Goddesses Articles
Norse Goddess Freya - Forerunner of Women's Liberation
January 9, 2012 | Lory Woortman
Freya was described as a "Witch goddess" by a Christian at the Althing (Parliament) of Iceland. This insult initiated the final round of debate over the country's Christianization.
After this Freya was denounced as a "Queen of Witches." Women who venerated her were automatically branded as "witches. " And of course Freya's rites did encourage magical practices, mediumship, shamanism and female autonomy, with Freya as the role model. Such behavior this new regime considered hateful and sinful.
Freya was not some obscure goddess but was beloved and worshiped over a vast European territory including Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland, the Germanic lands, Holland and Anglo-Saxon Britain.
Freya's last surviving temple, in Magdeburg, Germany, was destroyed by edict of the Emperor Charlemagne. Devotees of Freya refused to surrender their faith. Up until 1668 the worship of "Frau Venus" was still prevalent among the Saxons of Magdeburg.
But it was at this time Freya was banished to the mountain peaks of Norway, Sweden and Germany to Dance with her devotees in the The Brocken, the highest peak in the Harz Mountains of central Germany. Where she presides over annual Mid-Summer and Walpurgis Festivals. To this day Freya remains among the most beloved of deities among modern Neo-Pagens.
I would say The Goddess Freya was the synthesis of the "Liberated" woman.
Freya Bless
Lory
Lory Woortman is a writer, water color artist and garden designer. Lory is interested in the study of quantum physics, Norse Myths and Religion. She lives in a small country town in North East Pennsylvania with her writer husband, Ellis and her little dog Dixie. Lory has a blog and written many articles that are "Free," pertaining to Norse Mythology, Shamanism, Runes and Quantum Physics.
http://mistressofenchantment.blogspot.com/
http://www.olevikingshop.builderspot.com/
What's Your Goddess Zodiac Sign?
September 24, 2011 | Anita Revel
Every action, thought, projection of self, and treatment of others is a reflection of your goddess sign.
For example, if you react to a boyfriend's indiscretions by punishing the other woman, you are displaying Juno energies - she went to extraordinary lengths to avenge her husband's concubines.
Or if you like to lay low and stay out of trouble, your ruling goddess is most likely to be Hestia - she only wants a simple, uncomplicated, enriching and contented life.
No matter whether you're pleb or celeb, your goddess sign defines how you manage your choices and destinies.
Many attributes of life have been described at GoddessBirthSigns.com so you can see that no matter what the situation, understanding your goddess sign is one way to ensure you get through each day smiling.
Mar 21 - Apr 20 ... ATHENA... Born leaders, Athena-inspired women know no fear, or that's the face they present to the world at least.
Apr 21 - May 21 ...JUNO... Comfort, warmth and material security are the things that keep devoted wife Juno happy.
May 22 - Jun 21 ...PERSEPHONE... Persephone-girls tend to be fickle, meaning "yes" when they say "no".
Jun 22 - Jul 23 ...DIANA... Finely tuned to their environment and the feelings of others, Diana-inspired women are hunted for their natural empathy and sensitivity
Jul 24 - Aug 23 ...PELE... Full of passionate energy, Pele gals love being the centre of attention and the life of the party.
Aug 24 - Sep 23 ...HESTIA... The Hestia gal is a creature of habit and organisation, purity, sincerity, sanctity and safety.
Sep 24 - Oct 23 ...VENUS... The perfect lover, Venus rules over a woman's sense of style and her appreciation for acts of love, pleasure and romance.
Oct 24 - Nov 22 ... BAST... Bast-inspired gals are creative, inquisitive and have a fine sense of where their boundaries lie. The downside, however, is that they are quick to bare their claws against a perceived threat or injustice.
Nov 23 - Dec 21 ...RHIANNON... Rhiannon-inspired women can be so focussed on the horizon, they forget about being sensitive to those around them.
Dec 22 - Jan 20 ...DEMETER ... It is typical of Demeter-inspired women to put the perceived needs of others first, at the expense of their own well being.
Jan 21 - Feb 19 ...HATHOR... Hathor-inspired women have the gift of shape-shifting - the ability to transform themselves from a woman crippled with anxiety to a creature shining with light and radiance.
Feb 20 - Mar 20 ... OSHUN... Oshun gals "go with the flow" of their instincts in order to find inner tranquility, but can lose sight of the real world in doing so.
Be my guest and read more about Goddess Birth Signs at Goddesses ... Copyright Anita Revel