Winter Solstice and Deer Mother

Deer Mother, the forgotten Winter Goddess. She's the life giving mother associated with fertility, motherhood, regeneration, renewal and the rebirth of the sun at Winter Solstice; bringing the life giving light of the sun back to the land in her horns. Her antlers are often depicted carrying the tree of life, birds, the sun, the moon and stars. In the Northern Hemisphere it was Deer Mother who took flight on the darkest longest night of the year (December 21), taking the dark of the old year and bringing light and life to the new year.

Perhaps this Winter Solstice take a moment to remember Deer Mother and other forgotten winter goddesses... 

Alcyone - Greek - Kingfisher goddess who nests every winter for two weeks and when she does the seas become calm and peaceful 

Ameratasu - Japanese - Sun goddess, other gods convinced her to emerge from seclusion and return sunlight to the universe. 

Babushka - (Baboushka) Russian legend. Closely resembling La Befana from Italy. May also be associated with Baba Yaga.  

Cailleach - Celtic female deity - the divine Hag crone who rules the dark days between Samhain (Oct.31) and Beltane (May.1) 

In Scotland she is called Beira, Queen of Winter and the mother of all gods and goddesses

Frigg or Frigga - the Norse goddess of winter and is associated with Winter Solstice.

Frau Holle - Norse - she holds many different forms in Scandinavian mythology and legend. She is associated with evergreen plants and the Yule season.

Holda - (Hulda) German goddess of Christmas associated with prosperity and fertility

La Befana - Italian witch crone, similar to St. Nicholas, she flies around delivering candy and gifts to well behaved children

Skadi (Skathi or Skadl) - Scandinavian goddess of winter

Spider Woman - Hopi - Soyal is the Hopi festival of Winter Solstice. It honours the Spider Woman and Hawk Maiden and celebrates the sun's victory over winter's darkness.   

Happy Solstice and Yule everyone! - JD 

Food Photo of the Day ~ Pumpkin Chocolate Loaf for Hekate Night

 

Whether it is a simple offering or a meal, this treat will satisfy the goddess... and gods from both this world and below. If you honour Hekate Night on November 16th, offering sweet and delicious delights such as cake, breads, garlic, eggs, cheese, fruits, and nuts is a must, if you want to obtain her favours. Hekate or Hecate is the ancient goddess of dark places. She guards the thresholds between the human and the spirit world and is associated with such various things as witchcraft, magic, sorcery, life and death, birth and rebirth, herbalism and crossroads. She is often depicted in a triple goddess form. 

It is said, traditionally in Greece, such offerings were made on the night of the darkest moon and Hekate would emerge at the crossroads from the underworld, she gathered the souls of the recently departed and guided them safely to the land of the dead. Therefore the people of Greece took it upon themselves to leave offerings for Hekate and the dead outside their door and throughout the city. If Hekate was content and the dead well-fed, she would protect those and their loved ones and grant them blessings of prosperity.   

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend! - JD