The doctrine of the Heavenly Mother is attributed to Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, who soon before his death in 1844 outlined a revolutionary and controversial view of God that differed dramatically from the modern Christian consensus. See King Follett Discourse; Smith (1844). Smith's new doctrine included the belief that men and women can become gods and goddesses in the afterlife by following church practices (see Exalt ...

See also:

Heavenly Mother, Heavenly Mother - Origin of the Heavenly Mother doctrine, Heavenly Mother - Acknowledgement of the doctrine by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Heavenly Mother - Elaborations on the Heavenly Mother doctrine, Heavenly Mother - Prayer to the Heavenly Mother, Heavenly Mother - Other faiths

Read more here: » Heavenly Mother: Encyclopedia II - Heavenly Mother - Origin of the Heavenly Mother doctrine

The notion of the Celtic pantheon as merely a proliferation of local gods is contradicted by the several well-attested deities whose cults were observed virtually throughout the areas of Celtic settlement. Celtic polytheism - Cult of Lugus-Mercurius. According to Caesar the god most honoured by the Gauls was "Mercury (Greek: Hermes). ," and this is confirmed by numerous images and inscriptions. His Celtic name is not explicitly stated, but it is clearly implied in the place-name Lugudunon ("the fort or dwe ...

See also:

Celtic polytheism, 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 II - Celtic polytheism - Cults within Celtic polytheism

neo-paganism

Movement devoted to nature worship, polytheism, Goddess worship, ancient tribal religions

(See also: Neo-paganism, Body Mind and Soul)

According to Poseidonius and later classical authors Gaulish religion and culture were the concern of three professional classes—the druid, the bards, and between them an order closely associated with the druids that seems to have been best known by the Gaulish term vates, cognate with the Latin vates ("seers"). This threefold hierarchy had its reflex among the two main branches of Celts in Ireland and Wales but is best represented in early Irish tradition with its druids, filidh (singular fili), and bards; the fili ...

See also:

Celtic polytheism, 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 II - Celtic polytheism - Worship

Insular sources provide important information about Celtic religious festivals. In Ireland the year was divided into two periods of six months by the feasts of Beltane (May 1) and Samhain (Samain; November 1), and each of these periods was equally divided by the feasts of Imbolc (February 1), and Lughnasadh (August 1). Samhain seems originally to have meant "summer," but by the early Irish period it had come to mark summer's end. Beltine is also called Cetsamain ("First Samhain"). Imbolc has been compared by the French scholar Joseph Vendrye ...

See also:

Celtic polytheism, 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 II - Celtic polytheism - Festivals

God or Goddess, The:

The particular masculine or feminine deity worshiped by a particular mono-, heno-, or duotheist.

(See also: God, Goddess, Pagan, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

Neo-Paganism

The modern revival of paganism, emphasizing witchcraft (see Wicca), goddess worship, and nature worship.

(See also: Neo-Paganism, New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

Neo-Paganism

The modern revival of paganism, emphasizing witchcraft (see Wicca), goddess worship, and nature worship.

(See also: Neo-Paganism, New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

The sistrum was a sacred instrument in ancient Egypt. It was used in dances and religious ceremonies, particularly in the worship of the goddess Hathor, with the U-shape of the sistrum's handle and frame seen as resembling the face and horns of the cow goddess. It was also shaken to avert the flooding of the Nile and to frighten away Set. Additionally, the goddess Bast is often depicted holding a sistrum, symbolizing her ...

See also:

Sistrum, Sistrum - The Egyptian sistrum, Sistrum - The sistrum today

Read more here: » Sistrum: Encyclopedia II - Sistrum - The Egyptian sistrum

Witchcraft

The practice of spells and magick, often involving the worship of deities or a god and/or goddess. See Wicca

(See also: Witchcraft, New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

Sophia

Greek goddess of wisdom also personified in gnosticism, and neo-platanism worship.

(See also: Sophia, New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

Witchcraft: The practice of spells and magic, often involving the worship of deities or a god and/or goddess

(See also: Witchcraft, Alternative Health, Body Mind and Soul)

Devi Upanishad: (Sanskrit) A Shakta Upanishad dealing with the nature and worship of the Goddess.

See: Shaktism.

(See also: Devi Upanishad, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Divine Mother: Shakti, especially as Personal Goddess, as conceived of and worshiped by Shaktas.

See: Shakti, Shaktism.

(See also: Divine Mother, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

dussehra:

hindu festival that celebrates the defeat of the demon king Ravan at the hands of lord ram (found in the epic ramayana ). It is also the worship of goddess durga.

(See also: dussehra, Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

WORSHIP: in Paganism and Wicca, this means to become one with the gods during a group or personal rite and to endeavor to draw the essence of a goddess or god within, to see and understand from their viewpoint.

(See also: WORSHIP, Witchcraft, Wicca, Paganism, Pagan Dictionary)

MAGICKAL SYSTEM: The basic set of guidelines relating to the worship of specific Gods and Goddesses or cultural traditions.

(See also: MAGICKAL SYSTEM, Paganism, Pagan, Pagan Dictionary)

Based on the evidence of place-names, such as the river Danube (Latin: Danuvius), Dniestr, Dneipr and Don, she may have been worshipped throughout the Celtic and possibly Indo-European world. Indeed, the presence of a goddess named Danu in Indian Mythology, associated with water and mother of a race of Asuras called the Danavas, may indicate a very ancient Indo-European origin for this figure. The name *dhanu seems to have originally meant "swift". In Irish celt lore, Danu is the supreme mother goddess. She is depicted, usually, with ...

See also:

Danu Irish goddess, Danu Irish goddess - Antiquity of her Recognition, Danu Irish goddess - Etymology of the name, Danu Irish goddess - Other names

Read more here: » Danu Irish goddess: Encyclopedia II - Danu Irish goddess - Antiquity of her Recognition

Katyayani

A form of the goddess Durga the young gopis worshiped in Vrindavana to obtain Krishna as their husband.

(See also: Katyayani, Bhakti, Bhakti Yoga, Bhakti Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

laksharchana [lak = one thousand]: worship by chanting the one thousand name of a god or goddess.

(See also: laksharchana, Hinduism, Yoga, Body Mind and Soul)

Under the impact of Aryan religions, the cult of Theyyam had changed substantially incorporating new trends and sub cults along with its tribal character. In a different way, it can be stated that all prominent characteristics of a primitive tribal religious worship had widened the stream of Theyyam cult and made it a deep rooted folk religion of the millions. For instance, the cult of Mother Goddesses had an important place in Theyyam. Besides this, the practice like spirit-worship, hero-worship, masathi-worship, tree-worship, ancest ...

See also:

Theyyam, Theyyam - History, Theyyam - Classification of Sub Cults, Theyyam - Patronage by Brahmins, Theyyam - A Paragraph on Performance, Theyyam - Sree Muthappan Theyyam, Theyyam - Bibliography

Read more here: » Theyyam: Encyclopedia II - Theyyam - Classification of Sub Cults

Goddess

A term used in various senses to affirm a feminine nature or aspect of the divine. Three beliefs are common: revering “Mother Nature,” or the Earth, as divine (see Gaia); worshiping a female deity (often linked to primitive pagan religions, as in Wicca); and the search by some women for the “divine spark” of the “goddess within. ”

(See also: Goddess, New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)