Goddess worship is a general description for the veneration of a female Goddess or goddesses. Many New Age Goddess devotees prefer the term goddess spirituality, avoiding the term "worship" for a faith that does not distance the Divine into a remote, hierarchical separation. Goddess veneration may be also used instead of "worship", as it can imply respect and intimacy without undue deference. In such contexts, "spirituality" is often preferred to "religion" because major organised religions have not typically nurtured go ...

Including:

• Goddess worship - Examples of goddess worship

Read more here: » Goddess worship: Encyclopedia - Goddess worship

See also:

Matsu goddess, Matsu goddess - Names, Matsu goddess - The person, Matsu goddess - The goddess, Matsu goddess - Worship, Matsu goddess - Festival of Matsu

Read more here: » Matsu goddess: Encyclopedia II - Matsu goddess - Worship

Some people consider Mary to be a "mother goddess", since she not only fulfills a maternal role but is often viewed as a protective force and divine intercessory for humanity. Protestants often accuse Catholics of viewing Mary as a goddess; Catholics deny it. On a somewhat-related note, some Latter Day Saint denominations give reverence to, and (though rarely) worship, a Heavenly Mother. ...

See also:

Mother goddess, Mother goddess - Matriarchy and goddess history, Mother goddess - Sumerian Mesopotamian and Greek goddesses, Mother goddess - Celtic goddesses, Mother goddess - Norse goddesses, Mother goddess - Olympian goddesses, Mother goddess - Hinduism, Mother goddess - Shaktism, Mother goddess - Mother goddess worship in Catholicism, Mother goddess - Neopaganism

Read more here: » Mother goddess: Encyclopedia II - Mother goddess - Mother goddess worship in Catholicism

A mother goddess is a goddess portrayed as the Earth Mother who serves as a general fertility deity, the bountiful embodiment of the earth. From the elegant snake-offering goddess figures of Knossos to the rock-cut images of Cybele, to Dione ("the Goddess") who was invoked at Dodona, along with Zeus, until late Classical times, it is sometimes too facile to class all archaic female goddesses as manifestations of the mother goddess. Archaeologists tend to avoid such theories in interpreting sites and material remains and sometim ...

Including:

• Mother goddess - Matriarchy and goddess history
• Mother goddess - Sumerian Mesopotamian and Greek goddesses
• Mother goddess - Celtic goddesses
• Mother goddess - Norse goddesses
• Mother goddess - Olympian goddesses
• Mother goddess - Hinduism
• Mother goddess - Shaktism
• Mother goddess - Mother goddess worship in Catholicism
• Mother goddess - Neopaganism

Read more here: » Mother goddess: Encyclopedia - Mother goddess

Worship usually refers to specific acts of religious praise, honour, or devotion, typically directed to a supernatural being such as a god or goddess. It is the informal term in English for what sociologists of religion call cultus, the body of practices and traditions that correspond to theology. Religious worship may be performed individually, in informally organized groups, or as part of an organized service with a designated leader (as in a church, synagogue, temple, or mosque). In its older sense in the Engli ...

Including:

• Worship - Objects of worship

Read more here: » Worship: Encyclopedia - Worship

Hinduism and Polytheism

According to the tenets of Hinduism, God is one as well as many. He is to be found every where and in every thing. He is there in the sky, in the rivers, in the plants and trees and even in a particle of dust. He is an enigma, because He is in many things at a time and is many things at a time. He is visible as well as invisible. He is here and He is there. He is above and He is below. He is with forms and also without form. He speaks and He speaks not. He is the self and also the not'self. To say that this is God and this is not is perhaps much more sacrilegious, if there is anything like sacrilegious in the world of God, than seeing God in images and idols and worshipping Him.

Read more here: » Hinduism and Polytheism: Why do Hindus worship so many gods and goddesses?

Earth, water, fire, wind, sky, the astral bodies, dawn, night, thunderstorms and lightning are all worshipped and deified in Hinduism. If God is 'all’, then where is his abode?

"The Hindu firmly believes that the countless viewpoints of God (the different religions) are all valid and will lead us to the same God. The ultimate experience is beyond the pale of the ego; but the highest spiritual experiences, too, may differ from person to person, as is revealed in the different religions... "Even they who seek material gains - or even spiritual perfection - resort to God only through the various divinities; and God responds to them through the same channel. We adore God in various ways. This knowledge frees us from fear, attachment, anger, intolerance and proselytism".

(See also: Gods in Hinduism, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Vasthu - ways of worship

The laying of the foundation stone, inauguration of the coustmetion of a house and occupation of a newly built house are to be celebrated when the 'Vasthu goddess' (Goddess of the Earth) is well awake. Laying the foundation for the construction of a house should not be carried out when the goddess of Earth (Vaasthu goddess) is asleep. Those who violate this rule will lose his fame, his well-earned wealth and will be put to blame.

Read more here: » Vastu Shastra: Vasthu - ways of worship

Hinduism and Women: Hindu view on the Woman

According to Hinduism, a woman is a form of energy (shaktiswarupini) or an aspect of Shakti. She is mata, the Mother Goddess, or devi the auspicious one. As a young child she is kanya, the goddess Durga. As a wife she is patni and saha dharma charini, a partner in her husbands religious duties. As a mother she is worthy of worship (matrudevobhava).

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A goddess is a female deity, in contrast with a male deity known as a "god". A great many cultures have goddesses, sometimes alone, but more often as part of a larger pantheon that includes both of the conventional genders and in some cases even hermaphroditic (or gender neutral) deities. As the concept of monotheism and polytheism can be relativistic, so too can related concepts be culturally misunderstood. The concept of gender as applied to a god and goddess, may connote deeper tendencies of patriarchy and matriarchy, which ...

Including:

• Goddess - Ancient Near East
• Goddess - Egypt
• Goddess - Mesopotamia
• Goddess - Arabia
• Goddess - Indo-European religion
• Goddess - Hinduism
• Goddess - Graeco-Roman religion
• Goddess - Celtic religion
• Goddess - Germanic religion
• Goddess - Abrahamic religions
• Goddess - Judaism
• Goddess - Christianity
• Goddess - Islam
• Goddess - New religious movements
• Goddess - Wicca and Neopaganism
• Goddess - Religious feminism
• Goddess - Secular use

Read more here: » Goddess: Encyclopedia - Goddess

Thealogy is literally the study of the Goddess (Greek θεά, thea, "goddess" + λόγος, logos, "study"). In 1993, Charlotte Caron's definition of thealogy as "reflection on the divine in feminine and feminist terms" appeared, but the term actually originates in the writings of Isaac Bonewits in 1974. Thealogy - First uses. Thealogy - First? usages. In "The Druid Chronicles (Evolved)," privately published in 1976, Isaac Bonewits used "thealogian" to ref ...

Including:

• Thealogy - First uses
• Thealogy - First? usages
• Thealogy - Second? usage
• Thealogy - Bonewits again
• Thealogy - Growing usage by Carol Christ and Ursula King
• Thealogy - Further expansion of thealogy by Starr* Saffa
• Thealogy - Definition by Charlotte Caron
• Thealogy - Melissa Raphael's view
• Thealogy - Three interpretations of thealogy
• Thealogy - Thealogy as Goddess spirituality
• Thealogy - Broad interpretation of thealogy Caron
• Thealogy - A challenge to androcentrism
• Thealogy - Linguistic twiddling

Read more here: » Thealogy: Encyclopedia - Thealogy

Please remove this notice after the article has been expanded. Details are on this talk page or at Wikipedia:Requests for expansion. For the Goa trance artist, see Shakta (band). Shaktism is a denomination of Hinduism that worships Shakti, or Devi Mata -- the Hindu name for the Great Divine Mother -- in all of her forms whilst not rejecting the importance of masculine and neuter divinity (which are however deemed to be inactive in the absence of the Shakti). In pure Shaktism, the Great ...

Including:

• Shaktism - Philosophy
• Shaktism - Origin and History
• Shaktism - Roots in Hinduism
• Shaktism - Worship
• Shaktism - Shakta Upanishads
• Shaktism - See Also

Read more here: » Shaktism: Encyclopedia - Shaktism

In Celtic mythology, Damona ("Divine cow") was a fertility goddess worshipped in Gaul as the consort of Borvo. Other related archivesBorvo, Celtic mythology, Gaul, goddess

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Followers of the Wiccan, Dianic, and Neopagan religions, as well as some archeologists and mythographers, believe that long before the coming of the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the Triple Goddess embodied the three-fold aspect of Gaia, the Earth Mother (Roman Magna Mater). A mother goddess was worshipped under a variety of names not only in the Ancient Near East and the ...

Including:

• Triple Goddess - Maiden Mother and Crone
• Triple Goddess - Maiden
• Triple Goddess - Mother
• Triple Goddess - Crone
• Triple Goddess - Lunar imagery
• Triple Goddess - Fates
• Triple Goddess - Other trifold goddesses

Read more here: » Triple Goddess: Encyclopedia - Triple Goddess

In Celtic mythology, Damara was a fertility goddess worshipped in Britain. She was associated with the month of May/Beltaine. Other related archivesBeltaine, Britain, Celtic mythology, May, fertility, goddess

Read more here: » Damara goddess: Encyclopedia - Damara goddess

Antheia was a Greek goddess worshipped on Crete. She held dominion over gardens, marshes, swamps, love and flowers. Other related archives1000 BC, Crete, Greek goddess, Patras

Read more here: » Antheia: Encyclopedia - Antheia

Zislbog (also Zilsbog or Cislobog) was a goddess of the moon in wendish mythology. By the name of Kricco the wends worshipped her as the protector of the seed. Other related archivesgoddess, moon, seed, wendish mythology, worshipped

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The Aufaniae were Celtic mother goddesses worshipped throughout Celtic Europe. Other related archivesCeltic, Europe

Read more here: » Aufaniae: Encyclopedia - Aufaniae

Celtic polytheism (also called Druidic polytheism) is the term for the religious beliefs and practices of the ancient Celts. Celtic polytheism - Extent of Celtic polytheism. As the religion of the ancient Celts, the shifts in the fortunes of Celtic Polytheism coincided with those of its people. The Celts, like other ancient Indo-European peoples, practised a form of polytheism, which reached the apogee of its influence and territorial expansion during the 4th century BC, extending across the length o ...

Including:

• Celtic polytheism - Extent of Celtic polytheism
• Celtic polytheism - Research
• Celtic polytheism - Syncretism with other forms of polytheism
• Celtic polytheism - Cosmology and eschatology
• Celtic polytheism - Worship
• Celtic polytheism - Religious castes
• Celtic polytheism - Druids
• Celtic polytheism - Bards and filid
• Celtic polytheism - Festivals
• Celtic polytheism - Beltane
• Celtic polytheism - Samhain
• Celtic polytheism - Cults within Celtic polytheism
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of Lugus-Mercurius
• Celtic polytheism - Cults of tribalism lordly power and thunderous force
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of radiance or healing
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of youthful masculinity
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of thermal spring-water
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of impressiveness
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of exaltedness
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of Sucellos
• Celtic polytheism - Cults of maritime forces
• Celtic polytheism - Cults of craftsmanship
• Celtic polytheism - Cults of agricultural gods
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of terrestrial bounty
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of the power of boggy terrain
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of maternity
• Celtic polytheism - Cults of femininity & majesty
• Celtic polytheism - Cults of cyclicality in nature
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of the trinitarian war-goddess
• Celtic polytheism - Cults of fluvial water
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of the stag’s vitality
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of the bullish vitality
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of horse power and horsemanship
• Celtic polytheism - Deities
• Celtic polytheism - The effect of Christianity
• Celtic polytheism - Literature

Read more here: » Celtic polytheism: Encyclopedia - Celtic polytheism

Ankt (sometimes spelt Anouke) was a goddess of war worshipped by certain groups in ancient Egypt. It is believed that Anouke was a goddess from Asia Minor, worshipped by immigrants to ancient Egypt. This war goddess was shown usually as wearing a curved and feathered crown and carrying a spear, or bow and arrows. Within Egypt, she was later assimilated into their mythology, and identified as Neith, who by that time had developed aspects of a war goddess. Other related archivesAnuket, A

Read more here: » Ankt: Encyclopedia - Ankt