Befriending the Dark Goddess within You
As I watch women’s health care and other rights disappear, a rage builds in me. A part of me wants to punish these thieves by engulfing them in a roaring, red cyclone, stinging them and pinging them with arrows tipped with menstrual blood . . . and blast their ears with screams of a million women’s voices howling in ancient pain induced by rape, domestic violence, unwanted pregnancies, deadly childbirths, burning at the stake . . . and harness these thieves in barbed wire to prohibit even the slightest move. . . and.then . . .
Yikes! What is this potent, murky presence that simmers in my core? What is this nuclear force that fuels my anger and cinches my vow to fight and protect? What is this primordial force that wells up in me and wishes to be acknowledged?
She is the Dark Goddess.
The Dark Goddess is an aspect of the divine feminine who is fearless, wise, bold, and strong. She fights for what’s right, takes down evil, and protects the ones she loves.
Her “dark” reference isn’t due to her skin color, but because she represents the deep, mysterious shadowy side of the Divine (and thus of ourselves), the dangerous part that we want to hide in the dark, avoid and discourage.
She is also known as Warrior Goddess, Goddess of Liberation, Goddess of Transformation, and Goddess of Death.
This dark aspect of the Divine Feminine has been recognized since the beginning of conscious thought. She was feared and revered by cultures who also fought their own battles against destruction.
Egyptians worshipped Sekhmet, the great fire-breathing feline goddess who could destroy humanity with one swift swipe of her paw through widespread plague, yet who would protect and heal her devotees.
Durga, the great Hindu warrior Goddess who single-handedly slew the evilest demon in the universe, was revered for her motherly protection and for her strength to fight for good.
Oya, the African Yoruban goddess, bare-breasted and wielding two machetes, commanded tornados and earthquakes to eliminate the old, dead wood so that new could emerge.
Yes, this fierce Goddess in her many forms was, and continues to be, worshipped around the globe.
And She exists in each of us. YOU embody the same divine weaponry of ferocious power that could decimate humanity or destroy individuals. YOU hold the primal force that fights for justice and protects those things you love.
Like many women today, you may be recovering from the puritanical conditioning that taught us to be ‘good girls’ and ‘be quiet,’ and yet you’re feeling the emergence of your wild, loud nature. You’re summoning the courage to draw your machete out of its sheath, conjuring tornadoes, and decimating the old wood – all to destroy the force that squashes women’s power to bring balance to humanity.
You want to grow into your truth, fearlessly express your beliefs, protect your loved ones, and fight for justice for the good of all.
Activating this mysterious aspect of Goddess within you can help you become stronger and more effective at maintaining balance, not just in politics, but also in your relationships, the workplace, and in all your pursuits for what you believe in.
You may learn how to rouse and express your Dark Goddess energy so that it’s potent, instills respectable fear, and causes one to pause and listen, and motivate action.
Following are a few ideas to help you activate and express your Dark Goddess energy:
1. Acknowledge and honor that a Dark Goddess exists within you.
We embody high-vibration aspects of love, joy, compassion and peace, and as well as lower-vibration aspects of anger, vengefulness, fear and guilt.
Many of us strive to remain in a state of high-vibration energy and we turn away from the other. We work to dissolve our anger, hatred, and pain, and then strive to keep it at bay when triggered. We choose to ignore those shadowy places that hold our truth.
But denying our dark side doesn’t make it go away. The lower-vibe aspects are still there and ignoring them is an act of dismissing parts of your Self, and eventually, they will rise when least expected anyway. It’s important to look under the covers and examine these murky mysteries. Take time to honor your anger, appreciate your vengefulness and express your stuffed-away parts. This acknowledgment of your truth is incredibly empowering and will help strengthen your stance for justice and to take down evil in the world. By accepting your ferocity, you awaken and embody the Dark Goddess.
2. Become friends with Dark Goddesses
Many of us are attracted to the loving, nurturing, sensual, creator goddesses, like Aphrodite, Lakshmi, Mother Mary, and Oshun. We strive to embody their soft, flowy and sensual qualities thinking we are representing authentic goddess energy.
But the soft, sensual, flowy Goddess is but one aspect of the Divine Feminine. She is vastly dynamic and each aspect must be recognized and honored. Learning about Kali, Durga, Sekhmet, Oya, Lilith, the Gorgons, and other Transformational Goddesses helps us taste the flavors of the ferocious warrior, bold defender of justice, and passionate protector so that we may summon these qualities within ourselves.
To learn about these special deities, Google the name of a goddess and read one of the hundreds of articles that pop up. Select a Goddess you’re most attracted to and write down Her qualities and myths. Find, print or draw a picture of Her, and place it on your desk, alter or bathroom mirror. Bring your Goddess into your consciousness and think about Her as feelings are triggered. The more familiar you are with these powerful Goddesses, the more comfortable you will become with your own deep and mysterious qualities.
3. Handle your emotions like an Empowered Goddess
Though Dark Goddess energy is wild, vengeful, and destructive, this divine force doesn’t allow Her emotions to spew unbridled. Her expressions are masterfully controlled, purposeful, intentional, inspired by a higher purpose, and emphasized with passion. She stands firm, carries authority, and fearlessly communicates her truth.
By nature, women are emotional creatures, and sometimes our hysteria can interfere with our effective communication, turn off the recipient of our tumult, and can even cause us to regret our rant.
You may learn to control your emotions like a Goddess so that you may respond, rather than react, to a triggering situation. This will allow you to stand in authority, act with focused intention, and communicate with clarity.
When your emotions are triggered, take a breath before reacting. By simply inhaling deeply and exhaling completely three times, you may calm your nervous system and clear your mind. This may convert your emotional “attack mode”, in which you may fail to make your point, into a “Power and Purpose mode” that inspires awe and respect, and often a positive outcome.
If you have time, write out your thoughts and get clear on your solutions to the issue. Back up your case with evidence and proof. Prove your power with your wisdom and knowledge.
4. Physically Embody Goddess Energy
The Dark Goddesses rely on their brawn to masterfully engage their tools. You, too, need radiant physical strength to reinforce your spiritual and energetic potency.
For instant Goddess power, stand in Superwoman Pose. With your legs spread wide, hands on your hips, and head erect, breathe deeply while invoking the power to rise from your core. This pose of confidence sparks energy that truly turns up your Goddess power. Practice this during the day, before a meeting, and even during a conversation in which you need to make your point. Your mission will come through loudly and clearly.
You can intensify your force by strengthening your body with nutrition and exercise. A healthy and toned body can help stand taller, maintain your balance, and amplify the power in your core. Any physical activity will do: dancing, walking, yoga, weightlifting. Just do it.
Even without physical fitness, you may fortify your strength simply by visualizing yourself as a Goddess of Power. In a brief meditation, invite her in. See her enter your body and feel her strength well up in you. Envisioning Her within you will help it be so.
Today we need the aspects of the Dark Goddess more than ever. She is here to heal us, protect us and empower us. Befriending this aspect of the Goddess around and within us, and invoking her support in times of need, will help you and the feminine collective to bring balance to the world.