“I swirl my hips and coins fall from heaven.” ~ Goddess Lakshmi

by Butterfly

The Ancient Goddess religions of our Pre-Christian world celebrated the “goddess” in all things as their spirituality. The feminine in everything was sacred. The pagan religions revered both gods and goddesses alike. The pantheon of powerful goddesses from myths in every culture is evident of the power of the feminine.

For at least 3500 years before Christianity, we were a matriarchal, goddess-honoring, sexy world. Evidence is clear that the goddesses were alive and well in Sumerian culture. Sexual freedom and power belonged to women then.

Rituals to honor the goddess involved sacred sex or “goddess worship” called Hieros gamos or the “sacred marriage” ritual. High priestesses embodied the goddess, and had ritualistic sex with the ruler of the country to bless him as the caretaker of the people. The ceremony involved poetry and a sexual performance between the priestess and the ruler before the people. Onlookers would cheer during the copulation, as they believed it was bringing prosperity to the land. It was about fertility and prosperity, bringing blessings with their shamanistic sexual act. Sex magic in all its forms throughout (Hindu, Tantric, Greek, Pagan/Wiccan, Jungian, Eastern spirituality) was metaphorical, symbolic, and ritualistic.

Spiritual/sexual energy is the creative life force used to reach transcendence.

Goddesses and priestesses represented the sacred in every woman, and every female aspect of nature and the heavens. This honoring was, in essence, a reverence of life, and the “Great Goddess” or the “Mother Goddess” of the universe.

According to The Power of Myth:

It has to do with the earth. The human woman gives birth just as the earth gives birth to the plants…so woman magic and earth magic are the same. They are related. And the personification of the energy that gives birth to forms and nourishes forms is properly female. It is in the agricultural world of ancient Mesopotamia, the Egyptian Nile, and in the earlier planting-culture systems that the Goddess is the dominant mythic form.

Little girls instinctively pretend to be “princesses” and “fairies” as they play make-believe with one another. Frilly and fluffy magical dresses, sparkles and wands, captivate girls with their suggestions of magic and power. This is our primitive collective alive within embedded into our DNA, reminding us that we are magical; we create life. We are made of the histories of thousands of years, and so, the evolution of the “Goddess” lives inside of each one of us. Young girls pretend to be a myriad of Disney princesses and heroines these days (like Pocahontas and Mulan) which are our children’s modern feminine archetypes. These modern female “goddesses” are alive in animation, causing “girl power” to reign as our daughters discover their own connection to the feminine collective through their imagination.

In the nature vs nurture debate among feminists, mothers know that the princess-effect is part of the feminine unconscious. We can embrace this reality and also acknowledge that making our daughters princesses is big business in America.

Madonna | Mert & Marcus | Interview May 2010 AOC Private Studio

The superstar “goddess” Madonna has been symbolic as both “Sacred Prostitute” and “Love Goddess” in her many re-invented styles and imagery. A “Postmodern Goddess” with the name “Madonna” conjuring images of the Virgin Mother, yet her shape-shifting ability transforms, and she can be mother, virgin, and whore. No longer is the Madonna/Whore dichotomy separate; she is all. The goddesses like Kali (Hindu) and Tara (Buddhist), showed many aspects, multiple faces, and had many manifestations. The feminine power evolves in its magical myriad of faces. Madonna, as a performer, has captivated her audience as a goddess. Even though she is a “superstar” for her performance and artistic talents, we must realize that she actively represents what women all contain. This is the spiritual element of reawakening our sexual power. It exists within every woman.

Ancient Goddesses & Modern Women

So, what do the ancient Goddess religions have to do with modern woman? Or even “postmodern goddesses”? Self-realized superstars and the cashier at our local grocery store have it. Feminine sexuality. Women have the intrinsic power to be a “modern goddess” by birthright. But how? Amidst our busy days, driving children to school, working, careers, squeezing in an exercise routine, writing emails, answering text messages, how can we begin to realize our sexual magic? When we are worn out, exhausted from a hectic day, how can we possibly see ourselves as powerful, sexy goddesses?

Reconnecting with our sexual power is important. It has to do with healing the earth, healing ourselves, and creating authentic happiness within. It has to do with reconnecting ourselves to our spirit. It has to do with experiencing peace and love within ourselves. When we are in tune with the goddess within us, we are treating ourselves with love and respect. By this, we are putting out the healing energy for other women, young and old, to remember how magical they are, and how important women are to the world. We need to listen to our inner goddess.

There are many ways we can awaken our sexual power. We can take belly dancing classes, for instance, we can exercise, do yoga. We can breathe, and love our belly just the way it is. We don’t need to try to starve to be thin, nor overeat because we are punishing ourselves, or stuffing ourselves to comfort pain. We can honor ourselves, love ourselves, just the way we are. By awakening our sexual power, we are remembering who we are. Goddesses.

There are inspiring women that can help you “live like a goddess” with guidebooks and e-courses. There plenty of women to help along the way.

The Power of Belly Dancing

After the birth of my second child, I felt disconnected from my sexual life. I was in the maternal mode, and needed to kick start my sexual drive. I felt out of shape, matronly, with breast milk sticking to my shirt and baby spit up on my shoulder. I wasn’t feeling sexy. Can you believe for nearly ten years I was a nude burlesque dancer? Men showered me, sometimes literally, with money, and compliments, adoration. Yet, I felt unattractive, with a belly like jello. So I took bellydance classes with Dolphina.

Dolphina made me laugh with her witty sense of humor and inspired with her sensual knowledge of movement. Dancing with other women was inspiring and fun. I felt a connectedness to other women, rather than alone in my house, with my baby daughter attached to my breasts all day and night. Just a few hours of dancing, rolling my hips, shimmying, and gyrating made me remember how that delicious baby of mine came into existence. And, I remembered what a sex goddess I was all over again.

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” ~Anais Nin

Beginning with our belly, the center of life, our belly buttons reminding us of our connection to our mothers, we can then visualize our spiritual connection to the Earth Mother and the Great Goddess of the Universe when we contemplate our navels during yoga class. We can simply let go of all of the criticisms, ignore the negative voices, and replace them with replenishing words, positive affirmations, and self-care. Beauty days are necessary to our soul.

A day at a spa, enjoying a massage and a facial, are one of the ways we can honor ourselves as goddesses. The Korean baths are a part of my own beauty spa ritual. I enjoy taking the hot waters with other naked women of all shapes and sizes, soaking in the communal hot tubs and saunas. There is even a body treatment at the spa I go to, called “The Goddess” treatment. A full body Korean-style scrub exfoliates my skin, followed by a seaweed body shampoo and massage. Then a rejuvenating scalp massage and facial massage, followed by a purifying facial mask. After an aromatherapy hair shampoo and rinse, and more massage using luxurious amounts of honey, oil, and milk. Cold grated cucumber is applied to my face. Cleopatra must have enjoyed treatments as luxurious as this.

“How wrong is it for a woman to expect the man to build the world she wants, rather than to create it herself?” ~Anais Nin

A multitude of books exist on rejuvenating ourselves, our minds, bodies, and spirits. A wealth of books, self-help and otherwise, are there for our pleasure and interest in awakening our sexual powers. I discovered a wonderful book called The Multi Orgasmic Woman by Rachel Carlton Abrams and Taoist Master Mantak Chia. This book explains the Taoist approach to reconnecting with our sexual energy:

Women’s History Is Filled with Goddesses

Goddess Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, one of the twelve Olympian gods. She embodies the creative powers of the sea, born from sea foam. She is known as Venus by the Romans. Aphrodite was the Ultimate Goddess of Love.

Goddess Lakshmi, “Good Fortune”, is the Hindu goddess of love and beauty who brings wealth and prosperity. She was also born from the Sea, like Aphrodite. Lakshmi is also called the “Lotus Goddess” by her symbol of the Lotus, representing rebirth and renewal. She is also the goddess of abundance, fertility and wealth. Holy basil is sacred to her and said to bring children. Lakshmi is represented as a basket overflowing with rice (abundance and nourishment) or with coins falling from her hands.

Hindu Goddess Lakshmi (l) and Mambo goddess Erzulie (r)

The Aztecs had their Goddess of Love: Xochiquetzal. She was a beautiful goddess, wearing gold jewelry, surrounded by birds and butterflies. Xochiquetzal was the goddess of many feminine aspects, such as female sexuality, prostitutes, pleasure, love, beauty, flowers, weaving, motherhood and the arts.

Erzulie, the Voudou Lwa Goddess of Love, Passion, Pleasure and Prosperity. Erzulie manifests passion, and her moods can range from the height of joy to the depths of misery. She is a coquettish and seductive goddess. Erzulie is a triple goddess. As such She has three husbands: Damballah (the sky god), Agwe (the sea god), and Ogoun (god of fire and iron). She wears three wedding bands. Talk about a sex goddess! She is a powerful feminine goddess that has three gods under her spell. A bit of a role reversal from the patriarchal concubines. Of course, she loves perfume, sweet food, and desserts.

Benzaiten is the Japanese Goddess of Love, Beauty and Music, as well as a Sea-goddess. She reformed her husband, a wicked dragon. Dragons and snakes are sacred to her She is said to prevent earthquakes. Benzaiten is originates from Hindu myths and is associated with Sarasvati, the Indian goddess of music and wisdom. Benzaiten is also connected with Kannon or the sometimes female, sometimes male deity of compassion in Buddhism.

21st Century Goddesses

A woman’s pleasure is as powerful and intoxicating as any force on earth. You may not yet feel it, but within you is a wellspring of vitality that can transform your sexual pleasure and illuminate your life. We often think of sex as separate from the rest of our lives, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Our sexual life mirrors our general health, our relationships, and our emotional well-being at the deepest level. It is certainly true that who we are and what we have experienced affects our sexuality, but it is also true that making changes in our sexual lives can transform the other parts of our lives, including our relationships with children, our partners and spouses, and our civic responsibilities.

Let’s be Modern Goddesses and discover our beautiful, creative, and sexual power. Being a true feminist never felt so sexy. Vive la Goddess! Butterfly

Butterfly is an erotica writer and creator of Erotica du Jour. and The Sensual Foodie. She is an artist, an epicurean, trained chef, sensualist, essayist, poet, former burlesque dancer, and mother of three children.

Her Nom de Plume ‘Butterfly’ describes her lifelong power to transform, imagine, and reinvent herself.

Butterfly will be writing a long, informative original monthly essay for Anne of Carversville readers.

More reading: