A Sacred Feminine medicine wheel for the Conscious Goddess

This post is written for The Conscious Goddess Festival - the many faces of the Goddess, in Squamish this June 24 - 26.
As women, we embody different aspects of the Goddess at different times, in certain situations, as we cycle through the month, and phases of life. We have the sweet maiden self, the fierce warrior, a nurturing mothering side, hot sexy vixen, wise, wise crone, so many! There are times we plunge so deep into darkness we fear being lost forever, and times so filled with love and light it bursts from our bodies that simply can't contain it all.

The medicine wheel is a powerful and rich teaching. A compass to orient and guide us. One culturally inclusive wheel that easily demonstrates this wisdom, is of our seasons. It is always the same. Repeating. From the dark, inward stillness of Winter always comes the sweet birthing Spring with an expanse of possibilities.  The heat and activity of full Summer action gently shifts into the harvests of Autumn, where the inward focus returns to us with the shortening days. Looking at these energies at play around the wheel of the year, the many faces of the Goddess can be harmoniously placed.

I invite you to explore the Goddesses of your cultural heritage, and the feminine deities or archetypes you are drawn to and create your own personal medicine wheel of the Goddess. Let's begin together:

1. On a piece of paper draw a big circle and mark off North at the top, East on the right, South on the bottom and West on the left.
2. In the place of the North, let your mind wander to the aspects of winter - stormy, cold, dark, the plants have all returned to the earth, the people have all returned into their homes against the elements. The old and the frail may die. Animals hibernate. We dream. We rest. There is an inward focus. Now we can look at Goddesses that embody these qualities and find one that resonates within you. This is a great opportunity to "slow cook" this sacred work. Take your time to identify who holds these aspects best for you. Here are a few to get the inspiration flowing....
   ~ Kali is a Hindu Goddess of power, destruction, and she is associated with darkness. A definite warrior unafraid to purge what is no longer supporting her.
   ~ An Cailleach is a Celtic deity. She is a crone who rules during winter. She also has a destroyer aspect to make way for new beginnings or patterns.
   ~ Hel is a Norse Goddess of death and rules the realm of the dead. When it is time for something to die in your life, the North holds this space for you.
   ~ Breksta from Lithuania protects people from sunset to sunrise and is the Goddess of dreams. The long nights of winter can be perilous yet is the place of the very first inspirations of manifestation. The dream realm.
3. The East is often associated with spring. New projects, fresh air, births, clear thinking, the dawn after the long night. What else comes to mind when you imagine yourself in spring? How do you feel? Now seek out feminine deities that hold those qualities such as...
   ~ Persephone of Greek mythology who is associated with spring as well as the fertility of vegetation. She is young and each year emerges from the depths of hardship into the light.
   ~ Bridgit is a Patron Saint and Celtic Goddess who takes over from An Cailleach in the death/rebirth cycle. She is called on by midwives, poets, and smiths for her healing skills and creative inspiration.
   ~ Ostara is also a Celtic Goddess of Spring with her symbols being incorporated into Easter celebrations. Coloured eggs and white rabbits are sacred representations of fertility, birth and Springtime.
4. In the place of the South we find Summer in full swing. Everyone is out of doors, full of action, doing and adventuring. It's hot, passionate, and so very uplifting to our spirits. The Sun is charging our gardens and our bodies with vitality. Which Goddesses fit this exuberance?
   ~ Áine is an Irish Goddess of Summer, wealth, love and sovereignty, with rule over the crops and the power to grant and remove a man's right to rule the land.
   ~ Athena from Greek mythology is a Goddess of wisdom, courage, law and justice, strength, strategy, and is highly skilled in the arts.
   ~ Malina comes to us from the Inuit and is known for her passion, great courage and immense beauty.
5. The West is where we find the elements of Autumn, a time when the last harvest is brought in, we look back and take stock of lessons we learned from, and those we didn't. We begin to ready for the energy to spiral inward again and let go of/let die the elements in life that don't support us. This is a time for "reaping what has been sown"
   ~ Autumnus a Roman personification of autumn, representing the abundance of nature and the time of harvest.
   ~ The Corn Mother of the First Nations who brings abundance and healing.
   ~ Demeter, the Greek counterpart to Persephone, is a harvest Goddess in charge of growing, preserving and harvesting of grain.
   ~ Pachamama, the Inkan earth mother most certainly looks after the nourishment of the natural realm
   ~ Isis from Egypt taught women to grind corn and was associated with floods that brought nutrients, nourishment and provisions.
   
6. On your paper you may wish to write in the qualities of the directions, you might draw or print & paste images of the Goddesses you choose. You might find symbols representing each speaks best to you. Find a way to visually represent your medicine wheel.
   
7. Feel out where you are on the wheel. Who are you embodying? Who is bringing medicine to continue around the wheel? This is an excellent tool while moving through a challenge or spiritual process.
   

I invite you to dive in and read the stories of these Goddesses listed here and also those who call to you. We find kinship and resonance when we can identify with the experiences and characteristics of another. By following the medicine wheel we can see which elements are coming next. What natural energies the seasons bring us through the cycle of a year. Using the wheel we can feel supported in leaving aspects of ourselves behind while inviting in the next. We can honour the many faces of the Goddess within us as we move into different phases of life, cycles of the month, and rise to meet the adventures life brings to us.
If you would like more support around how to use your medicine wheel, more can be found HERE
I hope you will join us at The Conscious Goddess Festival this June! I will be holding the Saturday morning ceremony and leading us through a heart centered exercise of connecting with the energies written about in this article. Find information and tickets HERE!