The Triple Goddess

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. 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 concpt.
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 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 Witches 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.
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.