)O(  The Deitites  )O(

As different as are the many religions of the world, in essence they are all the same. It has frequently been said that they are simply different paths all leading to a common center, and this is true. The basic teachings are all the same; all that differs is the method of teaching. There are different rituals, different festivals, and even different names for the gods. But the underlying concept of worshipping a higher power is the same.
This higher power -- the "Ultimate Deity" -- is some genderless force that is so far beyond our comprehension that we can have only the vaguest understanding of its being. Yet we know that it is there and, frequently, we wish to communicate with it. We wish to thank it for what we have and to ask it for what we need. How do we do this with such an incomprehensible power? We break it down into forms our minds can comprehend.

In their early development, people came to worship two principle deities: the Horned God of Hunting and the Goddess of Fertility. These, then, were our representations of the Supreme Power that actually rules life. In the various areas of wo/man's development, we see that these god/goddess representations became, for the ancient Egyptians, Isis and Osiris; for the Hindus, Shiva and Parvati; for the Christians, Jesus and Mary. In virtually all instances (there were exceptions) the Ultimate Deity was equated with both masculine and feminine....broken down into a god and a goddess.

~ Raymond Buckland

art by Jessica Galbreth

The Goddess is the universal mother. She is the source of fertility, endless wisdom and loving caresses. As those in the Craft know Her, She is often of three aspects: the Maiden, the Mother and the Crone, symbolized in the waxing, full and waning of the Moon. She gives birth to abundance. But as life is Her gift, She lends it with the promise of death. This is not darkness and oblivion, but rest from the toils of physical existence.
Since the Goddess is nature, She is both the Temptress and the Crone; the tornado and the fresh spring rain; the cradle and the grave.
Though She is possessed of both natures, She is often revered as the giver of fertility, love and abundance, although Her darker side is acknowledged as well. We see Her in the Moon, the sea, and in the green growth of spring. She is the embodiment of fertility and love.
Below is a list of some of the more common Goddesses.

Aphrodite: Greek; Goddess of passionate, sexual love. Aphrodite will assist you in pulling loving energy toward yourself.

Aradia: Italian; Queen of the Witches, daughter of Diana. Aradia is an extremely powerful entity and a protectress of Witches in general.

Arianrhod: Welsh; Goddess of the stars and reincarnation. Call on Arianrhod to help with past life memories and difficulties as well as for contacting the Star People.

Artemis: Greek; Goddess of the Moon.

Astarte: Greek; Fertility Goddess. Whether you wish to bear children or have a magnificent garden, Astarte will assist in your desire.

Athena: Greek; Warrior Goddess and Protectress. Someone giving you a rough time at work? Call on Athena to help you.

Bast: Egyptian; Goddess of Protection and Cats. Bast is great for vehicle travel as well as walking down a dark ally. Call on her essence in the form of a giant panther to see you through to your destination.

Brigid: Celtic; Warrior Goddess and Protectress. Brigid is also a Triple Goddess. She is strong and wise. Call on her to help protect your children in a tough situation.

Ceres: Roman; Goddess of the Harvest.

Cerridwen: Welsh; Moon and Harvest Goddess, also associated with the Dark Mother aspect of the Crone.

Demeter: Greek; Earth Mother archetype. Excellent Goddess where birthing or small children are involved.

Diana: Roman; Moon Goddess and Goddess of the Hunt. Diana is many faceted. She is a seductress, as well as a mother figure for Witches.

Dryads: Greek; feminine spirits of the trees.

Flora: Roman; Goddess of Spring and Birth. For beautiful flowers, babies, and all bounties of Earth Mother.

Fortuna: Roman; Goddess of Fate.

Freya: Scandinavian; Moon Goddess and wife/lover of Odin. Also commander of the Valkyries.

Hathor: Egyptian; Protectress of Women in Business. A Hathor's Mirror is very important for the Witch. Hathor was cunning as well as beautiful.

Hecate: Greek; Moon Goddess as in Crone or Dark Mother.

Hera: Greek; Goddess of Marriage. If handfasting or some type of commitment is the issue, Hera is the Goddess to seek. Just remember that she has a vindictive side.

Hestia: Greek; Goddess of Home and Hearth. Building a house, remodeling, or apartment hunting. Safety in the home and the family unit.

Inanna: Sumerian; Goddess representation of the Mother.

Isis: Egyptian; represents the Complete Goddess of the Triple Goddess connection in one being.

Kali: Hindu; Creative/Destructive Goddess. Protectress of abused women. Kali-Ma should be called if a woman is in fear of physical danger. Her power is truly awesome.

Maat: Egyptian; Goddess of Justice and Divine Order. Maat is the true balance of any situation. She plays no favorites and will dispense justice to all parties involved. Be sure your own slate is clean in the situation before you call her.

Morgan: Celtic; Goddess of Water and Magick. Morgan was said to be married to Merlin. It was from him she learned her magick. She was also doubled with The Lady of the Lake.

Muses: Greek; Goddesses of Inspiration who vary in number depending upon the pantheon used.

Nephtys: Egyptian; Goddess of Surprises, Sisters, and Midwives.

Norns: Celtic; the three sisters of the Wyrd. Responsible for weaving Fate -- past, present, and future.

Nuit: Egyptian; Sky Mother. Often seen depicted in circular fashion cradling the stars.

Persephone: Greek; Goddess of the Underworld as well as Harvest. Daughter of Demeter.

Selene: Greek; Goddess of the Moon and Solutions. Appeal to Selene to bring a logical answer to any problem.

Valkyries: Scandinavian; women warriors who carried the souls of men slain in battle to heaven.

Venus: Roman; Goddess of Love and Romance.

Vesta: Roman; Goddess of Fire.

art by Jessica Galbreth

We see the God in the Sun, brilliantly shining overhead during the day, rising and setting in the endless cycle which governs our lives. Without the Sun we could not exist; therefore it has been revered as the source of all life, the warmth that bursts the dormant seeds into life and hastens the greening of the Earth after the cold snows of winter.
The God is also tender of the wild animals. As the Horned God, He is sometimes seen wearing horns on His head, symbolizing His connection with these beasts.
The God's domains include forests untouched by human hands, burning deserts and towering mountains. The stars, since they are but distant suns, are sometimes thought to be under His domain.
Below is a list of some of the more common Gods.

Adonis: Greek; consort of Aphrodite. Also another name for "Lord." In Phoenician his counterpart is Astarte. A vegetation God. Roman counterpart is Venus.

Anubis: Egyptian; guardian of Isis. Jackal-headed God of Protection. Call on him to protect both home and person.

Apollo: Greek and Roman; twin brother of Artemis. God of the Sun, Light and the Arts.

Cernunnos: Celtic; Horned God and consort of the Lady. Also Kernunnos.

Eros: Greek; God of Romance and Passionate Love.

Horus: Egyptian; Head of a Falcon and body of a man. God of the all-seeing eye and healing.

Hymen: Greek; God of Marriage and Commitment His counterpart is Dionysus.

Lucifer: Italian; Soulmate and Bother of Diana. Father of Aradia. God of the Sun and Light.

Mithra: Persian; Sun God and Bringer of Light. A soldier's God.

Odin: Scandinavian; counterpart of Freya. This is the God who hung on the Tree of Yggdrasil to obtain second sight. His familiars are the Raven and the Wolf. In his youth he is depicted as a terrible God, in his old age as a God of Wisdom and psychic sight.

Osiris: Egyptian; counterpart of Isis. Over-all God form including vegetation and after-life.

Pan: Greek; God of Nature and the Woods, Laughter and Passion. Also music and personal abandon.

Poseidon: Greek; God of the Sea. His familiars are dolphins and horses.

Ptah: Egyptian; Expert craftsman and designer. God of creative enterprise with the hands.

Shiva: Hindu; consort of Kali. God of the universal cycle of birth-death-rebirth. Shiva can be both kind and terrible.

Thor: Scandinavian; God of Sky and Thunder. A kindly God of the common people, including farmers and sailors.

Thoth: Egyptian; God of Reincarnation. Also a Moon God and favorable to science and wisdom.

~ Scott Cunningham and Silver RavenWolf

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