Getting To Know The Goddess

The Goddess reveals herself to me in the changing seasons. The dance of dark and light unfold the interplay of bud, leaf, fruit and seed. The years weave together a spiral of deepening knowledge. As I ascend/descend, my ears attune to Her Voice. I learn Her many languages and what She has to say to me.

Dawn brings the Maiden, budding innocence. She dances in the spring, fresh and lively. In my region, she is accompanied by days of varied weather. Rain, snow, sun and wind are all changing partners. I watch the shift when the female robins return and the male robins begin to defend their territories. When the apples blossom, I wonder if we will have a frost. I notice the cycles from spring to spring. It seems that I have a bountiful crop of apples every other year. I notice that when the apples are scarce other fruits are plentiful.
I ask myself, "What shall I renew this year?" I also ask, "What, in my life, needs the refreshment of innocence?"

Passionate Mother cradles the summer days. Trees in full leaf shade me from high noon heat. I still see changing weather. Sometimes it is a tempest, an afternoon thundershower. Other weather, sometimes know as dog days in July, bring high temperatures and dryness. The robins are paired with their young in the trees. I hear the distinct call of the new ones. I notice that the pair that own my yard leave their babies in the maple, the plum and the apples, just as they have during previous summers. They drink from the tortoise and dogs' bowls and dig for worms, scratching the leaves like chickens. They passionately chase rivals from their space. The fruit is waxing. I ask myself, "What am I passionate about?" and "What needs passion in my life at this time?"

The Queen of autumn brings the harvest. Are there many apples? I feel a shift as the days are now poised, in balance. The evenings bring a different smell, a bit of chill, perhaps some frost. I can feel that change is in the air, heralded by brilliant leaves. The crickets slow and the weather can shift suddenly. The last robin baby is flying well and learning to sing. You can hear the father teaching him the song as the sun fades from the sky, the baby's song incomplete. In this region, each fall brings a different pattern. Sometimes the days and nights stay warm and we have an Indian summer, while at other times a sudden freezing storm can bring down limbs heavily laden with leaves and snow. I ask myself, "What has been fruitful in my life this year?". I also ask, "What am I thankful for?"

Midnight blows in the Winter Crone or she may creep in on stealthy frozen feet. The leaves have fallen and the trees are mostly naked. The remaining robins are young males and they fly in flocks. They visit the withered fruit left on the trees. Sometimes the birds get drunk eating fermenting fruit on the rare warm day. I find their intoxicated antics humorous. Each year I watch them getting drunk on the neighbor's hawthorn berries. Chickadees, juncos, and cedar waxwings join the robins at their party. The seeds sleep underground, blanketed in the cold earth, each holding the promise of precious life. I review my year and evaluate what I have sown, what has flourished and grown, what I have harvested, and what seeds are available for next year. Did I like all of my crops? Do I need to make changes? Have I been happy in my loves and endeavors? The big questions for me at this time, after my evaluation, have to do with leaving space for listening. I ask myself, "What do I need to make space to hear the Goddess?" and "How best can I empty myself, rest, and restore myself so I may end this cycle in a healthy way?"

All the facets of Goddess; Maiden, Mother, Queen and Crone, help me to navigate my path as a developing being on this planet. I am at all times all faces of the Goddess, yet each, in Her Season, help to teach me balance and wisdom. Through the passing years I see new interconnections and learn to more deeply understand and appreciate what she is saying to me. I learn new lessons and get reminded of old ones. I learn how to use my magic to grow, bend, and shape myself into greater happiness and harmony. The Goddess speaks in the language of Love and I taste Her nectar, listening to Her sweet music, while also experiencing the unfolding, beauty and antics of Sacred Life all around me.