Worshipping the Goddess

By Francesca Gentille 2/15/06

Several of you have asked me about:

• How do I worship The Goddess
• How do I worship The Goddess the "right way"
• How do I worship The Goddess for the "right reasons"

The following are some suggestions/guidelines based on my traditions (Wicca, Middle Eastern Temple, Eleusinian/Greek, Umbanda Afro/Brazilian, Buddhist Tantra, American Tantra, Italian Stregaria). It is always a delight to hear your suggestions and experiences.

The Goddess is:

• The Divine Feminine in all beings, all nature, in me, and in you
• Darkness and Light
• Death, Birth & Rebirth
• Wind, wave,
• Flow, connection
• Spiral
• Fluff and depth
• Creativity & creation
• Wrathful compassion
• Warrior, Mother, Lover, Queen, Harlot, Sage, Sorceress, Innocent, Temptress, Muse, Challenge
• Infinite love
• Discernment
• Non-judgment
• The well and the water
• Love & boundaries
• In all religions
• In all countries
• In all spiritual paths
• Infinite, eternal, multi-faceted
• And more

We worship the Goddess:

• Through wisdom & kindness in all our relations
• Through bringing kindness, consciousness and accountability into all our sexuality
• Through healing ourselves and contributing to the healing of others
• Through facing and claiming our own dark, impefections - - with compassion
• Through setting compassionate boundaries
• Through ritual, dance, theatre, music, lovemaking, long walks, building altars, lighting candles, gardenering, committing, inspiring, creating, intuiting, learning, risking, resting, expressing, stillness
• Through readings, research, experimenting, soul searching, trainings, workshops, rituals etc. on whatever forms and faces, histories and races that call to us.

We have a "right" relationship to our worship when we ask:

• How may be of service to the world?
• How may I know myself and others as Divine?
• How may I heal my wounds of heart, spirit, body and sexuality such that I can BE the Sacred Lover, Sacred Sexual Healer, Mage of Love, Priestess of Love for others?
• What words, songs, dances, rituals, walks, places, events, creativities, relationships feel like they soulfully connect me to The Goddess/Divine in me and the Goddess/Divine in others?
• What books, workshops, travel, trainings, rituals, explorations in nature etc. am I soulfully called to explore more deeply?
• What complaints, criticisms, judgments and condemnations do I have of others? How is this a reflection of the darkness and imperfection of my own soul that I am afraid to face?
• How may I bring more peace, more healing, more joy, more compassion, more harmony, more wholeness, more holiness into my body/mind/heart/spirit and into the world?

Our lives are formed, guided and led by the questions we ask.

If I ask - How can I get mine? Why don't people like me? Why is my life horrible?
I am focusing on the negative. More negative experiences and relationships will be called into my life.

If I ask - How can I contribute to a better world? How can I create harmony for myself and others? What is in me that I can heal to be of greater service? What can I see, heal, do, create to have my life be more wonderful?
THEN I will call ever more delicious learnings and wisdom into my life.

Please let me know if this was additive and/or if you would like further explanation or personal examples and/or if you have other questions.

Warmth and blessings,
Francesca