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Gods/Goddesses/Demigods br> * Eileithyia - (greek) goddess of childbirth. There is a cave in Crete sacred to her. * Hathor - (egyptian) goddess of beauty, love and marriage - attended childbirth. As a mother goddess, she was represented with a cow's head. (DM.117) (also a sky goddess) Creatures/Beings/People * Spider - Spider is the creator of the universe (SW Pueblo tribes) Other Native Americans - spider power is a feminine energy for the creative force of life. in hindu mythology, the spider weaves life itself from its own body. Is also the creator of illusion "maya". (ANIMAL.263) Plants and Minerals * Acadia Tree - symbol for immortality (judeo-christian) Red and white flowers symbolize the life~death duality. The hardwood of the shittah species used in christian crown of thorns. (DSYMB.9) * Amaranth Flower - symbol of immortality because of the long lasting blossom. Sacred to Artemis. Her priest king and Lord of the hunt called it "Amaranthus" - used in greco Roman culture as an expression of healing and eternal life. (WDS.423) * Ceiba tree - symbolic of the tree of life (in Archaic period mexico) (MEX.33) * Maize - ancient mexico - the staff of life. All of the gods are connected to it in some way. * Yew - traditional cemetary tree - symbol of immortality (old celtic) (WDS.476) Symbols and Objects * A (alpha) - the letter "A" is the birth letter of the greeks. Some older versions of "A" are upsidedown, perhaps a universal representation of the a cow goddess, associated with the birth of all things. Also, an alternate name for the river Styx (see Styx).(WDS.34) * Alpha see"A" * Ankh - (egyptian) "life" or "hand mirror" - originally feminine symbol, its come to represent a sign of sexual union and immorality of the gods (granted by the goddess's divine blood (the top being red, the bottom white). Many deities carried the ankh as a gift of eternal life. (WDS.83) * Double Wheel - (ancient oriental) = infinity/eternal cycles of life on earth within the large circle of cosmic existence. (WDS.6) * Enodia - see 'gates of birth' * Gates of birth - "Enodia" - given to Artemis or Hecate as the ruler of the gate of birth. (WDS.137) * Henna - used by ancient women (greek, syrian, hindu, middle east) - dyed hands and feet - its color linked with their own life giving "magic blood". Patriarchy saw it as evil. (associated with goddess worship, paganism, and witchcraft. Apocryphal scriptures called the women "Daughters of Cain") (WDS.445) * Mirror - Egyptians used the same word for life. (WDS.145) (see spirit) * Pentacle - said to be life/health to ancients. it is a protective symbol. (WDS.72) * Pentacle flower - sometimes represented goddesses 5 stations of female life: birth, menarchy, maternity, menopause, death. (along with other pentacle motifs) (WDS.73) * Soma - Intoxicating drink that brought eternal life (Hindu) (DM.421) * Tjet (egyptian amulet) - represents Isis's vulva or matrix - brings to the wearer (living or dead) "virtue of the blood of Isis" menstrual blood - the "divine stuff of life emanating from the goddess's genitalia. Usually the amulet was made of something red. (WDS.109) * Tripple alpha (triangle, lines extended, so each point has a new triangle attatched) "A" alpha considered a symbol of birth and creation. Trippled it acts as protection talisman for women in childbirth. (WDS.41) * Tryfuss - (also form of triskelion) - for some, it symbolizes - runic sign of the life force sygnifying the will to create. (WDS.43) * Yoni Yantra - pubic area of woman - symbol to meditate on like a mandala. Its the triangle of life - not foreign or external but most intimate in everyone, though hidden. Medieval text "Amor Proximi". (WDS.44) |