The religion of the Goddess has been called both polytheistic and monotheistic at the same time. The Goddess is polytheistic in that she has so many names and forms. She is also monotheistic in that the are all symbols of the single Great Mother, the Creator of All. Joseph Campbell, the historian and mythologist, calls this syncretism.

The Goddess is seen as the power of the feminine, as the creator of all. She is a way to connect to all life on this planet. The Goddess is also an image that has been embraced as a symbol of strength for abused women, a way for self acceptance and esteem, and a model for all women. She is seen in a triple aspect of Maiden, Mother, and Crone. The number 3 is considered sacred in many goddess cultures. The triple aspect of the Goddess enforces the concept.

The trinity of the aspects of the Goddess is also a way to understand and acknowledge the three major stages of human life: youth, parenthood and maturity. The Three aspects of Maiden, Mother, and Crone can also be seen in the three phases of the moon, Full, Waxing and Waning. The cycle of the Goddess is seen in the cycle of human life and in the cycles of the harvest: the empty field, seeds planted and growing, then the harvest.

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The Maiden

The Maiden is associated with the colors white, light pink and light yellow. She symbolizes youth and anticipation of life, the continuation of life, the season of spring, and the waxing Moon. The Maiden is associated with purity and nature, and is usually seen in the company of animals. In the aspect of the Maiden we see the world with child-like wonder, the beauty of a feather, the mystery of a seed. We also see the Maiden as huntress and warrior, as Athene and Artemis are known to be.

The Mother

The color associated with the Mother is red, the color of blood and the life force, and green, a fertile color. The Mother symbolizes summer, ripening, birth, the high point of the cycle, adult and parenthood, and the full Moon. In ancient societies, the pregnant Mother was a metaphor for the fertile fields that sustained the people of the land. The menstrual blood of the Mother has been associated with magick and ritual since Paleolithic times and was thought to have power for healing and fertility.

The Crone

The color most associated with the Crone is black, followed by dark purple and grey. The Crone symbolizes death and the end of cycles, winter, night, menopause, age, wisdom, counsel, and the waning Moon. The Crone shows us the way to death and reincarnation. The Crone is past menopause, she has the mystery of time behind her. In the aspect of the Crone we understand that death is a part of life, not something to be feared. She is the teacher of the secret and the hidden.

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Ancient European pantheons (a group of gods originating with a certain people), are dominated by the Goddess. She is the creator of the universe, generator of all life. All agricultural societies appear to have worshiped a goddess at one point in their history. In the earliest known creation stories, the Goddess, Mother Nature, call her what you wish, is said to be the source of all being.

The Goddess surrounds us, to be found in the earth, moon and stars. She is found in the ebb and flow of the tides, She is found in the bud of a flower. She is found in the creatures of the world. And the Goddess is found inside us. The bodies of women are sacred and holy, not a thing of revulsion that some of the religions of man would have us believe. If the Goddess is inside us and all that surround us, shouldn't we treat all lives as sacred, including ourselves?

Still, she is a mystery never to be fully known.

Why do Wiccans/Witches have so many Goddesses and Gods? Each brings a different strength or attribute to help us in what we are doing. When we work with a goddess we have her power to draw on. For example, Athena will bring creativity and assertiveness, Hera her motivation in new endeavors. Call upon these goddesses when starting a new project. Some Wiccans draw upon the energy of the goddess by tapping into the power of "nature." The Goddesses and Gods can be seen as real beings or as archetypes, (prototypes). The power of all the goddesses and gods of the world are in the very nature of us all. It is within us and in the other inhabitants of this planet, we just have to learn to access that power. It is the power to conjure and create. The diversity of the gods and goddess may help to express the diversity of creation.

In Wicca, the Goddess and the God are seen as equals, neither can exist without the other. Female and male are needed for true life. The Great Mother giving life and giving birth to the world, the God by her side, at times part human, part spirit, part animal. The Goddess and the God each contain a bit of each other, neither is complete without the partner. They compliment each other and are necessary for proper balance.

The God

The God is usually seen as lover, consort, and son of the Goddess. Both are needed for creation and balance. It is a balance that is shown in myth after myth, culture after culture. As with the Goddess, the God also has many names and associations. There is the god as lover, warrior, and the Horned God of the forests. And there is the god of the mysterious Underworld.

Before the understanding of the biology of humans, pregnancy was thought to be caused by ancestral spirits or the light of the moon. When humans better understood themselves, the God was seen as a life force, an impregnator, and hunter. He has been depicted in art as part animal with horns of a deer or goat and erect phallus. He is also seen as the "Green Man", Lord of the forests.

The power of the God is called upon when help in logic and analysis is wanted. He is also associated with the sun and animals. His association with the sun brings the greening of the harvest. He is the harvest, the animals of the forest, the hunter of those animals when necessary, and the ruler of the woods and mountains. He is the lord of light and represents all that is vital. Women may call upon the God when she feels she needs the strength and assertiveness that he may bring to her.

The first male god form was said to emerge from the Earth Mother. Myths of the creation and the Goddess and God abound in this world, but there are common threads that run through all of them. The God representing the sun, dies each year, only to be reborn in the spring. The story of the Goddess and God are cyclical, as are the seasons of the year. Spring, summer, autumn, winter can be seen in the stories of the Goddess and God. Birth, death, and rebirth are the lessons to be learned. All that dies will return with the sun. The eight holidays of the Wheel are derived from the Creation myths.

Choose the Goddess and God you wish to work with carefully. Research different pantheons. Decide which ones will be best for the working. Your choice may be different with each ritual, depending on the circumstances and desired outcome. Some Wiccans prefer to work with the energy that surrounds us, the energy of the Universe, instead of a particular goddess or god. Use whatever you feel more comfortable with.