All throughout my life i've dabbled with Paganism, but the number one thing that first attracted me to it was its respect for women as creators and life makers. As goddeses and as powerful people. The idea that the woman is sacred and beautiful in her own right, the concept of the Mother, Miaden and Crone, of fertility and the moon, these ideas have always rung true with me and are held in my heart.
Another aspect less talked about the sacred feminine is also the taker of life...Hela is the great primal mother, but also the one who weaves the doom of all lives. The Feminine plays greatly in the Elder ways, though not as whitewashed and general as the neopagan movement makes it out to be.
Something else to be aware of is that in addition to pagan goddesses, there are female deities in eastern sprituality - kali, ganga, maya, uma, shakti (hindu), and in other cultures, especially ancient cultures - sophia, artemis, athena, gaia, aphrodite, hecate (greek), morgana, cerredwin (celtic), diana (roman), isis (egyptian), ishtar (mesopotamiam), inanna (sumerian), oya, yemaya (african) pele (hawaiian), coatilicue (aztec), pase wee (native american). It is mostly western religion which is male dominated, where the female deity is non-existant or not acknowledged.
Half of those goddesses are western deities. It is the middle eastern religions that are male dominant...sadly....the western world is overly influenced by them.
yeah really, i hear ya. just listed the hindu goddesses as being eastern deities, others are western and had them listed as "other cultures" (not eastern). but still, you are right about middle east religion and all the influence. it is sad.
In reality, kali and several other "hindu" goddesses are IndoEuropean and Kali is cognate with Calypso, Koylo, Hel, Holda, Caillech, and several other "western" goddesses. Most all mean something to the like of Coverer, She who Covers, Coverer of Time (or Dead) depends...but all are cultural expressions of the darksome Mother.
