Goddess Alive - The Magick Moon

Goddess Alive, Inviting Celtic and Norse Goddesses into Your Life by Michelle Skye

Fierce and Fabulous
Thirteen Goddesses for Modern Women

The changing of the seasons, phases of the moon, even our personal experiences all are reflections of the Divine Feminine.

Create a stronger connection to the sacred world and your own divinity by welcoming these thirteen powerful Celtic and Nordic goddesses into your life.

As you make your way through a transformative year, know that each goddess has a different energy and a unique lesson to teach you. Starting with the Winter Solstice, the eight seasonal Sabbats and five faces of the moon provide the guideposts along your path.

Through ritual, invocation, guided meditations, and magical activities, you'll explore each goddess's unique mythology and discover her message for your life.

Cerridwyn ~ Welsh Goddess of Rebirth and Renewal
Brigid ~ Irish Goddess of Healing, the Forge, and Creative Inspiration
Eostre ~ Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring
Freyja ~ Norse Goddess of Love and War
Aine ~ Irish Goddess of Faeries and Fertility
Danu ~ Irish Mother Goddess of Wisdom
Modron ~ Welsh Mother Goddess of Mystery
Hella ~ Norse Goddess of the Underworld
Branwen ~ Welsh Goddess of Sovereignty
Maeve ~ Irish Goddess of Personal Power
The Valkyries ~ Norse Goddesses of Battle Magic and Soul Journey
Morrighan ~ Irish Goddess of Magic and Death
Rhiannon ~ Welsh Great Queen and Horse Goddess

In depth description: Goddess Alive!: Inviting Celtic & Norse Goddesses into Your Life

You Need the Goddess

Our lives are filled with needs. We each need food, water, and air. Our bodies need to move and exercise for optimum health. Being social beings, we need to communicate with others. And we also need contact with the Divine.

This contact with the Divine, until fairly recently, has most often been with the feminine powers of the Divine: the Goddess. But there are so many goddesses, how can we establish a close, personal connection with them? The answer to that question is found in Goddess Alive! by Michelle Skye.

This book is the perfect resource for beginners looking to expand their knowledge of Celtic and Norse goddesses through a variety of activities that will help enhance their personal relationship with the deities. It also provides meditations, path workings, and more that will help increase their understanding of these thirteen goddesses.

This book takes an unusual approach in that rather than look at one goddess for each lunar month (as is done in some other books), it examines a goddess associated with each of the eight major holidays and one for each of five phases of the Moon: waxing, full, waning, dark and new.

For each goddess you will learn:

An in-depth description of the goddess and her history
Qualities of the astronomical event associated to the goddess
A path working that will take you to meet the goddess
A guided meditation
An activity to help you attune to time
A ritual celebration
An invocation

By the time you spend a year working with this book your in depth knowledge of the goddesses will soar and your personal relationship with them will strengthen and grow.

The Goddesses
For the Winter Solstice you'll meet Cerridwyn, the Welsh goddess of rebirth, renewal, and movement. During the guided meditation you come to understand the nature of new life found amid the chill of winter. The ritual is a full winter solstice celebration you can perform by yourself or with a group.

For Imbolc (usually February 2), you'll discover the history and powers of Brigid, the Irish goddess of fire. The guided meditation helps bring healing and peace, comfort and cure as you learn to live life to its fullest. The ritual, as you can imagine, is for Imbolc.

Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of Spring and possibilities, is linked to the Spring Equinox. The meditation will help you find and develop your inner child so you can see the world with those joyous, new eyes.

Branwen, the Welsh goddess of sovereignty, is linked to the waxing moon. The guided meditation reveals the message of the starling, a bird that discloses the inner nature of Branwen and how much she cares for you.

The other goddesses revealed and experienced through this book include Freya, the Norse goddess of love and war, Aine, the Irish goddess of faeries and fertility, Danu, the Irish mother goddess of wisdom, and Modron, the Welsh mother goddess of mystery. You'll also meet Hella, the Norse goddess of the underworld, plus the Valkyries, Maeve, Morrighan and Rhiannon.

Goddess Alive! is not merely a book about the goddesses. Sure, it gives you that information (enhanced with illustrations by Kris Waldherr), but it is primarily a practical book about establishing your personal relationship to the love and wisdom of the goddess. It's the book you need to study so you can achieve the next step in your spiritual development.

Table of Contents: Goddess Alive!: Inviting Celtic & Norse Goddesses into Your Life

contents

Acknowledgments viii

Starting on Your Journey 1 the turning of the year

The Winter Solstice: Cerridwyn, Welsh Goddess of Rebirth and Renewal 15
Imbolc: Brigid, Irish Goddess of Fire 35
The Spring Equinox: Eostre, Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring 57
Beltane: Freyja, Norse Goddess of Love and War 75
The Summer Solstice: Aine, Irish Goddess of Faeries and Fertility 93
Lammas/Lughnasadh: Danu, Irish Mother Goddess of Wisdom 117
The Autumn Equinox: Modron, Welsh Mother Goddess of Mystery 137
Samhain: Hella, Norse Goddess of the Underworld 157

the faces of the moon

Waxing Moon: Branwen, Welsh Goddess of Sovereignty 179
Full Moon: Maeve, Irish Goddess of Personal Power 195
Waning Moon: The Valkyries, Norse Goddesses of Battle Magic and Soul Journey 217
Dark Moon: Morrighan, Irish Goddess of Magic and Death 235
New Moon: Rhiannon, Welsh Great Queen and Horse Goddess 255
Bibliography 273
Index 277

Excerpt: Goddess Alive!: Inviting Celtic & Norse Goddesses into Your Life

Starting on your journey

Hail and welcome! May your path to the Goddess lead you where you need to go. This book, Goddess Alive!, is a celebration of the many faces of the Goddess, focusing exclusively on the Irish, Welsh, and Norse cultures. Through ritual, invocation, guided meditation, and hands -on activities, you will welcome these goddesses into your life, allowing their lessons to guide you and their energies to transform you. The heart of your experience with each goddess will be the guided meditation, during which you will meet, get to know, and talk to her. Guided meditation is a relatively easy activity that everyone can enjoy. You do not need to have any prior meditation knowledge or skill in order to experience a wonderful, fulfilling, and magical journey. In fact, I believe that guided meditation is one of the best ways to introduce the body, mind, and spirit to meditation as a life practice. All you need to do is sit back (or lie down), relax, and allow me to guide you through the labyrinthine passages of your mind and heart to the center of the universe, to the center of the earth, to the divine energy as manifested in the Great Goddess.

Throughout time, ancient peoples have worshiped the image of the Goddess, as protector, provider, and creator. She is the grain that feeds our bellies, the midwife who helps us birth, and the water that sustains our lives. She is the sun, the moon, the earth beneath our feet. She nurtures animals and babies, giving of her warmth and love. Yet the Goddess, like us, is not one -dimensional. When provoked or wronged, displays of her power can be as violent as lightning and as wrathful as a woman scorned. She has gone to war and returned, covered in mud, the blood of her enemy on her spear tip. She has rejected society's rules, to live as a woman alone, without husband or fealty, dominant in her own right. She has learned and excelled at skills considered to be manly or masculine. She is herself-caring, powerful, loving, strong, determined, nurturing.

The duality of the Goddess allows us to look into our deeper selves and know that there is both darkness and light within us. We learn, through her example, that both are equally important to achieve balance in ourselves, in nature, and in the universe.

In this book, you will meet thirteen different goddesses from the ancient Irish, Welsh, and Norse pantheons. Some people view these culturally specific goddesses as facets of the all -powerful Great Goddess, who, along with the Great God, is the energy of the divine. Others see these goddesses as separate entities, complete and whole unto themselves. Whatever your beliefs, know that each goddess has a different energy and has a specific lesson to teach you. Be open to that lesson, to the teaching of the divine female spirit. This knowledge will lead you closer to your true self and the path you are supposed to walk. Do not run from it, but embrace it and begin.

In the beginning in order to truly experience the guided meditations in this book, you must be able to perform and master a few necessary skills. Just as you cannot run without first learning to crawl and then to walk, you cannot pathwork without accepting into yourself several abilities that are indispensable for the journey. So take out your magical, meditative backpack and prepare for the trip!

The first activity of extreme importance when meditating is grounding. Grounding focuses your mind, body, and spirit on exactly where you are in the world. It helps you connect to the energies around you and to the energies of Mother Earth, on whose body we live and breathe. Grounding helps you tap into her power, allowing it to buoy and strengthen your own innate energy.

There are many different ways to ground. Perhaps you've grounded without even knowing it. When your day at work has been awful or you're feeling a little sad or depressed, have you ever reached for bread, crackers, oatmeal cookies, or something else made from a grain product? Have you walked outside barefoot (or even with shoes on) and felt lighter and more focused afterward? These are two of the simplest methods for grounding, for connecting yourself to the earth and to your place and location in the world. They help alter your mind, bringing you to a relaxed state, which is extremely important in order to fully experience a guided meditation.

Although the simple grounding methods work wonders when your everyday life feels a tad out of control, a more detailed grounding method is necessary when entering into a journey or guided meditation. Since our goal when grounding is to connect to the earth's energies, take a few minutes right now to close your eyes and think of a plant. It can be a flower, an herb, or a tree-anything to which you feel an emotional attachment. I use a willow tree when I ground, but any green, growing vegetation will work, even seaweed or grass.

Once you've decided on a plant, close your eyes, breathe deeply, and feel your spine lengthening, burrowing into the soft, rich soil. It is becoming the stem, the stalk, the trunk of your chosen plant ally. As you breathe in, envision the energy of the earth filling your body, and as you breathe out, release any stress, fear, anxiety, and worry, pushing them into the soil. As your spine lengthens and burrows farther and farther into the earth, know that any negativity that is released into the earth will be recycled into positive energy. Continuing to breathe in and out, notice that your spine has branched out and started to form roots in the earth. The roots grow, drawing more and more of the earth's energy into your body and releasing more and more of your worries and fears. When you feel that all your negativity has been released and that your entire body is filled with the earth's energy, feel the energy inside your body leave through the top of your head and, like the branches of a tree, the petals of a flower, or the leaves of an herb, arch back down to the ground, creating a circle of energy. Now, the earth's energy is entering your body through your spine, mingling with your own energy, and then leaving through the top of your head, arching back down to the ground, creating a connection between you and the earth. After several minutes of this, you should feel completely relaxed and at ease. You are grounded! 1

If grounding connects you to where you are in the world, then the next exercise, centering, connects you to who you are in the world. Centering focuses your mind, body, and spirit on acknowledging and accepting yourself as an individual, as a divine creation, and as a conduit for divine energy, knowledge, and will. It helps you see yourself as a perfect and whole human being, with all your faults, your assets, your weaknesses

1. This grounding technique is a modified form of the Tree of Life exercise explained in the book The Spiral Dance, written by Starhawk (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1989), p. 58.

and strengths. In essence, centering allows you to come to terms with the whole you, stripped of pretense and false fronts. You will get to know and receive yourself in your entirety, while focusing on the positive traits that you bring to the people around you and to the world as a whole. As with grounding, there are many different techniques that can focus your attention on yourself as a manifestation of the divine. The following technique is the one that I use and have taught to others with great success.

Close your eyes and breathe deeply in and out. Focus your attention on the center of your body, near your heart, right in the middle of your breastbone. This is the location of your heart chakra, one of seven energy points in the body that help keep the body's systems running together efficiently. The heart chakra helps create a balanced emotional center, allowing you to nurture healthy relationships with others and with yourself. It is usually visualized as a ball or disc of green or pink light. Once you have the chakra visualized, feel it spinning in a clockwise direction. If you looked down at your chest, it would spin from right to left. The clockwise -spinning chakra indicates a healthy, open chakra that is working at an optimum level. If your chakra is spinning slowly, not spinning at all, or spinning in the opposite direction (counterclockwise), then you are probably experiencing some emotional or relationship problems or have experienced them in the past. Work with the chakra so that it is spinning in the clockwise direction easily, without a struggle. Do not go on to the next step in the centering process until your heart chakra has a strong color and is effortlessly spinning in the clockwise direction.

After you have aligned your heart chakra, feel the energy of the chakra spreading throughout your entire body in the form of either a green or pink color. It flows from your breastbone down through your belly, out to your ribs, and up to your throat and shoulders. The energy continues to ebb and flow, down your thighs, down to your elbows, around to your back, and up to your face. The colored energy maintains its path, pouring into your fingers, your legs and toes, and your head. Just when you feel that you can hold no more of your heart chakra's energy, it radiates out of your body in shining pink or green light and, just as quickly, collapses in upon itself and centers once more in your heart chakra. You are now completely centered and ready for any type of path working.

Path working

Any time you choose to visit another realm of existence, you are path working, moving outside of yourself to experience something or someplace new or different. It sounds difficult but is actually a lot simpler than you might think. Have you ever watched a movie and experienced the theater fading away around you? Your entire focus is on the movie, and you feel as though you are alone. When this happens, the movie becomes your reality and the myriad noises of the crowded movie theater no longer exist. You are path working. This type of experience can also be felt when listening to a great song or reading a well -written book. If the world blurs around you and your whole mind and body connect to the song or book, then you are path working.

Generally, however, path working refers to soul -visiting other realms of reality, such as the angelic realm, Faerie land, the land of our ancestors, and the homes of the gods and goddesses. Soul -visiting is not quite astral projection, nor is it dreaming, but is something in between. While in a relaxed state, your spirit reaches out to a reality beyond the physical senses of sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. In most cultures, this reality is divided into three sections: the Upper World, Middle World, and Lower World.2 For the purposes of this book, we will be working mostly with the Upper World, the world of the gods and goddesses, spirit guides, and angels. While you are soul -visiting this Otherworld, the faeries, angels, animal and spirit guides, ancestors, and gods and goddesses will give messages to you that are filtered through your own individual mind, through your memories and life experiences. In essence, you will be raising your energy, or vibration, in order to interact with them, while they will be lowering theirs to interact with you.

There are many techniques that can be used to raise your vibrational energy. Drumming, chanting, singing, smelling herbal incenses, or imbibing of ritual potions are just some of the techniques. For our purposes, we will be raising our vibration through meditation.

There are three distinct forms of meditation: inward meditation, guided meditation, and journeying. Inward meditation is the type of path working that we usually associate with Buddhist monks high in their mountainside temples. It is the achievement of stillness and peace within the body, mind, and spirit, allowing the divine to descend upon you. It is knowingness, a feeling of being deeply connected to your present, to the time

2. This concept was first explained to me by Trish Casimira, a wonderful healer and shaman of Cherokee ancestry. (This shamanic idea is also stated in numerous scholarly and spiritual books.)

A place in which your body rests. You feel a tie with all living organisms on the planet and know that they are all directly connected to Spirit. This type of meditation takes years to perfect and, although important, is not our focus in visiting the goddesses. We will use the other two types of path working, guided meditation and journeying, in order to access the realms of the gods.

Guided meditation is like listening to a story. It harks back to our childhood days, when magic was everywhere! Our clothes magically appeared in our bureaus, and our food magically appeared on the table. We had few worries, many questions, and a lot of time to explore, always sure of our parents' love, which served as our tether or safety net. The words and images of the guided meditation are your safety net as you begin to venture into the Otherworld. They allow you enough freedom to become familiar with soul -visiting the places and beings in the Otherworld, without becoming overwhelmed. You will be able to interact with other realms of existence without worries, in the comforting parameters of the story.

Journeying takes away that safety net and leaves you to fend for yourself. You have grown up and no longer need limitations on your movements. When journeying, you choose the purpose of your soul visit, sometimes even the entity you wish to visit, and then you raise your vibrational energy and journey there. There is no meditation to guide you; you simply move into the Otherworld on your own. Some of the guided meditations in this book have journey sections in which you talk to a goddess on your own or perform a task or learn a skill that she puts forth just for you. These sections allow you to try a less structured form of path working while still attaining a goal and keeping the original intention in mind.

Path working, in the form of guided meditation or journeying, is usually undertaken for a specific purpose or intention. You might choose to go on a path working journey in order to effect change within yourself, to find answers that you seek, to learn about past lives, or to explore the ramifications of various choices in your life. Some experienced path workers and shamans will journey in order to help other people, but this should be done only after years and years of learning. Indeed, any kind of path working should not be undertaken lightly, as the experience will change the way you view yourself and the world around you. There are also dangers within the landscape of the Otherworld. Dark places and dark entities reside there, right beside the crystal palaces and beings of light.

It is important that you stay focused on the guided meditations as you take your first forays into other realms of reality. The guided meditations will steer you through the maze of the Otherworld, allowing you to become used to the beings who reside there and the new sensations in your body and mind. Remember, even if on a guided meditation, you always have the ability to leave the journey and return to your own body, your own time and place.

One of the best ways to remember your free will while performing a path working is to have a protective talisman. This is either a physical object or a thought form that protects your spirit and body while you are journeying in the Otherworld. It could be a mantra or chant, a memory, or an ancestor, guardian angel, or spirit. You might find that your protective talisman is a stuffed animal, or a picture of your daughter or son, a crystal, rock, or herb, or even a particular incense scent, like sage. Whatever form your talisman takes, it will remind you that, should things become too uncomfortable in the Otherworld, you can leave and return to your own body at any time. The following mini -meditation will help you find your protective talisman. As with all the meditations in this book, I recommend reading the meditation onto a cassette tape or CD or having a friend or family member read it aloud, in order for you to truly experience the full power of the path working. Also, you might want to create a journal of some kind to record your experiences with each meditation. You can then look back on your notes and see if there are any connecting threads throughout the meditations or if they correspond to events that occurred in your everyday life.

Meditation to find your protective talisman

Take a deep breath, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Take another deep breath, filling your stomach, your diaphragm, and finally your lungs. Hold this breath for five seconds . . . 1 -2 -3 -4 -5 . . . and exhale, allowing the breath to exit your lungs first, then your diaphragm, and finally your stomach. Take one more deep breath, and as you breathe in, feel the energy and the wonder of the world around you in your fingers, your toes, your legs and shoulders, even the top of your head. Hold the breath for seven seconds . . . 1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 -7. As you exhale, feel all tension leave your fingers, your toes, your legs and shoulders, even the top of your head. Feel the ground under your body touching every nerve ending and muscle. The ground is warm and radiant. Continue breathing deeply, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Allow the earth to hold and support your body, cradling you in warmth and comfort. You have never felt so relaxed, so secure, so calm.

You are lying in a spring meadow. To your right is a forest. Birds play among the branches of the trees. You hear their sweet songs and see their intricate patterns against the sky. The sky is soft blue. Fluffy white clouds float above your head, cooling the rays of the bright, warm sun. You stretch and feel the heat suffusing every muscle in your body, making you more and more relaxed. A wooden staff of perfect height and weight rests next to you. It is made of oak and inscribed with symbols and glyphs of protection. (pause)

You trace the carvings with your finger, and they glow with a golden gleam. You know that nothing can harm you while the staff is nearby, guarding youre resting form in a circle of light and security. Inches from the staff, a bag rests next to you. Your fingers graze the soft material and pull the bag closer to you. Leaning up on one elbow, you look inside.

What do you see there?
A bouquet of wildflowers?
A bird feather?
A gleaming stone?
Or something else, completely different? (pause)

Whatever you see, take it out of the bag and lie down on your back. Rest the object on your chest, placing it over your heart. Feel the energy of your heart reaching out to this object, making it one with you and with the universe. (pause)

This object protects you and is your gateway to the Otherworld. It allows you access to the houses of the gods, to the realms of angels, to the land of faerie, and the domain of our ancestors, where you can move and fly free. (pause)

At the same time, this object connects you with your body here on the earth. If you should wish to return at any time, you need only touch the object and you will be once more in your body. (pause)

The object sparkles brightly with the universal life force. It is warm and comforting in the palm of your hand. Squeeze the object lightly and place it in your pocket for safekeeping. Know that any time you undertake a journey to the Otherworld, you need only reach your hand into your pocket and your protective talisman will be there. Begin to focus, once again, on your breathing. Take deep breaths in and out, in and out. (pause)

On the next deep breath in, feel the energy and the wonder of the world around you in your fingers, your toes, your legs and shoulders, even the top of your head. As you exhale, wiggle your fingers and toes. Shake your legs and move your shoulders up and down. Take another deep breath and, as you exhale, move your head from side to side. Feel the ground under your body touching every nerve ending and muscle.

Hear the rustlings of the people around you. Notice the movements outside. Continue breathing. Stretch your arms out above your head. You are returning to the present, to the here and now. Continue stretching. Continue breathing. When you are ready, open your eyes, blink and focus, and sit up.

Self journeying
After performing the protective talisman meditation, take a few minutes to write down your impressions of the journey. What talisman did you receive? What was your favorite and/or least favorite part of the journey? What seemed clear to you and what seemed hazy or foggy? Did you stay within the structure of the meditation or did you deviate from it? Everyone experiences a guided meditation differently, as we all put different life lessons, memories, expectations, and personalities into our pathworking backpacks, along with our magical meditative tools. Therefore, everyone receives a unique message, meant just for him or her. So write down that message and pay attention to its meaning!

The gods are talking to you!
Not only does our individuality affect our encounter within the meditation, but it also affects how we perceive each meditation. Since most guided meditations are written as though the story is enfolding right before our eyes, they are often very detailed visually. However, not everyone experiences a journey through the eyes. We can also undergo a meditation through the ears, fingers or skin, or heart or spirit. I can't tell you how many times people have come up to me at the end of one of my meditation classes and told me that they didn't see a thing. However, when I ask them if they felt something or knew something was happening or heard a specific noise, they nod their heads vigorously. Don't think that just because you didn't see anything that nothing happened. It did! It will! It does! You just have to understand your body, mind, and spirit's unique way of interpreting the message.

Visual interpretation is the meditative perception most understood by the general public. You listen to the guided meditation and literally see the images behind your closed eyelids. You feel as though you are watching a movie but, oftentimes, with the sound off. If the meditation states, The wind is blowing softly, then you will see the treetops moving or your scarf billowing, but you won't hear or feel anything. As a visual perceiver, you see colors, people, places, and events with ease, but if you need to ask a question, you will often have a hard time getting an answer that you can understand, as the answer will be symbolized in the pictures before your eyes.

Audio interpretation, on the other hand, will often give you very clear answers to questions, but you won't see any picture when you close your eyes. You will, however, hear sounds and voices very easily. When the meditation suggests wind, the person with audio perception will hear the wind as it whips through the trees but won't see the trees moving or feel the wind on his or her skin.

Feeling is what the person with sensory interpretation does best. The sensory perceiver not only will feel the wind on his or her face, but also often will sense how other people or animals in the meditation are feeling emotionally about the wind. Sensory interpretation is all about touching and connecting, physically and emotionally, with the environment of the journey. When asking a question, the sensory perceiver will receive an answer in terms of emotions or tactile contact.

Intuitive interpretation is the most difficult meditative perception to explain. You do not see, hear, or feel the experiences in the meditation, but rather you simply know, innately, from deep within yourself, what is happening within the meditation and along your journey. Intuitive perceivers often will know the wind is blowing before the meditation actually states that fact. They will know about the environment within the meditation even though they cannot see, hear, or feel anything about it.3 The most difficult aspect of having intuitive interpretation is trusting that the messages you receive are from the Otherworld and not from your imagination. After some time, you will be able to make the distinction. Until then, know that if you have grounded and centered correctly, then you can trust that the messages are from the divine.

Most people incorporate multiple interpretive styles into their meditation experience, although one of the four usually comes more easily than the others. When you first begin to integrate guided meditation into your regular daily or weekly practice, notice which interpretation is easiest for you. Once you feel comfortable with the messages you receive on your path working experiences, you may find that a second interpretive style materializes without conscious effort. Although this growth is exciting, don't limit yourself to subconscious development. Taking classes or reading books will help you develop your other interpretive styles as well. Don't be discouraged if your new techniques don't work at first. Remember, you are exercising sections of your brain that have not been used before. Be patient and know that any kind of development takes time. Above all, have fun and stay open to the words, wisdom, and wit of the goddesses you meet! Before long, they will feel like old friends. Each chapter in this book focuses on one specific goddess. On your journey to get to know this goddess, you will read

3. This theory of fourfold interpretation was passed down to me by a talented Reiki healer and hypnotherapist, Katie Malloy -Ramaci, when I attended her past life regression class in 2003.

Each goddess will help you access knowledge about the earth and sky and about yourself, as each is paired with a seasonal holiday (Sabbat) or a moon phase (Esbat). A brief section on the Sabbat or Esbat will familiarize you with the natural setting of the goddess, while the guided meditation will allow you in -depth exploration. In addition to the meditation, you will have the opportunity to open fully to the knowledge of each goddess through an invocation, a ritual, and an activity at the end of each chapter.

These will allow you to connect to the goddess through words and sound, as well as through actions and deeds.

Enjoy your visit with each goddess, and be open to the lessons that she has for you! These lessons will help you find your true calling, your true self, and your true path in life. Don't feel obliged to follow the chapters in order. There are no rules and regulations here. Although each goddess is connected to a specific holiday or phase of the moon, she may call to you at a different time, when the time is right for you. Go with your gut instinct! Follow your own truth, and know that the Goddess loves each and every one of her children. May the blessings of the Goddess shine brightly upon you as you open your heart to her teachings.

Ritual: An Imbolc Celebration

From Goddess Alive!, by Michelle Skye

As the warming rays of the sun thaw the frozen earth, the time arrives for each of us to release old wounds in order to create fertile soil for new ideas and possibilities. By reclaiming our connection to the divine, we accept our role in our own destinies, reaffirming our belief that the power of change rests in each and every one of us. Imbolc is a great time to feel your own power bubbling forth, especially with the help and assistance of the strong and forceful fire goddess Brigid.

Things you will need:

One large candle (your choice of color)
Four small candles (one each of yellow, red, blue, and green)

Candle holders for the four candles
A lighter or matches
Two bowls of dirt
A small watering can filled with water
One packet of flower, herb, or vegetable seeds (choose seeds that represent a goal or ideal that you'd like to bring into your life--consult Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham for information on the magical uses of herbs and flowers).
Fresh-made bread
Butter
A cup of milk
A libation bowl
A small hand towel

Place the large candle, lighter, two bowls of dirt, watering can, and seeds in the center of your sacred space. If you are performing the celebration inside, be sure to cleanse your area with sage or Florida Water ahead of time. Put the four small candles at the edges of your sacred space: yellow in the east, red in the south, blue in the west, and green in the north. Sitting facing the east, ground and center yourself, taking as much time as you need.

Once you feel relaxed and connected to the four elements, stand and walk to the east. Hold your hands up above your head and say:

Hail to the Guardian of the East,
The simple Cherry Tree.
Beautiful and gentle, pure and willing sacrifice,
You understand the cycle of life and death and rebirth.
Bring to me the peace to acknowledge the inevitable
And to welcome my growth.
Cherry Tree, Spirit of Air, I welcome you!

When you feel the presence of the east enter your sacred space, walk to the south, raise your hands, and say:

Hail to the Guardian of the South,
The quickening Rowan Tree.
Fiery and nourishing, physical and spiritual healer,
Your berries support life while your bark soars with spirit.
Bring to me the knowledge of the ancient ways
And the strength to use it well.
Rowan Tree, Spirit of Fire, I welcome you!

Feel the energy of the south enter your sacred space. Then, walk to the west, hold your hands above your head, and say:

Hail to the Guardian of the West,
The giving Apple Tree.
Loving and opening, emotional and otherworldly center,
You know the heart is the key to happiness.
Bring to me the acceptance of my inner truth
And the generosity to share it with the world.
Apple Tree, Spirit of Water, I welcome You!

Once you feel the calming presence of the west in your circle, walk to the north. Hold your hands above your head and say:

Hail to the Guardian of the North,
The enduring Holly Tree.
Bright and gay, protective and compassionate partner,
You shift with the currents of change, adjusting to seasons and spirituality.
Bring to me the courage to alter my perceptions
And the ability to persevere through trials.
Holly Tree, Spirit of Earth, I welcome you!

Be sure to light each candle after you have requested the presence of each elemental tree. Having called for the aid and guidance of the four directions, return to the center of your sacred space and sit down. Think of the goddess Brigid in all her many guises: powerful smith, watery healer, illuminating muse, preserved saint, forgotten goddess, fire, sun, land divine. When you feel her nearby, place your hands over your heart and say:

Most blessed Brigid,
Bright Arrow,
Arousing, swirling, teaching,
Direct my words and
Focus my art
To resonate your will
Beneath the sky, beneath the sea.
Goddess of the sun and
Of the eternal fire,
You inspire.

Most sacred Brigid,
Sudden flame,
Shaping, melding, purifying,
Forge my hands and
Guide my heart
To do your bidding
Beneath the sky, beneath the sea.
Goddess of the sun and
Of the eternal fire,
You transform.

Most honored Brigid,
Living light,
Calming, soothing, restoring,
Mend my wounds and
Allow your love
To shine through me
Beneath the sky, beneath the sea.
Goddess of the sun and
Of the eternal fire,
You heal.

Most blessed Brigid,
Living light,
Bright Arrow
Sudden flame,
Goddess of the sun and
Of the eternal fire,
Arise like a shining sun
And join me in my circle!

Brigid, goddess immortal, most blessed,
I light this candle
In fiery offering to you.

Light the large candle and take some time to gaze undisturbed into its flame. Feel its warmth and envision the goddess Brigid welcoming you with open arms. When you feel relaxed and open, put the two bowls of dirt in front of you and concentrate on the holiday Imbolc. When you feel ready, say:

Imbolc is a time to plant my seeds, to begin anew, forging ahead to create my own destiny. The Goddess, as young mother, protects and nurtures the God, just as the earth protects and nurtures the warming seeds in the ground. May she protect and nurture my inner seed, my inner growth, so that I may flourish in the beauty and vastness of spring. We are all flowers waiting in the gentle arms of the Mother for the soothing warmth of the equinox sun. We are all burgeoning power, waiting for our time to bloom.

Plunge your hands into one of the bowls of dirt. Feel the dirt between your fingers, warm and dry or cool and moist. Close your eyes and empty your stress, anxiety, concerns, and worries into the soil. Feel your old hurts and old impressions of self seep out of your heart, making their way into your long fingers. They move slowly but deliberately into the very tips of your fingers, and when you are ready, they release into the soil, freeing you from their self-destructive grip. When you have emptied yourself of the negative in your life, in your spirit, and in your soul, shake the dirt from your fingers. Hold your hands over the first bowl of dirt and cleanse them with water from the watering can. (You will have to do one at a time unless you are performing the celebration with a group.) Wipe your hands on the towel.

Pour the seeds into your hands, holding them tightly. Concentrate on the goal or ideal that you would like to bring into your life. Your goal is like these seeds, burgeoning with possibility, not quite sprouted but filled with the life force of the goddess Brigid. With your mouth pressed up tightly to the seeds, say:

By Brigid, goddess of the forge and transformation, I name thee (your goal or ideal).
By Brigid, goddess of the hearth and healing, I name thee (your goal or ideal).
By Brigid, goddess of bardraft and creativity, I name thee (your goal or ideal).

Blow lightly on the seeds, placing your energy and essence onto them, melding the two energies into one. Then, plant the seeds in the second bowl of dirt and water them with the watering can. Hold your hands over the newly planted seeds, and send them love and support. Be the Goddess to these seeds just as the goddess Brigid nurtures the seeds of your dreams.

Place some bread and butter and milk into your libation bowl as a sacrifice for Brigid and the four elemental trees. While you do this, state:

I honor Brigid and the Cherry, Rowan, Apple, and Holly Trees for sanctifying and sharing in this ceremony with me. I give you this sacrifice of my hands and my heart as a symbol of my love and connection to you.

Then eat and drink as much bread and butter and milk as you would like. When you have cleaned up the food and drink, concentrate once again on the goddess Brigid. Hold you hands out to her and say:

I thank you, Brigid, for your presence here in my circle,
For giving me warmth of heart and hearth.
As the sisters of old, I have honored you
In the traditional way.
May my love for you be felt through time and space,
Across the universe, upon the earth, and under the sea.
Although the light of this candle goes out,
I carry your flame in my breast.

Most blessed Brigid,
Living light,
Bright Arrow
Sudden blaze,
Goddess of the sun and
Of the eternal fire,
I guard your flame.

Blessed be.

Quench the fire of the large candle and then say:

I thank the Holly, Apple, Rowan, and Cherry Trees for their presence in my circle. May I forever learn from their generous gifts and hidden, secret knowledge. May their trunks grow tall and sturdy, and may they be honored for their nurturing, mature wisdom. May their presence be remembered and enjoyed for all time.

Hail to the Holly Tree, tree of courage and change. (Blow out the green candle.)

Hail to the Apple Tree, tree of love and generosity. (Blow out the blue candle.)

Hail to the Rowan Tree, tree of inspiration and healing. (Blow out the red candle.)

Hail to the Cherry Tree, tree of beauty and sacrifice. (Blow out the yellow candle.)

I honor you. Blessed Be.

Return to the center of your sacred space and say:

My rite is ended. May I go with the peace and love of the Goddess in my heart. Merry Meet, Merry Part, and Merry Meet Again!

For more Goddess lore and ritual and to connect with the Divine Feminine of 13 Goddesses for modern women, get your copy of Goddess Alive! by Michelle Skye today.

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