The religion of the Goddess has been called both polytheistic
                  and monotheistic at the same time. The Goddess is polytheistic
                  in that she has so many names and forms. She is also
                  monotheistic in that the are all symbols of the single Great
                  Mother, the Creator of All. Joseph Campbell, the historian and
                  mythologist, calls this syncretism.
                  The Goddess is seen as the power of the feminine, as the
                  creator of all. She is a way to connect to all life on this
                  planet. The Goddess is also an image that has been embraced as
                  a symbol of strength for abused women, a way for self
                  acceptance and esteem, and a model for all women. She is seen
                  in a triple aspect of Maiden, Mother, and Crone. The number 3
                  is considered sacred in many goddess cultures. The triple
                  aspect of the Goddess enforces this concept.
                  The trinity of the aspects of the Goddess is also a way to
                  understand and acknowledge the three major stages of human
                  life: youth, parenthood and maturity. The Three aspects of
                  Maiden, Mother, and Crone can also be seen in the three phases
                  of the moon, Full, Waxing and Waning. The cycle of the Goddess
                  is seen in the cycle of human life and in the cycles of the
                  harvest: the empty field, seeds planted and growing, then the
                  harvest.

                  The Maiden
                  The Maiden is associated with the colors white, light pink and
                  light yellow. She symbolizes youth and anticipation of life,
                  the continuation of life, the season of spring, and the waxing
                  Moon. The Maiden is associated with purity and nature, and is
                  usually seen in the company of animals. In the aspect of the
                  Maiden we see the world with child-like wonder, the beauty of
                  a feather, the mystery of a seed. We also see the Maiden as
                  huntress and warrior, as Athene and Artemis are known to be.

                  The Mother
                  The color associated with the Mother is red, the color of
                  blood and the life force, and green, a fertile color. The
                  Mother symbolizes summer, ripening, birth, the high point of
                  the cycle, adult and parenthood, and the full Moon. In ancient
                  societies, the pregnant Mother was a metaphor for the fertile
                  fields that sustained the people of the land. The menstrual
                  blood of the Mother has been associated with magick and ritual
                  since Paleolithic times and was thought to have power for
                  healing and fertility.

                  The Crone
                  The color most associated with the Crone is black, followed by
                  dark purple and grey. The Crone symbolizes death and the end
                  of cycles, winter, night, menopause, age, wisdom, counsel, and
                  the waning Moon. The Crone shows us the way to death and
                  reincarnation. The Crone is past menopause, she has the
                  mystery of time behind her. In the aspect of the Crone we
                  understand that death is a part of life, not something to be
                  feared. She is the teacher of the secret and the hidden.

                  
                  Ancient European pantheons (a group of gods originating with a
                  certain people), are dominated by the Goddess. She is the
                  creator of the universe, generator of all life. All
                  agricultural societies appear to have worshiped a goddess at
                  one point in their history. In the earliest known creation
                  stories, the Goddess, Mother Nature, call her what you wish,
                  is said to be the source of all being.
                  The Goddess surrounds us, to be found in the earth, moon and
                  stars. She is found in the ebb and flow of the tides, She is
                  found in the bud of a flower. She is found in the creatures of
                  the world. And the Goddess is found inside us. The bodies of
                  women are sacred and holy, not a thing of revulsion that some
                  of the religions of man would have us believe. If the Goddess
                  is inside us and all that surround us, shouldn't we treat all
                  lives as sacred, including ourselves?
                  Still, she is a mystery never to be fully known.
                  Why do Wiccans/Witches have so many Goddesses and Gods? Each
                  brings a different strength or attribute to help us in what we
                  are doing. When we work with a goddess we have her power to
                  draw on. For example, Athena will bring creativity and
                  assertiveness, Hera her motivation in new endeavors. Call upon
                  these goddesses when starting a new project. Some Wiccans draw
                  upon the energy of the goddess by tapping into the power of
                  "nature." The Goddesses and Gods can be seen as real beings or
                  as archetypes, (prototypes). The power of all the goddesses
                  and gods of the world are in the very nature of us all. It is
                  within us and in the other inhabitants of this planet, we just
                  have to learn to access that power. It is the power to conjure
                  and create. The diversity of the gods and goddess may help to
                  express the diversity of creation.

 

                  In Wicca, the Goddess and the God are seen as equals, neither
                  can exist without the other. Female and male are needed for
                  true life. The Great Mother giving life and giving birth to
                  the world, the God by her side, at times part human, part
                  spirit, part animal. The Goddess and the God each contain a
                  bit of each other, neither is complete without the partner.
                  They compliment each other and are necessary for proper
                  balance.

                  The God
                  The God is usually seen as lover, consort, and son of the
                  Goddess. Both are needed for creation and balance. It is a
                  balance that is shown in myth after myth, culture after
                  culture. As with the Goddess, the God also has many names and
                  associations. There is the god as lover, warrior, and the
                  Horned God of the forests. And there is the god of the
                  mysterious Underworld.
                  Before the understanding of the biology of humans, pregnancy
                  was thought to be caused by ancestral spirits or the light of
                  the moon. When humans better understood themselves, the God
                  was seen as a life force, an impregnator, and hunter. He has
                  been depicted in art as part animal with horns of a deer or
                  goat and erect phallus. He is also seen as the "Green Man",
                  Lord of the forests.
                  The power of the God is called upon when help in logic and
                  analysis is wanted. He is also associated with the sun and
                  animals. His association with the sun brings the greening of
                  the harvest. He is the harvest, the animals of the forest, the
                  hunter of those animals when necessary, and the ruler of the
                  woods and mountains. He is the lord of light and represents
                  all that is vital. Women may call upon the God when she feels
                  she needs the strength and assertiveness that he may bring to
                  her.
                  The first male god form was said to emerge from the Earth
                  Mother. Myths of the creation and the Goddess and God abound
                  in this world, but there are common threads that run through
                  all of them. The God representing the sun, dies each year,
                  only to be reborn in the spring. The story of the Goddess and
                  God are cyclical, as are the seasons of the year. Spring,
                  summer, autumn, winter can be seen in the stories of the
                  Goddess and God. Birth, death, and rebirth are the lessons to
                  be learned. All that dies will return with the sun. The eight
                  holidays of the Wheel are derived from the Creation myths.

 

                  Choose the Goddess and God you wish to work with carefully.
                  Research different pantheons. Decide which ones will be best
                  for the working. Your choice may be different with each
                  ritual, depending on the circumstances and desired outcome.
                  Some Wiccans prefer to work with the energy that surrounds us,
                  the energy of the Universe, instead of a particular goddess or
                  god. Use whatever you feel more comfortable with.