Goddess~A~Day

Nadam (Mongolia)

Vatiaz

Themes:  Sports; Tradition; Strength; Excellence; Recreation

Symbols:  Charms for Strength or Physical Well-Being

About Vatiaz: Vatiaz is the Mongolian goddess of physical prowess.  Her name even means "woman of great strength."  Now that summer is fully underway, we could use some of Vatiaz's endurance just to keep up!

To Do Today: The Nadam festival began in the 13th Century with Marco Polo, who reported a gathering of 10,000 white horses with Mongolian leaders participating in numerous games of skill ranging from archery to wrestling.  Today the tradition continues with sports, focused on exhibiting excellence and skill, followed by a community party to celebrate and revel in local customs.  If there's a sports exposition or game that you enjoy, try to get out to the proverbial "ball park" today to honor Vatiaz and enjoy her excellence as exhibited through professional athletes.

For those who are not sports fans, making a Vatiaz charm for strength and vitality is just as welcome by the goddess and invokes her ongoing participation in your life.  You'll need a bay leaf, a pinch of tea, and a pinch of marjoram (one herb each for body, mind, and spirit).  Wrap these in a small swatch of cotton, saying,

Health, strength, and vitality,

Vatiaz, bring them to me!

Put the swatch in the bottom of your daily-vitamin jar to empower the vitamins with Vatiaz's well-being.

By Patricia Telesco~From "365 Goddess"