The Goddess

The Goddess is the Universal mother. She is the source of fertility,

endless wisdom and loving caresses. As the Wicca know Her, She

is often of three aspects: the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone, 

symbolized in the waxing, full and waning of the Moon. She is at once

the unploughed field, the full harvest and the dormant, frost-covered

Earth. She gives birth to abundance. But as life is Her gift, She lends

it with the promise of death. This is not darkness and

oblivion, but rest from the toils of physical existence. It is human

existence between human incarnations.

Since the Goddess is nature, all nature, She is both the Temptress 

and the Crone: the tornado and the fresh spring rain; the cradle and the

grave.

But though She is possessed of both natures, the Wicca revere

Her as the giver of fertility, love and abundance, though they

acknowledge Her darker side as well. We see Her in the Moon, the

soundless, ever-moving sea, and in the green growth of the

first spring. She is the embodiment of fertility and love.

Many symbols are used in Wicca to honor Her, such as the

cauldron, cup, labrys, five-petaled flowers, the mirror, necklace,

seashell, pearl, silver, emerald...... to name a few.

As she has dominion over the Earth, sea and Moon, Her creatures

are varied and numerous. A few include the rabbit, the bear, the owl,

the cat, dog, bat, goose, cow, dolphin, lion, horse, wren, scorpion,

spider, and bee. All sacred to the Goddess.

The Goddess has been depicted as huntress running with Her

hounds: a celestial deity striding across the sky with stardust

falling from Her heels; the eternal Mother heavy with child;

the weaver of our lives and deaths; a Crone walking by waning

moonlight seeking out the weak and forlorn, and as many

other beings. But no matter how we envision Her, She is omnipresent,

changeless, eternal.

*taken from "Wicca- A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner," by Scott Cunningham

 The Charge of the Goddess

Listen to the words of the Great Goddess,

who in ancient times was named Artemis, Diana,

Astarte, Ishtar, Aphrodite, Venus, Cerridwen, the Morrigu,

Freyja, the White Lady, and many other names.

Whenever you have need of My aid,

assemble in a secret place at least once a month,

especially at the Full Moon.

Know that My laws and love shall make you free,

for no man can prevent your worship to Me

in your mind and heart.

Listen well when you come into My presence,

and I shall teach you of deep mysteries, ancient

and powerful.

I require no sacrifices or pain of your bodies,

for I am Mother of all things,

the Creatress who made you out of My love,

and the One who endures through time.

I am the One who is the beauty of the Earth,

the green of growing things.

I am the white Moon whose light is full among the stars,

soft upon the Earth.

From Me all things are born, to Me all things, in their season

return.

Let My joyous worship be in your hearts,

for all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals.

You see Me in the love of man and woman,

the love of parent and child, the love of humans to

all My creations.

When you create with your hands I am there.

I blow the breath of life into the seeds you plant,

whether of plant or child.

Always I stand beside you,

whispering soft words of wisdom and guidance.

All seekers of the Mysteries must come to Me,

for I am the True Source, the Keeper of the Cauldron.

All who seek to know Me, know this.

All your seeking and yearning will avail you nothing

unless you know the Mystery:

for if what you seek you find not within,

you will never find it without.

For behold, I have been with you from the beginning,

and I will gather you to My breast

at the end of your earthly existence.