In the beginning was the Great Mother, worshipped in an era when the ability to bring new life into the world was paramount – hence the elevated position of women in primitive society, when the struggle just to survive left little time for anything else.

Even when mankind found time to make statues and paint pictures in caves, the focus was still on the necessities of life – motherhood and successful hunting. The religious beliefs, which can be inferred from theses remains, also seem to focus on survival.

However, as mankind evolved, so did his/her perception of the Divine, leading to the sophisticated pantheon of deities of the Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Other countries and societies - Northern Europe, India, Aborigines, Celts to name but a few – have also developed pantheons which reflect their way of life and cultural thoughts. Unfortunately, in the process of this development, the balance of power shifted from the female to the male. Not only were women relegated to an inferior place in everyday life and society but, in some religions, the Goddess lost her divine status altogether and was simply a holy mortal who had the privilege of giving birth to the Deity.

Fortunately, though, the pendulum has begun to swing back the other way and women are once more becoming a force to be reckoned with. Perhaps the pendulum will come to rest somewhere in the middle, leading to a complementary sharing of power – but that is in the future. What womankind needs now is a Goddess with whom she can identify during the sociological state of flux.

Women's lives now have far more facets than they did during the pre-patriarchal era of female power. Whilst the Fertility/Mother Goddess is still very relevant, producing children is no longer the be-all and end-all of a woman's life. She now has other aspects in her life: career, relationships, creativity, spirituality, leadership etc. So do women need to "invent" new Goddesses for the twenty-first century? Well, a Goddess with Special Responsibility for Stroppy Computers wouldn't go amiss but apart from that, just about every aspect of a woman's life is already covered by a Goddess from some corner of the world. All you have to do is find one who resonates with your current situation.

Start by looking at the Goddesses with whom you are already familiar: the British, European, Greek, Roman and Egyptian Goddesses. You will probably find that you connect with several – after all, our personalities consist of many strands, not just one. If you are going through a period of change in your life, then you may resonate with Persephone, Ishtar or Changing Woman but, at the same time, you may be a woman who enjoys sensuality so you would also feel in harmony with Aphrodite, whilst Hecate may inform your spiritual development. You will also find that over the years your connections change as you integrate new experiences, develop, and generally change your perspective on life. The Goddesses who were relevant to you at twenty may no longer fit the bill when you reach forty. Some of them will have been replaced by other Goddesses who connect to your current needs. It is also important to be balanced so if you feel that there is a gap in your make-up, work with the Goddess whose qualities will help you fill that gap and restore harmony and balance to your life.

 Having acknowledged the need for the Goddess within your life, how do you find the aspects of Her which are right for you? You could follow the usual research routes: the Internet has endless articles on the Goddess and there are books ranging from an in-depth treatise on one Goddess to those which cover one for every day of the year. New Age and Pagan magazines have details of courses and workshops and then there is the annual Goddess Conference in Glastonbury. However, the most important place to look for the Goddess is within yourself. The Deities are personifications of human experiences. We are all reflections of the Goddesses and the Goddesses are reflections of us. 

"If that which thou seekest, thou findest not within thee, Thou wilt never find it without" - which is why, in one sense, we are all Goddesses.

See Helen's Goddess and bellydance website at

www.goddessdance.co.uk