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Goddesses of the Earth

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Abundantia--- Roman Goddess of Abundance, Good Fortune and Success. Her name means "overflowing riches". She is also called "the beautiful maiden of success". Abundantia is often depicted carrying a cornucopia, the mythical "horn of plenty". This cornucopia is symbolic of a funnel that continually outpours from the universal source, the infinite and all-encompassing supply of abundance, good fortune, opportunities, success; continually outpouring all good things. (The legend of Zeus and the horn of plenty may be the origin of the unicorn myth.)

Aega--- Greek Goddess of the Sun.,Aeqa was a Nature goddess and the goddess of domesticated animals and goats. Aega's title was Daughter of the Sun. She was so beautiful that Gaia hid her in a cave while the Titans were assaulting Olympus. Aega forms a triple with her sisters, Circe and Pasipha. Invoke her for beauty spells, solar magic, and safeguarding beautiful things.

Aeracura -- Celtic and Germanic goddess who multitasks as an Earth Mother Deity, a fairy queen, and also as a bridge between earthly life and the hereafter. She is a goddess devoted to blossoming and she is especially fond of assisting artists and inventors.

Aestas--- Roman Goddess of Summer. She is portrayed as naked and adorned with garlands. Her festival is June 27

Aine--- (pronounced AW-neh)."The Bright Spark"; Celtic Goddess and Faery Queen, she is one of the most beloved goddesses in Celtic mythology. As the symbol of the unfettered powers of the feminine, the followers of Aine were among the first worshippers of the goddess realm to suffer repression at the hand of the Christian Monks. She is a protector of women and a ruler of the faeries. She is also summoned as a protectress of animals and the environment. At Midsummer,torchlight processions are held in her honor.

Albunea--- Roman Goddess of the sulfur springs at Albulae Aqua in Italy. Like many Goddesses or Nymphs connected with springs, She was believed to be a healer and prophetess, since spring waters well up from the earth and represent communication between the surface (the land of mortals) and the underworld (the land of the dead and/or the Gods). She is also known as "the White Sibyl". Albunea has the additional meaning of "favorable" or "auspicious", to describe one who foretells the future.

Amaterasu -- Japanese Sun Goddess and Supreme Deity of the Shinto faith. When her brother treated her badly, she hid in the cave of heaven and closed the entrance with an enormous stone. This made the world dark, and evil spirits came out of their hiding places. In despair, the gods decided to trick Amaterasu into coming out by having a party near the cave. They put a big mirror in front of the cave and hearing the music and laughter, Amaterasu was so curious that she took a look outside to find out what was going on. She was so fascinated by her own brilliant reflection in the mirror that she came out of the cave. Finally, the light covered and colored the world.

Anat -- Canaanite Warrior Goddess, the Maiden who loves battle, the virgin Goddess of Sacrifice, a swordswoman and archer. She is famous for having a violent temperament and for taking joy in slaughter. Nursemaid to the gracious gods, Anat was called the Lady of Heaven and Mistress of all gods. Though often called "Virgin", Anat also has a strong sexual aspect, much like the Goddess of the Irish the Morrigan.

Andromeda --,A princess from Greek mythology-who, as divine punishment for her mother's bragging, "the Boast of Cassiopeia", was chained to a rock as a sacrifice to a sea monster,-but was saved from death by Perseus, her future husband.-After her death, Andromeda was placed by Athena amongst the constellations in the northern sky.

Aphrodite--- Greek Goddess of Beauty, Romance and Sexual Rapture. Graceful and gorgeously seductive, Aphrodite possessed a magic girdle that made her irresistible to all who saw her. Born from the Sea, she is also goddess of sea-voyages who protects sailors and seamen. Born,from a union between Heaven and Earth came forth from "the aphros" (sea foam), a goddess with such beauty and charm that the seasons rushed to greet her.

Arachne--- Greek Goddess of Weaving. Arachne was originally a young mortal,the daughter of a shepherd famous for the beautiful wools that he dyed purple. Arachneboasted that her skill was greater than that of Athena, goddess of wisdom and crafts. Arachne refused to acknowledge that her knowledge came, in part at least, from the goddess. The offended goddess set a contest between the two weavers. Arachne wove a magnificent tapestry and Athena was so envious that she destroyed the tapestry and turned Arachne into the first spider.

Arianhod--- Celtic Goddess of the Stars. She is also called the Goddess of the Silver Wheel (symbol of time). She is called on to help with past life memories and in contacting the Star People.

Aradia -- Italian Queen of the Witches, daughter of Diana. Aradia is an extremely powerful entity and protectress of Witches in general

Ariadne ("The Utterly Pure") -- Minoan Great Goddess and Mistress of the Labyrinth, who is goddess of the shining moon and the dark underworld. Ariadne is associated with celestial spiral motion, both in the imagery of the Labyrinth, and in her fame for dancing and her spiral dance evokes the whirling stars. She represents tangled issues and their untangling, deep, core issues and the dark secret at the center of the maze, that to be healed, must be brought out to light.

Artemis--- Greek Goddess of the Hunt,and of all wild things; Goddess of the Moon and the Protector of the Vulnerable. One of the Divine Twins, she is the Crescent New Moon. Artemis is the guardian of wild spaces and new life, such as bear cubs and fawns. She is the special protectress of children, and was invoked by women in childbirth as a midwife. (The birth of Artemis and her brother Apollo symbolized the coming of the balance of feminine and masculine, of yin and yang to the Creation.) {see also: 'Leto'}

Asherah--- Household Goddess of the Hebrews and the Canaanites, was considered to be the Great Queen of Heaven and Earth. She is one of the earliest known Goddesses, with references to her going as far back into the Old Testament. She was the bride of Baal and some even say the Bride of Yahweh.

Astarte--- Ancient Phoenician Great Goddess of Fertility and of Motherhood, and a Goddess of War. She was associated with the moon and called the Mother of the Universe, giver of all live on Earth. She ruled all spirits of the dead residing in heaven, visible from earth as stars; hence came her name "Queen of the Stars.

Asteria -- Greek Titan Star Goddess and Goddess of the Oracles and Prophecies of Night, including prophetic dreams and the reading of the stars (astrology). A daughter of Phoebe and the sister of Leto, she hurled herself into the Sea after being abducted by Zeus. She became the island of the same name.

Athena (Athene)--- Greek Goddess of Wisdom and War. -She was also the Goddess of Spinning and Weaving. Athena was not born of woman, but was the brainchild of Zeus, springing fully grown and fully armed from the head of her father and she is depicted as a young woman wearing a helmet and holding a shield showing the head of Medusa. Athena is always described as having shinning gray eyes and being accompanied by an owl, a symbol of wisdom. Athena is known as one of the virgin goddesses. Unmoved by the spells of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and marriage, Athena was able to remain independent. She was challenged by Poseidon to provide the Greeks with the most useful of divine gifts. Poseidon produced war horses, but Athena won with her creation of the olive tree. For this gift Athena became the patroness of the ancient city of Athens.

Atira -- Pawnee Sacred Mother of every living creature. She is also "Mother Corn" and the leader of the Hako Ceremony, which is for children, longevity, abundance, and happiness.

Aurora -- Roman goddess of the dawn. The Greeks called her Eos (see below). She was the daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia and the sister of Helios (the Sun god) and Selene (the Moon goddess). Every morning, Aurora arose from the sea and rode in her horse-drawn chariot across the sky ahead of the sun, carrying a pitcher from which she sprinkled dew upon the earth. Aurora appears most often in sexual poetry with one of her mortal lovers. A myth taken from the Greek by Roman poets tells that one of her lovers was the prince of Troy, Tithonus. Tithonus was a mortal, and would therefore age and die. Wanting to be with her lover for all eternity, Aurora asked Zeus to grant immortality to Tithonus. Zeus granted her wish, but she failed to ask for Tithonus to have eternal youth to accompany his immortality and when he became old Aurora turned him into a grasshopper.

Baba Yaga--- The Arch-Crone in Russian Folklore, the Goddess of Wisdom and Death, the Bone Mother. Wild and untamable, she is a nature spirit bringing wisdom and death of ego, and through death, rebirth.

Bast (Bastet) -- Egyptian Goddess of the Sacred Cat.,Bast was the Goddess of sensual pleasure, protector of the household, bringer of health, and the guardian saint of firefighters.

Becuma--- Irish Goddess of the Magic Boat and the Goddess of Banishment. Becuma had a weakness for sleeping with High Kings at Tara, the legendary seat of Ireland. At that time, kings ruled by permission of their consorts and thus the act of her sleeping with them gave these human men permission to rule over Ireland. Becuma was an outcast among her own people because of her behavior and eventually she was also banished to the human world. She now resides in the Otherworld.

Bellona--- Roman Goddess of War. Bellona was believed to inspire a warlike frenzy and enthusiasm. She is credited with inspiring violence, starting wars, and goading soldiers into battle. She is believed to make wars and battles go well for those who invoked her. (The Romans' original war deity, predating Mars .Bellona stands guard over the door of the Military Affairs Committee of the U.S. Congress.)

Bendis -- Great Moon Goddess of Thrace, where women worked the land and tended the sheep and cattle. She was called the fierce Huntress of the Two Spears. She provided the religious underpinning for the Lemnosian women's revolt in which all the men of the island were slain. Her name means "to tie. She is depicted holding a branch of a tree which is thought to grant passage to the underworld.

Benzaiten -- Japanese Goddess of Love, Beauty, Eloquence and Music. Benzaiten is the sole female among the Seven Lucky Gods of Japan. Her temples and shrines are almost invariably in the neighborhood of water; the sea, a river, or a pond. She is the patroness of music, the fine arts (dancing, acting, visual), and good fortune in general, and is often shown carrying a biwa (Japanese mandolin) or playing a lute. She is often represented as a beautiful woman with the power to assume the form of a serpent.

Blodeuwedd--- Welsh Dark Goddess of Death and Wisdom. She was made out of 9 flowers by two male magicians, Gwydion and Math. Prayers to Blodeuwedd would center around the a change in your life and the naming and healing of your shadow side.

Brigid (Brigit the Enchantress) -- Goddess of Hearth, Home and Healing in Celtic Ireland. Brigid is patroness of fire, smithing, cattle, fertility, poetry and the hearth and the forge. Brigid can be seen as the most powerful religious figure in all of Irish history and her evolution from Goddess to saint linked Pagan Celtic and Christian traditions.,Her feast day is Imbolc.

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To welcome a stranger to your own fireside is to follow the example of Brigid, "The Hearth Woman", who made a welcome for all and created a safe place of sanctuary. The Feast of St. Brigid-is also known as Imbolc, Candlemas, and Groundhog's Day.

Britannia -- (Roman) The Tutelary Guardian and Protector of Britain. Britannia is seen as a beautiful young woman, wearing the helmet of a Roman centurion, holding a spear and wrapped in a white garment with her right breast exposed. She is usually shown seated,on a globe above the waves guarding Britain at the edge of the (known) world.

Britomartis--- "Sweet Maiden"; Minoan Goddess of the Mountains. She became the Cretan goddess of fishermen and hunters.

Bujin Marishiten--- Japanese Goddess and Patroness of the Samurai. ("Bujin" being another name for the Samurai) She was worshiped for 900 years starting in the 8th century although her origins can be traced back to before Zen.

Butterfly Maiden -- Native American,Goddess of the Bountiful Harvest. ,According to a Papago legend, the Creator made butterflies to gladden his heart when he perceived the impermanence of life. Butterfly Maiden watches over,the harvests and helps,with emerging transitions. She aides in escaping from any cocoon existence that impedes our growth or expression of joy.

Cailleach -- The Cailleach is a widespread Celtic hag-goddess tied to the land and the weather who has many variants in the British Isles. The "Gloomy Old Woman" and the "Old Woman of the Spells", on the Isle of Man she is a winter and storm spirit whose actions,are said to foretell the year's weather. On the Isle of Colonsay in Scotland, she is also a winter spirit who holds a young woman captive, away from her lover.

Cardea -- Roman Goddess of the Doorway. Though ridiculed as the Goddess of Door Hinges, Cardea was in fact an important Deity of the Roman family. She is often in company with Janus, the two-faced God of Thresholds and Beginnings and Endings.

Cassandra -- In Greek mythology, Cassandra was one of the princesses of Troy, daughter of Priam and Hecuba. According to the myth, Cassandra was astonishingly beautiful and blessed with the gift of foreseeing the future, but Cassandra's Curse was that no one believed her prophecies, a fact that weighed heavily on the destruction of Troy during the Trojan War.

Ceres--- Roman Goddess of Growing Plants and Motherly Love. Her name means "wheat " or "grain". It is still heard in our word cereal. It comes from the root word "creare" meaning "creation", and refers to her ability to produce. She is an ancient Italian goddess of the harvest, and Her worship in Rome is very old. (Ceres has twelve minor gods who assist her andeach is in charge of a specific aspect of farming.)

Cerridwen-(Cerridwyn) -- Welsh Goddess of the Moon and Femininity; the Keeper of the Cauldron. The triple Goddess, Maiden, Mother, and Crone, whose totem animal is the great white sow. She is associated with the moon, inspiration, poetry, prophecy, shape-shifting, and life and death

Chalchiuhtlicue--- "She of the Jade Skirt"; Aztec Goddess of Youth and Beauty. A Goddess of lakes, rivers, seas, streams, horizontal waters, storms, and baptism, she flooded the world to drown the wicked.

Changing Woman -- The most revered of deities among the Native Americans of the southwestern United States. She is wholly benevolent figure, for it is Changing Woman who gives the people their abundance and who provides the teachings that allow them to live in harmony with all things.,In the Kinaalda (the initiation ceremony of Navajo women), the initiate takes in the power of Changing Woman so that she might learn the values of love, hospitality, and generosity and know that she herself is a source of food and harmony. Changing Woman received her name because she can change at will from a baby to a girl to a young woman to an old woman and then back again. Estsanatlehi, her Navaho name, means self-renewing one. She was also called Painted Woman by the Apache. She is the "Goddess of Cycles" such as the season, lunar, and women's menstrual cycles. (see below: Estsanatlehi)

Ch'ang -- Chinese Moon Goddess and the younger sister of the Water Spirit. She is often depicted with a hare, and the Hare of the Moon can still be seen traced on the surface of the full Moon. She represents the source of yin, the female principle and her husband "Shn I", symbolizes yang, the masculine.

Chloris--- Greek Goddess of Flowers. A nymph,of the Elysian Isles, Chloris is not only the goddess of spring flowers, but also of gardens and perpetual youth.

Circe -- Greek Goddess of Magic and Witchcraft who lived on the island of Aeaea. A sorceress best known for her ability to turn men into animals, she was renowned for her knowledge of drugs and herbs. Circe was said to be able to darken the heavens by hiding the moon or the sun behind clouds.

Cliodna -- Irish Goddess of Beauty. Bird Goddess of the afterlife who can take the form of a sea-wave or wren. She has fair hair and is crowned with the Ferroniere of Allurement. She is escorted by three birds which eat from magic apples and heal the sick with their sweet songs. Their apple tree has,silver white blossoms and golden apples.

Coatlicue -- The Aztec Earth Goddess of Life and Death and Mother of the Moon Goddess. (She is depicted as a woman wearing a skirt of snakes and a necklace of hearts torn from victims.)

Coventina--- Celtic River Goddess of Purification. She is also associated with renewal, abundance, new beginnings, life cycles, inspiration, childbirth, wishes and prophecy. She helps with protection of the ecology and detoxification.

Coyolxauhqui--- The Moon Goddess of the Aztec. (The daughter of the Earth goddess Coatlicue and the sister of the Sun god Huitzilopochtli.)

Cybele-(Kybele)-- Originally a Phrygian representation of the Earth Mother or Great Mother. As with Greek Gaea, (the "Earth Mother"),Cybele embodies the fertile Earth. She is a goddess of caverns and mountains, walls and fortresses, nature, and wild animals (especially lions and bees). To the Ancient Greeks and Minoans she was known as Potnia Theron, (see below), and alludes to her roots as the "Mistress of the Animals". Rome officially adopted Cybele as the Magna Mater or "Great Mother" and placed her temple upon Vatican Hill in Rome, the site of an early Etruscan cemetery (see Vatica below). Her annual spring festival celebrated the death and resurrection of her beloved Attis, who castrated himself and bled to death. Cybele's most ecstatic followers were males who ritually castrated themselves, after which they were given women's clothing and assumed female identities. As self-castration would have involved loss of Roman citizenship, the sacrifice of a bull and the offer its testicles became an acceptable substitute and later the Roman emperor Claudius I established a senior priest for the cult of Cybele who was not a eunuch and held full Roman citizenship. (Not to be confused with the oracle Sybil; see below:)

Dana (Danu) -- The Goddess of Wisdom and Teaching; the Major Celtic Mother Goddess; Danu is loved and worshipped on both land and water. She brings the magic of the Fairy Realm into our lives and blesses us with creativity and abundance. She is the earth that nourishes us; she is the water that sustains us. She is the life force that animates our bodies and gives us breath. When we reconnect with Earth, we are also reconnected with Mother . (The Druid Clan of Dana is dedicated to the development of psychic gifts through the Elemental Powers of the Earth.)

Demeter--- "Goddess of The Bountiful Harvest"; Greek Goddess of Agriculture and Grain. Demeter is the only Greek goddess who is involved on a day-to-day basis in the lives of the common people. Other gods and goddesses occasionally "dabble" in human affairs when it suites their personal interests, or came to the aid of "special" mortals they favor, but the goddess Demeter is the only one who is a nurturer of mankind.

Devi--- Hindu Divine Mother Goddess of Truth. She is "Ma" the gentle and approachable mother.she is the Mother of the Universe. She assumes cosmic proportions, destroying evil and addressing herself to the creation and dissolution of worlds.

Diana--- Roman Goddess of the Hunt, the Moon and of the Forests. The Romans recognized three aspects of Diana, as Maiden, Mother and Crone. She is a symbol of imagination and the creative insanity of poets and artists and she is the protector of women and young girls. She was especially revered by women, and was believed to grant an easy childbirth to her favorites. She is considered a protector of the weak and the one slaves turn to for help. She formed a triad of the Triple Goddess with Luna as the Goddess in Heaven, Hecate as the Goddess in the Underworld and Diana as the Goddess on Earth. The Waxing Moon.

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In Italy the old religion of Stergheria embraced goddess Diana as Queen of the Witches. (Witches being the wise women healers of the time.) Goddess Diana created the world of her own being having in herself the seeds of all creation yet to come. The worship of Diana was widespread in the ancient world,Christians considered the pagan goddess as their main rival. The Cult of Diana continued to attract followers, despite Christian opposition and survives today in the Dianic Tradition of Witchcraft.

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Durga--- Hindu "Goddess that Destroys Demons". The Warrior Goddess who is called on for protection and help in setting boundaries. Durga is the mother of the universe and believed to be the power behind the work of creation, preservation, and destruction of the world

Elen of the Ways (Elen Luyddogg) -- In ancient Britain She was Elen of the Hosts. She lives on in British Tradition as Elen of the Ways. She is Protectress of the Pathways; whether they are physical, mental, or spiritual paths. She is Guardian of all who journey. Elen Luyddogg is best known from Welsh legend in the Mabinogion.

Eos.-- Greek goddess of the dawn. Eos rarely enters the affairs of the mortals on the Earth but she is notorious for some of her lovers and children, especially with mortals. She once had an affair with Ares and his lover Aphrodite became so jealous.that she.punished Eos to be eternally in love. That's why the Eos had so many love affairs. (see also "Aurora" above.)

Eostre--- {see below: Ostara}

Epona--- The Celtic Horse Goddess. Revered and worshiped by the ancient Celtic people as a loving protector of horses, donkeys and other animals. Epona was invoked often, but more frequently during the equinoxes to bring about smooth passage of the seasons (both physically and philosophically). Epona is the Celtic goddess called to honor equinox ceremonies; reinforcing her power to deftly deal with transitions. As an Earth goddess, she is hailed for her grounding nature, particularly needed during times of crisis or flux in life who would welcome safe arrival of new babies as well as new crops. Commonly represented as a horse figure, a mare and foal or as a woman on horseback, she was also a goddess of fertility, re-birth and abundance. Although originally a Celtic goddess, she was eventually accepted by the Romans who saw her as a protector of their cavalry.

Erinues--- (see: 'Furies')

Erzulie--- Haitian Voodoo Goddess of Love and of the Elemental Forces. Erzulie is a love goddess who developed during a time when slave owners broke up families and separated husbands and wives at will.

Estsanatlehi -- Navajo Goddess, her means self renewing one. She was also called Changing Woman,and Painted Woman by the Apache. She is the "Goddess Of Cycles" such as the season, lunar, and women's menstrual cycles. She,is First Woman's adopted daughter and to punish mankind for pride, First Man and First Woman sent a plague of monsters to kill and devour them. The time came when First Woman repented of the evils she and First Man had visited upon men, and she sought a means for their deliverance. First Woman discovered the infant Estsanatlehi lying on the ground near First Woman's mountain, and took her in. The infant Estsanatlehi grew to adulthood in four days. Making love with the Sun, she gave birth to the Twin Brothers who after many adventures slew the monsters.

Etain (Edain) -- Celtic Goddess whose name means "Shining One". She is associated with the Sun, the dawn, fertility, fragrance and the transmigration of souls. It is said that the land goes dormant when Etain is not around and the flowers bloom when she comes near. Her stone, the emerald, signifies the greening of the earth that she brings about.

Eumenides -- Three Virgin Goddesses of Greece; the Eumenides were responsible for tracking down murderers and plaguing them with horrible visions and torments designed to drive them insane with guilt. They specialized in persons guilty of matricide. Individually they were: Allecto, Tisiphone and Megaera. Also known as The Furies or Erinues, these ladies were not to be crossed. One could remain in their graces by showing loyalty to familial bonds.

Eurynome--- Greek Goddess of Ecstasy. The Great Goddess, Mother, Creatrix and Goddess of All Things. Eurynome divided the sky from the sea and while dancing on the waves, created the north wind.

Eve--- Although not a true goddess, Eve certainly belongs in this group of divine female symbols of wisdom. The Goddess' connection with serpents of wisdom and trees of knowledge goes back long before this story and the symbols are unmistakable. By choosing to understand, to reach beyond her limited knowledge and to grasp for wisdom, Eve symbolizes not rash disobedience, but instinctive feminine wisdom..

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During the Middle Ages, the Church claimed in its teachings that Eve was "the original cause of all evil, whose disgrace has come down to all other women". This perception of Eve still persists today and consciously or unconsciously, it continues to serve as a weapon against women who wish to challenge male hegemony. This view of Eve and of women in general has been insinuated into the culture to such an extent that both men and women believe it defines a natural condition of women. As it continues to subtly influence, in negative ways, the perception of women this must be constantly borne in mind while contemplating the goddesses on this page..

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Fauna,-- Roman Goddess of Prophecy and Fruitfulness, with ties to the forest and fields and the animals found there. Fauna was sometimes judged to be a prostitute or courtesan; though this seems to be a late tale and may simply be a reaction to her as a Goddess of Fertility. In other legends however, Fauna is known for Her chastity and modesty; she was said to never leave her grove or let a man look upon her and no man was allowed in her temple.

Flora--- Roman Goddess of the Flowering Plants of Spring and the Goddess of Fruit Bearing Plants. Spring is her season, and she has elements of a Love-Goddess, with its attendant attributes of fertility, sex, and blossoming.

Fortuna (Tyche) -- Roman Goddess of Fortune and Luck. She was the personification of luck, hopefully of good luck, but she could be represented veiled and blind, as modern depictions of Justice are seen, and came to represent the capriciousness of life. Lady Fortune is usually represented as larger than life to underscore her importance.

Frau Holle ,(Holda, Hulda and Holla) -- see below: "Holda"

Freyja, (Freya, Freyia) -- Norse Goddess of Magic, Sexuality and Battle. She is the leader of,the Valkyries. The "Mistress of Cats", she rides a chariot pulled by two cats. Freyja is,very beautiful and sexual. She was said to have been married to the,Norse god Od, who vanished. She wept and wept for his loss: where her tears fell on the land, they became amber; where they fell in the Sea they became gold, and both are sacred to Freyja. Her most well-known possession is the wondrous necklace Brisingamen. (see: Valkyries)

Frigga--- Norse Goddess of Love and Marriage. A sky goddess who is responsible for weaving the clouds and also responsible for weaving the fates. She was known as a 'seer', one who knew the future though she could never change it. Frigga's tender, nurturing side was widely recognized. Her sacred animal was the goose.

Furies -- (the Erinues) Three Greco-Roman netherworld goddesses who avenged crimes against the natural order. They were particularly concerned with homicide, unfilial conduct, crimes against the gods, and perjury. The wrath of the Furies manifested itself in a number of ways. The most severe of these was the tormenting madness inflicted upon a patricide or matricide. Murderers might suffer illness or disease; and a nation harboring such a criminal, could also suffer with famine and plague. The wrath of the Furies could only be placated with ritual purification and the completion of some task assigned for atonement.

Gaia.(Gaea) -- Greek Goddess of the Earth; the Great Earth Mother of the gods and the Titans. Gaia was the Protogenos(primeval divinity, the "Prima Creatrix of Earth who first emerged at the dawn of creation, along with air, sea and sky.She is the great mother of all. In seeing the as a living ecosystem then then the more we become closer to Gaias innermost nature and with the know the presence of the Gaia, not merely as a deity, but as a power.

Ganga -- Hindu Goddess of the River Ganges, India's most sacred body of water. Hindus believe bathing in her holy waters will help wash one's sins away, and hence they conduct repeated ritualistic washings in the river to secure a place in heaven. Her power to wash away sins is so strongly believed that the ashes of the dead are spread over her.

Gula -- Sumerian/Babylonian goddess of healing and a patron of physicians. The sacred animal of Gula was the dog and dogs wandered freely within Her sanctuary and played a key role in the healing ritual.

Gyhldeptis -- Native American Goddess of the Forest. "Lady Hanging Hair" is a kindly forest spirit of the Tlingit and Haida in southeastern Alaska; they saw her in the long, hanging mossy branches of the great cedars of the rain forest.

Ha Hai-i Wuhti--- "Pour Water Woman" (She who pours the water of life from a gourd out to the world) The Hopi Divine Mother of the Kachinas, the spirit essences of everything in the material world.

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An ancient Hopi Indian prophecy states, "When the Blue Star Kachina makes its appearance in the heavens, the Fifth World will emerge". This will be the Day of Purification. The Hopi name for the star Siriusis Blue Star Kachina. It will come when the Saquasohuh (Blue Star) Kachina dances in the plaza and removes his mask.

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Hathor -- Egyptian Queen of Heaven. Hathor is also goddess of women, love and joy, music, dance, celebration and beauty. She protects women and is present whenever they beautify themselves and blesses them with fertility. Hathor sees both the newly born and the newly dead to safety.

Hebe -- Greek Goddess of Youth, the daughter of Zeus and Hera. Hebe served for a long time as cupbearer to the gods, serving them their nectar and ambrosia. She was replaced in this office by the Trojan prince Ganymede. At times she does other things too, like helping Hera to prepare her chariot, or bathing Ares after a battle. Hebe married Heracles after he obtained immortality.

Hecate (Hekate) -- Greek Goddess of the Crossroads; Guardian of the Household and Protector of Everything Newly Born; Goddess of Magic and Witchcraft. She formed a triad of the Triple Goddess with Luna as the Goddess in Heaven, Diana as the Goddess on Earth, and Hecate as the Goddess in the Underworld. The Waning Moon.

Hel--- Scandinavian Queen Goddess of the Underworld. She presided over all of the dead but especially those who were killed in battle. Those who died heroically in battle ended up in Valhalla, the Hall of the Heroes. She was the sole goddess to decide the fate of those souls who entered her domain. (see: Valkyries) Hel had quite a disturbing appearance, an ugly half-dead hag with gangrene legs and a hideous face. It is said that she is both black and white and her body was known as representing both sides of the spectrum.

Heng-O--- The Chinese Moon Goddess; the goddess symbolof the cold and dark "Yin".

Hera--- Greek Goddess of Love and Marriage and the Queen of Olympus. The image of Hera has suffered much from patriarchal propaganda. Summed up as a shrew and a nag, Hera is in fact the most powerful of all the Olympian goddesses and the goddess protector,of women. Hera is revered as being the only Greek goddesses who accompanies a woman through every step of her life. Hera blesses and protects a woman's marriage, brings her fertility, protects her children and helps her find fulfillment in both her private,and public affairs.

Hestia -- "The Forgotten Goddess" Greek Goddess of the Hearth and the Center of the World. "Chief of the Goddesses", Hestia is the most widely revered of all the Greek goddesses, representing the center of the home and family, the city, and even the world itself. She was the goddess who created the town hall, thus laying the foundation for democracy.

Hina--- Hawaiian Moon Goddess. Although Goddess Hina has many forms she is most revered for the sacred story that tells of her journey when she climbed into the Moon. Though Hina may be represented in different ways across these cultures, one commonality is her willingness to give. Hina is a Goddess who bestows gifts in many forms through creativity, food, and life itself.

Ho Hsien-Ku (The Immortal Maiden Ho) -- One of the Eight Immortals of Taoist legend, and the only Female Immortal. She is said to have attained Heaven in broad daylight, and is usually shown with a lotus flower or a peach, symbolizing eternity. She is represented as an extremely beautiful maiden and remarkable for occupying so prominent a position in a cult in which no system of female asceticism is developed.

Holda (Frau Holda, Hulda, Holle and Holla ) --Gracious One; Mother Goddess of the Germanic People. In Germanic Pre-Christian folklore, Holda, Hulda, Holle and Holla were all names to denote a single Goddess. One who rules the weather: sunshine, snow and rain. A triple goddess, Holda is the Maiden, the Mother and the Crone--the embodiment of the three stages of womanhood. She resides in the sky, riding her chariot through the night. Her chariot is pulled by many animals of the wood and she is accompanied by the infants that died before they were named. She is seen as a beautiful woman with long white hair bathing in a clear pool to the good hearted and hard working. She is sometimes seen as a woman with two faces; one young and beautiful, one old and stern. In Lower Saxony, Frau Holle is a grey-haired old lady with long teeth, who dirties the spindle of the lazy weaver, hides a gift under the compartment of the spindle of the active ones and brings new white shirts to children aged six.

Hygeia--- Greek Goddess of Health. Originally, she was the guardian of physical health and later became the goddess of mental health, as well. Hygeia was often symbolized with a snake drinking from a "cup" in her hand and, as with her father, the snake was often related to healing.

Idun (Iduna) -- "The Rejuvenating One". Norse Goddess of Youth and Renewal, who grows the magic apples of immortality that keep the gods young.

Ilmatar -- Finnish Virgin Goddess of the Air and Space. It was her longing for a son that led to the creation of the world.

Inanna -- "The Queen of Heaven"; Sumerian Goddess of Love, Fertility and War. The most important goddess of ancient Mesopotamia, she was often symbolized as a lioness in battle. The Akkadians called her Ishtar.

Ishtar -- Babylonian Goddess of Love and War. As goddess of love and sex, Ishtar is the force that draws mates together and brings fertility, both for humans and animals. She is goddess of courtesans, and sacred prostitution was part of her cult. She is herself a harlot who took many lovers. Babylonians called her the "Light of the World, Opener of the Womb, Righteous Judge, Forgiver of Sins and The Torch of Heaven and Earth.

Isis -- "Queen of the Throne"; Egyptian Mother Goddess; Goddess of Magic and Rebirth. Isis is the feminine archetype for creation; the goddess of fertility and motherhood. She has gone by many names and played many roles in history and mythology; as goddess and female creator.

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"I, Isis, am all that has been, that is or shall be; no mortal man hath ever me unveiled." inscribed on the Temple of Isis in Sais

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Ixchel--- Mayan Goddess of the Moon, Healing, Childbirth and Weaving. Ixchel is a goddess of waters, of the earth, of the moon, and matron of weavers and artisans. She is known as Lady Rainbow, Mother Earth, Womb and The Cave of Life.

Juno--- Roman Goddess of Women and Protector of the Roman State. Juno is one of the most powerful of the Roman goddesses. She is the goddess of women, particularly married women. Serving as a guardian to women she oversees all aspects of a woman's life, childbirth, and marriage being the primary areas of concern. Juno is adamant that fidelity is a part of marriage and she will not tolerate infidelity

Justitia--- (see 'Themis')

Kali -- (from the Sanskrit word "kal", meaning "time") The Hindu Triple Goddess of Creation, Preservation, and Destruction. The Dark Mother Goddess of Liberation Through Annihilation and the Cruel Daughter of the Ocean of Blood. Kali represents all-devouring Time.

Kore -- Greek Maiden Goddess of the Blossoming Earth. As the new sprouts peek their heads out from the soil, so does the Goddess Kore surface from the underworld in the Spring. Kore is the maiden form of the Goddess Persephone, when she joins her mother and tends the Earth.

Kuan Yin (Quan Yin) -- Buddhist Goddess of Compassion and Mercy. Kuan Yin carries the Goddess and Divine Mother aspect of Buddhism. Kuan Yin is known as a great healer who can cure all ills. She is also a goddess of fertility, and is often shown holding a child. Simply calling her name in time of crisis is believed to grant deliverance.

Lady of the Lake--- (see: "Viviane")

Lakshmi--- Hindu Goddess of beauty and prosperity. Lakshimi represents the goal of life, which includes worldly as well as spiritual prosperity.

Laverna -- Roman Goddess of Thieves, who hears the prayers of robbers. The Underworld Goddess of the Etruscans, Laverna became goddess of thieves because thieves operate in darkness. Her name is said to derive either from the Latin levare (to relieve, lessen or lighten", something pickpockets certainly do) and levator (a thief).

Leto--- Greek Goddess of Motherhood. The gentlest of all the Olympians, she was the mother of the divine twins Artemis and Apollo.

Libertas -- The Roman goddess of freedom. Originally as goddess of personal freedom, she later became the goddess of the Roman commonwealth. She had temples on the Aventine Hill and the Forum. Libertas was depicted on many Roman coins as a female figure with a pileus (a felt cap, worn by slaves when they were set free), a wreath of laurels and a spear.

Lilith--- Originally the Sumerian Dark Goddess of the Night and later the Hebrew First Wife of Adam.- Formed from the same dust of the Earth as Adam and created as his equal, Lilith-is the Dark Feminine Aspect of Divine Creation and the goddess of the balancing of yin and yang.- By rejecting the fetters of masculine domination and leaving the Garden of Eden for the wilderness beyond, Lilith-became the First Child of Mother Nature and in her divine mutiny, the First Witch..

Many Lilith scholars believe that the serpent depicted in the story of the Garden of Eden was in fact Lilith who had left Eden to escape Adam's male domination and later returned to awaken Eve to the power within her..

Luna -- Roman Goddess of the Moon. Together with Diana and Hecate, she formed a triad of the Triple Goddess with Luna as the Goddess in Heaven, Diana as the Goddess on Earth, and Hecate as the Goddess in the Underworld. She is often depicted as a pale woman riding in a silver chariot, and was thus also a patroness of charioteers. The Full Moon.

Maat -- Egyptian Goddess of Truth, Justice and Reality. She symbolized the balance Upper and Lower Egypt, between the fertile valley and the desert, and so between good and evil. Maat was said to reign when the kingdom was unified and when men were peaceful and content with their lot, performing their duties of righteous conduct as laid down in the divine order. Without Maat creation could not be sustained and the divine intention was thwarted

Macha -- Irish War Goddess. She is generally thought of as one aspect of the triple death-goddess The Morrigan. Macha is associated with both horses and crows and strongly linked to the land. She is known to be a prophetess who appears to those about to die. She is commonly shown washing bloody clothes at a river ford; when approached, she tells the enquirer the clothes are theirs

Maeve -- "The Intoxicating Warrior Goddess of Eire"; Guardian Queen of Ireland's Sovereignty and its Mystic Center; ("She who endows the sovereign with his powers and the Earth with its fertility")

Maia -(Maia Maiestas) -- According to Greek Mythology, Maia was the Goddess of Spring from whom we derive the name of the month of May. She was the eldest and loveliest of the famous Pleiades, or Seven Sisters. Maia is the mother of Hermes, who would eventually become Messenger of the Gods and Maia is known as the "grandmother of magic," as Hermes was said to have invented magic. In Roman Mythology, Maia Maiestas was an earth goddess and symbolized youth, life, rebirth, love and sexuality. The goddess was accessible only to women; men were excluded from her precincts.

Malina-(Sun) -- Inuit/Eskimo Goddess. A beautiful young maiden carrying a torch who is chased through the sky by her brother Aningan, the moon. The planet Jupiter is the mother of the sun and very dangerous to magicians. If they are careless, she will devour their livers.

Maya--- Hindu Goddess of Illusion (The literal meaning of Maya is illusion. Maya created the illusion of the individual self.)

Mawu -- African Goddess of the Moon, Creator of the Earth, who brings cool nights to the hot African world. She is seen as an old mother who lives in the West. She is the goddess of night, joy, and motherhood.

Medea--- In Greek mythology Medea was a devotee of the goddess Hecate and one of the great sorceresses of the ancient world. She was of divine descent with the gift of prophecy. She helped Jason, leader of the Argonauts, to obtain the Golden Fleece from her father, King Aetes. She married Jason and used her magic powers and advice to help him, but Jason later abandoned her when the people begin to fear her power-and in revenge she-killed the children she bore with Jason.

Melaina -- Nightmare Goddess of the Greeks. She took this name, which means "the Black One," as the result of the trauma of being raped by the God Poseidon. She is called upon to bring vengeance on rapists.

Minerva--- Roman Goddess of Arts and Wisdom. She is the virgin goddess of warriors, poetry, medicine, wisdom, commerce, crafts, and the inventor of music. As 'Minerva Medica', she is the goddess of medicine and doctors.

Mnemosyne -- Greek Titaness goddess of memory, was considered one of the most powerful goddesses of her time as it is the gift of memory that allows us to reason, to predict and anticipate outcomes, and is the very foundation for civilization. A daughter of the first generation of deities in Greece, her parents were the god Cronus and the goddess Gaia. Mnemosyne is largely forgotten and remembered only in the context of her being the mother of the Muses, though all acknowledge that without memory the lively arts of the Muses would never have been possible.

Morrigan- (Morrighan ) -- "The Great Queen"; Celtic Goddess of War, Prophecy and the Dead of the Battlefield and Goddess of Rivers, Lakes and Freshwaters. "The Phantom Queen", Morrigan can appear as a human woman, but she may also appear in the form of a crow. Crows are associated with death, since they often hover over battlefields and from this comes the legend that Morrigan, like the Valkyries, carries the souls of slain warriors to the next world. Morrigan,is a shape-shifter and these different forms illustrate the many ways in which she is viewed.- {Morrigan is the inspiration for "Morgan Le Faye", the powerful sorceress who was the sister of King Arthur and the rival (and equal) of Merlin}

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"The Morrigan" (The Morrigu), is one of the most complex figures in the divine pantheon of Celtic mythology. On one level "Morrigan" is seen as an especial ancient Celtic Triple Goddess, associated with the cauldron, crows and ravens. But Morrigan does not fit well into the modern concept of the "maiden, mother, crone" image of the-Triple Goddess. On another level, "The Morrgan" is said to be comprised of three aspects; Macha, Nemain,and Badhbh., Although some sources attempt to fit "The Morrigan" into the form of a divine trinity godhead; other sources assert that they are in actuality three separate goddesses. What seems evident is that "The Morrigan" is a title applied to different women who seem to be sisters or related in some manner, or sometimes it is the same woman with slightly differing names in different legends.

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Muses -- The Greek goddesses who presided over the arts and sciences. They were believed to inspire all artists, especially poets, philosophers, and musicians. The Muses were the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory. Usually there is mention of nine muses: Calliope(epic poetry), Clio (history) , Erato (love poetry), Euterpe (music), Melpomene (tragedy), Polyhymnia (hymns), Terpsichore (dance), Thalia (comedy) and Urania (astronomy). The Muses were venerated throughout Greece, but more so in those areas with many wells and springs. The Muses sat near the throne of Zeus, king of the gods, and sang of his greatness and of the origin of the world and its inhabitants and the glorious deeds of the great heroes. From their name words such as music, museum, and mosaic are derived.

Neith (Neit / Net) -- Egyptian Goddess of the Arts and Protector of Artisans. Originally, a goddess of the hunt and of war, she had as her symbol, two crossed arrows over a shield. Her symbol also bore resemblance to a loom and Neith additionally became Goddess of Weaving,her name meaning "weaver". Neith is also the name of the earliest historical Egyptian tribal leader known. She may be the Goddess Nuit under another name.

Nemetona--- Celtic Goddess of Sacred Spaces. Usually associated with open air places of worship; Nemetona is also usually associated with healing springs. She is often seen seated like a queen holding a scepter and around her are hooded figures and a ram.