can work with any affirmations, mantras, and visualization work for manifestation, passion, union, creation, abundance, fertility, sexuality, and transformation. Beltane’s energies of fertility, passion, and transformation invite us to celebrate in meaningful ways. Here are some rituals to honor this sacred time, inspired by the divine co-creation of this holiday.
Have a bonfire
As we talked about above, first and foremost beltane was celebrated as fire festival and the ancient celts used to pass their cattle through two of them to purify and cleanse them. So, what better way to connect to beltane and celebrate it than to build, lit, and enjoy a bonfire of your own! It’s common to do this with others, have some drinks, and leap over the flames for good luck and prosperity. Just be safe!
Perform a burning release
You already have the fire burning so why not use it for some release magic? One of my favorite ways to release unwanted habits, energies, people, and things from my life is to burn it away with fire. Take a piece of paper, focus on what it is you want to release from your life, write it on that piece of paper than walk up to your bonfire and as you let the paper fall and be burned in the flames visualize what you wrote being burned to ashes in your life as well.
Erect a Maypole The Maypole has been a traditional May Day activity for centuries. What better way to celebrate Beltane, and honor your ancestors, than to make your own Maypole? Grab a pole, some ribbon, and some flowers, and erect one in your own yard and braid the ribbons together as you dance around in the warmth of the summer sun.
Dance
Beltane is a very fertile time full of energy, passion, and creativity, so what better way to connect to that energy than to move with it. We can do this by moving our hips, our womb spaces and moving our body through dance. Dancing allows us to move energy around, connect to the movements of energy around us in a dynamic way, and opens up our womb space to connect to sexual energy. So, get up move your body through dance and maybe even do so around a bonfire!
Perform Sex Magic
Beltane is a time burning with passion, sexual desire and is all about connecting to the sacred union of the divine co-creators. Now, is in my opinion the most potent time to connect to not only their sexual energy around you but, to yours as well. Take this time to perform both solo sex magic and sex magic with a partner. to connect to your true sexual form, to perform the most potent manifestation work, and to unleash your raw primal sexual desires like never before. It was a common tradition in ancient times for couples to perform sex rites out in the woods even; on Beltane’s eve. I promise you sex on Beltane is one of the most orgasmic, cosmic, and pleasurable experiences you can have. Give it a try this Beltane!
Wild Flower Crafting Wild flowers have always been a big part of the Beltane celebrations. In ancient times, specific white and yellow flowers were gathered and hung over the doorways in Ireland to celebrate the day and invoke fertility and abundance. So go and pick wildflowers, Beltane is the perfect day for it! Then return home and make a bouquet. Or if you’re feeling really crafty, make flower wreaths, crowns or garland to decorate yourself and your home or to place on your altar
Refresh Your Altar Another way to connect to a holiday and/or sacred day I always recommend is to cleanse and refresh your altar and/or sacred space. This is particularly beneficial if you have Celtic gods you honor and connect to already. Use water or fire to cleanse, then decorate with wildflowers, images of the fae, the divine masculine, the divine feminine, and any of the Beltane correspondences we talked about earlier.
Work with the Green Man The Green Man is a legendary figure in Celtic lore and throughout Europe. He is a guardian of the forest and likely a type of elemental. When he’s seen, he is typically covered from head to foot in leaves, branches, flowers and moss. Some believe he is an ancient god of the wilderness, who protects the wildlife and sacred, unspoiled places in nature. Work with the Green Man’s energy on Beltane by hiking in the woods, or even by creating space for him on your altar.
Simmer pot for beltane
Whether you consider yourself a Kitchen Witch, are vaguely interested in Kitchen Magic or just want to bring some good vibes and good smells into your home, simmer pots are an easy, accessible and fun ritual for any time of year! Simmer pots are easy to create and customize to your liking, so you can make your kitchen a sacred space whenever you want! So, why not make one specifically to call in and honor the energy of Beltane? Do you Need more information about simmer pots? Check out my guide here and my spell post here! Can you tell I love these containers of magic?
PerformFae Magic In ancient times, and up to the modern era, the Celtic people believe strongly in the Fae, also called the faery folk, good folk or sidhe. Every Beltane, great care was taken to appease the fae, to prevent them from whisking away all the butter and milk. By leaving out faery offerings on Beltane, you’re carrying on this tradition and starting a working relationship with the fae. Or make a witch’s ladder with intention of appeasing the fae. Make faery houses and a space for the garden.
Perform Purifications and Cleansing Rituals
We talked about above how beltane was seen as time to purify and cleanse for the celts. They would take the time to pass their cattle through two bonfires to cleanse them even. This is a great time for you to do some cleansing and purifying as well. Perform cleansing and purifying rituals on your home and yourself like smoke cleansing, ritual baths, floor washes, or any rituals you prefer to use in your practices.
Candle Spells Not everyone can have a big fire on Beltane. So for those of us who want to invoke the power of the fire element, simply lighting a few candles is enough. Casting candle spells on Beltane is also a potent way to send your intentions into the ether. Particularly if you’re looking to increase fertility, prosperity and creativity in your life. Want to learn more about candle magic? Get access to my downloadable grimoire pages inside The Mystic Mysteries today!
Perform a Beauty Ritual
Any beauty rituals performed on Beltane are amplified by the fiery, Summer magic on this sacred day. Take a ritual milk bath, drink an herbal beauty concoction, and craft your own magical beauty products.
Five Senses Nature Walk
Beltane is the midway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice which is all about the cycle and movement of nature and marking the most fertile time for new life to grow, blossom, and be seeded. So why not take the time to connect to nature itself? Soak in all the fertility and abundance in nature right now. You can do this by going on a five sense nature walk. After you have engaged all your senses, walk back to your home. Reflect on your experience by writing it down in a journal
Perform Egg magic for fertility
Beltane is deeply associated with fertility, symbolized by the divine union in various traditions, such as the Great Rite in Wicca or the coupling of The Morrigan and the Dagda in Irish Celtic lore. This makes it an ideal time for fertility spells, particularly those using eggs, a universal symbol of life and creation. Egg magic can involve rituals like decorating eggs with symbols of fertility, burying them in the earth to “plant” your intentions, or using eggshells in spell work to enhance growth and abundance. For detailed guidance, check out my blog on egg magic here. This practice is especially potent for those seeking to conceive or foster new beginnings in their lives.
Make a Beltane Spell Jar
Spell jars are a versatile and powerful tool for harnessing Beltane’s energy. To create one, select a jar and cleanse it thoroughly (e.g., with smoke or moonlight). Choose ingredients that align with Beltane’s themes of fertility, abundance, and transformation—such as rose petals for love, cinnamon for passion, or seeds for growth. As you add each item, focus on your specific intention, visualizing abundance and prosperity. Seal the jar with a lid, and for extra potency, add sigils or seal it with wax. Place the jar on your altar or in a prominent location, shaking it occasionally to reactivate the magic. Do you need to learn more about spell jars? Dive into my free blogpost here OR purchase my eBook Here!
Beltane Ritual/Spell: Fire of Abundance Candle Spell
This simple yet powerful candle spell harnesses Beltane’s fiery energy to call in abundance, creativity, and passion into your life. It’s perfect for those who can’t have a large bonfire but still want to honor the fire element during this sacred time
What You’ll Need:
A small green or gold candle (for abundance and prosperity)
A pinch of dried herbs like basil or chamomile (for growth and success)
A small piece of paper and a pen
A fire-safe dish or holder
Optional: A few drops of rose or cinnamon essential oil (for passion and attraction)
Steps:
1. Prepare Your work area: Find a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed. Cleanse the area with smoke (like sage or palo santo) or by visualizing a purifying light surrounding you, tying into the purification rituals mentioned earlier.
2. Set Your Intention: On the piece of paper, write down what you wish to call into your life—abundance, creativity, a new project, or even fertility. Be specific and focus on the feelings of already having this in your life.
3. Dress the Candle: If using essential oil, anoint the candle by rubbing a few drops onto it, moving from the bottom to the top to draw energy in. Sprinkle the dried herbs onto the candle or around its base, visualizing them infusing the candle with growth and prosperity.
4. Light the Candle: Place the candle in its holder. As you light it, say:
“By the fire of Beltane, I call in abundance and light. May creativity, prosperity, and passion ignite in my life. So it is.”
Feel the warmth of the flame as a symbol of Beltane’s transformative power.
5. Burn Your Intention: Carefully light the paper with your intention using the candle flame, then place it in the fire-safe dish to burn completely. As it burns, visualize your intention rising with the smoke, carried into the universe to manifest.
6. Close the Ritual: Let the candle burn down safely (never leave it unattended). If you need to extinguish it, snuff it out rather than blowing it out to keep the energy contained. Once the candle is done, bury any remnants (wax, herbs, or ash) in your garden or a potted plant to ground the spell and symbolize growth.
Wrap Up
The post concludes by emphasizing Beltane’s essence as a celebration of fertility, prosperity, and transformation during a season of warmth and growth. It highlights the sacred duality of co-creation, symbolized by the union of divine forces that seed all life. Whether through rituals, spellwork, or connecting with nature, Beltane invites you to ignite your soul with passion, creativity, and sensuality, empowering you to embrace your true self in the coming season. The post encourages personalizing your celebration to honor this vibrant, transformative energy.
Join Us for a Free Virtual Beltane Meditation!
Celebrate Beltane Eve with us on April 30th at 8:00 PM for a magical virtual meditation around a lit fire. Connect with the fiery, transformative energy of Beltane as we gather in spirit to honor the season of growth, passion, and abundance. This guided meditation will help you set intentions, release what no longer serves you, and welcome the vibrant energy of summer. No registration required—just bring your open heart and a candle to join the circle from wherever you are. Find the live link on our website or social media pages on the day of the event. Let’s ignite our souls together this Beltane!
I am Kayreign, the Divine Oracle of the Gods and Keeper of Mysteries, a solitary grey magic practitioner with over 15 years of experience walking the sacred paths of the unseen. As a mystic and relentless seeker of all knowledge, I weave together the threads of every magical tradition—light and dark, ancient and modern—to uncover the universal truths that bind us to the cosmos. My mission is to restore and re-enchant magic in this realm, igniting its spark in every soul I encounter, and guiding you to embrace the full spectrum of your being.
My work is rooted in the power of duality, honoring the dance between shadow and light as equal partners in your spiritual journey. I hold space for you to explore all magic paths and practices, drawing from the vast tapestry of mystical wisdom to help you uncover your unique magic and sacred contracts. As the Divine Oracle of the Gods, I channel divine insights to illuminate your path; as the Keeper of Mysteries, I guide you into the depths of the unknown, where true transformation awaits.
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