The Goddess, Energy In Motion What is the Goddess? How do you view the Goddess? Is the Goddess male or female? These are just a few of the questions we need to answer as we explore the concept of Goddess. First of all, the Goddess is neither male nor female. The Goddess represents the feminine aspect of the Divine in all of us, whether we are physically female or male. The Goddess may be personified as "women", "compassion", "Mother Earth", "intuition", "emotion", "gentleness", "nurturing", etc. The Goddess is associated with "birth" or the "life force" on the physical plane. The Goddess is actually divine energy in motion, breaking down the barriers, walls or power structures of static energy associated with the male energy of "God". The study of the Goddess is called Thealogy. "Thea" is Greek and means "Goddess". The Goddess has many names. A few of the more popular names follow: ISIS - principle goddess of ancient Egypt known as the giver of life, revealer of mysteries. DIANA - Roman goddess of the hunt, mother of animals, protector of all wild creatures including our untamed psyche. HECATE - Greek goddess who guards the threshold to the underworld and is associated with the Moon and Magic. DEMETER - Greek goddess of fertility and agriculture (Corn Mother), who is mistress to the earth and sea. KALI - Hindu goddess of destruction and birth, symbolizing the beginning and end of being, known as the dark mother who destroys karma. INANNA - Sumerian goddess who reigns over fertility and the journey of transformation and is known as the queen of the land, making every king her bridegroom. Inanna is one of the most ancient forms of the Goddess. The Goddess is in her second coming. The forms, images and concepts which we hold or create today for the Goddess will significantly influence future generations. Where do we go to commune with and worship the Goddess? Where are the Goddess Temples or Churches? What are Her rituals? We have the Lord's Prayer, but where is the Lady's Prayer? Where do we have opportunities to learn about the Goddess? History? Some of the historical forms, figures, and symbols for the Goddess include the "Moon", "Earth", "Mother", "Grandmother", "Wise Woman (Wicca), and Woman Figurines. Goddess rituals are abundant in The Old Religion ,Native American and other Nature Spirituality paths as well as the Eastern traditions (i.e. Hinduism). The Goddess expresses herself in today's world in many ways: feminism, political reform, social work, psychology, equal rights, lesbianism, art, music, earth sciences, ecology, women's movements and organizations (i.e. NOW), theater, improved female health care, college curriculums that include women studies (i.e. History of Women, Feminism, etc.), increased number of women in the workforce, more traditionally male career fields opening to women (i.e. elected officials, doctors, engineers), etc. How does your spiritual path put you in touch with or enhance your relationship with the Goddess? Though the Goddess is ancient, she seems to be a "new concept" to our western culture as evidenced by the lack of Goddess temples as opposed to God churches. Generally, how the Goddess presents herself in our present world depends on multiple factors: how we visualize her; our response to that visualization; and how we think and feel about Her. Most of us have been taught or conditioned to love "God", not "Goddess". Test yourself. When you think or speak of the Divine, what do you visualize? God or Goddess? Generally there are two forms of of spiritual expression in our many cultures: Esoteric and Exoteric. The Esoteric expression is mystical and intuitive. There are few practitioners. The objective is to become "one" with the Divine by assuming responsibility for yourself and your own spiritual growth. The Divine is sought from within. This expression is more liberal, tolerant, polytheist, and Goddess oriented. There is a strong focus on pagan (nature spirituality) and eastern philosophy and operates from "inside-out". The Exoteric expression is limited with narrow belief systems; intolerant of other paths; practiced by the majority; operates outside-in; church oriented with priests or ministers doing the work for you; holds generally accepted beliefs; monotheist; God oriented; Western European; and uses Fundamentalism (opposing esoteric expression for political ends and power). The Goddess cannot be fully understood under one specific image because she permeates all creation, both male and female alike. She is not just the planet earth or woman. She is in all living beings and non-living things, wherever energy is in motion, to bring about positive change as opposed to sustaining the existing, static order. The Goddess needs to be viewed in balance with God, it's dualistic opposite. However, ideally, we need to take both the Goddess and God beyond this duality. Remember, God is God, not man; Goddess is Goddess, not woman; both are present in all beings and things. 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